She had dreams of wars fought with the heavy clang of metal on metal, of oppressing armor that obstructed her vision and stifled the air she breathed. She smelled horse sweat and blood in the air around her as she stood in a field staring out at lifeless bodies below her. Broken flags littered the ground, horses lie dead on their masters, spears protruding from most of their bodies.
Her vision moved down. To a shield laying beside her feet, silver around it with ornate golden crowns painted in the middle. Arrows were imbedded in it's metal. Broken shafts protruding from the image of the three golden crowns.
Something buzzed beside her ear as she bent to pick it up. Someone was speaking to her but she couldn't make out the words. She felt far from her body, her mind soaring out over the battlefield, wondering how many had been lost, on both sides, in a pointless and needless war.
Smoke billowed out across the horizon, dark and foreboding. Rain drizzled from the sky as if the very clouds were crying.
They had won, she was sure they had won. But she was neither happy nor satisfied.
This battle was over, another was on the horizon. Would her people never have respite?
"Hermione? Hey Hermione!?"
Violent shaking woke her from her disturbing dream. She had to blink several times and take a few quick deep breaths to fight away the smell of smoke and battle. She could swear she tasted lingering blood in her mouth but Ginny shook her again and she was forced to push the girl away, her dream quickly fading from her memory.
"What?" She muttered darkly, wanting nothing more than to climb back under the sheets and pretend she had never woken.
"It's time for breakfast!" Ginny pulled the blankets from her and tugged on her arm. "Come on. Really what's up with you, I expect this from Ron but you're always up at the crack of dawn."
Hermione groaned and climbed out of her bed. "Can't I skip breakfast?" She didn't feel that hungry.
Ginny's grey eyes glared at her, hands went to her hip as she stared at the disheveled girl. "You practically skipped supper last night, you can't skip breakfast too." Hermione wondered if she would be hexed if she said Ginny looked and sounded like her mother right then. She decided it was best not to risk it and climbed out of bed to get dressed. She was a little chagrinned to see she was the last up. The other girls had already cleared out.
"Alright Gin, just give me a moment and I'll be ready to go." She took a moment to glance out the small window and out at the gloomy weather outside. It was a rather sad way to start their first day of classes. Especially since their first class was outside with Hagrid and they were likely to get a bit wet….
Oh they did get wet.
But not from the rain. Hagrid had them wading around at the edges of the Black lake. It was chilling and uncomfortable work. And to top it all off he gave them a full thirteen inches to write about the ecosystem of the lake and where the squid fit in.
And he wasn't the only one. Bellatrix hadn't been kidding or exaggerating when she said she had a lot planned for the school year. It seemed every other professor had the same idea. Sprout gave them chapters to read in three days, Flitwick had them all practicing a very complex charm and professor McGonagall gave them an essay longer than Hagrid's. Hermione could hear her classmates groaning about the workload they had been given on the first day, and while she liked a challenge even she thought it was a lot. Unlike the others she was heading to the library during dinner to get a head start.
Ginny had not been pleased about her decision to skip, she had placed her hands on her hips again and positively demanded Hermione eat. Aside from dragging her bodily to the Great Hall though there was nothing she could do when Hermione refused.
She had eaten lunch with the others but all everyone wanted to talk about was the work load and how summer was, which reminded her of Peter and her uncertain future, which in turn only put her off eating. Still Ginny had made her promise to attend all meals the following day so she knew the ginger was going to be watching her like a hawk. Ginny was too observant for her own good, and entirely too mothering for Hermione's.
She pushed through the large familiar doors, not sure if her presence really surprised Madame Pince or not. The woman gave her a quick nod from over her desk and went back to her books. It seemed she hadn't been the only one skipping dinner. Come to think of it the librarian was always around whenever Hermione came to the library and she couldn't remember ever seeing her eating with the rest of the staff, except maybe on the first and last days of term. She wondered why but she definitely wasn't brave enough to ask. They may have both been kindred spirits when it came to books but she always made Hermione feel like she was invading her sacred space. Hermione couldn't help her space was the school library. Although she did spend a lot of time there, probably more than any other regulars combined.
She sighed and pulled the slip of paper from her robes. She was going to have to disturb the woman if she wanted to get into the restricted section, better sooner than later when everyone else started irritating her.
"Madame Pince?" Sharp eyes bore into her but the woman didn't say anything so she handed the roughly written scrap of paper over. The woman's face morphed into a scowl and she scoffed.
"Black's handwriting is atrocious, I can't even read what it says." She cut the girl off when she made to explain. "If you're giving it to me I know you want the restricted section. Blasted if I know why you want to be in there on the first day of term, really Hermione." She was rather surprised the witch knew her name.
"Um….she gave me an extra assignment and I just wanted to get a head start. We have a lot of work to do already I don't want to fall behind." She quickly shut up when she realized she was rambling.
"Yes well…." She reached under the desk and came back with a small keyring. She handed Hermione one with a pointed look. "Don't lose it. I won't be giving you another. And be careful what you open, you know how dangerous some of those books can be." She gave her a pointed look, as if Hermione needed to be reminded of her near disaster so many years ago. That memory was never going to fade. "Stay away from the section on fiendfire." She only relinquished the key when Hermione nodded her understanding. "If you need me I'll be in my office." She picked up the book she had been reading and retreated without another glance at her. Hermione mused that it was probably the most the two of them had conversed in the six years she had attended Hogwarts.
She held the key tightly in her palm and headed toward the gate. It was imposing. Not so much the large bars that kept people out but the darkness that seemed to reach out from behind them. She had always got the impression the area was locked up to keep things in rather than to really keep students out.
Whatever the reason most students didn't really like coming there, never mind that it was nearly impossible to get permission in the first place. Most teachers didn't trust their students with the kind of knowledge those books held. And Pince was right, some of the books could cause problems if they were opened at all. She'd nearly drowned once by accidentally opening one that created a bubble of water around her face. No idea how that could have even been useful but she had been too panicked to think of closing the book. Black had saved her that day, and she had gotten so much detention it wasn't even funny. She was extra careful about what books she opened in the restricted section now.
She conjured a small flame in her palm and pulled the jar she brought out of her robes. She tilted the flame inside the jar and closed the lid. There were small holes so the flame could get oxygen but the lid ensured she wouldn't start a fire if she had an accident. Harry had burned a few books when he'd snuck into the restricted section his first year, she was not going to make that mistake, who knew what knowledge had been lost because of his carelessness.
"Hey, neat trick."
She screamed and jumped back away from the voice next to her ear. "Cormac!" He had been far too quiet coming up to her.
The blonde boy grinned charmingly at her. "Hey, I couldn't find you at supper. I heard the sixth years got bombarded with work. I figured you would be here." He knew her so well…
She glared at him. "I'm trying to get a head start on some things. I don't need distractions." She tried to ignore him as she unlocked the gate but it was hard when he followed her inside. "McLaggen there is a reason this section is restricted." She told him snappily, placing the jar with the flame on a nearby table. She hoped he might take the hint and just bugger off.
"Yeah, it sure is creepy." That was not what she meant. "How in Merlin's name did you get the key on the first day though? You're something else that's for sure."
She gritted her teeth and moved away from him toward a shelf. "Black gave me permission." She didn't elaborate. He came from a wizarding house but she wasn't sure where it stood on blood status. She was sure he wouldn't have been any help to her though. She had heard stories about his uncle and father. They were deep in the ministry and they seemed to crave power if a few rumors she had overheard in the leaky cauldron were to be believed. People like that agreed with whoever paid them, in the case of the ministry it was mostly people like the Malfoys. People with old money and deep prejudices.
She had no idea what McLaggen wanted with her but a relationship between them would never work out. He wasn't likely to be anything more than a wealthy wizard's yes man and she had no interest in someone like that.
"That's surprising isn't it? I thought you two couldn't get along for anything. Is that what she had to talk to you about last night?"
