Hey folks! Prologue 1.2 for you!

Firstly i want to thank you all for the suggestions on the Minerva/Hermione father bit. I have been given a wonderful idea that i think i will go with and hopefully you all will enjoy it when its written.

I do know there are spelling issues, i'm just too lazy to scour through and find the ones that are the least obvious and since i wrote the first half of this on my phone.. well... auto correct. Please look past these.

Reviews welcome and for those that already reviewed, you're much loved.

Harry's paranoia about Draco was irritating at best, of course Hermione had a feeling he was right but when she was trying to do homework and all he could go on about was the way Draco flinched while having his clothes pinned... it was wearing thin. On top of that Ron was going on and on about quidditch try outs in a few days and apparently Cormac McLaggen was asking after her.

All Hermione really wanted was to do her homework in peace, maybe do some reading and go to bed. Ginny respected that, for the most part, but also couldn't stop bothering Hermione about either Cormac or who ever it was that bought her Mars. Outside of this everything was fairly standard, she immersed herself in her learning and when she had truly free time she would read.

It was a few weeks into the year that Hermione got a letter from Bellatrix. They were at breakfast and Hermione was getting a little tired of listening to Ron go on about beating Cormac, which he only did because Hermione had confounded McLaggen. So when Mars breezed in with some letters she felt a lot better suddenly.

The first letter was from her parents hoping she was having a good time at school and letting her know they were visiting family in France for Christmas so if she pleased she could spend the holiday with the Weasley's. She would write them later to let her know everything was fine and she would figure something out for Christmas and that she didn't really mind spending it at the school. The second letter was from Bellatrix.

Lost Girl,

Missing you. Can't be explained, never enjoyed anyone's company so much before. Hoping everything is fairing well with you. Write me and let me know will you?

I might be in that area around Christmas, maybe you'll find me somewhere.

The Black Mouse.

It was simple and to the point yet brought a bright smile to Hermione's face. The idea of maybe getting to see Bellatrix over Christmas made her feel better than she had in weeks. Her mood had lifted so suddenly that the others noticed almost immediately.

"Alright there?" Ron asked trying to lean over and read the letter in her hand.

"Quite, Ronald." Hermione gave him a look and he leaned back.

"Who is 'The Black Mouse'?" Ginny asks suddenly. Hermione had been so focused on Ron she hadn't noticed Ginny lean in.

"A friend. Do you mind?" Frowning Hermione folded her letter back up and put them in her robes.

"Not really. He misses you, who is he?" Ginny smirks brightly.

"SHE is a friend." Hermione huffs. She stood from the table and left her friends looking perplexed.

As was pretty standard Hermione's birthday rolled around with no acknowledgement from her friends. She was pretty sure they didn't actually know when her birthday was so it wasn't exactly upsetting that they had no idea. When she got the letter from her parents she smiled. Every year they would buy her a book and put a random amount of money in a bank account for her. She adored her parents.

This year though she had hoped for a little more, not gifts, but just for anyone to walk up to her and say Happy Birthday would have been amazing. If it was Minerva that would have been nice but she really didn't think the woman realised she was her daughter, it hurt and confused her. On one hand it was good because nothing would change and on the other it sucked because she wanted it too.

But when Mars swooped in last with a large parcel gripped delicately in his talons Hermione smiled. Bellatrix. How had she even known it was her birthday? It didn't matter she supposed, her heart beat a little faster and her eyes shone a little brighter no matter the reason. Mars gentle dropped the parcel on the table and then settled beside it receiving an appreciative rub and a couple pieces of bacon for his efforts.

There was a card which Hermione opened first and smiled, it looked as though it was hand drawn and if it had been Bella that had drawn it then she was full of surprises. It was a rather comical drawing of a mouse with a tiny party hate on trying to blow a party whistle. She flipped it open and smiled.

Happy Birthday!

