The pipe and fag smoke hung thick in the air, the usual patrons sat mumbling into their fire whiskey and tumblers of scotch. Tom the barkeep was polishing a glass; the Leaky Cauldron was nearly empty this time of night, only the hardcore alcoholics were present. The dark haired witch sat in the corner sipping her fifth pint, her body language told the world to fuck off as she downed the contents before slamming it down calling for another.

"Can't do it Black, I'm cutting you off." Tom said not pausing in polishing his glass.

"Sod off Tom and just bring me a fucking pint." She said standing slightly unsteadily on her feet and walking towards the counter. She sat down the empty glass with a bang and drew the attention of the other patrons.

"Naw Bells, I'm cutting you off. Go on home to Ms. Hermione won't you?"

Bella focused slowly on his face, a scowl touched her lips before she leaned over the counter and pulled her wand out sloppily. "I said get me another pint you fucking squib."

There were calls from the patrons for Bella to calm down and her language was uncalled for. Tom sighed, "Don't make me throw you out Black."

"Isn't my gold good enough for you? Doesn't my family own this shit hole?" Bella said flicking the pint glass off the bar and watching it shatter with a hard laugh. "Yeah, I think they do." She said reaching over and grabbing Tom's robes, "Now get me another pint before I toss your squib ass out into the street."

"Alright there." A hand touched her arm to try and calm her; she didn't bother looking over and punched the owner in the stomach for their trouble.

"Touch me again and you'll get more than my fist." The patron was doubled over trying to catch his breath as Bella tilted her head to talk to Tom again. "Come on Tom, you know I deserve another one and you know you want to sell it to me."

Tom sighed defeated as he took out the bottle and poured Bella another pint. She grinned in triumph and grabbed the pint and then the bottle. "I'll just keep this." She walked over to her cozy booth and sat back to sip her pint again. Her head swam and the lights flickered and winked at her. She loved this feeling, the spinning feeling of falling while not moving. Keeping the bottle would help her keep the glorious light headed pace up for the rest of the night. She was about to take a long draw from the bottle when she spotted her enter the pub. "Fuck." She mumbled, the brown curly hair, the dark crimson cloak over her shoulders. "You bastard." She called out to Tom who shrugged and then looked at the witch who had just entered.

"Thank you for calling me." Hermione said in a gentle voice before walking across the pub to Bella's booth.

"Hi Pet." Bella said with a smile, she laughed now and then took her draw from the bottle. "What's a place like you doing in a girl like this?" She laughed hard at her joke and then began to cough violently for a moment before leaning back to rest her head on the wall.

"I hate seeing you like this Bella." Hermione said taking the half filled pint glass and banishing it to Tom.

"I hate you seeing me like this so why don't you run along home and then you won't have to see it love."

"Ah, because you need to come home. Come now, Tom's about to close for the night and we need to go." She held her hand out to Bella who surveyed her extended hand for a moment.

"We're going home?" She inquired still not getting up and Hermione's hand still held out for her to take.

"Yes, well, we're going to your house." Hermione said to correct her. Her heart pained at the words, the last year had been a downward spiral of pain and demons that nothing seemed to be able to vanquish for her raven haired lover.

"Ah see I don't want that." Bella said leaning back further in the chair and moving slowly away from Hermione's hand. "That isn't home."

Hermione sighed and dropped her hand, "We talked about this Bella. Please." Hermione said quietly, her voice tired and hurt. Tom waited patiently as some of the other patrons began to leave the bar, this scene played out several times a month for the last year. Tom glanced at the door as it opened, the Auror Tonks stood with a frown as she drew her wand. She walked over to the couple, Bella glared at her when she approached.

"No, no I won't." She began to get agitated but found she couldn't back any further away from the pink haired woman.

"Hermione?" Tonks inquired to which Hermione simply nodded.

"I'm sorry." She whispered to Bella as the spell left Tonks' wand immobilizing Bella.

Black eyes met Hermione's glaring at her; the heavy breathing was a testament to Bella trying very hard to fight off the spell Tonks had just cast. They had two maybe three minutes to get her to a cell before Bella broke through it and in doing so would bring all kinds of hell down on their heads.

Hermione watched Tonks disappear with Bella, she leaned against the table and looked over at Tom. "Sorry about this, thanks for calling me."

