Greyella, LoveSKINS94, Natalie Blackman & white-walker89 - Thank you for your reviews - it's a pity that they can't just stay there but time moves on and they must move with them... well, maybe not quite yet.
OpheliaBlack - It's probably fortunate I'm not writing the chess match, because Snape would win and quite frankly it would be a whitewash. Ron has always annoyed me and I totally ran out of patience during DH, seriously Hermione can do so much better!... which is why I'm attempting to prove it... is anyone convinced yet?
"Blimey, where are we?" Ron asked when they had apparated the following morning.
Hermione sighed, "a service station on the M2, a few miles outside Maidstone" she replied, knowing it would mean nothing to him. "The dementors can't cover the entire country, I thought they were less likely to be on muggle motorways and like you, there's no earthly reason for any death eaters to even know places like this exist. I stopped here once with Mum and Dad. I have some muggle money left, I thought we could check in and get some food and a decent night's sleep" she continued, pointing to the service station and Travelodge.
"Hermione, I bloody well love you!" Ron said hugging her, before he pulled back, his eyes widened and he continued, "I mean, well food and a proper bed and well, food…"
"I know what you mean Ron" she said, trying to reassure herself that he really didn't mean it and not entirely succeeding.
"Two rooms?" Harry queried her request as they stood at the desk.
"Yes" she replied, looking at the receptionist before turning to the boys, "One of you will have to sleep on the pull-out, unless you want to share the double?" She paid and taking the keys said, "Come on, breakfast first" and they headed to the service station. Sated on buttys, burgers and coffee, the boys queried Hermione's choice of a pastry and orange juice but she said she'd possibly come back later. In truth, she was still a little nervous of Bellatrix's reaction to her leaving and her appetite had deserted her. They walked into WH Smith and while the boys bought some snacks for later, Hermione picked up a box of chocolates and deciding on a whim she didn't want to examine closely, took it to the till, stopping on the way to pull a novel she had been wanting to read, off a shelf, as she passed.
"Who are they for?" Ron asked nodding at the chocolates.
"Oh. Just me" Hermione replied sighing, "I need a day, just a day, where I'm not running from anyone or searching for anything. A day where I can just sit and read something that has nothing to do with magic, eat chocolate and not think". She turned and looked apologetically at Harry.
He nodded, then glanced at Ron and said "we all do". She could see the look in his eyes that said he was probably going to go crazy doing nothing but did not try to rescue him. She needed this too much.
When they got back to their rooms she checked there was no one else about, before handing them the majority of the money that was left and reminding them to protect the room. Then she took a deep breath and continued, "you won't be able to get hold of me until tomorrow morning. I don't wish to be disturbed and I'm going to make sure I won't be. If you pound on the door I won't be able to hear you and if anyone comes through the wards I'll assume we're under attack and hex them".
"But Hermione…" Harry began even as she put up her hand to silence him.
"I need this Harry" she said, "24 hours and then we'll continue. We need to rest, we haven't come up with a good idea in weeks. We'll think better on full stomachs and heads that have done something else for a day". He didn't agree with her but there was nothing he could do, so he finally nodded. Ron still looked shocked, he had thought they were going to be doing nothing all together and still couldn't quite comprehend that she didn't want to see either of them. "I'll meet you here at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning", she said "and if there is any of that money left, we'll have breakfast together before we leave". Then she unlocked her door, walked through and shut it firmly behind her, leaving Harry and Ron starring at each other in the corridor.
#~~~#
It was gone midday before Bellatrix came to her and Hermione had a peaceful morning, doing exactly as she had told the boys she was going to do. It was glorious, this feeling of being able to relax, of not having to be constantly vigilant and being able to look forward with anticipation and she admitted, some not entirely unpleasant trepidation, to the day ahead. The pop that finally announced another presence made Hermione look up and the smile that appeared as she first saw her lover, again gave Bellatrix pause.
She had been angry when the mudblood had left the night before. So angry, it had taken several spells to clear up the watery mess and repair the table that she had blasted to smithereens, while it had still been a bath. No-one left her like that. Certainly no-one left and then came back, was the girl stupid? Or did she just think herself invincible? She could not hurt her physically but there were other ways... and why had she left, was it guilt? Were the mudblood and the blood traitor reconciled? Had she gone back to him? Surely she would not smile like that at her, if there was any truth to it? She looked again and saw that the smile was fading. She would have to know but for now she would show the girl that she belonged to her. Weasley had no idea who he was up against, if he thought he could take her plaything from her. Her eyes moved and as Bellatrix stared curiously at the box, resting on the bed covers next to the book, Hermione said "they're for you", not able to control her blush.
"You've opened them" Bellatrix replied.
"I've only had a couple, I was hungry", Hermione defended herself even as her blush deepened. Her stomach chose that moment to announce it's delight in them and she shut her eyes as her cheeks flamed, so she did not see Bellatrix raise her wand, she did however hear, "Incarcerus".
"Bella!" Hermione yelled as she opened her eyes but the room was silent and empty.
She was away no more than 20 minutes but it felt interminable, especially as Hermione didn't know if the death eater was even coming back. "Finite Incantatem" she said on her return and her former captive rubbed her wrists quickly, just stopping in time to catch the apple, flying at her head.
