A/N: So, I've spent a lot of time with this chapter, writing and rewriting and I'm finally satisfied with how things play out. I hope you're all doing well and I want you to know I appreciate all your support.

Enjoy!

Hermione sat on the piano bench in her new Common Room. The only light was from the slowly dying hearth across the room. She traced the keys gently, thinking back to the time when she had tried to teach Ron. He had never been delicate enough, pounding on the keys and giving her a stupid grin, as if he was being funny. There was one time she caught Harry messing around with the keys when everyone else was asleep, and she almost wished Ron was more like him. She didn't love Harry, at least, not in the way she thought she loved Ron. Harry was more of a brother to her and Ron...well, Ron had kind of felt more like a pet, if she were honest. He needed someone to take care of him and give him affection, and Hermione just wasn't that kind of girl. She wanted to make a name for herself, to be challenged.

Frowning, Hermione's thoughts shifted to when she had started learning the piano. Her father had often played for them when she was a child, before she was accepted into Hogwarts. She had thought he was brilliant and had begged him to teach her. She hadn't needed to, of course, he would have taught her anything she wanted to know. She remembered sitting at the piano after school, listening to her father teach her about the notes and how to read them, remembered when she would play a song with him for her mother. A small smile crept onto her face at the memory of her mother sitting on the couch listening to them play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

Without actively thinking about it, Hermione's fingers began moving across the keys, eliciting the first melody she had ever learned. She had been so proud when she was finally able to play it by herself, finally able to coax out the melody and the chords. She hadn't touched a piano in years, but her fingers would never forget the progression of the song. The notes rang out softly from the piano, building in intensity the way her father taught her. Her fingers danced across the keys with barely a thought, knowing for themselves exactly where they needed to be, how hard they needed to press. Her feet worked the pedals just the same even as her mind wandered away from the song.

Bellatrix sat on the bottom stair, watching as Hermione played. The song tugged at her heart, even though she had no idea what it was. She had never heard anything like it, and she watched as it poured from Hermione and into the piano, watched her slender fingers glide effortlessly across the keys. She hadn't meant to intrude on this clearly private moment, but she didn't want to interrupt the song. She had, for some reason, been dragged out of her slumber and noticed Hermione was not in her bed. It was out of concern that she ventured down to find her. When she heard the gentle first notes, she knew it had to be her, but she was so curious she couldn't help listening in.

Hermione transitioned to Romance in F Minor, her father's favorite song to play. She could practically see her parents waltzing as she played, just as they had when she learned it. She remembered sitting for hours at the piano, practicing in secret when her parents were away. It had taken her a while to learn, and when she finally played it for them, her dad's face had lit up and he hadn't hesitated to pull her mum into his arms and sweep her gracefully around the living room while she played. Hermione had beamed the whole time, watching her parents and understanding how in love they were for the first time. A tear slipped out of the corner of Hermione's eye, slowly trailing down her cheek as she remembered her parents. She had never looked for them, she hadn't wanted to, but now that she was allowing herself to think about them, she missed them.

Bellatrix leaned her shoulder against the wall, closing her eyes and taking in the music Hermione was playing. Her face had been mostly hidden, so Bellatrix couldn't make out her expression, but she knew Hermione was thinking about someone in particular. With her eyes closed, the music began to lull Bellatrix into sleep, losing focus on her surroundings as she drifted. All of a sudden, she felt herself falling off the stair, quickly jerking awake and knocking into the wall. Hermione startled, her playing abruptly stopping as her eyes immediately fell on Bellatrix.

"I'm sorry, I was looking for you and I couldn't help but listen," the dark-haired witch quickly said, "It was just so beautiful."

Hermione eyed her, somewhat wearily, before muttering, "Thank you."

"I've never heard those songs before," Bellatrix mentioned, hoping to keep Hermione engaged in conversation.

"They were composed by Muggles," Hermione replied simply.

