Chapter 3

It was midnight in the Slytherin Common Room. Rita Skeeter poked her curly blonde head into the silent, deserted common room. The only light was a dim glow from the coals sitting in the fireplace.

A smile spread over her face when she saw there was no one there. She slipped into the common room, drawing her dark-green jacket tightly around her. It was cold in the castle after sunset without a warm fire.

It was time to go. She walked across the Common Room with deliberate slowness.

She stopped before she reached the portrait hole and cast a Disillusionment charm on herself, shuddering slightly at the feeling. It felt strange… cold... like an egg being cracked over her head. The portrait squawked in surprise as she slid it open but it couldn't see her at all.

Despite the Disillusionment charm concealing her from human and ghostly eyes she didn't linger in the corridor. She hurried off in the direction of the library.

Most students wouldn't have to wait to till the middle of the night to use the library... but most students weren't attempting something illegal. Becoming an unregistered Animagus.

If she could transform into some kind of insect she could go anywhere undetected. An invaluable skill for a reporter.

She didn't care that it was difficult... not to mention dangerous... and would result in serious penalties if she was found out. She would do anything she had to… to achieve her dream.

For as long as she remembered she'd had a passion for writing... and a talent for wheedling information out of people. She could be incredibly charming when she wanted to be. And persuasive. Very persuasive. And even more importantly she had the stubbornness... the determination... the willingness to do what ever she had to for a story. It was that ruthless, determined, devious streak that had put her in Slytherin house... despite her 'impure' blood.

Sometimes she wished... just a little... that her mother had married a pure-blood. Though she wasn't ashamed of her muggle background it didn't help her to fit in Slytherin House. And it wouldn't help to her attract the notice of someone like Bellatrix Black...

Not that she had done too badly at attracting the beautiful girl's attention she thought with a smile. Bella had kissed her. Kissed her even though she had a boyfriend. Kissed her in a way that she had felt deep in the pit of her stomach. Kissed her so softly... so deeply... so passionately... that she hadn't been able to get her out of her head in the three days since.

As she crept down the stairs and along long portrait-line corridors she kept a careful eyes out for teachers, prefects, Filch the caretaker and Peeves the Poltergeist. Just because she was currently a human chameleon didn't mean she'd be undetectable. She still had be careful to not make any noise. One loud noise would bring everyone who was anywhere near... and she had to be very careful not to wake the sleeping portraits.

Finally she reached the library. As she closed the library doors softly behind her she sighed softly in relief. No one would be in the library at this hour. She took a moment to lift the Disillusionment charm. "Lumos' she whispered, lighting the end of her wand. Unicorn hair, beech, 9 inches. Purchased at Ollivanders shortly before her arrival at Hogwarts.

It felt strange to be in the library after dark. The rows of bookshelves cast deep shadows on the floor.

She wandered between them, heading towards the shelves that housed volumes on more advanced forms of magic... generally only used by NEWT level students.

She ran a finger down the spines of the dusty tomes until she found the one she wanted. The leather-bound volume gave a very good overview of what was involved in becoming an Animagi. She had snuck a very quick look at it one evening when Madam Pince was occupied telling off a couple of 2nd years who had made the mistake of bringing some dog-eared books into the library.

Rita carried the heavy book over to a nearby desk and drew parchment and quill out of her robes.

She read the book by the light of her wand, the quill scratching over the parchment as she read.

A while later she glanced at her watch. She was shocked to see she'd been there well over an hour. She had better get back to her dormitory if she didn't want to sleep-walk through classes tomorrow. At any rate she had gotten pretty much all she needed out of that particular book.

She quickly replaced it on its shelf and started to walk towards the door.

When she reached the end of the bookshelf she jumped to find herself staring at the end of a lit wand. A wand held by a pale, slender, manicured hand.

Her green eyes slid up to the face of the petite person who had caught her… hoping it wasn't a prefect… or worse… a teacher.

It was a prefect… but not the one she had expected.

Bellatrix Black's full lips curved upwards in a smile when she saw who it was she had found wandering the school at night.

"Bit late to be doing homework isn't it Skeeter" she said in a teasing, slightly condescending tone. "It wasn't homework" admitted Rita. She didn't want Bella to think she was some kind of swot. She already thought she was a goody-two-shoes.

"I gathered as much by the fact you sneaked here in the middle of the night" Bella said, dry amusement in her voice.

"How did you know I was in here?" Rita said curiously, hoping to divert Bella from asking why she was there. "Well if you will leave the door open a crack…" Bella snorted.

"Are you going to dob me in?" Rita asked cheekily, flashing Bella her most charming smile.

The brunette chuckled. "I really should…" she said mischievously, taking a step closer to Rita. "I am a prefect…" she continued wickedly.

"However…" Bella said, lowering her voice to a purr. "…I guess I could be persuaded…" she said, running the tip of her wand down the side of blonde girl's face in a way that made her shudder pleasantly. "…Not to tell…" she whispered, leaning in towards her.

Rita gasped as Bella pushed her against the nearest bookcase.

Then Bella's lips were on hers and there was no room for doubts… no room for worries… no room for anything but the heady sensation of kissing her.

She tasted like she smelled…dark… sweet… and completely delicious. Intoxicating as wine and just as addictive.

The shelves of the bookcase dug into her back but she hardly noticed it. Bella's slender curvy body was pressed into hers, her lips caressing Rita's in a way that made her sigh softly into Bella's mouth. The blonde's hands were tangled in her soft and surprising silky hair as she eagerly kissed her back.

Bella's hand's were on her waist, sliding under the jacket to stroke the bare skin. Her lips trailed down Rita's jawline to the smooth, pale skin of her neck. Rita's eyes were half closed and her lips were parted as Bella kissed her neck… first gently… then roughly… alternating kisses with playful nips that made her shiver in pleasure.

Then Bella's hands and lips withdrew, the brunette letting her go with a smug, satisfied grin.

"You'd better get back to the dormitory before I really am forced to turn you in" Bella said, her tone and expression teasing.

"Sweet dreams Skeeter" she said as Rita slid open the door of the library, glasses slightly askew… a rather dazed expression on her face.