"I hate this", grumbled Eilidh, her head on Harry's shoulder. He sighed into her neck, gently rocking her, ignoring the chill of the freezing air that was rolling over them both as they stood at the open front door of Eilidh's Mum and Dad's house. It was 4pm on Christmas Eve, and Harry had finally, reluctantly hauled himself out of her arms to confess that he had to go, back to Cheshire to spend Christmas with his family.
"I know, baby", he crooned into her ear. "I could pick you up and steal you away", he suggested, only half joking.
Eilidh laughed, playing with the threads of his jumper. "Don't joke", she scolded. "You know I would if I could".
"Next year will be different", Harry said confidently, pulling away so he could look at her.
Eilidh grinned up at him. "Next year?! You're getting ahead of yourself, are you not?"
Harry shrugged, gazing down at her steadily, gauging her reactions. "I plan on being with you in a year", he confirmed, lacing his fingers with hers, and twisting her wrists round. His tone was light, but Eilidh knew there was weight behind it. "Do...you plan on being with me in a year?"
Eilidh smiled, chucking his chin playfully, as he gave her a goofy grin in return. "Oh I'm sure that will be the case...providing noone else comes along", she teased, and Harry mock growled, making her hug him in tight.
"Heyyyyy!!", they heard a shout from behind them, and both whirled to see Alex and Nina trudging through the snow, laden with gifts and bags. "Merry fucking Christmas", Alex grinned, slapping his hand into Harry's, who pulled him in for a hug immediately while Nina embraced Eilidh.
They both looked flushed and excited, happy to be home for the holiday, for as much festive cheer as they could manage.
"Why you out here? It's freezing!", Nina lamented, blowing into her mittens and stamping her feet. Eilidh had locked in on Harry again, unable to be far from his long, lean body when she knew he was leaving.
"I'm going home", Harry explained.
"You're leaving?", Alex replied, surprised, while Nina made disappointed noises behind him.
"Yeah", Harry scratched the back of his head, feeling even yuckier about leaving. "I'm away so much during the year, I think that the least I can do is be home for one day a year", he joked, and the others nodded understandingly.
"Well, have a good one, mate", Alex shook his hand again, and Nina kissed his cheek, pushing a brightly wrapped Christmas present into his hand.
"For you", she whispered, and Harry grinned, touched that they had thought of him. He was whole heartedly relieved that Alex seemed to be back on his side, and had always thought the petite pixie-like blonde was adorable, and a great support to Eilidh.
The foursome whirled when they heard an overjoyed scream from behind them, as Helen threw open the door, her cheeks flushed from the warmth of the house, delighted to see her son and Nina, ushering them in out of the cold.
"I should go", Harry said to Eilidh, for the fourteenth time. She nodded.
"Let's have a selfie, first", she suggested, and Harry rolled his eyes, and laughed, but posed anyway.
Eilidh grinned when she saw it. They looked cute.
"Our first photo together", she reminded him, and he smirked, twisting her phone towards him to look at it again.
"I like it", he admitted, squeezing her. "Send me it, will you".
"Have an amaaazing Christmas, famous boy", she whispered, and he groaned and lifted her off her feet in a bear hug, tempted to throw her in the trunk of the waiting car.
"I love you", he muttered into her hair, while she giggled, still dangling off the ground.
"Love you more. Give your Mum and Gem my love. Now go! Go have fun!" Eilidh shooed him away, laughing and fluttering her fingers as Harry looked back over his shoulder, pouting.
She turned as he got into the car, and he watched, gulping as he saw them all gathered in the living room through the window, hugging, Helen pouring tea, Davie telling stories, while Nina unfurled Alex's long scarf from his neck for him. He felt an unfamiliar pang, that he was missing out on something. Something great.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ozPfJTtAv0
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"You going home, Neen? ", Eilidh wandered down the stairs to find Nina in front of the front door, pulling on her boots.
"Yep", Nina ghosted a quick kiss somewhere near Eilidh's cheek as she wound her scarf round her neck. "I'll be back tomorrow, after dinner".It had been a brilliant evening, full of mice pies and champagne, cheesy Christmassy movies, and laughter.
"Do you want a lift?", Eilidh asked tentatively, and Nina laughed.
"What?! It's like, five doors down!"
Eilidh shrugged. She was bored, and missing Harry. Her phone was silent so far, and she was determined not to bombard him with texts, knowing how important it was to him to spend time with his family. She sighed as the door slammed after Nina, wandering through to the living room, wondering if her Mum needed any help with anything. She was shooed out of the kitchen pronto however, so she went searching for Alex. Perhaps he would wander down to the pub with her, she mused, only to find him horizontal with his mouth open on his old bed, fast asleep. Grinning as she snapped a photograph of him on her phone, determined to blackmail him with it.
Eilidh felt huffy and disgruntled as she eventually went to her room, peeling off her pyjamas, and blowing out her cheeks. The heating was bumped right up because of the low temperature outside, but Eilidh thought her Mum and Dad had overdone it a bit, her room felt like a sauna. She smeared moisturiser on her arms and legs, sitting cross legged in front of her old bookshelf and examining the contents there.
Finally, she sighed and gave in, tapping out what she hoped was a carefree and non-bunny-boiler text to Harry.
In bed, alone, reading Harry Potter at my Mum and Dads house...have I gone back in time? I feel about sixteen!
Her eyebrows raised, pleasantly surprised when she saw the text bubbles appear almost immediately as he wrote back.
Hiii baby. You sound cute. I'm in bed too. Was just about to call you. Facetime?
Eilidh frowned. For some reason Facetime didn't work very well at her parents house.
Facetime doesn't work when I'm here baby, remember? I can call you though?
Awwww :-( I wanna see your face. Can you skype?
Eilidh looked around, checking that yes, she had indeed brought her laptop home with her.
Yeah! Give me five minutes to fire up the computer.
See you soon.
Eilidh lay on her tummy in bed in her bra and pants, waiting impatiently for Harry to log in to Skype, excited when she saw that he was online.
