Chapter 128 - part 4

Chapter 5: VNotes:a kind reader pointed out an inconsistency in this chapter with Hermione's wand, so I added two sentences to fix that, but nothing else changed, sorry about that!

Chapter TextHermione let out a loud gasp when her body collided painfully against the cool floor below, but it was nothing compared to the sensation of the warm body completely enveloping her front.

She could focus on nothing else but the woman atop her, or the hot breath hitting her lips, the girl's mouth so close to her own. There was no else around them, no one who could possibly interrupt or stop them and-

Hermione let out a loud gasp, her attention wholly on the pain in her arm as Bellatrix dug that knife into her forearm, over and over and over again. She screamed then, when the older woman forced the knife in particularly deep on one spot, and Hermione could feel the sensation of the knife twisting, curving across her skin as Bellatrix carved out letter after letter.

Mudblood.

It was the most excruciating pain Hermione had ever felt, and hot tears flowed continuously from her closed eyes. No amount of begging, no amount of insisting they were no where near Gringotts could save her. Bellatrix was in a frenzy, dead set on getting every last piece of information Hermione had. And she'd tell her, she'd tell her everything right in that moment, if only to stop the pain. Even for a second. Hermione just needed to breathe, to stop screaming and catch her breath.

Bellatrix would not relent. For each finished letter, each terrified sob Hermione let out, the woman only cackled louder. She was relishing in this torture. What felt like hours later, but Hermione knew it could have only been minutes, Bellatrix stood up, the knife nowhere to be seen as Hermione stared at her blood starting to stain the floor, dripping from each crudely designed cut.

Mudblood.

"I'll ask again, muddy," Bellatrix said in that high pitched, overly babyish tone, crouching down so she could look Hermione directly in the eyes. "How did you get into my vault."

"We... we didn't! We-"

There was no time to prepare herself as, much too quickly than a human had a right to be, Bellatrix had stood, jerked out her wand, and uttered one of the last things Hermione ever wanted to hear directed towards her unprotected body.

"Crucio!"

A scream was just barely silenced when Hermione gasped awake, her hand immediately slamming down against her arm. The scar felt as if it were on fire, the pain immeasurable once more as she sucked in much needed air. Sweat had her hair sticking to her forehead and the back of her neck, as did part of her sleep shirt to her back. She needed water, and fresh air, and to just be away from this dorm room. It looked nothing like Malfoy Manor and yet each time she looked at the night darkened walls, she couldn't help but picture herself pinned to the polished tiles.

She stumbled from her bed, not caring about any noise that might wake up one of the other girls. Her pajamas stuck to her body with each movement, but she couldn't force herself to care enough as she left the dorm room, desperate for some sort of distraction. Part of her mind still screamed at her that she was back in the Manor tortured by the very girl she had sworn to save.

Slytherin common rooms never ceased to leave her in awe of its designs each time she saw it, but she did have to admit there was no better view of the room than now, when the moon was high in the sky and the Black Lake cast an eery glow throughout the spacious area. It made it all the better that the room was empty, not another soul-living or ghost- making an appearance as she walked towards the window.

They had to be as far underground as possible- without using the Chamber of Secrets or Underground Chambers. It was a striking difference to Gryffindor's dormitories and common rooms, situated high in the towers. If she were being honest with herself, she couldn't quite decide which view she enjoyed more. The sprawling view of the castle grounds was the tower was always breathtaking, but there was something... darkly appealing about the depthless and violent water before her.

She wasn't too sure how long she sat on the cushioned bench below the window, staring at nothing in particular. Maybe if she stared long enough something would swim by- a mermaid, perhaps? Hermione wasn't under any inclination to see one of those vicious and cannibalistic creatures, but a few fish would be nice, or even the giant squid.

It wasn't until her heart finally stopped its extreme and without patterned beat did she feel herself start to relax. The nightmare had been unexpected, but her reaction to it justified. She hadn't really had any opportunity to truly process the torture and branding she had received at the hands of Bellatrix. Aside from Harry and Ron making sure she was okay- or as okay as could be expected- there was no time to let it consume her. They had too much to accomplish before Voldemort tried to kill them again. And when she finally did have a moment, even a fraction of a second, to possibly reflect on it, McGonagall had called her into her office and presented her with this horrid task.

She wasn't meant for this kind of job. Harry was the one who did the things, not her. It was her job to come up with the spells needed to get them all out of hairy situations, or enact half thought out plans that would most likely kill them- like hopping on the back of a dragon. That is what she was good at. The planning, the thinking, the assessing. Not... not this, not the action.

Everything was wholly, desperately, terribly, drowning her. And she could do nothing but watch, almost as an out of body experience, as she started to flounder.

The sound of footsteps behind Hermione had her spinning around. With a muffled curse she realized she had been too distracted with the nightmare to remember to grab her wand. Stupid, so bloody stupid-

Without torches lit, the only light came from that of the water, and it left most of the room in shadows, making the intruder invisible. It wasn't until the well known sound of a groan told Hermione it wasn't a stranger breaking into the castle once more, but that did nothing to calm her panic. All that meant was she was potentially going against Bellatrix without a wand.

"Must you be everywhere, rat?" Bellatrix growled, her body still concealed in the darkened corner of the room.

"Must you call me rat?" Hermione snapped. Being near the person who so visibly haunted her memories was the last thing she needed right now, but she refused to show fear in front of Bellatrix by running back to her bed. "How does that even make sense to you?"

She couldn't see it, but Hermione would have bet money in that moment that Bellatrix did that annoying shrug that always worked to piss Hermione off more. "Are you not vermin? Dirt beneath my shoes? I call you rat because that is what you are, rat." There was no sound except Hermione's ragged breathing and Bellatrix's heels clicking against the ground as she moved closer.

Where had she been? What could she have possibly been getting up to in the middle of the night? And how had she not gotten caught sneaking back in? Surely at least one of the ghosts would have seen her, or one of the pictures not yet asleep.

In what seemed like only a few short steps, Bellatrix was much too close to Hermione. With the improved lightly, Hermione was able to see the girl's features completely now. She was dressed more simply than Hermione thought she had ever seen her, just a simple black dress that nearly touched the floor, with long sleeves that ended in a point around her middle fingers. The dress covered up the heels, but Bellatrix was never not in them. She was so... flawless didn't seem to be adequate enough, and-

There was blood on her face.

Only a little bit, just in the corner of her mouth, she could tell it seemed quite swollen. When she looked further down, there was evident red and purple bruising on her wrists and upper arms.

Now that Hermione thought about it, she hadn't seen the other girl since dinner, and even then she had left early, not saying a word to anyone as she stood up and left the Great Hall. Hermione hadn't paid it much attention, but now, this combined with the odd look she had seen Narcissa and Andromeda give one another, told her something was going on. Something that resulted in Bellatrix being bruised and bloody. Someone had done this. The same person who gave her the scars?

"You're bleeding," Hermione said after the silence stretched on for too long. And so she watched, almost entirely transfixed, as Bellatrix's tongue darted out to lick the blood lining her lip.

"I don't see how a blood-traitor needs to concern herself with my life," Bellatrix snapped, but the words were hollow, and sounded exhausted. Everything about the witch screamed bone tired, from the way she was currently holding herself to the way she favored her right side.

Hermione had never been one to question or curse Professor Minerva McGonagall, but a few choice words were definitely going through her head right now. Why did it have to be her who did this? Harry was friendly, maybe they could have bonded over their shared enjoyment in Quidditch. Both were jock enough to have some sort of mutual interests. But she knew Harry wouldn't have been able to get over her murdering Sirius, or Dobby, or her just general terrible personality. Ron definitely wouldn't have given her a single chance for redemption.

She also doubted the boys, for all their strengths and smarts, would notice what was so vividly clear to Hermione. Bellatrix was being abused by someone, and for all her wickedness, at the very end of it she was still nothing more than a seventeen year old in pain.

"No response? Surely you have more fight in you than that. The bruises you left on my face certainly said so." Indeed, Bellatrix had not walked away from their scuffle in the Forbidden Forest weeks ago unscathed. Her cheek had been badly bruised, her lip nearly as swollen as Hermione's. Where Hermione had used a glamour to cover the markings on her own body, Bellatrix had not bothered with such spells. No one dared question where the injuries had come from, though whispers followed the girl for the first few days, until the bruises faded to ugly yellow and greens, and her split lip closed up.

Somehow, seeing the new bruises on her was more vulgar than the ones long since gone.

