“Yes!” He smiled.
Harry had brought it inside earlier and the pair walked into the sun room to have some privacy. They sat down on the plush white loveseat couch and Grace handed the carefully and beautifully wrapped present. She had butterflies in her stomach and Harry looked at her before she nodded, encouraging him to do so. Harry unwrapped the paper after removing the ribbon and he noticed a box. He opened the lid and felt his heart skip a beat at the necklace before him.
It was from the same company that made his necklace to her and he saw the heart with the lock on it and looked at Grace whose cheeks had already started to flush red with nervous embarrassment but she kept his stare.
“Gracie?”
“Um…well…it’s a Phyrra necklace like mine, only…only it has a different meaning. Harry, I had never really opened up to people before I met you and the rest of everybody. I was alone for so long, had closed my heart in for fear of it breaking more…but what I said on my birthday was true, I had never felt so alive before, and it was because I had you. I have all of you now, and you all make my life that much brighter, but you have a certain…a certain light that shines just a little brighter than everybody else. You stick out to me and you have been nothing but wonderful to me since you came into my life. I…I know my heart is protected with you, which is what that heart and lock represents to me. It means I’m giving you my heart to keep safe with you.”
Harry’s breath caught and his hands shook.
“Grace…Grace I…I can’t stand to hide this from you any longer.”
She looked at him quizzically. Harry took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together.
“I like you Grace, and I mean I really like you, a lot. I’ve grown to care about you immensely since the moment I met you and it scares me because I have never felt this way about another girl before. I know things are all new to you and I promise you that if you gave me a chance, I would show you what love is. And I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, it never is and adding on all my extra baggage will complicate things, but I’m willing to rough those seas with you if you’re willing to do the same.”
Grace’s heart pounded wildly in her chest as Harry admitted his true feelings for her.
“Oh Harry…I like you too, I like you a lot, and it too scares me greatly, but I’m willing to take a risk with you. You’ve brought so much color into my world, so much light into my life when I thought it was long gone and never to come back.”
Harry smiled wide, laughing in relief and pure genuine happiness.
“I want to be with you Grace, I want you so much.” She blushed as he told her this.
“I want to be with you too.” She bit her bottom lip cutely and Harry had the biggest urge to kiss her.
“Will you be my bird?” Harry asked softly.
He may now know she feels the same way about him but she could still very much decline him. Grace grinned though as she nodded.
“Yes, I’d love to.”
She removed the necklace from the box and slid it over Harry’s neck. It fell perfectly on his chest and she turned the coin over to show him the back engraving.
My Whole World
“Gracie…”
“You kind of are.” She teased.
He scooted closer to her, disregarding the wrapping paper and rested one hand on the arm of the couch behind her as the other gently cupped her cheek.
“May I kiss you?”
“I’d be insulted if you didn’t.” She laughed.
He laughed too and pressed his forehead to hers. His cap had long since been removed as had hers, and they stared deep into one another’s eyes.
“I had to check.”
She hummed softly, eyes falling shut and Harry saw all her perfect dark long eyelashes before he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. Grace felt sparks rush through her immediately and Harry felt them too. There was clearly something there between them to feel such strong sensations with a mere brush of lips against lips. Her lips were soft and pink just like he imagined, and his were plump and red and warm as Grace had pictured.
Harry applied more pressure this time, letting her feel the full effect of a first kiss. He sighed against her mouth, relishing in her perfection, as one of Grace’s small delicate hands gently laced through the curls at the back of his head. Harry pulled his lips back just to bring them right against hers again, Grace following his movements. She was obviously a natural as she followed the movements of Harry’s lips against hers, pulling their lips apart just to push back together.
There was no tongue, he didn’t want her first kiss to be sloppy and gross, he wanted it to be special so she could remember it. After another minute of gentle kissing, Harry pulled back but kept his forehead against hers, his fingers gripping the arm of the couch tight.
“Shit Gracie you’re giving me mad butterflies right now.”
She giggled slightly and ran her fingers through his hair, Harry leaning into her touch.
“Likewise Harry.” He kissed her gently once more before grabbing his phone.
“Would you like the world to know now or later?” Grace thought about it.
“Let’s tell the gang first, I don’t think they’d ever forgive us otherwise.”
Harry nodded and pressed his lips to her cheek as the camera aimed at them and he snapped the picture of her smiling and still holding his hair. He piled all their names into a large group text before adding a little bit to the picture.
It’s official.
He clicked send and both he and Grace laughed. It was 11:30 at night and he figured everyone was still awake. The texts started coming in right away.
