BREATHE - Marlene McKinnon ✔️

EIGHT.

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chapter eight, without
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"YOU'RE DOING GOOD, just a few more steps." Aria reached out and grabbed Isabella's hands, feeling her knee start to lock up as she provided one last thing of pressure. She started to fall, but Isabella grabbed her around the waist and lowered her to a seat. "That's really good, much better than yesterday."

"I feel like a toddler learning how to walk."

Isabella laughed, grabbing her chart and writing down some quick notes. "Your knee just needs to learn how to walk again and take the pressure. Just like a toddler, it will learn."

"That's great and all, but when can I start riding a broom again." Aria could hear the older woman sigh, wrinkles forming between her eyebrows. She's far too young to have wrinkles, a little older than Quinn or so, but they seem to appear the more Aria asks about Quidditch.

That's all Aria wanted, was to feel the air against her face, the adrenaline pumping through her veins as she goes to the quaffle and risk a buldger hitting her. She needed it more than she needed air to breathe. She never realized how much she would miss Quidditch until she couldn't play it. It physically hurt to watch everyone else play and know she can't join in.

"Aria, we've talked about this. Quidditch, is not the priority here, the priority is making sure your knee heals at its own pace and doesn't get messed up more or set you back. For now, there is no Quidditch. That will stay my same conclusion for quite a few months. Understand?" Aria nodded, her lips in a pout and upset by the conclusion. "Alright, I think that's enough for today. Go hang out with your friends and get school work done."

"Thank you Isabella. See you later."

As much as she hated to admit it, the crutches were a relief on her knee. Walking, not even down half a hallway, was very strenuous and Aria was having a hard time with it. She knew if she tried to fly a broom it wouldn't work, she wouldn't be able to get her knee to bend.

"Aria!" She heard a voice call. "Aria Sawyer!" Looking back, Potter was running over to her. She stopped for a moment, letting him catch up to her, before resuming walking. "How was today? How's the knee?"

"A bitch to work with. Got some walking in, but eh. I'll be ready by the next game."

Potter shook his head, a frown pulling at his lips. Aria wasn't sure why, she didn't understand why he would be upset by that statement. That's why he was asking, to see if he would have to find a new chaser.

"Aria, I don't care about the games, I care that you're getting better. I consider you my friend, and I care about my friends. I love Quidditch, but it's for fun, it isn't my life, and—"

"But it's mine! I don't know who I am without it! If I can't play Quidditch, then who am I?" As much as she wished there was, there was no anger behind her words. Just broken emptiness that she didn't know what to do with. A feeling of being lost in the dark with no idea where to go or how to find light.

"That's something you have to figure out yourself, I'm sorry. With all this time off, figure it out. See what else you like besides Quidditch." Aria nodded, feeling like a child. Potter was only a year older than her but how he talked to her made her feel like a little kid pouting. In truth, she was pouting. "Now come on, you, Marlene, and Sirius said you'd help me pick out a gift for Lily. It's the first Christmas of us dating and I want to pick out something nice."