Grade 8

They had barely made it a few feet into the hotel lobby when Paul found them. He looked beyond angry at them as he strode over to them.

"Where in the bloody hell have you two been?" He demanded.

"We went on a bike ride." Harry answered not worried about Paul's anger.

"A bike ride?" Paul asked shaking his head. "Fucking-A H, you just can't run off. You know I need to know where you are."

"I didn't want someone tailing us the whole time." Harry complained. "It's not very romantic."

Paul opened his mouth then closed it suddenly realizing he was right. There was a bigger issue to deal with at the moment then Harry's constant need to run off.

"We need to have a talk about this." Paul gestured between Lena and Harry. "But it can wait until another time. Now off to bed both of you."

They bid him goodnight both happy to be rid of him without too much of a talking to from him. Once in Harry's room Len fell onto his bed while Harry set up his laptop.

"Hold on." He mumbled walking to his balcony door. "Hey you lot keep it down out there!"

There was muffled yelling from outside and then Harry was laughing. "I'll come down tomorrow. I'm tired!"

Some muffled yelling was heard again earning another laugh from Harry. "Go to bed!" He called then he was coming back into the room.

"What was that?"

"Some fans are out there." Harry smiled. "Thought I'd say hi."

"Now they know where your room is." Lena pointed out. "So good job."

"Well." Harry went silent his brow furrowing. "We'll figure something out if their annoying."

Lena shrugged not really too concerned about it. Harry waked back to his laptop opening up his iTunes.

"What do you want to listen to?" Harry asked scrolling through his extensive iTunes library.

"Something that isn't completely terrible."

Harry selected a playlist with what he hoped would be music Lena would enjoy. He turned the volume up before turning the lights off and laying down next Lena on the bed. It was all so perfect that Lena had to laugh.

"What?" Harry asked a smile evident in his voice.

"Is this the part where you seduce me?"

There was silence and then suddenly Harry's laughter filled the room. "Well is it working?"

"Nope." Lena told him even though it couldn't be farther from the truth.

"Damn, I'll have to try harder next time."

They fell into a comfortable silence as the music finally hit Lena. It was a familiar sound one she had heard on countless occasions.

"The 1975?" Lena asked slightly surprised by the music choice. "I love them."

With the lights out and the music up floating over them as they took it in. The words swirled around them blanketing them in their warmth. Lena let the music take over everything let it decide how she felt. Harry's hand was securely wrapped around hers keeping her next to him, not that she would have left had he let go.

"Lena?"

His words were whispered barely registering over the music. Lena turned her head to look at him making out his silhouette in the darkness.

"Yeah?"

"Can I kiss you?"

Lena thought her heart would burst out of her chest with its rapid beating. "Why would you want to do that?"

Harry let out a breathy laugh. "Why wouldn't I?"

His thumb met her cheek caressing it; his eyes were trained on hers barely making them out in the dark. She leaned into his touch eyes fluttering closed, her body was reacting without any thought. She felt him move closer to her his warmth suddenly taking over, legs intertwining together, linking them together. His breath fanned across her lips the anticipation of when his lips would meet hers almost too much.

"I've been thinking about kissing you for so long." The huskiness of his voice making her insides melt. She wanted nothing more then to feel his soft lips against hers.

"Then why don't you do it already?"

When his lips met her's it wasn't one of those fireworks exploding, angels singing, all was right in the world moments. It was like any other kiss, lips on lips and for a moment that's all it was. A simple meeting of their lives until Harry shifted his body closer to her a spark ignited between them.

It was suddenly the best kiss Lena had probably ever had no amount of day dreaming could have prepared her for this. The way his soft lips fit perfectly with hers. All too soon he was pulling away to put his forehead against hers.

"That was well worth the wait I think." He said giving her lips one last peck.

"Why stop then?" Lena asked hand coming up to the back if Harry's neck. She ran her hand through his hair letting the soft curls run through her fingers.

"Good point."

In no time at all Lena's shirt was lost followed closely by Harry's. Lena couldn't think with Harry's lips covering every inch of exposed skin. Soon the button on her shorts was undone the sound of the zipper being heard over their breathing. Harry kissed a path down her chest, past her naval to the top of her open shorts.

His soft lips ghosted over the scars on her thighs that were just visible at the end of her shorts sending a shiver running down her spine. His fingers traced the lines he could distinguish from the rest. There was nothing more then he wanted to do then take away all the pain she must have felt to do this to herself. He looked up seeing Lena breathing heavily eyes closed as she bit her lip to presumably hold in any sounds he was causing her to make. He sat up to crawl closer to her ready to attack her lips once more.

His body leaned over hers their chests touching eyes locked together. He wanted to always remember the way she looked in that moment chest rising and falling rapidly, pupils dilated making them look even darker, her lips parted already looking swollen.

He rolled off to the side needing space before things went too far. They lay next to each other for a moment neither knowing what to say just yet. Finally Harry rolled onto his side head propped up on his hand. With the moon from the open window sneaking in he could see the tattoo just under her bra.

"I love you." Harry read aloud letting the words fall from his lips. He traced the words his fingers brushing the tattoo softly. Lena let out a shiver his touch sending her body haywire.

"I got that for my little brother Danny." Lena spoke quietly. "It's in his hand writing from a birthday card he gave me."

"I didn't know you had a brother." Harry glance up at her surprised.

"He would be ten next month." Lena said holding back her emotions the best she could. It was hard to bring Danny up; just the thought of what happened made a lump form in her throat.

"Would be?" Harry sat up giving Lena his full attention.

