Save You

Harry didn't need to look up from the book in his hands to know who had just entered his flat. The mere fact that the door had been pushed open and slammed shut without a murmur from the person responsible told him who it was.

It was like clockwork, really.

Either she would call him and ask him to come to her flat or she'd storm into his without any warning and plop herself down onto his plush couch wearing a scowl that would make any normal person cringe.

He tried to resist a glance in her direction but his eyes betrayed his thoughts, the emerald orbs falling to the petite brunette only a foot away from him with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Slowly his thin fingers closed the cover of the book and he placed the object onto his lap.

"What did he do this time?" His raspy voice filled the silence and caught her attention, her hazel eyes floating to him before darting back to the spot on the wall she had previously been trying to burn a hole into."

"Nothing," she muttered. He couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled off his lips while he shook out his own unruly curls.

"Come off it Winn." His tone came out harsher than he intended but it made her head turn toward him none the less. "You only storm over here when he's done something wrong."

"I do not," she huffed.

"Name one time you've come over unannounced for anything other than him." Her lips parted slightly as if she were about to make a retort but she closed the gap quickly. "My point exactly."

"What's got your knickers in a twist tonight?" Stretching her legs out in front of her she let her bare feet rest on the coffee table and wiggled her toes. She kept her gaze on the end of her black leggings and listened to Harry let out a deep breath.

"Just tell me what's going on. You'll feel better when it's off your chest." He always caved in, always urged her to speak her mind, because no matter how angry he wanted to be with her, he couldn't stay mad for long.

Being in love had it's down falls.

"He just," she started before tilting her head back against the couch and staring at the ceiling, "he just frustrates me to no end. It's the first night I've had off work in nearly a month and he'd rather spend it with his wanker friends at the bar. Tells me to go do girl things and leaves without another word."

Harry gazed at her silhouette in the dimly lit room and studied her moving lips, admiring the way she licked them before she talked, the way her jaw moved smoothly. "You'd think after six months of being together I'd like him more, yeah?" She turned to face her best friend and saw the tight lipped expression he held. A small chuckle left her throat and she gazed back up at the ceiling. "Part of me thinks he's really out with another girl. He's playing it off like he's out with his friends but I've never actually seen him with other people."

"Then break up with him," Harry said with a shrug. He watched her chest lift and fall with the deep breath she took. Slowly her head lolled to the side to look at the boy once more and she smiled softly.

"I love him, Harry."

"Doesn't make the relationship right. You love me, don't you?" Of course she did. He knew that answer before her mind even mustered the words, but it would never be the same context.

"Of course. You're my best mate."

"I treat you right, don't I?" He scooted closer to the girl on the couch causing her to pull her legs back from the table and tuck them under her bottom.

"Yes." She bit her lower lip and Harry's heart skipped at the gesture. She was never more beautiful than in those moments of contemplation.

"He's a bad egg, Winnie. I don't see how you've stayed with him this long."

"I love him."

"But are you in love with him?" Harry's green eyes challenged her brown ones and she took a short breath through her nose.

Was she? "I don't know."

"You've got to figure out. Because the longer you're in this, the more you're going to get hurt when he let's you down."

"You're awful negative today," she pointed out with a frown.

"Some times the truth hurts, love." He reached for her hand and rubbed the pad of his thumb along her skin. "I just want the best for you. I hate seeing you so distraught, you know that." He offered a small grin and she nodded in agreement, turning to fully face the lad who had never steered her wrong.

"I'll talk to him later when he calls."

If he calls. That thought ran through both their minds at the same time but neither said it. Harry let his hand linger a few moments longer on hers before turning toward the flat screen hanging on his wall.

"Movie?"

A smile pulled at her plump lips and she nodded, her mood instantly lifted from just moments before. Watching her best friend stand from the couch she let her eyes trace his figure in the semi-darkness. She wished her boyfriend could be more like Harry, in more ways than just one.

.......

Winnifred Piper had just finished her shift at the coffee shop when her phone rang in her bag. Fishing the device out quickly her eyes scanned the call I.D. and she bit down on her lip at the name flashing.

"Hello?" She stood at the cross-walk waiting for the light to turn so she and the rest of the pedestrians could continue their journeys.

"Winnie! It's your mother!"

"Yes, mum, I deducted that when your name flashed on the screen," she muttered with a half-grin. Picturing the woman on the other line in her usual pant suit, she wondered what her mum had been up to for the past few weeks.

"Love you too darling," she said. "How are things going?"

"Good. You?" Her eyes darted from face to face as she passed the many people on the sidewalk. Glancing up at the closest street sign she chewed on the inside of her cheek while listening to her mother ramble on about work.

"How's my favorite boy band member?" Winnie couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes at her mother's playful tone.

"He's fine mum, probably at an interview as we speak."

"Are you two dating yet?" Mentally the young brunette face palmed, letting out a very audible groan that had her mother chuckling on the other end. "I know, I know. He's just your best friend, blah, blah, blah. When are you going to open your eyes and see how much that boy loves you?"

"Mum, I really don't want to have this conversation over the phone," she grumbled.

"Winnifred, my baby girl, please tell me you're not still wasting your time on that other boy. What's his name? Russell?"

"Daniel, mother. His name is Daniel." Turning the corner toward her flat the girl stopped dead in her tracks, her brown eyes growing wide, and stopped listening to her mother's voice.

Speak of the devil.

There he was, in all his glory, pressing his lips to a girl that certainly wasn't her. She could've reasoned that maybe the girl was coming onto him but with the way his hands were cupped around her face, she didn't think that was the case.

