I have been working on this chapter for soooooo long and I think it may be one of the longest ones yet. The dissertation that I wrote for my degree was genuinely shorter than this chapter, that is insane! But all of the continued follows and favouriting (not a word) of this story makes all of the effort totally worth it. Thank you all so very much for continuing to stick with the story and for those of you that are just finding the story for taking the time to let me know how much you are enjoying it. Again this chapter took longer than I wanted to get posted but I can't put things out there that I am not 100% happy with, so I hope you all understand. Things chop about a bit this time around but there is plenty of Bellatrix and Hermione chatter and we even get to see a bit of Dumbledore too. I don't want my version of Dumbledore to come across as though I don't like him. But I am very torn between feeling like his intentions were genuinely good (in the original series) and feeling like he manipulated a lot of people to get his way and I think that comes across in this story.
AlsethGosia- I'm glad that you have picked up on Bellatrix's gentle soul, I really wanted that to come across. And writing Bella and Andie interactions are so fun so there will definitely be more!
Crazytroublemaker- It makes me very happy that you not only like the story so much that you read it at all, but to hear that you have read (at least part of it) more than once is a massive compliment.
MichalaJ- Yes! I really wanted to get across that Bellatrix was not born horrible. As we move through the story we will start to see what begins to turn her.
PapPapPapillon- My French is terrible so apologies that I can't reply in your first language. I'm really glad that your first experience of a Bellatrix and Hermione story is with my story! Thank you so much for reading.
DeJee- Thank you for reviewing each of the chapters as you read them, it was lovely to see your journey through the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. I have just borrowed them to manipulate them for my own ends.
Hermione and Bellatrix had found an easy rhythm in the weeks following their argument; it had started tentatively at first, with the girls finding excuses to 'accidentally' bump into one another. But as each girl found the other receptive to their respective company they grew in confidence and began to actively seek each other out. Both girls were careful not to lash out at the other and both were cautious to hold their tongues so as not to start anymore unnecessary arguments, things seemed to be working out. The two girls had established a regular meeting point; sitting atop the Astronomy tower heatedly discussing one topic or another.
During their conversations Hermione had discovered that Bellatrix wanted to work for the Ministry of Magic, specifically for the International Magical Office of Law. Her burning desire was to travel, to experience other cultures, to learn more about the world and she couldn't imagine anything better than to be paid for doing it. Hermione learned that Bellatrix's passion was History of Magic but she could not stand Professor Binns for she claimed that he took all of the joy out of the subject. She believed that the man was solely responsible for the distinct lack of Magical Historians in Britain today. Hermione could hardly disagree, his dyer lessons were why she hadn't taken History of Magic as a N.E.W.T. herself. Professor Dumbledore allowed Bellatrix to be enrolled on to the History of Magic course while she conducted her own research, as long as she checked in with him every other week so that he could check over her work. The fervour with which Bellatrix spoke about topics like the Goblin Rebellion of 1612 and the evidence of it that could still be found in and around Hogsmeade Village made Hermione wish that she had listened more when she was in classes. She had learned more from Bellatrix over the last couple of weeks than she had in years studying under Professor Binns.
It came to light that on the night Bellatrix had not turned up to the library; she had been holed up in the Room of Requirement researching some obscure Historical fact or other. Bellatrix had made it her mission to prove that Urg the Unclean did not deserve his reputation as 'The Butcher of the Rebellion', a name he had earned by inadvertently leading his band of fellow goblins to their slaughter. She was certain that the wizards had been tipped off about Urg's plan to attack by one of his very own goblins but that this fact had been wiped from history in order to make the wizarding community seem more triumphant. At first Hermione had been confused by Bellatrix's determination, despite the fact that Urg had been dead for centuries the Slytherin seemed hell bent on clearing his name. She hadn't seen why it was so important to the other girl to fix the obscure goblins unjust reputation but one day it had dawned on her that Bellatrix herself had an unjust reputation. But no one was fighting to clear her name. People feared Bellatrix, they avoided her in corridors and sneered at her across the Great Hall at meal times, when apart from a few dirty looks and an annoyingly superior attitude, the black haired girl didn't seem to have done anything wrong. None of it seemed very fair, no wonder Bellatrix always seemed to be walking around in such a bad mood.
One particular evening Hermione had suggested to Bellatrix that maybe she should try to replace Binns as the Professor of History of Magic when she graduated from Hogwarts. The excitement that had been playing in the Slytherin's eyes had died so quickly that Hermione had questioned it before her mind had caught up with her actions. For a few heart stopping moments Bellatrix had remained in a brooding silence and Hermione had worried that she had finally pushed the other girl too far. But finally Bellatrix had spoken with great sadness in her voice and explained how rarely she allowed herself to consider her own future because she knew that she had no say in it. That once she came of age her Father would marry her off to some pureblood boy, who she already hated, in order to further one of his own business ventures. And then she would be expected to stay at home and take care of the home, produce an heir or two and waste her talents until the day she died. Pureblood women were not supposed to have minds and they were certainly not supposed to have aspirations, they would only lead to heartbreak when they inevitably ended up painfully unfulfilled. It hurt Hermione's heart to think of this brilliant witch being expected to waste her talents on simple household magic and chores. And it worried her that the more she learned about Bellatrix the more she could begin to understand why the life that Tom Riddle offered her would seem so appealing.
