My Professor

Chapter 20

Bellatrix collapsed onto her bed, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply.
"What the hell are you doing you stupid shit!" Bellatrix snaps at herself.
"You'll screw her up just like you screwed yourself up. You useless shit!"

A few minutes pass by before Bellatrix sat up. She kicks off her shoes and takes off her cloak, getting up to put them away, then she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, staring back at her was her own reflection wearing her usual black dress only this time, with a red Hoody, with the letter H in gold writing.
"You screwed up big time old girl."

***

Hermione sat in the great hall, waiting for the woman who never showed. The girl sighs, fiddling with her food.
"You alright 'Mione?" Ginny asks, concerned for her friend.
"Yeah, I'm okay." Hermione mumbles.
"You don't seem okay, wanna talk about it?"
Hermione looks at Ginny, she knew that wasn't an option.
"Not today."
"Well I'm here if you need to talk." Ginny smiles sadly.
Hermione inhales her eyes drifting to the empty seat between Mcgonagall and Snape.

***

The next day Bellatrix sat in her classroom alone, a concerned Minerva came by earlier that day, followed by Severus, both forcing her to go to breakfast with them. After that the day went by rather slowly. Bellatrix was currently preparing for the last lesson of the day, which just so happened to be Grangers.

Bellatrix inhales deeply, downing the rest of her whiskey before quickly hiding any evidence of her drinking. She exhales, repositioning her quill.
"Breath, you've got this." Bellatrix closes her eyes then the door opens.
Draco's head pops around the corner, he smiles at his aunt.
"You alright?" He comes in closing the door behind him.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"You seem...off, have they come back?" He walks towards her desk.
"Not now Draco, I've already had Minerva and Severus this morning, I don't need you too." Bellatrix sighs.
"We're worried, because we love you." Draco walks around to the witch wrapping his arms around her. Bellatrix leans into his touch.
"And I love you all too, I just, I need space. I'm perfectly capable of dealing with this, I have been for years."
"You turned to drink, you went down hill drastically, I don't think that's considered dealing with it." He left her go.
"You have no idea how much you sounded like your mother then." Bellatrix looks up at the boy. Concern laced her nephews face.
"Sweetheart, I'm fine, I promise." Bellatrix smiles taking his hand in hers.
"You won't be getting rid of auntie Bella any time soon, now give me a kiss and get to your seat." Bellatrix grins.
"I love you." Draco whispers kissing his aunts cheek.
"I love you too." She squeezes his hand, before leaving it go, just as Draco say in his seat the bell went.

***

"Mr Weasley." Bellatrix flung something at the boy hitting him right in the head "I don't know who you think you are, but if I catch you talking when I'm talking once more, I won't hesitate to demonstrate my next spell on you. Do I make myself clear." Bellatrix snaps, Ron gulped.
"Yes Professor."
Bellatrix goes back to explaining, ignoring the snicker from her nephew.

Hermione watches the woman, she can't say Ron didn't deserve that because he was practically begging for it, Bellatrix had asked him twice to shut up. The girl inhales, her eyes following the woman's every move, she couldn't help it, she couldn't help but thinking back to the day before, or the other times before that. And a smile grazed her lips,  so the woman pushed her away, but she also opened up to her, not fully but it was a start. It probably would be a lot easier to give up, but she came this far and Hermione was not giving up now.

***

Hermione waited for everyone to leave, then approached the woman's desk.
"You're blocking my light, Move."
"No."
"No?" Bellatrix looks up, frowning at the girl.
"Did I stutter?"
Bellatrix frowns, " I don't appreciate your tone Granger."
"And I don't appreciate being ignored."
"I don't know what you're talking about." She looks back at her work.
"After what happened yesterday you've been ignoring me."

"I haven't the foggiest idea what you mean."
"Don't play dumb with me Black." Hermione snapped.
Bellatrix flinches looking up at the girl. She opened her mouth to speak then closed it again.
She stood up abruptly, she needed to leave.
This girl she was doing things, making Bellatrix feel things she didn't want to feel. And Every time the girl snapped it affected Bellatrix, she didn't like it, she didn't like the girl being angry with her.
She headed towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Hermione asks
Bellatrix looks at her, she looked so confused yet concern laced her eyes.
Bellatrix ignored her question and left Hermione standing there.

The girl took a deep breath, closing her eyes.
"Well you messed that up." She goes to collect her things. Hermione felt guilty she let her temper get the better of her, she snapped at the woman in her own classroom, not to mention tried to force her into answering. The girl sighs, she knew Bellatrix wasn't going to be easy, nothing about the woman was easy, she needed to be patient. She needed to try and sort things out.