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Gentle reader,Thank you so much for considering my story out of all the options you have! It's an honor that you clicked here.I won't keep you long from the story, but wanted to share a Spotify playlist I created with the soundtracks from the Beauty and the Beast and Harry Potter movies in case you'd like a little background music.I hope you enjoy this exploration of what might happen if Belle and Hermione switched places as much as I enjoyed writing it!xoxo,Rowena PendragonP.S. - Just to be safe, for the record, I claim no ownership of any of these characters or any aspect of either world covered in this story. Disney, J.K. Rowling, and the people that own the Wizarding World will please forgive my imaginings and hopefully not come after me.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Papa!” cried Belle as she sat up straight out of bed, breathing hard.

She’d had quite the nightmare last night. She’d dreamed that her father had been imprisoned by a terrifying Beast in a castle near her town that she’d never even been aware of. And then she’d been chased by wolves and almost eaten.

She shivered at the recollection.

Taking comfort that it had all been a dream, she looked around, expecting to see her well-loved bedroom.

Yet, as she took in her surroundings, Belle realized that she didn’t recognize a single thing. It certainly was not her room back in the cottage she shared with her father. It wasn’t even the room she’d been led to by the Beast after she’d offered to switch places with her father.

Papa had been captured by a Beast in his castle! she recalled. I couldn’t allow him to stay there.

The more she thought about what had happened, the more she realized that she hadn’t been dreaming. The memories were too vivid. The details too strange.

She couldn’t have dreamed up the dinnertime performance given by the household furniture or the terror she felt when she stood up to the Beast. She didn’t think she could have even possibly imagined the Beast.

But where was she now? Where was the kindly wardrobe who’d offered her a dressing gown to sleep in? Yes, a wardrobe had offered her clothes. It seemed that talking furniture and household objects were the norm at the Beast’s castle.

Belle looked down at herself. She wasn’t wearing a nightgown. She wore some kind of long shirt and…pants? She’d never worn pants in her life. Only men wore pants. And yet, she was wearing some kind of soft pants that had a striped pattern.

Belle tried to take in her surroundings. She seemed to be in a circular room with four other beds lining the walls around hers. There were a few doors on one side of the room. Each bed had a desk and wardrobe next to it. At the end of each bed was a trunk. She hoped the wardrobe next to her bed was hers. That trivial detail made her let out a small laugh under her breath.

What does it matter if the wardrobe is mine or not? she thought. Where am I? How did I get here? Where’s Papa? Is he doing all right?

Belle recalled the events right before she’d fallen asleep. The talking candelabra and clock had given her a tour of the castle, but warned her not to go to the West Wing. It’s forbidden, she remembered them saying. Yet, something had pulled her there and a recklessness took over her. Then had been discovered by the Beast himself, who drove her out of the castle and straight into the path of wolves. Then he’d rescued her from the wolves, getting a serious injury himself. She’d nursed his wounds and had seen a different side of him. One that seemed almost…human. She’d fallen asleep thinking that her time in the castle might not be so bad after all.

And now…this? What was this? Belle felt at a loss and wholly perplexed.

As Belle continued ruminating over her situation, the door burst open and she saw a flash of red darting across the room. A young woman with fiery locks raced over to Belle looking her dead in the eye. “Hermione! What are you still doing in bed? Breakfast is almost over and we have Potions this morning.”

Potions? Hermione? Belle was at a loss. More than that, this young woman was speaking to her in English. Ever since her father and Belle had left Paris, she hadn’t heard any English from anyone aside her papa. Belle’s mama had been an Englishwoman that her papa had met while traveling. Belle’s mama loved France and had decided to come back and live with him in Paris. They had Belle soon after and Belle grew up speaking both French and English. Many different travelers came to Paris and Belle often spent time around English speakers because they always seemed to find their way to their apartment in town. But after her mama passed away and they moved to rural France, Belle hardly ever heard any English. Sometimes she and Papa would speak it, but she could tell it saddened him. Belle read any English books she could get her hands on to keep up with the language.

The young woman seemed to be expecting a response from her. Belle said in what she hoped was passable English, “I’m…sorry?”

The young woman narrowed her eyes and looked at her closer. “In all the seven years that I’ve known you, you’ve never been late for a class. You’ve never missed breakfast either. What’s up?”

Belle had no idea what to say. She was really scared. She was in a new place after being imprisoned in a new place. It didn’t seem like she was even in the same country anymore. Was the Beast still here? Was she even in the same castle? She didn’t know what to think or do. She didn’t know if this young woman was friend or foe.

Belle looked at the young woman. She seemed to be more concerned than angry. Belle didn’t get a malicious sense from her like she did from the three girls who followed Gaston around back home. Gaston! Could it only be yesterday that he’d asked her to marry him? What a day she’d had. She’d been shocked and disgusted at his proposal. There’s no way she could be with someone as brainless as him.

Belle shook herself a little and made a decision. “To tell the truth, I have no idea where I am,” she said, finding it hard to get the words out right.

The young woman looked at Belle closer. “You sound different. Say something again.” She seemed to realize how that sounded. “Please,” the young woman added.

“I have no idea where I am,” Belle repeated. “I went to bed somewhere else last night and woke up here, in this place.”

“You went to bed somewhere else? And now you’re here?” the young woman looked puzzled. “Also, your voice has almost a different accent to it. I thought I was imagining things the first time you spoke.
You sound faintly like Fleur…” The young woman looked thoughtful. “Would you mind telling me more about what you remember?”

Belle considered whether she should trust this person. Then she realized that she didn’t have any other options.

“I live in a small village in France. My papa is an inventor and he got lost on the way to a trade show. I learned that he’d been imprisoned by a Beast in an enchanted castle. I traded places with him. I fell asleep in my room in that castle and woke up…here, it seems.” Belle paused. “I don’t even know where here is.”

An orange cat jumped up on the bed, purring. Belle started a little at the sudden appearance, which caught the cat’s attention. He stopped purring and narrowed his eyes at Belle. Then he hissed at her.

“Crookshanks! What are you–?” The young woman’s face lost all color. “She did it then,” she said with horror. “She actually did it.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

As light filtered into the room, Hermione stretched her arms and sat up in bed. Opening her eyes, she realized at once that something was different. First, her bed was bigger than back at school. Second, she didn’t hear the breathing of her dormmates. Third, she realized that the room looked completely different.

She looked around her. Her surroundings looked fit for royalty. It looked like a room in a castle, but just as she suspected, there was no one else in the room with her.

Or so she thought.

“Ah! You’re awaaaake! Good morning!” cried a loud and operatic voice from her right.

Hermione jumped in surprise.

It appeared that the wardrobe was speaking to her. In French. Hermione’s French was passably fluent, but she didn’t speak it every day either.

She felt like she could understand French better than she could speak it. Her parents used to take her to France in the summer because her father’s family was French. Her paternal grandparents didn’t speak English so she spoke French with them.

However, it had been some time since she last saw her parents or her grandparents. Ever since Voldemort had risen to power again, Hermione hadn’t left England.

Until now it seemed.

Before she could think more about the rustiness of her French, the door to the room burst open.

“She’s awake? Excellent,” came a voice from a cart seemingly wheeling itself towards her. “Tea?” asked the same voice, which turned out to be a no-nonsense teapot.

A wardrobe had spoken to her in French, and now a teapot was also speaking to her in French.

What was going on?!

Hermione looked closer at the teapot. It was marvelous really. The pot seemed to have the expression and face of a matronly woman.

Not really sure what else to do, Hermione replied in French, “Oui.”

A little tea cup hopped over to the teapot, which promptly poured tea into the cup. The teacup hopped over to Hermione.

“Hi! I’m Chip!” the little teacup called to her animatedly as it hopped into her waiting hand. “Want to see a trick?”

The teacup seemed to have the expressiveness and excitement that a small child would have.

“Oui,” said Hermione, sensing a child-like energy about the little cup.

Promptly, Chip scrunched up its body and made a straining face. Bubbles appeared in the tea.

“Chip! Don’t spill on our guest,” chastised the teapot.

Hermione couldn’t help but laugh at the proud look the teacup had on its face, which had been just as quickly dashed into abashment by the teapot.

“I didn’t spill on her, Mama,” Chip said, looking towards the teapot. He looked to Hermione with what seemed to be pleading eyes.

“Chip didn’t spill on me,” Hermione assured the teapot in what she felt like was passably good French.

“Good. My boy has so much energy,” she said in a world-weary way. Hermione noted that Chip was male. She couldn’t tell since, as a teacup with a child-like voice, he didn’t have any distinguishing features.

The teapot seemed to study Hermione a bit more closely. “You seem a bit different than you were last night.”

The teapot cocked her head to the side, or as much as she could given she was a teapot.

“But you must have had quite the fright meeting the master for the first time and having to leave your father in one night. We all think you’re very brave. Especially how you stood up to the master like that when you told him you wouldn’t join him for dinner. When you ran away, I thought we’d never see you again. But then you came back and held your ground with him. I hope you’re starting to see that he can be…temperamental, but he’s not all bad.” She studied Hermione a bit longer. “After fending off the wolves last night, you must be starving! We’ll leave you to your breakfast. There’s another cup of tea sitting on the tray there that’s not likely to spill on you,” she said with a wink.

“Awwwww, I don’t want to go,” cried Chip. “I want to stay with her. We’ve never had someone stay with us before.”

“No, Chip,” replied his mother, “It’s time for us to go and do our chores.” She looked over at Hermione again. “I’ll come back and check on you later.”

Hermione removed the tray from the cart and set it up in front of her. It looked delicious. Eggs, bacon, and toast. The cart along with the teapot and little Chip zoomed away and out of the door. Hermione realized she didn’t know the teapot’s name yet and felt like she should have known it. It sounded like she should have met her yesterday along with this master the teapot spoke of.

Apparently, she was supposed to have had a big day yesterday. What was this about wolves? And standing up to the master?

Hermione felt puzzled and tried to take in all that had been said to her. As she started contemplating all of this, a voice broke her out of her reverie.

“That looks soooo good,” the wardrobe said. “I miss eating food.”

Hermione jumped a little. She had forgotten the wardrobe was there.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” the wardrobe apologized. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m sure we all must seem so strange to you.”

“It’s okay,” Hermione assured the wardrobe. “What do you mean that you miss food?”

“Well, we all used to be human before the enchantment. Even the master,” she said, while Hermione ate her bacon. “You saw him yesterday. He didn’t always look like a terrible beast.” She gasped suddenly. “Oh, I don’t think I should have told you all that.”

As Hermione sipped her tea, she had a huge realization. She couldn’t believe it. Her spell had worked.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The red-haired woman scooped the orange cat off of the bed, took him outside of the room, set him down, and shut the door behind her.

