Hermione has learned by age fourteen to expect certain things. The most important thing Hermione has learned is that family is unreliable.
Hermione just wishes Andromeda learned that before everything went wrong for her. No one should be blindsided like that.
That’s what she thinks at first, before she understands more of the story. Andromeda didn’t expect her family to react like they did, she didn’t think there was anything wrong with dating Ted Tonks.
Hermione should have known better. People like the Blacks’ have hearts of coal.
Hermione has firsthand knowledge of this.
Narcissa Black is in the same grade as her and they both start high school together. Narcissa has made her life a living hell for as long as she can remember. Hermione can’t do anything right by her. It’s been better since she met Harry and Ron but it hasn’t stopped Narcissa any, it has just given her somewhere safe to go in school.
Nothing prepared her for high school. Narcissa finds herself among her ilk. Bellatrix and Andromeda both attend high school with them. Bellatrix is a senior and blessedly on her way out, Andromeda is a junior meaning Hermione will have to deal with her for longer. Narcissa slides in with her sisters despite being a freshman and the reign of terror only grows worse. It’s not only the sisters, the whole of high school is a nightmare.
Bellatrix takes to bullying Hermione with a dangerous glee in her eyes. It seems to please Narcissa. Narcissa is quick to tear down how she dresses or her looks, her eyes practically cut across Hermione’s skin with scorn. Bellatrix is more inventive, searching for the most humiliating way to insult Hermione. Andromeda doesn’t insult her. She also doesn't stop either of her sisters.
“You hear?” Ron slides onto the table, jostling Harry.
“What now?” Harry groans. He hates gossip.
“Andromeda’s dating Ted.” Hermione feels like a cold bucket of water has been tossed over her. She carefully constructs her face to look surprised but not too interested.
“Please, Hermione, you can’t tell anyone!” Desperation in the face of defeat. She knows Hermione has every reason to say something, to hurt her.
Power courses through her. The power to ruin a life, the life of someone who terrorizes her. Just as quick as the certainty comes, the rush of victory, it crashes. Not because she doesn’t want to, not because of illusions of grandeur. She knows who she is, what she is, she’s the type of person to use damaging information to hurt them. To hurt her, at least. Any of those snakes.
He doesn’t deserve it. His secretive smiles, like Hermione’s in on some joke. Like she isn’t the freak outcast that only other freak outcasts like. He’s the kind of guy to help pick up books after the snakes dump them. He hands her pencils, freshly sharpened, when others steal her backpack. He’s kind where all she, the woman with watery eyes, is not.
He’s desperate too. His eyes widened, lips stained with her red. Lips that once softened into smiles now thin with worry, all but begging. She can’t hurt him. Her? She could destroy. Not him.
“No way.” Neville’s mouth drops open.
“Saw the sisters fighting myself, the whole lot of snakes have turned against Andromeda. All her friends are now her enemies. I saw one of them swat her lunch out of her hands. Even heard that her parents actually disowned her.”
“It’s true.” Padma looks uncomfortable.
“Why?” Harry looks confused.
“She dated below her station.” Hermione mutters bitterly.
“Who cares? If one of the three heads of the devil got chopped off by their own hand? More power to their elitism.” Ron snorts.
Hermione didn’t disagree, exactly. She didn’t much care about Andromeda. She might even actively hate her. Hermione sees her as the coward of the sisters, the one who fools herself into thinking she’s different then them. Andromeda believes she’s better than the sisters, thinks that by keeping silent she isn’t doing the bullying. It’s worse.
She knows it’s Andromeda, even before she recognizes that there’s sobbing. Somehow, she just knows.
Andromeda’s lip is cut and blood is dribbling down her face, she’s uselessly patting at it with tissue. Hermione does feel the heat of indignation at that. It’s not right. Hermione hates unfairness and cruelty and hitting Andromeda? Who does that? Not even Hermione actually gets assaulted. Was it one of her sisters? Someone who claimed to be a close friend a day ago? She doesn’t like Andromeda but she isn’t heartless.
