Hermione had told Bellatrix to wait for her in the courtyard while she rushed up to the Gryffindor dorms to quickly shower and change her clothes. How she hadn't felt the bit of seaweed that had somehow gotten stuck in her bra was beyond her.
As she fixed her hair as best she could, Hermione was nervous Bellatrix would be gone when she got back down to the courtyard. She had been the one to kiss Bellatrix instead this time, and she kissed back.
It was still more than a little odd to her, but the kiss felt so right. She didn't really get the chance to ask Bellatrix about it before she went to change, and she was afraid of the awkward conversation later on. What had it meant? Why had she even done it? What did she mean about Fabian? Had she overheard him ask her out? Did she know she said no? Did she like her? Was that even allowed?
Hermione's brain was on overdrive and she was grateful that the fifth year dorm was empty as she quickly changed into a simple light pink top and a rather uncharacteristic knee length skirt that she had found at the bottom of the clothes that she had been gifted by the Headmaster and McGonagall upon her arrival. It was surprisingly warm enough for them. Hermione desperately missed her jeans and the rest of her clothes from home, but she guessed that it was more important to blend in than bring anymore unwanted attention to herself.
She quickly left the common room again where a couple of first years were trying to play wizard's chess and made her way back down the stairs as quickly as possible to the courtyard. She didn't want to waste too much time and risk Bellatrix leaving, leaving her with so many unanswered questions.
As Hermione entered the courtyard again she was honestly a bit surprised to see that Bellatrix had indeed waited there for her. Even though she rushed to shower and change her clothes, Hermione half expected Bellatrix to be gone when she returned, wondering just what the kiss had really meant for the both of them.
The brunette smiled softly as she watched Bellatrix sitting by the fountain, her wand balanced lazily in her hand as she passed the time, creating her own miniature water show with what had collected at the bottom of the basin. She looked so relaxed, so at peace, something Hermione never would have labelled Bellatrix as before. Itit made her realize just how anxious she really was for the encounter. Her stomach knotted up as she began to walk into the empty clearing of the courtyard, still out of sight for Bellatrix. With each step she began to question what she was really doing and why.
She paused just a few feet behind the raven haired girl, studying the small frame and wild curls that cascaded down her back. Dark curls that someone could easily get lost within if they were ever given the chance to do so.
What would she say? She wasn't even entirelyentire sure of herself what the kiss had meant, or even why she had done it.
"If you plan on sneaking up on me Green, you'd better have a decent reason, you're doing a piss poor job of it." Bellatrix didn't even turn around from the miniature water show she was putting on in the base of the fountain. Hermione wasn't even sure how she knew she was there.
The all too familiar feeling of pink burning cheeks returned to the Gryffindor's face. A feeling that she was increasingly associating with Bellatrix. "I wasn't trying to sneak up on you, I just wasn't sure what to say is all." She paused, still watching the way Bellatrix controlled the water, commanding it to go up and down in an artistic fashion. "You waited though."
Bellatrix nodded, turning finally to look up at Hermione, those deep brown, almost black eyes boring into her. It was the first time that Hermione had noticed the deep flecks of brown and golden colours that made up the outer circumference of Bellatrix's irises. The colour reminded her of looking deep into a fire of coals that were still somehow burning on the outside. "I told you I would wait. Though I did consider forcing myself past that fat woman's portrait if you didn't hurry up."
Hermione rolled her eyes back in response. "I told you I was coming. A shower and changing takes a bit of time if you haven't noticed before. I thought you wanted me to scrub the lake funk off of me?"
A smirk pulled at Bellatrix's lips as she stood. That devilish look somehow made all the confidence Hermione built up disappear almost instantly. Even though Bellatrix was a couple of inches shorter than Hermione, she instantly knew how to take control of a situation with that one look. "Yes, I will admit you do smell a lot better. You look a lot better too. Glad you're not trying to attract the kelpies anymore then."
Hermione's cheeks burned even hotter, feeling that sense of embarrassment even up into her ears now. "Thanks for that. Kelpies aren't really what I was shooting for."
Bellatrix raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow as her smirk pulled even more at her lips as she took a half step forward towards Hermione. "Oh really? And who were you shooting for then Green?"
