Draco and Kate had been at the crime scene for over an hour when the aurors finally cleared out and they got their chance to look around. The alleyway behind the Leaky Cauldron had been successfully roped off, keeping unwanted people out of the crime scene. The body was badly bruised and laying on the ground next to the dumpster. She was left naked for any passerby to see thanks to her assailant. Besides the bruising, the body seemed to have been scourgified after being dumped. There was no visible dirt, stray hairs or bodily fluids on the outside of the body. Of course the medical examiner would be able to better spot things like that. Kate bent down and started to run a diagnostic with her wand. "Her cause of death seems to be multiple blows to her head and forced asphyxiation," she turned to get Draco's attention so he could see the report projected by her wand. "Seems like we are dealing with a sick fuck," she pulled the crime scene tarp back up over her body.
"Come here," Draco called out from the other side of the dumpster. He was bent over looking down at the ground. "Looks like the bastard didn't clear everything," he was pointing to a partial footprint in a muddy patch from the brief rainstorm last night. It seems like they had a small break after all. He smiled at Kate who opened her extendable bag and pulled out a plaster kit.
"Let's get a mold. It's better than going back to tell your aunt there are zero leads." Kate walked back over to the body and transfigured a shirt and shorts and started to dress the body. Draco cleared his throat. She knew that they weren't supposed to do that but, "I can't leave her here naked. It's not right."
"Such a hufflepuff," he smiled at his new partner. "I'm going to do a few more scans to look for fingerprints and go question the barmaids. See if anyone recognizes the girl." He headed inside the bar through the back entrance scanning his wand along the way.
"No identification on you," Kate squatted down again next to the body as she pulled the sleep shorts up over the girl's bruised legs. "Who are you?" Kate had been an auror since graduating from the academy shortly after leaving Hogwarts. She was two years behind the Golden Trio so they didn't cross paths during school then after the war, she went back and finished, joining the auror academy immediately afterwards. She had only been working actively as an auror for a few months when she was assigned to Hermione's case and after that ordeal, she already was desperate for a change. When Harry approached her about applying for the position in his department, she couldn't pass up the opportunity no matter how challenging Bella would make the experience. She was good at solving problems and she thought that she had grown on the older witch during their time together. She might have over exaggerated their friendliness in her own head but she liked the job. She got on well with Draco and they worked amazingly as partners. "I'll find out who did this to you," she said as she pulled the shirt down and put the tarp back over the girl. "Nobody deserves to go out like this," she shook her head, not letting her feelings overwhelm her. The last thing she needed was to break down at a crime scene and she would never hear the end of it from Bellatrix.
"Hey. Are you ready?" Draco came over to her and held his hand out, helping her to stand. Kate nodded. "There weren't any prints on the door. The barkeep from last night gave a generic description. Tall male with hair. He really narrowed it down for us."
"Your aunt is going to love that description," Kate laughed looking back at the body.
"Are you okay?" Draco asked, following her eyes back to the body. "You seem a little off today. You can talk to me, you know? I'm here for you."
"Yeah, let's just get out of here."
Bella lowered the report onto her desk and looked expectantly at her officers. After they returned from the crime scene, they wrote up an official report, turned the footprint over to the evidence lab, and then joined the dark witch in her office for the debrief of the crime scene. "This is it then?" She questioned with a flat tone which caused the two people sitting across from her to panic worse than if she were yelling. "A partial footprint and heavy bruising?"
"Unfortunately, it seems the perpetrator or perpetrators did a very thorough scourgify and wiped the area clean." Kate answered, "well except for the footprint right there," she pointed to the photo resting on the desk.
Bella looked at the photo then gazed between the pair, "so. We are looking for a man with hair."
"A tall man," Draco added before sinking back against his chair. "There wasn't much to go on at the scene, Aunt Bella, but we hope the medical examiner can find more out."