Hermione pulls her first aid kit out of her backpack. Being friends with Harry and Ron has taught her it’s always best to have one on hand. Hermione kneels down in front of Andromeda and takes her chin in hand, Andromeda flinches back on instinct. “It’s just me.” That doesn’t seem to settle Andromeda much but she relaxes eventually as Hermione tends to the wound. “I didn’t tell anyone.” Hermione assures her.
“I know.” Andromeda sighs, Hermione doesn’t mention the tear tracks. “I’m sorry, Hermione.” Andromeda stops her hand and looks into her eyes. It’s hard for Hermione to keep their eye contact, there’s too much misery swimming Andromeda’s eyes.
“It’s-”
“I’m sorry. It’s not okay. It’s not fine. It’s not something to be swept under the rug. You don’t have to accept it. I just want you to know, I really am sorry.” Andromeda presses and Hermione swallows her words.
She doesn’t talk to Andromeda for a week after that.
The snakes circles Andromeda at her locker. Andromeda’s eyes are ringed dark purple and she looks pale, like she hasn’t slept in weeks. Hermione looks away and closes her eyes tightly. She shouldn’t get involved. Not even as the slurs start, not as their voices raise, not even when Andromeda sways.
It’s the flinch that finally makes her act.
None of Andromeda’s former friends make a dent in her, she doesn’t react to any of them. One word from Narcissa is enough to make her flinch. Bellatrix’s cruel laughter makes Andromeda’s eyes swim.
“Back the fuck off!” Hermione pushes her way through the hungry gawking crowd to reach Andromeda. She grabs Andromeda’s arm and tugs, pulls her away from the poisonous bullies. She also does her best to help Andromeda’s faulty balance.
“What do you think you’re doing, Granger?” Pansy’s sneers at her.
“Don’t you know to keep your hands off your betters, mudblood.” Narcissa sniffs, looking down at her.
Hermione gives her the cruelest and most sarcastic smile she can manage. “She’s not my better anymore, is she?”
“How dare you!”
“You sure you want to do this?” Bellatrix asks her. She looks down at Hermione but not like how Narcissa is, not how she usually does. There’s more there, something hidden in those dark pools.
“What exactly am I doing?”
“Starting a war.” One of the snakes speaks up.
Hermione rolls her eyes at the girl’s dramatics and turns away from them, taking Andromeda with her.
Andromeda becomes a big part of Hermione’s life after that. She becomes part of their friend group even though it makes Ron look as if he’s sucking on a lemon. She also gets the full story.
She’d never call Andromeda a coward again.
The Black family is old money and they have a certain status that comes with such. They have to act, talk, and even think how they’re told. There’s no breaking their mold.
So how’d Andromeda break hers?
There’s more to the story than Hermione realized before. She didn’t realize how dangerous it was for Andromeda to date a person who her family considers lesser than. Getting pregnant with his child out of wedlock? The way Andromeda shivers and flinches, Hermione’s surprised she made it out of that house alive.
She stood up to her family, refused to lose the child or Ted. As a consequence, she lost her family.
Andromeda moves in with Hermione. Her family has more money than Ted’s and it makes things easier for Andromeda. Besides, Hermione’s parents already have experience in ignoring one child. What's one more to them? Two more, rather. They aren’t there yet.
The snakes bully Andromeda relentlessly. They bully Hermione too but after being bullied her whole life, she’s already used to it.
She notices it before that pinnacle day.
Bellatrix can think she’s as subtle or devious as she wants to but the truth is, Hermione didn’t need to be told.
Narcissa and the snakes increase their pressure on Hermione. She notices the absence of Bellatrix in her life. Usually, Bellatrix is quick to tear Hermione down. She’s only tossed a few weak barbs Hermione’s way since she took Andromeda in.
Then it happens, that day.
Andromeda’s already left with Ted to go to a doctor’s appointment. Her parents are supposed to pick her up but they texted her saying they couldn’t, asked her if she could catch a ride or get on the bus. The bus is already gone as is anyone who could have driven her home. If they had texted earlier, she could have gone with one of her friends.
The irritation clenches her jaw, she tries not to let it hurt too much. She texts back that she can catch a ride and sighs, knowing she’s in for a long walk home. It’s easier to say she got a ride back then deal with their drama. They’d feel guilty and she’d have to assure them they’re good parents. She isn’t up for the performance today.
