A Strange Love

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine, Jo invented them, I've just borrowed them.

Prologue

She was brought down on her knees by an extremely powerful and spiteful crucio. It was in the heat of a battle and Hermione Granger was duelling with Bellatrix Lestrange. The only other person with her was Neville Longbottom, who was holding out on his own brilliantly with either Rabastan or Rodolphus. Bellatrix had Hermione writhing in absolute agony, and torment. Neville turned around with a surprising quickness and aimed his wand at the cackling mad woman. Sixteen years of hurt and anger welled up inside the boy, and seeing his favourite friend being tortured was beyond what he could bear. He aimed his wand right at Bellatrix…

Bellatrix did not know what had hit her, as she looked stunned for a moment. She whirled around and looked in the general direction of Neville Longbottom, before she could aim her wand at the young blonde she collapsed on the floor like a limp rag doll. Bellatrix was dead. Neville immediately ran to Hermione, avoiding the curses, and hexes being flung his way. Hermione rolled on her back and groaned.

“Hermione,” he whispered. “Hermione, I killed her! Hermione, are you all right?”

“You think you can kill me to, boy?” a cold voice sneered. Neville looked up into the dark cold eyes of Rodolphus Lestrange. “You succeeded because she was distracted, playing with her mouse. If her attention was onto you then you would be dead.”

Neville narrowed his eyes, for the first time they flashed strength, and anger. He got up and placed his legs either side of Hermione’s body.

“I won’t let you harm Hermione Granger!” He exclaimed fiercely.

“Is that her name?” Rodolphus said. He momentarily glanced down at the young woman lying unconscious on the ground. “She’s not bad looking is she? For a mudblood, I mean.”

“Get away from her!” Neville’s blood was at boiling point.

Rodolphus rolled his eyes, and sent a casual stunning hex the boy’s way. Neville fell down on top of her. He kicked the boy off her body and knelt down beside her. He stroked aside some of her hair and peered at her body.

“Not bad,” he murmured. “I might have to thank Neville the Nitwit one day for killing my mad wife.”

He picked her up physically, always being absolutely strong. And he slipped away from the battlefield, holding what he considered to be his spoils.

~*~*~

Hermione awoke in a strange setting, she was in pain and she needed food, and water. She was in a comfortable bed, and not in a dungeon. So whoever had her in their care was obviously on their side. Only an Order Member or an Auror would go to these sorts of lengths to help her. She tried to sit up, but flopped back down on the cushions again. Her head was aching, and she needed some rest.

She was just about to turn on her side to observe her surroundings properly when the door opened.

“So glad to see you’re awake,” a cold deep aristocratic voice said. It was one she did not recognise. She propped herself up on her elbow, wincing as she did so, and looked at the face that belonged to that voice.

“Who are you?” she asked groggily.

Rodolphus walked up to the bed and sat on the side, he tucked a few coils of her hair behind her ear.

“I am your saviour,” he whispered. “And your carer, that is all you need to know, my dear.”

“Save? What did you save me from?”

“A battle,” he replied. “A battle that was turning ugly. A beautiful young vibrant woman such as yourself has no need to be in a battle.”

He leant in closer to her. Hermione had chance to observe his features. He was handsome, in a debonair, aristocratic type of way. He had thick black straight hair that reached down to his shoulders, he had a rather nice moustache and goatee around his mouth, and his eyes were wide set, and dark. He looked quite roguish, but charming at the same time. Hermione found herself blushing. He smiled and the smile reached his eyes and Hermione was sure she felt the pace of her heartbeat quicken, as he did so.

He was wearing a long deep red nightgown with a gold cord tied at the waist. Hermione tried to see if he was wearing slippers. He was, he was wearing a pair of black satin slippers. He stood up, and she observed his frame. He was broad shouldered, and there was ample muscle in the biceps. He was also quite tall.

“Please, tell me your name?” she asked.

“All in good time, my sweet.”

His voice was deep, and cold, as before when he spoke, but it had that sort of lightness about it. She could tell that he was probably an easygoing, joking sort. He had a certain mischievous air surrounding him, and confidence. Whoever this person was, he knew he could charm a stone to turn to water with just a whispered word. Hermione was at once excited, but also frightened at this. If he could hold that sort of power over a stone, then what sort of power could he hold over her?

“I am tired,” she said, as she yawned.

Rodolphus walked around the bed and placed a cushion under her head. He then laid her down gently, and he placed his lips on her forehead.

“Sleep my angel,” he said.

