This fanfic is inspired by the war of the roses but instead of the houses of York and Lancaster we have the Slytherin and Gryffindor house. And instead of Edward IV, Henry VI etc., we have Draco Malfoy, Bellatrix Black, Hermione Granger etc. Written from Bellatrix's, Draco's and Hermione's point of view. (Side note: In this story, Bellatrix is around Draco's age and is NOT his aunt)

The wedding day of Draco and Bellatrix

Bellatrix

"You look troubled, mistress Bellatrix," one of my maids remark as she laced the stays on my new gown. "Begging your pardon mistress, but you're going to be married to the heir of the Malfoy family, the oldest and richest family of the Slytherin house, shouldn't you be all bright and happy-" she stops abruptly as I hold out my hand to silence her.

"You may go," I dismiss her with a wave of my hand. How dare she make such an impertinent remark in my presence, I fume. I am going to be a duchess in a matter of mere hours at the tender age of fifteen.

But truth be told, I do not want this marriage, not in the slightest bit. Draco could be the greatest and handsomest duke that had ever lived, and I still would not want him as my husband.

"It's a great honour for us Blacks. Thank God you caught the eye of the young Draco Malfoy. We will be one of the most powerful families in England now!" my mother's triumphant voice crowed in my head again as it did that night she broke the news of my marriage to me. "Maybe we can even match the power of our rivals the house of Gryffindor." she had added in a whisper.

I had tried to protest, but my parents would not hear anything of it. After all, I was just a pawn on their chessboard, placed where I would be of the greatest advantage to them.

But my heart has already been taken. I dare not mention it to anyone, not even my closet ladies, but I am in love with a stable boy. His name is Tom Marvolo Riddle, and he has pledged his eternal love to me.

We had harboured hopes of running away one day, the young, foolish stable boy and the young, foolish girl that I was. But my upcoming marriage served as a cruel reminder that my placing in society was too high for Tom to reach, and if I tried to lower myself to him, I would only end up in the mud, dishonoured and stripped of my inheritance.

"Your Grace," I hear one of my maids call out outside my rooms, "A persistent stable boy insists on coming into your presence. Shall I let him in?" the disdain is pronounced in her voice.

A stable boy! I feel my heart quicken with excitement. It can only mean that Tom had come to see me. "Let him in," I call. To my embarrassment, I hear a quaver in my voice.

The double doors to my chambers fling open and in he walks, head bowed low.

How laughable all our whispered conversations, stolen kisses and sweet nothings now seemed! I was to be married into one of the most powerful families of the Slytherin house, and Tom Marvolo Riddle would forever be a lowly servant.

But it does not mean that I did not still love him with all my heart and soul. Even in his torn breeches and stained shirt, I still desire him.

"Your Grace," Tom begins awkwardly, bowing low to me.

Call me Bellatrix! I want to scream. He had done so in the past. Why did my upcoming marriage have to change even that?

"I came to...apologise for...for what happened in the past between us..." Tom stammers, staring blankly at the floor. "I should have...known my place. Please forgive me."

"Tom!" the strangled word escapes my lips. How could it be? How could we have turned into complete strangers so abruptly?

We stand opposite each other, not talking. I have so much I want to tell Tom, but have no idea how to form the words. Tears pour down my face as we stand uncomfortably, looking at everything around us except for each other.

Draco

That beautiful, dark-haired vixen will finally be mine today! In just a few hours' time the woman of my dreams will finally be my wife, my darling duchess!

This knowledge makes me spring up from my bed the moment I awake, cheeks flushed red with boyish excitement.

Ever since I saw Bellatrix at the court of the young Queen Hermione of the house of Gryffindor, I have fancied her. The way her dark hair swayed under her French hood when she danced with the young men at court captivated me and I could not take my eyes off her perfectly shaped lips painted a dark, ravishing red. Finally, I could call this beauty mine!

"The gowns and jewels I ordered are ready?" I question the servant nearest to me.

"Yes, Your Grace," he smiles.

"Good, good, everything has to be perfect for my wife!" I cry out in delight.

I have ordered exquisite gowns and rare jewels for Bellatrix. Nothing but the best for her will do! The gowns are in various shades of green and embroidered with silver thread. The diamonds and emeralds trimming the hems cost a fortune, but it is money well spent.

Our house at Chatsworth is in a flurry of activity, the last minute preparations for the new addition to our household. I personally inspect the rooms of Bellatrix. "Perfect," I pronounce. Her rooms are almost as grand as mine, as befitting a soon-to-be duchess.

Like a young, impatient boy, I cannot sit still all morning. "Get a grip on yourself, Draco," I chide myself. "You are one of the greatest lords of England, surely you can stop squirming like a bored schoolboy."

But I cannot, all I can think of is my wedding and my gorgeous wife-to-be.

Finally, at long last, we are ready to mount our horses to make our way to the chapel where I am to marry Bellatrix. As I kneel for my mother's blessing, I hear her murmur, "Treat your wife well Draco, and remember that this marriage is to strengthen the ties between the strongest families of the Slytherin house."

"Yes, lady mother," I reply impatiently. I barely hear her words.

Hermione

I am sitting under my cloth of estate in my presence chamber when my favourite Lady in waiting, Lady Ginny, approaches me.

