I apologize for the ridiculously long hiatus. Thank you all for waiting patiently. And now, back to your regularly scheduled fanfiction. (Woot woot!)

(I still don't own these characters. In case you were wondering.)

We met up in the woods once more before it was going to be time for me to go back to Hogwarts. It was less frenzied this time, a calm, collected conversation sitting on tree stumps instead of a heated hookup in the branches.

"So… will I see often?" I asked.

He smiled at me. "Do you have any understanding of 'patience'? Or 'discretion'?"

I bit my lip and laughed shyly, embarrassed. "According my mother, no. Is it a problem? She seems to think it is."

"I find it endearing," he said. "But it won't always work in your favor." He paused a moment. "But to answer your question, I don't think I'll see much of you until you graduate. I can't exactly go hang around Hogwarts."

"Oh." I was already dreading my last term at Hogwarts. It just seemed so meaningless. What was the point of being good at school if I was never going to be allowed to do anything after graduation? Narcissa told me that she had overheard a conversation between Father and Mr. Lestrange. Rodolphus and I were as good as married. He would propose before the end of year, I was sure of it. I wanted to run away, and I had hoped that Voldemort and I could maybe go together. "Will you write, at least?"

He didn't answer right away. "I'll be doing a lot of traveling. I might not have the time to write."

I felt like crying. His letters had made the break manageable. What was I going to do? I was going to go crazy. Being at school meant no reprieve from Rodolphus. No reprieve from the constant comparisons to Andromeda and Narcissa. I actually had a teacher ask me why I wasn't setting a better example for my younger sisters.

Maybe Andromeda was right. Maybe I had just been stupid and he never really cared for me, he just wanted to have a little fun and thought I would be easy to manipulate.

"Oh," I said. "Okay. I mean, you must have really important… lordly duties and stuff."

His gaze softened. "Bella," he said. "I know what you're thinking. You're thinking I was just using you. Do you really think I would use you?"

"I don't know," I said. "I'm so confused."

"I wasn't just using you," he said. "But also remember that I was very upfront: I've never loved anyone and I don't think I ever will."

"Really?" I asked. "None of your… women… you didn't love any of them?"

He answered without hesitation. "No. So be cautious. I want your… friendship. I have enjoyed our kisses. But please remember who you're dealing with."

I nodded wordlessly.

"Have you ever killed?" he asked.

I jumped up. "No," I said. "Why?" My eyes were wide. Was he a murderer? Was I consorting with some sort of fugitive? Was I going to get in trouble with the Ministry?

"I didn't imagine you would have," he said. "Do you think you could?"

"Probably not," I said. I didn't even really like it when Rodolphus and Rabastan used magic to torture animals. "This is a weird conversation." Had I gone and gotten myself involved with a serial killer or something?

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to frighten you. It's just that I have some plans. And like all plans, they come with some costs. You know I value purity of blood." I nodded. "I want to achieve supremacy over the wizarding world, with some of the best pureblooded wizards at my sides – and I'd like you to be there. And it's not that I want to kill, but I might have to kill. I need to know that my followers are willing to kill for our cause."

"Am I the first wizard you've tried to recruit?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No. There are others. You'd be surprised who."

"I could guess," I said.

He cocked an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Purity of blood? No shame in killing?" I asked. "Please. I'm Slytherin. You just described half my house."

He laughed. "Fair enough. Slytherin, huh? I should've guessed. That was my house, back in my school days."

He seemed less crazy than he had just moments ago, and the knowledge that our school houses were the same reminded me of the sense of camaraderie I inexplicably felt for him.

I thought suddenly of Sirius's Ouija board. Out of curiosity, I looked at Lord Voldemort and asked, "What's your first name?"

His eyes grew dark. "Do not ask me that."

"I'm sorry," I said, slightly frightened again. "I didn't mean to make you angry. It was just a question."

"Bellatrix," he said. "You must learn that are questions you shouldn't be asking. There is no way you could've known, but I do not want anyone asking about my name. My name is Lord Voldemort. Do you understand?"

I nodded. "Yes, my lord."

He smiled. "Why do you call me that?"

"I'm not sure," I said. "It just feels right."

"I like the sound of that," he said.

"Thank you."

"I scare you, don't I?" he asked.

"Well, yes," I said. "At first you did. Sometimes you do. Sometimes you don't. I wish I understood you. What makes you angry, I mean."

He shook his head. "No, you meant you wish you understood me and you're not the first lady who's said so. I advise you to stop trying." He stood up and touched my cheek. "Do you promise?"

"I don't like to make promises I can't keep," I said.

"Fair enough. May I?"

I nodded and closed my eyes. We kissed. I loved kissing him. I never wanted him to leave. I didn't care if he was older or if he was a murderer or what. I loved the mystery. I loved that I didn't understand him.

"I have to go," he said.

"Please write," I said.

"I will," he promised. "Good-bye, love." He turned to leave.

"Wait!" I called. This was the second time he had used that phrase and it hadn't gone over my head either time. "Why do you call me that?"

"What?" he asked.

"You know," I said. I wasn't going to say it. He knew full well what I was talking about.

"Love?" he asked. "I don't know. It feels right."

"I thought you didn't believe in it," I challenged.

"Bella," he said. "What did I just tell you? Stop trying to understand me. And if you can help it, try not to fall in love." He grinned, as though that last phrase was a joke.

I wished it was. We kissed again before he left.

I went back to the house and cried for fifteen minutes, not sure what I was crying over.

It was Andromeda who found me, laying in a heap on my bed, eye makeup running down my faith. When she opened the door, I sat up and tried in vain to wipe my eyes.

"Merlin's beard, Bella," she said. "What is wrong with you?"

"It's hard to explain," I said. "I saw… him again."

Andromeda sighed. "Oh Bella. I know you like him, although I can't imagine why. But I really think he's bad news."

"He's not," I said. "He's just complicated."

"Okay," she said. "If you say so. Do you want to talk about it?"

I shook my head. "I can't."

"I don't trust him," Dromeda said. "I really don't. But I know better than to try to stop you. I just came to tell you that Mother's looking for you. She's ready to take us to Diagon Alley to get a few more things before school starts."

I nodded and got up. "Okay. Let me grab my cloak."

"And wash your face," Andromeda said kindly. "You look like you've spent years in Azkaban."

"Good point," I laughed. I went over to the mirror and tried to fix my hair and makeup. "Azkaban. Can you imagine? That would be awful."

As always, thank you for reading and please consider reviewing! I will be updating at some point eventually. I don't want to promise that it will be quickly, because I don't like to make promises I can't keep. ;)