A/N: Well, I'm pretty proud of myself for bringing y'all a timely update. I'm sure it's much appreciated. I will continue to update as chapters are ready, and hopefully, I continue writing as much as I have been.

Thanks again for your support! Enjoy!

Find a little magic

Find a little madness

Light a little fire in our eyes

Don't know what we're in for

This is what we live for

-Runaways, Sleeping Wolf

Boredom was Hermione's constant companion over the next few days. It had been easy to find where Minerva hid her wand but she was biding her time before she left. The Scottish witch kept a close eye on her, making sure she didn't overexert herself. It was sweet, Hermione supposed, that she cared that much, but it was also smothering. It had grown to be a bit much lately, and she was growing weary of being unable to do anything for herself. It had been welcome after the Aurors visited to question her on what had happened that day at the Ministry. She found it harder than she thought to recount the events of that day. Some of the details were hazy, especially after they ended up wherever they had been. It certainly hadn't been Hogwarts like Hermione had thought they would end up, but of course, Bellatrix had replaced the Portkey to take them somewhere else. Being at Hogwarts to carry out that part of her plan would've been much too risky.

Still, Hermione's account was satisfactory enough for them, and that was good enough for her. Minerva's presence was greatly appreciated, too. She had surely kept the Aurors from pressing too hard for answers, after all, she had taught almost all of them and they were well aware of how terrifying she could be. That had been a difficult day. It made Bellatrix's absence more palpable and Hermione tried not to let it get the better of her but she had a feeling Minerva had sensed her increased distress.

It wasn't that Hermione didn't appreciate Minerva being there constantly, but she wanted some time to just think. Currently, she was laying on her back in the tall grass, not too far from the house. She was looking up at the blue sky, watching the clouds drift by. It made her feel at peace, almost as much as being with Bellatrix did. Hermione couldn't help but wonder what her life would've been like if she hadn't been born a witch. Would Voldemort have won? Would he have waged war on the Muggles? Or would he still have been stopped? Would she have gone to normal schools and made normal friends and gotten a normal job? Would she be happy?

"Hermione?!" came the worried call of Minerva, borderline frantic, and pulling Hermione out of her thoughts.

"Over here!" she called in response, pushing herself up into a sitting position.

Minerva quickly walked over to her, relief flooding her face at the fact that Hermione hadn't just disappeared. "What are you doing?"

Hermione shrugged half-heartedly as Minerva sat down next to her. "Just thinking."

Minerva watched Hermione pull her knees to her chest, resting her chin on top. "I know you want to hunt her down because you feel responsible for what happened. I don't want you going after her until you're at full strength."

"I know. It's not like I'll find her right away, though. And I could always just inform the Aurors." Hermione tried not to laugh at the idea of giving away Bellatrix's location when she found her.

Minerva made a noise of disbelief. "We both know you'd be just as likely to rush in on your own. You don't have to do everything by yourself."

The brunette couldn't help but smile at Minerva's statement. If she truly were Bellatrix's enemy, that's exactly what she would do, after making a plan if she could afford to. Minerva pushed herself to her feet, glad to have lightened Hermione's mood a little.

"Lunch is ready whenever you are," she said, leaving the brunette with her thoughts again.

Hermione watched her go, chewing her lip. She felt well enough to Apparate to her parent's house and she could begin searching for Bellatrix from there. If she had to rest, she would be able to, but she couldn't stay idle anymore. She had been apart from Bellatrix for long enough and she was eager to return to her side. This time, her train of thought was interrupted by Ginny, balancing two plates as she sat down next to her. She offered Hermione a plate, placing her own on her knees when she took it.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked quietly, looking at the plate of food.

"I wanted to see how you were doing." She bit her lip, watching Hermione out of the corner of her eye.

Hermione sighed, balancing her plate on her thighs and leaning back on her hands. "I guess I've been better."

Ginny looked down at her plate in uncertainty, looking back up at Hermione and asking, "Did you know?"

Brown eyes met hers, staring intently. "You really think I would've just let that happen?"

