Hi guys, I am back again and I have managed to actually update in a timely fashion. I don't know about you lot but I can't actually believe it. This chapter jumps around a little bit and is kind of a filler chapter but I think that it gives us an insight into the girl's minds and their thinking. It's about them making some revelations about where they fit into each other's lives. There is plenty of fluffy goodness and some more Andromeda who I absolutely love writing and some cute nervous Hermione moments.

Thank you to all of you who continue to read despite my snail's pace at updating sometimes and thank you to those of you who have just found this story and have begun to follow it.

Lynettecullen: I will address the future thing soon, probably in the companion story so keep an eye out.

Erazon: Welcome, thank you for taking the time to read.

NightmareInTheShadows: It is so wrong in so many ways to find Bellatrix cute but I really can't help it either.

selina992: Welcome, thank you so much for your lovely review and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

YoUnGmethe2nd: I'm sorry you found the story lame to begin with but I'm glad that it is starting to get better for you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the characters or the locations I am simply borrowing them to please the masses (or just myself really).

The great hall felt incredibly empty with only a scarce number of students scattered across the four long house tables. A few people had returned in the days after Christmas but still it wasn't enough to fill the room with its usual hustle and bustle. Hermione sat at the Ravenclaw table with Nyx curled up contentedly snoozing next to her on the bench. She was pushing the last mouthfuls of her breakfast around on her plate distractedly as she scratched the little kitten's head and waited for Bellatrix to arrive. She looked up towards the staff table and caught Professor Mcgonagall's eye, the older woman gave her a warm smile and a little wave which she returned. She'd really enjoyed the weekend she had spent at the cottage with Minerva and Aggi. They'd taken cautious walks down to the frozen beech to enjoy the chilled spray on their faces. They had picked dirigible plums from the small, but incredibly well tended, back garden. And Hermione had even taken an excited Aggi outside to build a snowman that Minerva had charmed to do a little jig around the garden every now and again. She was busy smiling to herself at her memories when she felt a warm body slide onto the bench next to her, resting their side against her own; the smell of the familiar perfume permeating her senses.

"Hi Andromeda." Hermione beamed as she swivelled her head to look at her new companion. "When did you get back?"

"Mother and Father sent me back via floo last night." Andromeda answered as she reached over and stole the last sliver of bacon from Hermione's plate.

Hermione shook her head and moved her plate out of Andromeda's reach as the girl went to grab her last piece of sausage too. She inclined her head pointedly towards the mountains of breakfast items sat steaming in the middle of the table. "You know the stuff on the platters stays warm, it refills itself and you know…isn't mine."

"I know but eating that is nowhere near as satisfying as taking yours." Andie winked and reached over to pluck a fresh piece of toast from the centre of the table, taking a big bite.

Hermione rolled her eyes and bumped Andie's shoulder with hers playfully. "I really have no idea why your parents were so desperate to get rid of you."

"It was my decision thank you very much." Andie replied with a mock outraged expression that softened quickly as her eyes drifted down to the toast she was holding and her cheeks tinged with pink. "If you ever repeat this to her I will kill you…but home is pretty dull without Bella, I asked to come back"

Hermione threw her arm around Andromeda's shoulder and pulled her affectionately against her side. "Did you miss her Andie?"

Andie whined as she attempted, half-heartedly, to break out of Hermione's embrace to no avail, instead burying her face in to the girl's shoulder. "Shut up."

"Awww, you did." Hermione beamed down at the mass of chestnut curls that was currently attempting to disappear entirely into her side. Clearly the whole 'emotions making you uncomfortable' thing was a hereditary trait between the Black sisters. "You totally missed her."

Ever with the perfect timing, Bellatrix chose this exact moment to saunter over to the pair, she stopped behind her sister who had just managed to wiggle out of Hermione's arm and was looking down sheepishly. "Who missed who now?"

"No-one." Andie snapped as she shoved the last bite of her toast into her mouth as if that would effectively end the conversation.

Hermione looked up at where Bellatrix was stood, the girl smirked at her in that way that always made her heart melt and a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth against her will. "Andie missed you."

"I told you not to tell her." Andie shrieked, as she swatted at Hermione's arm with the back of her hand.

Bellatrix reached down and wrapped her arms around Andie's chest from behind and pulled the girl's back against her front in a tight embrace. She kissed the top of her sister's head as she chuckled endearingly at her mortified sister and whispered into her hair. "I missed you too ma crevette."

The French term triggered something in Hermione, it was odd but familiar. When she was young her parents had owned a second property in a little rural town in southern France and she'd spent all of her school holidays there before she began at Hogwarts. Her parents had been strict about them all being able to speak French in order to get along with the locals, it was now unintentionally incredibly helpful with her cover story. "Did you just call her a shrimp?"

Bellatrix laughed as she released her sister with a swift kiss to the cheek and a little playful shove. She wandered over to sit on the other side of Hermione and picked up Nyx, nuzzling the little kitten's fur. "It's what our grand-mère used to call her; I always thought it was hilarious, so naturally it stuck."

Again Hermione was struck by the use of French, she thought back over what she knew of the Black family and her evenings spent studying the tapestry at Grimmauld place. She remembered how Sirius had explained to her that the family had started to marry their sons off to pureblood families from the continent in order to diversify their bloodline. In her lightbulb moment she forgot herself and almost shouted. "Of course, your mother was a Rosier."

