AN: Trigger warnings to many things are present in this story. Don't like, don't read.
I don't own Harry Potter.
All spelling mistakes are my own.
.
.
Hermione couldn't stop staring at the woman at the front of the classroom. Her black curls were tamed but still appeared wild around her head. Ruby red lips moved with the words of her lesson, but Hermione didn't hear a single one of them. She was too focused on the dark eyes that seemed to be burning into her own. Dragon hide corset and long flowing black skirts, which twirled with every movement she made when demonstrating the proper way to duel, to defend oneself.
She couldn't decide if she was threatened by it, in fear of it, or turned on by it.
She was barely in her first year and yet everything else didn't seem to matter anymore. The only thing that mattered, the only one that mattered was the woman in front of her. Her Professor. Professor Black. Professor Bellatrix Black.
The woman commanded attention, strong and yet feral. Her words caressed her soul as they spewed forth the knowledge that she had always craved but now she couldn't absorb it. She was frozen, suspended in time. Ever since walking into the woman's class three months ago, she hadn't learned a damn thing.
Severus wasn't exactly helpful either, mouthing off about mates and that she was going to have to accept it sooner rather than later if she wanted to succeed in her Defense Against the Dark Arts class. She refused to believe that she was mated, that she already belonged to someone.
She was eleven for Merlin's sake.
But that didn't stop the urge to claim the woman as her own. To take the woman and make sure everyone knew not to touch what belonged to her. She knew about Mates. Had read about them in one of the many books that they owned. She knew that the connection was instantaneous once eye contact was made. Knew that the urge to be bonded would be nearly unbearable at first. Knew that the sooner they bonded the sooner that pain would fade and the longer it took the more pain both would be in. Knew that she couldn't run forever from what fate had planned for her.
But that didn't mean she couldn't try.
And she had.
She had stormed out of her first class with the woman and skipped two after that. She refused to be forced, though the more she thought about it the more she didn't see it as forced if the attraction was mutual. The more she was in the woman's presence the more she wanted to touch her, to be touched by her.
And she knew the woman was playing dirty.
Afterall Bellatrix Black was known for not playing by the rules.
Every class was becoming more and more about Professor Black moving. Slowly, seductively, prowling like a tiger that was seeking its prey.
And she knew she was the prey and she found herself being totally gobsmacked that she was a willing prey. She wanted the woman to hunt her, to chase her to the ends of the earth and back. Because she would do the same. She would follow this woman to the ends of the earth and back if given the chance.
She couldn't even shake herself out of her thoughts to answer the woman's question, hands shooting into the air around her, but she hadn't even heard the question. She only heard the woman's soothing voice, lulling her into a sense of calm and safety. She had no reason to be afraid, but she still couldn't shake the idea that it was taking away her choice.
Professor Black frowned at her suddenly as Hermione's panic rushed through her chest, clenching her heart painfully. She grabbed her bag off the floor and sprinted out of the room. Her head hurting with the force of blood pounding in her ears as she ran. She didn't stop even when she made it to the Entrance Hall. She kept running out of the castle and passed the gates, heading straight for the Black Lake. She needed air, needed space, a place to think where no one could find her.
She didn't stop moving even as she entered the Forbidden Forest. Didn't stop moving until she heard the soft humming sound coming from the small cabin hidden deep within the forest. Only then did she slow to a jog before coming to a complete stop, desperately trying to catch her breath while watching the shadow moving within the cabin's window.
The door opened quicky and a taller woman stood in the doorway her dark hair hanging in soft curls over her shoulders, a smile pulling at her pale lips, "Aren't you supposed to be in class my delicious witch?"
She grinned, moving forward quickly, "Nothing is more important than you."
The woman smirked and stood aside to allow her into the house, "I wouldn't say that. You have a mate now."
She sat her bag beside the door before pulling her cloak off, laying it gently on the back of the wooden chair next to the small round kitchen table. The fireplace in the living room had a fire crackling, creating a warm cozy place, a safe place. She turned to the woman as she heard the door close and the latch lock into place.
"I won't turn my back on you." She smirked at the woman before pulling her shirt over her head and angling her head to the side, "Are you hungry?"
The woman was on her in an instant, "You always tempt me, my little she-devil."
She grinned as she pushed herself tighter against the woman, "Then take what you want Andy. I'll never turn you down."
Andromeda Black grinned, letting her fangs extend before kissing the girl deeply, "Then I shall forever be blessed."
