Twin Dragon Heartstrings.

Author: Ladyfun (with guest beta chrisdenvl).

Pairing: Bellatrix/Hermione...and...Fleur and Narcissa.

Rating: This one here...NOT so PG-13. You've been warned. More like the M flavor.

Disclaimers: All of this (Ladyfun9 gesturing big wide circles over the computer with her hand) belongs to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing, and this is all for non-profit fun.

SUMMARY: After the Battle of Hogwarts, the Golden Trio's messiah-like status changes their lives forever; only Hermione remains skeptical about their new fame. When it becomes obvious who the real leader was of the group, Hermione feels choked by her own fame and inexorably is drawn toward the last person expected: Bellatrix Black. Hermione loses herself to the dark mistress. Fortunately, things have a way of working themselves out. Endgame: Bellamione. (Thank to the content Beta, chrisdenvl)

A/N: OKAY HOLY CRAP... Enough with the Pox, Rape, and Pillaging on the House of Ladyfun! Cease and Desist! I TOLD you people who to blame! And unfortunately, the brilliant yet sociopathic Beta was actually right. Before you lynch the Beta, read this chapter first, and know that they were actually together in a much more primitive version. Its much better as a result, and it was an excellent editing suggestion. Look, it's not easy to Beta for someone (like, I don't know...ME.) who cannot spell Drumstrang right no matter how many times I'm told to do so. However, thank you everyone, for expressing all your varied feelings on the topic, especially to those lurkers who have been lurking along peacefully until last chapter then came out of the woodwork to review. [ I'm not mentioning any names, but Purple-Ketchup, gingasawus, Roselia Rose, stav jacobi 1986, and my personal fav, IntelligentPrincess (who was reading in the car with her mother ?) come to mind]. Look, it's how I know the Beta was right. If you haven't read future shocks by chrisdenvl you really should! Those of you more vocal reviewers, I will address all of your specific commentary elsewhere...I don't know. Maybe at the bottom? After I get a good heaping dose of some therapy, I think.

CHAPTER XX. COURAGE OF A LION, HEART OF A CHAMPION.

It was eerie, being at Hogwarts, with it so empty.

The bulk of the student body was at the Dueling arena in Greece; only a hand full of people were left at the heavily warded Hogwarts. So heavily warded, that there was no way in, and no way out.

And it was driving Fleur Delacour mental.

She was forced to pace in Minerva's office, staring at the eclectic group that had taken residence in the Headmistress' office. Even with Harry there, it still felt so much like something was missing.

And Fleur knew that it was just as important to protect Harry, for he was as much of a symbolic target as Hermione was, she resented him now, in this moment.

He was keeping her from the arena, where she was itching to do something.

The people she cared most about, in the whole world, save Narcissa, were in that dueling arena in Greece! Her first "puppy love," lay dead, gutted like an animal on the 2nd Piste; her sister and her mate Narcissa's son were there; and tugging most at her heart, surprisingly, was her unexpected best friend, the former death eater Bellatrix Lestrange. The Veela intuitively knew the pain the solitary woman must be feeling now, alone at the arena, force to watch the butchers who killed Hermione parade her body around. Bella, like Fleur, had many emotional walls built up; it wasn't often someone was able to scale those heights. In a short amount of time, Hermione had done just that. She had given something very dangerous to the former Death Eater.

Hope.

The Veela underneath Fleur's skin was clawing to come out.

Fleur tried to push these feelings down, under the surface, because she needed her Veela for something else, right now. A job for the Veela that she and Gaby shared...and in order to do that, she needed to be calm, and focus. However, having gone through puberty and living with a fully grown Veela inside of her, it was proving hard to be rational.

She wanted to kill those...Petit tabernacs...dead. Claw their brains out of their skulls! Fleur gnashed her teeth.

Harry watched her, concerned. Fleur was rubbing her temples, attempting to calm herself.

This is precisely why I am here, and Gaby is there...Fleur thought to herself, Veela can have a mind of their own, to put it kindly.

"Stop, Fleur!" Admonished Narcissa. "You must calm down...you know the transformation is fed by strong emotions! I beg you, gather yourself, and calm down! I don't really think Harry, Tonks, poor Brady, Minerva, and Viktor want to deal with two crazed Veelas on top of everything else, right now!"

Brady, who had accompanied the Aurors, Kurt's older brother, and other assorted ministry officials back to Hogwarts, looked between the two women nervously. Draco had told him stories of the Veela in their transformed killer bird configuration; once his mother almost clawed his eye out, accidentally. She was only now starting to learn how to control herself in that form.

"Vat? Two Veela?" Viktor asked, confused.

The other half of Auror Team One explained it to Krum. "Cissy is afraid zat if I lose control...transform...she will do so as well. She is...how you say...helpless when zat happens. Ze pull to be with ze other one iz too primal of an urge."

"I think he meant," Harry explained gently, "that he was unaware there was another Veela present in the room."

"Oh." Fleur said, Nonchalantly.

He pointed one finger at Cissy, raising his eyebrow in inquiry, which she confirmed. "Wow!" He said, looking at Fleur. "Did you know zat, at ze time you bonded with Ms. Black?" He asked, politely.

"Non." Fleur replied.

Nodding, Auror Team 1 Agent Krum replied to Auror Team 1 Agent Delacour, "Meaning no disrespect, Fleur, that explains vy your vife iz very good-looking..."

Fleur gave him the stink-eye.

"...and totally not my type, unfortunately." He finished, smoothly. He flashed a charming smile at her.

Fleur nodded back to her partner, satisfied.

The group sat in their stunned silence for a few minutes more, bathing in their sorrow marinade. Joined, intermittently, by Tonks, who had been assigned as the head of the security detail for Hogwarts; and the Junior Healer, though not a Hogwarts alumni, had grown fond of all of them, and was clearly affected. The most traumatized, however, was the stoic witch who sat in the raised desk, gazing out the window, silent.

Minerva McGonagall had yet to say a word, in fact, all afternoon. A detail noticed, of course, by Harry.

He slid has chair over to the older witch, looking silently out the window onto the grounds of Hogwarts.

"Headmistress?" He asked, gently.

He took in the woman, suddenly looking...beyond her age. Old. It appeared the years had all caught up with Minerva, all at once, with the fall of the Golden Girl; she blamed herself, for not standing up for Hermione. Her favorite student, bar none; a young woman she had watched blossom before her eyes, and who had evolved into a colleague an ally, and of course, her friend.

She blamed Albus, and all of them, the entire Order, really; for using the students of Hogwarts, and specifically, Harry and Hermione ...to save the world, over and over. History was repeating itself. Once again, the adults were looking to a child, a mere girl of eighteen, to pull a miracle out of her robes yet again. Looking for her to find the answers, when sometimes the answers were just ...unknowable.

