"Thank you so much for coming Piper, I hope you had fun" says Jane as I step out into the cold November night, London is getting close to my favorite season; reminding me of Nan's Christmas decoration and oh the dinner! I have to remember to buy some of those cinnamon candles Nan always uses, for my apartment.

I turn awkwardly to look at Jane and my father, he's holding her from the waist and I feel like I shouldn't be looking at such intimate touch... it's disturbing, "Thanks for having me" I smile lightly and look at Jane's stomach, she's three months in and her belly just started showing.

"Piper!" I see my brother running down from the stairs with a smile on his face, followed by Jane's parents who were checking out the house. "Nan called, said she wants you to go over because she's got a surprise" he says with a grin on his face

"Surprise? Why didn't she call me?" I ask curiously

"She did but she said you have your phone off" I dig into my bag and, yep, my phone is off. I turn it on and wrap my arms around Mark

"Call me if you need anything little brother"

"I will" he smiles, kisses my cheek, and walks back inside. He pulls Jane inside with him; he told me they are getting along really well, I'm glad but it aches and I don't know why. My father stands and opens his arms, this new Marcus is hard to get used to. I step close and let him hug me, for the first time I wrap my arms around my father and I find it hard to swallow.

"Careful, tell Luna I say hi"

"Sure," I don't look at him but I smile lightly, I walk to Nan's car, I need a car... man so much money needed so little time and work, I gotta talk to Nick.

I feel strange as I knock on Nan's door, it's unfamiliar to do so, I'm used to just walking inside. She opens the door seconds later with a huge smile on her face

"What are you all smiles about Nan?" I ask as I hug her,

"Piper I have some great news!" she slaps my arms in excitement, what is up with her?! "Go knock on the next door neighbors!"

"Next door...?" the last time I went next door was "BELLA!!" I run back down to the sidewalk and run to the blue house next door, lights are on!! I reach the door, almost tripping on one of the steps, I knock furiously at the door. Seconds later little Abby opens and I surprise her by jumping on her and wrapping my arms around her

"Piper!" she says once I let go, she's taller and older than I last saw her, she's so big!

"Where's Bella?" I ask excitedly

"Unpacking, we got in today" she has a thick Irish accent and I wonder if Bella will too, I kiss her forehead and run up the stairs. I pass by the master bedroom

"Hi Mr and Mrs Davies!" I scream

"Piper!" they say but I don't stop I just run to Bella's old room. I open the door she has her back to me; she's wearing a jean jacket, black skinny jeans, converse and her hair is in a bun. Just when you think we could be polar opposites she pulls this stunt, I smile and walk up to her and hug her from the back

"The fuck Abby?" She takes her earphones out of her ears and turns around, "PIPER!" she screams when she sees my face, she hugs me back and starts screaming nonsense really loud in my ear

"I've missed you! I have so much to tell you!" I tell her, her facial features have changed; she looks older, mature, and of course beautiful as ever. I notice her hair has some red die in it and I smile at her spunky-ness.

"Me too!" her accent has a bit of Irish in it but it's still British, "Why don't you stay over? or do you have something to do tomorrow"

"Well I have work tomorrow morning, but I'll definitely stay a bit to help you guys unpack"
As we make her empty room a little lively, she tells me about school and how she was miserable, I know the feeling, but her dad said she still had to go to school no matter what. When her father got news that he was going to be transferred back to London she was ecstatic because it meant she'd be back for good. She's now going to attend Birkbeck Uni and study English literature; she always had a love for books.

"So how's the love life? Any cute brunette's you snatched over there?" She smiles and shakes her head

"They're all... interesting" she laughs

"Oh no, no one has read Wuthering Heights has they?" I laugh, she laughs and takes a sip from the lemonade Mrs Davies brought us.

"Only the ones that hit on me" she gives me a fake laugh and I feel she's not telling me something. I wonder if it has anything to do with the guy she wrote about on her last Christmas letter.

"Did something happen with that guy Sam?" She looks up, confusion in her face

"Oh no, that guy? Nah, it didn't go far, too smart for my liking" she opens a box filled with desk things and starts taking then out.

"Well is there anyone that left you looking like that?" I point to her face, she smiles and shakes her head

"There's this one guy that-"

"The pizza's here" Abby says as she pokes her head inside her sisters room. I look back at Bella and she gives me an "I'll tell you the details later because I'm starving"

--------
It's the first of December and I asked Bella to join me for some Christmas shopping and a little sleepover at my apartment. She can't stop taking pictures of London as we ride the double-decker. I take out my phone and scroll through Twitter

"What's up?" She asks beside me, I look up and shrug, "why are you scowling at your phone?"
"I called Harry today but he didn't answer, Zayn doesn't know where he's at either, I'm just worried"

"That Harry boy of yours, are you dating?" I look up at her and shake my head as I smile

"We're just friends, he's my best friend" she clears her throat and I feel my cheeks go red, "one of my best friends" I smile and wrap my arms around her.

