Unfinished Perfection

Delicate Rowdiness

When Lynette crept hesitantly into Harry's room the next day, he was propped up on some pillows and reading a book. He glanced up at hearing footsteps and Lynette stopped in her tracks at the door.

Harry swallowed. "Look, I can't just lie here watching you killing yourself over me. Maybe it's better if we--" he was cut off abruptly as four very loud boys bounced into the room, nearly bowling Lynette over in the process.

Hanna followed close behind and hugged Lynette from the back.

"Hey, Lyn. I've missed you." She pulled back and stood at the door beside Lynette. "Harry looks better. How've you been?"

Lynette sighed, "Much more relaxed now that Harry's on the mend. But--" and then she told Hanna about Harry's insistence that she stay away.

"--he just doesn't think he's worth worrying about."

Hanna peered back through the door where the boys were all crowded around Harry. "Maybe this will help."

Lynette noticed Hanna's eyes land on Niall and saw the small smile that appeared on her face. "You've been with Niall this break, haven't you? That's why you've come with them."

Hanna colored. "He flew me over for New Year's in Ireland."

Lynette raised her eyebrows. "Are you two together?"

"I--" Hanna shrugged. "I have no idea. We hang out and talk and I'm really happy around him, but he doesn't say anything. Maybe he just isn't the sort of person to settle down." She looked conflicted a moment and looked to Lynette.

And Lynette suddenly felt alright. Because she was talking to Hanna and even if Harry was pulling away, he was awake and she realized that she couldn't be more grateful for just that.

Inside, Harry was the center of chaos. Louis was practically bouncing off the walls with new talks of bigger and better parties around town and leaping around the small hospital room examining everything. Harry glanced at the door where one of his nurses stood, worried Louis was going to get the boys kicked out. But the nurse only smiled. Harry supposed good moments like these were few and far between in hospitals.

Zayn had taken a seat, silently listening to a bit of music through one earbud and Liam was talking to Harry seriously, voicing every concern in the world about him in an almost comically proper way.

And Niall, looking discreetly at the window at the two girls deep in conversation, he was infatuated with Hannah.

Harry could empathize. He was already more than infatuated with Lynette. He loved her.

He loved her innocent wonderment at life, which peeked out each time she grabbed his hand outside just to twirl, or when she had sudden bursts of inspiration leading them to all manner of quaint shops and busy streets.

Her trust in the good in the world that seemed unperturbed by all the evidence otherwise. Harry hoped she'd never lose that something she had that made her go to the darker parts of the city to give whatever she had despite the danger. Harry still remembered their slightly heated conversation spurred on by his horrified fear for her wellbeing, when she told him about the times people had simply stolen from her. Harry wished he could shield her from the worst of human nature.

But she wasn't weak. Lynette was the farthest thing from weak. She was determined, stubborn even, and as fiercely protective of him as he was of her.  He saw the heart behind her willpower, because she was just as stubborn about going out at two in the morning to a 24-hour pharmacy some distance away, because Harry had woken up with a slight temperature.