Author's Note: Happy late Christmas everyone and my present to you is this chapter!
HUGE DISCLAIMER; Once again, thank you to the Queen for lending me your characters. ~1stSoulVamp
IN OUR DARKEST MOMENTS
Chapter 14: Vous parlez français?
The next time Hermione woke up, it was mid day the next day and Bellatrix had abandoned the bed hours ago to get on with daily life. The younger witch had hoped to wake up next to the dark sensual witch, but her tired sick body had let her sleep on. Draco was kind enough to bring in some food for a small lunch to the brunette who hadn't been feeling any better since last night. She still felt about the same, like shit, but at least her head went from aching to just fuzzy from all the hours spent asleep. Draco had stayed after lunch and the two engaged in casual conversation while slipping into reading mode from time to time with their respective books for the next few hours. Hermione was still trying to get through some of the Black Family book. She had a couple of questions but thank Merlin her blonde side-kick was in the room.
"Draco," Hermione paused for him to acknowledge which he did a few seconds later, "in the Black Family book there doesn't seem to be much French origin. I'm curious as to why your mother and your Aunt know the language?"
The blonde Slytherin bookmarked his page quickly before giving her his undivided attention. "Well from what I know from Mum is that the Black Family originated around England. I think Mum mentioned that Auntie had to learn French because she was arranged in this marriage to the Lestrange idiot. Don't tell anyone else, but I think he was pretty daft." He laughed before smirking.
"Oh? What happened to him?" Hermione asked curious to see if the dark witch was still married.
"Oh what? Oh, erm, he died." Draco said, caught off guard.
Hermione hummed in acknowledgement. "So then why does your mother know French if only your Aunt Bellatrix had to learn it?"
Draco shrugged. "She just wanted to learn it with her." Hermione nodded, her mouth forming an 'oh'. "Well that, and no offense, but all Purebloods try to know more than one language. It just comes with being-,"
"-A giant prat?" Hermione grinned jokingly.
Draco laughed. "Yes, I suppose so."
"Do you think your mother or Aunt would teach me? French, I mean?" The brunette witch questioned.
Again Draco shrugged. "Probably. If you ask them."
Hermione nodded satisfied with the answer. After a coughing fit, Hermione questioned the blonde again. "Wait, if all Purebloods are supposed to learn another language, what language did you learn? You clearly don't know French when your mother and Aunt are speaking."
Draco smirked. "Didn't know you were watching me so closely. But I guess that's what I get for being the hottest guy in the room." He joked and Hermione snorted which threw her into another coughing fit.
Shaking her head, she said, "I cannot believe you just said that."
"Come on Granger, you can't deny I'm incredibly se-." He didn't get to finish his sentence as a pillow smacked him in the face causing him to fall back on the cushioned seat. "Oof, nice aim ya twat!"
"Sod off!" Hermione screamed though the two teenagers were laughing.
"If you really want to know. He learned German, like his father." Both the blonde and the brunette's heads snapped to the doorway to see Lady Malfoy standing there. "Draco, I hope you are not riling up our sick guest? After all, we do want her to get better." She said as she pursed her lips at her son.
Draco swallowed thickly. "Of course not Mother. Just keeping her company is all." He glanced over at the brunette who was smirking back at him in mirth. The boy frowned at Hermione.
Arching one of her perfectly drawn brows, the Malfoy Matriarch nodded her head towards the door and her son got up with his book and gave a small wave to Hermione before sulking back to his room at the end of the hall. Hermione covered her mouth to keep her laughs from escaping. Narcissa turned her back to leave when Hermione called out, "Lady Malfoy, erm, ma'am," the blonde witch looked back towards the sick girl, "I was wondering if I could speak to Madame Bellatrix? Erm, please?" Hermione squeaked as the icy blue eyes met honey brown ones.
"Please, call me Narcissa, Hermione, lest you make me feel old." She gave a warm smile to the brunette. "I will get my sister for you." The brunette witch blushed while wringing her hands in bed, silently thanking her with her eyes. After the blonde matriarch had left, closing the door behind her, Hermione let out the big breath she had been holding in. She hoped that Bellatrix wouldn't take long to get to her room to ask her the question she wanted to know, but when minutes turned to hours, Hermione realized that maybe the black haired witch had not been home. She snuggled back in her covers and wondered what Bellatrix must do for a living. She knew that she was a skilled witch in dueling and also a Deatheater for this 'Dark Lord' person that had hurt her previous friend Harry.