Hermione felt the sharp fangs sink into her skin, the pain quickly fading to pleasure as Andy's arms wrapped tight around her waist. A moan escaped her lips as she clutched at the vampire's shoulders tightly.
.
She needed to open her eyes and face whatever reality she was in now.
She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She was back in the bedroom that she had awoken in before, the soft bed underneath her with Narcissa and Bellatrix on either side of her. She could feel the tension in their bodies as she froze, not knowing what to do. She knew they were the reason that she was being pulled out of these memories. Knew they were the ones that were calming her.
She forced herself to relax again and shifted to lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling, not wanting to see their eyes just yet, "In my fourth year the Triwizard Tournament took place. Voldemort returned that night and our friend Cedric was killed by him. His eyes were staring up at nothing and I remember Cedric's father screaming in pain at the loss of his son. I had never heard a more painful and horrific sound in my life… Until years later."
She felt the arms around her tighten. She shook her head and quickly wiped the tears from her face, "I don't know what's real anymore, or what's fake. I only know that when I'm so deep in one of those memories I feel you. Both of you. I can feel your hands, your arms, your heartbeats. I remember a saying that I feel it fits now."
Bellatrix's voice was soft as her lips brushed across Hermione's ear, "What's that my love?"
She shivered slightly, "Once upon a time I was falling in love, but now I'm only falling apart."
Narcissa's breath brushed across her neck as the woman moved closer, "We will always be here to pick you up Darling."
She sighed heavily, "I'm sorry."
Bellatrix's body shifted quickly, and her face was staring down into hers, "Don't you ever say that again. You have nothing to apologize for."
She frowned, "I just meant-"
"No!" Narcissa snapped angrily as she rolled off the bed, "We can't hear that from you anymore. Not…" She shook her head, "You need to eat." The woman hurried from the room, but Hermione had seen the tears already forming.
Bellatrix stroked her cheek softly, "That was the most terrifying thing we have ever seen. We were talking to you and it was like you weren't there at all. You tried to fight us, to push us away but we couldn't let you go. We couldn't…"
She felt her heart clench in pain, the bonds in her chest tugging her firmly. She frowned up at the woman, "The book I had. I think it can help if I can hold on long enough to write down what we need."
Bellatrix nodded, "Severus is already pulling more books. He mentioned something about fake memories."
She nodded as she rolled out of the large bed, still not comfortable with this Bellatrix, "If I can find the similarities between this life and the war then I should be able to follow it backwards. A path to the original fake or real memory and go from there."
Bellatrix followed her out of the bedroom, "That would mean someone with a strong Legilimency. Narcissa and I are the only ones skilled enough in that to do what you are saying. To give you an entirely different life."
She frowned as she stopped at the top of the stairs, "Is it either of you?" Bellatrix looked horrified at the thought and Hermione nodded, "Exactly. So, there is someone else. Where's Andy?"
Bellatrix caught her arm, "Andy?"
Hermione nodded, "Yeah. Andromeda, your sister."
Bellatrix frowned, "We haven't talked to Andromeda since before you were even at Hogwarts."
She felt her heart drop, "Why?"
Bellatrix pulled her closer, "Because she's not who we thought she was."
She grimaced, "You mean a vampire?"
Bellatrix's eyes widened for a moment before they narrowed, "How do you know that?" Anger danced in Bellatrix's eyes.
She felt her body begin to shake as she backed away from Bellatrix. She could feel the panic beginning to surge forward. The high-pitched cackling laughter filled her mind as her breathing became labored.
Bellatrix's eyes widened in shock before surging forward, wrapping her arms around her, "I'm not mad at you my little witch. It's okay. I'm here. You're safe."
She forced her heart to slow its assault on her ribcage. If Andy was a vampire in this world, then she needed to see her, to see if the memory she has had any baring on what was happening but obviously the Hermione of this world hadn't told her mates that she was bonded to their sister just as much as them.
She snorted. What a way to spill a secret, she couldn't help but thinking to herself. She shook her head before taking a deep breathe, pulling away from Bellatrix. She frowned at the woman for a moment before she looked down.
How was she supposed to do this and not set Bellatrix off?
Bellatrix frowned at her, "Just say whatever it is honey. I can't get into your mind right now."
She nodded, "I've… Or at least the Hermione from this world, has been seeing Andromeda since before you were bonded. There's a mate bond there." Bellatrix's jaw dropped, eyes going wide, confusion swirling in her dark eyes. For a moment she thought she had possibly killed the dark witch from shock but after a moment Bellatrix took a deep breathe.