“You look like the commercials for shelter animals.” Hermione stops, hands gripping her backpack straps.
“You look like the person who kicked her dog out when she got too big.”
Bellatrix’s grin curves up, revealing just enough teeth to make Hermione clear her throat. She shouldn’t prod Bellatrix. She’s always been the most terrifying of the sisters. She enjoys belittling and dehumanizing more than even Narcissa. “Are you calling Andy big? I’ll have to let her know you said that.”
“The only time you talk to her is when you’re degrading her. I’m not sure when you’ll fit that into the conversation.”
Bellatrix laughs but it’s about the fakest thing Hermione’s ever heard. “Easy. Andy you’re the family disgrace, you’ll bear a child stinking of filth, you’ve gotten offly big. Just ask your new best friend.” Hermione glares at Bellatrix and starts walking away. “You live what, an hour walk away?” Bellatrix’s car slowly rolls beside her.
“Why, planning on harassing me the whole time?”
“Get in.”
“What?” Hermione asks shocked, whipping her head in Bellatrix’s direction.
“Just get in the fucking car.” Hermione’s frozen staring at Bellatrix. Bellatrix gets angrier at her inaction. “I’ll run you over if you don’t get in this car right now.” Hermione doesn’t want to test how serious Bellatrix is. She rushes to the other side of the car and gets in. She hugs her backpack to her chest and hopes Bellatrix isn’t about to murder her in the woods.
Bellatrix mutters under her breath but doesn’t say anything. She turns on the radio and starts towards Hermione’s house. Hermione’s a bit afraid of how Bellatrix knows exactly where she lives without needing instructions.
Bellatrix’s car is expensive, Hermione isn’t a car person but she can tell that much. It’s also permeated with smoke. It’s clean, there isn’t garbage or wrappers. Hermione looks out the window and taps her finger against her knee.
The drizzle builds into a full downpour.
Bellatrix scoffs beside her, fingering a cigarette but not pulling it out of the carton. “They were really going to let you walk through this? Some parents.”
“At least mine didn’t kick me out.” Hermione regrets the words as soon as they’re out but Bellatrix chuckles darkly.
“The grass is always greener.” Hermione’s not certain that applies considering they both seem to have lacking parents but, she’s not about to correct the woman behind the steering wheel.
“You still care about Andromeda, right?” Bellatrix’s whole body locks up and she looks at Hermione suspiciously. “I’m not asking to trap you or tell anyone. You don’t harass me as much since I’ve taken her in and compared to the others, you’re easy on her.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Bellatrix scowls, her hands clenching on her steering wheel.
Hermione decides to switch tactics, this one is only pissing Bellatrix off. “She’s doing okay, all things considered.”
That settles Bellatrix some, the wildness fading from her eyes. “I hardly care.” Except her whole body has settled and she isn’t anxiously poking at her cigarettes anymore.
“My parents don’t mind her living with us so she has a solid roof over her head. Ted’s been working more hours to pay for all the medical bills. They figure out the baby’s sex today.”
Bellatrix huffs. “It’ll be a girl.”
“Don’t want a nephew?” It comes out dangerously close to teasing.
Bellatrix’s entire body jerks at that. “I won’t have a niece let alone a nephew, not from her.” It sounds more sad than angry.
Hermione doesn’t know why she’s giving one of her bullies so much. She shouldn’t have gotten in the car but she also isn’t sure Bellatrix wouldn’t have ran her over. She shouldn’t be talking with her, actually holding a conversation with this person. Bellatrix has spread countless rumors about her. She glued Hermione to a chair once.
Yet here she is, giving Bellatrix what she secretly wants. She’s listened to Andromeda when she talks about her family and she can’t help but see that in Bellatrix. The girl who wants to know about her sister, probably still loves her, but is expected to destroy her. It helps that Bellatrix hasn’t harassed her for some time.
Bellatrix pulls into Hermione’s driveway and she waits. Hermione gets the sense there’s something Bellatrix wants to say. She can see Bellatrix mull it over, practice it, throw it away. She can see Bellatrix battle with what she can say. “Get out.” Bellatrix lands on, biting down on whatever she really wanted to say.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me. I just did this so I could tell everyone.”
Bellatrix doesn’t tell a single person.