"Not much to go on? That's almost nothing to go on. Tall men with hair who hang out in the Leaky Cauldron with a propensity for murder. Were there any witnesses?" Bella started tapping her quill on the desk as she enlarged the footprint picture.
"They spoke with the aurors and then they dismissed the witnesses before we got there," Kate rolled her eyes.
"Of course they fucking did. Just because they are the aurors… they piss all over our department like it doesn't exist. We do all the hard work and they get all the glory." Bella sighed, "do you still have any mates in that department that you can ask for the list?"
"Yeah," Kate confirmed, "I know a guy up there. I can ask him for the list."
"Good. I'm about to give a compliment so get ready because this doesn't happen often. Nice work you two." Bella handed the papers back to Draco, "so we will get the list and start questioning the witnesses while we wait for the medical examiner to complete his report. Now get lost." Draco and Kate started to make their way to the door when Bella noticed something in one of the photos her nephew took. "Wait a minute," they stopped in their tracks. "Dragon. Go. Kate. Have a seat."
Kate looked at Draco with pleading eyes as he shrugged and mouthed 'I'm sorry' as he closed the door. She hung her head and made her way back over to her usual seat. "This has to be bad. You called me by my name. Not New Girl, Girl, Blondie, other more annoying Draco or Hey You. What did I do now?"
"I was looking through Draco's photographers. Look at this one," she scooted a picture across the desk for Kate to look at. The young officer's cheeks tinged pink. "You 're dressing the body? You know that's against policy. We aren't supposed to tamper with the body after we collect any evidence."
"Am I in trouble?"
"I didn't say that," Bella simply said. "I just want to know why."
"Look. I know the rules. That was on me. I just couldn't leave her lying there naked. It's bad enough she died the way she did. She at least deserved to have a little bit of dignity." She sighed and pushed the picture back to Bella. "I can't apologize for that. I'm not sorry I did it."
"I'm not going to discipline you for it. I'm supposed to but honestly I don't give a rat's ass if you dress the bodies. I actually agree with you. The clothes wouldn't harm the body. All these stupid fucking rules the ministry has are all just a bunch of bullshit. Dress whoever the fuck you want. Just next time, don't get caught in one of my nephew's pictures because if I see it then we have to have one of these talks." Bella chuckled, putting the picture back in the pile. "And the only reason we are talking about it is so when Potter asks me if I addressed it I can say yes."
"Okay," Kate said quietly.
"And if Potter asks you if I addressed it, you say yes." Bella said firmly. "Got it?" Kate nodded. "Okay you can leave now. Don't mention this to Dragon. He's not entitled to know everything." Kate smiled and made her way to the door, "oh and good work today, new girl."
Bella returned home later than normal because she was waiting to see if the medical examiner would finish his report. As expected, the report never came so she just left and would have Draco check on it first thing in the morning. "So glad to have missus home," Twiggy popped up next to Bella as she came through the floo. "Can Twiggy fix you something to eat?"
"Has everyone else gone to bed?" Bella asked her elf as she handed her coat over.
"No ma'am. Misses Hermione and Andy are in the dining room making plans. Twiggy thinks it's best not to bother them. They were arguing." Her tiny elf looked a little guilty over her admission.
"Okay. I'll go see what the problem is with them. Thank you Twiggy. I'll have whatever they had for tea. There's no reason to make something extra."
"It's never a trouble for you." Twiggy said as she popped out of the room.
Bella rolled her eyes at the thought of her sister and fiancé fighting. For the life of her she had no idea what they wouldn't agree on at this point. They spend so much damn time together it's like they are already family. She made her way quietly into the dining room and saw Andy standing up at a whiteboard listing various items while Hermione was bent over a computer typing away. "Twiggy says that you two have been fighting but now that I look at the two of you, I'm not actually sure what you are doing." She came over and kissed Hermione on the forehead then went to take a seat next to her at the same time her dinner appeared in front of her. Looks like it was chicken, rice and veggies for dinner. "So, what's going on?" She looked at Hermione who seemed to be looking up dresses online because she turned the computer when Bella started to look. "What?" She asked, almost insulted.
