You Only Live Once

CHAPTER 25

 The smell of alcohol was everywhere, the lights too bright for someone to want to open their eyes. Was it morning already? And how the hell was light getting into her dorm in the dungeons. It didn't make any sense . Mira slowly opened her eyes, feeling more tired than ever before. As her vision was trying to adjust to to brightness of her surroundings she understood that she wasn't actually in her dorm and it definitely wasn't her room back at Potter Manor, so where was she? She fully opened her eyes, trying not to let her eyelids close once more. Why was she so exhausted? The white of the place and the uncomfortable mattress she was laying upon in addition with the strong smell of alcohol made her realise she was in a hospital. One she hadn't really seen before. Once she realised where she was her mind started popping up images of what had happened. The images came rapidly one after the other, they were in fact so fast that Mira's head started pounding. She hissed in pain and brought her hands up to her forehead, trying to ease the pain somehow.

"Mira?" a voice sounded behind her . She slowly turned around, every bone on her body aching horribly. Once she was fully turned around she saw a blonde girl standing right next to her with a hopeful smile on her face. Her eyes wondered a little more and fell on the night stand next to her bed , where they stood lots of birthday cards.

"How long have I been sleeping?" was the first thing she asked once she had finally registered what was going on. It looked like her birthday had passed but when everything happened it was just two weeks before the end of term. So she must have been out for-

"Three weeks" replied the blonde with a chuckle. "It was really scary for everyone ,Mira. The healers had to put you out almost every five hours so you wouldn't wake up and feel the pain" she explained with a sad expression.

"Right" Mira cleared her throat before trying to stand up so she would be sitting instead of lying down. Turned out to be harder than she thought, though. The wounds were everywhere, making her unable to find the strength to stand up. The blonde rushed to help her up while Mira tried her best not to scream out in pain. "Not to sound rude or anything" Mira started once she was comfortably seated and the girl had taken the seat to the hair next to the bed. "Why are you here ,Christina? Where's everyone else?"

"Oh I've actually been here every single day since...everything. Theo's parents won't let him come see you so he asked me to come spend time with you in his place and then go back and report to him how you were doing" Christina explained , making Mira's mind wander somewhere completely different.

"Theo... Oh God. How-how is he?"

"He's good all things considering" Christina chuckled. She couldn't help herself. Seeing Theo and Mira caring for each other so much warmed her heart . It also made her feel guilty for taking what they had away from them in the future even if she wasn't the one the planned it. It was a good thing Mira was an understanding girl so there was never bad blood between them. Christina had asked her to take care of Theo while he was hers and she had done so without a second thought. "He misses you terribly though" she added with a smile. At that Mira started laughing uncontrollably, at least until she realised how painful it was for her to laugh, so she stopped , a huge grin adoring her worn out face. "What is it?" asked Christina, confused at Mira's reaction.

"It's just- look at us. You're his future wife and yet you're here... telling me he misses me terribly"

"Well we live in a messed up world girl."

"I will be invited to the wedding I suppose" Mira said with a mocking serious expression on her face, struggling not to smile.

"Oh you'll be the maid of honor" after looking at each other for a while the two girls started laughing.

"Oh stop! I can't be laughing it hurts!" Mira exclaimed, trying to make her laughter die down once more.

Just then the door of the hospital room opened wide, revealing none other than Dumbledore himself. The old man looked at the two girls, a puzzled expression on his face, as if he was seeing something impossible. He didn't say anything, he didn't have to.

"I better go" Christina announced looking jut as confused as Dumbledore . "I'm glad you're awake Mira" she gave the brunette one last smile and a light squeeze on her hand so she wouldn't hurt her.

"Tell him if I could help it, I would be right there with him right now" Mira whispered so only Christina could listen.

"Will do" the blonde smiled one last time before turning one her heels to leave. "Professor" she nodded her head in acknowledgment when she was passing Dumbledore who gave a her a nod in return.

"You got quite a lot of cards there Miss Aisling" Dumbledore noted once the door behind him was closing and Christina was gone, taking slow steps towards Mira's bed and inspecting her nightstand. Mira just shrugged at the older man's statement. She hadn't had the chance to go through them and see who actually gave her those cards, although she could hazard a guess. "I have a big news I wanted to share with you Miss Aisling and while I know you just woke up and feel a little disorientated I simple have to tell you. It might actually lift your spirits" he announced taking the seat to the now empty chair. " I have found the way to send you back"

"Oh"
"Oh?"

"I think I had just...forgotten that I would have to go back" she admitted slightly squinting her eyes. The thought of going back had really just slipped her mind . Honestly, she didn't know how to feel about it. She never really wanted to go back, not even in the first days she was there. And ,yes, she might have been though quite some things in the last year that she wouldn't if she was back home but it was still worth it. Home. Such a weird word. Her home was supposed to be in the Muggle world , years from now. And yet the hospital room in the Wizarding world felt more warm and welcoming. Potter Manor was her home. Her dorm in the Slytherin common room was her home. The friends she had made were her home. She wasn't ready to leave it all behind just yet. She wasn't sure if she would ever be ready.

"You can stay for as long as you like Mira" the old man said in a soft tone, giving the younger girl a small smile. Mira looked as confused as she was happy to hear those words. "I understand you don't want to leave. You have made quite a life for yourself here. I can't imagine you would want to give everything up. It's only natural." he clarified so Mira could understand. "There's one thing you need to do to stay here though"

"What is it?" Mira asked eagerly.

"Do not meddle." But of course . Mira wasn't really keen on a rule like that. She had things to lose now too. If she stayed around long enough to see them go away ,that is. She would change everything if she had the chance. But if not meddling was the price she had to pay for staying then it would be one she was willing to pay.

"If I wanted to go back...how would I do that?" she asked, curious to know the way, just in case.

"You would have to die I'm afraid. But it doesn't have to be painful . You also must know that once you're back you'll forget all about your life here."

"Will my friends forget too?"

"No. Everyone in the Wizarding world will remember you. Everything about you."