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"It's just getting harder and harder," Jerome admitted with a grunt as his fingers moved as if they were separate from him, killing the zombies on screen "Talking to her, I mean. She accused me of flirting with everyone. Damn, I was being polite. Like I don't see the way she looks at guys, and the way they look at her, and she accuses me of cheating?"

"I don't think she actually accused you," Harry pointed out from beside him, jabbing at his controller, ducking as his character almost ran straight into a branch. Harry liked it at Jerome and Poppy's house, a heck of a lot more than he liked it at his. Simply because this house felt like a home. "But she did mention something about you flirting with every girl at the party. And the fact that they weren't interested. In fact, Bertrum tells me they were more focused on me, actually,"

Jerome shoved him with a laugh "Yeah but be careful Harry," he smirked as his character killed three evil henchmen "They only want you for your money-"

"Jerome!" A voice called out, and the sound of footsteps met their ears as Poppy skipped down the steps "Now that you've read my diary, any chance I could have it back?" She stopped, pausing on the bottom step, to see Harry on the sofa. He turned his head back, looking at her over his shoulder, with that damn look, she wished he wouldn't do. Jerome turned too and shrugged

"Yeah sure, it's in my room by the wardrobe."

"I need the key Gerbil, and you know that. Give me the key."

Jerome smiled victoriously and Harry sighed "Come on Jerome," he grinned, lying on the sofa, with his head against the arm rest, unpausing the game and continuing without him "Give her the key or I'll kill your character," and with that, he pressed a combination of up and down buttons, and the circular remote, kicking Jerome's character in the stomach.

"Fine fine," he sighed, standing "I'll go get it," and she glided past Poppy on the steps. Poppy huffed, crossing her arms, and stepped down.

"So..." Harry drawled, eyes on the screen "Are you going to talk to me about what happened at the party?" He was met with silence "Poppy, this is never going to work if you just clam up all the time. I mean, your brother trusts me more than you do!" he paused and turned to face her. And Poppy almost melted. He was wearing a plain white, V-neck t-shirt, totally relaxed. "Come on," he pleaded, a little line between his forehead appeared, a crease to show his worry and his strong jaw line was emphasised by his hardened look, of almost...pain. "Let's deal with this, Poppy please. You can trust me. Who am I going to tell? Jerome? Heck, he reads your diary anyway!" That earned a small smile from Poppy, and he laughed, relieved at the sight of it. "Go on," he urged "Why were you crying?"

"Because-"

"Here you are Poppy." Jerome called loudly, running down the stairs, he thrust the diary into her hand and cartwheeled over the table and onto the sofa, picking up his controlled, unpausing the game and continuing. Harry pulled his gaze away from Poppy, mouthing a quick later. She rolled her eyes at him, and quickly returned upstairs.

Line Break

"And you believed them?" Harry cried incredulously, he and Poppy had just walked to his house from school and she had told him everything. He closed the large door and walked into the hall, his shoes clicking against the brown marbled surface. "They called you ugly, the most beautiful girl I know! And you believed them? You're crazy!"

Poppy sighed "I know it doesn't seem like much, but words heart. Especially when they come from another girl. Harry, they idolise themselves with you, it's crazy." She fiddled with the end of her red cardigan, as Harry hung up his coat. He tuned to her with a disappointed sigh.

"Well I think you're marvellous," he said in a deep voice, stepped towards her with a sincere look. He looked so honest it made Poppy weak in the knees "Does that count for nothing?" She looked down

"I don't really fit in to this world." She shrugged "Your world, I mean. The rich, and the richer. The power hungry. I'm normal."

"And I'm not?" Harry teased with a laugh "Poppy, you met Megan didn't you? She's so nice, the nicest person you will meet, and she doesn't fit in, but niceness it appreciated. Wherever you go. Ignore those mean girls, who are they? Right? They suck! And the next time they host a party, we go there, and we show them, huh? You show off to them how beautiful you are! I shower you with compliments, all of which will be true! Is that what you want?" he was smiling so wildly "You're a Clarke right? Sounds like a plan? We make an entrance, confetti falls from the sky!"

"Harry," she laughed loudly, nodding her head "That sounds perfect. But you know what would make it even better?" he arched an eyebrow, intrigued "We bring water guns, and in the middle of the party drench everyone." He laughed loudly, clapping his hands

"That's brilliant. My father might shun me though."

"Masks." She shrugged "We'll wear Halloween masks. There's no law against it is there?" she smiled running her hands through her dark blonde hair. Harry was smiling at her in wonder.

