Hermione woke in a dark, unfamiliar room in a bed that felt like nothing like her own. The pillows and the sheets smelled of morning dew and lilies and she slowly opened her eyes. It was still dark outside though on the horizon the first rays of sunshine appeared. Suddenly she became aware of the body lying next to her and in the darkness she managed to trace the outlines of Bellatrix's face. Her raven coloured curls lay sprawled out over her pillow and her face was turned towards Hermione. The haunted expression that had been there mere hours ago was gone and she looked peaceful now that she was sleeping.
"It is very impolite to stare" murmured Bellatrix and her dark eyes opened.
Hermione grinned and brushed a curl out of Bellatrix's face. She still felt the same under her fingers. The lines of her jaw had not changed and her skin still felt as soft. "Sorry. Perhaps if you weren't so beautiful..."
Bellatrix pushed herself up and rested on her elbows. In a vague flash of memories Hermione remembered this being Bellatrix's favourite position to lie on a bed and talk. The corners of her lips curled up into a smile. Nothing about this felt strange. She looked at the dark haired witch beside her.
"I have not slept so well for... Merlin, I do not remember" Bellatrix weakly smiled and one of her hands searched for Hermione's. "I missed you"
"And I missed you" Hermione whispered in return. It was as if her presence had changed everything about Bella. Her face looked brighter and far less gaunt than last night. Even her curls seemed less unruly. In the darkness she could tell her dark orbs were glistening and she realised Bellatrix must have come back to live in some way now that they were together again. She could feel the soft beating of the diamond in her ring. Their hearts had been joined once again.
Slowly she leant in and let her lips capture Bella's. Willingly she let herself be pulled into the dark witch's arms until her body rested on top of Bellatrix. When they parted they were both panting slightly and their gazes locked. Hermione's heart was beating violently inside her chest. Emotions and long forgotten passion got the better of them and trembling hands slipped underneath nightshirts and trailed the soft and warm flesh that went hidden underneath. Hungry lips nipped and bit down as soft, passionate moans began to fill the room. Hands explored what they remembered and everything that was new. Through the gap in the curtains sunlight began to fall into the room, leaving it bathing in a tender gloom of yellow light...
Hermione rested her head on Bellatrix's chest and enjoyed the feeling of the older woman running her fingers through her hair. Their left hands lay united on top of the sheets, their rings glistening in the beams of sunlight falling into the room. They had felt each other again. They had remembered what they felt for each other and what it had been like to be truly together. Their bodies were mysteries and at the same time it had all been so familiar. Bellatrix's body had developed into that of a woman and was far less like that of the teenage girl she had come to love in the past. But still it all felt the same. She still had the star shaped mark just underneath her belly button and the scar at the back of her leg was still there too. She barely recognised her last night. Now she knew who she was.
"I don't ever want to give this up" Hermione whispered softly, though she understood full well what the consequences of that would be. "If we can survive through time we must have a chance..."
"I always believed we had a chance" Bellatrix answered as she planted a kiss somewhere in Hermione's hair. Her heart had eased down in her chest but only several minutes ago it had been racing in passion and love. Hermione still looked and felt like she remembered. She was nineteen now and everything about her was beautiful. There were little secrets left but still she managed to get to know her all over again.
There was a soft knock on their door and they instantly parted and wrapped themselves in bed sheets before Bellatrix called for the visitor to enter. Narcissa carefully stepped into the bedroom with an apologetic look in her eyes. "I'm sorry to interrupt but an owl arrived for Hermione. It carried the Hogwarts logo"
Hermione nodded and slipped out of bed and began looking around for her clothes. She had left them in a messy pile on a chair last night but they were now freshly washed and ironed. She suspected Narcissa's house elves had done it and she smiled to herself. "Ten minutes"
Narcissa nodded and her gaze caught Bellatrix's for a second before she smiled and left the room. Hermione began dressing herself and only when she turned around did she find Bellatrix looking at her from the bed. She was still draped in her bed sheets and her head rested in her hand. She looked beautiful and almost innocent in the morning sunlight. Hermione couldn't suppress a smile.
"I wonder how long that owl has been there" she grinned.