"No," Ginny shrugged, not sure if she believed her friend, "It's just been all I can think about. Dad is still at St. Mungo's and they aren't sure if he'll recover. I guess I just want the reassurance that you would never do that."

Laying back all the way, Hermione spread her arms out to her sides. She killed Kingsley and I-I wasn't able to stop her. If I hadn't gotten distracted when the Aurors showed up, he would still be alive."

"You don't know that, Hermione. He might've still been killed," Ginny whispered, laying down next to Hermione, "With everything going on, no one is really sure what to do. The Aurors are scattered all over Europe, the ministry is in shambles, and not a single person can find Bellatrix."

Hermione stared up at the sky. "I'm going to find her."

"Hermione, she'll kill you," Ginny protested, "The whole time she was with you she used you to avoid suspicion."

"I don't care. This is my fault, I have to fix it." Hermione couldn't stand the conversation they were having, but she had no choice.

Ginny sighed, sitting back up. "It's not your job to fix everything."

Hermione sat up with her. "Someone has to."

Before Ginny could respond, Hermione was standing up, her plate in hand. She watched the brunette walk back to the house, a small frown on her face. It was unusually difficult for her to believe Hermione. Something was nagging at her, but she couldn't place the source. She should trust Hermione, especially after everything she had sacrificed to end the war, but she found herself with lingering doubts that she couldn't shake. Ginny sighed, trailing after Hermione with her own plate in her hands. They hadn't even eaten.

Eastern Europe was in turmoil and Bellatrix was thrilled that she had succeeded. She hadn't needed an army of followers like Voldemort. It disgusted her how far she had fallen under his rule. Over the last few weeks, she had gradually moved west, dissent spreading in her wake. Hermione had yet to return to her, and as more time passed, she grew more restless and worried. She was sure Hermione was fine, but a small part of her was concerned that she had been found out. Narcissa did her best to keep her company, but she had to stay hidden from Draco and she was not able to enjoy much more freedom than she had with Hermione.

There had been no sign of Hermione going to her parent's home or Black Manor, but she had left clues for her to follow in case she showed up. It had been to protect her, so she couldn't give away where she was hiding if someone placed her under Veritaserum, and she couldn't be at any of Hermione's places in case she wasn't alone when she was released from St. Mungo's. It was probably an extreme measure, but she would rather be safe than imprisoned. Until Hermione was back, she would stay with Narcissa so she wouldn't be alone. She missed her brunette witch, far more than she thought she was capable of and she wished more than anything that they would be together soon.

Bellatrix heaved a sigh as she let her hood fall back. In the safety of her room in Malfoy Manor, she allowed herself to sink slowly into a chair and bury her head in her hands. She buried her hands in her hair and dug her fingernails into her scalp, gritting her teeth against the scream in her throat. Silent tears trickled down her cheeks as she rocked herself back and forth in an attempt to maintain her composure. After several forcibly slow and deep breaths, she managed to stop the flow of tears but not the aching in her chest. With a growl, she pushed herself out of the chair, flinging it across the room and stomping to the bath. She was running out of patience and it wouldn't do her any good to lose control.

She spent the next week locked in her room, alternating between the bath, her bed, and being hunched over her desk. She kept it constantly dark, never drawing the curtains or conjuring light. She refused all of Narcissa's attempts for company, preferring to sulk alone. Spending so much time keeping herself busy had drained her. It was best to let herself recover and it had the added benefit of letting her lay low while things played out for a while. She only hoped Hermione would find her soon.

Hermione tip-toed through the dark house, trying not to make any noise as she eased open the door to Minerva's room. Her wand was in the second drawer and it slid open smoothly, thanks to the charm she placed on it a few nights ago. Silently, she extracted the bent walnut wand, sliding the drawer closed. On top of the nightstand, she placed the note she had written after she had supposedly gone to bed. Minerva would see it right after she woke up, and hopefully, it would be enough to keep her from looking for her. Hermione backtracked out of the room, shutting the door as quietly as she could. Breathing a sigh of relief, she crept out the front door. As soon as it was closed behind her, she took off down the drive, looking over her shoulder once she was certain she was far enough away that there was no chance the sound of her Apparating would wake Minerva. Taking a deep breath, Hermione turned on her heel and Apparated to her parent's Muggle home.

