Hermione wakes up in a strange location, surrounded by the scent of her Alpha. Bellatrix has tea with her sister.

Note:

I'm back! It's been a whole lot longer than ever planned and I am so grateful to all of you who have stuck around. Things have been a whirlwind for me and as a result my writing had to be left on the back burner. However my wife, who truly is my biggest champion has got me some new tech for Christmas and her one ask was that I used it to get back to writing and doing what I love.

I hope you all have had a wonderful festive period no matter where you are. My love always - XOXO

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April 12th 1988 - Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England ~

For one who had suffered so egregiously, Hermione was not afforded the slow crawl to consciousness that one would expect. Especially from someone who had experienced months of starvation, dehydration and sleep deprivation.

There was no moment of blissful ignorance, no hazy mind in which she could enjoy the soft silk sheets wrapped around her, nor the warmth of the fire that burned not two feet away.

Instead, her mind - conditioned, after months of her very survival depending on staying alert, snapped back to the land of the living with a quickness that left her dizzy.

Pain flaring in her abdomen just as quickly, causing the brunette to groan quietly as she forced aching bones to cooperate, sitting herself upright to take in her surroundings.

Brown orbs snapped open and recoiled at the sight of the dark oak above her head. The scent of her surrounding her like a blanket. Whether that blanket was meant to suffocate or warm she still had not quite decided. Three of the four walls were painted a dark green while the wall that the bed was against stood black as the night sky.

If it wasn't obvious already from the scent of a certain alpha that permeated the air and filled her lungs, forcing her to feel a calmness seep unwillingly into her tense form, then Hermione would have had no qualms with identifying the room's owner just from its decoration alone.

All the furniture, upon inspection, was a dark oak. From the large desk and bookshelves to the four poster bed. It spoke of privilege and wealth without being arrogant or an eye sore. It screamed Bellatrix to any who had experienced the displeasure of being near the dark witch. The desk stood to her left against the far wall, sitting directly under a large sash window. Heavy Black curtains half closed. The light from the moon shining brightly through the gap. It cast a pale glow across the room, adding to the low light flickering from the fireplace that stood on the wall opposite her, sitting central. There was a large green and silver sofa that sat off to one side of the fireplace.

To the left of the fireplace stood two doors, both slightly ajar. From what she could see, one was a dressing room, the other a bathroom. The door to enter and exit the room she assumed was the one to the right of the fireplace. Located furthest away from where she sat.

Though perhaps what drew her attention most was the large bookshelves that lined the entirety of the wall on her right. Her mouth hung agape slightly as her eyes feasted on such a wealth of knowledge in one place. Would it be rude of her to help herself to some light reading? Regardless of the circumstances she found herself to be in, it was tempting and she knew that the only thing that stopped her was the knowledge that she was in enemy territory and her boys weren't here. Weren't next to her, safe like they should be.

If it weren't for the damned scent of her Alpha she was almost certain not knowing where her boys were, would have sent her straight into a fit of sheer terror. As it was, surrounded by Bellatrix and still severely exhausted, all she could manage was unease. A sense of anxiety that bubbled slowly deep within her veins. Ever present in its insistence.

The brunette sighed tiredly, willing herself to snap out of the forced calm as she stood from the bed and moved to the centre of the room in an attempt to get her bearings a little. Her muscles screamed at her, an agony that told her she had been still for too long as she stumbled forward. She hated feeling so powerless over her own body. Yet her mind still swam with a thousand different thoughts and questions. Continuously jumping from one thought to another but never fully forming, the scent of her alpha not allowing for her to focus on any one thing for more than a brief moment. It was the only reason she hadn't flown straight back into battle mode, attempting to beat down the door she was sure was locked, to get to Harry.

Merlin, anything could be happening to him! She had no way of checking on him. No way of reaching him and yet here she stood. Rather docile looking in the warmth of the enemies bedroom, idly wondering about the books she could read.

She shook her head, dispelling the urge to indulge herself. Sure she didn't know when she would next get the opportunity to truly relax but calm and exhausted or not, she still had to do something! Anything! To find and help her boys. It wasn't in her nature to give up on anything. Let alone fail at a task and she took her task of protecting Harry rather seriously. She always had, from the moment they had been drawn together as two eleven year olds floundering to grasp a world they had never dreamed to be true.

She glanced around again, studying the surfaces she could see, hoping rather foolishly to see her wand nearby. The omega within her rolled her eyes at her childish display of hopeful naivety. Of course her wand had been taken from her. Why would they leave her in possession of something she could use as a weapon? She knew they were not foolish enough to believe that she posed no threat.

