Everything belongs to JK Rowling. I do not own any characters or props of the Harry Potter World

Chapter Three

Victory and Loss

Close… terrifyingly close. Hermione's eyes registered the situation, but her mind refused to acknowledge the fact that she was currently in Bellatrix Lestrange's death grip… yet again.

She should've called for help but her throat seemed to have stuck. She opened her mouth.

Bellatrix instinctively pulled back and using Hermione's body as support pushed herself up. Hermione went to follow, mentally preparing for outright combat, but Bellatrix was way too swift for her and in the next instant Hermione found herself bashed against the wall.

There would be bruises.

By the time she could recover from the pain and hazily squint, Bellatrix was free of all bounds, Hermione's wand in her hand, trademark evil grin firmly in place. She casually threw a silencing charm towards the door, not removing her gaze from the witch on the floor. Now she could now yell her lungs out and no one would hear a thing.

As Bellatrix slowly stalked towards her, like a tigress who knew her prey was cornered, Hermione cursed herself mentally. How could she have underestimated Bellatrix Lestrange? The Bellatrix Lestrange... How could she possibly have thought that a wandless Bellatrix was any less dangerous? Victory seemed to have got to her head already.

The dark witch stood over her and watched for a moment, before a heeled boot connected with Hermione's ribs and her world turned into one black painful mass. She howled.

'Good,' commented Bellatrix moving away, 'I thought cat got your tongue.'

It was the Malfoy Manor all over again, Hermione thought miserably. She would be tortured by the dark witch yet again. And now she had gone and sent her friends away.

I have to face my fears alone, now face it alone and die in here. You Stupid girl... stupid stupid girl! Way to go Hermione, win the war and then be kicked to death by a prisoner. Brightest witch of her age indeed!

Her eyes still tightly shut, Hermione tried to bottle down the painful complains of her muscles and waited for the next attack.

It did not come... She opened her eyes and peered.

Bellatrix was sitting on a silver throne-like chair, which she obviously had conjured out of thin air. Sunlight lighting up the entire room, and the black rippling curls of the older woman's cascading hair, she seemed utterly relaxed, with one foot jiggling over the other, twirling the wand between her fingers. She was observing Hermione with the same mild interest that a student would use to study a smelly insect.

Hermione wasn't sure whether sitting up would be a wise move, so she stayed still, eyes fixed on the seated woman.

'You were never Imperieused, were you?' she said, unable to stop the words. 'You were just... acting all along?'

'I am a very good actress,' Bellatrix told her casually.

'Why?'

Bellatrix shrugged again.

'It was fun... watching you little bitty babies think you've got the better of me. And anyway I tried to play nice, you know. Answer your questions and all that. But your Ginger Candy didn't respect that did he? He actually had the audacity to curse me! Me?!'

Bellatrix jabbed a finger at her chest to emphasize the gross mistake Ron had made in choosing his target.

Hermione's ribs were now loudly complaining; not removing her eyes from the other witch, she slowly sat up against the wall, and winced when a sharp pain shot through her side. Bellatrix snorted.

'Aww, don't be a sissy Mudblood, I didn't hit you that bad!' she said in her trademark sing-song voice. 'You've had worse from me remember?'

Her eyes lingered on Hermione's jacket covered forearm. And with the memory of that night, a wave of fury rose within Hermione, enough to override her fear of the dark witch.

'You won't be able to escape this time,' Hermione hissed out. 'There are Aurors outside, my friends will be back any moment. The wards are impenetrable, so your smoke magic won't work either. Kill me if you want to, but they'll get you.'

'Dearie if I wanted to kill you, you would be dead by now!' Bellatrix looked almost amused. 'No, I want answers Mudcub. You've had your turn and now it's mine. Keep talking and I will try not to hurt you... too much.'

Xxx

Hogwarts Headmaster's Office

Minerva McGonagall and Kingsley Shacklebolt were staring at him in open shock. Harry sighed. He dearly wished he could talk to Dumbledore and not for the first time since they arrived in this office to discuss the matter in private, his eyes drifted to the empty frame of Dumbledore's portrait.

