Disclaimer - I do not own the recognizable characters they belong to J. , including all Harry Potter references

Authors Notes - Any quotations in bold and italic writing are to be taken as the persons thoughts that is speaking.

Also I want to thank Solo7015 for being my editor, your amazing!

Chapter 10

A week had passed since Hermione had visited the Burrow, she knew it would take time to mend the trust that was broken between them fully and until she was ready to answer the questions about the last 4 years she knew it would never truly be fixed.

Hermione was currently back in the room of requirement, she was back in training mode and currently using her martial arts training on a live action dummy the room had created for her. It reminded her of those dummies that muggles use to test car crashes. With a left arm block she stopped a punch going for her head, quickly bringing her right knee up to crack the faceless dummy in the ribs, she had to give the room credit, the dummy reacted like a normal human would. She watched as it stumbled backwards, moving quickly she readied her stance for a rear leg front kick to the face using all the speed she could get. She lands the kick knocking the dummy back onto its knees and she knew with the force she had just delivered the dummy would no longer be a threat and the room agreed as it disappeared before her eyes. Taking a breath Hermione decided to work on her parkour, using the environment around you in a fight was key and she had spent many hours training with Alex to prefect this.

Thinking over the last few years they were all a blur of training, travelling and meeting new cultures and she loved every second. She was always one for learning and to actually witness it first hand and not just from books, she counted her blessings for how lucky she was.

The room transformed before her eyes, obstacles of all different kinds were placed around the room "Oh yes, this will do nicely." she said aloud.

Sometime later, after running, jumping, landing in all ways, her favourite was the wallflip, she always felt like Jet Lee doing those. She had loved his movies and her dad was a huge fan so they always watched them together so she couldn't keep the smile off her face knowing that he was somewhere looking down at his little princess doing things they had always enjoyed watching. Once she had finished her circuit she was left panting trying to catch her breath, she knew she'd be sore in the morning but it was worth it. Hermione decided she'd had enough today so tiredly made her way to her quarters.

The students were back now so she could hear the low murmuring of the children rumbling though the castle. Her classes were proceeding along smoothly, it seemed word got round that if you pissed off Miss Granger you got a date with a half giant and owl shit. Apparantly Hagrid had managed a clumsy incident which ended up with Mr Parkinson covered from head to toe in the stuff! There were many questions to how that happened but Hermione really didn't want to know the answer and she quite liked the outcome. Everyone was very well behaved for now.

Once she was freshly showered and in her freshly cleaned comfy clothing. The hoody smelled of her dad. She had long ago put a spell on it to keep his smell locked within the threads of item so no matter how many times she cleaned it, it always smelled of him, smelled of home. She missed them greatly, she had so many questions for them, when she first found out about the letter after there death she had assumed it was from them and in truth there was two letters. One from her birth parents and one from her mum and dad, after reading about her adoption from her ... real parents. Her emotions were so jumbled she forgot all about the second letter. It was about a year later when she stumbled across it again opening it the words made her eyes fill with tears.

"Our little princess,

By now you most likely know about your adoption, we're both hoping we had chance to tell you this directly when you were 18 but as life is never a sure thing we decided to write this letter. One can never be too careful.

You were only a small baby barely a few weeks old when your parents found us. After the initial shock of learning about magical folk living among us wore off, they told us you were in danger and until they could ensure your safety they couldn't take the chance with your life. So they wanted us to look after you until it was safe for you again, they loved you so deeply Hermione, you could see they never wanted to leave you but they just wanted you safe. We agreed that we would watch over you until the time came that it was safe enough for your return, but in case something happened before then they would alter our friends and families minds to believe that your mother had carried you for 9 months. They even altered our memories so that if anyone ever came looking they would see the false memories of your birth to avoid your true identity being discovered. However our memories of them would not be affected in the event of their deaths.

I'm sorry to tell you my little love that a few weeks later memories of your birth popped into our minds and many more. We knew your true parents had died and knew the memories weren't real, they were fuzzy round the edges and hard to explain. We are truly sorry for this Hermione.

I expect that you've noticed the second letter, this is from your birth parents. Your mother and I have never read it, we felt it was too personal.

With everything you have lost and will have to go through alone we can only hope that you become the strong, intelligent woman we brought you up to be.

We hope you never have to read this letter, and that we are with you for your 18th to help you through all you've learned. But if you are reading this then just remember; you are loved, always, no matter where we are.

