A/N: Okay so. I read somewhere on Twitter that one of Harry's band members is transphobic? But I forgot their name and I can't find it. So, if you know who it is and I mentioned their name, pls let me know asap and I'll remove it . I don't want to include a character like that in my book. Thank you!
ANYWAY, WE'RE IN LONDON BAYBEEEEEEEEE
ALSO GOLDENNNNNN AKA HARRY'S BEST SONG/MUSIC VIDEO EVER AND THAT'S NOT UP FOR DEBATE!
Harry is finally going to let Delilah in and the relationship development and their individual character development is *chef's kiss* in my opinion. Let me know what you think!
EDIT: In case it isn't clear yet, COVID does not exist in this story lol but it does in real life so WEAR A DAMN MASK AND DON'T BE STUPID. STAY HOME, THANKS!
ENJOY!
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The weeks leading up to London are filled with me asking Harry questions about the place and what I should pack and how long we're staying.
I'm excited, obviously, but I'm also nervous. The last and only time I flew was when I moved here, and it was a really short flight. Harry kept trying to keep me calm. He told me all the places we'd see and the food we'd try, and it honestly helped.
But now, it was Monday. We were about to board our flight, Harry and I taking an earlier one than the rest of the band, and all I could hear behind me was the sound of cameras clicking.
I try my best to ignore it as we walk in the plane and take our seats. I'm breathing in and out loudly and Harry puts his hand over mine that's gripping the seat harshly.
"You're adorable. Relax, honeybee. It'll be over before you know it. You can just sleep the whole way if you want to." He tells me.
I shake my head fervently, "No. No sleep."
His eyebrow raises. "No sleep? Why?"
Might as well just tell him now.
I swallow, "I, um, I have nightmares. Well, nightmare. Just one." I correct. "Seb's the only one who knows. I used to wake him up when I had them but then I realized I should probably let him sleep. It's the same one. Every single time."
I look at Harry before glancing back down at my lap, "It's of the car crash. We're having fun and laughing. And then it ends with the crash. It always ends with the crash."
Harry's grip on my hand tightens. "Why didn't you wake me up when we've been together?" He's frowning slightly.
My cheeks heat. "I, um...I don't have them when I'm with you." I look back in his eyes and they're lighter, his expression softened.
"If I'm ever not with you, I want you to wake me up. Call me as many times as you need to. I'll answer."
"I'm not going to do that, Harry."
"Delilah, it'll hurt me more if you don't, knowing I can help. Promise me you'll call me. Please." His eyes are pleading, and I can't help but nod.
"Okay." I don't know what else to do but lean forward and peck his lips quickly. "Thank you."
"Anything for you, honeybee."
†
The rest of the plane ride was okay. Harry stayed awake with me even though I told him a hundred times that he should sleep.
We were getting our bags now and Harry was calling his driver.
He has a driver in London, too?
He hangs up and grabs my hand for me to follow him outside. There are cameras clicking and Harry speaks. "You're in London, Delilah. Are you excited?"
I laugh. "Are you kidding? I'm beyond excited." I smile wide at him and he returns it. He holds my hand as we walk to the car and the drive to our hotel consists of me gasping every time I see any building.
We make it to the hotel, and I find out Harry booked one room for both of us. With one bed.
It shouldn't come as a surprise to me. We've slept in the same bed countless times. But in my dream place, it seems so much more meaningful and I can't help but smile when we walk in the hotel room.
I sprint towards the bed and toss myself on my back on the mattress, giggling loudly as I shout, "I'm in London!" I move up on my elbows and look at Harry. He's staring at me with a gleam in his eyes, smiling down at me.
"I'm happy you're happy. I'm glad you came." He says.
"Thank you for bringing me." I sit up all the way. "Really, Harry. This means so much to me and my birthday is going to be unforgettable. Not only because I'm in London but because I'm with you." I tell him honestly.
His smile widens as he walks closer, and he tosses himself on the bed next to me. He's on his stomach and his smile doesn't falter as he leans in to brush his lips over mine. "I really, really, like you, Delilah."
His lips press firmly against mine for a few seconds and when he pulls away, I breathe out, "I really, really, like you, too, Harry." He kisses me softly again and then pulls back, staring ahead.
"The rest of the team isn't coming for a while. Is there anything you want to do? Or see?" He asks me.
"I don't really know." I say. "Oh! I want to eat. A lot." I tell him with a smile.
He laughs in return and looks back at me, "Then eat, we shall."
†
Harry took me to a really cute restaurant. It was outdoors and I ate my body weight in garlic bread and pasta and wine. Lots of wine.
After we ate, Harry said he wanted to show me something and wouldn't tell me what it was. We'd been in the car for a bit and I couldn't stop giggling, before his driver finally parked somewhere.
