♡one year later [christmas]♡
[audrey's pov]
Snowflakes dance through the morning sky, painting the landscape ivory. In the distance, hills, homes, and large trees can barely be seen under the blanket of snow. It is a beautiful view and my gaze is transfixed. The sun dares to peek out from beneath the thick layer of fog and clouds, painting the horizon with its golden hue.
The heavy arm tossed over my torso tightens its grip on my waist, pulling me closer. My eyes stray from the scene outside and shift to see if the beautiful boy beside me has awoken. His chestnut waves are splayed across the pillow and his bangs fall into his closed eyes, concealing their emerald depths. In sleep, his face is relaxed, emphasizing his boyish features. He always has this charming aura about him, but while sleeping, Harry looks almost angelic. I want to wake him up and urge him to go downstairs to open all the presents, but I know he's probably exhausted.
Our Christmas this year has been vastly different than the previous one. Last year, we had just been meeting and spent the start of the day feeling alone. It is funny how things can change though. This year, we're at Harry's parents home in Holmes Chapel. I woke up the previous morning to Harry shaking me awake and telling me to look out the adjacent window.
Flurries of snow were visible through the glass window pane. "It never snows in Cheshire!" Harry exclaimed, rushing to the closet and pulling on a pair of flannel pajama pants and rubber wellies. A sweatshirt and coat were pulled on over his bare torso. Harry turned to look at me, still lying in bed.
"Get up, baby," he said, moving towards me.
"It's too early," I whine, burying myself further into the blankets. There was plenty of snow back home; this could wait.
Harry's arms wrapped around my small frame and threw me over his shoulder, carrying me out of the bedroom and down the hallway as I protested loudly. "Harry, put me down right now!"
"Shh," Harry whispered in a laugh, "you'll wake up Mum and Robin."
I shut my mouth, instantly feeling bad about possibly waking the Styles. My sleep shorts rode up my legs, barely covering my bottom as I lied bent over Harry's shoulder. I sighed loudly, being ignored by the curly-haired boy. Harry stopped in front of his sister's door, throwing it open without bothering to knock.
"Gemma!" he called, startling the girl awake.
"What the hell are you doing?" she groaned at her abrupt awakening.
Harry ignored her. "You got any snow boots Audrey can borrow?"
Gemma grabbed her phone, staring at the time on the display. "Harry, it's six in the bloody morning!"
Harry stared at his sister blankly, as if the early morning hour affected his request in no way. The girl grumbled, "Just look in my closet and leave me alone."
She threw the comforters over her head while Harry perused through his sister's belongings, finally setting me down on my feet. I adjusted my pajamas as he pulled out a pair of stylish snow boots. They were white with thick rubber soles and white faux fur lining.
Gemma and I shared a similar build and shoe size, so luckily the boots slid on with ease. We returned to Harry's room where I slipped on warmer clothes, gloves, and one of Harry's beanies. I wanted to protest at the thought of going out in the freezing cold, but the look of childlike joy on Harry's face was enough to silence me.
I let him lead me out the back door, while he rambled out how it only rained here and almost never snowed. Harry and I stepped into the backyard, looking out at the land behind the house. The Styles' backyard was basically a huge field, complete with trees in the distance that led into a trail that led off the property and into the wooded area. Having always lived in cities and suburbs, it was interesting to see the rural setting of Harry's village.
As I adjusted to the chill in the air, I gradually woke up, shaking off the lethargy of sleep.
I stood calmly on the porch with a smile on my face as I watched Harry play in the white frost. He grasped a huge clump of light snow, tossing it over my head and letting it rain down like confetti while he grinned. After running around for several minutes like a sugar-high child, throwing snow and sliding along the ice, he relaxed, out of breath. His cheeky smile was still bright as he approached me and collapsed next to me on the snow-covered step. I could feel the cold from the snow through my denim jeans. I could only imagine how Harry felt in his thin pajama pants, but he didn't seem to mind.
Our breath was visible in little clouds that momentarily hovered in the air like puffs of smoke. Harry pulled my gloved hand into his as he began to speak.
"Do you ever wonder where all the birds go?" Harry asked.
"Hmm?" I breathed, looking at him curiously, wondering where the random topic had come from.
"All the birds are gone. It's strange," he murmured.
"They migrate," I replied.
