Always, Alice

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'Hi mum,' Harry answered his phone as he slumped himself down onto the sofa, his comfy hoodie that smelt like Alice wrapped around him keeping him warm. It had been a long week - but a truly fantastic one. The kids at school were delighted he was staying, Niall and Hayley were relieved he was staying and Alice didn't know how to cope with how happy she felt that he wouldn't be leaving.

'Hey my love, how are you?' she answered, sounding just as bright and glowing as ever.

'I'm great mum, so - so great,' he said. The smile that had plastered itself across his face when Mrs Riley had told him the news four days ago was yet to leave his face.

'Oh I'm so thrilled Harry, I really am, and how is your lovely Alice? She looks so beautiful in that picture of you two'. Harry had sent her a picture of the two of them on their walk to the beach yesterday. The wind was blowing their hair everywhere and the cold Scottish wind had made their cheeks turn a rosy red, but Alice's smile was bright enough to make anyone fall in love with her - he had snapped a picture in the moment before he could give it another thought, wanting to remember the joy he felt in that moment forever.

'Amazing, as always,' he paused for a second, 'I can't wait for you to meet her,'.

'I can't wait to meet her too, I'm counting down the days until the holidays!' she said and Harry could hear the excitement in her voice. 'I have all her favorite food that you told me about, even some gingerbread lattes and I bought a little bed for Fred to sleep on,' she rambled on, listing all the things she had prepared and planned for their stay.

Harry and Alice had decided to not cancel his flight down to Holmes Chapel during the holidays. Instead, Alice booked herself onto the flight and they were off to spend some of the holidays with them, even Fred was coming along for the trip.

'Now off you go, I know you're heading out tonight. I just wanted to say hello and triple check you were still coming to see us,' his mum loved him so much - he knew just how lucky he was to have her. She was the most wonderful woman and he knew Alice would adore her too.

'Thanks mum, love you - can't wait to see you,' he said, and he really couldn't - it was going to be wonderful.

'Love you too my sweet boy, all my love to Alice too'. Once he was off the phone he snuggled himself further into his sofa, knowing he should be hopping in the shower and getting ready before heading to the pub, but he felt so content.

He unlocked his phone again and typed out a message to Alice. I think my mum likes you more than me...and im fine with that! xx

*

'Cheers' Hayley squealed as the four of them sat in the pub that night. The fire roared next to them and the jukebox was playing all the classics that they had lined up.

Harry sat quiet for a moment - looking at the people sitting around him, feeling a loving warmth spread through his bones, unable to quite comprehend just how happy he was.

'Cheers - and thank christ your staying mate,' said Niall, scooting up closer to him. Harry put his arm around his best friend's shoulders. 'You thought Alice was a mess, I've been a joke,' Niall continued which made Harry suddenly laugh out loud. He could just imagine Niall being overly dramatic about it all - and he loved him for that. It felt so good to be so happy again.

He looked over at Alice who was sitting across the table from him. Her beautiful brown eyes were catching and reflecting the warm light from the fire and her smile radiated love right back to him from where she sat.

'He has been you know,' piped up Hayley. 'We watched Grays the other night and when Christina left he almost had a breakdown,' she started to laugh but stopped when Harry didn't join in. 'What?' she said.