Hermione was just beginning to come out of her slumber. She immediately noted the headache that was pounding behind her eyes. She satisfactorily stretched out her aching limbs when she noted the feeling of silk touch her skin. Her eyes shot open and she faced a brief moment of panic. She wasn't waking up in her own bed. She shot up in the bed to a seated position faster than she could ever recall moving. Her pounding head reeling at the sudden motion sent a wave of nausea to her stomach. Quelling the nausea, Hermione looked around at her settings. She noted that she was alone in the dark bedroom. The light from the outside coming in from the window had alerted her to the fact that it was indeed morning. The bedroom was decorated in dark greens and blacks. As she was looking around, she noted a chair in the corner. The chair had a few corsets draped over the back. She also saw her pants folded on the chair with her shoes placed underneath.
"Perfect. I'm not wearing pants and I'm in Bellatrix's bed. How did I bloody well went up here?" Hermione sighed out and moaned a pained sound as she got out of the comfortable bed. Noticing a piece of parchment on the side table with a potion bottle, curiosity peaked and Hermione picked up the note. "Hermione, please drink this potion. I've had my fair share of hangovers throughout the years. This potion will help calm the pain that I'm sure you are feeling. I didn't realize what a light weight you were." God, Hermione could practically hear her smirk through the note. Rolling her eyes, Hermione picked up the potion and drank it down. There would be no sense in Bellatrix poisoning her now was Hermione's thought as she finished the potion in one gulp. She immediately felt the pressure behind her eyes start to fade and the nausea was feeling immensely better.
Looking back a the bed, Hermione noted that only the side where she had been laying was ruffled. That leads her to believe that she did not share the bed with her host last night. "So how did I go from watching Friends on the couch to my professor's bed without my pants." Hermione thought outloud quietly as she put on her pants, shoes and grabbed her wand. She took the opportunity go to into the bathroom to look herself over in the mirror an to use the loo. Nothing visually stood out to Hermione besides her awful bedhead. She quickly washed her face in the sink with the soap sitting in a little snake dish. She used the hand towel hanging by the sink hoping the older witch wouldn't mind. She then attempted to fix her hair by just throwing it up on the top of her head and using a spell to clean it.
Hermione slowly opened the door to the bedroom and walked quietly into the kitchen area. She saw that Bellatrix was laying facedown on the couch with one arm falling to the floor. She didn't look remarkably comfortable but she did seem at peace. Hermione whispered, "Winky?" And the small elf appeared in front of Hermione.
"What can Winky do for Mistress Hermione?" The small elf said with a smile. Hermione was glad to see Winky finally looking happy here at Hogwarts.
"Can you please bring some toast, eggs, fruit, and juice from the Great Hall for me and Bellatrix? I would really appreciate it."
"That would be my pleasure." The small elf said with a pop and she was gone and back within seconds. She put the food on the table and said her goodbye to Hermione. Hermione took a minute to search the cabinet and found some tea. She quietly brewed some tea for both of them and placed it on the kitchen table.
Hermione walked over to the couch and bent down so she was squatting by Bellatrix's head. She gently reached out and tucked a few strands of hair that were blocking her face. Bellatrix didn't respond so Hermione reached out and placed her hand on her Professor's back. "Bella. It's time to wake up. I have some food here for you."
Bellatrix rolled slightly to look at the woman who was looking so softly at her. "Did you call me Bella?"
"Yes, sorry. I didn't mean to. It just kind of came out." Hermione responded with a slight blush.
"No. Don't be sorry. You can call me Bella." She said smiling at the other witch. "Did you say something about breakfast?"
Hermione chuckled. "Yes, I didn't know what you wanted so I had Winky bring some food and I made some tea."
"Are you staying for breakfast?" Bella asked when she noted the amount of food on the table.
Hermione simply responded, "yes. I would like to."
"Good. I'll be back in a minute. I'm just going to use the bathroom. Make yourself comfortable." Bellatrix said while exiting into the bedroom.
Hermione sat down at the table after pouring two cups of tea. She couldn't believe that she woke up in this situation. Unsure of what she was still doing there, she watched as Bellatrix confidently made her way over to the table and took the seat opposite her.
"How is your head treating you this morning?" Bellatrix said with a smirk.
"Better thanks to your potion. It really did work wonders."
"Yes well. I knew you'd be needing some relief this morning." Bella winked at the younger woman.
"What happened after we were watching friends? I remember starting the episodes with you then all of a sudden, I woke up in your bed." Hermione asked confused.
"Oh so you don't remember reciting an entire episode for me before you graciously passed out in my lap?" Bellatrix said laughing loudly.
"Bloody hell." Hermione responded mortified. Her face was a bright shade of red. "Please tell me what happened to my pants. I woke up and they weren't on me."