"Look-" She turned around and gave him her best glare. "I don't know why you came looking for me but I really have to get to work. I didn't skip supper to waste my time with idle chatter here."
He grinned and moved closer crowding her against the shelves behind. She stepped back a bit until her back came in contact with the shelf she had been trying to peruse.
"What-"
"You're right. We shouldn't waste time, who knows when we will get to be so alone again.."
Her heart sped up, that had not been what she was aiming at. She held up a hand to stop his approach and cursed at herself. Was she a witch or not? If she threatened to jinx the life out of him maybe he would finally get a clue.
She fumbled in panic for her wand to do just that but she had underestimated how close he was. She froze when he placed his hands on the shelf on either side of her head. He was far too close, she could smell his musky cologne. An expensive one she recognized from a store in Diagon Alley, it was too strong and had a faint odor of old broom.
"I really missed seeing you over the summer. I asked you out a lot last year but you kept saying you were too busy catching up on classes you missed the year before. Well you're all caught up now right?"
She got her hands between them and pushed on his chest. He was too tall and didn't want to move. "Look I told you last year I'm not interested." She had tried to let him down gently. Had tried not to say it quite so bluntly but he just wasn't getting it. "I don't even see you as a friend."
"You just got to give me a chance." He chuckled, he didn't move. If anything he leaned in closer. His spearmint toothpaste made her a little nauseous and she turned her head to avoid his lips. They left a wet trail down her cheek and she renewed her efforts to shove him off, despite the weak clammy feeling spreading through her body.
"That's enough." Black's voice cut through the darkness. Cormac sprung away from Hermione with a yelp, she was pretty sure Black had cast a stinging jinx at him. He stood shifting from foot to foot rubbing the backs of his hands over his robes as if to get a feeling to disappear.
Hermione leaned back against the stacks and crossed her arms around her middle as she tried to catch her breath. She felt a little unsteady. She should have been able to send Cormac sailing but her strength failed her when she couldn't get to her wand. She had panicked and been caught far too easily. Sure it was a harmless flirt wanting to date her now but one day it would be her stepfather holding her captive. She had to be quicker, less prone to panicking when she lost control of the situation.
She heard Cormac stuttering out excuses when the ringing in her ears finally dissipated. She forced herself to listen, because it sounded like he was telling Black they were looking for somewhere they could be alone and that was not what had happened at all. She started to protest but she had already been silent too long. Black's obsidian eyes were focused on her and the dark witch looked positively ferocious.
"I gave you that pass for your assignment. Not to neck with your boyfriend." She gritted out through dark red lips.
"That's not- He's not my boyfriend." Hermione protested weakly.
It only seemed to anger the professor more. "Twenty points from Gryffindor and you both have detention with me. Separately." She growled. "Get out of here McLaggen and don't let me catch you back in here again." The coward practically ran, he didn't even offer an apology for getting her detention, not that she really expected one. She supposed she should just be thankful Black came around when she did. Not that she thought Cormac would have done anything aside from stealing a kiss but it was still something she didn't want to endure.
"I expected better." The dark woman still looked positively furious. She looked ready to curse something, it was a little frightening and Hermione wondered if she hadn't just jumped out of the frying pan into a fire. She didn't really understand why the woman was so angry, it couldn't have been the first time she had caught students making out. Even if that wasn't what had been happening.
Black started pacing, the agitation flowing from her almost palpable.
"I-" Dark eyes glanced up at her sharply, effectively cutting off whatever she had to say.
"I give you an assignment…something important. I give you access to the restricted section. Something I would not give to anyone else. And on the first day…..the first day! I find you necking like a…..like a teenager behind the stacks." She scowled furiously and ran a hand through her wild hair. "That's unacceptable."
"I came to study. He followed me in here and I was not interested in any kind of necking." She matched Black's glare with her own. "And we weren't….making out or anything."
"It sure looked like it from where I was standing."
Hermione turned her head away. "I can't help what it looked like, it wasn't like that. I don't like him like that….or at all really." She crossed her arms tighter over her chest and ignored the scoff she heard.
"So you just go around being intimate with anyone?" She jerked her gaze up, angry at the insinuation and flabbergasted at the livid tone.
"No I don't. We were not being….intimate. And even if we were it wouldn't be any of your business." It was the wrong thing to say, when was she going to learn to keep her damn mouth shut around Black. The woman seemed to live for confrontations with her.
Bellatrix took an imposing step toward her, hands outstretched like she had planned to grasp her, perhaps shake her, but at the last moment she froze. Her eyes widened and she turned away. "Keep your dalliances private. But do not, do not, take advantage of the privileges I gave you or I will take them away." Hermione could see her fists clench in anger and she swallowed thickly. "Understand?"
"Yes." She didn't trust herself to say anything else. It hurt that Black didn't believe her. For whatever reason she wanted to believe the worst about Hermione, she didn't appreciate being thought of as some kind of loose hormonal teenager.
"Detention will be the least of your troubles if I catch him in here with you again, Granger." With those parting words she strode away. Leaving an angry and embarrassed Hermione behind.
~B~
Bellatrix barely managed to make it back to her rooms before she lost control of her anger and threw an outright temper tantrum. She broke her table flung her wand around and her magic tore scars into the walls, ripped her curtains to shreds and blew up any book she laid her eyes on.
When she was done she was breathing heavy and still so damn angry. She wasn't even sure what she was so angry about. Sure she felt like Hermione had broken her trust but she was a teenager. She was barely seventeen years old and they were notorious for believing their love was the most important thing in the world, that it was worth any risk. She had often caught students making out in random locations throughout the castle. They were not even the first couple she had caught in the forbidden section.
Normally she found it amusing to interrupt. She loved seeing the terror and embarrassment cross their faces at being caught before she slapped them with weeks worth of detentions. It had not been as fun when it was Granger she caught locked in an embrace. She had nearly attacked the boy. Had sent stinging hexes at his hands, a light punishment considering what she had wanted to do.
Which was curse the brat to next week.
Was it the bond? Was it something else? She didn't have the answer.
She growled and spun around in her kitchen, she tried to focus on her breathing like Andy taught her and planted her palms on the counter. She could hear breaking glass as objects exploded and cursed herself. Black's were not supposed to lose control like this. She never lost control of her magic before, not since she was a very small child. It had to be Hermione. It had to be their bond. It had to be the instability she read about in the Black journals.
She sucked in deep breaths and tried to count. She could hear whispering in her ears, a signal that she had let things get out of hand, something that hadn't happened since the year Hermione had disappeared on her. When she heard the whispering she knew something had to be done. She couldn't be around the students, her magic was too strong and her hold on her temper was entirely too fragile. She had dueled Dumbledore the last time the whispering was so bad.
Normally they were faint and she could ignore them. They had been with her since the bond, seven years was a long time to be plagued with something gnawing at her sanity. They had only ever been this bad the once before.
Dark whispers, tempting her to unleash her power, to stop holding back and let everyone see how strong she was. To let everyone see that she was powerful enough to have Hermione. The girl was hers. Hers!
All she could see was his hands by her face, his head tilted toward her while she gave him her neck.
The counters cracked under her palms and she tried her breathing again.
It wasn't right. Just because their magic bonded them together did not mean Granger's life belonged to her. She was her own woman and she could make her own choices. Bellatrix had decided that. Whatever Hermione chose that was going to be that. She had decided.
The voices laughed at her.
She closed her eyes, focused on what she could feel rather than hear. It didn't help. She could practically feel the dark whispers, like bits of smoke clinging to her, encircling her like dark magic, enticing and powerful. Promising her so much…..
She shook her head sharply.
Blasted Andy! She couldn't have given Bella some kind of exercise that would work for this! Of course if she really expected her sister to help she would have to tell her the truth. It was bad enough Dumbledore and Pomfrey knew. Dumbledore she had told herself but Pomfrey had been a necessity, the older witch wouldn't supply the calming drought she had needed two years ago without knowing why.