"In one day?" he questioned doubtfully.
"I'm not a bird expert, Harry," I said, rolling my eyes.
He just retorted, "Clearly," before nuzzling his cold nose against my neck. I sighed, turning my gaze to meet his. His green eyes seemed more complex than usual, the glint of sun rising in the sky highlighting the various flecks of greens and blues in his irises. Harry leaned in easily, used to the intimacy we've grown comfortable with. My mind remembered the hesitance behind our first kiss and the way our lips had met shyly. Now, Harry wasted no time letting his frigid lips meet mine, a surprising breath of warmth meeting me as he opened his mouth. Despite the numerous kisses we'd shared, the spark that flared in me never faded. I was the kerosene and he was the flame. When we met, we reacted in perfect harmony. I burned with the heat we shared and smoldered with our muted passion.
Harry and I weren't one of those couples to have loud, dramatic fights in public places and then make up with sloppy sex in a bathroom stall. That wasn't to say we didn't have our share of disagreements and intimate makeups, we just weren't explosive. We both knew how to disarm one another's anger and rarely fought over anything larger than him leaving his wet towels or discarded clothing all over the house or me spilling my frappuccino on Harry's new rug.
Harry sucked my bottom lip into his mouth, grazing the plump flesh with his teeth. His curls were matted from the pillow and my fingers ran through his locks. I knew every inch of his mouth, just like he did mine, and when he released my lip, I let my tongue dart forward and brush his. The contact tightened his grip on my hips and I smiled against the embrace. It was a while of moving lips and soft sounds before we broke apart, the cold air seeping into my bone's due to our still nature.
"Come on," Harry said, not allowing me to go inside the house just yet. "We have to make snow angels."
I followed him out into the yard and through the layer of snow. Harry and I lied down side by side, snow cushioning our bodies. Our fingers barely brushed as we shaped the sloping wings of our angels by fanning our arms back and forth.
"Do you think it's snowing for us?" I asked, looking up at the frosted sky.
"I think the fame's gone to your head a bit, love," Harry teased, his dimples prominent. "We have quite a few followers on twitter, but we don't control the weather."
"Whatever," I scoffed. "You know what I mean."
"I think it's a romantic coincidence."
I nod. "It's fate."
Harry laughed lightly, looking adorable settled in the snow. Melting white flakes collected in his dark hair and disappeared as it liquefied against his warmth.
The door that led inside opened silently. I glanced over, Harry not noticing the disturbance. Gemma slipped outside, still clad in her pajamas as she tiptoed onto the snow-covered ground and rolled up a snowball. I shook my head at the antics of Harry and Gemma.
Gemma threw a snowball and I watched as it arced through the air, heading directly towards its target. It smacked Harry on the side of his stomach and he jumped in shock. His eyes flashed across the yard as he stood up quickly, meeting the mischievous gaze of his sister. She giggled, racing back into the house.
"Gem, I swear...," Harry trailed off, darting inside after his sister. I couldn't help but laugh at the siblings.
I pulled out my phone, taking a picture to compare to the snow angels we'd made last year. I'm admiring the way our wings touched when the back door opened once more.
Harry's head poked out, staring at me quizzically as I stood alone in the snow. "Get inside, babe!" he yells across the space. "Mum's making pancakes."
Snapping me back to the present, the sleepy boy beside me shifts, breaking out of his rhythmic breathing and shoving his face into my hair and groaning sleepily. I smile at his lethargic waking, glancing at the time on the alarm clock that sits on the bedside table. The red numbers flash 8:30 AM. It's early for Harry on an off day, but late for most Christmas mornings. However, since no one in the house is under the age of 10, everyone takes advantage of a chance to sleep in. I've just recently begun to hear the sounds of quiet shuffling downstairs.
Harry goes through his stages of waking up, which I've grown to know well. He tosses and turns silently, then lets out a series of yawns and groans while he snuggles as far into the covers as he can go, pulling me tight against him. After he prolongs his awakening for several minutes, he finally opens his eyes then shuts them with a tired sigh. This repeats a few times, while I simply watch his cute antics. Harry is horrible at getting out of bed, but I have to admit that it's pretty cute.
By the time he's finally blinking at me blearily, it's 8:45.
"Merry Christmas," I smile, moving his wavy hair out of his eyes.
