Not quite sure how I did on the writing or the action (I did notice things last chapter, but I'm pretty lazy so I really doubt I'll fix them), but I do think you'll enjoy the first part of the chapter, at least. I know I did. XD

So, thanks for the reviews I've gotten so far (I really hope to hit 100 at some point) and please continue to do so! Also, you should check out the one-shot I've gotten so far called The Time Jumper, and tell me if I should continue with it or not. I kind of want to make it a romance involving one of the Black Sisters of the Marauders Era, though ages are going to be shifted depending on who I put the person with.

If you check it out, the people are (you can even vote if you like the bit I've got now and want it to continue): Narcissa, Bellatrix (perhaps she could be a more in depth character that way, not sure), or Andromeda. Anyway, sorry to bother, enjoy the story!

Carina could not help but gape at Hermione, wondering if those words had actually come out of her mouth.

'I'd like to give us a try, if you'll have me.' This is mad!

Waking up to see Remus standing in the middle of the living room in Shell Cottage was a shock, and becoming a godmother to Teddy Lupin was another, but this? This was on a whole new level, and she could feel her heart beat fast. She had been steeling herself for weeks for the rejection that was sure to come, but it seemed that she needn't have. Not unless this was a prank, that is, and if so it would be a truly devastating one, especially since she could feel a small, miniscule bit of hope swell within her.

"Carina?" A hand touched her chin, and the raven haired girl quickly shook herself out of her daze and clamped her jaw shut. "Are you alright? Do you...do you not want to?"

"You're kidding," stated Carina finally, eying her. "You can't be serious."

Hermione met her gaze levelly. "I am."

"You want me?"

"I want you."

"You're mad!"

"Maybe so, but I've made my decision." The brunette let out a breath. "And it's you. You do believe me, don't you?"

Carina ran both hands through her hair, still reeling from the announcement. "I don't know, Hermione. This is all really great, but it's still...surreal. Are you sure you'd even want to be with me? I've killed without remorse, you know I'll do it again."

There was a pause. "I know. But you'd never hurt me, and I've come to accept it, no matter how gruesome or terrible it may be. You're right. This is war, and we have to stay alive."

"I see." The younger witch stared at her for a moment, brows furrowing. She had not gotten to ask what had happened in Malfoy Manor. "Hermione…" There was a noise of acknowledgement. "What happened back there? What...what did she do to you?"

Hermione wrapped her arms around herself, and the shudder that passed through her, Carina was sure, was not because of the wind. "She cast the Cruciatus on me, over and over...I thought it would never end. And then…" She rolled up her left sleeve, and Carina choked, eyes growing wide at the still rather red, jagged word carved into her skin.

Mudblood.

Fury overwhelmed her quickly, and she clenched her fists hard. "I'm going to get her."

Hermione smiled at her, though it was small and rather sorrowful. "I know."

"No, you don't." Carina ground her teeth hard enough for it to hurt, and she tried to still her trembling body. That bitch. "I'm not just going to kill her. I'm going to do worse. I'm going to make sure her life is hell."

And she was. She was already planning different scenarios ranging from torturing her cousin into insanity and getting her locked in Azkaban after the war was over, to stripping her of her magic as the rightful Lady Black and blasting her off the family tree (when she would, of course, reinstate Andromeda and Tonks and be sure Teddy was added), to not only stripping her of her magic but torturing her then as well, when she was at her weakest. And then, she would leave just a bit of her sanity intact—what bit she had, anyway—just enough for Bellatrix to know what was happening when she was alone, magicless, in pain, and about to have her soul sucked out by a Dementor.

A wicked smile curled on her lips. That sounds like a good idea. Seems as though they were right—I have got the Black madness.

A gentle hand on her cheek broke her out of her reverie, and her eyes snapped down to meet Hermione's, anger evaporating as suddenly as it came. When did she get so close?