"Well we were wedding planning until Andy kept making asinine suggestions so now I'm looking up wedding dresses which you can't see and I'm not sure what she's doing now. Probably something asinine still." Hermione kissed Bella and welcomed her home for the day before turning her attention back to the computer screen.
"You know there are dress stores, pet. People still do go buy these things in person." She said taking a bite of chicken making sure to dip in sauce Twiggy provided.
"Of course I know that." Hermione sounded almost frustrated. "I'm only trying to get an idea of what I might like."
"Well," Bella smirked. "There's always my suggestion."
"No," Hermione said with a little force that made Bella laugh, "we are not having a nude wedding."
"Oh come on," Bella took another bite and continued speaking with a full mouth. "Think of all the money we'd save not having to buy clothes."
"When I mentioned nudity she also wasn't thrilled about it," Andy spoke up. "Prude."
"So two votes for nudity and one vote for clothes." Bella chuckled, "looks like you've been outvoted, love."
"I will leave if the two of you keep up this abuse," Hermione pouted.
"Okay," Bella contended, "we will hold off on the nudity."
"For now," Andy whispered.
"What are you doing over there, Andromeda? It doesn't really look like you are helping with any planning." Hermione handed Bella a napkin and the older witch just gave her a side glance then rolled her eyes and wiped her mouth.
"Well I was trying to help her but she hated all my ideas. So now I'm making a list of everyone who might have sent that letter to the Quibbler. I'm helping." Andy said, pointing to a near empty white board. Bella narrowed her eyes as if trying to read it then Andy added, "oh I got bored so I started writing my maid of honor speech." She pulled out a pad of paper with notes on it.
"I haven't asked anyone yet." Bella reminded her sister.
"I just want to be prepared." Andy smirked back.
"So, Hermione has been doing all the planning and you've just been being your annoying self?" Andy nodded her head and went back to her speech. "Where's Cissy? She has to have some ideas about the planning. At least I thought she'd be over here to rally for the maid of honor position."
"She said she was busy tonight. I tried to bring her back with me after work." Andy shrugged. "It's for the better. It puts that maid of honor door wide open for me."
"Unless she asks Luna." Hermione had switched from dresses to color schemes.
Bella cackled, "she's right. Luna is much more pliable than the two of you."
Andy gasped, "you wouldn't dare."
Bella raised an eyebrow, "try me sis. You and Cissy better be on your best behavior from here on out or else it's going to be me and Lovegood."
—
A few days had passed since the girl had been discovered in Diagon Alley and they were no closer to finding out any leads than the first day. The medical examiner confirmed results of the preliminary scan Kate had done on the body showing the cause of death to be multiple blows to the base of the head and asphyxiation. There was also semen found in the body at the time of death alluding to penetration after murder took place. The list of witnesses from the auror's office had been collected so Draco and Kate were out collecting the various witness statements. Bella was tired of looking over the same reports so she decided it was time to go bother Hermione in her office. It had been awhile since her last visit and she was rather fond of the comfortable couch. "Potter. I'll be back. I'm going to see Hermione," she cackled as she made her way out of the office and through the hallway to the lift. Stopping only one floor up, a familiar platinum blonde entered the lift and grunted towards the dark witch. An evil smirk graced her face, "Lucy. And here I was beginning to think that I'd never have the misfortune of running into you here at the ministry. Well I'll consider this my lucky day."
"Bellatrix." He calmly replied not looking at her.
"Isn't your reformation over? Why are you still sniffing around the ministry?" Bella crossed her arms coming to stand in front of her ex-brother in law forcing him to look at her.
"I'm here to see an old friend."
"Friend?" Bella cackled. "You've never had any friends, Lucy. It would've been more believable to say you were here to see Dragon."
