Part 1

“Manchester, you have been amazing! I am so proud to call you home, and I can’t wait to come back next year!” Harry smiled broadly at the screaming audience, and waved before leaving the stage with his band. Tonight’s show had been even more electric than the two London shows, but there was a somber moment when Harry paused to take a minute of silence for the victims of the recent Manchester bombing.

Gemma and Anne had sat in the audience together, while Molly opted to remain backstage to avoid speculation. Harry’s fans were still on high alert for his ‘mystery girlfriend’ and didn’t seem to be backing down. Then again, Molly knew better than to assume they would let the topic rest so easily, since she herself had been in that position, too. Yet now, being on the other side of the story, she could see just how much work and effort went into keeping celebrities’ private lives just that: private. After the show ended, Molly met up with Anne and Gemma backstage, and Harry joined them once he had changed out of his concert attire.

“Did you see Michael in the audience? I didn’t expect him to be here,” Harry beamed and hugged his mom and sister, and lastly Molly.

“I think the whole gang was here,” Gemma replied.

“Really? I just saw Michael, but that was really nice of them to come out to support me tonight.” Harry said, still buzzing from the show.

“It was, considering you were just schoolmates,” Anne added.

“They were my best friends at one point.” Harry corrected, and pulled out his phone. “I wonder what they’re doing. I feel like I should take them out for a pint or something, to thank them for coming or whatever.”

“I’m sure they’d appreciate that.” Anne smiled, and chatted with Molly and Gemma about the fans in the section they had been seated in, while they waited for Harry.

“I’m going to meet up with them at the pub for a few drinks, I promise I won’t be out too late!” He hugged them all goodbye, and took off before they could respond.

“Okay, I guess we’re having a girls night in!” Gemma laughed, and the three of them left together.

Gemma, Molly, and Anne did indeed have a girls night in, and stayed up watching a movie and drinking wine. Eventually Anne went to bed, followed soon after by Gemma, but Molly wanted to wait up for Harry to come home. She sat in their room, wearing the stockings he seemed to like so much, and waited with the half-empty bottle of wine.

She waited, and waited, and next thing she knew, she woke up alone with an empty wine bottle. ‘Woke up alone in this hotel room…’ Molly thought, and rolled out of bed to throw the bottle out and put some real clothes on. She pulled out her phone and texted Harry asking him where the heck he was, but received no response.

She joined Gemma and Anne for breakfast, and neither of them seemed surprised to not see Harry. “Do you guys know where Harry ended up last night?” Molly asked.

Gemma laughed a moment before answering. “He said he was too pissed last night to come back and crashed on Colin’s couch.”

Molly was startled, until she remembered ‘pissed’ meant drunk over here, not angry. Yet, she still wasn’t sure why he hadn’t told her, but he’d texted Gemma. Must have been very drunk, indeed. “Well, hopefully he’s not too hungover; we have to leave for Glasgow soon.”

“Actually, he’s already there.” Gemma giggled some more. “Colin lives in Glasgow, and somehow they all ended up there last night.”

“Oh,” Molly probably would have found it more amusing if she hadn’t stayed up so late waiting for Harry.

“But we,” Gemma pointed between herself and Molly, “do need to leave soon.”

Molly nodded and finished her breakfast quickly. She was looking forward to going back to sleep on the way up to Glasgow, despite the fact that she’d always wanted to visit Scotland and would normally have been excited to see the scenery. Yet, she slept the whole way there, and when she and Gemma arrived, they met Harry before his show.

He was wandering around before soundcheck, clearing trying to work off a hangover with his sunglasses still on inside and a hat pulled down low. He glanced up at them and smiled sheepishly when he saw the pair.

“Hey! Sorry about last night, I have no idea what happened.” Harry apologized and gave Molly a friendly hug. “Literally, I don’t know what happened. One minute I was having a few pints with the lads, next thing I know I’m on Col’s couch wearing a shirt that didn’t belong to me.” Harry laughed, and Molly cheered up a bit seeing him smile like that.

“I’m just glad you’re safe,” she smiled, and wanted to lean in to hug him again, but not out in the open like this. “I missed you, though,” she added quietly.

“I’ll make it up to you, I promise,” he answered more seriously, and smiled back at her.

‘Promises are broken like stitches…’ The lyrics rolled through Molly’s brain, and she pushed them aside. ‘Just because Harry promised he’d be home last night and he ended up in Scotland instead, doesn’t mean he’s going to break every promise now,’ Molly reminded herself and tried to cheer up. They only had a day or so before he had to leave for his next show, yet this time, Molly would stay behind in London with Gemma.

