I'm so sorry that it has taken me this long to get this chapter up. I don't want to make excuses about it because I know we all have things going on in our lives. So you know how things that you have to do can get in the way of the stuff you actually want to do. But I would like to reassure you all that I have not forgotten about nor have I abandoned this story. It is always on my mind and I work on it whenever I have time, although those times can be few and far between. I have had issues with this chapter (probably because I am out of the swing of writing) and it feels a little clumsy and choppy, so I apologise for that in advance. I wanted it to be the chapter that propels the story forward, we have all been waiting for these two to figure shit out and start getting on with getting it on. So hopefully this will be the impetus for them to do that and we can all be happy because believe me I have been as excited about them getting together as you lot have been. I wanted this chapter to show some of Hermione's confusion, confusion over having feelings for someone that she should hate. Confusion over having feelings for a girl because, as anyone who has dealt with things surrounding their sexuality will know, it can be a very emotional time. But I wanted this chapter to show that she (and Bellatrix) have an ally in Andromeda and I don't want her to have a big angsty coming out. I feel like it is just a case of her actually realising it and accepting it because let's face it, she's been through enough.
I'd really like to thank you all for your continued support and I'm still surprised when I get emails to say that people are still following and making this story a favourite. I hope I can do it all justice and I hope that you enjoy this chapter and that everything makes sense.
As always I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters or locations, I am just borrowing them for my own entertainment.
The days all seemed to bleed into one as Hermione rushed from one class to another and back and to from the library. Before she knew it, it was almost the weekend again and she hadn't seen Bellatrix since the previous Saturday evening. Hermione had begun to think that perhaps the Slytherin was avoiding her after her quiet confession in the dark a few nights ago. She could understand why the girl might be embarrassed but really she had no reason to be, Hermione had enjoyed getting a glimpse into Bellatrix that other people didn't get. She struck her as the type of person who kept people at arm's length but she hadn't really been keeping her walls in place around Hermione. She couldn't help feeling a sense of pride that she was the one to have scrawled over those walls, even if she had only remained on the inside for a short time.
Hermione shifted around a little uncomfortably, she was currently sat cross legged on her bed while reading a heavy tome she had collected from the library that afternoon. She had lost feeling in one of her legs from how she was sitting, her arms were aching from holding the book and her eyes were itching from the length of time she had been scanning the tiny words. She closed the book with a thud and dropped it off the edge of the bed before flopping backwards and pushing her fingers into her temples. She was pretty sure she was starting to get a headache and she felt like she could do with a really good night's sleep. Although she hadn't been having nightmares over the last few weeks something had been niggling at the back of her mind that was keeping her awake at night.
She checked the clock on her bedside table, it was only 8.30 but she decided to call it a night anyway, she wouldn't gain anything from forcing herself to stay up any longer. She grabbed her wash bag and shuffled to the girl's bathroom to get ready for bed, once her teeth were brushed and her face was washed she headed back to the dorm. She pulled back the sheets and closed over the curtains that surrounded her bed. When she was sleeping in her Gryffindor common room she never drew her curtains. But now that she had so many nightmares, she didn't want anyone to see how fitful her sleep could be or how little of it she actually got every night. She slipped into her bed and sighed in relief as she sank into the pillow, the darkness of her closed off space a welcome relief. She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes as she let her mind wander to thoughts, yet again, that centred on a certain black haired Slytherin. She hadn't seen the girl in nearly a week, hadn't even caught a glimpse of her in the corridors. She wondered how the girl got away with missing so many classes but she knew, from her own experience with the Time Turner, that Hogwarts had a habit of creating bespoke experiences for those they considered gifted. She wondered where Bellatrix spent her time when she wasn't in lessons, perhaps she knew about the secret passageways into Hogsmeade. The Marauders can't have been the only ones to discover them and if anyone was going to find them she was pretty sure it would be her. She wondered whether Bellatrix found her mind wandering to her as much as she found herself lost in thoughts about the Slytherin.
A rustling sound interrupted her thinking and her eyes snapped open, the curtains to her bed had been parted an inch and a wedge of light was invading her darkness. She sat up a little to investigate what had interrupted her sanctuary and nearly screamed when a grinning Bellatrix popped her head between the two pieces of fabric. Hermione took a deep breath of relief and went to berate the girl for sneaking up on her again, but when she looked up she realised something wasn't right. Bellatrix's hair was wilder than normal, her eyes were seemed harsher than normal and she wasn't grinning at all she was sneering at her. This wasn't the warm, kind Bellatrix she was used to; she was more like the manic version that usually haunted her. She tried to scramble away only to find her back hit the wall so hard it almost knocked the air out of her.
