You said "Forever" and I almost bought it

.

Rita had known she liked Bellatrix Black from the moment she first laid eyes on the girl in her first year at Hogwarts.

Rita could tell there was something, almost, hidden in Bellatrix that she was desperate to dig out.

Rita had strutted up to the girl, and stuck a hand out for her to shake, "Rita Skeeter, pleasure."

Bellatrix had looked her up and down with a judgmental glance, completely ignoring the girls hand, "Bellatrix Black."

"I know!" Rita had blurted out without meaning too.

Of course she had known who Bellatrix was already. The Black family was quite infamous after all.

That got a malicious grin from the eldest Black girl. "Well of course you do."

"Bellatrix Black!" The girls named was called and, with a quick smirk thrown at Rita, she made her way to the sorting hat.

Before the hat was even placed fully on her head, the hat had called out, "SLYTHERIN!"

Bellatrix had almost cackled as she jumped up from the stool and made her way over to the Slytherin table, people cheering her name loudly as she went.

Rita recalls quite clearly how Bellatrix had locked eyes with her as she sat down at the table.

Before long Rita's name was called and the hat was placed on her head. "Please Slytherin, please Slytherin, please Slytherin." Rita still, to this day, does not know why she pleaded with the sorting hat to be placed into Slytherin, when it had always been her dream to be placed in Ravenclaw like her father. 

The old hat must've listen though because it yelled out, "SLYTHEIRN!"

Rita found her gaze being pulled to a certain black haired girl, and Rita could've sworn she saw said girl give an approving nod with a amused eyebrow raised.

Rita was pleasantly surprised when she was told the two girls would be sharing a dorm together as well.

That's how, years later, Rita became one of the only people Bellatrix felt she could trust.

In year five, Rita started up a gossip column in the school paper, anonymously of course.

Everybody knew it was Rita, but what they didn't know, was that Bellatrix was the one who told Rita all of it.

"Skeeter! You'll never guess who I just saw shagging behind the greenhouse!" Bellatrix was grinning ear to ear.

Rita had perked up from her place seated on her bed, "Who?"

"The Prewitt girl and that Weasly boy!"

Rita let out a gasp, "No!"

"Yes!" Bellatrix was practically bouncing off the walls now.

"But wasn't he just with that sixth year Ravenclaw, what's her face?"

"Not anymore, apparently!" Bellatrix had grinned.

Rita loved Bellatrix like this. When she was giddy and free. Not stuck attempting to please her family, with their unrealistic expectations and stupid rules. When it was just the two of them. Here safe, in their own little world. Where nothing mattered. Nothing but them. Here. Together.

When they came back from Christmas holiday that year, Bellatrix seemed worst than she usually was after a break, and Rita snuck them a bottle of Fire Whiskey, she stole from a Hufflepuff, and the pare of them would get drunk while gossiping about whatever stupid thing was going on with their peers at the moment. And when Bellatrix leaned in a little further than she normally would, Rita didn't pull away, she leans in closer and let's their lips touch.

They didn't talk about what happend for a long time.

Until Easter holiday happened and they do it all again, and Rita realized she can't keep playing this cat and mouse game with her and forces Bellatrix to talk about it.

After that, stolen kisses, and late night touches become a regular thing, and Rita got used to having Bellatrix in a way no one else ever would.

But nothing good ever lasts does it?

In year seven, Bellatrix started hanging out with... certain people... people that made Rita think twice before going over to retrieve Belaltrix.

One of those people being Rodolphus Lestrange.

"We're meant to get married after graduation." Bellatrix had said casually one day, not even looking up from her potion notes.

Rita had pulled her gaze away from where she was currently writing that weeks gossip down, and snapped her head to the side to look at Bellatrix, "What?" She let out in a short breath.

"Me and Rodolphus. We're meant to get married after we graduate." Bellatrix had looked up at her then, and, upon seeing Rita's confused expression she had said, "Its not like we want to or anything. It's just what has to be done." Bellatrix had shrugged, not seeing the problem with what she had just said, not realizing the pain it had caused Rita.

Rita hated Rodolphus.

When Easter  holiday that year had came and passed, and graduating approached, Bellatrix had dropped a envelope on Rita's plate one morning at breakfast, before sitting down beside her.

"What's this?" Rita had asked, picking it up.

"Invite to my wedding." Bellatrix had said it so casually once again, not even glancing over at Rita, instead she sat beside her, busy with filling her plate with food.

Rita stared at the envelope for a few seconds, before asking in a quiet voice, "Why would you give this to me?"

"Cause I want you there?" Bellatrix had said in a dumb, confused voice, as if it was obvious, as if what was happening was normal, as if it wasn't slowly killing Rita.

Rita slammed her hands down at the table and stood, stool scraping againt the floor as she went. "I have to go."

