A/N Wow! Can I re-appologize for the cliffhanger? Some of you were really not happy with me lol. But like I said, not long to wait at least! Here we go, I hope you enjoy!
BTW I still don't have a beta for this story, so if there's any errors, be gentle but let me know still.Andromeda paced back and forth in front of the solid wall were the door once stood waiting for some kind of sign. The bell tolled overhead for dinner and she realized that her idiot friend and idiot sister had already been in the crazy room for over twenty minutes!
Why had no one come out? Were they still fighting? Was Hermione able to stand her own against Bellatrix? Why wouldn't Bellatrix let her just go and watch to make sure no one died?!
Was someone dead?
Her heart began to beat faster as she paced back and forth in front of the wall. There was nothing she wanted more in the world than to make sure that the two were alright!
Andy paused as she began to hear the grinding of stone from behind her and turned to watch the door slowly appear from behind her.
She waited. Seconds ticked by, the door was there but no one had walked out. Should she go in?
She walked towards the door, pressing her ear against it in an attempt to try to hear something, anything, but it was no use. Slowly she reached for the handle, pulling her own wand just in case, and began to push the door open.
It was quiet as she walked in. She had caught a glimpse of the room before the two had entered but it certainly looked different now.
Sections of the mirrored walls were shattered, glass littered the floor and stones were knocked loose from the walls and ceiling.
"Bloody hell…"
The silence of the room was unsettling as she took in the damage of the room, her eyes quickly glancing around before she caught a glimpse of both Hermione and Bellatrix slumped on the floor on the far end of the room. Neither of them moved.
She ran quickly across the room to them, kneeling down beside her sister to brush her hair out of her face and check her pulse and breath to make sure the girl was still alive. Small cuts littered her robes and her knuckles were bloodied. A deep gash along her hair line let blood seep into her long black hair. She was alive but unconscious.
Next she ran the few meters to check on the other girl. Hermione's lip was split and a bit of her hair was singed. Painful looking pustules shown on her hands and arms and Andromeda wondered just how extensive they were. Pressing a finger to her pulse point and leaning down to check the girl's shallow breaths she was at least satisfied enough to know that they were both still alive, but both very damaged and unconscious.
As she looked across the room, Andy noticed how the dust still hung in the air and wondered just how brutal the fight had become. As she looked between the two she knew it would be impossible to move the older and taller girls from the room and all the way to the infirmary ward on her own.
She was unsure as to what to do before realization dawned on her. "Tinley?" The middle Black sister called nervously for the elf she had seen earlier today, that had waited on Hermione's request for tea in the library.
Not even a second later a loud crack sounded in the room as the elf dressed in a silken pillowcase appeared before her. Her big dark eyes took up most of her face as she looked around the room. "Miss Black? Ohh Miss Black! Miss Green! Ohhhh nooo! Tinley should have come sooner! I'm so sorry! This is all my fault! I'm a bad elf!"
Andy winced slightly as she watched the elf attempt to pick up part of the stone rubble and hit itself in the head with it. "Stop that! Stop it at once! This isn't your fault! They did this to themselves! I need your help. Please, I need you to get the Headmaster and Madam Pomfrey, they're hurt and need a healer."
The elf stopped, dropping the stone from her hands and nodded quickly "Tinley can do that for miss! Tinley will get them! Miss Hermione needs them!" She reached up to snap her fingers again before disappearing with yet another loud crack.
Andromeda turned to watch the two idiots again before looking down at her wand, grabbing it to begin healing what she could of the small cuts and grazes on the two witches faces hands and arms. It looked like Andromeda would be spending another night in the hospital wing due to her own sister's foolishness.
As she attempted to heal the cut on Bellatrix's head and clear the blood from her hair she stopped at the sound of the elf's apparition again. "Good heavens!" Madam Pomfrey rushed over, pulling her wand out quickly to send a scanning spell across both girls. "Miss Black, explain this at once!"
Her mouth felt dry as she looked down at her sister who seemed peaceful for the first time in a long time while she was unconscious. "T-They… they were duelling and I… I wasn't allowed and… then the door was gone and then it was back… I-I tried to help but they… they"
She couldn't really focus. Luckily she was saved momentarily as Tinley returned with Dumbledore. "I brought the Headmaster! Just like Miss Black asked! Here to help Miss Green!"