Go shine our princess"

Hermione had long ago memorised that letter, just as she had the other letter from her birth parents. Her dad always had a way with words. She snuggled into the hoody feeling comforted, she was feeling home sick. Normally she kept herself busy so she wouldn't dwell about her loss but being here in the castle it offered nothing but time to think, time to heal. Hermione felt the tears roll down her cheeks, it had been so long since she had cried, she let them fall remembering all her happy memories and even thinking about all the memories she had never had a chance to experience.

In another part of the castle Bella was trying to find an excuse to go see her girl. The last conversation between them was too long ago and this made her and her wolf restless. She wanted to know how it went with the fiery family and if she was alright. With that thought Bella smacked herself in the head "When did I become such an emotional pansy! Me! Caring about a girl who associates with the Weasleys?! My mother would be rolling in her grave!" Bella could feel her wolf grumble inside her, she wasn't happy that Bella was cursing her mate.

"Oh stop with your grumbles, I know she's ours and she's perfect but the girl has made me soft! I am a Black and we aren't soft! And we definitely don't argue with ourselves and out loud for that matter!" Cursing loudly she picked up the bottle of elven wine and left her room towards her mate, no more second guessing.

Hermione was curled up on her sofa with a book when she heard a knock at her door, looking at the clock she knew it couldn't be Minerva, they had made plans later this evening to go over things. With the animagus transformation nearing the elder woman wanted to make sure Hermione had all her questions answered so she'd go into it with a clear mind and hopefully recognise her inner animal fairly quickly with no problems.

Moving quickly to door and opening it she felt her stomach do a backflip when she saw who it was standing before her with large grin on her.

"Hello Hermione, I was hoping you wouldn't mind sharing this beautiful bottle of elven wine with me?" Bellas' confidence was back, she was no longer going to be a blubbering mess in front of this girl, this was her mate it was time to stop hiding in the shadows.

"Ermm, what's the occasion?" Hermione said whilst stepping aside and allowing Bella entry.

"How about to not wanting to rip each others face off?" Bellatrix smirked.

Hermione chuckled at the comment, "Well maybe if you keep your face to yourself, we won't have any problems."

Bellatrix stepped in close leaving mere inches between them, she could hear Hermiones' heartbeat increase with their proximity. "Maybe I don't want too" Bella whispered loud enough for her girl to hear. Hearing a sharp gasp making Bella smirked, turning and asking "Where are your glasses?" leaving a breathless Hermione behind her as she went in search of some glasses for the wine. Hermione stood trying control her breathing, while internally huffing "This woman!" Closing the door she still held open she turned to find the dark haired woman that caused her much conflict.

She found Bellatrix in her library, "This is a nice set up, I also noticed you have a fine collection of firewhiskeys and muggle whiskeys over there, some of them cost a pretty penny." Bella pointed to the gorgeous set up of bottles displayed in the corner.

"Yeah, I found I have a taste for whiskey and you are correct some are quite expensive but money isn't much of an issue anymore." Hermione said whilst collecting some wine glasses and moving over to the chairs in front of the fireplace and with a quick flick of her wand getting the fire roaring beautifully.

Bellatrix raised her eyebrows at the comment but poured the wine and handed one to Hermione whilst taking her seat next to her with her own wine. "So tell me, what have you done since leaving Hogwarts? It's easy to see your strength and magic have increased." Bella asked whilst taking a sip of her wine.

"In my 7th year when I found out my parents died, as you know, I was given two letters, one from my parents and one from my birth parents." Hermione looked in Bella's eyes as she said this, she saw the woman's eyes widen in surprise. Taking a breath she continued, "I was given a large sum of money and I was also given a task from my birth parents. "Go find Alex, she'll guide you" so I went and found her. It didn't take too long as they gave me a way of calling her as such. We got to know each other and she taught me many different fighting styles, showed me how to work my magic in a way I never knew and then we traveled." Hermione watched Bella as she took in all she said, she thought she saw jealousy in those eyes but that couldn't be true.

"So you spent 4 years with this woman? And she taught you things what I could not?!" Bellatrix said, her dark tone coming out towards the end.

"Do you remember my last year? Our first interactions weren't great, you were so angry and pissed off with the world and lets be honest.. me, I couldn't do anything without you at my throat. In a way I should thank you, your moods kept me from dwelling in self destruction that year but because of your anger you never got a chance to fully teach me. Anyway I'm hoping one day you'll be able to tell what made you so angry?"

Bella stared blankly at Hermiones' speech only one thing sticking out to her and her wolf who was not helping anything. "So did you fuck her?" Bella demanded.

"What the actual hell! Did you even hear what I said? Where did... what gives you ... ughhh. I'm not having this conversation Bellatrix!" Hermione necked back her drink and got up to refill her glass and Bellas as it seemed to be empty.