She drowsed off into a daydream of her making love to this handsome, roguish stranger that had saved her.

~*~*~

Rodolphus walked down the stairs of Lestrange Court and went to his study. He lit up a pipe and began smoking. That young creature up the stairs was completely under his charms already, but then Rodolphus had even managed to warm up Narcissa Malfoy on occasion. He had, on a few successive times, melted her ice queen persona. Not that Lucius Malfoy would have succeeded as far as Cissy was concerned; he was as much the Ice King. He was actually quite pleased to realise that he was no longer related to them. He hated their brat of a son. He wanted to thrash him a few times. What made it worse was, even his wife gave into him.

Rodolphus puffed a little into his pipe, and drew in some tobacco, and he sat back in his chair. His thoughts kept drifting off into the girl upstairs, and he looked up at the ceiling. His expression darkened as he thought of Lucius again. Lucius knew that Rodolphus had, had Narcissa, and Lucius was probably going to try the same thing with her. Rodolphus won’t let that happen. This one was his! He did ‘rescue’ her after all.

He decided that if any of his friends found out about her, he would just have to clamp the fidelity charm on her, so that if any other wizard tried to touch her they would get a bit of a shock. Bellatrix was a bitch the way she slept around with other wizards. This girl was going to remain under his care, and protection, and as long as she did as she was told she was going to be safe.

He drew in another puff of his pipe and he swung his legs on a desk and put his free hand behind his head. He smirked at how wonderfully soft her voice was. To have that sweet voice murmuring his name, well, he couldn’t wait. He just couldn’t wait.

All of a sudden the wards shook on his house, and someone strode in his study without a care in the world.

“So, you disappeared into your lair, leaving the rest of us to fight, big brother?” Rabastan moaned.

“You lot were doing just as good a job without me,” Rodolphus replied coolly.
“We were almost wiped off the floor by a bunch of kids, Rodolphus!”

“You whine like a mule, you are still alive,” Rodolphus pointed out.

“And where did that girl go?” Rabastan demanded.

“What girl?” Rodolphus asked nonchalantly.

“What girl?” Rabastan mimicked. “The girl that your late wife was torturing before that Longbottom bastard killed her.”

“Why are you so concerned, dear Rabastan?” Rodolphus asked.

Rabastan looked at his brother. If it weren’t for a five-year age gap, they could almost be twins, but where Rodolphus had goatee and moustache, Rabastan was clean-shaven. Rabastan was also slightly lighter in complexion, and his build was not as broad around the shoulders. But the rest was fairly similar.

“Why am I so concerned? You know that our Dark Master promised any Wench that survived. He said he’d even put up with her lack of purity, just as long as ONE of us has a child to carry on our bloody name.”

Rodolphus smirked at the epithet. “Rather well chosen, Rabby, considering that is what we fight for.”

“Oh shut up,” Rabastan said. He plonked himself in a chair and looked around their study. “Why haven’t you got rid of some of these things? Dad was mad to have been into Muggle Ship building.”

“Unlike you, Rabby, I knew father. He was mad that was true, but he was also fun. He weren’t as bad as some.”

“He left when I was born,” Rabastan said with a spiteful tone. “Why didn’t he stay?”

“I think that he was getting wary of mother, he may have been a Slytherin, but he was a Dumbledore supporter, and mother wasn’t. The difference split them up.” Rabastan sighed regretfully, and looked in contempt at a model of a ship. Titanic it was called. “Besides on that particular ship several hundred muggles died. You could say it was rather helpful.”

“When?”

“1912 or 13, something like that.”

Rabastan clicked his fingers, that part of the conversation had bored him.

“Ah, Clunky,” Rabastan said.

“Yes, Masters?” Clunky asked. Rodolphus noticed the elf shaking. Sometimes he wished he could just free this nasty creature, and get it out of his home.

“I want some breakfast, you know the drill, what about you Rodolphus?”

“Yes, breakfast.”

“What about Mistress?” Clunky asked.

“Mistress is dead,” Rodolphus said.

“N-not her,” Clunky stuttered. “The other one, up the stairs.”

Rodolphus stormed up to the elf, and kicked it across the room. Clunky squeaked and got up.

“That will be all, Clunky,” Rodolphus snarled.

Rabastan peered at his brother rather oddly. “She’s here, isn’t she?”

“Who?”

“That girl,” Rabastan sighed.

“What girl?”

“Oh don’t lie to me, brother, she’s here, in Lestrange Court, and you want her for yourself.”

Rodolphus then walked up to Rabastan, keeping his gaze baleful, and his eyes glowed darkly.