"That's right girl, I'm here now and he can step aside with his curls and all" I giggle, I've missed her. I wonder how strong pur friendship could be if she had stayed here, I mean it's still strong; she's one of the two people I can completely trust aside from Mark.

"But we kind of like each other" she raises a brow at me and I smile

"Piper, I don't think dating one of the most famous people on this planet is a good idea, you could get hurt" Well that was different...

"We're not going to date, we don't want to ruin anything" she smiles but then furrows her brows,

"You said that very unenthusiastic, do you want to date him?" Do I? It would amazing to press my lips against his, no! That's wrong, we can't.... but would I like to?

"Maybe" I shrug, "I don't know, it's confusing, he told me a while ago and I can tell he's really into me. I like everything about him, and I've thought about us happening but it scares me so much that it could go wrong and then he'd be out of my life for good. That would be awful"

"Would you go out with someone else?"

"No" I say immediately, I want Harry.... holy shit I want Harry. She purses her lips and looks away, deep in thought.

"I need to meet this Styles boy and see what he's all about" she smiles.

As we walk around Primemark, my phone vibrates on my back pocket, it's Harry!

"Hello" I say, a little too excited.

"Hey Pipes!" his raspy voice says, I can't help but smile. I look up and Bella is giving me a "calm down your excitement" look.

"I called you this morning to see if you wanted to come for a little Christmas shopping with Bella and I"

"Your childhood friend right? Sorry Pipes I'm not in London"

"What? Where are you?" I ask curiously, why didn't he tell me?

"I'm in the US"

"Again?"

"Yeah, I just needed a break from everything over there, and I wanted to spend some times with my friends over here"

"Is it because of what we talked about the other day" I whisper

*
"What are we going to do about this Piper Harris?" Harry says as he takes a sip of his coffee, we're sitting inside a small coffee shop around the corner from my apartment. He's wearing a grey jumper, black skinny jeans, those damn hot boots, and that plaid shirt around his head. He's smirking at me as his hand lowers his cup onto the table. I reach for his hand slip one of his rings off.

"Mine now" I smile at him and put it on the middle finger on my right hand. "What are we going to do about what Styles?" I take a sip from my hot chocolate as I raise my brows at him.

"We can't date each other, even though I really want to" I smile weakly at him, his expression is sad and it pains me that he feels like that "and I don't want to date anyone else, how do we know how strong these feelings are?" I look down at my hand and start playing with my new ring.

"I don't know Harry, I just don't want you to say goodbye to me someday" his fingers surprises me as he pulls my chin up so I look at him.

"I won't" he smiles, "But I won't try anything either, for now" he raises a brow at me and I feel my cheeks go red, why do you do this?

*
"What are you saying Pipes?"

"Did you need a break from me?" I whisper.

"Piper," he sights, I picture him running his fingers through his hair, "no it's not that, you're my best friend"

"Why do I feel like you're hiding something?" I didn't mean to say that out lout but oh well.

"Someone asked me to hang out with them" he says, someone?

"Who?" I ask him, but I don't think I want to know the answer.

"My friend Kendall" Kendall? Wait, Kendall Jenner? That explains the tweets...

"You never mentioned you were friends with Kendall" I say quietly

"Yeah" that's all "yeah"? "Piper, I have to go, I'll be back next week, I'll see you then okay?"

"Sure" That was the coldest "I'll talk to you later" he's ever said. He's keeping something from me, maybe he likes Kendall, maybe he's already over me... could he? So fast? She is beautiful though...

"Pie? Are you okay?" Bella brings me back from my sad depressing thoughts, "You look pale babe? Let's go get something to eat and you tell me what that curly haired boy said" she grabs my hand and leads me outside the store.

----------------

"You're such an idiot Niall" I hear Louis say as Bella and I walk inside Zayn's kitchen, Niall is covered in beer and Louis won't stop laughing.

"Hey guys" I smile at them, Niall looks up and waves

"Can't hug you now honey, I gotta change!" Louis walks over and hugs me

"This is my friend Bella" I say, he shakes hands hands with her and introduces himself. Niall walks over and shakes hands with her too, Bella raises her brow at him and points to his shirt

"Great way to drink your beer" I laugh and drag her back into the living room where Eleanor, Louis, Zayn and Perrie are.

