If You Only Knew

Chapter 27

3 Months Later

The evening air was thick with excitement as Niall, Lottie, Gemma, and Harry gathered around a long wooden table at a cozy restaurant, its warm lights casting a soft glow over the group. The clinking of glasses and soft chatter filled the room, but there was an undeniable buzz in the air—the kind that only came before a momentous occasion.

"So," Niall asked, leaning forward with a playful grin, "how are you feeling about getting married tomorrow?" He raised his glass, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Harry glanced down at his hands, the familiar weight of nerves swirling in his stomach. He took a deep breath, then looked up, his gaze meeting his friends'. "Nervous and excited," he admitted honestly, his voice warm with love. "But I can't wait to marry my Lou. Tomorrow is going to be... everything."

"Awe, Harry." Lottie's voice was soft, teasing but full of affection. "Just think, six years ago, you were secretly in love with him, doing an absolutely horrible job at hiding it, and now you're marrying him. What a glow-up!"

Harry's cheeks flushed, and he rolled his eyes with a grin. "Heeeey, I didn't do that bad of a job! Lou didn't know." He pouted, clearly feeling the sting of past awkwardness.

Lottie chuckled, the sound light and carefree. "Yeah, well, as much as I love my brother, he was pretty oblivious, so that doesn't say much."

"True," Gemma chimed in with a knowing smile. "Mum and I used to talk about it all the time—how obvious it was to everyone but Louis."

Harry shot her a playful glare. "Niall and the other boys didn't know either!" His pout deepened as the teasing continued.

"True," Niall agreed with a laugh. "Zayn thought Harry liked Lottie."

Lottie grinned, adding to the jest. "So did Louis."

The group burst into laughter, the sound echoing around the room. Harry couldn't help but shake his head at the memory, amused by how complicated things had seemed back then. But now, everything felt so simple, so perfect.

"Come on," Harry said, glancing at his watch. "We said we'd meet them at eight. It's almost that time."

Lottie nodded, giving Harry an amused side-eye before leading them out of the restaurant and into the cool evening. The drive to the pub was filled with chatter, the excitement and nerves of the impending wedding making their way into every conversation. But nothing could compare to the feeling that washed over Harry the moment they arrived.

As they stepped into the pub, the familiar buzz of conversation and laughter filled the air, but Harry's attention immediately snapped to the far side of the room. His heart gave an excited leap when he saw Louis standing by the bar, his face lighting up as soon as he spotted Harry.

"Baby!" Louis's voice rang out across the room, his eyes sparkling with joy. His smile was wide, genuine, and filled with love as he made his way toward Harry, his steps quickening.

"Hi LouLou," Harry replied, his heart swelling in his chest as Louis reached him. Without thinking, Harry wrapped his arms around Louis, pulling him in for a kiss that was soft, sweet, and full of everything they had shared over the years. It was a kiss that spoke of all the love, the growth, and the joy that had led them here, standing together on the brink of something beautiful.

"I missed you," Louis murmured against Harry's lips, his voice low and filled with emotion.

"I missed you too, Lou," Harry replied, his words full of the truth that he never needed to say aloud, not when he could feel it in every touch, every glance.