So, I'm not entirely too sure where this came from. It's just been with me all day, and I had to write it down. Since I had, I decided I may as well post it.

Hopefully, you all enjoy! Thank you for reading!

Bellatrix Black stood tall, back ramrod straight, eyes hard and letting no emotion show on her face. Her wild black curls had been tamed especially for this meeting, and had been pulled back, into an elegant French braid. Her hands gently smoothed the pale, mint green silk of her dress. Her feet ached in the pinched heels she had been forced to wear. She was here to make an impression, and to issue a proposal.

An impression she had made, it seemed, as faces blinked slowly.

"And you are willing to give up your match?" Her father asked carefully. Bellatrix nodded.

"I will do what is right by my family." She answered.

And that meant ending her courting period with the only man she had ever loved, to marry Rodolphus Lestrange. But she had no choice. Andromeda, her older sister, had married the love of her life, a muggleborn, and saying their father did not approve was probably the understatement of the century. Cygnus Black was furious. He had blasted Andy of the tapestry at their manor, though he couldn't actually disown her without their Head of House's approval. Bellatrix didn't blame Andy for marrying Ted Tonks. He made her happy, and that was good enough. He was a good man, unlike Rodolphus.

Which was why Bellatrix was now in this position. She had been courting Antonin Dolohov, a match Cygnus had approved. But when Andy had got married, he had intended to marry Narcissa, her baby sister, to Rodolphus. Bellatrix had been present when Cygnus was discussing the details with her mother and the Lestranges'. She had seen the predatory gleam in Rodolphus' eyes, the cruel smirk that curved his lips at marrying the blonde haired darling of the House of Black.

Bellatrix new Narcissa wouldn't be able to survive marriage to Rodolphus. He was cruel, and a brute. Narcissa was gentle, and soft and caring. Before she knew what she was doing, she was offering herself up. Narcissa loved Lucius Malfoy, they were already near completion of the betrothal contract between the two. She was courting, her contract hadn't even been started yet. Cygnus looked surprised, and even approving and maybe just slightly proud. Her mother had looked on sadly, knowing just what Bellatrix was truly giving up. It wasn't often the Black's married for love, and Bellatrix would have been so very lucky. But she had to save her sister.

And so, the contract between Bellatrix and Rodolphus had been drawn up, and the two were encouraged to spend more time together. Rodolphus was as cruel as she suspected, enjoyed inflicting pain, and didn't mind if that pain was directed at his wife to be.

Soon, the second eldest daughter of Cygnus Black began withdrawing into herself. She didn't speak out, didn't offer an opinion, just agreed and hoped to avoid incurring the wrath of anyone. Her mother noticed, but could do nothing. Her father didn't appear to notice at all. Narcissa noticed, and was wracked with guilt, but tended to every one of Bellatrix's new wounds with determination.

Back at Hogwarts, even Sirius Black had noticed. Whilst she had been close with her cousin when they were children, they had become distant, though civil, when he had become a Gryffindor. He cornered her one day, dragging her into an empty classroom, and turning, to study her fiercely. Bellatrix stared back, face masked, eyes empty.

"What is wrong with you, Bella?" He demanded. Bellatrix shrugged.

"I'm perfectly fine Cousin." She replied, and she knew her voice was detached and that was her biggest downfall, because Sirius knew her well enough to know that that voice meant that everything was most definitely not okay.

"Like hell you are." Sirius growled. Bellatrix blinked.

"I spoke to Andy, she told me what happened between her and the family. I also know that means the contract between her and Lestrange is broken. Since then, you act like a proper Pureblood Princess, no arguing, no fighting, no defending anyone! There is no fire in you anymore! You don't even talk to Antonin, and I know you love him. You ignore when people flirt with him, you sit back and let it all happen. The old you would never let anyone encroach on what's hers! You've changed Bella, and I want to know why. Every time Cissy looks at you, it's with fear and guilt. And I know it's not because of her betrothal to Malfoy, because she fawns all over him, which, by the way, is disgusting. I don't know what she sees in him, but Malfoy is going to get her hurt. Please Bella. I know we have our differences, but we are family. I know there is something wrong. What's happened to break you?"

Sirius Black may only be fourteen, but he was very perceptive, Bellatrix mused. His words struck her, and she felt her resolve crumble. Sirius was probably the favourite of all her cousins, and she wished she hadn't allowed the distance between them become so great.

"I'm betrothed to Rodolphus. I'll be married by the end of summer." She whispered.

Sirius looked horrified. No matter the differences he had with his family, they were family. He loved his cousins fiercely. He didn't have time to ask anything, to ask why she was marrying the Lestrange when she loved Dolohov (and Sirius had to admit, Dolohov had been good for her), because it was like a damn broke and she told him everything.

"I'm doing it to protect her, to protect Cissy. Like you always get into trouble to protect Reg."

Which was true. Sirius acted up, got the brunt of his parents' anger, to spare his brother. Reg was had always been desperate for their approval, and if Orion and Walburga were angry with their eldest, it meant everything Regulus did was approved of. Sirius nodded.

"I don't like it." He muttered. "But…" He trailed off.

"We have to do everything we can to protect family." Bellatrix finished. Sirius nodded.

"Be careful, please." He whispered. Bellatrix smiled sadly.

"That won't help."

