Disclaimer: If I owned it, then would I be writing fanfiction about it?

Presenting Bellatrix Black
[A short story by Mesteria]

Sixteen-year-old Bellatrix Black's hidden red stiletto heels clicked across the hardwood floor at the wizard country club as she hurriedly maneuvered her way from the outdoor dance floor. She didn't look at anyone as she stepped from the dance floor onto the grass, picking up her puffy white dress. She glanced down, making sure her shoes were hidden. Her mother would have a fit if she'd known that Bellatrix had defied her by wearing the "Devil shoes". Today was her coming-out – her debutante ball, her proper début into society. Everything was supposed to be white; white represented purity, chastity, innocence. It also represented a new beginning, a clean slate; something so absolutely pristine that it could not possibly be besmirched.

Bellatrix thought it was a load of dragon dung. There were many more important things she could be doing right now – as a witch – than promoting her beauty to future husbands.

Which is exactly why she'd worn her favorite shoes. They were pleated and layered-looking on the outside and the top was trimmed with black lace and velvet, a bow set off to the side. She thought the whole début into society was completely absurd. Her mother had forced her into wearing white heels, but at the very last moment, Bellatrix had changed back into her red shoes. If she was going to "come out", she was coming out in style.

Bellatrix heard her name being called, but instead of turning to see whom had called her, she hiked up her dress further, not caring if her impure shoes were seen, and scurried to the stone deck, quickly skipping up the steps. Only when she was mixed into the crowd on the patio did she looked back out at the dance floor to see if she could spot her caller.

She saw no one she knew. Bellatrix let out a breath and then adjusted the spaghetti straps on her shoulder. She continued to walk along, smiling when someone would look at her (the coming-out was not just for her; there were nine other pureblood witches who'd presented themselves to society today as well) and then ran her hands down the front of her dress. Then she reached up to fiddle with her necklace. She had picked it out herself, though it was a gift from her father for this very day. The necklace was white gold and the diamonds were in a ribbon-like design that held a black, cultured pearl at the tip. The pearls, her father had said, matched her eyes.

"Bella!"

A hand grasped her shoulder and Bella spun around, already thinking of reasons of why she couldn't dance. But when she saw it was her middle sister, Andromeda, she let out another breath.

"You scared me," Bella breathed, grabbing Andromeda's hand and turning back around, heading into the main building of the country club.

"Didn't you hear me calling you?" Andromeda asked, looking up at her older sister.

Bella looked down at Andromeda, who could pass as Bella's twin if it weren't for her softer features and brown hair. Bella shrugged and looked back up, deciding their path to the bar.

"I assumed that you were some boy that wanted to dance with me," Bella told her sister was they slithered through the crowd, Bella shooting dark glares at those who got in their way. Andromeda didn't say anything as she stepped behind Bella, still grasping her hand as her older sister trudged along.

When they reached the bar, the bartender gave them both a smile.

"Two virgin strawberry daiquiris, please," Bella said sweetly to the bartender, knowing that no matter how hard she batted her eyelashes, she would not be getting an alcohol in her drink. If she wasn't in the pathetic dress, then perhaps she could fool the bartender into giving her some alcohol. And she had forgotten, due to the squall about her shoes, to strap a flask of rum to her garter. Actually, she'd forgotten to wear her garter at all.

When the sisters got their drinks, Bella turned around and leaned against the bar, taking a sip of her frozen drink. She then sighed as her eyes scanned the inside dance floor of the main building. Bella made a face and then looked over at Andromeda with a frown.

"Shall we get some fresh air?" she asked her younger sister.

Andromeda bobbed her head and then they walked away from the bar. As they made their way back through the crowd, the same annoying people in their way, Bella lifted her drink arm in the air so it wouldn't spill if someone knocked into her. With her other hand, she grabbed some of her dress and picked up it so it was easier to walk through the crowd.

Once they reached the deck, Bella took a sip of her drink again and then backed up to the dark, deserted end of the deck. She surveyed the crowd from here, all those on the deck before her and the ones out on the dance floor. She spotted her youngest sister, Narcissa, dancing with their father and she smiled.

Glancing at Andromeda, Bella bumped her sister with her shoulder and then pointed to their sister.

Andromeda groaned. "She's much too excited at these events," she observed, watching her little sister and father dance. "She was so giddy this morning, talking about how she couldn't wait until her coming-out."

"It's a debutante ball, Andromeda, darling," Bella said, imitating their mother's husky, haughty voice. Andy laughed and gently swatted Bella on the shoulder. Then Bella rolled her eyes and spoke in her own voice, "These things are sickening. The only reason I have anyone looking at me because they're measuring me in terms of a housewife and breeding machine."

Bella looked over at Andy, who frowned and kept her mouth closed, knowing that no words could comfort her sister. Then Andy rested her hand on her older sister's shoulder for comfort. Her grip tightened several seconds later. She pointed out into the crowd with her hand that held her drink.

