Half the world away.

Chapter 5

"He had a bit of a rough night, it's my fault to be honest. I didn't watch him enough and he was dragged into the wrong crowd." Hushed voices came from outside Harry's bedroom. He stirred and began to listen carefully.

"Don't blame yourself dear, thank you for taking him home when you did. He'll surely have a hangover as punishment." His mother's voice sounded warm, before the sound was exchanged with the door slowly creaking open and he blinked hazily at the sudden light. "Morning Sweetheart, how are you feeling?"

Harry chuckled lowly. "As I probably deserve."

She smiled at him and put a hand on his forehead. "Yeah probably, I have some pain killers and water for you." She placed a glass on his nightstand and handed him a pill.

"Thanks."

"Are you hungry?"

"No, I don't think my body could take food right now."

"Alright, well we're downstairs if you need something." She patted his arm gently and stood up to leave the room. Louis was still standing in the doorway but followed her out when she left, closing the door behind him.

He looked over to his phone on his nightstand and saw that it was nearly 12am. He grabbed the glass and swallowed the pill before lying back again. The throbbing in his head was worse than normal, what the hell had he been up to?

He stared at the ceiling, waiting for the pain to subside, when there was a weird sound coming from his window, he turned his head slowly to look and after a second something hit the glass. What the hell. He sat up and waited, it happened again. From the looks of it, it was pinecones and small stones laying all around the windowsill. Carefully, he stood up, and after pulling a pair of sweatpants over the lace underwear he'd worn the night before, he made his way over and opened the window, maybe not the smartest choice, he realised, after a pinecone hit him in the shoulder. He bent forward to peek outside and saw the inane figure of Niall.

"Sorry, mate," he called.

"'s alright, what're you doing?"

"I wanted to talk to you but your mom said you're not feeling good, I figured you were at that Halloween party last night."

"Yeah, it was wild... I honestly can't remember much. How was your family gathering?" Harry laughed at him.

"Oh god," Niall rolled his eyes, "I don't think I've ever been so bored, and I couldn't get away because I was responsible for my cousins and all... really unfair."

"Bummer, next time then."

"Yeah about that, there's a friend of mine from the Business course who's throwing something tonight, you up for it?"

"Yeah I think so, later though, I'll just rest for a while."

"Of course, I'll come back to sneak you out in some hours"

"Cheers." He closed the window and noticed a small crack in the glass, or maybe it was just a scratch. He went back to bed and tried to fall asleep, but the pill had kicked in and he felt better and a bit hungry now.

There was a black t-shirt thrown clumsily on his floor and he picked it up and put it on. He pulled his sweats down and changed from the panties to regular boxer briefs, before pulling the pants on again.

It was a pretty warm day for the first of November. The sun was shining through all the windows and warming the floor nicely. Careful not to lose his balance, he took the steps through the house one by one until he was downstairs.

"Oh, hi darling. Feeling better?" Anne greeted him when he walked into the kitchen.

"A bit, I'm a little hungry now."