"We were meant to be but a twist of fate made it so we had to walk away. 'Cause we're on fire, we are on fire, we're on fire now..."

Song: Happily

Artist: One Direction

Harry’s POV

My breath washed across the soft skin on Halle’s neck as my lips pressed against her throat.  I could feel the slight vibration as a quiet moan rolled from her when my mouth sucked at her skin, which only encouraged me further.  Her hips rolled against mine, the small space between my body and the wall limiting her actions.  My hands were splayed across her back, pressing her hips into mine while her shoulder blades were pressed against the wall, the pressure between us pinning her there. 

The sound of her already labored breathing was like music to my ears as the quiet pants and needy gasps drifted in the air around us.  I loved the way her hands felt in my hair as her fingers wove through the strands and curled around them, tugging at my scalp before releasing my hair and starting all over again.  Every time my teeth nipped at her neck, her fingers would tighten and her hips would press against mine harder and harder with each successive bite.  I allowed my tongue to lap over the darkened areas to soothe the sting before bringing my lips to find hers. 

Her lips melted against mine as I kissed her hungrily, the heat between us building quickly as it added to my desperation for her.  I shifted my hips forward, pinning her tightly against the wall as kissed her.  My tongue pushed into her mouth to swipe against her own.  She let out a quiet groan at the feel and it was like a shot of adrenaline to me.  Every sound she made drove me further and further toward the burning desperation I felt. 

My hand slid around her waist, my thumb grazing the soft skin above the band of her leggings and causing her to squirm before my hand even landed between her legs.  She shifted involuntarily at my touch, her back arching off the wall and into me as she sucked in a breath between our kiss.  My fingers curled against her to put pressure where she needed it.  She responded immediately by kissing me harder and tangling her fingers even tighter into my hair, her chest pressing tightly against mine despite the small space between our hips.

I loved the way she reacted to my touch- so readily and easily yet completely tantalizingly all at the same time.  It was so easy to get her worked up but I loved the thrill of it; I loved seeing her twist and shake beneath me and I loved the way her skin flushed when she finally let herself go.  I loved the way her muscles would tighten and tremble while she drew out her high only to melt into me after she came down.  I loved the sounds she would make and the way she’d kiss me lazily and the way she’d hold me after.  I loved it all.

“Harry,” she breathed, her voice light and distracted as I touched her.  That tone in her voice alone could push me off the edge. 

I already felt too worked up, too needy to waste any time and I could feel she was, too.  My hand pulled from between her legs and she let out a quiet whimper at the loss of contact that was quickly replaced with a gasp of surprise when my fingers dug into her waistband and tugged down.  She copied me instantly, dropping her hands from my neck to undo my belt and zipper and free me from the tight confines of my jeans.  I groaned as fingers wrapped around me, their warmth and the pressure of her touch beyond welcome. 

I needed her now.

I hastened my actions, shoving her leggings and panties down her thighs quickly.  As soon as her clothes hit the floor, my hands slid down the backs of her thighs and lifted her, my body moving between her thighs to pin her against the wall.  A quiet gasp of air was forced from her lungs and I could tell she loved the way I could throw her around so easily. 

Her arms wound tightly around my neck, clinging to me despite being fully supported by my arms and the wall.  I could feel the way she arched into me and the way her chest rose and fell quickly with ragged, impatient breaths.  She kissed me deeply, her tongue pushing into my mouth as her lips worked in perfect sync with mine before I shifted my hips to position myself at her entrance.  I could feel her heart pounding through her chest against mine.

I pushed forward and let myself sink into her slowly.  My eyes squeezed shut at the feeling; it was like we were made perfectly for each other from the way our bodies fit together.  I felt her mouth fall open at the pressure the way it always did and I had to stop myself from practically growling in satisfaction. 

“Jesus, Hal,” I murmured against her lips, unable to hold myself back.  I had missed the way her body felt with mine more than I had been able to comprehend.  A quiet whine left her lips in response, unable to form actual words.  My hips pulled back before pushing forward again, sinking into her even further as my hands supported her weight.  Her back pushed against the wall and her hands roamed across my body, traveling from my hair to my neck to my shoulders and chest before finding my face and cupping around my jaw while she kissed me. 

