Kate yelped in pain as she was thrown backwards. "Hey...easy.. I don't want to hurt you. I can help you." She moved hesitantly towards her. "Your legs are tangled in the vines here. Can you tell me if im hurting you? Im going to try to untangle you, ok?"
She moved to untangle the vines, gently sawing at them with a pocketknife. "Bellatrix..." she whispered softly. "When I'm done here, you need to stay laying down. I have a few drops of a healing potion left,and im going to let you have it." She finished freeing her legs, and jumped when she heard Bellatrix cry out.
"Oh God, did I hurt you? Hey...Look at me-" at once she grasped Bellatrix's hand in her own. "Say something-" tears fell unnoticed from her eyes.
"Imfine." Bellatrix managed to mumble, her eyes closed.
Bellatrix was surprised even more so when the girl, who appeared to be a student from that accursed school, started to saw away the vines. The female death eater stayed perfectly still, her mouth opened in shock at the girl's actions. Quickly, she snapped out of it and the moment she was free she scrambled to stand, but failed as a familiar pain struck her front again. Irritated, she slowly lay down as instructed by the younger girl, still wary of the other's presence. Bellatrix was in worse condition than she originally thought and coughed as her wounds almost paralyzed her with pain.
"Shhh." She heard the stranger whisper, felt her squeeze her hand. "Shh...I'm here. I'm here."
Eventually, the agony she felt faded and Bellatrix looked at the student only a small distance away from her. She narrowed her eyes when she saw tears on the other's face, unsure why the girl was crying. Was it over her? No. No one would weep for a death eater, especially not someone like Bellatrix. "Girl, you released a death eater that, though unarmed, can strike you down easily." With a cold look in her eyes, she turned slightly and saw that the girl before her had grabbed her hand. Uncomfortable with the foreign contact, she considered removing it but opted not to. "What is your name?"
Kate took a deep breath."Kathrine Harte. But call me Kate, please, everyone does-" Kate took out her brush, and began brushing the tangles and leaves from Bellatrix's hair. Her brush strokes were soft and gentle. She didn't want to hurt the beautiful woman. "Bellatrix, I'm not afraid to die. I have nothing to live for anyway-" she sighed softly. "And honestly, all I want to do is help you. Deatheater or not, you're still a person. "
She smiled as she stroked her hair, hearing Bellatrix's gasp of shock. She couldn't explain it, but she felt drawn to this woman. She always had. She remembered watching her as she walked down the halls of Hogwarts, listening to her laugh.
"Here..." Kate winced in pain as she moved to pick up the healing potion. She pressed the vile to the deatheater's lips, watching as she drank it. "You'll be ok in a few minutes. Can you tell me where it hurts? " she whispered, running a hand softly across Bellatrix's face. "The potion wont fix everything...but if you tell me, I can try to." She watched as Bellatrix smiled. She hoped it was a friendly smile.
"Do you need food? Water?" She whispered. Seeing her shiver, she took off her own cloak and lovingly wrapped it areound Bellatrix. "There...better?"
"Better." Bellatrix smiled at her, not remembering anyone ever being this kind to her . "Uh, some water would be nice. If you don't mind." She tried to sit up,but fell back.
"Easy, " Kate whispered. "Calm. You're ok. Let me help you." And she did, putting both hands under Bellatrix's arms, she pulled her to a sitting position against the tree. "Augementi". She whispered, reciting the charm for water. She held the cool drink out to her. Here."
Bellatrix took it, drinking thirstily. She slowly began to feel better, the healing potion was working. "Thankyou. But what about your injuries?" She asked, shocked that she'd even care about the Gryffindor girl.
"It's nothing." Bellatrix noticed her voice was unsteady. She saw the cuts, the gashes, the blood.
"May I have my wand please?" She asked, her heart actually aching for the first time in many years.
"Sure..." Weakly, Kate handed her the wand, unsure whether to trust her. But she felt oddly safe around the dark witch.
