within the meadow √ h.s.

t h i r t y e i g h t

delilah was wearing a sweater over harry's t shirt as they left their home to go to their meadow after harry got back from work. it was a day at the end of february and the sun was preparing to set.

he had rushed her out of the house in the middle of a movie she was watching, and even enjoying. he promised her that they would be back in no time and she could finish it before he dragged her out the door and into the bed of sleeping flowers.

"harry, it's cold. you didn't even let me grab a thicker jacket, or a book," delilah complained as he held her hand and led her through the field and to the tree.

"okay, okay i apologize," he stopped in front of their tree and pulled her to his chest and rubbed his hands up and down her arms to warm her up before kissing her nose and grabbing her hands. "delilah, you're happy?"

"i-yeah, why?" she asked in confusion, trying to look into his green eyes to find some sort of clue as to where he was going with his question.

"c-can you see us together in, say, 60 years? old and grey?" he squeezed her hands and released a shaky breath. she hesitantly nodded her head, not understanding where his questions were leading to. "i can too."

"harry, what are you going on about?"

"this place is so special to us, huh?" he said looking at the landscape. "you're also very special to me."

"okay, you must have had a lot of coffee, or an energy drink."

"wait! just...i need to say all of this, and you're making me losing my train of thought, sunshine," harry explained. "i saw you right here five years ago, around this time of the year. you looked so strange with those books hiding your beautiful face, and your soft eyes yet hard stare. the weather was similar to this, except you were wearing more layers than now. delilah, you are the most extraordinary person i have ever met, even percy thought so as he stole all of your attention."

a breeze came and swooped those words dripping with adoration up to warm the sleeping flowers in the cold air. delilah could remember her very first memories with harry and the genuine interest he showed in her.

"you-you wore a baby blue dress on our first date and you glowed in a way that i could not understand. you had a beauty that i couldn't understand, actually. anyway, day by day the love that you had planted in me had rooted itself deeply and blossomed into something i also couldn't understand. delilah, i had no idea of anything when i was with you except that i absolutely adored you and this meadow. so, when i left i didn't at all regret being the only one holding onto us. that is probably the best decision i've ever made because coming back only reassured me of my feelings as i watched you overcome the biggest obstacle in your life. your strength has blown me away, and i am so unbelievably proud of you."

the sun had began to bid its goodbyes to the meadow for the day and depended on delilah and harry's love to warm the plants in the chilly night. the ground supported harry as he found himself on one knee and he reached into his pocket.

"sunshine, will you marry me?"

the world stopped and disappeared around the lovers of the meadow as the question lingered in the air to settle in delilah's mind. the meadow whispered in her ear to say something and so she did. the ring sitting in the box sparkled in the light and craved to rest on a finger.

"yes," she breathed out. "yeah—yes, of course," and she threw her arms around his neck as he stood up and spun her around.

it was five o'clock on a day at the end of february when harry proposed and delilah said yes. it was uncomfortably cold, but they were warmed by the scorching heat within them because two souls collided into one leaving an everlasting love to accompany the two for eternity with time no longer ticking in the background.