AN: Apologies for lateness, honestly I completely forgot about this until a week or so ago! Another thank you to everyone involved in the storyline for this fic.
Enjoy and review!
Chapter 3
As they arrived in Lestrange Manor and Bella found herself back on her feet, she automatically collapsed against the wall. She felt like she could weep in joy and victory.
They were free!
Bellatrix took a look around the dusty, rusting entrance hall then looked up to Rodolphus who looked rather smug with himself. "You're a fucking idiot," she laughed.
He laughed to this himself, the reality of their achievement not quite having sunk in yet as he sunk down to the floor with her, running his hands through his hair. "We're free... Finally free..." his thoughts wandering, not quite running straight, he spoke aloud, "I wonder where my old man will be... Knowing him most likely his bed with four or five girls."
He sat there seeming to contemplate this. "I might go interrupt... Hm... On second thoughts no... I'll head down the bar later..."
Apparently having forgotten all else, he began to ramble to himself as he had done for the past 14 years to keep himself occupied and to stop insanity truly overcoming his state of mind.
Bellatrix laughed with a hint of instability as he began talking to himself as she and so many others had done. She cut him off by cupping his face and pressing her dry, battered lips to his.
In a moment, that little something they had been deprived of for all that time seemed to come flooding back to them in an explosion of emotions.
At first contact Rod was a little shocked although after a moment his hands found themselves on her waist as he kissed her back fiercely before they broke apart.
She smirked, heavily hooded eyes searching his expression, "Go to find and a whore with your father and I'll relieve you of your manhood."
"Well that's no good... What can I have then? After all, being deprived of such things leaves a man needy," He tilted his head looking at her with big puppy-like eyes that reminded her of the years before their imprisonment, before their marriage.
Bellatrix raised a brow and half smiled in a twisted sort of way. She stood up shakily and tried to call for one of the house elves with a broken sounding voice, unsure whether their slaves would still inhabit the house. An old, wrinkled elf appeared almost instantly, giving both man and woman a shock before it bowed deeply, "Happy to see Madam and Master Lestrange back," it drawled.
She ordered it quickly to gather the other elves and put in place protective charms around the manor, ensuring their safety from Aurors that would no doubt be after them. She then added to her order; to run her a deep, hot bath. She turned back to the still sitting Rod. "Fourteen years of your dirt isn't coming into my bed tonight. Go and have a bath," she told him as if he too was an elf.
He nodded to this, glad in a million ways that he could see glimmers of how she once was, "Whatever is commanded of me. I shall return soon enough ma'am," he smirked as he stood and bowed slightly mockingly before swiftly vanishing upstairs, trying to hide the lethargic weakness he partly felt.
Still walking, he peeled his prison robe from his bruised and cut body as he approached one of the bathrooms.
Cleaning all those years worth of dirt from his body was not an easy job. He let the water soothe the bruises and cuts for what might have been hours and after a while he climbed back out of the bath feeling refreshed for the first time since that fateful night.
Padding over to the sink, he was glad to find all of his tools were exactly where he had left them. He took hold of the razor that was laid beside his toothbrush and slowly started to shave his straggly beard deciding without much hesitation to shave it off. Once finished with his appearance he made his way back to his quarters, picking out a black shirt and black trousers and in an instant he looked himself again - if not older and worn. Nodding to his reflection that he tried not to take much notice of, he left the top buttons of the shirt undone before sliding his feet into his polished black shoes and heading back downstairs , hands in pockets and eyes gleaming with something other than haunted horrors.
Bellatrix had bathed too. She was wearing a black silk dress that cupped her breasts perfectly and fell a little baggier than it once had down to the floor as she stood by the mantelpiece in the parlour, facing herself in the mirror. She had used spell work on her teeth and hair to make herself look a little more presentable and painted her lips with her favourite crimson lipstick. She felt as if she were on top of the world, even if she was on the border of malnutrition and insanity. She turned from her reflection to look her husband up and down, "Much, much better," she commented, a smirk playing on her lips.
"I do try to impress," he replied with a smile, "And I must say you do look divine tonight, mia Bella," He pocketed his hands loosely as he ran his eyes over her body, finally locking onto her gaze and returning that poisonous smirk.
