Different (9) (Patreon)

Author's note: Hello, everyone. I know that I went away for quite a while. As most of you know, my grandfather passed away. He was the last father figure that I had in this world. After my father passed away, my grandfather took over and made sure that role was partially covered. After his death, I had to drop out of college for the semester and go back to therapy. I just wanted to let you know the reason for my absence. Thankfully, I am feeling much better, and I am getting used to the new normal.

I also want to thank everyone who reached out to me with best wishes and condolences. Thank you for understanding and I love you all.  And a special thank you, to everyone who patiently waited for me to come back.

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

“What are you doing here?” She looked impeccable, straight out of the shower. She smelled deliciously good, and her hair looked so soft that he just wanted to reach over and run his fingers through it. She wore a turtleneck sweater and some striped pants.

“I wanted to take you out on a date” Y/N shrugged like it was no big deal. Even though she had done multiple things to get a hold of his schedule and location. Y/N might have even gone to the extent of bribing someone in the dean's office. She was simply happy that she could flirt her way out of things, but Harry didn’t need to know.

“Where are we going” He laughed softly, taking his backpack off and placing it on the backseat of the car.

“Up north” She stated, “But first some coffee” Y/N pulled into a Starbucks in hopes of convincing him that Starbucks was worth his time and money.

“Absolutely not. It’s shit” Y/N loved how easily he noticed what she was trying to do. “it’s overpriced”. Harry shook his head noticing how she stuck her tongue out as she concentrated on not hitting the curb in the drive-through. He found it extremely adorable.

“Just try something.” She insisted, reaching back for her wallet. “If you don’t like it. I won’t insist again” Harry raised an eyebrow at her and pursed his lips as he considered it. “For me” was the last thing she needed to add to get him to order something off the menu.

“Don’t you have class today?” Harry asked her as they waited for their drinks.

“Maybe. maybe not” In truth she did have a presentation but had spoken with her professor and had submitted everything beforehand. “That’s not something you need to worry about” she added as she lowered down her window to receive the drinks.

If there was something that Harry was thankful for, it was Y/N’s music taste. The whole ride, they listened to ABBA, Tracy Chapman, Mazzy Star, and Fleetwood Mac. It was quite comforting for him to know that he never had to pretend to like what most American college students do and that he could pay whatever he liked, and she would like it too.

“How had your day been? She asked interrupting the comfortable silence that had settled in the car.

“Like any other” he shrugged, reaching out for her hand to take. “Yours?”  Harry asked as he pulled into a red light. She leaned over, gripped his chin with her tiny hands, and pulled him into a soft kiss.   They are abruptly interrupted by the honking of the cars behind her.

“Fun” She laughed and pushed on the gas. “Would you like to drive?” She offered, “You have a license, right?” Y/N looked over her rearview mirror as she turned the light to change lanes.

“Of course, but are you sure?” He had never driven anyone’s car aside from his father’s, and it wasn’t as nice as Y/N’s.

“Yeah,” she smiled at him quickly as she pulled to the side of the road. It was the perfect time to do it before getting on the highway. She quickly got out of the car after parking it “You just follow the GPS” she said watching him, rearranging the distance from the steering wheel and pedals. “This is so much nicer” She slipped off her sneakers and got comfortable.

“Do you not like to drive?” He asked as he got familiar with everything in the car before getting back on the road.

“Not really. I like to be the passenger.” Y/N honestly just drove for convenience and because she had to, but she would not drive. Also, her father had bought her a car and she could leave it in the garage just because. “Plus, I get to pay more attention to you and give you kisses when I please.” Harry laughed as he started feeling more comfortable driving her car as time went by. “There is a party this weekend” she commented as she looked through the messages. “Would you like to come with me?”  She asked between songs.

Y/N could tell how tense he instantly got. Harry hated social rendezvous. He hated how they made him feel and how people always stared at him like he was out of place.

“We could always stay in and watch some movies and stuff.”

“No. I’ll go with you.” He sharply said, “I know you want to go and see your friends.” Harry knew that before him, Y/N attended parties and spent lots of time with her closest friends. He couldn’t except for her to dump her friends just because of him. “Where are we going?” He laughed, seeing that they still had 30 minutes to go.

“I am not telling you” Y/N decided to drop the subject even though she could see how uncomfortable he was. She would just ask him again on the day of the party.

“I feel like you’ve kidnapped me.”

“If I wanted to. I would have already done so.” Harry laughed, “I just hope you like it.” She was nervous. It had been a long time since she had gone out of her way to plan a date for someone. Hell! It had been a long time since she had cared for someone so deeply.

The couple allowed silence to settle in as they admired the colorful sky and how the sunset on the horizon. Harry noticed how there were only ten minutes left until they arrived at their destination. He sat up straighter, eager to arrive and reveal the surprise.

“I am nervous” She revealed, which only made Harry smile. “What if you hate it? And don’t like it?” Harry watched her fiddle her fingers from the corner of his eye. He reached out and held her hands understanding how overwhelming it could make someone feel.

“I’m going to love it because you planned for it and because it means you want to spend time with me” He explained, just as he pulled into a large field with lots of other cars. It took him a few minutes, to realize that it was a drive-in movie since the screen hadn’t been blown up yet.  “I swear I’ve only seen this in American movies” he laughed, overly excited.

“Do you like it?” Y/N asked as they waited to be greeted and guided to their spot.

“Love it! Creative” He leaned over and pecked her lips. “Thank you”.

Harry parked the car in a small spot between two others that had arrived before them. Y/N was the first out of the car to open the trunk.

‘I’ve packed a few snacks and drinks and some blankets” He watched her say from the rearview mirror as he turned off the engine. “I mean this isn’t a trunk, but I think everything might work” she added, unloading the car.

“Let me help you” Y/N unpacked a few bedsheets and covered the trunk with them, followed by a comforter to make sitting less uncomfortable. Then she processed to carefully place pillows for their heads and backs. “Look at the screen!” It was finally dark enough for the screen to be blown up and for the projector to be turned on.

“It’s massive” He pointed out as he watched her struggle to get on the trunk. “Need a hand?” He chuckled.

“No” She sharply said, rolling her eyes at him, trying to hide her smile from him. Y/N threw her leg over and rolled the rest of her body into the trunk. Her father had insisted on high tires for the winter, and she had agreed instead of being realistic about the daily struggles that her height brought her.

Harry on the other hand, barely had to lift himself off the floor.

“Are you comfortable? Would you like another pillow?” She asked him, stretching a blanket over their bodies.

“Very”

“Alright, so this is the menu for tonight” She had prepared tacos for the occasion, aside from making popcorn and bringing chips with salsa and sweets.

“How did you manage to plan all of this?” Harry asked in awe after she had unwrapped all the food and drinks.

“I’ve got my ways” She shrugged, “I am just glad that everything went according to plan”.

“You are something is Y/N,” he said to her as he watched her prepare him a plate. They finished eating before the movie started. “What movie is it?” He asked as he pulled her in between his legs.

“I assume you’ve watched it before. If not, then you should get your nationality revoked” she said just as Harry Potter’s notorious soundtrack started playing.

“Great choice, darlin” He whispered, kissing her cheek, and pulling the blanket tighter around them. Y/N beamed with happiness and tried her best to concentrate on the big screen before her.