A little narcissist told me, after finding out off a complete prat, that it was your birthday today. 17. You're a legal witch now...

Hope you like the gifts, they were some of my favourites though I never got around to applying the information. Shame might have made like my dear cousin and escaped long ago.

Love,

The Black Mouse

Hermione smiled and set the card aside before unwrapping the box, it was covered in brown parchment paper but Hermione didn't mind, she didn't need gift wrap. Inside was one book, and one book and a little carrier with six vials in it.

In one of the vials was what looked like a mandrake leaf. Another was labelled Potion that Induces Euphoria, that one was thoughtful and obvious. The next was Essence of Dittany which with the coming war Hermione appreciated greatly. A potion labelled Love Potion Antidote had Hermione giggling. The other two were a Strengthening Potion and a Pepperup Potion respectively.

Harry leaned over and grabbed the card sat aside and looked it over before Hermione even noticed he had picked it up. Thankfully he hadn't opened it, there was a chance he wouldn't connect the dots but she didn't want to take it. She plucked it off him and frowned as she sorted her things so she could carry them all.

"Whats all this then?" Harry asks frowning a little.

"Birthday present." Hermione says simply.

"Whose birthday?" Ron asks stupidly, his mouth full of toast.

"Mine." Hermione frowned and stood up to leave.

"We didn't know." Ron frowns as well looking at Hermione.

"Six years and you've never asked either." Hermione couldn't keep the bite from her tone if she had tried. At that she left the Great Hall.

"Granger. Wait up." Draco called down an empty corridor late one evening.

"Draco?" Hermione was confused to see the young man jog towards her.

"So... my dads been asking about a black owl visiting Bella every so often. I thought maybe you'd help me fabricate a lie." He says once he's caught up.

"Just like that you're going to pretend the last five years of insults didn't happen?" Hermione quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Forgive and forget?" Draco shrugs questioningly.

"I think if you ask for forgiveness I might be able to work on that." Hermione continued to walk. Draco followed.

"I'm sorry i've been such a handsome bastard." Draco's smirk was so unusually light that Hermione couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright fine. What makes you think i can help? Or even should." Hermione asks frowning slightly.

"Well its like this see, father was very specific. So paranoid Bellatrix is doing something to upstage him that hes studied a bloody owl and asked me if ive noticed it here. So obviously i've noticed the bloody thing. I don't want details, i think you're barmy for exchanging letters of any sort with her but... shes family and actually kind of nice to me so... help me make a believable excuse so things don't get worse for her." Draco explains in her usual confidently arrogant way only it didn't seem to annoy her as much now.

For some reason, perhaps because she had developed feelings she had yet to put too much thought into for his aunt, Draco Malfoy didn't annoy her just by being near her. No this lad, Draco the non-Sneering and Humorous, was a little bit endearing to Hermione who had listened so often to paranoid theories and quidditch practice play by play's lately that a fresh conversation was much appreciated no matter who it was with. The fact Draco was looking out for his Aunt despite how crazy she seemed outwardly was also quite refreshing.

"Tell the truth. Bella and i are friends. Who would believe you anyways? A mudblood and the pure blooded purist? No one would believe it." Hermione points out reasonably.

"That's just stupid enough it might work with Father." Draco sneers though this time at his own father, or the thought of him anyway.

"Can i ask you a personal question?" Hermione asks after a long moment of walking in silence.

"You're going to ask if i took the mark aren't you?" Draco's voice had dropped to a whisper. Hermione looked at him but remained silent.

Draco looked at the witch, he had been cruel to her over the years and had never taken the time to look at her. She was bookish yet attractive and so smart it was hard to outsmart her in anything. Yet when he did finally really look it was clear to see that she wasn't whole. It was just that he was brought up to hate those less than him, anyone who's blood wasn't pure. Actually having a reasonable conversation with the witch beside him it was hard not to trust her and it was easy to see why Bellatrix befriended her. Hermione Granger desperately needed people.

