Grade 8

It had been enough time since Harry had been home last that he almost couldn't believe he was in Holmes Chapel. There had been a few significant changes; like the new paint job in the Dorrman's house, and the addition of a second tree house in the back yard of the Freeman's. They were small changes to most people but for Harry they were giant. The one place that was forever supposed to stay the same had changed. Harry had chosen to walk from the train station to his house after the three hour train ride he needed to stretch his legs and a nice thirty minute walk around town would help his sore legs.

It was early in the morning the sun just barely rising above his head. It was chilly enough that when ever he exhaled there was a white cloud in front of his lips. He kept his head down his recognizable hair hidden under a beanie but he knew that wouldn't keep someone from know who he was. There were only so many tall lanky boys in Holmes Chapel, and even fewer who had thousand dollar boots on.

It was only a matter of time before someone saw him.

"Harry Styles, what are you doing here?" Mrs. Henrey in the forty years she had lived in her house always sat outside with her dogs, Rufus a pug and Arnold a miniature poodle, first thing in the morning. No matter the weather she was always there.

Harry stopped at her gate smiling wide. "Wanted to surprise mum."

"Oh she'll be so happy!" Mrs. Henrey gushed. "I better see you again before you leave!"

"Of course." Harry gave her a wave before he continued on his walk.

It wasn't until he was at the bakery did he stop again. He had been able to doge a few people he just didn't have time to talk to this morning. If he wanted to be at his mum's house with fresh muffins before she got out of the shower he had to be quick. Robbin would be leaving for work in thirty minutes that's when she would usually got in the shower after giving him a kiss goodbye. Harry knew Maggie and Barbra would want him to stay for a little while so he wanted enough time to help them open the bakery before going home.

Barbra was just unlocking the front door when he made it to the front windows. The bakery thankfully hadn't changed a bit.

"Barbra!" He exclaimed shuffling his feet a little faster.

"Harry!" She was just as elated to see him. "Come here!"

She pulled him into a bone crushing hug that he happily returned. "How're things going?"

"Wonderful!" Barbra let him go giving him a once over. "Still too thin."

"I'll take that as a complement." Harry grinned. "Thought I'd help open the store before heading over to my mum's."

Being in the bakery again felt amazing. For a half an hour he helped set the displays. Maggie was just as happy to see him as Barbra was.

"Maggie." Harry said earning a blush from the older woman.

"Margret, Harry." She corrected him. No matter how many times she corrected him he would always call her Maggie.

He had just finished putting a batch of chocolate chip cookies in the oven when he saw the clock. He had ten minutes to make it to his house. He had done enough work to earn him free muffins, not that that was what he was expecting, and another bone crushing hug from both ladies.

He power walked to his house head ducked down to avoid being stopped. Finally he turned the corner his house in his sights.

"Is that Harry?" Victoria Morris, his first girlfriend in year five who since then had been fixated on him, called. She was leaning out of the window of her car blonde hair pin straight blue eyes sparkling at the sight of him. "It is!"

Harry's legs came to an abrupt stop. "Hello Victoria."

"I didn't know you would be in town." Her voice lowered in an attempt to seduce him no doubt.

"It's a surprise." He easily replied turning on the charm. "In fact I better keep going if I want to surprise my mum."

"Always a good little mummy's boy." Victoria teased. "You'll have to come by before you leave."

"I'll try." Harry had no intentions of seeing Victoria again after this moment. "See you around."

She gave him a little wave before she was off. Harry glanced at his watch; two minutes. He started up a quick jog his suitcase rolling behind him catching on every uneven line in the pavement. Finally the brick house was in front of him and he wasted no time in climbing the steps to the front door. There was a burst of hot air as he opened the door the familiar smell of his childhood hitting him full force.

He had expected it to be quiet the only sound coming from the shower upstairs instead there was that familiar chatter he had hated as a kid. Inside the warm kitchen cups of coffee in front of them were his mum and sister. His mum looked liked she had yet to get in the shower and Gemma looked like she had only just arrived herself.

"Harry." Anne said surprised to see her son standing in the kitchen door way looking utterly concussed. "I am one lucky mum to have both of my children surprise me this morning!"

She stood up from the table to engulf Harry in a hug. "You ruined my surprise Gem."

"Sorry." Gemma took a sip of her coffee.

Anne pulled Harry over to the table making him sit in a chair. He placed the bag of muffins on the table. "Good thing I have plenty of muffins."

