Bellatrix awoke to the sound of boots tromping across the hardwood floor of the Dark Lord's library. Releasing a groan, her eyes flickered open and she stretched, the blanket that had been spread across her falling off her shoulders. Still on the couch, she noticed she was alone now, instead of curled up to Voldemort as she had been the night before.

"Bloody Hell," she muttered, trying to smooth her hair down, then quickly button up her dress, which was currently hanging open for all the world to see. She heard a chuckle, and quickly looked up to see Voldemort staring down at her, his expression cold, yet somehow vaguely amused, "Bloody Hell indeed, little girl."
She swung her legs over the side of the couch, flicking her hair back, "How are you feeling, my Lord?"
"In perfect health," he replied casually, folding his hands together behind his back, "Your task is completed for today... You are dismissed."
Dismissed? He was speaking to her as if she had just gone off and picked him up a cup of coffee. Bellatrix sat, motionless, for a moment or so, then rose, "Yes, my Lord."
"Close your mind, Bella, it betrays you."

Perhaps she wanted it to. Perhaps she wanted him to know she was annoyed that he casually brushed her aside. No one brushed Bellatrix Black aside.

"I am not no one," he hissed softly, deftly making his way toward her, "Do not forget that."
"I would never assume to-"
"Don't be smart with me!" he snarled, his voice suddenly raised to a near shout, causing Bellatrix to shrink back from him, "My Lord, please-"
"Oh, come now, no simpering," he chuckled, his temper back in check, "You and I are not finished, little girl."
"We aren't?"
"No, not even close," he murmured, standing very close to her, so close that Bellatrix desired him to just lean in and touch her, "I will call you anytime I wish, and you will come to me for whatever I demand, including what happened last night."

Her cheeks threatened to flame, but she composed herself, her stomach suddenly giddy, "Yes, my Lord... I understand."
"Good... Leave," he muttered, "Now."

She turned away quickly, picked up her wand from the coffee table, and strolled out of the library, a confident gleam in her eyes. Dark eyes burned into her back, she knew it, but she refused to turn back and meet them, quite happy with how things turned out.

Her feet led her in a direction she was unsure of, until she found herself back in her classroom. For a moment, she stood in the smelly, dark room and just breathed it in, feeling the adrenaline building in her body. This room did things to her, good things.

A quick apparation brought her back home, in her adjoining bathroom, only to hear the sounds of someone rustling about through her bedroom. Frowning, she tossed her thick, black cloak on the floor and stepped out, frowning when she spotted her mother rummaging through her drawers.

"Good morning, mother," Bellatrix droned, folding her arms and leaning on the doorframe, "May I help you with something?"

Her portly mother straightened up, slamming one of her drawers closed, "It reeks of smoke in here... Didn't I forbid you from continuing that dirty habit?!"
"Mother, it takes time for the smell to drift out," Bellatrix lied, her tone bored and emotionless, "I've gotten rid of all my packs."
Save the countless ones hidden in her closet.
"Are you lying to me, girl?"
Another sigh, "No, mother."
"Because if you are, I'll take great pleasure in raising my wand to you-"
"I know, mother," Bellatrix snarled, her eyes narrowing, "Now get out of my room!"
"How dare you speak to me in such a manner!" her mother shrieked, causing the house elf that had been waiting at the door obediently to whimper, "And where were you last night?! Hmm... If you dare tell me you were at a pub-"
"I was out with Rodolphus," Bellatrix lied heatedly, "We were out for dinner, then I fell asleep at his manor after having too much wine."
"Too much wine has never seemed to make you drowsy before," her mother noted, eyeing her suspiciously, "So if I was to Owl the dear boy, he would completely agree with me?"
"Of course," Bellatrix replied, "Completely agree with you."

She continued to watch her mother lazily as the old woman stalked out of the room, then broke off into a run toward her tiny, corner fireplace, throwing a handful of powder into the simmering flame and calling out for the Lestrange manor. Instantly, Rodolphus' head appeared in the flames, though he looked slightly groggy. For Merlin's sake, it was nearly ten in the morning, how could he still be asleep?

