Earlier that day

Bellatrix held the rolled up parchment tightly in her hand. This was it; she was now, officially, a single woman again…

It was strange though, that she didn't feel free. There wasn't the sense of relief she expected, or the feeling of a weight leaving her shoulders, she simply felt empty.

She sighed; a side effect of being able to distance oneself from one's emotions was the end result of feeling very little emotion at all.

Or perhaps it didn't quite feel real. She'd been legally bound to the same person for nearly half her life, any change of that magnitude was bound to feel surreal.

She was pondering these things, until the lift arrived and the doors opened smoothly to reveal a tired-looking Andromeda and the back of a head she recognised.

She looked upwards and sent a quick curse to the heavens before stepping into the compartment abruptly, trying to ignore the mounting adrenaline levels pumping through her veins..

Present moment

A few awkward moments in which no one knew where to look later, had Bella quickly marching out of the lift and out in the throng of people on the street outside as soon as humanly possible. Andromeda and Hermione watched her go as they exited more slowly. Black family interactions were a lot harder sober.

As soon as she had left the building Bella's feet took her around the corner into an empty alleyway, where she could let her panic out.

Hermione couldn't see her today, she would know. Somehow Bellatrix was sure the Gryffindor would have developed some kind of mind-reading power that would tell her Bella was in the process of a divorce. Bellatrix's irrational thoughts lead her to pacing up and down the large grey cobbles, though she remained careful to stay hidden in the darkness.

In the few minutes it took her to calm down and decide to accidentally-on-purpose bump into Hermione and invite her out to lunch, was the same amount of time it took her sister to do the same.

Andromeda offered Hermione her arm, and together they walked down the street towards a little café on the corner.

Bellatrix saw them pass the alley she was in, and saw them linking arms. She groaned internally, nothing good could come from her spending time with Andy.

She was torn between going after them and whisking Hermione away, before she remembered what had gotten made Andromeda her estranged sister in the first place. Hermione was smart, she would figure out on her own that Andy was an asshole. Leaving her faith somewhat begrudgingly in the hands of Hermione and her brain, she apparated back home, half convincing herself that she was giving Andromeda a chance to prove she'd change by trusting her with Hermione.

If Bella had remained in Diagon Alley, she would have seen that trust was short lived.

After finishing delicious sandwiches and moving on to cups of tea, there was a lull in the flowing conversation in which Andy tilted her head and looked at Hermione with a strange look in her eye.

"So, I hear you met Bella on the Knight Bus"

Hermione put down her cup of tea and smiled

"Yeah, she sat next to me… it feels like a lifetime ago now!"

There was another brief pause as Andromeda let a small sad smile play on her lips before she spoke again

"You know, I was meant to go out that night…"

Hermione looked at her curiously

"Oh I didn't make it because of Nymphadora. Things were… are, a bit all over the place"

Hermione thought for a moment

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No… Thank you dear, that's quite kind of you to offer. Although, I must admit I didn't bring this up to elicit your sympathies, thought they are appreciated nonetheless"

"Oh?"

"I am simply curious you see…"

Andromeda leant forward slightly, and took the brunette's hand in her own as she continued to talk

"…about what might have happened, if I had been there that night."

Hermione was staring at the warm soft hand holding her own

"Oh"

It came out as more of a squeak than anything else.

A/N Welcome back to the infinitely fabulous WrinaBlack.

Thank you Guest, WrinaBlack, unguidedlight and Darkshadow-lord! You have my eternal appreciation.