"Oh," Bellatrix cleared her throat. "Well, after you passed out, I just found it easier to carry you to my bedroom then back down the hall to yours. I took off those ridiculous muggle pants so your legs could breath while you slept."
"So you tucked me into your bed after I got drunk, passed out on you and you slept on the couch."
"It's not a big deal." Bellatrix waved the thought away with her hand. "Going to Hogsmeade today?" She tried to change the subject.
Hermione smiled at her Professor's attempt to change the subject. "yes, I'm to meet my friends there in a few hours. I'll probably go early so I can go to the book shop. I'm in need of a few quills and I love looking at all the new books. I've missed magical bookstores the past two years. Working in muggle library has been fun but it's nothing compared to magical bookstores. And I might want to stop at Honeydukes for some sweets."
"A muggle library… I'd like to see one someday. I bet the books don't even put themselves away." Bellatrix said rolling her eyes.
"No, that was actually part of what I got paid to do there." Hermione laughed in response to Bellatrix's look at disdain at the thought of actual labor. "Are you going to Hogsmeade?"
"I was thinking about it. I never pass up an opportunity for sweets."
"Do you want to walk with me?" Hermione asked while taking a sip from her tea.
"I suppose I could just incase those horny 5th years are waiting for you." Bellatrix replied with a devious smirk while Hermione lightly choked on her sip of tea.
—-
Bellatrix paced the floor on her suite after the younger witch excused herself to go back to her room to take a shower. Bellatrix didn't know how helping a former enemy fix her parents' memories turned into a semi-date that ended up with the younger witch pants-less in her bed and her on the couch. Bellatrix never spent a night on a couch in her life.
"Was that even a date? Of course not. I don't date. I've never been on a date. That definitely wasn't a date. Why did I let her drink so much fire whiskey? I should've just listened to her story about her parents then sent her back to her own room. I don't offer my bed to people especially for me to sleep on the couch." Bellatrix was mumbling to herself while walking back and forth. "She just looked so cute when we were watching that damn muggle box. I couldn't just send her away. She's finally starting to relax around me."
Bellatrix sat down on her couch with a plop. "No. I refuse to develop any sort of feelings for this girl other than our professional relationship." She argued with herself. "But even Cissy says I need more friends." She argued back. "Yes. Okay maybe she can be a friend but that's it." When Bellatrix was satisfied she had won her internal argument, she got up and put her cloak on over her corseted dress and made her way out of her room.
She went the few feet down the hall and knocked on the brunette's door. Hermione quickly emerged from her room dressed in muggle jeans, a red polo shirt and a set of robes.
"Ready to go?" Bellatrix asked.
"Yes. I am so excited to go to the bookstore." Hermione said with a big smile on her face.
Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "Such a book worm." She said with a chuckle.
The two women made their way out of the castle and started their journey towards Hogsmeade. Bellatrix breathed deeply as the crisp fall air circled around them. "Ive always been a fan of the cooling temperatures. Winter is my favorite season. The last two years were the first in a long time that I got to see the snowfall. It was quite beautiful." Bellatrix looked over at the other witch unsure of why she just said that.
Hermione was just looking back at her with a smile. "There is something magical about the snowfall. I always love the castle at Christmas time. It's so beautiful how they transfix the decor."
Bellatrix chuckled and shook her head. "Christmas would be your favorite holiday. You sound like one of those muggle greeting cards."
"Oh and how do you know about greeting cards?"
"My sister married a muggle remember? We might not be currently speaking but Cissy has showed me some of the cards and letter's she received from Andi." Bellatrix said stopping a moment near the black lack peering out over the water.
"Have you tried writing to her recently?" Hermione inquired trying not to push the woman too hard.
"No, I haven't tried at all." Bellatrix confess. "Honestly, I'm terrified she won't respond."
"Is it because of Tonks?"
"Who?" Bella looked confused at Hermione.
"Nymphadora. Her daughter. I was told that you had killed her."
Bella looked at Hermione in disbelief. "No. That wasn't me. I might not have been fond of my sister or her choices but I would never kill my own family. That would be my brainless brother-in-law who snuck up behind her. I didn't even have a chance to warn her or offer a counter curse."
Bellatrix felt a small yet comforting hand come to rest on her shoulder and give it a gently squeeze. "Enough about that. Let's get you to that book store. Those books aren't going to buy themselves."
—
Bellatrix watched as Hermione flitted around the bookstore in what could only be described as organized chaos. Bellatrix had found a few books she was looking for rather quickly. Somehow, she found herself holding onto the quills, notebook and books that the young witch had picked out for herself.
After what seemed like hours to Bellatrix, Hermione finally approached her. "I'm done." The younger witch announced confidently.
"Are you sure? I didn't see you look at that display over there by the windows." Bellatrix said with a smirk pointing to the window.