“And if you go near her, brother, then I will surely punish you.”

He brushed past Rabastan, deliberately hurting him as he did so, and walked out of the room. Why can’t house elves keep their ruddy mouths shut? He stormed up the stairs, and he flung open the door to the room that she was in. He wanted her awake to warn her that there was a big bad man in the mansion and not to listen to a word he said. She was sleeping, and judging by the smile on her beautiful heart shaped lips she was dreaming something pleasant.

He walked around to her side of the bed and knelt down to look at her properly. He wanted to see what it was she was dreaming, and so shut his eyes. Dream Whispering, was something that he loved to do. He only wanted to probe slightly into her depths. What he saw amazed him.

She was naked in her dream, but he wasn’t. He was still wearing his robe, but that didn’t stop her from sliding her hands on his chest, and wrapping her wonderful arms around his neck, lowering his head so that their lips could touch…

He pulled out before he saw too much. What he saw pleased him. She was already dreaming of her saviour. She was already dreaming of him. He got up and kissed her lightly on the cheek and walked out of the room. He walked down the stairs in a much better mood than when he walked up them. He entered the breakfast parlour and picked up a plate to help himself to some food that was prepared. That was about the only good thing with Clunky, he was efficient, to say the least.

He picked out some of his favourite foods, and then Rabastan joined him.

“You know, our Dark Master isn’t going to be happy when I tell him you took what is rightfully mine,” Rabastan said.

“You go near her, Rabby, and I mean it. This will bring the term Sibling Rivalry to its fullest extent.”

Rabastan gulped as he regarded his bigger, and much more powerful brother. Rodolphus passed with flying O’s in all his subjects, and was brilliant at Potions making. He was also quite slippery when it came to Potions as well.

“Look, Rodolphus, you were married before and had chances. I haven’t BEEN married, I haven’t even HAD my chance.”

“Rabby,” Rodolphus said, sighing and rolling his eyes in exasperation. “She wants me. I know that for a fact. And you refused to marry Narcissa when you had the chance.”

“Why on earth would I want her for?” Rabastan said. “Besides, she objected to me as much as I objected to her.”

Rodolphus relented on that particular point. Narcissa didn’t want to marry Rabastan almost as much as he didn’t want to marry her. He had no objections to Bellatrix at the time. She was beautiful, witty, and a Dark Lord fanatic, it was only when he realised that she was mad did he regret his decision. The madness only got worse, not better, as she got older. He was now glad to be rid of her.

“I will have her, Rabby. I am the older brother; therefore it is MY responsibility to get the name going before you. I am now head of the house.”

Rabastan sat down and sulked petulantly at his older brother. “Do you always have to bring that one up?” he asked.

“Don’t sulk like an adolescent; it isn’t very attractive. The Dark Lord didn’t foresee my wife’s death. He’d see things from my angle.”

“Do you even know what her name is?” Rabastan asked.
“Hermione Granger,” Rodolphus replied. “Neville the Nitwit said her name to me, by the way have you killed him?”

“No, he apparated out of sight before I could get near him. He’s obviously not as dumb as Severus, and Draco led us to believe.”

“Good, I am glad he’s still alive. If the Dark Lord does see things from my angle then I’ll have to thank him. The Order did actually do some good after all, isn’t that what they are supposed to do?”

Rabastan looked at his plate, and began stirring his sausage in the tomato juice. IF the Dark Lord does…

~*~*~

Rodolphus got dressed after breakfast. He wore a white frilly shirt, exposing his chest, with big black dragon hide belt around his waist. He put on a long dark forest green velvet jacket over the shirt, and a pair of matching leg hugging trousers, and then he slipped on a pair of welsh green boots. Green definitely was his colour. He then brushed his hair and trimmed his goatee into shape. He stood back and smirked. The poor girl, he almost felt sorry for her. He was just about to stroll into her room when his mark burnt on his arm.

Rabastan burst out of his room, and the look of pain across his brow told Rodolphus that the Dark Lord had called them both. Probably to check that they were still alive, thought Rodolphus sourly.

They both ran out of the house, and went to their apparition point. They both appeared by the Dark Lords side. Rodolphus could tell that Lucius was there, as well as Draco, and Severus. Everyone that had been at the battle the day before, either he wanted to celebrate OR, he wanted to tell them off; if the latter he would beg for mercy.

“A battle won my friends, we seem to have killed a few of Potters friends. A Weasley brat, and an Auror or two, but I notice that we too have lost a member dear to us. A mere boy has killed Bellatrix Lestrange; do you know who that boy was? Anyone?”

