Disclaimer: No, I don't own it. –sniffle- I own copies of the books, and that is all. I make no money off of this whatsoever, (Which is why I'm broke…) therefore I am not good prey for lawyers. Don't think they want lint from my pockets

A/N: Nothing much to say, save that this was inspired by a plot-bunny of the most unusual kind, and that this is not my normal pairing. I don't think I quite do Bella justice, really.


Insidious Poison

Remus entered the darkened room, cautiously glancing about. He had to find her, confront her. As he moved further into the room, the door slammed shut behind him. The lycanthrope whirled, but nothing, save darkness, was revealed in the thin shaft of illumination his wand provided. Returning to face front once more, his skin lost some of its color, and he blanched. In front of him was the very woman he was hunting. Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Looking for someone, Lupin?" She asked, though it was apparent she already knew the answer.

"Only you, Lestrange." The graying man growled, and there was something decidedly feral in his eyes. They held scenes of carnage, in their depths.

"Well you've found me, wolf. Though I don't recall you ever using my married name before this, wolf." She replied, taunting the lycanthrope with her tone and her words.

"You killed Sirius, what the hell do you expect me to call you! I can think of far more derogatory terms, you bitch!" Remus exploded, his wand forgotten to righteous rage as he snarled at her.

Bellatrix had not forgotten, however, and summoned t he piece of birch to her. "Don't give yourself a heart attack, wolf. Take. A. Seat." She commanded, and one of the chairs in the room flew and hit the man behind his knees. He collapsed into the wood helplessly.

"Damn bitch!" He snarled, "You killed him! My best friend!" Remus tried to lunge at her, but Bellatrix merely cast a leg-locking spell at the werewolf.

"Now, Now, Remmy," She paused as he glared and snarled at her, "Lets not get our knickers in a twist about my idiot cousin. Had he dodged as he should have, you wouldn't have lost your ickle bwest fwiend."

Remus snarled again, and the only reason he did not lunge out of his chair and strangle her was because he couldn't. The sticking and leg-locking spells kept him in place. Being so, helpless in his fury, he shamed himself further and started to cry. Not the wail of an infant, or a whiskery snuffling, either of which would have been infinitely worse, but rather a deep, wracking sob. "You bitch…" He managed to choke out from behind his hands. He knew it didn't matter if she saw the glassy tears on his cheeks or not, but he didn't want her to see. The sobs were more than enough to humiliate him completely.

"Lupin, you knew that already. It should be nothing new to you." Bellatrix stated, though her inflection was impossible to discern. It could have been cold, or a warning sort of kindness.

He trembled, making the effort to stop the flood of water from his eyes. He didn't enjoy crying in front of her, but the tears only slowed, they did not stop. "Stop…" He commanded, whether to her or him it was uncertain. Either way, the command was weak.

"Stop what? Telling you the truth?" Bellatrix asked calmly, regarding the werewolf with a mild curiosity that implied complete sanity. A sanity most would never attribute to the woman.

Remus keened to himself in an attempt to drown her out. He didn't want to hear this… He didn't want to believe it was Sirius's own fault that the animagus man had died. It just seemed so disloyal to the dead, his dead friend…Another soft whimper escaped him.

"Give it up, Lupin. Not all in this world is going to show your friends and allies in a favorable light."

After a few more heart-rending sobs, the werewolf slouched into the seat, with only one arm clung over his face to shield some of the shining drops from the woman's sight. The sobs may have ceased, however, tears still tracked down his cheeks. "Why must you make me see reason, Bella?" He asked weakly, shifting his arm to allow him to regard her from one tired amber eye.

"Because it's necessary, Remus." She informed him frankly.

"To kill me, you mean."

"Having you see reason doesn't pertain to killing you, Remus. However, I won't deny that I am poisonous." She responded with a smirk.

"A very insidious poison," He agreed, "One that makes the victim think that the poison is exactly what they want." He held out the arm that was not draped across his face, as if to invite her into his hold. "You'll be the death of me yet, Bella."

"I know." The cold, wicked woman replied as she slid into his lap, gently kneading his tense shoulders.

-Fin-


A/N: Reviews are muchly appreciated, so please feed the author!