At first, Hermione couldn't see any sign that Bellatrix had been there since the attack. She couldn't help the mild disappointment she felt as she trudged up the stairs to her room. A little more sleep would do her some good. As she pushed open the door, her eyes fell on her pillow which had a slight glow to it. That meant Bellatrix had come to the house since they parted. Throwing herself on the bed, she buried her face in her pillow, inhaling deeply in the hopes that Bellatrix's scent had lingered. It hadn't, but as Hermione moved her face against the pillow, she heard the faint sound of paper crinkling together. Lifting her head, she felt under the pillow and inside the case, pulling out a slightly crumpled letter with her name on it.

Hermione,

I'm sorry I had to hurt you and that I had to leave. It was for your safety. If I had taken you with me, the Aurors would hunt us down to get you back. You are Europe's Golden Girl. It's easier for us to be together if people think I'm working alone and you're tracking me down. I can't wait to see you again. I wish I could've taken you with me. I'm not sure when you'll see this but at the time of me writing this, it's been about two weeks since we parted. I have spent time working from the shadows to lower faith in the Ministry. I plan on working my way from Eastern Europe to Western Europe. I spent the first week lying low here but now I'm at Narcissa's so I have some company if I want it.

I await your return.

Hermione clutched the letter to her chest, closing her eyes and falling asleep.

The next morning, Hermione woke up as the sun was rising. She looked at the letter in her hand, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. When all signs of sleep were gone, she reread the letter from Bellatrix, jumping out of bed when she finished. She turned on her heel, Apparating to the gates of Malfoy Manor and ringing the bell. She hoped Narcissa would answer rather than Draco, because she wasn't prepared to face him. It would be easy to lie, but she didn't want to. By a stroke of luck, Narcissa was the one who met her at the gate, her expression stony as she neared Hermione.

"Is Bella here?" Hermione asked as soon as the blonde was in earshot, ignoring the jealousy on her face.

"She is, but so is Draco, so she's had to keep a low profile. He can't see you here, either," Narcissa said once she was in front of the gate.

Hermione shifted her weight. "Are the renovations to Bella's old property finished?"

The blonde witch nodded, pressing her lips together.

"Tell her I'll be waiting for her there." She didn't wait for Narcissa to acknowledge the command, turning on her heel as soon as she was finished speaking.

Narcissa narrowed her eyes at the spot Hermione had been, turning back to the manor with a huff. She didn't want to wake her sister, but the fury that would be directed at her was not one she wanted to receive. In a manner that was very unlike herself, she sighed, trudging to her sister's room. She hesitated with her hand poised to knock, the deliberation giving Bellatrix time to fling open the door. Her eyes widened as she found Narcissa ready to knock on her door, arching a brow expectantly.

The blonde straightened her hair as she said, "Hermione stopped by. She said she would wait for you at Black Manor."

A smile formed on Bellatrix's face and she enveloped her sister in a hug. Narcissa was too shocked to hug her back before Bellatrix ended the embrace, stepping out of reach and turning on her heel.

Hermione barely had time to begin taking in the changes that had been made to the property before Bellatrix appeared. The dark witch scooped her into a hug, nearly lifting her off the ground. Hermione smiled into her shoulder, wrapping her arms tightly around Bellatrix. Bellatrix buried a hand in Hermione's hair, holding her head against her shoulder. Nails dug into Bellatrix's back as Hermione clung to her, and Bellatrix rested her chin on top of Hermione's head as she massaged the younger witch's scalp.

"I missed you so much," Hermione sobbed into Bellatrix's shoulder.

Bellatrix rubbed circles in her back as she mumbled, "I missed you, too."

