Hearts Desire (Harry Styles)

Chapter 25 - No matter the cost

Harry's POV

From the second my eyes fluttered open, I haven't been able to take my eyes off of her, memorizing and taking in every small detail that I could. The freckles that adorned her bare sun kissed skin, her eyelashes fanned out at the top of her cheekbone, the way her soft lips were parted ever so slightly as her cheek squished against the pillow, her hair going in every which way possible.

She was so effortlessly beautiful.

If we could stay in this moment forever I would choose that in a heartbeat. If I could just guarantee that everything would always be as simple as the two of us laying here together in peace, I would do whatever it took. But, I knew I couldn't guarantee that, simplicity in certain aspects of my life being just one bullet-point on the list of things I wish I could control. I find myself falling for her more every single day, just by watching her do the most mundane things, yet the harder I fall the more terrified I become of hurting her somehow, being a regret of her past, being someone she won't even speak about.

Being with me isn't easy, I know that my life is anything but ordinary, yet here she is. Someone who has been through literal hell is putting herself in a position to get ridiculed at any given moment, putting herself in a position to endure rumors that are inevitable, always at risk of having her privacy invaded. All to be with me...all because of who I am.

While Mia had her past, I also had mine, the little voice in my head bringing ghosts of the past back to the frontlines reminding me of situations prior. Sometimes I wonder if I jumped in too quickly, I have the tendency to do that sometimes, forgetting to really truly think things through until I'm forced to realize it after landing too hard. Maybe I should have thought about how parts of my life could impact her, maybe we should have talked more about it before getting in this deep.

Although I think I've been in deep since the moment I first laid eyes on her.

I know for a fact I need Mia in my life, no matter where we stand...together or friends, but the most daunting thing is wondering if she would need me too.

The rustling of the sheets following by her nuzzling herself into my chest pull me from my thoughts, the sudden comfort of her touch spreading warmth throughout my body. My hand brushes the loose hair from her face as I mindlessly begin running my fingers over the exposed skin on her back from where the shirt had bunched up with her movement. "Good morning, beautiful." I mumble into the top of her head before placing a kiss where my lips just were. "Merry Christmas-" My mouth twitches into a smile as I look down finding the soft smile of contentment on her lips, eyes still shut.

"Merry Christmas, baby-" Her voice is still full of sleep as she gives me a squeeze before rubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands, a yawn slipping from her lips as her back arches into a stretch.

"Hey!" I yawn directly after, "Don't you know those things are contagious?!" Her soft giggle and muttered apology sending the butterflies loose in my stomach. "They'll be calling us for breakfast soon I'm sure..." I crane my head just enough to see the clock on the nightstand, "But before they do, I would like to give you, your presents in private."

She looked up towards me with a raised brow in curiosity, fighting the grin that was pulling at the corners of her mouth. "I thought we agreed on no presents?" I loved when she tried to act all stern and disapproving when I knew she wasn't, just one of the many bullet points on my list of favorite Mia things.

"Mhmmm-" I nodded, tapping along my chin as I looked up towards the ceiling. "So we'll just pretend I didn't see you sneaking presents inside your clothes when you were packing?" I smirked, holding in a laugh as I snapped my head back down towards her to find her eyes wide, a look of fake innocence on her face.