"I had too." Draco all but whispered. Hermione simply nodded.

Hermione had spent the better part of the morning in the village, she had gone to Scrivenshafts to get some more parchment and quills. She also stopped off at Honey Dukes to get some sugar quills and chocolate because what self-respecting woman didn't like chocolate. Once that was done and she had seen no sign of Bellatrix she made her way toward the shrieking shake.

She was still standing there, admiring the nod infinitely less intimidating Shrieking Shack, when slim arms slipped around her waist and a chin settled on her shoulder. She might have been more startled if not for the faint smell of leather, rich perfume and something entirely familiar yet so far unnamed. Bellatrix was there.

"Miss me?" Bellatrix purred in her ear.

"Of course. Did you miss me?" Hermione smiled brightly and leaned into the witch a little.

"Absolutely. You're the only other intelligent conversation I've had since I was 17." Bellatrix says playfully stepping back and taking Hermione hand leading the little with up an into the shrieking shack.

"Yikes, long time." Hermione teases and Bellatrix lets out a good natured laugh.

"Its surprisingly easy to be me with you." Bellatrix comments after a short while. Hermione smiled almost shyly.

"I know. I feel that way too." Hermione wasn't surprised when Bellatrix stepped into her space.

To be honest she knew this was coming, or at the very least she hoped it was, the feelings had grown too strong too quick for this not to have been an inevitability. It was a little surprising that is was Bellatrix who initiated the slow, soft, kiss and yet it pleased Hermione to no end. When she returned it, slipping her arms around Bellatrix's shoulders, she felt the way the woman came alive, as though she had been waiting for exactly that response. The kiss was deepened as teeth grazed wet lips and tongues mapped and learned their shape. It lingered, neither witch willing to go further and neither willing to pull back. The Mouse had found home and the lost girl felt found.

Later that same day they were sitting in the quiet, dark and dusty, room that was certainly once a living room a long time ago, they were settled on a transfigured bean bag together that Hermione had managed. She could have made a sofa she was sure but the structure of the frame would have required more concentration she had at that point with Bellatrix nibbling along her jaw. They did no more than kiss and they promised no marks on either of them but they both enjoyed it thoroughly, the intimacy that neither of them had experienced in such depth before.

"You send me a love potion antidote." Hermione reminds after a moment of silence.

"Indeed. Draco had mentioned in one of his letters to his mother that some prat was chasing after you and that Weasley bunch were making love potions and stuff. Thought it better safe than sorry." Bellatrix was cuddled into the bean bag with Hermione looking highly content with the surprisingly smaller witch practically in her lap.

"Ah, Draco. He lied for you." Bellatrix snorted at this tid bit.

"No he didnt, he told the blatant truth. Lucius nearly had a seizure he was laughing so hard." Bellatrix informed and Hermione couldn't help a chuckle of her own.

"It was my idea." The little brunette confesses.

"I should have known." Bellatrix cackled a little, it was a good idea after all.

"You got my other gifts, the leaf?" The Death Eater asked curiously, she wondered if Hermione would chase that knowledge.

Hermione in answer made a face before poking her tongue out at the witch against her, on the tip was a small dark green scrunched up and soggy leaf.

"I had to wait until i knew i could get the ingredients for the potion. I only had a few days left before i can finish it and then i just need to take it and speak the little incantation. You should do it too you know." Hermione urges gently.

"I cant get my hands on another Mandrake leaf." Bellatrix confessed, it was the only thing holding her back really.

"I'll get you one." Hermione promises softly.

There was a long pause then, silence stretching between them both as they slipped into their own thoughts both on similar tracks. Hermione was wondering what all this meant, this knew development between them. Bella on the other hand was trying to figure out how she could manage to maintain this level of intimacy with the little witch. Hermione was of age but they were both naive when it came to being intimate with another woman and Bellatrix didn't actually know how to participate. The biggest hurdle was their opposing factions, they were after all enemies. Or supposed to be.

