A/N: So, I wouldn't normally use the same band twice, but it just fits into the story too well and I couldn't resist (also they've been one of my favorites since I found them; I'm partial, sue me). I'm making an effort to bring you longer chapters so there will be more time between chapters than my other stories (probably). But, I hope that's all worth it as we explore the relationship between our two favorite witches. I try to make it a point to write different portions of the story while I'm in different states of mind (sometimes even in the same chapter) so that their dynamic is always changing through the story but also in an attempt to make it a little more realistic.

Anyway, enough of my rambling.

Enjoy!

Everglow
You'll never know
The beauty I see when you open your shadows
Everglow
They'll never know
The worlds that I see in the darkness you don't show

-Everglow, Starset

Hermione slowly became aware of her body. She was sore but not as much as she should have been, so she figured Bellatrix healed her a little. It was at that moment that there was an arm wrapped around her torso and a body curled around her. Bellatrix. Hermione smiled, moving deeper into the embrace as her heart fluttered. It wasn't often that Bellatrix was this close when they woke. Hermione savored it every time, just as she savored every time her name was poured out of Bellatrix's mouth on rare occasions. Hermione let her thoughts wander as she basked in the warmth and rare vulnerability of the woman she had become so taken with, though she didn't dare move to face her, lest she wake her.

Hermione skirted the edge of Black Lake, its surface nearly frozen over. The holidays were quickly approaching and the students' excitement was palpable. She could only handle so much before it exhausted her, so she frequented the lake more often. Bellatrix, of course, was ever-present on her shoulder. The cold air invigorated her, making her feel more alert and awake. Her fingers brushed the Mark Bellatrix had given her, yearning for the break so they could complete the ritual. Molly had sent her a letter saying she was more than welcome to visit, even if she didn't stay, but Hermione hadn't responded. She didn't want to spend the holiday there, though she knew at some point she would have to rekindle her connection to the Weasleys to get closer to Arthur. It was something she had yet to discuss with Bellatrix because she knew the dark witch was already aware and was not in the mood to discuss that.

Entering the Forbidden Forest before she accepted the darkness within her had always been terrifying, but now it brought her a sense of calm. Staying near the edge of the lake, Hermione chose a tree to sit against. Bellatrix appeared beside her, leaning against the wide trunk as they both looked over the surface of the lake. Few people knew just how far the lake extended, and even fewer knew there was an extension into the Forbidden Forest. After their encounter with Dementors in their third year, Hermione had exhaustively researched the tenuous geography of the forest and had only discovered the information by chance. She was fairly certain that the forest was either sentient or had a peculiar magic that allowed it to change. From her readings, she had come to the conclusion that the forest was capable of changing its geography, as there were conflicting accounts about the composition of different areas.

The Forbidden Forest seemed to respond to presences, and many people had been lost throughout the centuries. Hermione surmised that the forest shifted its landscape to disorient and trap. Features present on entry would no longer be there, causing one to believe they had taken a wrong turn on their way back. It had never led Hermione astray, even when her misadventures with Harry and Ron landed them within its depths. Somehow, they had always managed to find just what they were looking for and make their way safely back to the castle.

"I remember when I was a student, I would venture into the forest on weekends. Just for fun. I wanted to see what I could discover. We weren't supposed to, but I wanted to know what secrets the forest held. My sisters were terrified for me. They never came with me, no one did. I stumbled across so many things when I let the forest guide me," Bellatrix whispered, playing with the cold dirt below her.

"What kind of things?" Hermione asked, gently prodding her during this rare moment of sharing.

"One time, I stumbled upon a pack of unicorns grazing. They all looked up at me and they just stood there. I didn't dare get too close because I was afraid I would scare them away, so I just stood there and watched them. But I also saw things no child should ever see."

The dark part of Hermione was intrigued and she wanted to ask but she knew it would be pushing.

"Did you ever learn Legilimency?" Bellatrix asked, turning her head to the young witch.

