A/N: I've been working on this chapter for a while now. I like to bring you all longer chapters, but they take more time to write and it's been finals week. That's over now, so I'll have time to write without having other work to do. I'll post the next update when I can.
Enjoy!
Hermione had won yet another bet with Draco. Minerva had noticed that she was wearing a men's tie before Bellatrix did, but only because they had Transfiguration before they even came across Bellatrix. So Draco had said as he handed over a Galleon. Surprisingly, Minerva had let their swapped ties slide without further comment, much to the ire of the Gryffindors. By the next day, their entire house had followed suit, switching ties with each other and acting as if it were normal. The Professors had decided not to bring it up to preserve their sanity. A week later, the other houses except Gryffindor had followed suit. Bellatrix found it incredibly amusing. So did Hermione and Draco.
"One Galleon says you can't get them to do it with skirts and pants," Bellatrix challenged one night in the Room of Requirement while testing Hermione's Occlumency.
"You are so on," Hermione said, riding high on a string of victories from bets with Draco and Bellatrix.
Bellatrix sent her an amused look, poking her shield's weak points. "You have two weeks."
Hermione focused her energy on trying to build up her shields, trying not to let Bellatrix distract her before responding, "Deal."
"Not bad for the first time, your shields are decent, but there are some holes. Better than most, though."
Hermione smiled at the compliment, her cheeks adopting a pink tinge. "Thanks."
"Go on then, off to bed with you," she ushered with a smile.
"Goodnight, Bella," Hermione whispered once she reached the door.
Bellatrix chuckled. "Goodnight, Hermione."
The brunette nodded, slinking into the corridor and to her dormitory. The Slytherin dorms were much farther than the Gryffindor ones, and the first few times she had snuck through the corridors, she was afraid someone would catch her. Her spell always held, though. Filch had looked right at her one time and she was certain he was going to hang her by her ankles. He had continued walking, though, even Mrs. Norris hadn't noticed her. She had been much more confident after that, but not too much. Tomorrow was her first Hogsmeade as a Slytherin and she found herself actually looking forward to it. All she had to do was convince Draco to wear a skirt.
"Absolutely not," he said, crossing his arms and glaring at her.
"Come on, Draco," she pleaded, "It'll be hilarious."
He chewed his lip in consideration. It would be funny, especially Harry and Ron's reactions. "One Galleon that Harry and Ron will make a scene."
"That's not fair, Draco, of course they're going to make a scene," she said, dragging her hands through her hair.
He shrugged. "Didn't stop you from making the bet about McGonagall seeing it first. Obvious bets are fair, and I'm tired of losing."
"Fine," she relented, "One Galleon that they won't make a scene."
"Be right back," he said, snatching the skirt out of her hands. She was already wearing trousers, having convinced him to part with a pair before breakfast.
Hermione didn't even try to stifle her laughter when she saw him come back. "Nice legs."
He looked down at his legs, flexing his calves to see. "You're right. Must be Quidditch."
She guffawed, nearly tripping over the couch. "Way to own it, Draco."
"Why shouldn't I? I'm comfortable with myself. Nothing wrong with shaking things up a little bit," he said with a shrug, "Now come on, you menace, I've been craving butterbeer for the past week."
"Let's hurry, I want to stop at Scrivenshaft's," Hermione said, finally controlling her laughter.
"Of course you do," he muttered, "By the way, if we get detention, I will never forgive you."
Hermione shrugged as they exited the Common Room, earning a mixed reaction from their peers in the corridors, "You will."
"I will not," he insisted, letting loose a breath he didn't realize he was holding when the reactions to their appearance weren't immediately negative.
"Scared, Malfoy?" she teased, mimicking the line he so frequently used on Harry before the timeline had changed.
He rolled his eyes. "You wish, Granger."
The students from Beauxbatons were particularly intrigued by Hermione and Draco's change of uniform. Several of them had fallen into step with them to ask questions, enjoying the change of pace. The Durmstrang students were a little more hesitant to approach them, keeping a healthy distance but not shunning them entirely.
"Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy, what in Merlin's name do you think you're doing?" Snape drawled when they reached the courtyard.
"We're on our way to Hogsmeade, sir," Hermione said, playing oblivious to what he was actually referring to.
He sighed wearily. "Please try not to sully the reputation of Hogwarts and our house. I will not deduct house points as it is important to challenge the norms, but do not take it any further than this."
Hermione and Draco shared a glance, nodding sullenly.
"Oh come on, Severus, they're just having fun," Bellatrix interjected, sending the pair a discrete wink, "They aren't doing it out of disrespect, they're making a statement. One that their peers resonate with, or have you not noticed the approval their...stunts have been getting? I'm sure in a week or two, they'll have it out of their systems."
"They have stayed on top of their classes," Minerva pointed out, joining in their discussion.