'So you were carrying bits of Voldemort's soul with you around all year round?' McGonagall's voice shook slightly.

Harry nodded. Kingsley grasped his shoulder. Harry was grateful for this supportive gesture.

'So what do we do now Kingsley?' she asked the Auror.

Kingsley chose his words carefully.

'Professor it is very important to get a confession out of her. Legally we cannot Imperious Bellatrix and interrogate, whatever they might've done behind closed doors. So Veritaserum is the only way out.

'Having said so however, I agree with Harry. We cannot let the information of the horcruxes get out. You never know who might get ideas. But truth is we have to say something to everyone.'

'Certainly,' McGonagall said crisply.

Harry cleared his throat. It annoyed him that even after everything the elders often seemed to forget to ask for his opinion.

'I have an idea actually,' he said when the other two had finally given him their attention.

'The truth about the prophecy will cause Professor Snape's name to be dragged and I don't want any more maligning of his memory now that I know of the truth,' explained Harry. 'We can continue to repeat the story Dumbledore had let people believe for so long – that Voldemort had set out to kill my parents because they were prominent Order members. He tried to kill me out of sheer spite but could not since my mother died to save me and thus gave me a magical protection Voldemort could not fathom.

'This protection also brought about his destruction. And from that moment he considered me a threat and an adversary. As to why he did not die before we will say it's because the death curse bounced back and was not direct.'

'Harry,' interrupted Kingsley. 'It's not going to be easy. There will be questions and arguments.'

'Probably,' agreed Harry. 'But Dumbledore's been asked questions all his life. Did he answer anyone beyond what he thought people needed to know? I think there's a lot to learn from him.

'What about Bellatrix Lestrange? Everyone will soon know of Andromeda's death,' said McGonagall.

'No one must know about Andromeda's betrayal,' said Harry immediately.

'Why?'

'Because Teddy Lupin is my godson,' said Harry grimly. 'And I want him to grow up knowing he is a martyr's son. And not a traitor's grandson! Trust me I know what it feels like to be pointed at and doubted upon and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.'

Angry as much as he was with Andromeda Tonks, Harry was grateful to Hermione for making him see things in a new light. Andromeda had done what was best for her family. Who knows to what extent Harry himself would go had he been in her situation. Hadn't Ron and Hermione too first ensured the safety of their respective families before they went along with him…

A knock at the door revealed a very hassled Professor Flitwick.

'I thought you should know,' the little man said in a voice squeakier than normal, 'Ted Tonks is here – looking for his family.'

Xxx

Hermione felt warier than ever. 'What do you want to know?' she asked quietly.

'The Gringotts goblins told us that they had seen me walk in just before the break-in happened, and since I was forbidd-... I mean I was at the Malfoy Manor at the time, I can assume, you took my identity. How did you do it?'

Hermione quickly assessed her situation. She was wandless and Bellatrix was armed. Shouting for help was useless. Her best bet was to keep talking and somehow get the dark witch distracted, and try and retrieve the wand.

'I took polyjuice potion. A strand of your hair got stuck to my sweater when you were... that night. And I had your wand.'

'Hmm... slightly impressive, majorly insolent and complete thievery,' Bellatrix thoughtfully murmured. 'But I can't believe how they accepted the filthy you to be the great me!'

'I'm a very good actress,' Hermione shot back.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes dangerously but let it pass.

'Did you know the cup was a Horcrux?' Hermione asked before the other woman could say anything else.

'I'm asking the questions here,' snapped Bellatrix, then added reluctantly, 'but yes I knew... well sort of.'

'Meaning you guessed it even if Voldemort didn't tell you?' eagerly said Hermione.

'That's enough!' Bellatrix shouted and taking a deep breath to collect herself, she asked, 'How did you destroy it?'

'Stabbed it with a Basilisk fang.'

Hermione could swear Bellatrix was impressed despite herself. But then her eyes gleamed and her voice went back to that dangerous whisper.

