Masquerade (Discontinued)

Chapter XX

Number 12, Grimmauld Place, London, England, Great Britain

Saturday the 12th of June 1999

8:45 AM

Slowly, Bella opened her eyes to the bright sun streaking across her bedroom and she slowly sat up in her bed, pulling the comforter up to her chin as she looked around. Slowly, she stood from her bed and she looked around, silent.

This was her home. Even when she had moved out, it had always been her home. She had grown up in Number 12, Grimmauld Place. Every good experience and every bad one had roots in the hidden townhouse and she couldn't help but feel like she was kissing away her home along with her childhood. It was a heavy feeling, though not entirely a bad one.

Shaking the weighty thoughts from her, she slowly walked towards the window and peered outside, her lips curling into a wide grin when she saw how beautiful it was outside. She turned away from the window, annoyed at herself for doubting Luna when the other woman had said that it would be beautiful outside. She turned away and quickly walked towards the bathroom, turning on the shower and undressing.

Bella stepped under the hot water, feeling the scalding water running down her skin and she looked down at herself, a grin spreading across her face as she came to terms with the fact that it was her wedding day. And soon it would be her wedding night and it was strange how her body heated up at the thought of it.

She and Tom had already had sex, but it seemed different now. Having sex with her ring officially on her finger would make everything different, though she didn't know how.

As she finished washing, she stepped out and dried, her wet hair dripping along the marble floors and on the woods floors of her bedroom. She slid her glasses on and sat back down on her bed, pulling out the textbooks she needed. She was nearly done with school now, only a few months or so left, and though she knew she wouldn't be able to practice her Mastery until well after the war was done, she thought she might be able to push some legislation through as a way to jump start the changes she wanted to bring about.

She got so lost in her readings, she didn't notice when the door cracked open.

"Good morning."

Bella slowly looked up from her scrolls, her glasses sliding down her nose and her hair up in a messy ponytail. She looked silently at the man in the doorway, her eyes narrowed as she stared at his bittersweet smile and she slowly gave a small smile in return. Sirius quietly entered the room and he sat down on the edge of the bed, his own dark hair pulled back in a similar ponytail.

"Good morning, Uncle Sirius," Bella said, softly.

Sirius sighed. "You're getting married today."

Bella's lips curled into a wider smile and she nodded in agreement. "I am."

"Are you nervous? Getting cold feet?" Sirius asked, though he didn't sound as eager as Bella thought he would be about the idea. She knew that Sirius wasn't exactly happy about what was happening, and yet he sounded worried about her suddenly backing out of the marriage.

"My feet are quite warm. Nervous? No. Overwhelmed? Very," Bella said, her lips curling into a smile and Sirius laughed, quietly and he scooted closer to her until they were shoulder to shoulder. Bella leaned her head on his shoulder as they sat next to each other.