“Crookshanks hissed at Hermione. I never thought I’d see the day,” the woman muttered crossing the room back to where Belle still sat in bed. “That has to mean something.” She began pacing at the foot of Belle’s bed, muttering to herself.

Belle couldn’t understand half of what the young woman was talking about. Belle didn’t think it was just the language barrier either. Though there were many words and places she was unfamiliar with.

“Hermione had never been quite right after the Battle of Hogwarts. But who was? Last year was awful in so many ways. We lost so many people…” the young woman’s voice cracked a little as she said this. She took a breath and continued her diatribe. “When Hermione decided to finish her final year at Hogwarts, we all thought it would be a good thing for her. A step back towards normalcy and all that. Over the summer, she’d gotten obsessed with reading fairy tales, both Muggle and the wizard kind. At first, we’d all thought it was because of the Deathly Hallows and that she’d wanted to ensure there weren’t other secret magical items around. But then when we got back to school last week, she told me in confidence that she thought she could magic herself into one of them. But I didn’t think she’d actually do it! Oh, what will Ron say? What will Harry say? Should I tell them? I’d have to go to the owlry and borrow an owl. Would she have done this if they were here?”

Belle was at a loss. For now, she let the young woman keep talking.

“D0 I tell Professor McGonagall? Is that a good idea? She is the headmistress. People are going to realize that something isn’t quite right about Hermione. She’ll find out sooner or later. Maybe that’s what I should do.”

The young woman stopped her pacing, seeming to come to a decision.

“Yes, that’s what I’ll do,” she looked over at Belle. “I’d like for you to come and meet our headmistress. She’ll know what to do.”

The young woman paused, considering.

“What’s your name, anyway?” she asked. Then remembering her manners, she said, “My name is Ginny. Ginny Weasley. Well, technically, Ginny is my nickname, short for Ginevra, but only my great auntie Muriel calls me that.” She took a breath. “Sorry, I’m rambling. Please tell me your name.”

Belle smiled a little. Ginny seemed like a nice person. “My name is Belle.”

“Belle. Nice to meet you,” Ginny said. “I know this must be super overwhelming. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but I believe my friend Hermione cast a spell that caused you two to switch places.”

Switch places? Belle’s head started spinning at that. How would that affect her father’s fate? Would the Beast notice? Did he even care? Maybe not.

“This…is all so much to take in,” Belle finally said to Ginny. “I didn’t understand half of what you were saying.”

Ginny smiled sympathetically. “I can only imagine. Just wait until you see more.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

If Hermione’s suspicions were correct, she was in the story of Beauty and the Beast. Growing up in the Muggle world, it had been one of her favorite stories.

After she’d started doing her research on fairy tales, it was one of the stories she kept gravitating to. She wasn’t sure what precisely about the story pulled her in so much, but it always did.

Perhaps since she had grown up feeling self-conscious about her bushy hair and overlong teeth, she’d liked the moral that the story had of not judging someone by their outward appearance.

There were a few different versions of Beauty and the Beast. There was the original, written by Madam de Villeneuve in 1740. A few years later in 1756, Jeanne Beaumont published an abridged and rewritten version of the tale, which was the one that’s been popularized the most. There were more adaptations after that, but those two in the 18th century were the most influential, in Hermione’s opinion.

Was she really in the fairy tale? Was she still in the same world? Did that mean she was in the mid-1700’s France right now? Hermione couldn’t help but start to think about all the implications that 1700’s France might involve. From the fact that there probably weren’t any toilets around to thoughts of the French Revolution.

But, as usual, Hermione was getting ahead of herself.

As she continued eating her breakfast, she thought she might try talking to the wardrobe a bit more.

“I’m sorry, I can’t remember if we were introduced,” Hermione said to the wardrobe.

“Don’t worry, dear. Yesterday was a lot to take in,” she said kindly. “My name is Madame de Garderobe.”

“Nice to meet you,” Hermione said. She wasn’t sure whether to give her real name or what her name was supposed to be. In the English translations of the story, the main character’s name was always Beauty. She wondered then the person she’d replaced was called Belle, the French word for Beauty. Hermione decided she would most likely be called Belle and decided to think of her as thus until proven otherwise. She wondered if Belle were at Hogwarts and how Belle was doing.

“What kind of enchantment are you all under?” Hermione asked.

“I’m really not supposed to talk about it,” Madame de Garderobe said nervously. “It isn’t really my place to say.”

“I understand,” said Hermione. She finished her breakfast in thoughtful silence. Getting up, she realized she wore a simple, yet elegant nightgown.

She walked over to a vanity desk and looked at herself in the mirror. She gasped. Her facial features looked almost identical to hers. Hermione had expected to look different somehow. Perhaps more beautiful. But no, she looked the same. The only difference was her hair. Her hair was sleek and smooth. Just like it was whenever she applied Sleekeasy’s Hair Potion. In Hermione’s opinion, that was an excellent thing. She felt more attractive when her hair was in control.

“Would you like to change into something different?” Madame de Garderobe asked. “I have several dresses here that would fit you and I could whip up more in a jiffy.”

Hermione walked over to Madame de Garderobe’s open doors and looked at the dresses hanging. She supposed that women did not wear trousers in this time period. The dresses looked long and much more formal than she was used to, but she opted for a light red and pink dress.

She went behind a privacy screen and took off her nightgown. She laid it over the top of the screen, not sure what else to do with it. The undergarments she wore were not at all familiar to her. She took those off too. Standing there naked, Hermione wished she could take a shower, but figured that wouldn’t be available to her. She’d have to ask about a bath later. For now, she was eager to learn more about her circumstances and look around the castle. After some examining, she figured out how to correctly put on her new undergarments and the dress.

As she stepped out from behind the privacy screen, Madame de Garderobe exclaimed, “Beautiful! Just beautiful! It makes me so happy to finally be able to dress someone again.”

No one called Hermione beautiful. Not even Ron, her boyfriend. Thinking that the wardrobe likely didn’t get out much, Hermione smiled at her and accepted the compliment. “Thank you. I’d like to look around the castle now. Do you think that’s okay?”

Madame de Garderobe said, “Of course! The master said this is your home now and you may go anywhere you like except for the West Wing.” She paused a moment, thoughtful. “Though I suppose you already broke that rule last night so maybe it doesn’t apply anymore. Still…it would be best to keep away from there.”

Hermione was intrigued by this “West Wing” that she’d already apparently been to. She wanted to ask what’s in there, but that might sound foolish if she’d visited it already.

“Why is the West Wing forbidden?” Hermione’s natural curiosity prompted her to ask.

“Because the master forbids it,” the wardrobe said simply, as if that explained everything. “He would see it as a violation of the agreement the two of you made for staying here.”

If Hermione remembered the story right, and she was rarely wrong when it came to recalling details from a book, Beauty took the place of her father who had been imprisoned for picking a rose from the Beast’s garden. Being imprisoned in a castle didn’t sound like much of an agreement. She wondered what would happen if she went to this West Wing.

But there was a whole castle to see and she wasn’t in a rush to see some forbidden area. Even though Harry and Ron’s influence had softened her rule-following ways somewhat, she still liked to have a good reason to break rules.