"Have you suddenly lost your tongue?" Bellatrix was not someone who fancied being ignored, it seemed, even if the person ignoring her was Hermione. "Or is your silence a way to show respect to your betters? About time, really."

"Do you ever stop talking?" Hermione hissed, her face red with annoyance as she stared the girl down. "You must love the sound of your own voice."

"You-"

The pity at seeing Bellatrix hurt was very short lived. "Rabble, blood-traitor, rat, yes, you aren't very creative with your insults." Hermione blamed it on the nightmare, on the throbbing in her arm, but she was feeling more hostile than usual, and in even less of a mood to take Bellatrix's insults right now, the girl's injuries aside. But... Hermione wouldn't be Hermione if she ignored someone so blatantly suffering, so she sighed and said, "Do you want help healing them?"

Bellatrix jerked back as if physically hurt, her eyes wild and a scowl in place as she glared at Hermione. "Why would you help me?"

"Because believe it or not, you idiot, I don't enjoy seeing people in pain, even if that person is you," Hermione snapped back. "If you want my help sit down and shut up. If you don't I'm going back to bed." Not like she imagined she'd get any solid amount of sleep, but it was better than nothing.

It was quiet for an uncomfortably long time, and Hermione moved to head back to their dorm when she heard Bellatrix groan. "Fine," the girl snapped, and threw herself down onto one of the cushy couches. "Be quick about it.""Give me a moment to grab my wand," Hermione said as she quickly retreated back to her bed. She pointedly ignored Bellatrix's comment of "A smartwitch would always have it on her," and ducked into the room to grab it off of her end table. When she returned to the common room, the dark witch was in the same tensed position on the couch, her full lips pulled into a frown as she poked delicately at the cut. Hermione slowed her steps to stand before Bellatrix

"Give me a moment to grab my wand," Hermione said as she retreated back to her bed. She pointedly ignored Bellatrix's comment of "A smart witch would always have it on her," and ducked into the room to grab it off of her end table. When she returned to the common room, the dark witch was in the same tensed position on the couch, her full lips pulled into a frown as she poked delicately at the cut. Hermione slowed her steps to stand before Bellatrix, her wand out but lowered. Neither girl said anything for a moment, and it wasn't until Hermione leveled the wand to Bellatrix's mouth did the girl react. She reached out far quicker than should be possible and gripped the tip of the wand, her grip firm enough to stop Hermione from waving it in the required pattern.

"You better not do anything stupid, rat," Bellatrix growled out, bold as ever in the face of possible danger.

"I'm trying to help you. Are you truly that inept to not realize it?"

Bellatrix scowled but released her hold on the wand as she shifted to sit straight back and stiff, her dark eyes locked completely onto Hermione's brown ones. Hermione wasted no more time before moving her wand and firmly saying "Episky," and watched the small wound on Bellatrix's mouth slowly heal over. The blood remained staining her skin, and a "Tergeo" later had that soaking back into her skin as well, until her face was as perfect and clear as ever.

That left only the bruises, but Bellatrix jerked into a standing position before Hermione could take care of that. "I'm done," she snapped, and all but shoved Hermione away as she stomped to the dorm room.

"You're welcome!" Hermione yelled at the girl's retreating back, surprised to receive no sort of response in return. She watched until Bellatrix moved from view and into the room.

As Hermione stared at the now empty space, she couldn't help but think what the hell just happened? From the girl's sudden appearance in the common room in the middle of the night, to her bruised and battered body, to her acceptance of Hermione's help, and finally her abrupt departure. None of it made sense, and Hermione resigned herself to the fact that she most likely wasn't going to get answers anytime soon, if at all.

She remained in the common room for almost another hour, her mind too active to even attempt sleep. It wasn't until her eyelids became heavy and her body lethargic did she start a slow shuffle back to her bed. Once she was in the room, she gave a long look to the bed she knew belonged to Bellatrix, the curtains pulled closed and no sounds of life coming from within.

With a decent amount of effort Hermione turned her gaze from Bellatrix's bed to her own, and laid down on the warm green comforter, her body still too overheated to get underneath.

Sleep did not come easily once Hermione finally made it back to bed, and in only a few short hours she was awake once more, her body exhausted and heavy as she stood up. Every other bed but one was still occupied, all their curtains still pulled tightly closed to block out the morning light.

What could Bellatrix possibly be doing so early in the morning, especially when she was known for sleeping well into the late morning. It was practically unheard of for the dark witch to be awake so early, and that thought had Hermione fully conscious in an instant.

What was going on?

She had only just left the dorm room when she picked out the telltale sounds of two people having a conversation. Their voices were unmistakable, both of which Hermione was quite familiar with, but only one she actually enjoyed hearing. She stopped walking at once, keeping herself pressed to the doorframe of the dorms to remain out of sight. It was terrible to eavesdrop, but maybe the two sisters would talk about something important? Something Hermione could use to get closer to Bellatrix.

Andromeda's voice reached her first. "I don't listen to you, Bella." She sounded angrier than Hermione thought she'd ever heard, angrier even than when her and her sister screamed at one another on the Quidditch field during that first match. "I'll surround myself with whoever I want."

"I'd prefer your friendship to the mudblood boy over this," Bellatrix hissed back, her voice just as enraged as her sister's. Mudblood boy, Hermione cringed at the insult, heard much too soon after her nightmare, had to refer to Ted Tonks. But who did Bellatrix hate more than a muggle-born?

"She's my friend. Just because she's the one person who refuses to bow down to you doesn't mean I have to stay away from her."

Ah. Hermione is quite certain now who is worse than a muggle-born.

"She's lowly, and beneath you, and brings nothing to your friendship. I demand you stop talking to her at once."

Their interactions the night before must truly have gotten to the oldest witch then, if she was so blatantly demanding her sister stop talking to Hermione.

"Beneath- Bellatrix, do you hear yourself? I am friends with her because I like her. I know that's an insane concept for you to understand, but Hermione is my friend. And I think if the two of you stopped screaming at one another every time you're within fifteen feet of each other, you'd like her too."

Hermione could hear a scoff, one she bet came from the eldest Black, and rolled her eyes. It was doubtful the two would ever be friends, as much as the world was now demanding on that to become a reality. Even when Hermione is nice to Bellatrix, the girl can't respond properly. Last night taught her that.

It also taught her someone was abusing Bellatrix. She already figured as much, but this was further confirmed that the abuse was ongoing. Now she just needed to figure out who would do such a thing.

"As if I'd ever debase myself with someone so-"

"Do you really believe I'm going to stand here and listen to you insult my friend?"

There was a shuffling noise then, and a screech that sounded like furniture being dragged against the floor, and then a pained hiss from Bellatrix. A minute later, the sound of two bodies slamming into the floor sounded. Maybe it was time for Hermione to make her presence known, if the two girls had resorted to another physical altercation.

Just when Hermione was going to announce herself, a third voice she hadn't been able to tell was in the room sounded. Narcissa must have been staying silent to watch her sisters argue, and decided now was the time to intervene.

"You're both idiotic," the youngest declared, and for another minute there was only the sounds of bodies slamming together. Hermione could picture Narcissa trying to yank whichever girl was on top off of the other. She must have succeeded, because the noises ended. "Bella, you don't get to demand Andy not be friends with someone because you hate them. Andy- why are you like this?"

Andromeda made an affronted noise at her sister, and they must have been talking too lowly for Hermione to hear, as the next noises to reach her was the sound of the brick wall sliding open and heels clicking against the ground. Narcissa or Bellatrix, Hermione couldn't be sure. There was no time to question it more though, as someone came into view in the hall, and stopped dead when she discovered Hermione.

"You heard, huh?" Andromeda sighed, her hair disheveled and her robes displaced, but otherwise unmarred.

"A bit," Hermione replied, unsure what she should let her friend know she heard. "Bellatrix and I ran into one another last night, and... it didn't go well."

"That must be why she dragged me out of bed so early and so pissed off. Thanks for that," Andromeda laughed and walked to stand beside Hermione. "You owe me for that then. C'mon, I'm hungry."

Though Hermione quietly followed her friend, there were more questions floating in her head than ever before.

Nothing made sense anymore.

Today was the day of Slughorn's dinner party, and Hermione found herself worrying all throughout her classes. She was distracted to the point that McGonagall asked her to stay a moment after when she failed to answer three questions in a row. She hadn't even raised her hand, and needed the professor to repeat herself before Hermione could even formulate a response- and once her answer was incorrect.