His lips turn up lazily and he mumbles out, "Happy Christmas, love." His voice in the morning is this deep, rumbling tone that is one of numerous things I adore about him.
I sit up eagerly. "Let's go downstairs and open presents!"
"Or we could just lay here and you can be my present."
"I already am, but you'll have to wait for that until we go back to your flat tonight," I admit cheekily. Harry and I will be heading back to London tonight after spending the past week at his mum's. It's been so nice getting to know Harry's family, but I am looking forward to renewed privacy.
Harry's eyes widen, a hungry look growing in his eyes. "Don't tease me like that, baby."
I only smirk, slipping out of his grasp and into the connected bathroom to brush my teeth and make myself look somewhat presentable. It's funny to think that I used to make sure Harry never saw me looking less than my best, but now he sees me looking like a hot mess every morning and I don't even think twice about it. The thought makes me giggle to myself.
"What are you laughing about?" Harry asks as he steps into the bathroom behind me.
I pick up my toothbrush and smile. "I was just thinking about when I always made sure I looked perfect in front of you."
"Those were the days," Harry sighs jokingly.
I slap his bare chest playfully. "Let's not forget that I took care of you when you had food poisoning and looked like an extra on The Walking Dead."
"How dare you," he gasps. I roll my eyes and shush the boy by sticking his toothbrush in his open mouth.
Before long, Harry and I are padding down the stairs, still clad in our pajamas. We near the sounds of his family. "As long as you love me so, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow," Dean Martin croons from the speakers in the living room.
"Finally, you two are up!" Anne remarks as we come into view. Robin, Anne, and Gemma are all sitting on the couch. The yule log crackles on the TV screen, painting the perfect picture as snow swirls outside.
"This boy likes his sleep," I reply, nodding towards Harry.
"Oh, I know it. He'd sleep all day if he had his way."
"You know I'm standing right here, yeah?" Harry interrupts with a hint of irritation as he pulls me down onto the love seat.
Anne and I ignore him. Gemma smiles, saying, "I made you guys hot chocolate, as well." Two mugs sit untouched in the middle of the coffee table.
I thank her, reaching forward and grabbing Harry's and mine.
"You didn't poison them, did you?" Harry questions, sniffing the drink suspiciously.
"Only yours," Gemma retorts.
"Now that everyone's up," Anne begins, "we should get to presents."
Gemma and I nod happily, both eager to see what awaits us. Robin laughs at our excitement.
Harry sips his hot chocolate, toying with the cinnamon stick that floats at the side while Anne begins retrieving presents from under the tree and passing them to their intended recipient. I kiss off the chocolate mustache that's appeared above Harry's lip, earning a smile from the boy.
The next hour passes with ripping wrapping paper, exclaimed "thank you"s, and a happy feeling permeating the room. I place the bows that sit atop my presents in Harry's hair. He shakes them off just in time for me to perch another one into his curls. It's fitting as he's my favorite Christmas present. The gifts I receive are amazing, including gift cards, an iPad mini, and a beautiful tennis bracelet. Even though Harry's family just met me recently, the thought they put into my gifts is so sweet. Harry's gifts are my favorite though, just showing how much he knows me. I love every one of them, from the pair of heels to the Arctic Monkeys backstage concert tickets to the vintage necklace I offhandedly mentioned I liked three months ago. I hope they all like my presents just as much. Harry immediately slips on the new beanie I bought him. Unlike Harry, I wasn't exactly rolling in millions, so I had to get a little more creative to come up with gifts for the boy that seemed to have everything. Luckily, he appeared to love the scrapbook that held photos of our relationship, proclaiming that he would definitely be bringing it on tour with him, and the mix CD I created of songs that reminded me of us.
I begin to think we're done with all the presents when Harry hands me a final small box. It's too big to be a ring, but too small to be a necklace. I consider the idea that it's a bracelet, but it just doesn't seem right. Underneath the sloppily packaged wrapping paper and ribbon is a small black box. There's no lettering on it or any sign of what it is. Harry's watching me with eyes that spell out both excitement and anxiety.
I lift the top off the box, aware of the silence that fills the room. Against a layer of tissue paper rests a small silver key. Confusion floods me. I already have a key to Harry's apartment, which I almost never use, and he has one to my dorm. They're pretty useless considering if we're either of those places, we're always together, but it's just a nice gesture. However, because of this, I can't understand why I'm receiving another key.
