Ever Since New York // H.S. - ON HOLD

CHAPTER 16 - TPWK

A/N - THIS IS A DOUBLE UPDATE SO GO CHECK OUT CHAPTER 15 FIRST!

. . . 

Ever since Cara left, Harry is all I have been able to think about. Before, he was just in the back of my mind, slipping into my subconscious and loitering there effortlessly. However now, he is always at the forefront of my mind. When will I see him again? Why hasn't he answered my text? Should I call him and see what he is doing this weekend? Was he just pretending at the hospital and actually hates the fact I have a daughter? Does he never want to see me again? Are my feelings for him real? Or am I just idolizing the idea of him?

The blaring sound of the doorbell cuts through the whirlwind of my thoughts. It's probably just the Amazon guy with the few items I purchased the other day, so I don't scurry my way over. Sighing, I relax back into the couch. Ginny fills my view as she is dancing around the coffee table to the delightful songs of Moana. Before I can open my mouth to warn her about being careful, the doorbell rings once more. Maybe it's not the Amazon guy...

"Ginny, you need to sit down or else I am turning the TV--" My sentence is cut short as I open the heavy, blue painted door and am completely taken aback at who is in front of me.

"So she's alive! I didn't think you were going to answer." Harry stands before me with two large paper grocery bags in either one of his hands. He has his keys clenched between his thumb and forefinger, gripping tightly so he doesn't drop them. Tilting his head back swiftly, he nudges his sunglasses up to the top of his head. Furrowing my brows together, I am full of confusion.

"Well are you gonna let a lad in or what?" He raises his eyebrows, creating creases in his forehead as he tilts his head slightly to the side in an inquisitive manner.

"I-uh-yeah, sure?" I am dumbfounded at the fact he showed up completely unannounced. I mean I'm not complaining about it, but I am just surprised.

"What are you doing here?" I say as I take one of the bags from his hands, peering inside to see it is full of groceries. Did he buy me groceries?

"I wanted to come see how you two were doing. I was going to respond to your message, but figured I was already out and might as well drop by." He shrugs nonchalantly. "Where's G?" My heart nearly skips a beat at the little nickname he gave her. He started calling her that toward the end of the night while we were at the hospital, and I think it's adorable.

"Ginny, come here, someone is here to see you!" I shout, trying to get her attention over the television. Next thing I know, we see her poke her head out from behind the wall separating the front hall from the living room. She peers her eyes, processing who is here, then her pupils go wide as she darts straight toward Harry.

"Hay-wee!!" She squeals as he sets down the other bag and squats down to scoop her up into his arms.

"Hello, love." He has a toothy grin on his lips with his dimples ever so present. Poking at her nose, Ginny scowls her face as she squirms away from him. "How would you like to help me and your mum cook some dinner? Does that sound fun?" He holds her tightly, looking into her eyes as she beams at him excitedly. So that's what the groceries are for.

Picking up both of the grocery bags, I lead Harry into the kitchen and begin emptying the contents onto the counter as he still holds Ginny in his arms. Setting her down on the ground, I point him in the direction of the stool I let Ginny use whenever I let her help in the kitchen. There's an array of ingredients. Pasta noodles, onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices, zucchini and squash, tomato sauce, and more. Harry tells me he was feeling vegetable baked ziti, and I laughed at the fact that I should've known he doesn't eat meat. We stand closely gathered by the counter as we prep all of the ingredients. It took a lot of coaxing to make Ginny understand that she can't be the one cutting things up with the knives. However, we did let her toss the ingredients into the saucepan and the baking pan.