A/N: This scenario is so ridiculously fun to write/imagine...I totally heart my AU Lestranges :)
Sincere thanks to those who reviewed/faved etc, I love hearing your thoughts so keep them coming!
Five or six years ago...
Rodolphus is just draining the end of his Firewhiskey when a group of Italian Aurors apparate into the hotel lobby, immediately throwing up anti-apparition wards and demanding everyone's identification papers.
He scowls. Even in a foreign country, it seems as though he can't have a quiet drink.
Beckoning the bartender over, he drops his voice to a low murmur.
"What's going on?" he asks, already aware-and certainly, quite thankful- that the bartender speaks English, however broken it may be. Though he understands quite a lot of Italian, the role of a confused tourist is a far more common role to play.
With a rather nervous glance at the formidable looking Aurors, the bartender says quietly, "The...how you say? The Minister's Under-Deputy?"
Eyebrow arched in curiosity, Rodolphus pauses for a moment. "The Under-Secretary?"
"Si, Under-Secretary," the bartender continues, still keeping a watchful eye on the Aurors. "Someone murdered him," he says conspiratorially, clearly liking the rare opportunity not to be listening to someone else's stories.
"Apparently they're looking for tourists travelling alone."
The Under-Secretary murdered? Interesting, Rodolphus thinks with a smirk. And how very interesting that the Aurors had focused their attentions on a hotel that catered specifically for purebloods...
Turning slightly, he looks over his shoulder just in time to lock eyes with a hardened-looking Auror, who wastes no time in moving toward him; his wand already held tightly in his hand.
Just fabulous, Rodolphus sighs wearily, shifting his body so that he's leaning back against the bar casually, the better to draw upon one of his spare wands should he need to.
Eyes narrowed suspiciously, the Auror speaks abruptly in Italian, demanding to know if Rodolphus is alone.
Widening his eyes confusedly, Rodolphus simply cups his ear as though unable to understand the question. With a growl, the Auror begins to repeat himself, but a loud series of shouts cut him off, distracting Rodolphus' attention entirely.
"Signora! Your apparition papers please!"
Intrigued, Rodolphus watches as a dark-haired woman appears, seemingly out of nowhere, weaving her way through the agitated Aurors with grace and poise.
In fact, he's so busy trying to get a glimpse of the woman's face that he doesn't notice as she slides her wand into a holster on her thigh, before adjusting the end of her dress over her legs once more in an entirely subtle movement.
As the Aurors begin to circle her, she pauses and looks up, directly meeting his gaze, and for a single instant, he's unnerved by her incredible beauty. Indeed, he can only stare silently at this mystery woman; drinking in every detail of her and committing it to memory.
She is, without a doubt, the most stunning woman he's ever laid eyes on.
Growing increasingly agitated, the Aurors continue demanding the woman's papers, but she ignores the question, apparently as transfixed by Rodolphus as he is by her.
It is only when they ask her if she is alone that she responds, finally shifting her eyes away from Rodolphus and meeting the Auror's face for a brief second.
"No," she answers clearly, and with a challenging look in her dark eyes, she begins moving toward Rodolphus purposefully.
Loosening his grip on the wand behind his back, Rodolphus steps forward himself once he sees an Auror attempt to hold the woman back.
"No," he says emphatically, giving the Auror a warning glare, "she's with me." He makes his intention perfectly clear by curling an arm around the woman's back and drawing her toward his own body, pleased when he sees an amused smirk on her face.
Wordlessly, he directs her to his room, Aurors in tow as they begin stopping people in the corridors.
Once Rodolphus has closed the door behind them, the two press their ears to the wood to hear what's going on in the hallway, each wearing a relaxed smile.
"Bellatrix," she says simply, eyeing him with a curious grin.
"Rodolphus," he responds, smiling charmingly as she extends her hand for him to shake.
Closing his fingers around her hand, he instead turns her palm upward and presses a kiss to the inside of her wrist, delighted to feel her pulse quicken beneath his lips.
"A pleasure," he purrs, as the walls of the room shake with the force of a duel in the hallway.
"Indeed," Bellatrix says thoughtfully, a dark eyebrow arched as she regards him.
"To dodging hexes," Bellatrix says with a smirk, raising her glass to meet Rodolphus'. He's mildly impressed when after taking a long sip of Firewhiskey, she doesn't even wince as the burning liquid runs down her throat.
"He drinks," she observes with a playful smile, rising from their table and moving to the floor of the courtyard where other couples are swaying to the music.
