Breaking the Window
Chapter 21: Giving in
Well, Bellatrix certainly got what she'd been hoping for. A grand adventure wrought with discovery, romance and danger. And after today, she certainly been on the receiving end of all three in spades.
Funny thing, really. Though it was so obvious right now, Bellatrix had never realized that she was in love with Hermione until today. She'd always been looking forward to talking with her through the Fae Mirror, told her things she'd never told anyone. Her heart would skip a beat whenever she saw her face in the portal and during the day, she counted the minutes until she could see her again and was so often in her thoughts. How could she not have seen it? It was was so obvious.
For Hermione, it'd been quite mutual. That much was obvious too now. A pure-blood and a mud... muggle-born. Truth be told, if they had met under more regular circumstances, a romance between them likely never would have blossomed, making it all the more special. They had been friends first, of course, good friends. And somewhere along it simply developed.
Still, there were some issues at hand they'd have to contend with. They were still in the middle of the forest, battered and bruised and judging by the waning light the day would soon come to an end. They walked together through the forest, which now seemed so much more vibrant with sounds and life. Perhaps it was because that black unicorn abomination was now gone and the smaller creatures and birds of the forest finally dared to show themselves again, or perhaps it was simply a reflection of the mood she was in right now.
Bellatrix and Hermione didn't really speak much as they trekked. What good were words when a simple smile, a loving look or holding hands could say more than a thousand words? All those three things happened quite often while they were trying to find their way through this thick and surprisingly large forest. Though they had lost the beacon at their camp, there was still the beacon Bellatrix had placed at the entrance of the forest, which had been easy enough to find. They knew their camp had to be somewhat near, but it was still frustratingly hard to find in a thick forest where every tree looked the same. Their camp had to be found, though, as all their supplies were there as well as all the facilities in their tent.
Though glad to have discovered love, it would not be able to slake their hunger, thirst and fatigue. After using their compass to plot out a search grid, they'd been walking back and forth that area of the forest for what seemed like hours. Just when the sun had set and the forest was bathed in darkness, the girls decided it would be wise to return back to the entry point, improvise their sleeping arrangements and continue their search tomorrow. Ironically, on their way back there, they stumbled upon the clearing they had set up their camp.
"Oh, Merlin above," Bellatrix heard herself say. "Some good fortune at least."
"You have no idea how happy I am right now," replied Hermione.
Thankfully, the monstrous black unicorn hadn't done very much damage to the camp as all their supplies were still there and the tent was untouched. Bellatrix quickly got a campfire going while Hermione was fiddling with that muggle stove.
"Going to make us some dinner," said Hermione.
"Can you still cook without that propane thing?" asked Bellatrix.
"I've brought several," replied Hermione. "But we probably shouldn't lose more of those tanks."
The wasp has been following them around, buzzing merrily. But once the tent was in sight, there was a pop as teleported to the side of the tent's doorflap where he walked down over the canvas and started pulling on the zipper with his mandibles to make an entrance. He promptly crawled inside through the opening it had just made, undoubtedly to look for more sugar and chocolate. This was fine with Bellatrix: as far as she was concerned, the friendly wasp had earned his keep.
Meanwhile, Hermione had gotten the muggle stove up and running and was opening a few tins of what seemed to be a hearty beef stew. Something Hermione could warm up quickly. Bellatrix' stomach growled in anticipation and she decided to get a drink of cold water from their supplies.
Today had been quite a day of excitement to say the least and she would sit down on a fallen log next to the cooking Hermione to document the events of the day in her travel journal. Every so often, they would gaze upon each other and scoot over for a quick cuddle or a kiss.
It was odd, really. Bellatrix had often made fun of her fellow students acting all 'lovey-dovey' in public, but now that she had clearly fallen for Hermione, she wanted nothing else than to be close to her and being in physical contact with her as much as possible. Judging by the way Hermione would often snake her arm around her waist while cooking, the feeling was quite mutual.
Bellatrix was still writing in her journal when Hermione announced that dinner was ready. Hearty beef-stew along with tea and cupcakes floating in preservatives for dessert. After the events of the day, Bellatrix wasn't complaining: it was the evening dinner of queens for all she cared.
