A/N; I just had surgery on my wrist so I've hand written a lot of the story in my free time but typing it was harder than I thought it was going to be. But I will chicken peck my way to updates until the cast comes off cause I have already written into the good bits of drama and I can't wait to update those. I'm very excited about the villains getting some scenes and doing some downright evilness, sadly when the villains are happy the heroines are in trouble though. Ah oh well, they can handle it I hope….Thanks to everyone who reviews and/or reads I love reviews sometimes they give me the best ideas and they motivate me to type even at chicken peck speeds!

Hermione couldn't help the smile on her face as she watched Bellatrix help Sterling fix her seat so she could see over the high table for supper. Professor Flitwick was giving her a few pointers but the child still had a hard time reaching the silverware.

McGonagall, who was sitting beside the clumsy bustling Flitwick, sighed heavily in annoyance and waved her wand at the chair. Its legs grew longer; just enough Sterling could see over the top at the students and manage to eat her food without making a mess. Hermione grinned at the pointed look she shot the other two teachers; they were wizards after all they should have thought of that.

Flitwick looked at the books on his chair that had helped him over the years and sighed wearily. He didn't change it he simply climbed to the top of them and blushed, quickly busying himself with his pumpkin juice so no one noticed.

Sterling looked out at all the students and scrunched up her face. Bella noticed and pointed toward the Gryffindor table so they could look for Hermione. The toddler waved frantically and beamed at her when she saw her. Hermione signed for her to be good for Bella and the toddler responded by signing she was always good. The teen couldn't really argue she was a good child after all.

"What's Sterling doing here today?" Ron asked as he finally took his seat in front of Hermione just as the food appeared on the table. He filled his plate high before she could even answer him.

"We took her shopping in Hogsmeade." Hermione told him trying not to watch as he chewed with his mouth open. He really had no manners sometimes.

"We? You and Ginny?"

"I was with Harry as you well know, Ron." Ginny pointed toward their teacher and child. "She is Sterling's guardian you know. She went with them."

"S'right I forgot is all." He made a mess sopping a biscuit in gravy. Hermione set her fork down, she wasn't really hungry and his ravenous show was putting her off a bit. He usually ate with a little bit more decorum; he seemed to be in an awfully big hurry today for some reason.

"Did you forget another paper? Is that why you're eating like a pig today?" Ron looked up surprised and glanced back down at the mess he was making at the table.

He grimaced and looked at her sheepishly, "Sorry. No I didn't forget a paper…..least wise I don't think I did." He struggled to remember if he'd forgot any homework but none seemed to come to mind. Hermione knew he'd remember right before it was due if he did forget and then he'd beg her to help him with it, just like always. "Got plans though, Neville's parents got him a wicked chess set, he's asked me to teach him." Hermione didn't see how that warranted him rushing through a meal but she chose not to say anything else about it. Instead she went back to watching Bellatrix and Sterling. They looked like they were having a lot of fun considering it was just an afternoon meal.

"You know what people have been whispering all day?" Ginny asked her. Hermione shook her head, she'd been with her two ladies all day she hadn't paid attention to idle school chatter. "They've made up so many rumors about Bella and Sterling. They range from secret love child all the way to something muggles call cloning. That's where a muggle makes a copy of themselves." She told her brother before he could ask, effectively stopping him from spitting out more food as he spoke.

"It's not surprising. I can see the differences but they do look a lot alike. If Sterling had been blonde they probably wouldn't favor so much." She conceded.

Ginny hummed in agreement. "Are you guys going to make it a weekend thing, taking her to Hogsmeade so you can see her?"

Hermione shook her head. It had been fun but she had quickly learned Bella had a hard time saying no, and being from a strictly magical family she had a difficult time understanding some wizarding toys could potentially be dangerous for her new muggle ward. "I'm not sure what Bel-Professor Black…has planned for her." Seamus and Dean sat down beside Ron causing Hermione to lower her voice to a whisper only for Ginny to hear. "She did ask me to make it a weekend thing to stay in her room." She figured she should go ahead and tell the other Gryffindor because it was a tempting offer and Ginny would notice anyways. The others would be fooled if she pretended to sleep in the room and said she'd left early to go study, Ginny would see straight through such a lie.

The red head wiggled her eyebrows at her friend, earning herself a half-hearted slap. "Stop it. Always with the violence. Harry has to kiss it better you know." She grinned coyly; somehow Hermione didn't think he minded too much. She'd caught the boy looking at ring designs in a library book a few days after Christmas. He wanted to make one he'd said, his Grandpa had told him creating something with your hands filled the objects with all your intentions and feelings and to see it through to the end because the sense of pride was the best feeling when making something that mattered, no matter how small or how trivial the creation was.

She looked back up to find Bella watching her. Wedding bands wasn't a bad idea. She had no idea when Harry was going to propose and she was already, technically, married but she found she liked the idea of creating something that would say to the world Bella chose to be with her willingly, brand be damned. She'd ask him if he had any pointers and do a little research on it herself. She'd have to tell him why she wanted to learn it but maybe she could help him in the process, he was great at dueling and defensive spells but if it involved charms he was almost as rubbish as Seamus.

Sterling signed to her she was sleepy and Hermione nodded and smiled at her sister. She told Sterling to tell Bella to meet her back at the teacher's rooms. She never thought sign language would come in handy at Hogwarts. She was fine with the rumors involving Bella and Sterling but she really didn't want to put herself in the mix. Not too many people would notice herself and the toddler sharing a conversation with their hands across a room as big as the Great Hall. She doubted too many wizards even knew what sign language was. "I'm going to see Sterling to bed guys." She waved to her friends and left for Bella's room, knowing Sterling wouldn't sleep if she didn't have some kind of story. Since she was sleeping with Bella she imagined the dark witch would appreciate that little bit of knowledge as it saved a lot of whining before actual sleep was achieved.