Hermione Granger awoke the next morning at precisely 5:30am as she had done for the past seven years. The only difference was that now a black haired woman was holding onto her for dear life, snuggled into her neck and making cute little snoring noises. The older witches body was completely relaxed and she was very warm and comfortable. Hermione was confused for a second why she would be there, but then she remembered the day before and promptly relaxed her tensed muscles. She was not completely over the torture, but she couldn't help but see Bellatrix as the fragile flower she was. Hermione started to think about what must have happened to make Bellatrix commit all those crimes under Voldemort and why she would join the Death Eaters. Bellatrix said she had a difficult childhood, but there must have been more to that…
Hermione was convinced that she had to make changes in the prison, she was all for equality and the treatment the older witch had been getting was nothing short of discriminating and disgustingly awful. Of course the woman did terrible things, Hermione knew that better than anyone, she could still feel the crucio's in her spine and the knife on her arm, but she forgave her for that. Visiting her every day would be stressful, her calendar was overflowing as it was, she barely even saw her friends and family anymore, but somehow she felt responsible for Bellatrix and she knew in her heart that she would do everything in her power to help. Something was drawing her to the woman and she was hell bent on finding out what it was. Hermione looked down at the sleeping witch, her features and body relaxed, she looked so calm and quiet. As if she could never hurt a fly, Hermione knew that was not true of course but she could not help herself. She opened the french braid, hair was falling out of it anyway, and began to softly stroke the strands of black softness. Bellatrix really did smell fantastic after showering with some essentials instead of aseptic soap.
Bellatrix wriggled with her nose and slowly opened her eyes, she regarded Hermione in an inexplicable way. „Good morning sleepyhead." the younger witch said. Bellatrix slurred, not quite awake yet, „mornin" Hermione laughed at that, this was after all the witch that had been left alone for years because people were too scared of her. „Not completely awake yet I see, would you terribly mind to let me go? I really need a shower." Bellatrix's eyes widen considerably, „I am so sorry, I shouldn't have…,I never meant to make you uncomfortable…, such an idiot…" „Calm down Bella! You did not make me uncomfortable and I am only asking because I need to get ready for work. You see, as acting Minister, or Mistress as you proposed, I need to do my duties." „Please don't leave me, please, not again, how am I supposed to survive in here? oh please don't leave me here…" Bellatrix started to cry and huge sobs were coming from the tiny woman as she clung to Hermione. Hermione began to stroke her back again. „Bella, Bella, Bella, please listen to me. I am not leaving you, I am going to come back and until then I will instruct the Dementors to leave you alone and I put some books under your bed. Until I have to leave we can eat some breakfast, and I can tell you what I have been thinking about and then we will see what you think all right?" Bella began to get herself together and looked up teary eyed at the younger woman. „Okay." She let go of Hermione and she went to the shower. She undressed right in the middle of the room and got her favorite shower utensils from home with a flick of her wand. She then tossed the wand to Bellatrix, who looked at her surprised. „Oh, now I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable. After sharing a dormitory and bathroom with girls for years, I didn't even think…" She stepped in the shower and drew the curtain closed. „You have the Ministers wand now, I trust you not to try anything with it. It has no limitations, as in unforgivables, apparition,etc. I do know that this is your old wand, so it will listen to you, but please do me the favor and don't leave or anything. If you are going to torture me whilst I am completely vulnerable in the shower, then I can guarantee you, that you will never see the daylight again and I would hate having to do that."
Hermione continued to shower, whilst Bellatrix looked into her lap. Hermione placed a huge faith in Bellatrix by practically giving her the possibility to leave. Bellatrix knew that she was probably too weak t use magic anyway, she hadn't had a wand in a decade after all. She picked it up and the magic inside her roared. It was such a rush, it was as if a part of her soul was coming back to her. Bellatrix let out a huge, genuine, deep laugh from her belly. Hermione looked at her in wonder, she looked like a child who just got the biggest, most wonderful gift ever! „I am glad you are enjoying yourself, but could you maybe give me that towel?" Bellatrix flicked Hermione's wand and soon enough the young witch was holding what she asked for. „Now dry my hair please?" And with another flick, her hair was dry. „You seem to enjoy that." „I do so much! Thank you, thank you , thank you. I didn't think I would ever hold another wand in my hands, never feel my magic flare up!" „I knew you wouldn't do anything stupid. I am so very proud of you Bellatrix Black." Bella teared up again, she usually never cried but in the presence of the Minister and while being other period she couldn't stop herself, stupid hormones she thought.