It was a tiny park with one slide and a swing set. I turned to Harry with a confused look and he just smiles, "I used to come here all the time as a kid. When I travel here for work or just to visit, I like to come here at least once. It's really peaceful and the nostalgia helps me relax when I need it. I needed it a lot last year." He says the last part under his breath, but I caught it.
We walk towards the swings as his driver leaves, and we sit down on opposite sides, facing each other. "It's really cute." I tell him. "Why did you need it a lot last year?" I ask hesitantly.
He exhales deeply and looks in my eyes before looking straight ahead towards the slide. "Remember when I told you to give me some time to open up? About my past?" I nodded. "I'm- I'm ready to tell you now. If you want to hear it." He looks at me nervously.
I nod again. "Of course, Harry." I encourage him.
"Um, last year...I was with someone. She wasn't a good person. But I didn't see it. Not until the end. Her name was Ilanna." I nodded in understanding. I remember seeing her name with his in a lot of headlines.
"She cheated on me. I really should've seen it. Any time I invited her out or tried to bring her somewhere, she always had an excuse. Nobody in my life met her because she was never around. She was really evasive and tried to keep me to herself."
He looks in my eyes. "She's the reason it's so hard for me to trust people. Or she was the reason. It's not hard anymore. Not with you." He finishes.
I feel my cheeks heat as I blurt out what I've been thinking since I met him. "You're so golden."
He just laughs, "Who's quoting my songs now?"
But I don't laugh, I keep my eyes on him, "I'm serious. You're the brightest person I know. You're like- You're like the sun. I try not to look at you, but I still see you. Everywhere. Even without looking. And you're the brightest sun I've ever seen, Harry. You're golden."
He lets out a deep exhale, "Only when I'm with you." Is his response.
But I shake my head, "No. Always." I tell him honestly. "The sun never stops shining, right, and it has an impact on every single person, even if it's only for a short amount of time. But everyone gets a glimpse of the sun and when it's gone, they desperately wish for it to come back. They let themselves burn from it because they love it so much. That's you, golden boy." I give him a wide smile. "And I'd gladly get a sunburn any day."
He stares at me without speaking for a while. I start to regret my words, but he speaks, "I'm the sun." I nod. "And you're a candle." I nod again, slower this time. "I like that." He breathes out. "We give people light, but we shine enough on our own. Before I met you, I felt like I was trapped inside this dark room. I thought I'd never be able to see again. But you, Delilah. You're the light I needed to guide me out of the darkness. And I'll never be able to thank you enough for that." I go to respond but he speaks again, "What's your word today, honeybee?"
I smile. I'd read it on the plane ride. "Refulgent."
"And that is...?"
"Shining brightly. You're refulgent, Harry. Golden."
†
We decide to leave the park after an hour or so, and Harry texts his driver, and asks me if it's okay if we don't go to the hotel.
"Where do you want to go, then?" I ask him.
"Would you- Would you mind meeting my family? Like, would you like to meet my family? Is that too much?" He stutters.
My eyes bulge but everything in me is glowing. "Really?" He nods slowly. "I-I'd love to, Harry."
He smiles the biggest smile I've ever seen on him and motions for me to get in the car once it pulls up. I'm fidgeting in my seat for the entirety of the drive. I think that's normal behavior if I'm meeting the family of the person who acts like my boyfriend but isn't really my boyfriend, so I have no idea what we are.
Totally normal.
The car pulls into the driveway of a house and my heart starts pounding harder in my chest.
"Don't be nervous. They're going to love you. It's hard not to." And he gets out of the car. My eyes widen at his statement and I fumble trying to get out, wondering if he even knows what he just said.
We're standing in front of the door and Harry puts a key in the lock, turning it. He opens the door wide and my mouth drops at how beautiful the house is.
"Wow."
We walk in and he smiles at me before calling out, "Gemma? Mum?" I hear footsteps coming and an excited voice shouts, "Harry!" A beautiful woman, who I assume is his mom, comes running towards him and jumps in his arms. They're both smiling so wide it looks like it hurts.
She pulls back after kissing his cheek a hundred times and holds him in her arms. "I missed you, my baby."
She lets go of him and looks over to me. "You must be Delilah!" She pulls me into a tight hug . "I'm Anne. It's so lovely to meet you, doll. Harry hasn't stopped talking about you, I was wondering when I was going to meet the person who's left my son so smitten."
I blush at her words and squeeze her back. "It's so nice to meet you. You have a lovely home. Thank you for having me over."
We pull back and she waves her hand in the air, "Oh, please, it's my pleasure. I've had the house set up for weeks since Harry told us he wanted to bring you."
I turn to him and raise my eyebrows as his cheeks heat, "Weeks, huh?" But I'm smiling and so is he.
"Mum, I think that's enough, yeah? Where's Gem?" Harry looks past her and then around the house.
