A/N Happy Sunday! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. I also hope you're enjoying the holiday season. Happy holidays and here's another chapter!
The next morning had Hermione waking up in the same position she was in when Bellatrix fell asleep. The dark witch's head was still on her lap and she was cradling Hermione's leg. Smiling, Hermione ran her hands through dark tangles, gently coaxing her fingers through the knots. Bellatrix hummed, squeezing her leg lovingly. Hermione stifled a yawn as she trailed her fingers over Bellatrix's back, tracing her scars through her shirt. The dark witch stirred, nuzzling into Hermione's stomach.
"Did you sleep like that, 'Mione?" she mumbled, her voice muffled by the fabric of Hermione's shirt.
"Mhm. But it's okay, Bella." Hermione's hands returned to Bellatrix's hair, massaging her scalp.
"That feels nice. Why didn't you lay down?"
"I was reading. I guess I fell asleep. How are you feeling?"
"Like I never want to get out of bed." Bellatrix relinquished Hermione's leg, wrapping her arms around the young witch's waist.
"You always feel like that, Bella."
"I know, but I don't want to talk about yesterday. Did you mean what you said?"
"Of course, Bella," Hermione whispered, sliding her hands to Bellatrix's shoulders.
"You don't even know what part of it I was referring to."
"I don't need to, I meant everything. Are you hungry?" At Bellatrix's nod, she called for the house-elf, asking for a bowl of fruit. The house-elf obliged, returning a few seconds later with a bowl of strawberries, sliced apples, pineapple, and blackberries. She set it on the nightstand before disappearing with a pop.
"Hermione?" Bellatrix moved closer to the young witch, pulling at her waist until she was lying down.
"What is it, Bella?" Hermione asked, cupping Bellatrix's cheek with her hand.
"Are you-is it really going to be gone today?" Bellatrix's voice was small, her eyes wide as she looked at Hermione uncertainly.
"For as long as we have control of the Ministry, a place like that will never exist again. I promise." Hermione leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on Bellatrix's lips. When Hermione pulled away, Bellatrix leaned forward, not letting her break the kiss. Hermione smiled, pulling Bellatrix closer. She let Bellatrix pull away, resting their foreheads together.
"When are you going?"
"After breakfast. They should be finishing up soon. I want that place to be less than a pile of rocks as soon as possible."
"Please be careful," Bellatrix whispered. Her eyes had a haunted glimmer to them as she looked at Hermione.
"I will." Hermione pulled them both back into a sitting position, placing the bowl of fruit on the bed beside them. Bellatrix leaned back against Hermione, intertwining their fingers. Hermione rested her chin on Bellatrix's shoulder, her free hand on Bellatrix's waist. She used magic to levitate the fruit into their mouths, making them do maneuvers just for fun. By the time the bowl was empty, the mood was significantly lighter.
"I guess you should get ready," Bellatrix mumbled, turning her head to face Hermione.
"I can stay a bit longer." Hermione nudged Bellatrix with her nose, softly kissing her cheek.
"Yeah, but that just makes it harder for you to leave. If you go now, you'll be back earlier."
"What will you do while I'm gone?"
"I'll find Andy and Cissy. We can spend some time together while you're out."
"Can you do me a favor while I'm gone?" Hermione asked.
"What is it, love?"
"Cissa has access to my vault, right?"
"Mhm."
"Can you ask her to transfer some money to St. Mungo's? Let her decide how much. We're keeping the prisoners there and they're being given basic treatment until I figure out where to move them to."
"Sure, love. We'll take care of it." Bellatrix kissed Hermione's cheek, leaning forward so Hermione could get up.
"No wedding preparations without me," Hermione said, slipping out from behind Bellatrix and searching the room for suitable clothes.
"I will make no such promise. You know how Cissy is," Bellatrix said. Her eyes followed Hermione as she moved around the room, watching her with amusement.
"Fine." Hermione quickly changed, striding back to the bed and kissing Bellatrix. "I'll see you later. I love you."
"I love you, too. Be safe."
"Never," Hermione joked, winking at Bellatrix as she turned on her heel and disappeared.
Hermione appeared in front of a pair of Aurors, their Patronuses at their sides. They pointed her to Tonks as soon as they noticed her. Hermione's own Patronus leaped from her wand, padding alongside her as she navigated the cold, dark hallways of Azkaban. It was eerily quiet without the noise of its prisoners and she stifled a shiver. She swirled her fingers through her Patronus lazily, feeling her magic tingle.
"Wotcher, Hermione!" Tonks greeted. Her Patronus hopped beside her as the metamorphmagus approached.
"Hey, Tonks. How's it going?" Hermione asked, coming to a stop in front of her. Hermione's Patronus touched its nose to Tonks's, sniffing inquisitively before deeming it acceptable.
