L'amour Toujour
C14: Family Reunited
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable characters
The day Hermione, Luna and Draco were to come home, Bellatrix and Pandora were beyond nervous, and as usually happened when she was nervous, Bellatrix translated her nervous energy into movement, while Pandora chose to help Narcissa prepare her traditional homecoming breakfast.
This left Andromeda to try and calm her sister down, which given how similar they were, would be a difficult task to say the least. "Bella, could you at least come and sit down. Your nervous energy is giving my headache a headache."
Bellatrix gave her sister a light glare before sighing and sitting down next to her. "I'm sorry Andi. You know how I get when I'm nervous. I just can stop myself from thinking about everything that is going to happen in a few hours. I am beyond nervous about meeting my baby girls today."
"I can't imagine what you're feeling Bella, but I also know that you have very strong maternal instincts. Trust in your heart that everything will sort itself out, and remember that you and Pandora are not the only ones feeling these nerves. I am sure Hermione and Luna will feel them too." Andromeda said sweetly in an attempt to calm her sister down.
Bellatrix nodded at that as she cuddled into her sister. "I know, but you know how I am with emotions. I worry I might scare them away if I don't show them how much I have missed them."
"I know Bella, and I promise that as long as you let your heart speak, everything will be fine. Your daughters will be just as excited to meet you and Pandora today." Andromeda said softly.
Bellatrix smiled at that. "I'll try Andi, and I suppose that there is a lot of worry for nothing. I know that the moment I lay eyes on my baby girls all of my nerves will be forgotten."
Andromeda smiled at that. "There's the Bellatrix I know and love. Don't let nerves cloud your heart. Today is the first day of the rest of your and Pandora's lives with your daughters right by your sides."
Bellatrix nodded and hugged her sister tightly. "Thank you for everything you've done over the last few weeks Andi. Everything you and Cissa have done for us over the last weeks has helped me heal."
"Bella, you're my sister. I would do everything to make sure you were okay, and I knew that the most important part of your healing would be Pandora, although I will admit that I hadn't expected her to show up when you were brought home by Alecto." Andromeda said softly.
"Honestly I still think that she felt it in our bond when Cissa fed me Fleur's miracle potion, because I don't think I ever felt such a surge of magical energy in my life." Bellatrix said softly.
Andromeda laughed lightly at that. "That makes sense given the fact that you two share such a powerful soul bond."
"That is what I think too, but that is something I would rather not think about right now. That will only interfere with what will happen today." Bellatrix said softly.
Andromeda nodded and smiled. "Speaking of which, I should go and get Dora so we're at Kings Cross on time. It wouldn't do if we kept your daughters and nephew waiting."
Bellatrix smiled and nodded as Andromeda gave her a hug before making her way upstairs to see if her daughter was ready.
Meanwhile Bellatrix figured it was a good time to see how far her sister and lover were with lunch, hoping she would be able to help a bit. She wasn't the biggest star in the kitchen, since unlike her wife she struggled with cooking most basic things, or at least anything that didn't involve meat.
As she walked into the kitchen, she was hit with a bout of nostalgia at the sight she saw. Both Pandora and Narcissa were covered in various streaks of flour while they were rushing through the space in an attempt to get everything ready in time. "I see you two are still quite busy. Is there anything I can do to help?" She asked after taking a moment to observe the two blondes.
They turned in unison and smiled at her. "We're almost done Bella, but we are glad you're here, we were worried that your nerves might have made you resort to old ways of dealing with them." Narcissa said with a kind smile.
"I promise nothing but the carpet was harmed, Cissa. My rages of the past will hopefully remain there. My nervous energy now apparently shows itself in pacing the room." Bellatrix said with a soft smile.
"The rooms of our house thank you dear. Have Andi and Dora already left for Kings Cross?" Narcissa asked with a smile.
Bellatrix nodded and smiled at her. "I think they have, and I think I'm ready to see my girls at long last. My nerves will no longer get the best of me."