"But does he dance?" Bellatrix calls teasingly, raising her arms above her head as she sways her hips invitingly; the movement giving him a tantalising glimpse of her lightly bronzed stomach.
Noticing the amount of attention Bellatrix is gathering from other men around the courtyard, Rodolphus rises swiftly before another can take his place, though he ensures his movements appear both casual and languid.
Laughingly, she tosses her drink away, not even fazed by the shattering of glass on the cobbles.
In one smooth movement, she presses herself up against him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and through the thin fabric of her dress he can feel the warmth radiating off her body.
In the dim lights of the courtyard, her eyes gleam seductively, never leaving his face as they sway together. Lest she think she has all the power, Rodolphus spins her so she faces away from him and copies her earlier move by pressing himself against her, holding her about the waist tightly.
He smirks, having to bite back a groan when she writhes against him, knowingly teasing him. Bellatrix, it seems, doesn't like to share power.
A clap of thunder bursts through the music, and within minutes, the couple are soaked to the skin, Bellatrix's dress now positively clinging to her body.
Rodolphus can't help but grin when she continues dancing even as lightning flashes overhead, a glint of defiance in her dark eyes.
Later when they've returned to their previous seats, the courtyard now all but empty, she curls herself into his lap, effectively straddling him with a seductive smile.
He reaches for the bottle of Firewhiskey, pressing it to her lips for a sip and then having some himself.
Their faces grow ever closer, Bellatrix's nose grazing his teasingly until their lips meet slowly; steadily growing in intensity as Rodolphus tightens his hold about Bellatrix's waist.
Eventually, they part for air, Bellatrix's fingers still threaded in Rodolphus' hair as they regard each other heatedly.
For a moment, the two are silent till Rodolphus toys with the thin strap of Bellatrix's dress.
"We should get out of these wet clothes," he suggests huskily, and Bellatrix laughs throatily, nipping his jaw in response.
Sun streams through the windows of the room on to the bed, causing Bellatrix to blink sleepily as she stirs reluctantly.
Opening her eyes slowly, she frowns at the unfamiliar surroundings before sitting up; the events of last night coming back to her.
Rodolphus.
When she realises there's no sign of him in the room, she's surprised by the pang of disappointment she feels in her heart.
Wrapping the bed sheet around herself, she moves to the edge of the bed, glancing round the room once more. She certainly hadn't expected Rodolphus to leave after what had happened last night.
The door of the room suddenly swings open and she can't help but grin at the sight of Rodolphus surrounded by floating cups and plates; a newspaper held between his teeth.
"Hello stranger," she purrs, looking up at him coyly from beneath her lashes.
"Good morning to you too," he drawls with a smirk, levitating a cup of coffee into Bellatrix's outstretched hand.
"The house elves appear to have fled after yesterday's raid," he says with an amused grin, "so I rustled up what I could."
She gives an appreciative sigh as sips her coffee, giving the front page of the local Wizarding newspaper a quick glance. The story about the murder of the Under-Secretary is one she reads with particular interest.
"Well it's good," she says with a smile, after she takes another sip; certainly rather impressed by the fact that he had thought to bring her breakfast in bed. Rodolphus is undoubtedly a smooth operator, she thinks inwardly.
"The best you've ever had?" he asks with fake innocence, a smirk dancing about his lips as he drinks in the sight of her still wrapped in the bed sheets.
Eyebrow arched, she settles herself back against the pillows of the bed, trying not to show her amusement at his words.
"Oh I don't know," she says airily, waving one hand through the air as she speaks. "I do have rather high standards when it comes to...coffee," Bellatrix smirks.
"Like any other woman," Rodolphus chuckles lightly, and once again, Bellatrix quirks an eyebrow in response.
"I think you'll find I'm not like other women," she says throatily, and despite the seductive gleam in her eye, he detects a certain fierceness-a sense of passion, almost-behind her words.
Rising from the bed, she joins him by the window, the curtains billowing between them in the wind.
"Is that so?" he says quietly, almost transfixed by the close proximity of her body once more.
The two simply stare at each other for a long moment before Rodolphus tosses his own cup of coffee to the ground and pulls her to him tightly; Bellatrix pressing her lips to his in an almost bruising kiss as she, too, drops her cup with a carefree laugh.
The sheet she wears follows soon after.
A/N: The next chapter will be set within the same timeframe (five/six years ago)...Those who've seen the movie will have an idea of what's next...*cough* carnival scene *cough* ;)
