The Great War

The Muggle Way

Bella hadn't spoken to her wife for the majority of the week. She had approached Hermione about going to Hogwarts over the weekend to watch Cass in her first house match. Since she started on the team, Bella had gotten special permission from Minerva that anytime she wanted to come watch, they could stay in Bella's old Professor quarters since they weren't currently being used. That was a short-lived notion after finding out that Hermione had agreed to punish their daughter by taking away her opportunity to play in the first Quidditch match of the season and Bella was furious. Hermione tried to explain her reasoning, "Cass needs to take responsibility for her behaviors, Bella. She's not going to be a child forever and she needs to learn that her actions have consequences. She's been used to getting slaps on the wrist her entire life and it's almost too late." Bella was seeing red by that point, "so I suppose I'm to blame entirely for when Cass steps out of line or acts cheeky because I'm Bellatrix Lestrange. Why wouldn't my daughter turn out just like me?" She remembered storming out of the bedroom that night, straight into one of the guest bedrooms and not coming back out. She charmed the room so nobody could get in expect Winky because she knew Winky wouldn't bring Hermione in if she forbade her to do so. Was it childish? Yes, but Bella didn't care. She knew Cass needed to shape up but taking Quidditch away from their daughter was unusually cruel and in her mind, Hermione had crossed a line without discussing it with her first. She fared no better with the headmistress, McGonagall taking the same side as her wife. "Useless, the lot of them." She sulked in that bedroom until she finally gave into Hermione's sad knocking on the outside of the door Saturday morning. "What?" She threw the door open, letting her wife enter the guest room. "What could you possibly have to say to me?"

"It's been five days Bella. You've never gone that long without speaking to me before," Hermione looked lost unsure of what to say next.

"I haven't been feeling particularly chatty," she stuck her chin up in the air.

"I know you are mad at me," Hermione entered the room a little further, latching the door shut behind her. "And I understand why you are upset." She waited to see if Bella would take any of the bait but the older witch just sat there as petulant as always. "Bella," she started a slow approach towards her wife. "It's us. We always work through our arguments. I can't take the silent treatment anymore. Honestly I'd prefer if you just blew something up or yelled at me though I know that you never would." In their whole relationship, Bella never so much as raised her voice at Hermione. If they had a disagreement the dark witch would just excuse herself until she had a chance to calm down and think rationally. Oftentimes it involves the help of muggle cigarettes that she thought Hermione was unaware of. "I'm sorry that I didn't discuss it with you first or think about how this would upset you before I went along with it. I truly never meant to upset you like this. I thought it was what was best for Cass. But I'm mostly sorry because I miss you. I miss us. It's been miserable without you the past five days and I've been beside myself. I can't sleep in our bed without you. No matter how hard I try, even smelling your shampoo on the pillows didn't help. I need you to forgive me because I need you Bella."

Hermione sat and watched the hard exterior of her wife crumbling at the apology. Bella was mad. There was no way around that fact. She wasn't mad for herself though. She was upset for Cass, "she needed this, Hermione. I know my daughter and she needs this. I needed this and it was taken away from me. I know exactly how she felt the last few days and she must have been heartbroken. All of my past resentment for my father came spiraling back because I understand how Cass feels right now. I'm sad she is missing out on today but I'm terrified that she'll resent you like I resented my father."

"It's just one game Bella."

"To you maybe but to Cass... to me? It's everything."

Barely above a whisper, "Bella, I am truly sorry." Bella reached down without looking and brushed her knuckle against the back of Hermione's hand. The first physical exchange in five long days had the brunette almost weeping. "I need to speak with Cass. She hasn't been returning my texts or owls."

"Next time something happens with Cass," Bella finally looked at her wife. "Please don't make any decisions without me. Same with Minnie. I need to be involved in these things."