"Harry, Ron?" Hermione greeted, stepping cautiously into the common room of the quarters she and Bellatrix were sharing with Ron and Harry. It was essentially like the Gryffindor dormitory, but smaller and set aside for the four of them. Harry and Ron had the boys rooms to themselves, and Bella and Hermione occupied the girls side.
"Hermione!" Harry grinned, getting up from the sofa to pull Hermione into a warm hug. "I didn't hear you come in last night."
"We got in late," Hermione admitted. "It was quite a hassle to go incognito, what with having to travel with minimal traceable magic. Bella wasn't exactly thrilled at having to go muggle." Harry nodded sympathetically, smiling a bit at the imagery that provided.
"Hermione," Ron said when Hermione turned to face him, smiling uncertainly. While he understood that he had to coexist to Bellatrix, he'd had a much harder time accepting the fact that she and Hermione were together than Harry had, and was a great deal farther from being comfortable with her presence in Hogwarts.
"Ron," Hermione returned cautiously, reaching out to hug him. He flinched back, though he had the decency to look a bit guilty about his reaction. He awkwardly offered her his hand, which Hermione shook, a small frown creasing her brow.
"It's good to see you, Ronald," she said quietly.
"Right. Yeah." Hermione glanced nervously over at Harry, who shrugged apologetically.
"Erm, anyway. Bella and I have to go meet with McGonagall; we should be back in an hour or two," she informed them, gauging their reactions. Harry shifted slightly but was otherwise unaffected, whereas Ron's eyes darted to the stone staircase behind Hermione, taking a few steps back. Hermione turned the corner and took the first step up the stairs, stretching out her hand.
"C'mon, Bella," she said softly, and when she revolved to face the two boys again, Bellatrix was at her side.
"Hello," Bella nodded curtly, her dark eyes flickering between her partner, Harry, and Ron.
"Hello, Bellatrix," Harry replied politely, managing a small smile. He studied her discreetly, noticing the subtle - and some not so subtle - changes in her since the last time they had met, which had been on the battlefield, so to speak. When her face wasn't contorted with maniacal laughter, she actually appears quite human, he noted. She's certainly a striking woman, dark and beautiful in her own way, he mused. She seems...softer somehow. And the way she keeps looking at Hermione, like she's protective of her...Harry shook his head slightly to clear it, and re-focused his gaze on Hermione. Ron remained quiet.
"Actually, give me just a moment to grab something, I forgot...McGonagall asked me bring her a few things," Hermione said, interrupting the strained silence.
"I'll give you a hand," Harry offered, wanting a moment with his sister/best friend outside of the charged atmosphere their other best friend was making even more stressful than it already was. Hermione nodded, and they disappeared up the stairs, leaving the other two alone in the common room.
"So you're on our side, now?" Ron asked, his voice carrying a slight challenge. Though he was taller than her, Bellatrix somehow managed to look down at him.
"No," she drawled, her voice almost threateningly low. "I am on her side. Give her any more hell about it, Ginger, and I'll make you regret ever having been born," Bellatrix growled, her lips at the terrified boy's ear. "Are we clear?" she hissed. Ron nodded hurriedly, his brain scrambling to catch up with what was going on.
"Yes, very clear," he assured the older witch earnestly.
"Good," Bellatrix replied shortly, putting space between Ron and herself as Hermione entered the room.
"Ready to go, love?" Hermione queried, glancing up to catch Bella's eye. The dark witch smiled easily, and moved to meet Hermione at the door.
"Of course," she answered, smiling slightly.