“Neville Longbottom,” Rodolphus said, in a suitably heartbroken voice. “Do not worry my Lord I will seek retribution on the brat.”

Severus scoffed.

“Anything to add here, Severus?” the Dark Lord asked, his tone was quiet but dangerous; every single person there knew the calm before the storm.

“The boy is a mere dunderhead,” he said. “Nothing to really worry about. It was probably pure luck that caused that particular success.”

“Could it be, Severus, that you’re childhood grudge is clouding your judgement of specific Gryffindors, Severus?”

Severus bowed and kissed the robe. “I am only saying what I know of the boy, my Lord. He was incompetent at best.”

“Obviously he’s grown up, Severus. You have not taught the boy over a year. Perhaps, that has something to do with it!”

Severus flushed. The other Death Eaters laughed.

“But it’s not that, that has me worried. Whilst I am lamenting the death of one of my MOST beloved servants it appears that ANOTHER female on the battlefield went mysteriously missing during the fight,” Lord Voldemort glided around the circle of Death Eaters that he had summoned. “A Miss Hermione Granger. Potter’s left hand girl, so it has been described. A girl, whom if I am not mistaken, was or is a Mudblood, and a girl that was being tortured, at the time, by Bellatrix. Her disappearance worries me somewhat.”

“Why, my Lord?” Rabastan asked, as he glanced at his brother, a mischievous smirk across his lips. Rodolphus was going to wipe it off his face soon.

“Because it means one of you has taken her,” the Lord Voldemort replied. “Not that I am worried if either of you want to play with her in the lonesome night, but what concerns me is, that whomever has designs on her, would someday have to make a choice.”

Rodolphus gulped. “What choice would that be, my Lord?”

“The choice to either kill her, or be killed yourself. I am sure for some of my childless supporters she could bear an heir, but until she does, whomever has taken her, will have this choice soon.” Severus glanced at Draco, wondering if the boy’s hatred was a cover up for some other feelings that he would not prepare to admit to. But Draco returned Severus look with one of blank incomprehension. Then Lucius looked to Severus, but Severus shrugged his shoulders. That left either of the Lestrange brothers. The Dark Lord turned towards them. “Would either of you care to explain?”

“I took her, my Lord,” Rodolphus confessed. “I have succeeded in charming her enough to make her dream of me already. I was getting tired of Bellatrix I must admit.”

“So, you are indeed thankful for the boy essentially murdering your wife, so that you can have a bit of dirt skirt, is that right?”

“My Lord, I loved Bellatrix, truly. But I so desire an heir. I would so much love to have a son, and am willing and prepared for it to be tainted, than have none at all.”

“I suppose a year should be adequate enough to turn her,” Lord Voldemort mused. “I hear she is not entirely stupid. Is she clever and useful, Severus?”

“She knows how to read a book and recite it verbatim, so she would be a useful researcher, and her potion skills are adequate, as she can follow a set of instructions brilliantly. There are other things she needs to work on, if she is to be truly useful.”

“Then you shall be her teacher, and you Rodolphus – you will not be punished – yet!”

“My Lord, might I make a point,” Rabastan said, “you promised me any female survivor, whatever her creed, to me.”

“That was when Bellatrix was alive. It is traditional for the eldest son to produce the heir first. I’ll concede your gift, to your older brother. Now, you are all dismissed. Severus, I suggest you pack your things and move in Lestrange Court, and start teaching the little wench as soon as possible.”

Rodolphus turned to Rabastan and ruffled his hair.

“I knew he’d see things my way,” he said. “Little brother, there are other young women out there, ripe for the picking. You might try Shola Grey, she’s young and attractive.”

Rabastan’s eyes lightened up at the mention of the twenty something female Death Eater. Yes, perhaps he ought to try Shola Grey, AFTER he’s had Hermione Granger.

Severus walked up to Rodolphus. “Why her, Rodolphus?”

“Why not, Severus, why did you want her yourself? My, young Miss Granger is a popular piece of crumpet isn’t she?”

Severus snarled back at the older wizard and apparated to his home.

“Do you think that she would convert?” Rabastan asked Rodolphus.

Rodolphus shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know, I hardly know her. But one thing is for certain, I’ll kill her, rather than be killed myself.”

They smiled and then both apparated together back at Lestrange Court. Whatever the consequences of his actions, Rodolphus knew he was going to be a winner.

A/N I know, we don't know enough of the Lestrange brothers, I am just writing them how I view them.