His Arms, Her Comfort

Chapter 3

A hush had descended over the tent. As the song completely faded out, the radio seeped into a strange silence, as if it was allowing the two to bask in each other's presence in all entirety before the burden of war could fall on them like a pile of bricks.

So for the first time, they were grateful for the quiet.

His arms encircled her waist more firmly as she buried her face in the crook of his shoulder. He liked holding her. He liked how she leaned into him as if he was a shield that could protect her from all the unwanted feelings. Or a home she could feel comfortable in. He was grateful for how much she trusted him, as it told him the feeling was mutual.

She loved how she could just stand there, immobile in his arms, and he wouldn't move an inch for her sake. She just trusted him that much. But she hoped their embrace was as comfortable for him as it was for her, and he didn't feel like an asset she was using to forget her problems for a bit. The mere thought of such a possibility pulled at her heartstrings, and her hands travelled up to his back to pull him closer to herself, allowing him to feel her as much as she could feel him.

Surprised by her intimacy, he found himself smiling. He could tell what she was thinking. He knew she felt like she owed him after he had tried to cheer her up and didn't want him to feel like she was using him. A sigh escaped him at the mere thought, and he buried his face in her neck and hair, enjoying her warmth, her vivid affection, her aura. His hands felt her waist, loving how perfectly his palms settled in her curves. As if her body was shaped by keeping his in mind. He could feel her heartbeat drumming against his chest, her breaths swirling around his skin, her scent dominating his senses. He hadn't hugged anyone so intimately. Not even her before, probably because they were always in the proximity of other people and that 'git', who hated it whenever they shared a moment that didn't involve him. The thought of his best friend angered him, making his hold on her body tighten.

For the first time since he had left, he was glad. He was glad he was here with her, alone, safe from prying eyes, from deceiving tongues, from treacherous actions. He was thankful for the war – something he had never thought he'd be in a million years – because it had brought them closer together. He was thankful for the accusations because he loved having this girl, the only person who held no malicious thoughts for him and genuinely cared about him, all to himself.

His reverie ignited strong emotions in him, making him press her against himself, completely eradicating any distance they felt obliged to create because they were just friends. His fingers dug in her shirt as he felt her body, petite against his calloused hands.

She held in a sigh as he closed any hint of gap between them. She could feel his hands exploring her waist, and she loved it. She loved the way his long fingers settled on the curves of her waist and how perfectly they somehow fit. She loved how he was clutching her possessively as if someone could snatch her away from him the moment he released her. Well, that part was true because she was sure all the closeness they had built among themselves would magically disappear the second they stepped apart, and she didn't want that to happen. She couldn't bear for that wretched invisible wall to return. The wall that prevented them from being as close as they were now, even if it often surfaced because of the jerk who had left them like they didn't matter. He wasn't here, but she could still feel his presence, his accusing eyes boring into them, but instead of feeling guilty, she felt...satisfied. They were defying him, proving they didn't need him for comfort, and she was thrilled at such a thought because it acted as their revenge.

But taking revenge was never her motive when it came to him. This boy, who always went beyond the call of duty to make sure she was okay, was an amazing person. With the entire Wizarding world depending on him to stop the war and fight his lifelong enemy, his mind would evidently be a mess. Still, even then he had prioritised her over such pressing matters, which made her serene – but sad.