"I bloody told you!"
"I know Ginny you've said it ten times since we left class and we've only been out for a few minutes. Congratulations."
"Thank you very much. I am surprised she showed her hand tho. She could have played dumb, held off on mentioning your thoughts and continued listening into our conversation it's all very strange."
"I think... I think shes trying to build bridges. Remember McGonagall said in her letter she wanted to fix my scar? Maybe this is her way of getting me to trust her so she will be able to heal me."
They sat down st the Gryffindor Table where Hermione quickly helped herself to a cheese toasty and a bowl of scolding hot tomarto soup whilst Ginny piled her plate high with mac and cheese.
"Ye but isn't that really going out of her way to help you. I mean she should! What she did to you was horrific 'Mione but do you really think she would put this much effort in just for a scar?"
"I don't know. I guess I will find out tonight during detention."
"Rather you than me! If I never see you again, any last word?"
"Yes just a three. Shut up Gin!"
They both fell into giggles and dove into their food.
It was 6.55pm and Hermione was sat in her room waiting for an appropriate time to leave. Normally she would be stood outside waiting ten minutes before hand but if felt weird when it was the next door down. But she also didn't want to knock too soon and seem too eager. Finally at 6.57pm she gave in and went to wait outside Blacks door.
She checked her watch as she reached the door and it still read 6.57pm. She decided to wait until bang on 7 and then knock.
A voice called from inside the door. "If you are waiting outside my door until exactly 7 I swear to Merlin Granger! Do not stand outside my room like an idiot! Come in!"
Knowing she had been caught out she let out a sigh and went to open the door. Feeling strange about just walking in she lifted her nuckles to knock.
"If you knock right now Granger I will make you do a weeks detention! Get in here!"
"Eugh fine!" She opened the door and walked into Blacks room. It was the mirror image of Hermione's room, the bedroom lead off to the left rather than the right, the bathroom still directly in front of the main door. But it was also opposite in decoration. Where Hermione's room was modest with a red and gold Gryffindor theme, Blacks was all high quality silver and green furniture, these furnishings had not been provided by Hogwarts that was for sure.
"How the hell did you know I was outside?"
"Because you've been early to my class both days plus your a massive teachers pet, pet. You wouldn't be late in fear of dissapointed. And how did I know you would try to knock? Partly because your not stupid enough to just talk straight into a teacher's room. Now for god sake Granger... SIT!"
Hermione finally settled herself on the lush black sofa as Bella stood and headed towards the small bar cart.
"Drink? I've got pumpkin juice, butterbeer.."
"Firewhiskey if you've got it?"
Bella looked at Hermione and quirked an eyebrow up. "Miss Granger just because we are outside of lesson times you are still a student. I can't be plying you with alcohol!"
"Ahh yes but 'teachers perks' I'm of age and I'm pretty sure I also told you that Minnie has allowed me to drink on the weekends. Now is officially the end of the school week and I feel like I could use something stronger to get through this conversation"
"Well shit Granger. Never did I think I would be a professor here but even if I did never did I think I would be plying my students with alcohol!"
She poured two glasses of fire wiskey and paused just as Hermione reached for her glass.
"This is strong stuff, you sure you don't want a butterbeer?"
"I appreciate your concern but I think you'll find I've become somewhat of a firewhiskey connoisseur. Kingsley even gifted me a bottle of bottle from his personal collection. A lovely 50 year aged bottle but I save it for special occasions."
"The minister of magic gave you a bottle of 50 year old firewhiskey! Jesus if I'd realised being the golden girl had such perks I might have changed sides long ago!"
They shared a small giggle as Hermione was passed her glass and they both drank deeply not quite sure how to start the conversation. Hermione finally showing some of her Gryffindor courage said "Well so far this has been the best detention I've ever had! Although we need to have a cover story or everyone will want to come drink firewhiskey with you!"
"Oh yes we can't have me waisting my time and good wiskey on any peskey third years. So pet, what will our cover story be?"
"I mean the only other detention I ever had we went into the forbidden forest with Hagrid and saw our defence against the dark arts professor drinking from a dead unicorns blood. Turns out he had Voldemort attached to the back of his head but still don't think we can use that excuse."
"What do you mean the dark ... Voldemort was on the back of your professors head?"
"Wait how can you not know this story! Surely he would have told you!"