"Father never let us listen to anything unless there was a party, but the instruments were never played by a person. It's better when the emotion is behind it," Bellatrix offered, hoping Hermione wouldn't shut down at Bellatrix's recognition of what she had been feeling.

"Music is very emotional." Hermione looked back at the piano, brushing her hand over the keys.

Bellatrix approached her slowly, sitting next to her when she made no move to stop her. She began gently pressing the keys, taking in the different sounds each one produced. She had never dared touch an instrument before, knowing her father would not respond in a kind manner. Bellatrix marveled at the smoothness of each key as her fingers toyed with them, experimenting with how much force she used.

"Try this," Hermione whispered, slowly playing the first part of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

Bellatrix's eyes followed her fingers, taking in which keys she played and how hard she pushed them. She did her best to copy the way Hermione had played it, playing it much slower. She knit her brows together, repeating the notes until she got the hang of it, looking up at Hermione with a smile when she did. Hermione was smiling at her, it was small, but Bellatrix could see it was genuine. She smiled back, eyes gleaming with pride at having earned a smile from the withdrawn witch. Hermione quickly looked away, her eyes fixating on the keys.

"Thank you," Bellatrix mumbled, turning her head to stare at the keys as well.

"My father taught me to play when I was little," Hermione said, not knowing why. It felt fair, Bellatrix had shared a little about her life, the least Hermione could do was reciprocate. She wanted to, for some reason.

"You must miss them," Bellatrix whispered, watching Hermione out of the corner of her eye.

"Very much," came the barely audible response.

"Does it bother you to sleep in the same room as me?" Bellatrix wondered.

Hermione shook her head slowly, idly playing a few notes. Bellatrix decided that now was the time to stop asking questions, so she held her tongue to refrain from pushing Hermione away. After several moments of no sound except the few notes Hermione would play, the brunette turned toward Bellatrix.

"Surely I'm keeping you up, why are you staying with me?" she asked softly, trying not to offend Bellatrix with the way she worded her question.

"Not at all. I noticed you weren't in bed and I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I've been a lot better, but I've also been a lot worse," Hermione admitted, tilting her head slightly toward Bellatrix.

"When things get too much for me, I usually find an escape, too," Bellatrix confessed.

"Like walking around the lake?"

"Yeah," Bellatrix said.

"It's a good thing you were there to find me."

"Yeah."

"Should we move to the couch?" Hermione suggested, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Yeah," Bellatrix responded again, not quite sure why she wasn't able to form any other response.

The two witches sat next to each other on the couch, mirroring the way they sat on the piano bench. As they got comfortable, the fire grew a little brighter, casting moving shadows across them as it flickered warmly.

"So, I was thinking maybe we should work on who you're going to be in this time?" Bellatrix proposed hesitantly.

"That's a brilliant idea," Hermione responded.

"I figured you should say you're a transfer from Beauxbatons or Ilvermorny, perhaps?"

"Ilvermorny. I don't speak a lick of French. Thunderbird is closest to Gryffindor, I think."

"I think so too. And I was thinking it'd be easiest if you dropped your last name and used your middle name instead."

"You're good at this, have you done it before?" Hermione teased.

"I just happen to know that the best lies are partly true," Bellatrix retorted.

"Should I be concerned you might lie to me?" Hermione continued, still teasing.

"I could never lie to you," Bellatrix answered, her voice now taking on a serious tone.

Hermione swallowed, looking away from Bellatrix's intense gaze. "Hermione Jean from Ilvermorny, then."

Bellatrix nodded, suddenly feeling a little awkward. "Your parents?"

"Muggles, naturally."

"I meant an explanation for why you would have gone to Ilvermorny instead of coming to Hogwarts."

"Oh." Hermione's brow furrowed, wondering why she had stated such an obvious fact.

"What if one of your parents was born in America and your family moved there when you were around ten. And during holidays you could've visited family in London," Bellatrix suggested.

