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Chapter 7: Hogsmeade
Another fantastic week with Bellatrix was almost at an end. The last two weeks were among the happiest of my life, I don't know how I thought to hate her all these years.
It certainly wasn't an easy relationship. We were forced to see each other only at nightfall and in secret, and I had to constantly lie to my friends. Not that they suspected anything, it was enough to tell them that I was going to the library, which I also did in the other years and no one was asking awkward questions. Well, apart from Sirius.
I don't know what gave him the impression that I had something to hide, but his barbs were always there.
Remus and Lily were aware of my euphoria but preferred to enjoy the "New Hermione" rather than bombard me with questions.
Even Andromeda was very relieved, she had noticed that Bellatrix's mood was totally changed, but it wasn't the same as the other years. Sometimes she cast some spells to the Gryffindors, just to show them who the boss was, however, she didn't torment them as before.
During this week I had discussed with Bellatrix and we came to the conclusion that there was a person who had a right to know, a person who would understand and wouldn't say a word to anyone... Guess who?
Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper. He had been close to Bellatrix during the most difficult weeks, he was concerned for her and helped her. The least we could do was tell him the truth and let him know that we were both happy.
So that Sunday morning, while almost all the other students were in Hogsmeade, Bellatrix and I were directed to his hut, hand in hand.
The day before it snowed and the ground was covered with a thin layer of snow.
"I cannot wait for it to be five..." I sighed looking at the sky that was a pale blue.
"Me too... There's nothing better than a butterbeer on a day so cold"
The winter was just around the corner and although the sun was shining, the wind was cold and the heat didn't warm anything.
We stopped at the door of the hut, from the chimney came a trail of smoke which confirmed the presence of the gamekeeper.
Bellatrix raised her fist to knock and looked at me, I nodded.
Toc-toc-toc.
We heard Hagrid move around as he reached the door:
"Coming, coming!" thundered his voice.
The door opened and the half-giant appeared. Over the clothes he wore an apron and his hands were covered with a pair of kitchen gloves.
"Hello Bella! What a surprise, you're not at Hogs... " then his eyes fell on me "Hermione? "
His eyes kept going back and forth between me, her and our linked hands and in the end he seemed to put the pieces together.
"Come in!"
We sat down at the table and Hagrid placed a tray of huge cookies in front of us.
"I was just making tea..."
He filled three cups and sat down.
"So?" he said "Is there anything you need to tell me?"
"Er, well... I" began Bellatrix "Hermione and I have had the opportunity to talk... and..."
"And now we're together" I concluded taking her hand and laying a sweet kiss on her knuckles.
"But this is great!" said Hagrid, standing up and joining us in a crushing bones hug.
"It's about time, isn't it Bella?"
Bellatrix blushed and I found her adorable.
"How's that going? Have you told anyone yet? "
I shook my head:
"No, you're the first person to whom we say this. We want to avoid gossip so that Bellatrix's parents don't come to know... "
"I understand. Your secret is safe with me! "
"Thank you Hagrid..." Bella said.
"Of course it cannot be easy for you... I mean, you see each other secretly and are always afraid that someone will find out"
"It's not easy, but Hermione is worth it" said Bellatrix looking at me, I smiled softly.
Hagrid looked at our exchange of tenderness, then smiled.
"Don't you go to Hogsmeade?"
From there, the atmosphere became lighter and we stayed with Hagrid until lunchtime.
At about two o'clock we left the hut to go to the Great Hall for lunch. It was late, and besides us there were four other students. Bellatrix decided to sit with me at the Griffindor's table and when a student from Ravenclaw began to point at us and whisper with his friend Bella took out her wand and silently hexed the poor kid. He didn't notice who did it but McGonagall did.
As the professor passed by us to walk the kid to the infirmary she whispered,
"Five points from Slytherin Miss Black"
Bellatrix snorted, "Whatever, he asked for it"
"Bella don't let a stupid boy spoil your mood. A few more hours and we'll be in Hogsmeade!" I exclaimed as we ate "I think I can already feel the taste of Butterbeer"
"You know what I'd like to do?" she filling our glasses with pumpkin juice.
"Whatever you want to do we'll do it together" I said taking her hand under the table.
If we hadn't been in the middle of the Great Hall I would have kissed her instantly.
Her eyes lit up with a mysterious light. I didn't like the look on her face.
"I want to enter in the Shrieking Shack" she smirked.
"Bellatrix..."
She burst out laughing, "Don't tell me you're afraid?"
"Hey! It is the most haunted house in the whole Britain"
"Come on please! You are not going to let me enter the house alone, are you?" she pouts, knowing that I couldn't resist when she did that thing with her face.
"It's a very popular haunted house in the wizarding world..."
"Come on Hermione!" she squeezed my hand "Together?"
I thought for a few seconds but then gave up.
"All right!"