"Not so fast." Bellatrix croaked. "I thought we could have a little chat. Girl to girl." As soon as those words slipped passed the girl's lips Hermione's blood turned cold. Logically she knew that Bellatrix wouldn't hurt her, but she didn't seem like her Bellatrix tonight. Something was off with her, she seemed mad, almost crazed. A thousand scenarios reeled through Hermione's head. Had she done something to annoy her that she wasn't aware of? Had Bellatrix not been sleeping because she had lost track of time when she was studying like she usually did? Or worst of all had she found out the truth about Hermione? Although she was doing well with pushing her secret down, she was still terrified every day that someone would figure out that she was hiding something. How they would figure out that she was from the future she didn't know, but fear was very rarely rational. While Hermione was lost in her own mind Bellatrix put one knee onto the bed and loomed over her, the usual scent she had begun to associate with the girl, of Jasmine and cedar wood, was gone. It was replaced with the stench of mildewed robes that had hung in a wardrobe for too long, fifteen years too long.
"St…stop." Hermione stuttered. "You're scaring me."
Bellatrix pouted that mocking pout she would become renowned for. "Oh I'm not the one that's scaring you pet." Her voice had taken on the haunting childlike quality that she remembered from before and it sent a shiver down her spine. "You're feelings are the things that are scaring you. You're scared that no matter how hard you fight it you will still fall for me. You're scared that you already have."
"Fall for you?" Hermione questioned shrilly. "How could I… I'm not… I don't even like girls."
"Oh of course you don't." Bellatrix laughed humourlessly. "You can't lie to yourself Hermione, you know what this is."
Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath to try to steady herself, she tried to think of a comeback that would silence the girl but none came to her, the realisation that she was right was almost crushing. When she opened her eyes the Slytherin was looking at her with her head cocked to the side observing her smugly before she moved swiftly and fluidly to straddle her waist. For the second time that evening Hermione almost screamed but no sound would have come out even if she wanted it to, all of the moisture had fled from her mouth. The weight of the girl on her hips felt odd, whenever this happened in her dreams it made her feel trapped and suffocated; tonight she couldn't deny that it was turning her on a little. Hermione swallowed thickly and turned her head to the side so that Bellatrix wouldn't see it in her eyes; she felt a hand slip up her chest and against her throat. This was how it usually went in her nightmares too; just like that night on the Malfoy's drawing room floor the black haired witch would mock her and crush her throat until she woke up gasping for air. But the fingers only squeezed delicately, just applying enough pressure to gain her attention. Hermione peeked out of the corner of her eye to see a subtle smirk slide on to Bellatrix's ruby lips seconds before the girl leant forward and the hand was replaced with those lips on the column of her throat. The Slytherin left a trail of open mouthed kisses down the side of her neck stopping at her collarbone where sharp teeth bit into her flesh, Hermione gasped but the pain was quickly soothed by a warm tongue swirling over the same spot.
"Bella." Hermione whispered breathlessly as she squirmed a little to break the girl's contact with her skin. "We shouldn't be doing this. We shouldn't be doing this here, someone could come in."
"We shouldn't be doing this or we shouldn't be doing this here?" Bellatrix chuckled lowly as her teeth closed around one of her earlobes and tugged gently. She sat up to look down on her flushed companion with a sly smile. "Because there's a distinct difference between those two things pet."
"I…I don't know." Hermione stuttered, she tried to lift her arms to touch the Slytherin's face but something was restricting her movement. It should have bothered her but her mind was a little cloudy and she wasn't sure why. "We should talk about this."
"Talk?" Bellatrix said the word slowly, Hermione was mesmerised by the way that her lips formed the word, she really wanted to kiss her. "You're such a Ravenclaw, all logic. When this is about action, action we should have taken a long time ago."
Hermione nodded her consent mindlessly as Bellatrix's hand ghosted over her breast and her thumb flicked over her nipple causing a moan to escape from her throat. She arched her back to try and get more contact which earned her a chuckle from the witch on top of her. She wanted to care that she was being mocked but when a thumb brushed her nipple a second time more roughly this time that thought was quickly lost. She wanted to reach up and touch Bellatrix's body but again she couldn't seem to get her body to respond to her will and again there was that haze filling her mind when she tried to focus on it.