Hermione nodded, not concerned with her ability to lie about who she was. She had done it after she left, settling into a life that didn't belong to her but felt like it did. At least here, she was in mostly familiar territory, with a few curveballs thrown her way. Still, she wouldn't let any of that deter her. She had proven herself to be resilient, and she would do it again. She had a lot of memories to come to terms with, especially with the familiar faces she would soon be seeing. She didn't want to numb herself to it all for the rest of her life. That was why she had sought out a way to change things. Here she was, in a position to do just that, and she knew she couldn't just bottle up her feelings like she had tried to do.

"Bellatrix," Hermione whispered, still mostly caught in thought, "Thank you for wanting to be my friend."

"Thank you for giving me a chance."

"I think I'd be ashamed of myself if I didn't. Everyone deserves a chance."

"I know I did horrible things in your time, I'd understand if I didn't."

"I've already told you that it isn't you. You aren't that person yet, or you wouldn't have helped me, wouldn't be here right now sitting next to me." As soon as Hermione said it, they both became aware of the way their thighs were touching, their bodies turned toward each other slightly.

"What if I am, though?" Bellatrix asked in a small voice. Her eyes were deliberately on her hands in her lap so she wouldn't have to look at Hermione.

"I know you're not."

"I've done bad things," she admitted, sliding her thumbs over each other nervously.

"We all do."

"I hurt someone, Hermione. My first year here. That's why I had my own dorm. I hurt someone so badly I couldn't be trusted to share a space." Bellatrix waited for Hermione to pull away, to react with horror. She squeezed her eyes shut to keep herself from looking up.

"Did you mean to?" Hermione prompted gently.

Bellatrix was quiet for a moment, wondering why Hermione wasn't running away. "No."

"Then I know for a fact that I'm right." Hermione reached out, placing her hand on top of Bellatrix's.

Bellatrix looked up, half expecting to see fear or horror or disgust, but finding only the steady gaze of Hermione's brown eyes. They looked like amber with the firelight dancing in them. She felt relieved Hermione hadn't run away, even though it was clear she had experienced pain at her hands. She was relieved Hermione was able to see past the woman she had become to the girl she was now, but she knew Hermione was a far cry from stupid. Still, some things were hard to move past and Bellatrix was grateful Hermione had been able to move past the part about her, even if she was still working on moving past everything else.

"I think we should get some sleep," Bellatrix suggested. Hermione nodded, reluctantly pulling her hand away from Bellatrix's warm ones.

Bellatrix woke before Hermione did, casting a glance at the sleeping witch as she moved to the Common Room. A small smile formed on her face, present even after she sat on the couch. She couldn't help but remember last night, the conversation they had, the things they had shared. Even though it was small, it was a step forward, and Bellatrix could feel a warmth in her chest she didn't recognize.

"Earth to Bella!" Andromeda called, waving her hand in front of her older sister's face.

"Sorry, Andy. I was just thinking," Bellatrix said when her eyes focused on her younger sister. In many ways, it felt more like looking into a mirror.

"I could see that, Bella," she scoffed, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

Bellatrix stayed silent, partly to annoy her sister and partly because she wasn't sure how to go about saying it. She knew Andy wouldn't react harshly, but it wasn't entirely hers to say. If Hermione wanted to tell her, then she would but Bellatrix couldn't make the decision for her.

"We've a new housemate," was all she said.

"Really?" Andromeda asked, arching a brow.

Bellatrix nodded, refusing to say more. Andromeda huffed, turning to face forward and stare at the opposite couch. Bellatrix patted her shoulders, keeping her body turned so she could watch the stairs for Hermione. She didn't know exactly how late they had been up the night before, but she knew it had to have been early by that point. She wasn't aware of Hermione's sleeping habits but she didn't want to leave her on her own.

