Chapter 3!
Read and Review =)
Hermione didn't know how she got there. Well she did. She's walked. But she was still yet to figure out how she had managed to get up all those stairs and down the hall to bed. Let alone getting changed into some sleep shorts and an older tee. All while Bellatrix watched her and without blushing. And now she was in bed laying face first in her pillows the same way she had fallen asleep the night before.
What was different however was that Bellatrix was now pressed and curled into her side with her head in the middle of Hermione's back and her hand under her shirt with fingertips resting gently against her skin. Hermione had no idea how long she had slept for but it had been the first time in far too long that she had slept soundly through the night. For the first time in weeks she had slept well because of Bellatrix instead of poorly for the same reason.
She had absolutely no idea what time it was bot guessing by the sunshine trying its hardest to get past the heavy drapes she suspected it was quite close to midday. This surprised her most because Bellatrix was still in bed with her though she suspected the woman both enjoyed Hermione's company and slept better than she had in a while as well. She certainly couldn't fault the older woman at all.
"Must you think so loud." Bellatrix mumbles a few minutes later and Hermione couldn't help a chuckle.
"Sorry. Just thinking about how well I slept." Hermione hums and shifts.
Bellatrix lifted herself only enough to allow Hermione to roll onto her back and then settled again, this time with her head on Hermione's chest and fingers resting splayed across a surprisingly toned tummy. Hermione found it strikingly natural to lift her hand and thread it gently through wild dark curls, her nails lightly scratching at Bella's scalp.
"I don't know the last time I slept longer than 4 hours." Bellatrix admits with a low hum.
"You think we'd be able to actually have a conversation without being interrupted?" Hermione asks after a moment.
"You could do that amazing time freezing thing." Bellatrix suggests.
"That seems inappropriate to use something like that for personal gain." Hermione wrinkles her nose.
"You did it at the castle though." Bellatrix points out.
"That was an accident and besides your sister was physically fighting with someone I'm quite fond of." Hermione reasons and Bellatrix lifts her head.
"Fond of how?" Bellatrix tilts her head but raised her eyebrow indicating she was bothered or at least had the potential to be.
"As a friend. Don't look at me like that." Hermione rolls her eyes which had Bella's narrow.
"Like what?" The older witch wondered rather pointedly.
"Like you're jealous." Hermione couldn't quite keep a smirk from her face.
"I will look at you however I like." Bellatrix huffs indignantly.
"Bella?" Hermione's grin was small but it was there.
"Hm?" The older witch hummed questioningly.
"Kiss me?" Hermione's cheeks flushed as she asked but the pleasant surprise on Bellatrix' face and the slow smile that followed made it worth asking.
The older witch nodded slightly and moved shifting up the bed a bit more so they were more level with each other. It wasn't the first time they had kissed so the fact Hermione felt decidedly nervous was a little ridiculous but she was definitely nervous. Right up until a soft hand lifted and settled on her cheek and the nervousness just seemed to melt away until finally their lips melded in a slow and tender kiss.
Hermione didn't even hesitate to kiss Bellatrix back this time. Not even a little bit and while it was slow it did deepen as Hermione parted her lips to allow Bella's exploring tongue to gently brush into her mouth, meeting her own. It felt surreal and amazing and perfect kissing Bellatrix and Hermione suddenly couldn't remember what it was like to even fancy anyone else. This was her soulmate.
"Hermione…" Bellatrix breathed her name against her lips before leaning back even more.
Bellatrix rather suddenly had doubts as she looked down at the stunning young witch. Was this even appropriate? Yes Hermione was 19 but Bellatrix was old enough to be her mother let alone other valid reasons given her past choices. She was about to voice these concerns only to be beaten to the punch.
"I know there's an age gap, that I'm young and fairly firmly embedded in the light while you're considerably more grey at the moment and I know we are soulmates but i don't think that dictates that this has to be a romantic relationship but… just so you know. If that's something you want I'm not convinced I could quite happily spend the rest of my life kissing you yet. I may be slightly disappointed for a while though." Hermione admits seeming to voice all of Bellatrix' concerns and make them void at the same time.
"You'd just share a platonic friendship with me?" Bellatrix asks softly.
"If that's what you wanted." Hermione nods gently.
