I know the chapters aren't super long but I plan on having at least semi regular updates and I don't plan to make it a super long story.
I own nothing but the plot.
Reviews encouraged.
Bellatrix had no idea how long she had been down there sitting alone and freezing on that rock but she was convinced that her Mudpup had abandoned her. She grit her teeth and seethed, really she had no one to blame but herself. After all she was ruthless and cruel and an outright bitch. Especially to Granger.
Her weakness fed her fury though she was loath to ever admit to being weak, out loud at least. She had shown her weakness to the Mudblood but her fear of being alone was all encompassing. Fourteen long years in Azkaban where her only company was dementors and the only conversation was screams.
Being alone was the last thing Bellatrix wanted and especially in this unknown place. She'd sooner die before admitting to being glad to have the young witches company. Except now it seems, as the time goes on, that she had been abandoned. As scared and furious as this made her she couldn't blame the teenager, not after what she had done to her.
Sniffling, due to the cold if asked, with tears rolling down her face the older witch sat hunched and slowly began to accept her fate. Though she would be damned if she would be happy about. Fourteen years in Azkaban and a life in service to the only person more mad than herself left the older witch rather sad at how her life turned out. Now she is to die alone.
"Bellatrix!" The older witches heart leaped into her throat and got to her feet looking towards the hole in the ceiling.
"Puppy!" The raven haired witch called her voice echoing around her though she ignored it as a small undefinable shape appeared at the edge of the hole.
"Bellatrix the water let's out as a waterfall feeds straight into a pool further down the mountain. You need to get in and swim down and just let the current take you. Deep breath. I'll meet you at the pool!" Hermione yelled dotwn to the death eater and Bellatrix let out a relieved chuckle.
"You best be there when I get out!" Bellatrix called back as she turned towards the water, she could swear she could hear the young witches eyes roll before she sucked in a deep breath and dived in.
The cold of the water was jarring but the dark witch simply gritted her teeth and swam down. It didn't take long before she felt the current and soon she was being swept along with it. She couldn't see the tube in the darkness of the water but she could feel it as the water pressure increased around her and she sped up. Her heart sped up again when she finally saw light and not a moment too soon as her lungs were almost to bursting point.
Unceremoniously the dark witch was ejected from the mountain and fell several feet down into an equally cool pond. She bobbed to the surface and drew in a breath. Blinking repeatedly she let her eyes slowly adjust to the almost blinding light before she decided she should swim out.
She was just pulling herself from the water when she heard a crashing in the… Jungle? Holding her breath she assumed it was Granger but for someone who lived with a bounty on their head they couldn't be too trusting. Though in retrospect if it were someone with a weapon how would the dark witch defend herself, her snapped in half wand was laying in the bowels of this mountain.
How ever worrying was soon rendered pointless as Hermione stumbled from around a tree and into the dark witches line of sight. Relief flooded the older woman and she sighed audibly before flopping over the warm rock she had pulled herself on top of. A moment later the young woman draped herself over the rock beside the death eater panting.
"It's so good to feel warm again." Hermione panted out softly as she soaked in the sun.
Bellatrix turned her head and looked at the young witch for a moment. She'd be a fool to deny how attractive the young woman was. She had developed nicely since the death eater had first laid eyes on her in the Department of Mysteries. Now taking a moment to take in the young woman she could t deny the very physical attraction.
Startling the brunette, Bellatrix rolled onto her side towards the young witch and placed a gentle kiss on a borderline hollow cheek. Hermione frowned and looked at the older woman with shock written plainly all over her face.
"Thanks Puppy, I thought… I thought I was going to die alone after all." Bellatrix mumbles in a voice so soft Hermione has to strain to hear it even this close.
"No problem. I don't want to die alone either. We should do something though. I'm thinking we should climb this mountain." Hermione points up and Bellatrix follows her finger to see far above them the peak of what is clearly a volcano.
"Why go up? We should go down and find people to help." Bellatrix frowned not understanding at all why they would struggle up the steep mountain.
"Because, this may be an island. We need a vantage point that will help us figure out where exactly we are." Hermione explained slowly and Bellatrix could see her point.
"Well then by all means Mudpup, up we shall go." Bellatrix huffed out and Hermione heaved a frustrated sigh that confused Bellatrix. "What?"
"Nothing. Come on let's get started we don't have long before it's going to get dark." Hermione climbed to her feet and without waiting for the dark witch she started back off up the incline.
