Summary: "It was difficult to explain, but it worked. It worked confusingly well. Of course, it would be difficult to understand how exactly a relationship plays out when both of these people had a different sense of morality. Yet, it worked." Or in which Hermione and Bellatrix are fighting their own demons at the same battle.

I've been reading and daydreaming about those two for a long time already and finally I was able to write something about, and I must say that I'm following some canon prospects from the books, however, most will be divergent of, hehe. One more thing, English is not my first language and every day I'm learning more, so for any eventual grammar mistake… it's all on me. Any advice or tips are welcome. Thank you.

South London – 10 months ago.

There is nothing better than to drown on alcohol after a shitty day at work. Especially when your job is to keep safety at bay and to punish and arrest those who seem to make everything as possible to tear the world apart. So, after a dramatic twist under your surveillance happens and you are called to your office's boss, you are prepared. It was just a mere of time for the evidence to be analyzed and for you to give testimony, to explain your point of view and more specifically for you to say out loud all the mistakes and possibilities for what you could and haven't done. So, when Hermione finally gets the chance of leaving the Ministry of Magic, the first place she apparates to is a shady bar down the dirty river that runs through the subway line.

Even not being a frequent customer, Hermione was aware of some familiar faces any time she appeared there. She wasn't a talker, her only mission was to be let poisoned herself far away from the inquiring faces she would see at the Three Broomsticks. And to be quite honest to herself she sure needed a time far from the wizarding world. It was tiring yet everything she always wanted. Hermione was known to be the youngest witch to be honored the title and duty of being an Auror and she had been making a name for herself since the day she first put her foot in Hogwarts, in other words, some people just wanted to see her fall down the road, and as a drunk Sirius Black once said, no one likes a smart ass. And she was very aware of how last night's events would unwind, and Merlin, she sure needed a drink for that. A hell lot of.

Therefore, there wasn't any other place she would rather be than here.

Oh, the lies we like to tell ourselves.

"The usual?", the bartender asks as she approaches the balcony and nods in agreement. It has been a long time since she had been back here again, but the place remained the same. Some old men playing cards next to the windows and drinking heavily, the barmaid who would appear at every twenty minutes or so and sometimes there would be bikers laughing and smoking, making way too much noise to notice Hermione's on the further stool, far from sight. The usual, as ever.

Still, when the bar suddenly becomes silent she takes a time to realize, only time for the beer to get down on her throat while the burning sensation starts to evaporate her nerves. And so she turns her head when the doors open, mostly because things have changed so abruptly in the last few months and the events of her last mission are still fresh in her mind. Also because being on alert had become her second nature. "Trust no one, even yourself", were the words of welcome she received on her first day at work by Alastor Moody. Her fucking boss. Hermione wasn't as paranoiac as him, yet even when she fled to the muggle side, she always kept her senses on alert. After all, the one-who-must-not-be-named was back. And he wasn't alone.

After last fall incident at the Triwizard Tournament, the Department of Enforcement of the Laws of Magic maintained an exclusive task force to investigate the occurrence only to be forced to stop abruptly, after all, Cornelius Fudge's word of assurance felt heavier than a sixteen-ish boy. However, it must not be forgotten that Moody's paranoia was already on fire ever since the news of Harry Potter, the boy who lived, was in wizard territory, it only inflamed. And that is basically how Hermione found herself in the middle of a conspiracy-ish right above Fudge's nose, that was how she was guaranteed a sit at the order of the Phoenix. And that was also the reason why she was back at the bar, trying only to let her mind to be relived through alcohol over last night's occurrence.

It was oddly amusing to remember her first mission as a member of the order when she was only required to keep an eye surrounding the Potter boy. Time flies, fucking fast, she thinks.

So when she lays her eyes at the entrance door, she feels her stomach turns. It was an odd sight, to say the least.

And as the woman makes her way in, the only audible sounds are from the click and clack from her high heels, alongside the background music from the jukebox. One thing for sure, that woman knew how to make herself noticed. As far from the dark dress that hugged her body perfectly in every inch and curve, the corset almost visible from the angle Hermione was in, looked like it was carved out around her torso. She was also wearing a black hood that was dirty from mud on the edges and slightly wet. Perhaps that was the reason she seeks shelter anywhere but here because her red lips, curly wild hair, and chin held high yelled the unsaid words. That woman clearly didn't belong here. Hell, even she didn't but there she was, doing the exact same thing she was avoiding to be of: center of attention.

Yet Hermione couldn't help but contemplate. She was curious. Curious about what a woman as elegant as her was doing at such a miserable place and why did she felt so attracted to her. She had an oddly familiar sensation about that woman.

It all happened really fast, from the moment the door was opened to the complete silence until the woman got closer to the balcony, and as fast as it started as faster it ended, and the conversations were all over again. Only the clatter and sad laughs from the few people who were still there late at night.

And as Hermione's eyes followed the woman who was currently talking to the barmaid – another odd sight –, she started to study the woman's feature. Her face reminded her one of those Greek's marble statue. Her cheekbones were as sharp as her jawline, and since she took her hood's off, she could see how wild and dark her hair is, almost similar as the shape and color of her eyes. Her lips moved and Hermione sure felt some warm inside of her, she was sure the beer nothing had to do about it. Sensing her cheeks burn, the Auror diverted her gaze to her table and tried to shake her mind off this. Fantasize over someone as that woman was a waste of her time, she was clearly way out of her zone.

Giving another sip at the beer, Hermione almost choked when the woman appeared right in front of her.

"I didn't even touch you, calm down."

Hermione's face was crimson red. "You didn't", Hermione confirmed coughing, "Just startled me." She whispered the last part out of pity.

"Still… Are you all right?" The woman asked looking directly at the Auror's eyes. She had the darkest orbs Hermione had ever seem. It was almost electric, she felt energized just by the gaze. And Merlin… how could she deal with that raspy voice and defiance glare? Fuck. The words seemed to disappear from her mind and she kept her weakly mouth open "Perhaps, if…", the woman touched her arm and whispered confidently: "Anapneo!"

And just like that, Hermione felt the air getting back in her lungs as the blood was able to run through her veins. Only then she realized what happened and fastly got up on her foot, inducing a loud noise from the old stool that fell on the dirty floor. The woman, however, didn't move a muscle. She looked very amused by Hermione's reaction. And with a hint of a smile at the corner of her lips, she said: "I saw your badge", she pointed to Hermione's chest who dropped her hand at the location. "You're an Auror, right?"

Trying to regain a bit of her dignity back, Hermione nodded in agreement. She was so anger to leave the Ministry, she didn't even realize she was still wearing part of her work outfit. It was a fucking mess. "Yes, I am. May I help you?". Truth to be told, Hermione didn't know why she was offering that woman attention, because legally, she could do nothing ever since she was dispelled from the department until the investigation on her last case was over. So, until further notice, she couldn't do shit, even for herself.

But even though she couldn't do anything, she knew people who could and Hermione wasn't the kind of person to ignore others needs when that was one of her duties. Always trying to save anyone, Sirius always liked to mock her about it.

"You could, actually. You see… My wand has been stolen." She said incisively.

"How come?"

"Well, I'd like to know that too, I just woke up in a different place, very far from where I come from, and without my wand." The woman replied yet her face didn't give anything away. She uttered the words with precision and a dose of despair, however, her façade remained veiled. "I'm mostly worried for the actions it might react because of my name."

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name. What is it?"

The woman gave her a mocking smile. "I am Bellatrix. Bellatrix Black."