Hermione and Draco shared a look.
"Perhaps if we had more to keep us occupied," Draco suggested, "Advanced lessons, maybe."
"We could let them take the OWLs early, move them up a year?" Bellatrix provided. She knew they found their classes banal, but she also knew that boredom wasn't the driving factor behind their actions. Not entirely, anyway.
"We're prepared," Hermione cut in before either of the professors could protest, "But we would be willing to cram in extra lessons."
"We could ask Dumbledore," Snape drawled with a shrug.
"And who will prepare them?" Minerva asked, fixing him with a hard stare.
Bellatrix came up behind them, placing her hands on their backs. "I will."
They both looked up at her with grateful smiles. She winked down at them, applying pressure to get them to walk. "Off to Hogsmeade with you."
"You encourage them too much," Snape said.
She waved her hand, rolling her eyes. "A healthy dose of fun is important. Or have you forgotten the weight on their shoulders?"
Minerva glanced at the ground silently. Hermione and Draco had been pivotal in stopping Voldemort from returning three times now, and had discovered the truth about Sirius. That was on top of the usual teenage drama, which was difficult enough. Snape's thoughts followed a similar track. They would have a long fight ahead of them, especially since Harry and Ron weighed them down. Perhaps moving them up wasn't such a bad idea after all.
Hermione and Draco walked arm-in-arm to Hogsmeade, making spooky noises to each other as they passed the Shrieking Shack. They tossed their heads back in laughter, falling silent when people gave them curious looks. It didn't bother them, but they wanted to keep things between them. Even though almost everyone knew them, they really only relied on each other. Harry and Ron were unreliable on the best of days, and their behavior lately had been skittish.
"Hermione!" Fred and George called, "Never thought we'd see you in rival colors. Looks good."
"Hi, Fred, George. What are you up to?" she asked, waving at them.
They shared a look and Fred said, "Trying to think how to best you and Draco."
"Everyone's been talking nonstop about you two. Love the skirt, by the way," George finished, nodding to Draco.
"Thanks," he muttered, feeling slightly uncomfortable because he hadn't interacted much with the Weasley twins, "You should try it."
They shared another look. "I think he's right, Fred."
"I think so, too, George. It would certainly get the Gryffindors talking."
"Catch you later," they chorused, continuing their trek to Hogwarts.
As they waved goodbye to their backs, Draco turned to Hermione and asked, "Did I imagine that, or did they say they were going to wear skirts?"
"I guess we'll see," Hermione shrugged, pulling his arm, "Come on, I thought you were craving butterbeer."
He laughed, relenting to her pull and walking with her. Word had spread quickly that Draco was wearing a skirt, not because people were making fun of him, but because it was different and exciting in a way that was different than the tournament. It was all anyone could talk about, and everyone wanted something else to discuss because there was only so much speculating that could be done about what the final task would be. The Three Broomsticks quieted when they entered but quickly went back to its regular volume when Hermione and Draco looked unbothered. They found a spot at the bar and were quickly nursing butterbeer, conversing casually with each other and the occasional person who said something to them.
"Hey, Draco," Astoria mumbled, brushing her hair away from her face, "You actually look pretty good in a skirt. Just in case you felt a little weird about it."
"Thanks, Ria," he beamed, his cheeks turning pink, "It's actually a lot more comfortable than I thought. What are you up to?"
She turned and pointed to a table in the corner, "I'm meeting my sister and some of her friends. Would you, erm, would you maybe wanna sit with me at dinner?"
"I'd love to," he said, "Make sure you avoid Zonko's, I think I heard a new shipment of Fanged Frisbees came in."
Her eyes widened. "Thanks for letting me know, we were actually going to head there next. I'll...see you at dinner?"
He nodded, turning back to face the bar and mumbling into his cup, "Don't you dare."
"Ria," she laughed, ignoring him entirely, "Really likes you."
His blush deepened and he attempted to hide it in his mug even though he knew it was useless.
"Oh come on, you know who I like!" she exclaimed, tugging on the sleeve of his robe.
Ron and Harry chose that moment to appear behind them, Ron's chest swelled as he asked hopefully, "Who would that be, 'Mione?"
"Do not think for a second that after ignoring me for the entire school year and not even bothering to apologize for it that you can still call me that," she hissed, her eyes flashing dangerously. Draco shot her a concerned look, never having seen her respond that harshly to him before. He could see that her shoulders were tighter than normal and her grip on her mug was dangerous. Harry and Ron had taken a step back in surprise.
"We are sorry," Harry mumbled, "We miss you."
"You," she pointed at Ron, "Miss me practically doing your work. And you," she pointed at Harry, "Can't stand not being center of attention as Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, Triwizard Champion."
