"Guys, I've got some bad news." Ron said, sitting down to breakfast one morning. "Next week, when the Christmas holidays start, my family's going on holiday. I have to go too, you guys won't be able to stay at the Burrow for Christmas."
Hermione sighed. "My parents are out of the country this Christmas." She looked to Harry. "Guess we're staying here."
That weekend, on the Sunday, Hogwarts was emptied of their students. The only three left behind were Harry, Hermione and Draco.
Christmas Day was that coming Wednesday, and Hermione had already bought and sent everyone their presents, with the exception of Harry and a few teachers, whose presents would be given on Christmas Day.
Christmas dinner was fun, albeit uneventful. She had given her teachers their gifts, with the exception of Miss Mills.
Hermione sought out the Potions Master and found her in the library.
"I have a present for you." She smiled, sitting down next to Violet on the small sofa, holding out a long, thin rectangular box.
Violet opened it and gasped slightly. "It's gorgeous, I love it. I'm going to wear it all the time."
Hermione frowned on the inside, wondering where she'd heard those words before. 'Of course, my dream! But then how…' She shook her head, ridding herself of the train of thought. "Turn around, I'll put it on you."
From the box, Hermione pulled out a thin silver chain. The charm was a small vertical rectangle made of three square jewels; Ruby at the top, Obsidian in the centre, followed by Emerald.
Violet turned away from Hermione, letting the student bring the necklace by her neck before lifting her huge mass of hair so that Hermione could fasten it. The jewellery fell perfectly in the valley of her cleavage.
"It's gorgeous, really. It can be a Christmas and Birthday present."
"Birthday?" Hermione cocked her head.
Violet smiled. "New Years' Day." She pulled a gift out from under her half of the sofa. "This is for you. I promise it's not expensive this time."
She handed the package to Hermione and the younger woman tore it open. "Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert! How did you know I wanted this?"
"In our last Occlumency lesson, I snuck a peak at any thoughts on books you wanted."
Hermione smiled. "Wait… A book… You're not trying to get me to drink are you? Just to see what kind of drunk I am?"
Violet laughed. "Of course not. Although now that you mention it…" They both laughed at this.
Then pair chatted for a few hours, about books and various other things.
"It's getting late. I should escort you to Gryffindor tower, if only so that Peeves doesn't do anything, he's at his worst at Christmas."
They stood and continued to chat all the way to the dorms. They stopped just before reaching the painting. Hermione closed her eyes and sighed, letting her head roll back. She opened them and they widened slightly in shock. Her teacher saw this, and looked up to see Mistletoe extending its way down to them.
The two looked at each other nervously.
Hermione started to spew facts nervously. "You know, the Viking god Baldur, according to Nordic myths, was killed by an arrow made of mistletoe. Thankfully, Baldur was later brought back to life and decided to reform the mistletoe, making it a plant of life instead of death... as long as it never touched the ground. That's why people… kiss… underneath it."
"Hermione, I'd like to kiss you. However, as your teacher, I should not make the first move."
Hermione blushed and gulped, taking a step closer and leaning into the older but slightly shorter woman. She closed her eyes as their lips touched. They kissed softly, gently, Hermione placing her hand on Violet's cheek. Suddenly, Violet pulled away, clutching her left arm in pain.
"I'm sorry. I've got to go and find Severus. I'm sorry." Her eyes spoke of true regret at having to leave. "I might need to leave for the week, so I'll see you at the New Years' party."
She ran off in the direction of Snape's classroom and office, and as she turned a corner, Hermione put a finger against her lips.
'They felt like the lips in my dream…' She shook her head, heading into the Gryffindor common room and straight to bed.
LINE BREAK
Violet sat patiently at the desk of Severus Snape. He walked briskly into the room and stopped when he saw her sitting in a chair.
"Bellatrix… What are you doing here?"
"Severus… Please… I need your help."
"And why should I help you?"
"Severus, I need you to help me fake my death. We can use the Draught of Living Death, and you can reverse it with Wiggenweld."
