Told you I wouldn't have you waiting long. As the story progresses I will give more flashbacks on some of our Resistance members. While I have the fanfic writing fever I will keep them coming. Read and Review. Enjoy. Oh, there will be a bit of language in the paragraphs below and some sexual references so proceed with caution.
The room was dark and dank, smelling of mold.
"You know I don't like waiting for a fucking Slytherin," Kingsley whispered harshly.
"I know but Blaise has proven himself multiple times." Fleur spoke pulling her hood tighter around her face. She looked around disgusted, "why this place?"
"Because it's somewhere no one would look," Neville remarked.
He sighed, "look if he's not here in the next three minutes I have to assume he's been compromised, and we'll leave change the meeting spot to somewhere else." Neville stated.
Fleur shifted, "he's supposed to be brining someone. Someone that will shift things in our favor."
Kingsley grunted, "who's he bringing this time? A giant, a werewolf? We are taking a huge risk letting him in he knows too much already."
Just then Blaise entered and removed his hood, "yes all of you are taking a huge risk but not as large as the one I am taking. One hint at my disloyalty and my entire family will be slaughtered for treachery. No, Kingsley, I didn't bring a giant or werewolf this time. I brought something even better a former lieutenant."
The young man stepped to the side revealing his guest. Immediately, they all aimed their wands and pointed them at the woman's chest.
She slowly raised her hands in the air, "I mean no harm."
"Why did you bring her here?" Neville hissed, "I wanted to believe in you Blaise." He trained his wand on the slender dark-skinned man.
Blaise rolled his eyes, "hear me out. She wants the Dark Lord gone just as much as you do; she can do what we have been trying to do for the past year."
"Really? I feel that you only want him gone because he didn't choose you. I doubt you would be helping us now if things had turned out differently," Fleur stated.
"Yes, you are right. Had it been me and not your friend I wouldn't be here. But it didn't happen that way. I figure if things had turned out as planned in the beginning none of us would be here and I would have been dead years ago. Fate does her own thing now doesn't she?"
Bellatrix continued to keep her hands in the air. She understood their apprehension but even she was beginning to grow tired of the back and forth.
"Look you either want my help or not but either way I will move forward with my plan I just thought since my actions would help your cause I thought you should know."
She turned to leave.
"Wait, what plan?" Neville asked he lowered his wand slightly.
She faced him once again, "I plan to deliver a blow to the Dark Lord. I plan on killing your dear Hermione."
Kingsley lowered his wand and gulped, "I need to sit down." He found the small chair and sat.
Neville closed his eyes and bit his bottom lip, "wands down."
Fleur looked around at him, "what?"
"You heard him Fleur, Seamus made his presence known, "wands down everyone. Bellatrix you sit here, slowly place your wand on the table and let us know what's on your mind."
They all lowered their wands and Bellatrix slowly took hers out and placed it on the small wooden table. She took the lone seat on the other side.
"It appears the Dark Lord and Lady," she spat out the words, "are throwing a little gathering to welcome their son this Friday. He's due in a few short weeks. I've been invited and I intend to strike then."
Kingsley rubbed his face, "do we want to do this? This is Hermione we are talking about. We are talking about killing one of our own."
Blaise spoke up, "I am told by the way the two of them screw you would think she was his all along. I've seen the way they embrace and how she falls into his arms. The Hermione of old is gone."
"He's right Kingsley, I've witnessed these exchanges and have heard their words of affection for myself." Bellatrix added as she played with the hem of her sleeve.
"The Order is dead Kingsley. This is our new reality. Besides why didn't she take up arms with us? Surely, she knows about us." Seamus said as the stool creaked under his weight.
"Is that all Bellatrix?" the focus was now on her and she shook her head slowly.
Neville stood, "if you get caught, we can't hide you."
She stood as well, "I assure you I won't need shelter. I know I won't come out of this alive, and I am content with that," she looked down, "given all that I have done giving up my life is the least I could do."
Fleur handed Bellatrix's wand to Blaise, "I'll see her home. Neville we have much to talk about." Blaise stated before turning to leave the dark witch on his heels.
Kingsley sealed and warded the area before he sat back down.
"What do we do? It appears Bellatrix is going to strike regardless of whether we are ready or not." Fleur crossed her arms, "I don't want to do this to Hermione. It feels wrong."
"Too late Fleur. It appears she has chosen," Neville leaned forward his heart just as heavy as the others, "we have to use the actions of a woman scorned to lay the groundwork for our next move."
"What if she doesn't succeed?" Seamus stood gesturing toward the door, "do we really want a lovesick woman delivering the blow we need to gain the upper hand? This is about the cause we are trying to depose a tyrant. She's too close it's too personal for her. Her emotions are clouding her decisions."