"My, you're a pretty picture first thing in the morning," he chuckled, his hand appearing and rubbing his eye, "What do you want, Bella?"
"You aren't allowed to call me that," she snarled, suddenly linking her pet-name back to the Dark Lord, "No one is."
"The Dark Lord does."
"He's different... He can call anyone whatever he wants to!"
"Is there a point to this meaningful conversation?"
"Yes!" she whispered, crouching a little closer to the flame, "You know I needed to tend to the Dark Lord last night, right?"
"Yes, yes, I'm aware of that," he grumbled, "I have no idea why he would ask you... The rest of us are far more experienced."

Probably not in the area the Dark Lord was interested in. Bellatrix smiled to herself, "Nonsense, a woman's touch always helps... But anyway. I came in this morning and walked in on my mother snooping in my room, then demanding to know where I was last night."
"Does this, by any chance, have something to with me?"
"Yes," she sniffed, rolling her eyes, "I said we had dinner, I had too much wine, and fell asleep at your place."
"She believed that?" he scoffed, his eyebrows slowly rising. Bellatrix growled, "Yes... And she's off to ask you if it's true... Expect an owl shortly."
"My servant just informed me one has arrived... She is rather determined in finding a way to catch you slipping up."

Oh, was she ever. Bellatrix sighed, "What does it say?"
She watched the flame head vanish for a moment, then return, the eyes cast down, as if reading something. A moment later, he was grinning, a cat that had spotted its prey. Bellatrix snorted, "What's she gone and said now?"
"Well... And I quote - I see you and my daughter have been spending ample time together before the wedding of my darling Narcissa, and I think it is only appropriate that you two continue to see each other romantically afterward, I think she could be taken with you... Taken with me, are you, Bellatrix?"

Her jaw hung open, and she glared at him, "You make me sick, Lestrange! No, I am not taken with you! I can't believe she wrote that!"
His silly little grin remained plastered on his face, and he snickered, "Well... I think if I should write a reply back that you did indeed fall asleep at my home, I'll need to inform her we are taken with each other... And we'll continue to see each other after the wedding."
"What?!" she hissed, "You listen to me, Lestrange, there is no reason-"
"Agree to it, or I'll tell her the truth."
"What, that I was attending the Dark Lord?" Bellatrix taunted, almost daring him with her tone. Rodolphus smiled, "I'll tell her we shagged, and you are not interested in ever seeing me again."
"Oh like that-"
"You know your mother hates when you have little illicit affairs just as much as she hates you smoking."
"How did-"
"Our mothers talk."
"Ah."

Blast her wretched mother! She just wanted to wring her fat little neck and kill her right then and there. It would solve so many of her problems.

Instead, Bellatrix decided it would be best to try to stay calm during this, "Fine. Tell her I'm taken with you. Atleast this will get her off my back about a suitor..."
"Well, I think she already thought I wanted to be your suitor," he chuckled, his eyes cast down again, as if writing, "You know, since I asked to take you to the wedding."
"That stupid cow," Bellatrix grumbled, "Look, just as long as you tell her we went out to dinner last night, I don't care what you say. None of it's true anyway."
"Of course not..." he muttered, "I'm taking you out again. Tomorrow evening. Be ready at six."
"I don't want to go out."
"I don't want to lie to your mother, yet I am."

His head vanished, leaving her staring a bright red and orange flames curling up, then suddenly dying down.
"Bellatrix!" Narcissa cried, flying into her room and slamming the door, "We need to talk, now!"
Bellatrix rolled her eyes, then rose, straightening out her dark dress, "What do you want, Cissy, I was just about to take a shower."
Her sister seemed in quite a state, and Bellatrix smirked, "Did dear Lucius tell you he wasn't pleased with the wedding flowers mother picked out?"
"I'm pregnant."
Bellatrix froze, "What?"