"Okay. Exactly how have you been seeing her?"
She could tell Bellatrix was trying to keep calm, to not lose her anger in fear of sending her deep into her thoughts again. She knew it wouldn't last and so she prepared herself for a haunting, as she was deciding to call them, "Every way. I'm her food source and mate so… You can guess how that goes."
Anger flared across Bellatrix's face. Glass shattered nearby, a vase that had been the direct hit of Bellatrix's burst of anger. She felt herself slipping, her mind filling with the high pitch cackling laughter, her world's Bellatrix's voice entering her mind, Now you've done it! You stole from me. More than I had originally thought. She clenched her teeth together, refusing to acknowledge the woman in her mind. Refusing to admit defeat while this worlds Bellatrix was obviously struggling to contain her anger.
Voldemort appeared in his usual black mist, "You seem to disobey everyone Mudblood. You will pay for that."
She shook her head, tears burning her eyes as she focused on Bellatrix, her words slipping from between her teeth, "She is as much a mate as you and Narcissa."
Voldemort hissed a laugh, the air coming in gasps between his teeth, "You think she's going to accept this. The filthy blood traitor will pay for touching a purebloods property." Voldemort stood right beside her, his flat nose, his snakelike face right beside her own, "You are worse than a mudblood. Consorting with vampires and other disgusting creatures. Too bad Dobby had to die."
She couldn't take it as pain exploded in her heart. She spun to face Voldemort, "You don't get to talk about him. He was more of a man than you even as an elf."
"You dare compare me to a nasty house elf?" Voldemort hissed angrily, his crimson eyes darkening.
She clenched her hands into fists, "No because there is no comparison. Dobby was better in every way. You will never measure up to him."
Voldemort backhanded her with a magical force behind it, sending her backwards into the wall. She hit the floor as blood trickled from her nose. His face appeared less than an inch from her own, "You are nothing. You are worthless and I will have my moment. I think I will let Bellatrix torture you before I kill you. How does that sound?"
She glared at him, "If you were going to kill me then you would have done it by now. You need me for something."
Voldemort pulled back slightly, standing above her, "Clever little mudblood. You honestly believe you can stop this? Can figure out what is happening before your mind disappears just like Alice Longbottom's?"
She frowned up at him, tasting blood on her lips, "Alice? What about Alice? What did you do?"
Voldemort smirked, "Not me. Bellatrix. You remember, don't you? Should I show you what Bellatrix did to her? Don't tell me you've lost all the memories so quickly."
She frowned as her heart raced, searching her mind quickly, "Torture. Cruciatus. She used the Cruciatus curse until they…" she trailed off as Neville's face flashed in her mind.
Voldemort smirked, "Disappeared. Yes, it was quite fascinating. Though it wasn't supposed to happen. Even Bellatrix has a hard time with that one."
She frowned as she glanced around her. The hallway was dark, and Bellatrix was nowhere to be seen. She knew she had made him lose control, he slipped in his anger, and she had gotten more information out of him that way. She struggled to push herself up against the wall, the dull pain in the back of her head throbbing.
She eyed him, "What is it you need from me?"
Voldemort sneered at her, "What makes you think I need something? That this isn't just for fun?"
She knew he was hiding something. This time was taking longer than the others. He was more talkative as if he was trying to hide from something. She cocked her head at him, "Whose mind am I in? Mine or yours?"
A startled look crossed his face before he scoffed, "Yours."
She shook her head, "If that was the case, I would be able to summon anything, which I can't. So, I'm in your mind. Which is real? Is Snape my brother?
Voldemort wrapped a hand around her throat and slammed her back against the wall, "Stop testing my patience."
She struggled to breath until he loosened his grip, her eyes widening slightly, "If I die you die. Harry's prophecy. Neither can live while the other survives. This new world I'm in is the real world, isn't it?"
His roar was deafening as he disappeared into a swirl of black smoke, her throat constricted against the thick smoke and sent her into a violent cough. She couldn't breathe in the smoke, feeling like his fingers were still around her throat, constricting her airway tightly. Until black spots danced on the edge of her vision slowly creeping in until she was once again in darkness.
.
Hermione gasped as she sat upright, coughing violently, trying to expel the smoke from her lungs. Hands were on her instantly as she struggled to suck air into her lungs. A cold glass was shoved into her hand, and she downed the water quickly finally able to breathe somewhat. She shook her head before quickly checking her nose, a frown crossing her face as her hands came away clean.