I felt her teeth tug lightly on my lower lip as my hips shifted upward into her again and again, the rhythm hard and fast and desperate.  Her skin was hot beneath my palms on her thighs, matching the heat that was coursing through my veins.  I could already feel sweat forming on my skin, the fire that burned inside me whenever I was with her and the physical exertion quickly making me sweat, but it didn’t matter.  She never stopped her exploration of whatever she could reach, and I knew she could feel the sweat starting to seep through the shirt we hadn’t bothered to take off. 

A groan that rattled from my throat was stifled into our kiss as I rocked forward again, the feel of her around me quickly unraveling.  Every roll of my hips into her was like an attack on my control, and I could feel it slipping quickly.  She, too, seemed to quickly be coming undone as I pinned her to the wall.  Her breathing had increased and become even more uneven, a sure sign of her approaching her end.  I could feel the way she tightened around me and the desperate way she clawed at whatever parts of me she could reach. 

I pushed harder, hitting even deeper inside her as she broke our kiss to let her head fall back against the wall.  A strangled moan left her throat as she did so, the sound setting my nerves on fire.  Her legs tightened around my waist and her back arched even more, her muscles growing tight beneath my hands as she neared her end. 

“Harry,” she breathed, her voice weak and strained as I pushed into her.  My jaw clenched as I forced myself to hold back.  I had to get her first.  Her nails sunk into my shoulders as she clutched herself tightly to me while my hips continued to push against hers.  I knew it would only take a few more movements from me to end her, and my hips continued their relentless rolling against her as I pushed into her again and again.  She sucked in a deep breath and slammed one of her hands against the wall by her side as I felt her muscles contract around me. 

“That’s it, baby,” I groaned, loving the way she was coming undone right before my eyes.  Her breath rattled in her chest and her eyes squeezed shut as her high hit her, my hips never ceasing their action to push her through it.  I could feel my end coming as well.  I pushed myself into her the deepest I had yet, the tension in my muscles reaching the point of near pain before I felt my release.  My body shook as I held her up and hit my high, the strain well worth the pure bliss flooding through me. 

She melted against me, her body limp as she let her head rest against the wall while she tried to catch her breath.  My head dropped to her shoulder, my arms still holding her up as my lips pressed tightly against her neck, which was damp with sweat.

“I love you,” I breathed.  My heart pounded in my chest, the erratic rhythm caused by the emotional things I felt with I was with her as much as the physical. 

God, did I love her.

My body jerked suddenly, the air around me cold and dark as I blinked in confusion.  My arms stretched out to my sides, searching desperately to find her warmth but finding none.  It took me a few seconds to realize I was in my bed, the sheets around me drenched with sweat and tangled hopelessly around my legs.

It had been a dream.  All of it. 

Halle had never been here, her skin had never been pressed against mine, and she hadn’t been pinned to the wall while I unraveled her.  None of that had happened.  I reminded myself it had been days since I’d seen her in the club.  The last thing I’d seen her do was mouth the word ‘don’t’ before disappearing into the night with him.  It had nearly killed me to let her go, and it certainly wasn’t getting any easier. 

I rolled to my stomach and groaned in irritation, annoyed with my body for feeling the pent up sexual frustration when I should have only been worrying about getting her away from Ben.  My fists gripped the sheets around me, my fingers tight around the fabric before I forced them to let go.  I blew a heavy breath into my pillow to try and unwind the tightness of my muscles, but it didn’t really work. 

Here I was, having sex dreams like a horny thirteen-year-old boy when I had no idea where she actually was or if she was even safe.  I was completely in the dark.  I hadn’t heard from her since that night days ago and didn’t know if she wanted me to contact her or not.  I had to think if she wanted to talk, she would reach out to me, all things considered.  Our agreement to figure out a plan was being strongly hindered by the lack of communication, and it was driving me insane. 

I was constantly haunted by images of her with Ben, both real and imagined.  Over and over again, I saw him throw his arm around her shoulders, his lips on her skin, his hands on her thighs.  I saw them laying in bed together, his arms wound too tightly around her body as he forced her against him.  Most horrifyingly, I saw them together in the way she only should have been with me.  I saw him moving over her, touching her, kissing her. 