Sometimes, there just weren't solutions to the world's problems. She reached down, sipping her tepid cup of tea. She looked at her innocuous biscotti that she hadn't eaten, from this morning; what she wouldn't give to return to that time.

Breakfast.

Minerva sighed, her glassy eyes red rimmed from crying, earlier. "Headmistress?" Harry repeated, this time a bit more insistent.

"I remember," she said, quietly. "The first time I transfigured on Privet Lane, to come retrieve you; and I also remember, the first time I watched Hermione's parents stick the strangest looking things into other Muggle's mouths. "Dental instruments," she explained to me, later. So odd!"

She looked at Harry, without really looking at him. "I remember being so struck, back then... how these ordinary Muggles, leading their less than spectacular lives, in some cases..." she looked at Harry pointedly, "were hosting some of the greatest wizards, that would ever live...right under their noses."

She sighed.

Without a bit of irony, she concluded. "The-Boy-Who-Lived, and the Twin Dragon. History will judge for certain, but I dare say, will mark you two as the greatest wizards of all time. Livings amongst the Muggles, like ordinary people."

Harry cleared his throat. "Headmistress...um. We are, actually, just ordinary people. Hermione and I."

McGonagall looked at him, perplexed. "Hardly."

"No. With all due respect, Headmistress, you are dead wrong." He paused, taking an important breath. "The thing Hermione and I always understood, is that the two of us are no different than anyone else. We are ordinary. What is extraordinary about us, is that we have no great powers, not really; but Hermione and I...we've always tried to sort it out; to take what we have and make the best of it."

The fact that he had left Ron out of that equation, although noticed, was tactfully ignored by the Head Witch.

She nodded. "Once again, the children lead the way. You are correct, Harry." She sighed.

"Minerva..." He said, using her first name as he rarely did. "I know you loved Hermione, as your own. I know that."

The tremendous pain on Minerva's face was heartbreaking.

Harry continued. "Which is why I'm breaking a tiny promise to her...a small one. I'm just going to say, don't ever count Hermione Granger out." He said, fingering his D.A. coin. "Even in death." he said, with a wink.

She looked at him evenly. "And why, Mr. Potter, are those words of a broken promise?"

"Because Hermione and Bella suspected there was a traitor within our ranks, Headmistress."

The Headmistress rolled her eyes. Not satisfied with that, she opted to smack him on the side of the head, with her bare hands. Casting a silencing charm over them, she spoke sternly to Harry.

"Mr. Potter, and what if I were the traitor?"

"But..."

"You are lucky, young man, that I am not! So lucky, in fact, that I was the one who actually brought this to Bella's attention, and not the actual traitor amongst our ranks that you were so quick to mention! " She looked at him pointedly. "Because if I was, Mr. Potter, you could very well have her blood on your hands! Trust no one...yet."

"Its just...you looked so sad!"

She straightened up her appearance, looking like herself. There was no trace of sadness. His jaw dropped. Arching her eyebrows, she said, "Potter, you don't get to where I am in life, without a a few significant acting chops! I could be on that Downton Abby show you muggles adore, without question, after dealing with those idiots from the ministry and all of the entitled parents as long as I have!"

Harry imagined the Headmistress watching a squirreled away telly to catch Masterpiece Theatre, and it actually seemed totally plausible to him. He was brought out of his musings when the Headmistress asked,

"Anyway...what's that muggle saying about lips and ships?"

Embarrassed, getting the intent of her question, he answered, "Loose lips sink ships."

"You would be best advised to remember those words, Mr. Potter!" She admonished, while taking down the wards, before drawing any attention to them.

XOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOOXXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Beasts!" His eyes narrowed, filled with hate. "You will learn your place! The Golden Girl is dead! Hear me and know that there is no one left who will stand up for you!" The four wizards shot sparks indiscriminately in the directions of various creatures, exacerbating the already panicked crowd.

"A new world order will be installed, securing the world, rightfully, back to the Wizards from whom it was taken! You have heard whispers of us...we have waited. Unite Now, wizarding world! Rising once more, all of the non-wizarding world will bow, once again, to the Priori d'Ingeniares!"

It had the desired effect.

Screams, gasps, and terror was heard and definitively palpable throughout the arena at the proclamation. Gaby turned to Ginny and Draco, not understanding. She whispered, "C'est quoi? Vat is zis 'Priori d'Ingeniares,' Draco?" His face was a horrified mask. She turned to the person next to him. "S'il vous plait, Ginny?"

Ginny bowed her head, speaking in a low, quiet voice to the young witch. "The Priori is a rumored secret society, Gaby. It is thought to have started in Western Europe in 1137, or possibly before. It is a secret society of men, who restore "order" to the world...kind of like the four horsemen of the apocalypse." Her voice was shaking.

Neville continued, his voice more steady than Ginny's. "Most people think they're a hoax, but actually, there is some good evidence to show that it's actually the Priori themselves who have planted much of that disinformation, actually."

The young Veela was confused. "So...where are zey? Home base is...ou-est? I understand not, it escapes me. Why do zey care about 'ermione?"

This was a conversation too ripe for Ms. Luna Lovegood to pass up. In the most blasé way possible, she said, "Excellent questions, Gabrielle. They live in palaces; they exist as the heads of Government; and influential members of every parliament. Induction brings extreme wealth, it is rumored. So...they are everywhere, they are no where."

"Like ze tooth fairy?"

Luna smiled, a radiant smile. "Yes, exactly like the tooth fairy, without the killing."

"But I still do not understand, Mademoiselle! It duzent make sense! Why 'ermione?" She said, insistently. The young witch was sincerely trying to comprehend the unthinkable.

A voice spoke up that the Hogwarts students did not expect to answer.

"That's the key question, Gabrielle, and I applaud your ability to drill down to the only question that matters. Ten points to Beauxbatons!" She attempted a wan smile, coming off only as a grimace. "So, your question...why Hermione? Well... it was partly because she was the anthesis of everything they are." Bellatrix said, the edge unmistakable.

Every head, snapped up, looking at the surprisingly calm Dark Witch. Her shoulders sagged, but her jaw was still up, proud, and reminiscent of those with her breeding and wealthy station in life.

Her eyes, however, looked dead.

Draco and Ginny internally winced as they took in Bella's appearance; Neville had to look away altogether, so he wouldn't cry in front of the powerful witch he had fashioned into his mentor, of sorts.

The Coach continued explaining, ticking off on her fingers as she went. "A female, for one. An ordinary Muggle-born, for another. An unapologetic advocate for equal rights; oh, and lets not forget the important fact that she was a person that was literally indestructible in her faith. That was the nail in the coffin. She could not be corrupted...Hermione Granger was incorruptible." The Coach said, a tired look on her face.

Bella was grim as she proclaimed, "Being someone who could not be persuaded by money, fame, or power, was bad enough. More importantly, she couldn't be conversely scared by anything, or tortured, either. In short, this ball of determination and perseverance was someone terrifying to them. They had to get rid of her, before they ...couldn't get rid of her."