"It's personal for all of us; always has been," a voice cut in from the back of the room; slowly the figure came out of the shadows the hood of the cloak falling revealing red hair.
Ron approached the group, Kingsley acknowledged his presence with a small nod. Neville began to speak, "well, this is the second surprise our ace if you will. Our good friend came to me about a week ago."
"It's good to have you Ron," Fleur spoke softly.
"It's good to be back." Ron stated.
"If that bitch is going to help, regardless of her reasons, we should use her. You should meet with her again Neville this time alone." Ron stated leaning against the wall his arms folded.
"Ron, how? The last I heard you were given to Bellatrix, I thought she had killed you long ago." Fleur looked up at him tears rimming her eyes.
"No, I thought the same thing. Instead, she mostly forgot about me, I think. The Dark Lord and Hermione occupied most of her time. She released me about a week ago. No explanation just like that in the dead of night she apparated me to a forest outside of London. She stuffed a bag of galleons in my hand and apparated. I believe she is sincere," Ron continued moving from the wall to stand in front of the table.
"Unfortunately, Hermione is now collateral damage. We won't make the same mistakes the Order did. Either you or with us or against us. The time for neutrality is over," Ron sighed, "so what's the plan for taking this son of a bitch down once and for all?"
Neville nodded and stood opening the small bag at his hip, pulling out pieces of parchment. He tapped them with his wand, and they enlarged.
"One question, does Ginny know about this? Does she know I'm alive?" Ron asked looking around the group.
"No, we have left Ginny out of the details. I don't know how much you know or if you've been fully brought up to speed, but your sister is married to Severus and she's in three kids deep, so I don't know…" Seamus trailed off rubbing his hand through his hair.
"Know what?" Fleur leaned forward growing agitated at the implication.
"If she can be trusted. The last time we brought in one of your whorehouse contacts Dean walked into an ambushed and got slaughtered!" Seamus' voice began to rise.
"Enough! All of you," Kingsley rose quickly trying to get a handle on things. "Arguing amongst ourselves is not going to help us. Seamus, I am sorry, but Dean knew the risk. Ginevra for the time being will be left out of any plans or details regarding Hermione. She's too close. Sorry Ron." The older wizard sat; his shoulders slumped forward. Age and being on the losing side of the war were beginning to weigh on him. He questioned whether he had the stamina to continue on. They had lost so much.
Ron nodded, "I understand. Ginny is out of the equation."
He leveled his gaze toward Neville, "continue."
Lucius had turned the envelope over in his hand several times since the large owl arrived. He could tell from the even, fluid script that it been handwritten by none other than Hermione herself. The man had been hesitant in opening the letter afraid of its contents.
He downed the whiskey and tore at the seal pulling the neatly folded piece of parchment out.
Lucius,
I do not know where to begin and as you are a man that thrives on frankness, I will be blunt. What happened between us doing my stay in your home cannot happen again. It should have not happened the first time and I do apologize for any misleadings on my part. Given, at the time, the state of my marriage I was vulnerable and having overheard the conversation between you and Narcissa I will go out on a limb and say that you were too.
My husband and I have come to an understanding and I have placed any transgressions on the part of my husband and your wife behind me. I implore you to do the same with Narcissa. I ask that you forget about me and the ill-conceived notion of an 'us.' You and I both know it could never be. I have chosen my husband and our children and most importantly I have chosen my marriage.
Enclosed with this letter is an invitation to our upcoming celebration; I hope you will attend. I look forward to seeing you this Friday evening and I look forward to your continued friendship.
Sincerely,
Hermione
The Malfoy patriarch's heart fell.
He wanted to scream, he wanted to storm to the castle and demand she tell him what this nonsense was about. He decided against taking any action and instead sat at his desk. He placed the letter and the invitation on it.
"Silly girl," he whispered to himself.
He was in too deep. He was in love with the young woman. Lucius assumed her to be misguided and he would set her on the proper path. The wizard was determined, he would fight for her no matter the costs.
Bellatrix held the invitation as she down another glass of wine. She was still trying to wrap her head around tonight. She had met with the enemy and from the small note that was sent to her the Neville boy wanted to meet again this time alone.
She was unsure of agreeing to another meeting. Her mind was made up she had decided if she was going to inflict some damage why not cause havoc all the way around and let the other side in on the fun. She chuckled as she brought the glass up to her lips.
Placing the wine glass on the table she grabbed her wand and sat the invite on fire. She reached for her quill and wrote a quick response on the back of the bit of parchment, where, when? She folded and tied it to the owl's leg. Without so much as a sound the small owl took flight.
