hiding things; harry styles - part one
a blurb in which y/n tries to help harry’s son out by hiding things from him, but it doesn’t go as planned.
a/n: hey guys! this is my first post with over 1k words! i really hope you guys like this! there will be a part two soon, so don’t worry! it was inspired by the lovely @atlafan ‘s series “Office Neighbors” so make sure you check that out! anyway, onto the story! enjoy!
warnings: angst, dad!harry, a huuge cliffhanger (sorry guys!)
You and Harry usually didn’t fight that often. A couple of regular fights about who drank the rest of the orange juice or who used the rest of the creamer. But this one? Had been going on for a week. Harry’s son, Noah, had come to you a few nights before this whole thing started. “y/n? Can I ask you something?” He looked a lot like Harry, the same bright green eyes and dark curls on his head. He was talking low when he’d asked, so you’d assumed he didn’t want Harry knowing what he was talking about. He was standing in the doorway of your office, head peeking into the door frame.
“Yeah Noah, of course,” you said giving him a small smile. “Close the door behind you.” He did like you asked and stood in front of your desk, looking down at his feet. “What’s up bud?” You asked, watching him. He looked nervous, maybe even scared.
“Well, I know my dad lets you check my grades sometimes, and I just-” He let out a soft sigh before speaking again. “Can you tell him that they’re fine when he asks tonight? They aren’t that bad, I just need a bit longer to get them back up.” You were shocked. He was always a good kid and had kept his grades up since he started staying with harry for the school year instead of with his mother last year.
“Sure thing Noah, but promise me you’ll get them up as soon as you can? I need to see you really working, kiddo.”
“I will, I promise! thank you, you’re the best, mum.” He hugged you tightly and snuggled into your chest a bit.
“Of course Noah. Now you should go get ready for bed before your dad realizes you aren’t doing so.” You smile as he nods and runs off. Two nights later, Noah and Harry got home late. You looked up from the tv at them. “Noah, to your room.” He nodded, his eyes glued to the floor as he walked up. After he’d closed his bedroom door, Harry looked at you. “Why’d you lie to me, y/n?” you looked up at him in genuine confusion.
“What are you talking about, Har-” He cut you off.
“Oh, cut out the act, would you? We were at a parent-teacher conference just now. He’s failing 3 out of 5 of his classes, y/n. Three. And you said they were fine the other night!” He sighed heavily, his hands running through his dark hair. He threw his glasses onto the coffee table and sat in the armchair farthest away from you. As you sat up, he looked at you again.
“He’d asked me to tell you that they were fine so he’d have a little more time to get them right.” you started, looking at him. “I told him that I’d have to see him working hard for me not to tell you, and he was, Harry, he really was.” Harry sighed. “He knew you’d be like this, so he told me to help him out.”
“By lying to me? Hiding things from me? His grades really aren’t any of your business, I knew letting you check them was a bad idea.” That hurt. A lot.
“Really, Harry? He calls me mum sometimes! He trusts me with things like that! shouldn’t that be worth something? I can’t believe you!” You sigh and get up, folding your blanket and walking into the kitchen. “Where are you going?” He asked, following closely behind you.
“To make dinner for Noah and me.” You knew it was a bit petty to not make something for Harry, but he’d just got you so mad. Upset. Hurt. He felt a little bad, but it was wrong for you to lie to him about something like that.
“y/n,” He spoke in a soft voice as he’d always use when he wanted to calm you down. He put a hand on your forearm as you made a small salad for Noah. “Don’t touch me.” You murmured. You put some of your leftover chicken in the microwave for Noah and poured him a big cup of juice. You knew that might be a mistake, a big cup of juice before bed, but you only did it to spite Harry.
“He isn’t supposed to have sugar before bed, let alone a huge cup of sugary juice. You know that,” You just ignored him, setting the juice on the counter. He grabbed the juice and poured some into a smaller cup, putting the rest on top of the fridge so you couldn’t reach. “Don’t try and spite me right now, you know he might wet the bed.” You sighed. You did know about him wetting the bed from time to time and you wouldn’t want Harry even more mad if he did so, so you took the small cup and his plate, and began walking up to his room. Harry grabbed your arm, careful not to do it too hard so the crimson colored juice didn’t spill on the white carpet. “Love-”
“Do not call me that right now, Harold.” He sighed heavily. He knew you were upset, you never called him that. “Look, I know you’re mad, but you know there’s no food upstairs.”
“Then don’t glare at him the whole time he’s down here like you do when you’re mad at him.” You set the plate and cup on the table, walking upstairs to get Noah, Harry following close behind. “Noah, honey?” You whispered as you opened his door. He looked up and he didn’t see Harry just yet, so he ran over and hugged you tight.
“He yelled at me in the car, mum,” He murmured. “S-said that he was disappointed in me. Hurt my feelings a lot.” You sighed and ran your fingers through his head of curls.
“I know love, I know. Will you come downstairs and eat for me?” He nodded and looked up at you, his usually bright green eyes now red and puffy. “I’ll tell Dad to stay up here if you’d be more comfortable with that.” Harry let out a huge sigh behind you and Noah looks up, seeing Harry in his door frame. “I’ll be downstairs,” he mumbles and slides past Harry down the stairs to the table.
“He’s really upset, you know,” You say quietly. You knew you weren’t his mother and you weren’t trying to be, but you loved that he looked up to you as a mother figure when you’d stayed at Harry’s house daily for short periods.
“I do, I just expect so much more from him. Failing three classes, y/n? That’s more than half!” He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry for yelling at you. I know he’s so in love with you, probably more than I am, and it just- it hurt my feelings a little that he couldn’t just come to me about it.” You nod and run your hands through your hair. You look at his desk in the corner of his bedroom, flooded with papers from geometry, stem, and history.
“Harry, middle school is sometimes a big change for some kids,” You say as you begin sorting the papers on his desk hoping to be any sort of help to him.
“No, leave them, let him, I told him he should have cleaned his room yesterday.” Harry said a little sternly, his voice softening again after you looked up at him, your eyes saying ‘i’m doing this whether you like it or not.’
“He’s used to doing so well with one teacher and having four in a day might be a big thing for him to adapt to.” Harry nodded and walked over to hug you from behind.
“I’m sorry, love. I know I probably hurt your feelings by saying that it was none of your business or that you shouldn’t care. You do just as much for Noah as to me or his mother does, especially when you don’t have to, so thank you.” He places a chaste kiss to your lips after you turn around.
“It’s okay. I’m sorry for lying to you. I shouldn’t have and I know you would have been more understanding with him if I had told you the truth.” Harry nodded in understanding, kissing your lips once again. “Well, I guess I should probably go talk to Noah.”
“Yeah, you should. And no yelling at him, please,” you say as you run your hands up and down his arms.
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” he says softly and kisses you once more before walking downstairs.
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