Gaby still looked confused. "Why vould zis group care, Madame Black, if zey are so powerful, about a schoolgirl? No offense, may she rest in peace..." Gaby said quickly, lowering her head.

They nodded, all agreeing. Bellatrix laughed, bitterly, at the miss of the "big picture."

With a hard edged statement that would explain her demise, Bella said, "They didn't care about Hermione Granger, the schoolgirl, fools! They cared about who Hermione Granger was going to be!"

Neville cocked his head, feeling like they were on to something. "Bella. Tell us." He inquired, gently. "Who was it that Hermione is...I mean, was...going to be?"

She swiveled her head up to him.

"Isn't it obvious, Neville? Though it doesn't matter much now..." She looked away. Without facing them, she answered the question on all on their minds.

"The reason she was a threat, was because Hermione Granger was being groomed to become -and was going to become -the youngest Minister of Magic, in Britain's history! Not today, but not too far off in the near future. Should this come to pass, it would present a real threat to their 'world order.' Think about it - someone who cannot be influenced assumes command of the most powerful ministry in the wizarding world."

"But...she hasn't even taken her NEWTs, yet!" Ginny stuttered in protest. "Isn't that expecting a little much of her?"

Bella shook her head. "Ginny," she said gently. "She passed them with flying colors a long time ago. She's been in-processing, secretly, at the Ministry for months now, getting her clearance and her paperwork in order. Her confirmation hearings for Senior Undersecretary to the Minister were going to be the week of graduation."

They gasped. It was all...true, apparently.

"Bonkers, that's just bloody bonkers!" Draco said, emotion raging inside him. "Why has she been spending all those hours in the library, then, with Gin, Neville, and Luna and I, huh? If she's already allegedly passed these NEWTs, as you claim!" He said, angrily.

Bella looked at him gently. "Because she wanted you to ace it, Draco. That's why. Trust me, I can think of a thousand filthy things I'd rather she did, to make better use of that time...and none of them involve you, no offense, dear nephew!"

Tears had formed in the young man's eyes. Bella was worried she hurt his "sensitive little feelings" and groaned internally.

"Damn it! I'm not done, Aunt Bella!" He wailed, in utter desolation. "I'm just not done, being her friend...her being my friend! It's so bloody unfair! We just started...we just started..." he said, in frustration at his loss, slamming his fists against the invisible wall.

In the blink of an eye, the stern Coach was gone, and standing before him was his Aunt. She gripped him in her arms, hugging him for dear life. Tears were rolling down both of their faces as he gripped her back.

"I know it." Bella said, collecting herself. "It is ...so. fucking. unfair." Kissing him on the crown of his head, she murmured, "If its any consolation, she felt the same way about you, Draco. You meant so much to her...and believe it or not, it was you that made her feel not so...out of place."

"Really?"

"Really."

Pulling herself away from the young Slytherin, she looked at the inner circle. "Team...look. It is extremely unfair. While we won't get her back, my dear Hogwarts, there are things that can be done to feel better. For example, I am about to teach you the rather satisfying feeling of torturing the enemy as a means of ... improving one's morale!" She said, mysteriously.

"Hell, yeah!" Luna chipped in, shocking the others. "They deserve it, filthy bastards! What do we do, Coach? No time like the present...let's roll!"

It was every bad muggle war movie that Luna had ever seen put together in a long string of cliches.

Comical context aside, Luna's eyes no longer looked dreamy. They looked angry. She never willingly existed in reality, unfortunately, Hermione's death was subconsciously the thing that brought her down. Luna's eyes no longer had that wistful, far away appearance to them. Not any more. Now, She looked only like someone desolate and hostile, for that's exactly what she was.

She wasn't mad for herself, so much, as the sudden realization, courtesy Bella, of the way Hermione would have shaped the world, had she had the chance. Now, that chance was gone.

People like Harry, Hermione, and whats his name, were once in a lifetime, Luna realized. She knew her friend "Hermione Granger", would never come this way again, and now she knew what it would actually cost to the rest of the world.

And that pissed Luna Lovegood off. Tremendously.

"That's the spirit!" Bella grinned. "So these fuckers have us caged in, roof and walls, right?"

The posse nodded.

Bella grinned. "Anyone check the cellar, lately?"

With a look of realization, they all attempted to look nonchalantly at their feet. Each of them came to the important realization that there was no floor! They could tunnel out of this trap!

"What's the plan, Bella?" Ginny said, enthusiastically.

Before Bella could detail her idea to break out, a voice was back.

"Each of us are representatives for the original countries of the Priori. We are from The United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Spain, and Russia! But there are many, many more of us. We will move to begin "Creature registration" by early next year. Every creature will have a serial number and tracking device on them, in five years time! We will make this happen, with the permission of the local government, or..." His voice trailed off, as he pointed his wand at Kingsley Shacklebolt, "without it."

Gasps broke out throughout the crowd, and large volumes of "Boos!" were heard. People attempted throwing things, hexing, or otherwise getting at their magical restraints, all to no avail.

The voice laughed, and then a deafening BOOM! was heard, as thousands of bolts of lightning shot to the sky, silencing the crowd.

"Do you think you can stop our creature registration? Think again, you pitiful wizards, powerless and willing to relinquish your magic to those less qualified than you! And if the creatures think anyone can or will stand in our way, know this: Hermione Granger is dead! Harry Potter will be next! So ask yourselves this, Creatures..." He called out, as he laughed, cruelly. "Ash yourselves, who will stand for you now? There is no one! Hear me! NO ONE!"

He laughed, while nervous titters filled the stands. "Creatures! You inferior beasts...with Hermione Granger gone, where is your champion, now?"

The following events happened so quickly, if you blinked, you would've missed it.

"RIGHT HERE, asshole!"

One of the hooded figures, furthest to the right on the piste, shouted the reply. Before the lead figure could react, the upstart figure who had issued the brash salvo, cast a decisive spell.

"INCARCROUS!"

Bella watched, in utter disbelief, and the crowd began chanting and cheering, wildly.

All four wizards were simultaneously and violently knocked to the ground, immediately bound by magical ropes from the Incarcrous spell! The crowd grew more raucous as the dissenting figure cast a flurry of spells, one right after another, causing the four other wizards to be concurrently disarmed, bound, and gagged. As a final touch, the leader-figure was spelled unconscious, for good measure.

The rogue figure from the end was now holding aloft in their gloved hand, four wands, amidst the sounds of profligate cheering from the relieved crowd!

Then in one swift move, the figure broke all four of them, all at once, across a bent right knee. The crowd immediately recognized the signature move, and the noise escalated to deafening within the arena.

They were cheering, whistling, and hollering. The figure paused, removing robes, armbands, and the final piece de resistance...the hood. The hood off, the identity of the savior, the insubordinate figure from the Priori, was finally revealed to the onlooking crowd.

