Harry curved his right arm around his head, pinching the cartilage of his left ear, using his left thumb to continue reading this crazy little fanfic story. If he thought about it too much he wouldn't be reading it, so instead of thinking, he just kept reading.

"What does your necklace mean, Harry?" Gemma asked quietly once they were tuckered out from laughing.

"Not really sure, Gemma, it reminds me of the love of my fans...or maybe because you gave it to me?" Harry said it like a question more than an answer.

"I did not give you that necklace!!"

"Oh! That's a relief!" Harry sheepishly grinned.

"Harry!"

Harry began to chuckle to himself as he read. This writer wasn't half bad and actually seemed to capture who his sister was in a realistic way. But that is definitely not what his necklace meant.

Harry checked the time at the top of his phone. He still had a lot of time to kill before going to the Jenner's place. He finished the most recent chapter the writer, kandikane93, had uploaded, and decided to read the author's note at the bottom:

"Ok guys, I know this story might not seem very intriguing to you, but I am trying to only portray characteristics I can know to be true of Louis and the rest of the boys of One Direction. If any of you have factual information confirmed by the boys in an interview or something, then I would be very interested in your input. I may rewrite a few things as I go along, but I will always warn you when I do. Thank you all for reading!!

Harry stared hard at his screen for a few moments. Suddenly, as if trying to do it before he could change his mind, he unwrapped his arm from around his head and began typing a comment:

georgetaxes23: Harry wears the two symbols on his necklace because they came that way.

Harry hesitated before posting the comment; what if they noticed him? Could they trace this comment? He wanted this to be totally anonymous. The comment was true, he truly hadn't taken much thought to the necklace except that it looked cool. Before he could think any more, he hit the post button and let out the breath he was holding.

Why did I even do that?

'Cuz you crave normalcy.

True. At least I'm agreeing with myself for once!

You sound like you should get help...

Harry smirked at his own cynical thoughts and looked back at his phone. His eyebrows raised in surprise to see that the author had already answered his comment.

kandikane93: thank you for your thought, georegetaxes23, I suppose that could be the only reason! Maybe that will be the reason I give in the story. Thank you so much for your input, I really appreciate it when people take the time to comment and vote! :)

Harry licked his lips and began to type:

georgetaxes23: no problem! I'm a guy and I know that's how most guys think, and I KNOW that's what Harry would have been thinking.

An answer popped up less than a minute after he posted his comment:

kandikane93: true, I agree with you, but I was just not sure as I also know that guys are not robotic beings who do things for no reason. Sometimes they do things just because they are cool, but sometimes they do things for a deeper reason. I often think Harry is a lot deeper than a lot of people would believe. Thank you again for answering! :)

georgetaxes23: thank you for seeing the male race in a nicer light than most media seems to these days. But I can assure you, in this case, Harry would have just done it because it was cool. You are a good writer as well, keep going!

kandikane93: thank you again, I appreciate your comments! :)

georgetaxes23: no problem, love. xx

Harry waited for a few moments to see if the author would answer, but they didn't. He was surprised at how much he enjoyed that little "anonymous exchange". It felt good to be judged as a normal person. He was surprised the author answered period, let alone as tastefully and gracefully as they had. They seemed a nice person. Pounding on the door suddenly interrupted his "Wattpad Interlude".

"Hey mate! You goin' to Kendall and Kylie's party, aye?" Niall's muffled voice came through the door.

"Yeah-" wait, what?- "party? They're having a party?"

"Yeah, we're all invited, supposed to be good craic, yeah?" Niall sounded amused at Harry's stuttered answer.

Harry bit his top lip then answered carefully, "yeah, Kendall invited me..." Harry paused, "is it going to be on their yacht?"

"Yeah, there's going to be a few people there, but it's no intimate dinner for two if that's what you're drivin' at?" Harry cringed as he could practically feel Niall's eyebrows wiggling on the other side of the door.

