I am The Dark Lady (ABANDONED)

Love is Like a Rose

I cried during this chapter. Two updates in a row, ya'll are lucky.

"You are so lucky I'm in love with you!"

Bellatrix gasped immediately and clasped a hand over her mouth. Voldemort blanked and stared at her, mouth agape. She stood, her cloak falling off her shoulders at the sudden movement, and wrung her hands together.

"I-I" She gasped, looking anywhere but him. He didn't move, save for looking down at the floor. "I mean-"

He scoffed. "You love me" Voldemort said, swallowing thickly. He said the words through gritted teeth and with a bitter tone, as if the very taste of the words disgusted him. Tears brimmed her eyes as she gasped out

"Yes." She said breathlessly. "Yes i do. Ok. " She refused to look at him and scanned the room frantically "I love you. I'm in love with you." She hoped that the desperation she felt wasn't represented in her tone of voice. She swallowed as he ran a hand through his hair, stood and turned his back to her "You are the love of my life." She stated, letting the desperation she felt deep into her tone.

"I think its best if you leave and return to your husband Madame LeStrange ." He hissed finally. Bellatrix let out a nose that was a strange mix of a gasp and a sob. "Falling in Love can and will kill you"

Voldemort shook his head. He knew this was a bad idea. He knew not to let himself get to attached. He knew this was a dangerous situation. He knew not to let it get this far. He knew he couldn't allow himself to love her. He also knew that he couldn't help but love her. He slowly raised his head when she offered no reply, no argument, no pleading and, even stranger, no crying. He turned to find a furious woman standing there, all traces of desperation and sadness gone.

"You didn't think this was just meaningless sex, did you?" She demanded as soon as he turned, not letting him speak. He didn't reply, not trusting his voice, and she scoffed, throwing her hands up. "Fine" She nodded, squaring her jaw, grabbed her cloak off of the floor "I'll leave. " Glaring at him, she hissed, "And I won't be fucking coming back"

Voldemort felt himself grow angry. "You'll be coming back if i tell you to" He said, rather cockily. Bella inclined her head as she thought it over as she fastened her cloak.

"Possibly" She said at last and he felt a surge of relief but that was dashed when she jutted out her left arm. "But only because of this stupid fucking mark: For My Lord. Not for Tom" She spat his name out, his true name, for the first time. He grew unbelievably angry then and and hit out.

"So you'll pick an abuser over me?"

He didn't even care that he is the one who ordered her to return to Rodolphus.

"No." Bellatrix turned and stared at him incredulously. She looked him up and down and pursed her lips. "I'm picking physical wounds over emotional. " Her voice was shaky and she wrapped her arms around her waist. "Physical wounds heal over time. Emotion never heal." With that, she left the office and practically ran downstairs. Voldemort followed just as quickly.

"You said that you didn't want this to be love" He called after her. She stopped on the staircase. "that you aren't asking for me to love you"

"I'm Not!" She exclaimed back. "My feelings shouldn't change what we are doing"

He exploded and thundered down the stairs. "BUT IT DOES." He yelled, stopping on the stair in above. "IT CHANGES EVERYTHING."

"How?" She asked quietly.

Voldemort looked down and sighed. "Because you'll only end up hurting." He said finally. Bellatrix practically trembled with anger and sorrow. She lashed out and pushed his chest, sending him spiralling onto his bottom and leaned against the wall.

"Why can't you love me back!" She demanded out of no where. He pushed himself up and flinched at her words. "Am I not good enough?! Is that it?"

He wanted so desperately to assuage her fears and tell her everything but he couldn't. It was too dangerous. He's Lord fucking Voldemort. He can't love. He wanted to come out of the Dark persona of himself and take her in his arms and hold her tightly, never to let go, and tell her everything he thinks and feels about it her.

But he couldn't.

No.

He wouldn't.

"Well!?" She shot her hand out again and slapped his shoulder. "What's so bad about loving me?" Her voice trailed off in the end as she swallowed some pathetic sobs that bubbled in her throat. He toyed with his wand as he thought over his next words and Bella noticed. She began backing away and together they walked until they reached the door to the outside, it was growing dark now. She wrenched open the door and stormed outside. He called out to her again.

"Love is like a rose." He said simply. In disbelief, Bellatrix stared at him. She noticed his wand hand still and slowly produced her own just in case. She furrowed her eyebrows at that analogy. "It withers over time"

She scoffed. "Not if you water it and let it grow instead of ignoring it and push it away!" She begged.

"Never pegged you for Herbology" He commented icily. Bellatrix felt all the adrenaline and anger leave her very being and exhaustion and the feeling of being utterly spent took their places in her bones. She blinked tiredly and the shake of her head was so minuscule, if you weren't paying attention you wouldn't have noticed. Voldemort leaned against the doorframe.

"I've proved that I love you!" Bella whispered in a broken voice, one he's never heard before. "Please accept it" He straightened himself up and regarded her.

"You're husband will be wondering what is keeping you" He said firmly, devoid of any emotion. Bellatrix lowered her head. "Better return to him, Madame LeStrange"

"Yes. My Lord" Bellatrix bit back, raising her eyes at him. She scowled and left with a loud crack.

Once she was gone, Voldemort slammed the door to his manor shut and leaned against it. His eyes burned and he kissed his lips. All it took was one step inside his house before he- The Dark Lord himself- broke down.

What the fuck has he done?

Bellatrix landed in her living room, almost growling angrily. She spotted Rodolphus sitting there on the couch reading the evenings edition of the Daily Prophet and sighed, biting her lip. Rodolphus cocked an eyebrow at her- a silent question. She shook her head and calmly walked over to him.

"Accio newspaper" She muttered, flicking her wrist. The newspaper barely entered her hand before she Banished it. Rodolphus went to argue but Bellatrix cut him off by pulling her husband off of the couch and connecting their lips together. She needed a distraction.

"What are you-" Rodolphus began to ask but she placed a finger on his lips.

"Shh" She smirked. "Let's go upstairs"

And that's how the Dark Couple finished the night. With the Pair of them with a broken heart. With Him solving his problems with alcohol and a certain killing curse + some unfortunate Muggles. With Her spending the night with another man- her husband - and pushing all thoughts of Him away from Her mind as she enjoyed spending some "quality" time with the other man.