"Anne where's Harry?" Nikki asked later that evening before she got in the bath.
"Gone to the village to get me some bread" Anne replied "I did ask him to get it earlier but he forgot"
Nikki blushed slightly when she remembered what made Harry forget the bread. Anne saw Nikki's cheeks darken but didn't comment. Nikki then tugged her dressing gown a bit tighter around her naked body and Anne frowned, turning away from the washing up that she was doing.
"Nikki is something wrong?"
"Do you think..is it possible for me to love someone?" Nikki asked Anne quietly and the older woman sighed to herself.
'Here we go again' she thought as she dried her hands "In what way?" she asked, playing ignorance just for the sake of it. She had no idea how Harry and Nikki got together in the first place if they were so stubborn and in denial about their own feelings for each other.
"Like in a 'you loved Harry's dad' sort of way" Nikki supplied and Anne chuckled and nodded.
"Of course you can love someone like that. Why did you think you can't?"
"Because I'm only just sixteen" Nikki replied in a whisper and Anne shook her head, letting out a loud sigh. She wondered what had happened, back when her and Edward had been teenagers there had been no problem with other teenage couples admitting that they were in love, most couples were teenagers when they met and had stayed together for life. She also knew that Harry and Nikki were made for each other, they just didn't seem to notice it properly or admit to each other.
"Just because you're only sixteen doesn't mean you can't love Harry" Anne told her softly and Nikki smiled at her.
"But I have no experience of anyone else, of how I feel with anyone else, so how do I know?"
"Do you want to be with anyone else?"
"No" Nikki replied quickly, shaking her head, that was the last thing that she wanted.
"Well then" Anne shrugged "How do you feel when you're around Harry?"
"Like I'm safe" Nikki smiled, fiddling with the belt of her dressing gown as she spoke "and nothing and no-one can harm me just because he is in the room with me, and my heart.." she trailed off and blushed, shaking her head "it's stupid"
"No it's not" Anne chuckled "Go on"
"My heart jumps every time I see him or he smiles at me and I still can't believe that he wants me as his girlfriend when there are other more intelligent, beautiful women out there who would be attracted to him"
"He doesn't want anyone else, he wants you Nikki" Anne told the younger woman forcibly "I've seen the way he looks at you and how he is around you. I haven't seen him like this since before his father died, you bring out the best in him and I think he does the same to you"
Nikki just nodded and smiled slightly at Anne as the older woman spoke.
"I don't want to scare him away by telling him that I love him" Nikki murmured and missed the way that Anne rolled her eyes towards the sky, asking for strength. "I don't know what I'd do without him"
"Why don't you talk to him?"
"Hmm" Nikki shrugged, turning slightly to walk out of the door "Thank you"
"You're welcome" Anne nodded and watched as Nikki walked out of the door, letting out a loud groan when she had gone and shaking her head. Her and Edward had never been that stubborn and blind to the others feelings. She wondered if both teenagers were feeling insecure.
"Stealing my bath once again dear?" Harry chuckled as he walked into the bathroom where Nikki was lounging in the water, bubbles unfortunately blocking his view.
"Well if you don't want me in your bath then you don't want me in your bed, I'll have to move" Nikki chuckled back at him and Harry looked horrified at the thought of sleeping without her.
"I don't think so. I'd go into your room and carry you back to my bed"
"And if I don't want to go?" Nikki asked coyly as Harry knelt by the bath and flicked the water slightly.
"I'd take you anyway" Harry shrugged and shot a grin at her "I'd tie you to the bed so you couldn't get away"
"Oh really" Nikki smirked "I might have to go to a spare room just for you to do that"
Harry raised an eyebrow at her and Nikki giggled loudly, leaning over to kiss him and then rub bubbled through his hair and over his face.
"You're so mean" Harry spluttered as he wiped his face, stealing another kiss as Nikki laughed at him.
"Get in the bath?"
"Sorry?" Harry asked as he looked behind him for a towel, reaching over and wiping his face with it.
"Get in the bath with me?" Nikki asked uncertainly as she blushed slightly "The water's low already so it won't overflow"
"What are you saying about me Nicola?" Harry tried to look offended as he unbuttoned his shirt, extremely willing to take Nikki up on her offer.
"Nothing" Nikki giggled as he stripped off and she watched him intently, running her eyes over him appreciatively as she did so. She then sat forward slightly as Harry climbed into the water behind her and then settled herself in between his legs, the action feeling so natural to both of them as Harry wrapped his arms around her stomach and Nikki rested her head on his shoulder, her back pressed against his chest. She then leant forward and turned the hot tap on, letting the water warm up and fill the bath a bit more before she turned it off and leant back into her boyfriend again. Harry smiled at their current situation and pressed a kiss to the back of Nikki's head, his smile growing when he heard her contented sigh. "You forgot the bread" Nikki chuckled suddenly and Harry rolled his eyes.