"Did you stop at the bakery?" Gemma asked opening the bag to take out a blueberry muffin.

"Yeah helped them out for a bit." Harry grabbed his own muffin.

"I'm glad!" Anne said setting a steaming cup of coffee in front of Harry. "They do miss you there."

"Well it's good to know I'll have a job wen this music thing doesn't work out."

"So what are you doing here?" Anne asked before taking a bite out of her muffin.

"Thought I'd come see you." Harry shrugged.

He hadn't had a real reason for wanting to come home for a few days. He had just been sitting at his house lonely and had finally had enough of it. He wasn't needed in the studio until the next week and this might be the last time he had time to do it.

"What are you doing here?" He asked Gemma. "Nice hair by the way."

A guilty look crossed her face. "Same as you really."

"Gemma was just telling me about her new boyfriend."

Harry took in a sharp breath the muffin in his mouth getting lodged in his throat. His face turned red as he tried to dislodge the food. His mum was quick to act one hand coming around his back to give him a few hard pats on the back. All the while Gemma watched on eyes wide. Finally the offending piece of muffin made it's way down his throat.

"Well that was rather dramatic." Anne ran her hand down Harry's back as he gulped down his coffee.

"You have a boyfriend?" Harry wheezed. "When did this happen?"

"About three months ago."

"Bloody hell Gem, three months?"

"I didn't want you scaring him away!" Gemma defended. "I'm lucky Liam stuck around as long as he did."

"Fuck Liam." Harry growled. "That arsehole was useless."

"Harry." Anne warned.

"Well some would say the same about you." Gemma raised an eyebrow. "That's not the point anyway."

"Well what is the point?" Harry demanded.

"I'm inviting him over for dinner." Gemma said carefully. "To meet mum and Robin, and well you now."

"What if I don't want to meet him?"

Gemma fixed her brother with an unwavering glare. "Stop being a prat or I'll tell mum about your out burst the other night at the Palm Tree."

"What out burst?" Anne asked looking between her children who were having an intense staring contest. "Someone better tell me what's going on."

"Nothing, she's lying." Harry answered. He looked away from Am finally scowling while he tore into his muffin with a vengeance.

"I'm just going to assume I don't want to know." Anne shook her head. "I'm getting in the shower try not to choke on anything else dear."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I won't."

"Better not I'm not helping you." Gemma said crumpling up her muffins paper. She waited until Anne had turned the corner muttering about her children before she turned her hard gaze on Harry. He was just reaching into the bag of muffins for his second tongue poking out as he chose which one to take. "Why're you really here Harry?"

"I told you I wanted to visit mum."

"I know that's not true."

Harry forgot his search for the best muffin in the bag to look at Gemma. "You want to talk about who's being truthful; why are you here?"

Gemma knew she was caught, but that didn't stop her from trying to hide her real reason for being in Holmes Chapel. "I want mum and Robin to meet Landon."

"Are you sure? Are you sure you're not here to tell mum about the Palm Tree?" Harry asked raising an eyebrow.

"I have to tell her this stuff Harry." Gemma finally gave in. "She worries all the time."

"Yeah because you make it sound like I'm losing it." Harry sat back arms crossing over her chest. "I'm fine."

"You can't blame everyone for being worried after what happened with Zayn-"

"I'm getting really tired of everyone comparing me to Zayn. I'm not doing anything wrong; I'm not doing drugs and that night was the first time I've drank in months."

"Harry, you haven't been the same since-"

"Since Lena left, yeah I get it." Harry pushed away from the table. "I'm going upstairs."

"Could you let me finish a sentence before you storm off?" Gemma asked making Harry stop in his hurry to leave the room. "I know you're fine. I see that but mum isn't around so she worries. I'm sorry I shouldn't be telling her things you wouldn't want her to know about."

"How did you find out anyway?" Harry sat back down no longer needing to run to his room. "Was it Lou?"

"Isn't it always?"

"Stop talking about me with her. She's supposed to be my best friend, the person I confide in and she's running off to tell you everything."

Harry couldn't remember much after Mia talked to him at the bar. He knew he had said something stupid, he could clear remember Niall looking like he wanted to severely hurt him. Then he remembered the look Lena gave him right before Eleanor escorted him outside. He would never forget that look and the look she gave Finn as he walked away her body melting into his. When he got into the car with Tom he passed out almost instantly saving him from lecture from Lou until the next day when she really laid into him.