"We cant be more than this... can we?" Hermione says after the long silence.

"No. If He wins, its highly likely you will be killed unless you go into hiding, either one the result is the same. If the Order win, i'm either killed or sent to Azkaban... i wont go back there, not alive." Bellatrix says seriously.

"I understand. I wish it could be different. I don't feel so alone when i'm with you." Hermione says softly.

"I feel sane with you." Bellatrix confessed gently.

It wasn't until after the new year that the others all returned to the castle and not long after that before classes started up again. Hermione had wanted to gift Bellatrix something but they had decided it wasn't a smart idea. Bellatrix had managed to set her a book though, and not just any book. After having spoken at length that evening during the summer Bellatrix had taken it upon herself to create a pair of books. Thanks to the protean charm they could now indulge in almost constant communication and since the book was similar to that of Tom Riddles, the conversations were absorbed.

Bellatrix explained that there was a way to recall a days conversation she simply had to write that days date backwards. It was genius really and Hermione treasured the book dearly. It gave the witches a connection that was hard to detect from either faction and meant they could remain in almost constant contact. They did instead agree upon writing only of an evening once Hermione was in bed and Bella was less likely to be hounded by Death Eaters or the Dark Lord.

Things with the others had been a little strained in the last few days since they had gotten back from the Christmas holidays. They had taken turns, Harry, Ron and Ginny, trying get it out of her just who the Black Mouse was and whether they had met in the village or not. Hermione refused to give that information for a number of reasons and the others were getting horribly offended that she was hiding things from them. Of course they coudn't see it from her point of view, that she was entitled to keep things to herself.

"Why in the world are you sitting out here?" Hermione surprisingly didn't even startle.

Draco sat down beside Hermione who was the only person sitting out on the snow covered courtyard. Her wand was in her hand as she had been regularly casting the hot air charm to keep herself from getting too cold. She lifted her wand and cast the charm over Draco as he shivered beside her. The young Death Eater didn't even flinch when she raised her wand. It made her smile at the level of trust he had considering they had only previously had one friendly conversation.

"Its too cold for them and i needed the peace and quiet." Hermione grumbles with a sigh.

"Them? Potter and Weasley?" Draco asks just to be sure.

"Yes. Potter and Weasley who sent not so much as an owl over Christmas but want to hassle me relentlessly over whether or not i met my mysterious friend over the break. They will not stop." Hermione huffs angrily.

"Well... did you meet her? I'll admit, i'm highly confused by this friendship you have going on with my aunt." He admits stretching his legs out in front of him and folding his arms over his chest.

"Yes i met her, spent most of the afternoon in the shrieking shack talking and stuff..." Hermione trailed off with a faint blush.

"'And stuff?' You know that usually means right?" Draco's grin was bright.

"Yeah ok. Yes and stuff. We only kissed... a few times. I don't know what it is but... i know her. Like i really know her and she isn't so bad, not really anyway." Hermione's blush had increased. She wasn't sure what she was talking to Draco like this for but it was nice and he was easier to talk to than it seemed.

"You and... no way. I can honestly say i didn't expect you to be on that side of the fence. I'm glad though cause for a while there i thought you and Weasley were going to end up together and that would be such a waste." Draco says conversationally and Hermione cant help but laugh.

"Ron has some redeeming qualities but... your aunt and you share an opinion on that." Hermione smiles slightly and tilts her head.

"I bet. You're not weirded out that shes like... old enough to be your mother?" Draco asks curiously not really bothered himself. He comes from pure-blood after all where inbreeding and incest was abound. Whats a little age difference?

"Not really. Its so complicated. Not just me and Mouse, but just... everything lately." Hermione sighs and shrugs her shoulders.

"Mouse?" Draco smiles brightly.

"We were stuck in a room with no exit in the Department on Mysteries. I transfigured her into a little black mouse so we could escape with her not getting caught." Hermione explains briefly.

