Have I Told You Lately? (l.s)

thirty

23.12.18

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Having received the letters containing their results, Harry and Niall were able to work out the classes they would be taking sixth year, so that a few days before term started, they could take a day trip to Diagon Alley and buy all their supplies. While there, they'd bumped into Liam and Louis who were making their way out of Flourish and Blotts while Harry and Niall were heading in. The interaction had been slightly awkward, Niall and Liam had carried most of the conversation in fear of letting things go quiet, while Louis and Harry avoided eye contact and acted as if they didn't know each other. 

Once they parted with the two, neither boy mentioned the uncomfortable encounter and instead Niall picked back up on the conversation they'd been having previously. The same could not be said for Liam and Louis however. 

As he'd been doing for most of the day, Liam continued asking Louis questions about what really happened, what Louis was going to do the next school year and if there was anything he could do to help. 

"Liam, I've already told you. It doesn't need fixing. We probably won't even have any classes together sixth year, he wants to be a healer so he'll probably be doing loads of N.E.W.Ts that I'm not." Louis told him, following Liam down the street, through the crowd of people. 

"I know, but Louis don't you think this has gone on too long? It's ridiculous, what could have been so bad that you haven't spoken in nearly 3 months?" Liam asked exasperatedly, now they were out of the crowd he was able to fall into step next to Louis as they made their way up to Quality Quidditch Supplies. 

"We've had this conversation so many times." 

"I know, but I never get an answer that makes sense. I just hate seeing you guys not friends." 

"Is that for your benefit or mine?" Louis snapped. 

"Erm," Liam responded, thinking of how to approach Louis in his suddenly snappish mood, "obviously it's better for me if you get along because then I don't have to spend all my time being the middle man, but it's for you benefit too. You two were such good friends and you were so happy whenever you spent time together, you've just been miserable these past few months and I hate when you're miserable." 

Louis sighed, "Sorry, I know you mean well. It's just complicated Liam." 

Liam nodded and reached out for the door handle of the shop, stepping aside and letting Louis go in before him, "I know it is mate." 

Liam left it there and Louis didn't pick up on the topic again. 

The day they went back to Hogwarts, Harry sat in a carriage with Niall, Isabelle and some of her friends. He hadn't seen Louis board the train, nor had he seen him on the platform, but he knew he was on it. Harry had come to a decision within himself that he was going to talk to Louis, he was going to make the effort and if the other boy showed signs of clear disinterest, Harry would leave it. But he knew within himself that he wouldn't be able to go an entire school year without talking to him, especially now he knew how good it was to have Louis in his life. 

The welcoming feast was the same as it always was and once you'd seen it four times previously, you began to pay less and less attention until the arrival of food on the table made you jump out of your daydream. Harry threw himself into all the conversations he could, he knew that at the end of fifth year he'd been dealing with some things that made him less talkative so he made a conscious effort to try and be more involved and speak to anybody. At force of habit, he couldn't help himself from gazing over at the Slytherin table and watching Louis interact with his peers. A few times, Louis would look in his direction and the two would make eye contact for a split second before he'd turn away and act like nothing had happened. Truth be told, it was driving Harry mad and was making things even more difficult for him.