Altera Aretla
Chapter Twenty
"It appears the portal is fully open," Clarence reported when he pulled out of Hermione's mind. She blinked her eyes to get rid of the tears in them. Recently her head felt sore, all the time. And the tenderest bit of contact made it throb like a drum.
"Is that good or bad?" Hermione heard Snape ask.
Clarence offered a sigh. "I should be a good thing. It means she did indeed travel to this world or to this time, using a portal in her very own mind! This is simply unheard of before! What the ministry wouldn't do to get her hands on her and research this. Imagine, traveling places by using your mind instead of having to rely on Apparition!" he exclaimed, but stopped when he saw Snape's dour look.
"I trust the ministry will not find out about this?" Snape drawled, a hint of warning in his voice.
"Of course not," Clarence coughed awkwardly. "I let myself get carried away. But she is safe, no one will find out about her unless she wishes them too. And going back on topic, if following her earlier logic, she should find herself able to now use the portal and slip in between worlds."
"I don't know how to control it, Hermione pointed out. "It just happens. My headaches and the visions I see get so bad until it just stops and I find myself in another place."
"Most interesting. I wonder why that occurs. Could it be the rising dissonance between worlds? Or is it simply time based. That, as soon as you get the portal open a countdown is started?" Clarence mussed, more to himself.
This worried Hermione. If the countdown theory was true, than she didn't have a lot of time to do what she was supposed to do in this world. Snape seemed to sense this too for he gave her a worried look. He had Clarence dismissed with a thank you and then sat behind his desk, folding her hands together.
"Hermione, it seems time is drawing to an end," he told her somberly. "You might go back to your own realm soon."
She nodded her head gravelly.
"We need to make plans in case that happens. You've done invaluable work and I shall take it from here."
They spent the rest of that meeting, going over a plan in case of Hermione going back home soon.
Hermione couldn't find it within herself to tell Bellatrix the news. That she might be going home sooner than believed. On one hand, Hermione was overjoyed! She would be back home, with her friends, in her normal world, and where she wasn't the bad guy but the good guy. On the other hand, she didn't want to leave this world at the mercy of an evil Harry, and she didn't want to leave Bellatrix. As much as it shocked her, for she could never foreseen this ever happening, Hermione had feelings for Bellatrix.
They had grown because of how much time they spent together, and whereas Hermione had thought she had no interest in dating anyone before, it seemed she did have some sort of interest. And it lay in Bellatrix. But it would not be a good idea to pursue this. They lived in opposite worlds, in different times. It would be better for them to not start anything, even if Hermione didn't know if she'd ever feel this way for anyone ever again.
Her thoughts weighed her down and made her quiet, much like Bellatrix. The two of them were walking early in the morning in Hogsmeade to pick up some supplies for school. Usually the two would be talking by now, but Hermione was too lost in her own thoughts, and Bellatrix seemed to be lost in her own too. As they trudged through the thick snow, back to the castle, breath billowing around their mouths, Bellatrix finally spoke. It broke Hermione free from her mind.
"I told myself I wouldn't do this," Bellatrix whispered, biting her lower lip. She looked away.
"Do what?" Hermione asked as the snow kept falling around them.
Bellatrix didn't respond for a long time. "Fall for you," she admitted at last.
Hermione froze in her tracks. Fall for her-? Was Bellatrix in love with her?
Bellatrix didn't notice Hermione was lagging behind, so Hermione hurried to catch up. "I told myself I wouldn't, because this isn't the Hermione of this world. And you'd have to go back eventually. I mean, isn't this the whole reason why I'm helping you?" Bellatrix laughed bitterly. "But, I couldn't stop it."
Hermione gives a laugh of disbelief. Bellatrix likes her too?! Oh this is just too perfect, but also, so sad because both of them will now suffer when they are parted. "Bellatrix I too-" But Hermione cuts herself off when she spots a familiar head of red approaching them. Hermione cursed. She had grown too careless. Had let her guard down. And now they were going to pay the price.
"Follow my lead," Hermione growls out, and Bellatrix is momentarily confused by Hermione sudden reaction but when she follows the brunette's gaze, she knows why. And she swallows nervously.
"Hermione, what the hell are you doing with her!" Ron spits out, furious, face almost matching his red hair.
"There is a perfectly good explanation for this Ron," Hermione sneered, affecting a cool and cruel front even if her heart was racing too fast in her chest.
"An explanation for this? Are you bloody mental? You went with a pureblood?" Ron is almost shaking now.
"She's under the Imperius!" Hermione blurted out. "I'm controlling her, entertaining myself with her...assets and keeping her out of our business."
Ron paused here, thinking over the merits of that fact. "Really? So she'll do anything you tell her to?"