'And who among you destroyed the cup?'

'Harry did,' Hermione replied immediately.

Sorry Harry…

But Harry would have backup when he came back, she - Hermione, on the other hand was stuck here alone with Mrs. Torture for company. It was a matter of survival; Harry would understand.

'You three have caused me a lot of pain... and humiliation,' said Bellatrix after a long pause during which she had been lost in thoughts.

'It's not our fault you lost to us every time!'

The words had slipped out of her mouth before Hermione could stop herself. Bellatrix seemed to freeze as she slowly stood up, her wand raised, pointing at Hermione.

Shit shIT SHIT. This is why Prof. Snape had called her an insufferable know-it-all. Here lies Hermione Granger- cause of death "answering correctly".

'CRUCIO!'

Hermione shut her eyes tight. That unbearable pain was going to hit her again. The most horrible kind of pain... pain... okay, where was the pain? Hermione worriedly opened her eyes and fearfully looked around, as if expecting the pain to lunge at her from one of the dark corners of the room.

Bellatrix's raucous laughter echoed through the room. The dark witch had sat back on her throne chair, cackling as if she had just witnessed the most hilarious thing in the world. When she finally stopped, she looked smugly at the girl on the floor.

'How many times do I have to teach you children that you've got to mean it!' she said in a bored voice. 'Maybe I should demonstrate it to you properly...'

No no Please, NO!

'But... I need more answers from you first. Tell me how did you get access to the Dark Lord's deepest secret? How did you know about the Horcruxes?'

Hermione immediately started talking, anything to avoid being tortured. She told her how Dumbledore with his infinite wisdom had always suspected it. How the appearance and destruction of the Riddle's diary had proven his fears and how he had then set out to discover the rest. How he had ultimately told Harry about them and how the three of them had spent all of the last two years searching for them and destroying them one by one.

She did not reveal that Harry himself had been a horcrux, for all she knew Bellatrix would make her an horcrux.

'That scum Lucius Malfoy!' Bellatrix breathed out. 'That blithering idiot, if it hadn't been for his stupidity, Master would never... he would've... I wouldn't have lost his trust... he would've...' Bellatrix mumbled to herself, lost in thought.

Hermione decided this was the moment. Willing her tender ribs into submission, she sprang up and jumped at Bellatrix.

For one moment Bellatrix's eyes widened with the unexpected shock. But as Hermione had almost grabbed the wand back, Bellatrix reacted, tightening her own grip and grabbed Hermione's hair with her other hand. This was a do-or-die situation. Spurred by necessity, Hermione began clawing with her free hand at Bellatrix face. In the struggle, the throne chair suddenly vanished and the two went hurtling to the ground. Hermione having landed on top of the dark witch, used her position to her benefit, pinning down the older woman with her knees, one hand splayed across Bellatrix's face obstructing her vision, she tried to pull the wand out with all her might. But Bellatrix was not someone to go without a fight. Keeping her grip firm, she used her left hand to rain blow upon blow on Hermione, making sure to repeatedly hit the sore upper abdomen. After a particularly nasty blow to the already injured rib, Hermione let out a cry of pain.

Taking opportunity of her momentary lapse, Bellatrix rolled them over. Pinning down the girl with her full weight, her fingers wrapped around Hermione's throat. Hermione started chocking; Bellatrix was cackling again.

'Manners Mudblood! When more important people than you are talking, you should not jump at them. Seems like Hogwarts hasn't taught you anything. Not to worry... I will.'

But Hermione had finally grabbed the wand with both hands and given it a massive tug. Feeling the wood in her fingers, she choked out, 'Stupefy!'

The weight lifted from her body. The spell hit Bellatrix and she went flying to the other side of the room. Hermione hadn't been able to speak the spell properly because she was being choked, so Bellatrix had not been stunned, merely thrown back.

Knowing her time was limited, she gulped back a cough, pointed the wand towards Bellatrix and yelled, 'STUPEFY!'

