Hello Guys,

This has been one crazy ass week at work. So, please be gentle. I know this one is rough. I am just trying to keep with the one update minimum a week. Here is a Bella and Fleur freak out moment.

Happy reading and thank you all for your support,

Snow


At Dan's After the BBQ:

"She has not been the same," she said to the fire as she held a glass of amber liquid in a small tumbler. Dan saw Narcissa leave, saying she was tired, but happy the evening had been such a success. Dan slid his eyes to Bella, and then to Fleur who was curled up on the couch. Bella saw his eyes dart to the young woman.

"She cant leave me Dan," Bella whispered, and his brown eyes glanced back to her own, "The ministry needs one person to watch me at all times," then Bella slipped her endless obsidian pools to her lover, I am just grateful they let my lover, my mate, become my keeper," Bella said softly and a tear slid down her cheek.

"I am sure she doesn't think of you as a burden my girl," Dan said to the fire tearing his eyes from the enigmatic woman he slowly came to know.

"Girl!" she chuckled, and then Dan looked at Bella, most of the lines about her eyes, forehead, and mouth disappeared, and the only ones left were of mirth and glee, "I am 47 you delightful muggle," she smiled and Dan shook his head as he sipped from his own glass.

"I am 43, My Girl, and you have become something different than the legend I was told on Hermione and Narcissa's proposal day," he smiled. He looked into the fire remembering that day and before Bella could ask his voice slipped out into the space between them as he smiled, watched a fire, and remembered a better time, "Hermione proposed using animated letters that told of her love for your sister. They were scattered all over the island we visited and finally when Narcissa reached the last letter, it was Hermione's proposal, and her mother's ring, which I gave to Jean oh so many years ago coupled with a bit of lost history from Hermione's vaults," Dan took a sip, and winced as the sweet burn of his bourbon slipped down his throat.

"Bella, my daughter, curse that time turner, grew up into a woman I could not even fathom. She was beyond incredible," Dan turned to Bella bore into her eyes, "Jean told me that their love would be something to treasure, to let happen," he swallowed then turned back to the fire, "It was fated."

Bella didn't mean to, she tried not to, but Dan was so open. She saw the whole event, she saw Hermione declaring her undying love to her sister on that tropical dock surrounded by the people she loved, the people Narcissa loved. She saw the woman named Jean and she gasped slightly at the sight of the woman. She looked just like Hermione to Bella's eyes. Bella turned away, clenching her eyes shut, breathing quickly. Dan blinked and looked at Bella with a furrowed brow.

"Dan, stop! Please… don't look at me," Bella closed her lids, clenched her fists, and tried with all her might not to let the tears slip from their barricades of lashes and flesh.

"Did you read my mind?" Dan asked softly. Bella nodded without opening her eyes. She didn't mean to! "Ok, Ok Love. I know you didn't mean to," Dan reached over and took her hand and her eyes popped open and he looked to the man that held her hand.

"Why are you so kind Dan?" Bella asked not for the first time since meeting Dan. The man had to chuckle.

"Because, my girl, kindness has its own magic," Dan whispered, and Bella choked back a sob. Every time she heard it, every time she heard Dan say those words, the same words her little witch said. It created a canyon in her chest, split her open, and made her miss the little witch more than she already did.

"She said the same thing," Bella said to Dan, and he nodded to her hearing in not for the first time.

"Would you like me to show you more?" Dan asked timidly. Bella's head shot up. Her mouth worked; her heart hammered in her chest.

"I would like to see their wedding day please," Bella asked clutching Dan's fingers. Dan only smiled and nodded.

"What do I do?' he asked, and Bella smiled, and Dan felt it like warm honey coated his mind.

Bella stood there and watched her little sister get married to the woman she was destined to be with. Narcissa, her Cissy, looked grand pink and tan from the sun, barefoot at the altar, and dashing as she took Hermione's hand from Dan's. Dan's eyes took in the whole scene, but his eyes constantly strayed to Andromeda's. Then he looked back as their lips touched, then he heard a gasp, looked to Andromeda, and then spun quickly. He didn't see it, but it looked like a flash on the water as the sun touched the ocean. He looked back around, and then Narcissa was kneeling in front of a house elf dressed in fantastic clothes. Bella knew this elf as the one that would flay her alive if given the order. Narcissa picked up the paper, read it, and then sighed. Narcissa growled and Hermione calmly followed her wife to their bungalow. Dan looked around, found Andromeda's eyes, and they both shrugged then turned to other people as the party went on. It was then that Bella pulled out of the memory.

