etc. // hs

xii.

Second to last part :(

*Norah's POV*

"Happy birthday to you, happy dear Stella-a! Happy birthday to youuu," Harry sung very loudly and very off-key.

"Dad, stop it," Stella whined, her big blue eyes fixing on me as if to ask for my help. "You're being embarrassing."

"That's my job, puppy," Harry answered with a very large, wet kiss to her forehead. "It's in the dad handbook, I'm afraid."

"Oh shut up, I know there's no handbook," she scowled at him. "I'm sixteen, for god's sake, not twelve."

"You'll never be too old for me to embarrass you," Harry chuckled. "Sorry about it, baby cakes. Now get up and put some clothes on, we have presents downstairs."

He left and Stella leaned against my shoulder, her eyes closing as I stroked her long, beautiful hair.

"Happy birthday, baby," I smiled. "I really think you're going to like your presents."

She looked up at me. "Really? Because dad kind of sucks at buying me presents."

"Yes but he loves you," I countered, standing up and brushing the dog hair off my leggings. "And don't forget it was your dad that bought you that very expensive necklace you're wearing."

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes. But even as she said it, she smiled and twirled the little heart pendant around one of her long fingers. She really did have her father's smile.

"I'll be downstairs," I called to snap her out of her little daydream. "You'd better get dressed before your father marches back up here."

"Yes ma'am," Stella laughed. "Love you, mum."

"Love you too, baby."

I closed her door and jogged down the stairs, where I was met with the sight of a young girl chatting with my husband in the kitchen.

"Hello Mrs. Styles," Theodore's girlfriend smiled widely at me. "I hope I'm not intruding, I just thought I would bring Stella's present over before it got too busy, with the party and all."

"It's always good to see you," I laughed as I gave her a tight hug. "And you bought a present for Stella? That's so sweet!"

"Yeah, you didn't have to buy a present for the little brat," Theo chuckled as he sauntered in and pressed a long kiss to Olivia's cheek. "She already gets everything she wants."

"Hey, don't talk about your sister that way," Harry said sternly. "And would you please put a shirt on? This isn't a fucking Calvin Klein runway."

"You're not wearing a shirt!" Theo protested.

"Yes but people like seeing me shirtless, that's the difference, Theodore."

"Easy boys," I shook my head with a laugh. "Theo, go put on a shirt so we can go outside and Harry-"

He raised his eyebrows.

"-just...go make sure everything is ready outside."

He chuckled and pressed a light kiss to my lips, then squeezed my bum and pretended to whisper something dirty in my ear, when really he was just telling me that the milk in the fridge was spoiled. Lovely.

"Stop it," Theo whined, making a disgusted face as Harry nuzzled his face into my neck. "Hey, cut it out! There are children present."

"You're not a child," Harry shook his head with a wicked smirk. "I know what you two do when you 'look at old photo albums' upstairs."