Narcissa knew, a moment of weakness she had regretted ever since. Her younger sister let her prejudices get in the way and their relationship had been strained ever since so she knew she couldn't expect help from her.
She could go to Pomfrey though. Ask for the drought…..maybe a stronger dose. But she was sure the blasted woman would ask what triggered it. Hermione being absent was one thing, telling Pomfrey she had caught the girl with her boy toy and gotten jealous was another.
Jealous.
The voices echoed the word. They rarely spoke together. They spoke to each other, they spoke to her, little hints about how she could become a truly powerful witch if only she would hex this person, or that. But they rarely ever agreed on anything. They seemed to be agreeing she was jealous though. Jealous of the boy.
Her eyes flew open, traces of dark smoke filled her vision before it dissipated. Anger and turmoil replaced by shock and disbelief.
She pushed off the broken counter, she would fix everything later she needed to get away from the castle. Get ahold of herself somewhere safe where she could figure out what the hell was going on in her mind.
She moved around the destroyed living area and headed for her closet, she was grateful she hadn't taken her anger out on her bedroom.
Muggle clothes were what she needed. A pair of tight fitting skinny jeans and a white shirt with her favorite leather jacket were what she chose, all gifts from Lily for her birthday the year before. She made sure her wand was tucked into the special zip pocket and took off for Hogsmeade.
~B~
The small sleepy town of Cokeworth never knew it was visited by the magical world, and that was how they preferred it. If its mundane residents knew anything out of the ordinary was going on they would have written a very strongly worded letter to Mr. Evan's expressing their discontent. Not that he would have cared mind you, but it was the principal of the matter. As it was they knew nothing, blissful in the ignorance that he had any knowledge of anything abnormal they considered Mr. Evans to be of the best sort with wonderfully beautiful children and grandchildren.
Billy Evans was sad to say once upon a time he too had been like the other sticks in the mud. It had taken him quite some time to get used to having a witch in the family, and even more when the magical world started to affect more than just the school year for his daughter. She'd married a wizard, had a son who was also a wizard, and another little boy now who was already practically sneezing magic at two months old. Holidays and Birthdays were full of magical toys and magical people and had it not been for his beautiful wife he might have stopped going. She reminded him, well no she 'strongly' told him, they were just as good as magical people, and to get his head out of his bum because their grandbabies deserved to know where they came from.
They were such good grandbabies too, he smiled at the memory. His greatest fear was that Harry would prefer the magical world to his own and the boy wouldn't like the toys he got him or made for him. He should have known better, Mari raised her girls' right, both of them, so of course his grandsons were raised right. Harry loved his toys just as much as the magical, more even sometimes and he even shared the magical ones with Dudley, much to his mother's amusement and his father's horror. Billy even got to craft Harry a broom stick which Lily had taken to have magically enchanted, he had only been four at the time but Harry had absolutely loved it, Dudley as well but it was just as well the little chubby kid was too scared to fly it, he had no magic and Billy wasn't sure just how that worked.
It was memories like that which had him sitting out on his front porch in his rocker, intensely aware of his wife's own empty one creaking with the breeze. If he closed his eyes it almost felt like she was there with him knitting one of her doylies. Tears misted his eyes a bit, there would never be enough time passed for him not to miss her. He'd give his girls a call at a more decent hour, hearing about his grandkids always brought him out of his depression, and then he could go talk to his wife in the rose garden where he felt she was always listening.
He heard a faint 'pop' from that very garden and stopped his rocking. Perhaps he wasn't the only one missing his Marigold tonight. He got to his feet unsteadily and reached for the cane he'd made, the pattern had roses he'd engraved on it one night in front of the fire and it had always been her favorite. Since she passed he'd needed it to walk with in cold nights. He stuck to the stone pathway idly noting he needed to add lights, despite the bright moon illuminating the light grey stones it was hard to see the uneven bits.
He was shocked to see none other than Bellatrix Black standing in his rose garden, her tense figure illuminated in the moonlight making her seem almost ethereal. He remembered she and Mari were close during her last few years but he never expected to see her standing there after her passing. Mari used to sit and talk with the dark woman for hours under that very arch on a bench he had carved out of a large piece of drift wood for their anniversary.
Bellatrix was running her hand over it now and even as far away as he was he could see a light spray of tears glistening on her cheeks in the pale light. Yes. He wasn't the only one missing his love tonight. He moved into the garden where she could see him. She didn't move away as he sat down and leaned his cane up against the bench. "Sorry for intruding." He smiled ignoring her apology and patted the seat beside himself with an old wrinkled hand. His wedding band caught the light and she sniffled but sat down next to him.
"Ms. Black." He said as greeting looking away from her and out toward the pride and joy that was his garden.
"Mari said if I ever felt like I couldn't catch my breath I could come here and talk to her. I know she's gone but I didn't know what else to do." It was difficult for the raven to admit it but he didn't mock her or scold her for showing up unannounced as her own father would have before his death.
"Hasn't changed," he said pleasantly. "I like to think she's here in this place and I know she isn't gone. She goes with me wherever I go," he touched his hand to his chest over his heart and rubbed a slow circle before letting it fall. "I imagine she goes with you too Ms. Black. She thought a lot about you." Bella hung her head letting her hair cascade down to hide her face as she silently wept. Her emotions overwhelming. He patted her hand with his tanned one and stood up. "I'll be in my shed dear, come find me if you need me. I imagine you want to have a word with the missus. I'll leave you to your privacy."
She hear the shed door close softly but didn't bother moving. She felt at peace where she was. She had spent so many nights sitting with Mari after one of Lily's parties. They talked about anything and everything. Except for Bellatrix bonding to Hermione. It was the one thing she had never been able to tell the old woman. How could she? She had been so sure she was just going to ignore it.
Now sitting in the garden with the woman's ghost all around her she didn't know what to say. She had never been good at talking about her problems, not the serious ones. Despite Andromeda's suggestions she had never gone to a counselor about their father, hell she never even talked to her sisters about his abuse and they had witnessed some of it.
She felt weak. Weak for needing someone to talk to. But she also felt weak for not doing it sooner, when the woman was alive.
Would it have really been so hard to have someone share the worry. To have someone to rant to or to sing her bond's praises. Someone on the outside who could offer advice.
She shook her head. Mari was gone but her husband was right. There was no ghost of the woman haunting the road garden he had so meticulously built for her. But she was all around them. Bella could feel her. Feel the comfort she had always given. It was in the roses, in their gentle yet sharp beauty and the soft fragrance they left behind. Mari always smelled of roses. And she had always been so nice, so gently. Threaten one of her children or grandchildren though and you got the thorns. It was one of the reasons Bella had taken to her, even though she had been a muggle.
No one else had ever gotten Bella out of her she'll the way Mari had. Not even Lily and Molly, whom she considered two of her closest friends.
The old woman had walked up to her at a party and demanded to know what her problem was. Bellatrix had gotten over her prejudices against muggleborns but an actual muggle talking to her that way…..she would have cursed her once upon a time. She was glad she hadn't, the woman gave her the closest thing to motherly affection she had ever had.
"I miss you." The breeze carried her grief stricken words before swooping back at her and tugging at the wild strands of her hair. "I'm so lost Mari I don't know what to do. I don't know how I feel. Two more years of this limbo. Of not knowing if I'm going to get a reprieve or if a life of craziness and hell is all I have to look forward to." She sighed harshly.
"I need some help, old woman." A part of her expected an answer. Mari had always been very forthright. But of course there wasn't one. The dead don't speak to the living. Not in the muggle world anyways.