"She had to leave for me," Bella said as she leaned back and took her drink with shaky hands and took a large gulp.

Dan looked shaken, and drained, and Bella put a glass in his hand, and accioed chocolate. Dan drank and ate at the same time and was relieved the combination worked.

"It was the first time I realized they loved each other," Bella growled and threw her glass. Dan looked at the mess and sighed. He wasn't sure what to do, but he could get a mop later. Then Poppy was seen around the corner of the living room. Bella saw Dan motion for her, and Poppy practically flew toward Dan. Dan felt her tiny hands all over his chest, stomach and then head.

"Mister Dan, you need healing," Poppy said softly as she pulled her hands away from her master's father. She rubbed her fingers together and then moved to press them to his temples, but hee stopped her.

"Can I heal on my own?" Dan asked. Poppy looked the man in the eyes nodded but put her hands to his chest.

"You are my responsibility Mister Dan. Not till Mistress comes back…" Dan sat up quickly, poppy cowered in his lap as she felt, and saw his rage. But his rage subsided and Bella watched Dan reach out and place a hand on the elf's shoulder.

"You are my roommate, and my friend, Poppy. Remember that," the little elf nods with her ears drooped low and her eyes down cast. Dan looked to her, and Bella sighed and pointed to her head and then the elf. Dan looked at poppy.

"Poppy, would you feel better if you healed my fatigue?" dan asked artfully and Poppy lit up like a pinball machine.

"YES! Please, the mistress would be delighted…" poppy was cut off.

"Do YOU want to heal me Poppy?" Dan asked the little creature. The elf blinked, and looked to the side, bit her thumbnail and then looked back serious.

"Is this part of being half Free? Having a choice?" Poppy asked seriously and then Dan's features softened and drew the elf into his arms, hugged her then sat her back.

"It is part of being free, Love. You can choose to heal or not to heal me. It won't hurt my feelings in any way little Poppy," Dan said smiling softly down to the elf.

"Then I want to half heal you," Poppy said haughtily. Dan barked a laugh and Bella looked to Fleur, saw her blue eyes, smiled and then turned back to the scene before him.

"Why is that little miss?' he asked as he sat with the elf as if it where a child in his lad.

"I will half heal you so you can remember all the effects of memory diving for a muggle, Sir," Poppy said clearly and more firmly than any house elf Bella had ever encountered. But then every one of Hermione and Narcissa's house elves were well spoken, clean and clothed. She looked at the spotted summer dress the little elf wore.

"Pet, how do you wear clothes if you are a house elf and half free?" Bella asked as she sank into the chair. The elf looked to Bella then Dan. She walked up Dan's lap with oaf's and huff's and then placed her hands on his temples. It was barely a touch, and graze, and he felt nominally better. It felt like the second day after a handover where things just felt right but needed a little push to work. Then the little elf went to the arm of the chair. Dan looked over to the dark witch and then to Fleur. Fleur brought out her wand, and Bella sat their stiff and polite for a pureblood talking to … servants, and that was kind. Dan was ready to place himself in harm if need before the little elf. Then the elf looked into Bella's eyes. She spoke.

"I am half free because my mistress is the most wondrous woman to walk the earth and gave me a choice. I would rather be tied to the sunshine than live with out it, and she is my source, she is everything that keeps me bonded to her. Not her magic, not her power but her…" Poppy couldn't finish.

"It was her kindness," Bella finished and then the little elf cocked her hear to the left. "Its ok little one, I know of Mistress Hermione's kindness," she reached out and touched… no joke freaking touched a house elf's hand, "She saved me before."

Bella took her hand back, and then looked at the fire taking another sip of the divine amber liquid, she spun it cone more and then held out the hand that touched the house elf. Dan smirked and picked up the bottle and made poppy sit with them and gave asked her for a smaller serving, and she smiled making a small teacup appear in her hands. Fleur accioed one more glass, and then went to Bella and sat with her. It was uncomfortable in the tiny chair.

"Dan can I alter your seating?" Bella sked and Dan nodded. She performed a simple elongation spell on the arm chair and Dan looked at his, and he cleared his thr5oat.

