You

Before

‘Bellatrix dried the plates and pans, tucking them away when Rodolphus wrapped his arms around her waist.

She wasn’t amused.

“You couldn’t be this lovey-dovey before we started counseling?”

He scoffed, standing up straight.

“I thought the whole point was trying, Bellatrix, and I am trying.”

“Bullshit.”

“What the hell do you mean bullshit? You always say my ‘heart’s not in it-“

“Because it’s not, Rod.” She glowered at him. “You’re never home, Delphi barely knows you and you never talk to me.”

“Because when I try, this is what happens.”

The two’s staring match broke off when a knock sounded at the door.

“That’ll be the sitter.” Rod mumbled.

He was the first to retreat, heading towards the door.

“Fucking pathetic.”

Bella watched his shoulders tense before continuing and shook her head.

In through the nose, 2, 3, 4. Out through the mouth.

Rodolphus repeated the mantra, resting his hand on the handle.

He remembered a time where she wouldn’t get away with comments like that. Where he’d get so angry he’d throw her against the nearest object and have his way with her.

Things were different now. He reminded himself. He had a daughter to think about and he couldn’t indulge her behavior.

She wanted him angry. She likes it.

Rodolphus thought it was sick. How can you enjoy seeing the man you love suffer?

He tried not to dwell on those thoughts for too long.

There was nothing to be done except try to be good father and husband.

He was in too deep to start having complaints.

The Husband was all too aware of the Wife’s eyes as he turned the knob.

Hermione Granger stood at his doorstep holding a small box of muffins.

Long, bouncing curls that begged to be tugged. A cupids bow that curled up at the edges into a small smile. Big, brown eyes that almost saw through him.

She wore a white blouse and black skirt, tucked in, freshly ironed and immaculate.

Like she wanted to look good. For him? For others?

It spoke in the way she carried herself with a lump in her shoulders and a downturned chin it was show.

She was timid, shy. She didn’t want others looking but it wasn’t discouraged. Naughty. And it was painfully obvious it was for show.

The girl dressed for what she wanted to be seen as. Neat and ironed clothes, neat and ironed personality.

“Good morning.” She greeted him jovially. “Andromeda told me you needed a babysitter?”

“Just in time.” Rod smiled.

Hermione entered the house while Bellatrix watched her husband’s eyes linger on her retreating form.

She scowled.

That look was a look she recognized. One she’d been a victim to many years ago.

Torn between feeling rage and sorrow for the girl, she didn’t notice her approach.

“I brought muffins.”

Absentmindedly, she took them from the girl and appraised her.

She couldn’t say she didn’t understand the appeal.

“Thank you, we really appreciate that.”

Rodolphus crept up behind the girl who smiled at him befor thrusting the muffins towards Bellatrix.

She raised a brow.

“Andy told me they were your favorite.” She opened the box and took a bite. “Blueberry.”

Bellatrix couldn’t help the small smile quirking her lips. Wordlessly, she tucked the box away into a cupboard.

Maybe she wasn’t all bad. The girl didn’t look much like someone who was interested in married men and she was a sweet little thing.

All her thoughts flew out the window when she turned to see her husband staring intently at the mouth full of muffin.

“Well?”

Rodolphus broke out of his reverie and put on his most charming smile.

“It was lovely to meet you but we really must be going now …?”

“Hermione, Hermione Granger.”

“Hermione. Truly, we cannot thank you enough.”

“It’s no trouble, I love children.”

Bella folded her arms at the smitten look on her husband’s face.

I love children. Bellatrix thought. Really? No one loves children, can you be more obvious?’

She clapped her hands, startling the two.

“Well my husband and I best be going. Delphi’s down for a nap and there are instructions on the fridge.”

She gripped Rod’s arm and dragged him out of the house.

“It was really nice meeting you t-“

Slam.

Rodolphus shook himself out of her grip when they reached the car.

“Do you have to do that?”

“Do what?”

“She didn’t even fucking do anything and you’re acting like a cunt.”

Bellatrix breathed in harshly through her nose. “Get in the car.”

He obliged.’

-

Hermione wondered if there was anything she could’ve done that day to prevent this.

This being her locked in a glass cage with a big black bucket for a shitter.

