Disclaimer: Still applies.

Author's note: Here it is…

Wide Awake: Chapter 26

Bellatrix awoke the next morning to an empty bed; it took her a few minutes to realize that Hermione had to work today. She sat up running her fingers through her thick, raven curls. The memory of last night flooded her thoughts. Hermione was deeply upset about what had happened between them, the pain was evident. Bellatrix shook her head. She knew that there was fault on both sides, as did Hermione, but that still didn't change the fact that she wasn't ready to really commit to Hermione in that way. She shook her head again, and walked into the bathroom, she smiled as she saw a note on the mirror in Hermione's handwriting.

Bella,

Good morning my love, sorry I didn't wake you, you just looked so peaceful sleeping. I didn't want to disturb you. I had to go into the office today, but I will be back around 6. Maybe we could have dinner? Lock up if you leave please. See you later.

Mione

Bellatrix smiled at the note, and washed her face. She left the bathroom and got dressed.

"I need to go back home…I can't keep wearing the same outfit." Bellatrix said to herself.

Bellatrix picked up the clothes that she had worn the night before and placed them in the hamper, and left Hermione's flat.

Hermione sat in her office going over some notes when there was a knock at the door.

"Come In." She said writing down a few notes in her notebook.

The door opened and Andromeda walked in. Hermione looked up and smiled at the older witch who smiled back.

"It's good to see you Mrs. Tonks, how are you?" Hermione asked picking up her note pad and coming around her desk.

"It's good to see you as well, I am alright, yourself?" Andromeda asked sitting down in one of the chairs in front of Hermione's desk.

"I am quite well, thank you." Hermione said sitting down in her chair across from the older witch.

"I just…off the record…I hope that you and Bella are happy together…she is a piece of work…but aren't we all?" Andromeda said softly.

Hermione was taken aback by this…but she just smiled and opened her notebook.

"Thank you…yes she is a piece of work…but I think everything will be just fine." Hermione replied smiling.

Andromeda smiled and sat back in her chair.

"Here…I um did the assignment you gave me last time…" Andromeda said handing Hermione a letter.

Hermione took the letter and sat it in her lap on top of her note book. She took a few minutes to read what Andromeda had just handed her. The older witch eyed her nervously, and ran her fingers through her long, chestnut hair. After a few minutes Hermione took the letter and handed it back to Andromeda who took it with shaking hands.

"That was very good; you seemed to get out more than you anticipated." Hermione said smiling.

"Yes, well…it took a while to write, but I do feel better." Andromeda said relaxing a little.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Hermione asked.

"I do." Andromeda replied.

Hermione smiled, and Andromeda began to explain her letter.

Bellatrix walked around her empty manor running last night's events over in her head. The pain in Hermione's voice was evident, and Bellatrix knew that things were moving too slow, she wanted to move forward but she wasn't quite sure how. The dinner party proved successful, she had gotten out all that needed to be said to Hermione's friends. The last thing she wanted to do was alienate the younger witch from her friends, it wasn't fair to Hermione. Bellatrix shook her head and continued to pace, she eventually made it to her library. She prowled through the rows of books, running her long nails along their spines, she wasn't intending to read anything, but her compulsion to occupy her mind was too much. She picked out a book at random and sat down in one of the over large chairs in the middle of the room.

Hermione was feeling exhausted after her session with Andromeda. Everything the older witch had said was deep and heavy, but she could tell that Andromeda was beginning to heal on her own. She rubbed her face and glanced at her watch, it was almost time to call it day, but she was beginning to feel uneasy. She hadn't heard from Bellatrix all day.

"I hope she isn't upset…she seemed fine when we went to bed last night." Hermione thought to herself.

She shook her head and gathered up her notes and left her office.

Bellatrix woke with a start, rubbing her face. She hadn't intended to fall asleep, but she was just exhausted. She glanced at the clock, it was 5:30, and Hermione had said she would be home by 6. Bellatrix got up, rushed a shower and left for Hermione's.