They already knew the identity of the rogue Priori member, however; even before the hood was lifted to reveal...

Hermione Granger.

Despite being bloodied and bruised, the Golden Girl was unmistakably very much alive. The stadium burst into even louder assaults of cheers, as Hermione raised her arms to the sky. Her eyes immediately found Bella's terrified ones, and gave her a smile, and a cheeky wink. She then looked at Kreacher and Winky, who had seemingly "reappeared" out of nowhere, and blew them a kiss.

Wizards disarmed, the shields fell. Quickly, Aurors, other international law enforcement personnel, and Ministry officials all rushed to the piste, to collect the prisoners. The crowd watched the heap on the ground that they had thought was the Golden Girl transfigured back into a rather ugly looking middle aged man, now very convincingly dead. As Hermione detailed key information to the law enforcement folks of what exactly happened inside the tent, the press could be seen straining to listen in. The 4 wizards were taken away, leaving Hermione standing there, alone. Alone...Until pandemonium set in, that is. The tournament officials swooped in, and the voice augmentation was heard.

"May I please have your attention?" The announcer called, as confetti in Hogwarts' colors was released from the sky, music playing while the head judge stepped to the piste.

The arena hushed as the head judge cleared his throat. "Unbeknownst to us, Ms. Granger was battling not just the opponent from Portugal, but apparently a great deal else! Can I ask the crowd...would you please extend your applause, as we award the title of the 337th Secondary School Dueling Champion in the All-Around Category.."

The announcer was getting warmed up for this once in a lifetime announcement. The crowd was beginning to drown him out.

"...From the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft And Wizardry,"

The Drumstrang kettle drums were going; the Beauxbatons were singing. And Hermione's school? Hogwarts was inventing a new definition of mad.

"...Coached by this year's Dueling Coach of the Year, Coach Bellatrix Black..."

The crowd hollered, while the Hogwarts team all aimed to the ceiling and set off a 21 wand salute,leaving multi-colored sparks shooting upwards to the sky.

"Join me in congratulating this year's Champion of Wizarding Secondary School Dueling in the All-Around Category ...a truly historic victory... the 7th year from Hogwarts, your Golden Girl, Ms. Hermione Jean Granger!"

The crowd applauded wildly, giving Hogwarts a standing O.

Hermione, however, appeared to be waiting. She was hesitating, not stepping onto the piste to receive her award. Her brown eyes looked around, finally landing on her target. She smiled, as Kreacher rushed to the piste, handing Hermione some object.

The crowd strained their eyes to see what it was...

A wand.

Hermione grabbed it, smiling and mouthing "thank you" to Kreacher. The Golden Girl then returned to the piste, finally stepping up to the judge on the stand. She performed her three mandatory salutes, with her newly acquired wand.

Looking closely, someone from the Durmstrang crowd identified the wand, yelling proudly. "That's Kurt's wand!" Drumstrang went even more insane, if that was possible, cheering for the first woman to win the tournament in history.

Hermione had closed out the tournament in a most fitting manner, using Kurt's wand.

She honored her fallen friend.

Salutes complete, she composed her face into something befitting a champion. With a stoic visage, Hermione acknowledged the judges, and headed down the piste, exhausted, looking for the only thing that would bring her any semblance of relief in this moment:

Her Dragon.

She frowned, momentarily, seeing a group of wizards flock her, in very official looking robes and long parchment paper. It almost resembled a contract, sort off. She watched Bella having a heated argument with the "Dress Robe" group, concluding with her witch throwing the parchment in his face.

He didn't follow her, immediately, in that moment; but he would catch up with her eventually, and Bella would later take the parchment back from him, a scowl on her face, signing it as Hermione asked her to do; but that would come later.

For now, the tournament was finally over, and there were some celebrations in order.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXOOXXO

The return to Hogwarts was overwhelming.

Traveling anywhere in the UK in the wizarding world was close to impossible, the celebrations were so lively. Hermione tried to shrug it off, but it was a little impossible to ignore, and at one point they thought the magical train that brought them there would get tipped over, the zeal of the fans so passionate!

Getting back to Hogwarts was a relief, and it was set up for full celebration mode, complete with traveling butter beer stands and food as far as the eyes could see. The Weird Sisters were playing in the Great Hall, and classes were cancelled the next day in honor of the Hogwarts Dueling Team's unprecedented success. The students had taken to calling it "Hermione Granger day" which the namesake herself was absolutely mortified by; Bella however, was very amused, kissing her young witch's cheek which was flush with embarrassment.

However, in all the festivities, no one noticed five figures slipping out of the evenings celebration at the Great Hall, heading off to a secret meeting in an even more secret locale.

The 4 witches and 1 wizard spoke quietly amongst themselves, in the Room of Requirement, comparing notes.

"Are you sure? Absolutely sure?" Bella huffed.

"Mais, oui! How many times to I have to say zat? Oui, oui, oui, oui!" Fleur said, frustrated.

"Good people, we are all exhausted." Minerva said, in a fatigued voice. "Gaby and Fleur have spoken. No one showed the trace."

"Is it possible...do you think you were wrong, Headmistress?" Hermione said, gently.

Bella growled. "That was a fuck of a lot of work if you weren't sure, Minerva."

"No kidding!" Hermione agreed. "Although, look, instincts have saved our lives before."

Minerva shook her head. She knew she wasn't wrong. "Fleur," She said tentatively, "Is there any chance there could be something confounding your Veela magic, under these circumstances?"

"Non! Ridicule!" Fleur said, getting pissed.

Bella laid a calming hand on her shoulder. "Calm it, little Veela babe. The Headmistress isn't questioning you, she's just asking...is there anything that could have thrown you off? Certain conditions, temperature, whatnot?"

Gaby appeared to be concentrating hard.

The wizard in the room cleared his voice, speaking up finally. "Ladies. If I am to understand correctly, Fleur and Gaby should have seen someone florescence a certain color - in this case, orange - if they were the trader?"

"Orange is ze color of betrayal." Gaby said, quietly. "It will come out with stong emotion. Veela can see ze colors."

"So, Hermione's death- or appearance of such - should have triggered that. Does it look differently on different species? Did you look in the stands, Gaby? At the house elves? Well, was there anyone even a little orange?"

"Non." Fleur said, definitively.

"It should be ze same." Gaby said, glumly. "In fact, the creatures all fluoresced blue, ze color of loyalty. Ze house elves were ze most blue, in fact. Bright blue! But..." she said, hesitantly. "...there was somezing. I did not want to mention, I ... I was not certain..." Gaby looked hesitant.

"What is it, Miss Delacour?" Minerva said, holding her breath.

"I did see flecks of orange..."

"Now she tells us!" Hollered Bella, melodramatically, throwing her arms up in the air.

"...on ze bottom of ze shoes..."

"Curious!" Hermione muttered. "The soles of someone's shoes? Whose shoes?"