"What?" Hermione said turning around then back to Bellatrix. "No. I've kept you here long enough. I'll see it next time."
"Go. Five more minutes." Bellatrix responded with a small chuckled when the other girl squealed and hurried to the display. Hermione did return within the five minutes. Bellatrix grabbed the items out of the brunette's arms and walked towards the till.
"What are you doing?" Hermione questioned.
"Paying for these items." Bellatrix answered unbothered.
"No, I don't expect you to buy this stuff for me. I was able to stop at Gringott's." Hermione responded.
"Don't be silly. I'm an heiress remember. I can afford it no problem." Bellatrix waved off the conversation pulling out her coin purse and paying the woman at the till. The lady behind the counter handed Bellatrix a cloth bag that had both of the women's purchases in it.
"Well thank you." Hermione said.
"No need for thanks. If you feel the need to pay for something, you can buy me a sweet or two in Honeydukes." Bellatrix said smiling at the younger woman.
"Perfect." Hermione said grabbing the older witch's arm and pulling her in the direction of the sweets shop.
20 minutes later, the women emerged from the sweetshop laughing and totally engrossed in the other's company. They didn't see the three people approaching them from the other side of the street.
"Hello ladies," the airy voice of Luna brought them to the present. They found themselves facing Neville, Ginny and Luna. "Are you ready to go to The Three Broomsticks for something to eat?"
Hermione responded still smiling from her time spent with the other witch, "Of course. We were just shopping and lost track of time."
"Great let's go. I'm starving." Ginny said heading to the restaurant.
"You are always starving." Neville called after the red head in jest.
Bellatrix grabbed Hermione's arm and cleared her throat. "I'm going to head back to the castle. I'll take this stuff back with me so you can have some time with your friends. You can come by and pick up your stuff later if you want."
"You're leaving? Bella you are more than welcome to come and eat with us. We don't bite. I promise." Hermione said noting the uncomfortable look on the dark witch's face. "Seriously, you should come."
"Maybe next time," Bellatrix said with a small smile. "Honestly, I have to meet Minerva in a little while for a supervision anyways. It's perfectly all right."
"If you insist. Thank you for coming with me today and for buying those items for me even though you didn't have to." Hermione said while squeezing the other woman's forearm.
"Don't mention it. It was my pleasure." Bellatrix said turning to walk in the other direction.
As Hermione started walking toward The Three Broomsticks, she heard Bellatrix call after her… "I had fun today. See you around, Granger." Hermione just smiled and kept walking shaking her head at the older witch's comment.
Bellatrix made her way back to the castle with a smile on her face.
—-
Hermione entered the Three Broomsticks and found her friends right away. She sat down and saw that they had already ordered her a butterbeer. The waitress came over and took Hermione's order to put it in with her friends. Hermione took a drink and looked up to see her three friends staring at her.
"What do I have something on my face?"
"What happened to Professor Black?" Luna asked.
"She went back to the castle." Hermione responded.
"We thought she might come get some drinks." Said Neville.
"Well she was going to but she has a supervision with Minerva later. She said she'd come next time."
Ginny just sat with a big smirk on her face. "So hanging around with the professor now, are you?"
"You know we were working together last night on my parent's memories." Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Yes. And somehow that bled over into today. I didn't know a trip to Hogsmeade was a part of finding your parents' lost memories." Ginny chuckled. Hermione's face was turning a bright shade of red.
"Oh leave her alone Ginny. It's nice to see that Professor Black is making friends other than her sister and McGonagall." Neville said nervously.
"So how did it go last night?" Luna asked trying reel the conversation back to Hermione.
"It went well. I told her more about my family and we just sat and talked really. Nothing too exciting to report."
Ginny smiled again. "How long were you there because when I went to your room this morning to see if you were still coming with us today, you didn't answer when I knocked."
"Oh well… I was in the library and then we left shortly after." Hermione lied. She was an awful liar and her friends saw right through it.
"It's okay to not share." Luna said. "Your secrets are your own."
"Like hell they are. I want all the sorted details." Ginny said.
"She'll tell us when she's ready." Neville said in defense of Hermione.
"Seriously guys, let's talk about something other than my parents or Professor Black. Tell me about Quidditch try outs, Ginny…"
"Oh Merlin," Neville said rolling his eyes.
"Don't even get me started on these fools…" Ginny started on a rant about the new Quidditch try outs.
Hermione sat and listened to her friend's chat about Quidditch, classes and their love lives. She was content with how normal it felt to be sitting with her friends. Her mind however was drifting to her new found friendship with Bellatrix. She would be lying if she said she wasn't intrigued by her. Hermione sighed and was brought out of her daydream when the waitress brought their food over.
The four friends ate and talked for the remainder of the afternoon.