Elise: FUCKING FINALLY! CONGRATS!!!! (=
Niall: OH MY GOD I AM SO HAPPY I COULD EAT A HIPPO!! (= BUT I’LL SETTLE FOR A CUPCAKE INSTEAD!
Liam: YAY!!!!!! (=
Louis: MY LITTLE GRACIE POO IS ALL GROWN UP I COULD CRY!!! HARRY YOU BETTER TAKE CARE OF HER!!!
Zayn: WOOHOO! SUPER HAPPY FOR YOU GUYS!
Eleanor: AWW!!!!!! LOOK AT HOW YOU MAKE HER SMILE HARRY! KEEP IT THAT WAY!!! <3
Danielle: I AM CRYING TEARS OF JOY I SWEAR! HARRY BETTER KEEP YOU SMILING GRACE! <3
Harry and Grace both laughed before she texted her nana to tell her the good news. She knew she wasn’t going to get a response since it was still late and Harry turned Grace’s attention to him and pulled her into a kiss as he took a picture. She was cradling his cheek and he was leaning into her with his hand still gripping the couch.
“Instagram time.” Harry decided to just keep post that photo by itself, thinking it to be more special that way, before he picked a filter and then thought of a caption. He showed it to Grace who nodded.
“Okay…you ready?”
“I think so.”
“Alright, let’s do this.”
He clicked the submit button before the photo was loaded on for all the internet to see.
She said yes. <3
“C’mon, let’s get some sleep.” Harry yawned.
“I agree.”
Grace yawned too and they held hands as Harry picked up his wrappings and Grace took his box before threw his trash away and they walked upstairs together. Harry saw he still had some old clothes here from where he stops by to spend the night and he handed Grace a shirt and pair of basketball shorts and he stripped down to boxers.
Grace changed in the bathroom, removing her makeup in the process, before she used the facilities and then washed her hands. Harry turned his phone on silent before Grace came back, climbing under the covers with him. Harry curled his arms around her and they shared a smile.
“I’m never taking my necklace off.” He whispered.
“Really?” He nodded.
“I haven’t taken mine off either.” He grinned and kissed her forehead lovingly.
“Does it feel good to be with me?” Harry asked.
She traced invisible patterns on his chest before nodding her head.
“Oh yes, it’s what I’ve wanted for months.”
Harry sighed contently, wrapping his arms even more snug around her tiny frame.
“I’ve wanted it also, I was just worried about scaring you off.” She blushed.
“I understand, I was just worried you didn’t feel the same way, you know since you’re used to models and I’m just boring.”
Harry shook his head.
“You’re never boring, you’re my Gracie and I’m so happy to have you as a part of my life.” Harry kissed her lips reassuringly.
“Fuck models, I don’t need them when I’ve got you.”
“The fans will be scary.”
She sighed looking a little worried.
“Don’t let them scare you, a lot of them are really wonderful, just some of them are a little crazier than others. I’ll protect you, I promise. If things get ugly I’m here. I won’t stand for people upsetting you.”
Her heart fluttered at her knight in shining armor.
“Thank you.”
He kissed her lips again before resting his face in the crook of her neck. Grace took to running her fingers through his curly locks, smiling as Harry’s breathing evened out and he fell asleep like that on her. She giggled to herself, checking the clock on his nightstand to see it was 11:59.
“Happy birthday babe.”
And she kissed his temple gently before closing her eyes and falling asleep comfortably. The next morning Grace woke up before Harry, and she smiled seeing him with his mouth parted slightly as he snored, his hair in disarray and he looked so cute and much younger in sleep. She brushed her fingers through her curls before she leaned over to the nightstand to grab her phone that was next to Harry’s. She had text messages from everybody, congratulating her and telling her they were happy. Her nana’s made her smile.
Your parents would have loved him. I love him. I am so happy for you baby girl. <3
Grace texted her back before she looked at Instagram. She smiled seeing the picture of her and Harry from last night. She liked it before noticing it had over a million likes and hundreds of thousands of comments. Her followers had grown even more overnight, she was well past 2.3m now and she was shocked. She saw a lot of good comments on the picture but of course there were the hurtful ones.
Harry leave her!
She’s so ugly!
Ew you could do so much better Harry!
Harry you are in a relationship with Louis! Stop this!
Ugh she should fucking go away!
She tried not to let them bother her, especially when she saw that people were coming to her defense. Now she knew what Eleanor and Danielle and Elise all go through, but Eleanor she could probably relate to the best since she gets the most harassed by fans since they think Louis and Harry are secretly in love. Grace felt the bed shift before arms wrapped around her stomach and soft kisses were pressed to the back of her neck.
