A/N: I'm back from the dead! Sorry, I took so long to return. I was hit with writer's block. Ended up drafting three completely different versions of this chapter and then got stuck again. But I am here and I had to split this chapter in half as well. I hope you guys that have waited so long enjoy it. We are almost to the end, so please, stay with me for just a little bit longer.
Previously on: "The Only Exception"
Bellatrix: Cancel your flight tomorrow. Take the drive with me. Just us two. I know I should be letting you figure how to fix things but I heard your voicemail. I think the drive to California should be helpful for us both. I also have things I would like to tell you. I'll be there to pick you up around 8 am.
"Can you please stop fussing over this?! I know what I'm doing, Cissy! Gods, you're letting me regret telling you about any of this to begin with." Bellatrix said over the speaker as she drove her rented Mercedes G-Wagon to Hermione's hotel. She wanted to call Narcissa and discuss ways to make this trip with Hermione beneficial for them. Still, instead of advice, all she got in return was a lecture.
"All I'm saying, Bella, is that your behavior has been very unbalanced these days, and I don't think it's best if you guys spent time together, alone."
"If I wanted a lecture on making good or bad choices, Cissy, I would have called Andy. I didn't, so you're either going to give me advice, or I'm going to hang up. I'm almost at her hotel, anyway. So make this quick."
"Guys, is this really the best decision? What if I miss my hotel reservations?"
"Oh, stop whining 'Mione. It's hardly a six-hour drive. You'll be fine." Draco reassured as Hermione watched her friends pack their belongings into the Jeep trunk, bringing them all to the airport. A hand on her shoulder caused her to look up; it was Harry.
Although their relationship wasn't as deep as Draco's friendship, Hermione did appreciate it whenever Harry was around. He always managed to be the voice of reason whenever she wasn't thinking too clearly. At that moment, the young man smiled gently at her and said, "Get out of your head, Hermione. If you really want her back, take the ride with her. Miss Black is extending the handout to hopefully repair things between you two. Look at it this way, you no longer have to split hairs over what you can do to get her back. Accept the opportunity in front of you and make the best of it. Besides, for as long as I've known you, I've never seen you this out of your depth before." Chuckling, he added, "It's downright adorable."
Draco came upon her other side and kissed her temple before both boys pulled her into a group hug. "Stop stressing so much, you're going to make me worried, and I'm not supposed to be worried so much. It's my wedding week! So, smile and don't be too snappy with her. She'll push your buttons on purpose but remember she's just as afraid as you are."
Hermione blinked rapidly to prevent the sudden buildup of tears. She didn't want to start crying so early in the day. It was hardly sunny. If she began to cry now, she may never actually stop. Chuckling, she hugged both boys back and stood back as they entered their car. Next to hug her was Ron, who wished her a safe journey, and then finally, Ginny standing near the car door with her arms open wide.
"So, you couldn't just come to me like everyone else?" Hermione laughed as she ran into her friend's arms. Ginny grasped her deeply, taking a calming breath that surprisingly helped calm Hermione. "We all love you, Hermione. You are deserving of love. From your friends and your family. You know that." Hermione nodded, confused by the sudden expression of love. "Bellatrix loves you too. Allow her to love you, too. You are deserving of it. Spend this time with her and show her the true Hermione. Okay?"
Hermione buried her face in Ginny's neck and hugged her tighter as waves of gratitude and love washed over her. Wiping at her tears, she stepped back and smiled.
"Thank you, Ginny. I'll try my best."
Both girls jumped as the driver honked the horn. Harry's head poked out from inside the car, an apology on his face, "Sorry guys, but we've gotta go if we want to get all this checked in and make the flight."
"Okay, well, the safe flight you all. I'll see everyone later tonight for the rehearsal dinner!" A chorus of byes was heard as Ginny entered the Jeep. Stepping back into the hotel entrance, Hermione watched as her friends drove away. Looking around the empty lobby, she realised how early it was since only one receptionist was working. Grabbing her phone, she checked her messages before going back to the hotel room to gather her things. Bellatrix should be arriving anytime soon.