It’s the first time Bellatrix picks Hermione up and it won’t be the last. It’s just the most important one.
The next time is years later.
**
The last thing Hermione expects on a cold October morning is to see Bellatrix again.
She hasn’t seen Bellatrix since she’d graduated high school and gone off to college. This is Hermione’s second year in college.
Hermione’s teeth chatter and she buries her hands deeper in her jacket pockets. It’s cold and she’s parked in the back. Sure, it’s the good parking lot, but it’s still the back. Her post-exam euphoria has waded off and now she’s just treading through the foggy morning, she’s mentally counting the days until her next test.
“Hey. You parked?” Hermione gaze shoots up from the asphalt to a familiar voice. Bellatrix’s window is rolled down and she’s looking over her sunglasses at Hermione like she’s the biggest idiot in the world. At least nothing’s changed.
“Bellatrix?”
Bellatrix looks her over and Hermione wonders, fears, that she won’t recognize her. “Pet?”
A chill goes up Hermione’s spine at the old nickname. No one has called her that in years. “Hey, Bella.”
Bellatrix’s lips twitch at the familiarity, Hermione’s afraid the other woman might actually smile for a moment. “Long time no see.”
Hermione laughs, feeling her cheeks blush. Damn. She looks down and then back up at Bellatrix before she takes her earbuds out. “It’s been a while.”
“Can I steal your spot, then?”
“Think you deserve it? I’ve got a whole line of cars I could let have my spot.”
Bellatrix actually laughs this time, her eyes dancing with mirth. “But none of them are me.”
If that’s not the single truest statement. No one is like Bellatrix. “I’m parked way in the back.” Hermione says apologetically.
“I can drive you to your car.” Bellatrix offers.
“How chivalrous.”
“That’s what I’m known for. Kindness and chivalry.” Bellatrix replies sardonically.
Hermione gets into the passenger seat and is surprised by the car, it’s not as nice as her last one. “New car?”
“I cut ties from the family. They took my car.” Bellatrix replies shortly. Hermione didn’t know Bellatrix cut ties. Andromeda hasn’t mentioned anything.
“Did you tell Andy?”
“I don’t think she’ll want to hear from me.”
“I think you’d be surprised.” Hermione replies carefully. She knows for a fact Andromeda wants few things more than to repair her relationships with her sisters.
“So, we go to the same college.”
“We do.”
“Did…”
“You being at this college have anything to do with my application?”
Bellatrix raises an eyebrow at her audacity. “Well, yes.”
“No. They have an excellent law program.”
Bellatrix laughs, a real smile crossing her face. “Of course you’d go law.”
“I”m excellent at it. Best of my class.”
“Humble too. Is it really a surprise you’re the best?”
“Not really. What about Narcissa?” Bellatrix would never have left Narcissa to their family.
“She left Lucius, divorce is ugly in our families. Especially when she divorced a good match.”
“That was enough for them to cut her off?”
“Dating a woman after divorcing a man they approved of was.”
“Oh.”
“She’s much prettier than Lucius. I approve. Narcissa doesn’t look like she’s contemplating murder all the time now.”
“That’s my car.” Bellatrix stops the car near Hermione’s. The moment is over and Bellatrix needs to get to class. Hermione doesn’t want the moment to be over. Hermione hands Bellatrix her phone and after a moment of surprise, Bellatrix types in her information. Hermione gets out of the car and after a moment of deliberation, she leans her head into the car. “I’ll text you Andy’s information. You should reach out. Trust me.”
“Trust you? We’re supposed to be mortal enemies, pet.” Hermione laughs, looking away from Bellatrix’s pleased expression. “Did you ever tell Andy about it?”
It, an apt way to put whatever it was.
Andromeda was busy her junior year dealing with pregnancy and being kicked out. She became one of Hermione’s best friends and they’re roommates now, in addition to Ted and Nymph. She’s a good friend. She knows things about Hermione others don’t, she knows when something’s up. That first year though? She was too preoccupied, she didn’t know Hermione well enough.
“No. At first I didn’t want to stress her out more by telling her. Afterwards, it felt like it was too late.”
