Chapter 20: XXChapter TextRavenclaw was in the lead by forty points, and thirty minutes into the game the Snitch was yet to be spotted. Everyone's emotions were raised and the ref, this time it was McGonagall, had had to break up two arguments on the pitch before the game even began.
Bellatrix had started both of them. One with the Ravenclaw Seeker, and the other with their captain. It took McGonagall threatening to have Bellatrix removed from the match for her to not start a third argument, but it did very little and ease any frustrations. Both teams had adequate motivation to win the match. Whoever came out first would almost definitely secure the lead for the house cup. Theoretically they were close enough in points for some students to push the tides one way or another, but they all knew how unlikely that was to be, and so Quidditch was their last resort.
Slytherin was the current first place holder, a fact that Hermione was quiet proud of. She had decided, many months ago, that if she were to be here, she would be in full support of her new house. Even if that meant watching Gryffindor come in third place and not feeling an ounce of guilt over celebrating that fact with her other housemates. And she wouldn't feel guilty when Slytherin won the cup and she was the cheering louder than anyone else. Because they would be winning the cup. That was a definite.
Of course, the weather would decide now was the perfect time to unleash an unforgivable amount of rain that had them all in goggles that fogged up too much, their visibility nonexistent, and the roar of the thunder and rain covering up any attempts at quick conversations between teammates. It hadn't made any of their weakly leashed tempers any better. Hermione had almost whacked two Slytherin players, and had had to hastily apologize to Victoria and Ryan and hope they forgive her clumsiness.
She dropped low on the field, frantically searching for the opposing team as her one hand struggled to maintain any sort of grip on her soaked broom, the other doing the same with her club. It was damn near impossible to see anyone else, but if she squinted, she could make out the blue and bronze of the Ravenclaw players. Without stopping to check where the Quaffles or bludgers were, she took off racing towards them, hoping that she'd be able to beat back a few of the balls eventually since she's been doing a pretty poor job of it thus far.
With what was a complete stroke of luck, Hermione could just make out one of Ravenclaw's chaser holding the Quaffle and taking off towards Slytherin's goalpost. She dropped to cut them off just as they arced their arm to toss it, and they couldn't react quick enough before she was knocking the ball away and towards the opposite direction.
Take that, Ravenclaw!
Maybe the tides were finally turning to be on their side, for none other than Bellatrix dropped from above to catch the rapidly sinking ball, letting her broom be completely vertical as she raced to grab it before someone else did, and Hermione would admit to no one that she held her breath the entire time until Bellatrix quickly pulled upwards on the front, moments before she would have crashed to the ground, Quaffle secured in hand and speeding towards the Ravenclaw goal.
Hermione lost her then in between the rain and other players, but she could just make out the announcer yelling, "Ten points to Slytherin!"
Thirty point difference now.
They could do it.
They were going to do it.
It was a mantra Hermione repeated to herself, the silent words growing in strength when she saw Tony finally, finally flying quickly above them chasing after that annoying quick little golden ball. Unfortunately, the Ravenclaw seeker was hot on his tails, but Tony was quicker than them all, and maintain his lead.
"Potter!" Hermione could barely hear Victoria's scream over the rain. "Head in the game, girl!" The blonde said, her hair plastered to her face and looking probably as rough as Hermione figured she herself looked. "Go knock some Ravenclaw bastards to the ground!"
Hermione could do that. She could definitely do that.
Ten minutes later and the snitch still hadn't been caught, though the the score was even now. Bellatrix and Ryan had scored three more goals in rapid succession, and a good portion of the crowd was screaming over the rain in support of them. Hermione had indeed knocked away two chasers who hoped to score for Ravenclaw, and she refused to let herself feel bad when she saw blood on one of their faces when she was close enough.
"Ten points to Slytherin!"
Yes!
The rain was coming down even harder now, and more than once Hermione had had to adjust before she lost her grip on the broom and club. All of the other players were doing the same, all of them flying uncharacteristically lower to the ground in the very real chance they did slip and fall. Professors were on high alert, wands at the ready to catch any players before they crashed into the ground, and still the game went on.
It was hard to catch her breath, harder even to see. How the hell Tony managed to chase the snitch was beyond her but-
There it was.
She could just barely see the little ball in the not too far distance, more of a wet golden reflection than anything else. It was more telling by Tony and the Ravenclaw seeker flying directly at her, scrambling to reach out and grab it. They were heading right at Hermione, the snitch on a straight path to her. She couldn't grab it. Couldn't touch it.
But she could touch the opposing Seeker.
He was almost as fast as Tony, both boys moving in a near blur head on towards her, and she moved to the side, only slightly, keeping both of them in her line of sight. Tony just needed to grab the snitch, just needed to maintain the lead on the boy behind him, and he'd be able to grab the snitch.