"You see, I've been waiting a long time to do this." Bellatrix crooned as her hand trailed a slow path down Hermione's body and her finger's brushed the bare skin of her thigh. Hermione thought this was odd as she was sure she had been wearing shorts when she went to bed. None of that mattered when Bellatrix spoke again "So I don't intend to take my time." She punctuated her point by cupping Hermione's centre none to gently, both girls moaned in unison at the contact. "And it doesn't seem like you want me to take my time either." Hermione knew she should feel embarrassed about Bellatrix's insinuation about the readiness she had felt when she touched her but all she had space for in her mind was how much she wanted the girl. She lost control of her breathing when the Slytherin's finger dipped between her folds but her pants quickly turned to a groan of frustration when she realised that Bellatrix was determined to touch her everywhere but where she really needed her. She screwed her eyes shut and lifted her hips in subtle, or not so subtle, encouragement for the girl to just get on with it already. Bellatrix growled and leant forward sinking her teeth into Hermione's neck as her fingertip finally came into contact with her clit. Hermione's eyes flew open and she found herself lying alone in her bed staring at the fabric ceiling of her bed. As her senses returned to her she realised that her forehead and her back were drenched in sweat and her hand was buried rather firmly between her legs.
Hermione leapt out of bed like a cat that had been scalded, she threw herself out of her room and through the Ravenclaw common room at breakneck pace. She reached the bottom of the spiral staircase quicker than she ever thought possible but she needed to escape the suffocating feeling of her dorm room and her sweat soaked bedsheets. A breeze blew into the corridor from the courtyard and Hermione took large, grateful gulps of the cool air. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to clear her mind a little but as soon as her eyes closed she was confronted with the image of Bellatrix looming over her with that smirk and that look in her eyes. A shiver ran down her spine, she wasn't sure if it was out of pleasure or uneasiness or a mixture of both. She moved towards one of the open archways that looked out into the courtyard and stuck her head out in order to get access to more fresh air.
A movement caught her attention; someone with a mop of curly hair piled haphazardly on top of their head was rushing across the courtyard while trying to tug their robe around them to block out the winter chill. For a second Hermione thought it was Bellatrix until the moonlight caught the tresses and she realised they were not dark enough, it was Andromeda. Hermione heaved a sigh of relief, she wasn't sure she was up to facing Bellatrix right now after the dream she had just had. But spending so much time with Harry must have rubbed off on her and she couldn't help the pull to figure out why Andromeda would be sneaking around in the middle of the night. Her internal question was answered pretty quickly though when a second movement drew her gaze and she caught the outline of a teenage boy wearing a Hufflepuff scarf fleeing in the opposite direction to the girl. She had always known that Andromeda and Ted had met at Hogwarts but she hadn't realised they had been together when they were so young. The knowledge filled her with a strange warmth that didn't make sense to her, she had never been much of a romantic but there was something sweet and pure about their love that struck her. With a smile on her face she moved away from the window and headed in the direction she had seen the young Slytherin hurry off.
"Andie?" Hermione called as loudly as she dared and squinted into the darkness.
"Merlin Hermione, you scared the life out of me." Andromeda whispered back as she whirled around to face the other girl, pressing her hand over her frantically beating heart. "What are you doing out of bed so late?"
"I had a…weird dream and I just needed to clear my head." Hermione answered a little hesitantly as she closed the gap between the two of them. Thankfully it was dark enough to hide the blush that had crept upon her cheeks as she thought about the content of her dream and what she had just imagined doing with this girl's sister. She cleared her throat awkwardly before going on the defensive. "But I could ask you the same thing. Isn't it a little late for you to be out of bed too?"
"Oh well…yeah. I guess…" Andie stuttered, looking at the floor and kicking at a crack in one of the grey tiles with her toe. "I was just…erm… getting some air."
"Yeah, of course, getting some air." Hermione snorted as she raised an eyebrow at the younger girl and smirked. "And were you on your own in your desperate midnight quest for fresh air?"
"You've been spending too much time with Bellatrix." Andie sighed in response the Hermione's comment but a good natured smile tugged at her lips. "She's quite taken with you, you know? You're all she talks about."
"She's intriguing…I'm enjoying trying the figure her out." Hermione swallowed thickly, she felt a little uncomfortable at the Slytherin's comment. She knew that Andie wouldn't mean any malice, she was too kind natured for that. But she felt like the girl was trying to get at something and she wasn't quite sure what it was. "But you're trying to change the subject, how's Ted by the way?"