"That's not it." Gemma sighed. There was no use talking about it anymore. "Just forget about it."



Harry had seen his sister nervous very few times throughout their lives. She was always the calm one not letting anything bother her or stress her out. Tonight was one of those rare nights that he had seen her nervous. She couldn't sit still constantly running from room to room making sure everything was where it should be. She had changed outfits at least five times for reasons Harry didn't understand. He had watched amused from the coach still in his pajama bottoms, sans shit of course, eating popcorn.

"Could you go get ready?" Gemma asked stopping in front of him. "He'll be here any minute."

Harry glanced at the clock on the wall. Landon wasn't expected to be at the house for another ten minutes. "I still have plenty of time."

"Could you not aggravate me tonight?" Gemma looked like she was a second away from hyperventilating which is why Harry decided maybe it was time to listen to her.

He left his bowl of popcorn on the coffee table earning a low groan from his sister who picked it up for him. This wasn't something be felt the need to dress up for but just to make Gemma happy her traded his joggers for a pair of jeans and put on a plain white shirt. Just as he was running his hands through his hair making it stick straight up there was a commotion downstairs.

With out bothering to fix his hair from the mile high quiff he was sporting he left his room. In the hall leading from the door to the rest of the house stood his mum, Robin, Gemma and just behind her a tall man that could only have been Landon. He looked exactly like his sisters type.

"Harry come meet Landon." Anne said giving Harry a look that was meant to tell him to corporate.

Harry reluctantly came to stand next to his mum. "Hey."

"Hello." Landon smiled. "I'm glad I finally get to meet Gemma's best friend."

Harry glanced at Gemma surprised. "Is that what she calls me."

"Among other less appropriate things." Gemma responded. "Don't go gettin' full of yourself."

Landon was a charmer. That was the first thing Harry noticed about him. He had his mum and step dad instantly under his spell. Harry wasn't going to be that easy. He never liked the guys his sister dated they were never good enough for her, no one ever would be if he really thought about it. She was special and deserved to be treated as such.

"What do you do for a living?" This was just the first of many questions Harry had for him.

"I'm a photographer." He answered easily.

"What do you take pictures of?" Anne asked with a polite smile.

"What ever catches my eye." Landon shared a look with Gemma. "Lately Gemma's been my muse."

"How sweet." Harry said dryly. "Does that pay well?"

"Harry." Gemma shot him a look. "Does that matter?"

"Yes." Harry looked at Landon expectantly.

"It pays enough." Landon answered not showing any sign of being bothered by Harry's question. "I can take care of Gemma if that's what you're getting at."

"I just want to make sure my sister doesn't end up hurt again."

"That's not going to happen." Landon said confidently. He looked at Gemma again and when she gave a nod of her head he looked back at Harry. "I plan on taking care of her for a long as I can."

Gemma brought her left hand up and that's when the sparkling ring caught Harry's eye. He had missed it before or Gemma had only just put it on but either way Harry knew what it meant even before Gemma spoke.

"Landon asked me to marry him."

There was an excited squeal from Anne but Robin looked as excited as Harry felt. Before Robin had a chance to tell Harry to keep his thoughts to himself for the moment Harry was speaking.

"You haven't even been together that long."

Gemma looked away from the ring on her finger to look at Harry. "That doesn't matter."

"Yes it does." Harry couldn't believe how stupid she was being. "You plan on spending the rest of your life with someone you hardly even know."

"Like you can even say anything." Gemma scoffed. "How many girls do you love after spending a night with them."

"I don't even know what you're taking about." Harry pushed away from the table. "You're acting like an idiot. Are you seriously going to marry this guy?"

"Yes, I am." Gemma gave a firm nod. "And sorry if I'm not going to take relationship advice from you, but you haven't really been doing well in that department."

"Yeah well at least I'm not about to ruin my life."

Harry left the table slipping into his boats and pulling on his jacket. He needed to cool down before facing his family again. He was sure to be in for a lecture from his mum about his outburst, but he just didn't care. He had come home to clear his head but now it was filled with even more conflicting thoughts. These days he just couldn't get any peace of mind.

What bothered him most about his sister marrying Landon wasn't that he wasn't a good guy, he really could be, but that she wasn't acting like the rational Gemma he knew. She wasn't one to marry a guy after know him for three months. This was so far from her personality that he didn't know what to think anymore. Everything was being turned upside down and he just wanted it to stop.