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His hands were shaking as he pulled your dad aside just before the 5th hole, when everyone was stretching their legs and strategizing their next moves. He cleared his throat a few times, sliding his sunglasses into his hair and adjusting his gloves as your dad watched in patient silence, a small, knowing smile on his face.

“Haven’t seen you this nervous since you broke my mother’s vase when you were nine.” Ian jokes and it forces a choked laugh out of Harry as he shakes his head, finally feeling brave enough to look him in the eye. 

“‘S more important than a vase.” he says, watching as Ian’s face softens, his eyes twinkling. Harry steels himself, inhaling deeply before launching into it. 

“She’s the love of my life, you know. Always has been, in ways maybe I wasn’t ready to face when I was younger but now… I’ve never been more sure of anything. These past three years with her have been the greatest of my life ‘nd I know I’ve been a bloody idiot in the past but it’s not - I’m not -”

“I know,” Ian says gently. 

“Want to spend the rest of my life with her. ‘Nd I promise I’ll take care of her ‘nd I know she’ll take care of me. Nothing - nothing in my life compares to how it feels to be in her orbit ‘nd to have her love me the way she does. She makes me a better man every single day ‘nd I’ve never been more grateful or thankful for anything than I am to get to be hers. I know she’d have my bloody head if I ask for your permission like she’s some prized cow -” he says and Ian huffs out a watery laugh, nodding his head in agreement as tears well up in his eyes. “But I’d like your blessing.  To marry your daughter. ‘S all I’ve - I’ve never wanted anything more.”

He watches with bated breath as emotion passes over Ian’s face before he smiles a wide, watery grin as the tears slide down his face.  

“Of course you’ve got my blessing, H. Nothing would make me happier.”

“Yeah?” Harry says, the nerves from before completely dissipating, giving way to overwhelming gratitude, relief, love. 

“It’d be one of the greatest joys of my life to get to welcome you into the family officially.” he says, voice cracking with emotion as he takes a deep breath. “Always considered you a second son anyhow.”

That stops Harry in his tracks, inhaling deeply as tears fill his eyes, the emotion threatening to spill over any second. It’s been that way for him, too. Your dad has always been there, ever since he was a kid and his own father figures were less accessible. A leader by example, one of the kindest, gentlest souls he’s ever known. A man as unafraid to wear his heart on his sleeve as he was to tell a truly awfully cheesy joke. Someone he’s looked up to his whole life. One of the most devoted husbands and fathers he’s ever known.

“Me too. I always - you’ve always been -”

“I know, son. Come here.” he says, wrapping him in a big hug, the two of them holding tightly.

It’s a few moments before they pull away with firm slaps on the back, sheepish laughs as they wipe their eyes. 

“When are you planning on doing it?”

“Couple months,” he says. “We’re heading to Italy once the tour’s done so thought it’d be nice to do it there.”

“You know, Ang is going to kill you when she learns you asked me and not her.”

“Oh I know. ‘S why I asked her last night.” Harry says, chuckling as Ian tilts his head back and roars with laughter. “Thought it’d be too suspicious to try to steal both of you away ‘nd I knew if I didn’t ask her first, she’d have my bloody head. She didn’t utter a word because she wanted me to surprise you today.” 

“Good lad.” he says, hand falling to Harry’s shoulder before squeezing once as they head back onto the course. What had started out as a fun day of golf now brimming with something deeper. A new beginning of sorts.

He’s snapped out of his reverie by the sound of his phone ringing, momentarily disoriented as he finds himself back in the clubhouse suite, grin widening when looks at his phone, immediately swiping to answer your facetime call.

“Hi, baby.”

“Hey handsome,” you say and he can see you’re standing in the backyard of the rental, the sun radiating off your skin perfectly. God, he’s lucky. “How’d it go? How’d my dad do?”

At the mention of his name, your dad leans over the armchair and Harry pans the camera towards his face. 

“You know, bug, it got pretty intense with all the fans out there.” Ian says solemnly, “I had asked them not to come but they can’t resist when they hear I’m in the area. Couldn’t get them to stop chanting “I-an! I-an! I-an!” 

“Oh my god.” Harry hears you say before pulling the phone back to his face, chuckling as he shakes his head. 

“That answer your question for you?” he asks as he stands, excusing himself with a point to the balcony as Ian nods and waves him off. He closes the sliding door behind him and pulls the phone up to his face again, unable to take his eyes off you. He was going to marry you one day. You were going to be his wife. 

“You’re not listening to a bloody word I am saying.”

“What?”

“Harry!” you say with a laugh. 

“Sorry, love. Just got distracted by your beautiful face.”

You squint at him dubiously through the screen before shaking your head with a smile.

“Should let you golf more often if you’re going to be this sweet to me.” you say, eyes looking him up and down. “And look this fit.”

“Yeah? You like the look?” he asks as you nod, simmering eyes staring back at him. He wiggles his eyebrows at you, smirking as his voice deepens. “Just wait until you hear about my stroke game. ‘Nd how well I just sink into the hole -”

You bark out a laugh, shaking your head at him. 

“You cheeky bastard.” you say, laughter lacing through your words. “As I was saying before someone rudely distracted me - ”

“Can’t help it if my powers of seduction are simply too much for you, love.”

“I’m gonna hang up.”

He giggles. “‘M sorry, what were you going to say?”

“Are you heading off soon? The mums wanted to know when we can start cooking.”

“Yeah, we’re wrapping up here, probably be home in like 30?”

“Sounds good. I’m going to go help them and I’ll see you soon? You really do look fucking fit. ” you say, biting your lip as you stare at him. “You know, I’ve got a pretty good stroke game myself, would be happy to give you a few pointers.” 

“‘M the luckiest bastard alive.” he says with utter sincerity and you tilt your head back in laughter. 

“Okaaay.” you say, rolling your eyes. “See you soon, yeah? Love you.”

“Love you too, baby.” he says, blowing you a kiss before you hang up, slapping his phone against his hand as he mutters to himself: “Can’t wait to show you how much.”

He really, really couldn’t.