I'm really glad everyone seems to be enjoying this fic. Reviews are always welcome.
Hermione was pacing, the sun had barely been up an hour and already she was freaking out. Minerva would be there before lunch time to take the three of them to the Ministry were they would register their marriage and Bellatrix would adopt Spencer. The fugitives magic will be bound and her wand confiscated and then they will be taken directly to Malfoy Manor. Hermione was extremely nervous.
"Pup... you know that no one can get to the Manor unless invited right?" Bellatrix seemed to know what was going through Hermione's mind without needing to ask. It pleased Hermione.
"Of course. But the Ministry is a different matter. Harry and Ron are both Aurors." Hermione turns to the woman sitting on the bed with a book resting in her lap.
"Darling, if you think even for a minute that I would let those boys bully you then you have another thing coming." Bellatrix spoke with a certain amount of menace that oddly turned Hermione on a little bit.
"Have I mentioned that I find your protectiveness kind of hot?" Hermione smirked and moved over to the bed crawling right up to a now also smirking Bellatrix.
"First i'm hearing of it. How hot are we talking here?" Bellatrix asks softly moving the book from her lap a moment before Hermione settles herself in it, straddling the raven haired woman.
"Like hot enough that I should remind you its our wedding night tonight." Hermione mutters pressing a kiss to Bella's jaw.
"You're ok with that then? This is like the first time we have been this close since McGonagall interrupted the other day." Bellatrix wrapped her arms around Hermione and tilted her head to the side so the brunettes roving lips had better access to her throat.
"Why wouldn't I be? You're kind of beautiful and we are getting married. Besides i'm still a hormonal teenager. It was hell being here alone when I was pregnant with Spencer." Hermione mumbled out against Bellatrix collar bone.
As it was still so early in the morning they were both still in their sleep clothes, both were wearing flannel pants and their standard underwear. Bellatrix was wearing a snug black tank top and no bra and Hermione was wearing a light blue long sleeved shirt also no bra. Hermione had found herself many times looking at Bellatrix in her usual bedclothes. Crazy as she might have been Hermione had always thought the eldest Black sister was beautiful in her own right.
"A lot of nights spent with your hand?" Bellatrix teased though the thought did hold a certain appeal. Hermione leaned back and looked her dead in the eye.
"You have no idea." Hermione's voice was so husky it was almost a purr and Bellatrix found she had to work to stifle her needy groan.
"C'mere." Bellatrix growled out pulling the brunette in to a hard, decidedly desperate, kiss that had them both moaning when their tongues met.
Lips were mashed together and tongues were duelling for dominance as Bellatrix's hands moved down Hermione back to cup the fine firm flesh of Hermione's bum. The move surprised Hermione though it was a pleasant surprise and she quickly lost the duel as Bellatrix took advantage of her distraction and deepened the kiss in her favor. Not that Hermione minded as she took advantage of the less work she had to do and slipped her hand from Bella's shoulder down into her top to cup a naked breast.
Things were just getting to the point of no return when Spencer finally decided she needed her breakfast. Waking with a grumble and then a coo Spencer's sounds forced the two women to part reluctantly. Both women groaned in frustration before practically pouncing on the baby with grins and cooed good-mornings Neither forgot the state of their own arousal but it was easy to push aside when their daughter was awake and hungry and looking so pitiful.
No sooner did they get a bottle made for the little girl and Hermione sat on the bed feeding her did a knock sound on the door. Both women frowned, Bellatrix was about to start making some breakfast for them, it was barely 7 AM. Putting down the pot she had in her hand Bellatrix moved to the door and opened it looking expectantly at Minerva McGonagall who held in her arm a food basket. The Headmistress let herself into the small cottage and smiled at both women.
"Morning. I thought I would invite myself for breakfast." Minerva lifted the basket, her gesture would have come off as kind if not for the nervous energy she was giving off.
"Minerva McGonagall... are you nervous about something?" Bellatrix asked narrowing her eyes as she took the offered basket.
"Damn. Ro said you would spot it." Minerva mumbled and Hermione rolled her eyes.
