Chapter 2
She wasn't a fool, she knew what that feeling was, had known it as soon as she had set eyes on the woman. As little knowledge as she had on the subject, she'd recognise the feeling described in the books she'd read anywhere. Soulmate magic. She briefly wondered if the other woman had felt it too, and wasn't sure which was a worse fate - knowing that this woman, this monster was just as drawn to her or being completely alone in this unwanted yet inescapable connection.
Evidently mistaking the comment to have been directed at him, being the only one the dark witch had ever actually met in his mind, neville spoke up. "Bellatrix Lestrange!"
The woman gave a bone chilling smirk as she replied mockingly, "Neville Longbottom isn't it? How's mum and dad?"
Hermione felt sick. Foul, evil woman. Someone who clearly enjoyed the pain and suffering she had caused - she looked almost proud of herself at the tears she saw spring to Nevilles eyes.
I hate her. Hermione thought.
"Better now they're about to be avenged!" Her brave, sweet friend replied raising his wand towards the dark witch in front of him, no trace of fear on his face at all at who he was dealing with.
"Now lets all just play nicely.." Lucius Malfoy drawled in a bored tone, giving an irritated glance to his sister in law, who had her wand raised right back and an indignant look on her face that the boy had dared to address her in such a way.
Good. Hermione thought. We're not afraid of you.
The dark witch smirked at her as if she'd just heard exactly what she was thinking.
As soon as the fight broke out, and Sirius had arrived, Hermione knew that they wouldn't all make it out of this alive. So intently had she been studying Bellatrix during all the chaos, that she noticed the exact moment her eyes locked onto him, a look of murderous fury and hatred etched onto her beautiful features that she knew could only mean one thing. Hermione screamed along with harry as the man fell through the veil, eyes filling with tears at the thought that her best friend had just lost yet another chance of happiness.
Thankfully, her friend was to struck with grief to notice the smirking witch disappearing around the corner, a satisfied smirk curling her lips that made Hermione want to kill the woman herself, in that moment not caring at all about the consequences doing such a thing would have on herself, so filled with anger and grief was she on behalf of her best friend. Without even stopping to think of the consequences Hermione dragged herself to her feet and forced herself to follow the witch.
Never before had Hermione envisioned wanted to use the curse, but she meant it with every fibre of her being as she screamed "Crucio!" and pointed her wand at the woman.
The curse hit her squarely in the back, causing her to trip over her long black skirts, laughing madly as she did even though Hermione knew it must have hurt. It didn't last long, barely more than a couple of seconds before the woman was grinning up at Hermione a mad and if she wasn't mistaken proud glint in her eyes at what Hermione had just done to her.
"I'm impressed, pet." The woman said gleefully "You have to really mean it, and i could feel the rage you felt. But you didn't really want to hurt me, did you?"
Hermione was about to open her mouth to respond that she'd liked to have killed her but was cut off by Bellatrix waving her finger at her as if she was a small child. She clenched her teeth, rage bubbling under the surface as she glared at the woman.
"Uh uh, no arguing pet. I saw it plastered right across your pretty face the minute you saw me that you could feel the connection. I know you're a bright girl, you must know what it means."
Desperately trying not to blush at the mocking compliments Hermione gave a strained nod.
Bellatrix grinned impossibly wider and said "Which also means you must know that you can't kill me. Fortunately for you, dove, i find myself in the same predicament. Believe me when i say that did we not have this little problem that you'd be dead at my feet right now for daring to curse me with your filthy muggle mouth."
Beyond caring about insults directed at her blood status at this point Hermione stated "I'd rather be dead than have this connection to you!"
The bravery she felt at standing up to the woman diminished as she heard a cold chuckle echo around the room and a voice practically hiss "Now that, can be arranged..."
She only had to look across at the enthralled look that had overtaken Bellatrix's features to know who the voice had come from, and her blood ran cold. Suddenly the connection to Bellatrix seemed like the best thing in the world, she knew that it was the only way she had a possibility of making it out of this alive. She suddenly wished that her friends had followed her, or had at least noticed her leave. She knew there was not even a possibility that she'd be any match for this monster in a duel, that she couldn't outrun him. Tears that she absolutely refused to let fall stung her eyes as she looked, as stoically as she could up at the snake like man.
"You won't kill me. You couldn't risk losing your most devoted death eater, there's no chance of you winning this without all the help you can get and you know there isn't!"
Hermione knew that she should be careful, that she should tread very, very carefully. This wasn't someone she could outsmart or reason with - that the man she was dealing with was barely even human. Bellatrix shot her a sharp look as if to tell her to shut her mouth, and Hermione felt the slightest bit of satisfaction at the power she held over the woman at that moment. If Voldemort decided to kill her, she knew there was every chance that Bellatrix wouldn't survive it either. Her own will to stay alive eventually won out over her desire to see the older woman suffer, and she snapped her mouth closed.
Thankfully, Voldemort seemed to find her out burst at least amusing (which in any other circumstances would have made her angry but which right now she was very thankful for) and seemed even to be actually considering what she'd said. Eventually he spoke softly. "Well look at that, sense coming from a mudblood. You're right of course, I would never do anything to risk the life of my dear Bella." Hermione didn't want to think too deeply at the stab of jealousy she felt at this monster referring to Bellatrix as his. She thought, probably, that he was aware of how this would make the girl react and was testing her to see how she'd react. She thought it best to just say nothing.
He seemed to consider for a moment before saying,"..that being said, I'm sure a little bit of the cruciatus curse to remind you of your place is nothing Bellatrix can't handle...CRUCIO!" he screamed, aiming his wand at Hermione and the pain she felt was like nothing she'd ever felt before.
It was over before she knew it however, as the most surprising sound she had ever heard came out in the form of Bellatrix's voice screaming "No! My Lord, please!"
Even in her delirious state of pain, Hermione found the energy to turn her head slightly to give a confused look to Bellatrix. She knew the woman couldn’t have felt it herself, as Hermione had managed to curse the woman just fine a few minutes before without having felt any traces of it herself whatsoever. Bellatrix didn't even spare a glance in her direction, though, as she stared pleadingly at her master, seeming already to be begging for forgiveness for questioning him.
He stared back at the dark witch with cold, snakelike eyes - fury evident under the surface at being questioned but clearly being contained. "As much as your insolence displeases me Bellatrix, i can see that it is..understandable, given the circumstances, so i'm going to make you a deal. I'll leave your little mudblood alone for now, you have my word that i won't harm a hair on her filthy little head." Bellatrix just looked up at him, clearly confused as to why she was not being punished, but before she could reply he continued. “When you took my mark, you gave me your word that you would die for me. That you would devote your life to my cause, no matter the consequences for yourself, as of yet no one has managed to escape the consequences of what happens when you break that promise. However, i am going to give you a chance that no one has ever had before, a chance to make a choice. I will leave your mudblood alone, right up until the very last battle that you know must take place to decide the fate of this war. You have until then to decide where your loyalties lie. When that day eventually comes, you will kill the mudblood yourself and prove yourself as my most trusted. Fail to do this, and you have my word that i will kill you, and every single member of your family. Your precious sister, dear draco and of course the filthy mudblood. It's your choice Bella, let's hope you make the right one."