"Thank you!" I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek after making sure that nobody was watching us "What do you say we go over to the wooden bridge?"
The courtyard outside the bridge had become our favorite place to see each other. It was quiet, we had a beautiful view and no one ever hung out there.
We got up and started to walk towards the wooden bridge.
"Uhff! Can I have a kiss now?" she asked sitting on the grass.
"There is no need to ask" I said, sitting on her lap and pushing until she was lying on her back.
Our lips met, slowly at first, then with more passion. She parted her lips to welcome my tongue and they immediately began a battle. Her hands were tangled in my hair, pulling me closer.
I put my right knee between her legs and my hands at the sides of her breasts. I started to massage them softly and she arched her back to meet my touch. She moaned and her hands moved on the small of my back.
I kissed her jaw and her neck, then up to her lips again. We both moaned when she moved up her thigh and rubbed it against my wet core.
"Oh… Bellatrix…"
She started to rock her hips against my leg and I squeezed her breasts.
"Ahhh…" she moaned.
Footsteps interrupted our exchange and I immediately got up and adjusted my shirt and hair.
It was a group of fourth-year Hufflepuffs.
"They're coming back already?" Bellatrix asked, looking at them "What time is it?"
I looked at the sky and noticed that the sun was low and some clouds were now covering it.
"I don't know but it shouldn't be long at five... How much time did we spend making out?" I asked smiling.
When we make it to the courtyard clock we discovered that it was nearly five o'clock.
"Time flies... Come on let's go!"
At the village all was quiet, as expected most of the students had returned to the castle.
In the Three Broomsticks there were only a group of sixth and seventh years Slytherin that was exiting and some professors who were talking with Madam Rosmerta.
"Hey Bellatrix!" said a Malfoy when we passed by them "What are you doing hanging out with a Mudblood?" you could tell that he had probably drunk too much Butterbeer "Come with us instead..." he said putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Get your hands off of me Macnair, before I make you sorry your ass ever crawled out of your hole, you worm" Bellatrix hissed "What I do and with whom I do it it's my business and now get out of here "
"Mmm... someone's got her panties in a twist I see..."
Macnair was about to touch her face but one of his companions stopped him:
"You better listen to her Walden. Believe me, you don't want to duel with her and we don't want to pick up your pieces once she's finished with you. You'll thank me in the morning" said the blond guy.
Walden withdrew his hand.
"Well said Lucius. I see that in the end you've got something in your head" said Bellatrix.
The boy nodded and the group left the room. Before the door closed, however, I noticed that the last Slytherin, a brown-haired boy from the seventh year, turned to look at Bellatrix, who meanwhile was approaching the counter. His name was Rodolphus Lestrange I think.
"Two Butterbeers"
We sat at a table and began to sip on our drinks.
"Who was that?" I asked Bellatrix.
"Only a few of the seventh and sixth years... Most of them are stupid goats..."
"You're friends with Malfoy though"
"Yes" she nodded "He is not that bad, helped me pull a lot of pranks as you surely know" she chuckles softly "Sometimes I think my sister Narcissa has a crush on him..." she explained.
"And what about Lestrange?" I asked. I didn't like one bit the glance he shot Bella.
"Which one?"
"The eldest. Rodolphus?"
"He's alright. Kind of sticky sometimes but he's okay. He's going to graduate this year"
I nodded but couldn't say anything else because someone interrupted our conversation.
"Good evening, Miss Black, Miss Granger" Slughorn greeted us approaching.
McGonagall was right behind him and was glancing at us doubtfully.
"Good evening Professor" I greeted him while Bellatrix just nodded.
"How nice to see you together! Look Minerva, my dinners work. I guess you are here as friends? "
"Yes" I said "We were sitting close to each other last week, we discovered we have a lot in common I guess"
McGonagall continued to glare at Bellatrix with, she's never liked McGonagall although she excelled in Transfiguration. I think the dislike is mutual .
Shortly after the teachers returned to the castle and we ended our Butterbeers.
Outside the room the air was cold, the moon in the sky was full and the night was perfect. We took a ride to Honeydukes and Zonko now we just needed to be in one place.
"Mione? What you promised me today?" she asked feeding me one of her pineapples.
"Do we have to?"
By now we were at the fence that surrounded the Shrieking Shack. I sat down on a rock and Bellatrix imitated me.
"You ready to go?" she lifted a hand and moved a curl that had fallen over her eyes.
I shook my head.
"Come on... You know that I would never allow something to happen to my girlfriend"
As soon as the words left her lips she covered her mouth with a hand. I instead brightened.
"So I'm your girlfriend?" I asked with sparkling eyes.
"Er ... Well, we've been together for a while now... and only if you want to be" she said looking at her shoes.
I lifted her chin with one finger.
"I would love to"
She gave me a kiss and continued:
"Then we enter into the Shrieking Shack or not?"
