Chapter 9: Awake

Day nine at Hermione Granger new residence started as all previous days did. She woke up just before the sunrise, as she usually did. She completed her morning routine as quickly and efficiently as she usually did. She stopped at the kitchens to grab breakfast and snacks, as she usually did. She walked to the Sunrise sunroom to have breakfast and depart before the elves brought Bellatrix there, as became her custom over the last few days.

That is when the day stopped being similar to all previous ones.

The black-clad figure was hard to miss.

Hermione must have made some noise.

Bellatrix turned to face her.

'Mudblood.'

There was no inflection to the voice, just a statement of fact. The thin hand reached for the wand that was not there, and stopped.

Hermione's wand was out and trained on the witch.

'You are in our summer house…' another statement with no inflection in the voice, no change in the face. 'You are a mudblood and you are on Black's property.'

Hermione just blinked at the witch, focusing on keeping her wand steady and running though the spell sequence she'd cast if the witch moved wrong.

'I am at the Grotto House.' the witch stated another fact.

Hermione nodded tentatively, apprehensive of the odd behavior, and fairly confused as to why the witch was not hurling at least some more slurs her way.

'You should not be here.' Bellatrix met her eyes fully for a moment, then cocked her head and stared to the side. 'I should not be here.'

Hermione wondered whether here meant the property or at all. Was the witch remembering her near death experience?..

'THAT BITCH!' Hermione jumped and grabbed her wand harder. She cringed as her startled silent Stupefy flew by Bellatrix's side, just barely. The dark witch didn't even acknowledge the burst of magic. Black eyes stared at some point behind Hermione. 'Molly bloody Prewett! She is the one to kill me?'

Hermione took careful slow steps backwards.

'ISN'T SHE?!' now dark eyes trained on her.

Hermione gulped. The look in those eyes was disturbing, more disturbing than the crazed rage she vividly remembered from her time in Malfoy Manor. The black eyes looking at her now were flat, as if belonging to the unconscious witch, rather than the screaming one.

'I'll get your sister.' She squeaked and flew from the sunroom. 'Don't go anywhere.' she whispered mostly for her own benefit.

Narcissa came through the floo several minutes later. The longest few minutes in Hermione's life. The blond looked as elegant as ever stepping out of the tiny fireplace clearly having no trouble making the stubborn thing work.

'Where is she? Did she say anything?'

'She is angry Molly Weasley killed her.'

Blond witch raised an eyebrow at that but didn't ask anything else.

'I didn't get you in a bad time, did I? I know you said emergencies only… And this felt like an emergency.' Narcissa shot Hermione another raised brow look, but let the younger witch to finish her rambling. 'Were the aurors there again? I'm sorry if I got you in trouble. I didn't want them to know you can connect to the House. You don't want them to know, right? The house is unplottable, isn't it?'

They were near the sunroom when the blond finally spoke.

'Miss Granger, breathe, please. This is definitely a good reason for a contact. I planned to reach out in a few days. I was terribly unfair of me to just leave Bella on you. The house is not unplottable but the protective measures make it close to that. We'll discuss the modes of communication. Later.'

They stepped into the sunroom.

Bellatrix was still there, sitting in the armchair near one of the large windows.

Hermione stopped at the doorway as she did before, while Narcissa approached.

'Bella?'

Dark eyes glanced at her and then turned back to stare outside.

'Cissy.'

Hermione stood awkwardly near the entrance, not sure if Narcissa needed or wanted her there, but was reluctant to leave the two without supervision. Neither sister paid her any attention.

Narcissa sat at the corner of the same armchair and Bellatrix moved silently to make her more room.

'How do you feel, Bella?'

'Fine. My Lord is dead.'

'He is.'

'Am I dead?'

'Would we be speaking if you were dead, Bella?'

'No?'

'No.'

The dark witch made a faint noise of anger or amusement.

'So the bitch failed, huh?'

'She did.'

'I won't.'

Hermione's blood ran cold. The statement was uttered in exactly the same manner others would say they'd buy a book, or go for a walk.

Her eyes flew open when she saw Narcissa pull sharply at a lock of dark curls. Hard.

'You will do no such thing, Bella! You have a chance at a life, you will take advantage of it, or I will kill you myself!'

Bellatrix just hummed neutrally.

They sat quietly for a while with the younger sister softly rubbing the thin back of the older one.

'Narcissa, will you stop. I am not a child.'

'I am sorry. Is my hand too cold?'

'It is fine.'

'So it is not cold?'

'It is fine, Cissy. Room temperature.'

'Room temperature?'

Room temperature?

'Yes, room temperature.'

'Do you like the color of the flower pot?'

Hermione frowned at the blond witch's back and stared at the bright yellow pots. Was this really the time to critique her interior design choices? She thought her modifications to the unnecessary formal and monochrome room were cheerful.

'It is brown, what is there to like or dislike?'

What?

'And the curtains, I had them replaced.'

Hermione looked at the light window coverings, her other update to the sunroom.

'It is fine, looks the same, you know I don't care about such stuff.' Bellatrix's tone never changed but somehow Hermione suspected the witch was bored with this discussion.

'But the fireplace, do you like-'

'Narcissa, I love the black shine of the mantle. It goes wonderfully with the traditional wrought iron of the shutters and mother's portrait above it. What is with the inane questions?'

Hermione blinked at the said fireplace. She didn't change anything about it, but the marble was gray not black, though the shutters were indeed of the decorative black wrought iron. The portrait's inhabitants were currently hiding behind the pieces of furniture, but when they were not, the portrait held two dark haired girls, a blond toddler and a puppy.

'Just making a conversation.'

'Can you make conversation without molesting me? I am not numb if that's what you are checking for.'

The blond sighed, said nothing, but clasped both hands in front of her.

The two sat quietly for a time, and Hermione decided to just leave them to it, when conversation started again.

'Potter's mudblood is in our summer house.'

'You noticed.'

The dark witch hummed.

'Why is there a mudbood in this house, Narcissa? What did you do?'

'Miss Granger is doing you a huge favor, Bella. Keeping-you-away-from-aurors type of favor.' The blond's voice was frosty, reprimanding. 'I suggest you find a different name for her. Miss Granger or Hermione are good options.'

'Mud-blood is already a good option, little sister.'

Blond witch turned toward Hermione who was frozen in her spot.

'Miss Granger, you are welcome to stay, though I feel it is better if I explain the situation to Bellatrix in private. I promise to find you afterwards before departing.'

Hermione nodded and left.

End of Chapter 9