"You write songs?" Louis asks, hoping maybe Harry will look at him. But he doesn't. Harry just kind of bobs his head and keeps his eyes fixed on the floor, his hands trembling as he holds them in his lap.

"You're name is Harry correct?" He tries again, hoping for more of a reaction.

In turn all he receives is a small nod, barely noticeable.

"Right, well I'm Louis Tomlinson. I'm a drama major here. Are you studying music?" Louis flounders as he speaks, searching for a way to communicate with Harry and not have him shaking in fear. The lack of eye contact and interaction all together was making a proper conversation a far fetched idea.

Harry answered his question with a stiff nod.

"Harry, umm… I just want to say sorry for last week. I know your mum probably already told you I spoke to her at the cafe the other day, but I just need you to know, straight from me that I'm sorry. I still feel like such a jerk. I was so rude to you, I never even gave you a chance. I'm just… sorry." Louis couldn't help the cracking in his voice. The image of Harry sitting before him, his head hung and eyes averted, avoiding him at all costs… Louis couldn't deny that it hurt. Although he knew there was more to it than just Harry being shy, he wanted Harry to talk to him, to communicate with more than the nod of his head. It was silly, and he knew that, he knew Harry unable to speak, but he knew there was a voice inside him, he'd seen the words he'd printed on his sheet music and the emotion written on his face was so blatantly there, it was like a slap in the face to see someone so afraid when all he wanted was to be friendly.

Harry didn't move, or nod, or make any kind of movement in any way to let Louis know that he was forgiven, or that Harry was even listening.

"I'll go then." Louis stood up slowly, never taking his eyes off of Harry's slumped figure on the floor. "Goodbye Harry." Louis finally pried his eyes away and moved away, his legs moving him forward toward the door. But before he left, he turned back, his fingers curled around the door handle ready to exit, he looked back and saw Harry still frozen, the only movement was from his breathing. "I'm sorry." With yet another apology he left, his heart feeling heavy and emotions nearly drowning him. Any energy he had was drained and far gone, he felt like lying on the sofa with a blanket and blocking everything out for as long as possible.

-

It had been four days since Louis had seen Harry, he did everything in his power to keep him from going back to the performance room he'd found Harry in those few days ago. He went directly home after his classes and wallowed, not that he would admit it, but he was torn up over his thoughts of Harry. He hadn't stopped thinking about the fragile boy on the performance room floor, the way he refused to look at Louis, his shaking hands and nervous fidgeting, but mostly he couldn't stop thinking about who Harry could be. Something about his silence made Louis want to know him.

Louis walked the halls with Zayn, a close friend of his and fellow student of course.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Zayn gives Louis a concerned look, worry evident in his brown eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Louis knows what's bothering him, he'd mentioned to Zayn before that he'd met Harry. Zayn had apparently seen the boy around before, he hadn't known he was mute until Louis had mentioned it, and Zayn allowed Louis to spill his concerns and guilty feelings to him without judgment, although he knew Louis felt much stronger than he let on, he didn't say anything about it. And even now Zayn doesn't push, he knows just as well as Louis that his disheartened mood is due to the thoughts of Harry plaguing him incessantly.

They continue down the hall, now ready to leave the building and go to their homes for the night, but Louis catches onto a conversation held between two older boys standing on the side of the hall, next to a classroom.

"The kid wouldn't leave, he just fucking sat there and he wasn't even using the piano! He was lying on the fucking floor like some twat writing shitty music I'm sure." Louis stopped walking, waiting to hear the conversation continue.

The other guy said something Louis didn't catch.

"I cussed him out pretty good and threw some of his papers in the bin, ripped a few other ones, but I think he got the point, fucking curly haired bastard. No respect." Louis' eyes widened at the words he'd just heard.

He immediately took off running to the performance rooms, he had to find Harry.

"LOUIS! WHERE ARE YOU GOING!?" Zayn yelled down the hall.

"HARRY!" Was all he said, there was no time to explain and Zayn had caught on. He knew there was nothing he himself could do so he walked out of the building and headed home.

Louis ran until he reached the performance room he'd been in four days ago. He quickly swung the heavy door open and rushed inside.

He nearly broke down at the sight. Harry was tucked in the farthest corner from the door, his knees pulled up to his chest and hands covering his ears as he rocked back and forth.

Louis approached him quickly, the worry and fear rushed through him, he'd never seen someone in such a state.

"Harry, he's gone, I swear, he's gone." Harry didn't care, he didn't even know who was speaking to him now, he just knew he had been in danger before and the fear was still coursing through his veins, with his eyes screwed shut, he thrashed out, his arms moving wildly in defense, trying to fight off whatever danger was there, tears still managed to fall down his cheeks, panic consuming his entire body.

Louis didn't know what to do, but the only thing he could think of was to stop Harry's thrashing, he grabbed onto Harry's wrists to cease the wild movements, although Harry reacted with more movement, trying to rip his arms away from Louis' hold.

"Harry, Harry please." Louis begged, he didn't know how to make him stop. He kept hold of his wrists, and eventually Harry stopped fighting, his defensive movements turned into his rocking back and forth, his wrists still held by Louis, who was now able to loosen his grip.