"You know, I never did get to dance with you," he held out his hand but Poppy shook her head "Oh what's this? You're gonna tell me you can't dance?"

"I really can't."

"Come on Poppy Julia Clarke," he laughed, "Dance with me." he clicked his fingers, and from somewhere in the large hall, a state of the art cd player turned on, and classical music spilled out into the house.

"Of course you'd have classical as the last song played." She rolled her eyes, but the music was working, and she took his hands. And Mara was right. It was all in the leading. And Harry was a very excellent lead, his hands hovering lightly on her waist, as she rested her head against his chest. His heart beat was slightly erratic, and it made her smile. "I...I think I love you, Harry," she murmured. She could feel him stiffen in her arms, but his cool breath was still fanning onto her neck.

"I think," He teased, kissing her temple softly "I love you too, Poppy,"

Bertrum wiped a tear from his eyes as he watched the from the top of the staircase, and then continued with his duties.

Line Break

The mansion was shadowed with darkness, with a terrible gloom that would scare even the unholiest of monsters. The mansion always felt like this whenever someone left. It was always cloaked in this thick veil of dark when it was just the Osbornes and their staff. Harry wiped his sweaty palms on the bottoms of his pyjamas. And very gentle, he knocked on the door of his father's study. He was met with silence, and then his father's voice called out

"Enter."

Harry pushed open the thick, heavy wooden door, and was greeted by the eerie green glow of science. Everything was white, and though the light was off, the surfaces reflected the green coming from a green glowing test tube. Huge machines were everywhere, and aligned neatly, it looked like an incredibly organised and advanced science lab. For that exactly what it was. His father turned, pipette in hand, dressed in a white lab coat and clear goggles. "Harold, put on your goggles now. And shut the door will you," Harry nodded, picking up the spare pair his father kept only for visitors, and closed the door. This room was completely safe, a bomb could go off in here and the rest of the house would be fine, everything was lined with magnum metal, to protect it. "What can I do for you, son?"

"Dad...you..." he clasped his hands to stop them from shaking, his father hated that habit of his "You have a cure for cancer don't you? In the form of a tablet-"

"Why son?" he asked urgently, green eyes glittering he set down his pipette and came towards him "Have you self diagnosed it in yourself?"

"You have some though, don't you dad?" he asked again "In the form of white tablets. Just swallow it, and you're cured? Don't you?" his voice wasn't loud, it would never be loud when talking to your father. "Dad please, I need to give it to someone."

"Harry," his father sighed, his straight brown hair was slicked back "I understand that sometimes loss is painful. But it's good for you, you know?"

"Dad, Mara's mother...she's got cancer. She needs this help."

"I said no Harold. I would if I could, well...that's a lie. It's very difficult to get a hold of, I've had to keep it very safe. And to waste it on someone's mother?"

"Father!" Harry groaned "It's not just someone! You need to understand, Father please-"

"Harold!"

"If you don't." Harry warned, turning to his side so he was half cloaked in darkness "I'll tell the press that you have a cure for cancer you refuse to share." His ignored his fathers astonished look "Imagine the riots," he whispered "They would come in here and they would rob us and-"

"Are you blackmailing me?" Norman whispered in shock. Harry swallowed

"Just giving you a little incentive. You wanted a reason didn't you? As to why you should save someone? I'm giving you one." Harry shivered when his father smiled. A large, proud, beaming smile as he looked at his son.

"Oh son...you can take control." He headed towards the back of the lab and Harry followed close behind. "You know, Bertrum and I, we had our doubts about you. About if you could really take the lead. But you can," he laughed heartily "You have just proved yourself. Oh Harry, you make me prouder and prouder every day, come here," he turned and hugged his son tightly. Harry hugged him back, confused. And watched as his father lifted a metal box and pressed his palm into the top "This box son, responds only to you and I, only to someone with Osborne blood." It opened slowly, and Harry looked inside to see tablets. Thousands of them. His father lifted one up, and placed it into a small plastic bag, no larger than the size of your palm. "I hope this is worth it Harry."

"Every life is worth saving father." He whispered. His father nodded with a smile, and watched his son leave.

"Well..." he whispered to himself, returning to his earlier project "Seems that boy does have an awful lot me in him after all. How fantastic."

Review?

Aw you guys, I know that you always review! And I love you for it! Don't worry sinfullysarcastic I understand. And Rachel, I think it's to do with the fact the franchise has ended, people are going elsewhere...it's sad. :(

x

But somewhere someone new is discovering it so...we can hope!