Harry Who?

We only had a few games left in the season as August came to an end. The Boston Blades had beat us, terribly, the last time we played them, so we were eager to get a win today. Yet after the first 20 minutes, we were down 1-2.

A light out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. I looked up and saw that one of the private viewing rooms in the arena was lit up, one of the rooms our mysterious team owner would watch from when he was around.

‘It can’t be Harry,’ I thought. ‘He would have told me if he were visiting. Then again, he does have a history of surprising me…’

I returned my focus to the ice as the ref dropped the puck and the second period of the game started. I could have sworn that light had not been on when the game started. I always check, hoping maybe Harry has stopped by for a surprise visit, but I know it’s not likely with his filming schedule.

I looked up again when the the play stopped and watched for a moment while we regrouped. There was definitely someone up there, and it might be Harry. He usually stayed away from the window so no one would see him, but when he saw me looking he stepped forward enough so I could see it was really him. He had two other people with him, and they came right up to the glass to wave at me. Was that Anne and Gemma? I smiled back at them, but didn’t want to wave and draw any attention.

Somehow, during all of this (couldn't have been more than a few seconds), the puck dropped and play started without me noticing. The last thing I remember seeing after Anne and Gemma waved to me was was one of the opposing team’s forwards rushing toward me with the puck. She probably assumed I was going to block her, and I would have, had I been paying attention. I didn’t see her coming in time and I was not at all ready for her hit, a hit I could have normally taken easily had I been prepared.

I fell into the boards awkwardly, hitting my head on the way down.

Then the lights when out.


***


Harry’s POV:

My mom and sister had been begging to see Ellie and my hockey team play ever since the season started. With my filming schedule, that just hadn’t been possible, until recently when we had a setback and Nolan gave us the weekend off. I grabbed Gemma and mum before we took a red eye to New York. I wasn’t even sure we’d get there on time, so I figured I wouldn’t tell Ellie we were coming. I’d hate for her to be disappointed if we didn’t make it to the arena before the game ended. Besides, I think she plays better when she doesn’t know I’m watching.

Luck was truly on our side when we made it to the arena in Newark just as the first intermission was ending. The three of us were able to sneak in the back door and up to the private viewing rooms in the upper part of the arena.

“I can’t believe you own a hockey team, Harry,” his mom said as we watched the players far below. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Look, there’s Ellie!” Gemma pointed out and excitedly waved.

“Why is she staring at us like that?” Mum asked, and moved a little closer to the window with Gemma and waved.

“I didn’t exactly tell her we were coming,” I admitted.

“Harry,” Mum tsked at me and turned back to the ice to see Ellie still staring.

“Sorry, I just didn’t want her to be nervous or anything-”

“Harry!!!” Gemma shrieked and I moved closer to the window to get a better view.

She was on the ground, not moving. My blood turned to ice in my veins as I watched the replay of the hit on the jumbotron. She had been standing there, staring up at us, and didn’t see the other team’s player coming at her. When they collided, Ellie was thrown aside like a doll and hit the boards surrounding the ice. The ref blew the whistle when it was clear she wasn’t getting up and a few of her teammates rushed over to see if she was okay.

The team’s trainer came out onto the ice to examine her and mum, Gem, and I watched in silence, not sure what was happening. The trainer motioned to someone off the ice and my heart stopped when I saw they were wheeling out the stretcher. I know they always have an ambulance on hand, I know they sometimes have to carry players off the if it’s not safe for them to walk...but I never thought it’d happen to my Ellie.

“Mum,” I said quietly, and she held my hand. “I’m scared.”

“We’re all scared Harry. You need to be there for her right now,” she turned to face me.

“What if she’s not okay?” I whispered, blinking back tears.

“Don’t think about that, just get down there and get on that ambulance with her,” she instructed me and pushed me toward the door.

I felt like I was moving on autopilot as my feet carried me down several flights of stairs to ice level. I found the ambulance as it was just closing the doors and begged them to let me in.

“Please, I’m her boyfriend,” I pled, and they stared at me, so confused as to what I was doing there.

“Um, okay,” the paramedic let me in, and I didn’t even notice her whispering to the driver that Harry Styles of One Direction was dating a hockey player and in her ambulance right now; that was the furthest thing from my mind at the moment.

“Is she okay?” I asked, as the paramedic checked her eyes and secured a heart monitor.

“She hit her head, we think it might be a concussion. We’ll need to run further tests at the hospital. Can you help me remove her skates?”

I moved to her feet and tried to untie her skates with trembling hands. I had just gotten one off when I heard her say something.

“Where am I? What happened?” She croaked. “It’s so bright.”

“You’re in an ambulance, Ellie, you’ve hit your head, so I’m going to ask you to remain still.” The paramedic explained in a calming voice. “You’re boyfriend is here with you.”

“Who?” She asked, and I moved closer. Her eyes flicked over my face without any sign of recognition.

My heart sank, and I looked over at the paramedic. “Sometimes short term memory loss occurs in concussion patients.”

“How short term? Will it come back?” I asked, feeling the panic set in.

“It’s too soon to say, we’ll know more once we examine her at the hospital,” she said, and continued checking Ellie’s vitals.

I was too impatient for that and leaned over Ellie so she could see me better. “Ellie, it’s me, Harry.”

“Harry who?” She asked and looked over my face carefully, and I felt like I’d been shot. I wanted to hold her in my arms, tell her everything would be okay. I touched her hand and tried to hold it, but she pulled away. I blinked away a few tears and tried to be strong for her, even if she didn’t know who I was.

Notes

Sorry this is such a sad chapter. I’ve decided to write an ‘alternate ending’ which I will post once I figure out what exactly it is or how long it will be. (It will be sad, very sad, because I’m horrible!) : )

Alternate ending (very sad): http://www.onedirectionfanfiction.org/Story/89905/Harry-Who-Alternate-Ending/


I’m no expert on concussions, so my description may not be accurate, but concussions are a really big issue for hockey players, and in other sports. Something like this actually happened at the first NHL game I went to, and luckily he was okay, but it’s still scary to see someone taken off the ice on a stretcher. It’s usually precautionary (to prevent further injury until they can be sure they’re okay), but players get hurt all the time and usually end up okay if they’re treated properly. I mentioned her earlier, but Amanda Kessel (of the Riveters) was sidelined for over a year after getting a concussion and didn’t start playing hockey again until last season.

I don’t normally switch point of view while writing, so hopefully this wasn’t terrible, but in this situation I kind of had to, considering she was knocked out.

Also, now that I’m writing two fics at once, I feel like I’m getting them confused a little? (PS. if you haven’t check out The Reinvention of Harry Styles, it’s turned out much better than I thought it would!).

Anyway, thank you for reading, voting, commenting, and subscribing,! : )