Note: Surprise!!!! I updated this after all. So I know I put this story on hold but after a little thought and life doing its usual thing, my plans to revamp this fic got pushed to the side a little and as a result I have decided that instead of starting over with this, I am going to continue the story as it is. Once completed I will then work on it as a whole which will be easier because (fingers crossed) I will have more of my stories completed and less in progress giving me more time
I am working daily on updates for various stories so I thank you all once again for your continued support and patience.
My love always xoxo
Before I continue with this story, I would like to take a minute to send my love and solidarity to those in the Ukraine right now. My heart is absolutely broken over the current happenings. I pray for an end to the attacks and violence and for the safety of all those fighting to defend their homes. This should not be happening. You are not alone, and I hope you know I stand beside you. ~ Nell
BBMM.FDHG.BBMM.FDHG.BBMM.FDHG.BBMM.FDHG
~June 23rd 1996 ~
~ Location: Malfoy Manor ~
~ Marlene's POV ~
The first thing she hears as consciousness slowly creeps up on her is hushed whispering somewhere close by. Not loud enough to make any sense to her of what was being spoken about but loud enough that she knew there was at least three individuals near by. Two of those voices were decidedly female, one male. Apart from that, the only other sound she could hear was the soft crackling of a fire, she could smell her soulmates distinctive scent, it clung to her, lingering in the air around her as she slowly breathed in and out to savour the safety such a scent brought to her after all these years.
She felt warm, comfortable and so very safe. A vast contrast to the feelings of isolation and hopelessness she had been accustomed too. She knew she needed to open her eyes. Needed to see for herself that she was no longer in that merlin awful cell, but for the life of her she couldn't get her eyes to cooperate, nor could she move in the slightest. Unable to even lift her hand or twitch to let her witch know she was awake.
It made her feel trapped. Though it did not make her feel panicked, she needed to be still for her to heal she assumed. Her witch had probably bound her with magic. A logical and safe choice because her Bella knew her better than anyone and if left to her own devices she'd already have tried to move. So instead she decided to take stock of her body.
She was warm, she could feel soft sheets surrounding her. The air around her felt clean and fresh. Her lungs breathing steadily and easily for the first time in years. She personally felt clean, her body no longer wearing the proof of her captivity. Her hair felt lighter and she could feel it draping down her bare shoulders as she lay there. It felt heavenly and if she didn't have a child to go rescue she would willingly bask in the feeling of safety and care her witch had created for her. At least she assumed it was Bella, there was no way her mate would have let anyone apart from maybe Cissy near her in such a vulnerable state.
She took a deep breath, centring herself and reaching for her magic, surprisingly feeling it course through her naturally like it once had before.
Before she was bound in chains and kept in a hole in the ground for sixteen years.
It felt wonderful to feel the freedom of her magic as it moved unobstructed through her. But she had a goal in mind, a reason for reaching for her magic.
Focusing outwards she concentrated on the feeling of her mates magic as it held her tightly in place, pushing her own magic against it, a gentle nudge she knew her witch would feel as she tugged on her magic. A trick Bella had taught her not long after they were first mated. It had been their way of silently communicating with one another, others around them completely oblivious to their tricks marvelled at how in sync they seemed to be. A trivial but deliberate choice had been made by them both never to divulge that secret to anyone but Marlene wondered if Bella would help her teach their child and her mate. It would come in handy after all. A silent layer of protection for them both considering the war that was brewing between both sides.
Almost at once Marlene felt Bellatrix settle beside her on the bed. "I know the first thing you will want to do is get up Marls but I need you to lay still, your body is not quite healed up from your ordeal" her witch whispered, she felt Bella press a kiss to her forehead as her mate gradually pulled back her magical binds that had held her still. She smiled internally, nudging Bellatrix's magic softly in acknowledgement.
Opening her eyes slowly she came face to face with the one woman she loved beyond all others (except her baby of course). Obsidian eyes gleamed tearfully as they gazed back at her. A lifetimes worth of pain and madness lingering behind the pure adoration, love and relief she knew her witch to feel.