It only brought home just how exhausted they were. Both of them wanted nothing more than to enjoy their dinner, get inside the tent, wash up and go to bed.
They did just that, after dousing the fire and heading inside. After Bellatrix had washed up and switched into her sleepwear, she found Hermione already in the sleeping bag wearing her pink pyjamas. The curly-haired witch swiftly climbed inside the sleeping bag as well and quickly found herself being cuddled up to by Hermione. The wasp was somewhere in the tent too and, according to Hermione, insect slept too. No doubt the wasp had found a quiet spot to have a bit of a kip and Bellatrix couldn't blame him in the slightest: he'd had a rather active day too.
Hermione next to her. It was a good feeling, to have her soft body pressing into her side, arm draping over her stomach. Together, they watched through the canvas skylight into the sky above. They brushed lips ever so often and neither saw the need to speak at first. That was, until Hermione broke the silence.
"Trix?"
"Hm?"
"Tell me a story."
"You haven't experienced enough horror today?"
Hermione chuckled. "I just want to listen to the sound of your voice."
"You're in luck," smirked Bellatrix. "I too am in love with the sound of my own voice."
"Pfft, arrogant..."
"Noticed that, haven't you?" Bellatrix chuckled.
"About that story..."
"Okay," replied Bellatrix. "Let me get my notebook."
"Noooo..." Hermione pouted and clung onto Bellatrix, keeping her firmly in place. "Don't goooo..."
"It's right there on the table. Three meters away."
"Noooooooooooooo..."
"If want a story, I'll need my notebook," Bellatrix raised an eyebrow.
"You're creative enough. Think one up," Hermione demanded.
Bellatrix thought a moment. Any story would do at the moment, it seemed. "Alright," said Bellatrix. "How about a classic? Once upon a time, there was an elderly witch who lived in the woods."
"Hmmm, good start," Hermione murmured with her eyes closed.
"The elderly witch lived near a muggle village and often had the children of the village come visit," said Bellatrix. "Now, she never had a family and was often lonely. So she would often make lavish amounts of sweets for the children who would stop by for a chat or for play. The elderly witch was quite popular as a result and the village, whose inhabitants were quite often far too busy with their farming and hunting, paid the witch little mind. This went perfectly well for years on end. Until, one day, the village fell on hard times. Their harvest had failed and many animals had migrated to a different part of the forest after a fire had broken out. Though the witch was quite happy to keep on treating the now often starving children, the relationship between her and the village was starting to get a bit more tense."
"Oh dear," Hermione pouted. "I want a happy ending."
Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "Listen to the story first. Okay, so one day there is a knock on the door. Thinking more kids have come to visit, the elderly witch takes a bowl of candy and shuffles towards to the door. When she opens it, she sees two teenagers standing in her yard. A boy and a girl. They were the fattest teenagers she had ever seen. Seriously, they were absolutely bulbous in their enormity. 'Good day, witch,' spoke the boy. 'I am Hansel and this is my sister Gretel. We are two sad and hungry orphans and we haven't eaten for a week'. Now, the elderly witch found this to be a little dubious considering their bulk and the fact that there was chocolate residue still smeared all over their fat faces."
"I heard this story before," smirked Hermione. "But it's a little different that how my mum told me."
"You've probably only ever heard the muggle version. The vicious, slanderous anti-witch propaganda version! This is the actual story," said Bellatrix. "Now hush while I'm telling it!"
"Right, sorry, sorry."
"So Gretel grabs the bowl of candy and just pours it into her mouth. The elderly witch looked on in dismay as the two fat 'orphans' brushed past her and make a beeline straight to her dinner table only to devour the chicken dinner she had prepared for herself. 'I don't think you are orphans at all,' said the elderly witch. 'I clearly recognize you two as the boyar's children'. The fat orphans weren't impressed, however, and started eating all of her candied nuts and her honey, moving from pot to pot in her kitchen as if they were two really fat locusts.