"You aren't yourself today, Miss Potter," McGonagall said once the rest of the class had dispersed. Hermione didn't miss the way Rodolphus threw his arm around Bellatrix's shoulders, or the way the girl violently shrugged the appendage off as they walked away. "Something on your mind you'd wish to talk about? I could summon Professor Slughorn- if you'd prefer your head of house."

Hermione gave a tired smile, her mind else as she pondered what tonight would bring. She's been through this party before, had impressed Slughorn enough to invited to the much more prestigious and formal party when she'd had to fight off Cormac McLaggen the entire night.

No, impressing Slughorn had nothing to do with it. She knew that, her fights with Bellatrix aside, her intelligence and dedication to academics was more than enough for the man. What was the primary stressor for her right now was the questions he would ask.

Slughorn valued parental accomplishments, that much was very clear. Most students originally invited to the club were due to what their parents did for a living, or spells or potions they had invented. Ultimately, the student them self was the final deciding factor on if they proceeded into the club or not, but what their parents did played a key role in Slughorn's opinion of them.

Once before Hermione had proudly stated her parents were dentists, and Slughorn was intrigued only in the sense that it was an occupation he had never heard of before, but after it became clear it wasn't a highly interesting career, he quickly moved on. That was fine. Hermione had never been ashamed of her parents jobs, nor would she ever be ashamed of her blood status.

But in this situation?

No one could know Hermione was lying for every single thing about herself.

If someone found out about her heritage, it would ruin everything.

And so Hermione was stressing herself out over the possible lies she needed to come up when Slughorn asked about her family. Too bad she couldn't tell McGonagall any of that.

"I'm okay, Professor, just exhausted. I, uh, was sick most of last night so I didn't sleep well." Part of Hermione felt bad about not being honest to McGonagall of all people, and she had to keep reminding herself that in this world, McGonagall was not her head of house, and- most vitally- she did not know Hermione's purpose here.

McGonagall eyed her critically for a moment before she sighed in acceptance. "Perhaps you should visit the hospital wing if you continue feeling unwell." And then, after a moment of consideration, she offered, "If you do want some time to rest, I could write you an excuse for the rest of your courses today. You're a top student, Miss Potter, but even you need time to recuperate."

Hermione considered it for only a second before shaking her head. There wouldn't be a single part of her able to comfortably rest with a quiet mind if she knew she was missing lectures. It didn't matter that she was ahead of the class. "I appreciate it, professor, but I really shouldn't miss my classes. Anyway, it'll be a good distraction from thinking about Professor Slughorn's dinner party tonight."

"I am not surprised in the least that you have been invited to that club," her professor said fondly. "Professor Slughorn never as anything but praise for you." Then her gaze turned more stern when she added, "Your altercations with Miss Black notwithstanding."

Immediately, Hermione felt her cheeks get heated as a blush overtook her. Slughorn scolding her- she could handle that. Even Dumbledore was manageable, but McGonagall? It was like hearing a parent say they were disappointed- something Hermione had never experienced.

"I... do apologize, Professor, we just, uh-" her blush only worsened the more she continued to stutter out a terrible apology.

"No need to apologize, child," McGonagall amended with a wave of her hand. "You're both headstrong and passionate- two personalities bound to clash. You'd be wise to stop doing so so literally. It would be a true tragedy to lose such a promising witch over petty arguments."

This conversation was doing nothing to make Hermione feel better.

McGonagall continued, either not noticing or not giving any attention to the embarrassed look on Hermione's face. "I have known Bellatrix Black for the entirety of her time here at Hogwarts, and have been privy to watching her slowly grow into the person she would become. A bit misplaced, if you asked me, but promising just the same as you." A beat of silence, and then, "There is as much potential in her as there is in you, Miss Potter, and I do not say those words lightly, believe me."

Not really what Hermione wanted to hear. Though this conversation was proving to be a good distraction from her stress over the party tonight.

That is, until, McGonagall dismissed her to finish out the rest of her day, and wished her luck with Slughorn. The added, "Not that I think you need it," did not comfort her like it normally would have.

The halls were mostly empty when Hermione walked to Slughorn's office, only a few older students clumped together here or there in small groups. Some she recognized, all seventh years who gave her nods as she passed, but did eye her attire curiously. She couldn't blame them really- the usual school robes were replaced with a light purple button down, sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and a pair of tight fitting dress pants paired with black boots. It was all borrowed from Andromeda, who took great pleasure in dressing Hermione up for the night.

Her wretched sisters were nowhere to be found the whole time, something Hermione was infinitely grateful for. She wasn't in the right mindset to be forced under Narcissa's fierce glare, or worse- having to listen Bellatrix pick apart every little thing wrong with Hermione's outfit. The only thing relatively keeping her nerves in tack right now was the fact that Bellatrix wouldn't be at this party.

It was a way for Slughorn to get to know students not yet in his club, people he was still deciding if they were worth it or not to become members. Therefore, there was no reason at all for Bellatrix to be at this event.

Fifteen minutes later, Hermione was thoroughly proven wrong.

She'd spent the first few minutes after her arrival conversing with some other students, surprised to see a nearly equal representation from all the houses. Her last time here, the majority had been Slytherin and Gryffindor, with only a few Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws present. One of the people she talked to was the same boy Bellatrix had knocked off his broom during their first Quidditch match against Gryffindor, another seventh year with sandy colored hair and an easy going smile. His name was Daniel, and the two of them were quick to enter into a light hearted debated about whether salamander or Moke blood was better suited for potions aimed at treating burns.

She had been so invested in the conversation that it took her a moment to notice as the room began filling up with more arrivals. But the moment she saw dark and wild hair, all of her attention zoned onto one person while Daniel continued to defend his position.

The invite said business casual, and all others followed that- girls were mostly in skirts or blouses, or a few like Hermione had gone with fitted dark pants, and all of the guys were either in black pants or khakis paired with a button down. Everyone looked nice, but it did look more like a company work meeting than a dinner party.

As always, Bellatrix Black was not one to blend in.

Not only was Hermione surprised to find the other girl at the event, but her attire was what truly garnered Hermione's attention. As it did to practically everyone else in the room as well. Bellatrix looked so... stupendous, exquisite, breathtaking were just some of the words racing through Hermione's mind.

The eldest Black daughter was clad in a red dress so dark it could have been black, the color only just noticeable when it glittered from the candlelight, and it seemed to be made more of lace than anything else. Only her back was a solid strip of fabric, curling over her shoulders and partially down her arms before tapering out to the intricately placed webbed pattern. Her chest was on display thanks to the tightly wound corset she always wore, and her legs were mostly visible from mid thigh down, as the dress once more shifted from the solid dark coloring to a combination of sheer and lace interwoven.

And none of that even took into consideration her hair.

If Hermione hadn't been threatened with a hairbrush all those weeks ago, she would have remained under the impression Bellatrix had never once attempted to control such a mess of curls. Tonight would have proven that thought incorrect. Bellatrix wore her hair braided for Quidditch games, and while the style was nice and convenient, it was simplistic.

Her braids tonight were not simplistic in the slightest.

Bellatrix's hair had always been thick, a fact that most likely came in handy when creating so many braids of varying sizes. The dark locks were all pushed to the right side of her head, most of the hair taken up by one large braid that began forming just below her jaw. Her bangs were kept contained by another braid, starting from the opposite side of her head, moving across the top, and down to join the biggest one, while a few other smaller pieces tied everything together. It must have taken hours to finish, even with the use of magic and most definitely Narcissa's help.

"Whoa," Hermione barely hard Daniel choke out as she stared and stared and stared at Bellatrix, who gave no insight to if she noticed the attention on her or not. She did, however, notice Hermione's gaze on her, and sent her a wink before moving to talk to some other Slytherins in attendance.

The arrogance of the wink was enough to shake Hermione out of her weird stupor, and she turned back to Daniel with the full intention of continuing their debate, but found the boy still staring, almost awestruck, at Bellatrix. It was as if he had entirely forgotten about the witch's brutal play at Quidditch that left him hurt and missing the rest of the match.

"You're friends with her, right?" Daniel asked once he was able to compose himself, and looked at Hermione with wide eyes. "You're always with her and her sisters, right?"

Hermione couldn't hold back the scoff even if she tried. "I'm friends with Andromeda- her middle sister. Her youngest sister Narcissa likes to pretend I don't exist, and Bellatrix and I... we are most definitely not friends."

"Oh, weird." He scrunched up his nose and looked from Hermione to Bellatrix, then back to Hermione once more, as if trying to understand something. Good luck trying to figure anything about Bellatrix out, Hermione thought. "Well, it's just, she keeps looking at you."

