baby [h.s.]

thirty three

[song is above if you wish to listen]

            We stayed in the city for four days. Harry made sure I got the full experience. With it being nearly December, we were able to see all of the Christmas decorations around plastered across the buildings. Riddle toted us to his favorite spots in the city. We ice skated in the park and watched the snowfall from the window in our hotel suite.

I'd have been lying if I were to say I hadn't fallen in love with the city. It was an addicting place. I never wanted to leave.

It was on our fifth day that Harry decided he wanted us to go somewhere without Riddle.

"But I'm so much fun!" Riddle said. He leaned against the counter of the hotel kitchen and grinned.

"Yeah, you're a fucking blast." Harry said. He was tugging on a scarf.

I shoved my feet into the snow boots I had to buy. None of us had been expecting the storm that hit. Once my boots were secured, I tugged my mittens onto my hands and glanced at Riddle.

His face was smug. He winked at me and pushed himself off the counter.

"I'm sure I'll find something to entertain myself while you're gone." he said. "Try not to miss me too much, Tilly. I know how boring that old sod gets."

"It'll be hard, Mick." I said, grinning.

"Oh, I know."

Harry cleared his throat. "Let's go, love."

He swung the door open and waved me through. We must've looked like penguins, waddling down the hall in our snow gear. I had bundled myself in a wool coat and tied a scarf tightly around my neck.

Harry hadn't told me where we were going; all I knew was that we were walking.

Outside of the hotel took my breath away, as it did each time I stepped through the doors. The sky reminded me of London: it was a dull gray. Snow floated from above.

We walked close together. The streets were quite calm for the middle of the day. The silence between the two of us allowed me to relish in the sounds of the city.

We walked for blocks. The tip of my nose burned from the cold. When the snow started falling at a quicker pace, I grabbed Harry's hand and tugged on it.

"Where are we going, babe?" I said.

He bit his lip. "I've been thinking about what Vinny said, and what you said. Maybe Gem wants to see me? I don't know, it sounds stupid. I knew where she lived a while back and I thought maybe I could just walk there and see if she still did?"

My shoulders slumped. "That's not stupid."

He shrugged. "Yeah, well. And I couldn't do it without you."

We continued walking. My cheeks burned and I squeezed his hand.

I glanced at him. His head was down, eyes narrowed at the sidewalk. I smiled.

"I'm proud of you." I said, quietly. He squeezed my hand in response.

We walked another twenty minutes before Harry finally slowed. We stopped in front of an flat building. For a moment, he just stared up at it. He glared at it, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. It was as if he was daring himself to walk inside.