So Gretel scoots over to her and puts her arm over her shoulder. 'Listen, you old bag,' spoke Gretel. 'Here's how this is going to work. You are going to feed us to our heart's desire, and we won't get to our father to convince him you tried to cast a spell us that will get you burned at the stake. Capiche?'. Now, the elderly witch was a practical sort: she figured that if the two fat teenagers would have their fill, they would likely just leave. So she fed them. Pounds and pounds of candy, mountains of sweetrolls, meters of taffy, trays of fudge, metric tons of cake. And the fat, bulbous slobs completely cleared her out. Incredulous, the elderly witch listened as the orphans demanded more. 'Give us more food, you old bag!' Gretel shrieked at the top of her lungs while Hansel whined. 'If you have nothing more, you are useless to us!'. The elderly witch sighed. 'Fine,' she said. 'I'll fire up the oven and make some more cake'. However, the moment she opened the over-sized door to her stove, she was suddenly shoved inside! When met with the searing heat, she turned around and pounded on the door to the oven, only to see the fat orphans laughing at her. 'We were going to tell our father to burn you anyway. We're just shaving off some time in thanks for the fine meal,' she heard them say while laughing sadistically.
So, the elderly witch knew just what to do. They were foolish enough to leave her with her wand, and had conveniently forgotten that she could do actual magic! So she apparated right behind them, wand in hand. For the first time, she saw the fat orphans gulp as they realized their mistake... and let out a cry as she cackled merrily.
The next day, a few of the children came to visit her again. Unlike the fat orphans, these were nice and polite... and thin children. So the elderly witch smiled and told them that she was throwing a party. All children of the village were invited, so she asked them to fetch the rest. It was a fun party and the kids played games in the yard until the elderly witch, bearing a smile as a broad and as warm as she could muster, wheeled out two giant lumps of gingerbread. Now, the children loved the elderly witch's gingerbread so they all cheered in unison.
And so the witch smiled as the children dug in relentlessly. She smiled as she saw the human eyes of the two giant gingerbread figures, rolling around in sheer panic as they were being slowly but surely devoured bit by bit by the happy, laughing children, enchanted in such a way that they felt the agony of every break and every bite as more and more of their bodies found their way into the children's bellies.
Moral of the story? Don't fuck with a witch! Ever! Even the nice ones!" Bellatrix concluded the story, turning to Hermione to smile at her.
Hermione smiled back. "You just made that up on the spot, didn't you?"
"I might have," giggled Bellatrix. "Come out rather morbid at the end there. In fact, I'd better go write it down before I forget the details..."
"Nooooooo!" Hermione whined again and clamped herself around Bellatrix's waist, keeping her firmly in place and pulled her down again when she made a move. Bellatrix yelped as she was being pulled closer to Hermione, facing her as they lay in the sleeping bag. The curly-haired young witch felt Hermione's closeness, smelled the scent of her shampoo, felt her breath on her skin... and she was lost.
Hermione eyed her nervously when Bellatrix shifted closer and wrapped her arms around her. A cheeky smirk playing on her lips, she leaned in to kiss Hermione on the lips again. There was a hunger to it this time. Their closeness, their intimate embrace, sending itself to more cheeky thoughts.
Tongues met again, for the first time since their celebratory kiss after the defeat of the black unicorn. But there was more desire behind it. More lust. Bellatrix wanted more. And she wasn't the only one. She could see it in Hermione's eyes, in her trembling lips. That want. That desire. That lust.
"You've been thinking about this, haven't you? You and me. Together in bed," Bellatrix smirked. "More than once."
Panic was evident in those lovely brown eyes of hers. And the fact that her cheeks now coloured bright red told her more than words ever could, and made any attempt at denial utterly futile.
"You have!" Bellatrix laughed. "You completely and utterly have!"
There it was. Judging from her expression, poor Hermione wanted to just crawl into the sleeping bag, close the zipper and never come out again from the sheer embarrassment. It was then that Bellatrix went in for the kill.
"Don't worry," Bellatrix raised her chin imperiously. "It's quite common for girls to think of me when they pleasure themselves at night."
Beet. Red.
Caught red-handed, as it were. Betrayed by her own body, no less. Now done with her relentless teasing, it was time for a confession of her own.
"It's alright," she spoke to a girl now close to tears and whimpering from embarrassment. "I've been thinking about it too. A lot. But I will tell you, though: the real thing is so much better. And I'd love to share it with you."