There were lips on her own again, and Carina found herself in a state of surprise for a moment, before she circled her arms firmly around Hermione's waist and pulled her closer; she could feel the brunette's hand tangling in her hair, the other on her neck just below her jaw. Carina felt a surge of contentment and slid her hands down to the small of the brunette's back; when they pulled away a long few moments later, breathless, the hand in her hair slid to rest beside the other on the side of her neck, thumbs ghosting her jaw.

"When we walk through that door," said Carina quietly, watching her. "You can't back out. Can you handle that?"

Oh, she knew that Hermione Granger could handle anything—seeing her in battle only further cemented that belief. But she still needed to know.

"Of course," the bookworm—no, she was more than that—whispered back, sounding so sure of herself that Carina felt her shoulders sag in relief. Hermione dropped her hands and instead entwined one of hers with Carina's own. "Come on, we need to talk to the boys. We've come up with a plan."

Obediently, Carina followed.

~~~xxx~~~

When told the plan, Hermione had almost completely expected the reaction they got from Carina, who had went rigid and hissed, "What? Break into Gringotts? Why do I follow you bloody idiots around?!"

"To be part of the action," reminded Harry, though she could tell he was faintly amused. Ron was sulking in the corner and had been quiet for quite awhile, ever since he found out that she and Carina were in a relationship. His silence, although, was better than if he had gotten angry and fought with Carina again. "Griphook said he'd help us in exchange for the sword, but we need to get into the Lestrange vault and get the cup."

Hermione stiffened at the name, unable to help herself as she produced the hair; Carina's eyes flickered to it and then her face with a carefully blank expression, before taking the trembling hand in her own and passing the hair to Harry.

"I have the potion," he informed them. "And I think we should go tonight. Hermione, I reckon you should be Bellatrix, and we can just alter Ron...Carina and I can hide under the cloak with Griphook, unless she wants to be altered too."

"No," Carina suddenly interrupted, sounding firm. Hermione felt the other witch squeeze her shaking hand, before sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her into her side. "She shouldn't. I can do it. I'll be able to impersonate her better, anyway—I know how she acts. Hermione?"

"I like that idea," the brunette replied as evenly as she could. She could feel her heartbeat slow, and her tense form relaxed as a wave of relief hit her. "But shouldn't we have you practice first?"

"Practice?" Gray eyes glanced over at her, and then Carina scoffed. "Trust me, there's no need. You'll see. Should we leave now?"

"I think so," Harry nodded in confirmation, before turning to Ron. "Could you go talk to Bill and Fleur while I get Griphook?"

"Yeah," muttered Ron, standing and stretching his long limbs. "Sure."

When he left behind the other boy, Hermione felt her heart clench slightly. She still cared for him—of course she did. But he wouldn't be the right person for her now, especially not when she had chosen Carina, who...

Who had leaned forward and kissed her, pulled back slowly, and was now staring at her, brows pulling together slightly as she frowned.

"Do you really like my idea?"

"It's better you than me," admitted Hermione, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. "I wouldn't have done well as her, anyway. I'd have been sick if I had to become her after what she did to me." She frowned. "Does this not affect you at all? After all, there was…"

There was Sirius, too. Can you really be your father's murderer?

"You underestimate how sick and twisted I can be," murmured Carina, before getting to her feet. "I'm going to go say goodbye to Luna. We'll meet up outside?"

Hermione could only nod, and watched as she left.

~~~xxx~~~

Luna had been sitting on the beach, feet bare as she stared out at the horizon, waves brushing her toes, when she heard someone plop down next to her. She did not need to look over—she knew who it was.

"Hello," she greeted softly.

"Hey," came the quiet reply. "So, we're leaving."

"I expected as much."

"Luna…" She glanced over at Carina, who was watching her with her brows drawn together in concern, eyes filled with regret. "I'm sorry. I have to go. We're going to do something mad...I'll tell you all about it later."

If you live, that is. I very well might not, either.

"I know." But she forced a smile at her friend, for though she did not want her to go, she knew the other witch would have to. As gray eyes, dark as stormclouds, stared back at her intently, her smile faltered. "It's okay."

"It's not." The raven haired girl shook her head, sighing. "Tell me what you're thinking."

