Recap:Andy bent down to retrieve the phone, glancing at the screen she read the text aloud to everyone, a sudden mixture of confusion and understanding appeared as they prepared for Bella's impending explosion.

Kitten: I'm sorry. Can we talk?

Hermione was exhausted. She hadn't slept the previous night and with the wedding in a couple of days, she didn't want things to be messy between her and Bellatrix anymore. Apologize and move past it was all she kept thinking. Sighing, she wiped her palms on her jeans as she watched her cellphone, waiting for a response to her text. Banging on her suite door caused her to jump.

"Just a second!" she yelled, grabbing her phone on her way to the door. Thinking Draco forgot something, Hermione prepared to berate the boy for being careless with his things but froze. Standing in front of her was a red faced, heavily breathing Bellatrix Black. The young woman gasped as she felt the older woman push past her and into her hotel room. Her mind was slow on the catch up and she had yet to actually close the door.

Bellatrix had her driver drop her off at the girl's hotel after receiving the text. 'She wanted to talk? So, we're gonna talk' Bella thought. Closing her eyes, Bellatrix counted down from five before taking a deep breath. Hermione was still at the door, wide eyed and frozen. If she wasn't upset at her, Bella would have laughed at how adorable the woman looked. "Talk."

The sound of Bellatrix's voice seemed to have snapped Hermione out of her stupor. Blushing from embarrassment, the brunette turned to close the door and make her way into the living area. She felt her palms grow clammy at the feeling of Bella's eyes on her form as the older woman watched her take a seat on the couch. Taking a breath, Hermione steeled her resolve and locked eyes with the woman she loves. "I-I didn't" She stopped, not having the right words for this moment. She wasn't expecting to see the woman so soon. The text she had sent was hardly half an hour old. "Why didn't you just answer the text?" That wasn't what she had wanted to say, but she was nervous at the moment and so her mouth and her brain weren't connecting properly.

Watching Bella's scowl deepen, Hermione rushed on with her words. "No! I mean- What I meant to say was, I didn't expect it to happen so soon. I mean, yeah I wanted us to talk, maybe tomorrow or the day after or something. But not minutes after I sent it. Ugh, no, that sounds ridiculous. What I'm trying to say is that I apologize for all that I've unknowingly put you through Bellatrix. I was and still am being selfish with your love. You openly loved me and I took that for granted. I was terrified of loving you. You were and still are my first love. It consumed my entire being and I just didn't know what to do, so I ran. I ran because it was the easiest way I could hold onto who I thought I was. You have to understand where I'm coming from here, Bellatrix. I was such a young age then, barely out of my teens. I thought I was ready for this- for you! You are everything I could have ever dreamed of and more! Everything had become so overwhelming. The emotions I felt whenever you were around, the fact that I wasn't sure if anyone would support us, it all just weighed down on me." Hermione gasped, she wasn't crying but it felt like someone was sitting on her chest. It was hard to breath, her emotions overwhelmed her. Clutching her hands in her lap, Hermione met Bellatrix' eyes as she waited for a response from the other woman. "Just- just please don't hate me, Bellatrix." The girl was a mess of snot and tears. Her rant went on longer than she expected.

"I was going to propose to you, Hermione!" Bella all but shouts. It causes the young woman to jump in alarm. She knew how angry Bellatrix looked, but had never really heard such intensity in her voice before. "That day you ended things, I was going to propose." Although her voice lowered after that last sentence, Bellatrix kept the anger and hurt just as intensely as she did at the beginning of the talk. "I'd spent that entire day picking out your favorite flowers and calling in favors with friends so I could get your favorite dish made at your favorite restaurant."

FLASHBACK

"Good morning, Miss Black. Your 10 o'clock is already in the conference room waiting for you. I have already set your notes at your seat and set your presentation up."

"Why thank you, Fleur. Was there anything else that you wanted to tell me before I got sucked into that hell hole of a meeting?" Fleur chuckled as she regarded her boss. The woman was in an exceptionally chipper mood today. She could only assume it had something to do with the young law student that'd been frequenting her office during lunch time. Suddenly remembering, the french woman jumped from her desk and after the Black woman. "Actually, yes. There was a call from one Frederick Winsdor from Astteria Jewelers? He left a message stating that your order was complete and ready for pick up this afternoon should you be ready for it." Fleur watched as her boss stood stock still for all of five seconds before doing something she never thought she'd ever witness. The woman actually squealed like an excited child on christmas morning.

Fleur froze as Bellatrix abruptly spun in her direction, grin almost splitting her face in two. "I can almost kiss you! This is the best thing I've heard all day! Oh my, I've got so much to plan for tonight." Checking her watch the older woman hissed, realising how late she was for her meeting and glanced at her assistant. "Fleur, I need you to do a couple of things for me, please." Nodding her head as her excited boss rattles off names and places to contact, Fleur stood a little dazed trying to regain some sense of normalcy. Shaking her head to collect her thoughts, the woman reminded herself of her promise to not look too closely at her boss's relationship with the younger woman and went to do what she was asked.

Bellatrix was tired. Her meeting ran later than she had hoped but she refused to allow it to kill her spirits. It was time. Today was going to be the day. She had everything planned and was just waiting for the ring to be made. Now that it was complete, she saw no reason to wait any longer. Sending her assistant a quick goodbye, Bellatrix called for her driver and checked her messages. Smiling it seemed that Fleur was able to contact the restaurant and book the private room for her. All she needed to do now was grab the ring, speak with the chef to make sure the menu for the night was perfect and text Hermione to show up at her place dressed for the evening.

