Chapter 13 – Realization

Bellatrix Lestrange was exactly where the Dark Lord liked her... in his bed... on her knees.

Her hands were chained in front of her. She couldn't get away even if she had her wand... the shackles were magical.

He couldn't help wondering how long he must had owned them to have put such strong charms on them...and who had been in them before. She felt something akin to jealousy at the thought that there had been women before her.

Of course she knew there had others before her... he was much older than her. He had already been a great and powerful wizard when she had first met him... an innocent young woman barely out of high-school. She had slept with him because he was everything she'd been brought up to revere... and charming besides. It had also been (if she was honest) an act of rebellion in the lead up to her marriage. Rodolphus's family had been very keen for him to marry a pure-blood witch who was pure in all senses of the word. Rodolphus had had no idea on their wedding night that the prize that should have been his had already been given to the Dark Lord. That fact had given Bella no small amount of satisfaction.

She hadn't expected to fall in love with him. Their affair had continued after her marriage to Rodolphus. Rumors had abounded about her relationship with the Dark Lord. Rodolphus must have been aware of it but he had never seemed to care.

Then he had fallen and her world had collapsed. She had never known such pain. Pain at not knowing if she had lost him forever had been added to the pain of knowing he never loved her...and never would. However even the terrible pain and the 14 long years in Azkaban had not completely robbed her of the ability to love. A part of her would always love him.

One thing that would never change was the passion between them. Even though he had never loved her he had always desired her... desired her above any other woman. She had been pleased back in Greece to find out that he still wanted her.

She could see them in the large floor-length mirror... his long lean pale body kneeling behind her, her long dark hair falling over her face, his long pale fingers wrapped around her waist as he drove himself powerfully in and out of her.

It was more than a little titillating to have the most powerful wizard in the world on his knees behind her, completely lost in her body, lost in the pleasure that only she could give him.

He was so forceful, so rough, so dominant. Most of the time she found in incredibly sexy but sometimes he could go a bit too far in the heat of the moment. Go too far and actually hurt her. Hurt her in a way that was only pain and not pleasure.

Of course even if noticed he had gone too far (and usually he didn't) it was beneath his dignity to apologize to anyone. And even though they were lovers they were first and foremost master and servant. She understood that, accepted that..

A moan escaped her lips as he gripped her tighter around the waist, driving into her faster, harder, each stroke hitting the end of her. It felt good...so good.

He wound a hand in her hair and pulled hard, jerking her head back. It hurt but in a pleasurable way. God...she was so close. It was times like this where she couldn't bring herself to regret sleeping with him in Greece. When it was bad it was horrid... but when it was good it was so very good.

He groaned low in his throat...clearly close to his peak.

It was over in a few more thrusts, the two of them coming almost in union. Her back arched, her mouth open in a soundless cry of pleasure. He thrust into one more time as his body went rigid. He made no sound as had his release inside her.

She went limp in the chains, her body still trembling in the aftermath of pleasure.

…............................................................................................................................................................

Bella winced slightly as she sank into the warm water of the large hot tub, the various cuts and bruises on her body making themselves felt.

Her body slowly relaxed as the hot water started to ease the cuts and bruises. She sighed. Bliss.

She lay back in the warm water, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation. She closed her eyes, her long dark wavy hair floating around her head.

She floated there for a long time, just enjoying the warmth of the water and the blessed relief from the various wounds on her body. It was so peaceful and relaxing.

When she opened her eyes she found she had been in there for half an hour. She supposed she should go. The Dark Lord would no doubt be looking for her.

She got out of the hot tub and grabbed the large, soft, black towel she had placed on a hair by the tub. She wound it around her and turned around.

Draco Malfoy was standing in the shadows at the other side of the room. She jumped at the realization she hadn't noticed she wasn't alone.

"How long have you been standing there?" she said, half amused, half annoyed.

"Long enough...." he said lasciviously, his eyes roaming over the towel-covered portion of her body. His face went suddenly serious when he remembered what he'd seen underneath the towel.

"You're sleeping with him aren't you?" he stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

The statement took her by surprise. How could he know? There was only one 'him' he could be referring to. "What are you talking about?" she said in a startled voice.

"Those cuts on your breasts and thighs... you didn't get them by torture" he said in a strangely disappointed voice. She could see he was disapproving. It irritated her that he seemed to think he knew what was best for her.

"It's none of your business!" she snapped at him. "He's hurting you" Draco pointed out emphatically. She couldn't argue with that."I...I...I like it" she said unconvincingly.

"That's bullshit Auntie... and you know it" he said baldly. His please-be-reasonable-tone irked her even further.

"Who are you to tell me who and I can and can't fuck?" she spat at him, her expression hostile.

"Because I care about you" he said exasperatedly in what was almost a yell. The hostility in her face quickly gave way to surprise. Her expression softened.

"You care...about me?" she said in a surprisingly soft, gentle voice. "Of course I do" he replied, his voice both tender and exasperated. "And don't tell me you care nothing for me... if you didn't care you wouldn't have saved my life."

There was nothing she could say to that. It was true. Draco hadn't finished grilling her about the Dark Lord though. "Why do you let him do this to you?" he asked in a mystified and rather sad voice.

"He's my lord." she pointed out, trying to make him understand. "He owns me." Why couldn't he understand that she was just a slave to her lord's will?

"No one owns you..." said Draco firmly. "Least of all him"he said, disgust and anger in his voice.

"Who then...you?" she shot back, starting to get irritated again. He just didn't get it.

"No!... " he yelled. "I've never wanted to own you"

"I know... " she said contritely, walking towards him. "...That's what I like about you..." She put her head on his chest and he slid his arms around her. His arms were firm, warm and surprisingly comforting around her.

"Why can't I stay mad at you?" he said with a sigh, his chin resting on the top of her head.

"My winning personality?" she said jokingly.

He chuckled and pretended to consider the matter. "The fact you're so beautiful doesn't hurt..." he said truthfully.

"No ones ever called me beautiful before..." she said softly, lifting her head off his chest and looking up at him. An expression of surprise crossed his face. "That... is a tragic shame...." he said with feeling.

He leaned in and kissed her, one of his hands on the side of her face. He couldn't believe she didn't realize how beautiful she was... couldn't believe that no one had ever told her...not even her husband. He felt a surge of anger at his uncle. Clearly Rodolphus didn't appreciate what he had.

Draco appreciated her. Bella was just starting to realize that. It felt strange for her to realize the only man she had ever slept with who wouldn't abuse her or take her for granted was her nephew.

She had been trapped in what amounted to an arranged marriage for a long time. And the only man who she had ever truly loved was incapable of showing her the smallest amount of affection...let alone loving her back. As for the various men she had dallied with outside her marriage...they had been nothing but passing amusements. She had expected nothing of them and they had expected nothing of her.

Draco was different. She didn't know what it was between them but it wasn't casual. Not anymore. Not now she had realized he cared about her... and that she cared about him. She supposed she should have realized when she had saved his life that he had become more than just a sex toy. She actually liked and respected him... and that was very worrying indeed.