Hermione looked at her with those big brown, startled eyes of her. And, with tremors going through her body, gave her an almost imperceptible nod.
"Your world will never be the same," Bellatrix chuckled and leaned in for another kiss. Their lips brushed and again Hermione whimpered slightly. Love was, indeed, a curious thing. From friendship to romance, the feelings had bound the both of them tightly together. Hell, they had transcended the boundaries of time, their world and, if this realm was any indication, their very own dimension as well. Now if that wasn't a romance worthy of the storybooks, she didn't know what was.
Those brown eyes of hers, spread open wide, looked at her expectantly. If she'd have to hazard a guess, Bellatrix didn't think Hermione had had much experience. Not that she minded... having Hermione melt into a puddle of pleasure was its own reward.
First things first: Hermione needed to be peeled out of that pink monstrosity she was wearing. Bellatrix slid her hands over her side and tugged at the hem, giving clear indication of her intent. Hermione, for her part, swallowed hard but offered little resistance after shifting a little to allow Bellatrix to lift the pyjama top over her head. Once her torso had been bared, Hermione immediately crossed her arms over her chest and squeezed her eyes. Obviously not used to being seen as an object of desire, all of Hermione's confidence had fled her... it was as if Hermione feared that Bellatrix would reject her if she were to lay eyes on her bare frame.
"It's alright," Bellatrix smirked. "Here, I'll go next."
Well, that got Hermione's attentions. Eyes shot open just as Bellatrix shifted to pull her own top over her head, revealing her breasts and abdomen. The curly-haired witch was quite aware that she was an attractive young woman, with toned abs from her years of playing Quidditch and by the way boys... and plenty of girls... had a tendency to stare at her breasts when they thought Bellatrix wouldn't notice, she knew she wasn't in any way lacking there.
Hermione was no different, causing Bellatrix to smirk again when she saw her lover's eyes transfixed on her chest. For a moment, Bellatrix recalled when she had been in exactly the same position Hermione had been in: Evelyn Greengrass, an older girl, buxom, had introduced her to the pleasures of sapphic love in what could best described as a friendship-with-benefits... in that relationship, Bellatrix had been the wide-eyed trembling virgin until she had gained more experience and, right now, she was just paying it forward.
Bellatrix knew that she had to force the issue a little to get Hermione to crawl out of her shell... hell, Evelyn had to do the same for her two years ago. The curly-haired witch grabbed hold of a startled Hermione's wrist and gently pulled it towards her to lay her hand on her breast. Bellatrix heard a sharp intake of breath and it didn't take long for Hermione to slowly start rubbing her hand back and forth. The sensation was more than pleasant, feeling her own nipple harden in response. She offered Hermione an encouraging smile. Slowly, but surely, Hermione gained the courage to actually show herself to Bellatrix.
"Beautiful," Bellatrix whispered when she was finally allowed an eyeful of Hermione's breasts which, though smaller than hers, were perfectly rounded and lovely. At first, Hermione seemed a bit doubtful, but her frown quickly turned into a smile and a blush. And then it was as if the floodgates were opened.
Hermione pounced upon Bellatrix, shifting towards her and crushing her body against hers. Her lips latched on the side of Bellatrix's neck as if she was a vampire desperate for a meal. The curly-haired witch let out a brief giggle before matching Hermione's intensity. The girls lay in the light of the stars above, pressing their bodies together. Their lips met, their tongues wrestled and Bellatrix felt eager hands sliding over her skin. She held Hermione closer, until they broke the kiss and pressed their noses together.
"Lay on your back," Bellatrix demanded with a husk, gently pushing Hermione away from her. Again, Hermione swallowed hard, looking at her with heavy desire after tearing herself away from her body and laying on her back. She wouldn't have to wait long: Bellatrix slid over her, pinning her down and captured her lips. Arms snaked around her waist and pulled around her back while Hermione kissed her hungrily, moaning her mouth. Meanwhile, Bellatrix put her hands to work, shifting a little to lay on her side, the tips of her fingers sliding across Hermione's sensitive creamy skin. Merlin, she shuddered under the tiniest of touches... fingers sliding over her shoulders, her breasts, her belly... Hermione was like a delicate flower, her body a soft petal underneath her touch.
