As soon as he opened the door, Harry was hit with the lovely smell of flowers, dozens of them. Breathing it in, he made his way over to Flora, the owner of the shop and a good friend of his mum. Delivering a big box of special muffins to her every Saturday was quite literally his favourite part of the day. It was always his last delivery, so he could spend some time in her charming shop.

"Flora! How are you, Darling?" Harry greeted her cheerfully.

"Busy but good. And you, Sweetheart?" Flora engulfed him in a lovely hug, smelling of roses and daisies.

"Just finished my last delivery" Harry set the muffin boxes down on the counter. "So, now I'm free as a bird ... for an hour".

"Oh, any plans?" Flora hooked curiously.

"Nah, not really. Leona called in sick this morning, so Macy is alone at the bakery with Emma. I might check in later and see if they need anything before I call it a day" Harry explained what he had meant originally.

"Poor angel. Sent her my best wishes" Flora touched her heart in sympathy. "I thought you might have a nice date planned later".

"Ha, no" Harry chuckled at her suggestion amusedly. "No date for me today".

"But you're such a charming and handsome man" she pinched his cheeks to prove a point, making him swat at her hands. "Your mother mentioned Phil, so I thought you'd be back together".

"I thought so too, to be honest," Harry retorted wistfully. "But it's a bit more complicated than that. Or well, I made it complicated".

Choose Phil.

"I'm sad to hear that" Flora nudged his shoulder compassionately and Harry just smiled at her. "What about the other fella?".

"Louis" Harry breathed out reverently. This was the first time in weeks that he'd said his name out loud.

"Yes. No date with him either? You sounded quite fond of him" she literally shook his entire world with her innocent curiosity.

"I did?" Harry gulped almost fearful, afraid of the obvious.

"You did to me. Was I wrong?" Flora frowned at the surprise in his voice, probably afraid that she said something wrong.

"No" Harry clarified simply. "Just noticed it too late".

"I'm sorry" Flora smiled empathetically at him. "Love can be quite complicated and tricky. It's never easy, I'm afraid".

"You've been married for so long though. How do you do that? What is your secret?" Harry wondered curiously, wanting to know if there was something he had overlooked all this time.

"I'm not sure I have one" Flora looked apologetically at him. "We have loved each other for decades and I'm choosing him every day when I wake up. I never stopped, even when life got hard and things got rocky. We always chose our love and maybe that's what made us last. We truly love each other for who we are. We don't pretend to be someone else, we never hide our feelings from the other and we always talk about everything, no matter how small the issue might be. We compromise and listen and just care, I guess. I love him with all his flaws and so does he me".

"That's beautiful, Flora" Harry teared up at her words like some lunatic but they had touched his aching heart.

"It's love, my boy" Flora stated simply, like the wisest person on the planet. "I'm sure you'll find it too one day".

"I thought I did and tried everything to make it work but we're not like you and Ralph. We're ... not who we used to be and we grew apart for a reason. I almost forgot why and did a horrible mistake because I was chasing the ghost of a dream that I once had. Now I'm not sure how to come back from that and make things right" Harry revealed to her what was pressing down on his chest like a dead weight. "I'm afraid I'll stay alone forever because I've been too afraid to actually be with someone again. I ruined it".

"It's only over when it's really over, Darling" Flora told him way too mysteriously. "Have you really tried everything to fix what you've broken?".

"No, because I realised too late that I've broken something that is too precious to be toyed with, even if I didn't do it on purpose. I did play with a heart carelessly and I've broken it in the process and I know that and will never be able to undo this" Harry still felt so guilty for his stupidity, even after a month. "I had convinced myself that it was only fun and that he was right with everything he said about me but it wasn't the truth. The truth was even hidden from me because I was in deep denial and now it's too late. I lost".

"If you really think you've lost, then you need to get over it. But if there's the slightest chance to fix this, you should take it" Flora advised him kind-heartedly. "Always try until it's really over".

"You're very wise" Harry's throat was closing up with too many emotions. "I'll keep that in mind".