Pandora smiled and went to hug her wife, only to be held at arms length. "No hugging until you've cleaned yourself up, love. I would rather not be covered in flour when we meet our daughters."
Pandora smiled and pressed a kiss to her wife's cheek. "Of course love, I forgot how much of a neat freak you sometimes are." She said with a wink.
Bellatrix just smiled and stuck her tongue out at her wife as the blonde apparated away. "Are you sure there isn't anything I can do, Cissa?"
"I'm sure Bella. Everything is under a warming charm and is ready for our family to come home. I do have to ask, how difficult it may be, to wait until we've all had lunch before you and Pandora abscond with your daughters." Narcissa asked softly.
The raven-haired witch nodded and smiled at her. "I promise Cissa, Dora told me of your penchant to cook everyone's favorites when they come home and we wouldn't want to deny our daughters that treat after months of the same food at school. I do however hope you don't mind that we will probably miss lunch today."
"I've taken that into account Bella, I realize it is going to be a very tearful reunion." Narcissa said with a soft smile.
Bellatrix only smiled and cast a quick Scourgify over her sister so she could give the blonde a well deserved hug, while they waited for everyone to return.
…
When Andromeda and Nymphadora appeared back into the living room there was a moment of silence as Bellatrix and Pandora for the first time in fifteen years laid eyes on their daughters, while Hermione and Luna looked back at them with a similar look of shock, barely believing that this was real.
The second the four snapped out of their shock they were in each other's arms, all four of them sobbing loudly as the rest of the family quietly excused themselves.
Bellatrix just couldn't help herself as she took Hermione's face in her hands, seeing so many resemblances between her and the daughter she thought she had lost that it was almost eerie. "My baby girl. How beautiful you've grown up to be."
Hermione smiled a teary smile and pressed herself close to her mother. "I've missed you so much Mama."
Bellatrix smiled through her tears as she pressed a loving kiss to her daughter's forehead. "As we have missed you, my darling Hermione. I'm so happy to finally hold you in my arms again. Panny, look at our baby girls. They're so beautiful."
Pandora smiled at her wife as she pulled Hermione into her arms. "Yes you both are absolutely beautiful. We've missed you both so very much. We want to know everything."
Both Hermione and Luna smiled at their mothers. "We'll tell you everything you want to know Mummy. One thing we have now is time, and we're going to spend every bit of it together." Luna said with a teary smile.
The two women smiled and pulled their daughters close. "That we will. We are never going to leave you alone again and we will do everything in our power to make up for the time we have lost."
The two girls smiled and buried their faces in their mother's dresses as they hugged them with everything they had in them, while Bellatrix and Pandora clutched their daughters to their bodies as if nothing else matter, which to the four of them was more than true.
They stayed like that for almost twenty minutes before Bellatrix and Pandora pulled back and smiled sweetly at them. "We are loathe to let you go already, but I am pretty sure your aunt will come and collect us if we delay breakfast any longer."
The two girls smiled at that. "We wouldn't want that to happen, but can we talk after we've eaten?" Luna asked softly.
"Of course we can sweetie. If you want we can talk all day long, about anything you want." Pandora said sweetly.
Hermione and Luna smiled as they both took their mother's hands and followed them into the dining room, where the rest of the family was patiently waiting for them. "I can honestly say that I have never seen something as beautiful as this long awaited reunion, and I promise that after breakfast, which I think we can all use, you four have all the time in the world to catch up." Narcissa said with a soft smile.
"We know Cissa, and trust me that we're planning on doing exactly that as soon as we've eaten breakfast today. I also hope you'll excuse us if we're late for dinner tonight." Bellatrix said softly.
Narcissa only smiled at her. "Of course Bella, I can't imagine what must be going through you all right now, so I'll for once send Jupi with dinner to wherever it is you are going to talk."
The four witches smiled at that. "Thank you aunt Cissa. That is quite the honor." Luna said dreamily.
Narcissa smiled at the young blonde. "These are once in a lifetime circumstances Luna, so for once I see no issues with it. You four have fifteen years to catch up on and we want to give you all the opportunity to do so."
