salute [h.s]

my life would be perfect without ice skating in it

december 1 - Ice Skating

1D fanfic/Salute extra

Piper probably should have told him but he was so excited that she didn't know how and then it just never seemed like the right time. She just let him tow her along as he rented their skates and then dragged them over to a nearby bench. She kicked off her boots, wondering how this was going to go, and then she was so very grateful when Harry kneeled before her and patted his thigh, inviting her to put her skate up so he could tie it. If she'd been left to her own devices, she would have never figured out those stupid laces.

It took him all of ten seconds to do his own laces and then he was helping her onto her feet. She tried her best to keep straight, to look like she was a pro at this, but her legs wobbled beneath her, her knees weak with nerves. She hoped Harry didn't notice.

When she looked up, Harry was looking out onto the smattering of skaters already on the ice. Most of them were couples, holding hands and skating close. Piper was surprised when something on Harry's face softened, his eyes crinkling as he smiled a real, proper smile for the first time in a long time. She knew that the holidays were hard for him because he couldn't see his family and while he'd been trying his best for her sake, there were times when she knew he was feeling miserable behind those fake grins and cheesy innuendoes.

That was why she was doing this even though she was pretty sure she was going to end up with a broken neck. It was the first time in weeks that she had seen Harry truly excited about something. The way his whole presence had lit up at just the idea of skating was enough for Piper to change out of her pajamas and find a proper coat in the closet. There was no way she was going to squash out this new sense of Christmas spirit that Harry had seemed to latch onto.

"You ready?" Harry asked as he stopped at the edge of the rink, the top of the blades of his skates hanging over the edge. Piper's were very happily digging into the black rubber mat and she was reluctant to move. The ice was looking particularly deadly tonight.

But she let out a breath, calmed herself down, and then beamed up at Harry. It probably looked disingenuous but it was sure as hell better than the scowl she was wearing on the inside. "Yep. Totally ready. Really excited actually. Can't wait."

Harry furrowed his brow, the smile still hovering but sort of lost on his confused face. "You alright, petal?"

"Perfectly fine. Excellent. Fantastic even. Everything is absolutely perfect and I love skating and its something I definitely do every year."

"Whatever you say." He shook his head in that way he did when he didn't quite understand her insanity. It happened often. Honestly, Harry was so patient dealing with her. She wondered sometimes if it was really worth it, saddling himself with someone like her who was a little bit mad, a lot hard to handle, and insanely unpredictable. He did so much for her.

Hence, the skating.

"Let's get out there then," he said as he stepped down onto the ice as if it was no big deal, like it wasn't a giant slippery mat of pain and death waiting to send her flying. He was obviously much more comfortable standing on two thin blades of metal than she was. Then again, Harry was probably the most coordinated person she'd ever met. Despite limbs that seemed to go on forever, he knew how to move them - in all the right ways.