A/N: I've changed the title of this fic to 'Disguises and Dreams' as I'm going to try and make those the recurring themes in this fic.
I also just remembered that I always forget to put a disclaimer, I just start the chapter. So let this act as a disclaimer for both the previous chapters and for any more chapters that are to come. I own nothing. JK owns the books and WB owns the films, I am in no part affiliated with the Harry Potter series' in any way.
Now back to the fic!
-Chapter Three-
Hermione awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright in bed. She looked out of the window and saw that dawn had only just broken. She sighed and reached for her book. 'Surely I can't actually be attracted to Bellatrix Lestrange?' She asked herself. 'I've only met the woman once and she was basically trying to kill me!'
Bellatrix awoke, smiling to herself; another wonderful dream. She'd been so close to knowing the feel and taste of the girl's lips. 'Maybe if I dream of her again, I'll find out…' She hoped. Glancing out of the window, she saw that the sun had only just risen. 'Better get up and get my face on…' Bellatrix got out of bed, spent a generous amount of time in a hot bath and then dressed. She stood in front of her mirror and had just finished transfiguring her face into Miss Violet Mills when an elf knocked on the door to her chambers and called that breakfast was beginning.
As she walked past the Gryffindor table, she spotted Hermione with her cheek resting on her palm, pushing an egg around her plate with her fork.
She took her seat at the table, and pulled out a Muggle fountain pen that she carried at all times, scribbling a note onto a paper napkin. She folded it into a swan, wrote 'Open me' on the wing, and then dropped it by her foot. It disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, reappearing a moment later on the plate in front of Hermione.
Hermione was shocked out of her thoughts as a paper swan appeared on her plate. She looked around in confusion and prodded it with her fork, trying to determine if the origami was dangerous.
After concluding that it was safe, she set her cutlery down and unfolded it, reading the note scribbled on the inside.
'See how she leans her cheek upon her hand. Oh, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!
Why so glum, chum?'
It wasn't signed, and again she looked around for the culprit. She noticed Miss Mills at the Head table, her cheek leaning on her hand, pushing something around her plate but smiling to herself, obviously mimicking Hermione's earlier actions.
She took out a fountain pen and scribbled, folding it back up into a swan as best she could and placing it back on her plate. It poofed away through purple smoke.
The note reappeared on Violet's lap, and she quickly unfolded it to see the reply.
'Had a strange dream last night and woke at the crack of dawn, couldn't fall asleep again. Tired. Second dream in what will probably be a series.'
Violet frowned at the note.
'Tell me about it later?' She wrote. The swan went back to Hermione and the student looked up to her, giving a subtle nod.
Violet picked up another napkin and skilfully twisted and tore it into a Hermione Peony flower, sending it back through the same purple smoke.
Hermione blushed as the flower appeared on the table next to her plate.
This exchanging of notes once again did not go amiss by the 150+ Professor that was Albus Dumbledore, nor was it missed by Minerva McGonagall.
"Albus…" She whispered as she leant over to him.
"I know, Minerva."
"Whatever should we do?"
"We wait, and see what happens."
Before lunch, the trio had Potions. They were the last through the door and Miss Mills was making sure everyone was seated and quiet.
Once the lesson was over, Professor Mills started the clearing the chalkboard and called over her shoulder: "Miss Granger, if you could wait a moment? It's about your potion." She sat down behind her desk and waited for Hermione to reach her desk. "So far, we've discovered that adding a sprig of Mistletoe turns it into a love potion, and that a drop of Unicorn blood makes it spontaneously combust in Severus' face. We haven't got anything else, but we're still running more tests."
Hermione nodded, laughing slightly at the thought of the lilac potion dripping off of Snape's face. "Is it a new love potion?"
"Yes. We think it could even be stronger than Amortentia."
"Oh… I must've really screwed up big time."
The teacher smiled. "Believe me, it's no screw up. It's actually very impressive. It's almost as though you were cooking, took any ingredient you came across, and came up with a delicious dish!"
The student nodded again. "Will you meet me in the Library later? I can tell you about that weird dream." She watched as the teacher smiled and nodded. "Oh and, I finished Perks. I understand what you meant about the ending." Miss Mills looked down sadly. "I'll see you later?"
"Of course." She replied, as she stood ready to go to lunch.
Later that day, Violet joined Hermione in the library just moments after the student had gotten settled.
She sat down next to the younger girl with a smile, the pair already easily comfortable in each other's company.
"So, going to tell me about this dream of yours?"
Hermione nodded and turned her whole body to face the Potions Master. "I assume you've heard of Bellatrix Lestrange?" At the terse nod, Hermione repeated the events of the dream to the teacher. "And then she leaned in to kiss me and that's when I woke up. Just before the kiss."
The teacher's eyes were slightly wide, but the student just assumed that it was because she was dreaming of being married to a notorious criminal.