"Oh, she went grocery shopping. Should be back soon, dear. She's going to be so angry she wasn't here when you arrived." She laughs.
We move to the couch and she continues talking with Harry, cuddling him, squeezing his cheeks. I hate the envy that bubbles up inside of me. I wish I still had that.
Anne goes into the kitchen and I turn to see Harry looking at me, concerned. "You okay? What's wrong?"
I shake my head, "Nothing, nothing. It's really nice to see how close you are with your mom. Just makes me miss mine, is all."
He gives me a sad smile and wraps his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. "I'm sorry, baby. I bet they're so proud of you, though. So proud."
I look up at him. "Thank you, sunshine." I look towards the direction Anne went in before looking back at him. "Your mom is really sweet. She's awesome."
Harry smiles at that. "She likes you a lot, I can tell. I guess she and I have that in common." He gives me a cheesy smile. "Her and Gemma are the best people I know. I'm glad you get along with her. And I'm sure you and Gem will be the same."
"I'm sure we will be." I smile at him.
A little while after, Anne is back on the couch with us and we hear the front door open. We turn our heads and I see a beautiful young woman with platinum blonde hair walk in. How is the entire family so genetically blessed?
"Harry!" Gemma drops the groceries on the floor and runs into Harry's arms, the way Anne did. It's very endearing to see how close they are. Harry holds her tightly and as soon as they release each other, Gemma turns to me.
"Are you Delilah?" She asks politely. Before I can answer, she pulls me into a hug. "So nice to finally meet you! Harry hasn't shut up about you." She laughs.
I smile widely as we pull away, "So nice to meet you. I doubt he talks about me as much as he talks about you, though."
She beams, "Oh, that's just like my little brother. So obsessed with me." All three of them laugh together and it warms my heart.
"You're staying for dinner, right?" Anne asks. But it's not really a question. She has a look in her eyes, almost daring us to tell her no.
Harry glances at me, "Um..."
"We'd love to." I say for the both of us and all three of them look like triplets when they smile at my answer.
We chatted for about an hour before Anne dragged me into the kitchen with her to start cooking. I looked at Harry, panicked, and he just shrugged at me. Great.
"Um, I should probably tell you now, Anne, I haven't cooked in a while." She waves her hand at what I say, "Oh darling, don't worry. I'm making mac and cheese. It's Harry's favorite and it's fairly simple. I'm giving you my top-secret recipe, you should be honored." She smiles and bumps my hip with hers.
"Really?" She nods. "You're trusting me with a family recipe?" She nods again.
"It's clear how fond Harry is of you. That was clear the many, many, many times he talked about you when I called him. He trusts you, so I trust you. I like you, Delilah."
"I'm honored, Anne. Thank you. I'm really fond of him, too."
And then we cook.
†
The mac and cheese was simple to make, and we got it done pretty quickly. I had more fun with Anne than I had expected, and it made me even happier to see Harry smiling at us when I caught his eye.
We were seated at the dining table now, our stomachs full, when Gemma gets up. "Delilah, would you come to the kitchen with me to get dessert?"
I nod at her and Harry's smile is full of pride at the fact that his sister wants me with her. I walk behind her and when we're in the kitchen, she turns to me.
She's going to give me the older sister talk about how if I hurt her brother-
"What are we doing for your birthday?" My eyebrows lift at her question. Not what I was expecting. "Oh."
"Harry told us it's at the end of the week, yeah?" I nod at her and she smiles. "Perfect! So what are we doing? There's not many clubs around us-"
"Oh, I'm not really much of a club person." Unless Harry asks you to go, liar. "I was just planning on staying in with Harry, I think? Some movies and takeout."
Gemma visibly saddens. "Oh. That's kind of cute, actually."
I realize she takes what I said as not wanting to spend time with her and I correct myself. "I'd love if you and Anne joined us, though. We could spend the day playing games and watching movies...order in?" She brightens at that and her smile shows off her perfect white teeth.
"Oh, really?! How exciting! We won't keep you the whole day. I'm sure you and Harry want some alone time." She wiggles her eyebrows at me, and I can't help but laugh.
"Sorry if Mum and I are coming off a bit strong. We haven't met any of H's partners so you must be something really special." She tells me as she grabs a cake from the fridge.
"Oh, I'm not his girlfriend or any-"
"You're going to regret mentioning games, though." She wraps her arm around my shoulder as we walk back to Harry and Anne. "We get really competitive in this house when it comes to games."
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Song: Golden by Harry Styles.
A/N: I love Delilah so much, I really do. And now she's besties with H's family! It makes me so happy.
Also, I finally did the title reference and I love it sm.
I'm really proud of their character development and I hope you guys are, too.
Let me know what you thought! Please vote, comment, etc. Love you the mostttt!
-J :)