The Encounter |H.S|

81

Harry's pov

My eyes open in the slightest when I hear sounds coming from the baby monitor on the bedside table next to me.

I furrow my eyebrows, rubbing my eyes as if to help me wake up before I feel Evelyn moving. That's when I discover she is sleeping completely on top of me and is now waking up with the noises as well.

I move my arm to reach for my phone and check that it's only three in the morning. "Ma chérie," I whisper as she begins attempting to get up, "I'll go there, you need to rest."

"No, it's fine, you go back to sleep." She pats my face, her eyes narrowed before pulling away from me, the warmth of her body on mine disappears suddenly and makes me shiver faintly.

Before she could get up I wrap my arms around her body and pull her down so she doesn't go, laying her down. I laugh lightly when she turns her head to send me a glare before I pat her hair and let go of her only to get up myself.

"I'll be right back." I put on my robe but I'm interrupted when I feel Evelyn grabbing my hand before I could even think about stepping away.

"If she's upset, sing Britney Spears because she seems to like her." She smiles faintly and I try not to let out a laugh at her sleepy state, hair messy and eyes barely open.

I lean down to press a kiss on her cheek and she pats my own with her hand before laying down with a muffled thank you coming from her lips just as her head hits the pillow.

I make my way to Hazel's room, stepping inside carefully so I don't startle her. I take a peek at her crib and see her sitting up on her mattress, holding onto her plushie with furrowed eyebrows while babbling quietly.

"What are you up to, dear?" I ask, watching her surprised reaction with a smile on my lips. She looks at me and I turn on the cloud-shaped night light that's on top of a white bedside table.

Her eyes seem to light up as she looks at me, giggling while extending her arms in my direction so I decide to take her in my arms. She touches my face and I pick up her pacifier, causing her to immediately take it into her hands and put it in her mouth proudly.

"Why did you seem so upset? You look fine to me." I poke her cheek and she rests her head on my shoulder, wordlessly pointing to the plushie she left on top of her sheets.

I reach down to grab it and give it to her. She hums for some reason, pulling it closer to her while letting out a breath. I smile, kissing her head before adjusting her on my arms and wondering what to do next.

Although it is our first time parenting, Evelyn has been doing this longer than I have. It doesn't seem necessary, or delighting may I add, for me to sing Britney Spears right now.

I'm not sure why she woke up, but maybe she doesn't want to be here alone. "You know, sometimes I wish you could talk already," I tell her as if she could understand but she merely closes her eyes with her head on my shoulder.

I press my lips together while thinking. If I leave her here I have a feeling she'll wake up again, so maybe I can just take her with me to my bedroom.

I almost tiptoe to my room, carefully so I don't wake Hazel up. Once I'm inside I smile at Evelyn as she sleeps sideways with her hands under her pillow, very quietly snoring once in a while.

I set Hazel down in the middle of the bed very slowly, watching as she moves in the slightest before she lets out a sigh with her eyes closed. I smile, getting rid of my robe before laying down on the other side of the bed, the only one that's empty.

Evelyn moves, opening her eyes in the slightest and smiling when she notices Hazel is next to her. I stare at them and for some moments time stops, I can't explain how I feel at the moment but it makes my heart pound.

How did I get so far in my life?

Thinking about how much I have to live through in the next few years makes me so undeniably happy. Seeing Hazel growing is probably going to be one of the best things in my life, and I'm sure Evelyn would agree.

I never thought I'd get so far in life, especially with such an incredible woman with me.

Still, I've had this thought in my head for a few days now. Something I'm too afraid to bring up with Evelyn because I'm sure it would be a problem, but it's something I've wanted for a long time.

I glance at Evelyn as she closes her eyes to sleep again, or so I thought. "What's going on in that mind of yours? You look weird."

"It's nothing ma chérie, you should sleep." I avoid the topic, I don't want to give her a heart attack when she's about to sleep but she seems to notice my apprehension, raising her arm with her pinky close to me.

"Pinky promise?" She asks, eyes still closed and a playful smile on her lips, causing me to chuckle before linking my pinky with hers, "you should know these promises are mortal, you can actually die."

I take the chance to kiss her hand, hearing a quiet giggle from her before she takes her arm away from me, carefully setting it on Hazel's waist before visibly relaxing, letting out a breath.

I look at both of them and my heart nearly bursts. Truth is, with all of this progress we've been making I can't help but think of having a bigger family. I might want another baby.

I'm just almost sure that Evelyn doesn't want the same.

Sorry for this huge delay. Things haven't been the best and I feel like this story is losing its spark and it makes me stop writing, I promise I'll try to write more often. Either way, I hope you're enjoying!♡