But then the strangest of things happened. The wand flew out of her hand and zoomed across the room into Bellatrix's outstretched fingers. Hermione looked on in amazement as Bellatrix cooed to her wand.

'Come sweety, come to your Mistress!'

She then looked up at Hermione's stunned face and grinned wickedly.

'She's mine you fool, she waited faithfully for fourteen years for me to come back from Azkaban and claim her... she always comes back to me! And if she had been in my possession last night many more of your side would be lying dead now.'

Hermione fell back in defeat as Bellatrix slowly got up.

'And now Mudblood... time for retribution!'

Xxx

Hogwarts Hospital wing

George was crying. And according to Madame Pomphrey, it was a good sign. Grief when expressed was the first step to healing. Ron watched sadly as his brother for possibly the first ever time in his life was hugging their mother and sister and crying aloud. It was so unnatural to see George do anything other than grin and make others grin… along with Fred.

He looked away and wiped away a stray tear. Arthur Weasley gripped his son's shoulder, and for once, Ron let himself be comforted.

'Dad I need to speak with you,' he said after a moment.

Arthur knew at once it was one of those rare times when his youngest son would willingly open up to him about something. He nodded and walked them over to a more secluded corner.

In as concise a manner as he could, Ron recounted the entire situation to his father, his voice growing helpless by the second as Arthur listened in wonderment to the deadly adventures the three youngsters had been on. And the current situation with Bellatrix. He paused for a moment, hesitating.

'There is something else isn't it?' Arthur asked knowingly.

'Well, I uh – horcruxes,' he blurted out. They had promised to each other but his father was one person Ron could wholeheartedly trust to be able to keep a secret. Moreover he couldn't see how the matter could be handled without revealing this crucial piece of information and their part in destroying them.

'You were running about for the past year carrying pieces of You-Know-Who's soul with you?'

Mrs. Weasley's faint voice caused the two men to whip their heads around. Neither had noticed the witch coming to stand behind them, though they should've known better than to think they would escape her notice no matter how much in mourning she was. Over the years Molly had mastered the art of giving equal attention to every member of her large family, that was only way she could run such a big household by herself.

'Mum…'

'Why didn't I just dig your graves and keep the wreaths ready!' Her eyes were already shining with fresh tears.

'Yes, but as you can see Molly dear, they succeeded,' Arthur said gently, giving Ron a proud look.

'But then… is he – you know who – really gone this time? Or will he…' she trailed away fearfully.

'Harry reckons You Know Who is gone for good. And he should know since…'

An uneasy silence fell over them as they watched the others crowd around George.

Ron pondered. This was the first time in forever that he had had a lone moment with his parents – just him and his mother and father – he wished it was not under such circumstances.

A nurse bustled along with a roll of parchment in her hand. She approached Madame Pomphrey, the matron. Ron caught her words, his breath hitching.

'Is there a Tonks here?' she asked. 'Their family is here looking for them.'

Xxx

Bellatrix waved her wand and Hermione felt her hands and legs turn rubbery, her neck fell forward and her head bounced on her chest. In horror she realized that Bellatrix had made all her bones disappear.

Well at least the ribs were no longer paining. But then she was lifted in the air and stayed there as if hanging by an invisible harness. Bellatrix gave her cold stare.

'You will be able to talk, and I have two more things I need to know. If you answer honestly, your punishment will be little less painful. Blink if you understand.'

Hermione blinked, forcing the tears away. Harry and Ron should've been back by now. What was taking them so long?

'How many Horcruxes were there in total?'

'Six,' Hermione whispered still refusing to give up Harry's secret.

Bellatrix frowned thoughtfully. 'One was in the Room of Requirement. Which was it?'

'Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem.'

Bellatrix made her give details of the others. When it came to the Slytherin's locket, Hermione opted for the cave version.

'You're lying,' said Bellatrix. 'I can see your thoughts. Tell me where that locket was hidden!'

You can see in my mind? Hermione thought fearfully.

