How Long?

William, Harry and Charles were in the middle of the meeting regarding the Princes trust with their PR team but Harry attention was elsewhere. He was glued to his phone. Every two seconds his phone vibrates he smiles or frowns at the screen, types a quick reply and then pretends to listen to what’s
been said. This has been going on for the past hour.

“Harry, are you even with us?” Charles asked.

“Yes Dad” Harry said putting his phone down.

“Then you will accompany me to Wales?”

“Sure” Harry said.

“Great, it’s settled then” Charles said gathering the papers in front of him. “I will need your assistance with these as well” When he looked up to find Harry’s face buried in that damn phone again. Shaking his head they went on to the next agenda.

“How is Louise?” Charles asked.

Harry had been so engrossed with texting Lou that he didn’t even realized when everyone else left. It was just him, William and his father left at the table. He looked at his father, who was carefully eyeing him with an amusing smile on his face. Harry then turned to William who was also grinning.

“She is alright” Harry replied.

“Things are good between the two of you?”Charles asked.

“Yes” Harry said.

“It was very nice of her to fly down when you came back from your tour”

“It was” Harry said as a smile appeared on his face.

“She is an incredible girl isn’t she? I have always been very fond of her. I remember the rampage the
three of you use went on back when you were children. I always thought you and Louise had a very special bond”

“We did. We do. She is one of my best mate” Harry said.

“She is, I know. I just always hoped there might be more than that” Charles said sipping his tea never once looking at Harry.

“More than what?” Harry asked furrowing his eyebrows. His father can’t possibly mean what Harry thought he meant because Louise being anything more than his friend was absurd.

“Forget it. I shouldn’t have said anything” Charles said waving his hand dismissively in the air.

William chuckled at that.

“What are you two going on about?” Harry asked a bit annoyed. They always are ganging up on him.

“Nothing” William said.

“You two are up something. I can see it in your eyes”

“My eyes” William said in a faux hurt.

“Bloody plonker” Harry muttered under his breath when his phone rang.

“Say hello to Louise from my side” William said flashing his pearly whites.

“It isn’t Lou. It’s Chels” Harry said excusing himself from the table.

“Chels?” Charles asked looking at his elder son.

“Chelsy” William said.

“I know who Chels is smarty pants. I just thought the two of them had call it quits before he went to
Afghanistan”

“They did but since he’s been back they have been getting chummy again”

“Ahhh and here I was hoping something would happen between Harry and Louise”

“You and me both dad” William said.

---

Text between Harry and Louise:

Harry:: It’s not a big deal or anything but I will be given this medal for serving my country and would really like if you could come.

Louise:: Is that an invitation?

Harry:: Yes.

Louise:: If it’s not such a big deal then why should I fly down thousands of miles to attend it?

Harry:: Okay. Fine. It is a big deal. Do you think you can make it?

Louise:: I can’t promise anything right now. I am swamped with assignments that I have
to finish and submit before the break.

Harry:: You are coming down for Peter’s wedding though?

Louise:: Not sure yet.

Harry:: Come on! You have to come for that.

Louise:: I will try.

---

Texts between Harry and William:

Harry:: It’s final Lou is not coming.

William:: That’s a shame. It just might be the only time you are given a medal.

Harry:: At least I will be given one unlike some people.

William:: I will just ignore that. She is coming for Peter’s wedding?

Harry:: She is still not sure. She has some paper due for some class or something to do.

William:: How every attentive of you. Some paper some class. No wonder she is not coming.

Harry:: Fuck off! You know Lou. She rambles a lot and most of it goes over my head.

William:: The amount of time you two spend texting, I suppose things are going well between the two of you.

Harry:: They are definitely better than the last couple of years.

William:: Not great?

Harry:: No by a long shot. She still seems to be a bit guarded. We never really talk over
the phone just texting. A lot of texting.

William:: Do you blame her?

Harry:: No. I deserve it, I suppose.

William:: She will come around. This time last year you were not even talking. You two
have come a long way since then.

Harry:: I guess you’re right. Do you think I should invite Chelsy? She had been upset since she found out about me inviting Lou.

William:: It’s up to you.

Harry:: I suppose I can. Now, I even have a free seat.

William:: Just don’t tell that to Chelsy.

Harry:: I am not that big of a knob head.

William:: Aren’t ya?

---

Text between Louise and Harry:

Louise:: Congratulations on your achievement Lieutenant Wales.

Harry:: Thank you very much, Miss Tomlinson.

Louise:: How did it went?

Harry:: Great!

Louise:: Good.

Harry:: Will I be seeing you in a couple of weeks?

Louise:: I hope so.

Harry:: Still not confirmed?

Louise:: Nope

Harry:: Try. Alright

Louise:: Will do your highness.

----

“Louise Tomlinson, my god you are all grown up” Zara said outside the St George's Chapel after the hour long wedding ceremony of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly.

“Hello Zara. It’s been a long time” Louise said giving Zara a hug.

“The last time I saw you, you and this guy over here” She pointed at Harry “were hiding in the kitchen after wrecking a very expensive antique painting at Frogmore House”

“We did not wreck it. I just made some slight alterations which made it better in my opinion” Harry said.

Rolling her eyes Zara looked back at the young girl in front of her. She had to admit Louise had turned out to be a beautiful woman. She was not beautiful in a conventional manner but there was a certain amount of charm and elegance about her that drew people to her.

“Zara” Luke greeted Zara. “It was a beautiful ceremony”

“Thank you, Luke. I will see you guys at the reception” Zara said.