"We're doing a final walkthrough to make sure we haven't missed anyone. We haven't had much trouble with any of the inmates, not surprising, really. The reporters caught wind of it earlier this morning and they've been a bit of a nuisance. Moody is handling them at the Ministry but they're going to want to talk to you."
"I figured as much. I'll deal with it while you finish up here. Are the Dementors secured?"
"We're doing our best to keep them all in one spot but we have no idea how many there are. How should we proceed once we clear the building?"
"I want everyone in the air around the building. You and I will do a walkthrough together and then we're turning this place to rubble. I'll think of somewhere else for a prison."
"Sounds good. I'll come get you when we're done." Tonks put her hand on Hermione's shoulder, nodding and sending her Patronus to relay the message. Hermione turned on her heel when Tonks removed her hand.
Outside the Ministry was crazy. Moody was fielding questions from reporters as best as he could. He could only do so much to give them proper answers, but Hermione was the one they really wanted to talk to. He hoped she would be here soon. He heard a crack and he turned, relieved to see Hermione standing a few feet away.
"Thank Merlin. I can't keep answering their questions. I'll be here to help you out if you have any difficulties," he whispered as she walked over to him.
"Thanks. Let's get this over with." Hermione turned to the reporters, raising her hand in greeting and for silence.
"Ms. Granger, what can you tell us about the decision to close Azkaban and move the inmates to St Mungo's prison?"
"Upon consideration of the conditions of Azkaban, I have deemed it unfit for status as a prison. The building is unsafe and the people are subjected to cruel treatment. The Dementors are inhumane and will be destroyed, along with the entirety of the building."
"Do you expect St. Mungo's to treat the prisoners without compensation for their work?"
"Of course not. Compensation to St. Mungo's is being determined and the money will come from my personal vault."
"What will be done with the prisoners when they're done at St. Mungo's?"
"Alternatives to Azkaban will be considered while the prisoners are being taken care of. I can say with certainty that I will not be establishing another Azkaban. If that happens, it will be under someone else's decision. We are building a new world, if we continue to drive criminals into barely conscious states from constantly being fed on by Dementors, we are not worthy of a better world. I will take full responsibility for the condemnation of Azkaban and the installation a new prison system. I will keep you all informed." Hermione caught sight of Tonks out of the corner of her eye. She was whispering to Moody and nodded to Hermione when she finished.
Hermione took Tonks's arm, the metamorphmagus Apparating them back to Azkaban for one final walkthrough. The steady dripping of water punctuated the silence, while the steady glow of their Patronuses lit the dark hallways. The Dementors were contained by walls of light. They were clustered in the center trying to avoid the wall, writhing like a mass of tentacles. The two witches couldn't hide their disgust with the creatures, or the shiver that ran down their spines.
"Merlin, I hope this is all of them," Hermione muttered.
"It has to be. We went through this building so many times, there's no way any of them are still lurking around."
"Okay. Were there any that weren't here at all?"
"I'm not sure but I can put out an order to destroy any sighted Dementors."
"Sounds good. I think we're done here."
Tonks nodded, leading Hermione to the roof of the building. She groaned at the sight of two broomsticks waiting on the roof. Tonks laughed at the younger witch, shaking her head and tossing her a broom. Hermione managed to catch it, frowning at the monstrous thing before tossing it off the building.
"Absolutely not. I have a better idea. Are they all in position?" Hermione shielded her eyes from the rain with a hand, scanning the skies. She could make out the faint, distorted shapes of Aurors on brooms.
"Yes. On your signal, 'Mione," Tonks said, taking to the sky on her broom.
Hermione concentrated on her magic, suddenly regretting throwing the broom of the edge. The magic that had allowed them to use a smoke form was connected to the Dark Lord and since he was dead, it hadn't worked. Hermione channeled the feeling she felt when she as flying through the air. Her magic would respond, it had to.
She felt the beginnings of the magic, the fading sensation, the lifting from the ground slightly. Hermione focused on it, letting her magic amplify itself. Her feet lifted completely from the ground, her body becoming entirely smoke. She waited, making sure the magic was sturdy before she took off, circling around the prison once before holding her position.
The signal was obvious, even in the dark and rain. When Hermione's spell hit the building, a boom sounded and a bright light flashed. The building shuddered, large chunks of stone plunging into the water, sending waves crashing into the foundation. The magical reinforcements were down and the Aurors fired spells at the building.
Volleys of powerful spells slammed into the building, knocking off huge pieces of the prison. It began collapsing on itself from the spells and waves. Hermione let one last spell hit the building, knocking it into the water. She promised Bellatrix it would be less than a pile of rocks and it was. The Aurors disappeared one by one and Hermione looked at the place where the prison had stood for a moment longer. She wanted to show it to Bellatrix when she got back.