I couldn’t decide which of the imagined situations were worse: the ones where she appeared cold, blank, and helpless, or the ones where she appeared to be relishing every second of it.  Both were eating away at me so quickly that I was surprised I still had enough in me to dream of being with her for once instead of watching her with Ben. 

I rolled onto my back again and stared into the darkness.  I felt restless, helpless, and most of all, pathetic.  How could I call myself a man when I sat by and did nothing?  I deserved to endure these horrific images if I was going to sit here and let it happen.  Half of what I was seeing was based on things I’d actually seen while the rest was based off what I feared happened behind closed doors. 

Anger sizzled in the pit of my stomach, adding to the discomfort I already felt from the knots it seemed to be tied in constantly.  My thumbs twitched by my sides, tapping relentlessly against the mattress as my mind whirred once again with images of Hal with Ben.  When I pictured his lips on hers, I felt like I was going to throw up.  I slammed my fist into the mattress, the sound not nearly as satisfying as I would have wished. 

I blew a deep breath out and squeezed my eyes shut in an attempt to calm myself down.  This had been happening for days now- this cycle of agony, disbelief, anger, pain, and every other possible emotion I could have felt.  She said she was mine, that we would be together, but she remained with him.  I wanted her back so desperately that I was quickly losing all sense. 

Don’t.

That word was the only clue I had to go on, and it had quickly become my least favorite word of all time.  Don’t?  What the fuck did ‘don’t’ mean?  Obviously, she had meant don’t follow her that night, which I hadn’t.  I had gone against every instinct I had and listened to her, hating myself more and more by the second as I watched her be dragged away.  That, at least, had been obvious. 

But what did it mean now?  Did she mean for it to carry over, to stop me from doing what I wanted and come after her?  Surely she did, because her constant need to protect me would indicate so.  But she was putting too much faith in me, believing in me too much if she thought I would be able to obey her single-worded command for this long.  it had been days without a word from her and my patience, and, frankly, my sanity, were wearing thin. 

Every second that passed when she was with him seemed to add to the heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach until it had weighed me down completely.  My heart, which had been momentarily put back together, seemed to have shattered again in her overwhelming absence.  The little tease of having her back for a few moments in that hallway had been almost more painful that not getting her back at all.

Almost.

I flipped to my stomach restlessly in an attempt to calm the tightness I felt in my body, but it did nothing.  Almost instantly, I flipped back to my side and sat on the edge of my bed.  My hands shoved through my hair once before rubbing harshly into my eye sockets.  My entire body was tense and I didn’t think I could take much more of this. 

I sat in silence for a few moments as the onslaught of images of Halle and Ben continued to assault me.  He touched her leg and a felt a knife stab through my stomach.  His lips whispered at her ear and I felt a cold grip take hold of my heart.  His hands shifted beneath her shirt and I felt a kick to the ribs.  His body moved over hers and I felt pain in every cell in my body. 

I pressed the palms of my hands into my eye sockets and let out a frustrated growl, furious at myself for not being able to stop the images from getting to me.  Every single one that I saw chipped away at the little self-control I was clinging to.  I blew out a heavy breath and tried to clear my head.

Calm down, Harry.

It wasn’t working, though.  I could feel my hands starting to shake and my pulse rising, the anger starting to take over.  Every nerve I had felt like it was shorting out, making my muscles twitch anxiously while my stomach curled itself into knots.  I knew she was only trying to protect the both of us with this plan, but I’d had enough.  I couldn’t sit by anymore whether she liked it or not or I would go absolutely insane. 

As if making the decision for me, my body leapt up from the bed and moved to the closet.  The second I had decided, I felt some of the agitation I’d been dealing with for days now lift.  Finally, I was going to do something.  My actions were clumsy and hastened as I pulled on the first pair of jeans and t-shirt I found before stuffing my feet into my boots.  I practically ran through my house, barely pausing to throw on a zip up hoodie and grab my keys before moving out the door. 