“Yes, we will be right behind you” Luke said.

“I hope I don’t have to warn the security to keep an eye on you two. I don’t want anything to ruin my brother’s big day” Zara said giving Louise and Harry a playful smile.

“I can’t promise you anything cousin” Harry replied with a cheeky grin.

Laughing lightly Zara joined the rest of the bridesmaids.

“I will just say hello to Uncle Charles. You go find the car” Luke said Louise before leaving.

Harry and Louise feel into an awkward silence, neither knowing what to say. This kind of awkwardness was something that was happening to them a lot these days. There was so much to say and talk about but both of them didn’t know how. Louise was trying to get her guard down to let him in but somehow it was not happening. She was too scared to fall into the same patterns. She was terrified to put herself out there and to get hurt again.

Harry on the other side didn’t want to push her. He still felt guilty for whatever that had happened between them. It hurt him to see what their once great friendship was reduced to. They seem to chat halfheartedly about anything from sports to weather to music. Then she would launch into rambling about some class she was taking at university. Just when Harry thought she surely would have been exhausted with useless chit-chat and they would begin with real conversations, she would go into her favorite topic about the difference between American and British culture that would go on for hours.
Harry almost had to stop himself from apologizing again just so that they could finally move on from his stupidity.

Was this what they had come to? Stilled conversation between strangers? For all of his life this girl had been his rock, his confidant, his riding partner, his person and now they barely knew each other anymore.

“How did your paper turned out?” Harry asked trying to make small talk.

“It turned out pretty well” She said.

“Good good” Harry said.

Another long pause.

“I will go find the car. I will see you there then” Louise said.

“Yes, I will find you” Harry said.

The reception was full of festivities with loads of music and dancing. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Louise was greeted by the rest of the Windsor clan. Beatrice and Eugenie came to say a quick hello. Then she got in a twenty minute long discussion with Charles about weather differences between California and London. She even said a quick greeting to the Queen and Prince Philip.

She was standing in the far corner of the room with a glass of champagne in her hand, looking at people dancing on the dance floor. Chelsy and Kate seemed to be enjoying themselves. She looked around the room, looking for the ginger head. Harry was talking to his grandfather. Their eyes met across the room and he gave her a warm smile.

“Are you also hiding to avoid dancing or is it just me?” Mike asked standing next to her.

She looked at the hefty man next to her. The thought of him dancing made her giggle.

“I was not but I can keep you company” Louise said.

“Thank you. These things always make me real uncomfortable. I am Mike by the way. I don’t know if you remember but we have met once before” He said extending his hand.

“Louise, I remember. We met at the polo club some three years ago” Louise said shaking his hand.

“I know why I am hiding. Why are you hiding?” Mike asked as he grabbed a glass of champagne from one of the tray nearby.

“I am not. I am just observing”

“I wish Zara would just let me observe” He said taking a sip of his drink.

“You can’t be that bad”

“Oh believe me. I am shit at it. Zara even took me to a dance lesson once and I ended up breaking two of the instructor toes” He said.

Louise roared in laughter at his admission.

Harry was quite far away from where Louise stood next to Mike but even with the music going on he
and most of the other guests could hear her laughing clearly. She was that loud. But no one was cringing at her booming laughter. Her laughter was not obnoxious. It was infectious. It made you wonder about the joke which could make someone laugh that way. It has a certain amount of innocence to it.

“That was loud” Louise said putting a hand on her mouth as she saw people turn and look at her.

Mike chuckled “It was”

“You sure you really don’t want to dance?” Louise asked Mike.

“I am sure. Why are you asking?”

“Then you should make a run for it because I spot Zara is coming our way. I think my laugh gave your
location away” Louise said apologetically.

“Bloody hell, I will get you for this” Mike said pointing his finger at her and left swiftly.

Louise smiled and drowned the contents of her glass.

Mike did end up at the dance floor later that night and so did Louise, who now was waltzing with
Charles.

“May I cut in?” Harry said.

“If the lady wishes to dance with you” Charles said looking at Louise who nodded slightly.

“In that case, she is all yours” Charles said left the two.

“Shall we?” Harry asked.

Louise nodded again. Harry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

“I fear for my toes” She said sliding her hands over his shoulders.

“Just follow my lead and you’ll be just fine” He said with a smirk.

“You killed my toes the last time we danced” Louise hissed.

“That was a million years ago” Harry said rolling his eyes.

Then as if she was a pro, she popped up on her tip toes until she was at his lip level.

“Maybe I’ve got this dancing thing down after all” He said cinching her closer.

“I’ll be the judge of that” She said.

Louise eyes wandered while they were dancing. She saw Charles introducing Kate to the queen.

“Shouldn’t William be here for this?” Louise asked pointing her chin towards them.

“He is a wanker. He waited far too long to introduce her and when I told him I am going to be introducing Chelsy at the wedding he got all pissy at me. Yelled a whole lot, got pretty ugly actually”

“You’re introducing Chelsy to your grandmother?” Louise asked.

“Introduced, already did it before the ceremony. That will piss him off more” Harry said with a chuckle.

“Oh” Louise said. She knew what introducing Chelsy to his grandmother meant. It meant, someday in future he intended to marry her or at least thinking about it. This made her sort of sad.

“Lou?” He said looking down at her.

“Yeah?” She asked.

“Your shoe is piercing the hell out of my feet” He said giving her a smug look.

Looking down she saw her feet were in fact was covering his. Stepping back, she put her shoes back on the ground. “Sorry” She mumbled.

He just laughed. “I should’ve been scared for my feet”