A/N: So. It has been some time. But I'm still here, still writing (slowly). I hope you're all doing well and you enjoy this chapter! Stay safe!
The Christmas holiday passed faster than Hermione and Bellatrix had wanted it to. They didn't talk about what they were since the kiss, just continued to grow closer. Most of their time was spent training in the Room of Requirement or playing piano in the Common Room. They had taken to laying in bed together at night, waking up cuddled together and struggling to leave each others' embrace, something they had mutually agreed to only do on weekends once school started again.
Andromeda had looked at them suspiciously when she had spotted them after stepping off the train but didn't pry into how much closer they were. She looped her arms through theirs after exchanging hugs, the trio making their way to The Three Broomsticks for butterbeer. Somehow, they managed to fit through the door without bumping into anything, moving closer together to fit. It almost reminded Hermione of when she would venture here with Harry and Ron, but she quickly put that thought out of her mind. As they waited for their butterbeer, Andromeda launched into a detailed explanation of what had happened over break, her eyes flicking back and forth between Hermione and her sister, observing them carefully.
"So, Cissy liked her present?" Bellatrix asked brightly, knowing that she, of course, would adore anything Bellatrix gave her.
"She immediately insisted I brush her hair with it. It was a very beautiful brush, Bella. I'm sure she would have preferred you to me. You've always been her favorite." Andromeda sipped at her butterbeer, trying to look casual in her observance of the two witches. "So, what were you two up to?"
"We practiced, we played piano," Bellatrix stopped and bit her lip, looking at Hermione with bright eyes, causing the other witch's eyes to brighten and a smile to bloom on her face.
"I took Bella to London," Hermione said quietly, conspiratorially.
"Muggle London?" Andromeda hissed.
"It was incredible. Andy," Bellatrix breathed, grabbing Hermione's arm dreamily, "You should've seen it, it was amazing."
Andromeda stared at her sister with her mouth hanging open, staring at her sister in awe. She struggled to imagine her sister in the Muggle world, actually enjoying herself. But, it really shouldn't have been surprising. Bellatrix had always been fascinated with everything she could learn, and she had never agreed with their father's views, much as she pretended to. Hermione chuckled resting a hand over Bellatrix's, whispering something in her ear. Bellatrix turned to whisper something back, cupping her hand in front of her mouth so Andromeda couldn't see the words she was saying. Andromeda frowned a little bit, eyeing them with a raised brow.
"Let's talk somewhere else," Hermione suggested, looping her arm through Andromeda's as well.
Before Andromeda could respond, she was pulled out of her stool by Hermione and nearly dragged out the door before her feet responded. She stumbled as she tried to fall into Hermione's rhythm, feeling a strange sensation drape over her. Bellatrix sidled closer to Hermione, casting a warming charm over herself as she recognized the tell-tale feeling of Hermione masking their existence. Andromeda opened her mouth to say something, but a look from her sister, who was much closer to Hermione than appropriate for friends, made her clamp her mouth shut but not without a faint pout adorning her features. Hermione missed the entire exchange, focused on covering the presence of three people and leading them to the Room of Requirement.
Andromeda did her best to look like she wasn't sulking for the duration of the walk, not that Hermione noticed, and if she did, she pretended not to. Bellatrix stayed close to Hermione the whole time, enjoying the small bit of closeness they were able to share. She wasn't sure how much time she had with Hermione, but she knew it would pass by much too quickly. Already, she feared it was quickly drawing to a close, and she occasionally berated herself mentally for taking so long to make a move, but Hermione always seemed to sense when she did and quickly distracted her from her thoughts. She was determined not to take any of her time with Hermione for granted, especially considering it would be several years before Hermione was even technically born, let alone old enough to learn about the magical world.
Hermione pushed open the door to the Room of Requirement, unsurprised to find chairs and a table waiting for them. A fire roared to life as they entered, driving away the chill that had settled over them. Andromeda settled into the chair, surprised to find it more comfortable than the ones in the Common Room. Hermione perched on the arm of Bellatrix's chair, draping her arm across the back of it for balance. Bellatrix sunk into the chair, resisting the urge to lay her head in Hermione's lap.