"It's not at all what I want. I've a beautiful witch in my bed willing to have a romantic relationship with me. Id be stupid not to want that. Want you. And I pride myself on being bright." Bellatrix offered the last with a grin and Hermione laughed softly.
"Well then were do we go from here? I'm not sure I'm quite ready for sex at the moment. I need too let my muscles register that they can stop aching before that." Hermione wrinkles her nose and Bellatrix chuckled.
"I've not had sex since before I went to Azkaban so I'm pretty sure I can wait a bit longer don't worry. I suppose we should just take things slow anyways. At least until my trial. What If they take me back?" Bellatrix looks suddenly so worried that all Hermione could do was wrap her arms around the witch and pull her against herself.
"You've served your time. I'll fight tooth and nail for you." And she meant it too. Already Hermione didn't want to be without this woman in her life.
"Best girlfriend ever." Bellatrix mumbles into Hermione's shoulder and the smaller witch chuckled.
"Is that what we are then? Girlfriends? You're newly widowed are you sure I'm not just a rebound?" Hermione's tone was playful.
"You are definitely not a rebound. As far as I'm concerned I've been single since I found out I was barren." Bella leaned back looking down at the smaller witch.
"Good. Not that it would have made much difference cause you're so good looking I'd have let you rebound anyways." Hermione grins cheekily and Bellatrix let out a laugh.
"Come on, Weaver. I'm starved. Let's get up." Bellatrix pecked Hermione's lips and then pulled away sliding out of bed. The woman wore a rather silky low cut nighty to bed which Hermione was glad that it fell mid thigh and wasn't any shorter or she'd have struggled she was sure.
"You have fantastic legs. I'm a bit disappointed you wear those skirts all the time even if those corsets do amazing things for you." Hermione offers with a somewhat leering grin looking at the legs in question.
Bellatrix actually blushed at this comment and frankly it was one of the most appealing things Hermione had ever seen in her life. In fact it had so much appeal that Hermione found herself rather boldly stepping up to the older witch and cupping her cheeks gently pulling her into a firm kiss which Bellatrix gladly returned. That was how Narcissa found them a moment later when she barged into the room.
"Merlin's balls Bella. Get off her." Narcissa huffs.
"She started it!" Came Bella's immediately indignant reply. Hermione snickers.
"You've already corrupted her." Narcissa rolls her eyes but couldn't quite keep the teasing smile from her face. Bellatrix gave an indignant scoff.
"I definitely started it. Look at these legs." Hermione grins brightly looking down at Bella's legs.
"Yeah but look at these muscles." Bellatrix unceremoniously lifted Hermione's tee to reveal the girls stomach.
While Hermione did have abs they weren't exactly chiselled. In fact the definition was really light as there was a small layer of softness over them. Narcissa smirked lightly at the pair of them and Hermione flushed even as she let Bellatrix show her off a little.
"I'm aware. I caught her yesterday and I'm pretty sure I ended up with bruises." Narcissa says chuckling.
"Sorry." Hermione offered sincerely and Bella pulled her shirt back down.
"Don't worry about it, dear. It wasn't actually your fault. Come on. Lunch is ready." Narcissa smiles warmly at the pair.
"Let us get dressed. Five minutes." Bellatrix moves towards the en-suite as she says this and Hermione looks for her bag.
"You should unpack dear, unless your not staying for long." Narcissa urged when she watched Hermione pull clean clothes from her bag.
"I will. It's just such a hassle to do that right now. Got to build myself up to the task." Hermione smiled lightly.
"Good. I'm glad you're here. She's nicer now you're around." Narcissa moved for the door while Hermione lay her clothes out.
"I'll be around for a while don't worry." Hermione hums happily. Narcissa just smiles and makes her exit as Hermione started to change.
"For Merlin's sake, Lucius! We are almost out of food and unable to get more and you've managed to waste half of it." Narcissa's voice greeted Bellatrix and Hermione as they made it to the dining room. Draco was slowly chewing a piece of pasta.
"This not having an elf thing is going to be cause for divorce for them. If we don't starve to death before then." Draco drawled as Bellatrix sat down. Lucius and Narcissa were in the kitchen beyond beyond dining room. Hermione beelined for it.
"Circes tits, woman. It's not like I did it on purpose." Lucius groused as as he used magic to bin the bits of food from the floor he'd spilled.
"Is everything alright?" Hermione asks looking amused.