“Morning Love.” Harry mumbled against her shoulder.
“Morning sweetheart, sleep well?” He nodded.
“I had you in my arms.”
He yawned cutely and blinked before looking at the comments.
“Don’t listen to them, don’t let them scare you.” Harry whispered in her ear.
“I know, it just hurts when people who don’t even know you say things like this. But alas, I signed up for this and I knew what I was getting into. I don’t care, I have you.”
Harry kissed her cheek before rubbing his nose across her shoulder.
“Exactly, nobody else’s opinion should matter.”
Grace turned her head and Harry kissed her warmly before they shared a smile.
“Don’t worry okay?” Grace nodded.
“Okay.”
He kissed her once more before they both finally got out of bed, stretching the kinks out and cracking their backs and necks before they walked downstairs to the kitchen where Harry’s mother had made breakfast for them all.
“Morning you two! Sleep well?”
Anne greeted them both with hugs and kisses before she had them sit down at the breakfast bar.
“Slept great mum, meet my bird Grace.” Harry chuckled and sipped his orange juice.
Grace blushed but nodded and Annie squealed, clapping her hands excitedly as she rushed over and pulled them into a group hug.
“Oh I am so ecstatic!”
“We are too.” Grace murmured. Harry nodded.
“Harry you better take care of her, I mean it mister.” Anne scolded before kissing his forehead.
“I will mum.”
“Grace tell me if my son makes a cock up of himself.” Anne told Grace before kissing her forehead too.
Grace laughed but nodded to put Anne’s mind at ease.
“When are you two heading back?”
“After breakfasts mum, we have a doggy to attend to.”
“Oh yes, Tails. Cute little thing, bring him around next time, I don’t mind.”
“Will do.” Harry told her before continuing to eat his breakfast.
Grace did the same, using her toast to scoop up the eggs and eat it like that. Her mother taught her how to do that and it had been a habit ever since. She also put ketchup on her hashbrowns and mixed that all up, sipping her juice happily. Anne talked with them a bit, examining Harry’s necklace and telling Grace she did a great job picking it out. Grace thanked her and explained she had done a lot of research before ultimately deciding to take a risk on it.
When they were dressed in yesterday’s clothes and Harry was gathering his presents from Gemma and Anne in his car, Anne pulled Grace into a tight motherly hug and held her close.
“Thank you for bringing my son happiness.” Anne whispered in her ear. Grace grinned.
“He brought me back to life.” She admitted quietly. Anne sighed gratefully and stroked Grace’s hair.
“If you ever need anything darling, don’t hesitate, my arms are open as are my ears. I know we have a bit of a distance between us but know Gemma and I are both here for you. Harry explained your familial situation and I just want you to know you can always confide in me.”
Grace thanked her immensely, she had needed support like that.
“And don’t let those silly fan girls get the best of you, nobody else’s opinion matters but yours and Harry’s.”
“I understand.”
“Good.”
Anne kissed her again before she yelled for Harry to come over and give his mother a proper hug and kiss. Grace giggled and went to stand by the car to give them some privacy.
“Take care of her Harry, and I mean it, don’t play with her heart.” Anne warned as she hugged her son.
“Mum I don’t want to lose her, I promise.”
“You better not, she’s changed you for the better. I love her already.” Harry laughed.
“She’s hard not to love.” Anne smiled and nodded.
“I’ll talk to ya later mum, I’ll text yeh when we get home.”
“Good, drive safe.”
“I will.”
“I love you Harry.”
“I love you too mum, thanks for everything.”
“Of course sweetheart, say hello to everyone for me.”
“Will do, say hi to Robin.”
Anne nodded before they shared one more hug and then Harry walked over to the car, unlocking it and helping Grace in before he climbed in on his side, revving the engine to crank the heat. They both waved to Anne who stood outside until they were gone.
Harry played the radio softly as he grabbed Grace’s hand in his, lacing their fingers together. He was so happy he could do that whenever he wanted now without having to worry about embarrassing himself or her.
“Your family is lovely Harry, I can’t wait to meet your dad.”
“Hah, yeah he’s a trip. I’m sure we’ll meet him next time.” Grace nodded.
“Thanks for putting up with their craziness.”
“They were fun. And you were so cute as a kid.” She giggled and pinched his cheek teasingly.
“Oi none of that! These cheeks are for kissing not pinching!”
“Cheeky!”
“Literally.”
Harry and Grace both laughed before she leaned over and kissed his cheek as their laced hands remained on the center console. Harry drove with his hand at the bottom of the wheel as he relaxed and Grace did too. It was a calm silence, not awkward or forced and they were both fine to just bask in each others presence.