Title: Teaching with Bellatrix Black

Summary: An AU, in which the Wizarding Wars were thwarted before they began. Hermione Granger is a teacher at Hogwarts, and her newest colleague is proving to be…well. What more can you expect from Bellatrix Black? B/H

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in this story besides my own little filler characters. I am merely borrowing them to use as my little mind puppets. So if you recognize the name it most likely isn't mine or is a total coincidence.

*Any grammar and spelling issues are all my own problem.*

A/N: This was inspired by a Tumblr requester who wanted to see a B/H fanfic where the two were both teachers and had a lot of sex, and while I enjoy reading PWP I prefer to write with some kind of plot. So depending on how this goes, this could be a medium-slow burn. If I'm being honest though I like writing long fics, but I tend to drop projects because of lack of ability to write a plot that can hold interest, but this is the first fic in awhile that I've started that's gripped my interest past the first 5,000 or so words. So fingers crossed, yeah?

~ Prologue ~

Hermione frowned down at the papers in front of her. It was grading night at Hogwarts. All Hogwarts professors were cooped up in their respective quarters or offices grading the last exams, the last essays, the last projects of the year. One hand came up to her mouth and fingers traced her lips daintily as the quill in her hand flourished and scratched out comments on a 6th year's final Transfiguration essay. She sighed as she wrote a final comment and grade before flicking her wand and putting it into the enchanted grading bin that read and complied grades for students in the gradebook setting open in front of it. The large book immediately began to flip through its pages and moments later the previous grade sank away and was replaced with a red marked character that showed the grade she'd chosen had dipped his grade into a failing mark.

She shook her head with a frown, "Bloody hell." The expression was rare, but grading night was a night that involved much cursing for some professors, Hermione especially. Minerva looked up, a smirk spreading as she sipped her tea spiked with a little something extra to get her through the mountains of parchment, but not too much as to influence her judgment.

The older witch sighed softly to herself, "Which one this year?"

"There's a couple but this particular one. Jeremy Thorncrest, 6th year." She sighed, "He tried so hard this year. I tried to be as lenient as I could, but he's just dipped into red."

Minerva leaned forward and made a quiet noise in her throat, "I'm sure we can find something, he is very close. How hard has he tried?"

"He tells the students he's had detention with me, when I've been tutoring him, trying to help him through the lessons."

"How many nights a week?"

"Three."

The older witch was impressed, "Oh, yes we'll find something."

The courtyard clock could be heard as it tolled in the distance, claiming it to be 3 AM. This just so happened to be the time that Hermione and Minerva finished their grading. A cat patronus bounded away and Hermione followed it with her eyes as it disappeared through the door, "What's that for?"

"Off to see if there's anyone still awake who needs help finishing up or just finished, perhaps wanting to have a drink in the wee hours of morning." She stood to take a bottle of firewhiskey off the shelf and after pouring two glasses, one which went to Hermione's already outstretched hand, she flicked her wand at the door and in strolled an exhausted looking Pomona Sprout with her apprentice, Neville Longbottom, trailing behind her. Severus Snape a few steps behind them with a frazzled looking Draco Malfoy. And then in strolled a freshly woken, Rolanda Hooch, whom was happy that her position as Flying Instructor didn't require annual participation in grading night.

Everyone grabbed a seat in Minerva's quarters and the bottle of firewhiskey was passed around, poured into glasses in various amounts, and after an argument regarding the fact that the Rolanda wasn't even part of the grading night and thus shouldn't be involved in the early morning toast to success anyways, they settled that she'd get a glass last just to ensure all the teachers and apprentices got their glasses filled to their liking first, and then all leaned forward lazy and Minerva smiled, "To surviving yet another grading night!"

There was a lazy and quiet cheer of agreement and then Rolanda bumped her shoulder into Minerva, "Forgetting something in your old age, Minnie?"

The Gryffindor head rolled her eyes, "Ignoring is more like."

"Aw! Don't be that way. Listen everyone there's something else to be toasted."

Draco huffed as he rested the glass on his knee, "What are you going on about?"

Minerva glared at Rolanda, "Dumbledore's stepping down."

"What?!" Snape and most of the room said and the man's dark eyes narrowed, "Why?"

"I don't know. He's refused to say, but as you could guess as the Deputy Headmistress I'll be taking his place during the next school year." Hermione paled as McGonagall smiled to her, "Which means Hermione will be taking all responsibility of teaching all my classes next year."

The young woman gulped and looked her two fellow apprentices for the last five years. Neville, who'd been specializing in Herbology, and Draco, who'd been specializing in Potions (though the young man had yet to decide whether or not he'd be staying at Hogwarts to succeed his mentor some day).

Hermione hadn't anticipated this. She'd expected some years into the future that she'd take some of Minerva's responsibilities, plan classes and teach more independently, help with her duties as Head of Gryffindor, but to succeed her entirely so soon? She was blown away. Neville who was sitting beside her took her hand gently, "Nothing to worry, 'bout 'Mione. You'll do great. Everyone knows you're the brightest witch of our age." Draco gave a slight nod in agreement.

The night continued quietly as the teachers drank and talked and when they tired each slowly drifted away, back to their respective quarters. Soon it was only Hermione and McGonagall once again. Both stretched out lazily on loveseats that faced the other. Hermione yawned, "So…this is really happening? This time next year I'll have just finished my first solo grading night?"

Minerva smiled, "I have total faith in you and if you need help all the staff at Hogwarts will be able to support you, myself especially. I'll be leaving you with all my teaching material, so you'll have a very well off start for next year, but in other news, the curse on the position of Defense of Against the Dark Arts still seems to be in place. There are whispers that Professor Lupin is planning to step down. So I'll need to go through the applications for the positions once again."

