Based on fanart by Bellamione-Trash on tumblr. I had permission to write this, so no worries.
"We can't keep doing this" the older witch sighed. Her arm was wrapped around the brunette's waist, her chest flush against the other woman's back.
"I know" she mumbled.
"You always say you know. I'm beginning to wonder if you really do." Hermione rolled over to face her lover. The Gryffindor's hazel eyes roamed over her face for a moment as if she were dedicating the dark witch to her memory all over again.
"I do know. If we get caught but your Lord, we'll probably both be killed. If we get caught by the Order, you'll be killed." Her voice cracked with emotion and went hoarse, "I'm not sure I could live with myself if I had to watch you die, Bella." The dark witch pulled her into a tight embrace and they stayed like that for a moment, with Hermione's weight against Bellatrix's body.
"Hermione," she said as she looked at the ceiling, "you have so much to lose if He wins the war." She swallowed the knot in her throat before speaking again, "If we're found I'd rather it be by the Order. You've got so much to live for and these days...all I have is you." Hermione pulled back and shook her head.
"Don't talk like that. We won't be caught as long as we're careful. We can get through this, Bella." Her hazel eyes burned with such determination it almost inspired something in the older witch. Unfortunately, almost wasn't enough.
"Oh, Pet" she whispered, "I wish I could believe you." She turned so Hermione could go back to laying on her side and pushed the covers off of herself. As she found her clothes and dressed, Hermione watched her. She kept watching her until she apparated away and then she stared blankly at the spot her lover stood only moments ago.
They didn't see each other for a long while after that. Bellatrix believed her lover would be better safer that way. Hermione's heart ached to see the dark witch again but accepted that it was best, she was sure they'd see each other at a later date anyways. She just had to be patient. Perhaps if the Order won, she could bargain for the witch's life. She found herself saying if a lot more than when in those days.
When they did finally see each other again, Bellatrix looked worse for wear. Her face was sunken as though she'd hardly had a meal since they'd last met The rings under her eyes were darker than Hermione had ever seen them. Even her hair had become an unkempt mess. Still, that was Bellatrix and she ached to talk to her as they had done so many times in the privacy that they found in inn rooms and secret spots.
Bellatrix was far more worried with the situation before them than Hermione was, it seemed. The young witch had gotten herself caught and dragged to Malfoy Manor by the snatchers. Evidently she'd used a weak glamour to make herself look like Potter because by the time they dragged her to the Malfoy residence she looked much like herself again. The other parts of the trio were not found, Hermione's plan had worked. Unfortunately she was now being held by Lucius and without a wand.
After the scuffle with the snatchers over a sword that was supposed to be in the dark witch's vault, Peter Pettigrew called upon the dark lord after the Snatchers ran out of the manor. Bellatrix didn't have time to come up with a plan because before she could even properly get a hold on her sword, He was there.
She did her best to act nonchalant as Voldemort took in his surroundings. He grabbed Hermione's chin and grinned.
"Bella, I'm disappointed you still haven't caught the Potter boy but I think you can get some answers from this one." Hermione's gaze warily shifted towards Bellatrix.
"My Lord?"
"Do what you do best. Lucius, release her." Hermione was pushed and fell not far from Bella's boots. She looked up at the witch and subtly nodded. Voldemort gave a toothy smile and gestured for her to begin, he clearly didn't see the silent conversation they'd just had.
"Crucio!" She yelled. Hermione spasmed and looked a bit like a bug someone had just stepped on. Bellatrix ended the curse sooner than anyone in the room expected and looked away. Her lord looked at her with narrowed eyes.
"That was weak, Bella. How are we to learn anything if all you do is toy with her? What has gotten into you?"
"I feel...ill, my Lord." That wasn't exactly a lie. The sight of Hermione writhing on the ground in pain made her nauseous enough to fight back vomit.
"Ill? Well...I suppose I can take care of this if you'd rather miss out on all the fun." She instantly looked at her lord and shook her head. If he got his claws into her lover she'd surely be driven into a vegetative state, and that wasn't something she could standby and let happen.
"No, my Lord! I'll do what's been asked of me." And she did. Multiple times. By the fifth curse, Hermione was screaming in such pain the dark witch was beginning to see black spots. After the eighth, Bella stopped much sooner than Voldemort would've liked.