"We're running out of food and this thing just managed to drop a plate full of it." Narcissa huffs.
"It was an accident!" Lucius defended immediately. Hermione chuckles.
"I can go get more if you have money and a list. I'd offer to use my own galleons but I don't think the goblins would let me in the bank at the moment." Hermione offers.
"You don't have too, I have plenty of money in a personal vault here." Lucius waves her off.
"I'll write a list if you're sure you don't mind running the errand." Narcissa smiles appreciatively.
"I'd be more concerned with your sisters attitude toward Hermione leaving. We all know how possessive Bella is." Lucius drawls with a small smirk. Hermione found it both odd and curious to see that Lucius could actually be light-hearted and playful. The fact he used her given name was astounding.
"She'll be fine. I'll use your money to buy her something nice." Hermione says with a light smirk.
"Good luck finding Bella something she actually likes." Lucius rolls her eyes and Narcissa quirks an eyebrow.
"Sir… is that a challenge?" Hermione's grin only grew then.
"I'll bet you cooking duties for a week that you can't find her something she actually genuinely likes." Lucius smirks brightly.
"You're on." Hermione spoke up boldly not considering that maybe she didn't know Bella overly well and so maybe shouldn't be making such bold bets.
"Oh this is going to be perfect. I'm setting your limit on 100 galleons though." Lucius says grinning brightly.
"You two are ridiculous. Can't we go eat eat lunch." Narcissa actually whined at them.
It was so out of place to see this usually straight laced and snobbish family being decidedly laid back. Hermione suspected a lot of it had to do with the fact that the war was over and that which had loomed over them was gone. This time for good. It made her feel better too though granted Hermione and Bellatrix had been and processed everything once. It seemed easier this time.
While Hermione was gone Bellatrix pouted. Of course she supposed she couldn't monopolise all the witches time. She also had her own plans and was able to utilise the time alone to focus on them. In fact that was the first thing she did, which also involved happily kicking Lucius out of his office so she could use it. And his parchment, ink and Quill.
Penning the letter was the easy part, the biggest problem she came upon was figuring out who to actually send it too. There was at least three options. The first and maybe the most obvious was Kinsgley as acting Minister though there came the doubts of her credibility. Sewing the timelines back into one meant that things had changed a bit.
In this timeline now Bellatrix had been in Azkaban. After the first war, when Voldemort had fallen the first time. Bellatrix and the Lestrange brothers had actually managed to get their charges dropped. She had managed to get them dropped, they had been utterly useless. But Bellatrix had also been young and jaded at that point and so when they suggested trying to find the Potter boy themselves she had grudgingly trailed along.
Thankfully however she had managed to keep Neville safe though unfortunately not his parents. To this day they were one of her biggest regrets and had been a serious source of nightmare fuel for her while imprisoned. She remembered keeping that little baby boy safe, she remembered that soft downy brunette muggle born baby girl as well. It was a source of torment for her but a source of hope as well. It was only the idea of the future, and later dreams of what that young muggle girl would be like then that kept her going. Kept her sane.
There in lies the problem with the second option however. Augusta Longbottom. While she seemed like the sort to reach out to in regards to mental health the fact that it was coming from Bellatrix was going to be a huge draw back. After all it wouldn't surprised Bellatrix that after Neville reaction to her in the Department of Mysteries that the surviving, or lucid, Longbottoms believed her to have been the one that had tortured Frank and Alice into insanity.
That really left the last option and this was the one that she had the most hope in. Bellatrix would reach out to Minerva McGonagall in the hopes of sorting out some form of after care for the fall out of this war. Something they had all been without after the First War. Everyone deserved help with mental health and it astounded and sort of infuriated Bellatrix that it was the muggles that understood this better than the wizarding world when the magical world had always claimed to having more answers.
With destination in mind Bellatrix addressed the simple pitch and the request for the woman to come and visit with her as soon as possible and headed out to the back of the Manor where the Aviary was, specially designed to perch both roosting peacocks and their Owls. With a soft whistle she called her own screech owl Damascus. When he landed on the statue of a kelpie mid shift between horse and its natural form that she was standing beside, Bellatrix attached the letter and sent him on his way.
"Up to something, Bella?" Lucius drawled walking towards the house, he had apparently been in the garden.