Hermione blushed and nodded, her hands feeling awkward so she stuffed them in her pockets. "I uhh… you… well… I-I'm sorry again I blamed you earlier. I guess it just felt a bit convenient with you being there." How does she do that? She turns the situation to one that embarrasses me!
Bellatrix shrugged, trying to play it off. "If I had wanted to do something towards you, I would have come up with something a little more creative than making you wet." Hermione noticed the faint pink tinge to Bellatrix's cheeks after she said it. Merlin she's doing this on purpose and it's still getting to her too.
The Gryffindor chuckled. "Well you must admit, after all the crap you put me through at first, it was an easy assumption to make."
The raven haired girl rolled her eyes as she started to walk back to the covered corridors of the courtyard that surrounded them. "I suppose. But a ripped bag? Screaming books? There's nothing creative about that. That's got the Ravenclaw boy written all over it."
Hermione shrugged a little bit, following after the other girl. "I guess," she never realized how much Cho Chang's father Lin really disliked her, or how far he'd try to go to show her up. "I never thought it'd be Ravenclaws that I'd be having to protect myself from though. Where are we going?"
Bellatrix smirked as they began to walk back inside. "I'm not sure yet. I just figured if we were going to talk, maybe we shouldn't do it in the middle of the courtyard for anyone to see as they walk through the castle? It isn't exactly the most private area."
So Bellatrix wanted to talk too? "We could go to the library?"
"It's just weeks before exams, I'm sure it's more empty than normal, but I hardly doubt it's deserted. Let's just walk. As long as I don't have to worry about you falling down the staircase and assuming that's my fault as well." Hermione nodded as she fell into step beside Bellatrix, a small awkward silence hanging between them. "Well?" Bellatrix asked after a while.
"Well what?" Hermione asked as she looked up at the other girl.
Bellatrix rolled her eyes excessively. "Come on, Green, I know you're no idiot. You know what. Are you going to make me say it instead?"
Hermione shrugged. "I could ask you the same about the night in the Room of Requirements."
Bellatrix's cheeks turned a brighter shade of pink and she growled a little, something that would probably have intimidated other students. "God you're so impossible. Why do you have to be so stubborn?"
The brunette scoffed and shook her head. "Again, I could ask you the same thing. Do you not realize how stubborn you are all the time? Maybe it's just a taste of your own medicine."
Bellatrix rolled her eyes and smiled a little, shrugging. "A taste huh?"
Hermione could feel her cheeks burning again. Shit walked right into that one didn't I?
"mmhmm" She hummed her answer as she chewed her lip awkwardly for a moment, nodding her answer to both Bellatrix and herself before looking up to see dark eyes glancing at her. "Maybe I wanted to check something. Research?"
Bellatrix looked at her disgusted. "Research?"
The brunette's cheeks burned brighter. "I-I mean I wanted to see if I could duplicate the results." Her eyes were downcast. Had she already screwed things up?
"A-And did it?" the Slytherin sounded just as nervous as Hermione felt even though she refused to show it the same way.
Hermione shrugged as they started up the steps. "I'm still here aren't I?"
"That's no answer Green."
"You know, calling a girl you've kissed twice by her last name constantly isn't exactly reassuring."
Bellatrix paused for a moment beside her and took a deep breath before catching back up to her. "I guess you're right… Hermione."
Hermione's heart seemed to jump and beat faster, an uncontrollable smile quickly pulling at her lips that she saw replicated on the other girl's. "See that wasn't so hard was it?"
"I suppose, but that still doesn't answer my question." The raven haired girl responded quickly.
Hermione chewed at her lip as they turned towards the astronomy tower and nodded. "Yes, it did. Umm, did it for you?"
Hermione looked up to watch Bellatrix draw a deep red coloured lip into her teeth to bite on before nodding a little, looking up at into Hermione's golden brown eyes for a response. "Well I'm still here aren't I?"
The Gryffindor chuckled softly as she pulled her hands back out of her pockets, her palms had started to sweat from nerves. "And you call me stubborn."
Bellatrix smiled as they walked up the spiral staircase to the top of the deserted tower. "I'm nothing if not consistent."
Hermione smiled and shrugged. "I don't know; you've changed quite a bit since I first met you. Not that I'm arguing with the results. I'll take a nice Bellatrix over one that's trying to curse me in the hallways any day of the week." Bellatrix chuckled softly, leaning against the edge of the tower, overlooking the forbidden forest. Hermione joined beside her, wanting to be close but careful not to push anything. "So that Fabian comment? Earlier?"