A sharp intake of breath sounded when her hand slid further downward, resting on a thigh before gently forcing her legs apart just a little. Hermione whimpered when Bellatrix' hand found her most sensitive spot, still covered and protected by the fabric of her infernal pink pyjama bottoms.
Bellatrix chuckled when she felt just how damp the front of her pyjama bottoms were. She slid her fingers over the fabric, feeling Hermione's heat as she gently rubbed her fingers back and forth in a steady rhythm.
Well, that had the desired effect. But when Bellatrix took it a step further and slid her hand down the front of those same infernal pink pyjamas and found the folds of her womanhood, she watched Hermione as her eyes practically rolled into the back of her head.
And she held her friend-turned-lover, kissing her passionately as her fingers entered her. And Hermione shuddered, arching her back and whimpering in sheer sensory overload. Hah, it really was her first time. A nineteen year old virgin... how about that?
With that knowledge in mind, Bellatrix slowed the rhythm somewhat: it wouldn't take much to send Hermione screaming over the edge the way this was going. She already felt her tighten around her fingers. "T-trix..." Hermione managed, and the curly-haired witch felt nails digging into her fresh as Hermione held on to her.
Release came, obviously much more quickly and far louder than Hermione would have liked. She trembled as she recovered in Bellatrix' arms, who smirked at her while she lay panting. Once she had recovered enough, the two of them shared another kiss. More loving this time, but no less passionate.
Another surprise came when Hermione smiled at her and went from caressing her cheek to laying the flat of her hand on her shoulder and then sliding it down. Hermione lingered at her breasts before sliding further down, across her belly, until she felt the tips of Hermione's fingers inside the hem of her shorts.
Apparently, a grateful Hermione wanted to pay her back in kind.
Well. Who was she to argue?
Bellatrix gave Hermione a brief nod and that was all the girl needed. Hermione bit her lip as her eyes gazed into hers, searching blindly for her target. Hermione was more... careful... more hestitant... than she had been, but found her folds just as easily. However, fingers did not enter her: Hermione wasn't yet daring enough for that. Eager fingertips found her nub, however, and her quickening breath was all the encouragement Hermione needed.
Bellatrix closed her eyes and met Hermione's lips as the gentle massage of her bud overwhelmed her with pleasure. Oh yeah, Hermione had used her hands before: if not on another girl, than certainly on herself. "H-hermione," she managed in between hungry kisses, the sensations of tongues meeting mixing with the wonderful feeling of Hermione's fingers working the most primal of magics. Bellatrix's release was not nearly as loud as Hermione's, but it still sent a shudder through her body.
Chuckling, the girls hugged and kissed.
She lay on her side, still basking in the afterglow. Here they lay in each other's arms, still panting from the exertion, skin glistening underneath the light of the stars in the alien sky. She reached out and gently stroked Hermione's long brown hair while gazing in her lovely brown eyes.
Merlin, there was so much love in those eyes. So much desire.
"I love you."
The words spoken by Hermione startled Bellatrix. There was desire there. Longing. Affection. Honesty.
Another flurry of feelings overcame her. However, these were not as wholesome. She was overcome with grief, sadness and anger all at once. Her body shook as she squeezed her eyes shut to stop the incoming flow of tears. Bellatrix ripped herself from a startled Hermione's embrace, roughly threw herself to her side and hugged herself as the sobs came, pulling her knees up until she lay in the fetal position.
"Trix?" asked Hermione as she scooted over. She felt her lover's warmth press against her back, a soft hand sliding over her arm. It only made more tears flow forth. "What's wrong?!"
"This is beyond cruel," sobbed Bellatrix. "To find love with someone... actual mutual love... and then to have it all shattered when I go back home in a few weeks. And Rodolphus will still be looming over my head! I've been kidding myself... Dumbledore lied to me. I can spy all I want, but nothing is going to stop that marriage from happening. Why is the universe pulling this cruel prank on me?!"
Bellatrix sniffed slightly. Hermione remained silent for while. "Trix?" she spoke softly, almost carefully. "Why don't you come with me?"
