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Bellatrix skipped through the halls of their new estate with a near-childlike giddiness about her. She was celebrating their final victory in regards to Tommy, and whilst he couldn't begrudge her for doing so, their affairs weren't quite in order at this point in time. There was still far more they needed to do, especially when it came to Tom's belongings, and it would more than likely be left to him in its near entirety on account of how she liked to behave. Still, all of this wouldn't have been possible without her assistance, especially the information she had provided for him, so if only for that one large factor he supposed he'd let her bounce around as much as she'd like to. It certainly was beneficial considering she was finally 'his' in her own words even if that also meant he was 'hers' as she'd claimed.
All that had taken was an indescribable amount of effort and planning, for Bellatrix loathed when people, things or items grew boring and once they did, she disposed of them. Her sanity was far from intact and yet, with their recent breakthrough and the affection she was capable of, he wouldn't change her. In her own way, she cared a great deal for him and he did the same for her. He wouldn't call her pet as she called him and he wouldn't try and catch her off-guard all that often, especially with potentially harmful spells… Merlin, thinking back on it, their relationship was incredibly unique.
"Tommy's gone!" Bellatrix said aloud as she turned the nearest corner and came into view of Harry, her clothes wild, her dark hair wilder and her eyes seemingly endless pools of black as they flicked up to meet his own green ones. "Hi, Pet! Tell me, did you have anything in mind for us to celebrate his ending and the destruction of all those pesky little tethers, or is today going to be yet another in which we work ourselves to the bones?"
Funny. She's barely worked when it came to all the tedious bits.
"Well, Pet," Harry started, enjoying the flash of her eyes as he returned the nickname to the more docile, more tamed girl; those words typically didn't apply to people all that well, but when it came to Bellatrix, either was required to explain typical behaviour that a normal person would exhibit. "As it's just so happened to turn out, I've planned something for the evening and night for us to enjoy. It's not quite time for that, and so I figured we'd bathe, get dressed in finery and make any final preparations that a formal night would require. How's that sound?"
Bellatrix smiled wide, her dimples showing as she skipped the remaining distance over to him just so she could place a kiss on either of his cheeks and a big, wet, aggressive one against his lips. She slid her tongue into his mouth, one of her hands clawed into his arse and she did so all while letting out these little huff-like giggles that made him nearly go mad with lust.
He wouldn't let her keep the advantage and initiative though. She wouldn't like that any more than he would, and so with a flick of his hand, they snapped around so that it was her that was closer to the wall, and as soon as that happened, he used his greater size and strength to force her backwards until she was against the wall. He kissed her hard, their teeth chattering at one point until she submitted and cocked her head, their noses brushing up against one another.
Eventually, they withdrew for a breath and when they did, their gazes were locked together. As there always was, between them was a mixture of lust, affection, competition and an underlying hint of anger or perhaps a more complex and not necessarily positive emotion. He couldn't describe it, but whensoever they joined together for snogging or anything in that range, there were so many forces at play and so many backup plans required that it nearly felt like he was playing a Quidditch match again.
"Out of breath?" Bellatrix asked teasingly, her sizable chest heaving as she flicked her tongue out to swipe at her bottom lip.
Harry chuckled and leaned in to give her one last peck before he stepped back, straightened out his clothing and held out his arm so that she could loop hers through it. He knew after such an intense snog that she would expect more, she always did, and that was exactly why he wasn't going to give it to her quite yet. If she were patient, she would get all that she wanted and more in the evening, and he wouldn't play into her lusts as he often did. If he did so, he would be predictable and that was the last thing that either of them wanted even if that was for two very different sets of reasoning.
"I'll bring you to your new suite, Bella," Harry said as she stepped beside him, her eyes moving all throughout the hall as she once more took in their new huge estate that Tommy had so kindly gifted them after his passing. "I'll make sure to purchase a few dozen house elves too. You'll have one for every day of the week, plus a spare should one be bothersome — bad girl."
He had noticed out of the corner of her eyes how she went to swipe at his wand with her deft hand, and in response, he waved his free right hand. Instantly, her hands had been bound together by soft cotton that he'd conjured and tight enough that she couldn't free herself. All she could do was look at him with a pout on her pretty face and a grin when that failed to get the wanted results.
"You're always predicting me now, I suppose this is how it feels on the other side of the game. It almost makes playing with you boring, but you beat me so well… one of these days I'll get into your mind and see how you do it, pet. Then you'll be mummy's good boy, isn't that right?" Bellatrix's eyes flashed as she moved her head forward with a quickness he hadn't expected, and rather than a headbutt or something of that manner, her tongue came out and swiped at his neck, for that was all that she could reach.
