Harry and his coughing and sneezing kept me up all night after their L.A. show. I knew he suffered with hayfever but this was to the extent of him not being able to breathe. I also felt so weirdly, strangely protective of him. Throughout the night I would roll over and place my hand on his hip, making sure he was okay. When Harry got sick, he got into a foul mood and would brush me off, but I understood how annoyed he must have felt.

In the morning, I let him sleep, ignoring Paul when he came to pick him up to go to the gym at 5 a.m. Harry wasn’t a machine, but he got treated like one. I knew he’d be pissed off at me for interfering, but honestly I think if he’d have stepped on that treadmill he’d have a heart attack.

“Harry, love,” I knelt down beside him, realising I’d have a bit of trouble getting back up. I brushed his cheek with my finger. His eyes were puffy and his nose was red. “It’s nine o-clock."

His eyes flickered open and he groaned. He pulled at me to get back into his side of the bed with him, but I resisted. I knew he’d be too rough to join me, but I had decided to go shopping, and I wanted to get it out of the way early so I could enjoy the good weather.

“Why didn’t you wake me up for the gym?” He sniffed.
“You can’t go like this,” I said. “Your chest will just give up on you."
He frowned, but nodded in agreement. “I don’t know why I always get this ill."

I looked around the room, and back at Harry. He had one of my hands on his chest and was stroking the back of it with his thumb absent-mindedly. I didn’t want to leave him. I felt so attached to him, made worse by the baby who always gave me the feeling he or she didn’t like it when he wasn’t around either.

“Do you want me to stay here for the day? I can take care of you, if you’re too sick to be alone.” I leaned down and propped my head up beside him.
“No, no, I’ll be fine. It’s just the stupid pollen.” He smiled softly, his voice finally starting to sound less rough. “Where are you off to, anyway?”
“I was going to go shopping. We need to start getting some things for the baby.”
He frowned. “You should let me do that with you. I can help.”
“I was just going to buy some clothes and some bits and pieces, Harry. You won’t miss much."

Harry was obviously not impressed, but nodded anyway. He instructed me to take a bodyguard with me and to text him regularly throughout the day. I hoisted myself off of the bed, took one last look at his lazy, slumped frame, kissed him goodbye, and left.

“Hola Señorita.” I turned round to see Niall kicking a football in the hallway alone. “What are you doing on this fine day off? Where’s the hubby?”
I smiled. “He’s ill. I’m going shopping.”
“Ah great, I’ll come with ya. I’m bored out of my head here.”
“Well, I’m going baby shopping..”
“Oh really? Even better. I’m great at that. Let me get my hat."

He disappeared down the hall, into his room, and re-appeared five minutes later. I was surprised he wanted to join me, but actually kind of happy for the company.

Niall made a point of stopping for a few fans in the hotel lobby, and we took the car to wherever seemed like it had good shops. Niall was mostly directing the whole outing, seeing as I had never been here before.

Baby shopping in one word? Overwhelming. Who knows how big your baby will be when it arrives. Girl or boy? Cribs, sterilisers, burping cloths, moses baskets, push-chairs, blankets.. is this how unprepared we really were? So far all we had was the baby, and hadn’t really thought about where the baby would sleep, or eat, or play. I started to pale when I realised just how under prepared we were.

Niall scooted round all the shops, picking up random things, adding them to his own basket. I couldn’t believe it when he came out with baby-grows, t-shirts, leggings, hats and mittens, and all I came out with was a pack of pacifiers.

“Scared now?” Niall grinned, on our way back to the car.
“An understatement.” I said, swallowing hard after.
“Ah Annie you’ll be fine. You’ve got time when you get home to organise the baby’s room and stuff. Although, I don’t know how great Harry is with D.I.Y.” He chuckled, throwing the bags into the boot of the car and getting into the drivers seat.
“It will probably be more do-it-myself.” I sighed, but with a playful grin on my face. Niall laughed and nodded.

The drive was laden with traffic. We were mostly silent until we took the freeway.

“Do you really love Harry, then? I can’t imagine what it’s like to really love someone.” Niall tilted his head to the side. “Like, I don’t think any of us have really stopped and thought twice about it but.. you’re actually having a baby together.. that’s a commitment for life.”
I was taken back by his comment and gave myself thirty seconds before answering.
“I can’t see myself with anyone else.” Was all I could manage.
“What’s it like when you’re away from him, say, like, today?”
I looked at Niall and smiled shyly. “Well, I’ll be texting him all day. And thinking about him. Being pregnant has definitely made me more attached."

Niall just nodded, but he didn’t say another word after that. I could see his mind was ticking over and over.