When they flew by her, Tony so close pieces of her rain slicked hair whooshed in the wind, she jerked her club out as soon as she could see the bristles of Tony's broom. She missed him entirely, thankfully, and clapped the tip of the Ravenclaw Seeker's broom. He hadn't been expecting it, hadn't thought she was close enough to reach him, and usually the Seekers were off limits. Not against the rules per se, but a low enough blow that the players typically didn't bother them aside from the other Seeker.
Hermione was in the mood to play dirty, desperate enough to ensure Slytherin's win, that she grinned widely as she watched the boy's broom jerk upwards. He lost his grip on it and tumbled right off the back, plunging down quickly to the ground as two professors rushed to catch him.
A second later, she heard the announcer scream, "Slytherins has caught the Snitch! Slytherin wins the game!"
Everything happened very quickly after that, enough so that Hermione felt as if she were experiencing the chaos through a third party. All of the players were dropping to the ground, letting their brooms drop carelessly as they all swarmed Hermione and Tony, squeezing them tightly together as the crowd screamed their congratulations.
At her back, arms wrapped tight against her waist, Hermione could feel Bellatrix's smaller body pressed against her, and smiled as the rest of the team kept screaming.
That house cup was theirs.
All of the students (well, those that supported Slytherin, at least) rushed back to the school to begin the celebrations, all of the players taking a small detour to put away their brooms and Quidditch supplies before racing to catch up.
For the entire trip back to the school, Bellatrix's hands didn't once leave Hermione's, nor did she leave her side once the party started.
It went well into the night, with the seventh and a few lucky sixth years staying up later than the others and passing around a few bottles of firewhiskey. It was so much like Hermione's very first game, except this time when Bellatrix sat beside her, her arm was loosely thrown around her shoulders, fingers twisted slightly in Hermione's hair.
If any of the other students noticed or cared, they kept their comments to themselves as they enjoyed a night of relaxed celebrations, the whiskey loosening everyone up. They had all long since changed from their sodden and muddy uniforms, all now in regular outfits. Bellatrix wore a short black dress that showed way too much of her thighs for Hermione to properly function at all, and Hermione had once again stolen an outfit from Andromeda, though she kept it simple with tights and a sweater.
She had felt Bellatrix's eyes on her the entire time they were changing clothes, unable to act on anything with so many other girls around them at the time, and she hadn't missed the way Bellatrix watched her most of the night afterwards as well. Or how the girl's movements on her neck and shoulder were slower, heavier, and much, much more teasing as they traced up and down.
"To Hermione and Tony!" Steve held up his half full cup of whiskey to the room, only a few others that weren't a part of the team left. "A hell of a move out there!" The group followed his toast, an only partially quiet cheer resounding throughout as they all drank. "Ravenclaw has no chance of winning the house cup, thanks to all of you. I must say, it's been an honor to be on a team with you for so long."
Similar praises were passed around from the rest of the team, Bellatrix choosing to go with a simple, "I tolerated all of you, I suppose," whereas Hermione was a bit more thankful in her statements.
"I know I haven't known you all for very long," she started off, her words slower and lower than normal, thanks to the alcohol in her system. "But I have come to cherish you all. And I know I sucked so much in the beginning, so thank you for being patient with me. And I hope we can continue our friendship post graduation."
"Can't get rid of us that easily," Sebastian, more than a little drunk, said with an uncharacteristically easy grin, the collar of his light shirt a bit wet from the alcohol he had spilled earlier. "Besides, I suppose we shall all be seeing a lot of one another when we go to support Steve playing for the French?"
That had everyone spinning to face their captain, who looked as if he wanted to be anywhere else. Him and Victoria mimicked Hermione and Bellatrix's positions, with Steve's arm thrown around the back of the blonde's chair. He waved off their loud gasps of surprise with a gentle laugh. "That's right. You're looking at the newest French National player. Signed a few days ago. I'm heading to France the weekend after graduation."
A new round of celebrations commenced after that, everyone getting another round of drinks, the air of excitement and revelry growing stronger with each passing hour. By the time they all called it a night, the sun was just beginning to light up the darkened lake.
Hermione stood first, making sure she wasn't about to tumble over, before she somewhat sluggishly pulled Bellatrix to her feet, both girls using one another to support themselves as they made the trek to the seventh year girls' dorm. The hall had never felt longer than when Hermione was trying not to collapse, and it wasn't helping that she swore the floor was wiggling with each step. It was probably the alcohol, but this was Hogwarts, and Hermione wouldn't put it past anything for that to happen.
They did finally enter the darkened room, and Hermione wasn't sure which one of them started walking towards Hermione's bed first, the one closer to the door, except they both dropped down onto it, Bellatrix's eyes already beginning to close as Hermione fumbled to pull the girl's heels off before she took her own and dropped into the bed beside her.