I got up and took her hand, then under the full moon looked at her carefully.
"You're beautiful you know it, don't you?" I said touching her face.
"You too Mione" she gave me a light kiss.
"Bella have I ever said I love you?"
"No, but I love you too"
We kissed again, passing in the kiss all our emotions.
After what seemed like forever we started walking towards the Shack. The full moon was creating weird effects on the white snow and when we were close to the door we heard a loud noise coming from inside, followed by a sort of howl.
"Oh Merlin..." I whispered placing a hand on the doorknob "Are you sure you want to enter?"
She nodded, I knew I had nothing to fear. Next to me was Bellatrix Black, not a mediocre student who didn't know which way to take the wand. We were two of the best students.
"Ok then. Take out your wand"
I extracted it and immediately I created some light:
"Lumos"
Bellatrix opened the door. Inside there was a corridor onto which were faced several rooms. The walls and the floor were ruined, as if a bunch of angry centaurs passed here.
Suddenly we heard the sound of something breaking and a dog barking close to us.
"It came from upstairs..." I whispered, taking her hand in mine to bring her closer to me.
We both looked toward the stairs. Some steps were broken. We took a few steps forward and the door slammed behind us, shutting out the light of the moon.
We stopped in front of the first step and I turned to look at her:
"Bellatrix, we don't have to do this"
"I know Hermione. If you're too scared we can go back to the castle…"
I closed the gap between our lips and started to kiss her again. But soon after we heard the growl of a dog.
I turned around and, standing in the doorway of one of the rooms, there was a huge black dog. His eyes were large and, with the dim light of our wands, I could see that they were focused on me and how I was holding onto Bellatrix as if my life depended on it. Which it kind of did right now.
"B-Bella... do you think that's the... the Grim?" I whispered while the dog was still growling.
"The Grim doesn't exist. That's just a dog" she scoffed.
The dog barked and immediately started running towards us, showing its fangs.
"Move!" Bellatrix screamed to me.
She pushed me aside just before the dog hit me and I fell on my stomach a little further. I felt a piece of wood on the floor cut my cheek.
I heard an agonizing scream and to my horror when I turned I saw that the Grim had bitten Bellatrix and now her leg was bleeding.
"NO!" I shouted to the dog that was about to attack her again.
My screaming didn't stop him but gave Bellatrix the time to raise her wand:
"Stupefy!"
The dog bounced back but it was again on its paws in less than a second.
I got up and picked up my wand, then ran to Bellatrix and shielded her body with mine.
"Impedimenta!"
The dog escaped my spell with a leap and was ready to attack again.
"Expulso!" Bellatrix screamed from behind me.
This time the spell hit the animal but it wasn't enough to make him desist.
He was about to jump forward but before it could I yelled:
"Levicorpus!"
The spell hit the Grim in the chest and sent him directly against the wall, by the noise that it made I deduced that its left front leg was broken. This time it was on the ground and we took advantage to escape.
When we were far away from the Shrieking Shack Bellatrix sat on the ground and I knelt in front of her. The snow was filled with red liquid, blood.
"Oh God..."
I put my hand over the wound and Bellatrix stiffened.
"I'm sorry, Bella. Forgive me" I said with tears in my eyes "I should have been more careful, it was a very bad idea"
By then I had started to cry, the sight of her bleeding wound broke my heart. It was clear that she was in pain, even if she tried not to show it.
"Hermione" she called "Hermione look at me"
I looked up and she smiled weakly.
"It's not your fault, you couldn't know what was inside that house. I don't blame you"
She stiffened again and more blood came out of the wound.
"I have to stop the bleeding" I said looking at her leg "It will burn a little. Are you ready? "
She nodded and bit her lower lip.
Carefully I ripped her pants, the skin around the wound was pale and beautiful. I took my wand and leaned it gently on the cut.
"Vulnera Sanentur" Bellatrix hissed and squeezed the snow with her hands "Vulnera Sanentur"
Slowly the blood stopped coming out and the wound closed.
"It's still very sensitive but at least the blood lost has stopped... I'm sorry" I got up and offered her a hand "Can you stand?"
She nodded and took my hand to help her up from the ground.
"How are you?"
"Well, apart from the fact that the bite burns like hell and my clothes are full of blood, I would say well"
I felt tears fall down my cheeks and immediately she wiped them with her fingers.
"Hey, it's not your fault ... come on, let's go back to the castle"
After a lot of time we made it to the castle. Bellatrix was limping slightly, but otherwise she was fine.
"Are you sure you can walk by yourself?" I asked when we entered.
"Don't worry, I'm not dying!"
I gave her a light kiss and stroked her cheek "See you tomorrow"
She nodded and headed towards her dorm, outside, meanwhile, it had started to snow again.
A/N:
This chapter is slightly longer than the others. I hope you enjoyed it, press the button below and let me know!