"Not exactly. I read about it," Hermione admitted, trying not to fall into the depths of Bellatrix's eyes.

"Good, this should be easy, then. Face me and when you cast I'll let you in, but the moment you push for more I will push you out," Bellatrix instructed, turning her own body to face Hermione.

Hermione adjusted her position, pulling her wand from her robes and casting, "Legilimens!"

Hermione found herself embedded in Bellatrix's memory, walking alongside a younger version of the dark witch. Hermione felt her breath catch at the sight of Bellatrix when she was young. She was beautiful, but she really grew into her beauty as an adult. They were already in the forest, wandering through the trees. Bellatrix dutifully followed the path the forest laid out for her, winding through the twisted trees growing taller and taller on both sides. They stretched overhead, blocking out most of the sunlight. Hermione kept her eyes on Bellatrix as she followed, finding the same quirks. There was the slight twitch of her fingers when she was pleased with something she saw, a passing fairy, perhaps.

"Pay attention," Bellatrix said, and Hermione felt the words echo through the memory.

She refocused on their surroundings, noticing the trees had pressed closer and the light was dim. Bellatrix had slowed her trek, standing still as if she were listening for something. Bellatrix's arm twitched closer to her side, and Hermione knew she was on edge. They were nearing the point in the memory she wanted to see. Hermione noticed Bellatrix's arm twitch again, as if she were reaching for her wand, but her hand stayed empty. They crept closer, taking care not to make noise or be seen. Thankfully, the trees hid them well enough. Bellatrix peeked her head around the trunk of the one she was hiding behind, and Hermione followed suit.

Before them was Black Lake, and on the shore, a centaur was dragging a mer-person out of the water by a rope. The centaur pulled, heaving the mer-person out of the water with a bellow. Immediately, it attempted to get back in the water, struggling to move with an arrow in its side. Hermione watched the centaur yank the rope, hard enough to pull it away from the water but not hard enough to dislodge the arrow in its side. An awful shriek pierced the air, and Hermione saw Bellatrix grimace, though she made no move or sound. The creature grew more frantic to reach the water as its skin began to grow drier. Every move it made was fruitless and filled with pain as it struggled, to no avail. The centaur manipulated the rope expertly, keeping the creature away from the water without removing the arrow. The creature began to gasp, its skin now visibly dry and beginning to crack. It had stopped fighting to get back into the water, no longer possessing the strength.

With a sharp pull, the centaur dislodged the arrow he had tied the rope to, cleaning it before returning it to his quiver. He cast a cold glance at the shriveled up mer-person, turning away from it and galloping back to his camp. As soon as his hoofbeats were out of earshot, Bellatrix rushed forward from behind the trees, making a beeline for the creature. Unsure if it was still alive, and even more unsure how to tell, Bellatrix gently moved the creature into the water, kneeling on the bank of the lake as she held it still within the shallow water. Hermione watched with curiosity, seeing a side of Bellatrix most people didn't think she possessed. She watched as Bellatrix drew her wand, muttering healing spells in an attempt to close the wound. It had never been her specialty, she was more suited to curses and jinxes than she was to healing magic, but that didn't stop her from trying. Eventually, she relented, letting the water of the Black Lake drag the creature back home. Bellatrix stood and turned to go back, and Hermione could see tears flowing down Bellatrix's face. It was the first time she had ever seen Bellatrix cry.

Hermione felt herself leaving the memory and returning to her own body, still in shock over what she had seen. She gazed at Bellatrix with awe.

"A few weeks later I was alone in the Slytherin Common Room, reading a book when a mer-person tapped on the glass. It was the one I had saved, and it thanked me for saving its life," Bellatrix mumbled.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, "You're incredible."

Bellatrix chuckled, "Now it's your turn to show me something."