“I see.” Bellatrix replies distractedly. Her hands locked around her phone, thinking about her estranged sister. “You really think it’s a good idea?” Vulnerable, more vulnerability than Bellatrix would show anyone other than her sisters, once upon a time. Hermione reaches forward, resting her hand over Bellatrix. Too familiar, not a move most would dare with Bellatrix. Hermione isn’t most people, not to Bellatrix.
“She wants to talk to you, both of you.”
Bellatrix nods, smiling slightly. “Who knew running late to class would work out like this?”
Bellatrix ends up calling up Andromeda and reconnecting. Andromeda paces for a whole night ranting to Hermione and Ted, who both obediently sit with wide eyes.
In the end, she decides to give Bellatrix a chance. Ted and Hermione don’t mention that they always knew she would.
They get lunch and before Hermione realizes it, Bellatrix is back in her life.
It leads to some complications.
**
She doesn’t make a habit of getting drunk. She never gets drunk, if she’s being honest.
It’s the first time she’s ever had more than one drink.
They were all having fun, Ginny and Luna were radiating joy. It just came naturally, one drink led to another.
“Whoa there.” Bellatrix appears out of nowhere. She grabs Hermione’s arms and draws it over her own.
“Bella!” Hermione feels herself smile stupidly but she isn’t in a place to control her reaction.
“Pet you are trashed.” Bellatrix chuckles at Hermione.
“How dare you-” Hermione trips over nothing and Bellatrix tightens her grip.
“Bella, you’re going to need to put her to bed. She’s a mess.” Andromeda’s grinning at Hermione, too pleased with how much of a mess she is. It’s probably because Hermione’s taken every opportunity to tease Andromeda, Hermione knows she’ll be hearing about this for weeks.
“It’s okay. She’s good at taking care of me.” Hermione pats Bellatrix’s cheek and Andromeda’s eyebrow predictably raises. She’s been suspicious of Bellatrix and Hermione since Bellatrix came back into Andromeda’s life. Andromeda notices everything and now there’s no pregnancy to distract her.
“I’m going to throw you in a dumpster with the rest of the garbage.”
“You would never!” Hermione refutes.
“Really? I’m historically not a nice person.” Bellatrix points out, leading Hermione away from the crowd. Ron snorts at the words, shooting Bellatrix a dark look. Those two do not get along. He isn’t as willing to forgive and forget as the rest of them are.
“You’ve always been nice to me.” Hermione argues.
“She shaved part of your head once!” Ron reminds her.
“I mean after that, once we became friends.” Hermione rolls her eyes.
“We are not friends.” Bellatrix says even though Hermione knows for a fact they have a two year unbroken snapchat streak.
Andromeda takes Hermione’s other arm and helps Bellatrix carry her to her room. “I want to keep spending time with everyone!”
“You need to sleep this off.” Andromeda argues.
They set Hermione onto her bed and she catches Bellatrix’s wrist. She tugs her down onto the bed and Bellatrix grunts, catching herself before she lands on Hermione. Hermione moves to cuddle into Bellatrix’s side and lays her head on her shoulder.
“How the fearsome Bellatrix has fallen.” Andromeda teases.
“Shove it.” Bellatrix grumbles, wrapping an arm around Hermione.
“I’m glad you picked me up.” Hermione murmurs into Bellatrix’s shoulder.
“So am I.”
They both ignore Andromeda’s looks.
**
Hermione’s been feeling down since Chloe and her broke up. It wasn’t a good breakup. It was the worst. Chloe decided it wasn’t enough to break up with her, she had to tear Hermione down while she was at it.
Hermione’s a strong person but she hasn’t had to deal with someone tearing her down like that since she graduated high school. She wasn’t prepared for someone to pull out everything that makes her, her, and find it subpar.
“I’ll kill her.” Bellatrix is practically vibrating with rage, her arms locked around Hermione's body.
“Please don’t.” Ted stops Andromeda who was already agreeing with Bellatrix. “You have a daughter and you have a niece and nephew.”
“Maim?”
Ted thinks about it. “No.”
“Pet, listen to me. Whatever she said, she’s wrong. She’s an idiot.”
She knows it’s stupid to be so upset. She knows she isn’t everything Chloe accused her of. It doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. She loved Chloe, or at least she thought she did. “Why am I always targeted?” Bellatrix sighs and grits her teeth, Hermione knows she feels guilty over her own bullying.