Hermione pulled back enough to look up at her. "Please don't ever leave me like that again."

With a chuckle, Bellatrix pulled Hermione's head back against her shoulder. "I won't if I don't have to."

She felt Hermione nod against her shoulder, her hands sliding up into dark curls. Glancing around, she realized they were still in the entryway, so she led Hermione to the library. It was a much smaller house, with just a library, two bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom, and a parlor. It was still large compared to a normal house. The limited time Bellatrix had spent here, she actually enjoyed the smaller size. The library was the same size it had been before the changes, but the furniture was much sturdier and cleaner. It was on one of the new couches that they sat on, and Hermione finally started taking in the changes to the house. It was much brighter than usual, but Hermione found she liked it because it was better for reading.

Bellatrix pulled Hermione into her side, putting her legs on the table. Hermione tucked her legs under her, allowing Bellatrix to pull her close. With her head resting against Bellatrix's shoulder, Hermione felt like she was home again. Bellatrix smiled as Hermione settled against her, finally able to relax without having to worry about her. Her Lieutenant was finally where she belonged, and now they could continue the plan to overthrow the Ministry.

"How's your head, Hermione?" Bellatrix whispered into her hair.

Hermione couldn't help but smile as her name poured from Bellatrix's mouth. "It's much better now. My ribs bothered me more than my head."

Bellatrix hummed, asking, "I broke them, didn't I?"

She felt Hermione nod and she pressed a kiss to her hair as she mumbled, "I'm sorry. I was hoping it wouldn't be that bad. I wasn't trying to do more than fracture."

"It's okay," Hermione whispered, threading their fingers together, "I wasn't awake for the worst of it."

"How long?"

Hermione shifted so her head was on Bellatrix's lap, smiling up at the dark witch. "Minerva said a month."

Bellatrix hummed again, caressing Hermione's hand with her thumb and using her free hand to stroke her hair. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm more tired than hungry," Hermione whispered with a small smile. Bellatrix was staring straight ahead, her hands moving idly and Hermione could tell.

Bellatrix looked down at her, a smile pulling at her lips when she saw the expression on Hermione's face. "Have you seen our bedroom, yet?"

Hermione shook her head, placing a kiss to Bellatrix's hand. "I only had a chance to see the grounds before you got here. They're beautiful."

"Yes, they are." Bellatrix urged Hermione to her feet, keeping hold of her hand.

"Have you seen it all?" Hermione asked, trailing behind Bellatrix and taking in the walls.

Bellatrix nodded. "It's been finished for a few weeks but I couldn't bear to be here without you. We'll have time later, after you've slept."

"Aren't you tired, too?" Hermione asked, sucking in a breath upon seeing the bedroom. The walls were a rich green with black trim, the wardrobe, desk, chair, and four-poster bed matched the trim and they seemed to shine slightly. The blanket, sheets, and pillowcases were a stormy grey that offset everything else perfectly.

"Do you like it?" Bellatrix asked, chuckling at the look of awe on Hermione's face.

Hermione could only nod, dropping Bellatrix's hand and spinning in a slow circle as she took it all in. She was reminded to breathe when Bellatrix came up behind her, resting her chin on her shoulder and dragging her hands along her stomach. She turned in her arms, pulling her to the bed. Bellatrix smiled, banishing their clothes as Hermione pulled her under the covers. The brunette buried herself in Bellatrix's shoulder, absorbing her warmth and sighing contently. A breathy chuckle made its way out of Bellatrix's chest and she wrapped her arms loosely around the witch she had missed so much.

"It's good to have you back," she admitted quietly, almost unsure if Hermione was awake to hear it. She heard a muffled hum in response while she lazily roamed the expanse of Hermione's back with her hands and she couldn't stop herself from placing another kiss on top of brown hair. It was much easier to relax with Hermione back at her side, and truthfully, she had never realized how much the brown-haired witch contributed to her restful sleep until she wasn't there. Sleep came quicker for Bellatrix than it had since the attack, quickly claiming her as it had Hermione.