Tom nodded, "It's not a problem Ms. Hermione. I try to keep her out but-well you know, her family owns this place."

"I know, I'd rather she get her drink here than somewhere else that I don't know about." Hermione conceded.

A woman watched unnoticed from the shadows, a smile played on her lips.

"Let. Me. Out." Bella shouted as she kicked at the cell door and the lone bed. "Now." She called again, her head pounded, she had made good use of the loo earlier that morning but now she was tired, she smelled and she just wanted to get out of this hell hole.

"Ah, Ms. Black." Came the voice on the other side of the door. "I can't release you until someone comes for you, you know that."

"Then do your damn job and get my wife down here." Bella said kicking against the door again.

"Now now Black no need to make demands, the way I see it you can sleep off your drink a bit more and your wife can get a little break from you." The annoying voice seemed to be enjoying tormenting her.

"If you don't get my wife here I'm going to rip your throat through your ass." Bella said with a growl.

"Oh dear." He tutted at her, "Threatening an officer, that'll get you a bit more time that will."

"LET ME OUT!" Bella shouted, the door shook and the guard jumped back scared the door would blow off the hinges.

"That's quite enough." A voice Bella knew was speaking, Birch-Locke was there now, she heard the scrapping of the keys against the lock and she smiled. "Don't antagonize her." He said to the officer as he pushed the door open to face his favourite operative.

"Now Bella what have you done?" Birch-Locke said as he leaned against the bed, his arms crossed. Bella glared at him. "You threatened him and he's going to report that."

"Let him." She mumbled before shouting towards the door, "Fucking git."

Birch-Locke sighed and rubbed his head slowly, his hair was now closely cropped showing his scalp through the stubble. "She still hasn't let you come home?"

Bella seemed to calm instantly, her dark eyes regarded him, her thoughts were uncertain if she could trust him or not. "No." She finally answered, "She hasn't. I haven't seen Maia in nearly a month." She swallowed to fight the tightening in her throat. "Not that I blame her." Bella said with a shrug, "Still."

"And you think going off in a drunken rage is the best way to fix this problem?" Birch-Locke asked, his voice understood, he also had demons that he fought on a daily basis. He was surprised Bella had kept them at bay for the last few years.

"Yeah well, I tried the whole soul mending thing." Bella shrugged, "All that did was drive them into a frenzy instead of a dull roar."

"And the obliviations?" He had known that Andromeda had been taking memories for years to try and help.

"Started to lose my memory." Bella said quietly, "Woke up one day and couldn't remember Hermione or Maia for a week."

"Black, Bellatrix. Your wife is here." The voice from earlier called. Birch-Locke moved from the door to allow Bella to pass.

"Try and get it together Black." Birch-Locke said, his voice held genuine concern.

Bella gathered her cloak and paused at the door, "See you next month." She said in a sad attempt to make a joke. It wasn't a joke though, they both knew, it had been a year since the voices had returned. Drinking seemed to be the only thing that quieted them but to be honest, Bella was beginning to see them too and not just hear them.

Hermione sobbed into her pillow, so many nights now, how many she had lost count. She felt Andromeda's arms move around her, she turned and buried her head into the familiar shoulder, her breath shuddering as Andromeda soothed her for the countless time. "I know Angel. You did the right thing. You did the right thing my love." She kissed Hermione's head; she silently cursed Bella in her mind, the pain she was causing, the hurt. "It will be alright you'll see, she'll come right." It was the promise Andromeda made over and over again, that it would be alright, that Bella would get better. She swallowed back her own pain, she couldn't let her mind drift to happier times. Three years, they had had Bella with them for three years before it ended, before all that had happened came crashing into their lives. Maia asked for her mother every day, she threw tantrums, she screamed and demanded her mother be brought to her, she hated Hermione, she hated Andromeda she wanted Bella and they were mean for keeping her away.

"I want her in our bed." Hermione choked out and Andromeda tightened her arms around her. "I miss her so much." Hermione shuddered the words out, her fingers curled into the lace on the front of Andromeda's nightgown.

"I miss her too." Andromeda replied, her fingers rubbing slowly along Hermione's back to lull her into dreams. "She has to work through this my love."

"What if she can't?" Hermione choked out, "What if she never comes back to us?"

"She'll come back." Andy said, her mouth set in a firm line, "She has to."

