A/N: Bella and Rodolphus settle for each other. Rodbella.
Submission for:
Musical Chairs - Revolving Prompts [A Daily Speed-writing Competition]: "I tolerate you." / "I could settle for you."
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Bella entered the parlour room with her head held high, schooling her face into an expression of boredom. She had been upstairs reading when she had been called down by the house-elf, and though she was curious, she did not want to seem eager. Such emotions were for the weak.
Her parents sat at the table near the large window which overlooked her mother's beautiful flower garden, however they were not alone. There was a tall man sitting across from them, his back to the door as she made her entrance. He was broad in the shoulders, his hair was black and neatly groomed, ending just below his ears, and he wore expensive tailored robes.
"Mother, Father," she said, her voice halting their guest's description of his future endeavours. She bowed politely to each of them, lessons from her childhood ingrained into her very being, before turning to the man which sat across from them.
"Good D-" she began but her words stopped in her tracks. She was looking into the rugged face of Rodolphus Lestrange, eldest son of the Lestranges and one of the most annoying men she had ever met (besides Lucius). She remembered him while he was at school, walking about the common room like he was better than her, ensuring that his voice was heard above everyone else's and drawing out his words like chewed bubble gum.
"Good day, Miss Black," he said. He rose from his chair to pull out the one beside his, giving her a gracious bow.
Bellatrix looked to the bent young man to the proffered chair, then to her parents. "What is this?" she asked.
"Bellatrix," her father said. "Don't be like this. Sit."
Bellatrix frowned but said nothing as she took her seat, allowing the Lestrange boy to push it in before he took his own.
"Now, I have some news for you, Bellatrix," her mother said. "Your father and I have been in discussion with the Lestranges for some time now and they have finally come to an end. The documents have been signed and you will be wed to Rodolphus by the end of the summer."
"What?" Bellatrix asked. She looked over at Rodolphus to see his calm expression. He had heard this all before. "You can't do this!"
"It has already been decided and preparations for the wedding are already underway. You will be a Lestrange in a few months time, dear."
Bellatrix was about to protest, jump from her chair and disrupt the entire affair, when the door to the parlour room opened. "Master and Mistress are needed in the front room," a house-elf said from the doorway. Without another look, her parents rose from the table and exited the room, leaving the two young adults alone.
Bellatrix then turned to the man beside and pointed an accusing finger at his chest. "You! It had to be you! Out of every eligible pureblood male, I get stuck with-"
"I'm not particularly happy with the arrangement either, Bellatrix," he said, cutting off her tirade. "We both know this was out of our control from before we were even born. It's either we accept it like good little boys and girls or be shamed and shunned by the community. Now, I don't know about you, but I like my lifestyle."
Bellatrix crossed her arms and turned away from him. Though she loathe to admit it, everything he said was correct. She had known she would eventually be betrothed to a pureblood, and having just graduated a few weeks ago, this should not have surprised her.
"This could have been worse," he added. "I could have been stuck with Victoria Crabbe or Mariam Bulstrode."
Bellatrix scoffed. "So I was the best of what remained?" she asked.
"Well, you are the most beautiful and you don't grate on my nerves like those other two. I tolerate you," he said.
Bellatrix thought for a moment. He was attractive, and a much better option than his brother, who was already starting to let himself go at the young age of nineteen. She could have also gotten much worse.
Eventually she said, "I could settle for you."