Bellatrix sighed heavily, picking at the stone in front of her. "Well I'm not blind you know. I did notice the way he jumped in for you like that. The way he defended you and held your arm as you walked. Besides, the walls have ears Hermione. I heard that he planned on asking you to Hogsmeade. I know you are friends with the other Prewitt, so I figured you'd probably take him up on it."
Hermione smiled softly, reaching to stop the girl from ruining her nails on the rough stone. "I may be friends with Molly, and Fabian is a really nice guy, but he isn't exactly my type."
Bellatrix blushed at the feeling of Hermione's hand on hers and nodded. "So I'm coming to learn. Too much penis involved?"
Hermione pulled a face. "Not really the way I would put it, but I guess so." The two girls looked at each other before bursting into a fit of giggles.
Hermione still had hold of Bellatrix's hand as the laughter died down. As she looked up at Bellatrix she was met with dark inquisitive eyes that beckoned to her to try again. She wasn't sure who leant in first, but when their lips met, it wasn't just a spark, it felt as though lightening was coursing through her body. The kiss was less nervous than the first two, both felt more confident as they drew in together. Hermione's hand slipped from Bellatrix's to reach up push her fingers into the base of Bellatrix's hair, her fingers getting lost in the loose ink black ringlets. Bellatrix let out a soft moan as she reached to hold onto Hermione's waist, drawing their bodies closer together before starting to part her lips, her tongue experimentally sliding along Hermione's lip. As the brunette gasped into the kiss, she quickly felt Bellatrix's tongue with hers, slowly exploring new unknown terrain.
As the two girls broke free they were both slightly winded, but they both grinned at one another before Bellatrix finally spoke up. "See? Privacy has its perks."
Hermione couldn't stop herself from giggling as she looked out at the view from the top of the empty tower. "Very true." Her nerves started to slowly ebb back as she looked down. "So, what exactly is happening here? I mean between us. Is there something happening?" Hermione wanted to kick herself for sounding like a desperate little school girl. What was she even doing anyways? Bellatrix Black? Was she crazy?
Bellatrix looked down, her hands slipping form Hermione's waist, one finding Hermione's hand to lace their fingers together. "I'm not quite sure honestly. It's hard to explain. I won't lie. When I first met you, I hated you."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Oh really? Imagine that from the girl who had something negative to say literally as soon as she met me, in hospital I might add. You do realize you're meant to be nice to people in hospital right?"
"Oh please," Bellatrix held her head higher, "The infirmary is hardly a hospital. Besides, when I was attacked, you didn't see me going to get patched up by some young, inexperienced nurse did you? No. I took care of things myself."
Hermione felt her eyes rolling even further back in her head. "Well done. Do you want a cookie? Or perhaps a gold star?"
"That! See it's exactly that! Why do you do that?" The Slytherin pulled back some, throwing her hands up exasperated.
Hermione was a bit taken aback for a moment. "What? Call you out? You're joking right?" When Bellatrix's expression hardened some Hermione only sighed, fighting back an ironic laugh. "What are you expecting? Me to bow down to your gloating? Pretend to be impressed by your need to seem better than everyone else around you? Be afraid of you? Because I'm not afraid of you. You're just a person. Same as me. I've dealt with worse, don't get me wrong, you're no cake walk, but someone has to deal with it. I'm not going to let you just walk all over me. I know I'm better than that."
"Cake walk?" The raven haired girl raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.
"It's a muggle thing. Don't worry about it. The point is, I know that no matter what you throw at me, what you do, I've realized that it's just a defense mechanism. I also know that, likely, no one has ever stood up to you before. Sure, that may make me a bigger target at times, but like I said, I'm not going to just bow down to your whims simply because you Bellatrix Black, of the most ancient and noble house of Black." Hermione rolled her eyes at the last statement, not noticing the rather stunned expression on Bellatrix's face.
An awkward silence fell between the two girls as Bellatrix crossed her arms back, thinking things over. "You've never explained before how you claim to know so much about my family."
Hermione froze in place. Shit. "I've learned some things from talking to Andy."