Draco grabbed her arm, pulling her out of the pub before she said anything she might regret. He might be too late as it was, but he at least didn't want her to make it worse. He had never seen Hermione act like that before and, quite frankly, he wasn't sure what to do to calm her down.
"What the hell was that?" he whispered once they were out of earshot.
Hermione shook her head and looked down at her hands, squeezing her eyes shut. "I don't know, it just came out of nowhere. I just got this rush of fury."
"You aren't going to direct it at me, are you?" he asked, pulling her until she began walking back toward Hogwarts.
She shrugged, opening her eyes as she walked but keeping her scowl trained firmly at the ground. "I'm not sure what's happening."
"Is it a memory?" He looked around as they approached the castle, trying to find his aunt.
"I don't know," she growled, surprising herself, "It doesn't feel like that. Normally I lose what's around me."
"Where in Merlin's name is she?" Draco muttered to himself, trying not to bother Hermione with questions.
Hermione let him guide her through the castle as he searched, trying to keep the sensation that had bubbled up inside her under control. She would feel a little guilty about what she said to Harry and Ron, even if it was true, but she wasn't sure if she would be able to face Draco if she said something to him. He would forgive her for it, but she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. The longer he dragged her around the castle, the more energy it took to keep from snapping at him. Draco pushed open the door to the DADA classroom, breathing a sigh of relief when his aunt was sitting at her desk.
She looked up at the intrusion, furrowing her brow when she saw them and immediately feeling a heaviness in her stomach. "What happened?"
"Nothing bad," Draco quickly assured her, "Well, actually, I'm not sure. No one is hurt."
Bellatrix surveyed Hermione, recognizing the signs of rage from her tense posture, clenched fists, and refusal to say anything. "Draco, I think you should let me handle this."
"Are you sure?" he asked, looking briefly at the door as if he might regret offering to stay.
"Go," Bellatrix said, "Now."
He nodded, casting a glance back as he exited. Bellatrix guided Hermione into the nearest seat, kneeling in front of her. "Talk to me, Hermione."
"I'm just so angry. I don't know where it came from," she said through clenched teeth, burying her hands in her hair, "Draco and I were drinking butterbeer, and Harry and Ron came up to us and I just...snapped."
Bellatrix coaxed Hermione's hands out of her hair, gently holding her wrists. "So you didn't fall into a memory?"
Hermione shook her head, refusing to look up at her. "No. This anger feels like mine, but it isn't. Is it?"
"I think," Bellatrix began, cupping Hermione's cheek, "That your emotions from the old memories are spilling over into the present. You let me see some of them once, maybe the anger you felt when they ignored you the first time spilled over into how you feel now and made it more intense. This might sound weird, but is there a voice in the back of your head fueling your anger?"
Hermione's throat tightened and she could only nod. She was terrified by what she was feeling, what the voice in the back of her head was whispering. She took a shaky breath, trying to hold back her tears. Bellatrix noticed, pulling her into a hug.
"It's okay to be angry at them," she murmured into brown hair, "You won't feel like this all the time, Hermione. You're allowed to be angry at them, you're allowed to be scared of what's happening to you. It isn't an easy thing to deal with but you aren't alone."
"I don't know what to do," Hermione admitted into Bellatrix's shoulder, "It's so strong."
"You've had a lot of reasons to be angry, and you weren't in a great place for a long time. You're still adjusting to having another lifetime in your head but you're getting there, okay?" Bellatrix reassured, rubbing circles in Hermione's back.
She felt a nod against her shoulder as Hermione clenched the front of her robes tightly. Her shoulders began shaking with sobs and Bellatrix shifted so her back was against a desk. Her chin rested on top of Hermione's head and she continued rubbing her back soothingly, waiting patiently as she cried. Hermione almost wished she had never asked Bellatrix to unlock the memories. It was so much to carry, but it would help spare everyone a war that would wreak havoc on all their lives. If it meant saving her friends, her family, she would carry it all. She would learn how to live with it, she was already getting better at handling it. The emotions had just been so unexpected she didn't know what to do. Thank Merlin Draco was there when it had happened.
"Thanks, Bella," Hermione mumbled, wiping her eyes on her sleeves, "I don't know what I would've done if you weren't here."
"Then it's a good thing I am here," she responded, smoothing down Hermione's brunette mane.
Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat. "There's something else. It wasn't very clear. It was a...Like, a necklace. A locket, maybe? It was full of dark magic and it-it made anger stronger. Harry and I took turns, Ron, too before he left. But mostly Harry and I. The anger always came easily even after it was gone."
"Slow down," Bellatrix soothed, "I'm having trouble following."
