Even If It Hurts -H.S. AU

22

I'm laying with my head on Harry's chest, the TV on quietly in the background. I'm practically on top of him on the couch, his arms wrapped loosely around me as he snores softly.

I've been watching him sleep for the past few minutes, shamelessly taking in the sight of him so peaceful under me. He looks younger, almost, not so high strung. A flash of the boy he used to be runs through my mind as I stare at him.

He was so disappointed in himself tonight, telling me he's not the man his mother raise him to be. My chest aches when I think about him hurting so badly in the years we were apart, but selfishly, it brings me a little comfort to know that I wasn't the only one suffering.

I'm almost asleep when a scratching sound at the door startles me awake. I lift my head up from Harry's chest to listen, and my stomach sinks.

"Harry." I whisper and pat his chest with my hand. He doesn't budge and I shake his shoulder. "Harry, wake up."

His eyes fly open and he inhales sharply. His foggy gaze lands on me and his arms tighten around my back. "What's wrong?" He asks, his voice thick with sleep.

"I heard a noise at the door." I whisper and he immediately sits up on the couch, taking me with him, and moves me to the other side so he can get up.

When he stands, we both freeze, hearing the eerie sound again, like something sliding along the wood of my door.

"Don't move." He whispers and slowly heads toward the door.

He unlocks the deadbolt and slides the chain off before he places his hand on the knob and a pit grows in my stomach. He exhales a deep breath and quickly turns it, swinging the door open wide, trying to startle whoever is out there.

A ball of orange fur shoots past him inside and I laugh when I see who had us both scared to death.

"Dulce!" I laugh and reach out to scratch behind his ears. I hear Harry exhale a relieved breath and close the door again. "You scared the shit out of me, buddy."

He purrs softly when I scratch down his back and I lift my head to look at Harry, who hasn't moved from where he's stood at the door.

"What are you-" I'm cut off when Harry sneezes, and then sneezes again. He holds his hand to his face as his eyes water and my mouth falls open when he sneezes again.

"Oh my god." I chuckle. He sneezes for a fourth time and a loud laugh rumbles out of my chest. "Harry, are you allergic to cats?"

He nods his head and sneezes for a fifth time and I stand up from the couch, taking Dulce with me. Harry quickly steps into the kitchen, trying to stay as far away as possible from the small animal in my hands. I open the door and set him outside, petting behind his ears one last time before I close the door again.

"What the fuck?" I laugh when I turn to face Harry, his eyes red and watering as he sneezes again. "How did I not know you were allergic to cats?"

"Neither of us had one, and it's not a particularly interesting topic to bring up." He says flatly, sniffling as he rubs his eye.

"Harry, don't do that." I wash my hands in the sink and quickly dry them, grabbing his hand to pull him into the bathroom with me.

I gesture for him to sit on the closed toilet seat and he does, another sneeze ripping out of him and he rubs his eyes again. I pull his hands down, and he looks up at me with irritated, watering eyes.

I open the cabinet above the sink and pull eye drops out and hand them to him. He takes them gratefully and immediately squeezes a few drops into each eye. My eyes fall to his bare torso and I find red blotches crawling up his skin to his neck. I run my hand over the bumps rising on his shoulders and he sniffles again.