"Mum can I ask you something?" Harry asked hesitantly as he walked into the living room where his mother was watching television. She looked away and nodded, turning it off and turning to Harry. He looked at her and bit his lip, wanting to ask the question that had been plaguing him for a few days. However he found himself unable to ask what he wanted to.

"Do you approve of me and Nikki?" he asked, completely changing what he wanted to ask.

"Of course I do" Anne nodded as Harry sat down on the armchair opposite her "Did you think I didn't because of this morning?"

"No" Harry shook his head "I just wanted to know"

"I just want to make sure you're both not jumping into anything you're not ready for"

"I know" Harry nodded, smiling at his mother "I'm sorry for jumping down your throat"

"I expected it, you're a teenage boy, you don't want your mother talking to you about your relationship"

"No it's fine" Harry shrugged, picking at the arm of the sofa "We're not having sex mum"

"I know" Anne nodded, watching her son closely with a smile on her face "I just wanted you to be safe when you do"

"We will be" Harry rolled his eyes "We're not ready for anything like that anyway. Do you think she's okay, back with her dad?" he asked, changing the subject completely as he bit his lip again.

"I don't know" his mother replied truthfully and Harry sighed loudly and stood up.

"I'm going to bed" he muttered quietly "Night"

"Night sweetheart" Anne replied, shaking her head sadly as her son walked from the room and closed the door.

Nikki sighed as she lay in bed, clutching her pillow and staring blankly at the wall opposite her bed. It was late but she couldn't sleep. Everything in the house seemed so alien to her, even in a way her own room, she had taken some of her books, most of her clothes and some of her other items to Harry's house on a request from Anne to make her room feel more homely. Nikki couldn't help but smile as she shifted in the bed, Anne and Harry had made her feel like part of a family again, something she hadn't felt in a very long time. And it felt good. It hadn't shocked her just how much she missed Harry, she always did when she had to come back to her father's house, however now that they were seeing each other it was a lot worse, she wanted him to cuddle her and make everything go away, make all her problems with her father go away. She sighed and buried her face in her pillow, willing sleep to come quickly.

"You know what I think will do both you and Nikki some good?" Anne asked the next morning as Harry sat at the kitchen table glaring moodily into his coffee, he was still worried about Nikki and would be until he saw her again that afternoon.

"No"

"A holiday"

"Hmm"

Anne rolled her eyes at her son and shook her head as she turned back to the sink where she was washing up. She knew how he was feeling, she too was worried about Nikki and how her father would be treating her after her absence for a few days.

"To France" she continued and Harry scoffed loudly.

"Yeah that will be a great conversation, 'by the way Nikki as well as a huge house and stacks of money, we also have a holiday home in the south of France" Harry snapped as he stood up and stormed out of the room.

Anne sighed and wiped her hands on the drying up cloth, it was times like these that she wished Edward was alive. If Harry had a male figure in his life then it would be easier for the both of them, Harry didn't want to talk to his mother about certain things and Anne had no idea how to approach a boy, almost a man, about his emotions or what was wrong. Of course there was always James. A surge of regret shot through her and Anne shook her head, Harry should never find out about that, she didn't think that he would forgive them. Anyway, everything had stopped years ago, there was no need for Harry to find out.

Harry was more than relieved when Nikki walked into the house that afternoon without another mark on her. He quickly gathered her into his arms and kissed her gently, before Nikki laid her head on his chest and Harry kissed the top of her head.

"I've missed you"

"It's only been less than a day" Nikki giggled as she drew away and looked up at her boyfriend who shrugged "I missed you as well" she admitted and Harry grinned at her as he took her hand and led Nikki through to the garden.

"See" he replied and Nikki poked her tongue out at him as he assesed her closely for damage that he had missed the first time "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine" Nikki smiled and nodded "He was apologetic"

"So he bloody well should be" Harry muttered and then smiled down at Nikki, stealing a quick kiss and making her giggle. "But no more talk of that, how long are you here for?"