"Yes I did, and I blame you"
"When your mum told me I had to fight to keep a straight face" she giggled and Harry laughed, pressing another kiss to her head as she turned to him slightly.
"Well if it wasn't for you coming on to me then I wouldn't have forgotten the bread"
"Well I won't come on to you any more then" Nikki huffed slightly, a smile threatening to break over her face at Harry's horrified look.
"Are you happy Nikki?" Harry then asked, changing the subject completely.
"Am I happy?" Nikki repeated in confusion and Harry nodded, nuzzling her damp neck slightly as he did so. "With..?"
"Everything" Harry added "How your life is at the moment, you know with mum and..me" he added quietly and Nikki turned her head and nodded.
"Harry I can't ever remember being this happy, not even before mum got ill" she confessed, smiling lovingly at him as his face broke into a grin. "You've both made me feel like I have a family again, one that's not broken or.." she trailed off and shook her head, her hand coming to her nose which she rubbed self-consciously.
Harry reached up and entwined that hand with his and kissed it gently before placing it back under the water again and letting Nikki snuggle closer to him, laying her head on his chest.
"I'm very happy" Nikki sighed contentedly as Harry stroked her arm gently under the water, his other hand still entwined with hers and resting on his leg. "Why?"
"I just wanted to know" Harry shrugged.
"Is Audric still bothering you?"
"Yes" Harry replied shortly and Nikki sighed, turning to him again.
"Harry I am with you, I am extremely happy with you, you make me feel beautiful and loved and..." she shrugged as she continued "He is just...I don't know. I'm yours Harry, please don't feel threatened by him"
"I'm sorry for being possessive, I'm just not used to this, having girlfriend, a gorgeous girlfriend who keeps attracting other men and I don't know how to deal with that"
"You're not possessive Harry" Nikki frowned, turning so she was laying on her front over him their chests pressed together. "Why did you say that?"
"Because I was jealous" Harry mumbled quietly and Nikki rolled her eyes.
"That doesn't mean you're possessive you silly man" she giggled "Possessive would be dictating to me what I can and can't do, where I can and can't go, who I can and can't talk to. Telling me I can't even look at other men..." she trailed off and Harry smiled slightly at her, feeling relieved that he wasn't being possessive of her.
"You don't mind me being jealous?"
"No" Nikki chuckled "Just don't go too far"
"I wouldn't" Harry shook his head quickly and Nikki nodded, she didn't need to have told him that and he didn't have to answer. "I promise"
"Come on you" Harry mumbled half an hour later as they were both brought out of their slumber. He shifted slightly as Nikki opened her eyes and moaned, shaking her head and burying her face in Harry's chest. "We're starting to prune"
"No, leave me alone" Nikki muttered and Harry chuckled to himself. He shifted himself and Nikki and allowed himself to climb out of the bath, he then grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, securing it. He grabbed the other towel and draped it over the closed toilet, turning back to Nikki and expertly picking her up out of the water, hearing her moan slightly in protest. Harry just chuckled and shook his head, placing her on the towel and wrapping it around her protectively. "You're mean, I was comfortable in there"
"Come on, get dried and dressed and we can continue to cuddle on the bed" Harry prompted her and nudged her shoulder gently as Nikki smiled at him.
"Okay" she nodded, standing up and wrapping the towel around her a bit more, before leaning up and kissing him.
"Dinner was very nice" Nikki told her boyfriend as they lay cuddled up in the middle of the bed, neither of them wanting to go downstairs and show their faces just yet.
"Thank you" Harry replied, leaning forward and kissing her cheek gently and pulling her back so she was closer to him, her back against his chest. "I'll do it again for you sometime if you want"
"I'd like that" Nikki nodded, turning her head to look at him and then turning so she was laying on her back, Harry propped up next to her, his free arm draped over her stomach. "Are you happy Harry?"
"I am extremely happy" he told her, a smile gracing his face as he did so. "I can't imagine this with anyone else and I don't really want to"
"Good" Nikki chuckled and Harry laughed along with her "I can't either"
Harry continued to chuckle and Nikki frowned at him.
"What?"
"Your accent" he smirked and leant down to kiss her "I can't get enough of it to be honest with you"
"So that's how it is, you're with me for my accent" Nikki sighed dramatically and shook her head as Harry nodded.
"Yep and your mind and body as well"
"In that order?" Nikki raised an eyebrow and Harry attempted to find the answer that would get him in the least amount of trouble. Nikki however just giggled loudly and rolled her eyes, poking him on the chest and saving him from having to answer.
Quick update before I go to bed :) So I take it you all want angst later on...oh dear.
xxx