Hey guys, sorry this chapter is so short but I just felt that it needed to be this way. I promise there is much more coming soon! Happy 4th to my American readers ^-^.
Hermione felt as if her heart had stopped beating. After realizing that he had been seen, Ron Weasley had stepped out from behind the bush he was previously hiding behind and was now standing face to face with the two witches.
"What the fuck is he doing here?!" Bellatrix spat, pointing furiously with her wand, which was now drawn.
Hermione ignored Bellatrix. She was busy staring daggers at Ron. Her brow furrowed into an expression of pure anger and betrayal and tears began to well up in her eyes.
"Ron!" she stamped her foot. "What are you doing?!"
Ron's ears went very pink. For a moment, he looked very afraid. His eyes darted between Hermione and Bellatrix's furious faces and he cleared his throat. However, it was then that a look of confidence and determination washed over his otherwise trembling face.
"I came to see if it was true," he said in a low, serious tone. "About you and her." He gestured to Bellatrix and then to Hermione.
"So you spied on us?!" Hermione asked, her voice cracking and her lower lip trembling ever so slightly. "Ron, how could you do that?! This is a complete invasion of my privacy!"
"How can you let yourself be seen with her?!" Ron cried, ignoring Hermione's question. "She's a monster! A manipulative, savage, whore!"
Bellatrix's eyes blazed with hatred and her fists clenched so tightly that the skin of her knuckles came close to breaking. She broke her unreturned eye contact with the redheaded wizard and turned to see Hermione's eyes filling with tears. The dark witch felt a burning twinge of pain in her heart and clenched her fists tighter yet.
"Give him to me!" she shouted suddenly in a bloodthirsty cry. "I'll take care of him right now." Bellatrix swept over and snatched Ron from behind, bringing her wand to the pulse point on his neck and pressing hard.
"Ahh!" Ron cried. "Make her stop! Hermione! Make her put me down!"
Hermione surprised herself when the next words came out of her mouth. "Shut up!" she cried. "She'll put you down when I want her to!"
Ron gulped loudly and shut his mouth, turning suddenly very pale.
"You have no right to say such horrible things about Bella!" She cried infuriatedly. "And I will not stand here and take your criticism."
Hermione was taken back by her own sudden self-confidence and ability to fight back. She had always taken Ron's mean jokes and abuse as if she deserved it, retreating to her own private corner where she could cry into a book. But things were different now. This was her girlfriend he was talking about. And not only was he insulting Bellatrix but he was insulting Hermione herself, and the last thing she was going to do was stand there and take it.
"You see that?!" she shouted, pointing at Bellatrix. "That's my girlfriend! And there's nothing you can do about it!"
Bellatrix couldn't help but smile when Hermione referred to her as her girlfriend. She had never heard her say it before.
"How could you betray me like this?" she continued.
"Betray you?" Ron scoffed, regaining his confidence. "We're the one's who've been betrayed, Hermione! Can't you see that?! Can't you see what she's done to you?!"
There was a moment of heavy silence.
"Bella," Hermione said suddenly, her voice much quieter. "Let him go."
"But- but-" Bellatrix sputtered, looking wildly desperate.
"Put him down," she said quietly, gesturing softly with her hand.
Bellatrix groaned but let Ron go, crossing her arms and huffing and puffing and she walked back over to Hermione where she stood in the corner, looking very much like a small child who did not get the new toy she wanted.
"What do you mean, you're the ones who've been betrayed?" Hermione asked, eyeing Ron closely.
"I would've thought of all people you would have figured that out," he spat. "You know, since you know everything and all."
Hermione looked as if someone had stabbed her in the heart and was now twisting the dagger.
"How could you be so selfish?" he cracked. "Have you even thought about how this effects Harry? Or me for that matter? Hermione, this woman killed Harry's only chance of having a family. She's killed and tortured all sorts of people. Her goal in life is to rid the world of –dare I say it- mudbloods like yourself!"
Hermione had begun to cry, hot tears were streaming down her face and for once in her life, she had nothing to say, so instead of speaking she just stood there and waited for Ron to continue.
"Have you not realized that this 'girlfriend' of yours is second in command in an operation to kill your best friend? How can you even live with yourself?"
"It's not like I'm helping her!" Hermione shouted, finally finding her voice. "If anything, I'm making things better!"
"Oh yeah?" he laughed in disbelief. "I didn't see you do anything in Bourgin and Burkes when she was exchanging weird objects with that shifty guy behind the counter!"
Hermione shuddered at the immediate image of eyes watching her from behind the shelf. It had been Ron there in the shop with them. He was watching them the whole time.
"You shouldn't have even been there!" she cried. "Why is it so important to you that you find out what I've been doing with her anyway?!"
Ron went scarlet. "I- I just don't like seeing you with her!" he sputtered, his cheeks turning even rosier.
"Can't you see what she's done to you?" he continued, trying to change the subject. "You're a completely different person! You can't even see what's right anymore can you?"
"I can see perfectly well, Ron! I know who I am and I know what's right! I don't need you telling me right from wrong!"
"Good!" Ron cried. "Then you'll stop seeing her and come stay with me and Harry!"
"HEY!" there was a sudden shout.
Bellatrix had returned from her stubborn tantrum over not getting to kill Ron, and was blazing with fury.
"DON'T YOU TALK TO HER LIKE THAT!" she screamed.
The dark witch pushed past Hermione and stood face to face with Ron. Well, face to face more or less. Ron was a solid 5 inches taller than Bellatrix, though she was intimidating enough to scare him.
Her eyes practically caught fire as she stared Ron in the face, challenging him with her gaze. She drew her dagger from her cloak and ran it lightly over his chest as she walked around him in a circle.
Ron tensed up and shut his eyes tight as he thought he was going to be cut, but the dagger did not break the skin.
"What authority do you have over her?" she challenged. "Huh? Who put you in charge?!"
She smiled wickedly as she ran the flat side of the dagger over the redhead's chin. Hermione stood just a few feet away, watching, totally unsure of what to do or how to respond.
"I've seen you Weasleys around," she started. "Filthy excuse for pure-bloods." She spat in his face.
"Tell me, Weasley," she said. "Why does your good-for-nothing mother keep popping out kids if she can't even afford decent robes?"
"Bella!" Hermione cried suddenly. "Stop it!"
Bellatrix did not move the knife from Ron's neck but shifted her weight to her other leg and rolled her eyes, putting a hand on her hip. "But he deserves it!" she argued.
Hermione gave Bellatrix a disapproving glance and she returned the knife to her cloak. However, she continued to stand guard over him, incase he happened to lash out.
Ron collected himself and cleared his throat. It was clear his pride had been damaged by Bellatrix's remarks. "I'm out of here," he spoke. He took a hesitant step, looking back at Bellatrix to make sure she was not on his tail.
He turned to look at Hermione one last time before leaving. "You'll come 'round eventually," he said solemnly. "And when you do, you know where to find me."
Those were his last words before he took off, out of the narrow side alley and into the crowded street.
Bellatrix growled and spit in his direction as he walked off.
"Come on," she said, taking Hermione's arm. "Let's go."
Hermione was pale and speechless. She slowly nodded and allowed Bellatrix to take her away, but inside she felt empty. The whole world seemed hazy and far away.
Ron may have been blinded by his own jealousy, enough to drive him to spy on her and Bellatrix that day, but there was method to his madness, an unforgiving truth in his declarations.
War was coming… and Hermione no longer knew which side she had taken.