Bellatrix frowned and shifted to crane her neck to look over her shoulder. "W-what do you mean?"
Hermione tried to offer a confident smile, but Bellatrix could easily tell that she was unsure of herself. "Trix," said Hermione. "You don't have to go back to 1968. Both portals work. For both of us. Come with me. Back to 1998."
"1998?" Bellatrix blinked.
"Think about it," smiled Hermione. "You can't be forced to marry Lestrange if, well, you're not actually there to marry him. And imagine: the world will have changed a lot in thirty years. You'll have so much to explore."
Her mind was reeling. Was Hermione really saying this? What she essentially suggested was a thirty-year time-skip. To enter a whole new world where everything was different and... "leaving everything behind," Bellatrix whispered.
"Not saying it'll be easy," said Hermione. "But I'll be there for you. Every step of the way."
"But..." Bellatrix turned on her side, facing Hermione to peer in her eyes. Hermione was sincere. Hopeful, even. "My family... my sisters... everything I've ever known... But especially my sisters... I'd have to leave them behind!"
Hermione fell silent for a moment. Of course, Hermione meant well and she wanted them to be together just as much as Bellatrix wanted. And she would be lying if she'd say that she didn't greatly desire it. But it still came with a hefty price-tag attached. "You could just as easily come back with me to 1968," said Bellatrix. "We could run away together. Find a quiet place. Start over."
Hermione bit her lip for a moment, her thoughts apparently distant. "With my knowledge of the future, I could do a lot of damage to the time-line. And... well, my parents. I'd have to leave my parents behind."
"Yet you're asking me to do the same!" Bellatrix returned angrily, her body tensing up. However, that moment, she did realize something. Her expression softened and she once again reached out to Hermione, pulling her bare body close to her. Her smile. Her scent. Her warmth. "You know something, don't you?" Bellatrix asked softly.
Though Hermione said nothing, Bellatrix was given her answer pretty much immediately when a flash of panic crossed her gentle features. Suddenly a lot of things made sense. Hermione mentioning a war and having fought in it, being victimized to an extent. Hermione's nightmares and her telling her that she would 'save' her. Save her from what, exactly? Would she die in the war? Was that why Hermione didn't want to go back in time but wanted her to move forward, to where the war was over?
"That charlatan with a circus tent you warned me about," said Bellatrix. "He isn't just a charlatan, is he?"
Hermione was about to open her mouth until Bellatrix shushed her by placing a finger on her lips. "No, no. Remember your promise. I don't want to know about the future. It was a rhetorical question."
"Trix..."
"Hermie," Bellatrix pressed. "No."
Hermione nodded, seemingly exasperated. There were things her now lover was desperate to tell her, it seemed, but Bellatrix needed to put a stop to that. "Hermie, I'm not afraid to die," said Bellatrix, her body tensing up. "But... my sisters. If I go to 1998 with you, what will happen to them if I'm not around to protect them?! Merlin, you should have seen Cissy at that rally. I mean... if I arrived in 1998 and something happened to Andie or Cissy... I would never forgive myself."
Hermione gave her a sympathetic look, but there was something else underneath. Was it... a flash of frustration? How odd. It went as quick as it came and Hermione started stroking her hair. "You have a kind heart, Trix."
That made Bellatrix snort. "I have a kind heart? Me?! That's a first..."
"You do," Hermione whispered. "And I want to make sure you keep it."
Another odd thing to say. Hermione was being particularly enigmatic today.
"You don't have to make a decision right now..." said Hermione. "Just... just think about it for a bit. Especially if you focus on what could be... between us."
"For now," smiled Bellatrix. "There's just the two of us. In this tent. In this world. No war. No past. No future. No decisions. Just you and me."
Hermione smiled at her when Bellatrix leaned in to kiss her. A brush of lips quickly deepened into an open-lip kiss where both girls pressed their bodies together in a fierce embrace. When Bellatrix broke the kiss, she gaze into Hermione's eyes for a moment... before turning around and laying on her side. Hermione's arms snaked around her waist and she felt her warmth press against her back. She pulled the covers over them and settled in.
No more worries for tonight. Tonight, Bellatrix was simply content to be the little spoon.