Luna was not the type to lie, and though she wished she could right now, she would not. Not to Carina. "I don't want you to leave. I suppose it's selfish of me since you're looking to stop a war, but I've missed you terribly. I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either." Carina tugged at her arm, and Luna scooted closer, huddling into her side as an arm fell around her shoulders; she placed her head upon Carina's shoulder. "I thought about you all the time when we were on the run, and if you were alright. When we got to your house and you weren't there...I was devastated. I kept thinking the worst had happened to you, and the others—especially Weasley—definitely didn't help with that."

"Really?"

"Yes." The raven haired girl sighed. "But, really. I wish I could stay, I do, but I have to do something. Besides…" Luna pulled back and noticed how Carina's cheeks had flushed slightly. "Me and Hermione are...well...we're together, finally."

The shine in her eyes made Luna feel happy for her, and even more like a terrible person for almost wanting to guilt trip her and keep her there somehow. Carina had finally found her chance at happiness with the person she loved, and the blonde would not keep her from that; besides, the odds that Carina Black, of all people, could just die, was unlikely. She had been through too much for that to just happen, despite her many brushes with death.

I want her to be happy. Besides, I just have to believe that I'll see her again. Harry and the others will watch out for her.

Luna offered her a genuine smile. "That's great. I'd been hoping it would happen, you know."

"Yeah." Carina laughed softly. "You were always telling me to have faith, but the entire time I'd been preparing myself for rejection and then...well, I wasn't. It feels great, amazing, really. I'm going to miss you a lot, Luna." She glanced back and found Ron waving her over from the top of the hill and stood, Luna quickly following. When she turned back, her eyes were gleaming with something the other girl knew all too well, though her voice stayed strong and even as ever. "Goodbye."

Luna ound herself enveloped in a tight hug, and when Carina moved away, there was a press of lips to the blonde's forehead.

"Goodbye," whispered back Luna, before stopping the older girl just before she could walk away. "Oh, and Carina? Be brave."

