You Only Live Once

CHAPTER 49

The small village was usually quiet, especially during winter. But tonight its streets were filled with laughter and lively chatter. Its witch and wizard  occupants were delighted to hear voices filling their streets after the war.
The five people that brought this much awaited energy to the place, were too caught up in their own little world that they didn't even notice people watching them from afar, fond smiles on their faces. Because all they saw was five young humans  celebrating life and having fun even after such a dark time.
"Remember when you punched Reg in the face?" Pandora asked between her laughter, turning her attention to Theo, making everyone else's laughter more intense.
They were reminiscing about their time at Hogwarts , bringing up one funny moment after the other.
"Yes! Yes, I do! And turns out I was right!" Theo exclaimed , pointing a finger at Regulus who had his arm draped over Mira's shoulder while hers was on his waist.
"Wait!" Mira said , her laughter dying down, stopping on her tracks. "I can't believe I never asked why that happened" now they all stood in a circle , looking between Theo and Regulus, waiting for them to tell her. Evan and Pandora already knew the reason but didn't think it was their place to tell Mira the truth. Regulus widened his eyes at Theo while he simply grinned waiting for Regulus to admit the truth. Regulus sighed and turned his attention back to Mira.
"I may have expressed my desire to break you two up so I can be with you" he admitted with a roll of his eyes. Admitting such a thing was hard for him even after everything that had happened.
Mira looked at him in utter shock for a while before she started laughing once again, Evan and Pandora following her actions. Regulus simply stood in the corner with an unimpressed look on his face, waiting for them to be over it. Theo simply smiled , looking at him because at the moment he was the only one who realised how far they had come, even if they were still so young.
"Guys, it's been fun and we should totally do this again  but I should go. Little Theodore has started being curious and won't sit still for a second ,so I should go help Christie" Theo said, making everyone calm down from their fit of laughter.
"I should go back to my baby,  too"
"And I should get some sleep"
"Group hug!" Pandora announced and just like old times they did as they were told. But unlike old times, no one groaned or complained about it. When they pulled back from the hug they said their final goodbyes before Pandora, Theo and Evan apparated  back to their houses, leaving Mira and Regulus alone.
"Don't even think of apparating us." Mira pointed a finger at Regulus. "I'm not doing that again unless it's absolutely necessary" she clarified, trembling at the thought of the feeling apparation gave her, before taking a hold of Regulus' hand witch was in his pocket. Regulus simply chuckled, giving her a gentle kiss on her temple.
"Walking will give me more time with you anyway"

........

"Why don't you stay with me tonight?" Mira suggested when they were five minutes away from James and Lily's house, where she would stay for the night.
"At James and Lily's house? While James is in there? You must have gone mad" he replied with a shake of  his head.
"Reg..." she stopped walking, making him do the same. "Sirius will be there , too. And Remus and the babies. And I did promise there would be a day you would get to talk to your brother again."she said in a soft tone, taking a hold of his face. But he wouldn't look at her . "And I want you there, too" Those six words were what made him look at her. "We lost so much time,Reg.  I thought you were dead and I got you back. And I'm still scared when you're not with me." She admitted her eyes starting to water. And she was telling the truth, when he wasn't right there next to her she felt as if she was back at the time when he was dead, when she thought she'd never see him again.
"Marry me"
"What?"
"Mira, you're right. We've lost so much time. I don't want to lose any more" he kissed her firmly, because he meant every word he said , he had known he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her for quite some time anyway. Mira pulled back from the kiss with a chuckle.  "Unless you don't want that"
"It's not that I don't want it,Reg. i just want to do it right. I've always dreamed of my wedding. I want to experience it correctly. Is that alright with you?"
"I would marry you right here, right now. But if you want to wear a white dress and have everyone you love around you, we'll do that. All that matters is in the end it's my last name you take. I get to be the one to love you" Mira didn't think she would ever love someone the way she loved Regulus at that moment, because he said all the right things, because he always truly cared, because he was always there. And he always would be there, for the rest of her life.
"We can have cake, too?" She asked, with chuckle, trying to contain the tears that had formed in her eyes.
"Oh, my beautiful girl. I will get you so much cake, you'll be sick of it" he answered, a huge smile on his face, while he wiped the tears that had escaped her eyes.

.......

When Mira and Regulus walked in the house hand in hand, they found Lily coming down the stairs.
Lily, who despite all odds was panicking inside against her usual call dementor, tried to remain natural , as if what she was seeing was the most casual thing in the world.
"Regulus,hi!" She greeted him, moving closer to the couple. "What a surprise!"
"I asked him to come here" Mira clarified , taking off her coat.
"Hi, Lily" Regulus greeted back awkwardly , following Mira's actions hesitantly.
Lily desperate to learn how things went and why Mira had suggested Regulus would stay with them, tried to find a way to get her alone. So she thought of the best way she could.
"Remus and James are out to get some food. The babies are asleep. And your brother is all alone in the living room" she said, hoping that he would get the hint and go.
Regulus looked at Mira and she nodded at him with a smile.
"It's the perfect opportunity" she said and this time he was the one who nodded. So she pecked his lips and he left to find the living room and his brother. Once he was out of sight Lily rushed to take Mira's hand and guided her to the kitchen , where she closed the door behind them.
"So, tell me everything"
"I think I'm getting married"
"Oh, dear"

.......

"Before you say anything" Sirius held a hand up from where he sat in the couch. "Hurt her and I'm not your brother anymore" he had heard them talk at the entrance and had mentally prepared himself to talk to his little brother after such a long time . "And remember she kept her promise. She's the reason we're here"
"Believe me ,I remember" Regulus started walking closer to his brother until he was right in front of where he was sitting on the couch. "And I love her too much to hurt her"
"You do?" Sirius questioned, standing up from the couch to face his brother.
"Absolutely"
For a while there was silence while the two looked at each other, mentally questioning who would be the first to budge.
Suddenly Regulus hugged his brother tightly , making him immediately do the same.
"I missed you" Sirius said firmly, trying to realise that what he was experiencing wasn't a dream.
"I missed you,too, brother"
And suddenly they both felt like they could do anything. Because all was right in the world again.  "And I need your help with something"