~H~
Hermione closed the journal she was reading and rubbed at her eyes. She couldn't concentrate. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Black. She had looked so angry. Hermione couldn't believe the woman honestly thought she had come with McLaggen to fool around. They were in the same house, if she wanted to do that she could have done it from the safety of a Gryffindor couch where teachers wouldn't normally interrupt. And she damn sure wouldn't have skipped lunch to do it. Black had obviously lost her mind. Or at least all sense of rationality.
She rested her head on the book, feeling a headache pounding away at her temples.
She had detention. On the first sodding day. And she had been doing so good. She was going to kill McLaggen. Honestly she thought the world might be out to get her when it came to him. She had confounded him one blasted time so Ron could be keeper. Just once! And ever since it seemed like the world was out to get her, like she had to make up for cheating the boy out of one thing his arrogant ass wanted.
Two things she supposed. No matter how much he tried she was never going to want a relationship with him. There was nothing he could say or do. The only person she had ever been attracted to was Black. And that was about as possible as her marrying Ron.
She turned her head to the side and fiddled with the spine of another journal, she knew she should lift her head and get back to her research. She just couldn't find the drive.
Ginny had said Bellatrix had gotten interested with bonds over break but she wondered where the woman first heard about them if they were so rare and do deeply hidden. Was Ginny right? Was Black maybe bonded to someone. She had heard the woman had been blood prejudiced once upon a time but she had never seen any evidence of it. Still she came from a pureblood household so being bonded to a lesser blood would not have been easy for her.
Maybe Black was bonded to someone and was looking for a way to undo it. Maybe she couldn't find anything, maybe she was too busy to really look and thought Hermione would be able to do it for her.
Whatever her reasons it didn't really matter. Hermione was going to do her best to find everything she could on the subject. And she was going to downright ignore the jealousy she felt when she thought about Black being bonded to someone else.
About as likely as marry Ron. She reminded herself.
~B~
Billy didn't know how long he was inside working on the rocker he'd built for Lily's new boy, he knew it had been a while and he hadn't heard anything from his spontaneous guest. He thought she could have gone home, he supposed he could have missed the pop she would make when leaving. Somehow he didn't think so, something, or someone, was telling his heart she was still out there and he wanted to be here if she wanted to talk to the living. He would stay there and wait all night if that's what it took no matter how tired his old body was. He sanded a little more then took his whittling knife and whittled off a pattern on the headrest. More roses, Lily would appreciate the bit of her momma in it.
He heard his shed door creak open, he'd been meaning to fix that. He didn't smile but he did look up, the arresting woman looked a bit edgy. "Did it help?"
She shook her head. "As much as I expected it to." He nodded. The dead didn't really give direct answers so the living weren't as attuned to hearing them.
"Come here, this always helped me to settle my mind. Give my hands something to do and my mind something to concentrate on, helps me pick one problem at a time to focus on." He laughed, "Never worked for my brood, they couldn't be still long enough to learn, but you look like you got some patience in you." Bella moved forward curiously. Billy handed her a rough square piece of wood, it was deceptively small, a little larger than her forearm, but it was heavy. He showed her how to place it on the table where she could work on it and handed her a wood knife. "Wherever you feel the wood telling you, that's where you cut. The wood will take care of the shape if you just listen, that's how you make wood art. You got to listen to the wood." He went to sanding his rocking chair.
Bella looked dumbfounded at the knife in her hand. "I could just use magic…." She trailed off at Billy's good natured laughter. He didn't look back at her just continued to sand.
"You could at that. That's what little Lily did." The sound of his sand paper smoothing the rough edges of his rocker was strangely soothing, the voices in her head seemed to quiet. "But there's something about doing this kind of work with your hands and some primitive tools." He inhaled deeply. "With magic there was no smells, no small cuts or wood shavings littering the floor. It was too clean. That's not the point of woodwork."
Bella inhaled the scents as he meant her to. It did smell clean and fresh, a little woodsy. She expected it was all the different types of woods he had stacked about. But it was a good smell, a calming smell, she could appreciate it. She seemed to think it over staring curiously at the block of wood he'd given her. It was heavy but soft, she felt like it was almost pleading for her to take a stab at it and see if she could make something beautiful out of its dull features. She put the knife to it and slit off a sliver. It felt relaxing, it felt right, and the voices in her head were completely gone as she focused only on what the wood was telling her.
Billy smiled as he continued his sanding, his kids may not have been interesting but as he covertly watched the dark beauty get so absorbed in her work he had a wonderful feeling his talents and passion might be passed down after all.
~H~
She spent the night sitting at a table in the dark. She had realized it was past curfew some time around midnight but didn't really want to risk heading back to her dorm. She didn't want any more detention on top of the work she already had.
She spent most of the night searching for information on bonds, of which she found very little. She managed to finish both her potions essay and her transfiguration when she had grown tired of searching the dark tombs.
Somewhere around three she had rested her head on the desk, tried to rub away the headache she could still feel pounding at her temples and promptly fell asleep. Something she vowed never to do again as the rest of her night was filled with more dreams of sword fighting and all out war and ended with her being ran through with a rather shinny sword.
Peeves woke her up in time for breakfast. He had stumbled upon her in the early morning he claimed and opted to "guard" her as she slept. She loved the ghost terribly. If she had been anyone else she knew he likely would have gone straight for a teacher, or he would have caused enough chaos to bring Filch around.
She would never regret lying to the Bloody Baron about where Peeves had been her second year. Whatever he had done had pissed the other ghost off royally and she had known just where Peeves was hiding. Her split second decision to save his ass had made her a lifelong friend…..perhaps even afterlife.
In any case if it hadn't been for him she would have had Ginny to contend with, the girl was already put out that Hermione hadn't returned to the dorm that night. She would not have been happy had Hermione broke her promise on top of it.
She walked the path back to the Great Hall sleepily. A quick clean spell had seen that she looked and smelled presentable, at least she didn't look like she had spent the night awake in the library.
Ginny had still fussed. She insisted Hermione pile her plate high with food even though Hermione tried to tell her she wasn't all that hungry. Under Ginny's watchful eye she managed to eat half of what she had been given before she swore she couldn't handle anymore. They were both finished eating by the time any of the boys showed up.
"Post come yet?" Ron mumbled, pretending to gag when Harry bent down and kissed Ginny's cheek.
"No. Are you actually expecting something?" Ginny asked her brother, her hands going out to Harry's hair in a vain attempt at taming it.
"I am." Neville told them sheepishly. "I forgot to pack my pajamas." They chuckled good-naturedly.
"Hermione what time did you get in last night, Harry and I waited forever for you?"
She glanced at Ron and grimaced. Was it really too much to ask he not talk with his mouth full?
"I didn't. I fell asleep in the library. Peeves woke me up for breakfast just before Ginny came looking."
Harry grunted. "I have no idea how you got that poltergeist to like you."
"Right he never plays pranks on you. And he even makes sure you never get caught breaking rules if he is around." Neville complained.
"Did you hear what he did to Padma's hair. He had a knight lob her ponytail off when she walked by." Ron chuckled. "She was so mad about her hair, I think she needs to sort out her priorities a bit. It could have been her head. She could be the envy of Nearly Headless Nick and the new member of the headless ghost club….thingy." Harry and Neville silently agreed.
"I was only kind to him." She told them pointedly.
Harry sniggered. "Cuz that's so easy right?"
She had to admit the ghost did like causing trouble. He was usually good about it but sometimes he would go overboard. It wasn't like they could really do anything to him though he was already dead. Teachers would sic the Bloody Baron on him if he got out of hand but that was rare and Peeves did a good job avoiding him on a regular basis.
"As fun as it is to watch you guys chew and talk at the same time Hermione and I have to get to class." She gave Ginny a funny look, classes didn't start for another half an hour. Ginny groaned and pulled her to her feet. "Come on. They gave us so much homework we need to start now." The boys all out laughed when Hermione told her she was halfway done with most of it already.