They smiled as Narcissa removed the warming charms with a flick of her wand. "Two months barely seems enough to start catching up, but it is a start." Pandora said with a soft smile as she gently ran her fingers over Luna's hands.
The young blonde smiled at her mother, seeing much of her own features in her mother's face, but saying nothing right now, afraid that her emotions would get the better of her.
They ate in relative silence, none of them knowing exactly what to say without making things awkward or even more emotional.
For Bellatrix and Pandora it was anything but awkward, since they both felt at peace now that their daughters were there beside them once again.
"So Draco, I see you've grown up to be the spitting image of your mother." Pandora said with a soft smile in order to break the ice a little.
Draco smiled at her. "Yes, something we're both very glad for. I don't think I would be the same person if Lucius would have been an influence in my life."
Narcissa smiled proudly at him. "We're all very glad that you take more after me than after your father, although you may remember that there were times where you were unmistakably his son."
That made Draco blush a little. "That hasn't happened in years. Call it youthful ignorance."
Hermione smiled at that. "I vividly remember a young Draco who was pretentious when he just came to school, and from what I have heard and witnessed that does not come from aunt Narcissa."
"That is easy to explain, 'Mione. Mother asked me to keep up appearances until the time was right to reveal my true self, but of course you pierced through that pretense right away, which given everything we know now is of course no surprise. Blood recognizes blood after all." He said with a kind smile.
Hermione smiled and nodded before sharing a look with her sister and mothers. "That it does, and to this day I believe it is the reason I felt so close to Luna so quickly. Something inside of me recognized her what she was to me."
That made both Bellatrix and Pandora smile as they watched their daughters with great pride, glad that they had found each other so quickly.
…
After lunch the family of four made their way up to the Solarium, which at this time of year would have the most light out of any room in the house, as well as the most beautiful view of the grounds.
Both Bellatrix and Pandora were unsure of how comfortable their daughters would be with their attempts of comforting them, and it was clear to them that Hermione and Luna were also unsure of what would be acceptable.
Ultimately the two young witches decided to take the initiative and cuddled up to their mothers, who on instinct wrapped their arms around them. "You two don't know how long we've waited to have this opportunity again. We have missed so much of your lives." Pandora said softly as she nuzzled Luna's hair.
Luna smiled dreamily and leaned into her mother's comforting touch. "None of that was your fault, and I am sure you will be allowed to take revenge for all the time we've lost."
Both Pandora and Bellatrix smiled at that. "I am sure we will, and when that time comes we will of course support everything you want to do, as we always will. We just want to make sure that this is what you want to do."
"We do Mama. It is what we've wanted ever since we found out the truth. Dumbledore and the Order have a lot to answer for and we want to help in any way we can." Hermione said softly.
The two women smiled at their daughters. "Then we will ensure that you will have that opportunity, my sweets." Bellatrix said softly as she stroked Hermione's hair.
Hermione smiled and cuddled further into her mother. "Thank you Mama. We know that we had little choice in being tossed into this war, but what we can do whatever it takes to ensure that the right side wins and changes are made in our world."
Bellatrix smiled and pressed a kiss to her daughter's head. "That is admirable, my sweets. We are so very, very proud of the women you've grown up to be.."
"Ever since we learned the truth we have tried to become witches that you could be proud of. We might have missed fifteen years with each other, but from now on we will be a family again." Luna said softly.
Pandora smiled at them both. "That we will, and we will never leave you alone again. We've missed you so much."
"We have missed you both too, and we've talked for months about what we would say and do when we would meet you, but nothing had prepared us for the reality of being hugged by you for the first time." Hermione said with a loving smile.
Bellatrix smiled at her eldest. "It was the same for us to be honest. We were beyond nervous about meeting you and you not accepting our bond. In our family a bond between mated couples and their children is unbreakable and very powerful."
"We know, we read a lot about this in our investigations on bonds during Christmas, mostly because we found out a lot from the Prophecy." Hermione said with a soft smile.