"Look," she breathed and Bella followed her sister's finger. "Rodolphus Lestrange."

Bella rolled her eyes and irritably stomped her foot. She was co-captain of the Quidditch team at school and Rodolphus was the captain. Because of this (and Bella being the only female on the team at the time), everyone seemed to think that since they spent so much time together, sometimes late into the night, they were together – or, at least they should be together.

This aggravated Bella to no end. She did not like Rodolphus. She barely liked him as a captain, a teammate or a schoolmate. The time they did spend together, they were bickering most of the time. They argued about anything they could: Quidditch strategies (which is what they were supposed to be talking about); why Bella kept her hair long and unruly; why Rodolphus had a new girlfriend every week; why Bella was getting into Rod's business; why Rodolphus was an annoying, chauvinist pig.

By the end of their meetings, Bella wanted to wrap her hands around Rod's neck and press her thumbs deeply onto his throat. She had envisioned herself doing it several times, but she usually just walked away with a "humph", her long and unruly hair swishing angrily against her back like a cat's tail when they're provoked.

But, though Bella barely admitted it to herself, she lived for those days with Rod. If she went a day or two without their reckless and pointless banter, she felt incomplete somehow. Though she didn't quite understand it – if she hated Rodolphus, why did she look forward to meeting with him each day?

"I don't even like him," Bella hissed to Andy, trying to keep her tone even. She took another sip of her drink, hoping that would be the end of the conversation.

"I heard he broke up with Rita," Andy whispered into Bella's ear, referring to Rod's latest girlfriend, Rita Skeeter.

Bella gave a small shrug, but she was secretly please. "He was too smart of her," she said. She glanced at Andy, who was smirking. Bella gave her sister an evil look and Andy looked away, but she was still smiling.

"Dance with him," Andy whispered, moving her hand to the small of Bella's back and giving her a push forward.

Bella resisted her sister's light push. "Stop it!" she said, trying to keep her voice down. She didn't want to lose her temper in front of all five hundred or more guests. She looked back to Rodolphus, but he had moved on to a different spot. She looked around for him and spotted him talking with her father. His friends and his younger brother, Rabastan, were standing off to the side, quietly carrying on a conversation themselves. Narcissa was hanging onto her father's arm, resting her head on him. Bella gritted her teeth and reached for Andy's wrist.

Bella tugged Andy along the patio and let her go when they reached the grass. Bella set her drink down on the banister at the end of the stairs and then picked up her puffy dress with two hands. Andy was behind Bella, struggling to keep up. As they approached Cygnus and Rodolphus, Narcissa spotted them. Her eyes lit up when she saw her older sisters and she untangled herself from her father's arm and ran over to her sisters.

"Bella!" she said excitedly. "Everyone looks wonderful! Don't you agree?"

Bella stopped in front of her youngest sister and smiled at her. She nodded. "Yes, they do," she agreed, if only to hurry the conversation along. Then she stepped closed to Narcissa and bent down to be face-to-face with her sister. "Cissy, what are Papa and Rodolphus discussing?"

Cissy shrugged, glancing over her shoulder. Bella looked up as well and saw Rod looking at her. He quickly looked away, though, when she stared at him. "I don't know, Bella," she said, reaching out to hold Bella's necklace between her fingers. "I love your necklace. I can't wait until my debutante! Papa said he'd get me something special like he got you." She brought her blue eyes up to meet's Bella's dark eyes. She smiled.

Bella returned her sister's smile and then straightened. When she did, she found Rod staring at her again. Cygnus was also staring at her. He gave her a smile and Bella stepped around Cissy to make her way over to her father.

"Hello, Papa," Bella said when she reached her father. He bent down to kiss her forehead. Bella then spun around and stood next to her father. She reached down to hold his hand.

"Hello, Bellatrix," Rod said with a charming smile.

Bella saw right through it. "Hi, Rodolphus," she said coolly, her expression blank. She wasn't sure, but she could have sworn she saw a wave of disappointment slide across his face. But Bella turned her head up to looked at her father. "Can we go, Papa? It's getting late…"

Cygnus laughed. "Bellatrix, it's barely nine yet," he informed his daughter and Bella sighed. Then he glanced up at Rod and back down at his daughter. He slipped his hand from Bella's grip and stepped back. "Why don't you dance a little more? The evening will pass quickly."

Bella frowned. "Who am I to dance with?" she asked, hoping that she was irking Rod. "All the boys here are lousy dancers and their conversation is sullen and drone. I'm afraid I'll die of boredom."

Cygnus laughed once more and then stepped up to Rodolphus. He placed his hand on Rod's shoulder and smiled. "I can assure you that Rodolphus is a wonderful dancer," he told his daughter. "After all, you did attend his mother's dancing classes in preparation for this. And with his father's intellect, I'm sure he would amuse you in conversation."