Hermione signed the release papers and waited, the officer gave her an envelope with Bella's wand and personal valuables. "You alright Ms. Black?" the officer asked as Hermione didn't bother to look inside the pouch.

"I'm fine thank you." She said holding her head up and waiting for Bella to come through the door. She did not know this officer and would not open up to him there had already been enough in the press about Bella recently. She didn't need some 'insider' giving the Daily Prophet an 'exclusive' look into the Black family troubles.

The officer called Bella's name and brought her through the door. Hermione said nothing as they both exited the jail. She waited until they had arrived at Bella's flat to hand back her belongings.

"Thank you." Bella said quietly, she had the decency to not meet Hermione's gaze. "How's Maia?" Bella's blood roared in her ears, her head felt like it was going to explode from the sunlight flooding into the flat from the balcony doors.

"Angry, told me I was a bad mummy and Andy too." Hermione swallowed, her eyes drifted to Bella's hands, her tattoos, her chest and finally her face. "Wants you home." Bella glanced up at this. "We all want you home Bella." Hermione shifted her weight slightly to her other foot, she couldn't hold Bella's gaze for long she would get sucked in, fall into the depths that she couldn't escape from.

"All of you?" Bella questioned, she held her breath for a moment, "Even you Pet?"

"I miss you." Hermione whispered, "I love you Bella."

Bella's hand reached out to stroke Hermione's cheek slowly, "And when will you grant me the permission to come home then?"

Hermione's eyes blurred with tears, three times a month they did this, three times a month for nearly a year. Bella promised to stop, promised to get help, promised to set things right only to end up right back here again. The last time Hermione had had enough and had refused to allow Bella to come home. She hadn't denied her access to Maia but once when Hermione went to get her she could smell the fire whiskey and it was the last time Bella had seen Maia.

"You have to stop." Hermione whispered her voice unable to stop the sob that pulled in her throat. "You have to stop and then you can come home."

"I will stop, I promise." Bella said trying to reassure Hermione and stop her tears. "I promise I will."

"I hope so Bella." Hermione whispered and she stepped back from Bella towards the floo.

Bella nodded and watched Hermione in silence as she stepped into the green flames and disappeared. When the light faded from the grate Bella sat at the kitchen table, a tumble of whiskey sat waiting for her from the previous day. She stared at the amber liquid; her heart sank as she reached for it with a trembling hand. Just one sip, once more and she would throw the rest down the drain. She needed it, she need to dull the voices in her head, make the ghosts fade into the background. She tightened her fingers around the tumbler; she would keep her promise tomorrow.

Hermione heard the noises in the living room, the rummaging sound and the hissing grumbles. She pulled slowly out of Andromeda's arms and snatched her wand from the nightstand. After checking on Maia she walked quietly down the stairs. She knew it would be Bella; sure enough the curly haired witch had banged her leg on an end table and was swearing as she rubbed her knee. "What the fuck is that doing there?" she hissed to herself limping slightly over to the couch. Hermione sighed and leaned against the archway that led to the stairs.

Bella turned her head slowly and smiled, "Good evening." She said with a slight laugh in her voice.

"What are you doing Bella?" Hermione answered in greeting.

"Mmmm come to see you and my child." She answered stretching slightly and leaning back into the couch. "I know she's asleep so I'll see her for breakfast."

"Bella-" Hermione was exasperated now, she had left Bella that morning very clearly that her coming to the house was not an option.

"Pet-" She retorted, her wand casually rolling along her fingertips as she idly played with it. "Aren't you going to offer me some tea?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm, "After all I am being treated as a guest in my own home it seems."

"I'll get you some coffee." Hermione said getting some cups and turning on the kettle. "You can't just come over Bella. It-" What it was Hermione didn't get to say because in that moment Bella's arms were around her and her lips closed over Hermione's. She pushed against Bella's shoulders to no purchase; she was pinned helplessly between Bella and the counter.

