The Crown (Prince Harry fanfic #5)

Chapter Thirty-One

Christmas passed. The new year passed. And then Valentine's Day hit like a storm. Lucy wasn't one for the holiday, but Harry always loved Valentine's Day, and he especially loved spending it with Lucy. Last year, Freddie was with them, but the nanny had him out for the night with his grandparents. Tonight, it was to be Harry and seven-month pregnant Lucy alone. That was what she needed, Harry decided, just some time to relax... and some romance. Also, Lucy wasn't one for romance but Harry was going to give it to her anyway.

It always made Harry chuckle when he thought of their wedding night, where candle had been lit and rose petals had been spread throughout the room. She cleaned them up before she let anything happen, and then they fell asleep. Harry wanted something a little more... romantic tonight.

Harry lit the candles anyway and spread red rose petals around. He dimmed the lights and everyone was out of the apartment. The food had been set out, four course meal, including some delicious dessert. Harry hoped the dessert might have been saved for later, perhaps a midnight snack. Something sweet after the salty.

The husband instructed Lucy to wear something beautiful, which she did. A full ballgown graced her body as Harry wore a tux. The tight fabric pulled against her bulging belly of seven months. Gwen had done Lucy's hair and makeup to perfection, before slipping out. Soft music played in the background, over the speakers in the apartment.

Walking over to greet his wife, Harry kissed her deeply, and she blushed immediately. When he finished, he led her to the dinning room. Lucy did her best to keep her mouth shut over the candles and red rose petals. She knew all of this would've been cleaned up by tomorrow; she had nothing to worry about. Harry pulled out the chair for Lucy and then pushed it in after Lucy sat down. Sitting down across from his wife, Harry pulled red liquid into wine glasses for them.

"Harry?" Lucy questioned.

He smiled. "Cranberry juice." His blue eyes glittered with amusement. Lucy couldn't drink (not that she drank much ever), and he refused to drink because she couldn't drink. Lucy never asked for it but he did it for her. Though, a nice glass of red wine would've gone well with the meal. "Cheers."

Harry picked up his glass, same with Lucy, and they toasted the occasion.

"What's on the schedule for tonight?" Lucy asked, after taking a sip from her cranberry juice.

"No schedule," Harry said after taking a bite. "I think we'll just enjoy ourselves. Freddie won't be back until tomorrow, and we're alone for the night. We can do whatever we like."

Lucy arched an eyebrow. "Did you have something in mind?"

Harry shrugged, trying to play it cool, but his reddening face gave it away.

Rolling her eyes, Lucy ate a little bit.

"We don't have to," Harry said. "Everyone else does, but we have never been very... like that."

Lucy laughed. "Oh, Prince Charming, if only you could play it cool."

"I can play it cool."

"I'm sure."

Harry sighed with a smile. "We do have the whole apartment to ourselves, we could do whatever we wanted. Make a fort, watch a film, sleep for once, walk around naked, turn the music up loud and have a dance party, color," he listed.

Lucy smirked. "Let's see how the night goes."

After some eating and conversation, the plates were finished off and the couple sat across from each other. Harry told an old story about traveling. Lucy launched into a story about the time she went to Italy, which concerned Harry after Lucy let on she might have been slightly hammered when she went clubbing. Lucy had never been a partier so when she told stories like this, Harry always managed to be shocked. She definitely had some interesting fun in her younger days, when she wasn't with Harry.

Harry sighed.

Lucy's eyes flipped upward at him. "What are you thinking about?"

"The first time I met you."

Her chuckles filled the room. "An interesting day for both of us. What did you think of me?"

"I was confused," Harry admitted. "I thought you were going to be like all the other girls I had met, falling over me, or worse, so passive about me that you knew they tried to get my attention."

"I would say that I was quite passive about meeting you."

"Yes, but more like you didn't care. You didn't give a shite that I happened to be a prince, when most girls, that's what they talk about first. You were more interested in doing your job. You were so focused on that."

"Well, we were in Africa for a reason."

Harry laughed. "And then I fell in love with you. I honestly think I fell in love with you on the first day I met you, just by watching you, because you weren't like anyone else. And then it grew and grew, my love, until I couldn't stop thinking about you. By that time, I was in London again, and every day, my mind was focused on you."

"Don't worry, I showed up."

"I'm so happy you did." Harry couldn't hide his grin.

"Imagine your life you had married someone else, Harry," Lucy began.

"I really don't want to," Harry interjected. "This is the perfect life for me. This is the life I have always wanted and never known I needed. You keep things real, and I feel normal and human. If I was with anyone else, I would feel stuck and lonely. I feel alive with you; I feel awake. I never want to fall asleep."

Lucy eyes were even with him for a moment, as she just watched the man she loved. Lucy didn't do proclamations of love. Though she loved to read and write, to say it aloud, it scared her. She wanted time to think things over. She wanted to say it perfectly. Sliding her chair back, Lucy stood and walked over to the stereo system. He watched her intently, unsure what she meant to do. Suddenly, Lucy turned the music up loudly. The thumping of the beat matched their heartbeats. She went over to her husband and kissed him, and then pulled him to his feet.

Pulling him into the middle of the room, Lucy slowly moved her body. Her hands slid down his body to move his hips back and forth. Harry's arms snaked around Lucy as they danced to the music. Without Harry realizing it, her arms had slid, and he let out a gasp as he finally noticed. She smiled at him innocently.

"Happy Valentine's Day," she said sweetly.

Harry smiled and nodded, unable to say anything.