Willing change: revised edition

2

Malfoy manor

Bellatrix woke up groggy. She sat up in bed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Her mind was still reeling from the night before. A dull pain shot through her head as she heard Narcissa calling for her.

"Bella! Come see Draco off to school, he will be leaving soon."

Bellatrix groaned and threw her sheets off of her before leaving the room, stumbling a bit as she turned toward the stairs. As she reached the study her sister was fixing Draco's tie.

"Cissy, he is not a child..."

Narcissa looked at her sister with a raised brow before looking at her son.

"Well he is to me."

Bellatrix chuckled to herself as Draco's face contorted with embarrassment. Narcissa hugged her son, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. Draco then walked to Bellatrix and gave her a short hug before giving her a half smile. He then walked to the fireplace with a handful of floo powder.

"Platform 9 ¾"

And with that the two sisters were alone.

Narcissa looked at her sister, who raised her brows, as to say 'what is it'. She sighed and picked up the daily prophet from the sofa, holding it out to Bella.

"I know you won't like it but I think you need to see at least."

Bellatrix took the paper while eyeing her sister suspiciously. When she looked down her eyes went dark with anger and something else that Narcissa couldn't place.

"It's one of Potters little filthy friends..."

"Bella, please..."

"CISSY STOP! This will not happen, prophecy or no prophecy!"

Bellatrix crumpled the paper and threw it into the fire on her way out of the study.

Later that day Bellatrix made her way over to speak to Sirius at Grimmauld place. She paced as she tapped her fingers on her thigh. Sirius gave her a weary look.

"Bella please. It's supposed to be a good day."

"Yes I know Regulus' daughter is coming. But you can't expect me to be ok with this. This ridiculous prophecy…"

Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Hermione isn't that bad."

He stopped talking as Bellatrix gave him a sly look. She turned to him and grinned.

"That's right. Potter is your godson. So you've been around her."

He gave her a questioning look and she cocked her head, giving an expression that said 'spill it'. He groaned.

"I know she's smart. She is a very bright witch."

"A mud-blood, bright?"

"Yes a Bright mud-blood. And she's a lot brighter than a lot of pure bloods."

Bellatrix wrinkled her nose but changed the topic.

"She's potters friend. Which means she's possibly still at Hogwarts. What year is she in?"

He sucked his teeth as he prepared to answer.

"Uh… she just started her… fifth year…"

Bella's eyes went wide and her body went tense. Sirius backed up a step as his cousins face went red. She clenched her jaw as she practically hissed.

"A child?!"

Sirius put a finger up.

"Now bella she'll be 16 in a few weeks. And by the time y'all get things going I'm sure she'll be 17 and legal."

"I'm not doing what the prophecy says, Sirius No, I won't! Mated to a child…"

There was a knock on the door and Kreacher apeared.

"Sir, you have a visitor. Oh and ma'am, I'm sure you'll like to meet who is here."

Hogwarts

Hermione glared at the new DADA professor before hearing Harry speak.

"She was at my trial..."

Hermione and Ron looked at each other. Ron shoved another spoonful of pudding in his mouth so Hermione decided to ask Harry.

"She works for the ministry, doesn't she Harry?"

He nodded and watched the pink witch from the corner of his eye. Without losing concentration, Hermione harshly swatted Ron's arm, who had just finished stuffing his face. He jumped and swallowed his food before weighing in.

"Why do you think she's here?"

Hermione looked at the two of them. Harry still had his angry eyes trained on the professor and Ron just stared at her as if waiting for the answer. Hermione groaned.

"Isn't it obvious? The ministry is obviously interfering with Hogwarts."

Library

After classes Hermione found herself in the library. She searched the shelves, not looking for anything particular. She was in desperate need of new reading material.

She went through shelf after shelf before almost giving up. As she stood something caught her eye. She picked up a thick book with the school symbol on the front. She opened it to find that it was a yearbook from 1967.

She opened it, flipping through the pages she found photos of James and Lilly. She smiled, making a mental note to show Harry. She turned the page and saw a photo of three girls laughing while reading in the corridor. She recognized the youngest as Narcissa.

"These two must be Tonk's mother and aunt."

As she spoke quietly to herself Neville walked by with a few books in his arms. He stopped, looking at the photo. 

"You know? She broke out earlier this year, Bellatrix did."

Hermione jumped, a bit surprised by the company.

"Oh hello Neville. Do you know her?"

"She's the one who tortured my parents."

Hermione looked at him for a moment, watching sorrow fill his eyes before closing the book and taking it under her arm as she used the other to hug Neville.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up a bad memory."

He smiled and the two left the library laughing and talking about the day's classes.

Later that night she sat in her bed looking at the photo, her brow twitched as her mind felt like it was being clouded. She sighed and closed the book, placing it under her pillow before trying to get some sleep.

Malfoy manor

Bellatrix sat on the side of her bed gripping at the green silk sheets. She shook her head and closed her eyes as the fuzzy weightlessness feeling left her. When she opened her eyes, looking around she seemed to be back to normal. No pain, no dizziness, just tired. 

She pulled the sheets back and crawled in bed, her unruly curls cascaded over her pillow. She laid there staring up into the darkness until sleep finally found her.