Bellatrix smiled too. "Probably over an hour. Cissy was perhaps too frightened to come in here and interrupt us"
"Your sister has been very kind to me, Bella. She was at first the only one truly willing to listen to me and she helped me find you. Minerva McGonagall rejected the idea first but not until Cissy had told me where you were hiding did she agree I should find you" Hermione said as she walked across the room towards the door "I think the owl will have been sent by her"
She left the bedroom, walked across the wide landing with interesting looking paintings and then down the marble staircase. She found Narcissa in the large dining room. It was a room she had never been in before and she had to stop herself from allowing her mouth to drop. The room was intensely bright and very large. The ceilings were high with Victorian roses. The wallpaper was a soft shade of cream and there was a chandelier similar to the one in the drawing room hanging over the heavy wooden dining table. And on that table, just beside a goblet of what Hermione suspected was pumpkin juice and the morning edition of the Daily Prophet sat a familiar looking owl. It was one of the Hogwarts owls.
"Good morning" Narcissa smiled as she looked up from her own paper. She brushed a string of hair behind her ear and then went on to apologise. "I am sorry I had to wake you but the bird began pecking my fingers"
Hermione spotted the bloody bite marks on Narcissa's thumb and smiled to herself as she approached the owl. Its yellow eyes followed her every move and Hermione suspected it had not allowed Narcissa to take the letter. It however willingly allowed her to take the parchment from its paw. Narcissa had been right. It carried the familiar red Hogwarts seal and she sat down in the chair opposite Narcissa's and absentmindedly picked up the goblet standing next to the paper. She broke the seal and unrolled the parchment. She immediately recognised the small, neat handwriting that belonged to Minerva McGonagall.
Hermione,
I sent this owl to find you as I am unsure where your exact whereabouts are. I have tried to contact Mr Potter but he has refused to return my owl. Miss Weasley also does not wish to speak with me so I advise you to return to Hogwarts as soon as possible. There is a gathering at the Burrow this weekend and it is my concern that Mr Potter might reveal your situation to all those present, including Bellatrix's sister Andromeda. As much as I am off the opinion people should know I do not believe it is in your best interest, nor that of Mr Potter, for it to be revealed in such a way.
Hoping you are well and with kind regards and love,
Minerva
Hermione put the letter down and rested her face in her hands. She shook her ehad and felt anger roar in the pit of her stomach. In these few hours she had forgotten that Harry and Ginny knew about her marriage to Bellatrix but she had never thought they would betray her to her friends. Had she been so wrong about her friends that they would ruin everything she held dear? Would they really go that far?
"Hermione, what is wrong?" Narcissa had looked up again and found Hermione sitting with her face in her hands. She stood up and walked around the table. She sat down in the chair beside the young witch and cocked her head. She picked up the letter and read what Minerva had written. She sighed. "Life is not going to be easy for both of you. The world has an image of my sister, regardless of how wrong it may be. They will judge her before they know and they do not know her at all"
"I thought they were my friends" Hermione shook her head and sighed. Suddenly a thought crept into her head. The timelines had changed. What if one particular event hadn't? What if – somehow- the event that made Harry hate Bellatrix so much had not been altered at all? "She didn't kill Sirius did she?"
Narcissa sadly shook her head and sadness reflected in her cerulean eyes. Her voice was cold and for the first time Hermione sensed the hatred Narcissa hid so deeply inside. "Lucius killed my cousin"
Hermione felt her heart freeze in her chest. Bellatrix had not lied when she said she had never killed anybody. She had hurt so many, only because it had been expected of her. But how was she ever going to make Harry understand she was not the monster he believed her to be? How would she ever make him see that Bellatrix had worked for the Order almost all this time? How would she ever make him see, make him believe and let him understand that she truly loved her? And if she had to choose...
She shook her head. She didn't want to think about it. She took a deep breath. "I must return to Hogwarts. If there is such a thing as a fair chance for us then I need to speak to my friends. Only they can judge me and only when they know exactly what happened"
Narcissa looked at her. "I'm sorry, Hermione"
Hermione met the eyes of the woman who was her sister-in-law. She straightened her back and checked whether her wand was still in her pocket. "Regardless of what has happened or what will happen... I am not"
Hermione used the Floo Network to return to Hogwarts and she stepped out of the fireplace in Minerva McGonagall's office. It was still early and she was not surprised to find her mentor and friend sitting behind her desk. Her glasses were standing at the tip of her nose and she looked up when Hermione stepped into the room. Emerald green eyes instantly lit up.
"Hermione!" she said with a smile and she hurried around her desk. Hermione brushed the ashes of her clothes and look up to meet Minerva's eyes. "I was not expecting you back so soon"
"Best to get this over with" she spoke harshly and Minerva's face betrayed her surprise "I take it Ginny has gone home for the weekend then?" It was Friday morning – the one day where the seventh years only had classes in the afternoon- and she knew it was Mr Weasley's birthday this weekend. It was the reason for the gathering at The Burrow.