Uncharacteristically the older woman moved over to the bed and sat down against the wall with Hermione while Bellatrix went about setting them all up a plate of food. Hermione looked from the baby to the woman beside her and smiled there her eyes held questions. Minerva sighed softly and leaned her head back against the wall.
"I went to see them last night. It didn't go well." Minerva spoke up finally and Hermione's smile dropped.
"How bad?" Bellatrix asked moving over with the plates levitated around her. She settled them on the bed in front of each woman after sitting on Hermione's other side against the wall.
"Bad enough that I think Fleur is going to ask Bill for a divorce. They had been having trouble lately it seems and the way he attacked her last night..." Minerva trailed off sadly.
"Oh no. Is she ok? I owe her so much." Hermione's tone is sad enough that Bella puts her hand on the brunettes leg for comfort.
"She will be I think. She went back to her parents last night but she asked me to tell you that she would like it if you wrote. She wants to see you I think." Minerva explained a small smile on her usually straight face.
"Absolutely I'll write her tonight." Hermione smiles fondly.
"You can write her in the morning." Bellatrix corrects moving her hand a little higher up Hermione's thigh just to get the point across.
"Oh... yeah... Ok, yep." Hermione blushed but wasn't about to disagree with Bellatrix. After what transpired almost an hour ago there was no way she was going to take the time out of their night just to write Fleur.
"Hm yes... well i'm glad you are both seeming to be anticipating your wedding night. Its just a shame you don't get to have a formal wedding. Ro loves weddings, I have no idea why." Minerva muses out loud and Bellatrix laughs.
"Probably because in all the years you have been together you've never asked her to marry you." The raven haired witch got out causing Hermione to smirk and Minerva to choke on the bacon she had just attempted to swallow.
Hermione turned her head and chuckled into Bellatrix's shoulder as Minerva coughed and spluttered, Bellatrix cackled softly at the older woman's reaction. Minerva for her part was entirely embarrassed. Granted she wasn't being entirely subtle with how often she had mentioned her partner already in the last half hour but she hadn't expected Bellatrix to simply call her out either. Finally pulling herself together she scowled at the older of the two witches who simply shrugged and smirked.
"Right, I'll take that into consideration. Anyway..." Minerva cleared her throat before continuing.
"So really the visit with the boys and the Weasley's was kind of terrible. I didn't stay long and I probably didn't handle it the way I should have. I did inform them that you are to be married sometime this week in the hopes they wouldn't be that the ministry today. I also told them it was Bella you were marrying. Ronald was down right furious and I've never wanted to hex someone more than I did that boy last night." Minerva grit out the last her anger shining through.
"He was my best friend for seven years, I can definitely understand why you would feel that way." Hermione smiles but her eyes are sad.
"They will come around. They know where you will be and will be able to owl you when they are ready to understand." Bellatrix speaks gently and again it fill Minerva with wonder to see the ex-death eater being so tender with anyone let alone Hermione.
"That's true, its not just me any more I'm not sure if I can be around anyone that is going to look at you like the monster you were. Or Spencer... I don't want anyone looking at kitten like this is her fault." Hermione says gently stroking the little girls hair.
"You may want to give Ronald time. He is a fool of a boy and does not understand that you might actually want the little girl regardless of who sired her." Minerva's tone was gently with just a hint of frustration.
Nothing else was said after that. Hermione could kind of understand why Ronald would be a prat about it. He was harbouring feelings for the brunette after all but even then she couldn't stand that he would be so ignorant about something like this. She had at one point thought of giving the little girl up but now that she had seen her, love at first sight was possible. She had witnessed it the moment she saw the little girl that had grown inside her and taken up in her heart.
Spencer had fallen back asleep while the three witches ate their breakfast, Minerva had gotten up and made them tea to finish off their meal with before they settled into trivial conversation. When they were done they lapsed into silence again. Only after several minutes did Bellatrix stretch and climb off the bed before looking at her soon to be wife.
"I'm going to shower before we leave, would you like to join me?" She asked the young mother and Hermione shrugged not noticing the Headmistress's raised eyebrow.
"Sure, it will save time." Hermione climbs off the bed after checking the sleeping baby and get some clothes for them both. Jeans and tee-shirts to go under their sweaters.
