Sadly I own nothing, all rights go to our Queen JKR.

26th December 1984 The Yule Ball.

"Aunt Cissa, may I please speak with you?" Hermione knocked on her bedroom door.

"Enter." Lucius opened the door to allow her in, knowing the conversation was not for his ears he bowed to the ladies and left.

"What is on your mind dear?" Narcissa held a brush in her hand and motioned for her to sit. "Your ball dress is pretty."

"Thank you, my outfit is a gift from Aunt Bella."

"She will bask in the glory of you wearing such a gown tonight."

"Everyone knows how legendary your ball gowns are Aunt Cissa."

"That they do, now, why are you here?" Narcissa began placing Hermione's hair in a FishTail braid she had seen in a French bridal magazine.

"Why is Uncle Bas going to marry a man?"

"Why do you ask sweetheart?"

"Well, you married Uncle Lucius and Father married Mother, Why doesn't Uncle Bas marry a woman?"

"He does not look at women they way your Uncle Lucius looks at me."

"Not many men do." Hermione chuckled at her own cheek.

"Would you prefer Bas to marry a woman and be forever unhappy."

"Never, although they can not have children, will that make him unhappy."

"They can adopt." Narcissa supplied as she finished the braid and turned Hermione around.

"Like Father did with Harrison?"

"Yes, very much like that."

"What if I don't like boys?" Hermione nervously looked to her toes.

"You will like whoever you like and Hermione dear, no one will think any less of you."

"But Father..."

"Your Father will be happy as long as you are happy, I promise you this."


Hermione sat on Draco's bed as she watched him help Harrison with his bow tie.

"Did you know Uncle Bas is going to ask William to marry him today?"

"Where did you hear that?" Draco asked over Harrison's shoulder.

"I heard him practising in the mirror."

"That was not nice that you were eavesdropping, although I think they suit very well."

"Will you marry a man Draco?"

"No Hermione, I do believe I am destined to marry a woman."

"How can you tell, you are only 5."

"I.. I don't know, I just can. Does this matter?"

"No, I suppose it doesn't."

"If his engagement bugs you, speak with him."

"It is not his engagement, it is the fact that I don't know who I am supposed to marry." Hermione threw herself down flat on the bed.

"If you did at 6, I am not sure your Father would not like it." Bellatrix chuckled from the door. "Gentlemen, please leave us."

Bellatrix escorted them to the door and locked it shut, how was she supposed to make Hermione feel better...

"Why do you think at 6 you should have this kind of pressure upon you?"

"What was my Mother like?" Hermione sat upright to look at her Aunt.

This shocked Bellatrix, Hermione had obviously asked other people in passing but she had never spoken to Bellatrix about her best friend.

"How have we moved subject?"

"I am not sure, I miss something I do not have, I never knew her and I know it is silly because I have you and Aunt Cissa, I feel like she should be here."

"That she should but she was very poorly, your Mother was an amazing, compassionate, smart Witch, something I know both me and your Father see in you daily."

"Did you know her well?"

"She was m best friend."

"I thought Aunt Cissa was your best friend?"

"She is, I can have more than one."

"Would she have liked me?"

"Your Mother would have adored you and spoilt you just as much as Aunt Cissa does, now, we can talk more in the morning and I can show you some memories if you wish, for now, we must go down to the ball or Aunt Cissa will be having kittens."

Bellatrix stood and offered her hand to her niece and allowed her to leave the room first.

"Oh and Hermione, You look absolutely amazing in your pretty dress, I knew when I bought it you would wear it tonight."


"Vot ty gde, Moya dorogaya temnaya printsessa" Hermione heard as she left the room, turning she saw Antonin waiting to greet her.*

"Hello Antonin, I am very glad you are up and about this fine Yule." Hermione curtsies to him.

Antonin Bowed back and offered his arm and his other to Bellatrix who was watching the conversation between the two.

"Bella, any new man in your life?"

"You know there isn't Antonin, stop teasing. How about you? Any woman I should warn off?" Bellatrix chuckled as they reached the bottom step.

"Alas no, there is not."

"Maybe tonight?"

"Maybe, please excuse me whilst I thank the hosts. " Antonin took his arms back and bowed to each of them before leaving.

Bellatrix and Hermione scoped the room together from the punch table, something Bellatrix always told her to do, know where your allies lie and know who they speak with, have your back to as little people as possible and never have your wand out of your sight when you have one. They watched as Lucius, Narcissa and Draco greeted the guests. Aurora was upstairs with a Nanny, at two days old it was too much to be invited to her first ball. Even Narcissa knew that. Rabastan had asked and Willam to marry him and clearly he had accepted as they were currently watching Narcissa gush over the happy pair. Xenophillius stood awkwardly next to Tom as they engaged in some form of conversation. Other guests seem to mingle and as Hermione watched, thankfully no one seemed to be out of place. All the other children were stood in a corner, clearly plotting something, by this point Draco had been excused from greeting as he stood with Harrison in the middle with Blaise, Pansy, Theo, Ginny and Luna surrounding them. Hermione was ready to go see what mischief they plotted before two familiar guests made themselves known to the two witches.

"Bellatrix, please may I have the honour of your first dance?" Willaim Weasley asked her as Rabastan bowed to Hermione and offered his hand.

"Now my darling, what is this I have heard you are already questioning yourself?"

"Well, I did not know it was ok to like the gender as yourself."

"Does that confuse you?"

"Yes and no, It confuses me because I do not know what I like or want."

"Does my engagement to William upset you?"

"No, definitely not, I am happy for you."

"I am very glad Hermione. Are you happy?"

"I am now, what if I am not in the future?"

"Do you think at 6 you should realistically know everything about yourself when you can live to 150?"

"No." She sighed after a moment.

"Do you think in the next 100 years it is ok to change your mind also?"

"Yes."

"Well then, all you need to worry about right now is whether your Uncle Bas is a better dance than Uncle Lucius." Bas winked at her.

This made Hermione chuckle, both of her Uncles were really good dancers. He was right though, at 6 she did not need to know everything about herself, not yet. As she curtsy to her Uncle Rabastan, she watched as her Uncle Rodolphus introduced a pretty witch to her Aunt and Uncle.

"Lucius, Narcissa, please allow me to introduce my wife to you, Rosmerta, these are very dear friends of mine, Lord and Lady Malfoy."*

"Lord and Lady Malfoy." Rosemerta curtsies to them both.

"It is lovely to meet you finally, I only wish that Rodolphus would have invited us to the wedding."

"We wanted a quick affair." Rosemerta pressed her abdomen quickly, but not too quick Narcissa did not raise an eyebrow to her.

"Wonderful, maybe in the near future, you would allow us to arrange a party in your honour?"

"That would be wonderful." Rodolphus thanked them again but not before an owl swooped in and dropped a letter in a brown envelope to Narcissa, just as Luna foretold.

Just as they said their thanks one again an owl swooped in and dropped a letter in a brown envelope to Narcissa, just as Luna foretold.

A/N's

*There you are, my darling dark princess.

*I can not find whether Rosmerta was a pureblood, I am having her as a Pureblood in my story :)