Tonight they sat on top of the Astronomy Tower once more, on the edge of the turret with their legs hanging into the abyss and their eyes scanning the darkness of the Forbidden Forest. Bellatrix had managed to wiggle a rare nugget of information free from Hermione's usually closed off character.
"What do you mean you can't fly?" The pureblood asked incredulously.
"I don't know how else to explain it." Hermione replied with a roll of her eyes. "A broomstick and I just do not mix."
"But you're a witch." Bellatrix stated dumbly as if this simple fact would solve the problem entirely.
"Really?" Sarcasm dripped from the word as Hermione uttered it. "I did wonder why that stick in my pocket kept letting off sparks."
Bellatrix smirked salaciously. "That's only happening because you're exceeding pleased to see me."
The comment earned her a backhand across the arm from the bushy haired witch as she fought down a blush. "Is your mind always in the gutter?"
"How can I help it when you're making comments like that?" Bellatrix defended, the smirk still firmly on her face. "And don't try to change the subject. You can't fly!"
"No Bellatrix." Hermione sighed. "I can't fly."
"Did your Dad not teach you when you were younger?" Bellatrix asked more gently this time, her jest having given way to genuine curiosity now.
"No my Dad never taught me." Hermione felt her body heat up as nerves hit her, no her Dad had never taught her to fly a broom because he was a muggle and had no idea that flying brooms were anything other than a fairy tale. But she couldn't very well tell Bellatrix that now could she? "He was always too busy with work to do anything like that."
Bellatrix hummed pensively as she digested that piece of information. "My father is pretty ineffectual overall. But the one useful thing he has ever done for me was teach me how to fly a broom." She was silent for a few moments, becoming lost somewhere in her own past. "He was desperate for a son, he realised he was going to have to settle for me as the next best thing quite early on in my life. So he taught me how to fly when I was five, he used to take me out around the grounds of our manner on a training broom most evenings in the summer. For my eleventh birthday I asked for the Comet 220, it was due to be released two days before my birthday and I couldn't imagine anything better than turning up to Hogwarts with that thrown across my shoulder. I woke up the morning of my birthday and I rushed downstairs but I had received everything I asked for except the broom. I asked my father about it sometime later, he told me that flying was fine when I was child, now that I was a young lady it was not fitting for me to be racing around on a broom. We have spent virtually no time together since that day; I was so angry at him, I felt as though he had taken away the only thing that had ever made me feel truly free."
"Harry used to say that about flying." Hermione muttered. She didn't even register that she had actually spoken out loud; Bellatrix's revelry had made her feel nostalgic. "He loved it because he was free. Free from people's expectations. Free from stares around school. Just him and the broom and how far he could push it."
The black haired witch didn't miss the warm glow that filled the other girl's eyes when she spoke about this Harry and she couldn't help the wave of jealousy that erupted in the pit of her stomach. "Who's Harry?" She asked in as nonchalant a tone as she could muster with her heartrate as elevated as it was in that moment.
"A friend from Beauxbatons." Hermione said quickly, she hoped that they could move the conversation swiftly away from the dangerous territory it was currently in. But her obvious thinly veiled lie and nervous demeanour did not escape Bellatrix's eagle-eye.
"Just a friend?" Bellatrix snapped, her jealousy giving way to anger at the thought that Hermione could be pining after some lost love in France. "Or were you two ever more?"
Hermione shook her head as her eyes slipped closed and she fought to keep her emotions in check. She so rarely permitted herself to think about the boys, it was simply too painful to allow her mind to dwell there for too long. The thought that she would never hear their voices again, never see their faces glowing with excitement over a stupid Quidditch match again, never have to try and fix Harry's unruly hair again, never have to correct Ron on some half learned fact again, never get to be the voice of reason in their ridiculous schemes again was almost enough to break her entirely. So she did not let herself think about it. Until right now. With Bellatrix watching her desperate attempt to compose herself, a battle she was failing miserably.
Bellatrix gently reached out and tucked a strand of hair, which had been misplaced by the late October breeze, back behind Hermione's ear. Her hand lingered there a moment when the bushy haired girl leant ever so slightly into the unexpected comfort of her touch. Her jealousy quickly gave way to care as she saw how upset Hermione was. "I know what it's like to lose things that you love. I didn't mean to upset you."
"You didn't upset me." Hermione said as she swallowed thickly and attempted a weak smile. "It's just hard to be away from everything that I know, I try to ignore it but sometimes it gets on top of me."
"You shouldn't bottle things up." Bellatrix stated softly as she tilted her head to try and catch Hermione's reluctant soft brown eyes. "I know from experience how hard it is to keep pain contained. It changes you when you try, it makes you cold."