"She's trying to tell us, if everyone would be quiet!" Harry said, smiling. "Go ahead, Gaby. Whose shoes?"

With a painful look to Harry, Gaby sadly revealed the name in a whispered tone.

"Ginny Weasley." The young Veela said, sadly, and hung her head, low. It pained her to say it. She liked the red-headed witch, very much. Worse, she knew Hermione loved the boisterous and often fearless girl like a sister she never had.

Wrenching her stomach further, was the Veela in her that knew that she was Harry Potter's rightful mate.

Harry and Hermione both jumped to their feet. "Impossible!" They both called out, angrily.

Fleur instinctively put her arm around her little sister in a protective gesture, Gaby's eyes downcast, still. The two Veela spoke rapidly in French, which much to her surprise, Hermione understood. The long and short of it, Fleur verified she had used her intuit skills correctly, confirming that she had.

Harry's face was red. "There is no way...no way that Ginny Weasley is the trader! You might bloody well as well go and say Hermione is, that's so preposterous! Ginny would lay down her life, for either one of us, any day of the week!" He cast an angry glare at the young girl.

"Back off, Potter." Hissed Fleur, in warning, arms still around her sister.

Minerva raised her hand, bringing the group to a pause. "That," she murmured, "was what I suspected."

Harry and Hermione both looked at her, aghast. Hermione shook her head, in disbelief.

Bella was pacing. Her eyes met Minerva's. Bella's instincts had kept many alive, including herself, and her instincts were kicking into overdrive. She looked at Minerva knowingly.

Bella spoke, calmly. "Fan your nut sack, Potter! Minerva's not saying that Ginny is the trader. Because she's not." Bella paced the room some more, thinking. "However, the orange residue on her shoes is telling. I suspect that to have traces of this "betrayal," as you Veela call it, on your shoes, as residue...well, you had to have walked though something so steeped in betrayal...for it to contaminate you. It must have been something ripe with it, in excess." Bella waited for them to connect the dots.

Hermione and Harry looked at each other, eyes widening. Bella, however, was scanning Fleur, Hermione, and Harry. The tactical witch spoke again.

Looking at those three, Bella asked, "Fleur, when was the last time you talked to Bill? Harry, how about Ron?" Turning to the Headmistress, she asked, "What about the grown up Weasels, Minerva? Had any 'parent-teacher' conferences lately?"

Gaby looked at Bellatrix, a little scared.

"Oh my God..." Hermione's voice trailed off. "How were we so stupid?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOX

"I smelt her...on you, Hermione."

Finally alone, in their room, the dark witch looked a very "controlled angry." That was a dangerous state of being for the younger and exhausted Gryffindor. Hermione shifted, almost imperceptibly. The All-Around champion cast a wary glance at her mentor, and threw all of her stuff on the ground, ready for a storm-off.

"We don't have to actually talk about ...whatever. Whatever this is, right now." Hermione said, clearly wearied.

"No. Now is fine. " Bella retorted, coldly.

Hermione looked at her incredulously. "Bella, really? "Now" is fine for you, right now. "Now" is not fine for me, however! Great Merlin, Bella! It's late! I'm so...exhausted." Hermione's face conveyed the utter truth of her statement. "From every cell of my body, I mean it when I say, I'm exhausted. And you want to run me over the coals for this? You chose "now" ...really, Bella?

Hermione shook her head.

The dark witch set her jaw, in response.

Hermione, who ordinarily was never this short with her lover, was too fatigued to tend to Bella's massive insecurities in this moment. Annoyance began to creep into Hermione's tone. "There isn't anything to talk about, anyway. Don't make an issue where there isn't one. So what? I took a gift from a dying woman, a woman I should mention was madly in love with her then dying male fiancée, and what? You have a problem with that?"

"You looked like you were fucking snogging her on the pit!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, and merely looked away, in response. She remained defiantly silent.

Bella was stunned. Ordinarily, Hermione was so adept at quelling Bella's demons; despite her gift for pushing all the wrong buttons. It wouldn't matter. Hermione would just seem to know...and know what to do to calm her. No matter the inane insecurity, be it she wasn't young enough, she wasn't untarnished enough, she didn't "fit" with Hermione's people...any of those things of which Bella was sure were cataclysmic, the young witch would manage to ward away with a maturity that belied her actual age.

She was like a human Patronus concocted just for Bella to calm and reassure her in those dark moments.

However, standing before her in the Professor's quarters, Hermione wasn't calming her. She wasn't reassuring her. And that made the former Death Eater even more worried. The Head Girl, patched up, bruised, and wearing the Dueling traveling robes still, from the return home, had a blank look on her face.

Bella panicked.

Predictably, Bella did what Bella did best: she went on the offensive. Folding her arms, her expression shifted from neutral to incredulous, then righteous indignation and anger. "I don't believe this! I just don't fucking believe this!"

Hermione just sighed, causing Bella to fall silent. As tired as the Tournament had made her, this type of attitude from Bella would make her positively weary. As much as she loved Bella, she didn't know how much more of this she could take, tonight.

Quietly, she spoke. "Bella, don't take this the wrong way. I...I'm going to go sleep in my room, tonight."

"What?"

Hermione nodded. "I can tell, you just want to fight. I don't. Ergo, I'm leaving." Hermione picked up her bag, wand, and equipment, choosing to manually carry it instead of using magic to transport it. She cast a look at Bella that encompassed many things, disappointment chiefly among them. "You can't fight with someone who isn't present, Bella. Hopefully by tomorrow, people will have...cooler heads that will prevail. Ideally after we both get some actual sleep." With that, she turned, and started walking towards the door to leave.

Hermione would have done well to remember her former techniques of dealing with Bellatrix. The key technique, principally amongst all of the techniques, of course, was the technique of "never turn your back on the enemy."

With a Wham! Hermione felt herself slammed up against the wall, hard.

"Shit!" The Gryffindor shouted, recoiling in pain. "What in the-?"

Before she could defend herself in any way possible, Bella had gripped her wrists from behind, after ripping everything out of her hands. Using her upper body, she effectively pinned the younger girl flush against the wall. Pressing against her, the young champion could feel Bella's hot breath, on her neck. Hermione gasped, looking desperately at the woman gripping her; her eyes drifted to Bella's dark ones, and Hermione froze.

Bella's face was unrecognizable. She looked eerily reminiscent of her old self, with eyes wild.

"Did I give you permission to leave, little girl?" Hissed the dark witch.

Hermione did her best to remain calm despite her nervousness. "I wasn't aware I needed a hall pass to leave to my own room, Bellatrix."

With a singular motion, Bella manually hoisted the startled Head Girl, demonstrating incredible physical strength. She hurled Hermione over to her bed, without the use of magic, and she landed with a thud. Again, before she could react, Bella had quickly topped her, mounting her.