Hermione chewed her lip uncertainly, shifting through her memories to decide which to show her. Bellatrix waited patiently, letting Hermione sort through her mind. Hermione settled on her memory, pulling it to the front of her mind.

"I'm ready," she said.

"Legilimens," Bellatrix cast, taking care not to plunge into Hermione's mind and rifle through her memories.

Bellatrix stood inside Gringott's, in front of the Goblin at the central desk. She looked around, seeing Hermione Polyjuiced to look like her, and a male companion she knew was Ron. Bellatrix watched in amusement as Hermione pretended to be her. Normally, watching how her vault was broken into her would fill her with rage, but she had grown closer to Hermione, her feelings had changed. It was impressive that she was able to pretend to be the woman who had tortured her so soon after it had happened. She watched as Hermione tried to get into the vault without showing her wand, how Harry used an Unforgiveable on the Head Goblin from underneath the invisibility cloak. It was amusing how they managed to succeed in their endeavors even when they weren't prepared. The rickety ride to her vault was uneventful, almost boring, until they passed through a waterfall and were dumped unceremoniously out of the cart as their disguise washed away. Bellatrix followed the trio to her fault, watching as they passed the dragon. She agreed with Hermione's sentiment that it was barbaric, and was the smallest bit happy knowing they freed it as they escaped. She observed as Harry spotted the Horcrux, as Hermione knocked over a goblet, and Ron knocked over a plate. It was a wonder they had managed to escape with the Horcrux, considering how quickly her fault filled with junk. Bellatrix pulled out of Hermione's mind, blinking her eyes as she adjusted to the change.

"It's a wonder we ever managed to accomplish anything," Hermione laughed.

"And yet you were always followed by serendipity," Bellatrix responded, "Although I think it's more accurate to say you brought a certain amount of guaranteed success."

"How do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"Well, Death sent you back from his realm, so you aren't allowed back until he deems it acceptable. Or she, I suppose. I'm not too sure. Anyway, you had a certain...imperviousness to dying again, so any situation where you should have, a little twist of Fate's hand was all Death had to do. It just so happened that in keeping you from returning, they were also saved. Until it was time for them to die. Death calls to us all, and when he does not want us, we are spared for the brief moments that make up life. That's why you always came out of your adventures successful. The only other outcome was dying, but that was never an option for you," Bellatrix explained.

"That makes sense, I suppose. I just always thought Harry was stupidly lucky," Hermione said, moving to lean against a tree, "But, is Death a person? Or the remnants of a person?"

"You've got me there. I'm not sure if anyone has a clue, but there might be something in the library that has an answer," Bellatrix responded, pensively leaning against the tree as well.

Hermione felt Bellatrix stir, the movement of the dark witch breaking her out of her reverie. She craned her neck to find the dark witch beginning to wake. The arm around her waist tightened its grip, pulling her closer as Bellatrix nuzzled into her shoulder, clearly not awake enough to realize what she was doing. Hermione felt her stomach flip and she tried to pull out of the...embrace?

"Where are you going?" Bellatrix asked, her voice slightly scratchy.

Hermione shivered at the unbelievably attractive sound of the dark witch's voice, stammering, "I have to pee."

Bellatrix let her go, watching the young witch's almost clumsy escape with a smirk. She idly wondered if either of the boys had ever noticed Hermione's proclivity towards women, but she guessed not since they both seemed to think she was in love with the ginger boy. Frowning, Bellatrix shoved the thought from her mind, rising from the bed and stretching her body upwards.

"Do you think we could spend the day in the library?" Hermione asked as she was coming back, realizing when she got to the loo that she was wearing different clothes. Her eyes lingered on the exposed portion of Bellatrix's stomach.

"That sounds perfect. We should take it easy for about a week or so," Bellatrix said.

"Does your library have anything on Death? I wasn't satisfied with what little information we dug up at Hogwarts."

Bellatrix frowned, mulling it over in her head before answering, "I'm not sure."

