Author's Note: Thank you very much for all the PMs inquiring about my wellbeing. Unfortunately, I'm going into the hospital tonight for an indefinite period, so for very personal reasons, I'm concluding this story here. Thank you for your understanding, and I do hope to be back writing Bellamort sometime in the future. Thank you for reading.

"Bella." Rodolphus came dashing down the corridor of Malfoy Manor, and she gasped as he yanked her into a lounge.

"What's the matter?" she demanded, and Rodolphus panted,

"Thank you. Thank you."

"What, for divorcing you?" Bellatrix smirked, and Rodolphus gulped.

"You don't understand. Signing those papers may have saved my hide," Rodolphus said, and Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. Rodolphus grabbed Bellatrix's shoulders and whispered, "Clara's pregnant. Somehow, she got pregnant the first time."

"Oh, Rodolphus." Bellatrix shut her eyes and touched at her forehead. "What have you done?"

"I care for her!" Rodolphus hissed, and Bellatrix snapped,

"Well, does she care for you back?"

Rodolphus nodded vigorously. "She wants to marry me. She wants us to keep the child. She wants to be my wife, to raise our baby together, Bella."

Her eyes welled all of a sudden, and she nodded. She hadn't expected to feel emotional about any of this. She hardly remembered Rodolphus, anyway. She'd moved all of her belongings out of Castle Lestrange a few weeks earlier, putting some of them back into her parents' home and some here into Malfoy Manor. But she murmured,

"Now people are going to think that we got divorced because you got your mistress pregnant."

A look of realisation came over Rodolphus' face, and he nodded.

"I understand. This… I'm sorry."

"No. I'm happy for you," Bellatrix insisted. "And I've heard whispers that Rabastan's got a bit of a fling with Phoebus Shacklebolt. So it would seem that Castle Lestrange is bursting at the seams with love."

Rodolphus seemed sorrowful then, and he insisted,

"Of course I'd never expect you to… you know, for anyone in your family to be anywhere near the wedding. It'll just be a small little gathering, anyway."

"Mmm-hmm." Bellatrix squeezed at Rodolphus' hands, and she reached up to kiss his cheek. "Congratulations, Rodolphus. I'm so happy for you."

"Bella." Rodolphus cradled her face in his hands, and for a moment she was afraid he was going to kiss her. She shook her head, and then mercifully a voice in the doorway said quietly,

"Rodolphus. I've just heard the news. Congratulations on your upcoming marriage to Clara Abbott."

"My Lord," Rodolphus nodded, stepping back.

"And on his new baby," Bellatrix said, swiping at her eyes a little. Voldemort furrowed his brows, and he said rather sternly,

"You'll need to marry the girl very quickly, then."

"Yes, Master. We plan to marry within the month. Well, in three weeks' time, actually, at Castle Lestrange. I've told Bella, reassured her, that of course she needn't be within a hundred miles, but -"

"Malfoy Manor is only twenty-seven miles away," Voldemort said lightly. "And it would be particularly inelegant to visibly exclude your amicably separated arranged wife from your new wedding. Far better that she be there in a friendly capacity."

Rodolphus seemed shocked. "But, My Lord -"

"She'll attend on my arm," Voldemort said firmly. "Won't you, Bella?"

Bellatrix blinked through the hot tears that had formed in her eyes, and she just nodded.

"If you command it, Master."

"Well. That's settled, then," Voldemort said. "Congratulations, Rodolphus."

"Why do I feel like this?" Bellatrix asked quietly, and she studied her reflection in the mirror. This was a very informal wedding, so she'd worn a knee-length black silk dress with a braided rope belt and knee-high heeled boots. She'd arranged her curls into a chignon, and she'd done her makeup with winged eyeliner and frosty lipstick. She thought she looked relatively pretty, but it didn't feel like enough. She asked again in a murmur, "Why do I feel like this?"

"Because he was your husband." Voldemort stepped up beside her, wearing dress robes of elegant black brocade, and he gently took Bellatrix's right hand in his. She frowned in confusion as he slid something onto her right ring finger. Her hands were bare now; she now longer wore her wedding rings from Rodolphus. But this was her right hand. It meant nothing, did it?

He pushed a ring onto her finger, a band so thick on the top that it went from one knuckle to the next. It was made of oxidised silver and shaped like a jacket of aggressive armour, giving it a highly assertive look. There was a bezel-cut peridot sitting above the wrap-style ring, and Bellatrix smiled down at the lime green stone against the darkened silver. She smiled up at Voldemort and asked quietly,

"A gift? For me?"

"I am in love with you," he mumbled, dragging his thumb over her ring, and he kissed her forehead. "I want you to remember that tonight."

"Yes, Master." Bellatrix reached up to hold his cheek, and she promised him, "I'm going to fight for you. Even though I'll still be Bellatrix Lestrange, I'm fully yours. Wholly and completely and fully yours. You know it, I hope."

"I do know it," he nodded. "And come whatever battles may, those memories will be new and fresh in your mind. Whatever came before… it doesn't matter, Bellatrix. All that matters is what happens henceforth. All that matters is now, and the path before. And you are mine."

He picked up her left arm, and he kissed at her Dark Mark, and he gave her a little smirk and a nod.

"Let's go," he said, and he led her away.

THE END.