"Knock, knock!" came a shout from the suite entrance. Hermione jumped, not realizing that she dozed off accidentally. Patting her hair down, she tried gathering herself before shouting, " In here! Just give me a second to grab my luggage, and I'll meet you downstairs, Bellatrix."
Hermione exhaled as she heard Bellatrix acknowledge her statement and retreat to the hotel entrance. Looking at herself one last time in the mirror, Hermione reapplied some lip gloss and patted her cheeks to add some color. She was gonna try her best to work things out with Bellatrix before they reached California. It was just the two of them now, and she would be stuck in a car with nowhere to run. It was now or never, really. The young woman was going to bear it all for the woman she loves in hopes of winning her back. Hermione was terrified, but the thought of losing Bellatrix permanently was even worse.
"Hey, Bellatrix." She said softly as the older woman approached her, reaching for her luggage to put in the wagon's trunk. Bellatrix smiled warmly in response and went to hold the passenger door open, ushering Hermione in. "Good Morning, pet." Shutting the door, Bellatrix jogged to the driver's side and got in, starting the Jeep up in no time. "So, I know you didn't plan to drive back to California; everything from this moment on will be covered by me. Meals, any souvenirs, or whatever you feel like buying along the way. I'm genuinely pleased to see that you went ahead with my plan, considering how late I sent that message. Do you want to stop and grab something to eat before we hit the major highways?"
Upon entering the vehicle, Hermione busied herself by observing her surroundings. She inhaled the intoxicating scent of cinnamon and nature. She chuckled after spying the car scent dangling above the dashboard. Humming to herself, Hemione waited as Bellatrix made her way to the driver's seat. Her mind was a blank slate at the moment. She couldn't say she was nervous about being alone with Bellatrix at this current moment. Still, she also couldn't admit that she was alright with it, either. Not completely. Hearing Bellatrix mention the text message as the car pulled into traffic, Hermione took a minute to silently think about it. She was awake when the text had come through.
After spending hours throwing herself a pity party over not knowing what to do to win Bellatrix back, she had given up any sort of hope. That's when her phone had pinged, notifying her of a text. Initially, she was elated. This was it, her chance to fix things, and it was coming from Bellatrix herself!
So, that meant something good. But then, as time passed and she tried to sleep a bit, her nerves started to catch up with her, and that's how she ended up having her friends talk her into canceling her flight and into taking the chance on this road trip.
She chuckled softly as her stomach grumbled at Bellatrix's mention of breakfast. She hadn't been eating much this past week and if she was gonna deal with Bellatrix, then a full stomach was needed. "We can grab IHOP before heading out. I haven't been eating much these days but if we're gonna be in this car for six hours straight, I should try and eat something now. We should also grab some snacks afterward, just in case." Bellatrix tried not to frown as she listened to the young woman mention her poor eating habits. "IHOP it is, pet."
"She was definitely flirting with you, Bella," Hermione said amusedly as both women entered the wagon. Getting breakfast seemed to have helped ease some of her nerves. The entire experience was pretty calm for the two of them. Well, that was until Hermione noticed their waitress trying to not so subtly flirt with Bellatrix right in front of her. 'Like, come on now, who wears such a small top, anyways. This was a family restaurant, not Hooters, sheesh.' She thought to herself. Hermione also found it funny that Bellatrix never gave that girl a second glance after placing both of their orders. Knowing that she held the woman's sole attention at all times made her feel warm inside.
"Whatever you say, pet. You know I only have eyes for you. I wouldn't notice another woman's pass at me. Especially not in front of you." She smirked as she pulled the vehicle onto the road once again. "Okay, so at this rate, we will be making it to our hotel just before the dinner. Do you wanna grab snacks now or would you be fine grabbing something at a rest stop? The sooner we can get on the highway, the sooner we can get to our destination." Bellatrix was currently rambling on while trying to drive and start the GPS. Hermione turned her body in the chair to face the woman and responded "For someone who planned this, I thought the outcome was to spend time with me. Why the rush? We will get there today. Your time watching will make me nervous." she smiled wryly.
