A/N: Basically all my most recent stories have a long paragraph of apology, because I have extreme cases of writer's block e.e but hopefully, this will get me back into the habit of writing, and I'll try and update stories, etc, etc. I haven't apologised yet though, haha, so here it is;

I'M SO SORRY, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG IT'S BEEN THAT I'VE BEEN SLAPPING MYSELF MENTALLY FOR NOT UPDATING OR PUBLISHING ANYTHING AND JUST BEEN SLACKING OFF. LITERALLY, I HAVEN'T BEEN DOING ANYTHING USEFUL WITH MY TIME. TUMBLR, SLEEP, FILMS, GAMING. AND EATING. DO NOT FORGET EATING.

Now that's over, I also need to say, my life is back on track! So as it's back on track, I'll be uploading more. Hopefully... don't take much from that though, because I can't promise anything about writing, actually. But I'll try! And I'm sorry if there are any mistakes, I didn't check all that thoroughly, but as some of you probably know, the website often makes some mistakes in my uploads, punctuation or missing words/letters... PM me or review about any, if you spot some, please, it'll help me out!

Hopefully you won't be too angry with that long author's note. So here you go, not my best bit of work, seeing as I've not been writing for a while, but I hope you'll like it! x

Disclaimer: In no way do I own Harry Potter.

)O(

"You've done well, Bella," the cold voice rings through the room. Lord Voldemort circles his servant, taking pleasure in the tears that sting her eyes and the pink blush that arise in her otherwise perfectly pale complexion.

"Thank you, Master."

She is, he thinks, the perfect slave.

And that's what she is to him. But, he is not so ungrateful as to ignore when a servant of his obeys his orders, and carries out his orders well. Lord Voldemort is kind to his followers. He rewards them.

Bellatrix is the trickiest to reward. With his other followers, the majority of them being men, he can give them money, or costly items, or good connections. He can promise the safety of their wives and heirs. And the other women, they either avoid being in the same room alone with him for too long or, having relations in the Death Eaters, take share with their relative's reward–except Alecto Carrow and Bellatrix Black. Alecto prides herself on not asking for more than is given, and the Dark Lord accepts that–actually, he's more than happy to. He has always found women slightly needy, and if they're not needy, they're pushy, and if they're not pushy, they ask for far more than they deserve. There have only ever been a few exceptions to that belief of his.

Then there's Bellatrix. Bellatrix becomes emotional at the idea of him giving what she asks for, and so she will never tell him anything other than;

"I will only settle for whatever my Lord thinks me worthy of. And if my Lord deems me worthy of his presence, that is enough."

So he sends her off with nothing, because she doesn't want anything other than to know he is happy with her, that he does not feel fury towards her, that she remains in his good books.

Well, that's not strictly true.

He does know what she wants, and he does know she would never ask him of it. Not directly. The only way she would get him to satisfy the desire that constantly lingers in her mind would be for him to do it without her speaking a word of the matter. She does not quite believe herself worthy of his touch.

Stopping in his circling, Lord Voldemort looks down on the woman. The way her chest heaves with every breath, the way she sits so still in her place, on her knees, where she belongs.

A tilt of his head. He eyes her. Perhaps…

Perhaps she is worthy.

Not that, if he did satisfy her urges, he would ever admit it to her. He would tell her he merely had his own urges to satisfy, and he knows she would believe it, and not be as absurd as to believe he desired her.

He stands behind her, and knows she's wondering what's to come. Is she to feel his wraith, tonight? Is she to be sent away, like usual? Does he have another task for her?

Fingering her silky locks, as dark as his own, he delights in the way she trembles with pleasure.

Yes, she is a good servant. She understands that to be touched by him is a gift. It's a blessing that she is given more than anyone else. And, as much as she infuriates him at times, the woman knows he is a God, much more than any man. He is glad for that, because not many people do seem to understand it. He does not take things for granted. He has been at the bottom, in his mind, and now he is at the top.

So, he is grateful. He is grateful for her.

Suddenly, he yanks back her head by a fistful of her hair. She takes in a sharp intake of breath, expecting the worse, only to open her eyes and stare into brilliant crimson ones.

"You are worthy."

Her beetle black eyes widen, her scarlet lips part slightly, and she only takes a few seconds to react to the Dark Lord's mouth pressing against hers.