Bellatrix's eyebrows knitted together in a frown as her eyes studied Hermione's face suspiciously. "How do you know that?"

Before Hermione had chance to come up with whatever stuttering excuse she would have been able to blunder out Andromeda cut her off. "Oh come on Bella, out families are pretty infamous. It would be weirder if she didn't know that."

"True." Bellatrix shrugged her face smoothing back out and her attention turning to the kitten she still held against her chest. "And how has this little lady been this morning?"

"I've been fine thanks, a little tired…"Andie spoke with exaggerated enthusiasm and a mischievous smirk bloomed across her face as she leaned around Hermione towards her sister before letting her voice drop back to normal. "….oh you were talking to the cat."

"You are so hilarious my sides are splitting." Bellatrix rolled her eyes as she pointed at her waist mockingly. "Can't you see it? That's my liver right there."

"Your liver is way higher up than that you idiot." Andie shot back as she threw a toast crust from Hermione's plate at her sister where it bounced off the girl's shoulder harmlessly.

"I am truly sorry." Bellatrix said sarcastically as she leaned around Hermione too, her eyes set in a death glare at her younger sister. "I don't pretend to be an expert in anatomy."

"Oh is that right Hermione?" Andromeda asked, turning an eager face towards the bushy haired witch and wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "Is Bellatrix lacking in her knowledge of anatomy?"

"Shut up Andromeda." Bellatrix shrieked her voice rising in pitch and cracking, her cheeks had begun to colour just a little. "You know that's not how I meant it."

"I do apologise." Andie replied with mock sincerity as she placed her hand over her heart and gave her sister a simpering look. "Is that a touchy subject? Or you know….maybe not."

Hermione raised her hand and cut off whatever Bellatrix's response was going to be before giving both girls a gentle push to move them out of her personal space and further away from each other. "Is there any danger of us going back to a civilised breakfast?"

"Sorry." Both Black sister's said in unison as they readjusted themselves in their chairs so they were sitting up properly again.

"Clearly you two needed another couple of days away from one another." Hermione rolled her eyes; she couldn't help but be distinctly reminded of the times she had spent stuck in the middle of Harry and Ron's arguments. It filled her with a bitter sweet feeling of nostalgia, already her time with the boys was starting to feel like a lifetime ago.

The trio sat in silence for a few moments; Hermione sipped at her pumpkin juice, Bellatrix played with Nyx and Andromeda watched her sister's gentleness. It was the youngest Black who broke the silence with a little unrestrained laugh before she started speaking. "Has Nyx thrown up on any more priceless heirlooms?"

"What?" Hermione demanded harshly, her head snapping between the two grinning Black sister's.

Bellatrix laughed too as she gently passed the little kitten over to Hermione, a smile lingering on her lips as their hands brushed together. "Narcissa accidently let her out of my room and she found her way onto one of my mother's Persian rugs and proceeded to be sick on it… in three different places. The thing is woven out of medieval warlock hair or something, ridiculously expensive naturally."

"Oh no!" Hermione all but shouted, a look of horror plastered across her face as she lifted up the little kitten she was holding to give her a stern look, Nyx just meowed innocently. "Nyx, you naughty girl."

"It was ok." Andromeda shrugged nonchalantly. "We blamed it on Mother's favourite elf so everyone got off without a punishment."

Hermione's head snapped towards the youngest Black sister, her heart filled with concern over the little creature. She knew the disregard that many purebloods paid to house elves, well not just house elves really, anything that they deemed lesser. "She didn't hurt the elf did she?"

"Mother loves that elf more than us." Bellatrix replied with a snort of derision that she hoped would cover up the hurt that clouded her comment. "She wouldn't allow any harm to come to her."

Hermione was about to comment when a commotion from above drew the entire room's attention, a huge flock of owls had just emerged through the window in the vaulted ceiling. There had been trickles of post arriving over Christmas for the few students that remained but nothing like this. Each owl was carrying a large silver envelope; it looked as though there were as many birds above as there were people sitting in the great hall below. The owl at the front of the flock gave a loud squawk and the rest began to descend towards the table, sure enough one owl landed in front of each student. The birds sat still long enough for the slightly shocked students to detach the letter before they took off again in a flurry of feathers. The whole room sat in silence for a few seconds before the sound of ripping and shuffling paper began echoing around the space.

The three girls looked at one another for a moment, each holding the silver envelope as if it was a howler ready to explode. Bellatrix huffed as she looked around the room and saw the other students already readying the contents of their letter. She slid her nail under the edge of the seal and twisted her finger to break it, the wax splitting and falling away as she did. She slid out the heavy card that was inside and a frown slid onto her features as she read the neat writing. "It's an invitation. It says; the staff of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry request the pleasure of your company for a celebration of the New Year. It is to take place at 7pm on 31st December in the Great Hall. Food and, age appropriate, beverages will be provided. We hope to see in the New Year in style so please dress accordingly."

"Oh I love a party." Andromeda squeaked excitedly as she tore into her own envelope and read through the invitation herself. "It's a shame about the age appropriate beverages though."

"Not for me." Bellatrix piped up in a sing song voice, grinning maliciously at her younger sister. "I turned eighteen a month ago."

"It was your birthday a month ago?" Hermione asked incredulously, she and Bella had most definitely been friends at that point and she had heard nothing of a birthday.