Bellatrix sighed as she checked the GPS one more time before focusing on the road. "So, I know I said I would fight for us, Bella. B-but there are some things I've never told you about that I think you should know before we talk about us." Hermione said lowly. This was it, she was gonna bare her entire soul to Bellatrix. Taking in a shaky breath the young woman waited to make sure the other was paying enough attention before continuing. Bellatrix furrowed her brows at the girl's tone and sent a quick worried glance in her direction. "You know we don't have to discuss anything heavy for the time being right? For all I'm concerned, we've already made up and everything that comes after is a bridge we can cross together." She said softly. Turning to Hermione as the Jeep slowed due to traffic, she said "You being in this car with me is enough to let me know that we both want this to work. I won't ask you for anything more." She smiled and turned back to the road.
Hermione forced the lump in her throat down as she willed her tears not to fall. She really didn't feel like she deserved Bellatrix. "No, Bellatrix. I- this has to be done. It's unfair to you and myself if I let this whole thing go any further and I won't address the reasons why I really broke up with you." Sitting in her chair properly, Hermione turned to look out her own window. She didn't have enough strength to face Bellatrix as she told her this story. "I was seventeen when it all started. My family had gone on a trip to Bulgaria for the summer. Like always, I was extremely excited to visit a new country. The things I would be able to learn, all the exposure, the culture, the people. I loved all of it. It was there that I had met him. His name was Victor Krum. Coincidentally, he was visiting his family for the summer as well. We'd met at a festival in a small village, a place whose name I've long since forgotten." She smiled softly as her mind drifted back to that day.
"I'd been playing with some of the local children when I accidentally ran into him." She giggled as she described the scene. "Victor is rather big in build, so you can imagine how funny it was to bystanders to witness such a small girl tackle such a big guy with ease. He was a complete gentleman about the whole incident and had even offered to buy me dinner that night as an apology despite it being me who had knocked him over. I didn't say yes, that day. I'd been too embarrassed, but also, it's a foreign land. Stranger danger and that lot, you know." Hermione threw Bellatrix a glance when she heard the woman chuckle lightly. She continued "It was after running into each other constantly that entire weekend, that, after some thinking, I decided to take him up on his offer for dinner. He'd taken me to his favorite restaurant there. Everything was so nice. The mood, weather, the people, it had felt like a cheesy romcom. To seventeen-year-old Hermione, that was all I had been dreaming of. Who would have thought I'd find my younger self's idea of prince charming while on a family vacation. We spent almost every day with each other after that. It was addicting. He was so smart, there was so much we'd talk about. I never had to dumb myself down for him or temper my personality as I would sometimes do, even with my friends. So, halfway through my family's vacation, he'd asked if I would be open to a potential relationship. At first, I was unsure, which is practical. We still lived in different countries. Sure, long-distance relationships work out every day but this was something new for me. I'd never felt this way about anyone and the idea of us not being able to spend physical time together scared me. In the end, I'd decided that this feeling was just too special to not take a chance on. So, we started dating. Our families were none the wiser. The only other person to have known was Ginny and she only knew him by the first name. I was going to tell Draco at first but then I learned that Krum's family are in business with the Malfoy's and I don't know, I just didn't want things to be messy if things didn't work out for me and Victor. He's never met my friends and so it was all very secretive. Sort of like we were. Anyway, moving on since this story doesn't have to be so long. Right before my vacation was ending, we'd confessed deeper feelings of love to each other and made love."
As Hermione continued, lost in her story, she had failed to notice Bella's sudden tense posture in the driver's seat. Knuckles white as she gripped the steering wheel in an attempt to curb the sudden jealousy she was feeling towards her lover's ex. It was irrational, she knew this, but it was love. What is love, if not irrationality at its core?
"When we both returned to our homes, we'd call daily and facetime nightly. Sometimes he'd travel to London with his father for business affairs and I'd spend that entire time with him locked up in a hotel room enjoying each other and whatever we'd decide to order in. It was all so surreal. I thought he was it for me. I was starting to play with the idea of telling my friends about us. We'd started having conversations of that nature as my studies advanced and he got closer to taking over his family business." Bellatrix flinched lightly sending a glance towards the now hunched-over form of Hermione as she heard the woman let out a bitter laugh.