The Headmaster stared shocked between the two girls laying on the floor, scanning over the damaged room before looking back down at the elf at his feet. "Yes thank you Tinley for showing me this. I would be most grateful if you could help Madam Pomfrey move these two girls to the hospital wing while I have a word with Miss Black."
The tiny elf looked up at him, her large eyes fixed onto his every word and tears began to well up in her eyes. "Headmaster is so nice to Tinley! Of course I will help move Miss Green and Miss Black! Tinley likes to help Miss Green!"
She hobbled across the ground towards Hermione before Madam Pomfrey nodded, allowing Tinley to reach for Hermione's hand and disparate in a crack with the girl. Madam Pomfrey scanned Bellatrix's body once more before levitating her from the ground and holding onto the girls arm to disappear with a small pop.
Suddenly Andromeda was left alone in a destroyed mess that her sister and friend had made with the Headmaster. He looked down at the girl inquisitively, his eyes asked questions without him having to speak them.
"I tried to get them not to Headmaster. I tried to convince both of them it wasn't a good idea. I didn't realize that Hermione," she looked back at the space the girl had sat earlier "Well they both apparently were a lot stronger than I even thought and I never could have imagined this sir. They were both being so foolish and reckless and they're both so stubborn!" She took in a large breath. She had rattled off trying to explain and forgotten to. "They agreed to a duel when Bellatrix found out that Hermione and I were spending time together in the library. I begged Bellatrix not to, I didn't want her to hurt Hermione or to get in trouble. Then when that wouldn't work I begged Hermione as well but she wouldn't stand down from Bella's challenge. They made me wait and they were in here for so long. When I finally got in here they were both unconscious on the floor sir. I didn't know what else to do but to go for help."
He nodded slowly, waiting patiently and allowing the girl to finish before speaking. "You were quite right to ask for help Miss Black, perhaps in the future however, before the fighting commences or at least before someone is majorly injured."
A blush rushed quickly to her cheeks and nose as she nodded, looking down at his feet. "Yes sir."
The Headmaster pulled his wand from his extravagant robes and made quick work of repairing the broken mirrors and loose stones. "Now, if I'm correct, Poppy will more than likely need some assistance with the extra students to care for. I know that healing is one of your interests, perhaps it would be within all of your interests if you were to go and help Madam Pomfrey with her newest patients."
Andy stood, brushing the dust from her knee high socks and nodded, still too nervous to truly make eye contact with the wizard. "Yes sir."
She walked from the room, expecting to hear Dumbledore follow her but instead the door phased into the wall behind her. Her heart still felt heavy as she walked through the halls and past other students on the way to the hospital wing.
She had a split lip from a curse that knocked her into a wall, but Bellatrix was covered almost head to toe in small scratches and cuts from the glass of a well placed finestra at the mirror beside her earlier on.
Hermione had half expected to just be hit by a crucio as soon as she turned to face the raven haired girl but was surprised by the actual fight that ensued instead. She was increasingly thankful for all the training Harry had put them through as well as her plethora of shield charms she had memorized. It was certainly a more even fight than the first time that they met in the Department of Mysteries, but she could see the fury in Bellatrix's eyes and knew she was not backing down.
Hermione got her shield up just in time for Bellatrix's incindio, but wasn't quite prepared for the strength of the spell, it began to wrap around her shield and the flames began to tickle at her face and she began to smell the awful stench of burning hair. Luckily it didn't last long and Hermione was able to surprise her back with a reducto that actually sent the Slytherin girl flying backwards. Hermione was slightly proud of that.
When Bellatrix woozily stood, Hermione was kicking herself for not taking her wand while she had the chance.
"I knew I should have taken care of you in that hallway Green. You've been nothing but trouble for me since you got here!"
Hermione frowned, not letting her guard down as she watched the other girl, hurling back impedimenta to try to slow her down. "I've been trouble for you? All you've done is torment me! For no reason! No reason other than I wasn't one of you lot. You're the instigator, you got me detention, you got yourself detention trying to embarrass me! You want to take away one of your sisters only friends simply because you think you can!"