There was zero hesitation as Hermione spun towards the direction she knew Bellatrix to be and- Daniel was right. She immediately locked eyes with Bellatrix, who was staring right at her. Until Hermione looked back, then the face that had looked more... contemplative than anything turned into that terrible scowl before Bellatrix jerked her head back to the girl she had been talking to previously.

What was that all about?

Unfortunately there was not time to think anymore of it, as Slughorn chose that moment to bring everyone to the large table in the center of the room. The students did so at once, everyone claiming seats by their friends, and Hermione's attempt to be no where close to Bellatrix was a relative success. Except while she wasn't next to the girl, she was now directly across from her. Daniel was on Hermione's right, and another Gryffindor was on her left. It wasn't hard to pretend that, instead of Daniel and the other girl, it was Harry and Neville on either side of her, like it should have been.

Slughorn started talking, thanking everyone for coming and once more boosting about the exclusivity of the club and the types of doors that could be open if one continued until graduation. And then, "I've asked Bellatrix here tonight for her to talk about the benefits of the club, and the opportunities it has presented her." He waved to the dark haired girl, who until this point had been talking lowly to the same girl from before. Upon hearing her name, Bellatrix turned her attention to the table, and once more locked her gaze entirely on Hermione.

"Oh, yes the opportunities," Bellatrix purred, a mocking grin on her face the whole time. "Ministry internships with Obliviators and Aurors, interviewing Unspeakables- not like they had anything to say- and the much more exciting dark arts studies." Slughorn made a face at the end of her spiel and opened his mouth to speak, but Bellatrix was not finished yet. Hermione felt like she was talking to no one but her the entire time. It was like the rest of the students congregated here did not exist. "Of course, that's nothing when compared to the... vast knowledge Professor Slughorn can provide you, hm now, professor? So much... forbidden spells Hogwarts deems too dangerous for its meager students to know, and yet, Professor Slughorn can teach us them all."

Almost instantly memories of Harry telling her and Ron what he had seen in Slughorn's memory through the Pensieve. Slughorn had been the one to explain Horcruxes to a young Tom Riddle, who would then go on to take that knowledge and create multiple. Never once had Hermione stopped to consider what Slughorn may have told Bellatrix.

Tom Riddle was his favorite student at one point, and Slughorn had made no attempt to hide his affection for Bellatrix. He valued smart and cunning students, and who was more so than Bellatrix Black?

Hermione had a very, very bad feeling about it.

"Thank you, Miss Black," Slughorn said quickly, focusing all of the attention back on himself and sending Bellatrix a warning look. She merely went back to poking at her salad, a pleased look in her dark eyes. "Bellatrix is.. mostly correct," he was quick to amend. "Internships during the summers and job offers upon graduation are almost always a given. Bellatrix alone has been offered more internships than most students combined get in a year. Of course, she turned them all down..."

At that, Hermione jerked her gaze back to Bellatrix, many thoughts speeding through her mind. Why turn them all down? Most, if not all of them, would have come from the Ministry, and given her last name and family ties, Hermione couldn't imagine that the offers were from anything less than the more prestigious positions. Why would she refuse? Unless- unless she...

Had Bellatrix already begun her initiation as a Death Eater?

It's the only logical reasoning for turning down such positions, but... Dumbledore said Hermione had until Christmas. It was still just the beginning of October, she should nearly two and a half months before Bellatrix's path was solidified.

"Well, with that introductory speech out of the way, I think it is time for us to enjoy our entrees!" Slughorn said loudly, a forced sort of cheeriness in his voice as all of their plates magically filled with turkey, potatoes, and broiled vegetables.

Everyone spent the next few minutes quietly eating, a few students talking to one another as they ate, and it wasn't until their plates cleared and cleaned themselves and were replaced with delicious looking creme brulee did Slughorn start up the questioning that had Hermione so worried throughout the day.

He started with the girl on his left, a sixth year from Hufflepuff, who blushed under the weight of having the entire room's attention on her. Her voice was quiet and gentle as she talked about her courses. The same for the next four students, and then Slughorn was asking Daniel the same questions.

"My parents are muggles, actually," he said easily, "but my uncle's a wizard, and all my cousins are too, so I grew up kinda in both worlds. It was cool, going to Quidditch matches in the summer while my friends went to football games." That, of course, piqued the interest of a few of the students, and even Slughorn asked what football was, and if the purpose was to turn one's foot into bouncing balls. "No," Daniel laughed, and Hermione would have as well, had more people aside from Daniel done so, but she couldn't risk outing herself as knowing a muggle sport. "It's a game played on the ground. Two teams of eleven try to score a ball in a goal- it's a bit similar to Quidditch, I suppose, except no magic, and only one ball is in play, and the players aren't supposed to hurt or touch one another."

"Sounds boring," Bellatrix added, a few of the Slytherins beside her laughing at the crude joke. It was a well known fact one her favorite enjoyments of Quidditch was it's brutality.

"It's quite exciting actually," Daniel defended, a bit of anger lacing his tone as he glared at Bellatrix. "There's a World Cup and everything like in Quidditch."

"It sounds very interesting, you'll have to go into more detail about this football sport at a later time." Slughorn said, before Bellatrix and Daniel could start arguing further. "Miss Potter, how about you? I know next to nothing of you aside from your academic prowess."

And this was the moment Hermione feared most. She had planned what she would say, and figured she had picked the best course of action that would lead to the least likely possibilities of someone figuring out she's lying about everything.

Though Hermione looked at Slughorn as she spoke, she was keenly aware of a dark and heavy gaze locked entirely on her, one she refused to acknowledge. "My parents are working abroad currently. They move a lot, you see, which is how I ended up here and not remaining in Durmstrang." She took a breath and added, "They do work for Gringotts, and are somewhere in the Middle East, conducting research."

"On what?" Slughorn asked, entirely interested in the story. It was simple and vague enough to not provide anything revealing, and most people who work for the bank had no connection to the Ministry or Hogwarts for someone to call Hermione out.

"Magical containment spells surrounding specific vaults," Hermione replied, and only just finally looked directly across from her. Bellatrix made no move to hide she was staring at her, for once not looking her usual mean and terrible self. Instead, she actually seemed... intrigued about it all. Hermione figured as much, and was another one of the reasons she picked such a career. Bellatrix loved anything most people didn't understand, and the spells and magic surrounding the most powerful bank in the world was high on the list of 'unknowns'.

Slughorn nodded, and said, "A very rewarding career, I'm sure." His attention moved on to the next person, and Hermione finally allowed herself to relax. That had been nothing, painfully easy, and over before she could really blink.

The next hour went much the same, and the entire time, Bellatrix never took her attention off of Hermione. When the dinner was called to an end, it was well past curfew, but Hermione found herself genuinely enjoying the night. She didn't doubt Slughorn would invite her to the next step- a gala, if he continued the same pattern as during her own sixth year, and she rested a little easier knowing the stress of her parent's lives was now gone.

Unfortunately, Hermione couldn't let herself become too relaxed. Now she had to start thinking of why Bellatrix wouldn't take up such internships, and if truly was due to Voldemort, or something else entirely.

The hallways were completely empty once the students dispersed from Slughorn's office, all of them intending to return to their rooms and get to sleep. Hermione had similar intentions, but allowed herself to fall behind the rest of the Slytherins walking the same path as her, until she was entirely alone. Good. She needed the quiet to think about everything.

It was the echoing of heels clicking against stone that caught Hermione's attention, then a moment later she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Instinct and less than ideal experiences had her gripping her wand, her mouth already beginning to form Protego before her mind caught up to her body, and she took notice of the dark red gown.

The girl had stayed behind longer than the other students to have a private discussion with their professor, so it wasn't too surprising to find Bellatrix had caught up to Hermione, given her slow speed. What was shocking was that the girl was actually purposely walking Hermione's speed, both girls separated by either side of the hall.

Bellatrix caught Hermione's eye when she made it obvious she was looking at her, and said, "Slughorn almost seemed impressed with you tonight." The words weren't a compliment by any means, but they did lack the usual snarky tone Bellatrix tended to use, as well as the vicious bite she had when she wanted her verbal attacks to truly sting. The not-a-compliment-not-a-insult was ruined when she continued with, "Must feel thrilling to finally impress someone after all these years."