They headed out toward Hagrid's hut. Another outdoor class in dreary weather with the Slytherins…it wasn't ideal but it gave Ginny the time she wanted to talk to Hermione without prying ears.
"Is something wrong?"
Hermione, who had been looking out over the castle grounds blissfully unaware of Ginny's burning curiosity, sighed. "No Gin. Everything is fine."
"Really?" She had to stop walking when the redhead reached out and pulled her to a stop. "Because we haven't even been back two full days yet and you already skipped meals and spent the night in the library. That doesn't usually happen till middle of term."
Ginny was right. She usually enjoyed the freedom Hogwarts offered the first few months back. And she didn't generally start stressing about studying until the middle of the year after Christmas break.
"I-" She paused. Wondering if it would be so bad to confide in Ginny. To have a friend who knew what was going on, perhaps someone willing to help if the worst came about….she shook the thoughts off. Grown wizards with power wouldn't go against the muggle government for a muggle child, she couldn't ask her friend to possibly get herself jailed to help her. And she couldn't put that kind of emotional stress on her either. Ginny's life shouldn't be about her problems.
"Me and Black got into it last night. She gave me detention."
"Already? What on Earth for you were in the library for crying out loud." Ginny shook her head in disbelief and let Hermione go. They both continued down the overgrown steps to Hagrid's hut.
"McLaggen followed me. He made a pass and that's when Black showed up. She was angry I had abused her trust for a romantic tryst." She practically growled the last bit out.
"He's becoming a bit of a nuisance. I can't believe she gave you detention. Didn't you tell her you and him were-"
"I couldn't hardly get a word in she was so mad. And she didn't believe what I did have to say." She didn't like the cunning look Ginny was throwing her way.
"Are you really sure you and Black aren't bonded?" Hermione shook her head. Honestly she didn't think she wanted to be bonded to the woman. As much as she didn't like the idea of it being someone else she didn't like the idea of having herself forced on the woman either.
"I don't think so. She treats me like she always had. Sometimes she seems to enjoy our debates and other times she is just nitpicking at me until she can give me a detention." Ginny reached out and steadied her when she nearly slipped on a wet stone. They were nearly to Hagrid's now and they both knew they would have to stop talking about bonds. Ginny was a gossip but she knew when to be quiet about something, Hagrid on the other hand had no filter. Half the time he didn't even realize he had said something he shouldn't have.
"I don't know…..I…. well….she is always looking at you. And she always does your detentions herself. Most of the time she pawns detentions off on Hagrid or Filch even. But she hasn't ever done that to you." Ginny reach out and grasped her shoulder as they stopped a little ways away from his little shack. "And we weren't kidding about that year you disappeared on everyone. She was hell to deal with. Short tempered and if anyone said your name loud enough for her to hear they got detention with Filch in the dungeon cleaning the old chains. Ron said he threatened to string him up so often he was about ready to do it himself."
Hermione shook her head and pulled her cloak over her hair. "She probably just wanted to know why I got out of school that year. You know better than anyone she doesn't like secrets or mysteries." Ginny had told her about the time she had helped Harry get his godmother a secret birthday present…..needless to say the dark witch spoiled it because of her impatience and hatred of surprises.
"You're awfully determined for it not to be true." The redhead said quietly.
"Because it isn't. Gin I have had a crush on the woman since first year I watch her all the time without meaning to I think if something was trying us together I would have seen it. And honestly I bet Black would have already found a way to get rid of it." She breathed a sigh of relief when her friend seemed to concede her point.
"Yeah…..maybe. I just have this feeling when I see you two together….but your right."
Hermione snorted. "All we ever do together is argue. I swear sometimes I think she might just hex me and get it over with."
Ginny hummed but their conversation was thankfully put to an end by Hagrid opening the door for Fang to come barreling into the girls.
"You lot early you are." He told them beamingly. "Got ter feed the Thestrals, thought I might give yeh six years a lesson about wha' pulls yeh carriages."
It would definitely be an improvement from wading around in the lake. Though a lot of students undoubtedly can't see the decaying horses.
"What about the students who cant see them?" Ginny asked, she couldn't see them but she knew what they looked like.
"Got a few tha'll stand still and let yeh touch em. Gonna get a feel for em tha' away and gonna have yeh lot sketch out wha' yeh think they look like."
"And the ones that can see them?" Hermione asked.
Hagrid grinned. "Not gonna be many of yeh. Might let yeh ride em….not fly mind you but they might take yeh round the clearing a bit."
She was relieved to hear he didn't plan to make them fly. Harry had ridden a hippogriff their third year and he had loved it. Hermione had down right refused to try even with Harry and Hagrid's encouragement and the added fact that Buckbeak had loved her to death hadn't even been a good enough incentive. He had actually been so excited to see her when she visited Hagrid's once that he bowed first, something unheard of for the proud creatures.
"Recon you can ride them Hermione?" Ginny asked, probably aware of where the girl's mind had drifted to.
"If they are on the ground. I've ridden horses before." Had she? Strange she couldn't quiet remember when she had ridden them. She could recall having to put on a saddle, knew instinctively how to ride, what to do in an emergency and strangely enough how to shift her weight to lean away from an incoming opponent.
"And yeh don't have ter worry bout ripping out the feathers." Ginny asked why, she remember Harry telling her how hard it had been to hold onto Buckbeak and fly without pulling on his feathers. "Their wings more like a bat." Hagrid said simply and then grimaced. "I ain't tellen yeh any more it'll ruin yeh assignment." Ginny smiled innocently as Hagrid marched off toward the forest muttering about bloody witches. "Send the rest o yeh class my way when they get here yeah?" He disappeared into the dark woods before they could answer.
"Eh….you know where the clearing is right?" Hermione shook her head. "Bloody Hagrid, always forgets the important bits."
It was a good class, for the Gryffindors anyways, once they found the clearing that was. Most of the Slytherins didn't want to do the assignment, either touch or ride the Thestrals. Hagrid whipped them back into shape with the threats of blast ended screwts. No one wanted to see those things ever again. But their complaining must have grated on his nerves because he ended the class a little earlier than usual.
The rest of the day passed by just as easy, thankfully they weren't given any more homework and Hermione had kept her promise to eat lunch so she hadn't had to deal with a mothering best friend again.
It wasn't until she was out side of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom that she had a sinking feeling her day was about to take a nose dive. She hadn't even crossed the threshold and Black was already glaring daggers at her. Probably still mad about what she thought was going on in the library the night before. Hermione was too proud and angry to try and explain again. Let her be mad. If she took the key away she would find her own way to do the assignment.
"Get inside. Take your seats." Bellatrix waved her wand at the board and flipped open a copy of their work book. Once everyone was seated she instructed them to take notes. "Now since Hagrid keeps mentioning he wants to bring in exotic and dangerous animals for his class I thought it best to educate you on how to defend yourself should his lessons get out of hand." Her tone conveyed she had no doubt his lessons would get out of hand at some point.
"Now these are illegal," She stressed the word. "And the ministry has put a ban on trading their eggs and classified them as an extremely dangerous beast but I have heard Hagrid mention them multiple times so you will study them."
She waved her wand again and an image of a Chimera appeared on the board.
"What is this- anyone besides know it all Granger." Hermione hadn't actually raised her hand, she rarely ever did in Black's class anymore she got ignored so what was the point?
"It's a Chimera. Half lion and snake and goat."
Bellatrix shook her head. "The misconception is it's tail is a snake. It's not. It's closer related to a dragon. It has a barb on the end." She pointed at the arrow shaped ending.
"Can anyone tell me the only wizard ever said to have slain one?" Hermione didn't bother to raise her hand but it didn't matter an excited Slytherin shouted out the answer.
"It was a Caerphilly Catapult player!" Bellatrix seemed impressed he knew anything about the Chimera at all, likely though he was just a fan of the Catapults.