If he were a lesser man or if they had been earlier on in their relationship, he would have abandoned all pretext of waiting for their evening surprise and taken her right then and there in the hall, but he wasn't an animal. If he wished to give her an evening she wouldn't forget after the pair of them had finally done away with old Tom, his Horcruxes and his main followers, then he would see that plan through.
Nothing the little temptress and all her fetishes did would change that… not unless she pulled something out that he could, in no easy way, predict.
"Walking sucks. You should carry your Queen, don't you know that, pet?" Bellatrix asked with a pout and whine-like tone as she stared at him, her heels clicking as they walked along one of the lesser-used sidepaths of Diagon Alley.
Some people avoided them out of worry for danger, because they were dimly lit or just out of no true need for them, but he enjoyed the sidepaths and alleys far more than the main street of Diagon. It allowed him to pull Bellatrix aside whensoever she was bad and give her a snog or a slap on the arse. She'd do much the same when she felt like it, for her games in public were far more restrained than when they were alone.
He supposed that was one small mercy he was thankful to receive. It'd be far harder to explain how the two of them constantly went at one another with a near-murderous lust to Aurors and witnesses than if it were nought but the two of them together.
"Are you listening to your girl, pet? She'd like to b— good boy!" Bellatrix, in the midst of speaking — or complaining — had been lifted by a wandless spell until she was on his back, and as thanks for his doing so, she leaned forward to rub their cheeks together before she pressed a kiss under his left eye.
Her words of encouragement, that being her 'good boy' thanks for him, earned them only one strange look from a couple that had passed them by. They were one of only ten or so other people that were using the entire back alley, and that made everything far more bearable.
Finally, Harry saw the destination as they turned the final corner and he smiled as he took it in. The place was as perfect as it had previously been when he had made the reservations, and he didn't know why he was surprised. They were expensive, very expensive when he'd done what he had, and so he half-expected knowing his luck that the place would have been burned down or corrupted in the week that it had been. He didn't know why or how that'd be, but Merlin, sometimes his luck was absolutely horrible.
"Is that our destination?" Bellatrix asked in a tone that spoke of giddiness and perhaps, approval.
He was thankful even if he didn't let that show, for the Galleons and the trouble he had gone through to rent the place out were far and beyond what he had expected.
"Yes, it is," Harry said as he lifted his nose. "I trust my Queen approves?"
Bellatrix patted his cheek and arse simultaneously. "She does. Now pick up the pace, pet. Mummy's hungry."
Harry snorted, began to move faster and when they were well clear of the others on the back path, he made sure to reach back and give her a couple of spanks that made her squeal in indignation, and another emotion that was better suited for the night-time plans he had made for the pair of them.
"Welcome, Mister Potter and Missus Lestrange," greeted the wizard at the doors as soon as Harry produced his written and signed copy of rent for the evening; Bellatrix hadn't seen it, so she wasn't quite aware of what he'd done quite yet. "Please, pick any seat that you'd like including the upstairs and balcony options. I'll be with you as soon as you'd like, simply use the object on the table with the notification attached to summon me or another member of the wait staff should you wish to change your server."
Harry dipped his head, let Bellatrix smooth her dress, and then the pair entered. Immediately, the hazy air thick with incense greeted them, as did the many formally dressed employees, wizarding pictures and busts of famous people that had long since passed but visited this establishment. It was, perhaps, the most renowned and as a result, expensive restaurant on the isles.
"Did you rent the whole place out, pet?" Bellatrix asked, her tone a bit disbelieving even if the typical nickname was employed.
He nodded as they ascended the staircase and chose a large, but private room with a table for ten but well-suited for nought but the two of them. "I did."
She looked back at him through narrowed eyes, but he noticed something strange. There was a watery quality to them, and before he could ask, she was on him… but not in her typically aggressive way, but a genuinely affectionate and oddly enough, loving way. It was very strange for her and far removed from their typical games.
"Bella?" he asked.
"I hope you know I don't mean to act as I tend to, but if you don't — I hope that's a clarification. You're kinder than anybody else has ever been to me, and I think I truly love you, pet," Bellatrix withdrew to look at him, her eyes strangely focused and without any cocktail of emotions behind them; only one. "Say it back. I want to hear it."
Harry dipped his head once. "I love you too," he kissed her forehead before he withdrew with a grin on his face. "Pet."
She smiled at him, and this time, when she was on him, it required the door to be locked.
Merlin, she was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him.