The more than familiar urge to lash out at the girl and insult her back was as present as ever, but Hermione bit it down. All she could think about was Bellatrix could already be working for Voldemort. If that were the case, Hermione couldn't waste what precious time she had by furthering distancing themselves. Instead, she said, "That dress looks nice on you." Surprisingly, it wasn't as much an effort as she had thought to say the words. Most likely because it was true. Bellatrix did look phenomenal.

Dark eyes widened in shock, the only hint Bellatrix would ever show that she was unprepared for the comment, before the usual haughtiness claimed her pale features once more. "Of course I do. I'm insulted you expected anything less."

Hermione probably stunned them both when she laughed, a soft and bellied laugh. It lasted only a few seconds before she contained herself. "You're right," she admitted, still smiling. "It would be you who showed up to a business casual event looking like they just left a ball."

"Well, someone has to represent such an elegant house." Bellatrix raked her eyes over Hermione's form, and something about that had the brunette blushing slightly. "God forbid we leave it up to you."

"It really would kill you to compliment someone, wouldn't it?"

"Who knows? I've never tried," Bellatrix responded easily, her slim shoulders rising in a shrug Hermione would almost call playful. They were close to the Slytherin common room now, only a few more turns and they'd be there, and Hermione was actually feeling... disappointed at that.

In the month the two girls had known one another, it's been nothing but screaming matches, hex throwing, and brutal fists to the face. This was- not quite friendly, but not really antagonizing either. Hermione slowed her steps, Bellatrix automatically matching it, if only to delay this almost enjoyable conversation longer.

"Slughorn really likes you. For the life of me I can't figure out why," Hermione said lightly, a smile on her face directed at Bellatrix. They were closer to one another now, still a healthy distance apart, but closer than they've ever been without some type of violence following.

Bellatrix's face was on full view, illuminated in combination by the partial moonlight slipping through the high arching windows and the torches lining the halls. With the light on her, she looked ethereal. Soft and enticing in a way Hermione doubted she looked much before. "You do really look gorgeous," she heard herself say, near breathless and raspy in the quiet hall.

The dark haired witch looked nonplussed at the confession, enough so that she was silent for most of the walk back to the entrance to the common room. It wasn't until they had reached the empty stone wall did Hermione hear, in a tone that was bordering on embarrassed, a very quiet, "As do you."

Perhaps if they hadn't walked in on the scene in the common room, Hermione would have thought more on that sentence, probably would have blushed, and probably would have stuttered out a humiliating response. Instead, her attention zone in to the fact that the entirety of the sixth and seventh year Slytherin students were stood in the common room.

All of them were dressed in regular clothes, and all of them had their wands in their hands.

Oh, nothing about this was promising in the slightest.

"Professor McGonagall just sent out the announcement- all sixth and seventh years need to be ready for an attack," one of the girls from Hermione's Runes class said, positioned near the front of the blockade of students.

"An attack by whom?" Hermione asked, wand out and body tensed.

"Death Eaters are attacking Hogsmeade as we speak."

Chapter 6: VINotes:I have this up on ff.net as well, but for whatever reason on there it says the word count is 44,599 and here it is 43,690. not sure why the numbers are different since its the same amount of words per chapter, but as far as I am aware there's no difference between the two, so in case people have read on one platform and then switched to another or something, just pointing out this weird difference 

also this is by faaaaar the longest story I have ever written, with by faaaaar the most amount of reviews, and seeing people leave comments makes me so incredibly happy each time, so I just wanted to once again tell all of you guys thank you!

Chapter Text"Death Eaters are attacking Hogsmeade as we speak."

Hermione moved very swiftly after hearing that. Her outfit was not the sort to fight against a strong militia, and so she had no choice but to make a quick detour to her dorm to change from the tight pants and button down into a jeans and a sweater, exchanging her dress shoes for sneakers should she need to run.

"Where do you think you're going?" A large arm wrapped around Hermione's bicep, effectively trapping her in place once she rushed back into the common room. None of the other students have moved, and everyone had their eyes trained on Hermione and the guy holding her- Steve, the Slytherin Quidditch captain. He was broad shouldered and strong, his grip on Hermione firm. "We were told to stay here."

Hermione needed to jerk her arm a few times before Steve let her go, and she couldn't waste anymore time than she already had as she stalked for the door. "Then stay here. I'm not sitting idly by." With that, she left the common room, and paused once she came to the empty hall. Hogsmeade's was roughly twenty minutes away, maybe fifteen if she rushed. And that was only if she was able to make it out of the castle without any professors trying to stop her. Would that be enough time? She had no idea how long had passed since the attack started.

She'd just have to risk it.

No other Slytherins followed her, and while she was disappointed they wouldn't defend the school and innocents, she was also glad to note Bellatrix had still been in the common room when she rushed by. She wasn't surprised the girl wouldn't rush out to defend the school, but that also meant she wasn't going out to fight on the Death Eaters' side either.

Hermione had just reached the main level of the castle when sounds of rushing footsteps reached her, and she ducked into an alcove to remain undetected. She didn't have to stay hidden for long before three professors ran by, all fully dressed with wands out as they raced to join the fight at Hogwarts. She wondered how many would join, and how many would stay behind to defend the school if need be. No matter, there was no way they wouldn't be outnumber by the dark wizards for either battle. 

Another passing minute and Hermione was running through the halls again, until she all but crashed into someone else. 

"Students out of bed!" Filch screamed at the top of his lungs, gathering himself quickly enough to stand. "That's a detention for you-" a bright light slamming into his chest cut him off as Hermione hit him with the stunning spell. 

She did feel marginally bad about it, and knew there would be disciplinary action for assaulting a staff member, but she couldn't find it in herself to care as she headed towards the castle entrance. Filch would be fine after a while, but by that point it would be too long for anyone to stop her before she reached her goal. 

And reach it she did. 

Hogsmeade was in utter chaos. Immediately she could see four professors against more than half a dozen Death Eaters. Someone must have cast a fire spell, as more than half of Dervish and Banges was burning, part of the roof collapsed in on itself. The fire raged against the ground, weaving farther towards the forest, but spreading quick. 

They must have attacked while the Hog's Head was at full capacity, as more than a few drunk witches and wizards stumbled about, some casting half hearted and ill worded spells in a desperate attempt to protect themselves while others tried to run away. 

Someone screamed, a high pitched sound that made the hairs on the back of Hermione's neck raise. That seemed like a good place to start, so she took off in the direction she best guessed the noise to come from. A minute later and she found the source- a woman was on the ground, bleeding from a wound on her arm, while a Death Eater stood overtop of her. Red light had just started to flare at the tip of their wand when Hermione hit them with a Stupefy and rushed to the woman's side. 

"Are you okay?" She asked, crouching down to better look at the injury. It didn't seem deep, and Hermione couldn't waste too much time by healing it. "Do you know what happened?" 

The woman choked out a panicked gasp, and it took her a moment to gather herself before she could speak. "They-they came out of nowhere!" She cried, gripping onto Hermione's arm near painfully. "One minute we're drinking firewhiskey, the next- Death Eaters are setting fire to the buildings and hexes people!" 

They didn't have a true purpose for being here aside from wreaking the most havoc as possible then. There was nothing to gain from stealing anything here, and the Death Eaters seemed more inclined to torture the innocent witches and wizards than much else. 

"Leave," Hermione commanded, pulling away to stand up and assess the scene. The professors hadn't let the Death Eaters gain anymore ground, but they haven't moved much either. Everyone was at a relative standstill. "Go somewhere safe, apparate away. Now." She didn't look to make sure the woman obey before she started running once more, this time heading directly towards the line of Hogwarts professors. 

She spotted McGonagall first, the older woman giving her a bewildered look, and opened her mouth to probably demand Hermione return to the safety of the castle. She didn't get the opportunity as the Death Eaters continued to bombard the group with curse after curse. 

Hermione jumped right in. Dueling may not be her strongest suit, but she was by no means naive to the ways of fighting, and blended in easily with the more skilled adults around her. As they all fought, she could hear more yelling further into the village, a bright spell flying by every now and then. More professors and Death Eaters over there as well. Hermione had no idea how many Death Eaters had come out tonight, but Hogwarts' fighters were close to being overwhelmingly outnumbered. 

"It sounds like they could use some help over there," McGonagall called out to Hermione, apparently resigned to the fact that they could use any help they got at this point. A scolding would come later, maybe another detention, but any sort of punishment would be worth it if lives were saved. 

When she reached another section of wizards squaring off against one another, Hermione did not stop to join in. It was two professors against two Death Eaters, and she knew she could be of more help elsewhere, if the professors truly were spread as thin as she feared. 

