At 11:59 // h.s

Chapter 27

-Harry-

I promised myself that I wouldn't break her any further.

I promised myself that I would leave her alone.

I promised myself that if I ever saw her again, then I would turn away and never look back.

Every promise was broken the minute I saw her at the wedding. It was like every single memory of her that I had been supposed to forget flooded back into my head and time stopped as I took in her beauty.

I just couldn't stop myself. The feeling of her lips on mine was something words couldn't describe. Every ounce of pain, every burden, and every tear, was washed away. All of the missing pieces of my heart suddenly fit into place.

Everything was perfect in this moment.

She pulled back slightly and I stared into her glossy blue eyes, which were inches from mine. I cupped her cheek with my hand and gently ran my thumb over it.

"Harry," she whispered, as if she was afraid if she talked any louder than I would disappear.

"Grace," I breathed without breaking her gaze.

Her eyes widened slightly at the realization and stared back at me with a sense of bewilderment. There was so much that could be said, but neither of us knew what to say or how to say it. The proximity of our bodies was beyond perfect. Her chest was pressed tightly against mine and her arms were wrapped around my neck.

"Do you still love me?" she suddenly broke the trance as she averted my gaze.

I tilted her chin up lightly, "I never stopped loving you."

A ghost of a smile pulled at her lips. It vanished as soon as she opened her mouth to speak, "You know my life has been hell since you've been gone."

I frowned, "So has mine."

Neither of us said anything for a moment. We stood there, enveloped in a blissful haze, swaying slightly to the song that was faintly playing in the background of the almost empty reception.

"I'm sorry," I found myself saying.

"For what?" she furrowed her brows in confusion.

"For ruining you."

"You didn't ruin me, Harry," she parted her lips, "You saved me."

"No, I ruined you," I inhaled sharply, "Because of me, you're constantly being broken. Because of me, you're cursed. Because of-"

She gently interrupted me, "I wouldn't mind being cursed a thousand times if it meant that I got to be with you."

A small grin spread across my face and I rested my forehead against hers, "And I wouldn't mind being brainwashed a thousand times if I got to be with you."

Both of us were grinning now. I let my lips linger on her cheek a moment longer before we walked out the doors of the building, hand in hand.

-

"Happy birthday, dear Harry, happy birthday to you!" Grace sang at the top of her lungs.

I tried my best to stifle my laughter, but failed miserably, "I think you're a bit off key, love."

"How about now?!" she sang, a bit higher than before.

I shook my head lightly and chuckled. The pizza shop we found was almost completely empty, considering that it was almost midnight on New Year's Eve. The only other person here was the man working at the counter, and we was giving us some strange looks.