This chapter is mostly just some insight into Hermione and the developing relationship between Hermione and Narcissa (entirely platonic, mind you). Plus there's a bit of information on inoculas but there's far more to it than anyone understands - yet. Just give it time. This chapter takes place in the span of the day but the story will continue on and next chapter, we'll see Cooper Mansion and Hermione's return to school.
Enjoy.
(Bellamione)
Morning came too early for Hermione's liking. Her nose was pressed into raven locks with two protective arms encircling her waist. Bellatrix was still deep asleep, though she knew if she were to move, the Death Eater would surely awaken. She sighed contentedly.
Their night has lasted long into the wee hours before exhaustion consumed them. She'd mapped every inch of Bella's skin and, in return, Bellatrix had returned the favor. She'd never tasted something as divine as Bellatrix's core. It was heavenly, but tainted with a delicious darkness that she'd never experienced.
Merlin, it had been something purely Bella.
Hermione's eyes tiredly opened and they trailed along the smooth expansion of skin resting just beneath her fingertips. Bellatrix was scarred from her time in Azkaban, but outwardly, they'd begun to fade with the help of Narcissa and dark magicks that Hermione could only dream of learning. Her digits traced the slight ridge of Bellatrix's side, but an odd glowing halted her ministrations.
Her ring was pulsating, the blood bubbling in its confines and the metal vibrating, though it was barely noticeable if she wasn't concentrating.
"What's wrong?" Bellatrix wondered sleepily, tilting her head slightly to stare at her lover. Her eyes were hazy with sleep, though a satisfied grin tugged at her mouth.
Hermione's brows furrowed. "Nothing… I think?"
"You think?" Bellatrix repeated confusedly, following Hermione's gaze down to the jewelry just above her abdomen. "Why is your ring doing that?"
"I have no idea," the Gryffindor admitted, "It's never done this before."
Bellatrix reached for her necklace and tugged it into view, studying it critically. "We should go see the Dark Lord. I'm sure he can enlighten us on this matter. He's very knowledgeable of these things."
"We need to dress first," Hermione laughed, glancing at their state of undress, "I don't think Father wishes to see me like this."
"But I certainly see no problem with it," Bellatrix purred, capturing the young woman's lips in a smoldering kiss.
Giggling, Hermione shoved the woman away playfully. "As much as I'd love a repeat of last night, we need to see my father."
The dark witch pouted, but untangled herself from Hermione. She practically skipped over to her wardrobe and began rummaging through it. Following her example, the Gryffindor arose from the bed, a slight ache between her thighs, though it only served to excite her. Losing her virginity to Bellatrix was the best decision she'd ever made.
(Bellamione)
Once properly clothed, the lovers clasped hands and made their way downstairs. The vibrations of Hermione's ring seemed to grow in intensity, filling her with a sense of apprehension. She had no idea what was happening, but Bella's seemed to mimic the action with each passing moment.
"Good morning, love birds," Draco chirped, eyeing the pair knowingly. His hair was ruffled and it appeared he'd only just awoken himself.
Hermione flushed crimson and sputtered, but Bellatrix simply smirked at her nephew and snagged his coffee, downing it quickly – much to his bemusement.
"Mum noticed your little disappearing act last night," he continued, summoning an elf. "She wasn't amused, though Father found it hilarious."
The blush only intensified.
"Well, my dear nephew, it was either we leave or I do naughty things in the middle of the party." Draco paled at the imagery and Hermione feared he would heave with disgust.
Accepting another coffee from the elf, Draco remained silent.
Bellatrix patted his cheek affectionately. "Is the Dark Lord around?"
"Yes, he's with Father in the library."
Nodding, the soulmates retreated from the dining room and made their way toward the library. Hermione waved to Greyback and Dolohov as they passed, receiving smiles from the two Death Eaters. She'd never expected to bond with the men, but there was something about them that reminded her of better times with Ron and Harry.
They paused outside of the library doors and waited.
"Enter, Bella," Voldemort called, his voice clearer than if he were standing in front of them.
