No Matter What // Harry Styles AU -- Dunkirk inspired

Chapter Forty-Three

Harry continues to kiss me without reservation, not stopping even as a flash of lightning cracks across the dark sky and lights up the room. His lips drag across my jaw and slowly move down my neck. An involuntary gasp escapes my lungs as his soft lips pull at my skin. Luckily, my pleasure is muffled by the roar of thunder and the return of his lips to mine.

We pant wildly as we try to keep up with one another, but with each passing moment, I feel as if his breath slowly becomes my own. When he presses his mouth to mine, my chest swells and threatens to burst. It feels as if my soul has finally come up for air after floating just beneath the surface, unaware of how sweet and crisp it feels to truly fill every ounce of your lungs with life.

"I love you," I manage to say between our wild kissing. I've probably said it a million times tonight, but I'm desperate for him to understand how deeply I mean it.

Harry pauses to look down at me. His hooded eyes are piercing and it sends a shiver up and down my spine. "I love you, Hazel."

Suddenly, a loud thud bangs at the end of the hallway. Harry and I both jerk our heads up to stare at the door, terrified of what would happen if we're caught. We hold our breaths as heavy footsteps pass by my door and make their way down the hall.

"It's probably just Uncle Ben," I whisper, my eyes still on the door. "He won't come in."

"I should hope not," Harry laughs nervously. "Blimey, he thinks I'm working on a report tonight." His eyes widen comically as he thinks it over. He's so cute, I can't help but laugh. Harry's hand juts out to cover my mouth as he looks down at me with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"Oi, you goof, you want me caught?" he laughs. I shake my head, rustling against the pillows as I do so.

"Mm-mm," I giggle underneath his palm.

"Oh really?" he laughs, cocking his eyebrow as he playfully looks down at me with doubt. "Really now?"

"Mm-mm," I repeat, my giggles deepening. Harry's smirk grows as devilish excitement takes over his face.

"You're a bloody gorgeous little liar," he chuckles seductively as he stoops down to kiss my neck. His lips graze an incredibly sensitive spot along the top of my shoulder causing me to squirm and giggle deeply. Harry laughs into my neck, shaking his head about like a wet dog. We both fall into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

A door creaks down the hall and Harry and I immediately stop. Harry's cheeks puff out as he tries his hardest to keep his mouth shut. The urge to laugh becomes nearly unbearable. He holds his finger up over his mouth, short breathes escaping his nose as he tries his hardest not to laugh.

"Don't do it," he whispers with a glimmer in his eyes. "Don't," he mouths, stifling his own laughter.

I nod while covering my mouth with my hands. One ridiculous sound or thought and I'm a goner. I force myself to think of math equations and the smell of old newspapers to try and deaden any sense of humor, but Harry's cheeky grin and taunting gaze make it incredibly hard not to giggle. We wait for the clumping of Uncle Ben's footsteps to return to his bedroom, finally letting out our laughter when we hear his door shut.

"Good gravy, woman, you're gonna get me killed," he cackles. It's that pure, yet rough kind of boyish laugh that kills me. I immediately fall into another fit of laughter as Harry playfully pinches my sides. Only thing is, he has no idea how ticklish I am. Just as he moves in to kiss me, a zing shoots up my side and I involuntarily jerk my leg, kneeing Harry right below the waist.

My eyes shoot wide open as Harry cringes and falls onto his side.

"Harry!" I squeal, clasping my hands over my mouth. "I'm so sorry!"