There was a small smile curling on the raven haired girl's lips before she turned and walked away.

~~~xxx~~~

The woman before her was most definitely not Carina Black, not anymore. The once messy hair been replaced with wild curls, and though the features had not changed drastically, nor the height, gray eyes had turned a dark brown, almost black. Just the sight of Bellatrix Lestrange made Hermione sick and immediately want her girlfriend back.

"Prove you're her," instructed Griphook, and the woman before them rolled her eyes.

"Filthy little creature," she snapped, stalking toward him with her wand—Bellatrix's wand—drawn, and she pointed it between his eyes. "How dare you speak to your better in such a way?" She cast a spell, and the cut that the actual Bellatrix had sliced upon his cheek reopened. "Will this do to satisfy your pathetic need for reassurance?"

The goblin glared, but did not react to what she had done. Instead, his lips curled in a sneer, and his attention was directed to Hermione, who already did not like where this was going. "No. You need to treat her the way she would before anyone will believe it. If you can't do that, you will fail."

Bellatrix—Carina—gave her a brief, hesitant glance, but then any reservations were gone and she descended upon Hermione like a predator stalking its prey, circling her.

"Such a pretty little thing," she crooned, and a rough hand grabbed her arm. Hermione could not help but flinch, for this was reminding her very much of what had happened at the manor. "It's a shame you're a…" A hand pushed up the sleeve of her robe, revealing the letters carved into her skin as Bellatrix leaned in close and whispered, "Mudblood."

It's not real, it's not real, the brunette had to tell herself, her entire body tensed. This is just Carina, she's only acting…

"Oi!" cried Ron, sounding irritated. "That's enough, she doesn't need that!"

"I agree," said Harry firmly. "Carina, stop."

"No," interrupted Griphook, scowling at them. "This is alright, I suppose, but I refuse to go with you and follow through with this plan unless she does something."

Does something? No, no no no...please don't tell me he means…

"Fine," came the angry snarl of Bellatrix, who grabbed Hermione and pulled her hard into her front. Before the brunette could act, there was a dagger—not a wand—on her neck, just like before, and she could feel her body start to tremble. "Is this what you wanted, you greedy little goblin? If you want her head on a pike, so be it." The dagger pressed into her skin, and Hermione swallowed hard, feeling fear strike her. Carina wouldn't really hurt her, would she? There was an awful moment when she felt as though her head really was going to be cut off, but then the tip of the dagger slid to her collar and there was a slight pain—when Bellatrix pulled the dagger away, there was a spot of blood on the tip, and she flung it at the goblin. "Is that enough for you, you foul little beast? I ought to kill you where you stand! We had a deal!"

"Which is still intact." Griphook reached a hand up to his pointed ear, which was bleeding. "For now. I suppose you'll do."

Bellatrix backed away and did not look twice at Hermione, who reached up a shaky hand to feel her collar; she pulled her hand away and stared at her fingertips.

Blood.

She nicked me...she frowned, but not before her eyes found the woman who had been Carina; the raven haired girl had been right. She could play her older cousin well, and had yet to actually break character. It was impressive, of course, but what Hermione really couldn't wait for was when they got out of Gringotts and the polyjuice had worn off, so that she could see Carina back again and not the deranged she-beast she had transformed into.

Hermione rubbed her transfigured nose—she and Ron had both been transfigured to look like someone else, since they did not have anyone to polyjuice as—and stepped forward to grab Ron's hand, wincing as he and the fake Bellatrix both glanced at her.

They disapparated away, twisting and spinning and just when she had grown tired of the unpleasant squeezing it also had, they landed hard on their feet in front of Gringotts in Diagon Alley.

As they entered the building, Carina—no, Bellatrix—leading the way with she and Ron on either side of her, Hermione marveled briefly how she could imitate even the way the woman walked. The chin angled up, shoulders back, back straight, confident stride not once breaking even in the heels she wore—which the brunette herself would surely have tripped in—and when she reached the desk, she stopped.

"I wish to enter my vault," Bellatrix ordered, face stony as the bank teller did not appear to have heard her. At once, the calm facade vanished. "Look at me when I speak to you, goblin!"

Slowly, painfully so, the bank teller glanced up from his work and peered over the desk at her.

"Ah, yes, Mrs. Lestrange," he greeted evenly. "One moment."

"I do not have a moment, you half wit! I need into my vault now!"

"Pardon me, madam, but we must see your wand first for identification purposes." The calmness of the goblin was unnerving, and Hermione knew they suspected something might be up—the wand might have actually been reported as stolen, and then where would they be?

Bellatrix did not miss a beat, nostrils flaring furiously and chin tilting up in defiance. "And why should I let you handle my wand?"

"As I said, it is merely for identification purposes."

"I shall be speaking to my master about this! You shall feel his wrath, you filthy beasts!"

Don't hand it over, don't hand it over, don't, Carina—

She slammed the wand down on the desk, hissing, "There! Now get it over with!"

The goblin called his partner over, and the two leaned over the wand, inspecting carefully; after a long few moments, they glanced up but did not hand it back.

"We have reason to believe," began one goblin, staring at her cooly. "That this wand is stolen, and that you are, in fact, not Mrs. Lestrange at all. Seize them!"

Wizard guards ran forward and grabbed them by the arms, but it was the fake Bellatrix who struggled hardest, shrieking, "I'll kill you all! I'll kill every last one one of you creatures!"

"Test her."

Hermione felt her stomach churn. This is it, we'll be caught out for sure.

Except, when they dumped some of the magical water—the kind that would reveal a person's true form—over her, she did not even flicker, like she rightly should have. She should have shapeshifted back into a sopping wet Carina Black, but instead it was still Bellatrix Lestrange in her place, spluttering and screaming curses at them all.

Frankly, the muggle-born couldn't believe it. She actually used her metamorph powers, and not just on her eyes! Oh, thank Merlin!

"Release me at once!" When not set free immediately, Bellatrix whirled on the man holding her and sliced her dagger—when had she summoned it back?—at his abdomen, sending blood gushing forth, and she turned to storm up to the desk without a care in the world, demanding with fury, "Give me my wand back!"

"We apologize," said the bank teller evenly, and she snatched the wand from his long fingers. "We had reason to believe you were someone else. My assistant shall lead you down to your vault."

There was a snarl and a bang—the goblin had not been harmed, but the desk had caught fire and Bellatrix stalked off after the assistant goblin, sending a glare over her shoulder at the other and beckoning for her companions to follow.

Hermione trailed along after her, Ron at her side and Harry surely in tow with Griphook.