"Good" Flora patted his cheek approvingly. "Now, you wanna take some flowers with you? I know you love them".

"I'd love to. Thank you" Harry pecked her cheek gratefully.

"Take your pick. I'll be in the back for a moment" Flora walked into her backroom, leaving him alone with all the pretty flowers. Well, and one of her other employees but no one cared.

Walking through the shop, Harry examined many different flowers he liked and smelled at even more but nothing stuck out to him. That was until he spotted the new daffodil arrangements she had made. Seeing them stopped him in his tracks and he ended up staring at them like a maniac. Somehow they reminded him of someone close to his heart. They were just as bright and sunny and beautiful. Mesmerizing. So mesmerizing that he couldn't stop staring and if that wasn't fitting, he didn't know what was.

"You made your choice?" Flora found him by the daffodils.

Touching the petals gingerly, Harry felt drawn to these flowers and a warm feeling spread through his whole body, so he only nodded dumbfoundedly. "Yes, I want them, please".

"Of course" Flora started to get the flowers ready to be taken. "A pretty choice, I must say. And fitting as we're slowly getting closer to Easter. Anything in particular that made you choose these?".

"A feeling" Harry couldn't take his eyes off of them.

"Always trust your feelings, Harry" Flora advised him softly, handing him the flowers. "Take good care of them".

"I will" Harry reassured her dutifully.

"Good" Flora smiledwarmly at him. "Have a good day, mh?".

"You too. See younext week".

Leaving the flower shop with his new flower arrangement, he made his way slowly back to his cute bakery. The entire way over there, a certain pair of fascinating blue eyes were not leaving his mind, longing to see them again but that was only wishful thinking and he knew that. With his hesitance, cruelty and stupidity, he had ruined any chance they could have had. He deserved better.

Trying to think of something happier, Harry entered his bakery only to be met with Àmbar and Niall talking at a corner table, which was highly suspicious because Niall had the day off and shouldn't be here right now. His senses jumped in alarm.

"What are you doing here?" Harry approached his friends quickly. "Is everything alright?".

Both of their heads snapped up to gape at him in shock at the sound of his voice but they both regained composure in less than a second, which was rubbing him the wrong way. "Oh, it's nothing, H. How was your delivery run?".

"Good. Quick. Now what is going on? You're acting weird" he wasn't falling for his cheap attempt at deflecting. "You're here".

"I work here" Niall pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Not today" Harry stated the obvious, highly unimpressed.

"I came to see Àmbar because ...".

"You said you wanted to hit the city and knowing you, that takes hours. It's too soon for you to be back. So, what's going on? Did something happen? Why are you not telling me?" Harry was getting restless now with his friends obviously hiding something.

"Because it's none of your concern, okay? Not important for you to know" Niall dismissed him again, his words cutting deep.

"What ..." Harry stopped himself from asking again, rolling his lips in. "You know what? Keep your secrets".

"H, wait. I didn't mean to offend you. It's just really not ...".

"Save it" Harry walked away to ask Macy if she needed any help before he'd go upstairs to sulk like a baby. "Do you need a hand? Anything I can do?".

"No, we're fine, Harry. Emma is doing a really good job" Macy declined his offer. "But thanks for asking. Now go home and rest".

"I'm rested" Harry claimed childishly.

"Sure" Macy snorted sarcastically, pushing him to the side. "Go".

"Fine" Harry huffed exaggeratedly, throwing his hands in the air for effect but that only made him look at his friends again, who stopped whispering as soon as they saw him looking over. "Okay, what in the world is going on? Are you gossiping about me?".

"Yeah, sure" Niall looked totally unfazed by that assumption.

"Then what is it? What doesn't concern me? Maybe I can help. It looks serious" Harry walked back over to their table.

"It is but it's not something we can change" Àmbar sighed oddly heavy, worrying the shit out of him. "You should sit down".

"Now you're scaring me" Harry sat down next to her.

"You sure?" Niall asked Àmbar unsurely and his hesitance hurt.

