One day, in the beginning of December, Harry shows up to the manor without his camera. He woke up late, wasn't ready, and in the end... Harry forgot. He just biked up the hill without his alibi and now he's at the gate, empty handed, wrapped up in a big scarf and an old coat that belonged to Niall's grandfather.
Louis, of course, notices straight away.
"No camera today?" he asks teasingly. "What's even the point of you being here if you don't bring your camera?"
"I thought we could talk," Harry offers. "Walk around those beautiful grounds of yours and talk. I understand if you're not up for that though."
"No," Louis replies quickly. "That's fine. Photography isn't everything, right?"
"Photography isn't everything," Harry confirms. "Although, it matters a lot."
Louis laughs. "I get it, I get it. I'm not allowed to make fun of your profession even if I don't understand you bohemian, artistic types."
"I hardly think I'm a bohemian," Harry protests, hiding his hands in Pop's coat.
"You're an artist, you can't be an accurate judge of that, unfortunately," Louis explains as they walk through the gates.
"Well, you're a snob so you can't be an accurate judge either."
Louis laughs, snapping his fingers towards Harry. "Fair enough, Harry," he says and it still sends a little thrill down Harry's spine to hear him say his name. The novelty of the whole thing still hasn't worn off and it's exciting. "So, where do you want to go?"
"This is your land," Harry shrugs. "You decide."
"What about the Chapel?" Louis offers, eyes lightening up. "You haven't visited it yet."
"Yeah, that works. Good idea."
Louis smirks and shakes his head. "Oh, you are going to regret not bringing your camera today, because that building is truly beautiful. When the light hits the windows right, it's like... being transported to another world."
"I guess I'll just have to go back once I have my camera," Harry replies with a sheepish shrug.
"I guess," Louis replies, turning towards the group of trees opposite the stables.
Sometimes Harry feels like Louis' land simply... does not end. There are fields and a house and a garage and stables and a forest apparently.
"How big is the Estate exactly?" Harry asks as they walk forwards.
"Including the village and all the tenants' farm?" Louis asks.
Harry nods and it sets Louis off as he starts babbling about the different ways to divide their land up, the different ways to understand it's size and magnitude. Harry doesn't understand all of it, but mostly he gathers that the place is big. Really big. Bigger than he first thought. He knows there's no way Mr. Anonymous bought all of what Louis is talking up. The Estate was sliced up and divided and redivided through the years, leaving only the house and the surrounding land. Probably including the forest they are currently walking through.
"Are you... sure you know where we are going?" Harry asks after an hour of walking through the trees.
"I think I know my own land, thank you very much," Louis replies stubbornly, bending down gracefully to avoid getting hit in the face by a branch,
"It's just... we've been walking for a long time." Harry states the obvious in a small voice.
"It's normal."
