the explosions we heard as we lay in the basement were absolutely horrible. every time another bomb landed, pieces of concrete would fall from the ceiling and crumble onto harry and I. we were huddled against each other for hours it seemed but i knew we had been here about thirty minutes.
"Harry what if we don't make it?" I looked up at his emerald green eyes which were now appeared to look dusty and frightened. the usual sparkle and comfort I saw while looking at them were gone. i knew it didn't make our situation better to be thinking so negatively but i needed to hear this from him.
"we will arabel i'm sure of it." he sounded confident but i knew him well enough to know he wasn't. my hand left my knee to intertwine with his fingers and I opened my mouth to speak again.
"but what if we don't" i needed to hear him say it. just that moment, we felt the earth shake as another bomb fell directly above us, causing a concrete tile to fall from the ceiling to the floor a couple feet away. a squeal left my mouth and harry flinched as i stood up as quickly as i could and pulled him to a small dented corner in the wall where we would be more safe.
my heart was beating out of my chest and i felt weak but i knew it didn't matter. it became silent between us as we both breathed heavily and held each other as if we would never let go. my head was on his shoulder, turned to his neck as my fingers were combing through his hair. i felt small indentations on my back as he traced letters with his hand. i wasn't concentrating enough to understand what he was spelling.
"then i'd have died in the arms of the person i love most in the world." I remembered the question I had asked and looked up at him as if to make sure i had heard him correctly. he had finally said it. i leaned closer to him and i felt a breeze of mint and cologne that I had grown to associate with harry. my lips brushed his and my eyes fluttered shut, waiting for his kiss.
"say it back." I opened my eyes to see he was distinctly staring at me, awaiting an answer. "i.." my words were harshly interrupted by the wall across from us bursting into flames. suddenly the air was hot and full of smoke. the wall collapsed and before we knew it, we were trapped inside this closed space. kneeling down to avoid the polluted air, we crawled to the back of the room. the fire spread rapidly but i don't recall being afraid to die. harry's hands were in mine and he looked at me, and i knew that he knew i loved him. his eyes were unwavering as he stared ahead, evidently awaiting his death. his arms wrapped around me and embraced one last time until the end.
"arabel..!"
"don't say anything else. this is the..." my eyes were teary as the words came out rapidly and shakily but i was interrupted by harry.
"no, behind you! there's a door back here!"