"No, although the player was killed by one while on vacation. The actual recorded wizard who killed a chimera is unknown but a few reports have him falling on one from a great height, probably flew like Granger and fell off a broom." The Slytherins cackled, even Ginny gave her a small smile. And Hermione couldn't really argue she was lousy at flying. Brooms actually literally ran from her, Hooch had banned her from trying anymore. "Other reports have him dueling the Chimera, but he died not long after of exhaustion. In both stories the wizard perished. These beasts are dangerous and very difficult to kill." She waved her wand again and the board cleared. It seemed the Chimera wasn't the only beast she was going to educate them on today.
"You were out in the water yesterday. There are Selkies out there. The ones we have usually stick to themselves but lately Hagrid said they have become restless. Now I need to remind all you lovely hormonal children," Her eyes landed hard on Hermione. "Selkies have been known to shed their skin and come to land to look for mates. They don't typically harm anyone but….your teenagers. Try and stay away from any immoral temptations yes?"
A few of the boys snorted until Bellatrix leveled a hard glare their way. "Now I know he got permission for Chizpurfles, they are attracted to magic. Hagrid is usually good about keeping his creatures safe so I don't worry too much about him letting these escape but if they do happen to get lose you should be aware they will go after your wands. They will chew through the wood to the core and then your wands will be useless. I won't give you a run down of these, that's for Hagrid to do, but I will show you what spells specifically attract them so that you can help Hagrid recapture them if necessary."
Hermione wondered if this was going to be a lesson on how to survive a year full of Hagrid's lessons. Bellatrix wasn't the only teacher than sometimes did those. Sprout had once cultivated an entire crop of ingredients for potions that helped with injuries received in the Giant's class. She had her third years helping for credit in lessons.
"Now you are sixth years and some of his lessons will have you going into the forest. It's dangerous in there, the safest thing you could come across would be a Centaur. They will not harm a child but do not be foolish and try and attack them if you do come across them. They will retaliate." She glared at the Slytherins.
"Surely unicorns would be safest?"
"No." Bellatrix rubbed her temples and sat down at her desk. "It is not well known but unicorns can attack when they feel threatened. The horn is a powerful weapon and they have the body of a horse, power which can kill you with a single well placed kick to the head. Also there are rumored to be unicorns in the forest that can make you forget your worries."
"That doesn't sound so bad." A Gryffindor piped up eliciting a heavy sigh from their professor.
"You forget all your worries, Griva. You worried about your parents? You forget your parents. Your tests or your boyfriend losing interest in you? You forget you ever had them. Everyone worries. They say those unicorns make you forget everything. People go searching for them and no one knows if they find them because they never return. So no, aside from being incredibly rare, unicorns are not the safest creatures you could come across in the forest."
Black took a sip from the mug on her desk and grimaced at whatever was inside, it obviously held something rather nasty. "Start work on a thirteen inch paper on the history and myths of the Chimera and why it's classified as a non-tradable creature."
The others groaned and started pulling out their parchments but Hermione stared at Bellatrix with worry. She didn't look like she felt all that well. And she never let them do homework in class she typically lectured for the entirety of it, they still had half and hour left.
Ginny nudged her and shook her head. Hermione grimaced at being caught staring at pulled out her own work. She couldn't help the occasional glances back toward the witch though. The fact that Bellatrix was pouring over some journal and not paying them any attention allowed her to look as much as she pleased. At least as much as Ginny would let her get away with before she would elbow her again and look pointedly toward the Slytherins, a few of who loved to tease Hermione about how much Bellatrix hated her. At least no one but Ginny had ever discovered her ridiculous crush on the woman.
She tried to throw herself into the assignment. She probably got father than the others before class ended. She was carefully rolling up her parchment when Black called out to her.
"I need to speak with you about your detention before you go." She went back to the journal without another glance.
Ginny shot her an unreadable look but followed the rest of the class out, leaving the two witches alone.
Hermione took her time finishing up her pack up. She didn't have a class after D.A.D.A so she wasn't in any big hurry, neither was Bellatrix because she didn't shoot off any of her normal impatient grumbles.
"When's my detention?" She asked when she finished, she didn't approach the desk and she was still angry at Black for their argument the night before.
"Every night this week, starting Wednesday, tomorrow. Except Saturday. McLaggen's detention will be then. You two undoubtedly spend enough time together you don't need to do it in detention too." The dark witch hadn't even bothered to look up from the book she was reading. Hermione gritted her teeth irritably, of course she had three days and the prat that started it got one.
"Is that all, Professor?"
"Yes- no…." Black looked up then, her gaze uncertain. She sighed heavily and rubbed at her temples again, she almost seemed torn about something. It wasn't something Hermione was used to seeing. Bellatrix certainly never let her see her this vulnerable before, the blasted woman prided herself on her stubbornness and ability to seem invincible in front of her students. "You and McLaggen…." She trailed off.
Hermione didn't know where the conversation was going but she wanted to head it off in case it was headed awkwardly. It was common knowledge her mother passed and she had quiet enough of the birds and bees talk with McGonagall. Once in her life was enough.
"There is nothing between me and him. There isn't anything between me and anyone! I'm not interested in casual make outs or casual sex, I don't need a sex talk and I haven't got time or energy to waste on romance." She could feel her cheeks heat up as she finished her tirade. Black just stared at her, black eyes wide in surprise. Hermione half expected her to mock her or laugh. She did neither, in fact she wasn't sure she had ever seen the woman so damn serious, even when they argued she looked like she was enjoying herself.
"Nothing? So in the library what was that?"
"He-" She didn't know how to explain. "He has been trying to get me to date him for ages. He thought if he kissed me it might make me realize I want to date him I guess. I turned away-" She scrubbed at her cheek where his lips had pressed as if that could rid her of the memory. She could still feel it, wet and hot it made her skin crawl. Bellatrix watched her until she made her cheek red and then she stood up and rounded on her.
"Stop." A slender hand reached out and pulled her own away. "Next time curse the hell out of him. No matter the reason he had no business trying to do something you didn't want him to do."
"I know. It just surprised me. I think he got the hint." That was a lie, the boy was denser than Ron, but she didn't want McGonagall to find out as it would likely result in a letter to his parents and hers.
"If he didn't let me know." She swore Bellatrix growled the statement but her attention was taken by the fact the woman had yet to release her hand, she stared down at their joined hands in fascination until Black noticed and pulled away. "Here." She used the distraction to grab the journal off her desk and pass it to Hermione. "A family journal, it has information on a relative of mine that had a bond. Black's are different than your typical bonded couple. Just….keep that in mind." She turned away and headed toward her office.
"Professor…."She wanted to ask why Black had given her that particular assignment. Was it just curiosity, did she not have time to look into it herself. But her bravery failed her as dark eyes sought hers out once more. She cleared her suddenly dry throat and croaked, "Do I still have detention?"
A familiar smirk crossed the witch's pale face. "Yes, Granger you do. I'm sure I can come up a good reason for it later." With those parting words she finished the journey to her private office and shut the door firmly behind, leaving a very vexed Hermione in the empty classroom.
"Damn woman." She shook her head at herself for hoping to get out of the detention in the first place. Black's favorite thing to do was argue with her and give her detention. Sometimes they argued during her detentions. She never could figure out why Black seems to dislike her so much. She didn't exactly treat her wrong, she by no means abused her physically, but she could tell the minute she met her that Black did not like her. She glared at her a lot her first year. She made snide comments about Hermione always having to answer, and lately she had become increasingly judgmental about her love life, if McLaggen was anything to go by.
If they could just find common ground they might not be friends but she was sure they might be able to enjoy each other's company. Black always put her on edge and she seemed to enjoy it. How the hell it all resulted in the crazy crush Hermione had on her she would never know. Love isn't just blind it has to be stupid too.