Hermione thanked the wardrobe again and opened the doors to her room to continue the day’s adventure.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After pulling on what looked to be robes of some kind that Ginny had handed her, Belle followed Ginny down a flight of stairs and into a great circular room full of armchairs. A few people milled about in the room and waved to them. Ginny nodded at them but didn’t stop to chat as she led Belle to the opposite wall. When she stopped in front of a hole in the wall and climbed into it, Belle was puzzled. Why was Ginny climbing into a hole? Then Belle saw Ginny push something on the other side and climb through.Belle realized that it led into a hallway. Feeling rather clumsy, Belle followed Ginny through the hole. Once in the hall, Belle realized that Ginny had pushed open a portrait that covered the hole. It was a portrait of a rather large woman wearing pink. The woman in the portrait yawned. Belle was shocked. The portrait moved? She’d never seen anything like it. And then she realized that she’d seen furniture and household items sing and dance the night before so, all in all, she really had seen something like that before.“And what are you looking at?” asked the woman in the portrait with an imperious voice. “You’re looking at me like you haven’t seen me before.”“I-I’m sorry,” stammered Belle.“Let’s go,” Ginny said, taking Belle’s arm, pulling her away. The complaints of the woman after them echoed throughout the hall, “Ungrateful children. Can’t even bother themselves to answer a simple question.”Belle looked at Ginny wonderingly. Ginny smiled a little and said, “Don’t mind the Fat Lady. She loves stirring up trouble. She and her friend Violet are the hugest gossips. I didn’t want to give her anything else to talk about.”Belle thought that made some sense, but also left her with more questions than answers. Before she could get to any though, Ginny was leading her down a flight of stairs. And then another flight. And another. Before long, Belle was completely lost. She knew she’d have no idea how to find her way back to where they had just come from.“This place is a maze,” she commented to Ginny.“This is my 7th year here,” Ginny replied. “And I still feel like I learn about a new location or pathway sometimes. You learn the most common pathways early on, like to the Great Hall for meals and to the classrooms you need to go to, but it takes time to feel like you know your way around.”At long last, they stopped in front of a stone gargoyle. Ginny told it, “I need to see the headmistress.”“What’s the password?” the gargoyle asked in a sing-songy voice.Ginny sighed. “I don’t know. She didn’t tell me.”“No password, no entry,” the gargoyle said.“How does that make any sense?” Ginny cried. “It’s an emergency. Surely, not everyone who needs to see the headmistress needs to know the password. Sometimes things come up!”“Oh, it’s an emergency,” the gargoyle said in a mocking voice. “If I had a knut for every time I heard that, I would be rich enough to retire.”“Can gargoyles even retire?” Ginny asked. “It seems like you have a pretty good position here since you’re not outside getting rained on all day. Plus, you have people to terrorize.”“You make good points,” the gargoyle admitted with grudging respect. “All right, I think I like you. I’ll let you in.” The gargoyle stepped aside and admitted Ginny and Belle to the spiral staircase behind him.“Sometimes you just have to reason with people,” Ginny commented. “I learned that from Hermione.”Ginny stopped before a door and knocked. Hard.“Come in,” came a female, brusque, no-nonsense sort of voice.Ginny opened the door to a large office space. It was full of wonderous items. Belle immediately thought her father would love it in here. Even though it was full of items, it was very neat and orderly.“Ah, Ginny and Hermione,” said a tall, thin woman seated behind a large, tidy desk. “What brings you here today? Shouldn’t you be in class?” Her brow furrowed in concern. “This isn’t like either of you.”“Professor McGonagall, we have a problem,” Ginny said. “It seems that Hermione has managed to cast an enchantment that caused her to switch places with someone else.”“Switch places? What on Earth do you mean?” Professor McGonagall asked. “Hermione is standing right here in front of me.”“Yes, that’s what it looks like, but this is not Hermione. This is someone else named Belle,” Ginny said.“What kind of nonsense are you going on about, Ginny?” Professor McGonagall said. “I would have expected this from your brothers, but not you.” She looked over at Belle. “And Hermione, this is most unlike you to try to prank your headmistress.”Belle felt very uncomfortable under the harsh gaze of this strict woman. But she stood her ground.“Ginny is right, I am not Hermione,” Belle said in her slightly-accented English.At her words, Professor McGonagall took another look at Belle. She studied her closely.Belle tried not to fidget under the scrutiny.“Now that I look closer, you’re carrying yourself differently than how I normally see Hermione. You’re standing up much straighter than Hermione, who has that hunched posture of academics who read all the time,” Professor McGonagall extended her hand towards the two chairs in front of her desk. “Please sit down.” She pulled out a tin from a drawer. “Have a biscuit.”Belle realized that she was rather hungry, so she took one of Professor McGonagall’s proffered biscuits. Ginny did not take one.“Tell me what you know,” Professor McGonagall said.Ginny started, “Ever since Professor Dumbledore gave Hermione that ancient copy of the Tales of Beedle the Bard, Hermione has been interested in reading fairy tales. She’s been locating original versions of them and reading them.” Ginny cleared her throat. “She, erm, told me that she thought she could enchant herself into one of them. That she’d found a way to do that.” Ginny slumped back in her seat. “I’m not sure I entirely believed her, even though I know Hermione doesn’t joke around like that or lie. I just couldn’t consider it as a possibility.” Ginny’s eyes began to water. “I didn’t think she’d seriously leave.”“Did she seem unhappy to you?” Professor McGonagall asked, not unkindly.“She hasn’t been herself for a long while, but who has?” Ginny said. “The war changed us all.”Professor McGonagall nodded. “That it has. It’s been a difficult time for all of us.” Professor McGongall looked thoughtful. “Did you notice anything besides that?”Ginny hesitated. “I’m really not sure. I feel like she misses Ron and Harry being around. And things are just not the same with Professor Dumbledore gone. She wasn’t here the year of the Carrows, so maybe the changes bother her.”Professor McGonagall looked over to a portrait across the room of an old man with a long white beard and half-moon spectacles. He nodded at her but said nothing.“It has been different without Albus. We all miss him still,” Professor McGonagall said. “All right, enough speculation. We’re now guessing at what emotions she might have had. Whatever the case may be, it seems like we must go along with your assertion that she cast some kind of enchantment until we find out otherwise.” Professor McGonagall looked over at Belle. “Now, Belle, was it? Please tell me a bit more about yourself.”Belle, who hadn’t really been able to grasp the full meaning of the conversation, said, “My name is Belle. I was born in Paris during the year 1740 but now live in a village in the countryside with my father,” Belle stopped as she noticed Ginny and the professor give each other sharp looks. “What is it?”“Did you say that you were born in the year 1740?” Ginny asked.“Yes, that’s right,” Belle said. Ginny looked positively started by this. “What is it?” Belle asked again.“Well, this is the year 1997,” Ginny said.Now it was Belle’s turn to be startled. She could hardly even fathom a time so far ahead as 1997, much less wrap her mind around the fact that she was supposedly in the year 1997.“This gets more mysterious the more we learn,” Professor McGonagall commented. “Please continue with your story, Belle.”Belle took a deep breath. “Well, as I told Ginny earlier, my father was imprisoned by a monstrous beast in an enchanted castle. I switched places with him. Last night, I fell asleep in the room he gave me in his castle. Today, I’m here. And I still don’t know where here is.”“You’re at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” said Professor McGonagall, a note of pride entering her voice as she said the name. “And you’re certainly not in France any longer. You’re now in the United Kingdom. I suppose I can tell you that we’re in Scotland, to be precise.”Belle felt awed by this. She was at a school of magic? When she was a child, she often dreamed about learning how to do magic. Clearly, this Hermione they had been talking about was a powerful enchantress, but Belle hadn’t realized until this moment that these other two women here might be as well.Silence passed through the room as each woman seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.“Ah, the tale of Beauty and the Beast,” said a man’s voice, breaking the silence. It came from the portrait of the old man Professor McGonagall had looked at before. “A classic story, full of magic, and the lesson to not judge a person by their appearance.”Professor McGonagall stood up and briskly walked over to the portrait. “What did you say, Albus?” Ginny and then Belle followed closely behind the professor. The man in the portrait Professor McGonagall had called Albus said, “Judging by this woman’s tale, she’s describing the classic French, and Muggle, fairy tale called Beauty and the Beast.”There was that term again, a fairy tale. Belle had been told tales of fairies all her life. The superstitious villagers had all sorts of practices to protect themselves from fairies. Belle had read some tales herself. But she had never heard of one called “Beauty and the Beast.”Clearly, Ginny and Professor McGonagall had never heard of it either as they both looked confused.“Professor Dumbledore,” Ginny began. “Do you know of any way to bring Hermione back?”Albus Dumbledore fixed his piercing blue gaze on Ginny now. “Only Hermione and this brave young woman here can undo what has been done. It is an enchantment of such complexity and can only be undone by the ones involved with it. The best thing you can do for Belle here is to help make her life here as comfortable as possible until she can find the way herself.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hermione almost tripped on a candelabra and a mantle clock standing just before the doors. The candelabra looked to be just in the middle of raising one of its arms to knock.

“Lumiere! I don’t think–” the mantle clock was in the middle of saying to the candelabra, who Hermione supposed must be Lumiere.

“Oh, hello, ma chère! You are already awake!” Lumiere exclaimed. “Cogsworth and I were just coming to see if you would like another tour of the castle. There’s so much we didn’t cover!” The mantle clock who must be Cogsworth seemed to give Lumiere a dirty look, but it was also kind of hard to say since he was, well, a clock.

“Oh, I’d love one,” Hermione said happily. “I was just going to start wandering around, but this is a much better idea.”

“Great!” Lumiere said happily. “Allons-y!”

They set off, Hermione walking at a slower pace to accommodate the speed of the two household objects leading her. Without needing any prompting, Lumiere started talking about the locations of everything in the castle. Cogsworth had, at first, seemed reluctant to give a tour, but then started warming up to the idea and jumping in to correct Lumiere or add in certain details about the style of the castle.

“As you can see, the pseudo-facade was stripped away to reveal the minimalist rococo design,” Cogsworth was saying as they walked through a passageway near the entrance hall. “Note the unusual inverted vaulted ceilings. This is yet another example of the neoclassical baroque period. And, as I always say, if it’s not baroque, don’t fix it.” He laughed at his own joke and Hermione laughed with him. Lumiere rolled his eyes.

“You are so dull, Cogsworth!” he exclaimed. “You told her that yesterday. You must be getting old.” Lumiere turned to Hermione pleadingly, “Surely, you’d rather hear stories about the castle.”

“I’d love to hear both,” Hermione said honestly.

“Cogsworth, do you remember when ze master was a boy and loved pretending zat zese suits of armor were soldiers in his army?” Lumiere asked as they walked through a passage flanked by suits of armor.

“Oh, yes. That I do,” Cogsworth replied fondly. “I always worried he’d get himself crushed somehow.”

Hermione smiled. She’d been hearing so much about “the master” but still hadn’t met him. She decided to ask about it.

“And where is the master this morning?” she asked.

“We do not know,” Lumiere confessed, somehow looking both disappointed he couldn’t help her and thrilled that she’d asked. “He should be resting after zat injury, but of course he is stubborn. Cogsworth, why don’t you go look for him?”

“Me? Shouldn’t you go look for him?” Cogsworth asked.

“You’re the butler! He respects you the most,” Lumiere said.

“Which is exactly why you should listen to me,” Cogsworth replied.

As if on cue, a roar echoed throughout the halls. The skin on the back of Hermione’s neck stood up. It sounded like a lion or another great beast.

“Ah, the master must be back,” Cogsworth said. “I should go to him.”

“Yes, great idea, Cogsworth!” Lumiere said. “And while you’re there, tell him that our guest will be joining him for lunch.” He looked at Hermione. “You will join him for lunch, won’t you?”

Hermione didn’t see why not and thought this would be the best way to meet him. “Sure, I’ll join him for lunch.”

“Lunch! Splendid idea. Oh, there’s so much to prepare though,” Cogsworth said. “Lumiere, do go and tell Mrs. Potts that we have a lunch to put on.”

“Aye, aye, mon capitaine,” Lumiere said. Cogsworth hurried off back down the passageway and up the stairs. He looked at Hermione, “Would you like me to accompany you back to your chambers?”

“No, no,” Hermione said. She couldn’t imagine going back to her chambers now. “Could I go with you to see Mrs. Potts? I’d love to see more of the castle.” Hermione wasn’t quite sure who Mrs. Potts was but she’d learn soon enough.

“But of course!” Lumiere said, pleased she was showing so much interest. “Right zis way.” He led her to what clearly was the castle’s kitchens.

As they entered the kitchens, Hermione realized that saw the teapot she’d met earlier this morning. The teapot was in the middle of everything: directing a whirling mass of kitchen items in a cacophony of cooking.

“Ah, Lumiere, and Miss Belle,” she said, Hermione noted that the teapot addressed her as Belle, which confirmed her earlier theory about the name of the woman she supposed she swapped places with. “It’s good to see you both. What do I owe the honor of this visit?”

“My dear Mrs. Potts, Belle will be joining the master for lunch!” Lumiere exclaimed, not bothering to hide his excitement one bit. Hermione was glad to now know the name of the kindly teapot.

“Lunch! Oh my! So much to prepare,” she exclaimed. Immediately, Mrs. Potts whirled around and began issuing orders with renewed vigor.

“I don’t want to put anyone out,” Hermione said. “I’m perfectly happy with a simple lunch.”

“Simple lunch? Pish posh. Not on my watch are we to have a simple lunch,” Mrs. Potts dismissed her protests.

“We better get out of her way,” Lumiere advised.

Lumiere showed Hermione around more of the castle, including a beautiful ballroom and terrace overlooking the grounds. “After lunch, you might enjoy walking around the grounds,” Lumiere said. “Perhaps the master will accompany you.” Hermione nodded at him. At that, Lumiere’s grin was huge.

“Say, I noticed you seemed different this morning,” Lumiere commented. “I only met you for the first-time last night, but somehow you seem different.” He then seemed to realize how that might have sounded. “But not in a bad way! You actually seem more comfortable than you did yesterday. Maybe it’s because you saved the master’s life. Of course, he saved your life first, but it was good of you not to leave him to the wolves.”

