December 19th, 1890 — Hogsmeade Holiday Festival

It had been quite a few months since Philip had spoken to Harper James. Since the kiss that had sent his world into a tailspin. He should probably have reached out first but now that so many months had passed without word, he wondered if Harper would even want to hear from him. Philip had waffled on what had happened and his feelings about it for a little too long, he felt. With his main point of location being in Irvingly chances for an accidental run in had also been very low. And he had not spotted Harper at any events he had attended.

Was this the end of what could have been new love? Had it ended before it even started?

Philip was feeling a little glum as he watched people of all ages have a snowball fight. He was about to leave to check out the part of the festival happening in High Street when he suddenly caught sight of the person he was missing. Doing a double take, he waved without considering whether or not Harper even wanted to see him.

Harper James

  

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— set by MJ —

In the months since Harper had absolutely ruined any friendship he had with Philip, he had thrown himself entirely into his work at the Hospital. It was easier to keep busy than give himself a chance to think about what a disaster that evening had been. Suffice to say, any desire he had to cook had entirely vanished as well. But he could not work seven days a week, and so he thought it might do him some good to get out and try and enjoy some of the holiday festival.

So, bundled up in his warmest coat he had stepped out his door and walked the short distance to Padmore Park. After a short walk along one of the paths, giving some snowball fighters a relatively wide berth, he sighed and was about to resign himself to turning around and going straight home until a sudden movement caught his eye. It was Philip waving at him from a short distance away.

Harper hesitated. Why did Philip want to talk to him? Perhaps he was just being polite. Or maybe he had moved on from a few months ago. He almost kept walking, but swallowed and cleared his throat and waved back. Taking a few steps towards him, he put on a smile that even he felt must have looked a little unsure. "Hello Mr Aymslowe. How are you doing?" he said, and immediately afterwards thought Oh Merlin that sounded so formal.

  

Honestly, Philip had no idea what he was doing. He was vaguely aware that the thing they really needed to talk about could hardly be broached in such a public location. But even so, he had not been able to resist the urge to break the silence that had fallen between them. It had gone on too long and he had missed Harper James terribly. Things just weren't as bright and fun without the other man around, it seemed.

It was a little offsetting how much being called Mr Aymslowe instead of with their usual first name basis familiarity felt like a gut punch. "Quite well, it has been a while since you stopped by my shop. The pies are missing you," he said, trying to jest while conveying his own sense of having missed Harper between the lines. Hopefully Harper could read between them.

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— set by MJ —

Philip's comment about the shop hit him like a sucker punch, a knot forming in his stomach both from pangs of guilt from ruining what they had, and from a growing hope that perhaps things could be salvaged. Did Philip still want him to visit? Because Harper would be more than willing to, if only to explain and apologise if necessary.

"It has indeed been a while. And I must confess, I have rather missed your baked goods." While Harper realised he had to be circumspect in public, he was hoping that he had indeed interpreted Philip correctly, and that Philip would in turn do the same. His smile became a little more confident, as the hope began to overtake the pangs of regret in his stomach.

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   Philip Aymslowe

Philips cheeks flushed a deeper red at Harpers words and he was thankful that it could reasonably be blamed on the winter chill. Did Harper still feel the way he had when they had kissed? Would that be too much to hope for given how much time had passed? "We could do what you did last time. If you would still like, that is," Philip said, feeling brazen for basically asking 'would you still like to kiss me' despite using innocuous enough words. But even if Harper declined, Philip knew that he couldn't just let them become strangers to one another.

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   Harper James

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— set by MJ —

Harper saw Philip began to blush, and was glad that it could just be because of the cold wind that was blowing past them, because he could feel his start to go a bit pink as well. The knot in his stomach tightened even further, as if his guts were trying to force the sudden onset of butterflies out of him. "I believe that would suit me just fine. The curry wasn't a complete success, and I would rather like to try my hand at it again to see if it has improved." Harper was now positive that they were on the same wavelength, which was a huge relief from the last time he had attempted to make his feelings clear to Philip.

  

Philip sincerely hoped that Harper was getting what he was trying to say. And more importantly, that he was reading correctly into Harpers words! It would be mortifying if they were to make up only for a misunderstanding to happen once more. Philip didn't think he would be able to come back from that if that were the case.

"If you would like to try again, you can always come to my place or I could come to yours. I don't believe we completely finished that tour."

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If he hadn't been completely wrong the last time, Harper would have been one hundred precent confident that he and Philip were hinting at the same thing. But out in public it was impossible to openly broach the subject. As that thought crossed his mind, he was suddenly hyper aware of the proximity of the other people in the park, including one couple who were walking along the same path towards them. They were still just out of earshot for now, but as he quickly glanced towards them and then back to Philip he knew they did not have much time. The moment had to be seized as quickly and discreetly as possible.

"Ah yes the tour, you're right Philip we never finished that tour off. And from memory we have a great deal to talk about as well. There is a particular book in my library I would love to discuss with you, though perhaps it may require some explanation."

  

If Philip could get any redder, he would have. He felt a little bold to have talked about a kiss in such a discreet manner. Which was what should be done, he knew but even so it did cause a sort of adrenaline to have a secret of this magnitude. "I would like that, when would be a good time for you to accommodate me paying a call to your home?"

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— set by MJ —

"I have been rather busy of late, and I expect that shall continue until early in the new year." As much as Harper would love to say 'come over now', he knew it would perhaps be best to make it seem there was no urgency, especially if there was any chance that someone may overhear them. "But I imagine we can find an evening that suits. Perhaps 16 January if that suits?"

  

January 16. Weeks from now? Philip had not been expecting such a long wait. It was enough to make all the nerves he had in his system flutter crazily. "That's quite some time from now so I am fairly certain it would suit nicely." They had gone months, they could handle a couple of more weeks, surely?

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— set by MJ —

Oh no. Had he set the date too far away? Had he messed this up a second time? If only they were in private right now, but that couple were getting closer now, and there was probably no time left to even speak in code. "Then let us settle for the 16th then. Of course, if our schedules clear sooner, we can always send an owl."

  

"I will see you, then," Philip said, doing his best to act casual. Internally, he was going a bit wild. He smiled once last time and waved before going on his way. He was a bundle of nerves. He had missed Harper terribly and all he could focus on was the sixteenth. He would plan a wondrous array of treats, he decided.

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— set by MJ —

”Until then. Take care.” There was so much more Harper wanted to say, and needed to say, but he couldn’t. Not here. It would have to wait now until nearly a month. Harper waved as Philip started walking off, hesitating and staring after the man for a second before turning and heading onward in the other direction. Nodding his head to the couple he passed by, his head was now racing, planning just how he could make sure their next meeting did not end as abruptly as their last one.