The Story // Harry Styles AU

Part 5

It’s nearing midnight when the movie finishes.  Needless to say I didn’t fall asleep.  The movie kept me on edge the entire time and when it ended, I felt like I could breathe again.

“Jesus,” I smirk, leaning back against the couch.  Harry chuckles and changes the channel to some late-night talk show.

“Did you like it?” he wonders.

“Yeah, it was good.  Intense, but it was good,” I nod.  Harry looks at his watch even though the DVD player displays the time.

“What time do you have class in the morning?” he asks me.

“10:30,” I tell him.

“That’s not too bad,” Harry adds and I shrug. “I’m not in class till 1,” he smirks at me and I narrow my eyes.

“I probably should get going,” I say after a moment, moving to stand up.

“Do you want me to walk you?” he offers, standing in front of me.  I bite my lip, thinking about the scary movie we just watched, and also thinking about the late hour in the city.

“Um, yeah,” I nod. “That’d be great,”

Harry smiles, turning off the tv before disappearing into another room, and I start gathering my things, putting my cameras back in my bag.  I grab the Polaroid I took and look at it, smiling softly.

“Ready?” Harry asks, appearing out of nowhere, holding a black jacket over his arm.  I quickly put the Polaroid in my bag and follow Harry out of his flat and to the elevator. “So are you working at all this week?” he wonders as we descend. 

“Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday,” I tell him. “In the mornings,”

“Do you get up early?”

“I have to be there at 8, so it’s not too bad, and I’m only there till noon,” I shrug.  The doors open and Harry gestures for me to go out first.  We walk across the lobby and out the front doors of the complex.  A chilly breeze hits me immediately, the cold air slipping through the chunky knitting of my sweater, and I involuntarily shiver.

“Are you cold?” Harry asks, smirking.

“Are you not?” I look up at him.

“No, here,” he holds out his jacket, opening it up.  I blush and turn around, letting him slip the jacket over one arm.  I maneuver my purse to my free hand and slip the other arm in the black pea coat.

We continue walking and talking.  It’s a pretty short walk to my dorm so we didn’t go through too many topics but we talked about classes we’ve taken and things like that.  We’d already talked a lot over our dinner tonight and I was feeling more and more comfortable around Harry by the minute.

“Well, this one’s mine,” I point to the building.

“Do you think you’ll live in a student flat next year?” Harry asks me, looking up at the residence.

“Hopefully, who knows?  It depends on how money and finding a roommate and everything works out,” I shrug.

“You don’t like your roommate now?” he wonders.

“No, she’s great,” I say quickly. “But I think she might be making plans with her boyfriend or something,”

“Ah, shoved aside by the boyfriend, huh?” Harry crosses his arms, putting one foot up on the first step leading up to the building. “Does he come ‘round a lot?”

“Yeah, and he’s really nice but I do have to leave once in a while, if you know what I mean,” I fight a smirk and Harry nods, chuckling.

“You can pop into my place anytime,” he shrugs. “I’ve got an extra key anyway,”

“You’d be a lifesaver.  Having to sit in my own workplace for 3 hours while I’m not working isn’t exactly my idea of a good time,” I explain and Harry smiles.

“No problem.  I’ll text you about Friday and um, maybe I’ll…see you around,” he says slowly and I nod.

“Definitely.  Thanks for walking me back,”

“Of course.  Wouldn’t want you to be eaten by any sharks,” Harry jokes and I grimace at him. “Sweet dreams,” he smiles before turning and walking back the way we came, his hands in his pockets.  I find myself smiling and blushing as I enter my building.  I stop in the lobby when I realize I’m still wearing Harry’s jacket.  I spin around; about to go out and return it, but then again, it’ll give me an excuse to see him sooner than Friday.