worth so much more - l.s

Chp. 5

"No fuckin' way! Harry I'm so sorry!" Niall exclaimed, and even though Harry knew he did genuinely feel bad it was hard to tell when his mouth was stuffed with cinnamon bread. Harry shook his head in response.

"It's not your fault Niall, you don't have to apologize!" he repeated once more. Niall shrugged while muttering,

"Still, It's so wrong that they called you that...". Harry decided to stay quiet, not wanting to talk about it much longer.

This was odd for him, he was sitting next to someone at breakfast. What was Niall even doing here? They only really talked in the newspaper room.

"By the way what are you doing here? The Hufflepuff table is all the way across the Grand Hall..." Harry said quietly, trying to not accidentally sound like he didn't want Niall here.

Niall shrugged his shoulders once more.

"I don't know, felt like talking to you since you were on the Quidditch pitch instead of the news room yesterday. Also, for some unfair reason the Gryffindor table always has better food than the Hufflepuff one." Niall said while grinning and reaching over the table for another cinnamon bun. The corners of Harry's lips twitched slightly, something that didn't happen too often.

Harry decided against replying, scared that he would stutter at the thought of someone willingly sitting with him with him.

"Holy shit Harry! Did you punch them in the face after they insulted you?" Niall exclaimed with wide eyes while staring at the entrance of the Grand Hall.

Harry shook his head slightly as he furrowed his eyebrows. He wouldn't be able to punch anyone no matter how hard he tried. He lifted his head and followed Niall's gaze.

His eyes widened at the sight. The two boys that had been rude to him yesterday had just walked in and were slightly limping towards the Slytherin table. But that wasn't the shocking part. They each had an eye that was swollen and bruised. The one that had said that word to him also had a split lip.

Confusion was evident on Harrys face. Had they been in a fight? With each other? Harry's eyes stayed glued to the two boys.

He felt Nialls elbow slightly nudge him, which brought his attention back to Niall. He looked at him with a questionable look.

"Uhhh.... why is Tomlinson looking at you?"

Harry's head snapped back to where he knew Louis was sitting. To his evident shock Louis was looking back at him, just as Niall had said.

He was leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. A blank expression covered his face until he broke the gaze and looked at his fellow, now injured, Slytherin players that were making their way to the table. That was when a satisfactory and amused smirk overtook his perfect features.

He turned back towards Harry with the same smirk. Harry felt the heat rush to his cheeks. He looked back towards the table will still wide eyes.

"Why're you blushing?" Niall asked him with a quirked eyebrow. Harry quickly shook his head.

"I'm not!" He sputtered, obviously lying. Niall gasped dramatically in response.

"Oh my god!!" He whisper yelled, "You have a crush on Tomlinson!"

"What? No I don't!" Harry said quickly. He felt himself blush even more. He decided to burry his head in his hands, then no one would see.

"Oh my god!" Niall laughed, "You're too obvious, you totally like him." Harry groaned quietly in defeat as he looked back up to Niall with a death glare, which earned yet another laugh from the blonde haired boy. "You guys would genuinely be so cute together!" he squealed like a little girl. "Your quiet personality and his loud one would completely balance each other out!"

This was not good. No one was ever supposed to find out. Harry sighed and opened his mouth, ready to try and deny it once more before the news accidentally spread. However, he was cut off.

"Don't worry curly, I won't tell anyone." Niall promised with a cheeky yet sincere grin. Harry huffed out a breath of air.

"Promise?" he asked in a quiet voice. Niall mentally cooed at the sensitive boy before nodding reassuringly.

"Yes I promise... but now that I know who you like, you know what this means right?" he asked mischievously, as if planning something. Harry quirked an eyebrow at the boy, who now had a devious smile plastered across his face.

"It is time to commence OPERATION STYLINSON!" he announced triumphantly. Harry's face twisted in confusion.

"What's a stylinson?" he uttered out, clearly puzzled. Niall put on a big smile and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Styles and Tomlinson put together, duh!" he said as if it were the most obvious thing on the planet. "Just like I'm going to put you and Louis together!"

Harry was quick to shake his head.

That was never going to work, no matter how hard Niall tried. Louis was well known and liked by all, he was social and outgoing! Harry was the complete opposite. Not only that but he was a muggle born, meaning there was a chance he wouldn't be liked, even as a friend, by Louis or any of his family. But most importantly, Louis was definitely straight.

Although they weren't together anymore, he had a girlfriend named Eleanor that he dated for 2 years in his third and fourth year at Hogwarts. Harry was almost sure his heart physically hurt any time he had seen them together, either holding hands, laughing with each other or kissing.

"No. Niall, absolutely not."