He was baiting her, hoping she would make the wrong move due to her emotions. Two could play at that game if she really wanted to go down a path she couldn't return from. All it would take was the mere mention of Bellatrix to set him off. As tempting as it was, Hermione knew she had to remain in control by making Rodolphus continue to believe that he was. Manipulating men was her specialty. She'd been perfecting her craft for years. Men craved power, even if it was just the illusion, just as much as they craved sex. Sometimes more.