Hermione caught the look of sadness that flittered through Bellatrix's dark eyes, for someone that she had always thought to be untouchable and uncaring the Slytherin had a very low opinion of herself. "Is that what you think? That you're cold?" Hermione paused to gauge the other girl's reaction, but when no response other than her picking invisible fluff from her skirt was forthcoming she continued. "You're not cold. Bellatrix you are fire personified, I see the way you care for Narcissa and Andromeda. You protect them with a fierceness people can only wish to possess" She reassured wholeheartedly, not even questioning her desire to comfort the other girl. "But it isn't an option for me to let things out, I just…can't."
Bellatrix looked away, not sure how to respond to such genuine emotion. People usually pushed her away, treated her like she was something diseased. She wanted to say something to Hermione about how much it meant to her that she was sat here listening to her talk about her life. But she knew she would never be able to find words to do justice to what she was feeling, so instead she ignored it entirely and just moved on. "I won't push you about opening up, but if you ever change your mind I'm here to listen." Bellatrix offered simply but sincerely as she finally looked back at Hermione with a gentle smile.
"I appreciate that." Hermione said, returning the smile warmly. She could see the seriousness that had set in to the dark haired girl's features; she could see how she was beginning to retreat into her own mind. But she wanted to keep Bellatrix here…with her. "Be careful though, you're starting to sound like care." The repeating, in jest, of Bellatrix's own words from their argument felt cathartic, it felt like the elephant in the room had finally been addressed. "Won't that ruin your street cred?"
"Shut up Ross." Bellatrix laughed as she bumped shoulders with the bushy haired witch, without having to say it out loud it was recognition that everything had been forgiven. "Anyway how did we get from you can't fly to you almost crying over some boy?"
"You're talk of flying made me think about my friend Harry." Hermione replied with a pointedly raised eyebrow. She put emphasis on the word friend and was rewarded with a slight blush from the other girl by doing so. "He loved Quidditch, he was the youngest seeker in a century."
"Clearly the boy has good taste." Bellatrix spoke in a mocking voice but it lacked its usual harshness, she examined her nails rather than look at Hermione as she added. "In friends as well as sport."
Hermione swallowed at the rare compliment to come from the pureblood, she wasn't sure how to respond so she led the conversation onto what she hoped was safer ground. "Do you play Quidditch?"
"I did…I do…But not for the school team or anything." Bellatrix stumbled over her words with an unexplained nervousness, her blush from a moment ago intensifying. "I tried out in my first year, I was the only girl to make the team…I was made beater."
"Why don't you play anymore?" Hermione asked, intrigued to learn yet more about the enigma that is Bellatrix Black. "I imagine you would be fierce on the Quidditch pitch. I certainly wouldn't like to come up against you."
"I didn't even get to play a game." Bellatrix said in a small voice as she raked her hand through her curls and tried to subtly rearrange them so that they shielded her face from Hermione. "My father found out I had made the team and he lost it. He wrote to the school and said that he would withdraw me from Hogwarts entirely if they didn't remove me from the team, no daughter of his was going to besmirch the family name by flying around like some commoner."
"What difference does it make to the family name if you play Quidditch or not?" Hermione asked, her temper getting the better of her as she spoke.
"Apparently ladies do not play Quidditch." Bellatrix replied with a snort.
Hermione almost growled in frustration, that was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. Women could play Quidditch, the Hollyhead Harpies were an incredibly successful all female Quidditch team. "But you're not a lady. You're a girl. It's ridiculous that those expectations are placed on you now."
"Not being able to play Quidditch and being expected to behave like a lady are the least of my worries to be honest." Bellatrix laughed hollowly, she sat there quietly for a few moments just picking at her nails. "The worst part of the whole thing was that I had just got my uniform. I was so proud to have it, to fly around in Slytherin colours. It was all I had dreamed about when I was a child. I was trying my uniform on for the first time when Slughorn came to inform me of the owl he had received from my father. I was….crushed."
"Oh Bella." Hermione whispered, the thought that Bellatrix was so upset about Quidditch could seem trivial to someone else. But she knew it represented much more than that to the dark haired girl, she was upset that yet another choice in her life had been taken away. She couldn't choose the family she had been born into and yet people judged her for it. She couldn't choose who she would marry, her father would do that for her. She couldn't choose to have a job, no self-respecting pureblood man would let his wife work. And then to top it all off she couldn't even choose to do something as inconsequential as play Quidditch because it wasn't deemed ladylike. Hermione wanted to roar in frustration, she wanted to storm through the world and change it so that Bellatrix could do whatever it was that she wanted. A force like Bellatrix should never be beholden to anyone else's expectations of her. "I wish things could be different for you." Hermione offered as she reached out slowly to lay her hand on top of Bellatrix's very gently, as if she was reaching out to touch a startled animal that she was worried about scaring off.
"You called me Bella" Bellatrix said almost absentmindedly, as if she was lost in a daydream somewhere. She was staring at the spot where Hermione's hand was touching her own, a mixture of confusion and contentment playing on her features.