Hermione arrived home a little past 6; Bellatrix wasn't anywhere to be found. The younger witch felt slightly disappointed, but she couldn't blame Bellatrix, last night had been a little intense. She sighed and jumped into the shower, if Bellatrix was going to come, she knew how to get into the house.

Bellatrix stopped at a street vendor selling flowers and bought Hermione some, she always thought it was a waste to do this, but she would just put a charm on them so they wouldn't wilt. She knocked on Hermione's door, but there was no answer. Bellatrix looked up at the windows, the bathroom light was on, a smile crept across her lips and she pulled out her wand.

Hermione was just standing in the shower allowing the scolding hot water to soothe her muscles. The tension had been building all day and she just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for days. The young witch was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed someone walk into the bathroom, she jumped as she felt a pair of arms encircle her waist, and a pair of lips kiss her shoulder.

"Bella." Hermione breathed.

"Mione." Bellatrix said against her lover's shoulder.

"I didn't think that you would come." Hermione said finally.

She could feel Bellatrix tense behind her, and that made her heart ache slightly.

"I wasn't going to." Bellatrix said honestly "But I knew that I couldn't leave things the way that they were. Things will get better Mione, I promise…I just need some time…more time…" Bellatrix replied.

Hermione closed her eyes. Time, which was always the price. Time, more and more time. Patience is a virtue, but this was getting closer and closer to the younger witch's threshold. Deciding it wasn't worth another argument, and intense nightmares, Hermione nodded her head.

"Then time is what you shall have." Hermione said finally.

Bellatrix recognized the dismissal of the conversation. She picked up Hermione's body wash and began to lather up her hands. Hermione gasped softly as she felt Bellatrix begin to wash her back. This intimate gesture made tears spring to Hermione's eyes as Bellatrix washed up her legs, skipping over the place between her legs, she felt Bellatrix's fingers massage the shampoo into her hair.

"Rinse." Bellatrix said softly.

Hermione moved forward and rinsed off all the soap. Bellatrix began to massage the conditioner into her hair.

"You're good at this Bella." Hermione said softly.

"I used to wash Cissy's hair this way…many, many years ago…it was one of the few things…that we had to keep us sane." Bellatrix said.

Hermione didn't want to inquire any further, because she was well aware of the other activities that went on between the two, and she also didn't want to ruin this moment between them.

"Go out with me tonight?" Bellatrix asked breaking the silence.

Hermione opened her eyes to see Bellatrix looking right at her, a light blush covered her cheeks as she moved back under the spray of hot water.

"I would love to Bella." Hermione replied smiling.

Bellatrix gave her lover a small smile before stepping out of the shower, Hermione followed, wrapping a towel around her body.

"Where would you like to go? Are you hungry? Or we could just go for a walk." Bellatrix asked drying her body.

Hermione hung up her towel, and walked out into her bedroom.

"I am kind of hungry; we could go to a café or something close to here." Hermione replied pulling out a bra and underwear from her dresser.

Bellatrix put her clothes back on and sat on the edge of Hermione's bed, watching as the younger witch dressed in a pair of jeans and a simple t-shirt.

"We aren't going anywhere fancy are we?" Hermione asked.

Bellatrix smiled.

"What you're wearing is wonderful darling." Bellatrix replied.

Hermione blushed and put on her shoes.

"How about…I take you to a place…and you try some real Muggle food…" Hermione asked.

Bellatrix raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, Hermione laughed softly.

"Oh come on! It will be fun Bella! Elegant and fancy dinner is boring sometimes, we need to go out and eat greasy, unhealthy shit for once." Hermione said coming to stand right in front of Bellatrix.

"Oh dear…such a dirty mouth you have." Bellatrix said smiling.

Hermione grinned and held out her hand, Bellatrix took it and the two women walked down the stairs and put on their coats.

TBC...