"Papa," Bella began to complain, but quickly closed her mouth when Cygnus gave her a warning look. Then he stepped away from the teenagers, making his way over to his other daughters, who were talking with Rod's circle of friends.

Bella sighed and turned to Rod, who was still standing in front of her. She was slightly surprised by this, thinking that he would have taken off by now instead of spend any time with her.

"Are we going to dance?" she asked dully.

Rod smiled at her and held out her hand. Bella eyed his hand before taking it. As she reached for it, she was sure that he was going to take it back and laugh at her for falling for this setup. When he didn't, she firmly gripped his hand to make sure that he couldn't get away from her. They made their way to the dance floor. Bella stepped toward Rod, suddenly feeling very unsure of him. He was never this nice to her. He placed his hand on the small of Bella's bare back and pushed her into him. She looked up at him, wanting to pull away and find someone else – anyone else – to dance with.

Rod ducked his head down to her ear. "I promise I'm an excellent dancer," he assured her and then blew into her ear.

Chills ran down Bella's spine and then she took her foot and stomped on Rod's foot gently. She looked up at him again; he was smirking.

"What's wrong, Trixie?" Rod asked in a teasing tone.

"Don't call me that," Bella warned as she finally wrapped her arms around Rod's neck, bringing herself closer him. Two could play at this game. "I'm not your pet. And isn't it terrible that you have a pet name for me but not your girlfriend?"

Rod laughed, placing his hands on her hips, though Bella knew that he couldn't feel her through the puffy dress. "What girlfriend?" he asked as they began to move to the slow music.

Bella eyed him again. "Right," she said sarcastically. "Because I'm sure you don't have a new girlfriend, even if you did break up with Rita."

"Why do you care if I have a girlfriend?" Rod asked, his eyebrows raised.

Bella scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I could hardly care if you have a girlfriend," she told him. "It just irritates me that you have a new girlfriend every week. It's disgusting."

Rod laughed. "Come on," he said. "I was with Rita for three weeks—"

"Oh, a record!" Bella replied sarcastically once more, giving Rod a surprised look. He merely smiled and she rolled her eyes, wishing that she could be anywhere else but here with him. Though, she had to admit: it was nice to see him again as she hadn't seen him all summer.

"I can't help it if I am irresistible," Rod said after a few moments, breaking into her thoughts. He brought his hand up to Bella's cheek, running his thumb along it gently.

Glaring, Bella moved her head away from his touch. "You're a pompous ass, is what you are," she growled, her dark eyes narrowing. "Someday, you're going to find an amazing girl and you're going to be chasing her and she is not going to fall for your pathetic, childish jokes and your cheesy pick-up lines."

As she spoke, Bella thought she saw a touch of sadness cross Rod's face. But just as quickly as it might have come, it was gone. And then he placed his hands on her back again, pushing her in closer to him. Bella was still glaring up at him, hating him now with every fiber of her being. And when he moved his hands to her bottom, trying to squeeze the best he could, that was the last straw.

"Oh! I hate you!" she exclaimed, pressing her hands to his chest and pushing herself away from him. Then she brought her hand up to the side of his face and hit him. She hit him so hard that it stung her hand as well and as she backed away from him, she could see her handprint appear on his cheek. Picking up her dress once more, Bella turned around and began to walk away from him at a hurried pace.

"Trixie," Rod called out to her.

And maybe it was the way he said her name; or maybe it how sweet and gentle his voice sounded; or the fact that a love song had started to play in the background. Whatever it was, Bella found herself turning around slowly, meeting his gaze. A pout was upon her lips and she thought Rod looked just as sad as she felt.

She didn't quite know why, but she found herself crossing the five feet back to Rod. And then, without hesitation, she brought her lips to the cheek that she was slapped. She placed her other hand on his other cheek; he needed to shave, but she liked the way his stubble felt. Out of the corner of her eye, she was aware of his lips slightly parted as she gingerly kept her lips on his cheek. She wondered what they tasted like, what they felt like. Then, slowly, very slowly, she moved her lips to his. She closed her eyes and held his face with her hands. Her lips twitched into a smile when he started to kiss her back.

Bella had kissed other boys before, but nothing had ever compared to this. She pressed her lips harder into his, trying to suppress the flutter that had erupted in her stomach. When the fluttering grew, she pulled back from Rod, her hands dropping from his face.

"What was that?" Rod asked softly, a genuine smile spread across his mouth.

Bella smirked. "I just wanted to know what it was like," she simply said.

And then she turned away from him once more, making her way back through the crowd, ignoring his calls for her. But she couldn't ignore the fluttering that was still in her stomach or the increase in flutters when she thought about Rodolphus Lestrange and the kiss they had shared.

And she certainly couldn't deny the smile that was still plastered on her face as she strode away from him. She didn't know exactly what had happened, or what it meant, but she liked it.

Author's note: Reviews are love. Really. That's it.