A/N: This contains the same event portrayed in both the normal ending and the alternate ending. I hope that’s not confusing, sorry!


“You ready to watch ‘Love Actually’ again?” Harry sat down on the couch between Ellie and Gemma.

“Of course, it’s become a Christmas tradition,” Gemma answered.

“Wait, first we have to open presents,” Anne interrupted them, and they exchanged gifts.

“Open mine first,” Harry handed a box to his mom.

“Well, it’s from us,” Ellie corrected and smiled at Harry.

“You never change, Harry, so impatient,” Anne laughed and took the box. “Let’s see if I can open it before he accidentally tells me what it is.”

Harry smiled bashfully and bit his lip to keep from doing just that. He watched her carefully as she slipped the top off the box and her face lit up in a smile as she pulled a picture frame out of the box. “Aww, your wedding picture? Thank you,” Anne wiped away a few tears and gave them both a kiss. “It was so beautiful that day; August is the perfect time for an outdoor wedding. You were so beautiful, both of you; absolutely glowing.”

“Thanks,” Ellie leaned into Harry and smiled, and he wrapped his arm around her.

“How could I not be, next to a girl like this?” He kissed her head and Ellie blushed.

“Says the man who wore a million dollar suit,” Ellie laughed.

“It wasn’t quite that much,” Harry defended.

“A suit that no one’s going to see you wear besides the few guests you had, since you kept it private.” Gemma added. “To think your fans thought you had just disappeared, and complained you weren’t promoting ‘Two Ghosts’.”

“I guess you could say we became two ghosts, and disappeared,” Harry joked, and both Gemma and Ellie rolled their eyes.

“You’d better get used to that, hon,” Anne said to Ellie, and Ellie nodded at her new mother-in-law.

“It’s his unique charm,” Ellie teased, and looked back at her husband.

“You’re too kind,” he answered, and kissed her cheek.

“You guys are gross,” Gemma teased.

“You’re just jealous!” Harry retorted with a grin.

“No, though I am jealous you got Ed Sheeran to sing for your first dance together. ‘Thinking out Loud’ is perfect for a wedding,” Gemma sighed. “Do you think he’d sing at my wedding? Whenever I get married?” She added and glanced at her mother to reassure her there were no more secret weddings coming up in the Styles household.

“What?” Harry scoffed. “What about me?”

“I don’t want my brother to sing at my wedding,” Gemma laughed. “Besides, you’d get really emotional.”

“That’s true,” Harry agreed, and the rest nodded, remembering how many times they’d had to stop the ceremony because Harry had started crying again.

“What would you even sing, ‘Kiwi’?” Gemma asked rhetorically and both Harry and Ellie nearly choked as the took a sip of the hot chocolate Anne had brought them moments ago.

“Umm, no,” Harry started once he’d stopped laughing. “That’s not really a wedding appropriate song.”

“Not really appropriate in general,” Anne added quietly, and Gemma snickered.

“I think ‘Sweet Creature’ would make sense,” Harry continued, ignoring his mom’s comment.

“Aww that would be cute,” Anne said and looked between her two children and her daughter-in-law. “You guys are going to make me cry.”

“Alright, time for the movie,” Gemma hopped up to grab ‘Love Actually’.

“This is, what, our third time watching this together?” Harry asked Ellie, pulling her closer on the couch so she was right next to him.

“Yup. We saw it once when we were dating, once when we were engaged, and now we’re married, so that’s three times,” Ellie counted the times they’d seen ‘Love Actually’ of on her fingers.

“I like that pattern,” Harry commented.

“What do you mean?” She raised her eyebrow, not catching what Harry was trying to say.

“Just, you know, there seems to be a change each time...maybe next year, there will be a different kind of change,” he raised his eyebrows a few times, but she didn’t get it.

“What could possibly come next?” She asked. “You think we’ll be divorced?” She added quietly.

“No,” Harry laughed, “I was thinking something more positive than that, maybe, an addition….”

Ellie nodded. “Like a dog.”

“I wasn’t thinking a dog, actually,” Harry started.

“Best dog ever. Remember that?” Ellie interrupted and they both laughed.

“Right, we can get the best dog ever, and maybe we’ll talk about that other positive addition some other time,” Harry patted her knee and turned his attention back to the movie, but Ellie leaned in to talk to him.

“Actually, Harry, I’ve been meaning to tell you something,” she said quietly.

Harry whipped around to face her and felt his heart beating in his throat. “What?” He asked breathlessly and glanced down at her stomach, though the thick ugly Christmas sweater blocked his view.

“I saw the cutest dog the other day-”

Harry interrupted her with a loud sigh as he finally exhaled. “Ellie...wording,” he tried to slow his racing heart.

“Whatever. Anyway, I saw the cutest dog and I really wanted to get it, so I won’t be alone when you go on tour this spring.”

“You won’t be alone, you’re coming with me,” he smiled back at her.

“Again? I didn’t think you’d want me around for the whole thing, I’d just get in the way.”

“Nonsense, luv, you’re my wife; of course I want you to come on tour with me. We had so much fun last time, didn’t we?” Harry asked.

“It was fun. And when we get back,” Ellie snuggled closer to her husband. “Maybe then we can talk about that ‘other positive addition’ you keep hinting at.”


_________________________________________________________


Alternate Ending:

Harry and Ellie sat on the couch in front of the television at her parent’s house. Snow fell in the cold Ottawa winter outside, but the crackling fireplace kept them warm. As the end credits scrolled on ‘Love Actually’ Harry turned to see if Ellie had any kind of reaction.

