Belle
She had half a dozen bags on each arm as she walked down Diagon Alley for the annual Christmas shopping. There were simply so many things to buy and people to buy for but Belle loved every minute of it. There were some snowflakes melting in her dark hair as she contemplated buying herself some coffee, feeling tired. Belle had been told to take it easy after her chemo treatment ended (after she'd been advised to continue the treatment for two more years but she had gotten rid of more than 99% of it so she took those odds) a copule of months ago but she couldn't! She had to make up for lost time. Coffee and energy drinks and power naps got her through the days, plus a few protein drinks but it was just the way she preferred it: being busy. This drowsiness she was feeling and dizziness was just that and her sinuses teaming up to try to bring her down but she wouldn't. She was in remission, the doctors told her so, there was nothing to worry about it; she couldn't live her life waiting for the cancer to either make its ill-fated reappearance or not. So she went on with her days, glad not to have to go through those constant injections and pills, and hoping the color returned to her skin soon. She was tired of looking so pallid. "Heads up!" Belle looked turned a corner and then shrieked as someone collided with her, making her slip on the ice and fall backwards. Her bags scattered, the contents flying. She hissed, bringing a hand up to the side of her head, peering up at a couple of boys running away. "So much for chivalry!" She yelled after them, rolling her eyes and then pouting as she patted her tender head. That was going to swell and bruise, perfect. Brushing the snow off herself and picking up the presents after a few minutes, she went into the Leaky Cauldron, knowing she definitely needed that coffee now. Smiling, she leaned into the bar and tapped her nail against the wooden counter. "Large coffee to go, please Tom. Black will do it." It was the only way to keep her awake and keep away the blistering headache that was growing exponentially. She rubbed at her forehead, closing her eyes. Headaches, always the damn headache and no way to make them stop. Belle would have to talk to Rafael about something to help it. Finding herself breathing heavily, she undid her scarf quickly and stuffed it in her bag, fanning her hand in front of her face. Too much shopping for one day, she thought, breathing in through her nose and letting it out with a deep exhale. "You alright Belle darling?" Tom asked, pouring the coffee in for her. "Just a little woozy, some little snot-nosed brats knocked me on my bum is all," she explained and then placed the four sickles on the counter and grabbed her coffee. She thanked him again, only to cough suddenly, clutching her hand to her chest and another in front of her mouth. When she came away with her hand, her pale face turned completely white as she saw bright red blood covering her light blue gloves. She stumbled sideways, into a couple having glasses of butterbeer, sending their glasses off the counter and onto the floor. Catching herself, she coughed again, wheezing in and out; her eyes widened with sudden fear as the world around her erupted in sound: startled shouts, the crash of glass, gasps of surprise. She coughed again as she dropped to the floor, gasping for air that wouldn't come to her lungs. Her eyes widened and widened as she struggled for breath, clawing at her throat as she stated at the ceiling, several people looming over her but fading from view. She gasped out with blood once more before her world turned black...