"I am my sisters friend! She doesn't need you! Nobody needs you! You're a distraction and you need to be dealt with!" Bellatrix sent off another string of curses, a deffindo hitting Hermione in the arm. Searing pain rushed through her arm, almost enough to make her drop her wand as she glanced down quickly to see blood seeping out of the slice on her arm and into her robes. Bellatrix began to get closer and Hermione wasn't sure how much longer she could really hold her off. A boils hex hit her dead in the chest, causing her to stagger and groan in pain and the painful pustules began to erupt all over her body.
In an act of desperation Hermione aimed her wand at the ceiling, right above Bellatrix's head and sent off a bombarta maxima, sending dust and then rubble raining down on her head. Bellatrix fell down as a few pieces of stone fell. The ceiling continued to crack and Hermione began to get afraid that the entire tower might come down on top of them. She never even had the chance to move before another stone hit her in the head as well. Her vision instantly blurred and she tried to see where Bellatrix was, was she getting back up? Was she alive? Her knees buckled under her as her head throbbed before Hermione fell down to the ground. It was too dusty to truly see what was going on.
She knew she needed to try to hang on, she needed help. Suddenly a blurry shadow was moving towards her, tons of dark hair and a student's robe. If it were her, she'd probably be dead. A peaceful thought she told herself as she slipped into unconsciousness.
As Hermione awoke she was instantly greeted by a splitting headache. It took several seconds for her hazy vision to sharpen enough to see that she was no longer in the Room of Requirements, but the hospital wing instead. She froze for a second as she noticed she wasn't alone, Bellatrix was in the bed opposite her, luckily though she was still unconscious. There was a sound that emitted through the hall that announced one of the matron's patients was awake. Quickly Madam Pomfrey made her way over to Hermione's bed, wand in hand to check over her. "Duelling in secret without a professor for help. It's a wonder you two are even alive the state we found you in. Honestly, what a foolish thing to do."
Hermione couldn't really move much to protest. There were more footsteps and Hermione was slightly surprised to see Andromeda moving over to her bedside to check on her. "Well she's conscious, that's a good start. There's not too much internal damage other than perhaps a concussion, hopefully we'll have her patched up in a day or two."
Andy nodded and sighed as she looked down at her friend. "What a stupid thing to do Hermione. I could have dealt with Bellatrix without all this happening! Honestly, it's not like I don't already sneak around the school to see people."
Hermione's mouth felt dry as she tried to speak, her voice coming out much raspier than she'd ever heard it. "You shouldn't have to hide Andy."
An annoyed groan sounded from the middle sister and she shook her head "You don't get it Hermione. There are some things I can't control while I'm at school. When I'm done with it all then perhaps I can be whomever I want to be, but not until then."
Another small groan sounded that the eldest of the Black sisters was finally coming to. "We'll talk about it later Hermione."
"Don't you move Miss Black, I'm not afraid to restrain you to that cot!" The matron moved quickly across the room, her wand drawn but used her hand to push Bellatrix back into bed before scanning over her body. "You'll live, but you need rest."
"What happened?"
Andromeda sighed, glancing back at Hermione before walking to her sister's bedside. "You and Hermione nearly killed each other. Just like I said mind you!"
A small chuckle and Hermione almost thought she could catch Bellatrix smiling. "You worry too much Andy."
"Well someone has to!" Exasperated hands were thrown in the air. "It's not just your job you know Bella."
The matron summoned a set of vials on the beside, splitting them in half. "Miss Black, give your sister these potions while I tend to Miss Green."
The girl nodded, taking a seat by her sister's bedside to unstop the bottles. "Come on Bella, don't make this difficult."
Bellatrix groaned in protest slightly before relaxing to take the potion.
Madam Pomfrey took the remaining bottles to Hermione, helping her to sit up in the bed. "Here we are dear. Nice and easy. These should help patch you up. I don't want to be doing this on the regular now! So you two best sort out whatever issues you've got."