"Not really, Lucy." Bellatrix couldn't keep a smirk from her face at the disgust that appeared on his with the nick name she knew he hated.
"Missing your little witch?" Lucius' own smirk appeared then as Bella's expression soured.
"Little bit. Couldn't we have just requested someone from the Ministry come and do our shopping for us?" Bellatrix huffs.
"If we wanted to starve to death. We are the last people they would rush to help right now." Lucius drawled a little lazily but also unable to quite keep the sneer from his tone.
"Do you regret it?" Bellatrix asks after a bit of a pause. She had to agree with him, they wouldn't rush to help them.
"Helping him rise again?" Lucius asks after a moment.
"Joining him at all." Bellatrix corrects.
"I was young and believed in what lies he was spinning. At the time I didn't regret it at all and when he fell the first time I was relieved. For a time I was even happy just living my life, raising my son with my wife. It was seeing the ice that worry had brought melt from her eyes. Then the whispers started that he could and would rise again, the ever present Dark Mark throbbing against our arms. That was when I regretted it." Lucius admits after a small moment and in the back of her mind Bellatrix acknowledged that this was perhaps the most she and her little Sisters husband had spoken since meeting so many years ago.
"I regret everything." Bellatrix swallowed, not looking at Lucius.
"You were his biggest supporter in the first War." Lucius points out after a moment.
"I was angry and didn't know what to live for anymore. I chose to live for him because he let me do what I wanted, encouraged it even. But that wasn't who I was. Or wasn't who I could have been anyways." Bellatrix frowns.
"Why was you so angry?" Lucius was slow to ask the question and his voice was soft, somewhat afraid to set her off but also just because he could read the moment.
"You met our parents, they weren't too bad but they were purebloods and my dear sisters and I were born female. My marriage to Rod was decided before I was born and i could live with that. I accepted that and a small, very small, part of me thought i could love him eventually. I never did. But it could have been worse. He wasn't abusive. But i could have been happier alone and allowed to make my own choices. Instead i was in a loveless marriage and when we couldn't conceive something actually worthy of my love i got bitter and angry. Isn't it fucked up that the first time i ever saw the witch i have just agreed to a romantic relationship with was when she was a new born in a muggle street and i had just found out I was barren?" Bellatrix let out a rather bitter laugh at this.
"You're barren?" Lucius had always thought that Bella and Rod hadn't had kids cause he was an arse and she wasn't maternal. But then he guessed he didn't really know his wife's sister very well.
"I was. Its complicated. But I am decidedly fertile these days and my soulmate is a woman." Bella laughed at the irony and Lucius couldn't help a chuckle of his own.
"She's a sassy little witch but I hear she's exceedingly bright. Who knows you're not so old yet she cant figure out how to get you with child." Lucius smirked managing to lighten the mood completely.
"You're an arse. I don't know what my sister sees in you." Bellatrix huffs at him.
"He's good in bed and his genetics have proved well." Narcissa spoke up with a little grin that she hadn't warn for years.
"So long as I'm good in bed I suppose I can live with the fact that is my only quality." Lucius rolls his eyes at his wife who chuckled and walked over leaning into him.
"Gross." Bellatrix rolls her eyes at the pair of them.
"You say that but you were all over Hermione this morning. Poor girls probably still a virgin and you were practically assaulting her." Narcissa teases and Bellatrix wrinkles her nose.
"She started that not the other way around." Bellatrix huffs.
"Bit of a go getter is she?" Lucius asks with a smirk.
"She's always gone for what she wants, Father." Draco sauntered over with a little grin on his face.
"I despise all of you." Bellatrix heaves a sigh and stomps back inside followed by laughter.
It had been around two hours since Bellatrix had sent her own to Minerva, she hadnt bee expecting much of a response right away though so when there was a knock on the Manor door as Lucius was swanning over to pull the door open she was surprised to see the very witch she had written too standing there. Bellatrix had been on the way to the kitchen for some tea when the knock had happened.
"Mister Malfoy, I'm here to see Bellatrix." Minerva spoke in that no-nonsense tone she always used. Lucius for a moment felt like a young man about to be told off again.
"Of course. Headmistress is it?" Lucius bowed the woman in and Bellatrix watched for a moment.
"Indeed it seems that way. Madame Black, I'd like to speak with you about your letter." Minerva looked from Lucius to Bellatrix who looked surprised.