"I'm sorry… I… don't know what I was thinking." Hermione stuttered, embarrassment evident in her voice and the swift colouring of her cheeks. She went to snatch her hand away but Bellatrix moved quickly, catching her retreating hand and interlocking their fingers and keeping her effectively trapped.
"No I like it." Bellatrix reassured as she stared out at Hogwarts grounds so as not to have to look at Hermione. Her thumb traced a feather-light pattern on the bushy haired witch's hand and she revelled in the softness of her skin. "Only my sisters call me Bella. Only people that care about me call me Bella."
Hermione was in a rush to get out of Arithmancy, the lesson had been a killer and her head was pounding from the level of concentration it had taken to keep up. All she wanted to do was go back to her dorm room and lie in the dark. As she pushed past a particularly slow moving group of Hufflepuff girls she walked straight into someone who was trying to force their way in the other direction.
The distinct sound of books hitting the floor was heard followed by an exasperated exclamation of "Hey, watch where you're going." The person bent to hastily collect up their fallen things with a heavy sigh and without even looking to see who they had run into.
Hermione on the other hand looked down at the mass of black curls with a smirk; she would know who that harsh voice belonged to with her eyes closed. She cleared her throat and put on as stern a voice as she could muster. "I'm pretty sure you're the one who should be watching where they're going."
Bellatrix looked up from the floor where she was still in the process of retrieving her scattered belongings, her eyes blazing thinking that someone had dared talk back to her. "Oh Ross." Her expression changed swiftly from all out irritation to bemused smile as she stood up gracefully from the floor. "I was on my way to find you, I wanted to catch you before you left Arithmancy but I got stuck behind that lot who were moving at snail's pace."
"How did you know I had Arithmancy?" Hermione asked gently, a soft smile playing on her lips. One thing she had learned about Bellatrix over the last few weeks it that she was full of surprises and she sensed today she had something up her sleeve.
"You told me how you were struggling with the topic you were covering in Arithmancy right now." Bellatrix answered sheepishly as she picked at the corner of one of the books that she was now holding again. "I found out when Arithmancy was on for seventh years."
Hermione's smile beamed as she reached out to briefly squeeze the Slytherin's forearm. "That was…sweet Bellatrix. I didn't think you would remember me talking about that."
"Yeah, well I thought that you could probably do with some cheering up." Bellatrix dismissed the other girl's comment with a wave of her hand, if there was one thing she really struggled with it was taking a compliment. So she dealt with her discomfort the only way that she knew how, by piling on the sarcasm. "And I know how my mere presence does that for you."
"Yes. You are a ray of sunshine in my otherwise cloudy day." Hermione replied sarcastically. She smiled internally at Bellatrix's obvious avoidance as she allowed her to lead the conversation away from the seriousness she knew made the girl feel awkward.
"You know what Ross I've been told that many times before." Bellatrix smirked, her usual cocky smirk lighting up her features. "In fact I have lost count of how many times I have heard that only today."
"Oh really? Have you made a habit of following people around the castle Bellatrix?" Hermione asked, trying to sound as innocent as possible while trying not to laugh at the other girl's now horrified expression. "That is how you get yourself a reputation, you know?"
Bellatrix caught on to her mocking pretty quickly though and laughed, one of her true laughs that made Hermione's stomach flutter whenever she heard it. "Ross, you have not been here long enough. I already have a reputation. And a pretty terrible one at that."
Hermione hummed as if she was mulling this information over. "Well perhaps I should stay away from you then. I don't want to make myself the subject of idle gossip."
"Don't worry." Bellatrix shook her head and stage whispered behind her hand as two Ravenclaw girls skirted past them in the corridor and shot them a furtive glance. "People are too scared of me to gossip. I get away with everything around here."
"Well I think your streak has come to an end." Hermione stated as she cocked her hip and crossed her arms across her chest. "Because you will certainly not be getting away with everything with me."
"Good." Bellatrix chuckled softly as she bit her lip and allowed her gaze to flit appreciatively over the other girl's form before she realised what she was doing and squeezed her eyes shut.
"Now I know you didn't come to find me to talk about your creepy habit of following people around the castle." Hermione mocked, not noticing the black haired witch's sudden struggle with herself or the slight pink tint to her cheeks that had just begun to bloom. "What did you really have planned?"
Bellatrix recovered herself pretty quickly, attack being the best form of defence and all. "First, I do not have a creepy habit. You will be pleased to hear that you are the only person I follow around the castle." She threw back with a flirty wink. "Second, I wanted to show you some research I found regarding Urg the Unclean. I wanted your advice."
"Of course Bellatrix. I love looking over your research." Hermione said sincerely as she tried to fight down another flutter in her stomach that Bellatrix's wink had caused. "What have you found?"
"I've found this information on a goblin named Rabat, he was one of Urg's soldiers. I know because I have read about him before in the translated goblin retelling of the battle." Bellatrix held up one of the books she was carrying and tapped the cover excitedly. "But according to this book by Ralston Potter, who was a wizard general during the rebellion Rabat was a sympathiser, he fought alongside the wizards during the battles." Bellatrix paused, waiting for Hermione to reply to her barrage of information. When the other girl just chewed pensively on her lip she continued. "Don't you see? According to the Goblins, Rabat was on their side. According to the wizards, Rabat was on their side. He could be the double agent, the one feeding information about the goblins' movements to the wizards."