"Oh... You helped her even though shes a death eater and has done awful things?" Draco asks frowning, he was trying to understand.

"You're a death eater and tormented me for years, yet... here we sit." Hermione shrugs and gives a half smile.

"Here we sit." Draco agrees. He sincerely misjudged this witch.

"Why do you look so happy?" Narcissa sniffed as she stalked into her sisters bedroom.

"My Lost Girl has made a friend." Bellatrix grin as her little sister lays beside her on the bed and looks at the book. She knew of the diary of course, Bellatrix had practically crowed about it when it had worked successfully.

"Doesn't she already have friends?" Narcissa's nose wrinkled at this.

"Sure. But she made a new friend... in Draco." Bellatrix's grin brightened even more.

"What?!" Narcissa looked horrified and then suddenly looked impressed.

"She must be something else to have him convinced she's worth being a friend." Narcissa says casually.

"He's probably finally really looked at her eyes." Bellatrix smiles sadly, the expression was so strange on the usually sinister face that it only now, months later, really hit Narcissa how much her sister cared for the little muggleborn.

"Her eyes?" Narcissa questioned curiously.

"They're full of... sadness and strength, curiosity and wretched loneliness." Bellatrix looked at the next lines that appeared in the journal. Hermione telling her she was soon to complete her little mission. Bella wrote back that she wanted to know the results immediately.

"How can she feel so much? She's so young." Narcissa's tone had gentled, she was speaking not only of someone her sister cared deeply for but also someone the same age as her beloved son.

"You know how it is to be alone even in a crowd. Blimey at least you have friends now, Odette and Morticia. Girl has Potty and Weasle but they don't see her. They see a smart little lioness who is in their corner. She learned she is adopted, while we are in the Department on Mysteries... shes so... Well she's lost." Bellatrix explains softly.

"Adopted? So she may not be muggleborn?" Narcissa asks frowning deeply.

"She isn't. Her mother is Minerva. She's a half-blood." Bellatrix explains casually as she turns back to the journal.

Hermione had managed to sneak out one evening in late January, it was cold in the hall and it was late at night. She was only thankful that she didn't have far to go to the Room of Requirement. Once inside she was pleasantly surprised as she had asked specifically for a room that would accommodate an animagus' official change. Inside the room was a small forest habitat, the ceiling enchanted to look like open sky much like the Great Hall was enchanted. It was truly beautiful to behold and if she wasn't there for a reason she may well have simply lingered and found a tree to relax against.

As it was she was there for a reason as tonight she planned to finally complete her becoming an animagus. She had deliberated on this for the last couple of weeks, the potion was finished and the incantation was memorised but she wasn't sure she really wanted another reason to be different. Yet, she also had no reason to delay any longer and Bellatrix had said that releasing the animal inside would be freeing.

She sat by one of the trees and took out the potion in her robes and then took a deep breath. Unstoppering it she let out her breath and in the next motion swallowed the foul contents of the potion. It tasted like the smell of fertiliser and wet fur mixed with an earthy taste Hermione had tasted once or twice in her youth thanks to bullies. Yet as disgusting as that tasted she managed to get through the rather simple incantation and had a few seconds respite before overwhelming pain washed over her. The book had stated that the pain would only occur on the initial transition but that it would feel like being wrapped in chains that heated to the point on melting. It was worse.

The young witch was so caught up in the pain and trying to fight through it that she didn't realise it was over. The main indicator was her sight, everything was brighter all of the sudden. She climbed to her paws and scented the air, things were smelling intense and good of the sudden and she felt free, she could feel the air in the tips of her coat and when she concentrated she could feel the moon high in the sky outside. She didn't know exactly what she was but she had a pretty good idea, an idea confirmed when she lifted her broad snout and howled to the enchanted ceiling.

