Title: Time Heals All Wounds
Author: brightsilverkitty
Rating: 4.5/5
Genre: Angst/Romance
Status: Complete
Library Category: Romance
Pairing: Hermione/Bellatrix
Summary: Are Murderers born? Or are they made? When Hermione is sent to the past she is forced to become acquainted with someone she knew she'd hate for the rest of her life. Rated M for later chapters.
Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7410369/1/Time-Heals-All-Wounds

This is an excellent example of how weird and unworkable-in-canon pairings should be written. Basically, Hermione is sent to the past during her sixth year, to (guess what) Bellatrix (then-Black)'s sixth year, and stuff happens.

But it is the way it which stuff happens that makes this excellent. At first, the two avoid each other (Hermione due to the knowledge that Bellatrix will be an insane murderer in the future, Bellatrix due to the fact that she's been brought up to believe that she's better than everyone else, and has massive anger issues). But then they do become friends - sneaking out at night to get a book from Hogsmeade, becoming the two best witches in the class, and generally having loads of intellectual fun. Then it turns to romance, and at first it's a bit awkward, but then they settle in.

Conflict then develops due to the fact that Hermione is both Muggleborn (Bella's family can't know about her) and From The Future, and there's a guy called Lord Voldemort who wants to recruit Bella for his eevul plans. Also, a lot of the genesis of Bellatrix's later "insanity" in canon is explained as severe depression and schizophrenia, later manifesting as psychosis and sadistic tendencies (egged along by Voldemort, of course).

Spoiler

Hermione does eventually wind up getting thrown back to her time (without any time having actually passed), and DeathEater!Bellatrix and Hermione try to rekindle the relationship, but it doesn't work due to the fact that Bella is now a changed woman, and has murdered and tortured and committed mass atrocities, and there's no way to deny it.

Seriously, give it a whirl, and see what I'm talking about. The thing is amazing. The emotional writing is superb; you feel like you're in the character's minds (and perhaps their hearts as well).

 

I vaguely remember reading this one. It was intense read. Very emotionally draining. I spent entire week recovering from reading it. I suppose that means it's a good read. 4/5.

 

I've really enjoyed this so far. I think it's avoided a lot of pitfalls that some of these kinds of fics fall into. For instance, it seems like it has avoided a bad characterization of non-insane Bellatrix. If I didn't have to wake up early tomorrow, I'd definitely keep reading through the night. As it stands, I'll just have something to look forward to tomorrow. Thanks for the rec!

 

MoL?

/10char

 

A-ah. I quite dislike Groundhog Day stories; probably due to watching Haruhi Suzimiya while younger.

 

Makes you wish for a good beta and a Biercian edit to whittle it down to the good parts. Bellatrix is not well crafted, if common editing misses break your soul then you might not get into it.

Otherwise kind of fun, a novel pairing with usual time travel nausea. If you are bored enough this is fun. Fairly weak on the whole.

3/5 for the pairing/scissortastic fun.

 

I managed to get about halfway before I lost interest. The concept is cool, and I enjoyed seeing a different side of Bellatrix. The story could definitely use some beta work, especially in the first few chapters.

Overall I think it works as a decent timewaster. 3/5.

 

Thoroughly mediocre, which is a shame because I adore well written femslash.

But well written this is not. There's some interesting ideas, but the execution is lacking. 3/5.

 

Like the person above me said "Interesting ideias, but the execution is lacking". All in all it was an enjoyable read, although I don't think it's Library material. Guilty pleasure fic, IMHO.

3/5

 

I don't know where you guys get all this "mediocre writing" stuff. It's great writing, or at least it develops into that. It's definitely not book-grade, but it's not as average as you make it out to be.

Also, what I quite like about this fic is the skilful handling of plot threads and tying a lot of them up in unexpected ways, and the masterful use of tension between characters.