Broken || h.s. AU (Special Edition)

Chapter 8 - Fireworks

*content warning: blood, mention of alcohol, depression,, lowkey hints of (if you read between the lines) self harm or domestic abuse*
If you come across a trigger that wasn't listed, let me know. Stay safe.
Chapter 8 - Fireworks

Julia's P.O.V.

Another silence falls over the room as I think about what he said. He's as still as a statue, his head still in his hands.

"Harry..." I whisper.

He doesn't acknowledge me, frozen with no indication he'll ever move again.

"Harry, look at me..."

Slowly his head lifts to watch me glumly, his eyes dull. I barely shake my head, frowning as I watch his face. "Harry, don't say you have nobody... You have me..."

His brows knit together deeply over his deep green eyes. And after a few moments, he slowly whispers, raw pain and confusion in his voice as if he's a scared child.

"I was nothing but mean to you... Why are you so nice to me?"

I give him a smile, looking down at my hands as I fiddle with my fingers. "Because nobody else is... And you deserve kindness..."

He doesn't reply for a while as I play idly with my hands, allowing him to process it all. The silence stretches on.

And once I finally look up at him, I find him staring at me in wonder. I smile a little shyly, heat rising to my cheeks. I don't know why I do it, I don't know where the idea comes from, but I reach up and lightly place my hand on his the side of his face to turn him towards me. His eyes close at my touch and he tilts his cheek into my palm, wincing. Immediately I stiffen, wondering what I did wrong.

He senses my hesitation, opening his eyes again, his voice soft. "It's okay... I'm just sore..."

I immediately feel stupid for not thinking about the bruise on his jaw, dropping my hand back into my lap and looking down with a quiet whisper. "Sorry..."

But when I do, I feel his hand lightly take mine and raise it up to cup his cheek again. I relax as he gives me a small smile, closing his eyes.

He hums quietly in content, the corners of his lips tugging upwards as he turns his face towards my hand, kissing my open palm. Warmth immediately shoots outwards from my hand, flooding through my body at an almost alarming rate. Butterflies are fluttering wildly in my stomach at the tender touch and I can't even think straight.

And we sit just like that for a few moments that feel like hours. Neither of us move, and neither of us have to. We're both perfectly content to sit closely with our shoulders brushing, his hand holding mine to his cheek as he occasionally leaves a soft kiss on the heel of my hand.

And once he finally intertwines our fingers, resting our hands in his lap, he just turns his head ever so slightly in my direction. His eyes stay closed, and except for when he was sleeping, I've never seen him so content.

So when he lets out a soft sigh, the corner of his lips twitching upwards into a slight smile, I crane my neck up to press my lips gently to his cheek. But as soon as I pull back, his green eyes open to look down at me in wonder, his free hand lifting to lightly brush over the spot.

"What was that for?" He asks softly in surprise. I don't know what it is, but something about the way he looks at me brings a blush to my cheeks and I can't hold back a smile. And then I realize I've got to answer his question.

"I'm the one who got you into this mess in the first place. It's the least I could do... I got you hurt..." I say quietly.

I'm not exactly inclined to tell him the real reason- that I'd actually come close to kissing his lips.