Hermione took an excited step towards the other girl. She knew how much this research meant to Bellatrix and how this could very plausibly be the breakthrough she had been looking for. "Do you have any more information on Rabat?"
Bellatrix took a breath to steady herself, with Hermione's sudden close proximity the girl's vanilla scent had invaded her senses and clouded her mind for a second. "Ye…yes, he survived the rebellion. As did all of his family."
"Which was a rarity during the rebellion?" Hermione asked quickly, she seemed to remember Bellatrix talking about how few Goblins had lived through the struggles. Her amber eyes met Bellatrix's almost black ones and she recognised the fire of discovery deep within them. She had never met anyone who had the same passion for knowledge as she did; at times she wondered whether the black haired girl's intensity might rival even her own.
"Practically unheard of. Everyone had always just put it down to luck. But now it would appear it was much more than that" Bellatrix answered with a smile, thanking any Gods that were listening that she had finally found somebody in this dump that could keep up with her. "The wizards were ruthless, they went after the goblin's wives and children to draw them away from the front lines and back to their homes where they would be more vulnerable. Then they would slaughter them."
"So something was keeping Rabat's family safe." Hermione stated this time a smile creeping on to her face to match Bellatrix. The girl was just so infectious.
"According to Potter's book, Rabat was the only goblin after the rebellion to be given a job at Gringotts again" Bellatrix carried on excitedly as she subconsciously leaned nearer to Hermione as she got carried away. From this distance she could see all of the freckles scattered across the other girl's cheeks like a new constellation ready to be explored. "A…after the rebellion Gringotts Bank was under the control of the wizards. No one in the country trusted the goblins anymore, especially with something as precious as their money. The entire goblin community was living in poverty. Well, all but Rabat it would seem."
Hermione nodded enthusiastically her eyes twinkling as she coaxed Bellatrix to continue. "The Ministry obviously trusted him then."
"And there is only one reason why they would trust him after everything that the Goblins had done." Bellatrix started but paused when she noticed Hermione itching to say something.
"He had already proved he was worth their trust. By feeding them information during the rebellion." Hermione finished off the black haired girl's point with a hint of awe in her voice.
"Exactly." Bellatrix almost shouted as she reached out and grabbed Hermione's hand without thinking. "I think he could be it, I think he could be the missing piece I've been looking for."
"Bellatrix….you're brilliant." Hermione blundered out before she could stop herself. Her gaze dropped to where Bellatrix's hand had grasped her own before looking back up at the other girl sheepishly. "I mean… it's brilliant. You know, that you're finally getting somewhere."
"Yeah, it is brilliant." Bellatrix gave Hermione's hand a gentle squeeze before letting go of it self-consciously. She looked at the floor and kicked at a small stone with her toe before speaking again. "Ross, there is a trip to Hogsmeade coming up this weekend. I was wondering if you were thinking of going?"
"Well, I didn't really know about it." Hermione admitted in a small voice. She really wanted to go into Hogsmeade with Bellatrix, she didn't know why she wanted to go so badly but it all of a sudden felt incredibly important to her. Her heart sank though as she remembered how difficult it had been for Harry to get into Hogsmeade without his guardians written permission. "I'm…I'm not sure if I'm able to go. I have no way of getting my consent form signed."
"If we sent an owl right now your parents reply would probably be back in time for the weekend." Bellatrix replied in an excited voice, not ready to give in to Hermione's defeatist attitude just yet.
Hermione swallowed thickly as she realised she would have to lie to Bellatrix again about her life. The closer she got to the girl and the more Slytherin opened up to her, the more she felt like she was deceiving the girl by pretending to be something she was not. "I don't have any contact with my parents." She decided that keeping things as simple as possible was the best course of action, plus it wasn't a complete lie was it?
"Oh, right. Ok, well never mind." Bellatrix pulled a face and shrugged trying not to look as disappointed as she felt. She had really wanted Hermione to come into Hogsmeade with her. She had thought about what it would be like to share her version of the village with someone who cared, unlike Andie and Cissy who just humoured her. She had imagined what it would be like to finally have someone to go into the Three Broomsticks with and laugh at the third years that were trying Honeydukes' acid pops or exploding bonbons for the first time.
Hermione hesitated briefly before she spoke, her eyes narrowing as she took in Bellatrix's defeated posture. "I'm sorry Bellatrix. I'm sure you can find somebody else to go with you."
"I usually go to Hogsmeade on my own." Bellatrix said with a shrug but still she was looking anywhere but at Hermione. "I don't care for the shops while every other student seems to be obsessed with wasting money on Dungbombs and biting teacups from that ridiculous Zonko's shop. I prefer to look at the historical features, see if I can discover something new."