Hermione's lips twitched, a movement Bellatrix's eyes were drawn to before she tore them away. She recognized the curiosity and determination in Hermione's eyes. She did her best to foster the girl's curiosity, a trait she herself possessed but also one Hermione would need to succeed as her Lieutenant. She was training the girl to her liking, making her the best witch she could be. She needed someone capable of thinking for herself and acting on her own. Bellatrix was not a babysitter, and she trusted Hermione to follow her. They both needed each other, but more than that, they cared deeply even if they wouldn't admit it.

Bellatrix had her legs thrown over the arm of the dilapidated couch, her head on Hermione's thighs as they each read through a book. They had adopted this position without thinking, neither of them quite aware of it yet. They were both absorbed in their reading, Hermione turned to the side at the waist, her book on the arm next to her, and Bellatrix holding hers with her arms outstretched in front of her. Black and brown eyes flicked across pages at the same speed, even with the same intensity. They had yet to find anything about what they were looking for, but that didn't make the books in the library less interesting. Hermione couldn't fathom the amount of knowledge currently at her fingertips. It was more than she could ever hope for, and it was all thanks to Bellatrix.

The dark witch's arms started to grow tired, so she lowered them, keeping the book afloat with magic. The movement drew Hermione's attention, causing them both to realize the position they were currently in. Bellatrix arched her brow, a smirk playing on her lips as Hermione looked at her with wide eyes. The younger witch's cheeks grew red but she quickly turned back to her book. She kept remembering the way Bellatrix's lips felt on hers. Those ruby lips were unbelievably soft, yet firm and Hermione couldn't deny she wanted to kiss the dark witch again. And her eyes, those pitch-black orbs sucked her in like she had reached the event horizon of a black hole. Her mind would twist and her body didn't feel like it was hers anymore.

Bellatrix watched Hermione pretend to read, amusement plain on her face. She could feel every inhale the younger witch took, every exhale she kept under so much control. The deliberately slow rhythm Hermione tried to maintain to settled the beating of her heart. Bellatrix could faintly feel that too, it's vibrant staccato entrancing her. Hermione was so...well, Hermione, and Bellatrix couldn't help but feel like everything about the young witch held her captive in a way she had never felt before.

"Hermione," Bellatrix whispered, her voice barely disturbing the still air. She felt the girl's heart flutter as her name poured out of her mouth, something she took great satisfaction in.

"Y-yes?" Hermione asked, gulping.

"Have you found anything yet?" It wasn't what she was going to say, but it's what ended up coming out.

"Erm, no. Not yet. Have you?" Hermione did her best not to shift under the watchful eyes of Bellatrix, still very much positioned in her lap.

"Let's take a walk," Bellatrix responded, leaving the younger witch's question hanging in the air.

She stood, offering her hand to Hermione who looked at it with shock before gingerly- as if it would vanish as soon as she touched it- placing her hand in Bellatrix's. The dark witch smiled as she pulled Hermione to her feet. Hermione stumbled, steadied only by Bellatrix, who had pulled her close in an effort to catch her. Hermione felt every nerve in her body become immediately aware of Bellatrix holding her against her front. Bellatrix swallowed hard, trying to hide the jolt that went through her when she pulled Hermione against her.

"Thanks," Hermione mumbled, unable to meet Bellatrix's eyes as she pulled away. Neither witch could help but feel a sense of loss as the distance between them- still small- increased. If Hermione had looked up, she would have seen the emotions swirling in Bellatrix's eyes, emotions Bellatrix couldn't even name.

"Can't have you getting hurt," Bellatrix admitted, quickly biting her tongue at the words she almost said.

