The Best Thing I Never Had [l.s]

•Chapter Three•

For all the time and effort it took for Louis to stop thinking of Harry as more than a fond memory, it takes barely a second for all his hard work to be unraveled.

They make their way to the table, Louis and Harry not breaking eye contact for a second, Harry seemingly just as stunned to see each other as Louis is.

Louis barely registers Zayn when he starts speaking beside him.

"Lou, this is Niall and Harry. And that's Ed, Matt and Joel." He says pointing to the group one by one. Louis just nods, seemingly forgetting how to speak. He recalls a similar reaction the first time he and Harry met.

Niall waves in Louis' direction with a big grin and tells him it's nice to meet him. But Louis couldn't take his eyes off if Harry if he tried.

Zayn tugs in his sleeve and pulls him down to sit beside him, Liam taking the spot at the end of the table.

He can't believe it. It's Harry. His Harry. He looks different and yet exactly the same all at once. He looks taller. A figure that nineteen year old Harry didn't have. His hair is long, curls falling below his impossibly broad shoulders. But his eyes. He would recognise those sparkling green eyes anywhere.

"Lou? What's wrong?" Zayn asks at the same time that Liam asks Harry if he's ok.

"Do you two know each other?" Zayn adds, pointing between the two.

"Oh! Holy shit!" Niall bellows, hitting Harry's arm with the back of his hand. "Is this the Louis?"

Harry nods slowly. "Yeah." He whispers.

"Ok, I'm lost. What's going on?" Liam asks and Zayn doesn't look any better.

Before either of them can answer, another voice joins the conversation.

"Hi guys. I'm sorry I'm late, I got stuck at work." A man says, snapping them all out of their weird trance.

Harry looks up to meet eyes with the man.
"Hi babe." The man mutters before leaning down to kiss Harry's head, then takes off his coat.

"I hope you guys don't mind but I need to whisk Harry away, just got time for one drink then we have dinner reservations."

"What?" Harry asks, brows furrowing and his deep voice has Louis' skin pricking with goosebumps.

"Oh, we're heading to the new Italian place on Queen street. My company did some work for them during their opening week so I was able to get a table even with them booked out till mid year."

Well, la dee da.

Louis is suddenly thrown back to a conversation he and Harry had that night while cuddled together on the fire grate.

Harry rested his head down on Louis' shoulder, nose nuzzling into the exposed skin by the collar of his T-shirt.

"What do you think would happen if you weren't leaving?" Harry had asked. Louis sighed and placed his cheek down onto the top of Harry's head, his soft hair comfortable against his skin.

The same thought had been swirling it's way through Louis' head the whole night.

"Well.. I wouldn't let you leave here before asking you out on a proper date." He says, a small smile pulling at his lips at the thought. Sadness aching his heart at the same time knowing that it's not a possibility.

"Oh yeah? Gonna wine and dine me then?" Harry asks, smirking into Louis' neck where he had buried in further. His warm breath was comforting Louis and soothing his aching heart.