It wasn't until she came across the backend of the village did Hermione feel a new kind of panic the moment she recognized a flash of dark brown hair and green robes. It was only due to the fires blazing through the street was Hermione able to tell the hair was not as dark as the girl's older sister, her skin not quite as pale. Otherwise, she might have thought that was Bellatrix firing hex after hex at two approaching Death Eaters. But it was Andromeda. 

Movement on the girl's right caught Hermione's eye, and it took her a second to process the second boy fighting the dark witches and wizards. Taller than Andromeda, Ten Tonks was unmistakable. For a moment, Hermione didn't see them, but the daughter they would one day have together, fighting so valiantly against these very same foes, her own husband steadfast at her side, both of them willing to die for the other and their infant child, named after the brave man Hermione now watched defend his future wife. 

And then, Andromeda blocked a scarily green curse her way and screamed, "Gotta try harder than that, you bastards!" and Hermione was reminded it was not Tonks and Remus fighting together, but fifteen year old Andromeda, and then all Hermione could wonder was what was her friend doing here? 

There wasn't any time for Hermione to yell out for Andromeda and Ted's attention, as two Death Eaters set their sights on Hermione, figuring her to be an easy target. She was happy to prove them wrong, but her scream of the shield charm did draw Andromeda's attention, and even from this distance she could see the girl's shock and worry upon finding Hermione locked into battle. 

Hermione was stuck on the defensive for a bit, throwing up shield after shield, each one buckling under the weight of the curses the Death Eater was unrelentingly throwing. A break came when the dark wizard pulled his arm back for an Unforgivable, and Hermione took the opportunity to throw another Stupefy. 

Two down, she thought as she ran to Andromeda and Ted's side. Make that four, she amended when she saw the other two Death Eaters had been taken down as well. 

"What are you doing here?" Hermione and Andromeda asked at once. Hermione looked the younger girl over- dirt stained and pale, but whole. No visible wounds, no blood. Ted was much the same. 

"Do you know how many there are?" 

Both of them shook their heads, but it was Ted that said, "We were in Honeydukes when the attack started. By the time we broke away from the crowd of people running, the Death Eaters were too spread out to count."

"Okay..." Hermione looked around them, the village thick with smoke from the still spreading fire. Most of Dervish and Banges was now gone, and many more buildings were going to follow the same fate if the fire didn't get under control. "Let's work on the fire," she decided, Andromeda and Ted nodding their heads as they spread out to begin using the Extinguishing charm. It was slow work, made worse by the occasional curse sent their way, be it intentional or deflected from a professor's shield. 

By the time they had most of the fire in their general vicinity under control, almost everyone not a part of the battle had fled, and that gave Hermione the clear view to see a terrible sight. 

A pack of eight new Death Eaters had just appeared, grouped together in two rows of four and marching directly towards Hermione and her friends. 

There was no way they could fight them off. Each of them were more than decent spell casters, but against eight fully trained Death Eaters? Hermione would not kid herself in thinking they stood a chance. Not to mention, the professors were still distracted with their own outnumbered fights. They'd receive no help if they got into a duel with the dark wizards now. She raced back to Andromeda and Ted, the view of their approaching doom blocked by the building they were behind. 

Hermione offered no explanation as she demanded they run. Thankfully, the two were wise enough not to question it as they quickly joined Hermione. 

They were being chased. Hermione could hear the crunch of gravel and sticks underneath heavy boots as they ran, aiming away from Hogwarts and towards the darkened forest. Ted threw a hex blindly over his shoulder at their pursuers but missed, the spell crackling into one of the thick trees. It was only thanks to Andromeda that Hermione didn't get hit with a returning attack, the younger girl slamming her body into Hermione's and knocking her aside. It had the negative consequence of knocking both of them off balance and onto the ground. Both of them jumped back up almost instantly, but it was what their attackers needed to catch up.

Three against two. Not terrible odds, but Hermione would have liked it against one, or even better- none. The two Death Eaters were men, obvious by their tall frames and wide shoulders, noticeable even through the heavy cloaks they all wore. With the golden masks, it was impossible to tell who they were, if it was someone who would stand beside Voldemort once more when he would rise the second time, someone who had already tried to kill Hermione.

Not Bellatrix, Hermione reminded herself as the five of them began another duel. They had faced off roughly a dozen of the dark magic users, and none of them had matched any of Bellatrix's characteristics- her shortened height, her wild and unpredictable wand work- none of it was the witch's doing in Hogsmeade, and that gave Hermione hope she was redeemable. Hermione doubted that if Bellatrix had any inkling of this attack tonight she would allow her two younger sisters out of her sight, Slughorn's party be damned.

Seconds or minutes or hours later, Hermione was lost entirely in the battle. Both sides were wearing down, the exertion of the night weighing on them all, but none relented. One of Ted's spells hit home on the taller and thinner of the two, slamming into his side and forcing him to collapse with a pained groan, his mask falling off with the movement. The second wizard threw up a Protego to protect them both as he ran to his downed partner. It was the distraction they were looking for, and Andromeda didn't waste time by grabbing Hermione's arm and jerking her back into a run.

Hermione fought it, wanting to stay and finish the fight, to incapacitate the Death Eaters and bind them until professors or Ministry workers could come find them all, but Andromeda and Ted did not agree. Andromeda pulled harder again, and Hermione had no choice but to retreat, but not before she looked at the two on the ground once more.

And saw the unmistakable face of Rabastan Lestrange, eyes squeezed shut in agony. Whatever spell Ted had hit him with must have been brutal as he clutched his ribs, the second-

The second had to be Rodolphus. There was no way any other Death Eater would run to the sixth year's side like that, would allow Hermione and the others to escape so easily while he was focused on Rabastan. It was Rodolphus behind the second golden mask, of that Hermione was absolutely certain.

"This way!" Ted yelled, farther ahead of the two girls, his arm outstretched towards the left, following the curve of the lake, and Hermione understood his plan immediately. They'd go the long way, circle back to Hogsmeade, and then run back to Hogwarts. It would take forever this way, and the professors would be panicking to find where they had gone, as everyone present at the battle had seen the three students throwing spell after spell before disappearing when the fire became unbearable. 

They continued to run, their legs and arms pumping continuously as they forced their straining bodies to move, and it wasn't until they were sure no more Death Eaters were following them did they take a moment to catch their breaths. Ted fell to the ground in a graceless bundle, Andromeda leaned her head against a tree and sucked in much needed air, and Hermione slowly sat until her butt touched the grass, staring into the nigh sky and worrying over what came next.

There was never any question on whether Rodolphus and Rabastan would join Voldemort's army or not. No, the question was when that would happen. Hermione hadn't been prepared for it to be now.

What does she do with this information? Take it to Dumbledore? He'd believe her, but she knew the Ministry would not, if it even got that far. They would not take the word of an unknown girl against a Sacred Twenty-Eight family, of that she was certain. The only thing that would come of going to Dumbledore would be putting a target on her back, both for the Lestrange boys but also possibly Bellatrix, and that she just could not risk.

She'd have to play it smart, watch her back around Rodolphus more than she already was. It was the only choice right now, at least until she got Bellatrix on her side.

After too short a break Hermione stood back up, her lungs burning and her legs aching. Adrenaline was beginning to fade, and she was starting to feel all the small hits she had taken in the fight. A bit of blood coated the inside of her mouth, her wrist throbbed, and she knew there was some small nicks and scrapes on her arms and legs. "We need to keep moving," she said, watching as Ted stood and rubbed Andromeda's back for only a moment before they walked over to join her. Another moment later and they were running again, slower and more organized this time.

None of them stopped until they got closer to Hogsmeade once more, noticeable by the growing thickness of the smoke in the air, the noise of so many people only just starting to calm down from their panic. Still, they gave the village a wide berth, staying hidden in the forest.

It was the wrong decision to make.

When Hogsmeade was to their backs, Hogwarts nearly in their sights, another attack came.

Andromeda went down with a pain filled screamed.

"ANDROMEDA!" Ted bellowed, turning on his feet and running to their downed friend. Hermione did the same, scanning the trees around them for their attacker. Nothing caught her eye. Whoever it was they were remaining hidden by the shadows. Was it Rodolphus? Come to get revenge on them for hurting his brother? Or someone else entirely?