Bellatrix shook her head. "No. Even before I knew you were speaking to my sister. That night in McGonagall's office when you quoted our family motto."
A rosy heat filled Hermione's cheeks again. "I've read a few books that mention the sacred 28. There are plenty of rumors and things as well. The point is, I'm not going to have anyone tell me I'm not worthy of something simply because of the circumstance I was born into. Merit is based on achievements. And I know we don't exactly live in a meritocracy, but I want people to see me for my achievements and acts, rather than the blood in my veins. Blood that I might add, looks exactly the same as yours missy."
A thick awkwardness hung between the two of them, the previous joking and kisses seemingly buried behind the massive load issues that Hermione had just dumped between them. Neither girl could really meet the other's eyes. Hermione was afraid of saying too much, and Bellatrix was still processing a number of thoughts that seemed to be buzzing through her skull, arguing in loud voices that somehow only seemed to confuse her more.
"You may have read about purebloods and our society and expectations, but take it from me, those books don't do it justice. Perhaps I do expect to be treated differently, but when you have been treated differently your entire life, when you've been told your entire life that you are different and that so much of your life has already been pre-ordained for you, well then maybe you start to believe and act differently too. Have you ever heard of the concept of the self-fulfilling prophecy? Not any of that astrology rubbish, but when others start to have ideas about you, and treat you differently, eventually you act differently and believe different things as well. I read about it once in this psycho book. I thought it would be about criminals and things, but it was actually just about the mind. I don't even think it was magical, just something left in the library."
Hermione felt stunned and numb in the chest. Was Bellatrix trying to quote psychology to her? "It's a muggle study. Understanding how the mind works, psychology. It's not as widely accepted in the magical world though."
Bellatrix nodded. "Yes well this seemed to make a lot of sense to me, quite a lot of the book did actually. Strange stuff if it came from mudbloods." The brunette winced a little at the word, and Bellatrix noticed, making sure to choose her worse more carefully. "Muggles I mean. But what I mean is, when you've been told your entire life that you're better, that you're meant to become something more, eventually it has an effect on people. They start to believe it too and act upon it. And actually, around this place, it's not as if any of the muggleborns have ever really done anything to show me differently. Perhaps they self-fullfil their own prophecies of being lesser beings. Honestly, You've been the first person to really challenge those ideas. Truthfully? it only infuriated me at first."
Hermione was left blinking, her mouth slightly agape as she watched Bellatrix. Surely in fifteen years, someone had had the backbone enough to tell the girl no. It seemed so impossible somehow to Hermione that that was the case, but then again, like Bellatrix had said, it was a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. If there was already a status that existed around Bellatrix, then people already expected her to act a certain way, and they knew to act a certain way around her as well, maybe without ever even knowing her. Hell, even Hermione had been victim to it when she first arrived. Allowing a belief and attitude to get in the way of things.
"No one ever tried to override me in classes, not even the stupidest Ravenclaws. Or to draw a wand on outside the Great Hall, argue with me in the library, you had some balls. After we duelled, I didn't realize just how strong you were. I thought it was all just show in class. All books, no action, but once you nearly killed me," a small smirk pulled at Bellatrix's lips, "I thought just ignoring you would be best. Eventually things would die down and if I stopped thinking about things then I'd stop feeling, whatever it was that compelled me to try to show you up. Then you had to go and save my life. How, after everything I've done to you, do you react like that? I felt so utterly stupid."
Hermione couldn't help but smile softly as the other girl started to pour herself out to her. The brunette squeezed Bellatrix's hand softly in response to let her know it was okay. "Honestly, some of it was just pure stupidity and rage. Me not stepping down, even when I thought you were likely to kill me if I kept going. I don't like being told what to do much though, not even by myself sometimes. I knew if I didn't stand up, well I didn't want it to come back and bite me in the ass later on. Like I said, I knew your reputation, I just... couldn't bring myself to lower myself, not even to the likes of Bellatrix Black and all her might."
Bellatrix's cheeks were a soft shade of pink as she looked down at their conjoined hands. "How encouraging, two head strong, blindly determined people where are constantly at each other's throats. That's meant to be a good sign right?"
Hermione groaned softly and chuckled. "Well it's got to be something other than that that's caused this, don't you think? I mean, I've hated my fair share of people before without this." She motioned to their interlocked fingers.