"Black?" Bellatrix hadn't been known as a Black since before her 18th Birthday. She'd married Rod only months after coming of age at 17.
"You are widowed now and personally if a name is going to be tied to such an enterprise as yours id recommend it being your maiden name." Minerva says pointedly and Bellatrix actually smiled. It seemed Minerva was in favour.
"Lucy, would you mind bringing us up some tea to your office." Bellatrix asks smiling with feigned sweetness at Lucius who scowls.
"I may poison you if you call me Lucy one more time." Lucius snarks heading for the kitchen.
Bellatrix just snickered before gesturing the stairs for Minerva who was trying hard no to smirk at the exchange between the in-laws. The Scotswoman allowed Bellatrix to lead her up onto the next landing and two doors down the hall to Lucius' Office. The door was opened for her and Bellatrix let Minerva in first who moved and sat in one of the two seats on the near side of the desk. Bella then surprised Minerva by sitting in the other seat beside Minerva instead of at the head of the desk.
"I like this office because He never really came in here. He spent most of the time that he was here downstairs." Bellatrix admits softly before they even got to the point.
"I must admit, I'm surprised you defected. Probably not as surprised to learn of you and Miss Granger though." Minerva gave Bellatrix a pointed look and the younger woman leaned back in her seat with a sigh.
"Hermione and I… that's complicated. I promise you she is with my by choice." Bellatrix almost rushed to say it because the thought of this woman who Bella may or may not have once idolised thinking she had done something as terrible as magically influencing a witch into her bed didn't sit well at all.
"Oh I'm aware. The only student that ever impressed me as much as she does is you. She isn't foolish enough to be talked into anyone's bed for any reason. It was still a shock." Minerva's smile became a little kinder. Lucius knocked on the door gently and walked in with the tea service.
"Is it an age thing? Because she said that doesn't bother her." Bellatrix shifted to clear a spot for the tray on Lucius' desk.
"Its probably because she's never shown any interest in anyone. Draco said that Krum chap had to chase her around Hogwarts before she agreed to go to the ball and that was only because he was the only one that asked her." Lucius chimed.
"Lucius is right. She had never shown even an inkling of interest in anyone. Then suddenly you both turn up during the battle… snogging i believe." Minerva said that as though she was copying what someone had told her.
"Well… as I said. That's complicated." Bellatrix looked at Lucius pointedly and the man huffed but got the message and left the office pulling the door closed behind him.
"Does it have anything to do with her being a Dragonborn?" Minerva asks after a moment and Bellatrix looked startled.
"When she was petrified by the basilisk in her second year when we were moving her to the medical wing her shirt slipped up a little showing a birth mark on her hip. I was aware of its meaning but hadn't ever thought to look for the dragon. It was her father who is her predecessor right?" Minerva explained and Bella nodded.
"Yes. She is also my soulmate. We… fixed the time stream recently. Originally while both branches had seen the fall of Voldemort there had been some fairly significant differences. I found books of my grandfathers, he had researched a lot about time travel and the origins of the time turners. I don't know why but he had the original time turner. Hermione has it now." Bellatrix explains honestly.
"How did it branch in the first place?" Minerva asks curiously.
"I've been thinking about that actually. See I met Frank and Emma Granger when Hermione was just a new-born, I must have looked about as disheartened and I felt and they are nice people. They asked me if I was alright and if I would like to hold their child. Who gives a new born to a complete stranger. Normally though I don't think this would make any difference to the timeline except for the Frank latent Slate Magic. I think Subconsciously his magic saw both timelines and caused the split. One where I held little Hermione for the first time and recognised her and one where I refused out of anger and walked away. The Hermione now is predominantly from that timeline where I'm from the one where i held her. Though now things have weaved back together I have… memories from both, as does she." Bellatrix explained her theory to the best of her ability.
"I would suspect you're right about Franks magic causing the split in the timeline. I always found it odd that the Dragonborn were considered muggle. They don't use their magic so much as let the magic flow through their choices in order to keep the timestream on course." Minerva sounded contemplative.
"That Hermione is a Witch and the last of the Time Wardens gives her a huge potential for something unheard of." Minerva added looking highly intrigued.
"That's what the Old One said. I believe she called her a witchborn Dragon. I've wondered if Hermione couldn't learn to shape shift like the Old One can." Bellatrix tilted her head.
