Heaven in Hiding [H.P.] ✓

Below the waves

With their fingers laced up the two girls enter the great hall. Those who knew them well enough knew that Something had changed. They just didn't know how much really had changed.

Without anyone knowing both girls had been making sure to let the other know just how beautiful they were to one another. And though there were so many shadows looming over their little love affair. Her arranged marriage to Rodolphus. The loyalties of her family. The Dark Lord. The stigmatisation of same-sex love, even in the wizarding world. The world appeared to be against them. But behind locked doors, for a few hours, the world didn't matter.

"What's going on with you and my cousin?" Sirius asks curiously. He and Lupin had met up with her in the room of requirements while James Potter was distracting their so-called 'friend'.
Juniper brushes her hair out of her face, humming softly. "WE aren't even quite so sure about that ourselves..", she admits, glancing into the fire of the cozy fireplace in the room. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Remus Lupin coughs slightly. "You aren't.. are you?" Juniper turns to the two boys, smiling a crooked smile. "I don't know. I've never felt this way before.. I know I don't have a sole preferrence, but right now I don't want anything.. or anyone more." "You are fucking Bellatrix?!", Sirius laughs with disbelief but Juniper stays quiet, shrugging. "I am." The two boys fall silent. "When.. did that happen?" "She told me everything that happened.. and then she kissed me. We slept with each other.. and have again multiple times since then." Juniper bites her cheek a bit. "We both know, even if we don't say it, that everything we have is just a house of cards in a storm that is already close enough to shake it.. closing in more every day. It hurts.. but I still can't let go, because I Want that pain. I want to bleed if that is what keeps me with her a bit longer." She had settled down on a plush sofa, that the two boys join her on. "Do you love her?" Juniper closes her eyes, snuggling into the backrest. "We don't say that word. Because if we do.. there'd be no going back. And we'd put everyone around us in danger. There'd be no more keeping up appearances. There'd be only the cardhouse.. while everything around us sets aflame. We aren't selfish enough for that, though I wish we were. That even one of us was selfish enough for that." Sirius gently pats the blonde's hair, unable to say something. "I'm here for you.. You've been taking care of me for years...Its time I pay back some of that debt.", he mumbles. "James and I as well.. You're risking a lot to protect us.. even if you often get caught in the crossfire. And we can't thank you enough for that.", Remus adds. "Thank you, boys. I appreciate it."

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Juniper takes a deep breath of air as she breaks through the water surface of the Black lake. It was the second week of heat in Hogwarts.. and rather close to the summer holidays. The now 17 year old girl smiles at her friends, most of whom would graduate that year. "Are you guys coming in?", she calls out to her friends who had been watching her from the large blanket they had spread out at the shore. "I'd rather not.", Lucius calls out in return, smiling at her. The blonde witch rolls her eyes. "Pussy! Bella? You maybe?" The Ravenette, understanding the teasing undertone, gets up. "Are you really going in?", Rodolphus asks her. "Damn right I am." Pulling off her jacket, shirt and pants the Ravenette runs into the water, swimming out to where Juniper is floating, dunking her under water. Below the slightly murky water the two open their eyes, finding one another. The Blonde, feeling confident for once, reaches out and pulls the Ravenette into a kiss. And if they could.. neither of them would have ever resurfaced. It was a moment in paradise.. and the air leaving their lungs was God, casting them out into the real world. Breaking through the water they share a laugh. "Just you wait, you.." Juniper squeals, pushing her under in return and Bellatrix grabs her legs for her to follow, not one to skip on the chances presented.

Junipers head rests in Bellatrix's lap as they warm themselves up in the sun. "When is the wedding by the way?" Her brothers words cut through Junipers skin like a dull blade. Not smoothly, but in a way that stings. She forces herself to keep her composure, thankful for the strong glamour charm on her that was originally meant to cover up the multitude of little marks Bellatrix had left on her skin that stained her red, black, blue and yellow like paint on canvas.
"Just in the beginning of July.. on the third. Our parents want it to happen as soon as possible.", Rodolphus hums. "The invitations should arrive by the end of this week. We are in the last few weeks of the term after all." Juniper could feel the tension in Bellatrix. And she knew too well that she could feel hers as well. 18 more days. That was all the time they had left until the storm would have finally caught them.
18 more days.. until their house of cards would be torn down and apart.