They had formed a habit of meeting in the library and going from there, today Bellatrix was sat with a heavy book waiting. Instead of speaking, Hermione leaned on the desk next to her to catch her eye and once she had caught Bellatrix's attention, she smiled and began to walk out of the library.
"hey you, where are we going" Bellatrix sped up a little to match Hermione's pace.
"thought we could go for a walk; let you treasure my presence for a bit before I leave" Hermione smirked at her.
Bellatrix forced a smile, but a sickness settled in her stomach. This might well be the last time that Hermione spoke to her if she figured out that she'd helped her father. That won't happen she told herself; she was just ensuring that Hermione was out of the way and she'd never find out. If it were a moral problem to spare Hermione and Ron by only sacrificing Harry, she would be in the right.
"Something on your mind" Hermione had spotted her troubled face.
"Just going to miss you I suppose" Bellatrix watched Hermione blush, it wasn't a lie, but she knew that saying stuff like that might have felt freeing if it weren't for the weight in her chest. She had to get this all finished "so are you looking forward to going to Weasley house, that was where you said you were going isn't it"
Hermione side glanced her a little, they didn't talk much about their friends, but she was optimistic about where this was going. "yeah, a week at home for Christmas and then to the Burrow for a while. It'll be nice to be around a big family like theirs for a change".
"Must be nice for Harry and Sirius too then if that's the case" Bellatrix tried to push Harry into the conversation, so her questions wouldn't seem as out of the blue.
Hermione furrowed her brow, she wasn't sure what Bellatrix was thinking or why it concerned Harry, but then again maybe she wanted to bring up the chat her and Harry had at quidditch practice. "yes, I think they both get something that they've never really had by going to the burrow".
"Mm, the Black family doesn't exactly have game nights and Christmas mornings together, so I see why Sirius likes it" Bellatrix cleared her throat, "plus Christmas at Azkaban must have sucked" Bellatrix raised her brows at Hermione.
"yeah… I imagine that Christmas in prison must suck" Hermione gave Bellatrix a funny look but didn't say anything more.
"I mean, must be tough picking Harry up too, people must stare at the platform after all the headlines and such". Bellatrix kicked a stone and watched it plop into the lake, she wished for a moment she could swap places with it. At this moment in time she felt like she deserved it.
So maybe this is about Sirius and not Harry? Hermione was puzzled, but at least if she played out the conversation, she could move into asking about Bella and Harry's talk. "uhh Sirius waits outside, Grimmauld place isn't too far from the station so I suppose he doesn't even really need to come, but he wanted to apparently".
"huh…that's an old Black family house, I didn't imagine that he'd stay there for any longer than he had to" Bellatrix furrowed her brow trying to remember the house. Grimmauld place was in Claremont square, that means that Sirius will be outside the east exit of King's cross.
"Well while 'you know who' was still around in the beginning and his…uh followers afterwards, he felt it made sense for Harry to stay there." Hermione was careful not to mention the word deatheater.
"Mm, if there's one thing old blood can do it's tighten security" Bellatrix mused aloud.
"That must be why some people are so hard to track down I suppose" Hermione raised his brows at Bella to pose it as a question she didn't exactly need an answer to.
"That's the problem with pure blood families, takes a pretty resilient traitor to take down anyone significant" Bella's matter of fact face stared back at Hermione.
The way it was said made Hermione wonder which side she spoke in favour of, the family or the traitor. "But I do think that Sirius and Harry are looking for somewhere with a better atmosphere, once things are fully settled."
Bella chuckled "yes I can't imagine the décor screams 'cosy'".
Hermione laughed back "yeah not exactly, suits Harry's moods lately though, very uh erratic" Hermione was trying to transition seamlessly "Speaking of which, he said you two spoke about that sort of thing".
Bellatrix's cheeks went a little bit hot "uh, it was a quidditch exercise training thing or whatever, we made peace about the accident thing I guess" she stared at the floor, guilty and a little embarrassed.
By the look of Bella's face she could tell she didn't enjoy the new topic "that's, pretty big of you to forgive him after everything" Hermione looked at her, wishing she would look at her so she could gauge how Bella might be feeling.