Bellatrix shrugged a little and nodded. "True, I mean I guess. I've never really tried to put a label on any of my feelings before, mostly because they tend to be useless. Besides, no one in their right mind would believe you if you ran into the Great Hall screaming that Bellatrix Black was a homosexual. They'd send you to the loony bin at St. Mungo's, where I'm still not totally convinced you don't belong by the way." She said the last bit flatly before judging Hermione's unamused expression and began laughing for her.
"Sure, laugh it up Black, but if I'm crazy, there's very little hope for you you realize." The laughter slowly making Hermione smile again. "Besides, those overly expressive eyes of yours tend to scream danger to anyone willing to get caught up in them."
The laughter calmed down and the raven haired girl sent a knowing smirk up at the other. "I doubt anyone would notice, seeing as I'm pretty sure I reserve that specific look for when I'm looking at you."
It was Hermione's turn to blush again and she was surprised he wasn't constantly a shade of red around the girl.
"The 'I'm going to make this girl pay' for something look, I just wasn't exactly sure what. Plus your magic, I've never seen magic like that in another student before. I've been duelling club champion since my fourth year, and that's even against 7th years! That amazes me too. You've got to show me some of that."
Hermione laughed as she looked down at Bellatrix. "I can see that from you, and I've already shown you some."
A devious grin pulled at the Slytherin's lips. "Some… but I know there's more where that came from. I could help you too you know, your form isn't exactly sharp. Most of your moves I could tell from a mile away. We could practice? As long as there's no attempted murder."
Hermione was stunned. Could she? This was Bellatrix she was talking about after all. Could she be responsible for helping train Bellatrix into the Death Eater she feared?
As she watched the hopeful face in front of her, she realized she didn't see Bellatrix Lestrange in front of her. No, this was Bellatrix Black, and if Dumbledore was right, she still had every opportunity to change her life.
Hermione small smile slowly formed on Hermione's lips, "That could be interesting. No murder though. Pinkie swear."
Bellatrix blinked as she stared up at Hermione confused "Pinkie swear? As in you'd lose a pinkie? Why not just take the unbreakable vow? It seems much more secure."
Hermione stared back in equal confusion before laughing and shaking her head "What? No! It's not a real vow or swear or oath or anything. It's just a muggle saying. It's just a promise. Here, I'll show you." She pulled her hand back, her fingers slipping out of Bellatrix's before holding up her little finger. "Like this."
Bellatrix frowned slightly as she watched her, "You and your muggle things." Before holding her hand up to stick her pinkie out. "Fine."
Hermione grinned, linking their pinkies together "I promise I'm not going to try to kill you."
"Am I meant to accept your promise? How does it work?" Bellatrix asked as she stared at their conjoined fingers.
"Well you don't really, but you know you could try to promise the same? I really enjoy living too you know. It's not binding or anything. It's just a promise."
Bellatrix looked up at Hermione questioningly before sighing. "I can't exactly say I see the purpose in it then, but fine. I, Bellatrix Black, promise to never try to kill you either."
Hermione's heart rate fluttered slightly. If only the girl really knew what that meant to her. She squeezed their fingers one last time before leaning to seal the deal with another short kiss. "It's a deal then."
The eldest Black still looked slightly stunned as Hermione pulled back from the kiss before she smiled again. "We could probably still practice in the come and go room you know. And if we pick a decent time, no one would ever know."
Hermione nodded, "We could start now if you really wanted."
Bellatrix looked surprised but grinned. "You want to duel?"
Hermione giggled softly. "Well practice duel maybe. Or, you know last time I taught you something, you could teach me something in return?"
The slytherin seemed to be thinking it over for a minute before nodding. "I guess I could show you some things. Didn't expect to have to have a lesson plan already put together, so I'm sure, I'm sure we can work something out."
Hermione rolled her eyes before laughing. "Okay then. You're not going to make me call you Professor Black are you?"
Bellatrix smirked as she began to lead Hermione back down the spiral staircase again. "Oh don't give me any ideas Green."
Uhh... hello... again... mmhmm I'm still here I guess. Still plenty more to go. Work is insane, so thanks for baring with me. I hope you enjoyed!
Shoutout to LazzeEM for still constantly reminding me to update, and Erazon for being my Beta in this chapter!