"Once again… Why?"
"The Dark Lord can pick and choose who he calls, and he's always calling me. If he thinks I'm dead he won't call me anymore. I think people are starting to get suspicious that we both get pains in the same arms at the same time." Snape just stared at her, an eyebrow raised. "Severus, please. I will owe you my life for this. I will do anything for you in return. I will beg and grovel at your feet." She slid off the chair and onto her knees. "Please, Severus."
He swept away from her, towards his personal store cupboard. "I will brew the Draught in the morning. Be ready to leave for Diagon Alley in just a few hours. You'll need to dress as yourself. We'll get you a fake wand to be snapped and I will make special preparations for your 'burial'. I suggest you do not tell Narcissa, as she will be questioned by the Ministry and by the Dark Lord. It is better if she thinks you are dead. I'll have you dug up the night after the 'burial'."
"Can I trust you to have me dug up?" She asked cautiously, standing.
He turned to her. "Yes. You owe me your life now, and I shan't simply leave you there to starve and rot. You're going to repay me one day, which you cannot do if you're in a coffin."
Bellatrix nodded. "Thank you, again." She left, heading up to her rooms to prepare herself for her 'death' in the early morning.
Hermione had just finished her breakfast on Boxing Day when her owl, Dickens, dropped off a copy of the Daily Prophet. The headline read: BELLATRIX BLACK FOUND DEAD.
She put her pumpkin juice down. Opposite her, Harry could see the cogs in her head turning.
"What's on your mind?"
Hermione grabbed the newspaper and stood. "Library. See you later." She ran out of the Great Hall.
Entering the library, she headed straight for the section containing the Hogwarts Yearbooks. She scanned them quickly, looking for the right year. She found it and opened it to the 'B' section.
"Black… Black…" She muttered to herself. "Bellatrix Black! Born… January first, 1951…"
She leant back against the bookshelf behind her as though defeated. "It's her. She's in Hogwarts…" 'That's why she was so scared of that Ibsen woman… Why she keeps grabbing her arm in pain…' Hermione gagged. 'I kissed her. Oh, God, I kissed Bellatrix Black…'
She replaced the book and ran out of the library, heading back into the Great Hall and seeing the lack of 'Violet Mills' at the head table. 'Oh God, she's dead…' She ran up to the table. "Professor Dumbledore, sir, I need to speak with you. In private."
A minute later, she found herself in Dumbledore's office. He looked at her expectantly.
"Bellatrix Lest- Black is in Hogwarts. Or was, she's dead now. I just needed to know if you knew she was here."
He took his time choosing a lemon drop before forgetting about them and looking up from his seat at Hermione. "Of course I knew she was here. I employed her."
"But why, sir?"
"Bellatrix Black has changed for the better."
Hermione couldn't help but believe him. "You mean had. She's dead now."
"Oh, no she isn't. Severus has informed me that he is helping her to fake her death. It will stop Voldemort from coming after her. Miss Black is trying to turn her life around, Miss Granger. I know for a fact that you quite enjoy the company of 'Miss Mills'." Hermione blushed slightly. "Bellatrix is the same person. I'm sure you can get over that."
"She's killed so many people though!"
"And now she has had a change of heart."
"Did she tell you what changed her? How do you know she isn't just here to spy on you?"
"I have seen into her mind, Miss Granger. I will not disclose what caused this change, but I can guarantee that she is no spy." Hermione suddenly felt a prodding and poking feeling in the back of her mind, and forced the Headmaster's probing mind out. "Occlumency? Very impressive, she taught you that, I suppose?"
Hermione stared at her feet.
"I thought she might have. You laugh with her, do you not? You've bought each other gifts and jewellery?" Hermione didn't look up from her feet. "She'll be back for New Years'. Don't worry about her." Dumbledore put his hand on her shoulder. "She's safe."
Hermione nodded and excused herself. She spent most of the rest of the week in her bedroom, only coming out for breakfast and dinner. She would sit, playing with her bracelet or simply cuddling her book, worried about the older witch.