"Oh Bella, I'm alright now, I'm safe" she whispered gently, knowing her witch was in a fragile place emotionally. Years of trauma had taught her Bella that emotions were a weakness, the only place she had ever let herself feel the full depth of her emotions was with Marlene and as expected, mere seconds passed before her witch fell forward sobbing heavily. A warm flushed face pressed into her neck as Bellatrix curled around her, carefully but tightly as if the dark haired beauty were afraid she would blink and Marlene would have upped and fled.
"It's alright mi amore, it's alright. You saved me, you got me back, I'm right here." She continued to soothe knowing her witch needed this moment to grieve and fall apart before she could be put back together once more. Afterwards they'd talk, she'd fill Bella in on all that she had learned and they would plan their next move to bring their baby girl home where she belonged.
~~~~~~~
~ June 29th 1996 ~
~ Location: Malfoy Manor ~
~ Bellatrix's POV ~
The witch stalked the halls of her sisters home feeling lighter than she had in a long time. Heading towards the tea room for hosting guests. Having Marlene home had done wonders for her own health and emotional wellbeing.
Thank Merlin her witch was now more than on the mend from her sixteen year stint in hell. Thank Morgana for restorative potions as thanks to Albus bloody Dumbledore her witch had needed several different restorative and pain management potions for the best part of the past week before she was finally out of danger and on the road to recovery. She scoffed under her breath, refusing to entertain such a thought right now. Any reminder of what that man had done to her family was a sure way to invoke the madness she was for once finally in control of.
She had to remain calm, she had a Veela to meet after all. Marls was already in the tea room, having gone down early so she would be in place to greet their daughters mate and her mother. They were meeting for tea and to discuss their future moving forward. She knew this meeting was important as it would cement the relationship between the Heirs of two very powerful Houses and hopefully secure more allies for the brewing war. Something that could only help protect her family a little more.
She took a calming breath and drew herself up to full height, projecting her aura as strong around her as she could manage.
Wanting to make a good first impression as she knew the Delacour's would be more hesitant to agree to align themselves with them if Bellatrix seemed anything even slightly less than completely sure of herself and what her family stood for. She couldn't help but smirk as she came into the room. Her stride confident and her aura radiating power and darkness. Startling their guests from the quiet conversation they were having with her wife.
Her daughters mate stood immediately to greet her looking more nervous than some of her most skittish opponents ever had.
"Lady Black, its a pleasure to make your acquaintance" the formal but polite address came from beside the girl. Apolline Delacour, the current Veela clan leader standing also and stepping in front of her daughter slightly. Sensing the danger radiating in the air around them. Emanating from Bellatrix herself.
Bellatrix paused briefly as she strode forward to greet the two. Dropping a tender kiss on her witches forehead as she passed her. Smiling back genuinely at the tender look she received from her mate at the gesture.
"Lady Delacour, I believe the pleasure is mine. After all it isn't every day we find ourselves in the position of merging two of the most influential families in Europe" she spoke, just as politely as the Delacour leader. For once utilising the training her mother had so graciously departed on her and her sisters as they grew up. She rolled her eyes internally at herself. Even in her own mind she couldn't speak of her mother without sarcasm dripping from every thought and word.
She shook Apolline's hand, kissing her cheeks before repeating the same greeting with her daughters mate. Motioning with her hand for them both to sit.
She made her way to Marlene, sitting beside her wife before reaching for a freshly brewed pot of tea and busying herself with making herself one. Her guests already had tea, as did her witch so she did not bother offering.
"I believe you are right" Lady Delacour replied, a smirk pulling up the corners of her mouth. Clearly just as pleased with her daughter finding her mate in the Heir of the House of Black as Bellatrix was with her child being mated to the Heir of Clan Delacour.
"Please call me Bellatrix or Bella, it is what all my family call me after all, and I do believe being the mate of my daughter and the mother of my daughters mate grant's you both that title. The formal address is unnecessary" she offered, satisfied at the relieved look that flashed across the Delacour heirs features before the girl schooled her expression into one more neutral. Clearly the girl was worried about gaining Bellatrix's approval as Hermione's soulmate.
As she should, she thought smugly.