"Positive. He should know" Àmbar nodded at Niall before facing him with a sad and very serious look on her face. "It's about Louis, H. You really wanna know?".

That question alone made his whole body go tense but he found himself nodding anyway. "Please".

Exchanging a look with Niall, Àmbar sighed heavily. "His father died a few hours ago".

A cold shiver ran down his spine and his heart started to beat faster. "How do you know? Did he text you?".

"I ran into him earlier" Niall spoke up now, his voice heavily laced with sadness. "He got a call from his mother while I was talking to his friend Luke and it was ... He brought him home after he received the news. It was a lot to witness".

"And you didn't want me to know" Harry realised why they've been so adamant about not telling him. Louis wasn't part of his life anymore, so he had no right to know. "I shouldn't know".

"We weren't sure if it's a good idea to tell you because it wasn't clear how you'd react" Niall cringed at his own words.

"How do you want me to react, mh?" Harry felt so much pity and sympathy for Louis at the moment. "This is horrible. I feel so sorry for him. He shouldn't have to go through this".

"No one should but I get your sentiment" Niall noted softly.

"Fuck" Harry's heart felt heavy in his chest, remembering something he had once casually made up because he was a prick and a douchebag. "I jinxed it".

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Niall blinked cluelessly.

"When Phil showed up at my place that one evening, Louis was there and he obviously left quite abruptly. That made Phil ask why Louis was so sad and I lied" Harry buried his face in his hands, too ashamed to look at his friends. "I told Phil that Louis' father had died and that I've only been trying to distract him".

"It was a little white lie, H. You didn't jinx this" Niall reached out to uncover his face but he wasn't budging.

"I did and only because I've been a bloody coward and a liar" Harry really wanted to punch himself right now.

"Or you simply predicted the future without meaning to" Àmbar remarked way calmer than he had expected her to be with being Louis' friend by now. "Maybe it was like that feeling you always had that told you he was close. An inkling subconsciously".

"That sounds very logical" Niall sounded relieved to have found a different way to look at this. "This could be what happened".

"Maybe" Harry nibbled on his bottom lip, taking out his phone to be brainless and text Louis after five weeks of no texts.

"You're texting him, aren't you?" Niall knew immediately.

"Yes but my texts are not getting through. Maybe his phone is off or his battery died" Harry frowned at the one check-mark.

"He wanted to be alone, so that makes sense" Niall sounded so lost on what to say without upsetting anyone.

"You're thinking about heading over to see him" Àmbar stated neutrally, simply looking at him with loaded eyes.

"I just wanna make sure that he's alright" Harry didn't even try to deny what was true. "I know we're not even close to being on speaking terms but I can't just sit here and let him suffer".

His friends exchanged another silent look that Harry didn't understand before Àmbar took a hold of his hands. "We're not gonna stop you from going over but please, be aware of what you're doing with this and what it means to you".

"And him" Niall added hesitantly.

"He means too much to me to not check on him in a time like this and I know it's impulsive but it feels right" Harry understood what they were saying and he agreed but he knew what he was doing. He knew what he wanted. "I wanna be there for him".

"If he lets you" Niall smiled understandingly at him.

"If he lets me" Harry repeated in confirmation.

"Then what are you still doing here?" Àmbar let go of his hands. "Go and make sure he's alright. Be there for your ... him".

"I will" Harry's heart stuttered at her almost calling Louis his something, tugging that feeling away for another time.

Grabbing his flowers, Harry rushed out the door and sprinted most of the way over to Louis' place, stopping at the locked gate. Ringing the bell a couple of times, only Alexa showed up at the gate and nothing else was happening. A really bad feeling spread through him and he did something he wasn't proud of. He used his magic to unlock the gate because he didn't have the pin for the lock. Pushing the gate open, Alexa greeted him excitedly and he tried to pet her but something else caught his eye. Movement in the garden. Closing the gate, Harry followed the shadow of something until he found Louis lying on the grass, crying.

"Louis?" Harry said as quietly as possible, not wanting to startle him. He wasn't sure how Louis would react to his presence.