"Why not Severus? Draco could take Potions Master."

Minerva sighed, "I know that Severus is very attracted to the position, but I think he's better suited to teach Potions, and Draco isn't ready and to place him under that stress I'm sure that he wouldn't decide to stay with Hogwarts after that or return when we need a new Potions Master."

"I suppose you're right." Hermione sighed, "So do you have your eyes set on anyone for a new DADA professor?"

Minerva sighed, "There is someone that comes to mind, but I'm not sure if she actually applied for it, or if she'd even want it. It would cause a few problems as well."

"Who is it?"

"Bellatrix Black."

~ Bellatrix / Hermione ~

Hermione blinked as she woke up from the haze of her firewhiskey induced coma. She glanced at the clock it was nearly nine in the morning which was an early start for them considering the amount they'd drank, but it was an uncharacteristically late start for the transfiguration teacher and her apprentice on all other days. She sat up slowly and groaned as she rubbed at her temples. She got up and gripped the first part of Minerva she happened to pass, her foot, and demanded she get up and join her to breakfast with the other staff members and the students that were due to leave tonight.

Hermione went to her room and stripped away from clothes from the previous night and quickly dressed in a well fitted outfit of a pair of khaki trousers and a high necked red shirt with gold embroidery. She grabbed her witch's hat, much like Minerva's, as a last minute thought and went back into the main room. Minerva sighed as she ran a hand through the gray streaked hair she'd loosened from the usual bun. Hermione grabbed two small bottles filled with a light blue potion. She put one into Minerva's hand and smiled, "Severus' hangover cure to the rescue?"

"Cheers." The older witch smiled and uncorked the flask and downed it as Hermione did.

The younger witch shook herself out as the potion cleared up the hangover effects rather quickly. "I'm going to go make an appearance at breakfast. See you there?"

Minerva nodded and stood up to go change and ready herself for the rest of the day as Hermione passed smiling at the grading book as she did. She took her wand and quickly with a flick summoned her usual plain black robes to her and continued out of the portrait towards the Dining Hall. Breakfast was in full swing when Hermione arrived walking briskly, as always channeling her inner lion. She smiled at some of her students and stopped suddenly as she caught a rather anxious looking Jeremy Thorncrest's eye. She flicked her wand and filled the plate with his usual large helping of French toast and bacon, "I think a celebratory breakfast is in order, Mr. Thorncrest."

He frowned at the helping on his plate, "What do you mean?"

Hermione smiled, as his other friends began to smile in understanding, "I mean that you've passed Transfiguration, Mr. Thorncrest. Congratulations." She patted his shoulder and continued on to the staff table and took a seat besides Minerva's seat on Dumbledore's left side with Severus and Draco beside her. She grabbed two slices of toast and a helping of scrambled eggs and a few sausage links. She only briefly saw a flash of orange as the aging Crookshanks darted from below the Gryffindor table to sit between Hermione's feet at the staff table. His age was showing and the running to his place at her feet was obviously tiring on him. Instead of his usual post of vigilance he curled up between her legs and meowed at her softly. She frowned and pushed out her chair and gently ran her hand through his scruff. She set a bit of food on saucer in front of him for his breakfast and whispered, "Come on. Eat up, Crooks. Afraid you've passed your 'I catch all my own meals' days."

Draco chuckled, "How old is that bloody cat, Granger?"

Hermione sat up offended in her cat's place, as he picked at his food lightly before falling back to sleep, "He'll be 38 this summer."

Draco raised his hand a light apology for the offense, "Out of curiosity though, how has he lasted this long?"

"He's half-kneazle. They're bred to have longer lives than most cats." She fussed a bit with her food as she thought, "But he's coming to the end of his years all the same…"

The other apprentice quieted, "He's had an interesting life though I'm sure."

"I've seen pictures of him with some of his previous owners. All amazing witches and wizards, a few aurors even. I'm sure he'll have quite a story to tell when he reaches the end." She continued to eat and had nearly finished when McGonagall arrived. She waited for the older witch to gather her meal on her plate before leaning over to ask quietly, "Were you serious last night?"

"About what, Ms. Granger?"

"Regarding the next Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?"

"Oh, yes. I was."

"You can't really be considering…her?"

"I am."

"But why? Her track record…"

"Before her stint of experimentation with the darker sides of magic, she was apprenticed to teach by one of the finest wizards in the field."

"Yes, but that was before he and his apprentice turned to dark magic and nearly started a war!" Hermione whispered critically.

Minerva sighed, "She was my student Hermione, and in many ways you reminded me of her at when you were younger. She was misguided by her teacher. Tom Riddle was a man that was twisted and snarled by his upbringing. Bellatrix was a loyal student and a dedicated teacher. She would've had the job ages ago if not for her exploits with Riddle."

"She was put in Azkaban for 5 years for her use of her Unforgivables!" She growled.

Minerva sighed, "It was a mistake. She's rigid and stubborn to most, but to those she perceives as her teachers, her superiors, she's pliable in the worst ways. I knew her before she'd met him and her morals were good, but when Tom began to experiment with dark magic, Bella was so eager to please him. She didn't want to be left behind by the man that had taught her her trade." McGonagall sighed, "She was young then, and 5 years in Azkaban…I wasn't even able to contact her until a year and a half after her release, and even then it was difficult for her. She's changed though, rectified her mistakes. I'm sure of it."

"So there's no changing your mind?"

"The only one that could change my mind is Bellatrix herself."

"Well. I suppose that settles it, but I reserve the right to say, 'I told you so', if something goes awry with this plan of yours."