Andromeda's shoulders shook a little as she tried to contain a laugh; she looked at the bushy haired witch with a twinkle in her eye. "He's fine…fully aired."
Hermione's hand flew up to her mouth but it was too late, a peel of laughter escaped her throat and echoed through the empty corridor. Both girl's froze and looked at each other in horror before breaking out into matching smirks when no one came rushing out to dock house points from them for being out of bed after curfew. "Come on, let me walk you back to your common room."
Andie stepped around the older girl and bumped her shoulder as she passed. "My, aren't you chivalrous."
"I do try." Hermione jested, shrugging as she fell into step and the two girls walked towards the Slytherin common room.
"Hermione" Andromeda broke the comfortable silence cautiously. "I'm really glad that Bella has found you, you're good for her."
"I don't know about that." Hermione replied shyly as she fiddled self-consciously with her hair.
"I do." Andromeda stated adamantly. She gently gripped Hermione's wrist to draw her attention and smiled genuinely at her. "You said it yourself; you're trying to figure her out. Not many other people bother to do that."
"She's prickly but once you get past that she's a softy really." Hermione couldn't help the goofy grin that slipped on to her features when she thought about Bellatrix. "But don't say that I said that."
"So she's like a hedgehog?" Andromeda asked, throwing Hermione a wink.
Hermione shook her head. "Definitely don't say that I said that."
"I think it suits her." Andromeda shrugged as she stopped in front of a blank stretch of wall.
"I guess so." Hermione chuckled as she looked around her and realised they had descended to the dungeons already without her really noticing. "Defensive, reclusive, can regularly be found snuffling around in people's gardens."
Andromeda's jaw dropped open. "Is that an innuendo?"
"Oh my God! No!" Hermione almost shrieked, her voice taking on a shrill quality.
"I just thought you know, with Bellatrix's preferences." Andromeda tried to explain, but she noticed the confusion flitter across Hermione's face. "She likes girls, I erm… I assumed you knew."
"I… well I suppose…" Hermione stuttered, her body heating up for a reason she didn't quite want to try and rationalise right now. "I've never really thought about it."
"It doesn't change anything does it?" Andromeda asked quickly looking slightly panicked. She wasn't ashamed of who her sister is and she knew that Bellatrix wasn't embarrassed about it either, but she was also aware that this wasn't her news to share. She had well and truly put her foot in it.
"No, of course not." Hermione assured the younger girl, tilting her head to catch her eye and smiling. "She's still as irritating as she always was."
Andromeda sighed in relief and finally caught Hermione's eye. "I'm glad she has you."
Hermione thought about how difficult her time here should be, how much she should be missing home. But in reality she rarely felt lonely or lost or out of place and that was because of how much Bellatrix challenged her and occupied her mind in one way or another. She should be miserable and falling apart and desperate to get back to her time but she felt like she belonged here somehow. She belonged here with Bellatrix. "I'm glad I have her too."
Transfiguration seemed to creep up on Hermione, she liked to be on top form when she encountered Mcgonagall but she was just going to have to settle for being off the boil today. If she was honest it wasn't just today, she had felt off ever since her dream about Bellatrix. She heaved a sigh, climbed on to her stool and started to unpack her equipment. She became distantly aware of the sound of the stool next to her scraping back but didn't think too much of it, until warm breath caressed her ear and a voice husked. "Hey Ross."
She jumped at the sound of the voice and promptly dropped the ink well she had just retrieved from her bag, she watched in horror as the black liquid seeped into the desk. "Merlin Bellatrix, don't do that."
Bellatrix chuckled as she watched Hermione frantically search through her bag for something to clean up with, she waved her wand and silently fixed the mess. "You're jumpy today."
Hermione watched as the black mess retreated out of the wood and her ink well refilled. "Well I was hardly expecting you to show up, you never come to transfiguration. Plus I haven't seen you all week."
"What's up Ross? Been missing me?" Bellatrix mocked as she bumped Hermione's shoulder. The bushy haired witch just shook her head and turned away from her slightly, seeing that her attempts to keep the situation light were not working Bellatrix took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to avoid you or anything. I just needed a bit of space… to think."
"I understand that." Hermione said softly. "But don't let me in and then shut me out again."