“I’d like that,” Molly smiled back at him.

Harry managed to get through the show just fine, even though he wasn’t feeling that great. He made a joke about wearing a kilt, and tried out his best Scottish accent - which amused the audience greatly. By the time the show ended, he was exhausted after his nearly sleepless adventure the night before, and fell right asleep when he and Molly reached their hotel room.

The next morning he and Molly slept in late together and had breakfast around noon. They only had a few hours before Harry was scheduled to leave for his next tour stop in Stockholm, and they spent every moment together making up for lost time, and time they had yet to lose. They didn’t really want to talk about it, but neither of them knew when they would see each other next. Harry’s tour would take him across Europe, and then to the other side of the world for his shows in Asia and Australia, yet Molly was headed in the opposite direction, back to New York.


Part 2


It had been meer hours since Harry left Molly in Glasgow, but he already missed her. He texted her and tried calling her a few times, but she didn’t answer. He assumed she and Gemma were still traveling, so she had her phone off. He sulked around his hotel his hotel room for a bit, feeling sorry for himself and wishing he were home with her, but that didn’t make him feel any better. Harry was in a glum mood, and almost told whoever was knocking on the door to shove it. Except, it was his bandmates Adam and Sarah, and they were too nice to be rude to like that.

“We’re going out tonight, want to come?” Adam asked when Harry finally opened the door.

“I don’t know, we have a show tomorrow, it’s late,” Harry checked the time and realized it was 8PM - not actually that late.

“Come on, I think I’ve caught that ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ you wrote about,” Sarah joked, knowing the song was not actually about the city they were currently in - or even the actual syndrome. But it got a smile out of Harry, so she didn’t care.

“I’m just not feeling it, that’s all.” Harry shrugged, and the smile vanished.

“We just wanted to check out a club my friend recommended, that’s all. Get a drink, maybe dance a bit - you don’t even have to have fun, if you don’t want to.” Adam teased, and again, Harry couldn’t help but smile at their attempts to keep his mind occupied while he was away from Molly. “It’s not your average club, it has a bit of a bohemian feel to it and doesn't play traditional club music. I think you’ll like it, actually.”

“Really?” Harry tilted his head and thought for a moment. “I wouldn’t even know what to wear…”

“You look fine in that,” Sarah gestured to his current outfit of black skinny jeans, his favorite boots, and a t-shirt.

“Okay, I guess. I’ll just grab my jacket and a hat.” Harry finally agreed, and Sarah and Adam smiled.


***


Molly and Gemma sat across from each other on the train, opting to take the train back from Glasgow rather than fly, just for a change. Molly was excited to see the scenery, too, and kept asking Gemma if this was where the train to Hogwarts was filmed.

“No, I don’t think so, but let’s look it up.” Gemma laughed and pulled out her phone, only to frown at the lack of bars showing. “Ugh, no service.”

“Me neither,” Molly checked her phone. “But Hogwarts was in Scotland, right?” She asked.

“I think part of the train ride to Hogwarts was shot in Scotland, but I don’t know where. We’re in England now, anyway,” Gemma sighed. This was going to be a long ride.

“Do they serve alcohol on this train?” Molly asked, and Gemma perked up.

“Yes, and that’s exactly what I need right now.”


***


The club was, as Adam had described, not ‘usual’ and Harry did actually like it - after he loosened up with a few drinks. He didn’t really feel like dancing, so he sat at the bar while Adam and Sarah had fun on the dance floor. Nobody seemed to bother him there, and either they didn’t recognize him as Harry Styles, or they didn’t care. After a few drinks, Harry started talking to whomever was around him about whatever popped into his mind.

Niall’s ‘On my Own’ started playing, and Harry perked up. “Hey! This is my mate Niall!” He loudly announced to the girl next to him.

“Oh really?” She asked, sounding like she didn’t believe him.

“Yeah.” He nodded and smiled. “I love this song, and his whole album, really. He’s doing so well, I’m so- I’m so proud of him.” Harry almost got a bit choked up and had to take a deep breath. “I’m going to put this on twitter,” he said out loud to himself, and pulled out his phone to tweet.

*I don't need no one, have too much fun out here on my own

Harry put down his phone after sending out a line from the song on twitter, thinking that was enough. He thought Molly would be proud of him for remembering to use his social media, and then got sad all over again. “My girl- um, my good friend really likes him too, and she said this is her favorite song of his.”