'Of course I can Muddy,' Bellatrix answered her unasked question. 'I am one of the most accomplished Legilimens ever, with an exception of the Dark Lord himself.' Bellatrix's voice was bordering on reverence. 'So tell me where was the locket actually kept?'

'It was originally hidden in the cave. But Regulus Black stole it and tried to destroy it.'

Hermione resolutely kept Kreacher's face away from her mind.

'But he couldn't because he didn't know how to destroy a Horcrux. It had been hidden at the Black Manor, but someone stole—'

'WHAT? It was...it was at Grimmauld place? For all those years?'

Bellatrix looked dumbfounded, she stood still, amazed, completely forgetting about the girl-in-the-air. Hermione meanwhile was deciding to bang Harry and Ron's heads together when they finally arrived.

Where were they coming from? Taking a round route through Diagon Alley?

Bellatrix lamented to herself. 'It was right under my nose all this time... I could have brought you back all those years ago My Lord... you need not have undergone such pain for so many years... I need not have gone to Azkaban... there would have been no need to—'

'—destroy the Longbottoms?' Hermione asked coldly.

She was dying anyway, no use playing safe. But to her amazement Bellatrix nodded.

'Actually yes.' She shrugged. 'Pointless exercise. Complete waste of time come to think of it, though it had been fun at the time.'

'God you are revolting!' spat Hermione.

'Why thank you Mudblood, so are you! So I suppose you three, making use of the unworthy inheritance of the noble House of Black rummaged through our personal possessions, no doubt in the hope for selling them for gold, you are proven thieves after all... you found the locket and destroyed it?'

She threw Hermione a most nasty look, as if she was looking at a dustbin that had not been emptied in a month.

'We never touched the possessions unless Sirius asked us to look through them, even after Harry had inherited the house and everything else, we never touched them. You did not let me complete...'

Hermione shouted with her eyes closed, because Bellatrix had now placed her directly in front of the streaming sunlit window and was making funny shadows on the opposite wall.

Merlin this woman could not concentrate on one thing even when she was being dead serious!

'The light is blinding me. Please remove me from here,' she blurted uselessly knowing the dark witch would not comply.

But in yet another of the many surprises of the day, she did... well sort of. She waved her wand and Hermione found herself moving towards the dark ceiling, then she hovered for a moment on top of a burnt out torch bracket and Bellatrix lowered her on top of it. Hermione peered down with a mix of fury, frustration and tiredness. She had the sudden desire to sleep.

'You see Muddy why the dark is needed? Too much light will turn you blind,' Bellatrix said wisely and Hermione could not help but contemplate on the statement.

'Anyway, you're comfortable now? Keep talking.'

'Someone else stole it from Grimmauld place, and the locket landed in the hands of a Ministry official. We took it back from her.'

'So that's why you three had that little adventure at the Ministry? When Yaxley reported about it, I did wonder why you would suddenly turn suicidal. But... but I can't believe Reg of all people would turn traitor. I sort of liked him, at least he was better than that mangy pug Sirius.'

A surge of anger rushed through Hermione.

'Regulus saw Voldemort for what he was; it was not surprising he became disenchanted!'

Hermione couldn't help herself. She had felt a great deal of sympathy for Regulus, whom they had wronged all their lives based on what Sirius told them, after she heard what he had done to thwart Voldemort and save Kreacher.

Bellatrix stared at her.

'Interesting... you are hanging in the air, one step away from death and defending a dead man? Very interesting...

Bellatrix looked faraway as she began mumbling to herself again. Hermione strained her ears to listen from atop the torch bracket she was currently straddling.

'...why did you not tell me my Lord... so many years wasted... so much we could accomplish together... if only you trusted me enough... at least about the cup...'

Bellatrix sighed deeply. She stared at Hermione as if contemplating on something, then she spoke, in an almost normal voice.