Again, with the wolves. What could have possibly happened with wolves? Hermione didn’t remember that particular detail in any of the Beauty and the Beast stories she’d read.

It didn’t seem like Lumiere needed her to respond because he kept right on talking.

“Whatever the reason, I am glad you are more comfortable,” Lumiere continued. “You are very brave. I saw what you did for your father. It was very noble of you to take his place and stand up to the master the way you have so far. You must miss him though.”

In fact, Hermione did not miss Belle’s father as she didn’t know him. She did miss her real parents back in her time. She still hadn’t reunited with them after she’d modified their memories. She was afraid to. She was both afraid that they were happier without her and afraid that they might still miss her. She wasn’t sure it was wise to tamper with their memories again. After seeing what had happened to Professor Lockheart, she knew the dangers of memory charms. Yet the risk had been worth it in the interest of keeping them safe. So, she understood Belle’s desire to keep her father safe.

“I do miss my father,” Hermione said truthfully. Then she continued, pretending to be Belle, “But it was best for him to leave this place.”

Lumiere hummed sympathetically. Cogsworth appeared behind them. “It is time for lunch!”

Feeling a bit apprehensive, Hermione followed the candelabra and the clock to the dining room Lumiere had walked her through earlier. Pacing in front of the fire on all fours was a huge creature.

Hermione had seen a number of creatures in Care of Magical Creatures and through her adventures. This creature looked different than the others. Hermione eyed him critically. He looked like a mismatch of various animals she recalled from zoo visits and her primary school studies in the Muggle world. He seemed almost to have the head of both a lion and a buffalo and the body reminded her of a bear. Yet, he had tusks like a boar and legs like some kind of four-legged creature. Perhaps…like a wolf?

As he faced her and rose up on two legs, she looked into his eyes and saw piercing blue eyes. Intelligent eyes. Human eyes.

Yes, she thought, she was indeed in the story of the Beauty and the Beast. There was a human man inside of this creature.

And at that moment, as she held the creature’s gaze, Hermione determined that she was going to break the spell. But not in the way of the fairy tale by falling in love with him. No, she was going to find a magical solution to this herself.

“You’re not afraid of me,” he said. His voice was deep and powerful. It was clear and easy to understand.

“Should I be?” Hermione asked.

“You were yesterday,” he replied. “When you saw me for the first time, you couldn’t look at me. You shrank away in fear.” He almost looked sad at the memory. “But maybe after that encounter with the wolves, you’ve changed your mind.”

This was the third time someone had talked about wolves. What had happened? Hermione but didn’t want to ask and appear foolish. She’d have to find out that story somehow. But for now, she’d just play along.

“A good night’s sleep can really change one’s perspective,” she said simply.

“I suppose you’re right,” the Beast said. “Shall we go in for lunch?”

And, leading the way, the Beast guided Hermione into the dining room.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Professor McGonagall and Ginny discussed at length what would be best to do. Belle wasn’t involved in the conversation at all, even though it had everything to do with her. She didn’t like the feeling of everyone talking about her fate without involving her but hadn’t known what to contribute. And hadn’t understood most of what they had talked about. So she’d remained silent.

Since the elderly man in the portrait had said that Belle and Hermione would have to work out the enchantment themselves to switch back, it had become clear that Belle had to learn to live as a witch.

It was the second week of classes. To Ginny and Professor McGonagall’s relief, it was Friday morning and, therefore, almost the weekend.

“We’re going to have to do what we can to get Belle here to understand our world and pass by without too much suspicion,” Professor McGonagall said. “There’s absolutely no way we can cram 6 and a half years of magical education into her head in two days. We’ll have to do what we can for as long as we can to make sure the disruption isn’t noticed.”

Professor McGonagall reached into her desk and pulled out a leather-bound book. “The Ministry of Magic sent me this at the start of term,” she said, handing it to Belle. “Apparently, the Department of Magical Education found it in their vaults and thought I’d like to take a look. It’s called a Wizard’s Field Guide, bewitched to help students who fell behind.”

Belle looked down at the book, examining it. It was a rich brown color with designs carved into the leather, a diamond with a raised circle on top of it with an H inlaid on a crest of some sort. Two smaller circles flanked the larger circle, each resting at the end of a diamond point. Belle felt oddly comforted, holding this book in her hands.

Ginny looked at the book curiously in Belle’s lap. “An enchanted book?” she said, looking somewhat concerned.

“Yes,” Professor McGonagall said. “I asked the portraits of previous headmasters and headmistresses if anyone recognized it. Several did. Apparently, it had also been used by several students admitted to Hogwarts in their fifth year who were able to catch up with no problem. Granted, these fifth years had exceptional magical abilities and also only had 4 years to catch up on rather than 6.” McGonagall sighed. “But this is better than nothing. It’s a head start.”

Ginny nodded. “I’ll help her with the book,” she said and looked at Belle. “Luckily, no one would think twice about Hermione carrying a book around all the time.”

“Thank you, Ginny. I cannot help you further today as I have many duties to attend to. I excuse you both from your classes today so that you can spend time getting Belle acquainted with the school,” Professor McGonagall said. “I’ll spend today thinking about how we can get Belle up to speed over the weekend.”

Thus, it was decided that Ginny would work with Belle on the basics of the wizarding world and try to catch her up on Hermione’s life up until now.

It was a stretch, but it was something.

“How are you holding up?” Ginny asked Belle as they sat together in an alcove outside of Professor McGonagall’s office.

“I’m…okay,” Belle replied. Truthfully, Belle had no idea what to think. Her world had been turned upside down not once, but twice now. Belle hugged the Field Guide to her chest.

“There you two are,” came a drawling voice. Belle looked up from where she was sitting to see a tall and slender young man walking towards them. Belle’s heart skipped a beat. He looked like how she’d always imagined Prince Charming from her books to look like. Tall, blonde, and handsome with a pointed chin. He came up to stand before them. “I might have expected skiving off from class from the Weasley girl, but not you Granger.”

“We had important business with Professor McGonagall,” Ginny sniffed, clearly annoyed by the interruption. “And it’s absolutely none of your business, Malfoy.”

“Think again, Weasley,” replied the man Ginny had called Malfoy. “As Professor Slughorn’s teaching assistant, I have a say in whether or not your absences will be excused.”

“You have more say than the headmistress?” Ginny scoffed. “Like I said, it was important business with her.”

“Oh, yes, I’m sure it was. Some world-saving kind of stuff, undoubtedly,” Malfoy drawled. “You think so much of yourselves.”

“Not nearly as much as you think of yourself,” Ginny sneered. “Even after associating yourself with Voldemort, you still have the nerve to come back here.”

Belle thought she noticed this Malfoy person wince a bit at Ginny’s words, but he hid any reaction so fast she couldn’t be sure.

“Don’t pretend like you knew what actually went on,” he said. “Things got…messy.”

“I know plenty, thank you very much,” Ginny said. “Harry might be willing to think you’re not evil, but I’m not so sure. I was here last year when you did nothing to stop the Carrows from torturing students.”

“I don’t need to convince you of anything,” Malfoy said, placing an emphasis on the word you. “You wouldn’t listen to me anyway. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got my own important business with the headmistress to attend to.” He looked over at Belle and narrowed his eyes. “You’ve been awfully quiet. Not going to berate me like your future sister-in-law here?”

Belle widened her eyes both in confusion and in disbelief. She had no idea what he meant by Ginny being her future sister-in-law and also had no idea why he would think she’d berate him. Though, clearly Ginny didn’t like him and she, or rather, Hermione was clearly very close to Ginny.

She shook her head. “No,” she said simply. Malfoy narrowed his eyes further and studied her. He looked like he was about to say something, but Ginny headed him off before he started, “Don’t you have important business to attend to?”

His eyes didn’t leave Belle’s as he replied, “Yes…I do. I suppose I’ll see the two of you later tonight at the party.” He slowly turned away and walked down the hall towards the gargoyle and disappeared from sight.

“Ah, the party!” Ginny cried. “Blast, I forgot all about it.”

Belle had so many questions, but she started with, “The party?”

“Yes, Slughorn’s back-to-school party,” Ginny said. “He didn’t do his parties last year, what with the evil Death Eaters running the place, but he’s started them back up again. Harry and Ron are coming too. Harry’s always been one of Slughorn’s favorites, but since Ron helped Harry defeat Voldemort, Ron has been added to his list as well. It didn’t take much convincing to get Slughorn to invite them. He loves showing off his connections.”

“Slughorn…is a professor?” Belle asked. She had gathered that much from the previous conversation with Malfoy. “Who are Harry and Ron? And who is Malfoy? You didn’t seem to like him very much. And why did he say you’re my future sister-in-law?”

“I keep forgetting how much I need to tell you,” Ginny sighed. “You look exactly like Hermione. Except you carry yourself a bit differently, like Professor McGonagall said. She’s right. You stand up straighter and walk more gracefully.”

Belle had grown up in a time where there was a big emphasis on walking properly and grace in women. Her upbringing was a bit unorthodox, but it still involved her being able to participate in high society. She had no idea that the way she held herself was worthy of note.

“Let’s start with Harry and Ron. They’re your best friends. Well, Hermione’s best friends. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. You, or rather, Hermione met them both in your first year at Hogwarts. I’m just going to start saying you, as Hermione, since we better get used to that,” Ginny said, giving Belle an apologetic smile. “You all didn’t get along at first, but then at Halloween a troll got let into the castle. Harry and Ron saved you from the troll and you became friends ever since. Now, the person we just talked to is named Draco Malfoy,” Ginny pointed towards where this Malfoy disappeared behind the gargoyle. “He’s had a complicated relationship with all of us. He was in Slytherin house while he went to Hogwarts, while we’re all in Gryffindor house. You’ll learn more about the houses, but let’s just say that Slytherins usually don’t like Gryffindors and vice versa. Malfoy and Harry have been enemies almost all through Hogwarts. Malfoy got involved with some bad people and did some really bad things to all of us. In the end, he switched to our side, but we still don’t get along.”

Belle had more questions but decided to see if she’d learn about them later on. She nodded and asked, “Ron Weasley. Weasley is your last name, right?”

“Yes, Ron is my brother,” Ginny said. She took a deep breath and continued, “And… he’s your boyfriend.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The Beast led them into the dining room where the table was set for two. It was a long, formal table and places were set at each end of the table. As Hermione sat down at her indicated place, she felt very far away from the Beast.

If she wanted to talk to him, she’d almost have to shout.