Before Bellatrix could respond Mcgonagall's voice cut through the din of the classroom and called for silence, she took the register quickly and then informed the group that they would be moving on to conjuring today.
"Today we will be practicing 'Avis', the bird conjuring charm." Professor Mcgonagall announced. "Although usually studied in Charms class it is actually a branch of Transfiguration. We will be looking at it today as a simple beginning to natural conjuring. Have you all attempted the 'Avis' charm with Professor Goshawk?" The question was met with an unenthusiastic chorus of yeses, to which Mcgonagall nodded her head. "And have any of you had success with the charm?" Two hands shot into the air almost before the professor had even finished her sentence, the woman chuckled fondly. "Miss Ross and Miss Black, why am I not surprised? Well the rest of you, turn to page 246 and get practicing."
There was a rustle of paper as twenty students began flicking through their textbooks, looking for the correct page. Professor Mcgonagall made her way slowly over to the desk the two girls were sat behind. "Ladies, I could use your help this lesson." The older woman announced as she reached them. "I have a feeling that Miss Skeeter and Mr Bagman may struggle particularly with this task. Could I ask each of you to pair up with one of them and help them out?"
"Of course Professor." Hermione answered enthusiastically as she pushed her stool away from the desk.
Bellatrix groaned in annoyance as she too stood up from her stool, muttering something under her breath as she collected up her things. "I'll work with Skeeter." She threw over her shoulder as she breezed across the classroom and flopped down unceremoniously next to the blonde girl who smiled at her coyly.
"I guess I'll pair up with Ludo." Hermione said, throwing an exasperated look at Mcgonagall who returned her look with a small smirk. She crossed the classroom in the opposite direction to Bellatrix and stopped in front of the hulking figure of Ludo Bagman. "Hi, I'm Hermione." She introduced herself as politely as possible. "Professor Mcgonagall has asked me to work with you today."
"Ludo." The boy grinned as he extended his hand in greeting, Hermione shook his hand and then went to extract her own only to find the boy tighten his grip. "She must be in a good mood with me today if she has sent over such a beautiful assistant."
"I have sent her over to help you with your conjuring Mr Bagman." Mcgonagall called across the classroom. "Not for you to flirt with."
Ludo laughed pleasantly as he winked at Hermione and pulled out the stool next to him. "Sit down, please." Hermione perched awkwardly on the stool feeling a little uncomfortable as half of the eyes in the classroom were now on her, including Bellatrix's. Ludo leaned close to her and whispered. "No offence, but I pretty much only said that to piss Bellatrix off. Look at her face."
Hermione looked over at where the black haired witch was sat and sure enough she was throwing Ludo Bagman a death glare that would make most people quake in their boots. "You're brave." Hermione laughed gently. "Are you not worried about inciting her wrath?"
"Bellatrix and I go way back." Ludo shrugged. "Annoying each other is just the way we work."
Hermione picked absently at the corner of her textbook before she looked at the boy sat next to her. "And why would you think that flirting with me would annoy Bellatrix?"
Ludo grinned again and Hermione supposed a lot of girls would find him quite handsome. "I've seen the way she looks at you."
The nonchalant response caught Hermione off guard and she could only respond with a quiet "oh."
Ludo shook his head and blew out a deep breath. "I can't believe she didn't put up more of a fight when she was paired up with Rita."
"She volunteered to work with Skeeter." Hermione shrugged before she smirked across at the boy. "I assume to avoid your teasing."
"Very funny." Ludo mocked pulling a face good naturedly. "Seriously, I'm surprised she didn't try to hex Mcgonagall when she forced her into working with her though."
"I told you, she chose to work with her." Hermione said firmly.
"Bellatrix? Bellatrix Black is working with Rita Skeeter through her own choice?" Ludo asked dumbly, looking at Hermione as if she was about to solve one of life's great riddles. When the girl nodded in affirmation he let out a low whistle. "Well knock me over with a feather."
"Why what's wrong?" Hermione questioned. "Do they not get along or something?"
"Not get along? Bellatrix hates her." Ludo answered incredulously as he shook his head. "I mean who could blame her after what Rita did."
"Rita did something to Bellatrix?" Hermione demanded, her voice rising as the piece of information caused anger to flare up inside her.
"Bella will say that Rita fucked her over." Ludo said somewhat sadly as he raised a brow. "I'd say she broke her heart."
"They were together?" Hermione practically shouted, her head spinning around so quickly that she almost cricked her neck.