"I don't remember it that well. I only caught flashes of it while Draco was bringing me here." Hermione took a deep breath, letting her eyes fall closed. "When we were hunting Horcruxes, one of the ones we found before we knew how to destroy them was a locket. Salazar Slytherin's locket. The first one we found was a fake from R.A.B. When we got the real one, we had to take turns wearing it because it made negative emotions worse. Even after Ron destroyed it, we were always faster to feel negative emotions than we normally were. That's the type of anger I felt."
"R-A-B. Is that?"
"Regulus," Hermione interrupted, nodding, "I'm not sure if he would've tried to join the Death Eaters. Sirius always said he got himself killed trying to be like you."
"Well, we know that isn't true. Regulus still became a Death Eater, but he was killed in 1979," Bellatrix mused, "Do you remember anything else?"
Hermione shook her head, unable to meet Bellatrix's gaze. "No, I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Bellatrix assured, tilting Hermione's head up with two fingers under her chin.
She felt her breath catch in her throat as Bellatrix guided her gaze up, swallowing hard. "I-"
"There's plenty of time, Hermione," Bellatrix whispered, "He won't come back this year. We'll be ready, I promise."
Hermione nodded, unable to speak. Bellatrix looked at her so sincerely and she was pulled into their dark, calm depths. The world around her didn't exist anymore, only Bellatrix and the connection between them. Her fingers were still gently holding Hermione's chin up, both of them kneeling on the floor. Bellatrix could stay there with Hermione until the end of time, her slightly parted lips and warm brown eyes inviting her to stay until her last breath. Merlin, she wanted to. She couldn't though, not yet. She had to help Hermione get the world through the war. She had to get Hermione through it all.
"It's time to go," she whispered, pulling her hand away, "Dumbledore wants to speak to you and Draco."
Hermione nodded, not wanting to leave Bellatrix's presence. She gave her a hug, pressing her lips softly to her cheek and hiding her red face behind her hair as she left. She practically sprinted into Draco, who was waiting outside.
"Easy," he said, steadying her by her shoulders.
"Sorry," she said, feeling her cheeks cool as her blush faded, "Bella said Dumbledore wants to see us."
He looped his arm through hers. "Let's go, then."
She nodded, falling into step with him easily. The corridors were nearly silent with most of the students still at Hogsmeade. Hermione realized she hadn't gotten to stop at Scrivenshafts and her face fell.
"Don't look so down, Hermione. I went while you were with Bellatrix," he said, reading her expression as easily as words on a page.
"I don't know what I'd do without you and your family, Draco." She hugged him awkwardly from the side while they were still walking.
He shrugged, smiling fondly. "I don't know what we'd do without you. Besides, I wouldn't have let you pay for it, anyway. It isn't official, obviously, but as soon as I'm of age you'll be a constituent of the Malfoy family, too."
"Sounds like Bella told you to make sure I never pay for anything," Hermione said, rolling her eyes good-naturedly.
"Maybe I just consider you to be family," he retorted, elbowing her side, "Come on, what's the password. I don't know it."
Hermione frowned. "I don't know. Bella didn't tell me."
"I haven't decided on one," Dumbledore said from behind them, causing them both to jump, "No need to be alarmed."
"You startled us, Professor," Draco said, stepping to the side to allow him to pass between Hermione and himself.
"My apologies, it was my intention to be in front of you when you got here."
Hermione and Draco shared a look behind his back, shrugging it off and following him up the stairs. He directed them into chairs across from him, steepling his fingers on his desk.
"Some of your professors have come to me with the concern that the two of you aren't being challenged enough and that you would like to sit for exams with the other fifth years," he began, "While I wholeheartedly believe the two of you are more than capable of succeeding, I just want to make sure it is what you truly want."
"It is," they chorused after sharing a look.
He nodded slowly. "You will train with Professor Black on weekends and from after dinner until curfew. Should you pass your exams, you will start next school year as sixth-years instead of fifth-years."
"Thank you, Professor," Draco said as Hermione nodded her agreement.
"Do not squander the opportunity I am providing. Rarely have I ever made so many exceptions for students," he said, looking pointedly at Hermione.
Draco glanced at her as she responded, "I won't, and thank you, Professor."
He nodded, dismissing them with a wave of his hand.
"By the way," he said right as they reached the stairs, "Your extra lessons start this weekend."
They nodded their understanding, heading down the stairs slowly. Some of their peers would be back from Hogsmeade and they weren't in any particular rush to see them. Specifically, they didn't want to run into any Gryffindors on their way out of Dumbledore's office. Hermione paused at the lowest part of the spiral before they could see out, beckoning Draco closer. When he opened his mouth to ask a question, she shushed him, grabbing his arm and pulling them through the corridors to the DADA classroom. He cast several puzzled glances at the students in the corridors when no one noticed them. Hermione didn't offer any explanation as she led the way, swerving to avoid walking into anyone.