"We are having this conversation! I have a right to know if that woman fucked you senseless over the years!" A low grumbling had started in Bellas chest, she didn't like the idea of her mate being touched by anyone else but her! She knew she was being ridiculous as she'd taken many women to bed whilst Hermione had been away but her jealously was clouding her rational mind. Bella got up from her chair and caught the girls waist spinning her to face her.

"Bellatrix!" growled Hermione gritting her teeth in anger, "My sex life is no concern of yours!" just as Bella was going to reply a loud pop broke their glare at one another.

"The Headmistress wishes for Sonia to collect Miss Hermione for their scheduled meeting." The elf said completely uncaring of the tension in between the two women.

"Of course Sonia just give me a few minutes please." Hermione said softly to the elf, turning her attention back to Bella who still had her hands around her waist. Biting her bottom lip at the intimacy she looked into Bellas eyes, the jealously was still there but not as intense, it seemed she wasn't the only one who realises their closeness. "We'll discuss this another time Bella, I can't have Minerva waiting for me again." she said softly. Without another word Hermione pulled herself from the embrace and walked to Sonia, looking back she saw Bella staring at the wall, her face giving off no clues to what she was thinking.

"Hello Hermione, I apologise for asking Sonia to 'pick you up' as it were but I made a last minute decision to have our final animagus session here where you'll go through your transformation." Minerva stared at Hermione in mild irritation. "Hermione have you listened to a word I have said?!" Hermione snapped out of her thoughts, her mind had still been on the gorgeous confusion she left in her room.

"I'm sorry Min, my mind was elsewhere, what were you saying?" Just as Minerva was about to start speaking, Hermione quickly butted in a passionate rant. "Is it possible to have deep feelings for someone and also get so frustrated with them you want to smack the smirk from there face? I will never understand that woman, just when I think I'm starting to understand her she does a 180 flip! Like the woman has a emotional capacity of a teaspoon!"

Hermione stops her frantic pacing she didn't realise she was doing and calmly says, "And yet her fire is so intense, it's like I'm a fly drawn to her light, she's intelligent, passionate ... ruthless." A small smile appears on Hermiones face as her thoughts carry on without words leaving Minerva mouth agape in shock to her outburst.

"I am to understand that your talking about a very well known professor that's you've recently come to a truce with?" Minerva knew full well what was going on, she'd not seen it first hand but she'd heard about the mating bond, she could only imagine what they were both feeling.

Hermione looked at Minerva in embarrassment, her cheeks turning red as she whispered "I forgot you were here." Pulling herself to together Hermione cleared her throat, "I'm sorry Minerva, this is so not like me, from this moment I am all ears, let's start the session over."

"It seems you have a lot on your mind Hermione maybe it would be best if you got it off your chest. As I've stated before, becoming an animagus needs you to have a clear mind and as what you've shown me, you are anything but ready. I will not have you perform this last task if I don't feel you're ready. It is dangerous Hermione! Whatever is going on in your personal life must not interfere with your state of mind." Minerva spoke sternly, she may have symphony for the young woman before her but she will not allow her go into this with her head not fully on the task.

Hermiones eyes flickered with rage "Minerva I can assure you I don't go into anything without my mind being fully on the situation I am facing. I might have things to sort out but I can guarantee you I am very much prepared from what will occur."

"Very well and I meant no offence to you Hermione. I just can't express enough how serious this is... I just worry for you"

A figure steps out from behind a tree and leans against it casually watching the pair, she had been listening in for quite some time. "I wouldn't worry about Sparks here, she has always managed to pull her head out of her arse long enough to get the job done." she spoke clearly, startling the pair before her.

"Alex!" Hermione breathed as she walked over to greet her friend, Minerva's eyes cast over the woman in interest. Alex held her hand out stopping Hermiones approach, "I've been here for quite sometime and you never noticed, your training is slacking." Alex raised her eyes as if challenging Hermione to say otherwise.

"Maybe I just don't see you as a threat." Hermione said sternly, she was getting fed up of been reprimanded by these two. "Just because my mind has been occupied by a woman that drives me crazy on so many levels doesn't mean that I've become an imbecile!"

Alex chuckles, she had missed her "Come here dickhead." She smiled, Hermiones' face quickly changed from irritation to happiness, she had grown accustomed to Alexs' way of showing love to her, they moved and embraced in a tight hug.

"I've missed you but I thought you'd be longer than this, is everything ok?" Hermione said with concern, she wasn't expecting Alex so soon.

"Everything's fine, after reading your letter I knew I'd need to cut things short where I was but we don't need to worry about that now." Alex nodded toward the elder woman stood near patiently waiting for them to finish, "You going to make introductions...?" Hermione glanced round again embarrassed that she's forgotten about Minerva.

