**HARRYS POV**
During the next night, I got woken up by a sudden movement next to me and opened my eyes to see Y/n in tears, sitting up in bed and breathing quickly.
„Y/n? Baby, what's wrong?" I scooted closer to her to rub her back.
„I uhm, I- I- I need to turn a light on in here." She breathed. „Please, I- I'm scared."
„Alright, shhh just stay calm, love, you're okay." I assured her and reached behind her to turn her bedside lamp on. „What happened, baby? What's wrong?"
„I- I had this nightmare...of that guy, that night...it felt so real again." She sobbed.
I pulled her close into my arms to hold her tightly. „Oh baby, I'm sorry. Nothing's gonna happen to you, you're safe here. You're here with me and you're just fine." I kissed the top of her head. „You're okay, my sweetheart. You're absolutely safe and I love you so much."
„Why can't I just forget about this ever happening?" She cried in my arms.
„You will at some point, I promise. It's gonna be okay. It's all gonna be okay."
„I see his face anywhere I go, Harry." She sobbed.
„I'm sorry, my love. I'm sorry you have to go through this. We'll work it out together. I'm here for you." I looked at her and wiped her tears off her cheeks before I kissed her forehead. „Do you need anything, baby? Some water or something?" I asked her.
She shook her head. „No...I- I just need you. Can you stay here, please?"
„Darling, of course. I won't leave you, don't worry. I'll stay right here with you." I assured her, stroking her hair soothingly. „Wanna try to sleep again?
She nodded and laid back down, holding tight onto my hand. „I love you, Harry." She whispered as I laid down next to her, even closer than before.
„I love you more, sweetie." I kept soothingly stroking her cheek so she'd fall asleep, but it didn't help, so I had an idea, that I thought might work. I quietly started to sing to her one of her favorite songs from since we were little kids. „You are my sunshine, my only sunshine..." I started. „You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away..."
I kept repeating those lines over and over again, gently singing it to her close to her ear, kissing her soothingly on her head in between until her tears stopped falling down her cheeks and she eventually fell asleep.
*
The next morning, Y/n was ready to head to the police, so I quickly took her over there, promising her it wasn't going to take long, which it luckily didn't and we were out there again rather quickly. Obviously it brought up everything again and it wasn't anywhere near easy for her to deal with.
I didn't know how, but as we exited the police station, a crowd of paps showed up there, just making everything worse for Y/n.
„I can't do this, H." She looked up at me, terrified.
„It's gonna be fine, love. Just stick with me, don't look up and ignore them. Don't say anything to them, I'll guide you through." I whispered to her before I grabbed her hand tightly. „You'll be okay, we just need to get out of here now."
As we made our way through, they started to shoot question after question, luckily most of them not regarding anything about Y/n, confirming to me that they fortunately had no idea of what really happened and why we were here.
„Harry what happened to your eye?? Where you in a fight?"
„How do you feel about Zayn leaving the band?"
„Are you guys still in contact with Zayn?"
„Will One Direction last as a four?"
„Y/n, when will your tour continue? Is there new music coming?"
„Harry what happened to you? Did someone hit you?"
„Did Y/n hit you?? Y/n, did you hit your boyfriend? Wouldn't have thought you'd be that kind of a girl."
That was enough for me and I snapped back at him. „Don't you have any sense of respect whatsoever?! You don't get to go around and make assumptions about me and especially not my girlfriend that aren't anywhere near true! Take your pics and mind your own damn business, talk shit about me I don't care, but don't ever talk shit about her!" I told them, my voice raised and opened the car door for Y/n to usher her in before I got in myself and drove off.
„You didn't have to do that, Harry." Y/n said silently.
„I won't let them spread lies about you."
„But it is true, isn't it? I hit you, it was me that did this to you." Her voice started shaking.
„Y/n no, please don't do this. It was an accident we both know that. I told you it's okay. I know you would never hit me, god it's you, you'd never do that. Please stop feeling bad about it, I'm totally fine, it's just a bruise."
„Well now they're gonna come up with some story of you getting a black eye." She sighed.
„I really couldn't care less, baby. I just can't stand them talking shit about you."
„I'm just glad they didn't ask anything about the...that night." She admitted.
„Me too, love. The police will take care of that now, you don't have to worry about anything anymore." I assured her, placing my hand on hers.
„Yeah..." She nodded, giving me a tiny smile.
„Hey uhm, we've still got two hours until my mum gets here. What do you think about we go to some coffee shop and get some breakfast?" I asked carefully just so she'd get a chance to go out for a bit to get her mind off things instead of staying at home all day.
She nodded slowly. „Yeah, sure...let's go."
I then parked somewhere in the city so we could walk around for a bit and find a coffee shop we both liked.
It was a nice winter day today, just perfect for going our for a walk.
We settled on a coffee shop, went inside and ordered some things for breakfast. I specifically suggested a place that wasn't all too crowded so she would feel more comfortable.
I watched her, realizing she did feel kind of uncomfortable, playing with her bracelet, looking around nervously and her hands shaking a bit.
„Y/n, baby look at me." I placed both my hands on the table in front of her so she could lay hers in mine what she then did. „You're safe, lovie. I'm here with you, you're not alone. Nothing's gonna happen to you here." I assured her. „Ignore the people around you, just focus on me, okay? We're just gonna relax and have some breakfast."
„Okay." She nodded with a deep breath afterwards. „I'm sorry, this is pathetic."
„It's not, Y/n. It's absolutely not pathetic, it's understandable." I rubbed my thumbs over the back of her hands. „And it's okay."
She then calmed down a bit and we had a nice breakfast with some hot chocolate she loved.
Everything was going good until some fans started to recognize us and approached us.
„Oh my god it's really you two! Can we take a picture together?" A girl that came with other two friends squeaked out.
„Uhm would you mind if we don't? Now is just not a good time." I declined politely, not wanting to be rude to them.
„Uh that's okay, sorry." She said then left before one of her friends started to talk. „Harry what happened to your eye?"
„Oh just a little accident, it's fine." I told them.
Even though the three of them left, someone must have leaked our location as even more fans showed up.
I could see Y/n tensing up more and more, breathing quickly. I grabbed her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze until it got a bit too crowded in the coffee shop as one of the fans bumped into a waitress just near us and her whole tray fell to the floor, making Y/n wince hard. She started shaking again and tears formed in her eyes, her breathing quick.
„Harry...please." Y/n let out silently, her look pleading.
„Let's get out of here, baby." I got up and held her close to my body before I went to pay for our order and we quickly headed outside somewhere the fans couldn't spot us so I could check on Y/n.