"She wanted to keep it quiet." Andie grumbled, still a little stung at the idea that Bellatrix would be able to drink at the party while she couldn't. She had become quite the expert in stealing booze during her parent's soirees but something told her the protection charms could be a lot tighter here than at home.

"Why would you want to keep it quiet?" Hermione pushed, Bellatrix was hardly a retiring wallflower so it wasn't as though she would be self-conscious with the attention or anything. "I owe you two presents now, I didn't get you anything for Christmas or your birthday."

"You don't' have to get me anything." Bellatrix smiled at Hermione as she reached out to squeeze the bushy haired girl's hand reassuringly. She had meant it to be a small gesture but the bushy haired witch had entwined their fingers and she was enjoying the warmth of her touch too much to retreat just yet. "As soon as the pureblood families find out I am of age I will have their son's smarming all over me and I simply don't have the energy."

Andromeda snorted at her sister's comment and rolled her eyes. "You clearly have the ego though."

"I don't mean for my looks, I mean for our name." Bellatrix tutted and rolled her eyes back at her sister with exaggerated sarcasm.

"I'm sure it would be for your looks too." Hermione butted in, turning her full attention to the older Slytherin, she reached up with her free hand to tuck a stubborn curl behind Bella's ear. "I think you're beautiful."

Andromeda made a slightly awkward noise as she watched the two girls interact; it wasn't often that she got to see the softer side of her sister. And as vaguely uncomfortable as she felt intruding on a moment like this she liked that her sister finally had someone who cared about her the way that she deserved. "Oh Merlin, I don't know if you two are sweet or sickening."

"Jealous?" Bellatrix chuckled as she finally broke away from Hermione's touch and turned some of her attention back to her sister.

"Yes actually." Andie replied seriously before a smirk started to fight at the corner of her lips. "I wish Hermione would say sweet things like that to me sometimes."

Hermione bumped the younger Slytherin's shoulder and smiled at the girl softly. "I think you're beautiful too Andie, I mean you two are practically identical anyway."

"I resent that but I don't have the time to tell you off about it, we have more important things to discuss." Andromeda beamed and rubbed her hands together conspiratorially. "What are we going to wear to the party?"

Bellatrix groaned and reached into Hermione's lap to retrieve the forgotten Nyx so she could distract herself from the topic she had no interest in. "This conversation is getting far too girly for me."

Andie leant around Hermione to glare at her sister. "Not all of us just go with the ethos of tight and black will do."

"I have nothing to wear." Hermione said a little dejectedly as she began to fiddle with the invitation she was still holding in her hands. "I only have school robes and casual clothes."

"I'll take you to Gladrags in Hogsmeade to buy something." Andromeda squeaked excitedly, the girl practically jumping up and down in her seat in excitement. She grabbed hold of Hermione's arm and gave the girl a little shake to emphasise her eagerness. "Please, please, please. Please let me."

Hermione sighed and threw the invitation dejectedly down onto the table in front of her, yet again the universe was finding a way to mock her. "I don't… I don't have any money."

"Ladies." A voice with a distinct Scottish lilt spoke from behind the three girls, who turned around to see Professor Mcgonagall smirking down at them. "Are you looking forward to the party?"

"Yes professor." All three girls said in unison, although Hermione's answer was a lot more lacklustre than the other two girls.

"Miss Ross, could I have a word?" Mcgonagall asked, Hermione nodded and climbed over the bench using Bella's shoulder as a support. The professor led them away from the table and towards the front of the room where they would have a little bit more privacy.

When they stopped in a darkened corner of the Great Hall Hermione watched as Minerva fiddled with a small pouch almost nervously. "Is everything ok Professor."

"I couldn't help but overhear the conversation you were having with the Black sisters. And I wanted to give you something." Minerva said as she reached out and placed the pouch she was holding into Hermione's hand, closing the girl's fingers around it gently. "There should be enough money in there for you to get yourself a suitable dress and maybe a nice pair of shoes."

"Professor that's incredibly kind." Hermione replied breathlessly, her heart clenching with love for the woman stood in front of her. She took a deep breath and held the pouch of coins back out to Minerva. "But I can't accept this."

"Hermione, I am a single woman who works all of the hours that Merlin sends." Minerva said as she reached a hand out and squeezed Hermione's shoulder gently. "My money is no use to me sat in a vault doing nothing. I would like to see it spent and enjoyed."

Hermione sighed, she looked up at Minerva's warm smile and she felt a lump form in her throat at the woman's kindness. Before she could think better of it she stepped forward and embraced the older woman firmly, she felt Minerva hesitate for a moment and then her hug was returned. "I'll pay you back as soon as I can, I promise."

"Don't be silly." Minerva spoke softly as she rubbed Hermione's back in reassurance. She had often wondered what it would be like to have a daughter of her own and what kind of person she would create if she ever were to become a parent. As she thought about the time she had spent with the bushy haired witch over the last few months, she found herself hoping if she ever did have a daughter they would be like Hermione. "You just go and buy yourself something that will turn heads…especially Miss Black's."

Hermione and Andromeda strolled through Hogsmeade their arms linked and their feet crunching in the winter snow that covered the cobbled street. Andie had not stopped talking about this trip for the last few days, so Hermione was quite glad it was finally here so that they might actually have a new topic of conversation. The New Year party was tomorrow and she was equal parts excited to see what the festivities would be like and nervous about having to get all dressed up, it was a lot of pressure.