"Good evening, Madame Black. Where are we off to today?" Situating herself comfortably in the back seat, Bellatrix grabbed her phone to text Hermione. "We're going to Astteria Jewelers. There's something I've got to pick up and then we can head home." "Of course, Madame Black."

The vibration of her phone signalled that Bella had received a text. Grinning she swiped to unlock and read the message from her lover,

Kitten:What are you up to, Bella?

Bella: I can't take my girl out for dinner? Why must there be ulterior motives?

K: It's because you're you, that I question the sudden request that I dress formally for a surprise evening out. How was your day?

Bellatrix laughed. Her girl knew her too well. Still, she wouldn't budge on this one. This surprise would trump all the ones before. Seeing that they were approaching the showroom, Bella tried to calm the beating of her heart. It was just a ring. Yeah, a ring that would change her life forever. SHe never thought she'd ever want to remarry but then again, she didn't really plan to meet someone like Hermione either. It seemed that things tend to happen whether she wanted to or not. SHe wasn't going to complain though. Pulling up to the front of the building, Bellatrix exited her car, greeting Frederick at the door.

B: My day has been wonderful, Kitten. But it will get even better once I see you. How has studying been for you? I see you've decided to take a break in between to actually talk to me. I feel privileged.

K: lol, well not exactly. I only took a break to tell you that I will be showing up at yours later.

B: *gasp!* Are you telling me that you didn't want to talk to me? I'm hurt, miss Granger. And here I was starting to think you actually liked me. :P

K: Oh, shut it, Black... I miss you. I'm gonna go back to these books so that I can get to you on time. See you in a few, babes.

"Here it is, Madame Black. 3.18 Ct. Purplish pink diamond ring with 1.24 Ct. diamonds surrounding it with a platinum band." Frederick said as he placed the ring in front of the woman. Bellatrix was speechless. It looked even better than she imagined. Her smile grew as she pictured how well it will fit Hermione once she pops the question. Running her finger over the diamonds in awe, the woman felt her cheeks begin to numb from the intensity of her smile. Chuckling in excitement, she closed the lid to the box and thanked the man for helping her out. Once the paperwork was handled and Bellatrix paid, the woman departed the building heading home to prepare for the night.

END FLASHBACK

"So, you can see how blindsided I was when you showed up and said what you said Hermione. Not once did you stop and allow me a chance to explain or refute your absurd claims. You didn't let me choose Hermione. Why did I not get a say in whether our relationship should have ended? Why didn't you come to me about your fears and worries? Now you sit here crying. And for what exactly? You did this to yourself. YOU, DID THIS TO US! I GAVE YOU ALL OF ME! I LAID MY HEART OUT FOR YOU. EVERY STEP OF THE WAY I GAVE YOU ALL OF ME. I LOVED YOU! I- I STILL LOVE YOU, DAMMIT! I SHOULDN'T BUT I DO AND I CAN'T HELP IT. BUT IT'S NOT FAIR. YOU CAN'T JUST APPEAR AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, CRY A LITTLE AND THINK IT WILL BE ALRIGHT BETWEEN US. YOU NEED TO FACE THE REALITY THAT YOU BROKE US, HERMIONE. YOU SABOTAGED SOMETHING THAT WAS SO AMAZING. WHY?! I DON'T WANT THAT HALF ASSED EXCUSE. YOU RUINED ME!" Bellatrix deflated after uttering that last sentence. All the anger in her just dispersed into thin air. She felt exhausted, annoyed, and frustratingly worried for not herself but the young woman across from her. While recounting that day, Bella had watched as Hermione sank further into herself until the tears started falling. Bellatrix didn't want to care. She wanted to be angry. Being angry made this easier. Hermione didn't deserve her care. Not anymore. But the older woman sighed knowing that wasn't true. No matter what, like she said, she still loves her and there's nothing she can do about it.

"Look, Hermione. I just-" Running a shaky hand through her curls, Bellatrix searched for the right words to say. They needed to fix things, she just didn't know how or if they could be fixed. A slight pang in her chest startled her at the realisation that this could possibly something they couldn't come back from. "What is it that you want from me?" She had no idea where she was going with this but she also needed to know what the other woman was thinking.

Hermione hiccupped as she wiped furiously at tear streaked cheeks. Her head hurts. It was too much for her at the moment, she just wanted to be alone. A part of her wanted Bellatrix to hold her and tell her everything would be alright, but that didn't seem like something that was happening soon, if ever again. "I-"

"Think carefully, Hermione. The next few words you speak may change many things between us. I will not be entertaining this again once I step out of this room."

"Let me fix this, Bellatrix. I don't know how I am going to do that, but allow me to try. I never wanted us to end up here. Please." She was practically begging. The thought of the woman walking out of her life scared Hermione. She couldn't accept defeat so easily. Not when there was still a chance. Bellatrix said it herself, she still loves her. This can work out. She just needed to figure out how to fix things. She just needed some time.

Bella clenched her jaw. A wave of anger ambushed her as she watched Hermione practically beg to work things out. How dare she...

Without answering the girl, Bellatrix turned around and left the hotel suite before she did something she'd regret.

A/N: Hey guys! If you're still reading this... wow. Just thank you for being patient with me. So much happened for me and I just stopped caring about a lot of things while also feeling stuck on where to take this story but I'm back now so! Please look forward to new work and updated material in the coming days.