"Interesting…" Violet mused for a moment. "Now that you're awake, do you find yourself wanting to ki- to live that life with her?"
Hermione sat back and thought for a moment. "I don't know, really. I can see myself wanting that life, but I don't about with her…" The teacher frowned a little at the slightly disgusted tone. "Although, if it were to turn out that she's capable of being as nice and sweet as she is in these dreams, then yes, I can see it. It's rather desirable."
"Why don't you just see how your dreams progress? There's always the Dreamless sleep potion, if you don't want to see them anymore."
Hermione nodded, ready to change topic. "I finished the book, by the way. Once I'd closed it I cried for about a quarter of an hour."
Violet looked worried. "Why?"
"You said you could relate to the ending…"
The teacher leaned over and pulled Hermione into a hug after seeing her eyes become watery. "I'm alright now. I got over it and it made me stronger. I got over it and he didn't win."
Hermione stayed clutched to the older woman for a second or two longer than what was probably acceptable for a teacher and her student.
At an odd look from the librarian, Hermione pulled out of the hug and wiped her eyes, looking down at her watch. "Oh, wow. Dinner already."
Violet shrugged. "Time flies." They stood, and started making their way to the Great Hall. "Just a quick heads up, we're making Amortentia on Friday."
Hermione smiled as they walked through the Great Hall doors.
Hermione sat down opposite Harry and Ron, and they gave her strange looks. Harry spoke up first.
"Hermione, you and Miss Mills always seem to show up to dinner together. And we saw that you two were passing notes this morning."
"And? We talk in the library before dinner." She shrugged. "She's kind of my friend. I'm allowed to have friends outside of you guys, you know."
Harry sighed. "It's just that, she sent a note this morning and you blushed. You're doing it now!"
"We're not flirting, if that's what you think. I wouldn't flirt with a teacher."
"You had no trouble fawning over Lockhart." Ron mumbled into his food. Hermione gave him a look that told him not to go there again.
Harry chanced a short look up to the subject of their conversation, and then looked back to Hermione. "She's even looking at you right now." Hermione looked up and blushed. "There it is again! Hermione, I'm not saying you're flirting, but you two seem very… fond of each other."
"Look, we're just friends. Like I said, I wouldn't flirt with a teacher." As Ron opened his mouth to talk, she kicked him under the table.
"Ow." He went back to his food but looked down the table, smiling at a girl who blushed as he looked at her. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.
"We're making Amortentia on Friday. I suggest you read up on it. Oh, and McGonagall said we've got a mandatory Divination lesson tomorrow afternoon. They're trying to get students into it again." Hermione put her cutlery neatly on her plate, stood, and left.
As promised, there was a Divination lesson on Thursday afternoon. Hermione was sitting with Ron and Harry.
"Our first activity today will be reading tea leaves." Trelawney drawled.
Ron let his leaves settle and then looked into the cup. Looking between the cup and his book, he identified them all, along with their meanings, and scrawled the information out on his parchment.
bull – blindly rushing into a situation
lion – influential friends
loop – avoid impulsive actions
pig – greed
spider – reward for work
Hermione glanced over. "Hm. The most accurate thing there is the pig." Her and Harry laughed a little.
"How is a spider a reward?" Ron muttered as he turned his cup upside down on the saucer, not bearing to look at the shape even in tea leaves. "Harry, what have you got?"
Harry pushed his parchment into the middle of the table.
Ape – secret enemy
Tent – travel
Triangle, upside down – negative situation for three people
Bull – blindly rushing into a situation
Urn – something done in memory of a loved one
"I'm worried about that triangle…" Hermione laughed. "Okay, I've got… a lot."
Dove – Happiness, assurance of faithfulness in love
Fan – Flirtation
Harp – Love, harmony
Necklace – Admirers
Swan – News of love and romance
Parasol – New lover
Professor Trelawney came over to them and read Hermione's parchment. "Everything here is about love… You're surely going to find love before the year is up. And with a woman, no less."
"Sorry, what? A woman? But-"
"Oh yes, Miss Granger. The Swan and the Dove together tell that your new love will be with a female. Congratulations." The teacher swept away to another table and Hermione was left silent and confused. Harry looked like he was about to bring up yesterday's conversation, but Hermione shot him a look that told him quite severely not to.
Hermione awoke to soft kisses trailing down her neck. "It's time to wake up, Mione." She felt her wife's body against her back and an arm slip around her waist.
"Mmm… What's the special occasion? I can smell bacon…"
"The occasion is your birthday, and that's because I made you breakfast in bed."
Hermione opened her eyes to a plate on her bedside table, a glass of orange juice next to it. She turned around in Bella's arms. "What on earth did I do to deserve you?"
Bellatrix placed a soft kiss on Hermione's forehead. "Everything."