"Do you have any tissue paper in here, by chance, Bella? I haven't even gotten to the part where shit goes down the drain and I'm already a snotty mess." She joked weakly. Bellatrix felt her gut twist uncomfortably from the hurt in Hermione's voice. She wanted to pull over and make sure she was okay, but they had a schedule to follow and it also didn't seem like the woman wanted to have sole attention on her physical state at the moment either. "Yeah, check the center armrest. There should be a couple of packs you can take one. There should also be bottles of water in the back seat as well if you get thirsty. We can make a pit stop halfway if you would like." Mumbling thanks, Hermione shakily wiped at her tears and blew her nose. Opening her window a bit, Hermione rested her head against her chair and took deep breaths to help with the sudden feeling of claustrophobia encroaching upon her. She knew that these memories would overwhelm her the moment she chose to discuss them with someone but she didn't expect them to be this strong, this fresh in her system. It'd been a decade now since that heartbreak and for as horrible as she felt, she still found Bellatrix along the way. She could do this. She has to let go of her past for good now.
"It was Draco who had told me about it. Turns out, Victor's father had arranged a marriage for his son. A company merger of sorts, I was told. At the time, I was nearing my undergrad graduation at Uni and was finalizing my talk to introduce Victor to my friends and family. We'd been speaking to each other fewer and fewer as my examinations drew closer so I didn't think too much of it. So, imagine my surprise when Draco of all people showed up one evening in our living room discussing outfit choices for a wedding. At first, I was in complete denial because what teenage girl wouldn't be? But then I sat and thought about it some more and after watching many of my texts go unread, it all registered in my mind. The man that I loved, my prince charming, was marrying someone else and he didn't even have the nerve to face me when confronted about it. Like with you, I'd thrown myself into my schoolwork. Passed my examinations with ease. Started my internships earlier than scheduled. I stopped going out with my friends. I was eating and sleeping less. By the time graduation came around, I'd lost a significant amount of weight. Everyone was understandably worried about me, but they didn't know so they never confronted me about my issues. I was angry, heartbroken, stubborn, and depressed. Night after sleepless night, I spent my hours trying to figure out if I wasn't enough. If it was all just a lie. Even if he couldn't get out of the business arrangement, why wasn't I respected enough to at least be told? Maybe letting go would have been easier had he just told me about it all, himself." Hermoine gasped for air as she stopped talking, body shaking with sobs. Bellatrix felt tears well up in her eyes as she listened to her love recount her heartache. She was angry, naturally. She knew the Krum family, their son was a decent man in her eyes, or well, he was. Now she'd prefer to have just confronted him for being the coward that he was and demand he apologizes for what he did. Deciding to take a break, Bella exited the highway and parked in the nearest rest stop to give Hermione some time to calm down. They would reach their destination when they reached. Time wasn't an issue anymore, not when Hermione was sitting there hurting like this. Facing the younger woman, Bella listened as she continued, painfully.
"What makes this even worse was that a couple of months after everything initially happened, I got sick. At first, I just assumed it was because I wasn't eating or sleeping but then I went to my doctor and-" The choked gasp Hermione let out had Bellatrix unbuckling her seat belt and pulling the broken girl into her lap, cradling her. "Shhh, sweetheart. Take a deep breath for me, kitten. Come on. Deep breaths. I'll count them for you, alright? One." Bella softly rubbed her back as she heard Hermione struggle to take a shaky inhale. She hummed as Hermione's exhale came out less shaky. "Good, girl. Another one now, two." And for the next twenty minutes, Bellatrix helped calm Hermione down from her panic attack and soothed her as best as the situation would allow. Kissing her head, Bella asked softly "Are you doing better now, Hermione?" Not hearing a response, Bellatrix looked down and chuckled as she noticed the younger woman fast asleep in her lap. Kissing her on the head one more time, she attempted to position Hermione back into the passenger seat without disturbing her sleep too much. Bella knew the conversation wasn't over but it had drained all the energy from the girl. Another time, she told herself. They can continue the talk another time.
A/N: How was that? I'm actually a bit insecure about these next couple of chapters I'll be posting. I struggled a lot with where I wanted them to go since I already have the ending planned out and roughly drafted. But please, let me know how you guys liked this.