"I cleaned it for you, my love." Bellatrix's voice was thick with emotion.
She looked over at her seeing the dried tear stains on her face before noticing Narcissa beside her, her hands stroking through her hair gently. She shook her head, "He's losing control. He needs me for something, but I don't know what."
Bellatrix frowned as Narcissa asked worriedly, "Who? What are you-"
She shook her head and climbed off the bed, "Voldemort. Or at least that's how he's appearing to me. Him and…" She glanced over at Bellatrix before spinning on her heel, "We need to research." She hurried out of the room and back towards the library.
Narcissa's voice was concerned, "You need to rest Darling."
She shook her head as she entered the library, finding her family hovering over books, "He needs me for something. This is the real world." She caught Severus's eyes, "I'm sorry I ever doubted but you don't know what this is like. He mentioned something that made me realize that this is my world, the real world. In the other world, the fake one that I…"
She shook her head, "There was a prophecy in the Ministry, in the Department of Mystery. Part of it was that 'Neither can live while the other survives'. It's hard to explain but Voldemort needed it in order to defeat Ha…" She grimaced, "His opponent. Without he didn't know that this boy was another Horcrux."
Lilly's eyes widened, "Horcrux? Shit that's some Dark Arts."
She nodded, "While I was on the run, we were searching for them, to destroy them. Every chance Voldemort got he would try to stop us. I think even in his own mind he was losing control long before I woke up."
Draco frowned at her, "What are you saying Hermione? You've only been out for a week."
She nodded, taking a deep breath, "And in that week I lived an entire lifetime in another world. A world that was ravaged by war and families were ripped apart because purebloods thought they were better than us Mudbloods. I killed people, I fought against people I love, I obliviated my parent's own minds to protect them and I was tortured by…" she shook her head, "In that week I grew up and faced my own demons. From the very beginning he was trying to kill us and somehow we managed to change the outcome."
She rubbed her temples, "I understand now, why I keep slipping. Why the madness takes over at certain times. I don't know who's behind this, but I know it has something to do with Bellatrix."
Bellatrix frowned at her, from a distance, "What do you mean?"
She looked at the woman, her mate, her dark witch. She couldn't say it even as the cackling laughter filled her mind, "I just know. Please trust me." She held her hand out, hating the distance between them more than ever.
Bellatrix took her hand instantly, "I have always trusted you and will always trust you."
She took a deep breath and nodded, "Then I need Andy here."
Narcissa gasped and Bellatrix took a deep breath, "Fine, but I don't know where she is."
"She lives in a cabin inside the Forbidden Forest. Head to the Black Lake and go straight back from the dock, its about two miles in." She glanced at Narcissa, "I'll explain later but I need her here."
Bellatrix took a step back, "I'll go get her."
She gripped the woman's arm, "No. I need you here with me. Narcissa will go. She won't hurt a Black, but I can't guarantee she won't hurt anyone else if she hasn't fed." Narcissa grimaced but nodded before disapparating with a loud crack. She frowned at Bellatrix, "What do you know about Alice Longbottom?"
Bellatrix frowned at her, "Not much. Dumbledore's men drove her insane with the Cruciatus curse right after he was defeated."
She frowned as she moved towards the table with the books. If Bellatrix was the one to have tortured Alice in the memories, that was where she needed to start. She needed to find the similarity between her information in the fake war world and this world.
"Where can we get access to that information?" She asked quietly, knowing it wouldn't be easy.
Bellatrix stood beside her, "Lucius might be able to get what you need. He works in the Ministry."
She frowned, trying to remember everything about Lucius from the fake world. The man held a position of power and even tried to force Dumbledore from Hogwarts. In her entire fake life Dumbledore was innocent. Was someone trying to tell her that Dumbledore didn't have anything to do with Alice Longbottom?
She shook her head as pain flashed across her mind and she groaned, "Shit."
She stumbled backwards as she fought against the cackling laughter that pierced her mind before Voldemort appeared beside her, "You really should leave well enough alone."
She glared at him, "Why do you always appear when I try to think?"
He hissed at her, his forked tongue darting out of his mouth before he turned away from her, "You really are dim witted. You think about something specific, and I am summoned."
She frowned, "Summoned? I'm in your mind."
He flipped a book off the table, "Let's just say we are connected in a way. I can call you and you, unwittingly call me. Why I got stuck with a Mudblood is beyond me."