"Yes. She left by Floo Network this morning" Minerva answered and her eyes narrowed. She could barely contain her curiosity. "Did you... did you find her? Bellatrix?"
Hermione fell down in one of the armchair. The arrogance and confidence she had felt when she stepped out of the fireplace was rapidly subsiding and she felt defeated and worried all over again. She sighed. "I found her" she answered weakly.
"Oh" was all Minerva managed to say and she too sat down in one of the arm chairs. She was unsure how to approach this subject any further. Hermione had found her wife. A woman who – to many- was still a Death Eater. She tried to phrase her sentence carefully. "How... how is she?"
"She was a spy, Minerva. She worked for the Order almost all this time" Hermione suddenly started talking and the words just came out like a rushed waterfall. Minerva watched how tears welled up in Hermione's hazel eyes and felt a sense of pride and guilt wash over her.
"All those years ago... that night she came to see you and you allowed her to speak to Dumbledore was the night she made her allegiance to the Order. She joined the Death Eaters that same night, on Dumbledore's orders. It was the only thing that stopped her from being disowned because she had married me. She lived a double life from that night onwards"
"Oh Hermione, I didn't know. Albus never said..." Minerva began but Hermione shook her head.
"Why would you know? Dumbledore didn't say anything because only he understood the danger she was in. If the Order would learn about her she would be captured and placed into Azkaban, no doubt. If Voldermort learned of her allegiance to the Order, she would have been killed" Hermione sighed. She was so tired. She felt confused and torn up inside. Thoughts of Bellatrix's life mixed with the pressure of Harry and Ginny exposing her secret. Love mixed with anger and confusion and sadness and left her torn apart inside.
"One day she just... she lost her soul" Hermione continued and avoided making eye contact. "The darkness overwhelmed her. And she gave up. She gave up because of me. It was easier to drown in the darkness and just forget about what she felt..." She swallowed her tears. The consequences of their actions had influenced so many lives and she couldn't even begin to imagine, or allow herself to think about what she had done to all of her loved ones.
Hazel eyes looked up to meet Minerva's. "Do you remember how valuable information was passed to the Order after the night Dumbledore died?" Minerva nodded. "Bella had a change of her heart. It was her who provided you with that information. She realised she had been wrong. And she allowed her love for me to risk her life once again and help the Order. It is why you never learned who helped you. Nobody knew she had been one of us. Only Dumbledore knew. The secret died with him"
"It is true, Minerva" spoke a warm and calm voice from one of the portraits and both witches looked up. From his golden portrait frame the smiling face of Albus Dumbledore looked down on them. His blue eyes still sparkled behind his half moon spectacles. "Miss Granger is speaking the truth"
"Oh Albus" Minerva sighed and almost desperatly looked at her friend. "What are we going to do? The world does not know about Bellatrix Black and Mr Potter is fuelled by hatred..."
"The only thing that can save everything is the truth, no matter how painful" spoke Dumbledore kindly and his eyes fixed on Hermione. "Your choices have severely influenced the timeline, Miss Granger. There is nothing that can be done to change that and many will always be unaware of what happened. Those who are will learn to live with their memories over time. What remains is for you to come to terms with your marriage and your friends to come to terms with you"
Hermione nodded and glanced at Minerva. "Are you coming to The Burrow, Minerva?"
Minerva smiled. "If you wish for me to accompany you, I shall"
Hermione sighed and twisted the golden ring around her finger. "Yes, somehow I doubt it is a good idea to arrive with my wife"
Hermione felt sick to her stomach when she stepped into the fireplace. Seconds before Minerva had dropped a hand full of Floo Powder into the roaring green flames and stated "The Burrow". Now it was her time. She took a few deep breaths, took a hand full of powder from the little box on the desk and stepped into the green flames. She closed her eyes and then spoke with a clear voice "The Burrow"
The world began to spin and the image of Minerva's office rapidly blurred and seconds later it was replaced by the familiar looking living room of the Weasley house. Hermione instantly recognised the excited voice of Mrs Weasley and hesitantly she stepped out of the fireplace. Her arrival went unnoticed for a few seconds and she used them to see who else was here. All the Weasley's were present. There was Ginny, Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie. Suddenly she was cruelly reminded of the absence of Ron. The sight of Fred made her heart freeze and the pain she felt inside overwhelmed her.
