AN: Hey guys! Sorry for the delay, I suck I know. Uni has been hectic to say the least and when you add life to that equation it's not good. We're getting pretty close to the end now. Thank you to all reviewers, followers and faves. I don't own Harry Potter unfortunately. Apologies for any mistakes I'm only human. Hope you all enjoy and please review, they make my day! J
'I applied for permission to use more… forceful methods of questioning.' Tonks muttered quietly, her hair a dull shade of brown as opposed to her usual bubblegum pink. Hermione smiled warmly at the newly appointed Head Auror.
'Thanks for letting me know Tonks. How are you?' The brunette gently squeezed her friends hand as she spoke, reminding her that she was there if need be.
'I'm coping. I just wish I had more time with her ya'know. How's aunt Bella doing?'
'I've never seen her like this… I just wish there was something more I could do for her.' The brunette sighed sadly.
'Trust me 'Mione, you're doing more than you believe. I've gotta get going but I'll let you know as soon as there's any progress on the case.' Nymphadora patted her new aunt's shoulder lightly before heading towards the door.
'Take care Tonks.' The brunette spoke softly.
The Auror sighed sadly as she left the house. It was so surreal for her to see Bellatrix anything other than a fierce warrior and Narcissa certainly wasn't acting as the Ice Queen she was so regularly referred as. The young woman was beginning to slightly regret her promotion to Head of the Auror department. Not only was a murder case insanely stressful it's down right devastating when your own grandmother was the victim.
Lucius Malfoy had refused to answer any questions in his interview, he merely sat there looking smug, repeating the same phrase. 'No comment.' Tonks never believed two words would make her so angry. She hoped to Merlin that Kingsley would grant her request to question him by more forceful means. The use of veritserum and legilimency was forbidden without written consent from the Minister himself out of fear of mistreatment. Surely Murder is an exception. Tonks mused angrily. The young witch just hoped this mess would be sorted sooner rather than later. Merlin knows her family could do with a break right about now.
'Bella? Baby I brought you some lunch.' Hermione gently rested her hand on the small of her wife's back.
She hated seeing the dark witch like this. Bella was usually so strong and fearless so to see her so… Broken was heartbreaking for the young witch. Her wife hadn't eaten anything since her mother was murdered by Lucius Malfoy four days ago and the brunette was seriously worrying about her love's welfare.
'It's not much, just a couple of sandwiches but you need to eat something.'
Bellatrix silently turned her head away from the brunette. She nodded so slightly the brunette was unsure if her eyes had deceived her.
'Thank you.' The dark witch weakly whispered.
Hermione smiled softly at her love as she laced their fingers together. Leading the older woman to the table where their lunch was spread out. Her brow was furrowed, eyes narrowed as she waited for the dark witch to eat something. Her face broke into a small smile as she watched her wife slowly eat one of the sandwiches.
'What did Nymphadora say?' The dark witch questioned, breaking the silence that surrounded the two.
'They still have a bit to do but they're confident Lucius will never see the light of day again.' Hermione almost growled.
Silence engulfed the two witches once again. Hermione watched as her wife continued to eat, not once looking in her direction. The brunette's smile soon faded as the silence lingered around them. There was nothing she could say to comfort the older woman. Nothing she could do to help the situation. She felt utterly helpless and her heart was aching at the sight of her wife so dishevelled. Not to mention the dark witch had been avoiding looking at her since the incident occurred.
'Are you not eating?' Bellatrix broke the silence, her eyes still downcast.
'Uh… no I-uh craved something else.' The brunette stuttered, her brain still trying to catch up from her deep thoughts previously. Unwilling for the silence to return the brunette spoke again.
'Maybe you should get some rest Bella. You didn't sleep well last night and you need your strength.' The brunette offered a smile to her love but still the woman didn't look up.
'Yeah, you're right. I'll see you later then.' The dark witch nodded again and left abruptly. Leaving her young wife with the silence again. The brunette watched as her wife swiftly left the room, her eyes stinging with unshed tears.
'I-I'm sorry, I didn't want to be a nuisance I just… wanted to see how you are.' Hermione stuttered slightly as she gazed into piercing blue eyes, identical to those of her saviour.
'You're far from a nuisance little lion.' The blonde smiled weakly. 'I'm okay. The funeral yesterday gave me some closure. I knew she wasn't going to be around forever and I'm grateful for the time I had with her. How is Bella?'
'Oh Cissy! She hates me!' The brunette sobbed, unable to prevent her tears from escaping.
'Sweetheart…. What on earth makes you think that?' The blonde gasped, her arms immediately wrapping around the sobbing girl occupying her sofa.
'She won't even look at me. She barely speaks to me. She hates me… I'd hate me too if I were her. If it wasn't for me your mother would still be alive. Merlin you should all hate me!' The brunette sobbed even louder as she finally spoke her true feelings.
Narcissa stared dumbfounded at her sister-in-law. Her mouth was slightly agape as she tightened her grip on the fragile brunette.
'It's not your fault Hermione.' She whispered softly. 'Bella knows that. We all do.' Gently the older woman placed a kiss to the trembling girls temple.
'I'm so scared im going to lose her Cissy.' The girl whispered brokenly.
'You wont. She loves you more than anything. A fool can see that. Now come on, what's going on in that head of yours?' The blonde smiled reassuringly.
'It's a disaster Cissy… I- I'm pregnant.'
Nymphadora felt like like her heart had been lifted from it's dark holding place. She could feel the relief begin to seep through her system and for the first time in days she allowed herself to smile. When she returned to her office that morning a letter from Kingsley awaited her. Those two words she longed for immediately jumping out at her. Permission granted. The young Auror wasted no time. Within half an hour she had her best men pouring Veritaserum down Malfoy's throat and her wand pointed at his heart. The young woman summoned her calendar and circled Monday's date in red. Lucius' trial.
