Bellamione - her beloved monster

7. Bella's New Toy

Twilight, girls' bathroom at Hogwarts

"It scratches terribly, and besides, it's way too big for me."
"Hold still, doll!" Bellatrix tugged at the black pleated skirt that Hermione was now wearing.
Not only was she wearing her skirt, but also one of her best cashmere sweaters, one of Bellatrix's capes made of the finest velvet and shiny patent leather shoes.
"You look perfect!"
"I look like you."
"I already said that." The student with the thick curls tilted her head, waved her wand wildly, and immediately rammed another hairpin into the shaggy head of her new friend.
"What are you doing there anyway?"
"I'll dress you up for the ceremony."
"Why?"
"Because you're walking around like a madwoman and I can't be seen with you if you look like that." Bellatrix pulled the smaller witch away from the mirror and examined her work.
She just mumbled, "Perfect."

A little later the students eyed the splendidly laid table, while their headmaster joyfully gave one of his many speeches.
"- and so I say hello to Hermione Selwyn."
The jubilation was limited. Hermione padded slowly forward, straight toward a lonely chair.
Once there, the heavy leather of the speaking hat buried the girl under itself.
"Ah, you don't come from here?" It whispered, so softly that only she heard it.
Hermione nodded.
"But where am I putting you now?"
The witch thought of a red and gold shimmering coat, of a magnificent lion.
The warming fire.
But something drove her desires away.
A face.The girl she's here for in the first place.

"No - no -" she muttered.
But her dark eyes burned under her skin, deep into her soul.
"For real? Because - I can't go back on my decision. "
Hermione stared into space for a short while until the hat suddenly screamed "Slytherin".
A crowd of cheers came from one of the outer tables.
But especially from Bellatrix Black, who had jumped up and clapped her hands happily.
The brown-haired witch stomped to the Slytherin table and dropped down next to young Black.
"Did I tell you or did I tell you?"
Hermione was silent until another wizard called out something to her.
"Our Bellatrix found a new toy!" He grunted, which upset the larger of the two.
"Shut up, Dolohov!"
The strange student fell silent, and another girl poked her head out of the row.

"Aren't you going to introduce us, Bella?" It was a girl who looked very much like Hermione's new friend.
For a moment, she thought it was an exact copy of Bellatrix until she found some differences.
The hair of the strangers was rather hazel brown, their eyelids were less shaded, and their eyes looked childish.
"Sorry. Hermione, this is my sister Andromeda Black, Andy, this is Hermione Selwyn. She's a Slytherin as of today. "
Andromeda laughed and held out her hand to the new witch.
"Welcome so that my sister will not completely ruin you."
"What does ruin mean here?"

Andromeda Tonks.
Or Black.
Harry had told Hermione about her, her fate, and her family.
And suddenly, she realized that she was saving her life too, in any way. She could barely recognize Tonks in her, not her clumsy friend who she missed so much, no, Andromeda looked reserved and well educated.
Almost like an exact copy of her sister.
The future hurt. The future didn't look bright.