The girl was well trained in societal expectations, she observed. Filing the information away for her and Marlene to discuss later. After all this meeting was a little bit of a test a fact she knew both Delacour's would know and be eager to pass. She had never met Apolline Delacour before but she had heard great things about the woman's social prowess and skill, but what impressed her most was the widely known fact that the woman would face absolutely anything to ensure her daughters happiness. Widely circulated stories had spread about the clan leaders protective nature when it came to her two daughters and that thought was one that reassured the dark witch. Knowing that as her daughters mate, Appoline's love and protection would extend to Bellatrix's own daughter.
"Of course" the Veela replied, inclining her head gratefully. "Then Apolline or Apple if we are at a private gathering will be appreciated, may I introduce my eldest daughter and heir, Fleur Isabelle Delacour".
"A pleasure to meet you Bellatrix, my mate has told me much about you" the young Delacour said, beaming at her.
Bellatrix smiled warmly at the response, not able to keep the adoration out of her eyes at the mention of her baby girl. It touched her to know her girl spoke of her, and she was finding it so much easier to be warm and inviting with the guests with her Marlene by her side.
"The purpose of today's meeting was first and foremost to establish a connection between our families, something I feel will be both easy and natural for us all" Marls spoke up, inching forward slightly. Continuing when Apolline and Fleur smiled and nodded their agreement.
"Second of all was for us to explain a little about our lives and see if we can come to some sort of agreement about what side of this war you will be supporting. I am aware that you are in the order and a British auror Fleur?" Her mate questioned, her tone far more formal and icy than the dark witch had ever heard it and Bellatrix couldn't help but narrow her eyes at that little tad of information. Silently proud of just how ferocious her witch had sounded in that moment.
Watching as the girl paled slightly before she nodded clearing her throat. "I am, unfortunately. I was not aware of the real reason behind the brewing war so did join the Order of the Phoenix when I graduated last year. However through Hermione I have learned that I was misled" Bellatrix relaxed as the young veela finished talking. Hearing the carefully chosen words spoken. She was more than proud to know that Hermione had gone ahead and educated her mate. It made Bellatrix's heart warm, reminding her of her and Marlene's early days where she had in fact done the very same. Turning her witch from a blood traitor into one of the most powerful and loyal followers of their Dark Lord.
It also pleased her that her daughter's mate was so willing to admit to her own mistakes. Another point in the girls favour she supposed.
Her daughter, was proving to be every bit her child despite being raised amongst filth. It proved to Bellatrix that there was more to the saying "Blood is thicker than water" than most people believed. After all despite the obvious attempt on Dumbledore's part to turn her girl into a blood traitor or have her be a mudblood he had underestimated just how powerful Hermione's breeding was. Her girl came from a long line of great witches and wizards.
No amount of filth could muddy her girl.
Though she did not know much else about Hermione due to Albus' interference. She firmly believed that her daughter would never betray her. She had seen inside the girls head, saw the desire and need to be loved and excepted fully and completely. Something that her girl would never experience among the so called 'light'.
The manipulation that she had been target of her whole young life had resulted in not tethering Hermione to the light as she believed Albus thought it would, but had in fact only pushed her daughter further and further into the darkness. There was not a doubt in her mind that her daughter would do anything to see Dumbledore fall.
"I for one did not know my daughter had joined the order. If I had, I would have informed her that she had a duty as a Delacour and as an Heir to a family built on tradition to fight for those traditions, something that Dumbledore and his Order do not" Apolline scowled, sending an icy glare at her daughter from over her tea cup, pleasing Bellatrix further. Glad the Delacour leader seemed to be of similar thinking and not afraid to pull up even her own flesh for such traitorous actions.
"Your involvement in the first war?" Bellatrix queried, quirking an eyebrow in challenge. All to aware that the Delacour clan had stayed neutral during the last war. Something that had irked her then just as it did now. It was probably the only thing she had been able to find fault in with her daughters mates family.
"Preservation mostly unfortunately, and I am the first to admit I was very new to my post as Clan leader. I was young and believed that my people should not be brought into a war we had no stake in. After all France and Britain are two different countries" Apolline responded diplomatically, holding her gaze.