Hermione woke slowly, her awareness gradually solidifying. She sat up, rubbing her eyes at the light before scanning the room. Bellatrix was nowhere to be found, and she was a little disappointed. She dressed quickly, not wanting to be alone with her thoughts for too long, lest an unwanted visitor make an appearance. It was such a common occurrence that Hermione found herself more surprised at her lack of presence than she ever did at finding her there. Still, she didn't want to risk her coming back. Hermione slipped down the stairs quietly, her stealthy ways not yet forgotten. Her silence did nothing to hide her, though, since Bellatrix was keeping a sharp eye on the stairs even as she lounged.

"Hey," the dark-haired witch greeted.

"Good morning," Hermione mumbled.

"I sent my sister ahead to breakfast, not without some convincing. I thought I'd give you some time to prepare to see her and I didn't want you to be alone."

"Thank you," Hermione whispered, smiling at Bellatrix.

Bellatrix nodded, returning Hermione's smile with a large grin of her own. They walked side-by-side to the Great Hall, accompanying each other in silence. By the time they arrived, Andromeda had already helped herself to a generous portion, eating her mountain of food bit by bit. Bellatrix deliberately sat between her sister and Hermione to give her some sort of buffer. She helped herself to some eggs and toast, a much more reasonable plate than her near twin.

"Andy, this is our new housemate," Bellatrix said, gesturing to Hermione.

"I'm Hermione," she introduced, glad she had time to prepare, even if it was only the walk here. She could feel her chest tightening as soon as she saw the witch, filled with sorrow as she thought about everything that had happened to her.

"Andromeda. Bella says you arrived yesterday." Andromeda took a huge bite of sausage.

"I did," Hermione said, choosing to nibble on a piece of toast for the time being.

"Where from?" she asked, eyeing Hermione curiously.

"I transferred from Ilvermorny."

"Why?"

"My parents were ready to move back to London and didn't want me to travel to the states every year for school," Hermione replied smoothly.

"Andy, don't be impolite," Bellatrix lightly scolded, quickly cutting off what was sure to be another question. Her sister could be so nosy, but only because she cared for everyone.

"Sorry. It's a pleasure to meet you," she offered sheepishly.

"It's no problem, Andromeda. It's lovely to meet you. Are you a fourth year, too?"

"No, I'm only a second year," she said, leaning forward to see past her sister, "Bella, you're in the way!"

"I don't know what you're referring to," she said, glancing at Hermione with a smirk.

"Yes, you do!"

"Not at all."

"What's your favorite class, Andromeda?" Hermione asked, interrupting their playful argument.

"I love Potions," she answered, quickly forgetting about her older sister.

"She's great at it, too," Bellatrix added.

"What about you, Hermione?"

"I don't really have a favorite, but I have a least favorite. I despise Divination. It's all much too...unprovable for my tastes." Hermione's nose crinkled at the thought of Divination, remembering the ridiculousness of the subject all too well.

"No wonder you get on so well with Bella," Andromeda commented.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't really like it either," was Bellatrix's simple reply.

"Bella, you hate it," Andromeda corrected.

Bellatrix ignored her sister, finishing her eggs and taking a sip of apple juice. Hermione had already finished her toast and was currently working on a glass of orange juice.

"We should get going," Bellatrix said, noticing Hermione was finished.

"But you just got here," Andromeda protested.

"I need to meet with Professor Dumbledore, and Bellatrix is helping me find my way around until I'm used to the castle," Hermione explained. She saw Bellatrix's eyes glint with amusement at the not-quite-true statement.

Andromeda visibly deflated, bidding the two older witches goodbye before returning to her breakfast. She felt like there was more going on, but didn't push the issue because she knew it would get her nowhere. Bellatrix was notoriously stubborn, and Andromeda wasn't about to risk ruining her sister's mood just for information. No matter how strange it was to see her interacting with another person, Andromeda would never do anything to make her needlessly upset. Her explanation would just have to wait.

"That went better than I expected," Hermione muttered once they were out of the Great Hall.

"Andy is usually pretty pushy, but she'd never risk upsetting me in front of you," Bellatrix whispered.

"Thank you," Hermione said, pulling the other witch to a stop, "It means a lot that you gave me time to prepare myself and that you were there to help."