'When I returned from Azkaban, I saw that my Lord was terribly angry with Lucius. After a little... well let's say cajoling, Narcissa told me Lucius had lost a very important artifact that the Lord had kept in his care. That stupid goat! He was allowed to live only because I offered Malfoy Manor to Master. Immediately after, He questioned me if the cup was safe at Gringotts. I assured him it was. And then I heard how My Lord had achieved the miracle of restoring himself. I started connecting the dots. I told you, Master himself taught me the dark arts. It was not impossible to guess, but because I could never ask him I could never be sure. Well until last night of course.'

Hermione had no idea why Bellatrix was telling this to her. She also was quite sure no one else had been told of this. So was it because Bellatrix had decided to kill her that she didn't mind revealing secrets to her, knowing Hermione would take them to her grave…

She suddenly felt very tired, very sleepy. She just wanted to nod off and possibly never get up. Bellatrix could just kill her and be done with it. Would it be less painful if she died in her sleep? She wanted to close her eyes only for a couple of minutes. Flopped on the torch bracket Hermione could see the dark witch pacing and talking in a top shot, like in those Muggle movies... Muggles... her parents would never know they had a daughter... wait no one else knew about their family grave... where would they bury her? Of course there was a possibility Bellatrix would blast her apart, no remains to bury, so no troubles. Harry and Ron would frame her picture probably... Would McGonagall allow one portrait of her at Hogwarts? She loved her school... but she didn't want a statue at a town square... she could see herself... black stone robes, stone wand held aloft, her stance that of a warrior, oh but they had also given her a book in her left hand... how sweet of them... and her face... Oh No! Her head and face was covered in bird shit! Eeww... this was why she had not wanted a statue in the first place... everything was black... she couldn't see anything... all black...

A sudden almighty lurch pulled Hermione out of her daze, and she felt herself being lifted out of the bracket and flopped on the floor. Apparently she had not died at all... how sad! She looked up hazily at Bellatrix and saw the witch silently move her wand in a complicated movement as if drawing the figure eight in the air and then felt a sharp sting which seemed to cover her entire body neck down. And then just as suddenly as it had happened, it was gone. It took her a few moments to collect her thoughts and she realized the dark witch had given her back her bones. But she wasn't feeling any pain in her ribs... no in fact she was suddenly not feeling even remotely tired, she felt fresher than she had felt in some time. She looked up incredulously at Bellatrix.

'Did you just heal me?' Disbelief was prominent in her voice.

Bellatrix made a face.

'I cannot let to sleep off Mud, not when I'm in NOT singing a lullaby and NOT when I still have to get the most important answer from you!'

'What now?' said Hermione with a sigh.

'MY LORD!' Bellatrix shouted furiously. 'How did Potter kill the greatest wizard of all times?'

'Dumbledore was the greatest wiz—'

Bellatrix growled. Actually growled. Hermione stopped, gulped and answered, careful to keep the horcruxes out.

'The first time Harry's mother had died trying to save him. Her love was what kept him safe from your lord. But Vol— demort repeated his mistake. When Harry voluntarily went to sacrifice himself for the sake of his friends, he created a protection around each one of us, that is why the Death Eaters could no longer hurt us. Love is the most powerful magic to ever exist – not many know or understand – pity.'

'But that does not explain why my Lord couldn't kill the brat in the forest,' commented Bellatrix after she had listened intently.

Hermione noticed her face registered no comprehension when she spoke of the love protecting them. Bellatrix it seemed, had no conception of love whatsoever.

'The Elder wand,' explained Hermione, keeping her thoughts to herself.

When Bellatrix continued to stare, she repeated the story Harry had told her. Bellatrix looked skeptical.

'...the killing curse backfired because Potter had cast a disarming spell,' whispered Bellatrix and smacked her palm to her head.

'How do you know?' said Hermione.

'I told you I was looking for him. He had disappeared. I went to see if he needed me— help, if he needed assistance. He was dueling Potter, so I thought it would be cake walk but weird things started happening... I tried to intervene, but my wand... I had to use your stupid wand since you had stolen mine and disappeared with Ollivander... anyway when I tried to curse Potter, my spell got caught in their crossfire and blasted the bloody wand... and then...' Bellatrix's voice was barely more than a whisper, but Hermione could catch every word.