Bellatrix was sitting in her chair, her feet resting on her desk and her head tilted up to the ceiling. She remembered when her aunt and uncle had burned Sirius off the tapestry. After they had died, she had restored it. As the true head of the family, it should've been her decision to remove him, but her aunt and uncle had tried to maintain the picture of a proper pureblood family. They couldn't remove her, or her sisters, but they could remove their son. They had pushed Regulus even more to become a Death Eater. They had died before his betrayal, spared the knowledge that both their sons were blood traitors in their eyes. It had been a heavy blow to Sirius, a reminder that he had failed as the eldest sibling. She was roused from her thoughts by the door closing loudly and the subsequent appearance of Hermione and Draco.
"Let's get started," she said, sliding her feet off her desk and rising from her chair.
Over the remaining weeks before the exams, Hermione and Draco worked hard to hone their skills under Bellatrix's tutelage. Bellatrix was an excellent teacher, especially since she could push them more than her other students, and their abilities improved by leaps and bounds. Draco had begun to learn Occlumency as well, and she had them test each other's shields so they could learn Legillimancy. It was more advanced than fifth years learned, but she knew they could handle it and it was a useful skill, anyway. They were in her classroom every chance they had, and she let them practice with each other while she graded papers and supervised them. They were more than ready by the time exams rolled around and were confident they passed every subject.
Hermione had begun to keep a journal of the memories related to the Horcruxes so she could keep track of everything she knew. She had gotten better at keeping them at bay when she needed to, but they were still difficult for her to grasp when she tried. Sometimes it would leak through into the present, so she kept her journal with her and wrote everything down. It was mostly a bunch of random pieces and the only one she could completely remember was Helga Hufflepuff's cup. She knew what the others were, aside from one of them, but she still didn't know where they were, aside from Harry but Voldemort had to be the one to destroy the Horcrux inside him.
"Earth to Hermione!" Draco said, waving his hands in front of her eyes.
Her eyes snapped to him and she realized she had been staring at the wall while he had tried to get her attention. The Common Room was empty, their housemates in the Great Hall already enjoying the last breakfast before they went home for the summer.
"Are you packed, yet?" he asked, sitting next to her on the couch.
"That's a stupid question," Hermione answered, rolling her eyes, "You know I started packing right after exams."
He smiled at her. "Yeah, I know, I just wanted to make sure you didn't forget anything. By the way, we've been so busy but Harry and Ron never did make a scene about me wearing a skirt. Not that they had a chance to, but still."
She laughed as he dropped a Galleon into her hand. "We should lay off the bets for a while. I think it's starting to get a little too consuming."
"Quit while you're ahead, eh, Granger?" he teased before saying, "I think we should, too."
"Do you think Harry is still upset Cedric beat him?" Hermione asked, tucking her quill into her journal and snapping it shut.
Draco looped his arm through hers. "Now who's asking stupid questions?"
She rolled her eyes, smacking him playfully with her journal. "Don't be an arse."
"Come on, I'm hungry," he said instead, pulling her arm.
"You didn't have to wait for me," she retorted, complying so he would stop tugging her.
"But I did," he said, shooting her a bright smile, "Are you still spending the summer with us?"
She nodded, moving closer so they could squeeze through the entrance. "We can use my key whenever."
"There you two are. Professor Dumbledore would like to speak with the two of you," McGonagall said as she approached from the end of the corridor, "Come along."
"We haven't had breakfast," Draco protested.
McGonagall sighed, ushering them along. "I'm sorry, but it's urgent."
Draco groaned quietly and Hermione whispered, "We can stop by the kitchens when we come to get our stuff."
"Okay," he grumbled.
They followed McGonagall to Dumbledore's office, trying to quell the feeling that they were in trouble. Neither of them could think of anything they would be in trouble for. They kept their eyes down, aware of the glances and hushed whispers surrounding them. McGonagall kept them walking, paying no mind to the noise in the corridors. She knew they weren't in trouble but she did disapprove of the reason Dumbledore was summoning them to his office. She also knew what they would choose, and she worried about them. They were still children, and she would never admit to having favorite students, but they were two of them and she didn't want them to fight a war that never should've been theirs.
"Draco, Hermione," Dumbledore greeted with a smile, his eyes twinkling, "Please, sit."
"Are we in trouble?" Hermione blurted out, looking nervously between Dumbledore and McGonagall.
"No," he answered with a chuckle, "But if you would sit, as it is a serious discussion."
The two of them shared a worried look as they sank into the chairs across from the two professors, waiting for him to continue.
"As the two of you are aware, attempts to bring back Voldemort are growing more frequent. Normally, I wouldn't offer this to anyone underaged, but the two of you have been instrumental in preventing his return and I feel like you are capable of making the decision." McGonagall sent him a quick glare, making it known she disagreed. "During the first war, I formed the Order of the Phoenix to help stop him, and I feel it is necessary to bring it back. I'm offering the two of you membership to the order. You will be privy to the meetings and will help us stop him from coming back before we are ready."
