The August Project (H.S.)

Chapter Nine

i'm SO sorry it's been so long!! i'm going to be posting weekly from now on x

song for this chapter: close to you - gracie abrams

Augustine

Harry had bought her an ice cream on the walk back from the embassy. He'd chosen mint choc chip for himself, which coincidentally was also Augustine's favourite flavour, which she'd quickly pointed out.

"Only the best people like mint choc chip," he'd smiled at her, for once not holding her arm to keep him with her. Does that mean he trusts me?

"Well, I bet my mum doesn't like mint choc chip," Augustine mumbled quietly, speaking to herself more than Harry.

He frowned at her. "D'you not get on well with her then?"

"Not particularly," she mumbled, shooting him a small smile. "I much prefer people like you."

A blush had grown over his cheeks, making Augustine tingle inside.

"I really like y'too, Augustine," Harry joked.

"Oh, shut up," she shot back. "S'not hard for you to be more likeable than my mother, who literally goes on work trips to get away from me."

Harry went quiet for a moment. "Maybe, but I wasn't actually joking," was all he said.

"Don't," Augustine said quickly.

"What?"

"Acting like you actually like me when you hardly know me."

"What if I did actually like you?" he asked, stopping to look at her properly.

She huffed, shaking her head. "No, y'don't. You like the idea of me, you don't actually like me as a person. You hardly know me, Harry."

"I don't have to know everything about y'to know you, Augustine. I don't know y'well at all, you're right, but what I do know is that you're sweet, funny and caring and I like being around you. I dunno what it is, but something in me is drawn to you. I can't explain it, and that really confuses me. I'm normally a pretty straight forward guy."

Augustine stared at him in shock. Drawn to me?

"So, yes, I do like you."

"I like you too," she said, smiling softly. "Not the murderous, kidnapping part of you, but I think you're a good person for what you do."

Harry grinned at her and started walking again. Her fingertips grazed his as they walked, and she noticed he carefully and subtly wove his pinky around hers. Butterflies, again.

"Something in me is drawn to you."

What did that mean? Did that mean he could feel something for her? Maybe I'm drawn to him too, she thought. I really want to kiss him.

She stopped. They were stood on a bridge, the warm Paris air enveloping them. Harry turned around to look at her. "Y'alright?" he asked.

"Mmm," she replied indecisively, her gaze roaming slowly from his eyes to his lips. "Sorry. Let's get going."

He gave her a puzzled look but kept going. She carefully tucked her arm around his again, and she thought maybe she felt him shiver slightly beneath her.

• • •

Harry

Augustine has been scribbling in that damn notebook for ages, Harry thought as he sat opposite her, back in the apartment once again. He went back to reading through his copy of the papers, a feeling of disgust creeping over him as he absorbed the pages and pages of names. It wasn't even like he had to know any of these names, but he wanted to. It felt like the right thing to do. So many people had been affected by his boss's actions - it felt impersonal not to at least get any idea of who they were and what had happened to them. If I can't save them, at least I can stop this from happening to anyone else.

Suddenly, Harry's phone exploded into life as the shrill buzz of his ringtone filled the air. Augustine jumped, seemingly awakening from the trance her book had put her in. He rummaged for the damn thing, pulling it out of his pocket and sliding across to answer the call. It was Niall.

"Jesus Niall, y'okay?" he grumbled while standing up.

" Just great, mate, answer the bloody door," Niall told him, sounding impatient. "Didn't ya hear me knocking?"

"Shit, sorry, I didn't realise you were arriving today," Harry said, rushing over to the apartment door, to reveal a rather disgruntled looking Niall, clutching a huge suitcase in one hand. "M'coming."

Niall ended the call, and gave Harry an annoyed glare. "I've been out here for like, five minutes knocking, H."

"Oh, what a hardship for you," Augustine butted in, pushing past Harry in the doorway to get a look at the visitor. "Hi, Niall."

"Oh hi Augustine," Niall said, giving Augustine a wink. Harry glared at him. With that, he pushed past Augustine and into the apartment.

Harry glanced over at Augustine, who smiled back at him and rolled her eyes, amused by Niall's antics. "He's not staying with us, right?"

"No," he told her. "But I'm pretty sure he's gonna be in the building."

"Niall, what are you doing here?" he heard Augustine ask Niall they reentered the living room, where Niall was sprawled across the sofa where Augustine had been sitting earlier.

"Yeah, I know I'm a bit earlier than ya probably expected, but shit happens. Get over it."

Augustine and Harry shared a look. "What does that even mean?" Harry asked.

"Meeting in Munich's been brought forward," Niall replied, talking mostly to Harry now. "You guys need to get a wriggle on - ya need to be there by the weekend now."

"The weekend? But s'Wednesday today," Harry said. "Fuck me," to which Niall chuckled and looked pointedly at Augustine, who gave him an annoyed look. "Oh, piss off."

"Better set off sharpish then," Niall continued, as if he hadn't done anything at all. "Anyway... I'm gonna get to my apartment, I'll see you later."

"Such a shit-stirrer," Harry muttered to himself, shaking his head.

"So, when are we leaving Paris then?" Augustine asked.

"Fuck, I don't know," Harry said. "Probably have to be tomorrow morning now."

"Alright," Augustine agreed. "Early start I guess, fuck that."

-

A/N
Hey!! Sorry about the lack of updates...I've just started college so I've had a LOT of work 😭...anyway. I'm back now!! Hope you enjoy this chapter and remember to vote. Love you all, B xxx

Ps, another update by next week I PROMISE!