"He died six years ago." Lena told him her voice strong even though she was verging on tears. "He was in a car accident. My mom and his dad were together long enough to make Danny then she realized what an asshole he was and gave him the boot. Of course they had a stupid custody agreement that meant Danny had to spend summers with him."

Harry watched Lena completely enthralled by her.

"His dad was, is, a really bad alcoholic. The day Danny died his blood alcohol level was twice the legal amount." Lena said anger flashing briefly in her dark eyes. "He was driving the car, Danny was in the backseat. He didn't even have Danny in his seat buckled in."

Lena looked at Harry tears freely falling now. She looked shocked for a second that she had an audience until she saw the tears staining Harry's cheeks. In that moment she didn't feel hollow and broken like she always did thinking about Danny. Instead she felt whole again, looking into Harry's dark green eyes she felt her heart swell ready to burst.

"The night before he called me telling me how much he missed me." Lena continued this was something she hasn't even told Niall. "I promised him I would take him I would sing him to sleep when he got home. I never got to keep that promise."

The sob that erupted from between Lena's lips broke Harry's heart right in half. He quickly pulled her into his arms holding her tight. Lena held on to him just as tight needing him more then she ever needed someone before, he was holding we together. It had been so long since he had been running from what happened pushing it to the back of her mind. She was able to move forward that way but now it was too much telling Harry everything borough back everything. Everything she had felt the day her mom ha gotten the call, the sadness and the anger. Why did it have to be him? Lena would give anything trade places with him.

"I just miss him so much." Lena sobbed her words muffled by Harry's chest. "Oh God, I miss him so fucking much."

Harry held back his own sobs knowing this was for Lena to cry and get everything off her chest. It was easy to tell she hadn't talked about what happened before.

"I started hurting myself a few months later." Lena told Harry a half an hour later as they lay side by side both of their tears now dried up. She held up her left arm pointing to where two barely visible lines sat. "I only did it twice on my arm, it was to obvious. My mom saw and sent me to see a shrink. I didn't stay there long though."

"Why not?" Harry asked. He took he hand an played with her delicate fingers.

"She was crazy." Lena said laughing. "And she wanted me to talk about Danny too much."

"Have you told anyone one about this before?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Lena hesitated she wasn't sure why but telling Harry that Niall knew didn't seem like a good idea. "But this is the first time I've felt better after."



It was early in the morning when Lena woke up with Harry's arm holding on to her securely. A smile worked its way to her lips before she opened her eyes. Harry was snoring quietly next to her his face pressed into his pillow muffling most of the sound. When Lena turned over to face him his arm tightened. With long, happy, sigh Harry's eyes fluttered open. If there was one thing Lena wanted to see every morning it would be Harry, the way his eyes were only half open brow furrowed in annoyance of being woken up, pink lips parted as he let out a small yawn.

"What time is it?"

The sound of his voice when he woke up should have been illegal, it was all gravely and deep. He gave her a sleepy smile before he moved closer to her their foreheads touching.

"Good morning." He whispered.

"Morning." Lena felt like she was floating, waking up next to Harry was like a dream. "I should probably go."

Harry frowned his lips forming a thin line. "Why?"

"Because the longer I stay in here the more likely someone is to find out I'm here." Lena reasoned. "And do we really want the teasing that will come from that?"

"They're going to find out at some point anyway." Harry argued. His hand came up to move a piece of her hair behind her ear. "Besides I want them to know."

"I'd rather enjoy this for a little while first." Lena said. She traced the outline of the Swallows on Harry's chest not wanting to meet his eyes.

"Alright. That's fine." Harry finally said. "I guess for a little while we'll just keep this between us."

"Thank you." Lena kissed Harry then a quick meeting of their lips. "I'll see you later."

Lena moved from the bed finding her discarded clothing quickly. Harry sat up in bed rubbing at his tired eyes. He didn't have to be up for sound check for a few more hours but there was no way he was going to get to sleep now. Lena waved goodbye to him as she opened the door.

"What do we have here?"

Lena jumped back from Harry's door her face instantly heating up. There half way through his own door was Niall wearing the biggest grin.

"Uh, I was just giving Harry something." Lena lied but from the look Niall gave her he wasn't buying it.

"So that's where you were last night." He said giving her a wink. "I was looking for you but I guess you were a little occupied."

"It's not what it looks like!" Lena insisted trying to keep her voice low.

"Lena, I know a walk of shame when I see one." Niall gave her a raised eyebrow look. "Come on I need to talk to you."

Lena followed him back into his room. It was a lot messier then Harry's had been. While Harry had his things neatly in one spot; Niall had his things going from one end the room to the other. Lena stepped over one of his open suitcases, shirts hanging out of it.

"Guess who finally called!" Niall exclaimed.

"Sam?" Lena asked attention caught. "What did she say?"

"She started by apologizing." Niall explained his grin never leaving. "Said she was an idiot and realized that she couldn't be with out me."

"So that's good?" Lena asked unsure. "Everything's alright now?"

"Yeah." He shrugged again. "I'm not mad at her or anything."

"Don't you think you should be a little bit?"

"No. I get why she broke up with me. I'm just glad to have her and Olly back in my life." Niall explained. "Her and Olly are coming to visit soon."

"I can't wait to meet Olly." Lena smiled at Niall. She was happy to see him smiling again. He had looked so miserable since Sam broke up with him.

"Now tell me what happened last night!" Niall instructed.

Lena groaned of course Niall would want to talk about that now. She launched into the story of the best night of her life; a smile present the whole time.