"You shouldn't have to go through it alone," Bellatrix replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck.

"I always thought I did. My friends weren't...supportive in the sense that I needed them to be. They were too pushy, but I don't think they ever really grasped everything," Hermione said, continuing to walk towards Dumbledore's office.

"I'm sure it was a lot for you," Bellatrix said as she fell into step beside her.

"It was a lot for everyone, but there was so much I just...I don't know. I couldn't take it. The memories, the dreams, the things that made me feel like it was happening all over again. And the pressure from everyone to fix myself when all I wanted to do was Obliviate myself so I didn't have to face reality."

"What did you do instead?"

"I left. I got up in the middle of the night and I left everything behind. I didn't tell anyone where I was going or that I was leaving. I was tired of the life I had, so I vanished and I made a different life. It wasn't great, but it was easier than waking up every morning to countless reminders. Actually, I was only left with one."

"Your scar."

Bellatrix watched Hermione nod, her fingers unconsciously moving to trace the letters. She could see Hermione's expression change, to what, she wasn't quite sure, but she could see her remembering the day. She had the sinking feeling it had been her to do that to Hermione. Hermione would have had the most time to come to terms with it, and she could see when she caught her off guard a brief flash of fear. And yet, she still maintained that she wasn't the same as that person. She still reassured her that she was nothing like the monster who had surely been the one to carve that word into such beautiful skin.

"Bellatrix," Hermione whispered, pulling the witch out of her thoughts.

"What is it?"

"We're here."

Bellatrix uttered the password, following Hermione up the narrow staircase. Dumbledore sat at his desk as if waiting for them, which he was undoubtedly doing. They sat across from him, conveying the cover story they had come up with last night. His eyes shined with an inner light as he listened, observing the two young witches as they interacted with him and each other. They were much closer than he had expected after just one night, but he took that as a sign that his instincts had been correct. For his part, he explained he had taken the liberty of making Hermione's schedule match Bellatrix's, and that he would be sending them to Diagon Alley for Hermione's supplies, assuring them that it would be mostly devoid of life this close to the start of term. This was a test of sorts, to see how well they managed outside of Hogwarts. His only requirement was that they use his floo to get there and come back. They had excitedly agreed, bursting at the seems with eagerness to go.

It was a gloomy day in Diagon Alley, as it always seemed to be to Hermione. She found it strange to see the popular shopping destination looking almost identical to the one she knew. She had expected something to be different. Bellatrix glanced around, glad that Dumbledore was right about the lack of activity today. Together, they set out to collect Hermione's supplies, all generously paid for by the kind Headmaster. Hermione had felt her heart drop when she went to make a purchase, immediately realizing she didn't have a Knut to her name in this time. To her surprise, the shopkeeper was already compensated and merely waved her off when she reached the counter. Between the two of them, it didn't take long for them to gather everything on the list.

"That's the last thing," Bellatrix said happily, stretching her arms toward the sky.

"Not quite. I need a wand," Hermione admitted, tilting her face up to the rare shaft of sunlight peeking through the clouds.

"You've got those floating without using a wand?" Bellatrix asked incredulously.

"Yeah. I left everything behind, even my wand. Otherwise, I'd have been easier to find," Hermione explained, leading the way to Ollivander's.

"Will you teach me to do wandless magic? They don't start until sixth year," Bellatrix pleaded.

"I don't see why I couldn't try," Hermione shrugged.

Bellatrix beamed, moving in front of Hermione to open the door to the wand shop. A little bell jingled, signaling their entrance into the store that looked exactly as Hermione remembered from her first time here. She smiled slightly, feeling almost the way she had when she purchased her first wand. Ollivander, appearance unchanged save for darker hair, made his way out from the stacks of wands he was surrounded by. He peered at the two witches with amusement.

"Hello, ladies. How can I help you today?" He asked. The question was a little silly seeing as he only sold wands, but he had always had a polite nature.

"I'm in need of a wand," Hermione said, surveying the precarious piles of wand boxes.