"Well based on what I do know I assume it didn't go very well for him so he probably wanted to try and save face. But please please PLEASE tell me what happened!"
"Well ok here's the quick version! Basically he persuaded our first ever DADA professor to let him join his body I guess. Quirrel was bald and where the back of his head should have been instead you where staring back at voldemorts face. They where drinking unicorn blood at every opportunity."
Bellatrix was laughing now with tears leaking out of her eyes.
"Wait no wait so he was just there staring at you? How did no one spot it! I mean the guy had two faces for god's sake!"
"Omg I forgot! Quirrel wore a turban! Massive thing it covered voldemorts face. So he wanted to get hold of the philosopher's stone so he could come back but me Harry and Ron stopped him. Let me see if I can remember this right. There was Fluffy the giant three headed dog, then devils snare, we had to catch a flying key on brooms amongst hundreds of other flying keys, a giant game of wizards chess where we had to become pieces on the board, Ron sacrificed himself which left just me and Harry. Then there was a potions riddle set by Snape. Three vials where poison, two where wine, one would allow us to move forward and one would allow us to move back. I figured it out but there was only enough potion for one of us. So Harry went on and I went back to help Ron."
Bellatrix was no longer laughing and was instead looking at Hermione with anticipation of what would come next!
"So Harry went through. We all thought it was Snape who had been helping Voldemort, he always did play his role well. Anyway so Harry met quirrel in front of the mirror of erised. Quirrel unwrapped his turban and turned around and there was Voldemort"
At this Bellatrix was cackling again "Oh god I'm sorry but I can't imagine him just sitting there on the back of his head, stuck under a turban all day I think that is the funniest thing I've ever heard!"
"If you want I can try and get the memory for you from Harry, see it for yourself. I'm allowed to use Minnie's pensive whenever I want. Anyway! So Harry looked at the mirror which it turned out was the last test. The philosopher's stone was hidden inside it but it would only reveal itself to someone who wanted to find the stone but not use it, so when Harry looked it his reflection it showed him the stone and then dropped it in his pocket. Voldemort tried to convince Harry to join his side. Promises of bringing his parents back, power, money well I'm sure you know the spiel. Harry told him no and Voldemort told Quirrel to kill him. Now this bit is going to sound like a lie but I promise you it's the truth! Harry put his hands up to protect himself from Quirrel and when his hands touched flesh Quirrel and Voldemort just started... crumbling to dusk! Harry still had all the protection from Lilly's sacrifice that Quirrel was reduced to dusk. It had taken Voldemort 11 years to be strong enough to attach himself to Quirrel so we stopped his rise back then. Of course Harry lost his magic crumble powers when Voldemort used his blood to bring himself back but it was pretty bad ass whilst it lasted!"
"And this was your first year?"
By now the pair where sitting close together, glass in one hand and the other casually resting against each other. Hermione had her hand on Black's arm and Black her her hand resting on Hermione's knee. How they had gone from arch enemies to sat on the sofa, drinking and laughing in just six months no one could say. Maybe it was because they where both the smartest witch of their age.
"Yep! I swear I've never had a normal year at Hogwarts!"
"What not one? Surely it isn't all like this?"
"No no I swear Bellatrix it's real! in my second year I...what?"
Bellatrix had her mouth wide open with her eyes as large as saucers.
"You called me Bellatrix."
"Oh ye... sorry I guess it just slipped out I'm sorry Professor, won't happen again."
"No no it's not that. It's ok. It was nice. I never thought I'd hear you talk to me like this. Not after... well not after what happened."
Hermione placed her glass on the coffee table and sat up a little straighter.
"Oh shit. Here comes the serious bit. Ok tell me everything I need to know about your plans for my scar!"
"Firstly I want to say again how truly sorry I am for that. I have no excuse. But I promised myself when I turned away from him I would make amends. I have started this with Neville and we are working to try and restore his parents to their former glory. Your scar however may prove more difficult. But I am willing to try if you are?
Hermione reached for the older witch' hand.
"It's worth a shot isn't it? I mean st Mungo's couldn't fix me and even Madame pomfry could only improve its appearance slightly but we can try."