Everything she knew right now about the Dark Lord is that he was a scary and evil but powerful man. Harry had warned her that most of the families in Slytherin probably have someone or something given to his cause. This was one of the things she had slightly feared when she first told her ferret friend yes to the invitation. After growing up in a world that hated her so much for being a witch or being a mudblood, she really didn't seem to agree with the views that the Dark Lord did. Add to the fact that she was crushing hard on one of his followers, it really didn't help boost her morality. If anything she felt more confused on which side she stood and cared for. Unfortunately for her, if Hermione carried on with whatever it was between her and Bellatrix, she doesn't think she would know what to do when the time actually came to pick sides. The Malfoy Family and Bellatrix, so far had shown her how caring Purebloods could be to a mudblood like her. But Hermione did still find that one bit strange. Deciding to just let her mind rest, Hermione fell into a light snooze, hoping Bellatrix would turn up soon so she could ask her question.
Later that evening Bellatrix came back from one of the Dark Lord's raids, covered in dirt and blood. Narcissa greeted her at the doorway but wasn't pleased at the state her sister was in. Grimacing, she looked at Bellatrix with a raised brow.
Bellatrix just winked before clasping her sister's hands with hers. "Cissy we're so close. I can just feel the anger in the Order already!"
Narcissa winced as her sister's bloodstained hands met her clean and pale ones. Wrenching out of her sister's grasp she scourgified her hands before smoothing down her dress. "La jeune fille veut te parler." She said in her best Ice Queen voice.
Bellatrix stopped her mad little dance about crushing the Order to whirl around and look at her sister. "Sur quoi, Cissy, sur quoi?" She asked persistent. She was excited that the young witch requested to speak with her because that meant she was getting somewhere with the girl.
Narcissa rolled her eyes, done with her sister. "Je sais pas. Elle veut juste te parler."
"D'accord! J'irai tout de suite!" Bellatrix exclaimed, beginning to march upstairs.
Clearing her throat impatiently Narcissa frowned. "Sister, you forget your state of dress."
Bellatrix looked down at her dirty self before looking back at Narcissa sheepishly. "Haha, erm, merci Cissy. I'll clean up and then see what the little witch wants."
Narcissa rolled her eyes at her sister's fast personality before waiting for Lucius to turn up from the raid. Her expression morphed to worry at the thought of the fact that her friend and husband might be suffering torture at the hands of the Dark Lord.
In the meantime, Bellatrix had clomped up the stairs in her muddy combat boots before deftly sprinting down the hall, still high on adrenaline from the duel against the Order. She turned her shower to scorching before quickly divesting her clothes away with a wave of her wand. The hot spray of the shower did not bother Bellatrix who hurried to get clean to see what the young girl wanted. She was definitely curious to know what the little witch had on her mind to request to see her. Not bothering to put on a whole new outfit, Bellatrix settled for a simple black night dress after hopping out of the shower.
Sticking to the shadows, Bellatrix made her way down the hall to her room that the girl was staying in. She paused, pressing her ear to the door trying to hear inside. Not picking up anything, Bella knocked quietly on the door. After waiting a few moments and no answer she pushed the door open slowly, determined not to make a sound. She eyed a sleeping form under the sheets and knew instantly that the girl was asleep. Sickness and exhaustion must've got to her, Bellatrix thought. Making her way to the bedside quietly was a feat but she managed to do so without the girl stirring from her slumber. For a few minutes, the dark witch just stood there, watching the girl quietly. Her thoughts strayed to the chestnut colored hair and the peaceful look the girl wore when she slept. Snapping out of her reverie because she thought it was creepy to watch the girl while she slept, Bellatrix held out her hand and softly touched the girl's shoulder gently shaking.
Upon the gentle prodding by Bellatrix, Hermione bolted from up from where she slept, convinced she was in trouble. With a wild look in her eye and her wand in her hand from nights spent protecting herself from others pranks, she trained her wand to the figure in the dark.
"Oh my Merlin, it's just you. I'm sorry!" She said instantly dropping her wand on the bed side table.
Bellatrix studied the girl. She was not pleased with a wand being pointed at her face but she also wanted to know who had hurt the girl in the past to where she would wake up, on guard. "Don't be sorry, pet." Jutting out her chin was Hermione's indication to move over.
Confused that black haired witch was inviting herself into the bed, the younger Slytherin scooted to the other side to make room for her. Pleased, Bellatrix climbed in next to her. Even though the girl was confused, she was very good at following directions.
"My sister tells me there is something you wish to ask?" Bellatrix said facing the brunette, propping her support on one elbow. Hermione turned to face towards Bellatrix, settling down on the multitude of pillows.
"There is. See, Draco was in my room and we were discussing the Black Family book, which I took from the library and I was just curious, I guess to know about you-, your family I mean. The book didn't mention French origins and Draco said you did it for your husband-," Hermione was interrupted by laughter.