~~~xxx~~~

Carina sat in the cart beside Hermione, but did not dare touch her for fear of breaking cover. Alongside that, she also knew the other girl was a bit uneasy around her due to the appearance of her as Bellatrix Lestrange.

And probably because I sliced her with a dagger. If that stupid goblin hadn't challenged me I never would have, but we needed him around...didn't mean that when I threw that bloody dagger I hadn't been hoping it would've ran off target and nailed him in the throat instead. Besides, I got lucky, morphing into her like that before the water hit. I had to concentrate really hard, still not quite sure how I managed it, but I did.

A scowl marred her face as they made their way down to the vault, but when they passed under the stream of water, Ron and Hermione were both immediately revealed. Carina decided then that there was no point in the charade any longer and forced her features to morph back into her own, the dress like one her older cousin would have worn hugging her frame as water dripped from her hair.

Just as the goblin turned to see why the alarms had gone off, she could hear a whispered, "Imperio," from Harry, and an expression of bliss overcame the goblin's face as the cart stopped abruptly. He got out and made his way to the vault door, and Carina waited with baited breath as he pressed his palm to the door; it took a long few moments, but then slowly, the vault door swung open.

Carefully, Carina and the others stepped inside, dragging the still dazed assistant goblin inside with them, and Harry pocketed his cloak and dislodged Griphook from his back. The vault door slammed closed behind them, locks clicking back into place and leaving them in the darkness. It was ominous here in this vault. Nothing seemed right to her, and she did not quite know why, but she shook it off in favor of finding what they had come there for.

"Alright," she ordered, lighting her wand as the others did the same. "Let's find that cup."

She scanned the room all over, seeing gold coins and jewelry and paintings and the like, but not once did she spot the cup. It seemed that Hermione, Harry, and Ron were having no luck, either, until Harry finally called, "There!"

At once, the other three teens turned to stare at the spot it was pointing, and there, Carina saw it; the cup of Helga Hufflepuff, the horcrux, was sitting upon a high shelf, surrounded by many other things. It was no wonder they did not see it. The room itself was filled with so many things it was ridiculous, though she knew the Black Family vault was much worse.

"Let's get it, then," said Ron, but as he moved forward his arm brushed something, and metal platters and cups fell to the floor, duplicating themselves quickly.

No wonder she had felt so uneasy.

"It's the Gemino curse!" shouted Griphook over the clinks and clanks of the contents of the vault as they fell. "Anything you touch will multiply!"

"Bloody hell!" Carina cursed, eyes flickering up to it. It was too high to just grab—they would have to climb, or one of them would.

"Hermione!" called Harry. "The sword!"

The brunette threw it to him and he miraculously caught it, before he started up the pile; apparently, he had the same idea as Carina, who struggled up after him, both slipping and sliding as the various trinkets multiplied themselves.

"Argh!" She drew her wand in frustration and leveled it at Harry. "Flipendo!"

The boy let out a startled yell and was sent flying through the air and up into the pile, just high enough to slip the sword through a handle of the cup. Once done, the cups around them stopped their multiplying and he stumbled down, crashing into Carina and sending them both careening to the bottom of the pile; the cup flew off the sword.

It was snatched by Griphook mere millimeters before her hand could grab it.

"We had a deal, Griphook!" Harry reminded furiously.

"The cup for the sword!" demanded the gobin. The boy scowled, but tossed the sword away, leaving the goblin to carelessly throw the cup aside as he caught it, a nasty grin appearing on his face; it was Hermione who snatched the cup from the air. "I said I'd get you in. I didn't say anything about getting you out."