"Is Liam coming?" I ask

"Maybe" says Louis, "he said he'd try to make it"

"I tried to contact Harry but nada" I say as Bella and I sit on the floor next to the coffee table filled with junk food. I grab a bag of crisps and start munching. I look up and Zayn and Louis are staring at each other worryingly. "You guys know where he is don't you?" I ask, Niall walks into the room and sits next to Bella, he grabs a beer and Bella laughs

"Are you sure about that? We don't want another accident" Zayn and Louis burst out laughing.

"Dammit" Niall says, I stare at Zayn and narrow my eyes at him

"Fuck" he whispers, Perrie looks at him and asks if he's okay, "Louis?" he looks at him for support

"He's with Nick and then he's going with Kendall"

"Louis!" Zayn says

"It's fine guys" I raise my hands at them to tell them to calm down. "Why wouldn't you tell me?"

"Because he-"

"Louis, for fuck sakes, shut the fuck up!" Zayn throws a cushion at him

"Fine!"

"What the hell guys? If he's dating Kendall just tell me!" I say frustrated

"No he's not Piper" Zayn says quietly, I feel like everyone is staring at me, "It's just that erm"

"Why shouldn't we tell her? It'll make her feel better" Louis whispers at him, for fuck sakes! What the bloody hell is it!

"He's hanging out with Kendall for publicity Piper"

"What?" Bella, Niall and I say in unison, I guess Niall didn't know either. Why would they make him do that?

"That's disgusting!" I throw the bag of crisps back on the table and stand up, "Why would he let them do that?"

"Piper," Zayn stands up and pulls me over to the kitchen, "Babe, can you come" Perrie follows as we reach the kitchen.

"What?" I ask

"Don't be mad at him"

"How could I not!" it angers me that Harry let's them do this

"You need to talk to him okay?" Perrie says calmly, she puts her arm around my shoulders, "don't jump to any conclusions"

"There is nothing to conclude, he's being used!"

"Piper, please don't say that to him, you know how he is" Zayn says. I do know how he is, this is not it!

"Are all of his relationships like this?" I whisper, Zayn runs his hand through his hair.

"They did start as publicity stunts" start? "Caroline and Taylor" he looks down at his shoes.

"I need to go" I walk out and grab my purse from the hangers next to the door,

"It was nice meeting you guys" Bella says as she walks over to me, "See you later"

"Bye guys" Perrie walks over and hugs me

"Let him speak, okay?" I nod and step out of the house.

-------------

"What are you doing here?" He walks inside, completely ignoring my question and heads over to the couch. By the time I reach it he's already sitting.

"I came to talk" he says as I sit next to him on the couch. He's looking down at his legs and runs his hands through his hair like he does when he's nervous.

"Alright then, speak" I say, more harshly than I should.

"The boys told me that you found out about me and Kendall being a publicity stunt and told me you were upset" he looks up at me with sad ashamed eyes, as if I'd changed my perspective of the incredible man in front of me, "I just wanted to know... Well I don't really know why I came" he looks passed me getting lost in thought, he's not telling me something

"I am very upset" I tell him, I'm not sure I should tell him how I feel about the whole thing but I also don't want to stand here and watch it happen. "Why would you let them do this to you?"

"What do you mean?" He asks confused

"They have been doing this already Harry!" I say louder than I should when talking to someone inches from me, "try make you date these people and-"

"They don't make me date anyone Piper!" He says just as loud, "I thought you knew me better than this! Caroline and I, Taylor and I were real!" Anger visible in his scowled expression. I stand from the couch and stand in front of him

"Then why are you letting them use your relationships like that! You don't need publicity, your fans will obviously buy your album. And if they want the world to know who you are well news flash everyone knows who you are; you cut your hair and everyone makes a fuzz! Don't be one of their puppets" pure hurt is seen on his face once I say the last part and I immediately regret it.

"Why would you say that?" He says with a sadden scowl, "you know me better than to be a puppet, I thought you would never see me like that..." He looks down

"Oh no you don't" I say, I sit back down on the couch, "you know that I didn't mean it like that, I know who you are but to your fans and everyone out there you seem like that; a person who is letting himself be used for fame, do you even like her?" Not sure why I would ask that, I'm not sure what I'd rather his answer be. I stare at his beautiful profile and long for him to look at me.

"I just said she was cute when they asked and that was it, I just- I don't know why I let them.... They were real I swear" his beautiful green eyes find mine

"Of course you had feelings for these women but that doesn't change the fact that you let them exploit you as if your feelings did not matter at all" I whisper, I inch closer to him and cupped his face in my hands, "I care about you Harry and I don't want them messing around with your feelings like that"

"They just ask me to hang out with them and I don't see the harm in it until they ask me to do things to get the attention of paps. I hate it but I can't do anything about it"

"Take charge Harry" I say as I brush my right hand through his hair, "you're my best friend, I just don't want you to get hurt"

"You just care because we're best friends or-" his lips inch closer to mine, "because... you-" he whispers right before his lips touch mine and we kiss. My eyes close as the kiss intensifies, he asks for entrance; his tongue softly but hungrily brushing mine. My hands tangle in his hair as his find their way to my hips. I feel the kiss slow and he gradually departs from me, I brush his cheek with my nose and I feel his dimples form as he smiles. I look down at my hands and start fiddling with my pajama top.