"Don't shut me out Pet." Bella whispered into the hungry kiss, her hands pulled desperately at the shorts Hermione had worn to bed. In a moment they were down around her ankles, Bella's hands pushed Hermione's legs apart and slipped between her folds in one fluid motion. Hermione's knees buckled slightly at the contact, her slick folds gave away her desire for the dark witch who was now thrusting her fingers at a violent pace causing Hermione to gasp and dig her nails into her wife's back. "You're mine." Bella growled adding a third finger; she enjoyed the feeling of stretching her wife, the delicious tight walls closing against her fingers. "Not Andy's, not even Maia's, mine." She hissed thrusting harder. Hermione was certain she was going to pass out if Bella continued her unforgiving pace. "My own mudblood." She whispered, "Say you're mine." She hissed, her mouth closing over her favourite sensitive spot on Hermione's neck, the spot that drove her wife into peels of giggles and shivers when she bit it. Hermione moaned trying to fight the words as Bella quickened her pace. "Say it or I leave you wanting." Bella said starting to push harder enjoying the feel of Hermione's hips betraying her, her body proving how much she wanted and needed Bella to fuck her.

Hermione shook her head and Bella pulled her fingers away immediately. "Such a stubborn little muddy." She said shaking her head, "Such a tease."

She frowned at Bella's words; it was rare that Bella called her anything like that, her body was screaming in protest to Bella's pause and removal of the delicious full feeling between her legs. "Bella-" She whispered pleading trying to move back towards Bella's hand. "Don't-don't call me those things." She said gently.

A growl rose from Bella's throat as she pulled Hermione tightly against her and they were gone without so much as a soft crack to awaken the rest of the household. They landed with a muffled thud, Hermione did not recognize the place at all, immediately Bella was on her again pushing her back towards a black veiled bed. "My delicious little pet." She cooed closing her mouth over Hermione's again. Her hand returned between Hermione's legs as they landed on the bed. A smile graced her lips when she felt her wife's back arch up off the bed trying to get closer to her hand, trying to feel her deeper, to feel more of her. "So delicious." Bella mumbled against her ear, "So sweet." Hermione whimpered as Bella kissed down her arm, her tongue brushing over the gold tattoo on Hermione's arm.

Hermione woke up the next morning stiff and sore. She stretched slowly and looked around the unfamiliar room. She was alone, Bella had disappeared into the mammoth house, Hermione's eyes cast around the room, it was dark wood with green and silver tapestries and black wall hangings. This was Black Manor, Hermione knew it, knew the smell of the old home. She pushed the bed hangings back and slipped out of the bed. She didn't have her wand, Andromeda would be awake and so would Maia, she looked at the fireplace; the floo powder pot was empty. She pushed at the door and found it was locked. She pushed it again and swore. "Bella?" She called against the heavy door; she tried to open the door with wandless magic to no avail. "Bella!" She shouted getting annoyed now. What the actual bloody hell was going on? She shoved the door bruising her hip in the process. She tried the door to the bathroom and found it was open, unfortunately there was no door that led to the hallway.

She paced the floor growing more annoyed with each passing moment. An elf brought her a tray of food but said nothing when she was questioned. She tried the windows and found they too were sealed with magic. She had given up shouting for Bella to open the door, the figures in the portraits watched her quizzically but did not answer her when she tried to speak to them. An hour after she had woken the door opened and Bella appeared.

"What the bloody hell is going on Bella?" Hermione said standing up from the chair she had been occupying to push past Bella and go out onto the landing. "Where have you been? You locked me in that bloody room for an hour." Her wife frowned in confusion and looked from Hermione to the door.

"I left it open." Bella said moving to inspect the door still frowning and then sighed. "Sorry, the house has fail safes put in place, I thought I had reset them all." She pushed the door again and tapped it with her wand muttering a spell. "Try it now." Her voice was a picture of innocence.

Hermione went into the room and shut the door, this time the door gave way when she tried it. "There I think that is all of them but still, best to not wander into the depths of the house without myself or Andromeda with you."

"I-Bella what is going on?" Hermione said looking around on the brightly lit landing.

"Nothing, the house is done. I-well I wanted to surprise you but-well it's done we can move in now." She said stepping back and smiling as if this had been the plan all along.

"Bella-" Hermione began only to be quieted by Bella's sad expression.

"The house is big enough Hermione so-so you can still punish me but-I" She held the banister, "I can't go without seeing my child. You can monitor everything about me but I can't-I can't go another day without her Hermione."

Hermione swallowed over the lump in her throat and nodded. Bella was right, she couldn't use their child as some sort of prized carrot that she kept dangling in front of her.