"So have you thought about what colour you might like to wear?" Andie asked for what Hermione was sure was the tenth time.

Regardless Hermione smiled at the younger girl indulgently. "I don't know exactly what colour I would like but I know I want something dark, it is winter after all."

"Good, you'll match Bellatrix that way." Andie beamed as she towed Hermione into Gladrags Wizardwear, the little bell tinkling cheerily as the door opened.

A small witch with a harsh bob of black hair and thick rimmed glasses perched on the tip of her nose appeared from a room in the back of the shop. She threw the tape measure she was holding around her neck and removed the few pins she had clenched between her teeth. "More Hogwarts students wanting clothes for tomorrow night?"

"Yes ma'am." Andie answered the little, yet slightly intimidating, woman's question politely. She tried to smile charmingly but it slipped from her face when the woman simply frowned at her in return. She gestured with her thumb to her bushy haired companion. "Well only Hermione needs a dress."

"All of the women's formal gowns are on the left." The woman waved over in the direction of the rows upon rows of dresses that took up a whole half of the store. "Choose a few that you like and try them on in the fitting room at the back, once I have finished with my current customer I'll be with you. I can resize all of the dresses and recolour most of them."

"Thank you." Hermione replied but the woman was already making her way back towards the changing room she had emerged from when they had entered.

"Come on." Andie squeaked excitedly as she grabbed Hermione's hand and dragged her over to the dresses. Both of their eyes went wide as they realised how many gowns were actually crammed into the small space.

"Oh Merlin I don't know where to start." Hermione sighed; she remembered how much of a stress it had been to choose her dress for the Yule Ball in fourth year. But this time she felt like there was more pressure to choose something spectacular, of course she had wanted to look good for Victor at the time but she was fourteen. There was more gravitas now, she had noticed the way Bellatrix looked at her, how her eyes lingered on her body sometimes and how her hands wandered more now when they kissed. She didn't just want Bellatrix to think she looked beautiful, she wanted her to think she was sexy too.

"You start at the back wall and I'll start at the front." Andromeda suggested as she wandered further into the rows of dresses, running her fingers through the material as she passed. "We'll each choose two for you to try on."

Hermione had to admit that only having to wade through half of the dresses seemed much less daunting, so she nodded her head in agreement. "Ok, that sounds like a good plan."

The two girls spent the better part of forty-five minutes searching through the dresses before they had settled on the four that they wanted Hermione to try on. They made their way to the changing room that the store owner had pointed out earlier and the bushy haired witch slipped inside. Andromeda followed her in and hung up the two dresses she was carrying before locking the door behind her and looking at the other girl expectantly.

"Erm… What are you doing?" Hermione asked as she stared at Andromeda with a questioning look.

"Helping you into the dresses." Andromeda answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world but her face quickly fell when she saw the look of horror on Hermione's. "Oh come on, I have two sisters. Believe me, I have seen it all before."

"That's not…I mean… I don't want…" Hermione blathered in a blind panic, she hadn't expected anyone to be in the changing room with her, especially not Andromeda. She couldn't let the girl see her body, not when it had been so badly ravaged by the war. Her hands were bad enough, covered in a smattering of small scars from her time living in the tent and then her part in the battle of Hogwarts. She had caught Bellatrix examining them on many occasions and she knew the girl held back questions about them. But if Andie saw more of her body the girl wouldn't be able to stop herself from questioning her, she knew her skin was marred beyond anything that was normal. She had a rather significant scar across her chest courtesy of Dolohov in the Department of Mysteries in her fifth year. And her torso was pock marked from the burns caused by the Flagrante charm placed on the items in the Lestrange vault. Her arm was what worried her most though, she could possibly explain the rest away, but not the word 'mudblood' scrawled across her flesh. "I'm self-conscious of my body."

Andromeda laughed and lifted one of the dresses off the hook to hold against the other girl's body, cocking her head as she tried to imagine her in it. "Don't be ridiculous, you're gorgeous Hermione."

"I'm not being ridiculous." Hermione snapped as she snatched the dress out of Andromeda's hands before hanging it back up and folding her arms across her chest defensively. "I've asked you to leave."

"Ok." Andromeda said softly as she turned around to unlock the changing room door, she looked back over her shoulder at Hermione. Her eyes flittered over the girl's face taking in the girl's harshly furrowed brow and angrily flushed cheeks. She had never seen her this way and she all of a sudden felt like she didn't know the girl in front of her at all. "I'll wait outside, just call me if you need anything."

As soon as the angry words had left her mouth she had regretted them, if there was anyone in the world that she didn't want to hurt it was Andromeda. She could see the confusion in her eyes, like when a beloved family pet turns on you unexpectedly. She reached out and grabbed the darker girl's bicep to stop her from leaving the changing room. "Andie, I'm sorry."

"No Hermione, you were right." Andie replied as she turned to face Hermione again, she knew she should be a little bit angry over the way the girl spoke to her. But with the defeated look gracing her friend's face and the tears brimming in her caramel eyes she couldn't bring herself to punish her any more than she was clearly already punishing herself. Andie reached out and cupped Hermione's cheek, wiping a tear out of her eyelashes with the pad of her thumb before it had chance to fall. "You told me you didn't want me in here with you, I should have respected that. But I'm a Black, we struggle with boundaries sometimes."

