We Part Only to Meet Again

“Everyone is staring” she panted as we slowed to a stop by random shop “we must look absolutely

mad” she laughed, trying to rub the cold off her arms. I opened my coat and pulled her in, kissing the

tip of her red nose “so what’s the plan?” I breathed shakily from the cold lurking into my mouth and

chilling my throat as I spoke. It doesn't help that the both of us aren't wearing too much either.

“Not sure” she shrugged “but we have guest” she nodded with a smile.

She moved from my jacket and grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the nearing paparazzi “what are you doi-“

“RAAAAAAHHHH” she crowed with her hands in the air, moving them about like a monster. I grinned

and joined her, letting out my loudest howl and ran after them with her. She stopped and turned

towards me, leaping on my back, she laughed loudly. Kind of surprising that the paps were too as they

inched closer quickly, they snapped pictures and Felix posed silly faces for every single one.

“You guys must be freezing!” one chuckled. Felix nodded and so did I “why are you guys dressed like

that?” he asked and pushed the record button

“Harry decided to be a teenage rebel this mornin” she giggled. I nodded and put my hands on my hips

and looked to the sky triumphantly.

“that or he’s just afraid of getting in trouble by his mummy” she said in a babying tone.

I slapped her leg and she laughed, jumping down from my back.

“Aww! Can we get a cute picture from you two?” another asked sending the rest into an uproar

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” they cheered loudly.

I puckered my lips and pulled her roughly into my arms “Harry! No” she pleaded before I left a sloppy

kiss against her forehead. The sound of the cameras clicking made it feel like it was going on for years

even after I parted my lips from her face “that was disgusting” she groaned, wiping her forehead “dog”

she grumbled. I chuckled and pulled her away from the paps, we both sent a wave before turning

ahead.

It’s like magic, usually, when you ask a pap to leave you alone. They don’t. Maybe we were lucky

today.

The scenery changed around us the farther we walked, the town replaced by farmland, the pungent

smell of wet grass filling my nose. “Holy shit” she grinned in excitement. Either her body grew

immune to the cold or she’s too exhilarated to notice it anymore. She halted her steps and turned to

face me “do you want to be cliché idiots? Just for today” she looked up at me and looked down to the

pavement just as fast, but her smile peeked from beneath her wild hair “like in films” she continued.

“how they do something romantic. But it’s completely fucking stupid” she laughed. I looked at her in

amusement and she shook her head, letting out a deep sigh, her breath coming out as white cloud

“ever been winter swimming?”

“What?"

she beamed up at me before yanking my hand and running onward like she knew this place as if it

were the back of her hand. I stumbled on my feet as we made sharp turns on the thinly iced gravel.

Soon we were heading towards a landscape swallowed in a field of trees. Twist and turns, leaps and

ducks, we were flying through the forest. I’m completely out of breath and her she is still sprinting.

I let go of her hand and leaned on a tree trunk “wait! Slow down!” I gasped “hurry up slow poke!” she

echoed ahead, her joy still prominent in her laughter. I rested against the tree for about five more

minutes before I caught my breath. The eeriness of silence around me is making me nervous and

Felix is nowhere in sight or sound. This is how people die! I’ve seen The Evil Dead. My body weaved

through the mangled terrain, every footstep a crunch of leaves beneath my shoes. A flash of colour

grazed my peripheral as I scanned the woods for her “Felix?” I picked up my pace “Felix!” now I’m

fucking scared “WHERE ARE YOU” I cried. My face burned against the cold air as snow began to fall,

hitting my face like thin needles.

The more I ran, the more the sound of trickling water filled my ears.

A stream. Winter swimming. Her suggestion rung into my mind, slapping me into realization. I slowed

to a jog as the stream came into sight; I stopped and scanned the area. My eyes stopped on an

old watermill, water trickling down its broken wood. I looked up to the wooden room and saw

that the door was open. Instantly I darted up the steps and slowed to a stop by the mossy door. There

she was, sat on the floor looking through a bookshelf. I stepped forward, my shoe pressed against a

creaky panel and the book she held flew from her hands. Her body tensed and she stayed facing the

shelf “look. If you’re going to murder me. Don’t be too brutal” she spoke tightly “I should do that” I

nodded with my arms crossed. Her body relaxed at the recognition of my voice and she let out a

relieved, breathy laugh. She turned around with her hand on her chest and sat flat

“You scared me half to death.”

My eyes widened “I scared you!? I thought you died!” I chuckled. She shook her head and laid her

body flat, closing her eyes slowly, mocking a death. I chuckled and lunged myself at her. She giggled

loudly as I wrestled her on the floor until I had her pinned by the wrist “you’re crazy” I said squinting

my eyes “I've heard” she winked.

I smiled down at her and pecked her nose before sitting up straight

on the cluttered floor. She did the same and I stared at her in awe as the sunlight made a golden glow

upon her features.

She crawled towards me and leaned back my way, resting her head in my lap “we’re completely

fucking stupid” she sighed in content with a light smile kissing her lips “I could lay here forever” her

eyes closed and I grazed my fingertips along the lining of her cinnamon hair. An abrupt chuckle rattled

my shoulders “still want to go winter swimming?”

She smiled softly and shook her head “this is much better” her eyes glistened in the sunlight as she

opened them “it feels like spring came to kiss winter before he goes, leaving him with that warm

feeling in his cheeks.”

I looked at her for moment and let a smile laze onto my lips “that’s what love should feel like. That’s

what you make me feel” her voice was soft and small, but held everything I love in her.

I kissed her cheek lightly and continued stroking her hair softly. After a few hours of talking about

everything that we wonder about or things that just make us happy, we fell silent and just enjoyed

being together without so many things going on around us. No phones, no schedules, no thought of

time, no worries. Like time stopped and we could breathe. I tilted my head back, the now setting sun

warmed against my skin. Why cant it always be like this.