On the other side of the room Harry was talking to Nymphadora Tonks. She still had bright pink hair and Hermione realised there was not a sign of little Teddy. Clearly Lupin was not only dead, they had never had a child and she wondered if they had ever gotten together. Nymphadora's mother was sitting at the table. Andromeda looked a lot like Bellatrix, Hermione realised. Her hair was not as dark and her eyes were almost the same hazel shade as her own. It was strange to look at Tonks and Andromeda and realise they were her family now. And neither of them knew.
"Hermione!" Mrs Weasley suddenly cried and Hermione immediately noticed how Harry's head snapped in her direction. "Oh how wonderful to see you!"
She allowed herself to be pressed against Mrs Weasley's voluptuous chest then shook Mr Weasley's hand and wished him a happy birthday. She let herself be hugged by Fred, George, Bill and Charlie and promised the twins she would tell them about her time travel journeys. As she looked around the room she tried to take in as many changes as she could. She couldn't see Fleur but there was a wedding ring on Bill's hand so he had married someone... Seconds later however Fleur appeared from the kitchen and she realised that their marriage was one thing that had taken place.
"You have some nerve turning up here" somebody hissed in her ear when she was standing by the fireplace and was looking at all the interactions in the room. She didn't have to turn and look at who was standing next to her. She recognised Harry's voice immediately.
"I always admired your ability to immediately jump to conclusions without knowing the full details, Harry" she hissed back, covering her mouth with her goblet so it looked like she was drinking "Or your ability to stab your friends in the back because you are too blinded by your own unfounded hatred"
"Hermione, I was wondering whether I could have a word?" Andromeda had unexpectedly appeared at her other side and somehow she shot a glance at Harry that made him walk off. He joined Ginny and the pair of them shot her another dark look.
Hermione frowned. She had never really spoken Andromeda before – in her own time- and she wondered what the middle Black sister had to tell her. She only remembered the times they had been in the common room together. Before her time travelling she had never really met her. She nodded and followed Andromeda into the kitchen, which was now empty. Andromeda flicked her wand and the door closed and locked itself. She then glanced at Hermione. Now that they were standing quite close together the differences between her and Bellatrix were more obvious.
Without asking Andromeda reached for Hermione's left hand and turned it so she could look at the ring. Her touch was soft and there was no judgment in her voice. "You do realise I remember you?"
Hermione nodded. She hadn't realised. But Narcissa had remembered so Andromeda would too. "I... I hadn't quite..." She hesitated and suddenly gave in to the despair she felt inside. "Andy, where is this going to go?"
Andromeda let Hermione's hand slip from her own and leant against the kitchen top. "Contrary to certain beliefs I knew full well what my sister did throughout these years. And I no doubt that Narcissa knew too. The way Bellatrix handled her double life and the methods she used to pass on information were very typical for Bella. It had her childhood signature. Only something her sisters could see. I never quite believed she lost herself but when she stopped helping the Order I was afraid. But Bella is smart and the fact that she changed her allegiance back to the Order proves to me there is more good in her then people like to believe"
Hermione nodded and looked at Andromeda. She still remembered the fifth year with her nose stuck in a book. She reminded her of herself. "You knew all along about our marriage, didn't you? I mean... how could you not know... She married me before you even married Ted and was disowned"
"I knew all along. As did Narcissa and Minerva has explained to me that you went back in time and things changed. I personally cannot remember what it was like before you changed the future though Minerva has said that other people can. I am just blessed that I only know this and am not left wondering what if..."
"My marriage to Bella saved your daughter's life" Hermione said quickly and Andromeda's eyes widened. "She would have died in the Battle for Hogwarts otherwise. However, it may have saved her life but it also killed Ron Weasley. The Weasley's lost a son in the Battle. It is just that it changed which one of them died..."
The doorknob moved and it was clear somebody was trying to enter the kitchen. Andromeda shot a last glance at Hermione and flicked her wand. The door opened and the fiery red hair of Ginny appeared. She stared at Hermione and Andromeda standing in the kitchen and her brown eyes narrowed. "What's going on in here?"
"Nothing" Hermione answered quickly and didn't look at Andromeda. Andromeda at her time stared back at Ginny, taking a step in her direction as if to position herself between the two younger witches like protective barrier.
"Not cheating on your wife with her sister are you?" Ginny snapped, a lot louder then she intended and behind Ginny several people turned around.
Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes and stepped past Andromeda. She felt Andromeda try and grab her wrist but she freed herself. She approached Ginny and stopped only mere inches from her face. Her voice was dangerously low and her eyes pierced into Ginny's. "I had expected better from you Ginevra Weasley"
"What on Earth is Ginny talking about?" Mrs Weasley asked and shot a questioning look at Ginny before turning to Minerva. "Married to whom? And what sister?"