With her friends distracting, Hermione stood guard, wand out and spells ready to start flying as she continued to spin in a circle. She had to force herself to ignore Andromeda's heart wrenching sob. All of her attention needed to be on protecting them right now. Ted would take care of Andromeda, would heal what he could of whatever wounds she got from the spell. It had been wordless, a bright orange that could have been any number of hexes or curses, and did nothing to tell Hermione what kind of state to expect her friend in.

"I don't see them!" She yelled, spinning back and forth, desperate for some sort of- 

There.

The moonlight reflected off of something shiny and metallic, just a small fraction of light by the trees to Hermione's right. She paused, wand aimed, and waited with bated breath for the figure to move farther into her line of sight.

She didn't need to wait long.

"Bombarda!" 

Hermione wasn't aiming for the person.

They had moved just enough away from the tree, and it was there that Hermione struck, bark exploding in a loud bang, wood and sticks flying in all directions as the Death Eater was slammed into the ground. Hermione waited for them to rise as the air settled. They did not. She didn't hesitate to stalk over to the downed dark wizard, finding him struggling to rise, his mask lost and his hood down.

It wasn't Rodolphus or Rabastan. Dark and oily hair, slicked back against his head, his face much younger than Hermione had seen on the wanted posters.

Antonin Dolohov.

She is very, very relieved to have chosen to knock him down like this then try to engage him in a battle. In her time, there were not many who rivaled him for talented, and while he couldn't be older than his early twenties now, Hermione doubted he was much less impressive.

Antonin scowled at her, his eyes dark and furious, laced with a hint of pain. One of the pieces of the tree had lodged itself into his upper thigh, blood already staining his clothing and leaking onto the grass. It was the reason he hadn't apparated away yet either- couldn't risk making the wound worse if he got splinched.

"Gonna kill me now, girlie?" He growled, showing teeth already beginning to yellow. "You better, otherwise I'm gonna come back for you for doing this to me." 

Hermione wasn't not a murderer. She certainly wasn't a murder to someone who couldn't even properly defend himself. There were some lines that could never be crossed, no matter how dire the situation may be. "Good luck," she responded, and gave him no warning before hitting him directly in the head with a firm "Stupefy," and watched as head instantly lolled to the side, eyes closed and body limp.

She didn't waste a single second longer staring at him before she rushed to Andromeda's side, who had fallen silent. It was only the slight rise and fall of her chest that prevented Hermione from losing it entirely. But she needed help, desperately, if the blood from her side and thigh was any indication.

"Andy, please, wake up, please," Ted begged, his blood stained hands pressed on either side of Andromeda's too pale face, redden handprints left imprinted. He turned wild eyes to Hermione. "Do something. DO SOMETHING!" 

Think. Think. Think. 

The healing spells that came to mind would do no good in this case, meant for smaller cuts like when she had healed Bellatrix, or broken bones. Not... whatever mess was currently making up Andromeda's body. No, no spells would help her friend, at least not immediately, but- 

But Hagrid had taught them a spell in their second year, and Dumbledore had shown them the same spell again in their fourth, during the Triwizard Cup. It was incredibly risky. They had no idea how many Death Eaters remained, what if more came? It was a chance they had no choice but to make. 

Hermione stood up, said to Ted, "Stand and get your wand out. More might come and we need to be ready," and aimed her own wand high towards the sky. She had just started the spell to shot green and red sparks from it when noise sounded to their backs, both of them spinning around and shooting two hexes in that general direction. 

"Students!" The undeniable voice of McGonagall called out just as the bright light from the spell reflected off three Hogwarts professors' faces, the hexes easily brushed aside. McGonagall, Flitwick, and Kettleburn. Hermione and Ted lowered their wands, both heaving sighs of relief at the sight of their professors standing before them. They all rushed to Hermione and Ted, and McGonagall wasted no time in crouching down to Andromeda's side, waving her enlightened wand over the wound. 

It looked... 

Ted gave a pitiful cry, and Hermione had to look away from the bloodied scene before her. 

"We must get her back to the castle immediately," McGonagall said, keeping her hand pressed to the wound. Already Hermione could see blood staining the entire palm and fingers, but her favorite professor did not flinch at the sight or feeling. 

"Antonin Dolohov is over there," Hermione pointed in the general direction of the dark wizard, and watched as Kettleburn ran off to the woods. Before he came back, Flitwick cast a spell to levitate Andromeda to make transporting her as easy as possible. They were ready to go when Kettleburn returned, head shaking back and forth. "He was injured pretty bad and unconscious, someone must have came for him and left without attacking us." 

"Their numbers were thinning out. This attack was most likely just a way to instill fear into the general public without much goal in mind. They probably didn't expect professors to respond, and fled when they had the chance," McGonagall explained as they began the too slow trek back to Hogwarts. 

Ted cried the entire way, his face gaunt and his eyes red as he kept casting worried glances at the fifth year. "She's going to be fine, right?" He asked, his voice near hysterical. "She's going to be fine?" He repeated when the first question went unanswered. 

"We're taking her straight to the hospital wing, child. They'll take care of her," Kettleburn responded, his voice firm but gentle. "Take a deep breath, boy, otherwise you'll pass out." 

"Hogsmeade-" Hermione started, the battle entirely forced from her mind until just now. "Is it over?" 

"Yes," McGonagall responded grimly. "Aurors finally arrived, but not before the Death Eaters escaped. They're taking all injured people to St. Mungo's as we speak. Hush now, we don't want to give away our location should any still be around." 

Dumbledore had insisted Hermione and Ted make a stop in the hospital wing to ensure they were indeed as fine as they claimed. Even the sight of Madam Pomfrey, a person Hermione had not been prepared to see in this time, was not enough to lift her spirits when that very woman was leaning over her friend's unresponsive body. 

Ted had to be escorted out of the wing when he wouldn't leave Andromeda's side, too hysterical and emotional to listen to the professors and nurses around them, before two of them physically removed him. His wails of Andromeda's name trailed behind them. 

She'll live, she'll live, she'll live, Hermione told herself, over and over and over again. Andromeda couldn't die. This attack must have happened in the original timeline, and she survived that, so she'll survive this too.

But Hermione hadn't been in the original timeline, and it had been her idea to run into the words. Perhaps if shehadn't been there, Andromeda and Ted would have escaped unscathed. Was this all her fault?

After verifying Hermione was as fine as she claimed, the nurses forced her from the hospital wing with a promise of being able to come back the next night. Hermione refused to budge from her position on one of the empty beds, couldn't budge until she knew Andromeda would survive the night. One of the nurses said as much, but did add the fifth year had a rough recovery ahead of her. But she would recover. 

It was enough to get Hermione to stand on shaky legs and make the long walk back to the dungeons for the Slytherin rooms. Unlike the last time Hermione entered, the space was now empty. Word must have reached the students that the battle was over, Hogwarts was safe once more, and they all must have gone to bed.

Mostly empty, Hermione realized, when she walked farther into the room and saw two figures sat by the fire. 

Bellatrix was standing in an instant when she noticed Hermione, her usually annoyed face grave, her pallor grayer than ever as she stalked towards Hermione. When she took note of the blood staining Hermione's clothes and arms, that look turned even more devastated, and Hermione had to stumble back a step to prevent the two of them from colliding when Bellatrix rushed to stand directly before her. 

"Where is she." 

Hermione's shoulders drooped. She's not sure how word reached Bellatrix and Narcissa about the state of their sister yet, but someone had definitely informed them of her critical condition. "The hospital wing." 

There was an odd noise that came from Narcissa, the youngest girl sat with her head in her hands, and it took a second for Hermione to process Narcissa's shoulders were shaking. She was crying. 

"She's going to be okay. Antonin Dolohov hit her with a nasty curse but-" Hermione stopped talking immediately upon seeing the look on Bellatrix's face. Furious didn't quite do it justice. "-but Madam Pomfrey is healing her now. She's unconscious, but she is going to be okay." 

Bellatrix jerked a hand through her thick head, shoving the untamable mane backwards. Pieces immediately fell back into her eyes when she moved again to stand beside Narcissa, one hand tangled in the back of her baby sister's blonde hair in a show of comfort. Narcissa reached up to grip that hand, and Hermione couldn't help but feel like she was intruding on a private movement. 

Just as she made to leave the girls alone, Bellatrix looked up at her once more. "What was she doing at that fight?" 

"She was-" Hermione technically didn't know. Andromeda hadn't said or confirmed anything, and neither had Ted, but the longer Hermione had to think on it, the more she was sure the two had snuck out for a late night date. They were limited on where they could go while at Hogwarts, so Hermione assumed they'd went out before curfew, most likely rushing out as soon as Andromeda had helped Hermione get ready for the dinner. How they planned to get back into the castle was beyond her, but not her concern right now. 