Hermione leant into the warmth of Andromeda's touch for a second before moving herself away from the other girl. "I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"Oh please." Andromeda chuckled light heartedly as she pinched Hermione's cheek playfully making the other girl smiled lightly. "My sister is Bellatrix, I have a pretty thick skin."

Hermione stepped forward and gathered the younger girl into her arms and pulled her securely against her body. Andie returning her embrace quelled some of the panic that had bloomed in her chest. She buried her face in the curls that smelled so similar to Bellatrix's and found that it stemmed the last of the anxiety that had built up in inside her. "Thank you."

Andromeda stepped back and held Hermione at arms-length away from her; she grinned goofily at her friend eliciting a small laugh. "What are you thanking me for?"

"For being you." Hermione sighed as she cocked her head to observe Andromeda, the more time she spent with her the more differences she noticed between the girl in front of her and Bellatrix. Everyone talked about how identical they were and in many ways they were right but really they were like night and day. Bellatrix was fiery and defiant but she had a degree of naivety that Hermione hadn't expected, while Andromeda was warm and seemed to possess a deeper insight into the world than her older sister. "For always… understanding."

After Andromeda finally vacated the changing room Hermione managed to struggle into the dresses they had chosen; secretly she was pleased that she'd eventually only had to try three on. She had been forced to reject a sleeveless number the other girl had picked out. Of course she knew she could cover her scar with a glamour, but really that took far too much energy and concentration to keep up over a long period of time. The whole process would have been significantly easier if Andie had been in there to help her with the fiddly zips and twisted straps and hidden eyelets but with a little grunting and a few well-chosen swear words she had about managed. She had just finished wiggling into the final dress, a black ball gown that was her favourite by far, when a sharp knock sounded at the door to her changing room. She unlocked the door to find the small shop owner and Andromeda looking at her expectantly.

"Fuck me… you look amazing." Andromeda said when she saw her friend stood there in her dress; it was skin tight on the top half, with long sleeves that hugged the length of her arms and a high scooped neckline that afforded just a glimpse of her defined collarbone. It was fitted at her waist and then tumbled away in a full skirt that fell in layers to the floor with a small train at the back.

The shop owner cleared her throat and raised an eyebrow pointedly at Andromeda's choice of words causing the Slytherin to blush and the bushy haired witch to attempt to choke down a laugh. "Although I do agree with the sentiment, I may have phrased it slightly differently." She turned her full attention to Hermione, slipping her glasses up her nose she observed the girl with critical, expressive green eyes. "Come out here and spin around."

Hermione stepped out of the changing room and into the larger space just outside, the shop owner and Andromeda stepped back both letting their eyes wander over her body in a way that made her sweat just a little. She tucked some of her hair behind her ear self-consciously, she had never been confident about her looks so being the centre of attention made her feel distinctly uncomfortable. She spun around slowly in front of the two women, the material rustled as she moved, when she was facing them again she swallowed thickly and clasped her hands together in front of her stomach nervously. "How does it look?"

"Beautiful." Andromeda said as soon as the last syllable of Hermione's question was out of her mouth. "So unbelievably beautiful Hermione."

"With a few adjustments you will be breath taking." The shop owner announced as she stepped towards Hermione and slipped her wand out of her sleeve, muttering incantations under her breath as she did. The neckline of the dress shrank a little so that it lay flatter across her chest and with a flourish of the woman's wand the waistline cinched in showing off the girl's slim figure. She placed her hands on Hermione's shoulders so that she could see the back of the dress. The waistband was tied with a large bow, which the woman shrank down so that it fit her frame better, and it was cut into a deep V to the centre of her back. The older witch cocked her head to observe Hermione again, she tapped her wand in her palm and narrowed her eyes. "Do you have a date for the ball?"

"Yes." Andromeda bellowed before Hermione even had chance to answer, earning herself a glare over the shoulder from the bushy haired witch. "She most definitely has a date."

"In that case I just have one last adjustment." The shop owner said and a small smile slipped onto her face. She waved her wand at the dress one last time and the V cut out of the back of the dress that had previously stopped at the centre of Hermione spine extended until it dropped all the way to the waist band. "What do you think?"

It was a daring alteration and Hermione would usually balk at the thought of showing that much skin, but even she had to admit that she looked good. She took a few cautious steps over to the large mirror on the back wall of the shop and turned so that she could see the dress from every angle. Stood in front of her was not a school girl, not the know-it-all best friend of Harry Potter, but a young woman. "I love it."

Andromeda wiped the back of her hand across her forehead delicately attempting to dispel the few beads of perspiration that had appeared without ruining her makeup. She was dressed in an emerald green strapless gown with kitten heels and had tamed her hair into loose ringlets that cascaded down her back elegantly. The young Slytherin was almost glowing with excitement over the ball that they would be attending in less than an hour. "Merlin Hermione, I thought mine and Bella's hair was difficult but yours is bloody nightmare."

"We could have just left my hair down." Hermione winced as Andromeda tugged particularly roughly at a strand of hair she was attempting to wrestle into a complicated up-do. Her fingers drummed on the dressing table she had been sat at for what felt like the last three hours now. The younger girl had turned up at her door early that evening and had set about plucking and preening her within an inch of her life.

"No way." Andie replied her tongue slipping out of the corner of her mouth as she concentrated; her fingers working efficiently through Hermione's bushy locks. "You need to show off as much skin as possible."