"I have a meeting with Professor Dumbledore tomorrow; I could ask if he is able to give me permission to go into Hogsmeade." Hermione suggested as she watched Bellatrix carefully for a reaction.
"That would be…" Bellatrix stuttered over what to say as her head snapped up to look at Hermione again finally. Part of her wanted to tell her that she was really hoped Dumbledore would let her come to Hogsmeade with her because those days made her feel even more lonely than normal. But instead she went with. "Yeah that would be good." She screwed her eyes shut and mentally cursed herself for making herself look like such a blundering fool. She tried to rescue the situation. "I…I can show you all of the places you have been hearing about for the last couple of weeks."
Hermione smirked as she took in the usually unflappable girl who was currently looking rather flustered for some reason. She decided to take a leaf out of Bellatrix's book and cut the tension with mockery. "Yeah that would be good."
The sound of a charming, tinkling bell filled Dumbledore's office alerting him to the presence of somebody at the bottom of the staircase leading to the cavernous room. He rose from the high backed chair behind his desk and waved his wand, a few instruments zipped their way into the cabinets that lined the room and the glass door swung shut securely behind them. The wizard nodded once in approval at the state of the room before he made his way across to the heavy oak door and pulled it open.
"Good evening Miss Granger." Dumbledore greeted as he gestured for the young woman to enter his office. "A pleasure to see you as always."
"Good evening Professor." Hermione returned with a tight smile, the meetings with the older wizard always made her a little nervous but she could not put her finger on why. Perhaps it was the fear that she would have broken one of the stupid rules imposed on her.
"It is a beautiful night; shall we sit by the window where we can see the stars?" Dumbledore observed the brunette witch for a second through his half-moon spectacles, a knowing smile brightening his features before he added. "Your love of the astronomy tower has been noted."
"I have been spending a lot of time up there lately." Hermione chuckled gently and tucked a fallen curl behind her ear self-consciously. She made her way over to the two midnight blue armchairs that were set up in front of the office's large window. She lowered herself stiffly into one of the seats and wrung her hands together anxiously as she waited for the man to join her. Her mind was working over time trying to figure out how the headmaster knew where she spent her evenings.
"Would you like some tea Hermione?" Dumbledore called brightly from elsewhere in the room. "I find it works wonders for calming the nerves."
Hermione looked over the back of the armchair at the headmaster who had that mischievous look on his face. She quickly untangled her hands from one another and gave them a shake for good measure, internally cursing at giving herself away so easily. "Yes please Sir, that sounds lovely."
Dumbledore made his way over to the other armchair with two steaming teacups in mismatched saucers; he gently passed one to the girl before flopping into his seat with a sigh. He gazed out of the window for a few moments as though lost in contemplation, taking a few delicate sips of his tea as his companion waited with bated breath for him to remember she was there. "It is a little over three weeks since I saw you last Hermione. How has 1969 been treating you?"
"It is treating me well I think Sir." Hermione took a sip of her own tea, hoping to sate the dryness that had bloomed in her throat. "My classes seem to be going well, I have made a few friends and I feel more settled. I have finally stopped heading up to Gryffindor tower when I want to go to my room, so I am taking that as a small victory."
"Oh I would take that as a large victory." Dumbledore smiled warmly as he looked away from the window to observe the brunette. "Another victory I would like to congratulate you on is that you and Miss Black seem to be back on speaking terms. Last time we spoke you were not in her good books."
"Yes, we seem to be getting along for the time being." Hermione replied, trying to keep the confusion out of her voice. Of all of the things that she thought would register on the headmaster's radar, she would not have considered the relationship between two teenage girls to even cause a blip.
"Do you foresee more problems in the future?" The headmaster probed good-naturedly, confusing Hermione even further with his continued interest in this topic.
"I don't intend to cause any more problems." The bushy haired witch muttered quietly as she swirled the contents of her teacup distractedly. She thought about how careful she had been around the other girl since their argument, how she didn't want to push their truce too far for fear of losing the only person she really had in 1969. "Bellatrix can be… unpredictable at times though."
"That is certainly one way to describe Miss Black." Dumbledore laughed as he nodded his agreement to Hermione's assessment of Bellatrix. "I was quite surprised when I found out that you two were spending time together."
He was surprised that they were spending time together? If someone had told her a few months ago that she would be spending her evenings with Bellatrix, through her own choice, she would have had them admitted to St Mungo's on the spot. As much as her rational mind told her that she should create some distance from the girl she just didn't seem able to do it. If she was honest with herself, when the black haired witch wasn't around, she missed having to think about what she said before she said it. She missed the intellectual conversations about things that actually mattered. She missed looking for little clues that would help her to figure out the conundrum that was Bellatrix Black. Hermione chuckled dryly before she spoke, "Believe me Sir, not as surprised as me."
Dumbledore took another sip of his tea as he observed Hermione and her now slightly pink cheeks. "I imagine after everything that Bellatrix put you through in your time that she is the last person you thought you would, if I may be so bold, have become friends with."
