red herring [h.s.]

22. (*)

Another long one (10K+ words)!! I love this chapter even if it's mostly filler stuff :D

Also, I debated putting an asterisk with this chapter, don't expect too much here hahah

Stella.

The shower did perk Harry and I up a little as we quickly washed up and rinsed off the sweat off our bodies. Harry was affectionate during the whole thing, constantly touching me and holding his hands on my hips or cupping my cheeks and giving me soft, little kisses.

I found it hard to keep my smiling lips under control as I lazily stared up at him. I was so comfortable around him even if I had only known him for such a short time. When in front of the mirror to fix my make-up, I could see the bruises on my hips and when I turned around in yet another thong that I had pulled out of my suitcase, I saw my red ass.

Harry smirked when he saw it too, teasingly brushing his fingertips over the sore skin which earned him a glare from me. He held his hands up in defence, "You begged for it."

Since I had asked him to keep his rings on, there were slight bruises on the skin of my butt. And since I hardly had any fat in my ass – pancake butt as Erin liked to call it – it bruised easier too. It was the reason I often wore jeans, they made my ass look nicer than slacks.

My suitcase was sprawled open in Harry's bedroom as I put on a pair of black straight jeans, hissing when I pulled the fabric over my ass.

"Wouldn't it be better if you wore regular cotton underwear instead of those lace thongs?" Harry asked and I rolled my eyes at his attempt to give me advice, "You think? And I haven't got any of those, this is my only pair of spare underwear. So please, refrain yourself from ripping it."

Harry chuckled from behind me as he stood in front of his closet, "Fine, refrain yourself from being a fucking brat then and listen to me next time."

I bit my lip to hide my giggle as tension rose in the room. With our backs to one another, Harry and I got dressed in silence until I heard him clearing his throat. I pulled my long hair out of the neckline of the jumper as I looked at him, my breath hitching in my throat when I saw that he was holding up the university jumper that I gave to Jeremy.

I hardly realized Harry had taken it home after wearing it when he was sick, and that it had been here this whole time. He pressed his lips together, "You should take this back." His voice was soft and careful and I walked the few steps up to him before my fingertips made contact with the soft cotton material of the crewneck. It had a small rip in the neckline and overall some stains that didn't come out anymore, even if I hadn't washed it in over a year. It just sat in my closet. Jeremy had worn this jumper all the time though, and it showed.

"Yeah. Or you can keep it if you want, it's fine by me."

"You don't want it?" Harry frowned, "Don't you wear it?"

I shook my head as I kept my eyes on the logo on the jumper, "No. I've never worn it. I sometimes like... cuddle it. Or it's in my bed with me, but I've never worn it." I traced my fingertip over the small rip in the neckline before I shot Harry a small smile, "I have to wash it either way. I like the way it looks on you, you can keep it if you want unless you think it's too creepy. Otherwise it just goes back into my closet."

"You're gonna wash it?"

"Mhm." I nodded, "Hasn't smelled like him in a long time. Now it just smells like you. And vomit and sweat." I teased in exaggeration and Harry huffed out a laugh, "No, it doesn't."

I giggled at his defence and Harry had a lopsided grin on his face that slowly disappeared, "I like it. If it's not too strange or painful for you to see me wearing it, I'd like to keep it."