Introspective Strangers [h.s.]

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

A cool brush of air whisps past my ear and I open my eyes to darkness.

The ground beneath my feet feels warm and secure, but nothing like I have ever felt before.

"Where am I?" I ask aloud, to no one in particular.

"Where do you think you are?" A familiar voice responds. I look beside me and, even in the darkness, I see him.

"I don't know," I reply to Harry, noticing that our hands are intertwined.

"Look down."

I do as he says and my heart jumps into my throat.

"A cloud. We're standing in the clouds," I murmur in disbelief. It's only then that I seem to notice the stars twinkling around us, something that I hadn't been able to see when I first opened my eyes. "It feels different than I would have expected."

"What did you expect?"

"I don't know... Maybe that they would be soft. That we would fall right through."

"Well you aren't entirely wrong," Harry begins, and I look over at him. He gives me a knowing grin before the tufts of white beneath his feet give way and he falls into nothing.

I start to scream, feeling once more the absence of his hand in mine and drop to my knees, wanting to jump in after him only to see that the clouds have closed up once more.

He is gone and I failed to save him.

I woke with a start, feeling my breath hitch in my lungs and immediately sat bolt upright. My hand instinctively wrapped around my throat, as if it could somehow give some physical reassurance to my lungs and I squeezed my eyes shut.

Reeling from my dream, I took a few deep breaths, before looking around and furrowing my brows. It was only after a few seconds of confused contemplation that I realized I was still sitting on the rooftop with Harry.

My heart gave an involuntary lurch as I looked down at the figure beside me. Harry was sleeping peacefully on his side, his arms wrapped around my waist and his curls astray. His head was awkwardly turned to the side and I had to guess that it had been laying on me before I had woken.

Covering both of our bodies was a thick, wool blanket that I didn't remember seeing before I drifted off which lead me to believe that Harry had brought it back out after I had fallen asleep. Thinking about how he had the ability to wake me up and move me inside but chose instead to grab a blanket and sleep out here with me caused an ache in my chest to bloom – the good kind.

With a small smile, I angled my head to the side and reached over ever so gently to tuck a stray piece of his hair behind his ear.

"Mornin' Killer," he rasped. His eyes fluttered open to look at me, a lazy grin spreading across his face, and I quickly pulled my hand back.

"Um, sorry. I– "

Harry reached up to grab a hold of my wrist and prevent me from pulling away. I swallowed as he pressed his cheek into my touch and closed his eyes, knitting his fingers through mine.

"Stop apologizing for shit you don't have to be sorry for," he murmured into my hand as he brought it to his lips and gave it a small peck. Glancing behind me, he frowned. I resisted the urge to lean over and run my fingers over his lips. "But what fuckin' time is it?"

"I... don't know," I replied and started patting the blanket around us to find my phone. "I just woke up."

Harry propped himself up onto his elbow and gave me a teasing grin. "What are you hoping to find under there?"