To a Better End

Chapter 53

December 20th 1977

The meeting with Remus and Sirius ended in hugs and handshakes. There was happiness in the young man's eyes. He had been given something of a new opportunity. It wasn't much, but it was something. It was something that might contribute to his survival.

Time seemed to escalate somewhat. Hermione and Draco were simply living their lives, planning their bonding ceremony. Things were quiet from Voldemort and his minions. It was remarkably peaceful.

Until Bellatrix Lestrange stormed into her shop.

"Close it up, little dove!" She walked in like she owned the place, clapping her hands and making orders.

"What?"

"Mina, you're getting married tomorrow, and we haven't done anything for you except that stuffy dinner that Walburga put together for you and Kai." Hermione cringed slightly, remembering how awkward it all was and how the gifts they received were nonsensical traditional pureblood shit.

Hermione was tying up her hair in a bun, sighing. "Oh, I don't know Bella. I'm not much for parties."

"I know," Bella said with a huge grin. "That's why I brought a couple of bottles of elf-made wine."

"So let me get this straight." Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose. "You waltz in here in the middle of the day, before lunch, ordering I close up the shop so I can get day drunk?"

"Yeah, that's it." She nodded eagerly, already pulling the cork from one of the bottles.

Hermione considered the witch a moment. Bellatrix was a witch who loved attention. She knew her well enough to know that her instinct was to kidnap Hermione and take her to the pub or have a party. So the fact that she was holding back on that, meant that she cared enough about her to have a quiet event inside.

"Okay."

*****

December 21st 1977

It was not a quiet night.

The elf wine was remarkably strong, causing both women to start breaking out into song. Hermione taught Bella muggle songs. Bella, completely delusional, showed Hermione how she could have definitely been an opera singer. She could not have been an opera singer.

They practised how they would dance at the wedding, in which Hermione actually shook her hips around causing Bella to fall onto the floor in a fit of laughter.

They were drunk. And after they were drunk, they were hungover. Hermione groaned when she bumped her head, realising that she fell asleep under the coffee table. When trying to retrace her steps to remember how she got there, she decided her head hurt too much to think. And if it hurt too much to think, it would hurt too much to move.

"If you're alive, say 'aye,'" Hermione said in a raspy voice. They were going to need so many potions.

"Aaaaaayyeeeee want to die." Bella's voice was muffled by something, but she couldn't move enough to see.

"We need potions."

Bella grunted before Hermione could hear her shuffling about. A few moments later, Hermione was met with a handful of potions rolling into her. She gratefully took each one, staying under the safety of the table while they took effect. Perhaps she would convince Draco to start working on potions that took effect instantly, rather than minutes.

When Hermione reopened her eyes, the table was gone and Bella was standing over her, makeup smudged and hair in an even wilder state. But the one thing she noted was the life in her eyes and the smile on her face.