'... and then His wand flew and went to Potter... and just like that... He was gone...'

Hermione wondered if Bellatrix realized her voice had broken. But this, she decided, was the opportune moment to ask her something that had been nagging Hermione in the back of her head and she knew there was no better person to answer this –

'He really is gone this time right?'

Bellatrix glared at her. Hermione was almost regretting the question when the dark witch mutely rolled up her sleeve and displayed her forearm. Relief washed over Hermione as she witnessed the dark mark gone, leaving behind clear unblemished porcelain skin.

Wait… not unblemished…

There was something on Bellatrix's hand... thin white scars they seemed. Hermione squinted and realized they were uneven letters carved out. She tried to read, but Bellatrix whether intentionally or not, pulled her sleeve down in that moment.

'Anyway, now that you have served your need,' said Bellatrix with an air of someone who is getting back to the business at hand, 'time for punishment Muddy dear.'

Hermione's heart seized. She began backing away as Bellatrix approached her slowly, wand pointed – the scene not unlike a tigress with her cornered doe.

'You can't escape here you know,' said Hermione desperately. 'My friends will eventually get you, even if you kill me.'

Bellatrix made no comment but her grin widened. Hermione felt the back of her knee hit something. She stumbled and fell back but instead of the floor she found herself on the throne chair.

'They're coming with Veritaserum. They will know you were faking it all along,' she said even as she cowered back in the chair.

Bellatrix gave her a mirthless laugh.

'If you must know Mudblood, Veritaserum does not work on me either!'

'Are you human?'

Hermione really needed to know this. Bellatrix laughed again.

'Unfortunately yes, but I was fed this potion from when I was eight years old. In small portions, each day, every day until it got diluted with my blood and stopped having any effect on me whatsoever.'

'Why?'

Hermione was puzzled and strangely concerned. But Bellatrix seemed to already regret the revelation.

'That Muddy is none of your business! Now coming back to your punishment –'

Bellatrix stopped and turned towards the door. Hermione looked around too, wondering. Suddenly Bellatrix lifted the silencing charm, and loud footsteps could be heard approaching.

For just one instant Hermione questioned how Bellatrix could guess people were returning, but the next instant every other thought was eclipsed by a sense of glee. Her friends were back and she would be safe. Bellatrix could not harm her. She smiled.

'Go on now, hurt me all you want,' she challenged the dark witch with a brave smile.

But Bellatrix remained unperturbed. In fact she was still grinning.

'I will have you know Mudblood that I do not keep debts. Money, loyalty, favor, pain, humiliation, whatever you give me, I will return the same with interest. You caused me immense humiliation. First you escape from the Ministry, then you escape again from Malfoy Manor, and then you steal my most prized possession from my vault. You cost me my Master's trust girl, for the first time he punished me in front of others. I have never felt more insulted and helpless. My own friends doubted me... it is time that debt was paid back in kind.'

Hermione squirmed in her chair as Bellatrix stood over her. The footsteps stopped just outside the door.

For one infinite moment both witches stared at each other… then Bellatrix lunged.

It must have taken the people outside about five seconds to reach the door, another four or five seconds to remove the wards, and maximum two more seconds to push the heavy door open – a total of ten to twelve seconds only.

Within those scarce seconds Bellatrix had fallen to her knees in front of Hermione, pushed the wand back into her hand, and held the young witch's head with both her hands, her bony fingers curling around tangled brown locks. Hermione opened her mouth in confusion and Bellatrix crashed their lips together. Her arms flailed and Hermione grasped Bellatrix's shoulders to get a grip. It only deepened the kiss.

End result: Harry, Ron, Kingsley, Prof. McGonagall, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley along with another Auror pooled into the room to find Hermione had Bellatrix down on her knees and was snogging her like her life depended on it...

A/N : For those of you who've already read this before, the moment loses its importance. Still thanks as always for sticking by. And also a huge thank you to the new readers.

There may be typos in this chapter. I'll come back and correct later.