By the end of August, 1974, Bellatrix Black was Bellatrix Lestrange. The wedding had been a lavish affair. She had worn a pale gold dress made of silk and lace and floating lengths of gossamer. Her hair was in an intricate up-do, with several curls falling about her face. She looked the vision of perfect bride. Of course, she hated it. She hated everything about the day, because it should have been Antonin waiting for her at the alter. But she was protecting her sister, and it was that thought that got her through it.

It was the thought of protecting her sister that helped her to endure her wedding night.

It was the thought of protecting her sister that kept her sane when she lost her first child.

It was the thought of protecting her sister that kept her going when Rodolphus beat her.

And it was the same thought, that she was protecting her sister, that allowed her to keep some of her sanity when Rodolphus offered her up to the Dark Lord, a prize served on a silver platter.

Of course, the agony of receiving the dark mark nearly made her lose her mind, but Andy and Narcissa and Sirius were with her, helping her to hold on to the last dregs of her sanity.

She never fully recovered. After Rodolphus killed her baby, because it was a girl, she felt even that last part of her starting to slip away. Every time she was brought before the Dark Lord, she knew she would lose a little bit more, add another stain to her soul.

It was one day, mid-summer of 1980, that Bellatrix found one last, surprising surge of defiant will. It was the first time, and the last, that she ever went out on a mission. A group that consisted of her, Rodolphus and his brother, Rabastan, a man called Barty and Lucius Malfoy. It wasn't a mission, per se. It was more of a new game, one that had become a favourite among the group that called themselves Death Eaters.

Muggle baiting. Trapping muggles, innocent people who had done nothing wrong, and torturing them. Making them beg and plead. If there was a female present, then it would involve more horrors that Bellatrix wished she'd never heard about. And today, for some reason, she had been dragged along.

When she entered the muggle house, she understood why. It was a couple, who were obviously well off, and who had a small child, a baby, only a few months old. A baby girl, with a head of dark curls, and bright inquisitive eyes. At least, that's what the pictures showed. The family were currently upstairs sleeping, the men around her casting spells to ensure no-one head or noticed what was happening. It was Rodolphus' idea that she come, and she knew why. After his murder of her baby, she didn't have much sanity left. He wanted to make her watch as he did it again.

The feeling that welled up inside of her surprised her. She wasn't sure she could save the muggle family, but she knew she'd do her best to protect the baby. Her resolve was increased ten-fold when the muggle parents were brought down.

Bellatrix never knew what the muggle woman saw in her, but the mother looked at her, in those last few moments, her eyes pleading with her to protect her child. Bellatrix thought the poor woman, who soon allowed her mind to go as she was assaulted, must have recognised the horror and unwillingness in her. Or perhaps she'd had a feeling that Bella herself had once been a mother, no matter how briefly, and felt that she'd understand.

Knowing she could not save the older muggles, Bellatrix stole up the stairs quietly. She didn't notice her husband's eyes following her. And even if she did, she wouldn't have cared. Bellatrix wasn't going to let that man steal one more innocent life, especially one of a child who hadn't even had the chance to live.

Sirius Black was surprised when he heard banging on his front door.

His surprise was even greater when he saw his cousin stood on his doorstep.

His surprise continued to grow when he took in the disheveled state of her hair and clothes, and the small, tiny bundle in her arms. Bellatrix cradled the bundle close, absentmindedly rocking it, humming soothingly. Sirius recognised it as the tune she'd hum to him when he was injured and upset.

"Bella, what are you doing here?"

His voice came out in a harsh whisper. The woman standing before him was so unbelievingly different to the girl he had grown up with.

"Please, Sirius, you have to help me." She begged. It was the first sign of emotion Sirius had seen from his cousin since that day in Hogwarts.

"What have you done?" He demanded. Bellatrix faltered.

"I saved her." She murmured. "Rodolphus and his group took me with them tonight. I think it was his sick way of reminding me what he had done to my daughter."

Sirius started. He hadn't known Bellatrix had a daughter.

"He was going to torture and kill her, like he had done with my Elara. I couldn't let him. Sirius, I'm not going to survive tonight. I need you to take her in, and save her. I need you to adopt her, using the old ways. Sirius, you're the Head of House Black, and as my Head, I am begging you to protect her. She didn't deserve to lose her parent's and I couldn't save them, but I can her. Please."

She was crying, the tears slipping down her cheeks unnoticed by her. Sirius, horrified by her admission that he husband had killed her baby, could see the desperate mother in her, the same as he had seen in Dorea when James was hurt.

"I promise." He whispered. He took the baby, the bundle so tiny, so small that he was terrified he would hurt her. "Do you know her name?" He asked. Bella nodded, and her voice was a small whisper when she uttered the single word.

Bellatrix's prediction of not surviving that night came true. Rodolphus' rage was immense, his fury tangible. Every last drop of his anger was spent on his wife, who had done everything she could to protect her family. Her screams echoed, even after her last breath. Panting, Rodolphus disapparated to meet his precious Dark Lord, not even sparing a glance at the body of his wife.

And Sirius Black kept his promise. Tears of sorrow streamed down his cheeks as he watched Bellatrix's picture blacken, saw the numbers appear under her name. He completed the ritual as required. A new name began to appear on the tapestry. Unsure of the actual date the child in his arms was born, he gave her the date she had arrived.

Hermione Elara Black. Born on the twelfth of August 1980.

Sirius promised to protect her with every ounce of his magic.

His mind went back to Bellatrix's parting words. It filled him with an immeasurable amount of pain and anger, but he focused on the wriggling child in his arms.

Do not trust Peter Pettigrew.