"Your bed is so much comfier," the dark witch slurred into Hermione's neck, warm puffs of air tickling the sensitive skin there. Hermione had the bright sense to magic the curtains closed to give them a bit of privacy and darkness. "I'm never leaving."
"I don't want you to," Hermione mumbled, Bellatrix's thick mane of hair stifling the words somewhat. She slipped an arm around the other girl, their legs tangling together, and not even a minute had passed before both girls were sound asleep, fully content and comfortable in each other's arms.
Hermione had just finished her last examination that she would ever take at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and a hollow feeling had settled in the pit of her stomach. In only two days she would leave by way of boat, the same as how she had first arrived all those years ago, and she would never walk these halls again. Well, technically. Kind of. Hermione Granger would be here for her first year eventually, but not her her. Not this Hermione. The girl who will face a troll, a werewolf, hordes of Death Eaters. She would walk these halls. But not the girl who kissed Bellatrix, who slept with Bellatrix in an empty classroom. Who helped Andromeda with classes and walked the grounds with Narcissa. That Hermione was a different Hermione all together, and right now she felt aimless, useless in a way she never had been before.
She'd always had a purpose, always a goal in mind. It didn't feel much like she had either right now, as she paused to lean against the stonewall outside the class room and close her eyes.
"If you are thinking of all the missed opportunities of us together in this school, I've already thought of them. In fact, I compiled a list of places I think will be best. Shall we start now?"
Hermione couldn't fight the same overtaking her face and relaxing her stressed mind even if she tried, not as she opened her eyes and found Bellatrix standing only a little bit away, tie loose around her neck and hair pulled into a messy bun. She must have finished her final exam sooner than Hermione, and come to greet her. The thought had her pushing off of the wall to be closer to the witch.
"Is sex the only thing on your mind now?"
"Can I be blamed for saying yes? I am fantastic at it. You stand to be improved, but don't worry. I'm patient."
"Patient is the complete opposite of you, Bellatrix Black." A goofy smile was on Hermione's face as she bumped her shoulder against Bellatrix's, both of them beginning to follow the flow of people moving through the halls. "What are you doing here?"
They hadn't had much time together over the last week since Quidditch ended. Aside from studying, Hermione did little more than eat and sleep as everyone prepared for finals. Sure, they were together, as in studying beside one another along with Narcissa and Andromeda, and occasionally Ted and even Daniel, but they had very little time alone.
And she didn't even mean it in the sense of having sex, which she did find herself wanting a lot. She just meant... she wanted Bellatrix's attention on her. Wanted Bellatrix to look at her, touch her, smile at her, talk to her. Do anything so long as it involved her. It was an unexpected and totally prosperous feeling, one that made Hermione feel like she was ten years old and having her first crush all over again, but it was the truth.
It was only made worse when they woke up together after the Quidditch championships. It was well into the afternoon by the time they managed to become coherent, heads throbbing from the alcohol and stomachs rolling. Bellatrix looked more hair than body in that moment, as she refused to open her eyes and just pressed closer to Hermione, every part of their bodies touching. At some point in the night her dress had ridden up to her waist, revealing more pale thighs and black underwear.
Hermione's hands had only just began to trail upwards when none other than Andromeda was ripping the curtain open and yelling at them to wake up. Right in that moment, Hermione wouldn't have stopped Bellatrix from killing Andy, not as the sisters got into a screaming match that did nothing for Hermione's headache, and she had simply rolled out of bed and left them to it.
"We have plans," Bellatrix said, pulling Hermione from her memories. "Exams are over. We have places to be."
"Where?"
"Do you not understand the concept of a surprise? Stop asking questions and hurry up. You're very slow." Bellatrix sounded annoyed, but Hermione could see the corner of her mouth quirked upward, and she laced her hand through Bellatrix's, brushing her thumb over the taunt knuckle skin.
All questions about where the hell they were racing off to were completely ignored as Bellatrix led her down winding halls until they were out of the castle entirely and onto the grounds, none of the other students paying them any mind as Bellatrix purposefully marched. It took Hermione only a few minutes to realize they were heading in the direction of Hogsmeade, and when she tried to pull Bellatrix to a stop, the girl pointedly ignored her and kept walking.
After some time, the popular village came into sight, and Bellatrix stop and spun around to face Hermione, still having refused to answer any of her questions.
The witch's grin was the very same one that she would have before instigating a fight with Hermione, except this time the hand that had once thrown hexes and punches at her now held her own softly, curling around her fingers and pulling her in close. "Hold on tight."
There was no warning before Hermione felt the sickening pull of apparition in the lower pit of her stomach as the world twisted and shifted upon herself. She didn't even have time to yell at Bellatrix before the sensation was over and firm ground was beneath her feet. "Bella!" She chastised after she sucked in much needed air, looking up to find the annoying girl with that stupid smile she liked so much still place. "What did you- why are we- we shouldn't have left Hogwarts!"
