Endlessly [h.s.]

three

Rosemary stole another glance through the window, absolutely nothing had changed in the last three hours, snow still blanketed the streets and fell in steady streams, the streetlights casting an almost romantic glow over it all.

"I wish it wasn't snowing so badly. Are you still going to tell me all about Cassiopeia when we can go out and watch the stars again?"

She was pouting again knowing that it wouldn't exactly be safe to go out like they usually did for at least a week, maybe even more.

Harry handed her a steaming mug of hot chocolate, a small smile on his lips, "I could tell you the story now if you'd like, but I must warn you, the story isn't quite the same without the view, Rosie."

Oh, there was something about the way he said her name like that, that made her feel wonderful.

Rosemary shook her head, "No, I would like to see it too."

They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, the warmth of the fire coupled with the hot chocolate keeping them both at peace.

The clock on the mantle doled out the time, eleven pm, and Harry found himself asking, "Rosie?"

He could have sworn he saw her blush as she looked up from her hot chocolate, "Yes?"

"Why are you alone for the holiday?"

Rosemary lifted her eyes to meet his, there really wasn't a point in lying to him, "I don't have any family, they abandoned me when I was a baby, and all of my work friends are gone for the holidays. Why are you?"

Harry smiled softly and shrugged, "It's hard to get there and I have a job to keep. Plus, nobody really wants to be my friend because of the whole astronomy thing."

Rosemary rested her head on her hand as she looked at him, a soft smile on her lips as well, "I guess we're just a couple of losers then, huh?"

Harry laughed and his dimples showed clear in his cheeks, distracting her from the light blush that had crept it's way up, "Yeah, I guess we are."

. . .

"And so, she was banished to the sky as punishment. It's not exactly the typical placement, but the story behind it does teach a good lesson about vanity."

Rosemary smiled at his notion, "You're definitely right about that."

She turned to catch his expression, he always wore a vibrant smile that, to her, shone brighter than the very stars he adored and she quite liked seeing him so happy. This time however, she was the object of his gaze and the receiver of his bright smile.

Rosemary blushed and tried to hold back her smile as she lightly squirmed under his gaze, she was failing miserably, "What?"

His eyes met hers and she could have sworn he looked right into her soul, "I bet you could have outshone her, just like Sirius outshines every visible star on Earth."

Her heart was racing and she was sure it would leap out of her chest at any moment, not to mention that her lungs had momentarily forgotten how to function, "You really think so?"

Harry looked down at his hands briefly, he was so nervous around her, and then looked back at her shyly, "I know so."

For the hundredth time since they'd met, their eyes locked and neither one wanted to look away. His pretty green meshed well with her dark brown and each of them knew it by the smiles that crept to their lips after a few moments.

Things were different this time though and, as Harry found himself leaning in, Rosemary found herself holding her breath.

He was so close now, only inches between them, each of their brains shouting for them to kiss the other but neither one being brave enough to actually close the remaining distance between them. Moments felt like hours as they sat, inches apart, lips nearly touching.