"Oh, but I do have a friend here." Lucius grinned, "a very important friend."
"Who?"
"Just a common acquaintance. Seems he's the opposition to your fiancé. I'm here on a formality to offer him the help and support of the Malfoy estate during his race for minister."
"You wouldn't." Bella glared at him.
"Why wouldn't I?" Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Antonin has very similar views to that of the Malfoy Estate. I plan to see him through to the end."
"Draco is Hermione's friend."
"We all make unfortunate mistakes in life. Draco will realize soon enough." Lucius cleared his throat. "How is Ms. Granger's campaign coming along?"
"Why?" Bella eyed him suspiciously. She knew when that smug son of a bitch was up to something.
"I just hope nothing unusual pops up in the news about her," he said as the lift dinged, alerting them that they had arrived on Hermione's floor. "Aren't you getting off?" When she didn't respond he added, "see you around, Bellatrix."
Bella left the lift but turned back and put her foot in the door before it closed all the way, she shoved her wand under Lucius's chin, "listen to my words carefully Lucy. If I see one more derogatory thing about my fiancé in the news, I will hunt you down and I will take pleasure in murdering you." She smirked at him when the smile left his face, "give Dolohov my best."
Bella walked down the long hallway to the door of the Department of Regulation and Care of Magical Creatures office when she stopped to take a moment just to consider Lucius. Confident and cocky as always, he was forgetting one very important factor, the House of Black was way more affluent and respected than the Malfoy Estate. He could bring whatever money and threats that he wanted but at the end of the day, The House of Black was one of the if not the most prominent old Pureblood families in Wizarding Britain and she was not afraid of Lucy. She walked through the door and a few of the staff looked up and acknowledged her with greetings which she of course waved off with a noncommittal grunt and flick of her wrist, heading straight to Hermione's office. She knocked lightly on the door before hearing the cheerful voice of her fiancé on the other side telling whoever it was to come in. She entered and smiled, relief filling her body after the stressful encounter with Malfoy. "Pet, how are you?" She walked over quickly to greet Hermione with an embrace.
The brunette stood and met the dark witch on the other side of the desk and brought her in for a tight hug, resting her face in her neck and smelled deeply. "Oh, I needed this today," she sighed and relaxed further into the other woman's embrace.
"Oh?" Bella hummed, bringing her hand up to slowly start scratching the back of Hermione's scalp. She knew that she was extra sensitive there since the accident and it always felt good when special attention was paid to that spot. "What about this?" She asked and she started placing light kisses along the exposed collarbone of her fiancé. Hermione was wearing a button up shirt that Bella was slowly starting to button with her free hand.
Hermione let the smallest moan out when Bella found a particularly sensitive spot on her scalp. She reached down and pulled out her wand and quickly locked the doors and put up a silencing charm. She threw her wand back onto her desk and surged forward, kissing Bella soundly on the lips, walking her backwards until the back of her knees hit the couch. She pushed her lover down and straddled her hips, cupping her face and bringing their lips back together again. Bella swiped her tongue across Hermione's lower lip silently pleading for access and it was granted eagerly. They slowly kissed each other exploring like they had all the time in the world. When breathing became a struggle, Bella started sucking her neck just below the jawline leaving a trail of small purple bruises down the side of her throat column. Bellatrix stopped and paid special attention to her pulse point before moving to the other side leaving open mouth kisses along Hermione's jaw. Bellatrix took Hermione's ear lobe into her mouth and sucked on it eliciting a small yelp from the other woman. Bellatrix smirked at the noise and whispered in her ear, "I love when you are all naughty at work, pet. It does all the right things for me." Hermione ground her hips down into Bella's lap which caused the older woman to want to move things long. She reached up and pulled the already opened shirt off of Hermione's shoulders and removed her lover's bra. "Hmm. She's wearing her glamour charm today," Bella thought to herself when she noticed the absence of Hermione's sectumsempra scars. She loved her witch scars or no scars she just wished Hermione was confident enough to not have to hide them. "I'll just have to remind her how beautiful she is." She made quick work of sucking an already straining nipple into her mouth while flipping her fiancé over and laying her down onto the couch. "Merlin, you are absolutely breathtaking, pet." She lightly pulled on her nipple which caused an exaggerated moan to escape from Hermione. "Yes, love. Tell me. Are you wet and needy for me?"