After a slightly uncomfortable silence, Hermione finally said, "I'm not from this time."
Andromeda stared at her dumbly, her mind working through the logistics of how that was possible. "But-but how is that even possible? You're messing with me, right?"
"I'm not sure, and no, I'm not messing with you. I'll be a first-year in 1990. But I didn't come back while I was at Hogwarts, I came back after, about 40 years from now."
Andromeda's mouth hung open, her eyes flicking back and forth between Hermione and Bellatrix to see if they were joking.
"It's a long story, Andy. But I think a part of you knows it's true. In the next few years, things will change a lot. I can't tell you what's going to happen, especially since my being here will most likely change some events, but promise me you won't give up on your sisters. No matter what happens, Andy, don't ever doubt them. I don't have much time left before I have to go, as much as I wish I could stay," Hermione glanced at Bellatrix, giving her a soft smile, "But I'm determined to teach you as much as I can in the time I have left. And if I seem to disappear one day, you'll know what happened. But don't worry, we'll see each other again."
"Why did you come back? If you can't tell me the logistics of it, at least tell me the reason," Andromeda said, her demeanor becoming a lot more serious.
"Because I was tired of feeling the way I did, and changing things was the only way I could think of to actually fix it. I never intended to come so far back, I never intended to become friends with you and Bella, but I'm glad that's how it happened." Hermione smiled at Andromeda and Bellatrix.
"Bella, you knew the whole time?" Andromeda asked, a pang of hurt flashing through her.
"Yeah," she admitted, unable to make eye contact with her sister.
"She wanted to, but it's complicated. The more people that know, the more things change too much, and there's a lot I had to come to terms with to tell you. There are reasons I couldn't and I wish I could tell you what they are, but I can't."
"I guess I understand. How much longer do you think you'll be here?"
"My estimate is until the end of the school year. Definitely before next," Hermione admitted softly.
Bellatrix looked up at her, her mouth hanging open and her eyes full of sadness. Hermione smiled sadly, squeezing her shoulder in a way she hoped was comforting.
"Until then," Hermione continued, clearing her throat, "We'll spend the weekends here."
"Yeah, okay," Andromeda said, "I think I'm going to head to the Great Hall, I'm famished."
"We'll catch up with you there, Andy," Bellatrix said, grabbing Hermione's arm to keep her from leaving.
Andromeda nodded, her heart going out to her sister who clearly cared a great deal about Hermione. Bellatrix waited until she heard the door close behind her sister to pull Hermione's arm, a silent request for her to move onto her lap.
"I didn't realize you'd be leaving so soon. I mean, I knew it would be soon but I guess I thought there was a lot more time. There are only a few months left," Bellatrix mumbled, resting her cheek against Hermione's shoulder and winding her arms around her waist.
"I know. We'll just have to enjoy it as much as we can." Hermione pulled up her sleeve, revealing just one and a half letters left.
"I wish I had kissed you earlier," Bellatrix whispered, tracing the remaining scar with her fingertips.
"I think that would've shortened my time here," Hermione mused, her eyes following the motion of Bellatrix's fingers.
"Then I wish I hadn't kissed you," she joked, tilting her head to look at Hermione's face, a playful smile adorning her lips.
Hermione smirked, leaning her head down to capture Bellatrix's in a slow kiss, pulling slowly away and smirking as Bellatrix followed.
"We both know that isn't true," she whispered.
"I know, but I wish you didn't have to go." She ran her fingertips the rest of the way down Hermione's arm, threading their hands together.
"You'll see me again," Hermione said, leaning against Bellatrix.
"How do you know?"
"Because I wouldn't have ended up here."
