AN: I tried to write smut, I really did! But then Cassiopeia wanted to have a moment with Bella!

Word count: 626

Bellatrix had never been anyone's favorite.

Andromeda had been her father's favorite – she was nice, charming, friendly, considerate, so cordial to others. Every time that Father came home from work he would prize Andy with a box of her favorite treats just for her, never any for Narcissa or Bellatrix.

Bellatrix was elated to see her father's reaction when sweet Andromeda escaped with that disgusting mudblood Ted Tonks, leaving the sickly Rabastan Lestrange to mourn for his 'only love'.

Narcissa was her mother's favourite and always received one-of-a-kind dresses. Innocent, beautiful, angelic, dazzling and gorgeous Cissy was the rose of the family, but had none of the Black features. Bella knew why; she wasn't naive like Andromeda. Abraxas Malfoy liked visiting too much and would only bring gifts for Narcissa and the way he smiled – it was so alike how Cissy smiled.

No, Bellatrix was never anyone's favorite. Not even her grandparents or uncles or aunts gave her any favor.

But then that all changed one day when she was running from her mother who was scolding her for having mud on her new shoes. Bellatrix ran to the attic of her home – she knew that her mother wouldn't find her there, for no one really went to the attic. She would be safe there from the scoldings she detested so much.

Discovering Aunt Cassiopeia in the attic was a surprise. But it was a surprise that she never took for granted.

Aunt Cassi was the mother she'd never had. Whenever she visited with tear-filled eyes, her aunt would always hug her, humming a lullaby into her ear, whispering that everything would be alright, that Bellatrix was the most beautiful and intelligent witch she had ever met. And Bella believed her, because those wide and dark eyes of Cassiopeia's mirrored the truth in her words.

She was Aunt Cassi's favorite.

Bellatrix cleaned the old and dusty attic and brought plates filled with chocolate cookies and tea. She would spend hours upon hours listening to her aunt's drifty and warm voice telling stories that erased her mother's scoldings from her mind. Bellatrix had gone so far as ordering Kreacher when she left Black Manor to bring her aunt warm meals, change her bed sheets and see to her necessities.

Bella didn't need expensive gifts; she just wanted to be loved and Aunt Cassi loved her very much.

She had promised her Aunt Cassi that she would visit her when she could. But then she had met the Dark Lord and she became someone's else's favorite.

And the gifts that her Lord gave her were nights spent with him in his bed chambers.

Passionate, fast, hard and painful love.

Aunt Cassi told her that no good would come of it – when one loved a person and that person didn't love them back, it hurt. Someone would always be in pain, and it made Bellatrix nervous because it seemed her aunt spoke from experience.

"I don't want you to be broken like me," Cassiopeia whispered.

But the Dark Lord would love Bellatrix soon. After all, she had become his right hand and most faithful Death Eater. Sooner or later he would love her just as she loved him.

And so she didn't take her aunt's advice, showing her love by being thrown into Azkaban for torturing those blood traitors, the Longbottoms. Eventually, she died for him and in that moment when she saw the green jet flying at her, she knew that her aunt's advice had been true.

Even though she had been the Dark Lord's favorite, she had never truly been his favorite. He had never loved her as she'd loved him. And in the end, she was broken, just like her Aunt Cassiopeia.

AN: A big thanks to Caz :D Please review! I promise the next one will be SMUT!