The table was laid with enough food to feed an entire classroom of people. Hermione wondered where the rest of the food would go when they were done. The wardrobe had told her this morning that the animated furniture and household objects that served as staff couldn’t eat. Mrs. Potts didn’t seem like the type to serve leftovers.

Hermione began to sip at her tomato soup with her spoon. Down the table, the Beast lowered his head directly to his bowl and began to lap it up like a dog might, spraying soup everywhere.

From the wall, where Lumiere, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts stood at attention, Hermione heard a collective gasp. She looked over and saw their horror-stricken faces. Cogsworth scuttled over to the Beast and whispered something in his ear.

The Beast looked started and snarled at Cogsworth, who scurried away. Then he looked down at the ruined tablecloth in front of him, seeming to realize his behavior and looked at Hermione guiltily. He reached for the untouched spoon beside him and grabbed it in his fist, looking extremely uncomfortable and awkward. She wondered if he couldn’t use cutlery or if he’d just lived alone so long that he didn’t bother.

He awkwardly dipped the spoon towards the soup and tried to scoop some out. His angle was all wrong and no soup stayed in the spoon. His face contorted in rage.

“Perhaps you’d rather move onto the turkey,” Mrs. Potts suggested, coming forward on her cart with Lumiere, who at the Beast’s nod, removed the bowl of soup from the plate in front of him. The Beast grabbed a large turkey leg and began tearing into it. The servants looked less than pleased at his decorum, but at least this was a type of food socially acceptable to be eaten with your hands.

No conversation had occurred since they’d entered the dining hall. Hermione felt almost as if she’d been having some dinner entertainment, watching the dynamics between the Beast and his staff.

“I’m going to break your curse,” Hermione said abruptly, deciding to forgo any attempts at small talk and get straight to the point. As she’d watched the earlier interlude, she decided that a direct approach would be best.

Silence fell across the room. Hermione could feel many eyes on her.

“How do you know about my curse?” the Beast asked, his voice a deadly calm as he set down he half-eaten turkey leg.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? An enchanted castle full of animated household objects with you as their master. You’ve all been transformed somehow. And I’m going to find out how to break it,” said Hermione.

“There’s only one way to break it,” the Beast said, an edge in his voice.

“I’m certain that can’t be true,” Hermione replied.

“I’ve spent years trying to find a way to break it and haven’t been able to,” he said flatly. “What makes you so certain that you can?”

“Well…I have a confession to make,” she said. “I’m not really Belle.”

“What sort of trickery is this now?” the Beast said angrily. “Is this another ploy to escape?”

Hermione raised her hands. “Please let me explain what I mean,” she urged. “I have no intention of leaving. I’m a powerful witch from another time and I cast an enchantment that brought me here.”

“AN ENCHANTMENT?” the Beast roared, backing his chair away so hard it scraped against the floor with an earsplitting screech.

“Why yes, an enchantment. I cast a spell to switch places with…” Hermione almost said a character from a story, but changed tact and said, “Belle. I believe I successfully managed to switch places with Belle.”

“YOU DID WHAT?!” the Beast roared standing to his feet, breathing deeply. The household objects in the room shrank back in fear at his roar. Hermione maintained her calm position in her seat.

“I don’t believe this,” the Beast continued angrily. “Is this some trick to get me to let you leave? To let you out of our bargain?”

“No tricks,” Hermione said. “I’m not entirely sure how to prove to you I’m not Belle besides the fact that I know nothing about Belle’s history. I don’t know anything about her father. And I have no idea what people have been talking to me about with wolves.”

The Beast looked down at his large forearm, where Belle noticed some of the hair was missing in the shape of long claw marks.

“Describe your father to me,” the Beast demanded.

“My father is a dentist,” Hermione said. “He’s tall with brown hair like mine, though it’s started to go gray, and he likes to read Ancient Greek legends.”

“You–! What–?!” the Beast looked utterly perplexed.

“I assure you,” Hermione said, “I am not Belle. But I came here from another time and I will help break this curse through my magical abilities and knowledge. Just perhaps not in the way you expect me to.”

“I can’t even look at you right now,” the Beast said. “What nonsense. Last night I hoped we’d made some progress, but now you’re spinning lies trying to play on my fears.”

The Beast stormed out of the room, leaving Hermione to her empty bowl of soup and unfinished lunch.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“My boyfriend?” Belle exclaimed. “I have a boyfriend? Wait, what’s a boyfriend?”“You didn’t have those in your time?” Ginny questioned. “A boyfriend is someone that you’re romantically involved with, but haven’t married.”“Like…courting?” Belle recalled the word from her days in Paris and hearing the English people talking about it.“Well, we say dating, but yes, courting,” Ginny said.“Boy…friend…” Belle repeated, trying out the word. “Dating.”She’d never had a so-called boyfriend, been properly courted, or anyone that she’d ever been remotely interested in before. She’d had marriage proposals, of course, but never considered them before. Gaston hardly counted as a boyfriend.“Yes, well, he’s Hermione’s boyfriend, but ostensibly yours,” Ginny said. “I’m trying to say you instead of saying Hermione because I have to call you Hermione when we’re in public.”Belle’s head was spinning. Again. All she wanted to do was curl up with a book and escape. Belle realized that actually might not be a bad idea.“Say, Ginny,” Belle started, steering the conversation away from supposed boyfriends. “I clearly have a lot to learn. Are there any books that I could read to start learning?” She looked down at the book in her arms. “Well, in addition to this one. I’m a fast reader and that’s one of my favorite ways to learn.”“You like reading? Maybe that’s why Hermione switched places with you,” Ginny said, smiling a little. “Hermione is the biggest bookworm I’ve ever met. She practically lives in the library.”“You have a library?” Belle asked, excitedly.“Of course, we have a library,” Ginny said. “We are a school, after all. Let’s go.”Ginny led Belle through winding passageways and up different staircases until they reached the library.As they walked in, Belle gasped. “I’ve never seen so many books in my life!” She said gleefully.Ginny nudged her. “That’s great, but try not to look like you’ve never been in here before,” Ginny told Belle under her breath. “Like I said, Hermione practically lives in the library.”Belle nodded and tried not to be obvious as she looked around the expansive space. Shelves and shelves of books lined the walls, with plenty of tables and desks interspersed throughout. The library had two floors and seemed to go on forever.Ginny led Belle through bookcases of tomes and over to one of the shelves. Ginny seemed to be looking for something in particular. Belle looked at the different titles of the books. Titles like Witch Burnings Throughout the Centuries and Ancient Egyptian Magic: The Language of Shapes popped out at her. It seemed like they were in a history section.“Ah, here it is,” Ginny said, pulling out a book. “I want you to start with this book.”Belle took the hefty tome from Ginny’s hands. She looked at the title, Hogwarts: A History. “This is Hermione’s favorite book,” Ginny whispered. “She quotes it all the time. And I also think it’ll give you a better understanding of the basics of the castle here. Why don’t you go sit at that table and look through it, while I find some other books for you.”Belle started over towards the table, but then movement caught her eye.It appeared as if one of the books on the nearby shelf was moving. Belle almost thought that would be impossible, but then remembered she was at a school for magic. Curiosity getting the better of her, Belle went over to the book and pulled it off the shelf. It was a book entitled Witch Hunts of the 18th Century.Interesting, Belle thought. That’s my time period. Wonder why this jumped out at me. Maybe I’m supposed to read this.Belle flipped through the pages and decided to peruse it more later. She placed it with Hogwarts: A History. Ginny added a few more that she carried.“Curious about witch hunts?” Ginny asked, eying the title that Belle had added to the stack.“It sorted of…popped out at me,” Belle said. “I thought I’d take a look at it if I had the time.”“Sure, why not? Anyway, I think this will do for now,” Ginny commented. “We can always come back later. Hermione has a number of her own books too.”Ginny took the library books from Belle and walked over to the librarian’s desk.“Hello, Madam Pince,” Ginny said, stacking the pile of books on the counter.Madam Pince looked over at all the books. “This is a lot of books to take.”“Ah, well term has only started and I’ve got a lot of supplemental reading to do,” Ginny said, trying to give the stern librarian her most winning smile.“I could believe that from Miss Granger, I wouldn’t expect that from you,” Madam Pince replied, narrowing her eyes at Ginny.“Ah well, Hermione’s good influence has rubbed off on me,” Ginny said, smiling in Belle’s direction.“Hm,” was all Madam Pince said as she waved her wand over the books. Belle saw that marks had appeared on a book in front of the librarian. Belle wondered if that was how she kept track of the books students had checked out.After they exited the library, Belle took some of the books from Ginny. As they walked back to Gryffindor Tower, which was what Ginny had referred to when she told Belle where they had come from this morning, Ginny told Belle more about Hogwarts and the different houses.When they returned to their dormitory, they put the books down on top of Hermione’s desk. It was then Belle noticed many other books lying on top of the desk.Ginny showed Belle which things were Hermione’s. The trunk at the foot of the bed was hers along with the wardrobe next to the desk. Belle noticed a small bookcase wedged between the wardrobe and the desk. A quick look around the room confirmed that none of the other beds had a similar bookcase. It was crammed full of books. It looked like there were three layers of books standing upright on each shelf with more stuck on top of the standing books. Ginny was right that Hermione had her own “small” collection. Belle felt a thrill of excitement at all these new books to read.Ginny walked over to the nightstand and picked up a long, thin wooden object. “This is Hermione’s wand,” Ginny said. “She never goes anywhere without it. I wonder why she didn’t bring it with her.”
Ginny eyed it thoughtfully. “Maybe she couldn’t.”Ginny walked over to Belle and extended the wand to Belle, handle first. “Take it,” she said. “It’s yours now.”Belle took Hermione’s wand and held it in front of her, feeling a bit foolish. As she did so, she felt a warmth rushing through her and blue sparks shot out of the end of the wand.Ginny looked shocked. “It looks like the wand has accepted you,” she said, amazed. “I guess you’re truly its rightful owner. Now we also know that you can do magic.”Belle wasn’t sure what Ginny meant entirely, but she liked holding the wand. It felt pleasant to her.“What do I do with it?” Belle asked.“For now, just keep it in a safe place,” Ginny said. “I like to keep mine in a special pocket inside of my robes.” Ginny showed her the pocket on her robes and where she could find the pocket on hers. Belle decided to do that as well.“Let’s go down to the common room,” Ginny said. “We can take a nice place by the fire.”Belle followed Ginny down the stairs and into the large and circular room they’d passed through before. Ginny walked directly to a set of armchairs near the fire. Clearly, it was a favorite place for her.They sat down. “I’m curious about that guide of yours,” Ginny said lowering her voice on the word guide. “Let’s take a look at it.”Belle extracted it from the stack of books she’d set on the table beside her and opened it so that both she and Ginny could see. She’d opened the book at the center, to discover that it was completely blank. Puzzled, Belle flipped through the book and saw that the entire book was blank. She closed the book and opened the cover to the first page. To her amazement, words appeared.Welcome young learner, it read. It appears you are in need of my help to get you up to speed. It has been some time since my talents have been used. Take me with you wherever you go and, when you have a question, I shall help you find the answer. As you seek knowledge, I will help you discover opportunities to learn and grow. “What does that mean?” Belle wondered aloud, looking at Ginny who frowned at the book.“I don’t know,” she said. “It makes me nervous that it refers to itself in first person. As if it’s sentient. My father always says never to trust something if you can’t see where it puts its brain.”New words appeared.To use me, you might hold me in your hands in front of something you want to learn more about. I will reveal information about it. A pause and then new words appeared. It is wise of your friend to be skeptical, but rest assured I may only perform in the way I was enchanted to perform. Which is to answer questions and share knowledge.Ginny looked a little startled to have her comment be addressed. She mouthed at Belle, It’s listening to us? Or, at least, that’s what Belle thought she said. Belle shrugged, feeling like after everything she’d seen in the last 48 hours, this was one of the least shocking revelations.
Ginny reached over and closed the book. “Belle, I want you to be careful with this book,” Ginny said seriously. “I know Professor McGonagall gave it to you, which means it’s probably fine, but I have to warn you that appearances can be deceiving.”“What do you mean?” Belle asked.Ginny shifted uncomfortably. “It’s kind of a long story, but more or less what happened is that I got possessed by a book.”Belle’s eyes widened. “I didn’t know that could happen!”“Yes, it turned out to have a fragment of a dark sorcerer’s soul in it,” Ginny said. “I was very young and lonely. I wrote in it, because I thought it was a journal, and it wrote back to me. He, since he told me his name was Tom, was so thoughtful and such a good listener. He seemed to understand me. But the more I wrote in the journal, the more power he was able to have over me. Eventually, I lost control of myself and had periods where I couldn’t remember what had happened.”“I had no idea,” Belle said, realizing once more that she had so much to learn about magic.“That’s why I can be a bit edgy about enchanted books,” Ginny admitted ruefully.“I’m not saying that will happen with this book. But this world is so new to you and I want you to be careful.”Belle nodded. “I will,” she said feeling a sense of gravity and foreboding about this world she had come into. While a school of magic seemed incredibly exciting to go to, it seemed there were a lot of dangers she didn’t even know to look for or even consider.“How about you test it out?” Ginny said, smiling a little at Belle and lightening the mood. “Maybe ask what something in this room means?”Belle looked back down at the book and opened it again. The words had disappeared. She looked around the room and decided to ask about the room in general, “Where am I right now?” she asked.She felt a little shake in the book and the pages turned to reveal a page with the title, “Gryffindor Common Room.”Belle read, “Founded by Godric Gryffindor, the students of Gryffindor House reside in the tower selected by the eponymous Hogwarts founder. The common room is the entryway for students to come and go from their dorms as well as a shared place for socializing, celebrations, and, of course, studying. With a circular design, the architecture of the common room…” The page went on with details about how the room was built, notable historical figures, and so on. “It says that the fireplace is connected to the Floo Network,” Belle told Ginny. “What does that mean?“Oh, the Floo Network is a fireplace system for us to move and communicate via fire,” Ginny said. “It’s actually only partially connected. No one is allowed to physically use it to leave or enter Hogwarts, but you’ll see many students coming over here for a chat with their loved ones.”At Belle’s confused face, Ginny said, “I’m lousy at explaining things, aren’t I? Maybe ask the book about the Floo Network.”“Could you tell me about the Floo Network?” Belle asked, feeling a bit strange talking to a book. The book vibrated in her hand and flipped to another page that had once been blank and the title “The Floo Network” appeared.“Amazing,” Belle whispered. She read about the Floo Network and encountered more terms she didn’t understand. She asked the book question after question, until Ginny interrupted.“As interesting as I’m sure this is,” Ginny said not unkindly, “Might I suggest starting Hogwarts, A History or another book I selected for you? While this information you’re reading about will be useful to you as you learn about this world, I think it might be wise for you to focus on what you immediately need to know to pass as Hermione. Which involves being familiar with Hogwarts and how to navigate around.”Belle nodded. “That’s a good point,” she said. “It’s all so fascinating! But I understand the need to focus on immediate survival.”Belle set the Field Guide down, but not too far away so that she could grab it easily if she thought of another question. Belle picked up Hogwarts, A History and curled into her armchair to read.Ginny pulled out a notebook. As Belle read, Ginny scratched away and wrote in the notebook. Belle wondered what Ginny was writing, but decided not to ask and leave her in peace. The book fascinated her. She read about the founding of Hogwarts and learned that the names of the houses came from real people. These people founded the school. The Godric Gryffindor that the Guide had mentioned was only one of 4 founders.Time passed. Belle’s stomach growled. She realized that she hadn’t eaten anything all day and she was starving. Ginny heard and looked over at Belle. “It should be right about time for lunch,” Ginny said. “Want to head down to eat?”