Hermione's response was plain, but satisfactory enough for Bellatrix to drop that line of questioning. She played with Hermione's fingers, pressing her cheek against her shoulder and basking in their physical closeness while she could. Hermione was content to sit there until curfew, but the noises that sprung from both of their stomachs were not. They tried their best to ignore it, but the noises only grew more insistent the harder they tried, so they eventually relented with a laugh. Bellatrix insisted she be the one to hide them this time, to which Hermione agreed, tucking into Bellatrix's side and smiling contently as her magic settled over them. They walked like that until they were outside the Great Hall, putting some distance between each other before Bellatrix let the spell fade away.
Professor Rose took her time pairing up students based on their abilities. She always considered a variety of factors when she paired up students, and tried to make it fair but challenging for both members. With the exception of Hermione and Bellatrix, dueling partners were different every week, but no one was at the level they were, and they consistently challenged each other in different ways, possessing chemistry and skill that was both unusual and remarkable. She often had to refrain from paying them attention exclusively, reminding herself that there were students needing her guidance. There was always time to watch the end of their duel, as most students tired long before they did, and many also had a hard time focusing on their own duels, instead wanting to watch the two witches. By her count, Hermione and Bellatrix were tied for wins and losses, even though she encouraged her students to think of each duel as a win because it helped them improve.
As she created the pairings, she took note of the excitement- or disappointment- in each student's expression. Hermione and Bellatrix were never surprised that they were paired together, but were always excited. Today, she was going to give her students a different challenge. She was pairing them up to work together, not against each other. She had planned a tournament-style competition for the students, with a twist at the end she was all too excited to reveal. As she explained their task for the day, she ignored the occasional sign of discontentment, continuing as if it had never happened.
Hermione and Bellatrix sat in mute excitement, giving each other a smirk and a raised brow. They had never dueled side by side, always practicing by going against each other, but they knew they would be seamless. The idea of working together against their classmates didn't sound inherently challenging, they could easily split up and handle one person each, but they had a feeling there was an added challenge when they made it to the end.
"Should we end it quickly or give them a chance?" Hermione asked in a whisper, her eyes locked onto the dueling students.
"We shouldn't let it drag on too long, we'll be tired by the time we get to the end, and we don't want to give our opponents too much time to rest," Bellatrix whispered back, her eyes following the students.
"It just hardly seems fair," Hermione mused.
Bellatrix nodded her agreement, twirling her wand idly. After this duel, it would be their turn, and by the looks of the other pairs, it wouldn't be a particularly challenging one. None of the other students were as advanced as they were, and she knew it was possible that they would be surprised, but she was acutely aware of her peers' performances and abilities. Even the promise of house points wouldn't be enough, even for the few students in the class that actually had it out for Hermione and herself, like Rodolphus, who was still trying to recover from the events at the beginning of the year. His attempts at regaining his sense of pride had died down before Christmas, but Bellatrix didn't expect that to last much longer. He had likely just run out of ideas. The other Slytherins would more likely than not yield after a decent attempt, knowing Hermione and Bellatrix were their best chance at securing the house points waiting at the end. Though they would like to claim the honor for themselves, they were more concerned with the house as a whole, and as long as the points were going to Slytherin, they didn't mind if they weren't the earners. They would rather lose a duel and secure a house cup win than win a duel and possibly lose the competition.
The duel ended as Hermione and Bellatrix had expected, and with a mere glance at each other, they both stood and made their way onto the dueling mat. They bowed to their two opponents, two Hufflepuff boys, and began their attack without even glancing at each other. The two boys tried their best, but they were not as cohesive as Hermione and Bellatrix, and though they managed to deflect a few spells, they were no match for the skill of their opponent. While most of the duels between the pairs were a decent time, Hermione and Bellatrix consistently disarmed their opponents in a matter of minutes. Despite having never worked together in a duel, they never got in the other person's way and they didn't have to say a word to each other about what they would do. They knew just where they needed to be and just what the other was doing.