Ludo shot a placating smile at the people who had turned to look at them again before leaning in closer to Hermione and talking quietly. "Yes they were together, in fourth year, it was pretty serious. Well serious for Bella. I think Rita was her first love, but… it wasn't like that for Rita."
Hermione could hear her heartbeat in her ears, she knew her face must be visibly flushed but she couldn't bring herself to care. Those words; Rita was her first love were flying around in her brain, if she hadn't hated the awful beetle before she certainly did now. The response this information had incited within her scared her; she shouldn't care this much, it shouldn't hurt this much. "Did they break up?"
"Well obviously they broke up." Ludo replied with a frown. "You don't see them sneaking off into broom cupboards anymore do you?"
Hermione almost growled at the mental image that the boy's words called forth. "What happened?"
"Hmmm… I would have thought Bella would have told you all of this." Ludo said pensively before shaking his head and ploughing on. "It turned out that Rita was only pretending to like Bella, she was using her to get close to her family. She was feeding information about the Black family's businesses to her father, he was hoping to get some dirt on them so he could shut them down and get rid of some competition."
"Eurgh, she is such a snake." Hermione spat with absolute venom in her voice, she was so angry that the quill was shaking in her hand.
"You can say that again." Ludo huffed as he picked up his wand and started twiddling with it. "She really is the worst kind of Slytherin."
Hermione snatched her own wand up with a little more aggression than she meant to, she took a deep calming breath. "We should practice the Avis charm before Professor Mcgonagall comes over and finds out that you still can't do it." They spent the rest of their time working on the charm; to begin with Ludo could only manage to make bright yellow feathers erupt out of the end of his wand. But by the end of the lesson, thanks to a few corrections on his grip and pronunciation from Hermione, the handsome Slytherin managed to make a single bird appear. Ludo cheered and wanted to celebrate with Hermione but she couldn't find any enthusiasm within herself. She had too many conflicting emotions within herself to make space for anymore, she was angry that Rita had done that to Bellatrix. She was upset that Bellatrix had, had her heart broken and probably dealt with it all on her own. She was confused about why Bellatrix had hidden all of this from her. And she was jealous that despite it all Bellatrix had chosen to work with her today. Did she still have feelings for her? Was she hoping that Rita had changed and they could get back together? Did she miss her and just really want to be near her? Hermione's mind was racing at a thousand miles a minute and all of a sudden the walls of the classroom just seemed so oppressive. She wanted to escape, so it was to her massive relief that Professor Mcgonagall finally called an end to the lesson. She bid a hasty farewell to Ludo before haphazardly ramming her belongings into her bag and attempting to flee the scene.
"Ross" Hermione heard Bellatrix's voice call out across the classroom but she was in no mood to talk to her. From the first time she had met Rita Skeeter she had hated her, the woman was insufferable and from the sounds of it she has never been any different. She couldn't get her head around how Bellatrix could have been with someone like that and not just for a fling, if Ludo was to be believed, but in a fairly significant relationship. Hermione's eyes stung with tears that she refused to let fall and she tried to fight down the flare of jealousy that ignited in the pit of her stomach with very little success. She had no idea why finding out that Bellatrix had been in a relationship at some point in her school career surprised her so much, the girl was beautiful. But for some reason it bothered her more than she would ever be willing to admit out loud; maybe that had something to do with her being so beautiful too. Hermione barged her way out of the room and tried to care about the people that she marched into and the grumbles she received but she really couldn't find the space within her mind. She set off through the corridor with a pace that would rival even the Hogwarts Express, still in no time she felt a strong hand grip her wrist and pull her to an abrupt stop.
"What the hell is the problem with you Ross?" Bellatrix asked in a confused and exasperated tone as she pulled the other girl around to face her. She took in the redness in the bushy haired witch's eyes and the flush in her cheeks and softened slightly.
"Nothing." Hermione bit back in reply, despite the acidity in her tone she was compliant when the Slytherin began to tow her further down the corridor and willingly followed her into a rather dank storage room. To make sure that her bad mood was thoroughly recognised though she slammed the heavy wooden door closed behind her with a resounding thud.
"Oh yeah, of course nothing is wrong and I'm a mountain troll." Bellatrix mocked with a frown as she wordlessly cast a lumos and bathed the small room in bluish light. "I've had kinder receptions from a bludger. What's happened?"
Hermione kicked at a mop bucket mindlessly, jumping at the loud clang it caused to vibrate around the space. "Ludo told me about you and Rita."
