I groaned as my eyes fluttered before I rubbed my face and opened them properly, the first thing I noticed was how warm I was, then it was how dark the room was.
I glanced around seeing the curtains still open even though it was dark outside and the TV was stuck on the 'Are you still watching?' page, I could hear very faint sounds from the kitchen that sounded like radio and I glanced down at myself.
I was still wrapped up in my blanket but I was now half way down the sofa laying on something that could only be described as firm but warm and soft.
I twisted myself tighter into my blanket in an attempt to conserve the warmth as I twisted my head and I paled.
I was laying on Harry.
Or rather, I was twisted around Harry who still had his feet up on the table but was under the blanket with me one arm throw over the back of the sofa behind me and the other around my waist as I discovered once I'd raised the blanket ever so slightly.
How the fuck did this even happen? And how long had we been asleep?
"Oh good, you're awake."
I jumped as Mum appeared in the doorway and I glanced at Harry worried that I'd woken him but I was relieved to find he was still asleep, snoring lightly.
"I was coming to tell you dinner's almost ready. Is he staying?" Mum asked and I smiled half heartedly at her, I had no idea how to wake Harry up or how to get him to leave without being rude or offending him.
"I have no idea." I admitted, rubbing my face awkwardly. "I don't know when we fell asleep." I told Mum who just raised her eyebrows.
"Who even is he?"
"Harry." I said, freezing as I felt Harry shift under me and I glanced at him before looking back wide eyed at Mum who was trying to stifle her laugh as she lent against the door frame.
"Wot about me sunshine?"
I was sure my heart was going to beat out of my chest at the sound of Harry's voice, it was deeper than it usually was and much more gravelly. I supposed that's what he sounded like first thing in the morning as well and the thought sent my stomach into a spin.
"Sunshine."
Mum mouthed at me and I rolled my eyes as I tried to sit up properly, only to have Harry's arm tighten around me and I blushed even though my blanket covered the action.
"Harry." I almost whispered as I watched Harry's eyes blink open and he looked at me before looking around and I watched as his eyes landed on my Mum and it was almost comical as his eyes widened.
"Hi." Mum grinned and I groaned, why was she like this?
"Hi Ms Tate, m'arry."
I cringed, why was Harry like this?
I sat up properly and moved off him completely, biting my lip to stop the pain in my core from showing on my face as I stood up from the sofa and stretched, turning the TV off with an easy click of a button.
More importantly though, how the hell did Harry know my last name? I was pretty sure we'd never used them, but then again he didn't mention the fact I knew his so I had to return the favour.
"I'm making porcupine casserole for dinner, would you like to stay?" Mum asked and I shot her a look, hoping that Harry couldn't see it as I tidied up our tea stuff.
"May?"
I glanced over my shoulder at Harry who was looking at me and I quickly realised he was asking if it was alright with me and my heart thumped at the realisation.
A part of me didn't want Harry and Mum in the same room together but I also didn't want Harry to leave just yet.
"If you want to." I smiled slightly, as I picked up our mugs and attempted to pick up the teapot as well just as Mum left us alone.
"Let me." Harry took it out of my hands almost immediately and I blinked several times as it happened and I smiled in a silent thanks.
I walked slowly, not really wanting to arrive in the kitchen unsure what exactly was going to happen between the two of them. Mum hated Tommy and vice versa, and I knew that Mum had literally just met Harry but I wanted her to see that he was nice.
"May." Harry whispered tugging on the sleeve of my jumper and I stopped walking assuming that's what he wanted. I bit my lip as I looked up at him, a truly worried look on his face and I resisted the urge to reach up and smooth the crease out between his eyebrows.
"What the fuck is porcupine casserole?" Harry whispered and I laughed, that's what he was worried about?
"Meatballs and rice." I told him simply as we looked at each other and I felt the overwhelming urge to hug him. I don't know why but I felt like I should, maybe it was because I was craving reassurance and affection, especially after last night.
Or maybe I just simply felt like it.
I didn't though and instead I just wandered into the kitchen with Harry close behind seeing Mum pulling out the casserole dish from the oven just as I shoved the mugs into the dishwasher and told Harry to leave the teapot in the sink.
I busied myself with getting cutlery out whilst Mum was serving dinner and I didn't have to check over my shoulder to know Harry was following me about considering I could hear him breathing behind me and I wondered if it was because he was nervous to be around my Mother.
Not that I could see any reason why he would be, surely he was used to his friends families. Fran and I were practically sisters, her Mum was like my second Mother and mine hers.
"Where do you want to sit?" I asked flinching slightly as I turned, Harry was much closer than I had anticipated, so close in fact I could see all of his eyelashes.
"Next to you." Harry smiled and I stared at him for a moment before I realised what I was doing and nodded, turning away from him and finishing the table with the salt and pepper shakers in the middle.
"Here we go."
I turned to see Mum holding out two plates towards us and I took mine and Harry's before he got the chance, catching his narrowed eyes at me as I placed the plates down and took a seat, Harry settling in next to me and Mum across the table from me.
I watched as Harry stared at his plate before he cracked a smile and turned to me, his eyes widening a bit as he was the one being watched this time and I felt like laughing; now he knows how it feels.
"I see why its called porcupine," Harry said, and I looked at my own dinner, the spiky meatballs staring back at me made my stomach drop. "Clever." Harry laughed and I glanced up as Mum laughed too.