At last, Hermione and Bellatrix were facing off against the final pair, both of whom looked considerably more tired than they did. Hermione and Bellatrix shared a smile before bowing to the pair. They struck fast, the pair easily avoiding the spells and even managing to send their own attack. It was easily deflected to the ceiling, the power returned two-fold by Hermione and Bellatrix. Their opponents barely managed to maintain their shield, the magic fizzling away as the second spell impacted. The pair looked at each other, panting, before refocusing their attention on Hermione and Bellatrix, who had moved considerably in the time that their opponents shared a glance. In tandem, Hermione and Bellatrix cast a flurry of spells, pressing closer to their opponents. The two stood their ground for longer than the others, but eventually, they succumbed to Hermione and Bellatrix.
Professor Rose rose with a steady clap, earning confused looks from her students. She continued walking until she was opposite Hermione and Bellatrix, her wand drawn but relaxed in her hand. Hermione and Bellatrix moved side-by-side, their posture relaxed but their eyes carefully observing their teacher. Professor Rose stood passively, observing her two best students. Hermione possessed experience far beyond what anyone of her age should, and Bellatrix had such powerful innate talent that Hermione was teaching her to hone.
"Well done, Ms. Jean, Ms. Black. Twenty points to Slytherin. For the final challenge, you will duel me."
They bowed to each other, and Hermione and Bellatrix shared a look before moving to either side of their professor. Not a single spell was thrown as Hermione and Bellatrix moved to flank her, and she moved in a backward semicircle to keep both her opponents in her line of sight. Her wand was still held loosely in her hand, but a quick motion had a spell flying toward Hermione. With barely a twitch, Hermione deflected the spell, and Bellatrix mounted her own attack. They exchanged spells back and forth, with their professor successfully dividing her attention between the two of them.
A light sheen of sweat glistened on Hermione's forehead as she focused, a tingling feeling dancing on her forearm. The sensation pulled her attention for a split-second too long, and she barely avoided the next spell sent her way. She was slower than usual to recover and found herself barely avoiding the spells sent her way. Bellatrix took advantage of her distraction, casting her own onslaught of spells at Professor Rose while her attention was on Hermione. Hermione snapped back into focus when she turned to defend against Bellatrix, and managed to send her own flurry of spells that ended in Professor Rose being disarmed.
"Very well done," she panted lightly, "Fifty points to Slytherin. Class dismissed."
Professor Rose caught her wand when Hermione tossed it back to her, moving to her desk with a flourish of her robes. Hermione and Bellatrix gathered their belongings along with the rest of the class. Bellatrix noticed the slightly downtrodden expression on Hermione's face and pulled her into an alcove when they were out of the classroom and behind the other students. Bellatrix disguised them with the spell Hermione had taught her, cupping her face with her hands.
"What's wrong?" she asked, looking into Hermione's brown eyes.
Without a word, Hermione pulled up her sleeve, revealing half a letter on her forearm.
Bellatrix's face dropped and she uttered, "Oh."
It was Hermione's turn to cup Bellatrix's face, and she pressed a reassuring kiss to her cheek as she whispered, "We'll make the most of it, I promise."
Bellatrix smiled up at Hermione, throwing her arms around her shoulders. "I know we will."
As much as Hermione didn't really enjoy Quidditch, she enjoyed watching Bellatrix play Quidditch. She loved watching as Bellatrix raced around on her broom, chasing after the snitch and leading their house to victory. Bellatrix always looked the most at ease when she was flying around on her broom. She didn't care about the rest of the game, she was focused solely on Bellatrix and the way she was currently just hovering above the pitch.
They had won their first match against Hufflepuff by a landslide, which they had heavily celebrated after. Some of the older students had smuggled in alcohol and spiked the punch before Hermione and Bellatrix had left, and while the two witches had consumed too much, they had certainly consumed enough to be flirtier than usual for either of them. At that point, they had yet to kiss each other, but they had come close to it. Their second match- against Ravenclaw- had been harder to win, but they had managed it in the end. That celebration had been heartier than before, but Hermione and Bellatrix had left before the punch had a chance to be spiked as they had an exam the next morning.