"I'm sorry Sir, I wasn't aware that we had discussed my… interactions with Bellatrix." Hermione tried to say in as respectful a tone as she could muster. But she couldn't help the curl of anger that licked up her chest as she tried to figure out how the headmaster was privy to information she had shared with no one. She knew the man was accomplished in Legilimency, she thought that he was better than abusing that power to invade her privacy though.
"No, no my apologies Miss Granger, you are quite correct. We have not discussed your past, or rather future, relationship with Miss Black." Dumbledore said as he placed his cup and saucer on the table that sat between the two armchairs. He turned in his seat in order to face Hermione more fully and continued gently. "But I am afraid your scar gave you away."
"My scar?" Hermione asked, her hand coming up to cover her forearm where the scarred slur was still safely hidden under the sleeve of her school cardigan.
"When you first arrived I was summoned to the infirmary by, a more than slightly perturbed, Madam Pomfrey. While she was checking you over she had discovered your scar and was unable to heal it. I think it may be the first time she has come across a malady she has been powerless to remedy." Dumbledore explained, he tried to keep the tale light but the man could see the dark cloud descending over Hermione as he spoke. "I recognised the Black's calling card immediately; Bellatrix's father Cygnus perfected the art of creating these dark scars that do not heal. He thought that marking his enemies for eternity would remind them not to come into conflict with the Black family again"
"Bellatrix is not the only Black though Sir." Hermione said sceptically, Dumbledore had always had a way of knowing everything when she was at Hogwarts. But she had always assumed that it had something to do with the school's enchantments, so how did he know everything about the future too?
"No, indeed she is not." Dumbledore nodded again, his silvery hair catching the moonlight as he moved. "But I made an educated guess. Was I correct in my assumption?"
"Yes." Hermione said simply as she took her turn observing her companion for a moment. There was something that the older man was holding back. She knew that she should let him keep his cards close to his chest. She knew that he always had the greater good in mind but Merlin was she sick to death of being kept in the dark because of the greater fucking good. "Professor, I get the impression that you know something about Bellatrix that I don't"
"On the contrary Hermione, I know much less about her than you do." Dumbledore replied brightly, seemingly unconcerned about the gentle accusation that had been sent his way. "But I do have many worries about the direction that Miss Black's life will take. We are on the verge of war and soon we will all be forced to make a decision about which side we stand on. I know with absolute certainty which side the Black family support but I am not as certain that Bellatrix's heart lies in the same place."
Hermione almost snorted at Dumbledore's assessment of Bellatrix Lestrange, if there was one thing she was sure of it was that the woman's heart lay with Voldemort. "I am sure this does not happen often, but you are wrong Sir. Bellatrix is very firmly on the side of the darkness, there is no uncertainty."
"Perhaps in your time." Dumbledore tilted his head and brought his hand up to stroke his beard pensively. "But tell me honestly, do you believe that the Bellatrix you have met here is the same one you once knew."
"No Sir." Hermione answered carefully, her mind drifting as she realised that at some point she had started to think of Bellatrix Lestrange and her Bellatrix as two completely different people. Her Bellatrix, who lost herself to passionate rants about history. Her Bellatrix, who spent hours poring over books to perfect a potion. Her Bellatrix, who was so unlike Bellatrix Lestrange that she couldn't imagine how they could be one in the same. And when the hell had she started thinking of the girl as her Bellatrix. "She is very different. She is determined and ambitious and… quite exceptional really."
"Yes, Bellatrix certainly personifies many of the best attributes of Slytherin House." Dumbledore agreed with a warm smile. "Also like a true Slytherin she is fiercely loyal to those that she loves and I fear that this will lead to her blindly choosing the side of her family. She has always been desperate to make her father proud and despite being excessively accomplished in virtually every subject within Hogwarts she always seems to fall short of that goal."
Hermione frowned at the unfairness of it all; Bellatrix was incredible at everything that she set her mind to. It should be easy for her family to be proud of the things that she did. "So you think that she will join Voldemort as a way of getting some recognition from her father?"
"Yes." Dumbledore answered simply as he breathed a heavy sigh. "And to perhaps finally find somewhere that she fits in, that her talents can be truly celebrated. It is no secret that she is shunned by the other students, that the Professors are intimidated by her skills and that her parents despair of her unconventional way of doing things."
"I wish I could tell you that your worries about Bellatrix's future are unfounded." Hermione spoke seriously as she subconsciously scratched at the scar on her arm. She thought about the woman that had fought alongside Voldemort, held up by him as a paragon of what a Death Eater should be. "But unfortunately I can't put your fears to rest for you. My scar is obviously proof that she will take the path that you foresee."
"I had accepted that, as much as I might have hoped otherwise, Miss Black would end up becoming a mighty enemy." Dumbledore said as he rose from his armchair and strode over to the window to peer outside. "That is of course until you arrived in our midst."
Hermione ran her hands over her face in annoyance over the old man's cryptic comment. "I don't understand what difference I make Sir."
"You make all of the difference Hermione." The headmaster stated as he turned away from the window to look at her again. "Because you are the difference for Bellatrix. You see her potential, you are not intimidated by her brilliance, you listen to her desires. Nobody else in that young woman's life has ever done that before. You see her."