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SLAM! The door behind Hermione echoed in the reverberation left by the Beast’s furious exit from the room.Hermione looked around the room. The household objects that had been attending to her were still there, seemingly stunned at the recent turn in events.Hermione felt she needed to say something, “I’m sorry for the disruption,” she said. “It was not my intention to cause trouble. I truly want to help you break the enchantment and I thought it would be easier if you knew who I really was.”Mrs. Potts was the first to recover. “Well, I can’t lie that this comes as a shock, but I think you were right to tell the truth.”“Oui, oui,” said Lumiere. “Honesty is ze best policy! Especially when talking about so serious a topic.”“I cannot sanction deception,” Cogsworth said.“You believe me?” Hermione asked, startled.“We all thought there was something different about you,” Mrs. Potts said. “We couldn’t quite figure it out because we’ve only known Belle for a day now. But even so, you seemed different.”“Agree,” said Cogsworth while Lumiere nodded vigorously.“But what about Belle?” Mrs. Potts asked. “Where is she now?”“I can’t say for certain,” Hermione admitted. “But if the spell worked, she should be in my place at Hogwarts — at my school,” clarifying that Hogwarts was her school. “It will be strange for her, but she should be in good hands.”“I hope the poor dear is okay,” Mrs. Potts said.“Do you think he’ll stay angry?” Hermione asked, turning the conversation away from Belle. She wanted to avoid too many questions. “I’m going to need his help if I’m going to break the curse.” She hoped distracting them with the curse would prevent them from thinking too much about Belle. And about trying to get her to come back.“Give him time to cool down,” Mrs. Potts assured Hermione. “He’s got a right temper, but he’s not unreasonable.”“I wonder how zis new situation affects the agreement?” Lumiere mused.“What agreement?” Hermione asked.“Well, the agreement Belle made with the Beast to take the place of her father,” Cogsworth said primly.“And why did she need to take the place of her father?” Hermione asked, wondering if the details of this story she found herself in differed. She might as well find out as much as she could.“Well, he visited the castle and ate some food,” Cogsworth mused.“He plucked a rose from ze garden!” Lumiere said. “Remember? That makes ze master very angry.”Hermione nodded. The rose from the garden followed most of the story variations she’d read.“And then what happened?” she prompted.“Ze master threw her father into a cell and stormed away,” Lumiere recalled.“We were all talking about how we could help him,” Mrs. Potts said, “When Belle arrived. It had only been a few hours since he’d been taken prisoner and she arrived.”“I’ve been wondering how she knew to come so quickly,” Cogsworth noted, looking thoughtful.Silence fell for a moment until Lumiere suddenly clapped himself on the head.“Ze horse! Remember ze horse?” Lumiere exclaimed. “Her father had come on a horse and he ran away when he saw ze master roar in rage and take ze man captive. Porter told me.”“Porter?” Hermione asked.“The coatrack, who normally keeps his post by the door and tends to observe what goes on,” Cogsworth said. “He talks too much.”“Well, it can be very useful!” Lumiere said. “Otherwise, we might not know important things.”“So, there was a horse,” Hermione said, steering the conversation back on track. “What about the horse?”“Oh yes,” Lumiere said. “Belle returned on ze same horse a few hours later. Horses are smart! He brought Belle right back here.”“Interesting,” Hermione said. She hadn’t been around horses since she was a little girl. “And then what happened?”“Belle came into ze castle and we carefully led her to her father,” Lumiere said. “Cogsworth was against the idea.”“I don’t like taking unnecessary risks,” he said stiffly.“In any case, Belle found her father and offered to take his place,” Lumiere said. “Her father was against it, but the master took Belle’s offer immediately and had Palanquin take her father back to the village.”Hermione knew what a palanquin was and assumed this was another person that had been transformed into an object. In this case, a palanquin.“Instead of leaving her in the cell, the master took Belle to a bedroom,” Cogsworth said. “One of our finest, in fact. We met you there this morning.”Hermione nodded. “Is that everything that happened so far?” Hermione asked. “I’ve heard a few mentions of wolves.”“Ah yes,” Mrs. Potts said. “Belle and the master had an argument. He wanted her to eat dinner with him and she refused. He made an ultimatum that if she didn’t eat with him, she wouldn’t eat at all.” She made a dismissive noise. “As if I’d let someone go hungry. So we gave them both some time to cool off and we retrieved Belle and served her a meal.”“A masterpiece, if I do say so myself,” said Lumiere. “Calling it a simple meal is a huge understatement.”“It was splendid,” Cogsworth admitted.“Then Cogsworth and I gave Belle a small castle tour and sent her to bed,” Lumiere said.“But unfortunately, she went to the West Wing,” Mrs. Potts said. “And the master found her.”“After we expressly told her not to,” Cogsworth said reproachfully.“Young people always do the opposite of what you tell them to do,” Mrs. Potts said sagely.“True,” Cogsworth admitted.“What happened when he found her in the West Wing?” Hermione asked, interested.“He yelled at her to get out,” Mrs. Potts said shaking her whole body as if shaking her head. “And she ran. I tried to stop her, but she was determined.”“She took her horse and left,” Lumiere confirmed.“Not too long after that, the master followed after her,” Cogsworth said.“I may have reminded him of the dangers in the forest,” Mrs. Potts said slyly.“You didn’t!” Lumiere exclaimed. “Brilliant.”Mrs. Potts acknowledged his praise with a slight dip of her spout. “We only know the rest based on what happened later,” Mrs. Potts continued. “Belle returned supporting the master on her horse. He had been gravely wounded.”“Belle had encountered wolves and the master saved her,” Cogsworth said. “She came back with him and tended to his wounds. He was gravely injured.”“He seems okay now though?” Hermione wondered aloud.“Oh yes,” Mrs. Potts said. “He heals quickly.” She sighed. “But when she brought him back, we had hope that they’d start to get along.”“Because her love would break this spell?” Hermione asked.“How do you–?” Mrs. Potts asked, startled.“Let’s just say I know about this kind of enchantment,” Hermione said, not sure she should tell them that they were in a fairy tale she’d read a thousand times.The three staff members all looked at each other. “Well, yes,” Cogsworth said, clearing his throat. “I suppose we can confirm what you already know.”“We’re not supposed to talk about the conditions of the enchantment to anyone,” Mrs. Potts said.“We can’t even if we want to,” Lumiere said.“But it seems we can with you,” Cogsworth said.“I’m going to need help getting to the bottom of this enchantment,” Hermione said. “It would be easier if I had the help of your master.”“We’ll work on him,” Mrs. Potts said. “Don’t you worry. Just give him time.”Hermione wondered how much time she had. She wasn’t certain of the timeframe of this spell. If there was one. Could she possibly be stuck here?She didn’t want to think about that. Didn’t want to admit that some part of her wanted to stay away from her old life.Instead, she’d focus on the mystery at hand and see what she could do about it.