She appreciated the honesty and
nodded her head, acknowledging Apolline's willingness to admit to such vulnerabilities. It did much to ease her mind that the family her daughter would be attached to for the rest of her life would be good for her.
"And now?" Marlene asked, taking hold of the dark witches hand, seemingly sensing that she had drifted off a little in her head.
"And now we have a stake in this war. From what Fleur has told me, not only has Albus Dumbledore purposely manipulated numerous people but he has also directly harmed a Veela mate and her family. We will not stay neutral this time around. Our inner Veela would not allow an injustice as great as what has been done to your family by that vile man stand." The fierce reply took Bellatrix back. She knew probably more about Veela than most wizards but she had not expected them to so easily side with the "dark" over a girl the Veela leader had never met. Even if that girl was in Bellatrix's opinion, the most important girl alive.
Seeing the shock on her face, Appoline's expression softened, a gentle look replacing the ferocity that had been there before. "I have not met your daughter yet but already my Veela has claimed family in her and in the both of you. It is why I am so forthcoming with information and so willing to admit to my past mistakes. Where as with anyone else I'd be doing the usual political appeasement" she continued, smirking slightly, causing the dark witch to frown in curiosity. Sensing there was even more she had yet to understand about the Veela.
"We cannot reveal any answers to the questions I can see brewing in your eyes Bellatrix, not until our girls are bonded in magic. But when that happens I promise you, you will have your answers" Apolline laughed, Fleur giggling quite adorably behind her hand.
Bellatrix pouted, not at all pleased that she had been read so easily by the Veela Clans leader. But soon shook it off. It wouldn't do to torment herself with the lack of answers to her questions. It was after all more important to plan the way forward towards that future where she could get answers to those questions. More important than satiating her own curiosity.
~~~~~~~~
~ July 2nd 1996 ~
~ Location: Hogwarts ~
~ Hermione's POV ~
She sighed as she finished packing her trunk for her return to London. Despising the thought of having to leave her mate for any length of time and hating even more that she had no idea as to when she would see her mama again.
Her mama had said she would come for her but hadn't said when. What made it worse was the fact she had not seen her mum in her mind when asleep in the past two weeks. She missed them both terribly. More than she thought she could. More than she had ever missed anyone.
Part of her felt like she had no business missing them, after all she hadn't actually ever met her mum in real life and she'd only met her mama twice, one of those times being at a battle. Yet they were on her mind constantly. She wondered what it would have been like to grow up with them. To have known them as intimately as she should have. Would her mama have held her through her nightmares, would her mum have taught her how to tie her laces and fly a broom. Would her mama have taught her spells and how to talk. Would her mum have taken her shopping, would they have been proud of her achievements so far. Where they proud of her now? Despite being raised by muggles and labelled filth, would they still want her when they found out she had spent most of her life at Hogwarts fighting against everything they stood for?
It did not help that Harry and Ron's taunting had become even more consistent. Ever since her trip to the hospital they had grown more persistent in following her around. Commanding every ounce of time she had between classes and demanding her help with something or other. Rubbing in the fact that they believed her mama had tried to kill her at the ministry. Taunting her with their belief her mama would believe her to be as muddy as those that raised her. As traitorous as those she was surrounded by. She despised it. Despised the two boys more and more each and every day.
Yet their words hurt, deeply. Solidifying her own inner mantra that she had failed her mama and mother both. That she had shamed them and it terrified her.
Making it all so much worse was Ron's new found apparent interest in her. He had tried several times to hold her hand, draping his arm around her and always sitting too close. It was disgusting and made her stomach turn unpleasantly every time he attempted it.
Though she supposed the fact that he was somehow hexed whenever he was near her was enough of a deterrent right now. Fleur was not at all pleased by the ginger headed twats actions, and had been hitting him with stinging hexes discreetly whenever she was close enough to see him invading her personal space. Which was nearly all the time.
The blonde still playing dutiful protection detail for the 'Golden Trio'.
