Over Again

Old Friends.

3 months later

I looked out over the view I had of London from my hotel room. In some ways, I had missed this.

We'd had a 3 month break, and I needed every second of it. To be back, and at the BRITs felt so strange. The last few months had let me recover, and my heart felt mended, not permanently, but sort of pritt sticked and cello taped together.

A knock at my door made me jump. "Come in." Lou popped her head round and smiled at me

"HAZ! I missed you uncle nobhead." She ran in and threw her arms around me. "Hair time, then you have to go, do you like the outfit?" She took a step back and looked me up and down. I smiled at her and laughed.

"Certainly do".

"Very dapper". I laughed again and sat down for her to do my hair.

********
I took a long deep breath and continued pacing the hotel's reception. Even though I was the last to get ready, I was the first downstairs and waiting. The butterflies in my stomach were multiplying by the second, and if someone didn't show up soon I was contemplating legging it.

This was the longest I had ever gone without seeing or even talking to Louis, and seeing him now would be the strangest thing I could imagine.

The dinging of the lift made me freeze and I looked over, seeing Niall bound towards me, his crutches flailing. A huge smile made it's way to my face and mirrored his. "HARRY!! Mate, I have missed you! How you doing, you good?" He threw himself at me in a big bear hug and I felt so glad it was him down first.

"I'm good Niall, how's your knee?"

"Ya, you know, been better."

The lift dinged again, this time revealing both Zayn and Liam. "LADS!" Niall's enthusiasm rubbed off on me and I found myself feeling excited to see everyone, more so than usual.

"Just Louis to come then?" All eyes were on me and I smiled a small smile. "Guys I'm okay, you don't need to worry." Liam patted me on the back.

"I told you."

"Alright alright, you were right, again well done have a gold star".

Finally, the lift dinged again and revealed Louis. It felt like time had stopped and in that moment it was just us two, and no-one else. He looked away from the mirror in the lift and his eyes landed on me. We were both trapped in some sort of spell, neither of us able to look away.

His hair had grown and was long but fine, sort of scruffy. He had facial hair, slightly longer than stubble but he still managed to look flawless.

I found myself smiling at him, I was just so damn pleased to finally see him that I had to refrain from sprinting up to him and peppering him in kisses.

He walked towards us and I was reminded of all the old feelings I'd pushed into the back of my mind, trying to forget. Of course 3 months isn't enough time to let go, but I'd grown and I thought I could control it, but seeing him in front of me showed me I never could.

He greeted us individually, saving me for last. It was a brief, "Hi" but I couldn't stop smiling like an idiot.

"BRITs here were come".

********

Louis' POV

Lou knocked on my door and walked in, the smile on her face dropping. "Louis! Your hair!" I turned back to my reflection in the mirror and groaned.

"Is it that bad?"

"Well...I mean...I can style it out."

The last 3 months had been awful and I'd spent most of it mopping around home longing to text or call Harry. Every day my fingers had hovered over his contact and every day I shut my phone down and tried to distract myself. Of course it got easier as the 3 months dragged on, and today was the day I could see him.

My reflection was not promising, I'd neglected everything and let my hair grow wild and my beard appear.

"You know, it's kinda alright, you know whatever you do the fans will adore." I chuckled along with her but thought deep deep down "it's not what the fans will think, it's what Haz will think."

*
I paced round and round my room nervously taking deep breaths. I knew it was time to go, in fact if anything, I was already late.

I licked my lips and reached out for the door handle before walking slowly down the corridor. Maybe if I walked so slowly I wouldn't make it to reception on time and they'd just leave without me. But the corridor ended too soon and I was face to face with the lift. The shiny metal doors opened and trapped me inside, holding me until the ground floor. My heart beat rapidly and I turned to face myself in the mirrors. Could I walk out and see Harry again like this? Would he still love me like this? Did I still care if he loved me?

The doors dinged open far too soon and I could see a group of people out the corner of my eye. I turned to face them, but only saw Harry. It felt like time had stopped and it was only us in the room. His hair had grown out a bit too, bit it was slicked back much like it always was. Not much about him had changed and I couldn't quite forget the fact that not much about my feelings had changed either, especially while he was smiling that beautiful smile at me.

I approached the boys and greeted all of them, deliberately leaving Harry for last and only offering a small "Hi." Just looking at him made me stomach twist into knots and my mouth go dry, hi was all I could manage.