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Belle was amazed at all the delicious food options served in what Ginny called the Great Hall. She’d never had so many food choices sitting in front of her. Well, with the exception of the night before, when she’d been served that magical meal by the singing household objects. That was so unique, strange, and, well, magical.Some of Ginny’s friends came and sat with them, but Belle stayed quiet most of the time, which no one seemed to find unusual. She listened to them talk about classes, this person and that person and tried to keep up as best she could.Eventually, she found her mind wandering. She wondered if her father was okay. She found herself wondering how the Beast was doing. He’d saved her life from those wolves in the forest after she tried to escape. She’d come back to the castle and helped him clean his wounds. He’d actually not seemed so scary after that. She remembered thinking the night before that it might not actually be so bad living in the castle. It hadn’t quite been the adventure she’d had in mind when she had asked for an adventure, but it certainly was more exciting than life in the village.Finally, lunch came to an end and Ginny led Belle back up the stairs.“I was thinking that we could try a little magic practice,” Ginny suggested. “I’m no teacher, but I know a place where we can go that no one will find us and we can try a few things.”Belle thought that sounded like a decent plan. Ever since she’d held the wand, she’d been itching to do more with it. It seemed to be calling to her.They climbed many flights of stairs and eventually reached a passageway with a peculiar tapestry hanging on the wall. Ginny told Belle to stand still for a moment. Belle watched as Ginny paced up and down the hallway 3 times, with an intent expression on her face. After Ginny had passed the third time, a door appeared out of nowhere on the wall opposite the tapestry.Belle was amazed. “Where did that door come from?” she asked. In her backpack, she felt her backpack vibrate a little. It had been doing that ever since she left the Gryffindor Common Room and went through Hogwarts with Ginny. Belle wondered if when she next opened the book, it would have more entries that she could read.“This is the Room of Requirement,” Ginny said. “It appears whenever you have a need.” She opened the door and gestured Belle inside. “I have need of a training room for us.”Belle stepped into a large room with floor mats, some wooden human-shaped figures on wheels, and little else inside. It did indeed look like a place for someone to come and practice magic as there wasn’t much to damage.Belle pulled out her wand and examined it. Technically, she knew it was Hermione’s wand, but it felt like hers. And for all intents and purposes, she was Hermione. At least for now.Belle felt Ginny’s gaze but ignored it. Likewise, Ginny didn’t say anything. Belle felt a power rising from deep within her that she’d never felt before. Yet, it felt so natural to her. Like something she’d had all her life but had never known how to access. It felt right holding this wand.“Let’s try casting a simple spell,” Ginny said at last. “I want you to send sparks out of your wand. The spell for that is ­—” As soon as Belle imagined sparks shooting out of her wand, they appeared.“How did you do that?” Ginny demanded. “I didn’t tell you the spell yet.”“I don’t know!” Belle said. “I just imagined them appearing.” Belle focused and imagined the sparks going away. Immediately, they dissipated.“And you got them to stop too,” Ginny commented. “I wonder if that was beginner’s luck. All right, let’s try something else.”Ginny racked her brains for spells that she learned in her first year. She remembered how Harry, Ron, and Hermione actually became friends. Wingardium Leviosa was a relatively simple charm, but hard for beginners.“Let’s try the Levitation Charm,” she said. “Room, I need some feathers,” Ginny called out to the room. A basket of feathers appeared. “I’d like you to make the top feather float. The spell for that is—” Ginny broke off as she watched the top feather in the basket begin to float. Belle’s wand was pointed at the feather and she directed it up into the air.“I think I’ll see if I can get the whole basket to float,” Belle said giddily. Belle concentrated on the basket and it too began to rise into the air.“Amazing,” Ginny said. “I’ve never seen anything like this. You’re truly a natural.” Ginny watched as Belle happily floated the basket around. “Is anyone in your family magical?”Belle looked at Ginny, “No, I don’t think so,” she said. “My father definitely isn’t. He would love to be able to use magic to make his inventions and projects work faster. My memories of my mother are fuzzy, but I don’t think she did magic.” But something about her mother tickled at Belle’s memory. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she resolved to try to remember more later.“Interesting,” Ginny said. “Let’s try Transfiguration now. Try turning one of those feathers into a hairpin."Belle pointed her wand at a feather and it turned into a hairpin almost immediately.“Fantastic,” Ginny commented. “Now try turning another one into a mouse.”Belle waved her wand and a different feather turned into a small white mouse.“Try to knock my wand out of my hand using magic,” Ginny told Belle. Belle imagined Ginny’s wand flying out of her hand and into Belle’s own hand. A moment later, it happened.Ginny continued testing Belle with various scenarios and had her perform them. Belle was able to do everything Ginny asked her to do.“Well, I don’t know how to explain any of this,” Ginny said. “But it looks like you’re not going to have a problem with spells in class. We have other types of classes though that involve different skills. Hermione takes Potions, Arithmancy, and Ancient Runes. I don’t know how to help you with Arithmancy or Ancient Runes because I don’t take those. At least we don’t completely have to start from scratch with you.”Ginny checked her watch. “It’s about time for us to be getting ready to go to Slughorn’s party. I’d say we could skip it, but it would look more suspicious if we didn’t go.” Ginny led the way out of the room and back to Gryffindor Tower.

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After lunch and her conversation with the staff, Hermione was left to her own devices. The staff members had duties to attend to, but they assured her that they would work on the master as much as they could.Hermione decided that she might as well get her bearings, so she tried to retrace her steps from the earlier tour. She’d learned her way around Hogwarts after all, she could learn about this castle.Hogwarts. When Professor McGonagall had offered her, Ron, and Harry the option to finish their final year at Hogwarts, she’d taken it immediately. Ron and Harry, however, had decided to become Aurors instead of going back to school. The Ministry had waived the N.E.W.T. requirement for all three of them if they so chose in exchange for their “services to the wizarding world” after taking down Voldemort.It had been an easy decision for her two friends not to go back to Hogwarts. Harry had always known he wanted to be an Auror. It was the only thing he’d ever considered, so why bother finishing school if he already had a pass to start working? Ron hadn’t been as sure in choosing his occupation as Harry, but he couldn’t think of anything else he wanted to do, so he went along with Harry.Ron couldn’t understand why Hermione had wanted to go back to school. “They’re giving us an out!” he’d told her repeatedly. “Why do you want to go back?”Hermione had always replied, “There’s more for me to learn,” or “Unlike you, I want to take my N.E.W.Ts,” or “I already told Professor McGonagall I’d go back.”“You can always tell McGonagall you changed your mind,” Ron would counter. “Come on, come join the Ministry with us. You don’t have to become an Auror if you don’t want to.” Then he would try to pull on her emotions. “We’ll hardly see each other if you go back to school. I’ll only get to see you on your Hogsmeade weekends.”Fresh after spending several months in the aftermath of the war with Ron, Harry, Ginny, and the rest of the Weasleys at the Burrow, Hermione hadn’t thought it sounded too bad not to see Ron that often. Not that she would never admit that aloud. She could barely admit it to herself.She loved Ron, she really did. She’d always loved him. Yet more and more during their romantic trysts, whenever Ron had found an opportunity to seek her out and they could hide from his family, she discovered that she no longer felt the excitement or attraction she’d once felt towards him. She felt as if she were going through the motions with him.She felt as if she were going through the motions in life.As an avid reader her whole life, Hermione had sought escape in books. Rather than her usual textbooks, history books, or other factual tomes, Hermione had started turning towards fairy tales. She’d gotten in the habit of doing so when they’d been tracking down Horcruxes and she’d searched the Tales of Beedle the Bard endlessly for clues. After the war, she’d found herself drawn towards reading more wizarding stories and exploring their variations. Then she started noticing overlaps with Muggle fairy tales and started reading those.One day, reading an academic text she’d gotten on loan from the wizarding library in Diagon Alley, she came across a mention of a spell that could transport someone into a legend. What started as a curiosity became an obsession and Hermione read everything she could get her hands on related to this kind of spellcraft.When Hermione got back to Hogwarts, she continued her research, taking advantage of Hogwarts’ extensive magical library.Hermione didn’t know if the transportation spell she’d read about truly existed. She never found it. But she’d discovered enough about spellcraft and the theories involved to attempt to replicate it. To craft it herself.She’d never been into spellcraft. The old Hermione had disapproved of it, thinking it highly dangerous.And yet.She couldn’t stop herself from exploring all the possibilities to forge this spell to escape into a book.It had taken her two weeks with full access to the Hogwarts library. And it was yesterday that she’d tried the spell on herself.It was risky. It went against all her instincts and advice she’d ever given to try a spell she’d invented on her own.But Hermione had found herself beyond caring about risks. Hermione wanted to feel again. She wanted to stop feeling like her life was happening to her.Following her train of thought, Hermione realized that she’d been mindlessly wandering and had no idea where she was. She looked out the window and saw a horse grazing in the rear yard. Hermione wondered if that was Belle’s horse.With nothing else to do, Hermione decided to go meet Belle’s horse.