Bellatrix smiled at that. "We know all about your mate, sweetie. We've met her a few times already. She is actually the one that ensured my healing went so quickly with that miracle potion of hers. She is quite an enchanting woman."
Hermione blushed a little at that. "I know Mama, she told me all about it, and I'm so happy that you approve of her. I really love her and I don't think I would be the same without her."
Bellatrix smiled sweetly at her. "Why wouldn't we approve little love? Your mother and I share a soul mate bond as well and we understand its pull, which is why your mate and her sister will be staying with us for the summer. We figured you two might appreciate that."
Both Luna and Hermione smiled brightly at that and hugged their mothers tightly. "We certainly do. It's been too long since I've been able to sleep in my mate's arms, no matter how good a cuddler my sister is." Hermione said with a soft smile.
Luna smiled and pressed a quick kiss to her sister's cheek. "The feeling is mutual, 'Mione. I look forward to spending some alone time with Gabrielle."
Pandora and Bellatrix smiled at that. "We are honestly also very interested to meet your mate Luna, and we will give you every opportunity to get to know her." Pandora said with a sweet smile.
"Thank you Mummy. I promise to spend equal time with everyone, because I really want to make up for lost time with you and Mama as well." Luna said softly.
"We know sweetie, and we can only say to follow your heart. It will want to do both too. Having said that however, I hope you understand that we would appreciate it if you would try and refrain from completing your bond already." Bellatrix said softly.
Luna blushed and nodded at her mother. "Yes Mama."
Bellatrix and Pandora smiled at her. "Thank you sweetie. We know the urge will be there, we've been there too after all. It is just that once you complete that bond the separation becomes nigh unbearable at such a young age, and that is something we don't want to put either of you through."
"I understand that Mama, and I also don't want to put her through that. She is coming into this mostly uninformed and the last thing I want to do is overwhelm her with all of this." Luna said with a soft smile.
Bellatrix smiled and pressed a kiss to her daughter's head. "We'll explain everything to her, sweetie. Now, what do you two want to do today? I'm sure you are bursting at the seams to do something not related to school, and honestly we have been cooped up in the Manor for a little too long."
The two girls smiled at that. "Well, the weather is beautiful out and we would love to go swimming with you two."
"Then that is what we will do, my sweets. I'm sure your aunts won't mind us taking over the pool today." Bellatrix said with a smile.
Hermione and Luna smiled at them as they all made their way to their respective bedrooms, where the two young witches took a moment to share their excitement of finally meeting their mothers.
…
Later that evening well after dinner, Bellatrix and Pandora were relaxing in the living room while their daughters were reading quietly next to them. "It's certainly been a very productive day, wouldn't agree love?" Pandora asked softly.
Bellatrix nodded and pulled her close. "It was, it is almost a shame that it is almost over. I'm not ready to part from our darlings just yet."
Both Hermione and looked up at them. "Neither are we to be honest, would it be okay if we slept with you two tonight?" Hermione asked softly.
The two witches shared a look with each other before smiling at their daughters. "Of course that is okay my sweets, as long as you know that our preferences are a bit out there."
"If that is your way of saying that you two prefer to sleep naked, we do too. We've discovered it is very liberating to just feel the sheets and each other." Luna said with a soft smile.
"That is something we also heard. It is very much a mirror to the past. I'm sure you've heard that your aunt Cissa and I were that close too." Bellatrix said with a soft smile.
Both Hermione and Luna smiled at that. "We know, and we've read how normal it is for us to feel this way, which was a bit of a concern when Fleur told me about our mating bond, but when she told me that she felt the truth in our bond, it all made a lot more sense, and Luna and I have definitely become closer because of it." Hermione said softly.
"We expected nothing less. There have been numerous times in the past and even more recently where Narcissa has joined us in bed. It is a given between the eldest and youngest Black and something I too had to come to grips with in the early days of our relationship, but now I would not trade for the world." Pandora said sweetly.
Hermione and Luna nodded at that as they put away their books and cuddled into their mothers. "Fleur told me that she feels exactly the same, which gives me good hopes for our future."