"What about Harry and Ron?" Draco asked, leaning forward after glancing at Hermione.
Dumbledore paused for a moment. "I don't think they're ready to join the order, yet. Perhaps in a year or two."
"So, what do we do?" Hermione asked.
"Over the summer, you will work with the other members of the order. You will continue training with Bellatrix and you will train with some of the other members as well. You will help us locate and destroy Horcruxes, but you will not be part of the retrieval teams," he answered.
"Auntie Bella is a member?"
"So is Andromeda and Narcissa," Dumbledore said with a nod.
Draco turned his head to Hermione. "And mum gets upset at us for helping stop Voldemort year after year."
Hermione laughed, hiding it with a cough. "Won't they protest the fact that you want us to join?"
"Make no mistake, Narcissa and Andromeda were completely against the idea. Bellatrix wasn't entirely on board with it, either. In the end, they realized the best way to keep you safe was to let you join so you didn't feel the need to keep your efforts secret." Dumbledore tapped his index finger on his opposite hand.
"I accept," Hermione replied, moving forward in her chair and glancing quickly at Minerva's slight frown before directing her gaze back to Dumbledore.
"Me, too," Draco said.
Minerva kept her discontent to herself as Dumbledore responded, "Wonderful. Bellatrix and Narcissa will bring you to the next meeting and you'll officially meet the other members."
They understood the unspoken dismissal, sharing a look as they descended the stairs. A heavy silence draped over them as they trudged back to the Common Room, stopping by the kitchens for some sandwiches. They thought they would be more excited, but the reality had set in fast and hard. This was no longer something they would happen upon out of circumstance, they were choosing to bear the burden of helping end the war before it ever began. And if they couldn't stop it, they would at least be in a position to fight. They were impervious to the infectious joy of their housemates milling about the Common Room to prepare to leave.
"Draco!" Astoria called when she noticed him, "I guess I missed you at breakfast, I was hoping to sit with you. But maybe we can sit together on the train?"
"Oh, yeah, erm," he looked at Hermione, "Hermione and I were actually-"
"I'm so sorry, Astoria," Hermione interrupted, grabbing Draco's arm and smiling at her, "I just need to speak to Draco for a tick."
"What?" he asked, pulling his arm out of her strong grasp.
"Are you daft? Astoria likes you, you should sit with her," she hissed, flicking his forehead.
He rubbed his forehead, glaring at her. "We weren't even going to take the train."
"Well, she wants to sit with you, so you should," Hermione said, "Don't pass up the opportunity to spend time with a pretty girl who likes you back."
"What about you?" he asked, no longer rubbing his forehead but still glaring at her.
She rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine, I'll hang out with Bella and we'll meet you at the platform. Don't keep her waiting, Draco."
He over at Astoria who was looking more nervous the longer they whispered. "Are you sure?"
"Don't be nervous." She jerked her chin in Astoria's direction. "Go."
Draco sent her a bright smile, quickly directing it at Astoria. She sighed in relief, most of her nervousness melting away as Draco approached.
"Sorry about that," he mumbled, "I'd love to sit with you."
"Is it okay?" she asked, "I don't want to cause any problems between you and Hermione."
"What?" He was confused for a moment. "Oh! No, it's not like that, Ria. Hermione is spending the summer with my family, I didn't want to ditch her, but she said she'd go with my aunt so you and I can sit together."
"That's nice of her," she said, leaning closer to Draco and whispering, "Your aunt is a little scary."
He chuckled, his head tipping back a little. "Sometimes, but Hermione is sort of like her protege. She's training with my aunt over the summer, that's why she's staying with us."
"Wow," Astoria breathed, "I couldn't even imagine that."
He shrugged, "They understand each other. Besides, she's not so bad when it's one-on-one."
"Yeah, I heard you both took extra lessons with her to take your OWLs this year, does that mean I won't see you much next year?" she asked, pushing her hair behind her ear as she took the arm he offered.
"We're still in the same house," he pointed out, "But Dumbledore said we would only enter as sixth years if we passed our exams."
They squeezed together to exit the Common Room and she said, "Well, I don't have a doubt in my mind that you passed."
"I'm a little nervous, actually," he admitted, feeling his cheeks turn pink, "But that's pretty reassuring."
Hermione made her way slowly through the corridors to Bellatrix's quarters. Students weren't usually permitted in the area, but there were occasions where a professor would take on a mentoring role. Hermione also knew where McGonagall's quarters were from when she had used the Time-Turner. Normally, she'd look for Bellatrix in the DADA classroom, but since everyone was getting ready to leave, she figured it was more likely the older witch was packing. Hermione hesitated before knocking, suddenly feeling silly for even being nervous. Bellatrix had made it clear she was always welcome, no exceptions. Still, she never actually had to disturb her before.
