A Lost Object [h.s]

Chapter 40

Aurora

It was finally the weekend. My classes had ended just an hour ago and I was ready to go home and sleep the weekend away. I was tired of it all. A nice long sleep will definitely help me relax. But of course as usual, my mother had other plans for me. Harry was sitting on the couch chatting with her when I got home. I tried to make a run for it to my room, I wasn't fast enough.

"Aurora. Where are you running to? Come greet our guest please, have some manners." Sighing I went over to the living room. I sat down on the couch clasping my hands together. Oddly, Harry was avoiding eye contact with me. Did I do something wrong? I averted my attention to my mother instead. She held a book in her hand, flipping through the pages in search for something. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion at the familiar book. My eyes widened in realization. It was a baby photo album filled with embarrassing pictures of me that my mother insisted on keeping.

I panicked at the thought of my mother showing Harry these pictures while I was gone, "Mother, what are you doing?"

"I was just showing Harry baby pictures of you, I can't seem to find the one of you dressed as Thing 1 for halloween- Oh here it is!" I quickly stood up from the couch, closing the book and taking it from her. "No mother, please." I whined. Is this why Harry was avoiding eye contact with me. Of course it is. This book is filled with horrible embarrassing pictures of me that need to be burned and never spoken of. The thing 1 halloween costume was worst of all. I can't believe my mother would do such a thing. What gave her the idea?

"I suppose that is enough pictures for now. You two have to get going now anyways."

I put the book back in the drawer it came from. I turned to my mother giving her a look, "Where are we going now?"

"I've made reservations at Persimmon for 7:30"

Harry spoke up, "Persimmon is in Rhode Island, a two hour drive"

Two hours? Can I possibly bear being in a car for two hours with Harry without saying a word. He wasn't much of a talker, and I did not enjoy the silence. Especially for that long. Was it so hard for my mother to find a restaurant near by? It isn't like Boston was short of fancy restaurants. Although I have never been to Rhode Island.

"Exactly. If you leave now you'll get there just in time. Have fun and have her back by midnight." She ushered us out of the house, immediately closing the door after. I ignored my mothers weird behavior and followed Harry to his car instead. He was driving a different car today. It was a black pick up truck. I would have never guessed he would be the type of person to drive a pick up truck. We drove to our destination in silence. The sun had already set, the full moon glowing beautifully bright in the night sky. The car came to a stop at what looked to be the top of a mountain. Harry got out the car, going to the trunk. I got out the car following him.

"What are we doing here?" This wasn't the place my mother suggested we go. Not that I was complaining. The view was beautiful. I have never actually been on a mountain before. I did not want to see how far up we were. I was terrified of heights. Harry turned to look at me, a small smile showing on his lips, "You seem like you could use a day off from reality."

I genuinely did need a day off from this so called real world. Harry moved to the side, revealing the bed of his open trunk. Laid out on the bed were blankets and pillows, also snacks. To say I was surprised was an understatement. This is not at all what I expected. If my mother were to see this right now she would freak out. This would not have been something she considered as a date. Did Harry consider this a date?

Harry took my hand helping me up on the truck, "Let's sit."

We sat in silence for a few minutes until Harry spoke up first, "How are your classes going?"

"They are very stressful but it will all be worth it in the end." Harry nodded understandingly. What can I say to keep the conversation going? There wasn't much we had to talk about.

"How was your Valentine's Day?" I regretted saying it as soon as the words left my mouth. Why did I bring that up? It was not any of my business.

"It was good I suppose." I wondered what he did that day that made it so good. Did he spend it with someone else? Did he spend it alone? That's debatable because he did say he had plans that day meaning he could've been with someone else. Also knowing Harry like I do, he could've easily lied and spent his day alone because he didn't want nothing to do with me. I was already forced on him so much. He probably needed a break. I was tired of going out to restaurants myself what is to say he's not?

I laid down on my back, looking up at the stars. They looked absolutely beautiful. "The stars are really shining tonight." I said. Harry laid down next to me, looking up at the stars with me. I watched him as his eyes searched the night sky in curiosity. His jawline clenched as he chewed, the moonlight radiating onto his perfectly sculpted face. He, just like the stars, was utterly beautiful.

"Why do you think the stars shine?"

I thought about the question for a while, "Well, because stars are basically a ball of gas that hold themselves together with their own gravity. They shine because they are extremely hot."

Harry hummed questionably, "How would you explain why the moon shines then? It doesn't have it's own gravity."

"The moon isn't a star." I told him.

He turned his head to look at me, "Of course it is"

"It isn't" I argued.

"Then why does it shine brighter than the stars?" He argued back. My gaze left Harry's, I stared up at the moon taking in Harry's question. It was a good question. I hadn't thought much of it before, but I did know the answer. I remember reading about it once while I was studying the solar system.

"The moon gets its light from the brightest star of all. The Sun. The moon reflects the Sun light, which is why it shines brighter than the stars at night, also why it is not considered a star because it does not have it's own light source."

Harry lifted his head up to look at me, "It seems like you know a lot about the galaxy."

I gave him a nod, "I am a big fan. It's fascinating. There is nothing in this world I love more than learning about the galaxy."

"Do you think there is something out there that could outshine the stars?"

I shook my head, "There is nothing that could possibly outshine the stars."

As the hours passed we laid in silence, gazing at the stars. It was beginning to get chilly out as the night grew darker. Harry scooted closer to me. He took another blanket covering it over us. I closed my eyes, burying my head in his chest, the warmth of his body overtook mine as we cuddled under the night sky. It was a moment I wanted to last forever. I haven't felt as safe as I did now, in Harry's arm, in a really long time. My heart was beating faster than the wings of a humming bird against my chest, I was afraid he would hear. I turned my back to him in hopes that it'll quiet down the thumping in my chest. I placed my hand over my heart, letting out a deep breath.

It was feeling I never thought I would ever encounter again in this lifetime.