"He's going away again" Nikki replied "He told me to do whatever I want, I don't think he cares really"

"And you thought he did before?" Harry asked as he sat himself down on a deckchair and gently pulled Nikki onto his lap. She smiled and curled up closer to him, leaning on his chest and feeling safe and secure with his arms wrapped around her small body. "Did you eat?"

"Yes"

"Nicola"

"Yes" Nikki replied more forcibly as she looked up at Harry and giggled at the incredulous look on his face. "Not as good as I do here, but yes I ate"

"Promise?"

"Harry I promise that I ate" Nikki giggled again and poked him in the chest "Really"

"Okay, I believe you" Harry chuckled as he leant down and kissed her, Nikki reaching up and placing one hand on his cheek as he tightened his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. Harry attempted to deepen the kiss and Nikki let him, both of them having missed each other a lot in the hours that they had been away from each other and were desperate to show each other that. When the need for air became apparent they broke away from each other, Harry resting his forehead on Nikki's and smiling at her. "Mum believes that we're not having sex"

"Good" Nikki giggled and Harry nodded, pressing a kiss to her nose "Did you talk to her?"

"Yeah, she just wants us to be careful if or when we do" Harry replied and Nikki sighed and shook her head.

"Not about that, I know she'd want us to be safe anyway. About the thing with your dad?"

"No" Harry shook his head and fiddled absentmindedly with the hem of Nikki's dress as he spoke "I was going to, then I couldn't bring myself to do it so we started talking about us instead"

"Harry" Nikki sighed and Harry shook his head again.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't"

Nikki opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by Anne walking out of the house.

"Hi Nikki, how are you?" the older woman asked as she gave Nikki the once over with her eyes, seeing no extra marks on her which made Anne slightly happier.

"Fine thank you" Nikki smiled and Anne nodded.

"Have you had lunch?"

"No" Nikki called back and Harry poked her in the ribs, making her giggle loudly and squirm on his lap.

"Please don't do that" Harry whined quietly as Nikki went back to listening to his mother, a smirk on her face.

"I'm doing pasta if you two want any"

"Yes please" Harry called out to his mother as he turned and nodded at her. Anne smiled and retreated back into the house, he then turned to Nikki and glared at her as she looked innocently back at him. "Don't use that innocent look on me Nicola, you're not innocent at all"

"Yes I am"

"I don't think you are" Harry shook his head and Nikki giggled at him, leaning down to kiss him gently. "You're a cheeky minx"

"You made me this cheeky minx" Nikki chuckled as she moved away and shook her head "You know I wasn't always like this, you've corrupted me"

"You've corrupted me" Harry gasped, placing one hand over his chest "I wasn't like this either"

"I still think you've corrupted poor innocent little me" Nikki giggled at him as Harry leant up and kissed her.

"Mum was thinking about a holiday" Harry told her suddenly and Nikki frowned at him.

"Okay" she replied quietly and Harry shook his head, rubbing her hip gently through her dress as he spoke.

"No I mean all of us" Harry shrugged "If you want to, mum thought it would do us all good to get out of the country"

"You want me to go with you?" Nikki asked, shocked that Harry and his mother would want her on a family holiday.

"Of course we do, silly" Harry grinned at her; poking her in the ribs and making her giggle slightly and slap his hand away from her. "I thought it would be good to get you to relax, away from here, you don't have to worry about anything, apart from lying on the beach and getting a tan. While I have to worry about all those other very inappropriate guys who will be looking at your beautiful self"

Nikki blushed and giggled slightly, shaking her head at him.

"Don't be silly"

"You're beautiful Nikki" Harry told her quietly "Please understand that"

"I can't" Nikki whispered "Because I'm not"

"Yes you are, and I'm going to prove it to you" it upset and annoyed him that she didn't realise how beautiful she was. He realised that it was probably the fault of the bullying that had given her this low self-esteem, because she seemed to be coming out of her shell a bit more now that school was out of the equation for a long time.

"Hmm" was all Nikki replied as she lay her head back on Harry's chest and sighed contentedly, feeling safe in his arms.

If they can have a big house and lots of money then they can have a holiday home in the south of France...well in my world they can :D.

xxx