"That makes me wonder if she became an Animagus would she turn into a dragon or would she turn into a common animal as is typical. Her… what did you call it? Slate Magic? That could allow her to do both." Minerva and Bellatrix had managed to get completely off topic here but it was admittedly a really intriguing concept.
"I may talk to her about looking into it. For research sake anyways. I am sure she would be delighted to give new life to the Time Warden Myths." Bellatrix chuckled, Hermione had been rather the same in both timelines it was what made the merging so easy for her and Bellatrix though for Bellatrix she had needed her sister merged from both streams first.
"Researching what?" The door swung open and in should walk the very witch they had been talking about.
"Hello Professor." Hermione greeted Minerva with a kind smile.
"We were talking about your lineage, Miss Granger and the potential you have." Minerva admits with a welcoming smile.
"Ahh, Belle spilling all my secrets, hm?" Hermione queried lightly and Bellatrix opened her mouth and then closed it again.
"Its alright. If I were going to tell anyone other that Fleur and Andromeda obviously, it would have been Professor McGonagall." Hermione admits gently.
"Indeed. That's how I felt, hence I told her the truth and we managed to get completely off topic." Bellatrix admits a little sheepishly.
"Well I just wanted to let you know I was back. I'll leave you both too it." Hermione walked over and pressed a light kiss to Bellatrix's head before turning to leave throwing a warm smile at Minerva on her way. Bellatrix watched her go before looking back at a smiling Bellatrix.
"I never once considered any kind of relationship with such an age gap as healthy but the maturity of that one and the way you look at her and I must say I fully support such a pairing." Minerva confessed after a moment.
"It doesn't hurt that she seems to completely adore you." Minerva added, grinning inwardly when Bellatrix actually blushed.
"Yes well… maybe we should get back on topic. The centre?" Bellatrix urged and finally gestured the tea service.
Minerva moved first to make herself a cup of tea to her liking, the tea in question having had ample time to steep in water that wouldn't cool until it was poured into a cup. She added two cubes of sugar and a light splash of milk. Bellatrix herself liked her tea less sweet and black and so only added one cube to her cup before they sat back in their seats nursing their cups. Minerva managed a sip before she looked back to the other woman.
"So tell me more of your concept. What do you have in mind?"
"Well, It needs to be somewhere central. Maybe in a less travelled area around Diagon and possibly even a second office closer to the school for returning students. I do believe these problems don't really disappear overnight and often need ongoing treatment. I have the funds for a start up between the Lestrange vault and the Black vault. I could realistically start both offices around the same time and still have money to pay staff. Unfortunately because of who I am I don't know if I will be able to find staff." Bellatrix admits after a moment.
"How would we go about training staff? I can think of exactly three women who could do the job but would still need some kind of training." Minerva admits after a moment.
"I could speak with Hermione about it if I thought it would go ahead. She is bright and the answer just may lie in the muggle world." Bellatrix admits after a moment.
"That could definitely be a good start." Minerva smiles, not minding that plan at all.
"I'm fully prepared to back you in this venture and even help with start up but i have stipulations." Minerva states and when Bellatrix gestures for her to keep going she does so.
"Firstly, I want your name on it. Black. This has to be yours, you've done a lot of bad for other people in the past and its time to do some good for yourself. I'm not saying its going to be easy but I do think it will work out regardless. Secondly I'd like you to reach out to Andromeda, she's an extremely gifted healer and I'd imagine she would take well to psychological help. She's compassionate and caring." Minerva explains seriously and Bellatrix couldn't fault that logic.
"Anything else?" Bellatrix asks noting the surprise that she hadn't protested written on Minerva's face.
"You need to do it soon, start the process before your trial it will help reduce your sentencing. I'd suspect that at most you will only getting restrictions if you can get this sorted out and have Hermione speaking for you. I'd wager the Weasley's as well will vouch for you." Minerva explains.
"There is only so much I can do from here as I'm on house arrest." Bellatrix sighs lifting a frustrated hand to run through her hair.
"I will help you as much as I can and I'd wager your witch will do the same. I imagine that Hermione will be very supportive of this idea of yours. I think its absolutely marvellous and I'm only disappointed that its been over looked for as long as it has. I do believe young Miss Weasley suffered more than necessary after her first year." Minerva opined slowly.
