She's on her knees on the cold marble floor, her head bowed, hair that was a few hours ago, pulled up into an elegant yet still untamed coil, now loose and tangled half hiding her face. She's glad of it, glad he can't see the tears in her eyes gathering there on her eyelashes like tiny diamonds. Oh how she hates to fail him, to disappoint him. It's crushing. Heavy. A weight that she can't bare, but bare it she must.
"Master.." she begins with a pitiful sod, looking up at him with shining eyes, but he stops her with a raise of his hand and the dark witch cowers away, another sob, full of sorrow and hurt. "I'm sorry."
She was. More than she'd ever been. More than she could ever express. She had got off lightly compared to Lucius, her brother in law would still be feeling the effects of his punishment for days to come, but the Dark Lord had been almost lenient with her. He'd punished her yes, of course, but not half as much as she deserved. She wished he would, wished he'd beat her bloody, throw her in a cell, torture her for her failing but he didn't, hadn't, this punishment was far worse, at least to Bellatrix, seeing the disappoint in his expression and knowing she'd failed. She couldn't stand it.
Voldemort knew Lucius was more to blame, the man was a wreck, pathetic and unworthy now of his Dark Mark. But she'd been there too, she'd been in the same room as the Potter boy, the sword from HER vault in their possession.. and they'd escaped. It wasn't like Bellatrix to fail him, in all her loyal service he could only count two failings on her part, and neither had truly been her doing.
He looked on her now, her adoring eyes holding his, the only person alive who dared to look at him for longer than a few moments.
Her raven curls spilling around her tiny shoulders that trembled slightly, from anxiety, stress, the after effects of his curses, he didn't know, she had her hands fisted in the black fabric skirt of her dress, knuckles white with the force, blood on her pretty lips where she'd bitten into then to stop from screaming, but scream she had, he admired her bravery, he always had. She was beautiful. But she'd failed him and his desire for her would have to wait, to take her now would comfort her no matter how brutal he was, she'd take comfort in his arms, and he couldn't have that. No. She had to be adequately punished. "Out, Bella."
She rose on shaking legs with a hiccuped sod, hesitating a moment before turning away and slowly, painfully, crossing to the door. He was watching her, she could feel his eyes but even so she stopped with her hand on the brass door handle and turned back to daringly set eyes on him, her own full of pleading and apology, "forgive me, Master. Please forgive me."
Lord Voldemort let out a soft breath through his flaring nostrils and regarded his first lieutenant, his second, his right hand, his most loyal, his lover..? "In time."
Bellatrix let out a gasp of gratitude and wanted to run to him, fall at his feet, sob into his chest but she stilled herself, clutching the door handle tighter and felt the tears she'd been holding back slip down her cheeks. She left and closed the door behind her. The weight lifted slightly off her shoulders.