Bellatrix didn't let the shock at Hermione's statement register on her face and she tried hard not to get angry at the thought of the blonde girl. She didn't want to think about Rita when she was with Hermione. She looked more closely at the other girl for a few seconds, taking in the defeated slope of her shoulders and the way she was fiddling with her sleeves nervously. She wanted to understand what was going on but she was at a total loss so she pressed a little more. "And? So what?"
"And….you should have told me." Hermione snapped, as if this was the most obvious thing in the world, she folded her arms and leant back against the cool wood of the door.
Bellatrix huffed and shook her head, allowing some of her anger to bubble to the surface. "Why should I have told you?"
"Because I like…" Hermione began before stopping suddenly at the words that nearly tumbled from her mouth. "I thought we were…" She tried again but came to a blundering halt when she didn't like her next comment either. She sighed heavily and squeezed her eyes shut as she attempted to compose herself. "It made me look stupid, that's why. I'm supposed to be your… friend and I didn't know about her."
"Bullshit." Bellatrix spat, laughing humourlessly.
"What's bullshit?" Hermione bristled at the unexpectedly crass response.
"What you just said is bullshit, what do you want me to say Hermione?" Bellatrix knew that her statement was moot and that Hermione was more than bright enough to know what she was talking about when she called her out. But she was quickly losing her temper, she hated to be reminded of Rita and she hated the hidden suggestion that she herself had done something wrong here. "That I'm sorry that I had a…. thing with Rita? Well I'm not sorry, not one bit."
"I don't want you to be sorry but she's just such a…. a bitch." Hermione curled up her nose in disgust as she spoke, she knew deep down that she was being entirely unfair but there was just something about Skeeter that got under her skin like no other person ever had. "How could you have voluntarily spent that much time with her?"
"Because it was my choice." Bellatrix shouted, having finally been pushed to her limit. She saw how Hermione flinched away when she raised her voice and took a few calming breaths. She ran her hands over her face and growled slightly before fixing her eyes on the bushy haired witch again and speaking more calmly this time. "School is the only place that I get to choose how I spend my time and who I spend it with. And it felt good to choose her, to choose to see her and talk to her and… flirt with her and kiss her. And then she fucked me over and I got to choose not to see her anymore and do you know what? Standing up for myself felt good too."
Hermione shivered involuntarily at the thought of Bellatrix kissing Rita Skeeter, at the thought of that smirk that drives her wild being directed at somebody else, at the thought of the flirty banter that keeps her on her toes being used on somebody else. "I can't believe you kissed her." She said in a much shriller tone than she intended.
"All of that and the only thing you picked up on is that I kissed her?" Bellatrix said carefully, quietly, almost predatory as she took a small step closer to Hermione. She saw how the girl stiffened slightly and swallowed thickly as she raised her chin indignantly. It felt like a game of wills and she was determined to win. "I'll let you into a little secret Ross….we did more than just kiss. So much more."
"Stop it." Hermione demanded weakly as she looked away from the chocolate brown eyes that were scanning her face almost excitedly.
"Why?" Bellatrix husked as she took another step closer to Hermione, she was so close now that she could feel the heat radiating from the other girl's body. "Is it bothering you Ross?"
"No." Hermione answered far too quickly for her response ever to be considered as true. With a huff she tried to barge past Bellatrix who she only just realised was invading her personal space rather significantly. But the second her body came into contact with the Slytherin the other girl used her weight to push her back against the door and pinned her there. Hermione's breath caught in her throat as their chests pressed together and their hips bumped in a way that could have been painful in any other circumstance.
"Is thinking about me with that bitch making you jealous, hmmm?" Bellatrix almost whispered as a smirk broke out across her face, she watched how Hermione's nostrils flared and her jaw clenched. "Is thinking about me sitting close to her in some dark corner of the library bothering you? Is thinking about me sneaking into her room at night bothering you?" She leant in close to Hermione, so close that she could see every freckle scattered across the girl's cheeks, she always found them her most endearing feature, taking a deep breath she pushed on. "Is the thought of my lips pressed against hers bothering you? Is the thought of my hands on her…"
Whatever Bellatrix was about to utter was cut off by soft lips pressed firmly against her own and the scent of vanilla, that she had come to love so much, enveloping her senses. Her mind toyed with the idea of pulling away; shocked that the other girl had the gall to make this move. But that thought quickly flittered away when she felt gentle hands slide up her neck and begin to play with the loose curls that had slipped out of her bun. The kiss was almost tentative, almost hesitant as if Hermione was asking a question Bellatrix was unsure how to answer, she was never unsure and she didn't like it. Her hands found their way to Hermione's hips and pushed her more forcefully against the door earning a small intake of breath from the girl's mouth, she found her opportunity to deepen the kiss and try to take back control of the situation.
