etc. // hs

a/u

So basically I just wanted to write this chapter to show you guys what it would have been like if Harry never told Norah he loved her and they both moved on with their lives.

This takes place two years after they graduated high school.

*Norah's POV*

"Come on," Kat groaned as I peered at the various different kinds of headache medications. "Just pick one and let's go."

"I'm trying!" I muttered, shoving her a little. I crouched down and was still carefully comparing two labels when someone came up behind me and reached over my head, their broad shoulders throwing a long shadow over me.

"Sorry," the husky voice mumbled as my heart stopped in my chest. I knew that minty smell, I had bought that cologne for him a hundred times and those old combat boots could only belong to one person: Harry.

I kept my head down and tried to act like I was deep in thought while he continued to stand behind me, his eyes boring into my back as he very obviously tried to figure out who I was.

"Norah?" He spoke lowly, like he was afraid I wasn't who he thought I was.

"Oh, hey," I smiled forcefully, trying to keep the heartbroken expression off my face as I saw that he was holding a pregnancy test in his tattooed hands. "It's...good to see you."

His emerald eyes were sad and dark and I realized that he had bags under his eyes, something he never had before. He looked so...lonely. But then why was he holding a pregnancy test? Wouldn't you need a girlfriend for one of those?

"Yeah, you too," he answered in his slow, deep voice. "You look beautiful, Nor."

"Thank you," I laughed, blushing a little. "So how are you? How is your family?"

"I'm alright," he half grinned. "Ironically enough, I'm buying a pregnancy test for my ex. Sad, huh?"

"That's...weird," I agreed thoughtfully. "Why doesn't she buy it?"

"She doesn't want her boyfriend knowing there's a chance she's pregnant. She was too scared for him to find the receipt or something."

"Oh."

"Well, I'll let you get back to...whoever," he bit his lip and I felt my heart actually break as he attempted to look somewhat happy. Whatever happened to him must have really messed him up because the man standing in front of me was not the carefree, happy boy I loved all those years ago. This man was broken and alone, obviously in need of someone to patch him back up. He was like a teddy bear that had a big hole in him, right over his fluffy little heart. I just wanted to squeeze him.

"It's just Kat," I assured him with a smile. "Hey, what are you doing later? Could you maybe meet up for dinner or something?"

It was a spur of the moment decision but the look on his face told me I made the right choice.

"Yeah, I'm free," he grinned, his dimples appearing as a weight seemed to dissolve from his shoulders. "I would love dinner."

"Good," I nodded happily. "Here, I'll right my number down and you can just text me."

His eyes stayed on mine as I carefully wrote my number on his outstretched arm, placing a little smiley face after it just so he would have something to smile about later. Lord knows he needed it.

"Thank you," he mumbled as I drew back from a brief hug. "I'll see you later."

I smiled. "Bye, Harry."

__________________

Harry and I decided on a casual little restaurant downtown so I wore a sundress with my hair let down in loose waves and a light cardigan on my shoulders. He agreed to come pick me up and he arrived just on time, 7:30 on the spot.