"Yes." Hermione hoped he wouldn't catch her bluff.
"Hm." He closed his eyes, thought it over. Popped his eyes open as he spoke up. "You really are thirsty, Granger. Going so far as to sleep with the enemy."
"You can't lie and tell me she's not beautiful."
"She's still a pureblood."
"Yes, nothing but a pureblood whore now," Hermione said and internally hated herself for saying this. "Its not love. I'm only using her for her body and for her money. Think of it this way, Ron. With her under my thumb, I can get her to do what I need to fund our little...project." Hermione dug a hand through Bellatrix's curls, the black haired witch doing a good job of pretending she was cursed. She was stock still, eyes glazed over. Hermione played with Bellatrix's curls like she was nothing more than a pet to her. Inside, though, she was aching at having to use such lies. She only hoped Bellatrix would forgive her.
After all, Hermione had wanted to confess that she did indeed like Bellatrix. That she had a crush on her. But now, because of Ron, it was all ruined.
"Why didn't you think of this before? Harry will be most pleased-"
"Don't tell Harry. Not yet," Hermione cut in. Ron was one thing, but Harry? If Harry truly was the new Voldemort than she didn't want to risk things now by having him know. All Harry knew was that Hermione was tormenting Bellatrix. If he found out she was 'sleeping' with her...well, who knows how that would go.
"Why not?"
"I don't...I don't wish for this little experiment of mine to fail and then have to face his disappointment. I only want to bring him good results."
Ron worked his jaw, thinking this over. "I...I suppose I could keep quiet. For now."
"Thank you."
Ron nodded his head, then perked up. "Say, can she really do anything for you?"
"Yes," Hermione nodded her head.
"So, if you asked her to get down and kiss your feet, she would?"
Hermione nodded more stiffly now. "Yes," she nearly croaked out. She began to feel hot all over, uncomfortable with having this topic of conversation continued.
"Order her. I want to see it." His eyes gleamed with malice. Hermione began to curse inside her head. If Bellatrix was bothered by this situation, she did not react at all. Standing still, staring ahead.
"Bellatrix," Hermione swallowed harshly. "Kiss my feet."
Bellatrix dropped down and kissed the tops of Hermione's snow covered shoes before getting back up, all with that blank look on her face.
Ron chuckled at this. "Oi, this looks like so much fun. Maybe I should Imperio someone and get them to kiss my feet too. Can you also make her-"
"Ron, I think that's quite enough. I need to hurry back to the castle. Despite her being under my control, I don't think it would be a good idea of someone caught me and her together like this," Hermione quickly interrupted, finally finding a good enough excuse to avoid any more horrid orders.
"Ah, right," he said, disappointment clear on his face.
"What are you doing up this early?" Hermione couldn't help but ask. Was he doing something behind their backs too?
"Er...well, I was hoping to um...buy a gift for someone," he said, flushing red and turning a bit shy.
"Ah, a crush," hermione deduced and he flushed redder. "Well, if you need advice picking a gift, I can help with that later. Right now I have to head back."
"Of course. See ya," he said and they parted ways. Once Hermione and Bellatrix had gotten out of earshot from him, she pulled Bellatrix to a snow covered pine tree so they could talk.
"I'm sorry I said all that. I don't mean an ounce of it. I was only trying to fool Ron and-"
Soft lips cut off Hermione's words. Hermione was stock still for a good couple of seconds before she finally remembered to
"It's okay," Bellatrix breathed out, stroking Hermione's cheek as she pulled back. "The fact that you're apologizing shows me you're not the other Hermione, because you care about my feelings. So I know...I know you would never treat me like this in actuality."
Hermione let out an inaudible sigh of relief. Thank goodness. She smiles at Bellatrix and tugs her hand into hers. Their fingers hold on and they walk back this way to the castle even if it is a bit risky. But Hermione can't care in this moment, because Bellatrix kissed her!
Hermione can't sleep that night, too wired from Bellatrix's kiss to do so. So she got out of the bed the next day feeling tired and with an aching head that seemed to only hurt more with each breath she took.
She stumbled over to the sink to try and get some water but she could not, leaning against the wall and stopping there.
She had a bad feeling about this. About this head ache.
The world began to spin around her and she took a shuddering gasp.
No! Hermione groaned out. She and Bellatrix had just confessed to liking one another. They hadn't even gotten a chance to do anything else! This wasn't fair! But the portal in her mind didn't care about being fair.
Hermione cursed as the blackness sank over her, falling down hard onto the grass outside Hogwarts. She wondered where she would be when she awoke.
A/N: This is the end of part one. I have plans for a part two but I'm going on a little break to catch up on my writing before I post more chapters.