Bella summoned for him to come closer to her and she sat down on the rather dusty but otherwise comfy sofa. With a talented flick of her wand, the fireplace lit in an orangey warm glow. She shut her eyes and sighed a little, "Doesn't it feel good? Having warmth again..." she pondered on this thought for a moment before her eyes snapped open again, "They're going to come looking for us! They'll realise eventually that we got out!"
He moved to her quickly, feeling the desperate need to comfort her, "Hush, cherie... for the minute... We're free... It's just you and me and we're free," He shifted to sit on the sofa beside her, his gaze fixed on her face, shadowed and hollow in the firelight. He ran a hand tenderly through her hair, a smile crossing his lips at the memory of how her complexion once was.
She smiled and for a moment there was a flash of happiness across her face that had not been there for as long as she could remember. How she had missed him. They hadn't had time like this together for almost a decade and a half. Her hand came softly to his cheek and she stroked it lovingly. "Just you and me..." she repeated more to herself than Rodolphus.
He nodded to this the smile still playing at his lips then he sighed, rubbing his chin slightly before hesitantly asking, "How are you coping?" He was still, watching her quietly waiting for an answer, his dark eyes gazing like a predator would its prey.
She had only just began to answer him when he instinctivly pulled her to him, kissing her deeply. He released his grip on her wrist before snaking his arm around her waist and his lips moulded to hers as he kissed her. He didn't care about before, he didn't care anymore. He just wanted to enjoy here and now.
She kissed him back with mutual passion, moaning softly into his mouth. The corners of his lips curve into a smile against her as he felt her move her arms around his neck. He would held her close, he never wanted to let her go although he knew at some point he'd have to. For the minute he was completely content with having her in his arms. He tilted his head, kissing her at a slightly different angle as he tangled his fingers in the messy raven curls of her hair.
Bella broke the kiss for a teasing moment before tilting her head the other way to deepen the kiss and adjust herself to straddle his lap. She ran her hands through his tussles of dark hair, enjoying the feel of another person - this other person. She loved him. She loved him more than she would ever bring herself to tell him. Every niggling worry seemed to flee from her mind as they continued to kiss each other.
He lightly bit her lip as he pulled her closer to him. He held her against himself, one hand still securely fixed in her hair as the other draped around her waist. His kiss became fiercer as he attempted to fight her for control but Bellatrix was never one to give in easily. She thrust her tongue into his mouth and held the back of his neck, trying to hold her dominance.
He broke away from her, much to her annoyance, in order to breathe, "You are a vision, mia Bella," he whispered into her ear, feeling a little foolish for how delighted he was by the spark of pleasure that lit in her eyes at the compliment.
Bella kissed up his jawline before nibbling on his earlobe and revelled at the feel of his want against her thigh. He was always so easily aroused and it came as a slight surprise to Bella that he still did after all those years.
He loosely trailed his hand up her spine using his other hand to brush a loose strand of hair from her neck, his touch delicate yet purposeful.
He met her lips again, his crushing against hers as he once again rested an arm around her waist. He slid the other down her spine slowly, his fingers trailing delicate patterns as he did so. He placed tender kisses along her jawline, slowly moving down her neck.
"You are divine, Bella," his breath was hot against the pale skin of her neck and brought back the familiar scents of him - vanilla and chestnut - as he grazed his teeth slowly over the bare skin.
Bellatrix tilted her head to the side, in utter euphoria as he did this. At his words, Bella seemed to lose some of her dominant control, "Rod, I want you," she whispered huskily in his ear.
"Well you can't have me... At least not yet," he grinned, his lips, teeth and occasionally his tongue ran over her neck. He nipped her skin teasingly then his hand roamed onto her backside and groped it tightly, a low chuckle escaping his lips as he kissed his way back up to her lips.
She couldn't help but smirk, enjoying this very much indeed. But she couldn't wait anymore. Her dominant nature had returned to her and she forced him down to his back on the sofa as she scrambled atop him.
"You know I don't like waiting," she breathed, using her teeth to tease the sensitive skin of his neck once more as she fumbled to unzip the back of her dress.
"Well I'm sorry but you'll have to," he smirked, using his strength to push her onto her side. Bella pouted, brow furrowed but then he was on his feet and had scooped her into his arms, carrying her towards their old quarters.