Though her exploration of the room brought the startling realisation that her legs were bare as a draft breezed over her shins and toes as she moved. She forced herself to take a breath. Slowly taking in the condition of her own body. She couldn't fathom why she was no longer in her own clothes. The white nightdress that hung from her malnourished form was not something she would ever have worn or owned for that matter. It disturbed her to think of anyone changing her, forcing a deep blush to darken her pale features. She made for the bathroom. Forcing unsteady legs to bear her weight. The lights overhead came on when she entered the elegant bathroom, highlighting an elegant, spacious room. One that was quite beautiful and she was sure at any other time she would more than likely have felt special to be inhabiting such a lavish space. The large white tub with gold bear claw footing. A large walk in shower. A sink that was surrounded by gold edging and a large mirror bigger than any she had ever owned. Yet the wealth of the room only forced her to see how dire her situation was. It made her wonder and worry for her boys. What was the room they were in like? Were they surrounded by the same open display of wealth? Were they ever here? Alive?

Her heart clenched painfully at that thought and she shook her head furiously, desperately refusing to entertain such a thought. A world where she had to live without Harry was a world she wanted no part in.

The brunette moved forward. Shutting the bathroom door behind her and locking it before making her way to the mirror. Sleep filled eyes taking in her form for the first time in months. Her features had changed, her face much slimmer than it had ever been, making her look older. Dark lines under her eyes spoke of her exhaustion and her overall weariness. Her hair was wild. Brunette curls sticking out at odd angles. Poofed out in a way it hadn't been since third year when she had taught herself the charms that had finally brought her bushy mass of ringlets under control. Her bone structure was more defined. As was her obvious muscle tone despite her malnourished state. A testament to just how far she had pushed her body in her bid to keep her boys and herself alive.

A glance at the nightdress she wore forced the brunette out of her self observation. Resolve seeping into her now that she could finally take in air without it being saturated in the scent of her Alpha. She had to do something, sitting around and waiting for her captors to make a mistake was not the best option. Every minute she sat idle was another minute her boys could be hurt. She nodded at herself, catching sight of determined eyes shining back at her. She flung her hand out, reaching for her magic to call forth a summoning charm. One she knew to be strong as she had once summoned her wand from the Dungeons when she had left it in Gryffindor tower one morning in her haste to get to class.

Yet, nothing happened.

She felt her magic surge like it always did, rushing through her skin with a familiar warmth. But it stopped before she could release it. As if meeting a physical barrier that prevented her from using it. No matter how hard she willed it to do as she asked. She tried again, and again, becoming more and more desperate as each second ticked by and there was no change.

It was then she spotted the two identical leather cuffs that were bound around her wrists. How she hadn't noticed them before when she was literally looking at herself in a mirror, she couldn't say but now that she had, she felt her temper flare. Her mind flew from focused to hysterical in seconds. She grasped the cuff on her right arm tight, pulling with all her strength in an attempt to get it off. She had little doubt that they were what was stopping her wandless magic. It had to be! There simply was no other explanation.

No matter how hard she tugged at them, they wouldn't budge. The leather biting into her wrists the more she pulled at them. She cursed. Her breathing becoming more and more erratic as she fought to free herself, free her magic.

She was powerless without it.

Defenceless.

Useless.

"No." she whispered, choking back a sob. Shaking her head in denial.

Merlin she couldn't be! She couldn't protect her boys if she didn't have her magic. Wouldn't be able to escape this awful place. She needed them off!! Hermione panted, her chest heaving in panic as her terror rose to new heights. Being kept from her magic felt like a whole part of her had been stolen, it made her feel vulnerable. Small. Weak.

"No, no!" She repeated. Her voice rising slightly. Cracked and shaky from disuse and emotion.

Small. Weak. They were things she had taught herself not to be. All things that would get her killed. In her panic she didn't realise she was crying. Too focused on removing those blasted cuffs to notice the tears that were streaming down her cheeks or the way she was steadily losing breath. It wasn't until her vision began to spot and the room started spinning that she realised something was wrong.

She spun wildly, pulling and scratching at the cuffs on her wrists. Oblivious to the way her nails caught skin instead of leather. Leaving angry red welts in their wake. The newly presented Omega grasped for the bathroom door handle. Forgetting she had locked it in her haste to escape.

No. No. No!" She cried out, feeling as if the walls grew closer the more she tried to flee. Her vision, dimming. She had to get out!

Needed to get out!

She needed her boys. She needed Harry. She needed to protect him! Merlin, couldn't they see she needed to save him, save them!! Her knees gave way. Sending her body plummeting towards the marble floor beneath her. Her arms flailing, grasping at air as she tried to keep herself upright, fruitlessly trying to get the damn door to cooperate.

Why couldn't she get out!? Her mind spun. Logic and reason escaping her grasp in the midst of her horror.

