After making love for the first time, we wake up wrapped around each other under the blankets to a fabulous azure sky and little or no breeze.  A perfect Spring day to spend enjoying being together around the cottage.

My palm rests on his soft tummy and right ear lays against Harry's chest.  I can hear the feint beating of his heart beneath his skin.  I drag my chin up to meet his gaze and notice a small tattoo over his heart.  I haven't asked him yet about the meanings of any of his tattoos but this one stands out against the rest.  

My fingers skim across the picture, tracing the outline.  Resting his chin on his chest, Harry looks down at me.

"This is such a beautiful tattoo Harry?" I am so intrigued by it.  

"Thank you, I'm glad you like it." He smiles fondly. 

"What birds are they?"

"It is two Hummingbirds." 

"So pretty.  What does it represent or did you get it just because you liked it."

"Both really.  Hummingbirds are dainty but symbolise great courage, enjoyment of life and lightness of being."

"Wow, the colours are amazing."  I am listening to him whilst taking in the intricacies of the tattoo. 

"Yes the colours are.  The birds appear out of nowhere and spring joy in the heart.  They are able to move their wings in a figure of eight pattern; a symbol of infinity."    

"Why did you get two together?"

"Oh as a mated pair they signify devotion, permanence, eternity and life.  Natasha I got the tattoo in Sydney after meeting you."

I flick my eyes up to meet his dazzling green ones.  He is looking at me knowingly and a feeling of awe sweeps right through me.  Harry's arms encircle tighter around me.  

"Natasha, you are my Hummingbird.  My passion, my light, my joy, my colour."

Tears pool my eyes, "In Sydney, you felt this way even back then?"

"Yes, even back then." He smiles lovingly and pecks my lips.  

"Oh my God, this is so, I don't know what to say."

He shakes his head.  "You don't need to say anything, just know that I love you with every single part of me."   

I pull him close to me and kiss him deeply then mumble lips.  "And I love you too, so much."

In the late afternoon, Harry suggests we walk down the steep hill to the picturesque pub at the bottom by the Loch to grab a bite to eat and have some drinks.  We enjoy the stroll hand-in-hand and when we get there are pleased to find it is not very busy being that it is out of season and mid-week. 

The evening has a chilly breeze but we sit in the beer garden on a little wooden picnic table beside the Loch.  The water laps quietly against the bank as we eat and drink and chat.  We want to bask in the peace, tranquillity and freedom whilst we can. 

Harry goes inside to the bar to settle the bill and the barman confirms a taxi wait will be at least an hour.  We should have thought that this isn't London where we can just hail one on the street.  Harry suggests we could always walk it.  The hill is long and steep and walking down is easy but will be hard work back up, even for us two who are relatively fit.  He shrugs it off so I go along with the plan. 

As suspected it is hard work!  All the way menacing clouds have been gathering overhead and the wind has picked up.  I know how quickly the weather can change in this part of the world and indicate to Harry to increase the walking pace.  We make it about three quarters of the way up when large drops of rain begin to fall, splashing hard on the surface of the road.

"It'll only be a small shower." Harry says as I look up at the huge black clouds forming, the earlier bright evening replaced by shadowy darkness. 

"Harry it's getting harder."  The rain is falling down quite hard and my hoody is already damp. 

"I'm telling you, it's just a passing shower, it's fine". He pulls me closer into him, wrapping his arms around me. 

All of a sudden the black sky lights up and a huge clap of thunder echoes from one end of the Loch to the other. 

"Shit Harry!" is all that I scream as I hide my face in his chest. He just laughs as the rain is now so hard that we are both getting soaked;  the hoodies useless and providing no protection at all from the elements.

"Come on we'd better make a run for it," he says cooly.

"Oh great, let's hope we don't get struck by the next strike then." I respond rolling my eyes. 

With that the sky lights up again and we both begin to count to see how far away the storm is, laughing at each other's childish ways!  One and two and - massive rumble.

"It's close, let's run!" and Harry is up and bent over shouting "jump on" as he piggy backs me up the final small part of the hill towards the cottage.  When we reach the safety of the garden instead of going straight inside he runs around in huge circles with me still on his back and screaming at him.  We are getting absolutely drenched but he is just laughing his head off until the sky lights up again and I've never seen him run so fast towards the house and through the door just as the next thunder crashes around the sky outside.

We are both soaked through but still laughing so hard as I take Harry's hand in mine and lead him into the bedroom.  We strip off our wet clothes and I throw him a towel. 

The storm is right above us now and the electrics go out in the house, the line must have been hit.  Only the occasional lightening bolt illuminates the bedroom.  I hear him shuffling around then feel him standing in front of me.  He places the towel I threw him around my shoulders and pulls me into him, kissing desperately against my lips.  My hands reach up and over his torso to his shoulders and I trace my hands down over the muscles in his arms reaching his hands and taking them in mine.  I guide his hands to my chest and he turns me so I am standing in front of him, my back to his front. 

The towel falls to the floor between us and my head falls back onto his shoulder as soft kisses skim over my neck.  His hands slowly caress my breasts, fingers tugging at my nipples as his mouth finds my ear lobe.  Another lightening strike lights up the sky outside and for a brief moment we see our naked reflections in the bedroom window. 

"You are so beautiful, I love you so much." Harry whispers into my ear as his hands slide down over my skin and I am already moaning for what I know is to come.  His fingers find me so ready for him and he smiles against my neck. I am totally lost in him, relaxing my whole body back onto his. He is literally holding me up with his arm wrapped around my waist.  My chest rises and falls with rapid breaths at the unbelievable electricity coursing through my body at him touching me.  I can feel him hard against me and I begin to move my hips in small circling motions, massaging him.