"I have a method of removing it but it would require me to become very familiar with your magic. For you see when I cursed the blade a portion of my magic stayed within you. And no, before you think it, not like a haucrux. More like a memory of my magic. But that will have influenced your own magical energy. I will need to become as familiar with your magic as I am with my own so that I will be able to unravel the strings of our magic and remove it. This is also why no healer could fix this. I'm the only one who can do it."
"Okey. I think I follow but how do you become familiar with my magic?"
"Honestly this will be the hardest part for you. We will need to spend as much time together as we can. We must duel at least one night a week preferably twice. And you need to learn to trust me. I believe we can only build that trust by being honest with each other about difficult times in our lives. Trauma bonding if you will. I know I have shattered that trust before we even began but if you would like to try then I am willing." Hermione nodded "I have Tuesday nights dedicated to research with Neville. But apart from that Hermione I am at your disposal."
"Well I've got no head girl dutys until Christmas and yes before you say it it is because of my 'teachers perks'. Monday's and Tuesdays are jam packed for me but I'm free Wednesday's after lunch and get late start Thursday and Friday. Plus obviously weekends if it isn't Hogsmead so just let me know."
"Coincidentally I've got Wednesday's after lunch free. So Wednesdays we will train after lunch. You up for training on a Saturday night as well? Gives you a few days to recover between sessions."
"Ye that works for me. I'm always sore the day after being worked over"
Bellatrix snorted and then let out an almighty cackle.
"That is NOT what I meant! Dear lord!"
Hermione was beetroot again.
"Oh pet but it is ever so easy to wind you up. Your face right then was a picture!"
Hermione playfully pushed Bellatrix.
"Oh shut up!"
Bellatrix raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow and for a moment Hermione thought she had gone too far.
"Miss Granger, need I remind you that I am your professor and I will not tolerate physical altercations."
"but... you just made a sex joke!"
"That I did pet, that I did. Sooooo easy to wind up!"
"Between you and Ginny I'm gonna spend most of my life blushing aren't it?"
"Probably pet"
"Ok so Wednesdays and Saturdays dueling. What about our trauma bonding as you put it?"
Bella motioned for the glasses to refill and Hermione was glad. She wasn't quite ready to go home yet.
"Well I've got Neville on a Tuesday and us teachers tend to go to the Hogs head on a Friday, plus dueling Wednesday and Saturday. So that leaves us with Monday night, Sunday night or after dueling if your not too tired."
"Honestly I think after dueling sounds best. Then at least I can sleep in a bit the morning after."
"Perfect. I'll let Minnie know. Can't pop you down for detention twice a week every week now can I."
Hermione decided to throw caution to the wind and try and catch Bellatrix off guard.
"No you can't but remember 'Teachers perks'" Hermione leaned in a little closer and said "could probably spend the night here and there's not much she could say"
Unfortunately for Hermione this wasn't Bella's first rodeo and she wouldn't be caught out.
"Well with what you showed me in class today I'm sure you'vr been thinking of spending the night. And there is that delicious blush. Believe me it would take much more than that to make me blush pet. But good try."
"God damn it, I thought I had you for a moment there!"
The two spent the rest of the night chatting and teasing with Hermione spending most of the night in a deep flush.
When she finally headed for the door it was gone 11pm. They stood in the corridor between there two rooms speaking for a while.
"Thank you for tonight Bella. You've shown me that you're much more than the person who tortured me. If you told me six months ago I would be drinking in your quarters and laughing with you I'd have thought I'd gone mental. I don't trust you not yet but since coming back to Hogwarts you haven't given me any reason not to trust you."
"No thank you Granger. You didn't have to give me a chance and you have. Now I don't want anyone to interrupt our dueling, for reasons I will explain tomorrow but there is somewhere you might not have heard about. It's basically a room that becomes whatever..."
"Room of requirements, been there, done that got the t-shirt. In fact I've even worked with the room in the past to create the perfect training room so... what time tomorrow?"
"Same time suit you?"
"Yep 7 is fine by me."
"I do have one request and if you succeed I will give you house points!"
"Ok I'm intrigued what?"
"Be late tomorrow!"
"What!"
"You don't even have to be really late. I just wanna see if your enough of a teacher's pet to be late."
Hermione's turned towards her door.
"You're impossible."
"Is that a yes?"
"Goodnight Bellatrix!"
Hermione closed her door and Bella stood staring at the closed door for a moment.
"Goodnight Hermione."