"Hermione," Bellatrix greeted, pushing open the door and waving her in, "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Astoria asked Draco to sit with her on the train home, and he was hesitant, but I managed to make him see reason. I figured I'd come to find you and let you know." She glanced around the room, taking in the precarious stacks of books. It suited her.
"Greengrass?" she asked absently, dropping onto the couch and patting the spot next to her.
Hermione sat down next to her, caught up in skimming over the titles she could see. "Yeah."
"She's a good fit for him, I'm glad you got him to see reason," Bellatrix said, chuckling at Hermione's enraptured expression. From the look on her face, she was more focused on the books scattered over the coffee table than their conversation.
"Are these all classics?" Hermione asked, picking up a copy of Catcher in the Rye and flipping slowly through the pages.
Bellatrix shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious. "Some of them. I have more recent stuff as well, and some academic books from Flourish and Blotts."
"Don't you have to pack?" Hermione looked around the room, noticing that nothing seemed to be packed. The door to Bellatrix's bedroom was closed, but she imagined her clothes would be partially strewn about like they had been when they roomed together.
"Well, Dumbledore asked me to teach again next year, so I can leave everything here since I'll be coming back. I did pack my clothes, though," she answered.
Hermione smiled up at her, teasing, "Is that why you're wearing sweatpants and a tank top? That's very unprofessional, and in the presence of a student, no less."
"And I suppose it's even more inappropriate for me to have let that student into my living quarters," Bellatrix teased, leaning forward and smirking as Hermione leaned back, bracing herself on the arm of the couch.
The brunette witch swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly feeling dry. She fought to keep her eyes from lingering on Bellatrix's lips, fought to keep her heart from feeling like it was going to beat out of her chest. Hermione could swear Bellatrix's eyes kept flicking to her lips, but she wasn't sure if she was imagining it or not. She wanted it to be real. Her body grew warmer as Bellatrix hovered over her; the effortless way she held herself up, the familiar depths of her eyes, and the lavender and parchment hovering in the air all serving to make her slightly dizzy.
In reality, it was barely more than a second before Hermione whispered, "Merlin, I really want to kiss you."
Bellatrix watched in amusement as the realization of Hermione's uttered thought hit her, turning her cheeks slightly pink. With a sad smile, Bellatrix pushed herself away, creating distance between them.
Upon seeing Hermione's face fall, she explained, "It's not that I don't want to kiss you. I do want to. I've wanted to since the last time, but things are more complicated."
"Of course," Hermione said, facepalming, "You could lose your job, your reputation. And I'm a minor, so you would even face charges. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking, I didn't even mean to say it out loud, I was just thinking it and it slipped out and-"
"Breathe," Bellatrix interrupted, grabbing one of Hermione's hands, "It's not just those things. You're still figuring everything out, Hermione. I know what I want. You're only sixteen and you have so much going on right now. I don't want to add to that. And I shouldn't push the boundaries we have right now, I'm sorry."
"My memories of you are the only ones that stay with me when I remember them. They're the only ones I can reach. The other ones come randomly and once I write them down, they're gone for good. Not you though. Bella, you're the only thing I've been able to make sense of lately. When I'm scared or afraid or angry or lost, it's the thought of you that makes it better." Hermione kept her gaze directed at their linked hands, watching Bellatrix's thumb pass over her knuckles every so often. "I know what I want when it comes to you."
"I believe you, but I still can't kiss you, yet," Bellatrix whispered.
Hermione nodded, feeling tears sting her eyes. She tried to blink them away. Bellatrix wasn't refusing to kiss her because she didn't feel the same way, she was refusing because she had to. They both did. She was right, adding a relationship into the mix of everything else would only be setting it up to fail, they had already agreed about that. But they had grown much closer during all the time they spent together, both in the Room of Requirement and during her extra lessons. Bellatrix knew her in a way no one else did, and she knew Bellatrix in a way she didn't know anyone else. That wasn't enough to overlook the circumstances surrounding them, circumstances that required them to refrain from acting on their feelings.
Bellatrix wiped Hermione's cheeks with her thumb, brushing away the tears that had fallen. She hated to see the pain on Hermione's face, especially because it was reflected in her heart. It took everything she had not to give in, and she knew her resolve would break one day. She only hoped it would hold until they didn't have as much weight on their shoulders. Part of her wanted to rationalize giving in now because they would still face a battle, and it was possible something would happen to one of them. The logical part of her knew the battle would not be on the scale it was in Hermione's original time. They would find and destroy the Horcruxes before Voldemort rose again, Harry would be better equipped to face him right away. There was no need to drag it out this time around.