Bellatrix pointed the wand at Kate, took a deep breath, and began. "Vulnera Sanantur." She repeated over and over again, as, one by one, each of Kate's outer injuries began to heal. It took several minutes, as Bellatrix wasn't as competent with healing spells as Madame Pomfrey had been. Kate supposed it was because Bellatrix practised primarily DARK magic, when healing dealt with LIGHT magic.
"There." Bellatrix said after awhile, smiling kindly at her. "How do you feel?"
"Better." Kate said softly, looking into Bellatrix's eyes. She stood slowly, before realizing just how bad of an idea that had been. "O...oh God-" she said, as the whole of the forest seemed to begin to spin around her, amd she heard a faint ringing in her ears, felt a rush of hot air. Heard Bellatrix's shout of alarm as she felt herself fall, the last thing she was aware of before she blacked out was being caught in strong arms.
"Kate...Hey, Kate" She heard someone saying her name in a gentle, yet harsh voice. The ground was soft and warm, rising and falling in a rhythm. Wait. That wasn't the ground! Kate blushed, and tried to sit up.
"No no. Not yet." The voice crooned. She smelled like sweat, and outdoors, but also something distinctly sweet, like french toast. Kate felt a few strands of Black, curly hair on the back of her neck, and it wasnt her own. She smiled shyly, her head still pounding.
"Bellatrix?" She asked softly, her voice hoarse. She felt soft hands stroking her hair.
"Yes? " She asked, her voice oddly gentle. She'd only ever heard it like this once, the only other time they'd interacted. "Do you want some water? It might make you feel better." Without waiting for an answer, She put the cup gently against Kates lips, her finger stroking her cheek as she drank. "There now." She conjured up a blanket with a wave of her wand, a thick, brown, king sized one, and wrapped it around them both. "Try to sleep, ok?"
"Ok. Bellatrix?" Kate asked, still slightly in shock of how kind and gentle the other witch was being.
"Yes Kate?" She asked in a whisper, wrapping her arms around her, resting her chin on Kate's head.
"Stay...Ok?" She whispered, the night's events taking their toll, as tears sprung to her eyes. "You're all I've got. You know that?" Her shoulders shook as she sobbed, missing her family, her friends who had died, and her home that she most likely could never ever return to.
"You're all I have to. HE is gone, Cissy, Lucius and Draco believe me to be dead, and I have no one else." To her horror, Bellatrix felt tears in her own eyes. Something she hadn't felt in well over 5 years.
"What about Roldpolphous?" Kate asked softly, sniffling against her. She felt Bellatrix's arms tighten around her, and she sighed contentedly.
"He's gone, and good riddance. The horrible things that man did to me- I was under the imperius for pretty much all of our marriage. Kate. He...he's the reason I became a Death Eater. It was never my choice. Sure , I DO believe in blood purity-" at this, Kate shivered, remembering Bellatrix must never know about her being muggleborn.
"Then why did you stay?" Kate asked softly, closing her eyes.
"HE killed Roldolphous, and in return, I stayed with him, as his most loyal warrior. He wasn't all bad. He killed Roldolphous because he caught him using the cruciatus curse on me. HE never allowed men to hurt their wives. It was one of his rules."
Kate nodded sleepily. "Everyone has light and darkness inside of them. Sometimes the light has trouble showing, but I saw it in you. Remember? How you saved me? From the Carrows?"
Bellatrix seemed to pull her closer protectively. "Yes. That..that horrible, awful man. Trying to do...THAT to you! He's lucky I didn't kill him." Bellatrix placed a soft kiss on top of Kate's head. "I never did make sure you were ok, did I?"
"No. But I am, thanks to you. "Kate smiled softly. "You...I never got to tell you thankyou. "
"Youre welcome...sweetheart." she whispered the endearment so softly it was almost inaudible.
"Goodnight...Bella." Kate took a risk, whispering the name she'd heard Narcissa use before. Bellatrix stroked her hair, until her breathing grew even and she was asleep.
"Goodnight Katie." She whispered, as she too, fell asleep.