I threw myself behind the wheel and peeled out of my driveway.  I was halfway to Halle’s apartment before I realized she probably wasn’t there.  My thumbs drummed impatiently against the steering wheel as I drove, my knees bouncing anxiously.  I didn’t even realize before I left, but a quick glance at the clock told me it was 2:49 am.  It didn’t even cross my mind to worry about the time or if I should be doing this at all because all that mattered to me was getting Halle back.  I needed her back. 

Finally, Halle’s apartment building came into sight as I pulled into the parking lot and drove into the first spot I saw.  I barely managed to turn the car off and take out the keys before I was out the door and hurrying toward the entrance.  My steps were rushed and stressed as I moved down the hall to find her door.  My hand closed around the handle and turned, praying it would be unlocked but was disappointed to discover it was, for once, locked. 

I raised my fist and pounded on the door a few times, not caring in the slightest if I woke up the entire building. 

“Halle!” I called through the wood, desperately hoping it would open and reveal her face.  I hammered on the door again, impatient for it to open.  “Hal!”

I bounced nervously on the balls of my feet and held my breath.  I was about to raise my fist and knock for a third time when the door swung open.

“Harry?” said a very sleepy and very confused Maggie.  My heart sunk when I saw her.  “What are you doing?”

“Is Halle here?” I asked, not bothering to explain.  I had no idea how much she knew about the situation and frankly didn’t care.  All I cared about was getting Halle back. 

“No,” she said, squinting at me as her eyes tried to adjust to the brightness of the hallway in comparison to the darkness of her apartment. 

“Where is she?” I demanded impatiently.

“What’s going on?” she asked, ignoring my question.

“Fucking hell, Maggie, where is she?” I said tensely.  I could feel my fists balling up at my sides in irritation.  She blinked at me as if realizing for the first time how worked up I was. 

“She’s at Ben’s,” she answered cautiously, clearly knowing how it would affect me.

It was like someone had taken an axe to my chest.  The wind was forced out of my lungs and I felt myself physically take a step back.  It was what I had suspected, but to hear it confirmed hurt like hell.  I shoved my hand through my hair and shook my head.

“Where does he live?”

“He lives on the corner of 8th and Oak.  What the hell is going on?” she asked, obviously very confused. 

“I need to get Halle back,” I said.  I had already turned away from her the moment she told me the address.  I couldn’t waste any more time.

“What?” she exclaimed.  I could hear her feet moving down the hall as she followed me.  “Does she want you to get her back?”

“Yes,” I answered flatly.  I didn’t have time for this.

“Do you want me to come with you? Ben can be… difficult,” she said, catching up to me and keeping pace with my quick walk.  I could feel her looking at me as I stalked out the door and toward my car.  Difficult.  What a word. 

“No.”

“But-“

“No, Maggie,” I repeated firmly.  The last thing I needed was another person to worry about.  “Stay here.”

She stopped walking but I could feel her eyes on the back of my head as she watched me open the door to my car.

“Harry!”

I huffed in annoyance and glanced back to see her standing barefoot in the parking lot, much like Halle had forever ago after our fight. 

“What?”

“Be careful, okay?”

I didn’t say anything as I nodded at her.  If this were a different time under different circumstances, I would have been touched that she cared, but at the moment, I didn’t have time to think about her sentiment or her warning. 

My car roared to life as I turned the key and pulled out of the parking lot, my driving even more reckless than it had been on the way over.  I knew exactly where Ben lived now, and in a matter of minutes I would be there to save the only girl I’d ever loved.  I didn’t care what happened to me as long as I got her out of there; she was all that mattered. 

Street lights flashed by my window but I didn’t see a single car as I drove, every second that passed bringing me closer to her.  I could practically feel it in my body- the nearer I got to her the faster my heart pounded in my chest.  Every house I passed added to the tension in my shoulders and increased the speed that my knees bounced as I drove. 

My heart leapt in my chest when I saw the house.  The windows were dark, like every other house on the street, but this one was different.  I could feel that she was in there; the connection we shared had actually started to physically draw me to her.  I parked my car in the street outside the house and took one deep breath before turning it off.  Without a second thought, I jumped out of the car and started walking toward the house I knew she was in. 

It was my turn to save her. 

"I don't care what people say when we're together, you know I wanna be the one to hold you in your sleep. I just want it to be you and I forever; I know you wanna leave so come on baby, be with me so happily."