She shoved the journal in her bag and pushed the door to the classroom open and nearly ran straight into Ginny. She should have known, Ginny couldn't help but be nosey, Hermione was pretty sure the girl was the inspiration for Fred and George's extendable ears.
"So what did she say? What's your detention?"
Hermione sighed, motioned for them to keep walking. "She didn't say. She did seem to believe I didn't betray her trust though."
Ginny raised an elegant eyebrow at her as they made their way down a flight of stairs. "But you still have detention?" Hermione nodded, ignoring the hint of amusement she head in the Ginger's voice. "Isn't that something…."
"Ginny." Her tone was warning enough for the girl to raise her hand in mock surrender.
"Alright, alright. I'll stop. But if I'm right I get to say I told you so for the rest of your life."
"Ginny if you were right it would probably be the worst thing that ever happened to me. What I have read about bonds, and it's very little mind you, but….well it's not good. A lot of the purebloods chose to kill the lesser blood. It drove them crazy too and drastically weakened their magic. But the accounts I read said that was better than being bonded. Can you imagine how that would be for someone like Bellatrix Black?"
"She's not like that, Hermione. She's not prejudice like that." Ginny told her softly.
"Maybe not, she couldn't be right? Not and teach muggleborns. But the Malfoys are and they are her family, her sister. It…wouldn't end well. Never mind I'm her student and I'm not a powerful witch, not like she is. I'm just book smart. If Black was bonded she would need someone like herself. Beautiful, smart and powerful." Hermione sighed sadly.
Ginny frowned at her thoughtfully. "How-" She shook her head but Hermione could still see questions and concerns shinning in her eyes. "Never mind. The boys' classes have ended for today too and Harry and Ron were going to the pitch to practice before tryouts. Want to come?"
She thought about saying no. She had a burning desire to start on the journal Bellatrix had given her. But she was afraid of the questions she knew Ginny wanted to ask. She wasn't doing a good job of convincing her friend that she was a happy sixth year student excited to be back.
"For a little while. I should see if Ron still has what it takes to stay keeper, maybe this time I won't have to confound McLaggen."
Ginny laughed. "Oh when he graduates I am so telling my brother you're the only reason he got on the team. Harry wouldn't have played favorites."
"Yeah well, he had me so Harry didn't have to."
They both groaned when they made it outside, it was drizzling again. The weather was cold and wet and it seemed it wanted to stay that way for quite a while. Hermione wished she was good at the charm that would keep them dry, she made a mental note to study it.
"It always makes my hair frizz." She complained as Ginny cast the spell and they started down the long path that would lead them to the Quidditch Pitch. Ginny wasn't very good at it either, she couldn't keep it sustained for very long.
"Eh, then it'll remind us of the young Hermione. You keep your hair straighter than you did as a kid."
She grimaced. Ginny wouldn't know her mother helped her straighten it before her second year. She had been upset that she was still getting teased about it and she wanted to be able to fix it without magic. It was one of the last things she and her mother had done that had left her happy. In the end she had been afraid she would get teased for changing it so she had left it bushy that year. After her father died teasing didn't bother her quiet as much and she had used magic to keep it straight. Strange, bullies hadn't really been much of a problem at all since she stopped caring about them, she hadn't paid it any mind until then.
"Hermione?"
"Hmm? Oh sorry. You reminded me….my father said he liked my hair straight. He had told me it made me look older." She smiled faintly at the memory. Whether it had been true or not at the time it had made her smile.
"You do look more mature but then your already of age."
"In the wizarding world. Not yet in the muggle world."
"Yeah but that world doesn't have much on you anymore. You can already do magic at home without the ministry breathing down your neck."
If only. "You live in a witch's house. Don't act like you don't do magic all the time."
Ginny grinned slyly. "Yeah okay, sometimes. They can't tell who cast it and they aren't as strict in magical areas. But mom still doesn't let us do it much."
They climbed the Gryffindor stand, already noticing Ron and Harry up in the air circling the goals. They waved once they were high enough to see them and took their seats.
"I wish we could have gone to the cup again." Ginny complained. "The Irish won this year. Dad won a hundred galleons on it and got Ron a new broom."
"Hmmm? I had heard from Viktor that he took the year off. He said something about a personal problem, I got letters from half his team mates begging me to get back together with him. Apparently they think I'm the reason he needed a sabbatical." She shook her head at the ridiculousness of it. "It was just bad timing. Neither of us wanted to be anything but friends."
"Cuz your too busy lusting after Bellatrix Black." Hermione elbowed her. "I speak only the truth!" She laughed heartily. "Still, that letter you wrote to Ron about Viktor taking time off was what prompted dad to bet against the Romanians. So technically you're the reason Ron got a new broom."
"Eh, he deserved it. He complains a lot about his hand me downs but I know he doesn't mention it to your parents." Ginny agreed silently. Ron did complain a lot about being given only used things. He got Errol, the bloody bird was well past it's prime. He got used books when they could use them and he got used robes, even his wand had been used until he broke it. He never complained to their parents, he was always grateful for what they could give him. Ginny knew it had to be hard for him to see Harry get so spoiled by his parents. They had money and Harry was the eldest. But Ron managed his jealousy well. And it helped that Harry wasn't like the Malfoys and didn't rub it in everyone's face that he was well off.
"Hey!" They glanced up to see the two boys hovering in the air above them. "Ginny wanna practice?"
Ginny glanced at Hermione indecisively. Hermione laughed and shoved her. "Go. I have a book I want to read."
"No…I'll stay with you."
"Gin. I'll be in the dormitories in time for curfew."
"Dinner." The witch told her stubbornly. "You promised."
"Alight fine. I will meet you there in an hour. Go and have fun."
"Okay if your sure." She waved up to Harry as they both climbed to their feet. "Be there in a second!" She turned back to the retreating bookworm. "Don't forget!" Hermione nodded and headed toward the lake. She was already wet so a little more water wouldn't kill her. Plus she liked the view. She wouldn't be able to read the book for fear of it getting wet, Black would kill her if she ruined a family journal. But if she couldn't get immersed in the book then perhaps she wouldn't forget about going to supper.
There weren't a lot of students out and about on the grounds. The rain and the fact most were still inside having class helped give her the seclusion she wanted. The water was too cold to swim in, not that she would try with the Selkies and the Giant Squid in the lake, but she stripped her shoes off and sat down on the beach to let the water wash up around her feet. The cold was refreshing and the view was beautiful. She could forget her problems and sit for a little while and maybe she would actually start to believe everything would be okay.
She let her body fall back against the sands. Closed her eyes and let the feelings of the breeze and the cold water take her away. She could be anywhere if she was in her mind. Exploring ancient caves, camping with her parents, playing dollhouse with Sterling. Her imagination was all she had when the world got too overwhelming. She could lose herself in memories or in feelings. The skill to detach herself had gotten her through more than one tense situation over the years. It had also been what prompted her to study Occlumency.
"You are just asking to get sick." Her eyes shot open just as none other than Black took a seat beside her. The woman was wearing muggle clothes and a cloak thrown over them. She must have been on her way out of the castle when she spotted Hermione on the shore, the trail to Hogsmeade would have led her right by.
"Professor Black?"
"Don't think getting sick will get you out of your detention with me." Bellatrix told her sternly. Hermione pulled herself back into a sitting position and shook her head.
"I won't get sick. I just wanted some peace and quiet."
"Don't we all." She was told bitterly. "I was on my way to visit my darling sister. I merely stopped to remind you about detention. You'll be going even if you are sick." She warned.
"What is it? My detention?"
"Hagrid asked me to look into something in the forest. He noticed it when you lot had your class on Thestrals. He said it was lingering…." Bellatrix's brows furrowed in concern as she glanced away from the lake and at Hermione. "Did you notice anything?"
Hermione had noticed Hagrid had cut the lesson shorter than necessary but she had assumed that he was just done for the day. The Slytherins had been a pain in the ass the entire lesson she had thought he was just tired of their whining. "Nothing except the Thestrals. They can be creepy enough."