"What if I don't want to show off as much skin as possible?" Hermione grumbled, she loved the dress she'd purchased but as the day wore on she had got more and more nervous about wearing it. What if Bella didn't like it? What if people laughed at her? What if she was over dressed? What if she was under dressed? What if she tripped in her heels?

"Then you would have chosen a different dress." Andromeda laughed and caught the bushy haired witch's eye in the mirror; she threw her a challenging look and raised her eyebrow cockily. "Anyway you can stop being grumpy now, I'm done."

"I was not being grumpy." Hermione defended as she turned her head left and right to examine the work of art Andromeda had managed to create with her hair. "That looks incredible Andie, thank you."

"Oh please." Andromeda smirked in that very Bellatrix type way and stepped back to examine Hermione from a distance. "Bella didn't complain as much when I did her hair."

"You did Bella's hair too?" Hermione couldn't imagine Bellatrix sitting there for the better part of an hour while her sister tugged and dragged at her hair. But then, Andromeda really did have a talent for convincing the older girl to do things.

"Yeah." Andromeda said nonchalantly as she leant over Hermione's shoulder to check her lipstick was still in place. "And her makeup."

Hermione's eyes widened as she thought about how much time the girl had spent getting her ready, and then to think that she had also got herself and her sister ready too. "Merlin, you must have been working all day."

"Pretty much." Andromeda shrugged as she stepped away from Hermione again and readjusted her curls so that they fell over her shoulders in just the right way. "But believe me, when you and Bella see each other it will all have been worth it."

Hermione stood up and stepped back away from the mirror so that she could see all of herself, the dress looked beautiful but she still couldn't help feeling self-conscious. "Are you sure I look ok?"

"Hold on a second." Andromeda said as she riffled through her makeup bag with intent, emerging a few moments later holding up a lipstick. She stepped towards Hermione and gripped the girl's chin gently, angling her face towards her so she could sweep a deep red across her lips. "There, now you look perfect."

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror again; she had to admit the red lipstick really did set off her dress and the smoky eye makeup Andromeda had applied. She barely recognised herself, she looked elegant and sophisticated in a way she never had before. "I don't think I've ever been this nervous in my life."

"You don't need to be nervous Hermione." Andromeda chuckled as she looped her arm through Hermione's and began pulling her towards the door. "Come on Bella will be waiting for us, I told her to meet us at the bottom of the west tower."

"Shit." Hermione breathed out shakily as she and Andie began carefully making their way out of Ravenclaw tower.

It felt like a lifetime before they were finally on the last spiral staircase that led down to the ground floor where Bellatrix would be waiting for them. With every step that Hermione took she could hear her heart beating louder and louder in her ears. She had no idea what was wrong with her; she had been on the run for months, she had invaded the ministry, she had fought in a war, she had been catapulted back in time. And yet she had never felt as scared and nervous as she did now, attending a party of all things. She knew deep down that she was being absolutely ridiculous, that she should just get a grip of herself and hold her head high. But it felt like there was a different kind of pressure on this, as she had been dwelling on the party all day she had realised that at every step she'd had Bellatrix at the back of her mind. When she had decided to attend and Bellatrix had agreed she had wondered if the other girl really wanted to go or whether she had just settled because she had been excited about it. When she had chosen her dress she had wondered if Bellatrix would like it. Would she think she looked beautiful? Would she think she was showing too much skin or not enough? When she'd chosen her heels she'd wondered if Bellatrix would wear heels too or would she mind that she was now going to be a good few inches taller than her. When Andromeda had done her makeup she had wondered if Bellatrix would like that she looked so different to how she normally looked. It was such a foreign feeling for her, to care so much about what another person thought of her. She had lived her whole life governed by her own instincts but now she was factoring in somebody else's thoughts, somebody else's feelings. And it dawned on her that this was what a real relationship should be like, you should factor that other person into your decision making, you should care about where that other person fit in. Relationships are a partnership after all, they're about give and take, compromise. When she had been with Ron she didn't really care that he wanted her to move to London with him, she didn't want to so she didn't do it. When she had decided to go back to Hogwarts for her seventh year she didn't care that Ron didn't want to come too, that she wouldn't get to see him every day. When Ron had mentioned that it felt like she was pulling away from him in the weeks before she had arrived here in 1969, she had brushed him off. She'd felt suffocated by him and had continued to keep him at arm's length, never caring about his feelings about it all. She hadn't been a partner to him and he hadn't been a good fit for her. Hermione found it entirely terrifying that the first relationship she had ever had that felt right and felt real was with Bellatrix Black, a future death eater. But she knew, with the way that her mind was constantly drawn back to the girl and the way her heart fluttered when Bellatrix entered a room, she knew she was falling in love with her. There was something in the air about tonight, something that felt like it was preordained by the gods, which would push them one way or another. She would either abandon her fear and accept that no one had invaded her soul the way that Bellatrix had and surrender to it. Or she would give in to her rational brain that told her constantly that if she continued down this path she would end up with her heart shattered. She would be betrayed by the only person that had ever really seen her, seen her and wanted her anyway.