"Oh pet, I certainly didn't do it for my late husband. My father wanted me to learn it for him, but I learned it for myself. No, my ex-husband was an idiot. He didn't even speak French. Only broken bits around my Father." Bellatrix's eyes flashed dangerously as she recalled the pathetic excuse of a man that was her dead betrothed.
Hermione frowned at this new information. She supposed it made sense. Purebloods didn't really marry for love. Most of it was around the political circles and pure bloodlines. "Well I guess, I just wanted to ask if y-you would teach me French?"
Bella's brows shot straight to her hairline. She wasn't expecting this question at all. "Why would you want to learn?" She asked smirking as she leaned in closer to the brunette.
"Oh I-I don't know." Hermione stuttered suddenly aware at the closeness between the two. At least this time Hermione was still wearing the nightgown previously transfigured by Bellatrix and not naked for she didn't know what she would do. Clearing her throat as best she could in her sick state she swallowed before meeting the black eyes.
"I think you do know, pet." Bellatrix urged.
Hermione's chest and cheeks suddenly flushed in red as she grew embarrassed. "I-I just love the way the language s-sounds. Especially when you, when you speak it." She confessed before ducking her burning face into a pillow.
The brunette couldn't see but Bellatrix's smirk grew very large. Using her hand, she cupped the girl's chin gently, making the younger witch look her in the eye. "Tu aimes quand je parle français?"
Hermione didn't dare breathe. The close proximity and the touch of the other witch was making it really hard to think. She felt intoxicated by the proximity and could smell the cinnamon and pine scent of the dark witch which Hermione was already addicted to. Shuddering slightly, she nodded, closing her eyes and reveling in the black haired witch.
The current Deatheater had the grin of the Cheshire cat as she slowly moved closer to the brunette. She didn't want to scare her away but they needed to move things faster and Bellatrix was afraid that the brunette would not take the first step. Her hand that was cupping the girl's chin slowly began to cup her whole face as the younger witch unconsciously nuzzled it in her sickened state. "Je vais vous apprendre le français, ... si c'est ce que vous désirez."
Hermione lifted her face so that she was level with Bellatrix, aware of the small distance between them. The older witch was practically cuddling her and there was only a few centimeters distance away from each others lips. The brunette could feel the hot breath coming from the dark witch and before she lost her courage and excuse of sickened state, Hermione lips rushed forward to meet the plump dark red lips of the Dark Lord's lieutenant. Fireworks exploded behind her eyes as the intense kiss was deepened as Bellatrix wound her hand to the nape of Hermione neck, keeping her lips firmly planted on hers. Both witches let out a small moan after their desire for each other had won out.
Pulling out of the kiss after a few seconds passed but what felt like minutes, Hermione blushed but didn't apologize because she was glad it had happened. Bellatrix was ready to go again, not having a kiss like that in a long time, and certainly not like the ones with her late husband which were pathetic and crazed. This kiss had a deeper meaning and was sensual and consensual. The black haired witch leaned forward again but Hermione stopped her with a hand to Bellatrix's chest. The witch in question looked at the brunette. "As much as I'd like to continue," she blushed, "I'm sick. I don't want you to catch my cold."
Bella smiled and nodded. She could understand and it made her heart race to even know her witch would want to continue had it not been her sickness. "Rest, pet. You need to get well." It hurt to think that the girl may not actually feel this way and that it was all just her delirious sick state making all these moves, but Bellatrix had hope. The brunette would blush a lot whenever she was around and said something or touched her so hopefully it was all for something.
Hermione hummed in agreement to Bellatrix's words and so she settled back down into the pillows and Bellatrix pulled the covers up to her. Quietly she slipped into sleep with the dark witch's face on her mind and in her dreams.
The older Slytherin kept watch as the girl tried to sleep off her sickness and began wondering what she would do about the French lessons. They seemed like a great opportunity to get the brunette to open and know her even better. If this wasn't Hermione in her sickened state, she hoped to change it so that it was Hermione in her sound mind. She hoped to strengthen the new found love and create an even stronger bond. One that wouldn't break against all odds of the upcoming war. This would complete the mission of the Dark Lord but it would also thaw the heart of someone who was said to have never loved. With this, Bellatrix finally succumbed to Morpheus in the early morning hours.
Author's End Note: So I started this chapter off very sober, but chapters always take me hours to write because of careful contemplation and I had a few beers in between these hours and let's say the next half ain't me sober. So I'll post it for now and come next morning I'll be ever so regretful with a hangover and go back and edit the shit outta this. Thanks for reading even though it probably doesn't make sense until I fix it. Please comment, I love to hear from you all. Sorry if this is a short chapter. I wanted it to be longer but I can't really think straight right now. All grammar and spelling errors are my own until I'm able to go back and edit. ~1stSoulVamp