At 11:59 // h.s

Chapter 29

-Grace-

There is no words to describe how much I hate my mom. Hate is an understatement. I still can't believe what she just did. She had no right to follow me here. She had no right to barge in here. She had no right to say the things she said. And she definitely had no right to hit me. Even though I'm over 18, I would still consider that child abuse.

"How's your cheek?" Harry asked as he gently held a washcloth to it to wash off any remaining blood.

"It's fine," I sighed.

"She is such a bitch," Stacy muttered, "I don't know how you lived with her for 19 years."

"Advil and earphones," I let out a small laugh.

"I think we all need some sleep," Niall yawned loudly.

We all murmured in agreement. Harry placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me towards his room.

"Do you wanna talk?" Harry asked quietly as he undid the covers.

"Sure," I murmured as I absent-mindedly climbed into bed.

He climbed in next to me and layed on his side. He put his strong hand on my back and hauled me into his chest. Neither of us said anything for a minute. There was a comforting silence that enveloped us as I layed in his arms.

"I hate my mom," I broke the silence.

"You don't mean that," Harry paused, "This will all blow over soon,"

"No, you don't understand," I said, "I actually hate her."

"I know what she did tonight was completely horrible, but she's still your mum," he gently brushed my cheek with the back of his thumb.

"Yeah, I guess," I mumbled.

"At least you still have a mum," he spoke quietly and he broke my gaze momentarily.

My eyes softened, "I'm so sorry, Harry."

"So am I,"

I brought my lips to his cheekbone and pressed lightly.

"It just hurt so much," he gazed into my eyes solemnly, "It hurt so much that I just became numb. I didn't feel anything. I didn't feel happiness. I didn't feel sadness. I didn't feel grief. The one thing I did feel was pain. Pain that words can't even describe. Pain that consumes you from the inside out. I was a hollow shell of a human."

I felt my heart break into hundreds of tiny pieces. He hesitated as he studied me closely before he whispered, "That's the same way I felt when I lost you. And at that time I didn't even know that I ever had you. "

I hugged him closer to me and buried my head in his chest. I listened to the soothing sound of his heartbeat against mine.

"You'll never lose me again," I whispered.

-

I woke up to the sound of Harry's name being called.

"Harry!" Niall called, "Someone's here to see you!"

Harry grumbled and slowly dragged himself out of bed. I got out of bed and followed him into the living room. I was surprised when I saw Angela standing in the doorway. Angela was Harry's "protector" that we had met with last year to try and break the curse.

"Angela..." Harry raised an eyebrow in confusion, "What are you doing here?"

"It's really important," she looked back and forth between the two of us.

"Wait who is this?" Niall looked even more confused than we did.

"Uh.. Niall, this is my uh... cousin, Angela," Harry stammered.