A Bellamort Tale

Part 51

Bellatrix had decided to have Hermione help her choose a suitable wedding gown. The girl's own ceremony had been weeks ago and she had been wearing one of Narcissa's old dresses. Bella had thought it fit for a wedding but other than that her sister tended to dress like an old spinster sometimes and had suggested that the girl could wear some of her old very small dresses. She would have never admitted that they were too tight for her and that she though they had fit her perfectly at the beginning of her pregnancy, had a little too much leftover weight to get to wear them. For the girl though those mostly very revealing and daring dresses seemed a perfect fit. At least now that her boobs had grown and until she would start to show that she had been knocked up.

Hermione had been so shocked when Bella told her about it that she couldn't answer at all and just stared at the older woman open-mouthed.

"Before you start to drool, 'Hermione', shut your hole and follow me. You can take care of Delphi while I try on the gowns I have ordered to be brought here."

The younger witch just nodded and followed her, after picking the baby up from her cot.

In the drawing room they met with Narcissa and another woman, who Hermione didn't recognise and supposed her to be from Twilfit and Tattings, the one tailor other than Madame Malkin in Diagon Alley. But once the witch started to speak, in perfect French, the girl was sure that she was from France, probably even Paris, which was the fashion capital of the world for both wizards and muggles.

The young witch, perfectly capable of speaking French, greeted her kindly and pecked her cheeks twice, like all Parisians do. That made her sure that said woman came from the city with the Eiffel tower, as in the remaining France people used to peck three times.

The elderly witch was in utter bliss just from seeing the baby girl and asked Hermione if she was her mother. The girl glanced at Bellatrix and Narcissa, not sure how to reply, as she also didn't want to reveal Delphi's true origin.

Bella answered for her.

"She's mine, Babette. And now let's get to business, I don't have all day. You are aware who I am about to marry, right?"

The witch paled and nodded, then looked back at the child.

"I know, I am very bold right now, but is she 'his'?"

Bellatrix grinned.

"Of course she is. And if just one word of this knowledge will come to anyone else through your lips, you'll be severely punished. Our enemies would love to get their hands on her. If to have some leverage or simply to hurt us."

"O-Of course, Madame Lestr... I mean, Miss Black."

The sisters giggled.

"I am a bit old to be called that, wouldn't you think? Just call me Bella. Cissy and I have known you since we were children and our families have always been on the side of the dark lord, so..."

The older witch nodded and eventually started with her work. With a wave of her wand a cart appeared, holding dozens of beautiful wedding gowns. Most of them were white or a light cream colour.

Bella shook her head.

"As you already know, I am not a virgin and I also give a shit about wedding traditions. I want something darker. Not black, it's not a funeral, but maybe something in a dark red with black lace?"

The French witch gasped but obediently waved her wand and a different rag of clothes appeared while the other vanished.

"Wow!" Hermione couldn't hide her admiration. Having grown up in the muggle world, she had seen many middle age festivals or teenagers wearing a gothic look and had always loved the style. Seeing those kinds of dresses before her right now, made her watch them in awe.

Narcissa gave her a disapproving glare, expecting more from her daughter in law than enthusing over the kinds of dresses her sister would choose. But Bella waved her off.

"Just shut up, Cissy. The dark lord told me to spend time with the girl and get to know her as if she was a pure blooded witch. It's some kind of experiment and I don't know what he's up to, but I never questioned his decisions and I never will do so. Despite being a mudblood, she just proved a bit of taste, so don't you dare scold her for that. Come here, leave Delphi with my sister and pick a dress for me. Maybe you're of more use than I thought."

Hermione gave her mother in law an apologetic shrug, then handed her the infant and got slowly to her feet to walk over to the cart.

After observing the witch thoroughly, then doing the same with the gowns, she reached out and took one that had caught her eye from the very beginning. Just as Bellatrix had wanted it was scarlet red and had a black laced bodice. The skirt was kept in the same colours, yet the pattern of the lace was bigger than on the upper piece. On top of everything it showed a deep cleavage just the way the dark witch preferred it to be,

Bella nodded contently and praised the girl.

"Good choice. Now choose one for yourself. I am certain my nephew will appreciate you in something revealing like that. And I also know that women don't like to just wear used clothes, so seize the chance when I'm in a spending mood and pick whatever dress you like. The former Lestrange vault at Gringotts has become mine as reparation for all the things I had to suffer from my previous husband. So I am even richer than I was by just being an heir of the Black family."

The younger woman was hesitant and looked pleadingly at Narcissa. The blond woman smiled and stood up to stand beside her, Delphini resting with her head on the witch's shoulder.

"It's okay. Bella might be cruel and heartless, but she never would act against the dark lord's orders. If she's telling you to pick whatever you like, you can do that." The older Mrs Malfoy spoke calmly.