Bellatrix sat for a moment and stared after the teenager with a confused frown. She could t figure out why the muggle-born would be frustrated, had Bellatrix not just agreed with her? Maybe the boys she spent all her time with often disagreed with her and she wasn't used to someone simply agreeing.
With a shrug Bellatrix stood and began to follow the young anomaly catching up quickly. They had been walking and climbing for the better part of what must have been two hours and after being in the freezing depths of the mountain for so long the heat outside was staggering.
Both witches were sweaty and breathing heavily, though Hermione would grumble that that was altitude related as much as heat related. Climbing they continued up pasted the natural chimney of the cavern they were in only hours ago.
As it started to get dark outside Bellatrix found herself moving closer to the younger witch. As the sun began to dip Bellatrix surprised them both by slipping her hand into Hermiones though she looked away and refused to comment on it. Hermione for her part simply seemed to accept and understand as she gave the hand in her own a light squeeze before they headed further up.
They were soon to the point where trees were sparsely spread out before them and they were close to the peak of the mountain. It was now dark and Hermione voiced the opinion that they should stop at the next tree for the night before continuing when the sun had risen again.
Bellatrix simply grunted her ascent and moved to the tree with the brunette. Hermione wasn't foolish enough to think she would be able to light a fire here, it was simply too humid and wet up here, and she was lacking skill. Instead she cleared a spot up against the base of the tree and sat herself down.
The brunette didn't have a chance to even suggest Bellatrix take a seat as well before the older, and surprisingly smaller, witch was again sitting in the girls lap with her body leaning heavily against Hermiones chest. Both witches were mostly dry at this point but since the sun had gone down it was growing considerably cooler.
"I'm going to kill him when we get back." Bellatrixs voice startled Hermione a while later as the younger witch had assumed the death eater was asleep.
"Honestly… I might just let you. Encourage it even." Hermiones tone was purely amused at the conversation with just a hint of seriousness at the topic.
"He's a moron, how did he manage this?" Bellatrix sniped against the brunettes shoulder as she rubbed her face on the girls shirt.
"Dumb luck. It only happens when he is angry. I would suspect he gets just enough emotion behind his pointless wand waving to cast a completely accidental spell." Hermione theorises aloud earning a grunt from the older women before they lapse back into silence.
They sit for a while, both exhausted but too wired and worried to find the solace of sleep. Bellatrix sits so still Hermione is almost convinced the older witch is asleep until she hears the soft incoherent mumbling of the older witch. How ever much she would rather talk than sit in silence Hermione isn't stupid enough to forget exactly who it is residing on her lap at present so she remains silent.
It was hours later, early morning by Hermiones guess when her skin prickled and her hair stood on end. The reason for this made itself known shortly after the sensation started at a large black spider crawled over her arm and she yelped startling the dozing woman on her lap.
"What? What is it?" Bellatrix sounded near panicked herself until she saw the cause of the muggle-borns distress and she couldn't help but laugh.
"Calm down puppy, it's just a little tarantula." Bellatrix cooed as she gently herded the spider onto the palm of her hand.
"If that's little I pray I never see a big one." Hermione squeaked out as she wiggled beneath the older witch.
Bellatrix stared at the clearly anxious girl for a moment before she stood and walked a small way from her. Doing something she wouldn't normally do the dark witch displayed compassion by putting the spider down and shooing it away.
"Go on now, you're making my Mudpup anxious." She cooed softly but still loud enough to be heard by Hermione.
Hermione herself wasn't sure to be offended at being called 'mudpup' or flattered that Bellatrix got rid of the spider for her. She was a little too shocked to figure it and it only became less relevant when the dark witch moved back into her lap and snuggled into her. Apparently Hermiones lack of wrapping her arms around the older witch prompted the dark woman to take it upon herself to wrapped said arms around her waist.
"Id have not pegged you as a cuddler." Hermione blurted after a moment and Bellatrix grinned.
"Tell a soul and I'll destroy you." Her words might have been frightening if they weren't delivered in such an amused tone.
"What you expect me to admit that I willingly cuddled you not a day after you tortured me? No chance." Hermione stated with mirthful tone and a wrinkle to her nose.
"Probably wise. Even im thinking you're a little unhinged." Bellatrix comments offhandedly.
"I'm allowed. Do you even know how many times you crucioed me?" Hermiones tone was a lot less playful and Bellatrix tensed.
"Eleven." Bellatrix mumbled and then went quiet, Hermione didn't see the need to respond either as they lapsed back into silence.