Hermione smiled gently and Bellatrix felt her own heart flutter, silently cursing the organ. They walked side by side through the manor, silence between them with Bellatrix occasionally chiming in with a fact, just as Hermione remembered doing about Hogwarts in her first year. The more she thought about it, the more it dawned on her that they really weren't that different. Reflecting on her school days, Hermione was surprised at how...dark she was. She had petrified a housemate, broken Draco's nose, blackmailed Rita Skeeter, and so much more. It was a wonder no one ever saw how inclined to the darkness she was. No one except Bellatrix. She cast a glance at the dark witch, her head tilting the smallest bit upwards as she studied her regal profile. She had a feeling if Bellatrix saw all the things she had done, things no one had noticed because she was the "Golden Girl, Brains of the Golden Trio" she would get a kick out of it.

Bellatrix felt Hermione's eyes on her and ignored it for as long as she could, fighting to keep her head facing forward lest she fall into warm chocolate with a hint of steel. Unable to fight it, she turned her head to Hermione, meeting the eyes that were inviting one moment and sharp as thorns the next. Never towards her, though. When she looked at Bellatrix her eyes were always soft and made Bellatrix feel like she was curled up in front of a fireplace with her nose in a book. It made her feel...safe. She felt that as she looked into the young witch's eyes, just as she did every other time.

Hermione's eyes gravitated towards Bellatrix's as soon as the older witch turned to face her and before she knew it she was pulled into their depths. She didn't fight it as she fought the pull of the Black Lake, but she let it wrap around her and pull her close, just like Bellatrix had to keep her from falling. To any other person, Bellatrix's eyes would have looked cold and empty, but Hermione could feel the warmth radiating from them. Bellatrix held so much in her eyes that were never shown on her face, and whenever Hermione looked into Bellatrix's eyes, she could see so much emotion swirling within them.

Bellatrix reached forward, brushing a stray brown lock behind Hermione's ear, her fingers lingering on the soft skin of her cheek as she pulled away. Hermione inhaled sharply as Bellatrix's warm fingertips trailed across her cheek, leaning into the touch of the dark witch. Bellatrix smiled tenderly at the action, suddenly aching to pull the young witch against her once more.

"We should get something to eat," Bellatrix whispered, breaking the charged silence between them.

Hermione nodded stupidly as Bellatrix grabbed her hand, leading her into a once-grand dining room. Neither witch had even realized they had come to a stop until they were moving was so easy for them to get lost in each other. So easy for them to become captivated and entirely forget about the world around them. So easy for them to want the other in a way that they didn't even understand. So hard to ignore their attraction. They were drawn together by a force they didn't have a name for, unable to ignore it but at this point, neither of them wanted to.

The table in the dining room was huge, but Bellatrix pulled Hermione firmly into the seat next to her. There was no point in sitting further away, and she enjoyed the girl's proximity in the house that had caused her so much despair as a child. She knew Hermione would have chosen that seat anyway. Hell, there were countless rooms in the manor but they still slept in the same one. Proximity helped them both, kept them more stable than they were when they were apart.

"I wonder what will happen with my vault," Bellatrix mused between bites of glazed ham.

"I put in a request with Kingsley to see it goes to Teddy," Hermione said, "He's-"

"Andromeda's grandson," Bellatrix finished bitterly. Not that she would've preferred the money going to Narcissa or Draco. They had both betrayed her, too. Perhaps moreso than Andromeda had.

"Yeah." It was an empty response.

"Well, I can certainly think of worse things to do with it."

"Kingsley wanted to use it to pay war reparations, but I convinced him that it would put Teddy at a disadvantage since he is technically an heir to it. That and I had already burned your body to pay for your crimes, so at least it's still somewhat in the family. Until he comes of age Kingsley is personally overseeing the account."

Bellatrix hummed, quickly losing interest in the topic. She stabbed her fork into a piece of ham a little more violently than necessary.

"If it's money we need, Harry's vault was transferred to me since he died, and I received sizeable sums from several of the pureblood vaults as reparations. Not to mention my pay from teaching," Hermione offered.