"If it isn't too much trouble could I have a recliner?" Dan asked as if it were is birthday and was afraid to ask for his favorite toy. Bella cocked a brow.

"A recliner is were you put your feet up like this," and Dan demonstrated, "and have a lever to make it go back down," Bella watched him reenact the movements and then waved her wand. Dan found himself in a fluffy, oversized, form fitting comfortable recliner. He leaned back and moved the lever, and his feet propped u, and he let out a contented sigh. Poppy came over to Dan and lay at the loot rest, but Dan would not have it. He literally gave the chair to the Elf. Bella scoffed.

"Dear Gods Dan, here," she spat but turned an end table into a small recliner, and then accioed logs from outside that could have fed the BBQ fire. Then she fashioned them into the end table. Poppy looked to Bella then Dan. Dan motioned with a shrug.

"Thank you, Miss Black," the elf said and then sat int the chair. The way the house elf sighed, and then ahh-ed was delightful, and adorable. Everyone else in the room played off the elf. It was a long moment of Bella making the elongated chair into a recliner for Fleur to sit with her comfortable. They looked at the other, they dove into the others eyes. Dan watched, and couldn't not observe. Then he turned his head.

"Hermione told me I was the magic side of everything…" Dan said to the universe so softly that no one would be heard, but Fleur whipped to Dan, and then Bella, and Poppy opened her eyes.

"Am I magically suppressed, or non-magical?" Dan asked as he looked from the fire, to his bourbon, took a sip, and then looked to the lovers.

"Why do you accept me?" Dan asked. It was strange for Bella. Here was a man becoming more and more drunk with every sip he took but his presence didn't shrink. He was solidly there. Some people tend to cower in on themselves, others tend to rage, and then others tend to simply be and contemplate their immediate universe. Dan was a balanced drunk. He cowered to the age of a 20-year-old and then raged as if her were 40 and bulletproof. But when he raged it wasn't violently. Bella spent time with this man. It was as if he called to her.

Bella watched I'm with every moment she was in his presence. She wanted to know how Hermione came from these people, these… muggles… fuck it all MUDBLOOD… Whew… There, everyone could kiss her rather tones ass, she was still a Black. But when she watched this man… he wasn't a simple muggle. He was Dan, and because he was Hermione's father, she revered him as if he had superpowers, as if he were exactly like his daughter.

Dan Granger to Bellatrix Black was more. He was a muggle, knowing that she killed muggles for just the thrill of it, should have sent him running, but just like his daughter, he stayed and saw more. He saw her heart and wanted her in his rather unstable family. So naturally she accepted. She needed and wanted a place outside of the square they made. Her bond wasn't with Dan, yes, he was her father, but was nothing more than a person of importance. But when he said kindness has its own magic, she was torn back to her little witch. It was the first time he said it she looked into his eyes and accepted. She would protect this one. Others… eh, but this one… was hers, under her wings, under her power to protect and protect she shall.

"I accept you simply for having the stupid blind courage to accept me," Bella smirked and then looked into Dan's eyes. But for once he was closed off. Her brow furrowed as Dan smiled.

"I figured it out, ha. Bella my dear…" he said as he looked at her and Fleur cuddled together, "I will accept those Hermione Accepts. She has magnificent judgement. She seems to know people, inside and out, almost read their hearts," Dan ended with a smile, but it was Fleur's gasp that brought Bella and Dan to them.

"Mon Amour, she is an empath…" Fleur gasped in Bella's ear and then flew as if she were weightless from Bella's side, "Can't you see she has given us everything we needed, right then and there with no regard, " Fleur paced and then rolled her shoulders. Poppy moved from her chair to behind Dan's. He could see a skittering over his skin.

"No need for a protective charm little one," Bella whispered, and then a picture frame cracked, "Nope better yet kept that shield up and strong little elf," Bella said and the elf nodded and Dan declined his chair and moved to a standing position so he can move away.

"What is it love?" Bella asked as she approached Fleur.

"How much of our relationship had been because of her empathic abilities? How much of our relationship is because of her seeing me, playing me, knowing my emotions?!" Fleur raged, and broke a table and Bella closed the distance.

"Stop Little Beast," Bella smiled as Fleur fell into her embrace at those words and her arms. She stroked her blonde hair and smiled sadly and then kissed Fleur's neck.