NO! Carina staggered to her feet but slipped once more, cursing loudly as he grabbed the other goblin and slipped from the vault, leaving the teenagers amidst the swell of cups, which was only growing larger and larger by the second.

They were being overcome by them, and she could hear Hermione shout as she was dragged under the pile, Ron just barely holding his head up and Harry having completely disappeared altogether. Carina fought all the harder to get through them, and as she did, her hand brushed another's hand, and she grabbed it without thinking and surged forward; thankfully for her, it was Hermione and not Ron.

"Griphook!" Harry burst free and sprinted from the vault, the others soon following, and they could see Griphook shaking the rattle at the dragon as he edged his way past.

It only took moments, of course, for all hell to break loose and guards—wizard ones—to come barreling through, jumping out of carts and firing off spells without a care for who they were shooting at.

I should have known! cursed Carina inwardly, diving around the edge of a pillar, Hermione slamming her back to the other girl's front as she, too, leapt out of the line of fire. Carina flexed her fingers around her wand, and she could see that Hermione had grabbed hers as well. It's no figure they'd get us soon. No one steals from Gringotts and gets out alive—until today, that is. Because I bloody well refuse to die!

Hermione leaned around the pillar and blasted a guard back, and Carina found herself doing the same on the other side, sending a man sailing straight into the Lestrange vault, sliding to the floor with some blood trickling from his head.

Her heart pounded, and she peered around the side of the pillar again before jerking back, curling an arm around Hermione and jerking the other girl behind her just in time to avoid a stunner to the head.

Idiots!

The raven haired girl found her lips twisting into a snarl as she twisted about to hiss, "Confringo!"

A guard caught fire, and he screamed, waving his wand wildly at his uniform. He was obviously in pain, but she did not care—all she cared about at the moment was getting out of there before they were slaughtered by angry goblins.

"Do something!" yelled Harry, who had backed against a pillar with Ron as the distressed dragon nearby shot off flames.

"Bloody hell!" yelped Ron, knocking Harry to the side just before his wand arm could be singed. "What are we going to do?"

"I have a plan, but it's mad!" called back Hermione, who pressed herself into Carina as another jet of flame shot off at them and more guards arrived. The brunette was breathing heavily, and she shut her eyes tight for a moment before opening them again. Before Carina could do anything, her girlfriend was sprinting away, dodging curses and fire alike, and leapt atop the back of the dragon, slinging herself over one of the spikes on its back. "Come on!"

This is ridiculous! We could die!

With a loud groan, Carina made a break for the dragon just as the boys seemed to get the idea, and the three sprung over and held on tight to the beast; Hermione blasted the chains apart, and then the dragon set off clawing its way through the roof.

Ducking her head to avoid being injured by what was happening, she found herself nearly knocking heads with Harry Potter, whose eyes were wide. Ron looked much the same, and Hermione, as she glanced back, was in the same position as she.

"You're mad!" the raven haired girl shouted back at her amidst the chaos, just as the dragon managed to burst through the roof. This experience was all too surreal, and she as honestly surprised that they had made it out alive...and that Hermione had been the first to just jump on top of a bloody dragon, of all things. She could not help but feel a bit proud, however, because this was certainly an amazing thing to be doing, no matter how dangerous. And it was her girlfriend—I'll never get tired of that—that had come up with it!

"We're out, aren't we?" came the reply, and she heard Hermione quickly cast a spell at the dragon, which immediately roared in pain and took off, though rather clumsily; she could not blame it. It could have been trapped down there for over a century.

"You didn't let me finish!" Carina twisted about to peer back at her, feeling a grin appear on her face as she felt the wind in her hair. This was dangerous, this was absolutely insane, but…"I love it!"

It was also exhilarating.

The countryside flew by fast, and everything looked so small from this high—Carina found that this was a bit better than being on a broom, or even a hippogriff. Perhaps it was because her adrenaline was running high, and because this was the slightest bit of fun she had had in ages, but she found herself enjoying it.

Behind her, Hermione Granger could not help but smile faintly.