„What is it Bella? Did I do something wrong?" Bella chuckled at that. „You are probably the only human being that would worry about having wronged a murderer in a prison, after giving said prisoner ones most prized good and saying something sweet. No you did not do anything wrong, stupid girl. I was touched by your words that's all. I swear I am usually not this emotional, but the years of loneliness and my hormones are taking a toll on me. Nobody has ever said they were proud of me, I know it is stupid but I…" Hermione ran to Bellatrix and hugged her tight. „I am so sorry that there are so many firsts, and that the people you surrounded yourself with never gave you any recognition. I swear I am going to change that, I think that you did a great thing, Bellatrix Lestrange would have seen her chance and fled. Bella Black though, she stayed and even helped the filthy mudblood. So I am proud of you, and I see so much potential in what you could be." „You are not a filthy mudblood, I should never have said that…You are the first person since Cissy who treated me with some respect, and that was one of the things that I ever wanted." „Well, since you wrote it on my arm with a knife I am bound to be reminded of my status in the wizarding world every day." Bellatrix took Hermione's arm and wand. She murmured some spells and after a few seconds the scars realigned themselves and said: „The most admirable blood there is flows in here"
Bellatrix fell to the ground in exhaustion. Hermione was shocked, she picked Bellatrix up, laid her light body on the bed and said „enervate". Bellatrix opened her eyes and looked at Hermione. „I am sorry for what I put you through. I do not want to be that person anymore and I have not been her in a very long time. I hope you can accept my apology and forgive me." The younger witch eyed her curiously, she would never have thought to hear the words twice. „I told you that I forgave you a long time ago, some wounds are still sore and I am sorry for freaking out. It was inappropriate. We do need to get some food in your body though and I know you changed that is why I would like to propose something to you." Hermione looked at Bellatrix expectantly, then suddenly she understands and a smile lights up her face. She uses Hermione's wand and summons some breakfast. They sit down on Bella's bed and eat in companionable silence, apart from Bellatrix' sighs and moans to which Hermione's body reacts in a very pleasant feeling all over.
„Okay, so I would want to ask you if you would like to come live with me. I do not have the time right now to push through a legislation and Aurors are afraid of you, which is completely ridiculous, and, well my time really is limited therefore coming to visit you daily would put a strain on me and I really do not want to leave you in this hellhole and I do not have any better ideas. Taking you home would mean that they would completely lock up your core magic which means you could not even use a wand if there was one and I don't want you mocking my friends or my home or anything because that…." Bellatrix jumped up and gave her a bone crushing hug. „Yes, yes, yes, Minister, I know and I understand and yes." „Alrighty then, I will send a letter to the Chief Warlock. I am gonna go and get some clothes for you and I will be back to get you in a few minutes."
Hermione disapparated and got some clothes from her wardrobe. „Here you go, I know they are not new but I washed them yesterday…" „This is great Hermione, don't worry so much." „You are the woman that I had nightmares about for months, it is not easy to forget that so quickly. You are so different and it is just hard sometimes. I still expect you to explode and hex me or kill me or something, I know that you are not that person anymore and I am trying." Bellatrix got up and Hermione turned around. The older witch looked the clothes up and down, she got black lace panties and bra, some black jeans and a bordeaux red corset. She did not think Hermione would actually wear this, but she said freshly washed…Bellatrix didn't know what to do after she put underwear and corset on. „Hermione, what do I do with these?" She held up the jeans. hermione laughed at that. She remembered that a pureblood witch like bellatrix would most likely not know about pants. „They are pants." „Well, smart-ass how do I wear them?" Hermione went to her and held the jeans the right way. „Now you put one leg through this, and the other through that." Bellatrix did as told and put a hand on Hermione's shoulder to balance herself. Hermione looked her up and down, she looked absolutely gorgeous. She missed the hips but they would work on that. „You look gorgeously beautiful Bella." „Thank you, that is very nice of you. I wish I had some more flesh on me though…" „You will, I promise. Now let us go." „I don't have shoes." „Oh I forgot sorry." She waved her wand and some black Prada heels appeared. Bella looked at her as icily as she could muster. „What are you doing? Tight pants, corset and heels? What am I ? Sex on a stick?" Hermione looked caught. Quickly she got herself under control. „Well, I only wanted you to feel comfortable, you did wear corsets and heels all the time. And I wanted you to feel attractive for what is next…" „you are right, sorry for what I was insinuating. What is next?" „You don't want to know, I swear." „Okay, off we go then." Hermione took Bella's hand and disapparated.