"It's creepy that he can do that," Hermione mumbled, opening the door and slipping inside.
He gestured for them to join Lucius and himself at the table they were hunched over, his eyes never leaving a black, leather bound book. "You have impeccable timing. I was just about to send Wormtail to fetch you both."
"I was not aware you needed us, my Lord. We would have come sooner." Bellatrix bowed her head respectfully.
He chuckled, waving away her thinly veiled apology. "You could not know I would need you, Bellatrix. Come join us."
The first thing Hermione noticed was the book. It was old – worn along the binding and the pages fragile. One wrong touch and they would rip away and crumble into nothingness. Ancient runes and dark writings seemed to squirm along the pages, yet they called out to her. It brought a temptation edging her closer, begging her to read from it and learn its terrible secrets.
"What was it you needed?" Voldemort wondered curiously, his red eyes flickering at Hermione though a knowing smirk upturned his lips. He knew the book called to the darkness residing in his daughter's veins, beckoning her to unleash what was locked away.
Blinking, Hermione glanced at her ring. She held it up, allowing the Dark Lord to gaze upon it questioningly. "My ring is…"
"Alive?" Voldemort finished. "Yes, I believed that would occur." He chuckled.
"You did?" Hermione's brow arched apprehensively. "What's going on?"
Voldemort straightened up, peering at his most loyal servant. "What do you know of inocula, Bella?"
"It is a dark item," Bellatrix began, a faint frown tugging at her lips, "They connect their wearer to their beloved."
Voldemort clicked his tongue. "In a sense, yes."
He strolled over to a chair and seated himself, gesturing for the others in the room to do the same.
"When a dark witch or wizard bestows an inocula to their chosen partner, it grants certain abilities. They begin to feel the other's emotions; can find them wherever they are in the world. It breaks barriers – both figurative and literal – and allows for shared gifts.
"As soulmates, you have granted those abilities without the need for any amplification. You have begun to bond in ways that no others on Earth can. When you connected intimately, the inoculas knew and began searching to unleash the potential within you both. At Christmas, it hurried along your process, strengthening your previous connection and removing parts of the barriers separating you. While I am uncertain of what may occur with soulmates when the bond is completed, especially when you both possess one, I know this: you will be more powerful than any witch or wizard on Earth, with or without the ring. Once it serves its purpose, I do not know what will happen."
Hermione chewed her lip thoughtfully, her thumb absently rubbing circles along Bella's hand. The notion of becoming so powerful so fast frightened her and she wasn't sure she was ready for that commitment. She loved Bellatrix deeply but everything was moving faster than she could comprehend.
She needed time.
"However, I understand that this could be problematic," Voldemort continued, unperturbed by the silence. "There is a potion that can be made in order to dampen its incessant urgings. The recipe is simple and I am positive Narcissa is more than capable of making it. You must drink it daily, though. It will allow the jewelry to remain dormant for a time until you decide you are ready."
"I will ask Cissy once we are done here," Bellatrix assured Hermione, sensing her lover's mounting fear.
Hermione nodded weakly, smiling appreciatively at the Death Eater.
"Now, I have a mission for you."
Bellatrix straightened, a sudden seriousness bleeding into her posture and startling Hermione. It was a rarity to see the dark witch become stoic and alert, a dangerous gleam in her eye and a sinister quirk of her lips.
"Tonight, you will lead an attack. Nothing severe, but I wish to see Fudge become unnerved. He wishes to deny me, then he shall have to make an effort. Do what is needed, but no causalities, Bellatrix. Destroy property, paint my marks all over Britain if you must, but no fatalities or there will be consequences. You may take whoever you wish."
Bellatrix beamed, anticipation palpable as she nodded vigorously. She had not been on a mission since Hermione's arrival and, while she enjoyed time with her lover, she missed the thrill.
"Hermione, you are returning to Hogwarts in a week's time. It is vital that you train with Draco. I want you prepared for your return. You and Draco shall be recruiting for our side should it come to another war and for that to happen, you must be at your best."
"We shall begin training again tomorrow."