"Indeed. Can you tell me about your previous one?" He adjusted his glasses, pushing them higher up onto his nose.

"Vine wood, 10 and 3/4, dragon heartstring core," Hermione recited after a moment of recollection.

"Ah, a very fitting match. Pity it's no longer with you. No matter, let's see what we can do about that."

Ollivander made his way through his store, pulling out wands before deciding it was not the one he wanted. Hermione and Bellatrix watched in silence as he perused through his creations, occasionally mumbling to himself about its suitability before moving in a seemingly random direction to the next one. He went on this way for a few moments, pondering certain wands and the witch that was in need of a new one. He knew he had the perfect wand in here, he always did, but he was conflicted as to which particular one it would be.

"Aha! Try this one, my dear," He said, presenting the wand he had chosen.

Hermione reached for it slowly, admiring the sleek, brown wand with streaks of lighter brown. It was strange to be getting a different wand, as she never thought she would use one again. As her fingers made contact with the wood, she felt a jolt of energy run through her, catching her by surprise.

"Yes, acacia tends to do that when it finds its partner. It is the same length and core as your old one. I had a feeling it would suit you," Ollivander explained as she pulled it from the box.

"It's beautiful," she breathed. Bellatrix couldn't help but agree, watching the light dance in Hermione's eyes as she admired the wand.

"Professor Dumbledore already took care of everything, so you're free to go. Enjoy the new wand," Ollivander said, disappearing behind the stacks of wands.

Bellatrix and Hermione returned to Hogwarts through Dumbledore's floo, as promised, with bags in tow. The Headmaster was nowhere to be found, but they had were more focused on getting everything back to their dorm. More time had passed than they realized, lunch already over with but dinner not for a few more hours.

"So, last night I told you why I have my own dorm, but I didn't give you any details," Bellatrix said.

"You don't have to," Hermione mumbled, meandering alongside Bellatrix.

"I know, but you shared earlier. It feels right, and it would be nice to tell someone how it happened from my point of view."

"Only if you're ready."

Bellatrix nodded, taking a deep breath to compose herself before she began, "It couldn't have been more than two months into school. I was reading in the Common Room when a group of older boys started pushing around another kid and calling him names. At first, I thought they were just messing around like boys do but when they didn't stop after he fell, I couldn't sit by anymore. I moved between them, told them to knock it off and they laughed and pushed me away. I-I got really mad and drew my wand and cast Flipendo at him. I didn't have very good control over my power and I sent one of them flying into the wall. He hit his head so hard his buddies had to carry him to the Hospital Wing. They told everyone I attacked without reason. People were saying I should be expelled for what I did. Dumbledore was the only one to ask me my side. Rather than expelling me, he arranged for me to have my own room so no one had to worry about me losing control."

"You were not at fault, Bella," Hermione whispered as she placed a hand on her arm. She was surprised at how easily the shortened name rolled off her tongue.

Bellatrix's eyes widened in surprise, a nervous smile on her face. She placed her hand over Hermione's, feeling her eyes well with tears at the sentiment. At the fact that maybe she wasn't the monster everyone thought she was. The fact that Hermione could see past what everyone else refused to. Hermione smiled back, giving Bellatrix's arm a small squeeze as she moved a little closer to the witch. Bellatrix welcomed the warmth, suddenly becoming aware of the parchment and smoke scent of Hermione. It filled her nostrils, bringing with it the comfort she often found from reading by firelight.

The bags full of their purchases floated around them, isolating them in the already empty castle. It felt natural to them, the proximity they shared. It didn't feel rushed or forced, just right. Bellatrix's hand was warm on Hermione's and she playfully bumped her shoulder into the witch's. Bellatrix smiled, repeating the gesture and letting out a quiet chuckle as they entered the empty Common Room. They set about unpacking Hermione's supplies once they were in their dormitory, organizing the books and robes with mirth. For both of them, the air had a new lightness to it, something they hadn't felt before.