"Your Grace," she begins hesitantly. "The youngest Slytherin duke has married the heiress of the Black family. I fear an alliance between our enemies will make us more vulnerable," she says.

I try to keep my face impassive, but this marriage reawakens all my fears that the house of Slytherin will rise up against my house, the house of Gryffindor, and defeat us all and take my crown. After all, I am still a young queen newly come to the throne after a hard fought battle and my crown is not yet secure on my head.

Inside my head, the gears of my brain are turning, and in no time at all, I have a reply for Lady Ginny.

"Invite them to court," I say, "Convey my warmest greetings to the couple. Having them at court will keep down close and make it easier for us to keep watch of their doings."

"What a brilliant decision, Your Grace," one of my earls says, stepping towards me, an oily smile plastered on his face.

I close my eyes briefly. I know what is coming and I am sick and tired of hearing it.

"Perhaps Your Grace would like to complement your good decisions with that of a man, a husband, who no doubt will be able to advice you on matters for the greater good of England, and the house of Gryffindor as well." my earl says.

Around him, my courtiers nod their heads in assent. I know that deep down, they fear my ability to rule. After all, I am just sixteen, and a girl, and that alone in their eyes make me unworthy to make important decisions. They want me to marry one of my dukes, or even a foreign prince, and make him King consort.

I grit my teeth. "Lords and ladies," I begin, raising my voice so everyone in my presence chamber can hear me. "If any of you doubt my ability to rule, come forward now. By suggesting that I take a husband, are you implying that I cannot rule on my own? My parents died fighting against the House of Slytherin to put me on my throne, surely you can allow me to rule of my own accord?"

My lords and ladies shift uncomfortably. Of course no one dares admit that they doubt my ability.

But I have reasons why I do not want to marry, reasons that I do not even reveal to Lady Ginny. Reasons that will cause a great scandal among my people, perhaps the greatest that England has ever known.

Ever since I have set eyes on the young Duke of the house of Slytherin, the newly married Duke, I have felt something that I swear I have never felt before.

Poetry is written and songs are sung about love, but I have never truly known what is love. Not until that day I saw the Slytherin duke at court for the Christmas celebrations. His name is Draco, I think.

His silky white-blond hair, his sky blue eyes, his perfectly chiseled features, and that delicious mysterious air around him! Whenever I think of him, I feel a rising blush in my cheeks and my heartbeat quickens.

I know it is wrong to love a member of the house of Slytherin, it goes against the very morals of a member of the house of Gryffindor, let alone the head, but I cannot help myself, I simply cannot. I am becoming a slave to my feelings. He is irresistible, simply irresistible.

Now Draco Malfoy is a married man, and that makes him, if possible, even more unreachable for me.

I turn to Lady Ginny. "Summon the newly married duke and duchess to court immediately."

A few weeks later

Bellatrix

I hate this marriage. I hate Chatsworth House. Yes, I will admit that the duke treats me well, but he is so attentive to the point that he makes me want to scream at him. Every time I leave the room to use the chamber pot, he will inquire as to where I am heading. Every single time. He will not even let me out of his sight if he can help it, not even to take a solitary walk in the gardens.

I think my new mother-in-law hates me. She makes the most degrading remarks for any small mistake I make. Especially when I'm sewing. She loves to sneer at my untidy stitches.

My servants here are lazy and treat me with disregard. I know they follow the example of my mother-in-law and spread all sorts of nasty rumours about me.

Every night, I cry myself to sleep. Tom, oh Tom, I think sadly, we should have seized our chance to run away together. Now I am a miserable bride held almost like a captive in this depressing place.

Draco

We receive a summon to court, my new bride and I. I stare at it, my brows creased in worry. Why would the queen suddenly command our presence?

Suddenly, my father walks into the room and leans against the fireplace, his face grave.

"The lords of Slytherin are planning a rebellion against the house of Gryffindor. They think that your marriage is the alliance that provides the strength among us that we need for victory. With this unity, they are certain that the house of Slytherin can, and will rule England again." he says, eyes ablaze with passion at the very thought.

I press my eyes shut. I am sick of the endless wars between our houses, sick of the endless deaths. But the war between the house of Gryffindor and Slytherin goes on and on and on. Even with an anointed queen on the throne, the rival lords can still come up with a nonsensical reason to justify overthrowing her.

I cannot ride out at the head of my army, under the Slytherin banner. I know I may seem cowardly to shy away from battle, but I have a new wife, I am a newly married man. What if, God forbid, I die fighting, what will happen to my wife? She does not love me, that much I know. In her presence, I am treated with cool disdain, at the very best. I will be a failure of a man if I die before my wife, my darling wife, has even shown a single gesture of affection to me.

"Your job, son," my father says. This is when I know that the situation is indeed serious. My father never calls me "son" unless he wants to ask a big favour of me. Bracing myself for the worst, I force myself to listen to his words.

"When you go to the court of the queen, observe her habits carefully. For instance, what time does she go for mass, what time does she break her fast, what time does she withdraw for the night? Who are her chief advisors? And try to bribe her messengers to let you take her letters." My father's says to me in a commanding tone.

I nod, concealing the turmoil of my mind under a smooth mask that I force my features to form.

"Of course father," I say, the dutiful son that I appear to be.

That's it for Chapter 1! So how do you all think the story's progressing so far?