Chapter 15.
Hermione did sit ups in her cell, gritting her teeth.
Across the hallway from her cell Fleur was sitting on Millicent Bullstrode's lap. It was driving Hermione crazy. She knew Fleur was just getting information on what was happening with the Justice Party and the Death Eaters but it made her jealous all the same.
Another sit up and Hermione saw Millicent running a hand through Fleur's silky hair as she muttered secrets into her ear. Hermione lay back again on the cold floor, staring at the ceiling of her cell.
It burnt in the pit of her stomach. It was worse, somehow, since she had been so close to Fleur so recently. Had Fleur in her prison cot, her hands all over her…
Hermione sat up again, hard. She was relieved to see that Fleur was sliding off Millicent's lap, information obtained. A coy smile and some ego flattering compliments were no doubt ensuing, but Hermione thankfully couldn't see her face.
Falling back to the ground, Hermione stared at the ceiling, imagining all the horrible things she wished she could say out loud to Millicent.
Another sit up and she saw Millicent walking out of Fleur's cell, a smug grin on her face.
Come on Bullstrode, you just got her to sit on your lap and touch her hair, you're smiling like you got to third base! Hermione thought inwardly, a scowl tugging at her mouth.
Another sit up, and, satisfied Millicent was now gone, Hermione got up and walked across the hallway. She tried to hide the annoyance on her face as she walked into Fleur's cell.
Fleur was smoothing down her wifebeater and sitting down on her cot.
"Not too handsy, I hope," Hermione said, with more bite in her voice than she had intended.
Fleur looked up at her and shook her head.
"Non," Fleur replied, "She is fine. Her Death Eater friends in her shouldn't be a pain for much longer."
"How so?" Hermione asked, sitting next to Fleur.
"It seems the Justice Party are already making plans to excuse some of the more low profile Death Eaters of their crimes… As they change legislation and solidify their power, they will look to release higher profile ones over time," Fleur said, her voice betraying her anger.
"There is no way that can fly," Hermione growled. Fleur scoffed bitterly.
"That isn't even the worst news," Fleur said, biting her lip and looking away. She looked devastated.
"Dare I ask?" Hermione was starting to feel a little nauseous.
"Stripping back legal rights," Fleur said in a deadpan tone, "First for non-humans, then for those with any non-human blood, then the eventual plan is to strip away the rights of Muggle borns."
"Fucking Death Eaters!" Hermione cursed, standing up and starting to pace the cell, "How do they expect people not to see them for what they are?"
"There are still plenty of Death Eater sympathisers out there," Fleur said morosely, "They will do it over time. They will persuade the general public… Just as they did to get elected in the first place."
"No… I have faith," Hermione said, shaking her head.
"Do you? I don't," Fleur replied intensely, "Look at where we are. Look at where they are. We're never getting out."
Hermione was stunned at this. Fleur had always been so confident and determined. She had been poring over her paperwork and textbooks in all her spare time in Azkaban. She stopped pacing and turned to look at the blonde.
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked.
Fleur sighed.
"Now? Or generally?" Fleur replied, "Because the answer to both is 'no.'"
"Fleur," Hermione stepped forward, hoping to console the blonde, "This isn't like you."
"How do you know what is like me?" Fleur shot back, standing up and walking out of her cell.
Hermione watched her leave, confused and out of sorts.
She was shocked that Fleur had appeared to have thrown in the towel. She was upset that apart from filling her in on the news, Fleur still seemed to be avoiding any deeper conversation or contact with her. All she wanted was to hold Fleur close and make everything okay for her.
Sighing, Hermione left Fleur's cell and headed out into the hallway.
Before she could head in the direction Fleur had gone, she was pushed roughly into her own cell. Landing heavily on her hands and knees painfully, she swore.
"Can't I go a goddamn week without being attacked in here?!" Hermione growled, standing up and whirling around.
Her breath froze when she saw who had shoved her.
"One hour of time outside my cell, remember?" Bellatrix hissed as a smile curled her lips.
"I thought the point of that was to keep you from harming other prisoners?" Hermione replied, hoping like hell her voice would remain steady. She didn't want Bellatrix to know how scared she was of her.
Bellatrix let out a hoarse laugh.