Voldemort nodded his approval and stood. "If you will excuse Lucius and I, we still have a few matters to discuss."
Bellatrix rose, tugging Hermione up and bowed her head respectfully before they disappeared from the room.
(Bellamione)
Bellatrix kissed Hermione hungrily, tangling her fingers in unruly brunette locks and pressing intimately against the younger girl. A lustful moan erupted from deep within Hermione's throat and Bellatrix accepted it greedily, threading her arm around the Gryffindor's lithe waist.
"Com'on, Bellatrix," Greyback urged, "We gotta leave."
"Be safe," Hermione breathed as they parted, her forehead pressed to Bellatrix's. "Come back to me."
Always.
Hermione pecked the Death Eater's lips briefly before ushering her to join Greyback and Dolohov. Lucius was already outside, waiting impatiently for the others. They all needed the release of built-up energy and this raid was the perfect opportunity.
Hermione stared after her lover until she was out of sight, a tension in her shoulders that would only dissipate when Bellatrix was back at the manor, safe in their bed and curled up around her.
"It will be all right," Narcissa promised, touching Hermione's shoulder soothingly. "I was the same the first few missions Lucius went on, but they are careful. Bellatrix will come home."
Sighing, Hermione nodded. "I know."
"Come. I must begin brewing your potion and you look like you need a friendly ear."
Hermione followed the matriarch through the mansion, a downcast expression marring her beautiful features. She knew this was Bella's life – wreaking mayhem, instilling fear into the hearts of witches and wizards all throughout Britain – but it didn't change the trepidation and nausea weighing in her stomach.
All of those innocent wizards…
"It's not as bad as you believe," Narcissa said, opening a locked door that Hermione had seen but never paid much attention to. "Death Eaters have a reputation for being ruthless and murderous, but if you look in to who is targeted, you will see it is those who've betrayed the Dark Lord that have been ended by the hand of a Death Eater. Our Lord hates the waste of magical blood. Even mudbloods and half-breeds will have places in his world."
The pair slipped inside and Hermione was taken aback. The room was bright, despite the near-black wood closing it from the rest of the house. Cauldrons lined the walls and she had a plethora of ingredients she'd acquired over the years. Her room was stocked better than Hogwarts – and that was a feat in itself.
"You're the first person besides Severus to ever step foot in this room," Narcissa informed her, a twinkle in her eye that had not been there moments before. She swept through the room and began gathering supplies. "The Dark Lord has given me the recipe for your potion, though I am to stock you with a month's worth. When your first Hogsmead trip is upon you, I will meet you at The Three Broomsticks and restock you for the month."
"Thank you," Hermione murmured, hopping onto a nearby stool and staring at the blonde woman affectionately. She had easily become a motherly figure that she'd been deprived of by the death of her own mother.
Ms. Granger had been a fine mother – loving, full of encouragements and hopes for Hermione when her magic had first shown itself – but there was an unspoken divide that separated them; one they could never cross.
Narcissa filled the role. She was a mother to her closest friend, in a world that she'd been stripped from when she was a mere toddler. She knew the ends and outs of being a pureblooded witch from a prominent family and could teach Hermione things only a noble matriarch could.
"Now tell me what's bothering you."
Hermione sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "Father knew the jewelry Bellatrix gave me was something magical – and from what I've gathered, potentially dark. We're already bonding, but it hurries the process along. I love Bella, more than I knew possible, but things are changing too fast.
"In a matter of months, I've learned that I'm His daughter, heir to a great fortune and there's a prophecy written about me. I've been tossed into the opposite side of a war with a soulmate who is Father's most loyal. All my friends have abandoned me and when I get back to school, I'm in a House that will hate who I am. My life has been a lie and I haven't had a moment to grieve that; to grieve a mother I never knew or accept a life I've been tossed in to.
"I'm not complaining," Hermione hurriedly added, "Be it destiny or fate or just a series of terribly unfortunate events in my life, but I am here for a reason. But, it's incredibly overwhelming and I need time to come to grips with this."
