Wildest Dreams (h.s. au)

six

"Harry, mate, chill out," the trainer says, my head shaking.

After a few hours, I feel my fingers lock up and my shirt soaked. I throw it off my body and continue punching the bag, every muscle straining. The ringtone of my phone is heard through the room, my eyebrows frowning at the unknown number.

"Hello?" I ask, a female voice heard.

"Are you Harry?" she asks, a thick accent with her words.

"Yes. Who is this?" I ask.

"Lucia French, Magdalena's grandmother," she says, my heart beating way too fast.

"What's wrong? Is she okay?" I ask, the woman telling me she's fine.

"She's in hysterics. She left a while ago. Please go to the cemetery and get her," she says, my hand pulling a shirt over my head.

"Which one?" I ask, her response guiding me where I need to go.

Rushing out of the workout room, I take a cab to the cemetery and pay the fee. I search in the dark for Marie and run up and down rows of graves, searching in the snow for her brown curls.

I'm so tired, running around when I finally see her. Her body is curled in a ball, her chin resting on her knees in front of a gravestone. Walking towards her feels like miles and I finally reach her, my body crouching down next to her. Lucas Jerome Smith is written on the stone and I turn my head to her, her shaking form barely even registering.

"Marie?" I whisper, setting my hand on her back. Her eyes open, the puffy skin deflating my heart. She's been crying.

"H-Harry?" she rasps, my head nodding.

"Yes, yes it's me. Why are you out here? It's so cold," I say, taking off my beanie and setting it on her head. She moves closer to me and I open my arms, lifting her up.

"I needed to talk to him," she says, her body curling into mine.

My arms hold her and I walk her in the direction of her apartment, my feet trying to walk faster. She's freezing.

"Did I scare you? I'm so sorry I said that," I gush, her cold nose pressing into my neck.

"I didn't...I didn't know what to say. I panicked," she whispers, furrowing her head against my neck.

She shakes and I hold her against me tighter, trying to warm her better. "Please don't be afraid of me," I plead, her fingers wrapping around the collar of my coat.

"I'm not afraid of you. It just- it happened too fast," she explains, my feet walking up to her apartment building. She hands me her key and I unlock the door, carrying her to her bedroom. I sit on the bed and remove her snow covered coat, taking mine off in the process. Her fingers remove the beanie and she places it on my head, curling into my arms again.

"My parents weren't there to guide me...relationship wise. I get nervous with boys still," she whispers, my fingers brushing through her hair.

"It's okay. I'm a very open person and I'll listen to anything you need to say. I'll tell you anything about me that you want to know because...I trust you," I tell her, her legs moving to wrap around my waist. She rests her head on my shoulder and I trace patterns on her back with my fingers.

"They passed away together," she whispers, not a single waver in her voice. Her lips are soft as they brush my neck while speaking, her fingers tracing over my shirt.

"I was sixteen and I was at dance. My sister rushed into the room and pulled me out of the class, her sobs so hard. I was confused and worried and we arrived at the scene. It was a car crash, my parents...hit by a drunk driver. When they opened the car, their hands... were together in loving hope. My mother was barely alive and my father was gone. They were on their way to pick me up," she chokes, my hand moving to her cheek. Setting my fingers beneath my eyes, I softly touch her and her fingers wrap around my shirt.