"Yet here I am," Bellatrix sneered, "The guards here are so careless sometimes."
She lunged forward at Hermione, who dodged her before throwing a punch at the spindly villainess.
It connected with Bellatrix's face with a sickening thud. Bellatrix slammed into the bars of the cell, falling over.
Bellatrix snapped her head up, grinning as a trail of blood made its way down from her eyebrow.
"That was a mistake, Muddy," Bellatrix hissed, pulling a small knife out from the waistband of her sweatpants.
"H-How did you get a knife?!" Hermione stammered, gasping as flashbacks of her torture assaulted her mind.
"It isn't cursed like that lovely toy we had at Malfoy Manor," Bellatrix frowned, "But should still be fun nonetheless."
Before even finishing her sentence, she had lunged at Hermione again.
Hermione dodged again, but the knife nicked her forearm, spattering the floor with blood. Hermione's heart was beating so fast it was a deafening drum in her ears. She was stronger and faster than she was at Malfoy Manor. They didn't have wands. Bellatrix was on her own. It was totally different this time.
And yet… Hermione couldn't stop the tight grip of anxiety on her breathing. The panic was breaking her, telling her that this was exactly like Malfoy Manor. Except she would not survive this time.
Bellatrix swung the knife again and Hermione shimmied back at the last second, the knife plunging into thin air where her stomach had been mere seconds before. Hermione gritted her teeth, trying not to let the panic get to her. She kicked out wildly, catching Bellatrix in the stomach. The knife flew out of Bellatrix's hand and Hermione tackled the evil woman to the floor.
Bellatrix was looking at her with such psychotic glee that before Hermione even realised what she was doing, her hands were around Bellatrix's throat.
"That's right, Muddy," Bellatrix managed to get out in a choked voice, "Squeeze harder. I remember my first kill."
Hermione did find her hands tightening. It would be so easy. A tight grip for a little while and then Bellatrix would be gone. No more evil. No more torture. No more innocent people being hurt and maimed.
Bellatrix's hands skittered at Hermione's hands suddenly, nails clawing with the fear that Hermione would actually go through with it. But Hermione released her grip.
"I'll never be a monster like you," Hermione spat.
Bellatrix cackled, hoarser than usual. She had a strange glint in her eye.
Quick as a flash, she whipped out a hand, snatching the knife from the floor next to them and pressing the cool metal to Hermione's throat.
This was it.
Hermione knew she was going to die.
Her life flashed before her eyes. She never got to say a proper goodbye to Harry and Ron. She never got to make a proper career working in the area of Magical Creatures. She never got to win over Fleur.
Hermione shut her eyes, waiting for the inevitable jerk that would take her life.
She couldn't believe she was going to die on a grubby Azkaban cell floor on top of Bellatrix Lestrange.
A blinding light flashed and Hermione felt a chilled breeze of a spell brush her throat. She opened her eyes and Bellatrix was disarmed and looking murderous.
"Godammit, Lestrange, this is exactly the kinda shit we told you not to do when we let you out of solitary!" a guard was shouting.
Hermione felt herself pulled off Bellatrix and another guard pulling Bellatrix away.
It was all a blur but before she knew it, Bellatrix had been whipped back to solitary and Hermione—mercifully—was left alone in her cell.
She was feeling incredibly exhausted as the adrenaline finally left her system, pacing tiredly in her cell. She was still unable to relax, feeling like the threat had not fully passed, but was finding it harder to keep her eyes open.
Fleur appeared in the door of her cell, pale and in disarray.
"I heard Bellatrix knifed you!" Fleur exclaimed, rushing forward.
"Attacked me with a knife, yes," Hermione replied, "But barely nicked me in the end."
Fleur launched forward, throwing her arms around Hermione and holding her tightly.
"Hermione," Fleur was trembling in Hermione's arms, "I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you."
"You'll never have to find out," Hermione soothed in Fleur's ear.
Hermione's stomach flipped as Fleur sighed and pressed her lips to Hermione's.
The kiss was different to other ones they had shared. It was full of relief and comfort. Genuine affection and care.
When they pulled away this time, neither of them ran or apologised. They just kept standing with their arms around each other.
"I don't say this often…" Hermione said slowly, "But forget the rules. I'm getting us out of here one way or another."