Bella wedged between Hermione's struggling legs, and with a deliberate moan, Bella pressed their cores together.

"No, Bella! No! Please...not like this!" Hermione protested.

Bella's face had the perfected mock "sincere concern" look from her Death Eater days, the look she would utilize to taunt her prey with right before she Crucio'ed them within an inch of their life.

"Awww. It'll bitty Gryffindor doesn't want to pway with the big, bad witch?" She said, sugary sweet.

Trap. It's a trap! Hermione thought to herself, panicking. Don't take the bait! She reminded herself.

Bella pressed harder into her center, and Hermione could feel Bella's heat. And her ... additional appendage, so to speak...the one that would come out and play with them, from time to time...it had made an appearance. Bella was already hard. And this dangerous woman now had her pinned down, trapped underneath her, a faux grin plastered across her face.

Bella continued, in her sing-song lilt. "Yes, sweetie, of course it's a trap..."

"You're reading my mind?" Hermione said, betrayed.

Bella leaned down. "Why, yes! I am." She hissed. In spite of the horrible circumstance, Hermione couldn't help the tingles that Bella's breath on her neck elicited, with an almost programmed reliability. Bella licked behind Hermione's ear, causing her to shudder with anticipation.

"If I didn't, dearest Hermione, how else would I have known that that whorish fairy had turned you on?" Bella said, dangerously quiet.

Hermione's eyes caught Bella's cold glare, and the younger woman's breath hitched. She felt like her heart was beating out of her chest. She didn't say anything, afraid that her dry throat would betray her, somehow.

Bella lowered her head to whisper again.

"Oh, I know what you're going to say to me, Hermione. I know. 'Oh, Bella, It didn't mean anything, it wasn't what it looked like, I know I could have stopped...' blah blah blah. The simple fact is...you... whored yourself out for someone else! You allowed someone else to turn you on! You allowed all of your friends to see that despicable display!" Bella's voice was rising, and she was shaking with fury, as her emotions were building to a righteous crescendo. "You degraded our relationship, you filthy girl! You desecrated us, for all the world to see! Hermione Granger can be had...that's what you were telling people, by your actions, dirty girl! That is an insult to me! To us! And what's more, you've proved you're nothing more than a... just a...just a..."

Bella couldn't make herself say the insult.

Hermione said it for her. "Mudblood? Is that what you were going to say? Mudblood? Really?" The momentum was beginning to shift, almost imperceptibly. Hermione's eyes no longer looked scared or helpless. They looked defiant. She continued.

"I don't care what it looked like, and you shouldn't either!" The student yelled, furious at having to defend herself, furious that this stupid conversation was being had, in direct opposition to Hermione's request that it be postponed!

Bella looked like a cornered animal.

Hermione sighed, realizing that the woman she was tied to, forever, had the emotional maturity of a two year old. When her toddler fiancée finally spoke, Bella's icy undercurrent was unmistakable.

"I have to care, Hermione, because you do not."

Bella raised up, almost majestically, as she hovered over her girl like she was prey. She straddled Hermione's slim hips, abutting them with her knees. The new All-Around champion looked up, eyes widening as she took in the woman on top of her. In a cackle eerily reminiscent of her Bellatrix Lestrange days, the Dark Mistress proclaimed, "As much as I've enjoyed our little...Girl to Girl chat, Granger, I often find its best for me to let my magic do the talking..."

With a flourish, Bella held both of their wands, ensconced in a tight grip. Bella was brandishing them, aiming the twin dragon heartstring cores directly at Hermione's chest! "So, Muddy...Girl to Girl...why don't we see how powerful these twin dragon wands actually are, now, when put together? Shall we?"

Bellatrix leaned over her lover, with a maniacal glint. With a deliberate swish of the wands, Bella uttered her spell.

"MOVEO MOTI!"

The spell of Bella's own creation caused silver sparks to crackle from the tips of the dual wands, as they hummed together in perfect synchronicity. Hermione squeaked out a protest before the dazzling silver light hit her, dead center, from both wands. Her wand, now Bella's; and Bella's wand, now hers. Hermione's eyes slammed shut, with a delicious yet burning hot sensation assaulting her senses.

Then, the familiar, warm tingling...very warm...

Tingling. Inflaming.

Searing, right into her core. Liquid fire traveled from her brain, to her heart, radiating out, downward towards her stomach, and landing firmly nestled between her legs...in that sweet spot. She writhed, uncomfortably.

Before she might have been a little hungry...now she would characterize herself as ravenous. Hermione Granger was starving. She wanted one thing, and one thing only: she had to have Bella. Had to. She absolutely had to have Bella; had to enter her; had to feel her wetness...Now.

Ferociously, she clawed, pulled, tugged at the woman above her. Bellatrix, going out of character, was clearly taken aback.

"Woah, Puppy! Calm down, baby, this is only play, remember?" The truth was, Bella hadn't meant anything she said, about the fairy; things were so good between them, she had to invent shit, practically, to go all "Bellatrix Lestrange" over. This was understood role-playing between them...

Hermione just snarled back at her, clearly not "just playing."

"Um...okay." Bella said, tentatively. "May I remind you, Hermione, that you were the one who requested to play "Bellatrix LeStrange," in bed tonight, not me. Don't turn into some kind of a stroppy bint, as this was your idea!"

Hermione merely grunted, trying to free herself from Bella's pinning her down. She continued to fight the older and presumably stronger woman; both a trained Auror and former Death Eater. Hermione didn't seem to get the memo, as she continued clawing and scratching, attempting to free herself from Bella's restraint. Restraint Bella applied simply because Hermione had become somewhat dangerous all of a sudden.

In fact, Bella had yet to attempt any offense, she merely defending herself from getting impaled from the woman below her.

"Puppy! Did you hear a word I just said? Tonight was your idea!"

"No, it's not!" She snarled back, her voice husky and unfamiliar to Bella. "If tonight was my idea, I'd be knuckles deep in you, fucking your brains out, Bellatrix!"

Bella was openly stunned.

Bella, for her part, didn't much like playing their little "Death Eater" and "Mudblood" sex games; honestly, she had evolved, since those days. It was somewhat painful for her to revisit that long, horrible, and extremely lonely chapter of her life. She liked who she was now. She liked who she had worked to become; and most of all, she liked being madly in love with Hermione! To denigrate her little witch was not something that was all that fun for her, actually.

Unfortunately, as fate would have it, it was "fun" for Hermione Granger. Apparently it was really, really "fun" and mostly, really arousing, for the young future Mrs. Black; the concept of playing prisoner to Bella's deranged Death Eater had her spreading her legs like peanut butter.

So Bella would relent from time to time, sometimes even donning the old corset for her girl... tonight being one of those times. Times when Hermione clearly felt like being dominated and topped by her dark witch. Somewhere in the recesses of Bella's mind, despite her body being consumed by lust for the girl, she knew, perhaps, that it wasn't totally okay. It disturbed Bella how deeply aroused Hermione became when they "played" in this fashion; she had made a mental note more than once to talk to Andy and determine if perhaps some counseling might be in order for the Head Girl who had worn so much on her shoulders.