"Harry, open your eyes, it's just Louis, it's just me. I'm not going to hurt you Harry." Louis used his best calm voice, keeping his words comforting and warm as he released his hold on the curly haired boy.

It took nearly three minutes for Harry to look up and see that it was Louis.

His rocking stopped at the sight of the older boy, the panic inside him still coursing violently though.

What happened next took both Louis and Harry by surprise, Harry moved closer to Louis and crawled into his lap like a child, he curled up and held onto Louis by his shirt, holding it tight in his fists, his head on Louis chest. Both of their hearts beating erratically in their chests, Louis wrapped his arms around Harry protectively, trying to sooth the silent boy. Louis had four younger sisters so he just did what he would do if the person in his arms were one of them.

He moved a hand to Harry's curls, running his fingers through them gently. They were just as soft as he had imagined, they were soft and silky, falling through his fingers perfectly.

Louis spotted Harry's phone next to them and reached out, his fingers leaving the soft curls momentarily. he quickly went to find Harry's contacts to call his mum.

It only took two rings for her to answer.

"Harry? Why are you calling?" It wasn't a rude question, it was logical, seeing as Harry doesn't speak, he'd probably never called him mum before.

"Uhm, this isn't Harry. Anne, this is Louis, Louis Toml-"

"I remember, why do you have Harry's phone, what's wrong, is he hurt?" Her voice was panicked.

"No, umm some kids were bullying him, and he was thrashing all over the place and rocking back and forth, but he's calmed down now, he's actually sitting in my lap right now, but umm, I was wondering if I need to do anything or take him home… I just, I really don't know what to do here." Louis finally realized just how lost he was, how much harder befriending Harry would be, how many things he was struggling with inside himself.

"He had a panic attack, they always end in him being exhausted. I'm stuck at work right now, I can't leave for another hour. Could you bring him home?" Anne's voice is undeniably worried.

"Of course, I just need the address."

"Louis, will you stay there with him… please, just until I get home. I don't want him to be alone."

With the arranged plan Anne texted the address to Harry's phone and Louis knew exactly where to go, it wasn't far from his own home.

It took some effort to get Harry up, he was clearly tired and his movements were slow. Louis did manage to get Harry to his car, a beat up Nissan from the early '90s. Harry slumped in the passenger seat and Louis had to buckle him in himself, he seemed to be far from present.

The ride there was complete silence, the radio only humming quietly as Louis drove and Harry's attention was out the window.

Once the two arrived at Harry's home, Louis went to the other side of the car to open the door, but Harry was already making his way out, suddenly aware of his surroundings.

Louis let him be and followed him to the house, walking behind him closely, but with enough distance to not seem over-bearing.

Harry went upstairs immediately, not leaving any invitation for Louis to follow him, so he stayed on the main floor and awkwardly sat in the kitchen at the table. His thoughts hovering over him like a dark rain cloud, he put his head in his hands, elbows resting on the table top. Harry was confusing him, one minute he's pure silence and averted eyes, the next he's in Louis' lap holding onto him for dear life, then he ignores him. Louis felt like he was riding an emotional roller coaster.

Time went by quickly and Anne arrived, she burst through the door with a panicked expression, worry evident in her eyes. She found Louis in the kitchen and they exchanged hellos.

"Is Harry upstairs?" Anne asked, taking noticed of her sons absence.

"Yes, he walked straight up when we got here." Louis frowned, saddened by the entire situation, starting with Harry being bullied and ending with him now being ignored.

"Would you wait here while I go check on him quickly? I'd like to talk to you." Anne seemed like such nice woman to Louis, her smile was genuine and she had a warm personality.

"Of course." Louis agreed and left Anne to check on Harry upstairs.

Anne walked into Harry's room, he was lying in his bed, curled into a ball, rocking his body rhythmically. It was times like these where Anne worried most about her son. He'd shut down, and he'd eventually build up every wall he'd ever built once this episode was over, she knew it was his defense mechanism, but it killed her seeing her son this way. He'd always revert to being somewhat of a child, something in his brain would flip like switch and he'd go from the unreachable silent Harry she'd managed her whole life into a vulnerable mess of emotions. Times like these were the only chance she'd get to actually take care of her son, hold him as he cried and brush the hair from his face periodically. It was a disheartening thing to think about, to experience even, but these moments let her know that Harry was carrying around emotions, just like anyone else.

Anne took a seat in the chair next to Harry's bed, waiting for a motion from her son to let her know it was okay for her to reach out to him. When he did, he scooted to the side of the bed and grabbed his mothers hand and squeezed it in his larger one, lifting her hand to his face, it was a childish act, one that let his mother know that this time something bad had happened, something more than a bully at school, there was something hurting Harry more than she realized.

"Baby, what's wrong? What's happened?" She asked, trying to coax him into divulging some information. He just stayed silence as usual, patting his mother's hand that stroked his cheek comfortingly.

"Harry, would you like to talk to Louis? He's still downstairs you know…" With the mention of the older boys' name Harry's eyes had gone wide and alert.

"Does this have something to do with Louis?" Anne asked, hoping for something, just a nod even.

Harry ducked his head and averted his eyes, knowing full well it had everything to do with Louis.

"How about you sleep for now and we'll talk later?" Harry simply nodded and watched as his mother stood from her chair and exited his room quietly.