"I am surprised Hermione didn't fill you all in on the happy news that she got married while she was thrown back in time" spoke Harry from the other side of the room and the gathered crowd turned in his direction.
Hermione's eyes desperatly searched for Minerva's and found them to her left. She shook her head and Minerva knew she meant she didn't want her to intervene. So she restrained herself and fixed her eyes on Harry.
"HARRY!" Andromeda spoke harshly from behind Hermione and she stepped aside to let her through. The fire in her eyes and the harsh tone of her voice reminded Hermione of both Bellatrix and Narcissa. The Black side in her now truly came out. "You are in no position to pass judgment on Hermione so I suggest you do what is wise and hold your tongue"
"Do what is wise? Surely wisdom was lost some time ago when Hermione decided to enter into a marriage that changed everything we once knew? Her marriage changed the future!" Harry said, causing Mrs Weasley to cover her mouth in shock. His green eyes were fixed on Hermione. Her face was emotionless and she just stared back at him. "Poor Hermione Granger... Or should I say Hermione Black? That is your name, isn't it?"
She knew he was angry. She could tell he was disgusted. The pain inside was overwhelming. She took a few deep breaths. "Harry, you have no idea... Things are not like they seem and you do not understand..."
Her words were useless. Harry's anger was evident in his voice. "It was because of her choice to get married that Ron was killed!"
Mrs Weasley spun around and looked at Hermione. Never before had she seen such devastation in the eyes of the woman she had once considered to be her second mother. "Is that true?
Hermione felt tears slip down her cheeks. She had no idea where they had come from. "Nothing is like it seems. None of you understand and Harry is passing judgment without knowing the truth. Ron died because of events that took place when I travelled back in time. However..." She bit her tongue and glanced at the Weasley's. She had promised herself she would never tell them this. "Regardless of what I did, one of your sons would have died, Mrs Weasley. The events of the past changed which one lost his life but..." She couldn't finish her sentence.
"So that makes it all right? One would have died anyway?" Harry shouted unexpectedly
"HARRY! NO! You will not pass such judgement!" Minerva intervened and took a step forward. Emotions were filling the room. Mrs Weasley was silently crying, her husband's hand on her shoulder. Ginny's eyes were blazing. Harry looked like he was about to draw his wand and hex Hermione. Andromeda's hand rested on Hermione's arm in an attempt to keep her calm and near to her. Tonks looked from her mother to Hermione and then to Harry before walking to her mother's side. The twins, Bill and Charlie looked stunned and were simply staring at those present.
"Never mind, Minerva" Hermione said coldly and suddenly she felt strangely empty inside. These people were not the people she had known for all these years. Most of them were strangers. "Ignorance is one Harry's personality traits. Foolishness is another one"
Harry was about to say something in return but in that split second something snapped inside Hermione. "Had it not been for your constant craving for attention then none of this would ever have happened!" she screamed "Had you not wanted to be such a damn hero, nobody would have died at all!"
Silence. There was absolute silence as the harshness of her words began to sink in. Ginny's mouth had dropped. Never before had Hermione shouted the way she just had. Never before had anyone spoken to Harry like she had. And she had told him the truth. She panting and the tears still burned her skin. All this time Harry had not mentioned who she had married. The name Black could have belonged to many people. All of that was about to end now. There was almost a twisted look of triumph flickering in Harry's eyes.
"She married Bellatrix Black"
The words were like a dagger to the crowd's hearts. Minerva shook her head and Hermione watched the expression on Mrs Weasley's face change from sadness to disgust and anger. Hermione freed herself from Andromeda's protective grip and drew her wand before anyone could blink. She aimed it at Harry, her hand trembling. Around her several others drew their wands too. Only three were drawn in her aid. Minerva, Andromeda and Tonks were standing at her side. Tough Tonks knew nothing about the past she sided with her mother and Hermione. The little blood ties she had left.
"Damn you Harry Potter" Hermione hissed and shook her head. "I should have seen you for the ignorant, arrogant fool you really are. I have been around you long enough to know. For this has nothing to do with you. You know nothing about me or Bellatrix. You know nothing about the sacrifices she made to save your life. She joined the Order from the very beginning. Had it not been for her, you would have lost the war a long time ago. You owe your life to her..."
She spun around and ran towards the front door. Seconds later she had disappeared into the ink black night, leaving behind the closest friends she ever had. Or she thought she had...
Everything had fallen apart.