"Save time? Really?" Minerva inquired amused.
"Sure. Bella used to invite herself into my baths quite often before the shift in our relationship. She helped me have my baby its not like it wasn't something she had already seen." Hermione shrugged again and headed for the door.
"Besides I have all night with Pup tonight, I can handle a hands free bath." Bellatrix smirked and both Hermione and Minerva snickered.
"Come on, this is wasting time." Hermione called now from the bathroom where she had already spelled the tub full and cast a heating charm on the water.
"Pushy little thing." Bellatrix cooed following the brunette. Minerva refrained from commenting that Hermione was slightly taller than the raven haired woman.
While the other two women were in the bathroom Minerva took it upon herself to take up Hermione's bag with its undetectable extension charm and magically packed it with the two women's meagre possessions. One that was done she placed it on the counter by the sink and moved back over to the Spencer, the only things she hadn't packed were the babies things. Looking down at the tiny baby Minerva found herself wondering if Hermione had been that cute when she was a new born. Probably seeing as how the young witch had grown into an attractive young woman.
Minerva was still gazing adoringly down at the little girl when Hermione and Bellatrix walked back in looking fresh and alert. It didn't escape Minerva's notice, how ever, that Bellatrix was sporting a rather dark bruise on her neck that she hadn't had before going into the bathroom. They had only been in there a total of ten minutes which, Minerva acknowledged, wasn't really long enough to enjoy one another the way she was sure that they wanted too.
"You've been a busy little Headmistress." Bellatrix pointed out noticing the rather bare cottage. At least it was more bare than it was before she and Hermione had gone to bathe.
"Quite. I thought if you wanted to go to Gringotts we could do that and get it done and then be done at the Ministry before lunch. Narcissa was hounding me about having you three there by lunch." Minerva explained rolling her eyes at the far too excited antics of the ex-house-wife.
"Sounds like Cissy. She was always excitable." Bellatrix nodded placing both her and Hermione's nightclothes in the bag before making up a bottle for Spencer and setting aside a couple of diapers and some wipes.
Hermione gently scooped up the little girl after putting on her sneakers and sweater and lifted her so she was draped across her chest and shoulder. Spencer stirred slightly but slept on comfortable breathing her mothers scents as she continued to sleep. Hermione was nervous about this whole event but Bellatrix had soothed her a bit while they were in the bath, at least she had distracted. She was slightly disappointed that they had to leave so soon, she had months of pent up frustration she would have happily burned off with Bellatrix.
"Are we ready then?" Bellatrix inquires after a long moment of silence as both older women turn to mother and daughter.
"Oh... yeah I guess so." Hermione mutters and Bellatrix moves with bag and baby items in hand right into the brunettes personal space and wrapped her arms around her little family.
"Everything is going to work out yeah? I saved you're life and this is your chance to save mine. You and little Spencer." Bellatrix smiled and kissed first Spencer's little head and then Hermione's cheek.
"We're saving your life?" Hermione tilted her head in wonder.
"Yeah little babe, you've given me something to live for. You've forgiven my actions even though I tortured you, literally. I am... i'm astounded at how big your heart is." Bellatrix hand was rubbing soothing circles on the younger witches back.
"It's not that big, i'm also just not an idiot. You're not even the same person that had me pinned to that floor carving my arm. I see regret in those beautiful dark eyes every time you notice the scar." Hermione moves closer so her body is brushing along Bellatrix's.
"I do regret it. Almost more than anything else. That fox though..." Bellatrix teases lightly and Hermione grins.
"That's in very poor taste Bellatrix." Minerva chides though with a faint smile on her lips.
"Very poor taste." Hermione agrees lightly before kissing Bella chastely on the lips.
"Yeah yeah. I'll make up for it you know, what i've done... some how." Bellatrix admitted resting her chin on Hermione's free shoulder.
"I know. Wards down?" Hermione asks as Minerva steps up behind the two witches resting a hand on both witch's backs.
"Yep." Bellatrix popped the 'p' but no later had she done so had Minerva apparated them all from the cottage.