"Maybe my head is up my arse! I've forgotten about her twice now." Hermione shook her head in annoyance with herself "I'm sorry Min, this is Alex, my friend, the woman I've been travelling with for the last 4 years."

"Yes I thought as much, now as I can tell you two have much to discuss so I will take my leave. Hermione you have afew days until the month is up, please find your peace before then." Hermione watched Minerva leave, she felt the woman might be disappointed in her. This evening didn't turn out at all how it was meant too, rubbing her hands over her face feeling the need to scream she looks back at Alex and sees the amusement there.

"Don't fucking start!" Hermione said pointing at Alex.

"Me…?" She held her hands up in surrender "What I do? I've only just arrived."

"Precisely, you haven't been here, you don't know what's going on, what emotional crap I've had to deal with! Everyone seeing the old Hermione and judging because I can no longer be that girl!" Hermione felt her temper rising, the weeks of trying to live up to a girl that just doesn't exist anymore, that girl walked away years ago, and the loneliness she's felt because of it. No-one knew her, knew what she'd been through, who she really is now.

Alex looked thoughtfully at the woman, she'd watched her come into her own these past years "Have you told them? Have you told them where you've been, what you've been doing?!"

Hermione groaned at the question "Of course I haven't! Where would I even start?"

"Then why did you come back here Hermione? We have a job to do and this is getting in the way of what your parents wanted."

"What they wanted? Fuck what they want! They don't know me! I don't even know them! They wrote a letter. That is all! Fucked up my plan for own my life instead shipped me off around the world on a fucking death wish letter!"

Alex could see her friend starting to lose control, she needed a release and quickly. "Hermione! Hermione?"

Hermione was so caught up in her anger she couldn't hear what was around her, all she could feel was the fire burning through her veins wanting out.

"HERMIONE! LET IT OUT!"

Hermione screamed with all the built up tension, all the pain and confusion, everything she had kept in, seeing the Weasleys, having Rons' anger and him turning his back on her even with Harry's understanding and Ginnys forgiveness it was all too much! Add in Minervas' sadness from knowing she kept things from her and Bella... BELLA! Everything she was and wasn't, everything she wanted but couldn't. The friendship, the lust, the anger, the pain, the confusion. It all came out of her screaming along with the fire, the fire that burnt everything in its path, that demolished everything around her within a 10 metre radius. She stood watching her fire cause chaos to the trees and wildlife around, she was completely taken over by the burning inside her. It wasn't until Alex pulled her back tightly into her chest, her arms wrapping around her and the soft spoken words whispering in her ear did she start to blink coming back to herself.

Gasping for air, after the fire seeing the destruction she had caused, letting the tears fall down her face. Alexs' words finally sunk in, "Don't let the fire control you, you have the ability to soothe Hermione. Fix your chaos, don't let them control you." Hermione let her instincts take over and holding her hand out towards the fire she allowed her sadness to overtake and she watched in amazement as water rose from the ground, sizzling and crackling trying to calm the flames. Seeing the water wasn't enough she pulled a breath deep into herself and pushed it out with all her might causing a huge gust of air to rush over the flames putting them out. Looking around her, all she could see was the muddy ash she had created, killing all life around her. Sorrow filled her, "What have I done" sinking to her knees she couldn't stop the tears running down her face, her mind numb and pain seeping deeper inside her. "Your not done yet, stand up."

Looking back up at Alex in confusion her mind began to whisper ... the book... the words... "Once in a millennium a child was born that could harness the power of all the elements, using them equally together and individually." Hermione stood determinedly, she felt a confidence she had never felt before, allowing herself to rely on instinct again, she lifted her hand and inwardly commanded the land around her to heal itself. She watched as the ground shook to life, seeing little specks of green appear, she watched as they took up space and grew, after a few minutes she let out a sigh of relief but also one with shock. "How!?" She never expected an answer but listened tensely to Alex's answer.

"You are one of very few known in this world, you have the power to control all the elements not seen in centuries. Your parents saw greatness in you when you were born and chose to sacrifice their lives in order to save yours. Yes they fought for their freedom and yours... And their kingdoms but nothing is guaranteed in this world as you know. I have been training you for this day, the day you would find your true self. I was wrong to question before this is where you must be, this is where you will become all you can be."

Hey guys.

So yeah i really enjoyed writing this one, for me this is where the fun really starts and i look forward to seeing what you all think, I'm still very much in front with the chapters so a lot has yet to happen. Hope you all stick with and enjoy.