"Niall..." Harry started warily as he rose off his bed, reaching the door in five long strides and opening it, "really, mate?" He said it slowly, questioningly, with a hint of regret in his voice.

Niall looked chagrined, "Harry, mate, I did not mean it that way. I thought you might actually like Kendall and be serious..."

"For once?" Harry nearly snarled.

"No! Harry, lad, listen, I have never thought of you that way. You don't play like that. I meant it in a totally 'man-to-man' friends way." Harry sighed and leaned against the doorframe, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes. Niall was silent for a moment and then kept going,

"Mate, I care about you a lot. I mean it when I say you and the other lads are like brothers to me. I know the real you. Don't worry about what others say. When I said I thought you and Kendall were serious I meant serious...the way you'd question anybody on whether its a crush or something more. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less."

Harry didn't move, but Niall could tell the anger had melted away. He reached up and patted the taller boy's shoulder and began to walk away when Harry broke the silence.

"I'm sorry, Niall."

"I know you are, you didn't mean it, you're just tense and..."

"...Stressed out," they said together.

Harry rubbed a hand over his face, then down his cheek to massage the back of his neck. Niall nodded and stared at the floor, lost in thought.

"Why does it matter so much, Niall?" Harry straightened as he moved out of his doorway to lean against the wall beside Niall. Harry shoved his hands in his pockets and twisted his head to look at Niall, who was sill staring at the ground. After a few moments, Niall exhaled as he spread his arms wide and put his hands against the wall, dropping his head until it hung limp from his shoulders. He stayed like that a few moments before muttering, "I don't know. I really, really don't know."

Harry took his hands out of his pockets and folded his arms across his chest. He stopped staring at Niall's defeated figure and stared hard at the wall opposite him instead. He hadn't meant to drag his friend down so badly. Niall was so happy-go-lucky, but he really felt what you were feeling too. It might seem like everything was water off a duck's back for Niall, but when you needed someone to empathize with you, feel your pain, excitement or frustration, you went to Niall.

"Niall?" Harry said without turning his head.

"Yah?" Niall didn't bother lifting his head either.

"You know, I'm so thankful for...for everything, there's just this other side that, you know, gets to me." Harry let his voice trail off into silence as he turned to look straight at his friend.

Niall inhaled sharply and stood up straight, his face red from head being upside down for so long. After a few more moments of silence, he met Harry's eyes and cocked an eyebrow, "do you think this might be connected to the sleeping thing?"

"Honestly," defeat laced Harry's voice, "I don't know. Maybe. I-eck- I just-it's-whatever!" He fluttered his hands in the air and brought them down to slap his thighs. Niall snickered at the non-sensical sentence and leaned a hand on Harry's shoulder, "hey, it is whatever, mate. Do what you need to do. We're here for ya, ya know that, eh?"

Harry caved and let a feeble smile appear on his features. "Yeah, I know. Thanks Niall."

"No problem, anytime! I'm getting ready to go, ya gonna come with me and Lou? Liam already left, had some errands to run."

"Sure, what time?"

"Half of five?"

"Ok, I'll be ready."

Niall waved back over his head in acknowledgement as he walked away down the hall and Harry smiled to himself as he walked back into his room and quietly shut the door.

Niall didn't deserve that.

"Mmm, I know that!" he answered himself aloud. He collapsed on his bed again beside the phone he'd carelessly flung onto his pillow earlier.

"Niall didn't deserve that." Harry continued his self-aimed conversation, "but I'm glad it happened. I'm glad Niall understood. I'm glad-" he paused, searching for words, "I'm glad I'm not the only one."

He jumped as his phone vibrated loudly against the wall on top of his askew pillow. He flung his hand out and patted around until he grasped it and lazily looked at the screen. He smiled broadly as he saw that the funny little story had an update. He glanced at the time on the screen and realized it was already 4:15pm. He'd have to read it later.

"Something to look forward to having quiet time with," he spoke to himself as he stretched and headed towards his closet to find something to wear.