Bellamione - her beloved monster

30. Never Regret

"Does she like it when you read to her?"

Hermione remained silent, eyeing the Black sister, who was now staring into her chalky white face.

"You know, I kind of figured this out. I almost bet my galleons on you, I don't know why. It was just my gut feeling."
Fake Selwyn took a deep breath, "Who are you going to tell now?"
"Tell? I'm not Rita - pain in the ass. No, I'm more relieved."

The witch with the shock of brown hair raised an eyebrow, "Why relieved?"
"You're one of the first to see something different in her than this pureblooded girl. More then her family name. You see in her the girl who was already excellent at dueling in her first year at school, The girl who would stand protectively in front of me and Cissy at every single moment. The girl who wants to sacrifice her entire life, so that we can live."

Andromeda rose and stepped to the doorway again.

"Hermione Selwyn, you see what she is really like, not Black. She is Bellatrix, our Bella, a female warrior, and with you, I am sure you would never hurt her, that she will never look back and regret your time together."

"Thank you" Those words elicited a smile from the older student "I don't want to hurt your family or Trix."

"Have you already -"
But before the born Black with the hazel eyes could finish, Hermione nodded.

Now Andy began to grin, "Well, if only I'd bet on you! I would have so ripped that arrogant Lucius off!"
She turned around, and just as the fake Selwyn thought she was alone again, Andromeda turned to her again.

"Do you love her?"
"What?"

"Do you love her?"
Hermione opened her book again and looked at Bella's notes.

"Honestly, Andy, I don't know."

Night.
How many times had she lain in her bed?
Alone on the cold mattress.

Bellatrix Black was nervous, glancing around the room and seeing her friend huddled under the covers, asleep.

She rose slowly and reached for her curved wand.

He had shown her how to disappear unobtrusively.

And it was he who expected her to do so.

Born Black, she trudged through the corridors of Hogwarts on socks and in her burgundy pajamas.

"Lumos." A small light appeared at the tip of her wand.

Ground floor, the stairs felt like impregnable hurdles.

It was almost completly dark on the first floor. Most of the pictures were asleep, facing away from her.

Straight to the girls' loo.

She pushed the door open slowly, and her eyes fell on the row of sinks.

"Black! What are we doing here in the middle of the night?"

"Keep it down, Myrtle. It's none of your damn business!"

"Why so upset, little Black. Don't you want anyone to know your little secret?"
But before the young woman with the jet-black curls could reply, she muttered something.

No.

She hissed something.

Hermione.