I find myself speechless. We know the mutual feelings but we've never acted on them, we've said we'd stay friends but I didn't think they would be this strong still.

"I think I'll go to bed" I say trying not to smile so hard as I look at him, he too has a small smile on his face that makes my stomach hurt.

I walk to my room, I don't feel him follow me so I guess he'll be sleeping in my guest room. I find a rubber band and braid my hair. A minute within being in bed I hear my bedroom door open, as I am facing away from it I have no idea if he's just standing there or if he walked in. The door to my closet opens and he starts moving about. I turn around, I can see him as I have adjusted to the light and find him taking off his pants and putting on some sweat pants on top of his boxers. He took off his jacket and red plaid shirt I've seen one too many times and he's just wearing a worn out black shirt. I've never questioned his style because I like it too much. He climbs into bed

"Come here" he says and opens his arms, I don't hesitate. As I reach his chest, his arms wrap around me and I fiddle with his shirt. His lips rest on my forehead. This should feel familiar but it doesn't, I feel like it is much more intimate and I instantly feel self conscious. Like I don't want to make a mistake and ruin it because it's too important; I'm afraid to say the wrong thing. I'm never afraid to say the wrong thing in front of him. I replay the last conversation, and the kiss, in my mind

"Did you sleep with her" I blurt out, I look up at him as he looks at me, he takes a second to read my face

"No of course not" relief washes over me, "why would I do that when I knew I would be coming to you right after" his eyes deep in contact with mine

"You were?" You were coming to me? What does that even mean.

"Yes, that's why I went to Zayn's first, I knew you'd be there, but then the boys told me you'd gotten upset and I came."

"So you knew this would happen"

"I was counting on it" he smiles but it immediately fades, "minus the fight... I also didn't know the kiss would happen" he smiles again. I smile and snuggle into him as his arms pull me closer to him.

···HARRY'S POV···

I startle awake to my phone ringing, I reach for it with my left arm, not wanting to move the other because it might wake her

"Hello?"

"Hey mate! What happened" Louis asks, he would call at four in the morning

"She told me how she felt, we kissed and now we're cuddling as we sleep... Well we were before you woke me up" I whisper angrily

"Sorry about that but what the fuck do you two think you're doing? I thought you weren't going there? And like, you just kissed?" He asks too many damn questions

"Look Louis I have to go, I don't want to wake her. I won't make any drastic decision specially not as the holidays near. I don't know what will happen but I'll let you know" I say and hang up. wrapping my arm around her and softly pulling her beautifully sleeping body closer to me, I drift off to sleep.

··PIPER'S POV···

I wake up to finding Harry's arm under me and his other resting on his stomach. His lisps parted a bit as he breathes in and out. I've seen him in his sleep before but I never get used to the beauty of it. I stand quickly knowing that his arm must be in pain even if he doesn't notice it yet. I walk over to my closet and pick out an outfit for the day.

"Morning" I hear a raspy voice say as I pick up Harry's jeans. I look up at him and smile. I fold his jeans in threes and place them at the edge of the bed, his eyes following my every move.

"I'm not going to let them pressure me into dating her" he says, I don't know why he'd bring it up

"I figured as much" I say and sit at the edge of my bed. He stands and sits facing me. "but obviously if you want to date her you-"

"What? You think I want to date her?"

"Well-" I start

"Do you want me to?" He asks, his eyes find mine

"No, I mean if you want to then yes if not... I just want you to be happy" I say and look down. "You said you liked her so..."

"All I said was that I had told them that I thought she was cute, that was it! They take it to a whole other level. I've said millions of times how beautiful you are and they don't do anything to push us together because well-"

"I'm not famous" I finish.

"It doesn't matter" he says, his hand finds my cheek and begins to caress it, "I won't be with her"

"Why?" I press, I don't want him to deprive himself from something that will make him happy

"Because I don't want to" he says

"What are we doing Harry" I say, I take his hand from my cheek and place it in the mattress, "we said we wouldn't jeopardize our friendship yet we don't go on having other relationships. We stay in this place full of misery, just stuck in the middle" I say, he sighs at my words. He looks down and takes my hands in his

"I'd much rather be miserable than date someone who isn't you"

Notes

Hope you like! Thanks for reading :))


ps. Sorry for any typos