Does she tell Bellatrix and Narcissa any of that? History had already proven both girls would one day turn their back on their sister for being in love with this very man, so Hermione very well couldn't speed that up now. Not when her friend so desperately needed her sisters' support while she recovered. 

"She was with Ted Tonks." 

The admission did not come from Hermione. The youngest Black had stood up, pulled away from Bellatrix, and faced them both. Her face was stoic, unflinching under Bellatrix's outraged look. 

"She told me she was going to see him," Narcissa continued, uncaring of the seething look her sister sent her. "I should have told her not to, and then she'd be okay, but..." Hermione watched as she bit back a sob. "But I told her I'd cover for her if you asked when you got back from that dinner. None of us expected this." 

Hermione really wished she would have left when Bellatrix comforted her sister only moments ago, as the oldest girl now whirled, dark eyes furious and hands fisted, to scream at Narcissa. 

"How dare you support this vile infatuation with a mudblood!" Neither Black girl noticed Hermione's flinch at the horrid term, both too caught up in one another as Bellatrix went on with her rant. "Her friendship with the mudblood was hardly tolerated. I swore to keep that a secret from father only if it went no further." 

Oh? Hermione still hadn't been able to figure out much regarding Cygnus Black, but she would wager a guess that even friendships with muggle-born wizards was forbidden, and was not prepared for Bellatrix to endorse such a thing, even for her beloved sister. And to hide it from their father? All so very interesting. 

Even more interesting though, was what was happening right before her eyes. In the month that Hermione had been at Hogwarts, Narcissa had always been the most level headed of the three sisters, a quiet and watchful girl who never lost her poise and elegance. 

With Andromeda's current state, Bellatrix screaming at her was clearly the last straw. "How dare I? How dare I? How dare you, Bella!" Narcissa screamed, her voice higher pitched and more shrill than Bellatrix's. The dark haired witch didn't even flinch at the sudden noise as Narcissa continued to yell. "Our sister is in the hospital wing fighting for her life! And you have the gull to focus on some boy?" 

And then, Hermione was privy to learn just how Black-ish Narcissa truly was, as she said the next thing that made Bellatrix flinch as if she were physically struck. 

"You're just like father." 

Hermione hadn't been expecting to run into anybody while she walked the school grounds the next morning, least of all Bellatrix. She had just wanted an escape from the stifling Slytherin common room, from all the students who pressed her for gossip once it spread that she had been a part of the fight the night before. 

Her first stop had been to the hospital wing, where she found Ted slouched in a chair at Andromeda's side- both asleep, or still unconscious. Not wanting to disturb either of them, Hermione stayed just long enough to watch her friend's chest rise and fall slowly and consistently, see her more flushed cheeks, and assure herself that Andromeda was in fact going to be fine, before she turned and left. She'd tried to walk the halls after that, but it felt like all of the portraits were watching her every step, whispering back and forth as she passed. It did nothing to make her feel better, and only added an extra weight to her mind and shoulders. 

None of the students would be on the grounds today, of that she was sure. If she learned anything from the multitude of attacks during her time here with Harry, then it was the professors keeping the students within the castle walls the day after an attack to ensure another wasn't about to happen. After what Hermione had done to help them, none of the few professors she came across on her retreat outside made to stop her. Filch did made a comment that if someone attacked her, she'd bloodied well deserve it, but that was ignored as she stalked away from him. 

Or she thought no one would be outside. Hermione frowned when she noticed the person sat on the edge of Black lake, their back to her, giving her the perfect view of ridiculous dark hair that could only belong to one person. With a moment to decide if she really wanted to do this, Hermione started walking in the direction of Bellatrix, not stopping until she was a few feet from the girl's side. 

For her part, Bellatrix did not show any surprise at the intrusion, and merely raised an eyebrow when Hermione made to sit down. "What are you doing here, traitor?" Lacking the usual bite Bellatrix talked to Hermione in, the words sounded more hollow and tired than the brunette had ever heard. "I assume you saw Andy today."

"She looks better." Not good, per se, but better. Less like she was on Death's door. "Did you?" 

"I did." And saw the mudblood at her side, watching her like a dog, went unsaid between them, but Hermione knew Bellatrix would have seen Ted there this morning. 

"He cares about her, and she cares about him," Hermione defended, her eyebrows furrowed and a frown on her face. Bellatrix wasn't looking at Hermione anymore, instead her eyes were locked on the still water before them. "Why is that so terrible?" 

Bellatrix scoffed. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." 

"Your family is full of blood-traitors, or near enough to be considered one. The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black-" her voice had taken on a mocking tone as she said that, her head moving side to side with each syllable. "Blacks are not given the option of being with someone because they care about them. That is a luxury offered to mudbloods and traitors. Tell me, rat, would your parents disown you for bringing home a muggle?" 

Hermione didn't even need to think about it to know her parents- if they remembered who she was, that is- would never turn their backs on her for loving anyone, no matter the person, so long as she was happy and loved. But Bellatrix meant in this world, with her family being the Potter's. From what little she knew of Harry's grandparents, her answer was not changed much. "My parents would support any decision I made." 

"Exactly." 

"Are you your parents?" Hermione challenged, thinking back to last night and Narcissa's scathing words. You're just like father. Bellatrix hadn't reacted to that well, had let out a scream more animalistic than human, and stormed from the common room, but not before throwing one of the wooden chairs against the wall. It was the last Hermione saw of her before this moment, and she was still yet to see Narcissa. 

The question had the intended reaction Hermione was going for; Bellatrix turned to her, fury in her dark eyes and a deep scowl on her pretty sure. "Not that you have any right to ask such personal questions about but family, but Cissy sure seems to think I am."

"Narcissa is hurting, just like you are and-"

"Do not presume to know what I am."

"Your little sister is in the hospital wing. She nearly died last night, Bellatrix. I know you care for her." 

"What is your point to all of this, Potter?" 

Hermione did not miss the use of her last name, said without any sort of mockery added. "My point is, I may not know your family, but I do know Andromeda, and I think she is worth standing beside, regardless of whoever she loves. She looks up to you, Bellatrix, and wants your support more than anything on this, even if she's never said it." 

"What is it about my sister?" 

The brunette frowned, staring at the girl beside her with a look of confusion on her face. "What do you mean?"

"You and I do not get along. You and Narcissa do not get along. And yet you deal with that, every day, just so you can be around Andromeda. What is it about her that you like so much?"

"She..." Hermione sucked in her bottom lip, eyes now out on the water as she contemplated the question. There were so many reasons to like Andromeda, and she could spend hours listing them all. But she didn't. She just said, "There was a girl back at my school that I was very good friends with, and I miss her- all of my friends, really- every single day that I am here. Being around Andromeda makes me miss them all of them a little bit less, but especially my one friend."

She didn't expect Bellatrix to truly be interested in the story, let alone to ask questions, but, "What is her name?" 

"Ginny. She's... wild does not do her personality justice." Hermione took a moment to compose herself, before she gave a watery laugh, and said, "You know, one of the Death Eaters shot the killing curse at Andromeda last night." Bellatrix tensed up, spinning around to stare at Hermione with panicked eyes, but the brunette continued before she could be interrupted. "Do you know what your sister did? She laughed. And told them to try harder. It was... such a Ginny thing to do, and in that moment it was like my friends were fighting at my side again, not Andromeda or Ted." 

Hermione wasn't surprised when Bellatrix had nothing to say to that, no snarky or biting comment. Just, acceptable silence between both of them as they watched the water together. Every now and then bubbles would break the surface, be it from the merpeople or the Giant squid or whoever knew what else lurked in there. 

In the time they sat together, Bellatrix shifted from a more defensive position of her arms wrapped around her legs to her arms behind her, leaning all of her weight on them as she stared up the sky with her eyes closed. It was the most peaceful and serene Hermione had ever seen her. 

When an hour or more had to have passed without either girl saying something, Bellatrix stood up. She did not look to Hermione as she did so, nor did she look when she said, "I'm glad she has you as a friend. Even if you are a stupid blood-traitor." Then she walked away, heading back to the castle, most likely to scare away Ted and take his place by her sister's side. 

Hermione remained by the lake for a while longer, watching as the sky turned from a bright blue to a gentle pink and orange, fading to purple until the sun set behind the trees and the moon began to rise. It was only then did she make her way back, walking through empty halls and smiling at the portraits that tipped their hats to her as she passed.