This match- against Gryffindor- would determine if they would compete for the house cup or not. The pressure was on for both sides, and Gryffindor was the biggest threat to them, but with Bellatrix as the Seeker, the entire house was confident they would finish with enough points to qualify. Bellatrix's sharp eyes scanned the pitch for the snitch, an involuntary smile crossing her face each time she passed over Hermione's attentive figure. The brunette made a subtle gesture with her head, directing Bellatrix's attention to a flicker of gold. She shot the witch a wink and a smirk, taking off in the direction of the snitch. Of course, her sudden movement caught the attention of the Gryffindor Seeker, and she rolled her eyes as she weaved around the pitch to confuse him, all the while keeping the snitch in her periphery. She knew he hadn't actually seen the snitch, just her, and he would follow her until he saw it for himself.
It was easy enough to bait the boy into following her, making him chase her over the pitch and do all sorts of maneuvers that had him looking a little green by the time she was finished. With a laugh, Bellatrix urged her broom toward the snitch, abruptly changing direction with ease as it tried to evade her. The Gryffindor Seeker was too far behind her to catch up by the time he recovered, but he still tried. Bellatrix scooted forward on her broom, careful not to lose her balance as she swiped her hand out and managed to wrap her fingers around the snitch. She held it above her head victoriously, earning a round of cheers from her housemates and groans from the Gryffindors.
Hermione and Andromeda were already waiting for her by the time she reached the tent, and she threw her arms affectionately around the two witches. She parted from them briefly to stow her broom and change. When she had reemerged from the tent, Andromeda was the only one waiting for her. Panic flooded her, and she turned wildly to her sister, who grabbed her arm and led her back to the castle.
"Where is she?" she asked, fighting against her sister's pull to scan the students for Hermione's unmistakeable form.
Andromeda continued to lead her sister back to the castle without a word, a frown on her face as she struggled against the strength of her sister.
"Andy, where is she?" Bellatrix asked again, desperation seeping into her voice.
Andromeda winced, "Bella."
"No," she interrupted, her eyes widening as she renewed her struggle to free herself from Andromeda's grasp.
"Bella! Stop! Let me finish!" Andromeda said, holding her sister tightly, "She didn't tell me where she was going, but she promised to come back! She wouldn't leave without telling you!"
"She can't know that! Andy let me go," Bellatrix pleaded, "Please let me go so I can find her."
"She made me promise," Andromeda said, pulling her older sister into a hug, "She made me promise to not let you look for her. She'll come back, Bella. She said she'd meet us at the Room of Requirement."
"Let's go, then," Bellatrix said, dragging her sister behind her as she charged through the corridors, up the staircases to the seventh floor, and to the spot where the Room of Requirement always appeared. Andromeda tried to protest the whole way, insisting they grab food or, at the very least, slow down a little. Bellatrix wouldn't hear it, and didn't stop even when she reached their meeting point. Restlessly, she paced the corridor while Andromeda sat with her back against the wall and tracked her sister with her eyes.
Hermione stood patiently outside Dumbledore's office, waiting for him to return from the Quidditch match. She regarded the statue with careful eyes, taking in all the ways it was the same from when she had attended Hogwarts. It brought a small smile to her face at how little things would change within the walls of the castle. She heard gentle footsteps approaching slowly, the pace of a man who did not belay his troubles to the world. Hermione had never realized the weight that had always been shouldered by Dumbledore, unseen to her until she had shouldered more weight than she could carry.
"Ah, Hermione. What a pleasant surprise," he greeted warmly, his eyes twinkling with an inner light.
"Professor," she greeted in return, "I was wondering if I could ask you something."
He gave her a knowing smile as he beckoned her to follow him into his office, the statue revealing the stairs upon his intention to enter. Hermione's smile became tinged with a hint of sadness as she followed him up the stairs, the thought of what was soon to come dragging her spirits lower than they should be, especially in the wake of the recent Quidditch victory. Rather than sitting at his desk, Dumbledore lowered himself into a wingback chair near the window, gesturing for Hermione to take the other. A small table stood between them, holding an assortment of candies. Hermione sat as Dumbledore quietly chose one and popped it into his mouth, chewing as he waited for her to speak.
