"Bellatrix! If you don't hurry up, we are going to be… oh, my stars. The girl's straightened her hair."

Bellatrix anxiously looked up from her boudoir in her bedroom at her parents' house to see Andromeda and Narcissa standing in the doorway. Andromeda was wearing a plum-coloured gown, sleek and long-sleeved, and Narcissa had opted for fluffy white tulle that made her look deceptively angelic.

"Does it look bad?" Bellatrix asked nervously, and both her sisters shook their heads in unison. Bellatrix stared into her mirror. She'd used Sleekeazy's to tame her hair until it was silky and straight, and then she'd brought it in all its volume into a high, large bun at the crown of her head. She'd pushed a small tiara, a family heirloom consisting of twisted silver and small, glittering diamonds, into the knot of hair until it rested against the bun. She wore a small diamond round her neck, a pendant that had been a gift from her grandmother for her sixteenth birthday. She had done up winged eyeliner and ruby red Stay All Day lipstick on her powdered face, and she'd put on a strapless black satin gown with an A-Line skirt that split to reveal black tulle. Now Bellatrix pulled on black elbow-length gloves, and she promised her sisters,

"I'm just about ready to go."

"Bella, you look…" Narcissa seemed at a loss for words, but Andromeda said almost accusingly,

"You've done yourself up for him, haven't you? For Mr Riddle?"

"That isn't his name anymore," Bellatrix murmured gently, adjusting her fingers in her gloves and rising from her chair. She moved her feet into her flat black satin slippers - she had decided against heels since tonight would involve so much dancing - and followed her sisters downstairs to the Floo Fireplace. Their parents were already waiting for them there, and Druella Black raised her brows.

"My, my," she said, looking at the girls. "Don't you three look lovely. Yet another Pureblood event… the Avery Family Christmas Party. Now, girls. Tonight, all of Pureblood high society will be gathered at Avery Castle. I want you three on your best behaviour."

She gave a hard look to Bellatrix and gulped. Over the last few months, it had become more and more clear in wizarding circles that Lord Voldemort was going to become someone very important. Bellatrix's parents had made it quite clear to her that they hardly objected to any 'attempts' by Bellatrix to become courted by Lord Voldemort. Having the ascending Dark Lord take their daughter for his own was a best-case scenario for them. They didn't need wealth, but fame… prestige…

"Best behaviour, girls," Druella said again, and she pinched her lips. She took a handful of Floo Powder, stepped into the fireplace, and shouted clearly,

"Avery Castle!"


"Bellatrix!" Ramona Lestrange and Garland Goyle came walking up to Bellatrix in the Avery ballroom, which felt awfully cramped with the entirety of wizarding high society inside of it. Bellatrix sipped her red wine and flashed the girls a little smile.

"Hullo."

"My cousin is too shy to ask you to dance. He thinks you'll say no," said Ramona, and Bellatrix scowled.

"Who, Dolph? He asked me to dance over the summer. He's been staring at me all term."

"Yes, but everyone knows that you and Mr Riddle are a bit flirtatious these days. Rodolphus asked me to come find out if he's allowed to dance with you or not."

Bellatrix huffed a breath and shook her head. "It isn't as though I'm his girlfriend or anything."

She stared across the room to where Lord Voldemort stood in a small crowd, speaking to a group of four or five who seemed to be listening carefully to what he had to say. Her heart pounded, and she turned back to the girls. He was busy right now. It wasn't as though he could dance with her. And it wasn't as though she was his girlfriend.

"Tell Rodolphus I'll dance with him," Bellatrix nodded to Ramona Lestrange. "Go get him. We'll dance."

Three minutes later, Rodolphus was leading Bellatrix out onto the dance floor, and a solemn, beautiful Christmas two-step was played by the enchanted instruments in the corner. Rodolphus carefully took Bellatrix's hand, his fingers shaking like mad, and his other hand trembled where it settled between her shoulder blades. Bellatrix cleared her throat and asked,

"How's Quidditch been going? I know the record - Slytherin's not doing so well this year. Third place behind Gryffindor and Hufflepuff."

"No, we're not so good this year," Rodolphus smirked mirthlessly. He shook his head. "Rabastan and I can't quite figure it. Everett Avery's a good Seeker, but in almost every match so far this year, the other Seeker's just gotten there first. Our Beaters are solid; our Keeper is good. Our Chasers put up so many points, but… we just aren't getting there."

He'd gone on and on and on, but Bellatrix had managed to pretend to be very interested. She nodded and then caught a glimpse of Voldemort behind Rodolphus. He was staring - no, glaring - at Rodolphus and Bellatrix dancing, and the look in his eyes was terrifying. Bellatrix's heart thunked, and she stared up at Rodolphus.

"I think we need to stop dancing, Dolph," she whispered, and he looked confused. Bellatrix shook her head minutely and said, "He's angry."

"Oh." Rodolphus took his hands off of Bellatrix so quickly it was like she'd been on fire, and then he backed away quickly. He bowed respectfully to Bellatrix, and his face flushed scarlet as he hustled off into the crowd. Bellatrix was left standing alone on the dance floor as others moved around her, swaying and rotating. Bellatrix found Voldemort's eyes again, and then she watched him turn to the crowd that was gathered around him, and he appeared to say something final, something to excuse himself. People bowed their heads, and then Voldemort came walking toward her.

People gave him curious looks as he passed by, as he moved through the thick knot of people between his conversation and the dance floor. Finally he reached Bellatrix, just as people applauded the end of one song. He bowed, low and reverently, and when he stood, Bellatrix curtsied deeply to him.

"Dance with me," he said, not asking, and Bellatrix gave him a crooked little smile. Why did she like the idea of him being jealous and angry about Rodolphus Lestrange? She did like that idea, very much. She gulped as she took his hand and felt his palm press confidently between her shoulders. He pulled her very near him, and as they moved, she could smell damp earth and ocean on him.

They'd met only once more since he'd taken her against the wall. It had been the very next day, and he'd taken her in his bed, slowly at first and then urgently from behind. That had been yesterday. Today, the twenty-second, was her third day in a row seeing him. Still, she could not get enough of him. The smell of him, the feel of his skin on her skin. She sighed and gazed up into his eyes, and she said quietly,

"This is paradise, right this moment."

"You are the most beautiful witch in this castle," said Voldemort firmly. Bellatrix's lips parted, and he added, "I don't ever want to see you dancing with another wizard again. You are mine."

Bellatrix grinned, and she whispered, "I'm sorry."

He flicked his eyes to her left forearm, where it lay near his shoulder, and he said in a low voice,

"Soon enough, you'll be my servant forever and ever. But for now, you are bound to make me happy. And in order to do that, you must me mine. So don't dance with anyone else, Bella. Dance with me. This song, and the next, and the next, until they stop playing and they make us all go home."

Bellatrix's eyes welled, and she nodded up to him. "Happy Christmastime, My Lord."

THE END

Author's Note: Well, that was a fun little rompity romp, no? This will likely be my last Bellamort until after I've written and completed my Fantastic Beasts writing, and I'm taking a fanfiction break until then since Real Life is crazy right now and I also want to be in peak writing form when FB comes out. I hope you'll join me for whatever FB cooks up in my head. See you then.