At the sound of his voice, Louis' head turned towards him and sorrow-filled eyes were looking at him as if he weren't really there and it broke his heart. Louis looked absolutely dejected when he was supposed to be always happy. It hurt to see him like this.

"Haz?" Louis slurred out, the nickname tearing at his heart strings even though Louis was clearly completely drunk.

"Yes, I'm here" Harry walked a bit closer to him, crouching down to make sure he was otherwise fine, with Alexa hovering him behind him. She was clearly confused by what was going on.

"Want some?" Louis held up the almost empty bottle of what looked like tequila. Grimacing at the smell, Harry shook his head, wanting Louis to stop drinking before he passed out.

"How much did you have?" Harry tried to get some information out of him but it was in vain. He was far beyond salvation.

"S my happiness potion cause I didn't have yours. Helps with the pain" Louis hiccuped intoxicatedly, breaking his heart again.

"Sleep helps too. And water" Harry grabbed him by the arms to help him stand up but he was barely responding to anything. "Wanna get up and into bed? Sleep a bit?".

"Don't wanna have nightmares again" Louis mumbled into his shoulder when he had managed to make him stand straight-ish.

"You won't" Harry reassured him to make sure Louis would cooperate as best as he could, making Harry wonder what kind of nightmares Louis seemed to have. "Let's get you in bed".

With only some groaning coming from Louis, Harry steadied him by the waist and threw one of Louis' arms over his shoulders to keep him up, stumbling through the garden to get to the patio door. Almost crashing inside, Harry called for Alexa to make her follow them, abandoning his flowers in the garden for now. With Alexa at his feet, he manoeuvred them through the living room all the way over to the stairs but there was no way in hell Louis could climb them in his state. Hoping Louis wouldn't kill him for this in the morning, Harry picked him up bridal-style and carried him upstairs right into his bedroom. Ignoring the upcoming memories because they were highly inappropriate, Harry lay Louis down on his bed and covered him up with his blankets, Alexa directly jumping into bed with him and cuddling up to him.

Leaving them for a moment, Harry went back downstairs and outside to get his flowers and carry them into the kitchen, where he was met with a huge mess. Taking a close look at all the dirty dishes, it looked like Louis had attempted to bake on his own but it had gone wrong terribly every time. Completely endeared by this wonderful man, Harry flicked his wrist to get rid of the mess for him before putting the flowers into a vase, that he actually owned to Harry's surprise. Putting them on the kitchen aisle, Harry took out a glass and filled it with water, grabbing the entire bottle as he thought about it a bit more. Louis would need it.

Heading back upstairs, Harry went into the bathroom to find some painkillers for tomorrow morning. Louis would need them. Armed with the pills and the water, Harry went back into the bedroom to check on Louis again. The sight of Louis and Alexa all snuggled up warmed his heart and made him wanna cry but he pushed that feeling away to focus on Louis' well-being.

"Here, I got you some water. You should drink it, Lou" Harry sat down at the edge of the bed, stroking some hair out of Louis' face and maybe lingering a little bit too long. "It'll help you feel better tomorrow. Trust me".

Blinking at him for a moment, Louis didn't react at all and that kinda scared Harry shitless. But then Louis rolled to the side to grab the glass, downing all of it in one go. Putting the glass back down, Louis stayed on his side and buried his face in his pillow, looking way too adorable for being absolutely smashed.

"Doesn't smell like you" Louis murmured quietly, his raspy voice muffled by the pillow but Harry still caught it and froze. A sober Louis would never say that. He shouldn't hear this.

"Sleep now" Harry tugged him in again, his hands shaking uncontrollably with too much regret and longing. "I'll be back in the morning, if you want me to".

"I do" Louis yawned cutely before his breath evened out, Alexa curling up into a ball right by his belly.

Lugubriously, Harry watched them for one more moment before leaving the room and shutting the door, feeling his heart constrict at the thought of leaving Louis alone right now but his mind knew he had to go. Louis would want him to go. They were nothing and that Harry had shown up here like this was already wrong and he really hoped Louis wouldn't be too mad tomorrow.