She grimaced, "I'm not a Mudblood. I know that Wonderland is the real world."
He stared at her incredulously, "You've dubbed the world Wonderland?"
She rolled her eyes, "Yes because I keep falling down the fucking rabbit hole when madness takes over. Plus, I know this all has something to do with Alice Longbottom."
His crimson eyes widened slightly, "Maybe you are smarter than you look."
She narrowed her eyes at him, "At least I have a nose."
His hand wrapped around her throat, "You really need to learn your place Mudblood. I can easily kill you even in our minds."
She closed her eyes before opening them, "But you won't no matter how hard I push. You know you really should have studied your creation of Voldemort better. He was more frightening and less annoying than you."
Her body flew through the air and slammed into the library doors. She hit the stone floor with a thud and groaned. Well, that could have gone better but at least he wasn't choking her anymore. She pushed herself up to her feet, feeling as if she was going to regret that decision when she wakes up. She rubbed the back of her head as she raised an eyebrow at him.
He grimaced at her, "You have an odd sense of where my buttons are."
She glared at him, "I like pushing buttons. Give me my memories back."
"Find them yourself. There all here in your mind." He snapped angrily, "But I will get what I want before you get all of them back." He swirled into a black mist and disappeared.
She shook her head as she leaned back against the doors, wondering how the hell she was going to figure any of this out when she kept getting sucked back into her mind every two minutes. The doors suddenly burst open behind her, and she fell deeper into darkness.
.
Hermione jerked up off the sofa she had been lying on, her heart pounding in her chest as she backed herself against the cool wall near the fireplace. She scanned the room and found Bellatrix and Narcissa standing close. Everyone else was watching her worriedly. She struggled to control her breathing until her eyes landed on a lone figure across the room. She felt the bond pulse sharply and she couldn't stop herself from sprinting across the room.
Her body slammed into Andy's, cool arms wrapping around her waist and holding her tightly. She could feel the woman's nose running along her neck, a soft purr emanating from her chest, "I was so worried she-devil."
She smiled against the woman's neck, "I'm sorry."
Andy pulled back slightly, tucking a lock of Hermione's hair behind her ear, "Don't be. I was getting ready to come for you if you didn't show."
She smiled up at the woman, "I don't know what's real anymore. I think this is the real world, or it could be Wonderland. I just don't know anymore."
Andy frowned down at her, "Tell me what's going on."
She took a deep breath before pulling her towards the table in the center of the room, "I don't even know where to begin. I think I know why I'm being pulled into the madness… Whoever is doing this…" She shook her head as Andy sat at the table pulling her down in her lap. Straddling Andy's lap, facing her, she spoke quietly, "Voldemort keeps pulling me to him but it's not him. It's someone who is looking like him to scare me, to force me into helping or giving information or something."
She dropped her forehead to Andy's shoulder, feeling the woman's hands rub her back in soothing circles, "Let's start from the beginning."
She shook her head as tears slowly began to form, "I can't. I can't…"
"Okay," Andy said softly, brushing a kiss across her neck, "Alright so what can anyone tell me?"
Bellatrix spoke first, "She believes there are fake memories mixed with the real ones. Somehow she wants to find similarities in both and follow it back to the original real or fake so she can follow that line back."
Andy nodded, "You'll need help to decipher everything."
She jerked back shaking her head violently, "No. I can't risk someone else getting trapped there. I don't…" She pulled away from Andy's embrace and backed away from her, "No one needs to see what I do. I don't know what's real and I can't… Bellatrix…" She gripped her head as tears flowed freely.
Cackling laughter filled her mind as the pain in her arm surged forward. Bellatrix's dark eyes entered her mind, hair falling on her face as she pinned her to the floor, an arm across her throat. Her body shook as she stared up at Bellatrix, "I swear… Please… Stop…"
"Where did you get my sword!? How did you get into my vault!?" Bellatrix shrieked, the madness inside her slowly claiming the rational side, if Bellatrix had one to begin with.
She shook her head, "I didn't… I swear… I didn't take anything… Please."
Bellatrix ran the blade of the dagger down the side of her face, "Filthy little Mudblood. You dare lie to me. I will make you remember not to lie to your superiors."
She screamed as the blade spit her skin repeatedly. She couldn't stop the pain that seared not only her arm but her heart. It clenched in pain, a vice grip slowly tightening with every scream of agony. Why did she have to relive this? Why did Bellatrix have to be so sadistic? Why couldn't she escape this like the others? Was this real? Was it a fake memory?