The two women smiled at that. "Trust me that in time you four will find a beautiful center between time spent with your mates and time spent with each other, because you two will feel this pull to each other for the rest of your lives." Bellatrix said with a soft smile.
"We know, and we are still working on the finer points of navigating it, but for now the arrangement we have works very well. We often help each other deal with everything, especially during the times Fleur is not here to help Hermione control her hormones, and she does the same for me." Luna said with a soft smile.
Bellatrix and Pandora smiled at their daughters. "To be honest we expected that. It is very common for sisters in our family to be an emotional anchor, and that goes far beyond ensuring that their emotionally stable." Bellatrix said with a kind smile.
"We've read a lot about the madness of the eldest, but found surprisingly little on it. Could you tell us Mama?" Hermione asked softly.
Bellatrix nodded and pressed a kiss to the top her head. "I will sweetie, but not today, because it is quite a long story with a lot of family history, but I promise to tell you tomorrow. Is that okay?"
Hermione nodded and smiled at her as the two girls yawned, much to the amusement of their mothers. "Tired, my sweets? Shall we go to bed?" Pandora asked softly.
They nodded and followed their mothers up the stairs and to their room. "I'm sure we are going to give your aunt a shock tomorrow, but I think for once it will be rather sweet instead of amusing. I don't think she'll expect us to share a bed at this point." Bellatrix said as she wrapped her arms around Hermione.
Hermione instantly relaxed in her mother's warm embrace, resting her head against the raven-haired witch's chest. "I have a feeling aunt Cissa has the hope that this would happen, since she knows that it means that we're comfortable enough to share these type of things with each other already."
Bellatrix smiled and nodded at that as they quickly undressed and cuddled up under the covers together, with Hermione ending up in Bellatrix's arms and Luna in Pandora's arms while they faced each other. "Is it weird that this feel normal?" Hermione asked softly.
"Not at all sweetling. Because children of soul mates have a closer connection to their parents, it is normal for you to feel like sometimes you want to spend the night with us." Bellatrix said softly as she wrapped her arm around her daughter's waist.
Hermione smiled at that and couldn't help the soft moan as she felt her mother's breasts press into her back. "It seems we still have a lot to learn about bonds and its effects on families."
"A lot of things aren't written, my sweet. Bonds as a whole are very personal and are mostly based on experience between the people involved in the bond. We'll try to explain everything over the course of the summer." Pandora said with a dreamy smile.
Both Hermione and Luna smiled at that. "We can't wait, right 'Mione?"
Hermione nodded and pressed a quick kiss to her sister's cheek. "Indeed we can't. We want to know everything about you two, although I doubt we could become closer than we are at the moment. It feels heavenly."
Luna nodded in agreeance. "I completely agree with that. I never thought it could feel so amazing being able to share a bed with not only my sister, but with our mothers too."
Bellatrix and Pandora smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of their daughter's heads, the four witches falling asleep with soft smiles on their faces as they held each other close.
…
The following morning Hermione and Luna woke up even closer to each other than they had been when they fell asleep, which was not something they minded since they were in each other's arms again. "Good morning Lu. Did you sleep okay?" Hermione asked softly.
Luna nodded and kissed her sister softly. "I don't think I ever had a more peaceful night of sleep in recent years, certainly not before we found each other again. Did you sleep okay?"
Hermione smiled at the blonde. "Yes, yes I did and like you it was one of the most restful nights I can remember having I recent years, since our nights together usually end up sparking very lustful dreams."
Luna smiled and nodded as she was pulled against Pandora. "Good morning my sweets. I see you have inherited my penchant of talking in the early morning."
"Not always Mummy, Hermione is not really a morning person." Luna said teasingly.
"Tattle tale. You also have your moments, I'll have you know." Hermione said as she stuck out her tongue.
Luna giggled as she saw how Bellatrix pulled her sister close and nuzzled her neck. "Is your baby sister teasing you little love?" The raven-haired witch asked sleepily.
