Redemption [h.s]

seventy-seven

Her dark hair was messily tied in a braid, and her light coloured eyes were sharp and focused on us. I didn't need anyone to tell me her name, the resemblance was striking enough.

"Mother?" Harry stuttered next to me, and she glared at him.

"I've long stopped being your mother" she spit out of her teeth, her words hitting me hard as well. She glanced at me. "And who are you?"

"I'm the one that thinks Harry is a wonderful man, and that is not going to stop loving him" I simply replied in a calm way.

Gemma's eyes widened, and she let out a little laugh. "Meet Harry's girlfriend, Anne" she said, holding her head up proudly in the situation.

"Well, look at that. I didn't even think someone would've ever wasted their time on someone like you." She looked at me again. "And you, you don't look stupid. What are you even doing? Drop him while you're still on time, before it's too late."

"I have no intention of dropping him. I'm not like you" I fired back, and she rolled her eyes.

"Why are you so blind? You're so young, you know nothing of life. Do you actually think you found love, or things like that? You didn't. He's a fuck up, he's just gonna kill you as well" she said, smirking when she noticed Harry's fast intake of breath, realising that her words had hit home.

"Anne, what the fuck!" Gemma hissed, turning to look at her. "You overstayed your welcome, you should go away now."

Anne scoffed. "I'll do that right now. Wouldn't want to breathe his same air anyway" she said.

How could someone be so cruel to their own son? Someone they saw grow up, someone they're supposed to love? If I hadn't witnessed her saying those words, I would've never believed something like that had come out of her mouth.

She went back inside as my hand automatically went to grasp Harry's. He'd been silent the whole time, and I was scared to look up at him and find out what he was thinking.

"I think it's just better if we go now" I whispered to Gemma before turning around and walking to the car, taking him with me.

I unlocked the car and opened his door for him, successfully shielding him from view as he got in. He closed his door as I walked to the other side, getting in fast before starting the car and driving away. I took the first turn and parked the car again once we were distant enough from Gemma's house.

I turned to look at Harry, not really knowing what to tell him. He was looking out of the window, his nail scratching the seat nervously. I put my hand over his to stop the action, and he turned to look at me. His eyes were glassy, but he didn't seem to be crying. I squeezed his hand, before restarting the car and drawing small circles on the back of his hand at an even pace. With the corner of my eye I saw him lean his head against the seat, and I sighed.

What had happened was fucked up, and I didn't know how to handle something like that.

We reached our building and I parked.

"Let's just get the bags tomorrow, it's kind of late now anyway" I said as we both got out of the car, and he nodded.

We walked up the stairs and he opened his door, walking in first and waiting for me to get in as well before closing it. We took off our jackets and hung them on the coat hanger next to the door.

He sighed. "I kind of want to be alone right now" he said before starting to walk down the hallway.

I took his wrist, forcing him to stop. "Not gonna happen" I told him, and he frowned. "I know that if you're alone you'll keep thinking of what she said. You will think about it the whole night, and it'll upset you way more, and you'll end up thinking she's right."

He stared at me for a few seconds. "Fuck" he sighed, sitting down on the floor of the corridor.

I knelt down next to him. "Look at me" I whispered. He did, and I continued. "Don't believe anything that she said tonight. She just said a lot of bullshit, I hope you know it. You're a sweet, kind, amazing person, don't let her bring you down. I fell in love with you for the beautiful person you are, inside and out. I love you, and I'm not going to leave you."

He blinked a few times, causing a tear to wet his eyelashes. "She's right, though. What if I hurt you too?"

"She's not. What happened all those years ago wasn't your fault. You aren't responsible for that" I said hurriedly.

"What if I hurt you?" He said.

"What if I hurt you?" I asked back, "Anything can happen, we can't be held responsible for things that aren't our fault. It's just how life is. Sometimes things just happen."

"You'd never hurt me" he whispered, "I know you wouldn't."

"And I know you'd never hurt me as well" I told him.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "How can you be so sure of it?"

"Because I trust you."

He stared at me, in silence for a few seconds. "I trust you too" he whispered after a while.

I gave him a little smile. "How are you feeling?"

"It's hard to say, right now. It always is."

"Do you still need that alone time?" I asked him, and shrugged.

"Can you just hug me instead?" He said, and I did, wrapping my arms around him and pressing my body against him as he sighed contently in my ear.

"What about we get something to eat and watch a movie?" I suggested, and he nodded.

"I'd like to distract myself a bit right now. Are you sure we have things to eat though?"

I broke the hug and stood up, offering him a hand to stand up. "Let's find out."

He took my hand and stood up. "By the way" he said, "I love you too."