"She has actually confessed as much. I believe we are lucky for Luna Lovegood in that one still being with us actually." Bellatrix admits gently.
"Exactly why i am so supportive of this venture." Minerva smiles.
"I'll compile some locations and get back to you in a week in the meantime I recommend you and Miss Granger come together and do some planning. You may see if she wishes to partner with you as well. I do believe Kingsley is looking into granting royalties to those who fought in the battle." Minerva explains lightly.
"I'll bring it up to her for sure. I was really just waiting to hear back from you as i will need support." Bellatrix offers with a small smile.
"You, my dear, most definitely have my support." Minerva grins lightly and puts the now empty cup down.
"Thank you." Bella stood when Minerva did.
"No. Thank you." Minerva smiled fondly.
Hermione was in the sitting room with Lucius and Draco when Bellatrix and Minerva came downstairs. Lucius looked entirely amused while Draco was slightly confused and Hermione just looked like she was about to win something. Bellatrix and Minerva walked over and Hermione stood to greet them both, something that wasn't lost on Minerva that she found quite curious.
"Why is Lucy grinning like that?" Bellatrix frowns slightly.
"So in the muggle world when a couple really likes each other but it's a new relationship they sometimes buy things called Promise Rings. Basically it's like a pre-engagement engagement ring." Hermione jumped right in.
"You bought me an engagement ring?" Bellatrix sounded a little hesitant but Hermione shook her head.
"No I got you something better." Hermione grins and with a slight flick of her hand a long box came from the dining room and landed in her open hand.
Bellatrix was confused because this looked like a slightly shorter than normal wand box. The confusion being that none of them actually needed a wand. At her hopeful urging Hermione lifted the box a little and Bellatrix tilted her head before lifting the lid off. It was a practice wand. It was exactly what a small magic born child would use after a first display of magic it was limited by the spells it could cast and all spells it cast were a much reduced strength.
"For when I figure it out." Hermione says softly looking at Bella with a rather hopeful expression.
No one expected what happened next, not even Bella herself. Hermione barely had any time to get a better grip on the box and wand before her arms were full of a suddenly sobbing witch. Hermione looked entirely stricken as she glanced at the other people in the room even as she held Bellatrix to her gently. Lucius was looking wide eyed and confused and Draco quietly stood and made a beeline for the kitchen while Minerva watched on quite concerned.
"Belle… what's wrong? What did I do?" Hermione asks rather a distraught after a moment.
"Nothing, I-" What ever she was going to say was cut off by another sob and Hermione held her a little tighter as Narcissa walked into the room.
"Sweet Circe, you've broken my sister!" Narcissa exclaimed indignant for Bellatrix' sake.
"No I didn't! I… I don't know what I did." Hermione looked as helpless as she felt but she didn't let go of Bellatrix who seemed to be trying to merge with the little witch she was pressed so close with her face burrowed in her shoulder.
"What did you give her?" Draco asks curiously.
"Its a child's practice wand." Lucius informs his wife.
"Merlin's beard! She cant have kids why would you do that?!" Narcissa huffs annoyed now.
"Yes she can! She… oh… Oh Bella. Happy tears?" Hermione felt somewhat dumb with this realisation and after a moment Bellatrix nodded against her shoulder. Lucius made a sound of protest and Hermione grinned both at her victory and Bellatrix' now explained reaction.
"You two are a mess, honestly." Narcissa huffs and Minerva was failing at holding in a chuckle.
"This is something I never expected to see and honestly I really enjoy it." Minerva says after a moment.
"Well that makes one of us. They're all giving me a headache." Draco grouses.
Hermione had actually moved them at this point and sunk down onto the sofa puling Bellatrix onto her lap. The woman had calmed down considerably but she had yet to move just yet. Hermione didn't actually mind though and was happy to hold the woman she was fast becoming very smitten with in her arms.
"I'll open one of my fire whiskeys now the office is free." Lucius suggested to his son, there was a pause for a moment before father and son rose and breezed upstairs. Narcissa rolled her eyes.
"I had best be off as well. I'll see myself out. See you ladies later." Minerva smiles brightly and heads out without another word.
"I'll go make some tea." Narcissa mostly just wanted to give the witches on the sofa a moment to themselves but she also wanted some tea.