“What?” I asked, noticing the concentration on his face. He jumped.
“Oh, no, no, nothing.” He checked his mirror. “I just.. I know how much you love him.”
“So..?” I pressed.
“I.. nothing. Like I just, I mean..” He chewed on his lip. “He loves you with everything in the world. If anything ever came between that just remember he loves you more than anything."

He turned up the radio so I couldn’t ask anymore questions. I frowned. Now Niall was being shifty.

---

“Why didn’t you tell me you were downstairs?” Harry asked, letting me in the hotel room and helping me with all of the bags. “I could have brought this all up for you."

His eyes were still red, but his overall look was better. I took a deep breath, worn out from carrying all of my things. “You wanna sit down and look through it all with me?”

Harry nodded, but took my hand and led me over to the bed like a child. He pulled up two of the pillows and arranged them so I could rest. I smiled and laid back while he grabbed all the bags.

“Oh my God, Annie.” Harry’s face lit up when he pulled the tiny clothes out of the bag. “How small.. That’s crazy.."

I just watched in silence with a small smile on my lips as he went through all the things very slowly, and seriously. I knew then that everything was becoming real for him. He laughed out loud when he picked up the t-shirt Niall had picked. White, with black writing, it read ‘my dad’s in a band.’

“That. Is amazing.” He held it up against his chest, admiring how small it was. He looked back at me. He placed the stuff down and crawled over to me. I watched as he pulled up my shirt, to reveal the little bump forming. He pressed his lips to my belly button, and assumed his usual spot, laying his head on my chest. I ran my fingers through the curls of his hair, unusually soft because they hadn’t been styled today.

“You know what’s funny?” I said, staring at the wall in front of us. “Niall asked me if I really loved you today.”
Harry sat up and looked at me. “What did you say?” His voice was raspy from straining to look at me.
“I said I can’t imagine myself with anyone else.” I said, finally dropping my eyes to look at him.

Harry’s face didn’t move. He looked at me, his eyes dark and maybe even sad. Finally, he swallowed.

“Me neither."
“You know, he was weird about it, though.” I said, searching his face for any answers.
“Weird?” He asked, not looking at me.
“Hm. Like kind of shifty.” I said.
“That’s strange. Do you want to go for dinner tonight? How about Nobu? You can wear that sexy little black dress.” He winked, moving off the subject.
“That sexy little black dress no longer fits me, and I can’t eat raw fish.” I said, pretending to be annoyed.
“Well then lets buy you a new dress, and go somewhere else.” He grinned hard, making his eyes squint. I laughed.
“No, because in about two weeks that one won’t fit me, either. And yes, lets just go to a diner. I really fancy a jar of pickles and loads of mustard."

Harry looked at me like I was crazy but shrugged his shoulders, pulling off the nike t-shirt he had obviously been laying around all day in. The sight of all those wonderful tattoos, the combination of his skin that had become sun kissed and the fine line of dark hair that travelled from his belly button to the waistband of his shorts.. I rolled over onto my side and bit down on my lip.

“Harryyyyy..” I smiled up at him. I patted the bed suggestively.
“Sorry, Annie. My chest won’t be able to take it, love.” He winked, running off into the shower.

I groaned, rolling over and star fishing on my back.

---

“It stinks of pickles and mustard in this bed.” Harry complained, rolled over onto his front, his voice muffled into his pillow.
“Sorry.” I laughed, from the other side. We had arrived back at the hotel only around an hour ago.
Harry moved and scooped me up with one quick movement to his side of the bed. The hairs of his legs tickled my own, smooth ones. He nuzzled right into my neck so his lips were by my ear.
“You know, Eleanor is flying in tomorrow. She’s finished her exams.” The hum of his throat made my neck hairs stand on end. I scooted so I was even closer to him, my body fitting perfectly against his.
“Seriously?” I was so excited at the prospect of seeing her. I had Gemma, and Lou for company at the moment, but Eleanor was my age. She was in my position, except for the pregnancy part. She was always on the same page as me.
“Hmm. Thought that would make you happy.” He moved his hand round to the front of my belly. “How is she? Enjoyed the pickle banquet?”
“The baby,” I stressed, “Is fine.”
I felt Harry’s smile move against my throat. “That baby, is a girl. I’m telling you.”
“I like how you’re so sure of your sperm.” I joked.
Harry laughed and his chest moved against my back.

“Love you bug.”
“Love you, bug."

Notes

So, everything is all smiles in camp Styles, although it seems everyone is keeping something from Annie.

Sorry this chapter was just a filler. However, next chapter should be more action-filled with the arrival of eleanorrrrrrrrrrrr

thanks for all the great comments! keep letting me know what ya think
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