She probably shouldn’t have brought the muffins. She thought if someone brought her her favorite muffins maybe she’d lock them in her basement too.

The bookworm also wondered if she was going insane.

How it turned out the way it did.

Or how long it had been.

Normally she could tell the days past by the meals she was given. Breakfast was light, brought by Rodolphus, lunch was brought by Bellatrix, dinner Rodolphus again.

Then sometimes the order would switch, Rodolphus would come every mealtime or Bella would bring breakfast and some days all the food was the same so she had no way of telling.

Her guess? It had been 16 days.

Not long, in retrospect but life felt painstakingly long down there.

She remembered what she thought was her third day in the basement, Hermione having refused to eat for the past days, Rodolphus had opened the door and shoved a crumpet down her throat.

Hermione had been forced to swallow it to prevent herself from choking and that was another thing she wondered; whether she should have just let herself die.

Bellatrix wasn’t happy when she found out and it led to them having an argument right there in front of her.

Before Hermione could even think about using it to her advantage, the two had made up and were sticking their tongues down each other’s throats.

The bookworm couldn’t decide how to feel.

Ever since she got here she had been feeling so much. Now, it just felt like a numb wave of nothingness.

She should feel something. She’d think absently. But she didn’t.

Just mind numbing boredom.

She remembered Rodolphus had brought her books she would have been studying in University that week, along with a radio to keep her entertained.

It had been worth it in the moment. Ripping the books and smashing the radio just to see the hurt in his eyes.

Now though, she wished she had something to do.

-

“Hermione!”

Dogs barked, wind rustled the grass floor and crickets chirped through the night.

Flashlights bobbed as the search party traipsed through the Forrest behind town.

Hermione had been missing for 12 days.

The news hit Harry in the gut.

First Remus, then Ron, and now…

He didn’t know what to do.

His mentor, one of the only ones there for him after Sirius’s death had committed suicide and his two best friends had gone missing.

“Ron! Hermi-“ Harry cut himself off as his voice broke.

Mrs. Tonks placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and gave him a gentle smile.

“Maybe you should go back home to Ginny, dear.”

“I can’t.” Harry sniffled, “What if she’s-“

“I’m sure she’s fine.” Andromeda sounded as if she was placating herself. “Besides, her social media still updates regularly. Maybe we’re blowing it out of proportion.”

“That’s the thing, Andy.” Harry whimpered, “Hermione doesn’t post. Ever. The only times she does is when she needs to.”

Andy considered the words for a moment.

“Maybe this is her way of letting us know how she is, Harry. You saw the message.”

He had. Everyone had.

@OfficialHGranger:

“You never saw a bigoted, opinionated, narrow-minded, almighty mean man in your life but he had stuck in one place since he was born and thought God made the world and dyspepsia and bile for his especial comfort and satisfaction.”

A Mark Twain quite.

Hermione went off the grid for almost two weeks with no word to anyone, and her final message was regurgitated quite from a dead man who hated Jane Austen.

Hermione loved Jane Austin.

It was Ginny who pointed out to him the fact Hermione wasn’t a huge fan of Mark Twain, how it was weird she’d post something instead of telling anyone and how she posts almost weekly now.

Pictures of seasides, the Eiffel Tower, cities, ice cream.

It wasn’t strange for Hermione to visit France but with all the evidence, Harry couldn’t shake the bad feeling he had.

The Lestrange’s had been torn up about it.

According to them, Hermione’s mental state was teetering and the more Harry thought about it, the more it made sense.

She hadn’t come over, she wasn’t as social, she was barely getting to class.

Harry knew she was struggling with the loss of Ron and Remus but he cursed himself for not noticing sooner.

Now she was god knows where with some murderer pretending to be her.

Andy squeezed Harry’s shoulder to break him out of his thoughts.

“Go home, Harry.” She gently pushed him back to town.

“We’re all here looking for her till 11, like normal. Get some rest. I doubt Ginny will be taking this much better.”

There were a few moments of hesitation before reluctantly, Harry handed in his flash light and trodded back home.

Andromeda watched him till his figure vanished past the tree line.

Crunch.

Bellatrix met Andromeda’s eyes from behind the tree.

They stood there.

Then she retreated back into the darkness.