'Dumbledore is right.' She told herself one night, clutching the book in her arms. 'She's a brilliant witch, she can take care of herself, not to mention Snape is helping her.'
LINE BREAK
The students had returned the night before and Hermione was awoken by Romilda in the early evening of New Years' Eve. She bathed and got out the simple red dress she'd brought with her for special occasions such as this one. It was a figure-hugging dress that just reached her knees. It was in a deep red and had a thin black belt to wrap around her waist. She let her hair hang down, and it stopped just past her shoulders.
She put on some natural make up and slipped on some small black heels. Tonight, Hermione was going to make an impression. She was going to prove to the Slytherins that a Muggle-born could be sexy.
She made sure to be late. She gave the doors to the Great Hall a pull and they opened in front of her. Everyone turned to look at the late arrival. Hermione smirked, seeing boys jaws drop, and walked over to the table Harry and Ron were at.
"Hermione… You look… Fabulous!" Harry said, pulling his friend into a hug.
Over the night, Hermione made sure to accept the dance requests of at least a few boys. When the evening began to draw to a close and midnight was just a few minutes away.
She purposefully walked over to the refreshments table after spotting Violet there in a beautiful black gown that just touched the floor. There was a split up one side, nearly reaching her hip. Hermione stepped up behind her.
"I like your dress. You look beautiful."
The teacher blushed. "Thank you, you look stunning. You've made a big impression."
"I see you've covered your Dark Mark with a glamour, Bella." Hermione whispered in her ear.
Violet turned on her heel to face the student, her eyes wide. "How…"
"You made the mistake of telling me your birthday, you often grab your left arm in pain – where the Dark Mark is. You disappeared the night Rodolphus was killed. You've been gone this past week." Hermione laughed a little. "You made it so easy."
"Please, Hermione, you can't tell anyone."
"Really, why not? I might just head over there and tell Neville that the woman who tortured his parents is in this very room. I might go and tell Harry that the woman who killed Sirius is his Potions Master."
"I didn't kill Sirius!" Violet said in a heated whisper. "I stunned him! I never meant for him to fall through that veil!"
Hermione pretended she'd never said anything, occupying herself with inspecting the snack choices. "Dumbledore seems to be under the impression that you've changed. I don't believe him."
The heated whisper made a reappearance. "You're the one that wants to marry me and have a son with me!"
"Prove to me that you've changed."
"How?"
Hermione turned to her. "You know how."
Violet suddenly felt a prodding in her mind and shook her head. "No. No, I can't let you in. I can't."
"Then how am I supposed to trust you?"
"Hermione, I'm sorry, but I can't. I can't let you see my mind."
"Then you haven't changed."
"Hermione, listen to me." She put her hand on the younger witch's arm. "I wish that I could pursue a relationship with you, but I am your teacher. Nothing can happen between us. I'm sorry, but it can't. Not to mention that I'm nearly thirty years older than you!"
Hermione turned and stormed out of the Great Hall, sitting down on a bench and letting her head roll back against the wall.
'How did I manage to go from accusatory to 'maybe if I could trust you I could really love you' just now?'
She heard the students and teachers inside begin counting down from twenty.
Inside, Bellatrix was conflicted. She couldn't let Hermione in, could she? Everyone she'd ever let in had left her or hurt her. Would Hermione be the same? Around her, the students and teachers began counting down from twenty.
When they hit 'ten' she turned and walked briskly towards the door, pushing past students hurriedly. At 'five' she reached the doors, spotting Hermione sitting on a step.
She rushed over and as they heard a 'one' followed by cheering, she pressed her lips against the student's. She let down every mental wall she'd ever put up and placed her hands on Hermione's cheeks, letting every memory and thought and dream flow into Hermione's mind.
The cheering began to quiet and they pulled apart, Hermione resting her head against Violet – no – Bella's.
"Thank you." Hermione whispered, standing and pulling Bellatrix into a tight hug. "Thank you."