"Fuck, what are you doing to me," falls hoarsely from his mouth. 

We are both so close but he turns me around to face him, pressing me up against the wall.  My legs instinctively wrap around his waist and he is holding me up with his hands on the underside of my thighs as my arms snake their way around his neck.  He pushes inside me, then gently begins to move.  My fingers tangle in his wet curls and gasps fall from our lips into each other's mouths. 

"My God Natasha."  Harry can hardly speak he is so out of breath.  He is pushing me higher and higher until my walls begin to clench.  The feeling of all of him filling me is so amazing I want it to last longer but he pushes faster sending me higher one final time. I come crashing down bringing him with me.  

My forehead lolls onto his shoulder and he rests his cheek on the side of my head, deep breaths still escaping from us both.  He lifts me bridal style, placing me on the bed and lies down beside me.  The covers come up and over both of us as he pulls me into the love of him.  Happily, we both drift off to sleep and I feel safe in his arms again.

-*-

Today is Friday and we talked last night and decided today was the day to leave and return home. We have enjoyed five days of total freedom, complete openness, no complications, no interruptions and no stress. We have everything sorted between us and are strong together and ready to face whatever the world throws at us. Harry has laid his heart on his sleeve so many times over the last few days, I feel positive, strong and secure enough to return.

He switches on his mobile and makes three calls – one to his mum, one to Louis and the other to his lawyer.  We pack up the cottage and he follows me back to the pub to drop off the key and then onto the car rental depot at the airport to do the same.

We set off for Cheshire around 12pm. Harry holds my hand in his for the entire way home as we talk openly about what is going to happen over the next few days.  I know he wants reassurance that I am happy with everything and I know as long as he is with me I am ready. 

We pull into the driveway outside Anne and Robin's house around 7pm.  This place has always felt so welcoming but for some reason I feel anxious and tense through the whole of my body.  Harry must sense my worry as he leans over the console between us and kisses me, rubbing his nose against mine.

"It's all going to be ok Natasha, I promise."  He whispers against my lips. 

I close  my eyes and breath in sharply.  "I hope so, I really do, but no promises remember."

"Look at me."  I open my eyes into his piercing green ones.  "Do you trust me?"  He asks. 

"Yes of course I do." I respond fondly. 

"Come on then, let's do this."

Taking my hand, we venture inside and straight to the kitchen; the place we first met only four months ago. Anne looks up as we enter, staring hard at both of us then switching her gaze down at our entwined hands. There is a moment of pause that fills the air and I suck in a deep breath and Harry squeezes my hand reassuringly.

"Hello Mum."  He says tentatively. 

Anne is up and out of her seat rushing towards us both and pulling us all into a huge hug. Her smile and unconditional love is there just as it always is but not only for Harry but for me too.  When she beckons us into the kitchen, it is me she leads with her arm around me.  We have tea and talk and then Harry must guess she wants some time with me alone because he disappears off saying he is going to get the bags out of the car.

When he has gone I start to speak but she silences me with a loving hand on my arm. 

"Please tell me you are ok."  A deep worried frown pulls across her face.

"Yes, yes I am.  More than ok,  I am so happy."  I gush.

"Come here Tasha."  She pulls me into a hug again with tears brimming in her eyes.  "I have been so worried."

"I didn't mean to worry you, I'm sorry."  I mumble into the motherly warmth of her.  

She pulls away from me, holding me at arms length to look at me.  "You and Harry, wow, I am so pleased for him, for you and for me!"  We both laugh but her gleeful expression drops suddenly as she appears to be contemplating something in her mind. 

I frown at her as I watch intently as she pulls her lips into her mouth then she glances at me.  "You know, your mum would be so proud of you Tasha, she loved you so very much."

Her beautiful words are enough for me to let go emotionally and as she pulls me towards her, rivers of joy fall uncontrollably from my eyes.

Harry and I stay overnight and leave the next morning with an overjoyed Anne sending us on our way with homemade cake, her and Robin's love and a guarantee that we will return very soon. 

When we pull up at Eskale it is late in the afternoon. We spend the evening on the sofa relaxing in each other and watching TV because this is just where we need to be right now.  It feels like the calm before the storm.

In the morning, Harry sets off to Brazen's offices to meet the boys with lawyers in tow.  Turning up unannounced and en masse shocks everyone, including the usually shrewd Will.

Retelling me later, Harry confirms that the unscheduled meeting was heated and volatile at times. A final showdown saw passionate Harry lose it and confirm he was going to sue if they didn't rewrite the contracts on more favourable terms.  The contracts put in place at the start nowhere near met the now requirements of all parties four years down the line.  They were totally out of date and unfit for purpose.

Will tried his best bully boy tactics again to threaten Harry saying he was allowing his heart to rule his head but this time he was not alone and had the other four boys plus the lawyers backing him.  The boys were shocked at how passionate Harry was about me, they had never seen such fire in him before.

After many hours of accusations and negotiations, the band achieved the outcome they desired. 

We spend the weekend happily together in London and then I return to Manchester for two weeks on complete lock down to concentrate on final revision and then focus on exams.

Initially, it is Harry that insists we remain apart which is hard but he knows how much my course means to me and doesn't want to be the reason I have to sit the final year again.  We impose a no speak or Skype and only 10 text a day curfew on ourselves that we break multiple times.  Harry's texts are like essays and make me smile contented inside.

After about day four of being apart, we abandon said curfew because it is actually stressing me out more than doing me any good.  During the middle weekend of the two weeks and unable to stay away, Harry returns to Cheshire.  He keeps well away all day, spending time with his mum and friends, then brings me food and sleeps at mine overnight.

His love, laughter and protection are a welcome release through the stress of my exams and once they are over he insists I return to London with him once more.