Title: Promise
Author:
crumpledquillFandom: Harry Potter
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, Angst(ish).
Pairing: Bellatrix/Molly
Disclaimer: I disclaim all characters etc that aren't mine.
Summary: Molly remembers the promises Bellatrix made to her.
Ginny reminded Molly of what it was like to be young. Behind her daughter’s eyes she saw her young self shine through. She was someone who was still finding herself and finding her true love. Ginny thought Harry was hers, and Molly couldn’t be more pleased in a way. She thought of the boy as a son and knew he would never hurt her, never leave her. But there was always that small chance. She herself had taken it, like her daughter she was prepared to risk her heart. Only she hadn’t been as fortunate.
“I do love you Molly Prewett - honest I do.”
Molly smiled, kissing her love gently on the lips. It had taken a lot for her to become so open. She was such a shy girl when it came to love - she hadn’t really loved anybody before now, at least not this strong. Love always ended in hurt, love never worked out - it finally felt like it did.
“I know you do,” she whispered softly, cupping her love’s cheek, “My Bella.”
Bellatrix Black didn’t exactly have a reputation for being kind, or sweet, or even nice. She was Slytherin and wanted to keep her name sake strong and true. At first Molly only saw just that - evil. Yet now, she knew different. It took a while to realise, but once they opened up the pair were inseparable.
The majority of Hogwarts thought them to be best friends. The snake and her lion, unusual but they somehow fit - not that anyone dared question Bellatrix in the first place.
“I think one day I’ll marry you.”
That too caused Molly to smile. Her heart raced in her chest, like it always did when Bellatrix spoke so openly,
“I would like that.”
“Then I promise it - one day.”
The two settled side by side, looking out over the lake. Molly laid her head on Bella’s shoulder, her love stroking her lion’s mane.
“I’ll hold you to it,” she spoke gently, her eyes twinkling like the sun.
All of their days were spent in a similar way. There were promises, some silent, some not - all meaningful. Molly was head over heels in love, so much that she couldn’t imagine her life without Bellatrix in it. She wanted to share everything with her and she thought that Bellatrix wanted the same.
It changed in their last summer.
“Will you write to me?” Molly had asked quietly. They both stood on the platform at Kings Cross. It was their last summer before their final year at Hogwarts. Their last summer, and they couldn’t be together.
“Of course,” Bellatrix spoke, in a voice Molly knew was saved only for her. She touched her cheek, her eyes showing longing, “I’ll send an owl everyday - how could I not?”
Molly let out a breath,
“I don’t want to disturb your summer with your family.”
“My family will understand, and if they don’t I’ll make them!”
Molly smiled softly letting out another breath. She scolded herself inwardly - she was just being silly. It wasn’t that long. She’d see Bella again, and nothing would be different. Bellatrix loved her, she promised she did.
“That’s more like it.”
Molly looked up at her voice, seeing her love smile in return,
“I hate to see you sad Molly.”
“I’m not sad,” she spoke gently, “I just miss you.”
“I know,” her Slytherin replied and took her hand reassuringly, “You’re my lion - you’re the brave one.”
“I doubt it.”
“I know it.”
Molly looked up once more as Bellatrix kissed her. She swallowed hard, her heart fluttering as she kissed back - it didn’t last long enough. She swore she saw tears in her love’s eyes.
“I have to go.”
Molly nodded, and reluctantly let go of Bella’s hand. She watched as she put on a brave face, not looking back as she walked away from the now small and afraid Gryffindor.
She’d gone weeks without word, not one letter, not a single owl. Molly hadn’t dared be the one to write to her for fear of the Blacks themselves. In the end she’d been brave enough to send a single note - just in case - but there’d still been no reply.
Hogwarts was starting a new term; it broke her a little that she would be starting it alone. There had to be a plausible reason as to why Bellatrix didn’t write. She’d find out later.
Only she couldn’t, and she didn’t. The Slytherin wasn’t on the train. Molly hadn’t seen her in the great hall either. She couldn’t have just vanished from the face of the earth - her sisters were here and well after all.
“Narcissa,” she tried to stop her youngest sibling, and it was as if she was talking to thin air. The same went for Andromeda - Sirius too.
At that point in time Molly could not understand. Her love had promised, she’d been the one. And only then did the deep sting of rejection begin.
It wasn’t until years later, in hindsight, which she could understand. And it was only now that she hoped her daughter would never have to go through the same. She knew, even now, that Bellatrix had been her true love - her soul mate. She’d never forget her promise. She doubted that Ginny would forget hers either.