Louis made it up to his room still shocked at his bravery to give Harry a kiss on the cheek, but that was besides the point. He began to wonder where Harry lived on campus. Did he live with his father or a separate house all together?

Louis wasn't able to think of much more because as he opened the door to his room he was bombarded with questions by the blond little leprechaun he called his roommate. He was lucky to have Niall as his roommate, he didn't think he could live with another random stranger when he already got to know Niall a little bit before they knew they were living together. Zayn wasn't all that happy, but Louis assured him that although Niall was very adorable, and very good looking, he had his eyes on someone else, and to that Zayn just smirked, and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Louis scoffed and shrugged off the gesture.

"So how'd it go?!" Niall all but yelled in his ear, Zayn standing beside him with a smirk.

Louis smiled to himself allowing his thoughts to drift to the evenings previous events. "It was nice." He replied simply in a quiet voice while going to sit on his bed.

"What did you guys talk about?" Zayn asked.

"Hm? We didn't talk."

"But... Then what did you do?" Niall asked confused.

"We just walked around the garden and then he walked me back here... Where I may or may not have given him a kiss on the cheek." Louis explained quietly and giddily.

Both Niall and Zayn gasped loudly. Then in unison added, "You did what?!"

Louis giggled and nodded. "He was so sweet! How could I resist?"

"Well you better watch out from now on Lou. If any girls saw that or any homophobe's for that matter you need to stay safe they might not like it." Zayn explained solemnly. He already felt like an older brother to him.

Louis sighed but nodded none the less.

"Sorry babe gotta go, curfew." Zayn kissed Niall quickly and said goodbye to Louis before he was out the door. Louis and Niall both went to bed early that night.

The next few days were some of the best, but also some of the worst.

Louis had spent every evening after supper walking through the garden with Harry before being walked back to the dorm building and giving Harry a peck on the cheek as a thank you and goodbye. All done with not a word spoken between them. It was as if they could communicate through body language or breath, able to move one inch and it being enough to tell and entire story to each other. They were so comfortable in each others presence that they were just one person rather than two. 

Even with the wonderful evenings Louis spent with Harry, he was being attacked by people during school. Thankfully only verbally and Niall and Zayn would help whenever they could, but the words hurt none the less. He was being called names such as fag, queer, worthless, pathetic, trash. He had deducted the reason behind the hurtful words were because of Harry because it seemed none of the other students had a problem with Niall and Zayn's relationship, but he wouldn't give up his daily walks with Harry for any amount of torture.

Zayn had warned him that this would happen, but he thinks that those few minutes he spends with Harry all to himself made up for any amount of name calling.

Harry had also been spending the last few days in bliss and his fair share of misery. Spending the evenings with Louis were like dreams. He loved the fact that Louis did not try to make him talk or purposely get his attention. By the end of the walks, although he would need to say goodbye to Louis and get his daily sweet peck on the cheek -- which was his favorite part of the entire walk -- Harry would feel lighter. As if some unseen block of lead lifted from his shoulders. He didn't know why, and he certainly didn't know why this only happened with Louis, but he didn't mind at all. 

With all of the happiness Louis brought him he also brought him sadness. No it was not the boy himself, but the people around him. He had seen how Louis was receiving hateful comments from his classmates. What made it worse was that the hateful comments were because Louis was associating with Harry himself and that made Harry's chest ache. So Harry thought that maybe by confronting Louis of his fears his chest would ache significantly less, so that was exactly what he did.

It was on the tenth evening that Harry and Louis had gone on their walks together. They were stopped outside of Louis' dorm per usual and Louis leaned up to peck Harry's cheek per usual, but when he pulled away he was met with Harry's frowning face.

"Whats wrong Harry?" Louis asked confused.

All Harry needed to do was nod his head in the direction of the dorm for Louis to understand.

Louis sighed. "It's okay Harry there's no need to worry okay?" Inside Louis was ecstatic and felt completely and utterly loved at the fact that Harry was worried for his safety, but he would rather say nothing to keep going on these wonderful walks with Harry. He was afraid that if Harry found out about all of the rude things being said that he wouldn't walk with Louis anymore to keep him safe. 

Harry only grunted in response.

"It's only words Harry, and I have Niall and Zayn." Louis assured Harry.

Although Louis wasn't entirely telling the truth.  In the last two days or so the boys in his classes had taken it upon themselves to dish out morning and afternoon beatings to Louis, but Harry didn't need to know that.

Harry reluctantly sighed and nodded. Louis smiled, Harry kissed his forehead and hugged him close. It was their first hug and Louis couldn't help but melt into Harry's strong arms, while Harry couldn't help but notice how well Louis fit in his embrace. With reluctance on both ends they  pulled away from each other and with a small smile Louis headed up to his room and went straight to sleep.