"What is this?" I finally ask, unable to figure out the riddle on my own.
"I bought us - well, sort of you, but mainly us - a flat," Harry answers.
"A flat?" I question.
"An apartment," he clarifies in American terms.
"I know what a flat is," I state. "What do you mean you bought us one?"
"Well, I know you're getting tired of the dorms and all, and I just thought while I'm off for the next few months, we could, like, live there together. It's in Boulder, just a few blocks off campus. It's really nice. I have pictures of it on my phone, if you want to see," Harry explains nervously.
I smile, a bit overwhelmed by the gesture. It's one thing to buy me shoes for Christmas, but an apartment is a whole different thing. It's quite the step up and I feel like it's Harry's way of having us move in together. With One Direction as busy as they are, we won't get the chance any time soon. I've spent time at his flat in London, where I have my own drawer when I visit and help him grocery shop, almost like a normal couple that doesn't have to deal with the crazy long distance. Now, we can have a similar set up when he's in the states. The idea is really nice the more that I consider it. I still think it's way too much, even though to Harry the purchase probably didn't affect his bank account at all.
When he pulls out his phone at my urging and begins showing me pictures of the expansive apartment, I can't help but smile. I know exactly where the apartment is--in a lavish building near campus. The kitchen is huge and upgraded beautifully. Dark hardwood is present throughout the apartment and the details that make up the space are wonderful. There's a small window seat in the room Harry refers to as the office. "I was thinking you could study in there and I could do some... work things too," he offered. Off the master bedroom is a balcony that holds a view of the beautiful mountains. It's perfect for us. The two bedroom apartment is ideal and I can easily imagine Harry and I living together in the space.
"It's lovely," I breathe, flipping through the pictures once more.
"Yeah?" Harry asks, letting out a sigh of relief.
I nod. "I love you," I admit.
"I love you too," Harry responds, kissing me softly.
I pick up the key, feeling the cool metal against my fingers, and imagining the moment we step through the door and how we'll make the apartment our own. I can't wait to tell Nicole, knowing she'll freak out.
"I'm really happy," I admit, kissing Harry once more.
"Good, I like seeing you happy," Harry grins. "I can't wait to wake up next to you for the next three months and pick you up from class and just be normal, you know?"
"Yeah," I agree.
Shortly after, we all clean up the mess from the presents and Anne and I go into the kitchen. She tries to insist I'm a guest, but I really do like spending time with her and begin helping her prepare breakfast. It's pretty simple. She'd gotten bagels from a local bakery the previous night, the airtight plastic bag they were in keeping them soft. Tubs of cream cheese are placed on the dining room table along with the table settings. We chat as we worked, being interrupted by Harry who claims to be helping as he sits on the kitchen counter, eating a bagel he snuck from the platter they now sit on.
Anne has a collection of stories about young Harry, ranging from embarrassing to sweet. I laugh and smile along, while Harry sits cringing and protesting at the memories. He occasionally jumps in, fixing details or denying the accuracy of his mother's tales.
Eventually, Anne calls everyone to the table. Harry and I are one of the last to arrive at the table as he peppers kisses against my lips then down to my neck. He doesn't let me escape until Gemma yells out, "Harry, don't fuck Audrey on the counter. We make food on there."
I blush, my cheeks still rosy as we sit down at the table. Gemma winks at me. "Don't worry, Aud, I'll protect your innocence."
I can only laugh, embarrassed, as Harry shouts, "What innocence?"
We dig into breakfast, the conversation loud and enjoyable. This feels like Christmas. Only a year ago, things were completely different. Harry changed everything and I can't help but be so thankful.
I turn and look at Harry intently, memorizing every aspect of him. He shoves a large piece of cream cheese coated bagel into his mouth.
"What are you looking at?" Harry asks, his mouth full, resulting in a barely comprehendible phrase.
I shrug. "I just love you."
So that's it. Wow. This story ended up being a lot longer than I planned, but I just fell in love with these characters and this story. I'm so sad to be ending it now, but I know this is the right place. Thank you so much to everyone that read, commented, and voted. It means so much and I really appreciate your support. Make sure to follow me and check out my new Harry Styles story, Icarus, which will be up on my profile by the time this chapter is uploaded. Love you guys!