"We should fix this place up. Since you didn't technically receive reparations from the Black family and you insisted on leaving the money for Teddy, it could become a home. A proper home. And we'll have someplace to go that only we can access. Since I've marked you, it's partly yours, anyway. You are forever tied to the Black family so you now have access and partial control over everything," Bellatrix explained.

"It would be nice to have an intact place to stay away from Hogwarts and, well, everything," Hermione admitted.

"It's settled, then. Although I think we should downsize. There's hardly any need for this much space when there's just the two of us."

"As long as the library stays," Hermione said, cheeks reddening at the thought of sharing a house with Bellatrix. As if they didn't already share a bed every night.

"I would hardly find destroying or downsizing the library acceptable. There are centuries worth of knowledge in that room," Bellatrix replied haughtily.

Hermione chuckled, looking down at her empty plate. She was used to eating small meals, but this was the first normal portion she had eaten since...well, she couldn't even remember the last time.

"You're doing really well," Bellatrix encouraged, offering Hermione a small smile that grew when the young witch returned it.

"I couldn't do it without you. Honestly, I'm not even sure if I'd be here without you," Hermione admitted gratefully. She couldn't remember the last time she was so content with being alive.

"What's important is that we're both here, and you're willing to do what it takes to stand at my side and be my Lieutenant."

Hermione blushed at the fact Bellatrix was beginning to see them as equals. The fact that Bellatrix wanted her to help, wanted her to be her Second made her body glow with pride and joy. It was something she had never felt when she was with Harry and Ron.

Bellatrix debated on continuing her statement, but couldn't bring herself to say the words she so desperately wanted to. She wanted to tell Hermione how important she was, not to their goals, but to her. It was too much of an admission, though. She was still fighting with the feelings she had for the younger witch, occasionally finding herself swept up in their intensity and unable to resist. Frankly, she wasn't sure what to do about it.

"We should get back to reading," Hermione said, breaking Bellatrix out of her thoughts.

The dark witch nodded, leaving her dishes for the house-elf and making her way to the library, Hermione trailing right behind her. They soon adopted a similar position to the one they were in earlier, only this time, their roles were reversed. They had each chosen a new book, attempting to find what they were looking for, but they were too curious about the contents of the books to stop reading even when they knew there wouldn't be anything. Too comfy to move. There was no point in speaking to each other since they hadn't found anything relevant yet, each enjoying the information in their book. Hermione was intrigued by the book on Conjuration she was currently investigating, and Bellatrix was captivated by a book about different enchantments. Even though she grew up here, there were so many books even she hadn't read them all and that had been her favorite pastime.

Before either witch realized, the light began fading, quickly remedied by a spelled ball of light from Bellatrix cast without a second thought. Both of them read until the last of the light was long gone and their eyes had grown heavy. Hermione spelled her book to return to its place, watching Bellatrix as she read, much like the way Bellatrix had watched her hours previous. A ruby lip was trapped between teeth, toying with the soft flesh. Hermione suddenly desired that lip between her teeth, or her lip between Bellatrix's.

"Thinking about last night, are we?" Bellatrix teased, her attention having turned to Hermione without the young witch noticing, "You've been good, perhaps I can reward you."

Hermione felt her heartbeat increase and her temperature rise as her pupils dilated. Her breath came faster and anticipation coursed through her.

"I can see you like that idea," Bellatrix mumbled, gesturing for Hermione to stand. The brunette eagerly did so, her body trembling in excitement.

Bellatrix hummed, standing and leading them back to the room they had claimed. She was struggling to hide her own desire, her own anticipation. She could practically see Hermione thinking about last night as she studied her, and the memory had amplified her own desire. Tonight was not a night she could fight herself for control. Tonight she would relent and allow herself to want the younger witch without question.