The pain was real, the blood dripping down her arm from the word carved into her skin was real. Everything about this felt real. She couldn't escape it. Couldn't escape Bellatrix. She didn't want to escape Wonderland's Bellatrix. She wanted to run to her, to embrace her and be embraced by her. This wasn't her Bellatrix. This was a different Bellatrix. A made-up Bellatrix.
Malfoy Manor doesn't exist, or if it does, she's never been there. Lucius isn't married to Narcissa, she is. She's married to Bellatrix. Bellatrix loves her. Bellatrix doesn't want to hurt her. Bellatrix is everything to her.
Her blood curdling scream split the air as the Bellatrix on top of her leaned back, grinning proudly at her work, "Well done. You survived."
She frowned up at the woman, her breathing harsh and ragged, "You are not my Bellatrix." Cackling laugher filled her mind as the image around her disappeared and she was blissfully sucked back into darkness.
.
She gasped as she opened her eyes, her body aching in so many ways. She felt a body practically on top of hers as she noticed she was back in the bedroom. She smiled down at Andy's sleeping form, the vampire's arms tight around her waist, head on her chest listening to her heartbeat. She let her body relax for a moment before frowning, taking in the lack of her other mates. She slipped out of Andy's embrace, placing a soft kiss to the woman's lips before exiting the room.
She hurried downstairs and found Bellatrix in the study, staring into the fire. Narcissa was deep in thought while sitting in an armchair that looked slightly familiar. The room around her shifted to Malfoy Manor before shifting back again. She stood frozen to the spot. Was this real or was she still in someone's mind? Was it her own that was now playing tricks on her?
Was she losing her grip on reality?
Was the fabric of reality beginning to peel away, trying to reveal the source of all this madness?
She shook her head, "Bellatrix."
The woman spun to face her, her body shifting from the Wonderland version to the cackling laughter filled one. Her breathing became ragged as she watched the woman frown at her. Bellatrix's face kept shifting rapidly, a blur of colours, a mixture of features. Plump lips turning up in a smirk while simultaneously turning down in a frown. Becoming a mixture of the two. Becoming something, she couldn't understand, something horrifyingly disfigured.
Surely, she was still stuck in her mind.
Their mind.
Someone's mind.
This wasn't real but the feelings were. She could feel the mate bonds inside of her. Calling to her. Trying to pull her back from this nightmare realm that she was stuck in. Three people needed her, wanted her, desired her. Three people were her protectors.
Three were her salvation.
Three were her peace.
She fought a war for Merlin's sake, even if it was all in her mind. She deserved to have some peace. She shook her head as she ran towards Bellatrix, but the image faded and she found herself in a dark house, shouts coming from a room beyond the door in front of her. She felt the fear surge through her body, trying to keep her from moving. She pulled on the mate bonds, feeling them give her courage, the strength to move forward.
And she did.
She moved towards the door as an earsplitting scream broke through the silent night air. The woman on the other side of the door was in excruciating pain. She hurried through the door and gasped as she spotted three people gathered around two bodies on the floor.
A male writhed in pain, his breathes nothing but short gasps.
The woman was on her knees, staring up at the person in front of her. Her round face and short hair made Hermione's heart clench tightly. Neville Longbottom was the spitting image of his mother. Alice Longbottom's tears rushed down her face uncontrollably as she struggled against the magical binds that were on around her wrists which were behind her back.
Alice shook her head, "I don't know. I swear I don't know."
A familiar voice growled angrily, "I don't believe you. Cruico!"
Alice's scream was terrifying, and Hermione had to cover her ears, closing her eyes as the woman fell to her side, face contorted in a pain so intense that Hermione knew she would never get that image out of her mind. She shook her head until the screams stopped, and she quickly opened her eyes.
Bellatrix turned to her, head cocked to the side, "You shouldn't be here."
Her eyes widened, "You can see me?"
Bellatrix gripped her throat, "Of course I can. It's my memory. What are you doing in here?"
She shoved the woman away from her, "We're both descending into madness aren't we."
Bellatrix glared at her, "You have a fantasy of the world that you want. You want me, Narcissa, Andy, you're more demented than I thought."
Hermione gasped, "It was you! The whole time. You were Bellatrix, trying to sooth me. You were playing a part."
Bellatrix grimaced at her, "You have lost your mind little witch."