The dark witch seemed entirely unperturbed by breaking school rules, of which Hermione was not surprised in the slightest, if only a bit annoyed. "Forgive me, Granger. I hadn't realized you were suddenly gung-ho for obeying every rule our mighty school has. Shall I take us back now, or will you be quiet long enough for me to show you why I've brought you here?"
Here was, oddly enough, a busy street in Wizarding London, recognizable by the familiar signs all around them. Bellatrix had apparated them into the end of an alley, all the people brushing by the opening not paying them a single moment as they rushed about their various lives. Hermione knew the Ministry of Magic wasn't too far away, though she couldn't imagine Bellatrix was taking her there for all places. No, whatever they were in London for was something else entirely, even if she hadn't the faintest clue as to what that is.
"See that building there?" Bellatrix pointed across the street to a simple, five story brown stone building, the multiple rows of balconies indicating it was most definitely an apartment complex. "Four windows up from the bottom, two from the left."
Hermione followed the instructions obediently, and settled on the window Bellatrix wanted her to see. "I see the window, yes."
"That's our window."
"What?"
"That is our window," Bellatrix said, slower this time, as if Hermione's question was based on not hearing the previous statement instead of the insanity of the statement itself. "Apartment 4B. Or it will be. I get the keys tomorrow."
"Bella, I don't... what is going on?"
Bellatrix rolled her eyes, apparently bored of whatever game she was trying to play with Hermione, or mad that Hermione didn't understand the unspoken rules. But how could she, when her heart felt like it was in her throat and her palms were suddenly very, very sweaty?
"Come on," Bellatrix replied instead of explaining anything, tugging on Hermione's wrist as they quickly crossed the road and entered the double doors of the apartments. Inside was a pale cream, dark wooden stairs leading up, a small chandelier hanging up with a multitude of flickering candles. "There is no lift," she scowled as she started the climb to the fourth floor, Hermione silent the entire time.
She was having a hard time getting one foot in front of the other to get to the correct floor. One couldn't expect her to also be able to hold a conversation right now on top of trying to breathe and walk without having a panic attack. What the hell was Bellatrix thinking right now?
Eventually they came to a stop outside a darkly painted door emblazoned with '4B' in the center, directly below a peephole. Bellatrix double checked the empty hallway once more before she whispered, "Alohomora," and the door jerked opened a moment after.
"Bellatrix!" Hermione chastised, eyes wide as Bellatrix merely sauntered into the apartment. "What if someone lived here!"
"Are you deaf, Granger?" Bellatrix said, all humor lacing her words as she watched Hermione slowly follow. "It's empty. Stop looking at me like that and come in."
Left with very little other choice, Hermione walked into the apartment. It was nothing spectacular, actually nothing at all. There was no furniture, just an open floor from the living room to kitchen. The walls were white and bare, the floor well worn. A regular, normal apartment. The windows overlooked the busy street, and as neither of them were talking, it wasn't hard to hear the commotion below.
"Can you please tell me what's going on, Bella?"
Hermione shouldn't have been surprised Bellatrix failed to answer right away. It seemed she was in the mood to see how long it took for Hermione to get aggravated. The shorter girl merely walked closer to the kitchen, not stopping until she reached one of the counters and leant against it. Slowly, she pulled a folded up sheet of parchment from her robe pocket.
"Read it," Bellatrix demanded, voice suddenly empty in a way Hermione had not heard for some time now. It automatically had her heart hurting, and she wanted nothing more than to reach out and grab the girl and pull her close, but she refrained and opened the folded letter. The crease was soft enough to suggest Bellatrix had probably opened and closed it many, many times.
There was no greeting to start the letter off.
Effective immediately, we no longer recognize you as our daughter or heir to the Black fortune. You are denied your birthright of our name and wealth. You do not have access to the Black volt at Gringott's. You do not have access to Black Manor. To us and the rest of the Black family, you are as good as dead. To forsake your duties is to forsake your ties to us.
The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.
Toujours Pur.
The letter ended after that, and Hermione read it two more times before she looked back up to Bellatrix, not bothering to wipe the tears that had sprung to her eyes as she read. Bellatrix, for her part, did not let any sort of emotion show on her pale face as she stared unflinchingly back at Hermione.
"This is because... because of me?" Hermione's voice cracked on the last word, her hands shaking and her breathing shallow as a rush of self loathing overtook her.
"Partly," Bellatrix admitted, not bothering to mince the words. "Had you not come along, I suppose I would have remained the Black heir. Although," she added quickly upon seeing the new wave of tears sliding down Hermione's face, "I do not believe my life would be a lovely one, should I have continued down the path I was destined to be on, hm? A Deatheater, yes? So, there was always going to be a price I had to pay. Either my sisters and their love, or my parents. I do not think its such a bad thing to be removed from the Black family." She scowled and added, "The lack of money is a bitch. I have learned it isn't fun to be poor."