Hermione decided not to argue, sitting up to let the potions pour down her throat, the sweet taste of peppermint cooled her throat and warmed in her stomach. Once all the potions were administered her headache had eased significantly and she was finally able to see the bandages on her skin. Unfortunately, it didn't seem that Bellatrix really faired much better as she noticed the bandage around her head and the feint pink scar lines fading on her arms and hands. It was the first time Hermione was really able to witness just what she was capable of. She seriously injured another student, hospitalized them both. It may have just been Bellatrix Black but she still worried herself.
As the doors to the hospital wing opened, she realized her neck was stiff as she tried to turn and see the Headmaster walk in. "Oh good, I see you're both awake. Poppy, Miss Black, would you please excuse us?"
Andromeda shot a worried look between her sister and her friend before the matron walked over to lay a hand on her shoulder. "Come dear." And helped guide the girl back to her office.
Bellatrix refused to look at him and Hermione felt nervous as he stood silent in the room for what felt like ages.
"The two of you took quite a risk tonight fighting without a witness. Had Miss Black's desire to check on you not allowed her entry into the Room of Requirements, I dare say the two of you could have been in very grave conditions." Hermione's eyes welled up some as he looked at her, his crystal blue eyes seemed to cut right through her somehow.
"That being said, we should all be so grateful for Andromeda's quick thinking. I have already awarded Slytherin house 20 points in her honour, but now I will be deducting 50 points from each of you for your actions." This caused Bellatrix to snort, loud enough that Hermione could hear her from across the room.
"As well as that I will be giving you both two weeks detention. Detention that I will be overseeing personally."
"Two weeks?!" It appeared that Bellatrix had gained her voice back a bit faster than Hermione had. "That's outrageous! No one was… killed."
The snowy white haired man smiled as he turned his attention towards Bellatrix. "Ahh yes, but if they had, then we would be talking instead of expulsion and ministry involvement. I believe you are getting off quite easily with merely two weeks miss Black, as long as you can put up with me that is."
The Slytherin girl grumbled under her breath not loud enough for either Hermione or the Headmaster to really make out what it was that she was saying.
Hermione blushed as she looked down. How could she have been so stupid to let her emotions get the best of her better judgements? "I'm sorry Dumbledore for what's happened. I apologize for the damage that I have caused and understand my punishment."
Another scoff sounded from across the room. "Whatever."
Dumbledore nodded as he looked between the two. "Splendid. Apologies accepted. We will begin as soon as Madam Pomfrey had released you for good health. Rest up ladies. I will see you soon."
And with that he turned to exit the infirmary, leaving her alone again with Bellatrix Black.
A/N Quite a few people assumed Bellatrix would win, and if it hadn't been for Hermione's last ditch effort, maybe she would have. She is the better dueler after all. But not quite Bellatrix Lestrange level just yet. Still very much just a student.
Two weeks detention?! They barely survived one with McGonagall! But this time Dumbledore is in charge.
Npsouls1 - Thank you so much! I promise we're getting to that point, just hold on a little longer.
azurewinged, cautionarytale GuardianD - I apologize for the cliffhanger! I hope this makes up for it.
kpop1392as -Sorry! But I hope this makes up for it some! I tried to be as spell heavy as I could to show that they're both skilled witches. And yeah, Hermione didn't just learn some about Andy, she's learning about Bella too.
DarkWriterXX94 raingirl71- Not quite how either of you predicted it, but I hope it's still okay! It's definitely going to garner some respect from Bella because no one has challenged her like that before.
Callie-G -welcome aboard! Sorry for the cliffhanger, but you really didn't have to wait long at least! Thanks for the review!LazzeEM - You're amazing and I tell you that when you PM me lol. You've got so many theories on this, but I'm not giving anything away just yet! Keep reading and see!
Next chapter will still be on Saturday, but after that I may start going to once a week schedule for updates. I wasn't meant to be lecturing any over the summer and got a last minute (literally 5hrs before the class started) call about teaching a class, and so I've got more work to do than I was expecting. I will still be updating, just theprobably on a Saturday only Schedule to allow myself to get some work and writing done.
Until next time my lovelies!