In these "play" sessions, Hermione was very prescriptive: Bella must mount her, sometimes even paralyze her...and no kissing on the mouth. Ever.

But demanding kisses and bites could be had everywhere else...without question. Hermione would always bear a few bruises and teeth marks on her body then next day, and would refuse to let them be spelled away. Finally, and most importantly in Hermione's dogma, was the requirement that Bella bring her extra "friend" out to play. She would mouth her, very briefly, enough to lubricate her, then quickly stick it inside her wetness. Curiously, however, in their last two sessions, Hermione had become interested the addition of the backdoor entrance to their repertoire. Bella would comply, of course, because, well... she's human, for Merlin's sake!

But it was beginning to make her uncomfortable. In these times, Hermione demanded they go again, and again; almost past the point of pleasure, becoming borderline raw. Hermione wouldn't want to stop despite the fact their orgasms had dulled to almost nonexistent from having so many, over and over, in succession. Bella tried not to complain, because honestly? Who in their right mind was going to think this was a problem?

Which brought her full circle, to Hermione's last and final demand: her insistence that Bella empty herself, more specifically, her little "play" addition, into Hermione..completely. Backside or front, it didn't matter. Go, until fait accompli. Bella could not pull out; in fact, once she had tried, and Hermione used some type of a silent impedimenta spell, binding their midsection together so that Bella could literally not pull out of Hermione, of her own volition. It was such a good spell, in fact, that they had to (mortifyingly) recruit Narcissa and Fleur to help them ... unlock.

Fleur had not let her live it down, to this day, in fact.

Among the many things that Bella would find herself reflecting on, one of the main things was that it was a miracle, honestly, that Hermione had not fallen "with child."

The normally meticulous witch was very laissez-faire in regards to her birth control. Despite Andy's frequent pregnancy scare lectures, in which Andy would cluck at Hermione, reminding her in no uncertain terms that Bella was most likely fertile when she was in this state, Hermione's behavior didn't change. Hermione would give her that small, mysterious smile she does when she's listening, but not really...

Bella found herself wondering, deep in thought with herself: It was almost as though she wanted to get pregnant!

She would easily forget, however, as the remainder of their sex life was very satisfying. It was just these times, it seemed, that Hermione never purely seemed satisfied in her own skin, demanding more and more, trying to feel something almost elusive.

Hence the reason Bella concocted the spell.

She wanted Hermione to be comfortable with herself, and them; and the spell worked. Make no mistake ...tonight was very different. Tonight, Hermione clearly had no interest in being topped.

Quite the opposite, in fact.

She fought like a bobcat, freeing herself of Bellatrix's restraints. Snarling, biting, with a dropped shoulder, she rolled Bella over, until Bella now was on her back. Hermione pounced on her, looking down into her eyes. For a flash of a second, Bella was certain she no longer saw the reflective brown eyes she had come to adore; instead, she saw the hint of a reptilian vertical slit with a flash of yellow; and then it was gone.

Not gone, however, was the hellcat now on top of her. Hermione pressed a bruising kiss against Bella's mouth; she forced entry into her mouth with her inordinately long tongue, demanding entrance. Her hands were everywhere, palming Bella's breasts, ripping off her clothes; and when she attempted to help, her hands were slapped away, hard.

Hermione's eyes were blazing, as she looked at Bella.

"Ouch!" Bella said, as Hermione gripped her back. "Go easy, Puppy! The scales haven't grown back yet-my back's still a little tender."

"Sorry." Hermione said, gruffly, not really sounding all that sorry.

Then, she did something ... different. She gripped both of Bella's wrists, hosting them above her head. She held them down with her left hand and let her right roam down Bella's body, to her midsection. Her hand stopped, feeling the flaccid member.

"I want this gone!" Hermione insisted, with a scowl.

Bella, confused, said "Okay, but..."

"Now, damn it, Bella! I want it GONE!" Hermione yelled.

"Okay, okay!" Bella said, closing her eyes, willing herself to concentrate. She grimaced at her mercurial witch. As she forced her genotype to resemble her phenotype, she exhaled, very fatigued. "You know, Hermione, I am tired, and I know you are, too. We can call it a night..."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Hermione laughed. "You're kidding! You cast a spell to force my arousal, putting me in a borderline painful state, I'm so knockered...and then you suggest doing nothing about it? What the blood hell, Bellatrix Black!" She screamed with fury at the woman below her.

Bella shook her head. "That wasn't an arousal spell, Hermione." She said, quietly.

"Oh, Really? I think I know your spellwork by now, thank you very much! If not an arousal spell, then, can you explain this?" She grabbed Bella's hand, forcing her fingers to rim the pooling wetness that was dripping from the rim of Hermione's entrance. "Or this?" She continued, roughly gripping Bella's fingers, again forcing them to touch her, this time touching Hermione's extremely swollen clit, unnaturally warm, and nestled within her hood. "Explain these things, then, Bellatrix!"

Hermione's nub was indeed swollen, actually. It was almost the size of a walnut!

Bella pulled her hand away, and forced herself not to escalate this...this...whatever this was. She looked directly into Hermione's eyes, and said evenly, "It wasn't an arousal spell! That's the truth."

"What was it, then?"

"It was a sexual awakening spell...it was more along the lines of a spell that grants permission to express your deepest and truest desires, actually."

Hermione closed her eyes, grimacing. She seemed to be arguing with herself, almost. After a momentary pause, her eyes flashed open, and Bella saw them again. The vertical slits, where pupils should be...

She felt Hermione grip her shoulder's hard, feeling Hermione nuzzled into her neck. Bella felt Hermione's hot breath on her neck, as the out of control Gryffindor licked and bit the Slytherin's neck, almost reverently. Tiny moans were coming from Hermione; she was trembling, almost as though she was losing a fight to malaria...and with a final spasm, she felt Hermione collapse on top of her, dead weight.

"Hermione?" Bella asked.

Hermione said nothing, instead rousing to position herself between Bella's legs, moaning as she pressed inward slightly. Bella cocked her head, feeling something on Hermione she hadn't ever felt before...

"Um, Hermione? What..what is going on here, exactly?" Bella asked.

Hermione shed her clothes rapidly, and cast a Nox! to quiet the lights. Not before Bella had seen her, however. All of her.

Bella felt Hermione position herself, aligning herself precisely, at her opening between her legs. As she gripped Bella's shoulders, presumably for leverage, A guttural moan escaped the Head Girl's mouth. "Ohhh...this is going to be...so fucking....good."

"Hermione? We've never really talked about this...about you being the one to..."