That dragged a laugh from Hermione, though the tears remained, even as Bellatrix took a step closer and gently brushed them away.
"You shouldn't cry, Hermione," the shorter girl said softly, before the corner of her mouth jerked into a grin. "You look terribly dreadful doing so."
"Stop it, you," Hermione couldn't help but laugh once more, wiping her cheeks properly with the sleeve of her shirt to dry them off. "I am... I don't even know what I am," she confessed. "Part of me feels horrendous about this, you must believe that. But, the other part, the part that has not only seen the woman they would make you grow to be, but has also first handedly seen how they do not deserve you... that part does not feel bad. And that's making me feel worse."
"Then let me make you feel better." Bellatrix's voice dropped low and sultry, the sort of tone that shot a pulse of pleasure right between Hermione's legs, made even more intense by the way Bellatrix's hands moved to her hips, squeezing tightly. "I should be thanking you for this," the dark witch said in between kisses to Hermione's neck. "I won't, of course, but I should be."
That was enough for Hermione to roll her eyes and lightly shove Bellatrix away, ignoring the displeased pout on the other girl's gorgeous face. "Not here," she laughed, running a hand through her hair and trying to calm her racing breaths. All it took was a few kisses from Bellatrix and she was ready to let her underwear drop. "You never told me what this apartment has to do with any of this."
"Oh, that." Bellatrix shrugged and dug another folded up piece of parchment from her pocket. "The Irish National Quidditch team signed me as a Chaser last week. Seeing as I am suddenly without a manor, part of the conditions of my contract with them are they needed to find me somewhere to live." She motioned to the small area. "This is what they gave me. Enough room for Andy and Cissy, myself, and you."
There was... so much in that sentence to process, and all Hermione could do was dumbly blink at Bellatrix as she took the offered parchment and quickly read the new letter. This time the letter was crisp, as if she had read it only once, instead of the dozens she must have read her father's. Longer too, filled with much more details, such as the apartment leasing, Quidditch supplies provided by the team, her length of contract, and of course, her salary. Which was lower than Hermione would have guessed a professional Quidditch player to make, but by no means unlivable.
"Why didn't you... how long have you known?" Hermione looked up with wide eyes, surges of pride coursing through her as she looked to Bellatrix and found the girl to be looking anywhere but her, as if in embarrassment. "Bella, this is... this is wonderful."
"A few games ago, a representative from the Irish and Germany came to watch us play and approached me afterwards about offers. England was at the next game. I didn't say anything because," she didn't finish, just shrugged with a wave of her hand. "I turned England down immediately. I will not let my name be ruined by a team that doesn't know a Quaffle from their own asses. Germany was... tempting, I admit, but..." another shrug.
"Don't do that, Bella. Tell me the truth, please, I want to hear it all."
Bellatrix sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth and looked as if she wanted to do anything but. Hermione wouldn't have pushed, even if she was desperate to know the truth, before Bellatrix sighed and backed away, as if putting space between them would make it easier to speak honestly. "Ireland was the only team to offer me an apartment in London. When I got the letter from my parents, I panicked. I was expecting it, truthfully, but it still wasn't... I didn't know what I was going to do. With... Andy and Cissy. They couldn't go back, but I didn't have anywhere to take them. When Germany and Ireland offered me a position, I saw my opportunity. I told them I needed to stay in London, and they needed to give me an apartment, or no deal. Germany said they'd think on it, then sent a letter saying they couldn't. Ireland said they would, but would offer me a lower salary in return. I accepted. So, here we are."
Here we are indeed....
Hermione looked around the apartment with newfound interest, taking in the off white walls, the small living room, the even tinier kitchen, and smiled widely back at Bellatrix. "It's perfect," she said quietly, taking a few steps to be back in Bellatrix's personal space. "You're perfect."
"You shall hear no arguments from me," Bellatrix replied, the cocky tone of her voice doing an admittedly good job of hiding the slight tremble of her voice at the admission. It lasted only a minute before she was grinning up at Hermione, all lidded eyes and full lips. "If I say I feel worse will you offer to make me feel better?"
"That is the... third time you've mentioned sex in less than an hour. Should I be concerned?" Hermione rebutted, her hands seemingly moving on their own accord to trail up Bellatrix's sides. "You just told me you got signed to play professional Quidditch, and asked me- told me, actually, to live with you. And now you want sex?"
Bellatrix firmly nodded, arching up to press a teasing kiss to Hermione's mouth.
"We have to break in the apartment somehow, do we not? I suggest we start in the kitchen."