Hermione felt Bellatrix's thumbs find purchase on the skin of her hips that was exposed when her shirt had become untucked at some unspecified point. She felt her back pushed more fully against the knots and rivets of the wooden door; they dug into her spine in a beautiful mix of pleasure and pain. And she felt the Slytherin's thigh slip between her own; forcing their bodies to mould together, they seemed to fit so perfectly that she almost gasped. When she did Bellatrix changed the pace, where she had once been the one being kissed she now kissed back with an urgent fervour that made Hermione's mind cloud over at the edges, the girl's mouth was insistent against her own. Her whole body trembled and she tried to ground herself somehow, she wound her fingers into the soft locks she had been bothering for the last few minutes and tugged them none too gently. Bellatrix groaned low in her throat at the action and Hermione felt her smirk subtly against her lips, she didn't know why but the smirk felt like a challenge and she could never find it within herself to back down from a challenge.
Bellatrix could feel the other girl melting in her embrace and it made her feel cocky somehow, she knew Hermione and she knew that the girl was not one to swoon easily. She knew that she kept control of herself and that she kept her impulses in check, so the thought that she was the one that had finally cracked her made her feel a little arrogant to say the least. That is until she felt Hermione's tongue sweep across her bottom lip and it was her turn to melt, a gentle sigh slipped from her chest and all of a sudden the taste of honey erupted in her mouth. Hermione's tongue caressed her own, it was delicate but purposeful and paired with the sting at the base of her scull where her hair was still being pulled she almost lost herself to the sensation entirely. She allowed the other girl to rule the kiss for a few moments before she reached up and tore the girl's hands away from her hair to pin them above her head.
Hermione was caught off guard when she felt her hands clatter into the wood of the door and the bite of Bellatrix's nails as they dug into the delicate skin at her wrists. She felt her tongue sneak into her mouth as the black haired witch fought to take the lead, she battled her for dominance for a few moments before succumbing to the inevitable and letting her win. The smell of the shampoo Bellatrix had used that morning was too strong, the taste of mint on her tongue was too much, the feel of her firm body in contact with every inch of her own was too perfect for her to do anything else. She allowed herself to be overcome by everything that was Bellatrix. The girl released her hands and she immediately buried them in her, now only partially tamed, curls again; enjoying their silkiness between her fingers. She appreciated the firmness with which strong arms encircled her waist and held their bodies together almost reassuringly. And she relished the feel of Bellatrix's plump lips against her own, she hadn't kissed many people in her life but she was pretty sure that kissing did not get better than this. Nothing had ever evoked something as deep within her as kissing Bellatrix Black did.
Bellatrix moaned appreciatively when she felt Hermione succumb to her will, she let go of her arms so that she could use her own hands to explore the other girl's body. She went back to worry the patch of skin at the girl's hip that had driven her wild since the second she saw it that morning before their trip into Hogsmeade. They quickly flitted up her body and she marvelled at her tiny frame, Hermione seemed such a presence when she was in the classroom but now beneath her hands she seemed so dainty. She was overwhelmed with a desire to never let her go, to keep the girl locked in the safety of her arms, to use her own body to shield her from the darkness of the world. She had no idea what it was about kissing this girl that seemed to awaken something within her chest that she had not been sure she was capable of feeling until this very moment.
The kiss began to slow down as both of the girls began to recover their senses, until it became just a series of lingering pecks broken up by gasps for air. They broke apart and amber eyes met chocolate, they stared at each other silently for a few moments, their chests heaving and their heads spinning. Bellatrix's face broke into a warm smile that she wasn't sure she could control even if she tried "Well Hermione, I think you finally found an effective way to shut me up."
Both girls laughed breathlessly and Hermione pushed their foreheads together wanting to prolong their intimacy for as long as possible. "I'll have to use it again."
"You'd better." Bellatrix replied softly as she pressed one last gentle kiss to Hermione's lips.
Thank you so much for reading, please review and feel free to PM me about anything you would like to talk about. Any input is greatly received; good, bad or indifferent I would love to hear it.