Trotting through the supplied habitat Hermione came upon a small clear pool of water that was perfectly reflective, she internally thanked the room for supplying her this. Looking into the pool she was able to discern she had a pale coat, mostly white but with some red/orange definition through it. She was for the same of the sake of putting a name too it, a blonde wolf. A lone wolf, how very appropriate.

It was a few days later, and coincidentally enough, the first of February when she received another owl from her Mouse. It was the brown bird again that didn't like her very much. It dropped off a simple envelope, snagged some of Ron's bacon and left again without so much as missing a wing beat. Hermione casually took the letter and opened it up. Inside was a simple little silver chain with a small snake pendent attached too it. The eyes in the snake had little green emeralds embedded in it. It was such a Slytherin gift she didn't even have to read the small note attached to know it had been from Bella.

An early Valentines gift for, ma loup.

It was a simple note but it made Hermione smile, Slytherin or not she didn't hesitate to put the small gift around her neck and fasten it at the back. In hindsight she probably should have waited and put it on in private and kept it to herself. Not only because her friends had been asking so many questions but because they had such a strong dislike for anything Slytherin. Ginny was the first to notice the necklace but her staring drew the attention of the others pretty quickly.

"What the bloody hell is that?" Ron asks scowling.

"A valentines gift." Hermione frowns tucking the pendant into her shirt.

Ron had been on with Lavender since before Christmas and the two had been damn near inseparable. Even when Ron had been poisoned accidentally be Slughorn he chose Lavender to be at his side over Hermione, which as far as romance goes that was all well and good but it didn't stop it from hurting Hermione's feelings. To be pushed aside for a person who had only very recently become interested in him was a low blow as far as Hermione was concerned.

"A valentines gift? Don't lie Mione. Look, i know that you're a little jealous of Lav and me but... you and i would never work." Ron stated and Hermione's mouth dropped open.

"How dare you! You insufferable arse! The world does not revolve around you Ronald... the only reason McLaggen didn't beat you was because i confunded him, don't let it go to your big head! It was a Valentines gift from someone who actually bloody cares and i would not lie about that!" Hermione hissed at the foolish red-head, a glance at the others including them in her tirade.

"No Slytherin would date a muggleborn and that is decidedly Slytherin." Ginny points out gently as she gestures the necklace.

"No of course not. So i must obviously be making this all up." Hermione, no longer hungry, stood from her seat and walked out without another word.

"Something odd is going on with Miss Granger." Minerva commented to Albus and Severus that same evening in Albus' office.

"She has been different since the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. I saw her talking with Mister Malfoy the other day. Amicably." Severus agrees with a pensive expression.

"She has made a rather unexpected friend i believe. Someone she doesn't wish anyone else to learn of." Albus says as he meticulously unwraps a lemon drop.

"You don't mean Draco Malfoy do you?" Minerva frowns at the man.

"Indeed i do not, Minerva." He smiles sweetly, or it would be sweet if the conversation hadn't started to annoy Minerva.

"Its something from the wrong side isn't it?" Severus asks, he recalled seeing Miss Granger's large dark owl perched on the guttering at Malfoy Manor several weeks ago.

"Indeed it is. Yet, i believe she is quite safe with this particular person so do not stress yourself." Albus has remained silent for several long moments.

"Miss Granger is involved with a Death Eater? How does something like that even happen?" Minerva was scowling at this point.

"I do not know the details of it Minerva, only that its happened and it seems to be good for the young witch." Albus says sincerely.

Severus Snape was not a foolish man, in fact he was quite bright. Yet he couldn't understand how this had happened or why. What he did realise was that this Death Eater Hermione Granger was now attached too was none other than Bellatrix Lestrange. He had seen Bellatrix wearing the pendant in the past and recognised it immediately though he wondered if he might have been mistaken. He knew he had a roll to play yet he was secretly fond of the little know-it-all and didn't want to see her hurt, especially not at Bellatrix's hand. Words would be had.