My Beloved

Ch. 4

He was angry. She failed. In front of her kneeled Narcissa, Draco, and Andy. How did he get Andy? She should have been safe with Edward Tonks and the order. Lucius stood beside her looking sick. He held his hand out, his red snake eyes blazing down on them.

"Your wand." He hissed.

Lucius, with a trembling hand, passed his wand to the dark lord.

"Crucio." It was faint she didn't hear it over her own heartbeats. She knew that red light though.

Draco didn't make a sound just collapsed. Spasming in pain. With speed, Bellatrix grabbed hold of her brother-in-law. He was going to stop this, but that would make it worse.

He stopped the curse letting Draco breathe. Turning around he gave the wand back to its owner. Lucius looked at black wood with dead blue eyes. The pale hand moved in front of the oldest sister. Clenched jaw, the curved wand never felt so heavy. He gave an unexpected smile. Turning to the three the red light struck home.

Andy screamed falling down on the floor. Body locking up as the screams continued. Bellatrix's jaw ached as she clenched down. This small pain was nothing to what was happening to her blood. Lucius linked his pinky with hers. A taste of support. He turned to Narcissa. The locked pinkies tightened as the youngest sister whined. Not screaming. The youngest sister curled into herself, nails clawing at her arms and ribs, wherever they reached. Draco was still lost of breath and limos heavy to do anything. Andy was still, breathing slowly, light brown eyes looking at the black eyes of Bellatrix.

He, Lord Voldemort, Tom Riddle. Turned back. Red eyes gleaming. A large smile looking out of place. "You should not have failed me." The red curse changed color. That bright cursed green painted the walls. Draco was first. Lucius yelled, moving to attack. Two death eaters pulled him back. Narcissa crawled to her son holding him as the same spell hit her. Andy smiled.

"I forgive you."

The scream ripping from her wasn't anything like Hermione heard before. Bellatrix wasn't sitting full in bed. She was half off it, fingers out a sharp like claws. She was breathing heavily looking around the room. Blinking and sitting back down once the realization that she was blind, thankfully, sat in. She was blind. He didn't win, her family was safe.

"Bella."

Wide eyes she looked towards the door. The girl saw her like this. Her breathing picked up again. She listened to Hermione's steps. Listening as they walked in front of her. Floorboards giving as she knelt down. Slowly grabbing Bella's hands. Hermione's hands were warm compared to hers. The tears came back as the nightmare reappeared in her mind. The warm hands brushed the tears away, they kept coming. Soon Bellatrix was living the nightmare again. Draco and Andy's screams on repeat. The glazed blank look in Narcissa's eyes when she saw her dead son.

"Shh." Hermione was now on the bed holding Bella. Letting the woman curl seeking comfort. "It was a nightmare." A hand rubbed her back as the other held her hands. Head tucked under the girl's chin as she cried more.

"I couldn't.. they... I failed." Bellatrix cried more. "They're dead because of me." She hiccuped.

"No, no everyone is alive. You saved them. They're safe." The Gryffindor saw some of the nightmares. It was horribly detailed. She shivered before pushing Bellatrix back. "I'll go make us some tea-"

"No!" Bellatrix tightened her hold on Hermione's hand. "Please don't leave."

"Ok, I won't." She leaned down to grab her hand. Getting up while still holding hands she started walking back to the kitchen. "But tea will help the nerves. Minerva gave us some new ones to try. They are sweeter and more of a dessert kind."

Bella nodded slightly. Sniffing a bit as the nightmare faded into nothing as her mind raced with what Hermione just did.

"Do you want chocolate tea or cake tea? Minerva gave me two popcorn ones. I'm not sure how that will taste though." Hermione looked to the blushing woman.

"Chocolate please."

Smiling she got to work not minding the shadow behind her, the shadow that refuses to let go of her hand. Not that she minded. They drank in silence for a while enjoying the sweetness the tea gave. Hermione looked at the blind woman. The dark witch had her thumbnail between her teeth lost in thought.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"It might-"

"Please pet. Not tonight." Looking at the dark witch Hermione moved closer to her, hand reaching out to the one between her teeth.

"A different topic then." She made random patterns on the palm of the woman's hand. "What do you think of Maze?"

Bellatrix brightened. "She's wonderful. I'm angry that people pick on her, Gryffindors even. Her home life isn't that grand. She is a part of foster care for wizards and witches. Sounds great but the foster parents show so much favoritism to their blood-related kids. Maze and the three other foster kids don't get along. The oldest foster goes to Durmstrang, Clive is his name, a real arse if you ask me. Then there's Maze and the youngest kid, Avery, who will be joining us here next year." Bellatrix took a few drinks of her tea. "All of them are arses."

"Why are they?"

"She's a half-blood." If she wasn't paying attention Hermione would have missed the quick wince. "Her birth father was a muggle and her mother was a pureblood Burke."

This sounded familiar. A pureblood witch mixing with a muggle man and sending their half-blood child to foster care. "It's very similar to his story. Except Maze's mother didn't use a love potion on the man."

The younger witch didn't move, losing herself to her own thoughts. It was oddly similar. What if Maze becomes another dark lord as she grows up? Would she hate muggles or purebloods? Or even half-bloods? Could the sweet child become dark?

"Maze is a sweetheart." The blind woman mumbled. "She told me how even though she is belittled she just wants what best for all of them. Clive is working on becoming a quidditch captain for the big leagues. Maze and him pitch ideas finding any holes in them."

Hermione broke a cookie in half listening to what Bellatrix told her. "Avery is going to be a year ahead of her class because Maze showed her almost everything she already learned."

"That's sweet."

"Very. I would have let them fail."

Hermione laughed. "And yet she's a Slytherin."

"Oh trust me, pet. Maze helps them and they owe her. They gladly take some of the bigger loads because she has dirt on every kid in that house."

They both laughed. Little quite Maze blackmailing kids. Instead of being upset, Hermione was proud. For being a lion she was very shy about standing up for herself. She kept her head down but showed off with her grades. Both women sat in silence until their drink and snacks were gone. Both at ease with the silent company.

"Pet."

"Hmm?"

"I'm tired, but I don't want to.." The older woman started playing with her curls. Jaw clenched, not wanting to let out whatever she was thinking.

With a small smile, the lion took the snake's hand dragging them to her own room. She laid down first opening the covers for the ex-death eater. Patting the bed lightly. To see the proud pureblood, of the noble house of Black, stiffly get into bed was a sight. Hermione calmly got comfortable, letting the awkward woman do her thing.

"Good night Bella."

She didn't get a verbal response, but the cold pinky locking with hers made her heart skip. In the morning the heart skip was nothing compared to the attack she had. Sometime in the night, Bellatrix moved closer. The older woman laying on top of Hermione holding on for dear life. Little hums and purrs escaping the sleeping woman.