A Shot of Reality [Harry Styles]

XXV. Consummation

A/N: I'm so, so SO sorry this is late. I had just become so busy in the last week or two, that it became hard for me to even get a word on this chapter. But here it is, and it's all the juicy stuff people like; drama, drama and more drama. (*dedicated to onedirectioncharming for the awesome trailer she made for this story on the side, everyone follow her! She's absolutely lovely.)

Enjoy, my babes!

May 27th, 2002

"Do you, Sydney Adeline Ronan, take Harry Edward Styles to be your lawfully wedded husband through sickness and in health, and only in death do you part?"

"I do!"

A giggle escapes a young girl's mouth, as the eight year old boy standing in front of her smiles with glee as she slips a white daisy's stem behind his ear.

"And do you, Harry Edward Styles; take Sydney Adeline Ronan to be your lawfully wedded wife through sickness and in health, and only in death do you part?"

The boy grabs a hold of the tied pink petunia provided by his 'best man,' a snotty nosed boy by the name of Andy Clairemont, out of his hands and places the circled stem around the girl's shaky, blue varnished finger before answering the same as his 'bride.'

"I do."

The priest, a bright girl named Eleanor Peters, manages to snicker along with the rest of the audience sitting on the pavement of the playground as they watched this week's 'wedding' take place at recess. Eleanor immediately collects herself though, like the serious persona she is and proceeds.

"With the power vested in me, I know pronounce you husband and wife. You may-"

The loud chiming bell rings, signaling that lunch and the following recess are over and that class is now starting. The plethora of students gathering on the cement for the ceremony now scatter among the grass as Eleanor Peters shuffles into her classes red door with a lady bug designed lunch bag in tote and Andy Clairemont runs and sniffles at the pollen inflicting his nostrils. Soon enough, Sydney and Harry are left outside as they place their flower bearings on the dirt and bury them in effort to make them thrive again.

"You know Sydney, one day we're going to get married for real," Harry denounced as they strolled back to their class beyond the red door.

"How do you know that, Harry?" Sydney asked as she rearranged the dirt below her with her new gold sandals.

"Because-" he begins and she thinks he won't complete the sentence until he pulls her towards him by her wrist and lands a big, sloppy smooch on the skin between her eyebrows, shocking Sydney and delaying the duo even more than they already were.

"-I just sealed the deal."

It had been days and cities from when Harry finally mustered up the courage and sang to Sydney, never once letting his eyes wander from her own. It had also been days and cities since she had properly spoken to him with sentences containing more than one syllable.

After the emotionally hellish experience in Detroit, the boys, their band and Sydney had moved along to the next stop, Chicago. With each passing rest stop, Harry had prayed to the highest god available to have Sydney to not look him in the eyes with misery, but she did anyways. In Philadelphia, as they were entering the hotel, Harry had held the bulky, metal door open for her to walk through to which she just responded with stares on the pavement and a choppy sigh. In Boston, the lads and he were on the brink of finishing a radio interview when the interviewer asked him about the spontaneous song he sung in Detroit.