She pressed her head against the oak door, arms weakly thumping on the wood as if she hoped to simply knock it down. She just needed to get out…

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~ Bellatrix's POV ~

The dark witch smiled tiredly at her sister as she moved to stand from the sofa she had been sat upon. She hadn't seen much sleep in the past 12 days as her mate fought the consequences of her tet-a-tet with near death. She had suffered greatly in the past several days, her body weak and barely hanging on had struggled to heal. The Omega had had several seizures in the beginning. Though the past several days she had seemed more peaceful and Cissa had said upon her last inspection that Hermione's vital signs had improved significantly. No longer appearing to be so worryingly close to death.

That didn't mean the Dark witch had been able to obtain any sleep though, spending every opportunity she had by her Omegas bedside, watching intently for any signs of change, improvement or otherwise, in her mate's condition. Her lord thankfully had been sympathetic to her plight and given Bellatrix an extended vacation. Something that mere weeks ago would have irked her, now gave her great relief.

It meant more time with her family and more time with her mate, helping her heal. With time also helping the young witch come to terms with the new reality around her. An essential task if they hoped to put this blasted war to rest any time soon.

He was taking time to do the same with the boy. His Omega mate. He had left his instructions for his death eaters and warned them to carry them out to the letter.

He had also made it clear that Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley were no longer any threat and were to be left alone. No harm was to come to any of them.

It made the Alpha in her relax just a little, knowing that the manhunt for the boy and her witch had been called off. It meant those around were less likely to try anything if they were to cross paths. It was comforting to the Alpha to know her omega carried the Dark Lord's protection. Merlin help anyone who disobeyed or strayed too close to Bellatrix's mate.

"Do you think she will be upset with you when she comes to Bella?" Cissa asked as she reached over to pour more tea in her cup. The pale blue china tea set had been a gift to her youngest sister from their mother upon her wedding day. Bellatrix thought the thing was as vile to look at as her sister's husband. She longed for the day her dear Cissa disposed of them both. Not that Narcissa had even hinted at doing such a thing.

Bellatrix took a minute to think on her sister's question, making sure to think on her words before she spoke them. Her mate was bound to be upset, wouldn't she? Torn from the boys she was desperately clinging to, the boys her Omega almost killed herself over trying to protect from an enemy she did not yet know was no longer a threat? She had depleted her magic reserves significantly, any longer holding the charms she had held on them and her mate would have died.

She would be upset waking in a strange surrounding, though the dark witch hoped being surrounded by her Alpha's scent would ease some of that upset for her Omega. But still Bella knew the circumstances they found themselves in weren't exactly ideal for anyone. Let alone a newly presented Omega girl who had been on the run for months, fighting for her life in a cause she believed to be a matter of life and death.

Her magic being bound though was sure to be something that truly distressed her mate. One wasn't whole without their magic, no matter how temporary it was. But they had no choice but to bind her mate's magic - just long enough for her mates' magical reserves to rebuild. She could be unbound as soon as Cissa gave the green light that any magic usage would not threaten to send the girl straight back in her healing. But her mate didn't know that, did she? She was bound to think it was some ploy from Bellatrix, some way of leaving the girl vulnerable to the Dark Lord. Her mate did not know any of what had transpired in the minutes after the elf had compelled her to sleep.

The dark witch shuddered to think of the distrust and vitriol she was sure would be aimed at her from her mate in the days to come. But then again Albus had surely done a number on twisting the truth, warping the reality of their war into something so far removed from the truth that she didn't know what her mate had been brainwashed into believing.

The last they had paid the supposed lights propaganda any time there had been talk of the Dark Lord killing mudbloods simply for being mudbloods. Which anyone who knew the truth knew was certainly not the truth of the matter.

A light clearing of a throat nearby brought the Alpha out of her thoughts and Bellatrix offered Narcissa a sheepish smile, tucking a lock of wild curls behind her ear, embarrassed to have let her mind wander so long while her sister waited patiently for a response.

"She will, I suppose, be upset, I mean, though I reckon it is to be expected considering the situation we find ourselves in." Bellatrix replied, worry dancing behind dark brown orbs. Bella saw the same worry reflected in her sister's eyes. Worry over Hermione, a girl Cissa had almost instantly cared for, who had been thrust into a war she had very little understanding of. Only to be captured by the enemy, present with a dynamic and find her mate who appeared to be an enemy, all at once. It would be a wonder if the girl ever trusted them.

Narcissa smiled back sadly, words of comfort were not needed as Bellatrix could understand the words Cissa had left unspoken, she knew the blonde held hope, she too secretly clung to that same hope, praying that her little mate would somehow come round. The dark witch was terrified she wouldnt and if and when she did, how much heartache her mate would have to experience before she got there?

"We will face it together, Bella." Narcissa said simply, handing the dark witch a fresh cup of tea. Bellatrix wasn't at all sure when Narcissa had moved nor poured the cup but she nodded offering her sister a wary smile and following her back to the sofa they had been sharing.

Praying to Merlin that her mate would give her a chance.