The veritaserum didn't let them down at all. Within minutes the blonde wizard was spilling his guts on the entire plan. There was no way he was getting out of this one. He would either receive a lifetime in Azkaban or the Dementor's kiss. The woman kew exactly what she wanted him to get. Sighing the witch picked up her quill and began to write the official report.
Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley sat in silence, eyeing their best friend suspiciously. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, evidence of the crying she'd been doing and she was fidgeting nervously.
'So… how's Bellatrix doing?' Ron enquired shyly.
'Not great.' The brunette replied simply.
'What's going on 'Mione? You called us here urgently and you've not said a word. It was risky for us to even come. We're supposed to be hunting Rabastan Lestrange and Scabior.' Harry frowned at his friend and her unusual behaviour.
'Lestrange?' The brunette's head snapped up.
'Yeah, he was an accomplice of Malfoy. Suppose he fancied himself some revenge and got on board. We'll find him though, don't you worry.' Ron smiled warmly at the brunette.
'I take it Tonks got her permission then.' Hermione mused out loud.
'Don't change the subject 'Mione. Just tell us what's going on.' Harry pleaded.
'I'm pregnant and I don't know how I'm supposed to tell Bella.' The brunette admitted, tears swimming in her eyes.
'You're pregnant!? How!?' Ron's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at his best friend.
'There are certain spells one can use Ronald.' The brunette whispered shyly.
'Bloody hell 'Mione! Congrats I guess.' The red head gushed, his ears slowly resembling his hair in colour.
'Slow down Ron.' Harry interrupted. 'So that's why you got married.' Her frowned.
'No Harry! Not at all!' The brunette gasped, offended by her friend's accusation. 'I only found out on Tuesday but it hasn't exactly been ideal timing.' The brunette snapped.
'You can say that again.' Ron chuckled, desperate to diffuse the tension between the two.
'What's going on 'Mione? Things are going way too fast. You're only 19.'
The brunette sighed softly.
'If you're truly worried about your friend's reactions why don't you tell them the truth?' Narcissa mused quietly.
'They'll kill me.' Hermione smiled slightly.
'I'm sure they won't. As for Bella, she's going to be ecstatic, I assure you. Just give her time to adjust.'
Hermione smiled sadly at the memory of her earlier conversation with Narcissa. Here goes nothing.
'There's a lot I haven't told you.' The brunette began quietly.
'I played with time. In a big way. I wanted to tell you before but it was risky enough time travelling as it was. You see, where I'm from me and Bella fell in love over time. We got married and had a life, you were both a massive part of it as always.' Hermione smiled fondly at the two as she waited for that small bit of information to sink in before continuing.
'To cut things short; Bella died. And a piece of me died with her. I travelled back in time to save her but something went drastically wrong and I ended up in the 70's. She was there and I fell for her all over again. Time eventually caught up with me though, I was destined to lose her all over again when I came back to my own time. Only I didn't. I turned up here and well, you know the rest. Bella remembers everything. I've loved her in three different timescales so this hasn't been rushed at all really. Long overdue is more like it.' The brunette finished with a whisper as she glanced to the wide eyed men in front of her.
'Wow.' They both muttered at the same time, causing the brunette to giggle.
All the lights were off when Hermione arrived home that night. Sighing softly she removed her coat and tiptoed up the stairs to her bedroom. The brunette was shocked to see her wife wasn't in bed but sat on the windowsill, gazing in the direction of the ocean.
'Bella?' Hermione whispered.
'Lucius was questioned under Veritaserum. He revealed everything.' Bellatrix weakly stated.
'Harry told me.' Hermione crossed the distance between the two, her arm wrapping around her wife's midriff.
'Harry?'
'Yeah, I met him and Ron after I spoke to Narcissa.'
'Why were you with Narcissa?' the dark witch asked, her tone low as she moved out of her wife's grasp.
'I wanted to see if she was okay.' Hermione felt her heart sink as the dark witch stepped away from her, huffing in response.
'Bella… please. Will you at least look at me?' the brunette whispered, tears once again springing to her eyes.
'How can I?' The dark witch whispered into the darkness bringing a heart wrenching sob from the younger witch.
'So… you-you do hate me?' She cried helplessly.
Bellatrix felt her own tears begin to cascade down her cheeks as she stepped towards the girl, wrapping her arms around her small frame.
'Of course I don't H…'
'Then why? Why can't you look at me? Why won't you talk to me? I just want to help you.'
'H this isn't easy… I- When I look at you I think of everything I nearly lost. All because of my association with the Death Eaters. I nearly lost the most important person in my life and in doing so I lost my mother. I just… cant think about what almost happened to you. I wouldn't have lasted without you. I'm sorry I just…'
Hermione interrupted her wife's speech with a soft kiss.
'I love you Bellatrix. So much. I hate that this has happened to you.' The brunette sniffed.
'I know little lion. I love you too. Now come here.' The dark witch smiled for the first time in what felt like years as she lifted the younger witch off the floor and carried her to their bed.
'Bella there's something else I need to tell you…' Hermione whispered almost inaudibly.
'What's that little lion?' Bellatrix queried as her lips softly kissed down her wife's neck.
'Remember when we fooled around with those spells around 3 weeks ago?'
The dark witch smirked as she playfully bit down on the brunette's pulse point.
'How could I forget?'
Hermione chuckled in response, hazel eyes locking onto onyx as she took a deep breath.
'I'm pregnant Bella.'