"I guess I should give you this," Hermione mumbled, pulling a Galleon out of her pocket, "I never got around to giving it to you at the end of the two weeks."
Bellatrix chuckled, holding her hand open for Hermione to drop it into. "Better late than never. It is a shame, though, it would've been hilarious."
"Yeah. It wasn't until Draco wore the skirt that Astoria came up to him," Hermione said, feeling a bit better now that the topic of conversation had changed.
"Has she done all the asking?" Bellatrix wondered, nudging some books away to make space for her feet before she set them on the table.
Hermione stretched her own legs out, hesitantly laying them in Bellatrix's lap. "I think it's cute."
"It is, but he doesn't need to be so nervous. It's sweet, though, he takes after Narcissa. And I prefer that to him taking after his father." Bellatrix spread her arms along the back of the couch, rolling her neck from side to side.
"I'd have thought Narcissa would be very upfront," Hermione mused, glad to have something else to talk about.
"Merlin, no," Bellatrix laughed, "Lucius did all the asking, but he was pretty afraid of me so he always came across as nervous."
Hermione bit her lip to stifle her laugh. "How anyone can be afraid of this version of you is beyond me."
"That's because I have a soft spot for you," she retorted, watching Hermione from the corner of her eye.
"I'm not the only person," Hermione said, squealing when Bellatrix sent a pillow flying at her.
"We don't talk about that, I have a reputation to maintain, after all." Bellatrix swatted the pillow away when Hermione threw it back, sending it into a pile of books that teetered over onto the floor. "Oops."
Hermione stood up, reaching for the pillow and tossing it onto the couch. "I think that's our queue."
"Fine," Bellatrix sighed, "Let me change and we can wander around Diagon Alley for a while. Have you had breakfast, yet? I do remember the promise you made me."
"Draco and I missed breakfast in the Great Hall, but we stopped by the Kitchens on our way from Dumbledore's office," she answered.
Bellatrix shrugged, her hand on the knob of her bedroom, "Close enough. Be right out."
Hermione took the opportunity to observe Bellatrix's quarters. She noticed there was a kitchen off to the side, so she decided to explore it. She wasn't sure if Bellatrix knew how to make anything, but it was interesting to her, anyway. Hermione couldn't help but look through the cupboards, finding them empty. There were no dishes, no snacks, nothing. Hermione wasn't sure what she had expected, but she did feel a little disappointed.
Bellatrix leaned against the wall, watching Hermione go through the cupboards one by one. "I'm a shite cook, you won't find anything."
She turned, clutching her chest and trying not to look guilty, all the while ignoring the older witch's smirk. "I was just curious. You scared me."
"The one time I did try to cook, I nearly set the manor on fire. I've been banned from the kitchen ever since, and I'm perfectly fine with that," she said, inclining her head to the door, "Shall we?"
"What are we gonna do at Diagon Alley?" Hermione asked.
"Whatever we want," Bellatrix answered with a shrug, offering her a smile.
Hermione found herself returning the smile. "Can I take you somewhere after ice cream?"
"Where?" Bellatrix asked, holding her hand out to Hermione.
"It's a secret," she said, trying not to blush as she took Bellatrix's hand.
Bellatrix urged her to the door, letting go of her hand as she pushed it open. Hermione stepped into the corridor, closely followed by Bellatrix. It was a bit of a walk to Hogsmeade so Bellatrix could Apparate them, one they spent in comfortable silence. When they did get to Hogsmeade, the train was pulling out of the station, not that they needed to be on it. Bellatrix offered Hermione her arm, waiting until the brunette nodded that she was ready.
They appeared in Diagon Alley with a crack, right in front of Fortescue's. Bellatrix grinned, pushing open the door and stepping inside. Hermione rolled her eyes at the childish behavior, but she couldn't deny that she was excited, too. Her parents frequently told her not to have sweets for breakfast, but with magic, things were a lot easier to maintain. There was no line, considering it was still pretty early, and they were walking down the street enjoying their ice cream in just a few minutes.
"Okay, come on, follow me," Hermione said, pulling Bellatrix's sleeve and nearly dropping her ice cream cone.
"Slow down before you drop your breakfast," Bellatrix said, providing Hermione with enough resistance that she was walking slowly.
Hermione rolled her eyes but relented, continuing to lead Bellatrix through The Leaky Cauldron. She transfigured their robes into Muggle clothes as they stood in front of the brick wall that would lead them to the Muggle world. Bellatrix smiled as she enjoyed her ice cream, curious as to what Hermione would show her this time. The excitement radiating from Hermione as she led them to their destination was infectious, and Bellatrix found herself just as giddy as Hermione.
"Two, please," she said to a man in a ticket booth, handing over the required money.
He handed the tickets to her and she thanked him, turning to Bellatrix and saying, "We're going to tour London on a double-decker bus."