I'll Be Home For Christmas

December 1st

"Mum, do we have to talk about this now?" Harry groaned. He frowned as he just barely dodged another kid running down the busy street. Wasn't anyone watching their children he thought to himself.

"We'll talk about it until you agree to come home for Christmas." Anne simply said. She wasn't going to relent; she was getting her son home.

"I already told you, I'm just not sure if I'm going to make it up this year." He grumbled.

"And I've already told you what a ridiculous idea that is. It's the holiday season and it's a time for family. We're all going to be here and to even think about you being somewhere else is simply crazy." She explained.

"It's one Christmas." Harry rolled his eyes. "The world isn't going to end if I miss one Christmas."

"That's not the point and you know it." Anne replied getting frustrated with her son. "Gem and Michal are coming up with the girls. Besides, I think you owe your nieces a major apology after the stunt you pulled at their birthday party."

"I already apologized." He protested. He'd spent a week begging Gemma to pick up his calls or answer his texts. He'd really appreciate it if people would erase that day from their memory.

"Well you can do some more apologizing when you see them this Christmas." Anne said. Harry was about to respond when someone bumped his shoulder causing him to stumble from the sudden impact.

"Watch where you're going asshole!" He called after the retreating figure.

"Harry!" Anne chastised. "Watch your language." Harry merely grunted.

"Asshole should've watched where he was walking." He grumbled.

"Harry." Anne sighed in exasperation. Sometimes she wondered how he ended up being a perpetually grouchy adult when he was such a happy child and teenager.

"Look mum, I'm probably going to just stay home this Christmas. It's not 100%, but I'm fairly certain." He sighed.

"We'll see about that." Anne said. "I'm not going to push you anymore today, but I'm not giving up either. Don't think this is the last time we're going to discuss this." She said.

"We'll talk about it later okay?" He compromised. He knew she wasn't going to let it go and he didn't feel like going in circles in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Fine. How are you doing though?" She asked. Harry sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He was cursing his decision to forgo his hat before leaving the house.

"I'm cold, everywhere I go I hear damn Christmas music, there's out of control children around every corner, people begging for money, it feels like there's a foot of snow on the ground, there's no one to hang out with because everyone went on holiday or home to be with family, and, to top everything off, I spilled tea on my favorite white jumper this morning in my rush to get out the door." He ranted. He hadn't meant to unload as much as he had, but the day hadn't been going well for him thus far.

"I'm sorry my love. I wish I could give you a hug and make your day better." Anne offered sympathetically. She never liked it when either of her children were upset.

"Thanks mum." Harry grumbled. He heard his mother sigh on the other end of the phone and was about to apologize for his grumpy attitude, because he really shouldn't take it out on her when she's done nothing to warrant it, when she spoke up.

"I should let you go. Let you continue your day without being stuck on the phone with your ol' mum." She said.

"You know I always love talking with you mum." Harry said smiling. His first genuine smile of the day.

"I know baby, but I'm sure you've got a lot going on and I've got to start getting this place in for when the gals come over later today." She said. Harry chuckled to himself knowing that it was likely that her house was already impeccably clean.

"Alright mum, I love you tons. Give my love to everyone." Harry said.

"Of course. I love you too. Please think some more about coming home this Christmas. It just wouldn't be the same without you." Anne wasn't above throwing major motherly guilt on him.

"Mum." Harry groaned. "I'll think about it, but like I said, no promises." He said.

"All I ask is that you think about it." She knew she had a bit of time to wear him down.

"Will do. Talk later mum."

"Talk to you later my love." With that they hung up.

Rounding the corner Harry groaned at the sight of people gathering around a massive Christmas tree in the middle of the square. He didn't see what the big deal was; it was just a tree.

He was already late for his lunch with his friend Nick and having to make his way through this crowd would only set him back at least another 5 minutes. 

'Remember, 1406 36th st on the second floor. 1 pm- don't be late!' Was the text he'd woken up to this morning. He was only two blocks away but it was already 1:06 and Nick wasn't going to let him hear the end of his dramatic tale of how he was stuck waiting for his friend all alone in the restaurant. Pushing and grumbling his way through the thick crowd of people was proving to be every bit as difficult as he'd assumed it would be. Harry wanted to shout and throttle all these people. It's just a damn tree! So what if there are lights and ornaments on it? It doesn't look any different than the one he'd find in the middle of a shopping mall or even in someone's living room.

"If you want to stare at a tree in awe then do it in your own living room and get out of my damn way." He grumbled to himself.

After a minute or two of fighting his way through the crowd of people, Harry pulled his coat tighter as he made his way towards the crosswalk. Suddenly a big gust of ice cold wind rushed past him and Harry groaned as it felt like icicles were slicing into his face

"God, I wish I lived in the Caribbean or something right now." He grumbled to himself. He'd take laying on a beach under the sun working on his tan over ice cold wind and snow making his boots and pants all wet any day. Why did England have to be so bloody cold all the time?

As he looked down to see if his coat buttons had managed to stay buttoned despite the wind, his coat had been thoroughly worn down from years of wearing it so it tended to be loose in the button area, Harry felt something hit him on the side of his face. As he looked up in confusion wondering if someone threw something at him he noticed something laying at his feet right as he was about to step on it. It was a cap, a beanie more specifically.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry!" A frantic voice called out. He looked up from the cap to see a young woman running towards him. Bending down Harry grabbed the cap and stood up just as he stopped in front of him.

"Is this yours?" He asked holding up the item in question. The woman looked at him before moving to look at the hat in his hands.

"Yeah." She nodded. "The sudden wind sent it flying off my head before I had a chance to grab it. I'm sorry that it hit you." She said.

"It's no problem. Just startled me." He said shaking his head. He gave the woman a glance over and noted the thick pea coat and her scarf with reindeer and Christmas trees all over it. This was clearly a woman who embraced the Christmas spirit.

"Can I uh..." she trailed off gesturing to his hands.

"Oh! Yes of course. Here." Harry jumped realizing he was still holding her hat. He handed it back with a small laugh.

"Again, I'm sorry." She said dusting off the snow and putting it back on.

"No worries. For a moment, I thought someone purposely threw it at me." He chuckled looking around. No one seemed to notice the duo as people scurried past them in a rush to get wherever they were going.

"Oh no, just me having slow reflexes." She giggled.

"I'm being so rude, Harry Styles." Harry offered her his hand.

"Piper Kendrick." The woman, Piper, smiled shaking his hand.