"Bella...you're acting very strange today. Do you mean these curses you're throwing at this mudblood?"
"I do, my lord."
"Do you, though?" Her eyes widened as he walked over to her and she raised her mental shields. She flinched as he grabbed her wand wrist and used his other hand to touch her temple. She saw images flash in her mind but she successfully kept all memories of Hermione at bay...except for one. Their first kiss. He pulled back with a hiss. "You have betrayed me!"
"N-no my lord! Never!"
"And now you lie!" The back of his hand struck her and blood slowly trickled down her chin from her newly split lip. He backed away in disgusted and his heel touched Hermione who'd watched the whole exchange in weakened horror. His eyes narrowed at the sorry sight before him. "You have tainted the thoughts of my finest and most loyal soldier. You must be punished and dealt with before you spread your filthy ideals into anyone else!" Hermione lifted herself onto her elbows as she looked up at him. Her gaze wandered to Bellatrix who was standing rigid and staring at nothing at all as blood dripped off of her chin.
Narcissa looked like she wanted to help her sister but the witch clearly didn't want to upset the dark lord.
"You'll never win" Hermione lost her voice when she was screaming but her pride was not.
"Such brave words from such a disgusting little creature. Sectumsempra!" Gashes formed at random on Hermione's body and Bellatrix's daze was lifted. She couldn't bear to watch the girl go through anymore pain, not today and preferably not ever again.
"Lord, please, I beg you. Stop this. It will do nothing for your cause." She flinched when the words left her mouth and he stopped the curse when he reared on her.
"My cause?! It was once our cause! This filth has turned you against me, you worship her in place of your lord and she is not worth such devotion. She must pay for what she has taken from me." Hermione was sprawled out on the floor, her chest heaving in pain as her blood pooled around her on the dark tile floors. The sight was inspirational, in Voldemort's eyes.
Bellatrix had been kept in the dungeon for "her own good" for the rest of the day and most of the following morning. It was Narcissa who was sent to fetch her. They apparated away from the manor with few words. They landed on a hill that had a large cross on top of it. Hermione was a few yards away with her hands bound behind her. Nobody had bothered to give her new clothes and she still looked as beaten and bloody as she did the previous day.
She broke away from Narcissa's hold and ran to embrace the Gryffindor.
"I'm so sorry, pet. I should've been more convincing, I-" Hermione backed away slightly so she could see Bellatrix's face. Tears were streaming down her face and her lips were pulled back into a sad smile.
"It's alright, Bella. Please don't think this is your fault."
"Oh dove" she grabbed the back of Hermione's neck and brought their lips together. She rested her forehead against the younger witch's. "You don't—you shouldn't have to-" She was pulled away from her lover by Narcissa and Lucius, they had both of her arms. "Get off of me!" Her captors forced her to turn and face Voldemort who looked more disgusted than he did angry.
"Hold her tighter" he ordered, then looked towards the death eaters situated by the cross. "Get on with it" he spat.
They untied Hermione's wrists and she promptly rubbed them. She looked at Bellatrix with wide eyes when they used magic to raise her against the cross. Someone setup a ladder...the same person grabbed a few long metal nails and a hammer.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Bella screamed. She tried to break out of the Malfoys' grips. "Let her go! Don't you dare lay a finger on her unless you plan on fucking losing it! Do you hear me you sick-"
"Bella, it's alright" Hermione said. The girl's voice was shaking. Bella bit back her screams when the death eater pushed a nail against the girl's wrist and readied his hammer. They all watched in horror as he hammered the first nail into her. The brunette hissed in pain and her head lolled forward as the hammer hit the nail again, driving it deeper and into the wood.
Bellatrix's throat tightened and tears broke her eyes' waterlines as she watched her lover's other writ and then her feet get nailed to the cross. Hermione was slumped forward, her face hidden by her hair. Bellatrix felt her legs growing weaker the longer she looked towards the crucified woman. Voldemort sighed and yelled,
"Avada Kedavra!" it struck Hermione in the chest and somehow the grew became even more limp. Bellatrix fell to her knees and the Malfoys released their hold on her. She looked at the ground and watched as her tears sunk into the dirt. "A mercy killing, for your sake." Her hands were on her knees and she felt them tremble as he spoke again, "She was a mudblood, she had to die Bella."