“You’re better than the rest of us.” Bellatrix leans back and looks into Hermione’s eyes. “You’re smart, beautiful, bold. You prove everyone wrong. You defy every expectation. You’re kind but not a pushover, you’re mean when you need to be. You aren’t cruel or weak. You are one of the best parts of this world.” Hermione looks away but Belltrix drags her back, thumb rubbing at her falling tears. Leave it to Bellatrix to pick her up when she’s feeling particularly terrible.
She’s reminded of her freshman year, the unspoken part. The part that even the two of them don’t talk about. The days, weeks, months spent with Bellatrix. Bellatrix who was an unmovable wall most of the time. Stone and seething hate but eager to hear about Andromeda. She raged at the world, at her family, sometimes Hermione. She was tolerable at first because she thought it was the only way to get information on Andromeda. She became something else, they became something else. Friends? Maybe, maybe not. Hermione isn’t sure there is a word for what they were.
Car rides and walks filled with careful chatter, both careful of upsetting the other. The occasional Tea from a cheap place out of town, where no one would recognize them. It was bitter tea that tasted terrible and there’s few things Hermione thinks as fondly of.
She saw Bellatrix that year.
She saw all the ugly parts. The Bellatrix who’d bully a girl to tears and laugh the entire time. The Bellatrix who’d snap and terrify Hermione with the amount of rage and violence within her. The Bellatrix who would do anything to keep her status.
She also saw all the best parts. The unending love she has for her sisters. How much she’ll care for someone once they matter. The way she teases that lets people know she cares. The sound of her laughter.
Bellatrix has always meant something to her: a tormentor, something like a friend, an actual friend, a confidante, a roommate. She’s always been important to Hermione.
It hits her now, how important she is. She loves Harry and Rin, Andromeda and Ted, but they aren’t Bellatrix.
Chloe’s tires get slashed, her window bricked in, her house egged, her hair dyed a putrid green. Bellatrix’s eyes gleam through it all. She only stops short of actual violence.
Hermione’s reminded of her cardinal rule, never piss off Bellatrix.
She’s touched that Bellatrix cares enough about Hermione to destroy Chloe.
**
They’re both staring at the cursed flour as if together they can get it to fall down. Bellatrix wandered in earlier to find Hermione cursing and on her toes, trying to reach the sack. Hermione is only just taller than Bellatrix most of the time and at this moment, Bellatrix isn’t wearing heels. The height is a little more apparent. Meaning if Hermione can’t reach it, Bellatrix absolutely can’t.
Hermione sighs and tries to tide her irrational anger. She does not want to have to drag a step stool or a chair out for one sack of flour. Bellatrix laughs throatily, sleep still affecting her. “Calm down, you’ll give yourself an aneurysm.” Bellatrix’s hands wrap around her waist and she lifts Hermione up. Hermione yelps but carefully doesn’t flip out, she doesn’t want to be dropped. Hermione grabs the flour and Bellatrix sets her back down.
“Thanks.” Hermione tries to will her blush back.
“No problem.” Bellatrix is smirking at her.
“Do you ever think about your senior year?” It seems like the right time to bring it up. Years after the fact, years after they’ve reconnected. They’re both in sleepwear and recently awoken.
“The ostracizing my pregnant sister part or our secretive meetups part?”
“You angst over the ostracizing enough, obviously you think about it.”
“Rude. Yes, I think about it.”
Hermione can’t really read anything from Bellatrix. “What do you think about it? Did it help, knowing what was going on?”
Bellatrix nods, eyes turning serious. “It helped to know. If I’m being honest, the part of us I remember most isn’t about Andy. It helped having someone unattached. I didn’t have to worry about what I said, edit it in case you were trying to sell me out to my family. I’d never had someone like that. What about you?”
“I remember your smiles and laughter. They were rare but when they happened, it lit up my world.” Hermione admits.
They fall together. It isn’t the worlds colliding. Their worlds already crashed together a long time ago. It feels right, it feels like the seeds had been sowed a long time ago.
Bellatrix tastes of bitter terrible tea and Hermione heart soars.