"Oh. I didn't realize you could see them." She didn't ask so Hermione didn't explain. A bird squealed over head and Black glanced up at it and cursed. Her eyes flew back to the Castle and she glowered at something Hermione couldn't see. "Until we investigate stay out of the forest. You are the center of far too much trouble for your own good. Only bloody troll in centuries to make it inside the castle and you get locked in the bathroom with it." She muttered darkly.
Hermione chose to chuckle rather than get angry. The woman had a point. It was either Fred, George or Harry and Ron causing the trouble but somehow she always ended up the unlucky one in the mix.
"I'll wait until detention to investigate I suppose."
Black scoffed. "Just stay out of trouble. I would love to give you more detention but I have a busy enough month already planned."
"And I have enough school work for the week."
Black stood up, stared down at her for a moment, debating whether or not to say something else but in the end she shook her head and walked off toward Hogsmeade, leaving Hermione to her own devices.
She watched her go. Wondering at how much she had conveniently ran into the woman lately. It wasn't unlike Bellatrix to appear out of nowhere and give her detentions, they didn't usually converse quite as much though. It was almost as if the woman was seeking her out…
She shook her head harshly and fell back onto the sand. As likely as marrying Ron. She reminded herself viscously.
~B~
Bellatrix cursed her sister the entire way to Hogsmeade. She had been worried about this meeting all day, she was starting to wish she had never contacted her sister to begin with. Of course Andy would require her company when she asked for more methods of calming herself and her magic down. Of course her loving sister would want to know just what the hell was going on with her favorite sister, the sister who may have had a form of post traumatic stress but who never had issues with her magic. Bella didn't have the answers she wanted. She just needed help.
The hobby Billy had introduced her to was fun and she had to admit it consumed enough of her focus to give her the time she needed to get herself under control. It had worked the night before anyways. But after spending two hours cleaning up the mess she made of her room she knew she was either going to have to explain things to Poppy or ask her sister for other ways to calm herself and these attacks she seemed to be developing.
She just hadn't made her mind up on what to say. Should she make something up, blame their father and her childhood or should she just tell the truth and hope Andy didn't react the same way Cissy had. Granted when she had told Narcissa she had been drunk, foolish and at the end of her rope with no one willing to tell her where Hermione had gone and why the witch, whose hobby was practically homework, had taken a year off school. At least she was a bit more composed meeting with Andromeda. She wasn't drunk yet in any case.
She took a moment and made up her mind on what to say before entering the Three Broom Sticks. She waved to Rosmerta before heading to her sister's table. She barely sat down when the beautiful owner was setting down her usual. "Anything else Black?"
"No. Just privacy if you will Rosmerta, what Andy and I have to discus shouldn't be overheard. It's family stuff." The beautiful witch nodded, nosey as she was she wasn't keen on pissing Bellatrix off. Anyone dumb enough to do that usually ended up without a knut to rub together. She liked her wealth and her pub just the way it was, which was why she was shooting off some regulars to another table and leaving the entire area around the two sisters empty.
"Is it that bad, Bella?" Andy asked quietly as Bella placed a muffliato around them.
She shook her head and took a generous gulp of firewhiskey. "It's not good. It's not too bad either I suppose. Just the way you look at it."
Andy pushed her drink away and pulled Bella's away from her. "Tell me." She insisted, already fed up with the run around as her sister tried to garnish the courage to tell her whatever was so damning.
"I have a bond. Like the ones father was always telling us about." Andy shook her head, curly locks flying around her face as she voiced her disbelief. "Stop." Bellatrix reached out and took back her drink. "I've not made it up and I can't explain how I know I just do."
"Who is it?" Her sister asked after a few moments of stunned silence. It was a heavy thing to be told. All their childhood they had been told how vile and unnatural bindings were. And that was only when their father even deemed to discuss them. He would tell them over and over that if anyone of his children were bonded then they must kill the lesser blood immediately. Bellatrix obviously had no intention of doing that and neither did Andy. If it were true it would cause madness, they had seen the consequences of killing the lesser blood. Their father had killed a muggleborn right before their eyes, a bonded mate to their older cousin. He had gone insane, and his magic had been nothing. He was nearly a squib after but all their father could say was the Black line was not to be tainted. Apparently a squib was better than a bonded pair.
"Hermione Granger."
Andy's frown deepened but she was quiet for another moment, taking her time to process, to weigh the reality of the words. "Potter and Weasleys' friend? The one that took a year off." She nodded to herself, remember how Bellatrix had been that year, how volatile she had seemed. "She's of age now, have you told her?"
"I….have her doing an assignment on bonds. I gave her a book from our personal library, an account of our cousin... Dumbledore asked me to hold off telling her until her seventh year. It should have been this year but she took that year off."
"But she is of age!" Bella held her hand up to silence her irate sister and glanced around nervously, even though she knew the others couldn't hear their conversation she didn't need them reading lips. It wasn't just that she didn't want the knowledge out but she feared for Hermione's safety if it spread that they were bonded. Idiots with pureblood ideals might try and hurt the girl and the Three Broomsticks was full of people willing to sell any kind of information for the right price.
"Be quiet." She didn't need attention drawn to the fact she had muffled their conversation, people would only try to listen more.
"Sorry. But it seems wrong. You asked me for help so you are obviously suffering more than just nightmares about our childhood." Bella grimaced. "I know it won't be easy but surely you could come to an arrangement with the girl."
"I decided I would leave it in her hands."
"What? What does that mean?"
Bellatrix sighed, knowing her sister probably wasn't going to like her answer any more than Narcissa had. "I decided when I tell her we are bonded I'll let her decide what she wants to do about it. That's why I chose to let her do the assignment. So she could have an unbiased opinion. Either she will be willing to stay with me, we can work it out somehow after she graduates, or she wants nothing to do with me and goes her separate way."
"Are you stupid?" Andy whispered harshly. "I read those damn journals the same as you, I know what it says about Black bonds. They are strong and dangerous. A curse was put on our house, even if Hermione lives you could go insane if she isn't around. Our magic was supposed to be too strong, the bonds are too strong on our side."
"But not for her. Andy she deserves a choice."
"Not at the expense of your life she doesn't!"
Her sister was always the voice of reason, always wanting to chose the right path. It seemed she forgot what that was when it came to her family. "She will get to chose, and I will not take kindly if you decide to interfere."
Andy blanched. Bellatrix had never gone against her sisters. Not for anyone. She paled and shook her head again. "I wouldn't hurt her." She told her sister gently, nearly afraid of the fire she saw glowing in her dark eyes, a fire directed at her because of an obtuse threat on Hermione's freedom to choose. "You…you love her." Her eyes widened in awe and understanding.
"No. That's not how it is. She was just a child when the bond happened. A first year."
"But she isn't now." Andy told her firmly. "You can lie to yourself all you like but your very protective of this girl."
"It's the bond." Bellatrix protested weakly.
"Maybe, but I read the books." She told her again. "Bonds don't require you to love one another. Love grows on its own and I think you love her. No….I think you are in love with her, Bellatrix."
"Andy she is my student." Even she noticed she wasn't denying the claim again. She wasn't sure she could even do it if she was honest. Hermione did stir something in her. But if it was love she didn't know how to recognize it. And she didn't want to think about it right then, not surrounded by people and sitting across from her sister.
"Fine, I'll drop it. Tell me what I can do to help you. And know I have already voiced my disapproval of your crazy decision to let her go if she decides to run away." Bella sighed, she was likely going to have to force Andy to make an unbreakable vow just so she knew she wasn't going to chase Hermione across the world and drag her back if she left. She was still glad she told her. Glad to finally have someone willing to help her, who could at least partially understood what she was going through and wasn't asking her to wait another bloody year!