"Darling? Are you alright?"

"I have to go. I'll give you a call later, yeah?" Not waiting for a response she quickly hung up and pulled her bag higher up on her shoulder.

She watched the boy pull away with a smile on his face, peck the lips of the blonde girl, and waved to her while she jogged across the street. Glancing up to what she only assumed was her living room window he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

Not three seconds later her phone vibrated in her hand.

Harry had warned her about this, about a lot of things actually, but that still didn't stop her heart from breaking.

"Hello?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"Babe, are you home?"

"Not entirely," she admitted. Confusion etched on his face at her words and she did her best to keep her composure.

"Are you feeling alright? You don't sound well," he feigned concern.

"Who is she?" Several people gave her odd glances while they passed but she paid them no mind. Her focus was on the brunette currently knotting his fingers in his hair.

"What are you talking about?"

"The blonde. The one you were just kissing. Who is she?"

"Are you delusional? I'm standing outside your building, there is no blonde here."

"Turn around, Daniel." The boy did as he was told and soon his eyes landed on her, all color draining from his face, and it was in that moment that her heart shattered.

"Winnie," he pleaded just as she hung up the phone. Shaking her head she advanced toward the door that he was standing in front of, pulling her arm out of his grasp the second he reached for her. "Please, let me explain."

"I don't need an explanation." She tugged her keys out of her bag and fumbled with finding the right one.

"I was going to tell you," he trailed off.

"Tell me what, exactly? How stupid I was to actually believe I meant something to you?" She glared at him over her shoulder and watched him struggle to come up with words. "Why? Why did you lead me on?"

"I just, I wasn't sure how to let you go. We were good together, ya know? But the feelings weren't there anymore," he said finally.

Biting her lip to keep herself from crying her mind drifted back to the night that she and Harry had shared a little over a month ago and thought of how ironic it all was.

"So this is it? You were coming here to break up with me, weren't you?" She didn't need a verbal answer to know it was the truth, the evidence clearly written on his face.

"You'll be alright. You're a fit bird. Someone out there will love you," he stated simply. Her throat tightened at his words and she felt like someone had just kicked her in the stomach. "It's just not me. I'm sorry."

She turned to give him a piece of her mind but he was already walking away, most likely heading to pick the blonde back up, leaving her slack jawed on the stairs of her building.

Numbly she made her way into her flat, tossing her keys and bag onto a random chair, before setting herself down on her couch. Looking down at the phone in her hands she scrolled through the names in her contacts until one in particular caught her eye.

Sniffling softly she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand listening to the soft ring through the ear piece. On the fourth ring she heard his familiar deep voice and it instantly broke her down.

"Winn?"

"You were right," she stuttered between sobs.

"I'll be right over."

Harry ran his fingers through her dark locks while she stared off out the window in the living room. Her head rested in his lap and her hand was curled up by her mouth with a tissue tucked away in her fingers, absently wiping at the tears still falling steadily.

"He's a moron Winnie, a right twat," Harry whispered. Her only response was a sniff, her eyes closing tight to keep from bursting into another fit of sobs. "You deserve someone so much better than him."

"I should've listened to you," she said quietly. His fingers trailed along her hairline while he pursed his lips, his emerald eyes watching her face closely. "I should've just let him go."

"It's hard to let people you love walk away," he stated simply. Her eyes flashed to his when she turned her head and an emotion crossed her pupils so quickly he wasn't sure if he actually saw it or not.

"Is it me? Do I push people away?" The tone in her voice gave away how hurt she truly was and in that moment Harry wanted nothing more than to pull her close and show her how wrong she was.

"No, Winn. It's not you," he said firmly. She pushed herself off his lap and faced him with her legs tucked under her, eyes downcast to her fidgeting fingers. Harry tucked his hand under her chin and forced her to look at him, their gazes intense on each other. "You are by far the most caring, sweetest, beautiful girl I know, and I'm not just saying that because I'm your best friend." Shifting his body so he was mimicking her posture on the couch he cupped her face in his large hands. "Your laugh lights up a dark room, your eyes crinkle when you truly smile, and your heart loves so deep that it hurts."

"Harry," she whispered. His thumb rubbed along her cheek bone to rid of the stray tear glistening on her skin and he mustered a small grin.

"You're an amazing woman, Winnifred Piper, and I've loved you since the day we met." He closed the small gap between them and pressed his lips to hers softly.

Her heart pounded against her chest in a wild frenzy that she was sure he could hear, her eyes closing slowly the longer he held his lips against hers. Memories flashed through her mind as the seconds ticked by, all the times he had been there for her when she's gone to his place to complain, all the times he had rushed over after she called him.

It all seemed to click at once in her mind and in her heart creating a waterfall of tears to cascade over her rosy cheeks. Harry slowly pulled away and furrowed his brow when he saw the onslaught of tears.

"You're always saving me," she breathed, lowering her head when his hands fell to hers. "You knew this would happen, didn't you?"

"I had a feeling, yeah," he admitted with a small nod. He squeezed her hands in his and waited for her to lift her gaze. "I'll always be here, Winn. Saving you, helping you, loving you."

A smile tugged at her lips and she brushed a few more tears away with the back of her hand. Crawling over him to settle in his lap she wrapped her arms around his torso and nuzzled herself in the crook of his neck. His arms instantly wound around her and he placed a kiss to the top of her head.

"You're my real life superman, Harry Edward." Tilting her head she pressed her lips to his neck and let out a sigh of relief. "I love you."

"I'm not superman, love," he chuckled leaning his cheek on to the top of her head. "But for you, I'll be superhuman."