Before Hermione was totally prepared for it she and Andromeda rounded the last curve in the stairs and she could see into the corridor below. Her heart jumped in her chest as she saw Bellatrix stood there, the girl had her back to them but the midnight curls that had been styled to fall over one of her shoulders couldn't belong to anyone else. She was wearing a deep purple dress with a Bardot neckline, corseted bodice and full skirt that stopped at her ankle. She turned when she heard the two pairs of heels clicking on the stairs and Hermione felt a shiver run down her spine when she saw how the v shaped neckline of the girl's dress paired with the corset emphasized her ample cleavage. She didn't even realise she had stopped walking until she saw that Andie had reached her sister's side, not that the older girl seemed to have noticed her. Bellatrix's eyes hadn't strayed away from Hermione from the second she had turned around.

"Close your mouth Bella, you look far too elegant to be drooling." Andie mocked her older sister, effectively ending the girl's trance and earning herself a death glare. "Although I can't blame you, she does look beautiful."

"Beautiful." Bellatrix whispered the word as if it was foreign to her, a slight frown pulling her eyebrows together. She turned her attention back to Hermione and slowly walked towards the stairs to meet the girl who had finally continued her decent. Bella reached out her hand to gently help Hermione down the last step, a smirk forming on her face as her eyes flickered over the girl's body appreciatively. She caught her eye again, noticing the insecurity and uncertainty there. She used her hold on the other girl's hand to pull their bodies together, her other hand slipped around the brunette's waist. She just about stifled a low moan when her fingertips encountered the soft, bare skin of Hermione's lower back. She leant forward and ran the tip of her nose up the exposed expanse of the other girl's neck before whispering in her ear. "You look exquisite Hermione."

Hermione closed her eyes at the sensation of Bellatrix's breath ghosting across her skin. "Really?"

"Merlin, yes." Bellatrix assured as she stood up straighter so that she could catch Hermione's eye. She had intentionally chosen to wear her highest heels, so for the first time she was slightly taller than the other girl. "You cannot imagine what that dress is doing to me right now."

Hermione let out a nervous giggle, some of the tension she had been feeling all day disappearing in Bellatrix's presence. "You look incredible too Bella."

"I mean, I know you guys have forgotten I'm even here, but I'm going to leave." Andromeda mocked as she cut through the evident sexual tension in the air. The two girls separated a little, Hermione looked at the floor clearly embarrassed, Andie winked in the pair's direction before beginning to walk away. "Find me in the Great Hall when you're finished groping each other."

Bellatrix chuckled and turned her full attention back to Hermione; she slipped two fingers under the bushy haired witch's chin delicately and lifted her face so they were eye to eye again. She loved the colour of the girl's eyes, they were like molten caramel and their depths always seemed to swirl with intrigue and compassion. The smoky eye makeup accented with gold that Andromeda had applied made them look even more beautiful than normal. Bellatrix leant forward and captured Hermione's lips softly and delicately, she tentatively ran her fingertips up the girl's exposed spine before trailing them back down again. She smiled into the kiss when she felt Hermione shiver at her touch, her mind was a mess, she had never seen anything as beautiful as this girl. She had never felt this way about anyone, she'd never felt this drawn to someone before. Being around Hermione made her feel hopeful for the future for the first time, she felt like she had spent her life floundering in a dark sea and the girl had become her speck of light on the horizon. She pulled away from the chaste kiss and reached up to cup Hermione's cheek, a genuine smile gracing her features. "You smell different."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked quietly a small frown creasing her forehead.

Bellatrix nuzzled her nose just behind Hermione's ear and inhaled slowly, before pulling back and smiling. "You smell like perfume, you usually smell like ink."

"I think that's a sign that I spend too much time in the library." Hermione laughed as she placed a careful kiss to Bellatrix's palm where it still cradled her face.

Bellatrix ran the pad of her thumb across Hermione's cheek gently where a small blush had begun to bloom. "It's one of my favourite things about you."

"Why?" Hermione asked, the smile still gracing her face. Her heart felt light, for the first time in as long as she could remember she truly felt like a teenage girl. No huge responsibility on her shoulders, no immanent doom lurking in a dark corner, just like a young woman excited to go to a party with someone that she was beginning to develop genuine feelings for.

"Because now whenever I smell ink I get to think of you." Bellatrix's smirk turned flirtatious as she leant forward and pecked Hermione's lips chastely again. "I mean it can be pretty distracting, but I can live with it."

"Hmmm distracting, how so?" Hermione hummed in a low voice as she stepped closer to Bellatrix, her body responding as it always did when she began to feel the nearness of the other girl.

"Well because I think about kissing you." Bellatrix raised an eyebrow, not at all ashamed to admit to the amount of time she spent imagining all of the things she wanted to do to Hermione. "And then that inevitably leads me on to thinking about where I would like to touch you."

Hermione's breath hitched a little bit, she had to admit that she had spent a fair bit of time thinking about similar things. But unlike Bellatrix, she would never be bold enough to put voice to her desires. Almost subconsciously she moved closer again to the other girl, their bodies now almost touching. "And where would that be?"

"Here." Bellatrix whispered huskily as she slid her left hand around from Hermione's waist to her back before sliding it down to cover her butt confidently. The usually bushy haired witch breathed out a sigh at the contact and Bellatrix felt a thrill rush through her, Hermione must be wearing a thong as she felt bare skin under the material of the dress. "And here." Bellatrix continued in a shaky voice as her right hand slipped up over Hermione's rib cage, she made eye contact with the other girl as she let her thumb lightly and slowly run over the swell of her breast. Hermione's eyes fluttered shut for a moment and Bellatrix had to stifle a moan when she felt the girl's nipple harden under her caress.