"Do you wish that you were bonded with Hermione?" Bella asked still holding her, making sure Fleur couldn't see her face, crumbling into a vast despair. Fleur tried to pull away, but Bella kept her still, flush up against her, nowhere to go, nowhere to turn. Fleurs stilled, and then sighed. She wrapped her arms around Bella, she let herself feel, and her fingers roam. She tired oh gods she tried but it was futile.

"Yes," whispered a voice in Bella's ear. Bella clenched Fleur tightly. She never let her go, and Fleur closed her eyes then they snapped open.

"Do you want to be bonded to Narcissa?' Bella asked softly as she kissed her shoulder and Fleur felt it coming. She felt the trap. It was laid, knowing she would be the rabbit that was ensnared, or would she be the beast that's triggered it. Fleur clenched her fist.

"Yes," she whispered again, and it was a strange sensation. Bella only clung to her even more.

"Do you want to me bonded to me?" Bella asked barely above a whisper.

"Bella, please," Fleur begged, but Bella clenched her to her chest.

"Answer," Bella demanded, growled in her ear. Fleur closed her eyes.

"Yes," she said and then ran into reasons, "I want you for our bond, you are my mate! But Narcissa and Hermione… they are a part of this bond," Fleur finally pulled free and looked at Bella. "We bound you my gorgeous witch, and in so doing bound my bond to all of you. It was innocent … but oh so cruel to you and me, my love. Please…" Fleur held out a hand and Bella looked at it.

"Our bond? But…" Bella looked over an open palm, "But what about love? Do you love me?" Bella almost sobbed. But Bellatrix Black was not a type crying type, she was the taking type. She was never the loving type until now. Fleur did not speak, but her lips moved. Her head nodded but the words would not come.

"We need this fixed," Bella said and then turned from Fleur. Fleur seemed to cave in on herself, and yet stood firm. Dan was about to go to the girl, but the blonde veela pulled her hand back, paused Dan, and then nodded. She stepped to the fire, broken, slighted, and hurt. Dan saw it all as she voiced her destination. The Dan looked to Bella.

"Don't fucking glare at me Dan, pour the damn bottle," Bella demanded as she sat in the armchair she magically lengthened for Fleur. Dan scrambled to the side and Bella let out a cackle he had not heard before and looked for his protection. Poppy nodded from her chair and clenched a fist. Dan felt a tingle over his body.

"Dan, fuck all, I won't fight you, I don't want to, but I need…" Dan blinked. These sisters. He grabbed his coin and begged Andromeda to come. Dan walked over to Bella in the chair and knelt in front of her. He took her hands, grasped them, felt them, callouses on the thumb and fore finger, and then middle finger. The other two didn't grip much. Then Andy came through the Floo as he made his assessment.

Dan met her eyes. He rose and then Andy knelt before Bellatrix.

"Andy," gasped a small voice. Andromeda hated her sister. Hated the beast with in her.

"What happened Bells?" Andromeda asked as she found her sister. Bella narrowed her eyes; a sneer came to her lips and then she motioned to her eyes. Andromeda seemed to take the hint. She guided them to the chair, the same that she and Fleur vacated. They investigated the others mind and the Andromeda dove.

OH, holy hell and fire water. Andromeda wished she would not have. She saw flashes of flesh, lips, and pleasure. She broke away.

"God damnit, Bella speak Please," growled Andromeda as she sank in the cushions of the chair. Bella sat next to Andromeda. Bella didn't touch her. Touching was prohibited, but Andy clung to her wrist. She squeezed hard, like goblin iron.

"I am lost on who is who, and who my mate wants," Bella provided as Andromeda sank further into the chair. There was an aroma. She smirked, Dan's chair.

"You have to clear it, whatever it is. You have to break away, STOP it!" Andromeda said and then she stood as if her duty was over.

"Please stay," Bella asked, and it was those eyes that almost had Andy say yes.

"NO not until you can utilize your tools, your loved ones, and your subordinates in the appropriate manor…" Then Andromeda leaned down. She grasped Bellatrix by the chin, a biting in her grip, she looked, she studied, and Bella couldn't stop her.

"Fix it," Andy said and then grabbed Dan. They strode to the fire, and then Flooed to Andromeda's. Bella was felt with nothing but a house elf. Then the house elf blinked away. She looked at amber fluid, and then to the flames.