The Magic Within You

December 20th

Harry wakes up from his dream that just felt so real and he wants to chase exactly that feeling. Proudly holding his boyfriend in his arms with his family. In the middle of the night and in the darkness, so freshly torn from the dream, it feels just necessary and he gently shakes Louis' shoulders as he holds Harry in his arms, sound asleep. Harry, who was just lying on his chest and Louis' steady heartbeat lulled him to sleep the hours before, lifts his head and tries to find Louis' ear in the dark. He places a small kiss on the shell of it and whispers quietly into it, "Lou? Petal?"

"Hmm," Louis grunts back quietly and, not yet fully awake, buries his nose in Harry's cheek, which makes him giggle softly.

"I have an idea," he continues to whisper.

"It's the middle of the night. Just sleep," Louis murmurs back sleepily and turns away from Harry, pulling the duvet with him and wrapping it around him.

Harry looks fondly at the outline of his boyfriend but then steals straight back under the blanket and snuggles up close to Louis, pulling him even closer to him with one hand over his stomach.

"Can we get up very early tomorrow and drive to Manchester? I miss mum and Gemma, especially after the call yesterday and I want you to meet them properly," Harry asks quietly and gives Louis a kiss on the neck. Louis sighs for a long time and Harry immediately starts again. "Please babe. A little road trip?"

"Harry, I love you more than anything, but stop making plans in the middle of the night right now," Louis moans. "But yes, we're going to meet your family."

Harry can't help but let out a little squeak of joy and hugs Louis extra tightly for saying yes, so a slightly frightened puff escapes his smaller form.

"Thanks. I'll wake you up early enough tomorrow," Harry whispers.

"Of course you do," Louis yawns and falls asleep again within the next few seconds. With a smile on his face and the knowledge that he has the best boyfriend in the world, Harry falls asleep again.

.•❄️•.

Harry stands together with Gemma and his mum leaning in the doorway to the living room and each of the three watches with a smile as Louis sits on the floor between the collection of games and frowns as he seems to think about what the four of them want to play.

With a nod of her head and a pinch in the waist of her two children, Anne invites them into the kitchen without saying a word.

"He's gorgeous, Harry," Anne whispers so that not a word reaches Louis.

Harry's heart jumps and he grins widely. "I know, right?"

Gemma ruffles his hair, so that Harry groans in annoyance and tries to save it again by letting his fingers run through the long locks.

"Oh don't worry baby brother. Louis thinks you're beautiful even with messy hair."

Anne laughs quietly. "That's probably true. He looks at you as if you were the only person in the world. He acts as if he pays us the same attention, but..."

Instead of finishing her sentence, she just wiggles her eyebrows at Harry, who chuckles quietly. "It's mutual. We discussed it."

The three of them prepare tea together and put everything on the tray on which Anne's spontaneously baked cake stands. Harry and a still very tired Louis in tow surprised the two of them this morning. Harry took the car ride in Louis' car, who, as a real passenger princess, looked out the window grumbling and finally fell asleep again. Waking him up at six o'clock was definitely too early for his morning grouch and Harry didn't say a word too much to him. But as Anne gushed over him all morning and took him in like a second son, Harry just sat there smiling and watching two other people fall in love with this man.