Hero

“Harry, get yer arse up.”

Harry opened his eyes to see the blonde Irishman’s face not five inches from his own. The curly-haired boy mumbled an obscenity before covering his face with a thin airline blanket.

“I give up,” Niall announced before walking to the front of the private plane where the rest of his friends stood waiting for Harry to join them.

“I’ll handle this,”

Louis marched down the aisle of the plane toward his sleeping friend. Harry jumped up immediately when Louis’ hand connected harshly with the side of his head.

“What the fuck was that?” Harry yelped.

“You know what. Come on, everyone is waiting for you.”

Harry rolled his eyes but began gathering his belongings much to the delight of his waiting friends.



“Alright, where is everyone headed?”

The five members of One Direction were sat in a large black SUV. After 8 consecutive months of touring the world and performing every night they were all thrilled to touch down on British soil. Liam took the front passenger seat next to the driver, their tour manager Paul. Niall and Zayn occupied the two middle seats while Harry and Louis sat together in the back.

“You can drop me at my flat.” Liam told Paul.

“I’m going to mine as well,” Niall said.

Zayn tiredly mumbled a ‘ditto’ from his place slumped against the car door.

“Drop me at Eleanor’s.” Louis added.

“Harry?” all eyes turned to the curly-haired boy as he typed away on his mobile.

“My flat,” he responded without looking away from the small device in his hand.

“No way.” Louis said causing the attention to turn to him. “You’re absolutely not going back to yours to sit and wallow in your little pity party. He’s coming to El’s, Paul.”

“One less stop. Fine by me.” Paul smiled before starting the engine and pulling out of the busy car park.

“I don’t want to have dinner with the two of you. I hate being the third wheel.” Harry muttered.

“Well it’s a good thing you won’t be a third wheel then,” Louis smiled. “Eleanor’s cousin has just moved into the flat. She’ll be there too.”

“Whatever,” Harry said childishly as he focused his attention back on his mobile.



“Lou!” Eleanor attacked her boyfriend in a tight hug as the two boys entered the cozy flat, dragging their massive duffel bags behind them.

Eleanor’s flat was a girly paradise, everything was soft pastel-coloured and various floral patterns could be found throughout.

“Hey Haz, how have you been?” Eleanor embraced him after she released Louis.

“I’ve been fine,” Harry said. When Eleanor released him from her embrace, Harry walked away quickly to the kitchen.

Eleanor raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend; Louis just shrugged before the pair joined hands and followed the cranky lad into the kitchen.

“What’s that amazing smell?” Louis asked as he took a seat next to Harry at the breakfast counter.

“Vanilla caramel scented candles,” El explained, gesturing toward the flaming candle beside her on the counter. “It’s a very calming scent for Poppy. Dr. Gainer said the scent reminds Pops of her mum and it’s soothing for her.”

Louis nodded sadly.

“Who's Poppy?” Harry asked.

“Poppy’s my cousin.” Eleanor smiled warmly. “She’ll be pleased to see you, Lou, I’ll go see if she wants to say hi.”

“Is she fit?” Harry ask Lou as Eleanor disappeared down the corridor.

“Leave Poppy alone, Harry.” Louis said sternly.

Harry rolled his eyes.

“I’m being serious. Leave her alone.” The look Louis gave his friend told him he wasn’t joking around.

The tense moment was interrupted when Eleanor returned to the kitchen with a new face in tow. Harry’s eyes took in every visible inch of the small brunette; her long dark hair with a messy fringe parted at the middle, his gaze lingered on her perfectly shaped lips, when he looked up and met her green-eyed gaze she looked away quickly, as if she had been caught. Harry smirked.

“Hi Poppy,” Louis said softly, standing to greet the girl.

Harry noticed that the girl moved slowly, almost cautiously. Louis hugged the girl gently before turning to introduce her to his mate.

“Poppy, this is my friend Harry.”

Harry stood to hug the girl in greeting but she quickly stepped back and extended her hand instead. His brow furrowed but he shook her offered hand.

“Nice to meet you,” Harry said sullenly; he was confused and slightly offended by the girl’s reaction.

The small brunette just nodded and forced a smile before walking away from the pair to join Eleanor by the stove where she busied herself stirring the pot that sat there simmering.

“What the fuck is her problem?” Harry whispered. He looked to Louis for an explanation but his friend just shook his head dismissively.

“She’s just timid.” Louis replied, his gaze lingering on Poppy as she added a dash of salt to the pot and then resumed stirring.

“Seems like a bitch to me,” Harry replied rudely.



Dinner was uneventful and dreadfully boring if you asked Harry. The soup was good, great even, full credit was given to Poppy for her exemplary culinary skills, but Eleanor and Louis were acting like two lovesick fools making it hard for Harry to keep his meal down. Throughout the meal Harry’s eyes continuously strayed to Poppy. He noticed that she never said anything unless she was spoken to, and even then she answered in short sentences or yes or no answers.

He sat quietly through the meal as he tried to figure out the girl sat across from him. Louis hadn’t told him anything about her, just that she had recently moved into the flat with Eleanor. He vaguely remembered Eleanor mentioning a younger cousin in passing conversations but she never offered any real information, then again maybe she had but Harry hadn’t been listening. He couldn’t deny that the quiet girl sat opposite him was beautiful, but that’s what had gotten him into this funk in the first place; falling for a pretty girl just to be screwed over in the end.

He had always been attracted to outgoing and charismatic (read: obnoxious and arrogant) women. Maybe that was the problem, maybe Harry needed a more reverent and mellow woman to balance out his extrovert personality.

Poppy seemed taciturn and low-maintenance.. and she was definitely attractive.

In an epiphany-like moment, Harry realized Louis was right, this pity party had to end now. No more lying around and licking his wounds; Harry Styles had just found his next conquest.