𝑾𝒍𝒘 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒕 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

The Smell of Wine and Cheap Perfume ~ Bellatrix Lestrange

***This is my first time like, actually writing something that I intend on having others read, so uh, sorry if its bad ig. Criticism is welcomed. Hopefully it is not that bad. Sorry for kinda switching between first and third person povs I didn't really mean to do that, anyway enjoy? About

_____________________________

Word Count- 1,500

_____________________________

Being a teacher was almost always stressful. There was always work to be graded, students who would act out, along with many other factors. This year though, this year was different. We are currently at war with the dark lord, once again. I myself was a student during the first war, and here we are again. While this is stressful for everyone, it was a little different for me. Why you may ask? The reason would be Bellatrix Black, well, now Bellatrix Lestrange. Everyone knows her as the evil, and psychotic woman that tortured, and killed people, but that is not the Bellatrix I knew. I use to know Bella, the girl who may have had the typical stone cold Pureblood walls built up, but when she was with me, she was just a girl who was kind, loving, funny, and so incredibly beautiful inside and out. Unfortunately, after her parents forced her into being a death eater, she changed. She was no longer the girl who would take me stargazing at night, hold me throughout the night, tell me how much she loved me, play with my hair when my head was on her lap as she was reading. She lost herself, but even with all that she had done, you knew that the old Bella was buried somewhere deep within, and because of that, a piece of you still loved her. The thought of potentially having to fight her today scared you for so many different reasons.

While everyone was fighting, I strayed a bit from the group after taking a few injured kids to safety. I was almost back to where everyone else was when I felt a body press up against mine, and a wand being held against my neck. "Scream and I wont hesitate to kill you." I immediately freeze, and feel my breath hitch in the back of my throat. You may think it was because of the position I am currently in, but no. "Bella?" I say barely above a whisper. I feel her body tense up behind me, and slowly her wand was taken away from my throat. Taking this opportunity I turn around, and there she was. The only woman I once loved. No, still love. The moment our eyes met, all of the feelings I had for her at one point came rushing back within a second. She still smelt of wine, and that same cheap perfume that I had grown to love all those years ago. I knew right then that I never truly stopped loving her, I simply learned how to live without her. Breaking the silence, she whispered "Esmeray"

The moment Bellatrix heard her voice, all of her memories came flooding back, and crashed down upon her. One of the things she regretted the most in her life was pushing her away after becoming a death eater. She did it, not because she no longer loved Esmeray, but because she knew if she didn't It would result in the love of her life suffering, which was the last thing she ever wanted. She did the only thing she could think of, no matter how miserable it made her. She was never one to believe in soulmates, that was until she met her. She had managed to bring out the good within Bella, which is something she never thought she had. When growing up, Bellatrix's parents burned it into her mind that she had to live up to her last name. She had to adapt the same ideologies, the same cold demeanor. Shortly after she graduate from Hogwarts, she was forced into a marriage with Rodolphus. At first she thought it would help her to move on, but that was the farthest thing from the truth. She never loved him, nor did he ever love her. The only person she has ever truly loved, was her. Esmeray.

After a minute of silence, and staring into each others eyes, Bellatrix finally broke the silence. "Esme, what are you doing here?" She meant to sound cold, yet her voice came out as a soft whisper, and laced with concern. "What do you think I'm doing Bellatrix? We're literally in the middle of a war Isn't it obvious?" Once again there was a moment of uncomfortable silence between the two. Neither of them could continue to ignore the tension building up. All they wanted to do was to hold the other person in their arms, but not wanting to make the first move. Esme finally had enough, and launched herself into Bella, wrapping her arms around Bella's neck and burying her face in the crook of her neck. Bella wasted no time, immediately wrapping her arms around Esme's waist, and holding her as if she was going to disappear at any given moment. As soon as she was back in her Bella's arms, all of her anger, sadness, and fear disappeared.

They both missed this. They missed each other. The comfort that only the other was ever able to provide, and even after all these years, the feeling of love. A feeling neither thought they would feel again, but for once, they were wrong. It felt so right to be holding each other again as if they were still just teenagers going to school at Hogwarts. At that moment, it felt as though no time had passed.

Both women silently sobbing into the other, while completely forgetting what was going on around them. Neither of them were naive. They both knew that Voldemort would lose. He may be powerful, but he is nothing compared to Harry Potter, especially with some of the most powerful witches and wizards on his side. "Bella, you need to get out of here. It's too dangerous. He wont win, and you will either end up dead or... or back in Azkaban. I cant-" Her voice falters before she is able to finish her sentence, instead a chocked sob escapes her lips as she hold onto Bella tighter. "I know sweetheart...I know" Bella said barely above a whisper.

Throughout the years, she had been devoted to the Dark Lord. Nothing and nobody could change her loyalties, well, Esme being the exception. She knew Esme was right. This would only end badly for her. Loosening her grip on Esme, but still holding her, Bella looked her in her eyes debating before finally being sure of what she was about to propose. "Run away with me. We can leave, and never look back. Get new identities, live in a small house in the middle of nowhere like you always wanted. We could be free."

It took Esme a minute to fully grasp what Bella had just said. Questions begin spinning in her mind. Does she really mean it? I thought she was loyal to the Dark Lord? Would she really want to live with me? Do I really want to live with her? Bella, reading her mind, laughed at how here brain was going a mile a minute. "I see some things never change." Bella laughed. Pulling Esme out of her thoughts, she furrowed her brows, silently asking Bella what she meant. "Your mind love, theres still so much going on it it all at once." "Right, I forgot you could do that" Esme chuckled

"So, what do you say, run away with me?" Esme knew what her answer was. While her mind was coming up with valid reasons to be skeptical, and to say no, her heart told her otherwise. "Please." She said barely above a whisper. Hearing this brought a wide smile to Bella's face. She hesitated a moment before leaning in to kiss Esme. She left a small gap to give her an out, but was met half way when Esme's lips crashed against hers. Both women felt butterflies the moment their lips connected. It felt just like the first time they kissed. Pulling away to catch their breathe, they both put their forehead against the others, eyes closed and smiles on their faces. "Merlin I missed this" Esme whispered, opening her eyes, only to be met with pools of honey and dark chocolate looking back at hers. "Me too love, me too."

"We need to go before things get even more out of hand. I have a small place we can go to that nobody knows about. We wont be able to go back and get our stuff, so we'll just have to buy more...are you sure you want to run away, I mean we don't have to. I don't wan to pressure y-" Bella began rambling, bringing a small smile to Esme's face. "Sweetheart, you talk to much. Lets go to our new home" Pulling away and grabbing each others hand, they apparated away to the place they would now call their home. It didn't matter that they left all their things behind, all that mattered what that they finally had each other, and that was enough for them. They were finally able to live in peace, and be happy.