"But Sir, it doesn't matter how much I see Bellatrix. I can't do anything to change the path of Bellatrix's life." Hermione fought to keep the annoyance out of her voice; she couldn't believe that she had let Dumbledore talk her into the corner that she was now backed into. "The rules say…"
"Miss Granger." Dumbledore interrupted her before she could even get started with what was sure to have become a rant. "I don't believe that you would be here, in 1969, if you were the kind of person that always adhered to the rules."
"Well, no…no, I have been known to sidestep certain rules." Hermione stuttered out as she pinched the bridge of her nose trying to fight off the beginnings of a headache. "But, no matter how much I might wish Bellatrix could be different, I cannot use my knowledge of the future to change her."
"Why not?" Dumbledore asked innocently, when Hermione just stared at him open mouth and obviously exasperated, he carried on. "Do you believe in destiny Miss Granger?"
A frown marred Hermione's features as she answered with a sigh. "I can't say that I do Sir."
"I am a great believer in destiny." Dumbledore stated almost proudly. "I think that we do the universe a huge injustice if we chalk your arrival here up to a mere accident. I believe that you were meant to come here."
"You think that I am part of some grand plan orchestrated by the universe?" Hermione asked incredulously. If she didn't have so much respect for the man stood in front of her she would have got up and walked out of his office. She had come here to ask the man if she could go into Hogsmeade this weekend and had ended up struck discussing Bellatrix and destiny of all things.
"Yes, I believe you are integral to a time loop." The headmaster revealed, his face remained neutral as if he had simply informed the girl in front of him that the sky was indeed blue. "I know you are well versed in time travel so will have heard of such time loops. If my summation is correct you continue to return to this point in time over and over again and change the future each time that you do."
"Like groundhog day?" Hermione muttered more to herself than the headmaster. She shook her head to try and clear the fog of utter confusion that had descended in her mind. "But I am not allowed to change the future Sir."
Dumbledore smiled serenely, he looked like he was enjoying all of this far too much for Hermione's liking. "You changed the future the second that you landed in Miss Bones and Miss McKinnon's dorm room."
"That was an accident though." Hermione argued, attempting to not sound like a petulant child as she did so.
"Nothing is an accident Hermione." Dumbledore pointed out with a chuckle at Hermione's outraged expression. The girl looked as if she was about to tear her hair out.
"But it is unethical Sir." Hermione tried to appeal to the headmaster's logical mind. Although she was not sure that he was using his logical mind at all currently. "I cannot take Bellatrix's free will away."
"Is it any more unethical than allowing Bellatrix to waste her talents on furthering Tom Riddles cause?" The silver haired wizard asked with a slight crease to his brow now. "Let me pose it to you this way Hermione, would it be unethical to use what you know to save an innocent person?"
"Well…yes.. I mean no. Oh Merlin I have no idea what is right and wrong anymore." Hermione almost wailed as she dropped her face into her hands before she continued in a muffled voice. "Either way, Bellatrix is not innocent."
Dumbledore observed the young woman for a few moments as she composed herself, taking a few calming breaths before she sat up properly in her seat again. "Bellatrix Lestrange of 1998 may not be innocent. But what has Bellatrix Black of 1969 done wrong?"
"Nothing I suppose." Hermione admitted reluctantly.
"She is simply a girl who is on the brink of being destroyed by the unfair expectations that are placed upon her shoulders. So what would be so unethical about saving an innocent girl from the wrong path?" Dumbledore asked, he had the look of a man who was about the make a breakthrough.
"Something just feels wrong Sir." Hermione began as she started picking at her nails nervously, a habit she noticed she had picked up from the Slytherin girl in question. The concept of keeping the Bellatrix that she had begun to know and rather like was a very appealing one. But the one thing that had made her the angriest after the war had ended was the thought that she, Harry and Ron had been manipulated into doing somebody else's will. Could she really with all good conscience do exactly the same to Bellatrix? But if she did attempt to influence the girl's choices she would severely weaken Voldemort's regime. She could save Neville a childhood of pain and his parents from a lifetime of insanity. She could stop little Teddy Lupin from being orphaned and Andromeda from losing her daughter. She could maybe even stop the Second Wizarding War all together and therefore save countless lives. But what would the cost be? The thing that upset Hermione the most about Bellatrix's life was that she was answerable to everyone else's plan for her existence, could Hermione really bring herself to be another person who decided for her? "The thing that bothers me the most is this one nagging question. Would I really be doing this for Bellatrix's benefit or would it be for my own."
Dumbledore cocked his head to the side and appeared to be mulling her comment over. "Perhaps Miss Granger, you are thinking about this the wrong way. Why does it have to be one way or the other? Why can't this benefit you both?"
Thank you so much every one for reading my mammoth chapter. Please review and let me know what you thought, maybe what you hope will happen next. As always feel free to PM me with any concerns or areas of confusion or with anything you really like. I'll always make the time to get back to you