"Yes Mama, we usually do in the mornings, especially when we have little else planned for a day and we can be lazy, which is why we love holidays so much, especially since we can now spend our summers together. We never had that opportunity before." Hermione said softly as she cuddled into the raven-haired witch.
Bellatrix smiled at her as she ran her fingers through her daughter's hair. "You and Luna remind me very much of your aunt and I when we were little girls. We used to tease each other like that too. It is normal for sisters to tease one another, and our flaw is very obvious in that we don't do well with early mornings."
Hermione smiled at that. "I'm glad I now know where I got it from then."
Bellatrix smiled at that. "I'm sure there are a lot of things you got from me sweetie, it is only natural given how much you look like me, and I am also sure there are a lot of things Luna shares with Pandora since that resemblance is also uncanny."
"From what I have heard aunt Cissa tell me over the years, I'm a carbon copy of Mummy, right down to the smile apparently." Luna said with a dreamy smile.
Both Bellatrix and Pandora smiled at that. "Your aunt has an excellent point there. It is almost uncanny, but I'm afraid we can't spend all day in bed. Not only will Cissa come to fetch us for breakfast soon, we also have guests that are arriving tomorrow afternoon, and I am sure you are both excited to see your mates."
"Fleur and Gabrielle are coming already?" Luna asked softly.
Pandora nodded and pressed a soft kiss to the blonde's head. "Yes my sweet angel, and your mate knows what it is you two are meant to share. Her sister informed her of this already because she saw no reason to keep such an important thing from her baby sister. You two will have all the time in the world to talk when they get here tomorrow, since I am sure your sister and her mate will abscond to her bedroom the moment they arrive."
That made Hermione blush a little. "You're probably right Mummy, but in my defense I haven't been able to hold her since Christmas."
Pandora smiled sweetly at her eldest. "We know sweetheart, and we do not want to keep you away from her either, all I am saying is that we understand the things you are feeling, right Bella?"
"Yes, yes. I already interrogated her when I learned who she was to Hermione. You don't need to worry about that, little love." The raven-haired witch said with a wink to her daughter.
Hermione smiled at that, content to luxuriate in her mother's arms for a little longer.
This is how Narcissa found them when she came in to check on them. "I had expected a lot of things this morning, but I'll admit that this was not one of them. I trust you all slept well last night?"
The four turned and nodded at the blonde. "Heavenly Cissa. I presume you're here to collect us for breakfast?"
"Indeed I am, I figured you all might need some extra coaxing, so I came a bit early. You have an hour to present yourselves." Narcissa said kindly.
Bellatrix and Pandora both smiled at that. "We'll be ready by then Cissa. Thank you for giving us advanced notice." Pandora said kindly.
The blonde merely smiled as she left them alone, knowing that both Pandora and Luna would be able to coax Bellatrix and Hermione out of bed within the hour.
"How would you usually get your sister out of bed this early, sweetie?" Pandora asked softly.
Luna giggled at that. "It probably is not that different from how you get Mama out of bed, but usually I start with yanking the covers away and if that doesn't work I usually tickle her to get her going, and if for some reason that doesn't work I as a last resort try some sexual teasing to get her to get out of bed."
Pandora smiled at that. "That is very much how I usually get your mother to get out of bed too, although we usually forego the tickling these days."
"Trust me that you won't have to resort to those extremes today love, for either of us. I think for once we will surprise my sister and show that we can be on time. Wouldn't you agree, my sweet?" Bellatrix asked softly as she ran her fingers through Hermione's hair.
Hermione nodded and smiled at her. "Yes Mama. I've noticed aunt Cissa is very stringent about her meal times."
"Always has been sweetie, it's one of the things our mother instilled in us, but she took to those lessons better than your aunt Andi and I did." Bellatrix said with a soft smile as she sat up and stretched.
Hermione and Luna both smiled and kissed both older witches on the cheek before they got out of bed and scampered out of the room so they could get dressed, much to the amusement of their mothers, who spent a few more minutes in bed to process the first night spent with their daughters.