Heaven in Hiding [H.P.] ✓

Without second notice

Juniper had entered the great hall with dread. Bellatrix hadn't come to find them on the train.. Her eyes graze over the students until they settle on a familiar mane. "Princess Wintertime." Shooting out of her seat she rushes over to her friend, throwing her arms around her, tears burning in her eyes as she feels the tension it sends through her. "Bella.. what did he do?", she whimpers, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. "I.. can we talk later? I just need you right now."
Juniper nods, ever so subtly supporting her friend as they make their way over to the others, greeting one another with enthusiasm, as per usual. But nothing was usual about that evening. And the worry they all felt, had the air riddled with tension and heaviness.

After dinner they just quickly leave for the dungeon where Bella and Juniper sneak away from the others. The Black heiress had dragged Juniper into the bathroom with her and placed up multiple locking and muffling charms before collapsing into her friends arms, sobbing loudly into her arms as the two of them sink to the tiled floor, clinging onto one another tightly. Juniper, not knowing what else she could do, simply runs her fingers through the messy locks she loved. She doesn't dare to speak until her friend would chose to speak on her own. "He.. called me in.. and I kneeled down before him. And I said that I would be taking the blame for my cousins and my sisters failures, as I should have been more dutifull with making sure they knew the undisputable truth and that they were loyal to our cause and to him as our leader.. He told me.. that my passion and my drive and loyalty were impressive to him and told me that still.. he wanted me to prove my words. He.. tortured me. Had me withstand the Cruciatus.. I thought I was going to go mad. But I just thought of you and Cissa.. Regulus. Even Sirius. But.. All that I could have taken. But... he.. came to me during one night. And then another. And another. Juni.. He.." Juniper quietly pulls her crying friend into her arms. "I feel so dirty. And I feel insane. I feel insane because my body felt like it wasn't my own.. And it was doing things I didn't want it to. I feel like I am losing my mind.." "Do you want to have a bath or a shower?" "No! No.. don't leave me." "I'm not leaving, Bella."

Juniper gently washes her friends back, covered in bruises and marks while she sits in the bathtub. "I'm disgusting.." Juniper shakes her head. "You aren't disgusting, Bella. You are wonderful. You are strong! He did it to break you. You can't let him break you! You're so much better than that." "You don't understand... Everytime I even see myself in the mirror I can see his hands on my.." "What can I do? I will do anything." "Anything?" Juniper nods. The Black heiress simply reaches out, cupping her friends face. "Prove me wrong.. please." Then their lips meet.

Juniper had never before touched anyone that way. Much less been touched in such a way. Her touch had been gentle and soft, like a cool breeze on a summer day that would leave a pleasant shiver running down the back. Feathery kisses like the colourful rays of dusk, wrapping the body in a warm embrace. No mark had been left untouched. No painful image hadn't been countered by one of the blonde girl.
Now they were breathing heavily on the bathroom floor with her atop the ravenette, her blue eyes, halflidded, gazing down at her grey ones. "You're wonderful Bella. Wonderful and strong.", she whispers again, the Blackheiress crying softly with a smile on her lips. "Thank you.. I believe you." Lowering herself down the blonde kisses her once more, her eyes falling shut at the sensation of being pulled in even further. "Refill the bathtub?", she asks softly and Bellatrix laughs and nods. "Sure. If you'll stay." Juniper nods. "I'd like nothing more." Seated in Bellatrix's lap with her legs spread she has her arms wrapped around the older girls neck and her eyes closed while Bella's lips move across her neck, shoulders, collarbones and chest, like little loveletters written directly onto her skin, earning soft sounds of appreciation, the warm water splashing quietly in the otherwise silent room.

Neither of them was sure what their relationship now was.. or what it would be. But they both felt.. that in that moment.. it simply couldn't have mattered less.