As soon as the door was closed behind them, Hermione pulled Bellatrix against her until her own back hit the door. Her nails dug into pale shoulders, earning an appreciative hum from the dark witch. Bellatrix pushed Hermione firmly into the door, roughly grabbing at her hips and leaning her head into the hollow of Hermione's throat. Hermione tilted her head back, allowing Bellatrix access to the delicate flesh. Ruby lips brushed against her throat, eliciting a whimper of need. Smiling, Bellatrix pressed her teeth against the skin, her hands gripping Hermione and pulling her up, forcing strong legs to wrap around her waist. She could feel the heat radiating from Hermione, could feel the bounding pulse under her teeth. Sharply, Bellatrix bit down, causing the legs around her waist and the grip on her shoulders to tighten. Bellatrix circled the bite with her tongue, sliding one hand up the back of Hermione's shirt. Hermione gripped her shoulders tighter, drawing blood even through her clothes. Bellatrix's mouth on her, her skin against hers, was more intoxicating than she could have ever guessed. The fire that coursed through her veins was fiercer than the Fiendfyre she had faced before.

Bellatrix craved more of Hermione's skin, craved to mark her with her teeth. She banished the younger witch's shirt, satisfied when Hermione gripped her impossibly tighter as every one of her hairs stood on end. With practiced teeth, Bellatrix left a series of bruises along Hermione's collarbones, each one eliciting soft noises of need from the witch. The hand on Hermione's back toyed with the clasp of her bra as Hermione pushed her chest into Bellatrix. Suddenly, the dark witch stopped, causing Hermione to snap her eyes to Bellatrix's. The dark witch smirked at what she found, stumbling back a step when her bottom lip was unexpectedly trapped between Hermione's. Hands moved to tangle in onyx curls as Bellatrix drew her nails down Hermione's back. She recovered quickly, pushing Hermione back up against the door and freeing her lip only to capture Hermione's as a soft whine left her throat. Hermione melted into Bellatrix, the hand on her back moving to the top of her sternum.

Hermione knew what was coming before it happened, but wasn't expecting it to come wordlessly and wandlessly. Bellatrix's hand was flat against her, their lips still locked as every nerve in Hermione's body screamed. It hurt so good. The way she could still feel Bellatrix's lips on hers, her hand on her chest, the warmth from the older witch even as her nerves were so overwhelmed she couldn't even feel the wood against her back. She could feel Bellatrix though, every connection between them. Even with pain coursing through her body, Hermione was acutely aware of the dark witch. Bellatrix retreated from Hermione's lips, allowing the girl to gasp great lungfuls of air as best as she could, focusing on her neck and throat. Hermione could feel the soft nips Bellatrix left even though she shouldn't have been able to. Bellatrix let the spell's intensity increase, feeling trembling legs tighten and hands grasp her hair harder. She loved to make Hermione shake, loved to reduce her to a quivering puddle of a witch. She felt Hermione's heart skip a beat and eased up on the spell until it dissipated entirely.

Before Hermione could lose her grip on Bellatrix, the dark witch wrapped her arms around her, holding her securely. Hermione wasn't sure how her legs had managed to stay wrapped around Bellatrix, but she was grateful they did. Hermione's awareness faded in and out, and only in snippets was she aware of Bellatrix bathing her, drying her, dressing her, laying her in bed. She could barely feel her body, let alone the sheets and blanket. She could still- somehow- feel Bellatrix holding her tightly to her chest. Her cheek was delicately held against Bellatrix's shoulder, and gentle hands grazed her arms. In her last moments of consciousness, Hermione realized Bellatrix was casting healing spells over her body.

Bellatrix knew the moment Hermione had descended into unconsciousness, continuing the limited healing she could do. She stroked Hermione's hair, her warm breath ghosting over her shoulder. Bellatrix felt the hairs on her arms raise at the sensation. Hermione's gentle, deep breaths were the only sound in the room as Bellatrix admired the witch in her arms. She couldn't fight her feelings forever, but she couldn't accept them yet, either. They had come a long way, but there was still more to do that Bellatrix wouldn't be able to if she accepted her feelings. But after that, maybe she could. Maybe.