Harry shrugged in response to Zayn as he gently picked up Noel's hand and slipped the ring on.
"Harry-"
"Before you make any accusations," he said as he cut her off, "I would just like to clarify to you and everybody else here that, no, I'm not asking you to marry me."
"What?" everybody responded in pure shock.
Louis retorted, "Bloody hell, Harry. You don't just play a girl like that."
Noel smiled and felt her heart return to normal pace. "Thank goodness you weren't planning on asking that," she spoke with full relief.
"It's a promise ring. I was going to give it to you even if we, uh, weren't going to actually start a relationship yet. But I guess I just have good timing. It was just to celebrate our friendship, really. And the six diamonds represent our age when we first met."
Noel felt her cheeks starting to blush as she broke eye contact with him with embarrassment. Instead of using words, she gave him a long-lasting hug, pulling him closer to her as much as she can.
Harry did the same. And in that moment, he mentally cheered in excitement at one of his lifelong dreams/wishes coming true: for Noel to love him back, just like he's loved her all those years before.
_____
Harry handed Noel pillows and a duvet before sitting down on the bare mattress with her. "Today was..." he dragged on.
"Quite eventful."
"Quite eventful, indeed."
Silence followed as Harry stared down at his lap, not sure whether or not to make eye contact and smile or do none, while Noel hid her smile behind a cascade of hair as she fiddled with her Christmas gift.
"Well," Harry tiredly spoke as he put his hand on her's, "I'll let you sleep now. See you in the morning."
She eagerly nodded, and a yawn slowly followed.
"Good night, Noe."
"Night, Harry."
And Noel could've sworn, as Harry shut her bedroom door, she heard him mumble the three words that they've told each other their entire lives but with a deeper meaning embedded into it that night: I love you.
• • •
Author's Note - December 19, 2016
omg i actually started tearing up while writing that because clichés just get to me hahaha
and once again, this is not edited and merely just some typed-up-late-night writing stuff :)
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