Hermione's hand came up to grip the back of Bellatrix's neck as she pulled the girl more firmly against her and captured her lips in an urgent kiss. Her free hand slipped around the black haired witch's waist and marvelled at what the corseted bodice of her dress did for her small frame. Hermione felt like electricity was building up inside her as Bellatrix's full lips moved against her own, as always she felt the girl attempting to control the pace of the kiss. She caught the Slytherin's bottom lip between her teeth and bit down on it playfully before succumbing to the girl's will and letting her slow the kiss down.

Bellatrix began to kiss Hermione slowly and deeply, she ran her hand back up to the small of the girl's back and closed the already almost non-existent space between their bodies. Her entire life she had been searching for something to make her feel free; she thought she would find it in her education, in her research or in her total disregard for her parent expectations of her. But where she'd actually found it was in being around Hermione, it was if the girl had been dropped into her life for that specific purpose. Bellatrix felt the bushy haired witch's fingers grip her neck a little tighter and she responded by running her tongue along her bottom lip, begging her for entrance into her mouth.

Hermione parted her lips to allow Bellatrix's tongue to meet her own, she was sure she would never get used to the feeling of kissing this girl. It always started an inferno deep inside her that she had no idea how to control; it begged her to touch the Slytherin in places that made her blush to think about, it begged her to let the girl touch her in the places she touched herself on the nights after their most intense kisses. Hermione felt Bellatrix slip her fingertips under the material of her dress right at the bottom of her back, she felt the girl's hum of approval as she found the lace of the thong she had chosen to wear. She let out a shuddery gasp when the Slytherin's hand slipped lower still and she began to gently palm the warm, firm flesh of her butt cheek.

Bellatrix moaned involuntarily as she felt Hermione's hips roll against her own, the contact caused something to tighten low in her stomach. She wanted to take Hermione, she so desperately wanted to take the final step with the girl that was making her feel things she didn't think she was ever capable of feeling. She trusted the girl implicitly; with her secrets, with her future, with her heart. She wanted to show the girl, in the only way she knew how, just how perfect she thought she was. And not just tonight in this dress with her hair and makeup done but every day. When she was working in the library and she had a smudge of ink on her cheek she was perfect. When she was in potions class leaning over a cauldron and her hair began to frizz out of control she was perfect. When she was in transfiguration and totally absorbed in her note taking with the tip of her tongue sticking out of her mouth she was perfect.

Hermione's hand slid up Bellatrix's body, taking a similar path to that of the darker haired girl's earlier, stopping just under the wire of her bra. She hesitated for a moment but when Bellatrix's hand gripped her flesh a little more firmly she allowed her hand to continue up to cup the girl's perfect breast. She groaned as she felt the weight and softness of it in her hand and she couldn't help but imagine how much better it would be without the fabric of the dress in the way. She felt Bellatrix's lips falter and her breathing change at her bold move, she felt the girl's nipple stiffen under her dress and she was overcome with a wave of confidence as she pinched the hardened peak between her thumb and finger. Hermione felt her cheek flush with colour and a rush of wetness flood between her legs at the delicious sound that was ripped unrestrained from Bellatrix's throat.

A woof whistle echoed through the corridor causing both girls to break their kiss and their hands to leap to much safer zones, both of them only now registering that they were still in the corridor. Bellatrix threw a dangerous look over her shoulder at a grinning Ludo Bagman; he was looking incredibly handsome in his perfectly tailored dress robes and styled blonde hair. "Shouldn't you two get a room?"

"Shut up Ludo." Bellatrix growled, her displeasure at being interrupted evident in the venom in her voice. Ludo laughed heartily and saluted his irate friend as he headed off towards the Great Hall again.

"We should really head into the party too." Hermione said breathlessly as she cupped Bella's cheek and turned head to press their foreheads together. She couldn't will her heartrate to slow down when she could still feel the girl's warm fingertips dancing across the bare skin of her back. "People will begin to talk."

"Let them talk." Bellatrix whispered in reply as she kissed Hermione's lips languidly and let her fingers dip beneath the fabric of the girl's dress again.

"We can continue this later, I promise." Hermione said softly as she reluctantly pulled away from Bella's lips and out of her embrace. She caught the Slytherin's disappointed gaze and linked their arms together so she could tow them both towards the Great Hall where she could already hear music beginning to play. She smirked at the Bellatrix's pout as she leant in to whisper in the girl's ear quietly. "I cannot go another night without knowing what it feels like to touch you."

Bellatrix's face snapped towards her and she pulled them both to a stop, her eyes asked the questions that she knew she didn't have the courage to ask aloud. Did Hermione realise what she had just implied? They had kissed more times than she could count; they had got carried away many times but they were always in control, they never let it go too far. And yet she was sure that Hermione had just promised something else, something different, something more. She raised her eyebrows hoping that Hermione would understand what she was asking, when the girl nodded subtly she was sure the world stopped turning for just a millisecond. "Oh fuck." Bellatrix growled lowly in her throat causing the bushy haired witch to giggle and kiss her softly one last time before they crossed the threshold into the Great Hall together.

Thank you for reading, please review and let me know what you think. I love your reviews and hearing your suggestions for what you want to see next and where you want the story to go. If you would like to ask me anything or suggest something you can always send me a PM and I will be happy to answer anything.