Aurelia [h.s.]

twenty-six

Harry toys with Aurelia's fingers under their fluffy blanket, "Where do you want to get married?"

Aurelia doesn't hesitate to answer because it really doesn't matter to her where they get married, she's just happy that he wants to marry her. "I don't care; we can get married in Vegas if you really want to. I'm just happy to be with you."

Harry hums, he agrees with her on the anywhere part, but he doesn't want it to be something terrible because it's important to him and it's important to her too. He's not quite sure where they're going next, but it might just be the place they get married. "Where are we going next?"

Aurelia smiles up at the makeshift ceiling, "India. We're going to ride Elephants and try a bunch of spicy food."

He gets lost in how warm her smile is for a moment and the idea hits him a little slower than he'd like. "Why don't we get married in India?"

His voice is soft and laced with such warmth, love, and excitement. Aurelia loves the idea and she's already thinking about breaking the tradition of wearing white and instead wearing a traditional Indian sari.

"I'd like that very much. Oh, that reminds me, my mother asked me to tell you something for her. She said to tell you that she hasn't seen me so happy with anyone since we found out about the tumor, and she wants you to know that she's glad it's you because she always knew that you would find me again."

Harry kisses her cheek and wears a grin that's as bright as the stars that they're pretending to look at in their makeshift blanket tent. "When we call her next time, I'll let her know that it's her I should be thanking for, technically, letting me elope with her dying daughter."

Aurelia groans at the mention of her condition. She's not upset with him for bringing it up, she's upset because she doesn't want to really acknowledge that she's dying right now. There's so much that she hasn't seen, so much that she hasn't done, and she's not willing to give up the thrill of being alive just yet.

"Please, don't remind me. I'd like to pretend that I'm normal and blind and perfectly alive for as long as I can."

Harry holds her just a little bit closer. She's always the one that says he's warm, but he loves the warmth that she puts off and how nice it feels to just hold her in his arms and bask in all that she is. Aurelia reminds him of the sun and that nice, bright feeling that he gets whenever spring starts to roll around, and he wants to live in that feeling for as long as he can.

"I know, I'm sorry. It's getting colder out; do you want me to go get some more blankets?"

The chill that he's used to is starting to sink into his bones and he knows that they're going to need more blankets sooner or later, especially if they're going to spend the night out here like she wants to. Aurelia doesn't outwardly appear to mind it too much, but he can feel how she shivers every now and then and she's been pushing herself closer to him for the last hour.

Aurelia's comfortable where they're at now, laying in his arms and breathing in the smell of his shampoo and the detergent that still lingers on his clothing. It's peaceful like this, the sounds of the night surrounding them and the sound of his heart beat loud in her ears, and she doesn't want to shatter the moment any time soon, no matter how cold she's starting to feel.

"Yes, but I also don't want you to leave."

There's something strange about the way she feels when he leaves, even if it's only for a second because he has to use the bathroom or get something that they need. It's almost like a part of her soul is missing and, even though she knows that he will always come right back to her, she doesn't like it when he leaves her side.