"ahh it's just, you know it made sense, he has a very cute best friend who made it up to me" Bella slapped on a flirty smile and looked up at Hermione, she couldn't let her poke this topic too much.
Hermione blushed a little "Ronald did what" Hermione smirked back at Bella.
"ha ha. very funny Granger" Bella chuckled "you know I think that's the most surprising thing I learnt about you"
"oh, what's that?" Hermione playfully lowered her brows.
"you are sometimes, very occasionally, funny" Bella winked at Hermione.
Hermione laughed and nudged Bellatrix "well when I get back, you'll have missed me so much I'll be hilarious".
They carried on like this for a time, walking and joking, discussing a little of everything. Soon it was cold and getting too dark to stay out for much longer, so they walked slowly together until they came to the spot where they usually went their separate ways. Hermione looked at Bella and smiled, Bella retuned the gesture, but it seemed a little forced.
"are you sure there wasn't anything else on your mind?" Hermione tilted her head a little, Bella had said it was only about missing her, but the raven haired girl looked almost sick.
Bellatrix looked into Hermione's warm eyes, if she just told her everything right now, what would happen? Would they run to Dumbledore? Would Hermione never speak to her again? Even if she did tell Hermione and Dumbledore, she'd said it herself earlier today; old blood means tight security. Her father would find someway to get to Harry, whether it was this weekend or in 10 years, she couldn't risk Hermione being there.
"I just, really don't like the holidays is all" Bellatrix turned away her hot face to break their eye contact before she gave anything else away.
Hermione's heart ached for Bellatrix and she wished more than anything that Bella had some family she could be close to, but even her sisters were a touchy topic as well. "Well, maybe one day we can have a Christmas that you will like". Hermione smiled softly, hoping Bella would agree.
Bellatrix gave a small smile back "yes, hopefully one day we will".
With a brief kiss, they went their separate ways. Hermione to a restful night's sleep, and Bellatrix to 8 hours of tossing and turning.
Bellatrix's weeks had started to feel a little bit repetitive. The only part of them she'd been enjoying were evenings with Hermione and maybe the occasional quidditch game where she didn't get maimed. After this week however, it would all be different. No more letters. No more planning and sneaking around. She wouldn't have to get information out of Hermione, she would only need to be there for her once Harry was gone. She could do that. she had to do that. It was too late to go back now. She had just sent the final letter to her father; Saturday was set in stone now and there was just a couple more days to wait.
"harry mate, you've got to tell her at some point" Ron was making his way through another sausage as he appealed to Harry across the dining table.
"I know, I will tell her… on the train" Harry mumbled slightly at the end, knowing Ron would disapprove.
"That's cutting it a bit fine, 'mione will wonder why you waited to tell her" Ron raised his eyebrows at Harry, they had only just made up and Ron didn't have the energy for another round of peace making between his two stubborn best friends.
"I know, and I know me and Black came to an understanding but" Harry looked around the near empty dining hall "but I still think it would be better for Hermione to hear Sirius out about Bellatrix before Bellatrix can get her word in first about him"
"D'you think he wants to warn her off then?" Ron forced the words through more sausage.
"I mean, he knows what the Black family is like better than anyone, and from he's told me about them I assumed that's what his plan was." Harry shrugged; he probably should have asked Sirius more about what he wanted to talk to Hermione about, but it was too late now really.
"As long as everyone turns up to the Burrow on time so mum doesn't moan, then it'll be fine" Ron smiled, and watched Harry chuckle.
"Well?" a small boy looked him self up and down in the mirror, fluffing at his hair.
Behind him a large balding man with a large moustache watched "very convincing, just need to practise the voice I'd say and we're ready" He scratched his face, how people kept these horrid things on their faces he never knew.
"Mm yes, I think this will do nicely" the boy walked away from the mirror and sat in a nearby armchair. He let out soft whimpers and tried to make tears come to his eyes, but none would come. He puffed out a frustrated sigh, he's just needed to use something to make his eyes water. A sleeve rubbed in mandrake oil would suffice. With a gentle smile growing on his young face the boy pulled a small knife from his pocket and began to twirl it between his fingers, everything was just about ready.