"Are you ready mione?" Ginny Weasley's voice cut her out of her silent brooding. She nodded, not sparing the ginger girl a second glance. Ginny used to be her friend, Hermione had thought so anyway but the youngest Weasley girl had not once defended her with Harry and Ron. She had even sat and watched when the pair attacked her from behind. It had felt like a betrayal to Hermione, isolating her further from those that were supposedly her friends. Her resentment growing. Especially when she realised Ginny was sacrificing their friendship because she had a crush on Harry. The girl was trying to impress him and that meant taking on his own views as her own apparently. Foolish first love had hit the Weasley hard.
Flicking her wand silently, she shrunk her luggage and placed it in her robe pocket. Making sure to pick up Crookshanks who had taken to following her more often than not. As if her familiar sensed she needed the protection and comfort. He was right, she did. Despite Fleur's reassuring presence at Hogwarts and the words of comfort her mama had offered her in the shrieking shack, Hermione had slowly but surely began to feel as if her life was crumbling around her and she couldn't do anything to stop it. It made her feel more lonely and worthless than she ever had.
She followed Ginny out of the room silently and down to the great hall for breakfast. Shuddering as she walked through the door and felt the malicious eyes land on her immediately from the teachers table. Dumbledore and Umbridge both watching her with similar expressions of barely concealed disgust. The feeling made her want to shrink into herself, her left hand twinning in remembered pain from the last stint just the day before in Umbridges office. Though she refused to shrink. She was the child of Bellatrix Black, the headmaster and the ministry croon would not intimidate her.
She drew herself up, her chin held up arrogantly as she had taken to doing more often than not. Internally smiling when she saw the slight cringe appear on Dumbledore face. 'Good' she thought. She knew when she carried herself this way she looked uncannily like her mama. Something that Ron hadn't failed to point out the first time he had noticed.
"I wish you wouldn't do that, it's disgusting how much it reminds me of that deranged bitch" he had spat snidely, Harry nodding in agreement.
Ever since she had made sure to do it all the more.
She sat at her usual spot across from the boys facing the rest of the great hall. She liked sitting here as it meant she had a view of all that was going on around her. Able to watch her cousin and the heads table without being obvious about it.
"Morning Ginny, Mione" Ron mumbled, through a mouthful of food. Making her cringe at the foul display. "Morning" she greeted coldly. Reaching for a piece of toast and a little scrambled egg.
"Give over mione, are you really still mad. We obviously did not mean to hurt you so much, you just made us mad" Harry asked, a hint of regret in his voice. She would have taken pity on him and maybe even forgiven him if she didn't know he was regretting his actions for the wrong reasons. He didn't care about her wellbeing, just her cold demeanour and reluctance to help them willingly. Both boys knowing she was only still helping them grudgingly.
"Yes I am still mad Harry James Potter. You attacked me while I was defenceless because I would not agree to a hare-brained scheme that would only have gotten us into trouble and not once have either of you apologised" she hissed. Filling her cup with pumpkin juice from the jug at the farthest end of the table from her. Summoning it to her hand. She had taken to being cautious about what she did and did not consume from the table around her. Always taking her drink from a different spot every day because her and Fleur both did not put it past the headmaster or the dunderheads not to lace her drink with veritiserum or some sort of loyalty potions.
She did not want to fall under yet another of their manipulations thank you very much. Though how no one had taken not of what she did each meal time she did not know. For being constantly watched, they weren't al that observant of her.
Ron huffed angrily, while Harry looked away and Hermione had to stifle the urge to hex them both. Her magic beginning to swirl in discontent at their blatant refusal to apologise for their actions.
"So what's your plans for the holidays then?" She asked them, opting to change topic and see if she could get some last minute useful information to feed back to her mama.
"Dunno, mum said we would possibly go visit Charlie in Romania during the summer" Ron replied for once speaking without a mouthful of food.
"Yeah but part from that I suppose just helping mum, trying to find out what we can do to help the order. Not that mum is all that keen for us to be involved mind you" Ginny added, reaching for more food.
"I'm at the Dursley's I suppose" Harry mumbled, looking displeased as he glared down at his food. No doubt thinking of his aunt and uncle. His aunt was Lilly Potters sister. The woman probably despised having to take care of Harry every holiday as much as Hermione had come to hate having to take care of the boy during term time. Though she supposed she felt for him slightly. He had knee admitted that before Hogwarts, Vernon and Petunia Dursley had been quote cruel to him, and only now tolerated him out of fear. Narrow minded and superstitious as they were.