Ron had tossed in the large bed; he was too comfortable and that bothered him. His captor's increasing kindness agitated him and for two weeks he couldn't sleep thinking this another one of the woman's mind games she was notorious for playing with her intended kills.
He bolted upright when he heard the lock to the door turn. She entered and he could tell she had been drinking by the way she wobbled. Wandlessly, she ignited the candles and sat at the desk.
She sat staring at him her eyes red and swollen, lipstick smeared.
"You know she's been alive this whole time? Hermione. All these years she's been doing just fine."
Ron looked puzzled before moving to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Where is she? Who has her? Is she okay?"
"She's more than okay. She's doing very well motherhood looks good on her." Bellatrix brought the bottle up to her lips.
"Motherhood?" Ron asked confused.
"Oh yes my dear boy, the dark lord's baby. Those two make quite the pair I'd say. She looks so happy now."
He watched as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Lies, you're here to torture me. Hermione would never willing be with that monster."
She threw the handful of newspaper articles at him. He recoiled slightly.
"See for yourself."
He moved and grabbed them; the red head began to look through them and saw an ever-increasingly happy Hermione. His heart clenched when he came upon the latest clipping of the two. From her eyes he could tell she was no longer faking but seemed rather thrilled. Her smile was large, and her eyes twinkled. His heart clenched, and he let the paper fall from his hands.
Bellatrix chuckled, "that's the same reaction I had." She took another swig.
"Why'd you show me that?" Ron appeared angry and his eyes watered.
She sighed, "my dear boy, I wanted you to know what you were crying over, the reason you kept beating against my walls all night screaming and shouting. I wanted you to see what you have been carrying on over all these years. You needed to see what your dear Harry Potter died for. She forgot about you Ron. She forgot about Harry too."
He shook his head, "there has to be an explanation for all of this. He's forcing her; I know it."
"So stupid, so young and so, so stupid," she whispered and laughed, "you can't fake what I have seen. The way the two of them embrace, the way they fuck. How, I've been told, she screams out his name. A housekeeper walked in on the once, the way she was riding him would have made a Knockturn Alley whore blush. Who would have thought the little virginal Gryffindor princess was capable of such?" she teased leaning back in the chair.
They sat in silence for a moment before she spoke again.
"I witnessed how he looked at her at once, when I was her guard at Malfoy Manor. The way her eyes lit up and their daughter, oh they have a little girl Michela, she's so cute I hate to admit. You know he used to look at me that way, but he walked past me as if I was not even there; like all those nights we spent together meant nothing."
Tears rolled down her cheeks; she roughly wiped them away with the back of her sleeve.
She sighed closing her eyes. Ron took time to study her; her features and the young man could see that she, despite the years in Azkaban, was a strikingly beautiful woman.
"Why are you being so kind to me?" Ron asked breaking the silence.
She opened her eyes and regarded him before looking away.
"Maybe I'm tired of being mean. I used to," she began to tear up, "I used to want to be a mother. I wanted a family then the Dark Lord," she began to sob and slide to her knees the bottle falling with a loud thud on the floor.
Ron rushed to her and caught some of weight before her knees made full contact with the floor.
"The Dark Lord lied to me. He made promises to me. He…" she trailed off and looked him in the eye. "Have you ever lied to Hermione? Made her promises?"
"No. I truly loved her I wouldn't lie to her."
Bellatrix searched his face and could tell the young wizard was sincere.
"I don't want to live without him." She gently brushed her thumb across his bottom lip.
"I don't want to live without her." Ron responded in a whisper.
He cupped her face bringing his eyes to rest upon her full lips.
He could sense her need, he needed it as well. His world, his hope had been crushed and he slowly brought his lips to hers tasting the salinity of her tears.
He had reached between them and cupped her full breast as he pulled her closer by snaking his free arm around her slender waist.
Ron couldn't recall how they got from the floor to the bed, but he vividly remembered her soft and firm body atop of his and the way she arched with abandon into him. He had run his hands through her hair he had never touched anything as silky as her strands in his life.
Ron thought on the memory as Neville continued long into the early morning. He half listened the chatter around the fire reminded him too much of time he, Hermione and Harry spent going over strategy always running into one dead end after another. Overcoming challenges no sixteen year olds should have to face. All for what? For them to ultimately lose everything in the end.
In the weeks before, his body had come to crave her and thoughts of a life with her had crossed his mind. In his naivety, he spoke of such a notion, a life together, and she had sadly shook her head before grabbing her clothes from the floor and leaving him alone.
Truth was Ron had lied to his old friends, she didn't apparate him to a forest he had simply left. He had come to want all of her or nothing. When she refused, he left her alone to wallow in her misery. However short their time together and despite their history, he had grown to love her.
Ron loved her too much to watch her self-destruct.