Bellatrix stared at her with confusion in her eyes as she watched Rita step over the stool and grab her things. "Go? Go where? Class doesn't start for another-"

"I'm not going to class, Trixie! I just- I need to go! I'll see you later." She had pulled the strap of her backpack further up her shoulder and walked away, not even sparing another glance at Bellatrix.

"Oh-kay then? Bye?" Bellatrix had said confusedly, as Rita walked away with tears in her eyes.

Rita knew things would never work out between them. She knew Bellatrix would always choose her family over her. Hell, Bellatrix had never even used the word 'girlfriend' or 'relationship' while talking about what they were and what they had. But fuck! Did Rita wish she at least cared. Cared enough to let her down easy. But it seemed Bellatrix didn't care. That all the things they've been through, all the time they spent together, the secret kisses and touches, the words they whispered quietly to each other when no one else was around, none of it meant anything to Bellatrix. Forever meant something else to, Bellatrix. That much was clear. But yet, Rita couldn't stop herself from loving her; even as she watched the girl she loves walk down the aisle to someone else, wearing a dress Rita knew she hated, not a smile in sight.

Rita sat there the whole reception, watch enviously, jealously, as Rodolphus kissed, touched, whispered things to Bellatrix, around everyone, in public, the way she was never allowed to. Watched as people went up to them to congratulate them on it all, wishing them good luck and fortune, Rita got a drink.

When the reception was over, the cake had been cut, guests were leaving, Bellatrix had found Rita, sitting at one of the table at the very back, empty champagne glasses scattered on the table in front of her.

"Didn't think you came. Haven't seen you all night." Bellatrix had shoved Rita in the shoulder lightly.

"Oh I've been here. Right, here." Rita took a drink of her glass.

"Why didn't you come see me then? I've been waiting all night." Bellatrix that stupid grin, that Rita loved, played on her lips as she stared down at her. 

"Yes well, so sorry I didn't feel like congratulating you and your husband." Rita has glared up at Bellatrix briefly before turning her attention back to the glass in her hand and taking a drink.

Bellatrix gave her an confused look, "What?"

"What?" Rita mimicked as she mumbled into her glass before taking another drink.

"Are you... mad?" Bellatrix asked slowly.

Rita let out a ridiculously loud fake gasp, "Why Bellatrix! Why would I ever be mad? My best friend is getting married! What's to be mad about."

Bellatrix looked at her very confused again, a hint of anger in her features as well, "What are you playing at?"

"Nothing, nothing at all." Rita finished her glass and stood up and began to walk away. Most people were gone now, only a few strays stood across the room, talking to Rodolphus.

"If I've done something to upset you, don't beat around the bush, spit it out, Skeeter." Bellatrix stood as well, staring at Rita, a few feet away, with anger.

"I'm not mad at you, Bellatrix. I just would've like to be broken up with properly."

Bellatrix's eyes widened and she frantically looked around. It seemed though that the few people on the other side of the room hadn't heard what had just been said, as they continued to talk with Bellatrix's husband.

Bellatrix walked up to Rita and grabbed her arm before pulling her outside and around the building, looking around to make sure no one was around before turning back to Rita, "The hell are you on about, Skeeter?"

"I just don't think its polite to go off and marry someone else when you haven't even broken up with me yet." Rita was, frankly, too drunk to be having the conversation, and Bellatrix knew that, because Rita would've never said any of this sober.

So maybe, her being drunk was a good thing?

Bellatrix looked around them in disbelief, "What?" Bellatrix looked her up and down confused, before, something finally clicked in her mind. "Wait." She started laughing. "Don't tell me you actually believed we'd end up together or something."

Rita had stood there, tears beginning to well in her eyes.

Bellatrix huffed out a laugh again, "Skeeter, you can't be serious."

"You said forever, Trixie." A tear slipped from her eye and she quickly brought a hand up to wipe it away, hopefully before Bellatrix saw it.

Bellatrix looked around, "I was fifteen. You can't hold what I said then against me now, Rita."

Using all her courage and strength, Rita raised her head to look at Bellatrix face. "You're right. You were fifteen." Bellatrix gave a small nod, looking uncomfortable. "But I was fifteen too, Bella. And I would've never done this to you. Not then, not even now." Rita's voice has risen without her meaning it to.

Bellatrix looked around them worriedly. "Skeeter, hush!"

"No you hush! I love you Bellatrix! And you said you loved me too... and I-" Rita stopped to swallow the lump in her throat before continuing. "I believed you." Her voice broke in the middle.

Bellatrix looked at her with something, but it's been a long time since Rita's been able to read Bellatrix.

Isn't that funny? How you can go from knowing someone better than yourself, to not knowing them at all.

Rita continued to stare at Bellatrix for a few more long seconds, silently begging her to do or say anything, anything to fix the mess she had made of them.

But in the end, Bellatrix stayed silent, and Rita went home in tears.

Years later, Rita would read about Bellatrix's imprisonment in the morning paper, and Rita would be stuck in her kitchen, tears streaming down her face, as she reminisced about a time when it was just the two of them.