"It's about Bella," she started, suddenly feeling nervous.
"I thought as much. You two are quite close," he said with a gentle, knowing smile, "What about her?"
"My time here is almost up. I know she'll miss me and I know it will be harder for her to continue down the path she's been on with me. If she asks you for help, can you promise to give it? Can you promise not to ask too much of her and support her? Give her options and let her choose, but don't make her feel forced. It has to be her decision, free-willed," Hermione said, finding it hard to meet the Headmaster's eyes and focusing on her hands in her lap.
Dumbledore smiled softly, waiting until Hermione looked at him to give his response. "I promise, Hermione."
She breathed a sigh of relief, the weight on her chest easing slightly at the oath. "Thank you."
"I take it you won't be staying to take your exams next week?" he asked.
"No," she said, a frown on her face, "I won't, unfortunately."
"Well, you had best spend as much time with your friends as you can. Make the most of your remaining time, and rest easy that Bellatrix will always have someone to turn to for help, should she choose to."
Hermione nodded, leaving the office with a final glance around. Her gaze lingered on Dumbledore, unsure if he would be one of the people she would manage to save. He gave her a final, knowing smile, which she returned before hastening to the Room of Requirement. The halls were quiet as she rushed through them to her meeting spot with Bellatrix and Andromeda, and she thanked whatever power had made it so. She slowed as she approached their spot, hearing footsteps echoing repeatedly through the hallway. Upon recognizing them, she increased her pace. She was met with Bellatrix pacing the hallway as Andromeda begged her to sit down.
"Honestly, Bella," she said, earning both witches' attention, "It's like you think I'd just leave you without telling you."
Bellatrix threw herself into Hermione, throwing her arms around the brunette who had to take a step back to maintain her balance. "I was just worried. It's not like you can control it."
"Bella," Hermione began, sadness seeping into her words, "This is the last time I can go in before I'm sent back."
Bellatrix pulled away, her hands on Hermione's shoulders as she gazed at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Hermione pulled her sleeve up, revealing a bare arm where her scar had been. "We can go in together one more time. After that, I'll be sent back."
"How do you know it won't send you back this time?" Andromeda asked, coming over to examine Hermione's arm.
"I just do," she answered cryptically, unable to explain it.
"Let's make the most of it, then," Andromeda said in an attempt to change the mood. Her heart ached at the sadness swirling in both Hermione and Bellatrix's eyes.
"Yeah," Bellatrix said halfheartedly, leaning her forehead against Hermione's shoulder for a moment.
Hermione gazed at the sleeping witch beside her, brushing a stray curl behind her ear tenderly. Her eyes traced over features she had long since memorized, taking them in one last time. It would be so hard to leave. All she wanted to do was stay, but she knew that wasn't an option. They all knew. Bellatrix reached for her, and Hermione moved into her arms, assuring her that she was still here. Bellatrix moved closer, and Hermione felt her heart drop in her chest at the prospect of leaving. She knew it was time, but she would enjoy the last moments she had with Bellatrix. She placed a gentle kiss to her forehead, letting her lips linger on the soft skin. Bellatrix hummed, her eyes beginning to open.
"Good morning," Hermione whispered, stroking Bellatrix's cheek.
Bellatrix groaned, burying her face into Hermione's shoulder and inhaling deeply. "If I don't wake up today, does that mean you won't go?"
Hermione felt tears well in her eyes at hearing Bellatrix sound so small, and she said quietly, "I wish it worked that way."
"I wish you didn't have to go," Bellatrix said, burying her nose into Hermione's shirt, "It'll be years before you're even born, let alone old enough to meet me."
"I know." Hermione ran her hand over Bellatrix's brow, smoothing her hair back. "I'll always be with you. Everything I am and everything I've taught you. You'll always have that. And if you ever start to doubt, Andy can remind you."
"Hermione?" she asked, tilting her head up to look at the brunette.
"What is it Bella?"
"What if you don't, you know," she said, trailing off.
