I'LL MAKE THIS FEEL LIKE HOME - Real Life Harry Fanfiction

1. Don't Forget Where You Belong

September/2015

I've had an unusual childhood. I was born in England - Manchester to be exact - but when I was five my parents moved all the way to Brazil to open up a branch of their company there, so that's where I grew up and still live. Well, not for long though. Now I'm 21 and just finished my Bachelor's Degree in Business, and my parents want to go back to England now that the company is more stable internationally. All our family is there and they miss them terribly, and to be honest I'm glad. It's been a rough few months, finishing college and going through a terrible break up at the same time is just too much. Going away is exactly what I need to start my new life fresh.

During my first year of college I got an internship in a local bank and then they hired me after a year. That's where I worked most of college, which was nice cause I got a lot of working experience and some good savings, and then last year I started working for Citibank. I knew my parents were thinking about going back to England so I wanted to work at an international company where I could ask to be transferred when the time came. Yeah, I know, I always think ahead and love to have everything planned and organized in advance. Call me boring if you will, but that's me. It's good to know what to expect, isn't it?

I can't believe I'm going... home? I don't know, I never really felt like England was my home. I didn't really grow up there. Just visited a few times, but I really miss my grandparents and my cousins. As an only child I always felt like I would have been so much closer to my cousins if we had grown up together. I can't complain though, I've always had some good friends that I'm going to miss terribly now that I'm leaving.

⁃ "Emma!!! Stop writing on that diary of yours, I'm talking to you." Bruna says. She's my best friend since I was five. She's been my neighbour ever since my family moved to Brazil, we went to the same school and still do everything together. I'm gonna miss her so much.

⁃ "Sorry! I didn't mean to get lost in my head." I say apologetic. I've been too distracted lately

⁃ "Have you heard of Lucas?" She asks

⁃ "What? No, I haven't heard of that loser nor do I want to. We broke up, it's over, I deserved better and that's it."

⁃ "SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK!" she laughs "I'm honestly so glad you got over him so easily. Well, easier than I expected at least. He was such a dick to you through all the relationship so I guess it makes sense you feel free. I always thought you'd never dump him though, you did anything for the guy."

⁃ "Thanks." I say sarcastically " I know, I just finally realized how abusive this relationship was. He never wanted to be with my friends or my family, he complained about everything I did or said. It was just so exhausting trying to be perfect for him all the time and I finally got tired of it. So yeah, the break up is easier when it's a shitty relationship." I half laugh

⁃ "Are you excited to leave on Saturday? To start fresh and all that?" She asks and I know she's trying to sound chilled, but I know she's just as sad as I am that we'll be living so far away from each other.

⁃ "In a way, yes. It'll be good to just start over, you know? But I'm gonna miss you and the girls so much. You better visit!"

⁃ "Well you too. I hope you don't forget where you belong." She says, smirking, knowing I'll catch the reference

⁃ "Well, to be fair I am british, you know." I tease, knowing what she's going to say.

⁃ "Hardly." she scoffs " You may have been born there but you're more brazilian than british and you know it. Just let me know when One Direction is performing and I'll be there in a heartbeat." She says without thinking.

The boys announced in august what they called a "hiatus" and we are yet to get used to that idea. It sucks even more because they came to Brazil last year and Bruna and I weren't able to go, so we thought we were going to wait for the next tour and then this hiatus shit hit us hard in the face. They're finishing the American leg of the tour and will perform in England but now it's even more impossible to get tickets.

⁃ "Don't even talk about them. Too soon." I say

⁃ "Is it weird that you got over your break up easier than you did 1D's hiatus?" she says only half joking

⁃ "Not at all. I feel like my priorities are in order." I say and we both laugh

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It's Saturday morning and my whole family is going crazy with all the packing and double checking everything - myself included. Yesterday my friends threw me a surprise farewell party and we had the best time. I feel like I'm still drunk though.

⁃ "Em, honey, is Bruna still driving us to the airport?" my mom asks for the thirtieth time today

⁃ "Yes mom, we're leaving at 3pm" I say and the next thing I know she's hugging me

⁃ "You're ok, right? I know these past few months have been hard for you, and now you're leaving your friends and your life..." she stops mid-sentence as her eyes tear up.

⁃ "Yeah mom, it's been hard and that's why I'm looking forward to this new chapter of my life. New job, new friends, new apartment... new everything. It's going to be good. But yeah, I'll miss the girls."

⁃ "I'm so glad you think that way. You've always been so brave and mature. It means a lot to us that we're going back home, sweetheart. I hope you love it there as much as we do. Well, except for the weather. It really is so much better here." She laughs

⁃ "That I remember" I said, remembering last time I was in Manchester during winter time, three years ago

My job is in London so that's where I'm going to live, and my parents will spend the night there, as we're landing in Heathrow Sunday morning and they will leave to Manchester on Monday.

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I spend the whole flight thinking about the possibilities for this new chapter of my life and I can only hope it's a good one.

Author's note: Welcome! As you can see, this story starts in 2015 just after the boys announced the hiatus. It'll have a lot of real life references and events, I hope you like it as much as I do! ❤