"SILENCE!" Hermione yelled at Bella. Immediately regretting her outburst, she pressed her forehead against Bella's, and calmed her breath. She collected herself, and the brown orbs returned. "I'm sorry...Bellatrix, I need this. I need you, with a hunger I've never felt before. I need to feel you...enveloping me...as I enter you. I can't explain it, this utter need."

Bella gingerly rested her arms around the trembling girl. Quietly, she said, "Okay...Hermione. Okay, then. Take... what you need." Bella said, gently.

With a growl, almost feral, her permission granting Hermione's freedom, Bella could feel the girl clench her jaw. Her hands gripped Bella's shoulders, and she looked in her eyes. Bella's breath hitched, noting the reptilian eyes had returned, but this time, with a bright gold intense luster. Hermione leaned down, hissing in Bella's ear in an unfamiliar language.

"SURGE! Descende draconem! Ego in summitate!" * Said the brunette woman who resembled Hermione Granger, hovering above Bella. Those strange words, Hermione's words, rang in Bella's ears, uttered in the split second before she thrust deep into her Bella for the first time, filling her...completely.

Her eyes rolled, to the back of her head, with the overwhelming sensation of filling Bella. With a concerned frown, the older woman held the trembling girl who had paused, fully sheathed to the hilt in her Bella.

"Oh, God, Bella!" Hermione groaned, her voice throaty. "You feel so...fucking...good. Holy shit! I never knew it could feel...so good..." Her voice trailed off, as she trembled.

Bella stroked Hermione's hair, gently, murmuring soft words into her ear. "I love you, Hermione Granger. I always will."

Hermione let out what sounded almost like a sob, it was filled with so much emotion, as she pulled out of Bella and thrust back into her opening. Bella canted her pelvis up to receive Hermione, at a deeper angle. Bella's altered physics made Hermione shudder; Bella's movements made Hermione groan.

Hermione's eyes were glazed, unfocused; they were filled with so much desire, the carnal lust clouded her mind and her sight. It was too much: The warmth of Bella; the slickness of Bella, present at her opening; the way she could feel Bella stretch to receive her demanding girth...it was in a word, intoxicating for the young witch.

Hermione Granger was unaccustomed to feeling such feelings of lust, and desire; unaccustomed to becoming such a sexual being; an addict, who needed to take this and give this from another person, feeling these carnal desires so profoundly for someone else. Mired in this was the overwhelming love she felt for this dark witch, to whom she had willingly gifted her own future, forever.

It was too much feeling. It was so much.

As Hermione pulled out again, and slammed, hard, to the hilt again, she felt Bella trembling slightly.

"Are you okay?" She asked, breathlessly.

"I'm fine. I just feel so...full. It's different, that's all."

Hermione stayed buried inside her, fighting the carnal urge to slam in and out of her, battering her opening, as she wanted to do, and stayed buried in her, and rested her forehead in Bella's breasts, with an anguished groan.

Bella said, "Puppy, its okay. I mean it. Go fast. Go hard...I meant it, when I said you can take what you need. Do it. Be who you need to be, with me."

Hermione looked at her, with such longing it broke Bella's heart. "Bella, you'll give me anything?"

"Anything, my dear."

"Anything I need?" The young witch clarified, her member twitching slightly, inside Bella.

"Without reservation."

"Good." Hermione said, darkly. Straining forward, she leaned down to Bella's ear and whispered. "Before I make love to you tonight, Bella, I need you to agree to me that you'll do something for me tomorrow."

"Of course."

"Elope with me, tomorrow morning. Just you and me. No one else."

"What?" Bella said, shocked.

"Elope." Hermione said again, as she exhaled and sighed, unable to resist withdrawing and thrusting back in, again, one more time. She released a groan, and collapsed back to Bella's chest, once she was fully encased inside Bella's walls again.

"Ohhhhh, Bella...its just...you feel so fucking good, I can't hold out much longer!"

"Then don't, Puppy. Fucking take me, then...quit torturing us!"

"Not until you promise me."

Bella sighed, exasperated. "I will, but first, tell me why? Why all of a sudden?"

Hermione started to languish deep kisses on Bella's neck, using her tongue on the slender neck to punctuate her words as she spoke. "Our life is a circus already, I realized tonight. It will only get worse. I want our wedding to be for us; I don't want it ruined."

"Understandable. But what does tomorrow have to do with it?"

Hermione's head popped up. She smiled an evil grin. "A brilliant witch, gifted in tactics, once taught me that the best defense is offense." Hermione paused. "They would never expect us to marry before the school year is up! At graduation and thereafter, they'll be on us like flies on rats."

"Good point. Don't we need a licence, or something?"

"We do. I got it last month while I was in processing at the Ministry."

Bella laughed, openly. "Of course you did! So...where would you like to get married, then?"

"Your beach house. On the beach. At sunrise, tomorrow." Hermione said, a serious look on her face, as she waited with anticipation to Bella's reply.

Bella paused a moment, then shrugged with a grin. "Okay, then. Your wish is my command, Puppy." Bella said, with utter sincerity.

Hermione's look of total relief spread across her face, and Bella felt the tension leave her shoulders; she kissed Bella so passionately, it made the Slytherin's lips buzz with the intensity.

As the Golden Girl's tongue danced inside her mouth, establishing a tentative dominance, Hermione's happiness became contagious, infecting the woman underneath her. Bella paused.

So this is what it's supposed to feel like, Bella mused, in wonderment. Love.

She liked it.

TBC.


A/N: *Translation: Stand down dragon! I'm on top!


A/N: Specific questions, commentary, etc. addressed here:

Well, once again I am addressing specific reviews because I feel a little bad after that last chapter, no matter how right the beta actually was. Henceforth:

AnonBiggie: Well, glad you at least liked the quote! ;)

vileniaveladorn : Good intuition. Nail, meet head.

Arial Wolf: That's it girl, keep the faith!

Darkshadow-lord : the beta loves cliffhangers, what can I say? Some nonsense like I can't post at 20,000 word chapters, or I need actual transitions, that kinda crap. ;) (I am actually only kidding.) My cliffs happen usually because something needs more developing and it would be like eating an entire candy store all at once, and would leave you feeling empty later if there wasn't one.

Michi the Mischievous : Can I tell you how damn sweet that you read THIS to read to your wife? It begs the question….do you, like, do different voices for all the characters? I bet your wife can't spell fucking Dumstrung right either! You know…I am going to be forced to write extremely graphic sex in an upcoming chapter, or edit an existing chapter, or something of that ilk...for the express purpose of embarrassing you reading aloud during storytime. ;)

WolfDragonGod: Oh, but I can and did. Not by my choice.

yurihentai641, devildoc35, , jsmit711, and cuccino2002: Hopefully, all is forgiven and we can go back to making some Rainbow Loom friendship bracelets, braiding each other's hair, etc. again...

And finally, last but not least…

The Evil Morrigan: There are no words. I have no words. Perhaps I will compose a haiku.