Narcissa hummed, adding ingredients to the cauldron. "You're young. You are a brilliant witch with a destiny far greater than you'd imagined, but it is easy to forget you are just a teenager tossed into a decades old war. You and Draco both are meant for greatness in your lives, but the Dark Lord forgets you are simply children.
"I do not blame you for needing time. Most adults could not handle this change, let alone a teenager whose life had been thrown into a tailspin. Bella understands as well. She will go at your pace. My sister may have insanity rushing through her veins and steering her judgments, but she loves you – deeply. It will be okay." Narcissa smiled warmly at her young charge.
A weight felt as if it'd been lifted from her chest. To air out her troubles to a willing ear had been relieving. She'd repressed her hesitations and apprehensions for weeks, ignoring the whispers tickling the back of her mind and to admit her fears aloud…
She could finally breathe again.
"Why are you speaking with me about this rather than Bella?" Narcissa wondered, stirring the last few ingredients into the pot.
Despite her troubles, Hermione smiled shyly. "Bella cares, but she is his most loyal. She wishes for me to become a Death Eater and I know that, even if she has not admitted to it. She would have us bound tomorrow if she could. She does not understand how terrifying this is for me – for anyone, really.
"I trust you, Narcissa. You've been welcoming and kind ever since my arrival. You're not judgmental and relatively unbiased compared to Bellatrix or Father. You've simply listened and understood my dilemma, even if you've never been in my shoes. No one's ever done that – at least not before my homecoming. The Order did not care about my opinion and Ronald and Harry only took advice when it benefitted them or solved their problems."
Warmth bloomed in Narcissa's chest and she set down her spoon, paying little mind to the potion dripping onto her table. She flitted around the table and embraced Hermione, the Gryffindor's head nestling into the woman's pale neck. "I will always listen, should you need an ear. You're the daughter I wish I could have had."
"You're the mother I never knew I needed," Hermione admitted softly, tears brimming in her chocolate eyes.
(Bellamione)
Hermione was curled up in the corner of the couch, her Dark Bondings book resting lazily in her lap as she awaited Bellatrix's return. Narcissa was asleep in the high-back chair across from her, legs tucked beneath her and her head leaned comfortably against the back.
When mates are bound by soul, they will become similar. In battle, in life – they complete the other in ways no one on Earth can. Their powers shall increase, becoming resilient and unwavering in the face of danger. With the ability to find their lover anywhere in the world – break even the strongest of anti-Apparation spells with just the simplest of mindsets. Emotions and thoughts will become second nature and whatever gifts bestowed upon them will be shared.
Examples:
Marney and Claude Whiddleton – the ability to see every possible outcome of the future.
Davin and James Harper – the ability to find weakness in creatures and humans. In battle, they were a force of reckoning. Grindelwald defeated James in a duel; Davin died three days later.
Hannah and Ashton Clarke – gifted with the perfect aim. Could shoot an arrow with perfect precision and calculate exactly how to hit their target. Also had the ability to read an opponent's next move and plan accordingly.
Elizabeth and Faith…
A familiar tingle brushed along Hermione's spine and she jerked to attention. Her nerves were alive, calling out to her lover and she knew Bellatrix was near. She tossed her book carelessly to the side, scrambling to her feet and out of the library. Narcissa was startled awake by the girl's departure and a sleepy smile tugged at her lips. They're home.
Hermione threw herself into Bellatrix's arms the moment she caught sight of the dark witch. She was dirtied with ash, an intoxicated twinkle in her eye and arousal flooding her system at the energy pulsating through her lover. She'd felt Hermione the moment she'd arrived, the desire to embrace and claim the Gryffindor overpowering every conscious action and need.
She swept Hermione up, swinging her gently before they Apparated to their room, leaving the Death Eaters to stare after them in a stunned silence. Lucius only rolled his eyes at their display and gestured for the other men to follow him. He was positive the Dark Lord would forgive his most loyal's distraction if Hermione was the cause. Especially considering how well she'd led their raid.
"They're a helluva pa'r," Greyback mused, shaking his head with amusement. "Hermi'ne is good fer her."
Lucius silently agreed.