Glory and Gore || l.s. ✓

Chapter 31

"I'm sorry for everything Lou." Harry said.

"You have nothing to be sorry for darling." Louis placed a kiss against the top of Harry's head. Harry looked up at him, pouting a little.

Louis bent down again, gently kissing Harry on the lips.

"Everything is going to be alright."

"I don't want to go home."

"I know you don't. I know."

"Thank you for letting me come here."

"You're always welcome here."

"Thank you, Louis."

"See you soon my love."

Harry wrapped his arms around Louis, scrumpling Louis's clothing in his hands. Louis hugged back softly.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." Louis was sure Harry didn't mean for Louis to hear his murmured reassurances, but Louis did

"Darling. You're going to be okay, you are. You have Gemma and Jack at home, you have me here. It'll be okay."

Harry nodded shakily. "See you soon."

//

Harry survived the next couple of days with minimal interaction with his father. Gemma wouldn't leave Harry's side, and so Harry had time to rest and begin to recover from the injuries he had faced.

However on the third day, Harry was pulled from his room and marched into the Great Hall. Before him stood Edith.

Harry spun around, walking as quickly as he could out of the hall.

"Prince Harry!" A sweet voice called after him, and Edith tottered after him.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this."

"May I talk to you in private?" She tilted her head.

"We'll go to the gardens?" Harry sighed.

"The gardens sound perfect."

Harry crossed his arms across his chest, walking silently out.

"I think that's far enough."

"This is my house, I decide when it's far enough." He said firmly.

"Alright, what's up with you?" She snapped. "Have I hurt you in some way? This is the first time we've even talked without anyone around us."

"I don't want to be around you." Harry spoke, his voice cracking. "I don't want to be engaged to you, I don't wanna marry you, and I don't want to spend the rest of my life pretending to love you!"

"Do you really think I want to marry you? If I had a say in who I was marrying, I certainly wouldn't choose someone who's already in love with someone. I saw the way you looked at him, okay?"

Harry sharply inhaled, "no, you can't tell anyone. You can't say it's him."

"Do you think me insane? Of course I won't tell anyone. I want to help you, not kill you."

"How can you help me?"

"I can help to hide your relationship with him. We'll be married to everyone else, but to those you trust you will be with him. I don't want to sound harsh, but I don't believe there to be any other choice."

For a while, Harry wasn't quite sure what to say, but soon he settled for a soft "thank you, thank you so much."

"You're lucky you're engaged to me and not my sister. She currently despises me for being chosen over her, she's in love with you."

Harry didn't speak, instead glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Your father is a horrible man." She continued.

"Yes." Harry agreed quietly, "he is."

"You should run away."

"I couldn't."

"Why not?"

"He's one bad person in the midst of lots that I love. I can't leave."

"You're very brave."

Harry sighed, shrugging. "I wish I were braver."

//

"Harry? It's Zayn and Niall. Can we come in?" A soft knock echoed in the silence of Harry's room.

"Yeah." Harry replied.

The door creaked open, and Niall's cheery face popped around the edge of the doorframe. "Hi Harry!"

"Hi." Harry croaked back, shifting a little and tugging his duvet further up to his chin.

Niall bounded across the room, jumping onto Harry's bed. "Have you missed us? I've missed you."

Harry nodded, forcing a small smile onto his face. "I've missed you both."

Zayn furrowed his brow at Harry, observing him as he crossed the room. "What's wrong Harry?

"What makes you think something is wrong?"

"I know you and you don't lie in bed during the day unless you're upset. You also look miserable babes."

"A lot has happened since the ball." Harry said simply.

"What's happened?" Niall tilted his head, reaching out and taking Harry's hand.

"Someone caught Louis and I kissing. They told father, he beat me, and now I have to marry someone I don't love."

The lack of emotion in Harry's voice would be terrifying to those who didn't know him. But to Zayn and Niall it wasn't, they knew how Harry was. They knew that when he was upset he would not always show his emotions. He didn't like to make a fuss out of everything.

"Fuck." Zayn murmured, immediately pulling Harry up into a gentle hug. "Harry, god."

Niall didn't know what to say, just squeezing Harry's hand tighter.

"I'm okay. I'm glad I can see you both now."

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"I'm alright but thank you. All I want is to banish my father. Just you being here will help me."

"Is there anything you need to rant about?" Niall asked.

"I just hate my father." Harry murmured. "I hate him. I hate the fact that he has the power to take away who I am. I just want to be myself."

"I know it's not much help but you can be yourself around us. You can always be yourself around us." Zayn said soothingly. "We love you for you."

Harry's face crumpled and he slipped further under the covers. "Thank you. I love you both."