Author's Note: I didn't realise that I would have been able to get this chapter up this quickly! I would like to thank everyone who has been following this story as well as its predecessor. All the reviews/ alerts/ favourites are greatly appreciated! I don't have much more to say, besides thank you and hope you enjoy this chapter!


"If I wasn't a muggle-born, that is." The younger witch says sarcastically.

"No... if I had found out what he was about. If there had been some sort of leak in of information. I would have killed him." Bellatrix says matter-of-factly.

"Why?"

The older witch takes a deep breath, "Because before the dreams, when I first saw you in the Department of Mysteries, I had felt something for you. I didn't know what it was until recently, but I had always been attracted to you." Hermione tries to interrupt but Bellatrix raises her hand to keep her silent. "I know I tortured you at Cissy's and I regret it with all my heart. I thought what I felt was just a phase, I had never seen some one so determined, so defiant as you. You had intrigued me, still do actually. I know no matter what I say, I can not undo the damage I have done to you... but, I hope that you can forgive me." The former Death-Eater shakes her head quickly, as if trying to erase her confession and quickly changes the subject. "Now, you are right. What I was saying before about sitting about not doing a bloody thing about our situation is not me. We have to find a way to protect ourselves... keep those bastards as far away from us as possible. Hiding here only prolongs the inevitable by so much. The more we stay, the closer they can get to us. You said yourself that Minerva knows that we are now both in Wales. We need to put our heads together and come up with a plan... something big. Something that they won't see coming. Something that will save our lives and keep us from having to hide. And I think I may know what we can do."


"What do you have in mind, Bellatrix?" Hermione asks warily. She knows that she has done a few horrible things within her time; threatening a professor, killing a doctor, and at times secretly hexing and Imperiousing a few people while she was at Hogwarts; but, knowing the witch that sat in front of her... the brunette knew it had to be something devious.

"Please... call me Bella. After what we have said to one another, I believe we can move past the formalities." The raven-haired witch smiles at the younger witch. "I think this world needs to be handed out its just desserts. Sure, some of the main people that ever caused either one of us harm is now dead; Dumbledore, my parents, the Dark-Lord, those two gits that you had to escort around the country-side, and of course that doctor. But, there are a few others that are still around that knew about what was happening and did nothing to stop the mistreatment. Take Minerva for example... she knew what my parents were doing to me and she did nothing about it! She's a bloody pure-blood and even though she has never said anything, she knows exactly what goes on in the pure-blood households. Besides the hag allowed Dumbledore to treat you as a house-elf, forced into a life of servitude for ungrateful little twits that never gave you any recognition during the whole seven years you knew them."

"She didn't know... he never told anyone what he had done to me. She was shocked when I told her about it." The younger woman says as she shifts uncomfortably on the boulder she was sitting on. Bellatrix's words were getting to her in ways she didn't think they would. All the memories of the days prior start to flood her mind. 'Maybe, Minerva wasn't just allowing the doctor to modify my mind because of me asking about Bella. Maybe... just maybe, she didn't want me to say anything about how Dumbledore had bullied me into friendship with the two most arrogant sons of bitches in the wizarding world and help them destroy... or I should say I destroy while they take the credit, the most dangerous wizard the world has ever known. I am the only person besides her that knew of what that old goat had done... taking three children at the start of the magical schooling and turning them into cannon-fodder. She knew... that old bitch knew.' Hermione was seething by the times she wrestled herself out of her thoughts.

Bellatrix smiles as she sees the look of understanding flicker across the brunette's face. "She wasn't the only one who knew, love. The whole Order knew and sat back and did nothing. Even that Weasel boy's parents knew and didn't do a bloody thing to help their blighter. I took care of the mum for you though. She was one that had been asking for it. I had heard from the Dark-Lord's spies within the Order on how they all treated you... I received quite the hexing from my ex-master for sticking my nose where it didn't belong. I guess in the end he did see a little of my feelings for you, but he made sure to make it seem like it was because I was disobeying orders whenever I got punished. I know you have your reservations about harming others... it wasn't until the Battle of Hogwarts that you actually killed someone." The older witch stands up from her seat, a boulder on the other side of the cavern, and sat down beside Hermione. "But... at least listen to my plan. If we are both to survive this and be able to walk away from this scot-free, we will both need to be on-board. Savvy?"

"Okay, what do you have in mind?" The brunette asks, her heart beating slightly faster in her chest because of the proximity of the older woman.

Bellatrix smiles a devious smile before starting to speak. "I see now you were always a bit dark... you had just buried it all. The hate the loathing... everything that you felt for all of them was carefully hidden until you were finally able to strike. I will help you strike. We will have to find others though... for the plan to work. But that part should be easy, once we secure Black Manor that is. When we do that, we will be able have the resources to help destroy everyone and everything that has gotten in our way." The older witch stares up at the stalactites on the cave ceiling. "They are weaker than ever now... most of them still mourn the Potter boy, so they won't ever suspect a thing. Not with both of us calling the shots. They will all fall to our feet... that is if we let them live."

Hermione feels her excitement grow the more Bellatrix speaks. She had always hated being used as the lap dog for the two dunderheads that took the credit, never once acknowledging that it was she who had figured out how to by-pass all the traps their first year, to reach the philosopher's stone. She was the one who figured out it was a basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets their second year. Hermione could remember something that happened every year they were at Hogwarts that she had worked out and the took the credit. Basking in the praises that Dumbledore and Minerva had gave to the boys. The only person who had noticed that everything the boys were praised for she had done was Severus. He had approached her one day while she after Potions class was over. "So, Granger. How does it feel to be the one who does everything and knows everything while the rest of the world sees you as a leech that has latched on to the Boy-Who-Lived? Now... now, Miss Granger do not take what I say as a jab at you. I understand what you are going through, believe me. I have had the same treatment as you by people who take all the praise too. In the end the people who never did any of the work will be found out in the end."

"Are you allright, Hermione?" Bellatrix asks as she tentatively places her hand on the younger woman's shoulder.

"Yes... I was just thinking of it all. Who is all still alive from the Order? I don't remember much, just that Potter, Ron, and Molly were killed. We need to know who all survived if we are to make this plan work."

"Well... all the Weasels are dead. Never liked that family that much. Do you remember that you actually had a hand in a few of their demises? My lovely niece and her beast are also dead. As well as my sweet darling sister Andromeda." Bellatrix laugh maniacally as something crosses her mind. "Let's stick with saying who is alive, shall we? Kingsley, Minerva and that old codger Moody. They are the main ones to worry about. But what they failed to realise before the Dark-Lord died, is we had a contingency plan set up within the Ministry. Sure, a few of them were found out. Lucius being one... bloody bastard never knew how to stay calm." The raven-haired witch stares at Hermione, her eyes alight with eagerness to get the plan started that she had barely went into detail about. "But none of that matters, my dear. What does matter is when do we set out for Black Manor?"

"Black Manor? But, Bella... didn't you say that Aurors were guarding your Manor as well as Narcissa's?" Hermione exclaims, slightly stunned and confused at the fact that the most famous Death-Eater had a plan that simple and that ill-prepared.

"That is true... but with the two of us together... I believe we can manage." Bellatrix winks at Hermione after she spoke causing the brunette to smile. "And besides... what are plotting and eventual victories?" The younger witch stares at the older woman confused. Smirking because Hermione didn't know the answer, Bellatrix leans closer into the other woman. Her mouth a mere centimetre from the brunette's ear. "They are but the best foreplay, ever."