“It’s a good song,” the girl replied disinterestedly as she waited for her drink.

“It is, and I really relate to it right now, since I’m on my own.” Harry sounded distant, and the girl finally turned to pay attention to him.

“Aren’t you here with your friends?” She asked and pointed toward Adam and Sarah.

“Yeah, but, I mean, I’m on my own, like, I’m alone.” He restated, trying to clarify what he meant.

“Oh, so you’re single?” Now she really seemed interested in him, and moved a little closer.

“Uh... “ Harry’s eyes got wide and he tried to think of the right thing to say. That wasn’t what he’d been trying to imply, yet, he knew he was supposed to appear single until the rumors cleared up. “Uh, yes. Yes, of course, free as a bird.” Harry tried to sound convincing, and it was good enough for the girl.

“Then let me buy you a drink, maybe?” She leaned closer.

“No, I couldn’t accept that,” Harry laughed, since he was a multi-millionaire, and she looked like she had a much more normal income. “If anything, I should buy you a drink.”

Her eyes shot open. “Well I certainly wouldn’t object to that.”

“Absolutely, why not?” Harry got the bartender’s attention and asked if he could cover the girl’s bill. “Pay it forward, you know? Spread the love, or whatever.” He said to the girl, though she seemed confused at his words.

“Okay...So, do you want to, like, dance now?” She tilted her head and tried to figure Harry out.

“Fuck it, why not?” Harry slid off the barstool he had been occupying all night and followed the girl on to the dance floor. ‘On My Own’ had long since ended and moved onto another song with a beat Harry found easy to dance to in his inebriated state, and the girl fell into step with him.

Sarah and Adam found him a while later. Harry really wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but that girl was still by his side, and he still had no clue what her name was.

“Glad to see you finally loosened up a bit!” Adam said, though there was a look in his eye Harry couldn’t quite interpret. Was he worried? Or concerned?

“You might want to tone it down a bit, though,” Sarah leaned in and added.

“Why? Oh, do you think I’ve had too much to drink?” Harry tried to quietly ask them.

“Just be careful, that’s all,” Sarah advised hesitantly.

“Oh, right, we’ve got a show tomorrow. Shit what time is it?” Harry scrambled to find his phone to check the time, but couldn’t find it.

“It’s almost 1AM so we were thinking of heading back.” Adam answered.

“That’s probably smart,” Harry replied and followed them toward the door. He hadn’t meant to drink so much, and he didn’t even want to think about how he’d feel tomorrow morning, but at least he didn’t feel quite so lonely anymore.


***

Molly and Gemma stumbled back to Gemma’s late that evening, having taken their drinking from the train to a bar, then finally home. Gemma pulled out a bottle of ‘something special’ and poured Molly and herself one (or a few) last drink(s) for the evening.

“Molly, you’ve been checking your phone all evening...is it Harry?” Gemma asked and slid Molly’s refilled glass over to her.

“I’m waiting for him to respond to a text.” Molly stumbled on the words. ‘Even my phone misses your call….’ She thought, wondering if this is what Harry meant when he wrote the lyrics to From the Dining Table.

“He’s probably busy, don’t worry about it.”

“But he’s been busy all evening, and he texted me -probably while we were on the train- that he was lonely, and he missed me.”

“Poor Harry.” Gemma answered almost sarcastically.

“I miss him too, and…” Molly tried to form the words but her head was not fully in gear.

“It’ll be okay, Molls, he’s just across the North Sea in Sweden - it’s really not that far.” Gemma tried to cheer her up, but Molly inexplicably became flustered.

“You don’t have all the facts,” Molly started, thinking that quoting ‘The Office’ was the best way to explain her feelings.

“What?” Gemma laughed, not catching onto this, despite the quote having recently become a popular meme.

“I love him.”

Notes

There’s a lot going on in his chapter, sorry! I mixed part of the next chapter with this one, and I think that made things seem a little choppy. The last chapters between now and the end (ch. 50) are probably going to be like that or at least odd lengths, since I have them all outlined a bit.

Have any of you seen any of his newer shows? I think it’s so funny he’s playing ‘their song’ now (IICF)!! And he’s opening with Only Angel, something Molly suggested to him!

PS. I made up the names of Harry’s ‘friends’ from back home, I have no idea who his childhood friends are xD