"You can't tie me up every time you nip to the shops, or go scrumping, or whatever you've been doing" she grumbled before sinking her teeth into it, gratefully.
"I can do precisely as I like" Bellatrix contradicted her "and if you didn't apparate without saying goodbye, or eat my presents, I wouldn't have to".
"Like that would stop you" Hermione continued to grumble. "Anyway, I've left first once and you've never said goodbye yet! And I apologised for the chocolates, I was hungry." Bellatrix ignored her, walked over, picked up the box and settled herself on the bed, putting them down again, out of Hermione's reach, on the other side of her. Taking out her knife, she held up her own apple and cut off a piece, leaning back and closing her eyes before putting it in her mouth and savouring the taste. Hermione watched in fascination as she continued to cut slivers and pop them in her mouth, no longer opening her eyes to do so.
She looked so unguarded, so peaceful, so…, "watch you don't cut your hand" Hermione said as the woman got close to the core and noticed Bella's lips twist up in a smirk before returning to their former expression. When they had finished Bella took both cores and sending them accurately to the fireplace, she took up the box of chocolates and looked at them curiously, before selecting one and putting the box on the bedside table. Unwrapping it, she held it to her nose, a frown on her face, then took a small bite. It wasn't bad she decided and put the rest in her mouth. "It's polite to offer, you know" Hermione hinted.
The death eater finished before replying, "it's polite not to eat other people's presents before giving them to them, as well". Hermione felt the blush come up her cheeks again and opened her book, putting it up to her face to hide it from view. Bellatrix couldn't actually remember the last time someone, other than Narcissa, had given her a present, at least one that couldn't be tortured. Surely this wasn't the action of someone newly reconciled with her boyfriend? She was not entirely sure what feeling this evoked but she thought it might be happiness. When no further comment was made, Hermione peeked around the side of her book to the woman sitting next to her. Bellatrix was still resting her back against the wood at the head of the bed, her eyes closed, the small smile on her face transformed its harsh lines and Hermione marvelled again at her beauty. She wanted to reach out and touch her but as she worked up the courage, an arm snaked out and took another chocolate from the box. Unwrapping it, Bella severed it with her teeth, before her eyes opened and she caught Hermione staring. One eyebrow rose in question and Hermione shook her head and turned back to her book.
Suddenly, the paperback was brushed aside as fingers appeared in front of her face, the other half of the chocolate tantalisingly near her lips. Her eyes quickly darted to the woman's face and noted that she was smirking again. Deliberately, Hermione opened her mouth and leaned forward, encircling both the sweet and the fingers holding it, flicking her tongue up to dislodge the morsel and sucking on the digits as she did so. Pulling away she saw that the smirk had gone, Bella's eyes were closed and part of the bed cover was fisted tightly into her other hand. This time it was Hermione's turn to smirk. She was startled out of it however, by an audible pop and a tray appeared on the table, covered in food. "Lunch" Bellatrix said, opening her eyes and noticing the confused expression on her companion's face.
"You ordered this?"
"No" Bella replied, "Oleg Grazinsky ordered this, they wouldn't have dared keep me waiting".
Hermione got off the bed, her stomach growling as she crossed the room, taking in the breads, cold meats, cheeses, salad and fruit, "wow" she turned.. "Can I…?" she gestured her hand at it.
Bellatrix appeared to think for a moment, before finally nodding briefly and watching as the mudblood reached out, trying several things, before finally making herself a sandwich and coming to sit back on the bed.
Taking a bite, Hermione thought how unlike their other encounters this was, both of them still had clothes on for a start, it was almost like a date. She swallowed at the thought, choking as she sent the food down the wrong way. Sighing, Bella pointed at the mantlepiece saying "accio glass", caught the vessel as it flew across the room, pointed her wand again and said "aguamenti", before shoving it towards her companion, who took it gratefully.
A Date. That was one situation she would never have thought to associate with the two of them. That implied feelings, did she want feelings? More specifically, did she want this particular woman to have feelings for her? Since she had half admitted to herself the night before, that she had feelings for Bella; even if she hadn't dared categorise them yet, the obvious answer was yes. That however, brought up a lot of other issues that she really didn't want to think about right now. Instead, she took a few more bites of her sandwich and another drink of water.
Bellatrix meanwhile had picked up her book, her eyebrows inching higher as the minutes passed. Finally she said "How did you ever get higher scores than Draco, reading trash like this?"
Hermione shrugged, "it's not the greatest ever example of muggle literature but it's entertaining in it's own way".
"Entertaining?"
"Ok, so I thought there'd be more history and less sex" Hermione clarified "but it took me away from…" she stopped abruptly.
"From?" Bella asked.
Hermione sighed, "I don't know… my life I guess".
Bella looked back at the book and waggling it said, "so you're not a damsel in distress?"
"Hell, no!" Hermione replied offended.
"And you're not in the clutches of the bad guys?"
"I think we've established I prefer bad girls" Hermione smirked.
"And you don't want to be tied to a bed and ravished?"
Hermione thought for a moment, then said "maybe later". Putting the glass and the sandwich on the bedside table, she straddled the woman sitting next to her, who smirked as lips descended on her own, "I thought you were hungry?" Bella asked, when they next came up for breath.
"I am" Hermione replied.