Hermione's hands couldn't find their way back to Bellatrix's hips fast enough, despite her earlier refusal of not having sex in an empty apartment. Even if it was soon to be their apartment. Merlin, their apartment. They would be living together very soon. And to make it all the more monumental, Bellatrix had been the one to initiate everything. She had accepted a lesser Quidditch contract in order to ensure her sisters remained in London, that they had a safe place to come home to every night they were not at Hogwarts. Had undoubtedly stressed herself over the thought of anything else. And then figured it out, and now was telling Hermione she would be living here with them.
Bellatrix pressed a searing kiss to Hermione's mouth, the shorter girl moaning into her when Hermione tightened her grip on her. It was more than enough to shoot a pulse of pleasure directly between her legs, and she was moving before her brain caught up to her actions, backing Bellatrix up until she was pressed to the counter, at which point she helped the other girl hop up onto it, Hermione's hands moving to the back of Bellatrix's thighs to keep her safe and steady.
Once the girl was secure on the counter, Hermione helped to rid her of her robe, letting it fall unceremoniously onto the tiled kitchen floor, her own following not a moment later, leaving them both in their skirts and button downs with the tie. Hermione didn't let that remain so for long, hastily and a bit roughly undoing Bellatrix's tie as she trailed kisses from her mouth to her neck, biting down gently.
The low moan from Bellatrix, full of need and desire, had Hermione bucking her hips into her, desperate for more contact. This wasn't the sort of place for them to be completely naked, and they needed to return to Hogwarts before curfew, so Hermione did not bother with removing anymore of Bellatrix's clothes, save for the girl's underwear, which she quickly and desperately jerked down her pale thighs.
A second later and Hermione dropped to her knees, and nearly lost her breath when she watched Bellatrix spread her legs slowly before her eyes. It took all of her self control not to drive right in, especially as she slid the girl's skirt up towards her hips and could see the evidence of her arousal slicking her inner thighs.
"Are you just going to stare or do something?" Bellatrix whined from above her, hands tangled into Hermione's hair and pulling desperately. Her voice was low and raspy in a way that turned Hermione on so much.
"I'd like to admire for a moment." Even as Hermione replied, she let one of her hands trail towards the apex of Bellatrix's thighs, lightly dragging her thumb through the soaking wetness she found there. "Bella-"
"Hermione," Bellatrix barked, rolling her hips to add more pressure against Hermione's thumb. "Please."
That was all it took for the last of Hermione's control to slip, and she quickly and roughly pressed her mouth against Bellatrix, her lips wrapping around the little bundle of nerves. Bellatrix bucked into her immediately, hands tightening in her hair as a string of surprised curse words slipped from the dark witch.
Words couldn't even begin to describe how Bellatrix tasted, how much Hermione loved to be on her knees before her, licking everything up. She could feel her own underwear quickly growing stickily wet, and slipped one of her hands under the waistband to press tight circles into her clit. She moaned against Bellatrix, her eyes snapping closed.
"Fuck- Hermione- fuck," Bellatrix mumbled out in a broken cry, only growing louder when Hermione unexpectedly shoved a finger inside of her. "Oh Merlin."
The tiled floor was uncomfortable against Hermione's bare knees, the angle was odd and her wrist was cramping, but Hermione wouldn't change a single thing, not as she she found that spongey spot inside of Bellatrix and began to repeatedly curl her fingers, her mouth never leaving her clit.
Bellatrix's thighs were wrapped tightly around Hermione's head, and combined with the skirt pressed close to her face, it was more than a little hard to breathe. Somehow, that just turned Hermione on all the more, and she added a second finger to Bellatrix, scissoring them inside her and relishing in how it dragged a filthy moan from her.
"Shit, Granger, fuck me, please-"
Hermione really, really liked when Bellatrix begged for her. She didn't need to be told twice before she slammed her fingers in deep to the knuckle, forcing them in as far as they'd reach before she pulled them nearly all of the way out and slammed them back in again just as rapidly.
It was hard to focus on anything, and the movements against her own clit were becoming sloppy even as she could feel her orgasm approaching. Bellatrix kept wiggling, kept begging for more, and Hermione was more than happy to give everything she had.
Only a few more circles against her clit and Hermione's orgasm crashed over her, her breath coming in a silent, stunted scream against Bellatrix's clit, her fingers stilling inside of the girl for a heartbeat of a moment, Bellatrix bucking her hips to continue the movement.
Another minute of exhausted, wild thrusting and Bellatrix's body tensed as well, a breathy moan escaping her as she pulled painfully on Hermione's hair. "Fuck," she said for the dozenth time since they began, her eyes still closed and her head resting against the wall. "C'mere." The words were quiet, tinged with a sort of deep body tiredness as she blindly reached out to pull Hermione up and towards her.
Bellatrix didn't hesitate before she leaned forward to press her mouth against Hermione's, her wet and hot tongue licking all over the vast wetness on Hermione's lips, her chin, and part of her nose. It was terribly arousing, and Hermione couldn't help but moan again as Bellatrix kept cleaning her up.
