December 1976
Bellatrix stood holding Rodolphus' shirt and stared.
She didn't own pink lipstick.
It was so stereotypical, so quintessential. The man gets caught cheating with lipstick on his collar. And here Bellatrix was, standing there with Rodolphus' white dress shirt that he wore under his dark blue waffle weave robes, staring at a smudge of pink lipstick. Bright pink. Violent pink. A shade she didn't ever wear.
"Bella, if we don't hurry, we're going to be…" Rodolphus appeared in the doorway. "Late."
His eyes went from the shirt collar in Bellatrix's hands up to her face, which she'd painted beautifully for the Malfoy family Christmas party. Rodolphus visibly gulped, and Bellatrix trembled a little where she stood as she asked him,
"Who is she?"
"Bella…" Rodolphus shook his head and approached, reaching for the shirt, but Bellatrix slapped him as hard as she could and wrenched the shirt away. Rodolphus gripped his smarting cheek and staggered back a few steps. He smelled like whiskey already, Bellatrix noticed. She huffed a breath.
"Who is she?"
Rodolphus was quiet for a long moment. "Louise Avery," he said at last. "It's Louise."
Bellatrix shut her eyes. Louise, with her flowing golden hair and her vibrant green eyes and her tall, lanky form. She was Bellatrix's opposite in every way. She was amicable, friendly, warm, and funny. What wizard wouldn't want her? Bellatrix tried to swallow, but her throat felt dry and tight. She wrenched her eyes shut as Rodolphus explained,
"You and I were an arranged marriage, Bellatrix, and though I feel very -"
"Just stop," Bellatrix whispered. "Just… stop. Let's go to the party. Please."
"I'm sorry," Rodolphus tried, but Bellatrix shook her head. She Disapparated on her own, unwilling to hold Rodolphus' hand. She walked beside him into Malfoy Manor, clutching her cloak around her as she did. When they went inside, she Banished her cloak to the Cloak Room and revealed her strapless silk gown. She adjusted her pearl necklace and breathed shakily through her nose.
"Why don't you go find Louise?" asked Bellatrix, and Rodolphus' mouth fell open as they climbed they stairs from the Malfoy foyer. He shook his head. Louise was much younger; she'd just left Hogwarts. It was only a matter of time before someone scooped her up into an arranged marriage. Bellatrix cocked an eyebrow and said mockingly, "Someone'll marry that girl soon enough, Dolph. You're on borrowed time. Make the best of it, eh?"
"Bellatrix." He pinched his lips, and she scoffed as she walked ahead of him into the ballroom. She found her mother and sister and greeted them. Narcissa lived here at Malfoy Manor now that she was married to Lucius, so she was co-hosting this elaborate party.
"Bella, you seem on edge," Narcissa said quietly, guiding her elder sister over to the drinks table. She picked up a glass of red wine and handed it over. "What's wrong?"
"He has a girl." Bellatrix took a very deep draught of red wine and shook her head. "Dolph. He's got a girl. Louise Avery."
"What?" Narcissa gasped in horror. "I'd murder Lucius! I'm going to give Rodolphus a piece of my mind!"
"No. Don't." Bellatrix put her hand on Narcissa's bare arm. Narcissa's face was genuinely concerned, but Bellatrix reminded her, just as Rodolphus had done earlier, "We were an arranged marriage. There's never been love between him and me. It doesn't make it sting any less, but it does… it does change things. You and Lucius are in love. It's different."
"It shouldn't be," Narcissa argued, but Bellatrix just drank the rest of her red wine in three big gulps and set the empty glass down, and she said,
"I'm fine. Honest."
"Madam Lestrange."
Bellatrix whirled around at the sound of his voice, and she stumbled on her heels a little. She dipped into a reverential curtsy and bowed her head. She stared up at the greying, handsome wizard before her - her lord and master whom she adored more than anyone else in the entire world, and she murmured,
"Master."
"How good it is to take time away from combat and interrogations to celebrate the Yuletide," he said crisply, and Narcissa agreed from behind Bellatrix,
"It is good indeed, My Lord."
"Thank you for hosting, Narcissa."
"I hardly did anything, truly, Master," Narcissa insisted. "Please, if you'll excuse me."
"Of course." Voldemort watched Narcissa walk away, and then he sighed deeply and turned his eyes down to Bellatrix. He folded his hands before himself and demanded,
"Bella, why did you come storming in here four paces ahead of your husband and then come chug a glass of wine with your sister? I'm no marital arbiter, but I can sense trouble like that from a mile away. And I don't need trouble among married Death Eaters."
"There's no trouble, Master," Bellatrix tried, but Voldemort narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
"Lies. You may be an Occlumens thanks to my teaching, Bella, but you're a poor liar. What is the matter?"
Bellatrix stared at the ground for a moment and then mumbled, "He's got Louise Avery. Sir."
"You," said Voldemort in an amused voice, "are an unimaginable hypocrite."
Bellatrix raised her eyes to him. She knew why he was saying that. She'd been physical with the Dark Lord more than once. More like ten times. It just… kept happening. The two of them just seemed to keep winding up tangled in his sheets upstairs or on his desk in his office. Still.
"Dance with me," Voldemort smirked, holding his hand out. Bellatrix was breathless as she took his hand and let him lead her out to the dance floor, and as he swept her into a dancing stance, he sighed deeply again. He looked so handsome in his tuxedo robes, Bellatrix thought. She gulped. Voldemort licked his lip as they swayed, and he asked,
"D'you remember last month when you were on your knees in my shower?"
"Yes, Master," Bellatrix said, a tiny smile crossing her lips. She felt his thumb dragging over hers, and then his fingers cinched on her back, and he asked,
"D'you remember last week when you were on the edge of my bed with your ankles on my shoulders?"
"Yes, Master," Bellatrix said, her smile growing and Voldemort's hands tightening on her. He tipped his head, sighed again, and asked,
"D'you remember three days ago when you were on my desk and mucked up my piles on parchments?"
She laughed a little and nodded. "Sorry, Master."
"I'm not angry." He looked around the room and then asked Bellatrix, "Are you really going to begrudge Rodolphus a dalliance here and there with Louise Avery? You get the attentions of the Dark Lord. Don't be selfish. Don't be greedy."
"Yes, Master." Bellatrix nodded vigorously. "You're right, of course. Mucking up your pile of parchments is better than anything he could ever give me."
"Do me one favour," Voldemort said, swaying and pulling Bellatrix closer, leaning down so close she thought he might kiss her.
"Anything, My Lord."
"Next time you're on my desk with no clothes on," he murmured against her mouth, "be more careful with my parchments. And don't worry about your husband."
Bellatrix breathed him in and nodded.
"Yes, Master."
Author's Note: Having fun writing just a few pre-Fantastic Beast one-shots to say goodbye to Bellamort. Thanks for indulging me. Please do leave a review.