Bound by Pages | larry

forty

"Don't act too weird, please mum!" 

Harry's mum stared back at him with a fake (or at least he hoped it was fake), offended look. 

"Don't be daft Harry. Contrary to popular belief, I know how to act in social situations, unlike you," She smiled at him, raising her eyebrows. 

Harry returned the look. He didn't know if she could tell, but it was a real offended look. His mum just raised her eyebrows further and they both burst out laughing at the same time. 

Harry could already tell it was going to be a good day. 

He stepped onto the snowy porch and knocked on the door, taking a step back to wait. The door swung open, revealing the unfamiliar face of a young teenage girl. 

"You're not Louis," Harry blurted out. 

"And you're not Marlena," she frowned. 

Harry stood there awkwardly, not completely sure what to do. Thankfully, Louis appeared behind the girl, giving her a playful shove.

"Lots, what are you doing?" He chuckled.

"I thought that was Mars," She frowned. 

Louis laughed again. "How do you mix up this lanky fella with your tiny five-foot tall friend?" 

Lottie let out a little 'humph' and walked back deeper into the house, leaving Louis at the door. 

Harry, with his gifts still in his hands, tried to give Louis a hug, Since he had no free hands, it didn't really work, so he settled with a quick kiss on his cheek. 

"Happy birthday love," Harry whispered gently into his ear, stepping back and leaving Louis with a soft blush on his cheeks. 

Then there was another moment where all three of them, Louis, Harry, and his mother, were just standing there. 

"So uh, are you guys going to come in?" Louis asked, quite uncertainly. The sentence kicked everyone into motion. In the blink of an eye, coats were hung up, boots were off, and presents were sat in a neat pile underneath the Christmas tree.

The tree was a beautiful live fir tree. It was extremely well decorated, covered in ornaments, both fancy gold ones and homemade crafts. Chains of lights were wrapped around, illuminating the large room. 

Harry stared in awe. It was the kind of trees you saw in the movies. The kind that you could see reflected in someone's eyes when they looked at it. Sure Harry's had a few trees before, but they had one pack of twelve ornaments and no lights. It just wasn't the same. Not even close. 

Harry and his mum decided to stay over the night before Christmas. Louis' dad wouldn't be able to make it, and Lottie invited her own friend over, so it just worked out that way. 

Harry's mum needed to get some work done, so she went off into a separate room to do that. 

Harry was sitting on his phone on a puffy couch in the living room when Louis walked in and sat on his lap. The smaller boy looked at the tree, then looked at Harry and smiled. Harry wrapped his arms around the boy and pulled him closer. 

"Soft," Harry whispered, referring to his sweater. Louis was wearing a dark blue knit sweater that engulfed his tiny frame. It was absolutely adorable. "I like it."

"Me too," Louis smiled tiredly and yawned. 

"Why are you so tired love?" Harry kissed Louis' hair gently, running his hand through the soft, brown locks. It was only three in the afternoon, but Louis looked like he was ready to pass out.