"Ugh, stop," she finally protested, forcing herself away from Bellatrix's sinful mouth before they went at one another again. "I can already barely catch my breath."
Despite recovering from a quick orgasm, Bellatrix eyed Hermione mockingly. "Making yourself cum while you're on your knees will do that," she growled. "Don't think I didn't notice. How naughty of you, Granger."
Merlin, that tone-
Focus, Hermione.
"Well, you didn't seem inclined to help, so I had to take matters into my own hand."
That had Bellatrix's dark eyes flashing with a challenge as she dropped down from the counter quickly, except her legs must not have been quite ready to support her weight, for she stumbled forward, and only Hermione moving to catch her kept her from tumbling to the ground.
"You were saying?" Hermione couldn't help but antagonize, especially not with Bellatrix pressed so tightly against her, staring up at her with those captivating eyes. "I'd say we sufficiently broke the apartment in." She grinned down at her before she added, "I wouldn't be opposed to breaking in all of the other rooms at a later date."
Bellatrix pressed a light kiss to the underside of Hermione's jaw that had her heart fluttering. "You truly know how to win me over, dragon-rider." She pulled away to lean against the counter, staring at Hermione for a moment before she said, "I never gave you your Christmas present."
The sudden change of tone and conversation topic was enough to give Hermione whiplash, but she couldn't deny the fact that she was very interested as Bellatrix pulled one last thing from her cloak. It was small, a square box no wider than two of Hermione's fingers, and only a little bit taller. It was wrapped in gold paper, a tiny bow stuck in the center of it.
Interested she might be, but it still didn't stop her from saying, "Well, you could have, if you weren't a stupid git."
"Is there a proper way to react when finding out your girlfriend was sent thirty years into the past to stop you from becoming a murderous Deatheater?"
Hermione smiled widely and pressed a long kiss to Bellatrix's mouth, not pulling away until both of them were breathless. "You called me your girlfriend."
"Do not cry again."
"Shut up. I'll cry if I want to."
Bellatrix wiggled the small box. "Aren't you going to open it?"
With a gentle smile still in place, and feeling more happy and content than she had in a long while, Hermione reached out and grabbed the package. She took her time unwrapping it, if only to annoy Bellatrix that little bit more, before the paper was finally on the ground between them, the gold revealing a matte black box underneath with a small lid. Hermione eagerly pushed it up, and gasped when she saw what was nestled onto of the white pillow.
It was a dragon.
"It isn't real," Bellatrix said at the awestruck look no doubt on Hermione's face right in that moment. "It's just a toy charmed to act real."
And act real it did. The dragon was a dark green and brown, curled upon itself and sleeping soundly. When Hermione softly ran a finger down its' spiked back, the skin plastic, it sleepily blinked one eye open at her before closing it quickly again.
"I saw the toy in a store a while ago and erm," Bellatrix scratched the back of her neck, looking down at the box and not making any eye contact. "Thought of you. So I... charmed it. To act real..." she finished lamely, making Hermione laugh.
"I love it," she said quickly, carefully setting the box on the ground as she jerked forward to wrap her arms tightly around Bellatrix's shoulders, their bodies pressed together in the best way. "I love it so much."
The words, I love you so much too, nearly escaped Hermione's mouth before she choked them back down, burying her face in Bellatrix's neck instead.
It wasn't the time for that sort of confession. She hadn't even thought much about it herself, until it hit her so quickly and powerfully as she looked at the sleeping dragon. But as thought said it, she knew the words to be true. She did love Bellatrix. More than she had ever loved anything in her life before this.
It was as easy to love Bellatrix as it was to loathe her, Hermione realized. The same things that made her question ever wanting to acknowledge Bellatrix's existence were the very same things that had her falling for her. How she could antagonize Hermione and defend Andromeda in the same breath, how she was so willing to throw herself to Voldemort to protect her sisters. How she would not hesitate to knock anyone off of their broom during a Quidditch match to ensure a Slytherin victory.
She couldn't say for sure when it happened, but somehow the annoying, mouthy girl before her had managed to weasel her way directly into Hermione's heart and nest there, unable to be removed even under the worst of circumstances. She knew it for sure that night in the empty classroom, when Bellatrix had gone to all that work setting up the adorable picnic, and Hermione had thanked her many, many times with her mouth and hands afterwards.
Hermione loved Bellatrix.
Bellatrix pulled away from Hermione after a moment and watched her curiously. Her mouth was jerked up at the one corner like always, but Hermione had become an expert at reading Bellatrix after all these months, and could see the relief in her dark eyes that Hermione liked the gift.