"If I wasn't meant to, then none of this would have happened. You wouldn't have been the one to find me when I got here." Hermione gave Bellatrix a reassuring smile.
"I suppose." A small frown adorned Bellatrix's face as her eyes flicked back and forth over Hermione's face.
Hermione continued to smile down at her, a hand resting on her cool cheek. "I have something for you."
Hermione couldn't help but chuckle as Bellatrix's face lit up. Slowly, she disentangled herself from the other witch, making her way to her trunk across the room. She dug around her side of the room for a minute before finding what she was looking for. Bellatrix sat up as Hermione approached, interest and curiosity burning in her eyes. Hermione sat with one leg tucked underneath her, opening her cupped palms to reveal a small silver raven. She gently passed it into Bellatrix's hands, placing a tender kiss to her temple.
"Stroke the wings," she whispered.
Bellatrix gently ran a finger along the tips of the wings, pulling it back in surprise when the wings began to flutter.
"What is it?" she whispered, looking up at Hermione.
"Shh," Hermione said, directing Bellatrix's attention back to her present.
As the wings became accustomed to moving, the raven began to move its head, opening its mouth to chirp, only for Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata to leave its mouth. Bellatrix's jaw went slack, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Hermione draped an arm across her shoulders, pulling her closer as they listened together. When it had finished, Bellatrix couldn't resist stroking the wings again.
"If you need it to stop before it's finished, just stroke the wings again," Hermione added, admiring the pure look on Bellatrix's face.
"Hermione, I- thank you." Bellatrix looked up at Hermione, the action causing the will holding back her tears to break. "I'm going to miss you so much."
Hermione gently wiped away Bellatrix's tears, whispering reassurances the whole time. She could feel the seconds ticking away as if she was watching them fall through an hourglass, and she only wished she could flip it over to start her time again.
"I love you, Bella," Hermione whispered.
Bellatrix looked up at her, her eyes widening with shock as she realized what Hermione had said. Inside, she was freaking out, but outside, she just stared open-mouthed at the witch who had captured her attention in the best way. She knew she loved Hermione back, had the sneaking suspicion that she loved Hermione for some time now. She just couldn't ever bring herself to say it.
"I love you, too, Hermione," she finally managed, kissing the brunette's cheek, "And I'll keep loving you, even though you haven't been born yet."
That drew a laugh from both of them, lightening the mood considerably. After sitting in comfortable silence for a bit longer, the two witches rose, changing into their clothes for the day. Andromeda was waiting for them in the Common Room, her legs thrown over the arm of her chair. Upon hearing the two witches enter, she hopped up, falling into step with them.
"Thank Merlin, I'm starving," she said.
"Unfortunately, I don't have time for breakfast today, Andy. You'll have to go without me," Hermione said with a sad smile.
Andromeda looked between Hermione and her sister, realization dawning on her face at why they had taken so long. They had been saying goodbye.
"Is it selfish of me to want you to stay?" she asked, throwing her arms around Hermione's middle and hugging her tightly.
"I don't think so," she said, hugging the younger witch back.
"None of us want you to leave," Bellatrix said, joining the hug and sandwiching Andromeda between them.
When they both let go, Hermione placed her hands on Andromeda's shoulders and looked her in the eyes before saying, "Promise you'll take care of each other?"
Andromeda nodded, drawing her sleeve across her eyes to wipe away the beginnings of tears.
"Good. You're both very capable. Take care of Narcissa, too."
The sisters nodded, looping their arms through Hermione's as they walked through the corridors to the Room of Requirement. It was eerily silent the whole way, and they dared not make a sound as they made their way from the dungeons to the seventh floor. They maintained their pace, not slowing even as they began to draw nearer to where they knew the door would be. Unsurprisingly, a door revealed itself, but this time, only Hermione would be going through it.
"I'll see you on the other side," she said, hugging each of them for as long as she could, "Good luck."
Turning away from them, she faced the door, taking a deep breath as she placed her hand on the doorknob.
With one last glance at the sisters, she turned the knob and stepped through the door.