"Actually Mr Potter, it has been arranged for you to spend the summer with the Weasley's at Grimmauld. I do believe Molly is eager to spend more time with you" Hermione's felt all the little hairs at the back of her neck stand on edge at the sound of their headmasters voice.
Somehow the man had managed to leave the heads table without her notice, appearing behind her silently.
She clenched her hands under the table when the man's hand landed on her shoulder. Gripping it a little painfully, it wasn't tight enough to be an obviously deliberate action intended to hurt her. But Hermione had no doubt Dumbledore knew he would be hurting her. She fought the urge to react. Forcing herself to remain as apparently unbothered by his proximity as all the other students. Despite her skin feeling like it was crawling and her magic spiking in anger even as Harry, Ron and Ginny beamed at him happily. Harry's earlier strop completely forgotten at the news.
"Miss Granger, a word before you all head to the train if you please" he requested but by the way his hand tightened and didn't move she knew it was a request she had no choice in, but to comply. So she nodded, moving to stand and follow the awful man. Leaving behind her 'friends' as they laughed and celebrated their fortunate news.
Dumbledore lead her to the back of the hall, guiding her through the teachers entrance and stopping her in the corridor. A false look of concern etched on his face as he brought her to a stop and faced her.
"What is it Professor?" She asked politely, having used the walk as time to reinforce her mental shields and paint on her mask a little better. As far as Dumbledore was aware, she was still in the dark about what he had done to her and her family. She had no reason to hate him and therefore had to act as she always had with him and every other professor.
Polite, eager to learn, respectful. The dutiful little muggleborn girl that was enthralled by the world around her.
"It's nothing to worry about dear girl I just wanted to check in with you before you left for the holidays. I know the news about your unfortunate parentage must have come as a shock to you, as it did I" he murmured, his disdain at the reference to Bellatrix not so concealed as he'd like to think it was. Now that she was aware of his manipulations, he wasn't as good a liar as he thought he was.
"Erm.. I.. I think I'm doing okay. I try not to think about it Professor. They may be my biological parents but The Granger's are my Mum and Dad" she lied convincingly, hating herself for the disrespectful way she felt she had to discuss her mum and mama with.
"As they should be, the Granger's have raised you to be a lovely young woman. I pray you never forget it. Though I am grateful you are doing alright. I know it must be difficult with Mr Weasley and Mr Potter, not all are able to understand like you Miss Granger." He replied, patting her shoulder in faux sympathy, making her skin crawl all the more. She really wished he would stop touching her.
She nodded, clasping her hands together in a meek way, feigning her anxiety over the situation.
"I would like to reassure you that despite not being within these walls you will not be without our protection, I have arranged for your home to be warded and Auror Delacour has offered to check in on you and your parents regularly to ensure you are doing alright." He offered in what she supposed he thought was reassurance. As if she would ever be afraid of her real parents.
She took a moment, to him it would look like she was trying to keep a hold on her nervousness. In reality she was desperately trying to tame the madness that grew each second she was near this man, her magic reminding her that this man was the reason she had been raised by muggles and labelled a mudblood.
She smiled in what she hoped was relief. "Thank you professor" she replied, stepping backwards. Dislodging his hand that still hadn't left her shoulder.
"You are very welcome dear girl, we will do all we can to stop Miss Black from getting to you, now off you go. I'm sure Mr Potter and Mr Weasley are waiting for you, I have an appointment with my paperwork" he dismissed her, a humorous chuckle lacing his final words.
With a polite wave she turned away quickly. Hiding the scowl that broke out on her face behind her wild, untameable hair, making her way back through to the great hall where, as predicted, Harry and Ron had already left. The pair of dunderheads not having spared her a second thought now that they didn't need her to complete their school work for them.
She sighed tiredly, glancing up at the charmed roof and drawing in a deep breath, her magic pulsing and coiling as she felt herself teeter on that by now familiar edge.
She squeezed her eyes shut, praying for the strength to face her muggle parents.