“Do you remember watching that? Two years ago, at my mum’s house...you and Gemma braided my hair?” Harry tried to jog her memory, but Ellie shook her head.

“I don’t, but I’m sure I liked watching it just as much the first time around,” Ellie turned to him with a smile.

Her mother entered with hot chocolate for the two of them. “Don’t you look cute in your matching sweaters,” she said as she handed them their mugs. “Dinner will be ready soon, and Vivian is just picking up Scott at the airport, so they’ll be here in about half an hour.”

“Thanks, mom,” Ellie smiled, and her mom returned to the kitchen where she and Ellie’s dad were cooking.

“I feel like I’m intruding on your family Christmas,” Harry said quietly to Ellie.

“Why? You said last time, we went to your mom’s house for Christmas, so for our second first Christmas together, we can do at with my parents’,” Ellie smiled and tried to reassure Harry. “I’m sure I felt like I was intruding, too.”

“I guess. But I feel like your parents don’t like me very much. Like, maybe they hold me responsible for-”

“No, not at all. They don’t blame anyone, because it wasn’t anyone’s fault.” Ellie cut him off.

“But they wouldn’t let you go on tour with me this fall,” Harry added, and looked down at the little marshmallows in his hot chocolate.

“They didn’t say I couldn’t go, considering I am an adult, but with my concussion not completely healed they thought it would be better if I didn’t. And, they’re right, because bright lights and loud sounds are not good with concussions. I’m getting better, though,” Ellie added.

“Really? Like, maybe good enough you could come on the second leg of the tour with me?” Harry’s eyes lit up, and he leaned a little closer to her.

She shrugged. “I can’t say for sure, but if I continue making progress, it is very possible.”

Harry smiled and pulled her in for a hug. “That makes me happier than you know. After I got you back this spring, I didn’t want to let you go; having to go on tour on my own and leave you behind was so hard for me.”

“I visited, but I know, it was hard for me too. But we have the whole winter together, right?”

“Yes, luv,” he kissed her forehead. “I have to work on my next album, but other than that it’s just you and I.”

“You’re next album? So what’s this one going to be about, if the last one was about losing your girlfriend?” Ellie asked.

“I guess it’ll be about getting her back,” Harry smiled.

“What a lucky girl; Harry Styles has written not one, but two albums about her,” she grinned. “I’m hoping this one will have some happier songs?”

“No, they’re probably going to be pretty depressing, you know…” He joked, and earned a light smack from Ellie.

“So, in the movie, that guy - the older guy who gets naked at the end?” She asked.

“Billy Mack?”

“Yes, his Christmas song was one of his hits, turned into a Christmas song. So, if you have to make one of your songs a Christmas song, which one would it be?” Ellie asked and bit her lip.

“One of my songs, or One Direction?” Harry raised his eyebrows.

“Just yours.”

“Jesus, um….” He thought for a minute, then broke out into song. “Just stop your crying it’s Christmas time!”

Ellie giggled and fell onto Harry. “That is not what I was thinking, but that works.”

“What were you thinking of?” He asked.

Ellie shrugged. “I don’t know, but that would be the saddest sounding Christmas song ever.”

“Maybe I’ll just do a Christmas album next,” Harry joked.

Ellie laughed and leaned on his shoulder. “When One Direction gets back together, you guys can do a Christmas album; that’d be cute.”

“Yeah, I’m sure the guys would go for that,” Harry joked. Their banter was interrupted by the arrival of Scott and his wife Vivian.

“Nice to see you again, Harry,” Scott gave Harry a bro-hug as Ellie helped Vivian with her suitcase.

“It’s nice to be back,” Harry replied. “And to have her back.”

The two watched Ellie and Vivian talk for a moment before Scott turned back to Harry. “She has improved so much; you can’t know how much you’ve helped her.”

“That’s good to hear,” Harry smiled. “I was worried it would be the opposite. I still feel responsible, somehow…”

“No, it’s not your fault.” Scott shook his head. “You’re one of the best things that’s ever happened to her.”

“Whether that’s true or not, she is certainly the best thing that’s happened to me,” Harry replied as Ellie returned to his side.

“Were you talking about me?” She gave him a suspecting look and nestled into his side. Scott left the two alone and joined Vivian in the kitchen with his parents.

“Nothing bad, don’t worry luv,” Harry leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I was just saying how much I need you, and I never want to lose you again.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Harry,” she returned his kiss and entwined her arms around him so they were connected. “I’ll be right here, always.”

Ellie heard Harry sniffling and looked up at him. She wiped a tear off his cheek and said, “Stop you crying, it’s Christmas time.”

This brought a laugh out of Harry, and he blinked away the remaining tears. “Come on, let's’ go get dinner before I accidentally write that Christmas album.”


“I can just see it now: ‘Harry Styles Writes World’s Most Depressing Christmas Songs Ever’.” Ellie teased, and the two giggled as the door to the kitchen swung shut behind them. The two settled in at the dinner table for what would be the first of many Christmas dinners for the pair in Ottawa, beside the crackling fireplace and the falling snow.

Notes

So this is actually the end (Unless anyone wants a sequel?) (if so, let me know)
update: Here's the sequel: http://www.onedirectionfanfiction.org/Story/90286/Harry-Styles-Wilson-Hockey-Husband-Sequel-to-Harry-Who/

I wanted to put the two endings in the same chapter since they happen at the same time, but on different plot lines (an AU, I guess)

I can’t believe this story has over 11,000 reads! Thank you so much for reading, and thank you to everyone who voted and commented! It means a lot to me :D