Hermione smirked, "Ha! It was you. Wait." She eyed the woman for a moment, "You like me too. You like a filthy Mudblood."
Bellatrix snarled at her, pinning her back against the wall, forearm pressing into her neck, "Stop saying it! I can't take it anymore. This whole time we've been bouncing back and forth through each other's mind. My torturing you, your Wonderland fantasy. It's sickening."
Hermione snorted, "Better than this." She motioned to the scene before them, "Enjoying it?"
Bellatrix jerked away from her, "Of course not. This is the second thing I regret most in my life. I keep thinking there must be a way to reverse it. To fix what wasn't supposed to happen." She moved towards a Death Eater that was staring down at the woman, "He did this. Rodolphus was always so much worse and blamed me. I stopped because I could see into her mind. I could see that she didn't know anything, but he refused to stop. He got too much enjoyment out of it."
She frowned as she focused on Bellatrix, "What's the first?"
Bellatrix's dark eyes flashed to hers, "What?"
"You said this," She motioned to Alice Longbottom, "Was the second worst thing. What was the first?"
Bellatrix looked away from her and moved towards the window, "None of your business."
She moved closer, knowing now who she was dealing with, "It is since I'm trapped just as much as you are. You trapped me in this memory for a reason. Why?"
Bellatrix spun around and Hermione gasped at seeing the tears flowing from her eyes, "You. You are my first. My first everything. My first regret. My first love, my first heartbreak. Always you."
She stumbled backwards as Bellatrix shoved passed her. She shook her head, "No you don't get to run anymore." She caught Bellatrix's arm, pinning her against the wall, "You tortured me. You owe me."
Bellatrix shook her head, eyes falling instantly, "When you came into that Manor, I didn't want to hurt you. I tried so hard not to, but then Lucius began to threaten to call Him. If that happened, then I wouldn't be able to save you."
"So, you marked me," Hermione whispered as she stepped backwards, looking down at her forearm. "The blood is in my mind."
Bellatrix nodded, "I needed to know that you were safe, that you made it out alive. I didn't mean to kill Dobby. He was supposed to get the others out and then come back for the both of us but then he decided to play a hero. I had no choice. I threw the dagger hoping it would attach to you, because it couldn't hurt you and I would get it back when I found you."
She fell back against a wall as her mind reeled from the new information. The scene around them disappeared and they were surrounded by darkness. She looked up at Bellatrix, "I could have saved you if you had come to me sooner."
Bellatrix shook her head in frustration, "Don't you get it? Mates exist. Purebloods have mates. Narcissa is in pain because I tortured our mate. Voldemort doesn't have one and the closest thing he has is Potter. He believes if he lives long enough, he'll get one, but it doesn't work that way. He's not a pureblood."
She shook her head and stood, "So this entire war was because he doesn't have a mate!"
Bellatrix cracked a smile, "Pretty much."
She rubbed her face, "So we are stuck in some kind of mind fuck because he's jealous? Because he wants to be fucked and isn't getting his way."
Bellatrix snorted, "In a sense yes. But even I don't know what happened in that Great Hall."
Her eyes widened, "Temporal shift, except some how we ended up being connected through our minds. If our physical forms haven't found an exit, then who knows how long we'll be in limbo."
Bellatrix grimaced, "Stuck in here with you, whatever will we do."
She raised an eyebrow, "Explain mates to me. For real."
Bellatrix smirked at her, "Purebloods have mates. We will meet them at some point in our lives and know instantly. Anyone who's not a pureblood will not know about the mate bond unless they find the pureblood they are mated too."
Hermione began to pace circles around Bellatrix, "So why didn't I feel it with you? When we first met?"
Bellatrix frowned, "Because I took one look at you and refused to have you in harms way. If I showed my hand, would you have believed me? Or would you have thought that I was trying to kill you?"
She paused and studied the woman. She would have thought that Bellatrix was trying to kill her because of her mudblood status but she also knew she liked to give people the benefit of the doubt. She cocked her head to the side, "It would have depended. At first yes, I would have thought you were going to kill me but if you persisted and proved that you didn't want to harm me, I would have believed you."
Bellatrix's jaw dropped, "Wait. So, if I had 'maned up'," she used air quotes, "You would have believed me?"
She chuckled, "Very muggle of you."
Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at the girl, "I will hurt you."
She smirked, not feeling anything other than excitement, "You don't scare me anymore Bellatrix Black."
Bellatrix wrapped her arms around the girl and jerked her tight against her body, "You sure about that my little witch?"