I cut my dinner up into small pieces as silence covered the three of us and I made sure most of my meatballs had crumbled into the sauce so it looked like I'd eaten more.
"So," Oh here we go, "Harry, how do you know my daughter?" Mum asked.
"I work with her boyfriend." Harry smiled and I pushed my sauce around the plate.
"You're a drug dealer too?"
I choked on the small piece of meat I was chewing as I stared at Mum, and I could hear Harry spluttering next to me.
"No. Definitely not. No." Harry denied and I saw him glance at me for help and I just shrugged subtly.
I couldn't even remember telling her that about Tommy. I must have done, probably when we were first together and happy.
"But you work with Tommy? Are you friends?" Mum pressed on and I rolled my eyes.
"Mum." Now I know how Harry felt with Gemma.
"May, I'm trying to get to know your friend here." Mum innocently smiled and I narrowed my eyes at her making her laugh lightly.
"No I'm not friends with him, he technically works for me. Its a banking and investment company, his drug enterprise is his own stupid idea."
I almost raised an eyebrow at Harry's lie but I wasn't entirely sure if it was a lie considering he told me he had an office and that was for legitimate business and I also didn't want Mum to suspect that Harry wasn't lying.
I wanted Mum to like Harry. He was practically my best friend. And my only friend.
"So you're not friends with May's boyfriend?" Mum asked as she swallowed and I narrowed my eyes at her again.
"Mum." I ground out this time. Her tone was borderline accusatory and I didn't like it, and I could tell Harry didn't either as I saw him twiddling with one of his rings as he glanced at me every so often.
"Relax May," Mum laughed and I almost wanted to roll my eyes. "I'm just kidding, you know how much I dislike your wet blanket of a boyfriend."
I didn't bother to defend Tommy mainly because I didn't want to. I remembered what I had thought last night after everything that happened and I wasn't going to deny that it was the truth.
"Haven't heard him called a wet blanket before." Harry laughed and I shook my head, his laugh really was something else. Just like his smile, everything about Harry was special and I wondered how I was only just noticing this about him.
"Not exactly an incorrect description though is it?" Mum hummed and laughed.
"No it certainly isn't." Harry agreed with her and I put my knife and fork down on my plate. "You've barely eaten."
"I'm not very hungry." I told Harry, taken back by the fact he'd even noticed. I'd managed almost four years of Mum being oblivious, why couldn't Harry be the same?
"I've not seen you eat today." Harry pointed out and I stared him, almost begging him to drop it with just a look.
Mum hadn't said a thing since her belittling of Tommy and I shifted on my seat awkwardly knowing she was listening to every little thing said making me sigh and pick up my fork again and push half a meatball into my mouth.
"Good girl."
I almost choked at Harry's low words and I shifted again aware of a sudden and unexplainable throbbing between my thighs.
"Harry's spending Christmas here."
I changed the subject almost immediately, trying not to show my strange and unexpected arousal on my face as I glanced at Mum who had her eyebrows raised.
"You are?" She asked and for once I was thankful for her ability to be polite when she wanted, I knew anyone else would have asked about Harry's own family.
"Yeh', if that's okay with you of course. May said you'd be working." Harry smiled and I looked at him, in the entire month I'd known him I'd never heard him sound so...understated.
"Of course Harry. That'll be nice won't it, May?" Mum turned her eyes on me and I just pressed my lips together as I gave her a small smile.
"M'surprised that you've not decorated yet." Harry nudged me and I flinched slightly and I flicked my eyes around the room. It had totally slipped my mind, so had Christmas shopping admittedly.
I had too many other things going on in my brain to think about Christmas decorations and even though I loved Christmas I was still trying to figure out how to tell Harry about Tommy and the threat to him.
Even though I didn't really know anything about that, I felt like I should find more out before I told Harry. I did have habit of over reacting, maybe I was just being paranoid.
"Slipped my mind." I muttered, "Haven't finished my shopping either."
"Jesus May stop reminding me about my shortcomings." Harry groaned but from the smile tugging at his lips I knew he was kidding.
"She's like this every year, little miss organised. Don't you have an afternoon off this week?" Mum asked, and I nodded.
"Friday, why?" I was apprehensive to ask.
"Why don't decorate then?" Mum suggested and I shrugged.
"Are you giving me permission?" I teased making her laugh. "I think Westfield is open until nine now every day."
"I'm free on Friday, we could go shopping then?" Harry suggested and I raised an eyebrow.
"We're shopping together now?" I gasped, watching as Harry smirked although I could tell he was taken back by my teasing, and I was too, truth be told; I was forgetting myself.
"It's only the natural next step in any friendship considering you were asleep on the sofa together."
"Mum!"
I groaned as Harry laughed loudly with Mum and I knew if this had been two weeks ago, I would have cringed and tried to remove myself from this situation as quickly as possible, and considering last night I should have been trying now.
But I wasn't and I didn't want to considering Harry was laughing and seemed to be happy, no more twisting of rings as he got along with my Mum and I smiled at the feeling that was flowing through my body.
I was happy.
I was happy despite everything and a lot of that had to do with Harry which only made me more determined to tell Harry about what I had heard in the pub the other night, and I vowed I would find out more information so I could be more helpful.
"You know," Harry nudged me and I looked up at him, a smile on my face as I saw one tugging at his lips.
"I might even help you decorate, Miss Christmas."