Harry’s POV
I woke up to the sound of excessive coughing. Harmony, sitting up next to me, was hacking up a storm, her hand held to her chest. I got up quickly, rushing to the kitchen for a glass of water. When I got back, I handed her the glass.

She quickly downed the water, being careful not to spill any on herself before handing it back to me.

“Thanks,” she said. Her voice was scratchy with a hint of irritation. I frowned, leading my hand to her forehead. My cold hand started to warm as I touched her burning face.

“You have a fever,” I frown. “Harmony, how could you be so careless like that? Going out in the rain; what were you thinking?”

She coughed. “I was thinking I wanted to go out in the rain…”

“Well, you can’t get out of bed today. You need to rest up and get better quickly. I’ll have the girls watch you; we’ll pick up some Motrin on the way back from work.”

“What’s the hurry? I feel so constrictive.”

“I just… hate seeing you sick; that’s all. I have to get ready for work now, but you stay here. Don’t do anything otherwise.”

She mumbled a fine to me before I hit the shower. I made sure to lather in the soap and rinse off preliminary to getting out. I quickly through on the outfit I had laid out and walked back into the bedroom portion of our room.

Shaking my hair out of my face, my eyes caught no sign of Harmony. Will she ever listen to me? Or anyone for that matter…

Sighing in frustration, I make my way out to the central living area where I found Harmony all bundled up in several layers of blankets on the floor. Her face, being the only thing visible, was slightly pale even with the added amount of warmth. So I do what every other person would do, I laugh.

“Harry, help me. They’ve trapped me in a burrito of sadness.”

“I warned you not to get out of bed; maybe you’ll start listening to me now,” I continue to laugh.

“I got bored!” she complained. “And it’s really hot in here. Please help me…” I start towards her but get stopped in my tracks.

“Wait!” Zayn called out. I watched as he took out his phone setting of a flash in Harmony’s direction. He nodded. “You may proceed.”

“Send me that, will you?” I say as I begin to unwrap a glaring Harmony from her “burrito of sadness”. I help her up and guide her to the couch where she curls up into a ball.

“We better get going or we’re going to be late!” Liam called.

“I’ve got to go, but I’ll be back later. Please stay inside and do whatever El and Diane say.” Harmony nods at me. I lean down, kissing her burning up forehead.

Harmony’s POV
After Harry and the others left, I felt a sudden turn in my stomach. I let out a loud groan, turning over on my side and buried my face in the closest throw pillow. It felt like stomach cramps when I had my period, but worse.

Diane and Eleanor snickered behind me. Even the small laughter from Hailey was present in this amusement. I turned on my back and rolled my eyes at them.

“This wouldn’t have happened if you had just listened to me,” El reminded me. Another uprise took over my already aching stomach.

Diane giggled. “She’s so helpless. It’s too bad she has a kind enough boyfriend to tell us to take care of her.”

“You two -*cough, cough*- are so -*cough, cough*- Ugh! Never mind! Can -*cough, cough*- one of you just -*cough, cough*- get me some water?”

“Anything for my sick little baby,” Diane cooed, ruffling up my bedhead some more. I glared into the back of her head as she made a path to the kitchen.
After I had finished off my glass of water, I lay my head back down and blocked out all other noise. I don’t shut everything out as much as I used to, but I’m still awesome at ignoring anyone –or anything– that makes noise. It’s like when you’re listening to music, and in that moment it’s just you and the song, nothing else.

I didn’t budge for most of the day, curled up into a ball to contain my stomach in a comforting way. My coughing ceased after I decidedly ate the soup El made for me even though it just came right back up.

I was involuntarily watching a repeat of Sesame Street with Hailey when Diane and EL decided to sit on me. My body, now flattened under the two elephants felt no pain compared to earlier, so I lay there without a care.

“We’re about to Skype Perrie and Dani. Care to join us?” one of them asked, though I wasn’t sure who because someone was sitting on one of my ears, the other pressed down to the couch cushion.

I groaned as someone wiggled her butt to get comfy on my spine. “No, I don’t feel like moving.” My voice came out nasally because of the snot built up in my nose. I sniffled back to keep it from dripping, but held my ground.

“That’s okay. We’ll just set it up right here on the coffee table. You don’t even have to talk to them.”

“I don’t care. Whatever.”

The weight literally lifted off my shoulders as they got off of me to grab the laptop and set up the camera in front of me. A few buttons clicks later, two more girls’ voices filled the room.

“Where’s Harmony?” Perrie asked.

I looked up at the screen with bloodshot eyes and pale face. Two screen shadows flinched back in horror, yet moved closer as if to see if it was really me.

“What happened?” Dani exclaimed.

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m sick!” I cough.

“Let me guess, she went out in the rain?” Perrie questioned. Diane nodded. “And why didn’t anyone stop her?”

“I tried, but she went snuck out in her skimpy shorts and thin jacket. It’s all on her. Right Diane?”

“Mhm…”

“My shorts are not skimpy!” I argue.

“For rain weather, they are. You shouldn’t be too exposed to the wet and cold. That’s why you’re sick.”

I see all eyes glaring at me; I sit up. “Look, if you guys want to yell at me, go ahead. I’m all ears.”

Suddenly, I heard four different voices yell at me about my carelessness. I sigh and close my eyes, letting in all of their words, not that any of it matters. What’s done is done and they can’t change what my actions brought to me.

Then, I start to laugh. I mean, really? All of this conflict over a stupid little cold. It’s not like they’re the one who is sick. I’m the one who can’t keep her food down or go five minutes without having to couch or sneeze a hurricane.

“What’s so funny?” Perrie asked.

“You guys. You’re all consumed in my troubles right now, but I’m the one who is sick here, so I’m going to leave while you all continue to talk about whatever.”

I get up, finally leaving my imprinted spot on the couch. I take the newly familiarized route to my room where I crash instantly.

~

“Harmony… Harmony…” a distant, but relatively close, voice called out to me. I blinked open my crusted eyes tiredly focusing them onto the silhouette in sitting to my side. “I brought some Ibuprofen.”

“Thanks,” I yawned.

“Did you enjoy your nap?” Harry smirked. I nodded, staring at the instructions on the bottle. “You really shouldn’t take it on an empty stomach.”

“Even if I did eat, I’d just regurgitate all of my dinner and drink this stuff on an emptier stomach.”

“Suit yourself.”

I shook the bottle and poured the right amount into the tiny measure cup. I quickly consumed the medicine and handed it all back to Harry. I lay back down on the bed, closing my eyes once again. I hadn’t changed out of my pajamas from the previous night, so I just let myself sleep at that.

“Goodnight,” Harry whispered. He placed a soft kiss to my forehead before I let myself go back into dreamland.