"This is my favorite gift I've ever been given." Hermione fingered the necklace she never removed from around her throat as she said it, sending a silent apology to Andromeda that her gift had been topped. "I cannot wait to have it somewhere everyone can see it. In here, when we move in here. All of us together."
Hermione loved Bellatrix, but now was not the time to tell her that. She would love her in a week, or a month, or in ten years. There was nothing that could end the sort of love she felt for the annoying, mouthy witch standing before her. They had all the time in the world for Hermione to tell her.
The two of them stayed in the kitchen for a few minutes longer before Hermione pointed out they should probably be returning to Hogwarts, and Bellatrix reluctantly agreed. It wasn't until they were about to apparate away that the dark witch looked at Hermione once more, an unreadable look on her gorgeous face.
"You should also know I've been secretly feeding Fatty in the Forbidden Forest this entire time and I've already told him he's coming to live here with us."
"What?"
The clock on the wall read close to eight at night, and Hermione was barely keeping her eyes open as she read through the multitude of case files sitting on her desk. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement never slept, a fact Hermione had learned very early on during her employment at the Ministry of Magic. It had been nearly three months since she had graduated Hogwarts, and Slughorn had written her a glowing recommendation to the Ministry. His letter, combined with her grades and examination results, had drawn a lot of attention to her, with more than a few departments offering her a position within their ranks. While she had always hoped to work for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and continue her S.P.E.W. work on a grander scale, she knew what was soon to come, and knew she would be better prepared to fight in the war if she accepted the offer for the DMLE.
The last three months had been relatively quiet where Voldemort and his Death Eaters were concerned, and quieter still for Cygnus Black. The latter had made many public appearances that the Prophet were quick to eat up, though attendant faded relatively quickly about his attack and injuries. Whether himself or someone else paid them to stop publicizing it was beyond Hermione, though she did continue to read every published article about him in case any of his daughters were mentioned.
They were never mentioned, aside from the one article published months ago about their sudden 'disappearance', and then a follow up article with Druella Black quoted as saying, "We are well aware of our daughters' locations. They are on summer vacation studying for the upcoming school year and will return to Black Manor shortly'. Bellatrix's recent signing to the Irish National Team had never been mentioned, and the subtle threat of getting Narcissa and Andromeda back had had the eldest Black daughter on edge for weeks.
But nothing had ever come of it, and the summer had moved rather easily. All four of them adjusted well enough to living with one another, and a few pointless arguments between the sisters and even more pointless arguments between Bellatrix and Hermione, everything had been smooth. Bellatrix was gone most of the day for training, as was Hermione for Ministry work.
In the beginning, neither one of them had been comfortable with the idea of leaving the youngest two Blacks on their own everyday in the heart of Wizarding London. That was rectified swiftly once Dorcas Meadowes purchased the apartment directly across from their own two weeks later, decision she had brushed off as being something she was considering for months now, but Hermione knew it was at the behest of the Order. She had never questioned it, not when she knew Dorcas would be around every day to protect Andromeda and Narcissa should they need it.
And thankfully, they hadn't yet, and hopefully never would. They only had to last one more week before the girls returned to Hogwarts for the year, and Hermione hoped then she'd be able to breathe properly once more.
When the clock struck nine, Hermione knew she had to call it a night. She wanted at least a few hours with Bellatrix before they both fell asleep tonight, and so she quickly packed up and made her way to an apparation point. After the stomach twisting sensation of moving through the world, she appeared outside the apartment complex they had been calling home for the last three months and went upstairs.
The apartment was dark and empty, no candles lit, so she waved her wand and went in search of the others. It was too early for any of them to be asleep, and the apartment was hardly ever completely empty unless they were all out together. Hermione refused to let any sort of panic began to grow as she looked in each bedroom before going to the kitchen, where she breathed a sigh of relief at finding a piece of parchment with Andromeda's familiar handwriting on the center.
Bella took us to dinner. be back tonight- A
"Worried for nothing," Hermione laughed to herself, taking a moment to calm herself before jerking off her heels and shrugging out of her cloak. A quiet night to herself sounded nice, now that she thought about it. Or, a quiet night to herself and Fatty, who she could just see peaking out from a nest of blankets on the couch, curled in on himself and sound asleep. "Wish they would have taken you," she grumbled and set her wand on the counter, running a hand through her hair just as there was a knock on the door.
Most likely Dorcas, checking as she did every night to ensure everyone was safe. Hermione really should do something nice for the older girl. A gift basket or a new cloak or something of the sort, just to show her appreciation of everything she did.
Hermione didn't bother to check it was in fact Dorcas before she unlocked the door and pulled it open, and immediately stumbled backward as she tried to slam it shut quickly.
Druella Black was at her front door, one black heel kicked out to prevent the door from closing as she forced it to stay open, watching Hermione's every move.
"I believe it is time you and I have a conversation, girl. You can either let me in, or I will burn the entire block down. The decision is yours."