Meeting Draco's Aunt

Brooms and Picnic baskets

"Are you sure I can't help you with the basket?"
"No I'm perfectly fine, now you pair run along." Bellatrix smiles as she places the basket on the floor, looking for the blanket.
"She won't let you help, she's quite independent like that, wouldn't even let me help untangle her hair the other day, she got the brush stuck in it." He chuckles as they walk away from the woman, Hermione glancing back watching as she lays the blanket out on the ground. Hermione didn't mention how odd that sounded considering she left her, who was basically a stranger to the woman braid her hair. Hermione shrugged, right now she needed to focus on beating Draco because no doubt this was going to be a race.

Meanwhile Bella sat on the blanket preparing herself some tea then pulled out a book. Apollo on the other hand sat munching on an apple with not a single care in the world, he was just happy to eat. The woman had placed the blanket under a large oak tree for shade and also for support. She leant against its trunk, crossed her legs and began reading her book. She'd lost track of time and hadn't realised how long she'd been there until Hermione came running back in her direction with the broom.
Bella glances behind but there was no sight of Draco, panic instantly began kicking in.
"Where's Draco? What happened?" She continued to bombard the girl with questions whilst tossing her book to the side however before she had chance to get up Hermione began laughing and plopped herself down beside her.

"He's fine, he just bumped into some of his other friends and started chatting with them. I didn't really like the conversation they were having so I said I'd come back here." She hands the book back to the woman.
"Oh, right...okay." She accepts the book, leaning back against the trunk.
"What were they talking about that made you leave?" Bella furrows her brows, Hermione glances at the witch.
"Believe me, you don't want to know."
"I can take that warning." Bella nods pulling a slight face as an unpleasant thought crossed her mind.
Hermione began laughing.
"Thinking about it now aren't you?"
"Unfortunately." Bella admits wishing she really hadn't asked.

"So what's in the basket?"
"Help yourself to whatever you want."
Hermione grins reaching for the wine, Bellatrix arches her brow.
"Somehow I don't think you're allowed that..."
Hermione smiles reaching for the glass, noticing Bella's empty tea cup.
"Do you want some of this or more tea?"
"What time is it?" Bella asks, Hermione looks at her watch.
"Just gone twelve."
"Really? That went by quickly." She places her book to the side, next to a sleeping Apollo.
"I'll have a wine then please." Hermione nods and began pouring the woman a wine.
"Considering you said I wasn't allowed any I noticed how you packed two glasses."
"Well there's Draco." Bella defends.
"I know Draco doesn't like wine, he told me about the time you gave him some."

Bella rolls her eyes,
"Oh alright you can have some, but you better drink every last bit, even if you don't like it."
Hermione smiles and began pouring herself some.
Bella watches as the girl brings it to her lips and took a sip.
"Well?"
"It's actually quite nice."  Hermione moved to sit cross legged beside the woman, also leaning up against the stump.
"So who won between you and Draco?" She took a sip of her wine.
"Me, and I wasn't entirely sure where we were going."
"Well in that case congratulations." Bella smiles holding her glass to Hermione who clinks hers against Bella's.

The pair sat in silence for a while both enjoying the peaceful sounds of nature, the birds chirping, the wind in the trees, the fish splashing in the water. Bella took a deep inhale and closed her eyes, she couldn't think of anything more relaxing than the sound of nature around her. It took her back to a time when she was younger and she'd wander into the woods where she was free, no worries corrupting her little mind, no one telling her what to do or demanded things of her. It was just her and Mother Nature.

Hermione on the other hand found her attention focused on the woman who seemed to be at peace. Her glass was half empty and slightly tilted to the side, hair blew slightly with the little breeze and her skin reminded Hermione of freshly fallen snow on a winters day, but it wasn't cold she'd learnt that last night, her hand was warm and soft and fragile in her own tanned hand.
A small smile graced Hermione's lips as she watched the woman take deep breath's.
Her first encounter yesterday was so awkward, and if you had told Hermione that same night she'd end up in the woman's room playing with her hair, then crying and being comforted by the witch she'd have laughed in your face and yet, that's exactly what happened. And despite Bella's awkwardness she did her best to comfort Hermione and for that the girl was grateful.  Hermione didn't really know how to explain the attachment she already began to feel for this woman, she hadn't even known her two days, and yet here she was finding attachments to a woman she barely knows, a woman who's supposed to be barking mad.