Hermione tried to reach around to the strings of Bella's corset to begin untying it but Bella swatted her hands away, "no, pet, this is about you today." She laid down fully on top of the younger women, bringing their lips back together. Her hand slowly started its journey south, stopping to tweak and flick at each excited nipple, before venturing lowering and tickling Hermione's sensitive hip bone. "Please," Hermione begged, taking a breath of air. Bella moved her focus to Hermione's neck, biting, licking and sucking any and all areas that she could reach. Her hand finally popped the button of Hermione's trousers and slowly undid the zipper. "Bella!" She groaned. "I need you." She wiggled her hips and tried to get Bella to increase her speed.
"Patience, love. We can't rush perfection." She said against her neck as she lightly dipped her fingers into her panties moaning at the vast amount of heat and liquid she found there. "So wet. Your body always does know how to respond like the good little girl you are," she husked into Hermione's ear as she trailed her fingers through her lover's sodden folds. "I'll never tire of pleasing you, pet. I could do this for an eternity," she whispered as she slid a finger into Hermione's center. When Bella already felt her walls constricting around her finger, she made circles around her clit with her thumb before adding a second finger. "Already so close?" She whispered while nibbling on Hermione's ear. "My, my, my, you were ready for my visit. It's almost as if you sensed me coming," she enunciated every word as she thrust in and out of the woman below her. Hermione did her best to tilt her hips and match every thrust, taking Bella's fingers in deeper.
Moans, broken pants and curse words were the only sounds Hermione was capable of making as she neared her climax. A gentle vibrating was felt, causing Bella's fingers to falter slightly. "What?" Hermione managed to ask when she felt it as well.
"It's just my stupid hello phone. Ignore it," Bella said, reaching down with her other hand, grabbing her phone and throwing it across the room. "Now, are you going to be a good girl and cum for me?" She asked, adding a third finger with her next thrust. Four more thrust, one particularly hard suck on Hermione's pulse point, and pressure from Bella's palm rubbing against her clit was the magical formula which sent her spiraling over the edge, screaming Bella's name with her release.
Bella chuckled, watching her lover as she relaxed, eyes still cloudy with lust. "Good thing you put those charms up love. That was quite the declaration of passion you had there." She kissed Hermione on the lips before removing her hand from the brunette's pants. Hermione seized Bella's hand and brought it up to her own mouth, sucking each of Bella's fingers in turn, moaning at the taste of herself. "The things you do to me little girl. I have half a mind to stay in here all afternoon and show you over and over again what it is you do to me." She leaned down nuzzling back into Hermione's neck and they both heard the vibration of her phone that was currently on the other side of the room. "Fuck," she hung her head and placed a final kiss to the side of lover's mouth, "I guess whoever that is isn't getting the hint." She let out a small growl in frustration as she lifted herself off of Hermione, stood, straightened her skirt and walked over to get her phone. "Three missed calls and a text from Dragon. Well this better be fucking good," she said as she flipped opened her phone to read the message.
1:35p
Aunt Bella, come downstairs quickly. There's been an update and another body was found.
2:14p
Well fuck me. Okay I'll be down in a minute.
She put her phone away and looked over to see a very satisfied looking Hermione putting her bra and shirt back on, smoothing down her hair. "Well pet, it seems I have to go. Another body was found. It might be a long night for me. I'll text you when I can. I love you." Hermione returned the words of affection as Bella kissed her goodbye. When she got to the door she turned around and added, "please stay safe."