Hermione wrapped her arms around her dark witch's neck, "Yes."
A sharp searing pain ripped through their minds, both doubling over in pain. Bellatrix gasped, "What the bloody hell was that?"
Hermione frowned, holding her head in her hands, "We're being pulled out. Bellatrix wherever we are, whatever time period we end up in, find me. Please."
Bellatrix nodded, "I'll find you always. Be safe. I can't lose you now that I have you."
A sharp stabbing, burning pain seared through her mind as Hermione reached out for Bellatrix but darkness consumed her entire being as she felt like she was falling.
.
Hermione frowned as she shook her head, lying on her stomach on the cool ground of the Forbidden Forest. Harry was gripping her arm, pulling her back to her feet, "Come on Hermione. We must get to the Ministry. We have to save Sirius." She stumbled to her feet as she followed Harry back towards Hogwarts, knowing what was coming.
She was back in her fifth year; the temporal shift having taken her three years back into the past. She grimaced as they rode the Thestrals towards the Ministry, hating that she couldn't say anything to stop Sirius's death, because Harry wouldn't listen to her. He never did the first time either.
They hurried through the Department of Mysteries searching for row Ninety-seven and the prophecy. She hated having to do this, although finding herself back as a sixteen-year-old was slightly confusing. Apparently, the temporal shift also affected one's body. She'd have to do more research once this was all over, after all she'd have the entire summer to find out what had happened to her.
She was so lost in thought she didn't realize they were being surrounded by Death Eaters, her heart thudding in her chest as she was about to see her mate for the first time. She directed her focus away from Rodolphus Lestrange and turned towards Lucius Malfoy, his voice soft and calming.
"You saw only what the Dark Lord wanted you to see. Now hand me the prophecy."
Harry shook his head, "If you do anything to us, I'll break it."
A familiar cackling chuckle echoed around them, and she couldn't stop the pleasant shiver that ran up her spine at the woman's childlike voice, "He knows how to play. Itty, bitty, baby, Potter."
Neville's shaky voice sounded from her left, "Bellatrix Lestrange."
"Neville Longbottom, is it? How's mom and dad?"
"Better now they're about to be avenged," Neville took a step forward, raising his wand at Bellatrix but Harry stopped him.
Bellatrix raised her wand as Lucius raised his hands, "Let's everybody just calm down."
Hermione sidestepped in front of Neville and caught Bellatrix's eye. The woman's dark eyes narrowed on her, and she had a feeling that her Bellatrix was not here. Her face fell as she dropped her eyes and lowered her wand. Her heart ached in her chest, afraid that Bellatrix, her Bellatrix was sometime or place else. She stared at the floor until Harry's shout pulled her from her thoughts.
How could she be so blind? Just because they were connected in the shift didn't mean they would still be connected once back in normal time. She felt the fear and anger coiling around her chest as Rodolphus's face appeared beside her. She couldn't stop the anger, seeing his face was only a reminder of what she thought she had.
She aimed her wand at him and let her anger fuel her words, "Avada Kedavra!"
Rodolophus's body disappeared as she continued running, not caring about what she had done. She focused on the Arresto Momentum spell that she would need as they fell into the Death Chamber. Once they were all back on their feet she stood still and allowed the Death Eater to take her. Familiar arms wrapped around her as she let herself fall back into the madness, needing to escape for a while.
Lips brushed her ear and her head snapped up as a whisper sent a fire blazing across her skin, "We're almost done her my little witch. Then I'm taking you home."
She felt the smile spread across her face, "Don't kill Sirius."
Bellatrix's arms tightened around her, "Why?"
She spoke quickly, "Temporal shifts happen when the balance has been disrupted. If it put us back here-"
"It means something happened here that we have to fix." Bellatrix finished her sentence, "Alright, but it would only put us back here if there was more than just this to fix."
Hermione nodded, "Exactly. Now we just have to figure out what those are before the battle happens."
Bellatrix spun her around to face her as the Order members began to appear, "Ready for a different type of adventure pet?"
She smirked at the older witch, wrapping her arms around her neck and brushing her lips lightly against Bellatrix's, "Let's fix this, one step at a time."
Bellatrix pressed a chaste kiss to Hermione's lips before pulling her away from the fight and towards the floo networks, leaving Sirius alive. As they stepped into the fireplace, they knew that Sirius was alive, and one paradox was fixed. Now they just had to find the next and fix it, whatever it was.