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Ginny showed Belle where Hermione kept her dress robes, as Ginny called them. Belle pulled her powder blue robes on and realized they were very comfortable, yet looked really nice. She looked at her reflection. Overall, she looked very much like herself, but her hair was very different. Her hair was much larger and bushier. Belle’s usual hair was sleek and mostly straight, with a little wave. Belle didn’t really like having her hair in her face and it had been driving her crazy all day, so she pulled it back using the hairpin she’d transfigured earlier.Ginny complimented Belle on her appearance. Overall, Belle thought Ginny looked rather nice too in her green dress robes. Ginny had pulled her hair half-back and had put a little bit of makeup on.“Ready to go?” she asked.Belle nodded and the two of them made their way downstairs.“We planned to meet Harry and Ron in the entry hall,” Ginny told Belle. “Then we’d all go to the party together.” Ginny glanced over at Belle. “This reunion is going to be strange for all of us. But you need to know that Harry and Ron have been Hermione’s best friends since their first year at Hogwarts. Now, Hermione and Ron are dating. Oh, and Harry and I are dating.”“And Ron is your brother?” Belle asked Ginny.“Yes, that’s right,” Ginny said.“How do you think Ron will react when he realizes I’m not Hermione?” Belle asked.“Oh, who knows,” Ginny said. “Ron can be emotional sometimes and then perfectly reasonable at other times. We’ll find out soon enough.”Ginny talked to Belle about Harry and Ron as they walked down to the entry hall.“I’ve had a crush on Harry since I was 10 and saw him at King’s Cross Station for the first time,” Ginny confided to Belle. “For a long time, I couldn’t talk to him, even though he’s Ron’s best friend.”“What’s Ron like?” Belle asked, feeling nervous. She was about to meet this person who was supposedly Hermione’s boyfriend. She had no idea how she was supposed to act.“Hm, Ron is one of my many older brothers. I have 6…” Ginny said and then gasped, “I keep forgetting.” Tears welled up in her eyes, but with a determined intake of breath, she quickly composed herself. “I have 5 older brothers. My brother Fred died in the war,” she explained sadly.Belle reached out to put a comforting hand on Ginny’s back but paused in mid-air. She wasn’t sure if Ginny would appreciate such a gesture. After an awkward pause, Belle realized there was no way Ginny hadn’t seen her extended and decided to go for it anyway, placing her hand on Ginny’s back. “It’s hard to lose someone you love,” Belle said.Ginny nodded and didn’t look like she wanted to say anything else about the matter, so Belle waited for Ginny to continue.“Ron is the closest in age to me,” Ginny continued. “He’s about a year and a half older than me. That small amount of time has always made him think he can boss me around. He can be overprotective sometimes too. He can be immature sometimes, but he’s overall a really good person.”Belle thought he didn’t sound too bad, but this description didn’t really lend itself to knowing more about Ron. She planned to ask Ginny more about him, but then they rounded a corner and found themselves facing the staircase that led down to the entry hall.Groups of people stood around the area, talking animatedly. Some looked dressed up in finery while the majority still wore school uniforms. Belle and Ginny descended the staircase and walked through the crowd.“Ginny! Hermione!” a voice called. Belle started to turn in that direction, but before she could make it halfway around, she felt arms wrap around her and lips press against hers.She froze, completely at a loss for what to do. Her arms stiffened at her sides and her knees locked. She turned into a statue.Perhaps sensing her discomfort, the hands moved to her upper arms and stepped away.She was then able to take in who had kissed her. A tall, gangly man stood before her. His resemblance to Ginny was striking. Both had hair the exact same shade of red and freckles. This must be Ron. Hermione’s – now her? – boyfriend.“Well, that wasn’t the welcome I expected,” Ron said with a self-deprecating smile. “Didn’t you miss me?”Belle looked around for Ginny for help but noticed that Ginny seemed quite busy with a dark-haired man a few paces away. Belle looked away, quickly, uncomfortable at the public display of affection.Belle grasped around for ideas. “Well…it’s very crowded in here,” she said, averting her eyes. “You surprised me.”“You’ve gotten shy all of a sudden?” Ron asked, sounding surprised. “What, it’s been like two weeks since we last saw each other?”“It’s been a long day,” Belle said, hoping that would be enough. She kept darting her eyes towards Ginny, hoping she’d extricate herself soon and help her out.Ron seemed to follow her gaze and yelled, “Oi! I may have given you two permission to get back together, but you shouldn’t flaunt it in front of me all the time or I may withdraw my blessing.”Ginny pulled her face away from the dark-haired man who must be Harry, her arms still extended up around his neck, “As if I ever needed permission from you,” she said scathingly. Then she looked over at Belle and saw her bewildered face. Instantly, Ginny’s expression turned apologetic and she gently extricated herself from Harry’s grasp, though she took his hand.“Hermione’s a bit off right now,” Ginny said. “We need to talk. In private.”

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It took a few tries and getting lost again until Hermione finally found the place where she’d seen Belle’s horse. As she opened the door into the yard where the horse grazed, he lifted his head toward her and began to trot towards her.Hermione felt a sense of alarm that surprised her. She’d been around all manner of creatures, but for some reason this large animal made her nervous.Stop being stupid, she thought. You’ve ridden thestrals and hippogriffs before.But that had always been with Harry, who was so brave and made everything seem possible.A memory came back to Hermione of being a small girl in the countryside at her grandparents’ house. Her grandpère had been teaching her to ride a horse. She had gleefully enjoyed his lessons. Him placing her on the horse’s back, telling her to hold on tight with her legs and not to rely too much on her hands for balance. She’d loved it. Until one day she had snuck away to watch her father helping her grandfather bringing in a new horse to the stables. When the two men had left, not knowing Hermione had followed them into the stable, she’d approached the horse in his stall. It had taken a furious look at her, reached over the stall door and bit her. Then reared up onto his hindlegs kicking his front hoof towards her. She’d scurried away just enough that it didn’t hit her, but from then on she’d been uneasy around horses. That was at the end of the summer and her family soon left for England. When she’d come back to visit the following year, she’d declined continuing the riding lessons, preferring to read or begging her parents to go sightseeing.Hermione missed her parents. So much. But she was afraid of what her magic had done to them. She was afraid to find out that they’d actually been happier in their new life. Without her. Wendell and Monica Wilkens didn’t have a daughter after all.With the memory of being young and scared by a horse, Hermione now knew where that initial alarm had come from. Hermione also knew now that the new horse that had bitten her was a stallion that hadn’t been tamed. Theoretically, Belle’s horse had been tamed. If this horse had cared enough for Belle and her father to bring Belle here to help her father, he must be a good horse.As Hermione dismissed her fear, the horse drew nearer and stopped about two horse-lengths away from Belle. A safe distance. He looked at her in a way that seemed almost wary. She regarded him as well.Looking him in the eye, she took a step closer. He reared back and cantered away.“Come back!” Hermione cried in English, forgetting to speak French. “Oh bother.”“It seems that what you said earlier is true,” said a deep, rumbling voice from behind her. Hermione jumped and turned to see the Beast, leaning against the doorframe that led inside the castle with his arms crossed.“Your horse didn’t recognize you. Animals always know when something is wrong,” the Beast continued. “Plus, I just heard you speaking…English was it?”Hermione nodded. “That’s right,” she said, drawing closer to where he stood and stopping at the bottom steps. “I guess you believe me now?”“I didn’t want to,” he said, looking down on her from a few steps above. “But then I remembered that you did seem different. I couldn’t put my finger on it. I doubted myself because I only just met you. But my instinct was correct. You felt…wrong…somehow and I ignored it.”Hermione tried not to get bothered by being called, “wrong.” She understood what he meant, but being called wrong was something that rarely happened to her. After all, Hermione had an obsession with being right.“Well, I’m glad that’s settled then,” Hermione said.“I’d hardly call that settled,” the Beast said, anger rising in his voice as he took two steps down towards her. “You stole Belle away and replaced her with some enchantress.” He took a deep breath and yelled in her face, “I WILL NOT HAVE AN ENCHANTRESS IN MY HOME!!!”Hermione stood there, frozen in the spot. Her heart picked up speed. Was he going to hurt her? Suddenly, she felt extremely vulnerable. She had no wand. No ability to defend herself. She held her ground though, fighting through her terror.He stared at her for a few more moments, breathing heavily and turned around, whirling his cape, and went back inside.Hermione let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.Lumiere hopped out from the doorway and looked up at her. “Are you okay, mademoiselle?” he asked.“I think so,” Hermione said somewhat breathlessly. “He said that he ‘won’t have an enchantress in his home.’ Is he going to kick me out?”“If he didn’t literally pick you up and throw you outside the gates or expressly tell you to leave, I zink it’s fine for you to be here,” Lumiere mused.“Comforting,” said Hermione. “I think he’s going to hate me forever. And that’ll be counterproductive. I want to help you all.”Cogsworth appeared. “And why is that?” he asked. “You appear out of nowhere, switching places with a kind girl, and suddenly announce your presence as an enchantress.” At Lumiere’s glare, he raised his hands. “What? It’s my job to ensure the safety of this house and I must find out her motives.”“I suppose that’s fair,” said Hermione. “I’m a student at a magical school and invented this spell to switch places. I didn’t know that it would work. And I’m not sure how to switch us back,” Hermione admitted. “So, I want to try and help where I can here, so that my actions don’t ruin your lives. Belle is supposed to break your enchantment and I took her away.”“See! I told you that she was ze one,” Lumiere exclaimed, nudging Cogsworth.“And yet, she’s no longer here,” Cogsworth said gloomily.“And I’m sorry about that,” Hermione said. “So let me help. Can you help me convince your master to let me help you all?”“Don’t you worry,” Lumiere said. “It’ll take some time, but we’ll convince him.”“Time we don’t have,” Cogsworth muttered. “But yes, we will talk to him.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ginny led the group down a hall. Belle couldn’t say where they were going precisely, but she kept close to Ginny who felt like her one lifeline in this strange new place. Belle was highly conscious of Ron’s presence and didn’t know what to make of him.She shot glances towards him every so often. He was tall and thin, with a long nose and skin covered in freckles. His flaming red hair matched Ginny’s shade exactly. He wore dark green robes. Dress robes she supposed. She supposed he was good-looking.Belle recalled the way his lips felt on hers. It hadn’t been pleasant. It had been startling and strange. Foreign. Invasive. His lips had demanded reciprocation and nothing in her had wanted to give it. Perhaps it was only because she hadn’t expected it. Had never kissed before. Maybe if he truly was her boyfriend, she would have welcomed it.Unbidden, Belle thought of the man she’d seen earlier. The one that Ginny hadn’t liked. The one she said that this Ron and Harry didn’t like. Draco Malfoy. The handsomest man she’d ever seen. Her dream Prince Charming. If he had been “her boyfriend” would she have resisted the kiss? She wasn’t sure.Ginny opening the door and leading them into what looked like an empty classroom startled Belle from her thoughts. Ginny looked around the room as if inspecting it for something. Ginny turned to Harry, a warmth in her eyes that Belle hadn’t seen earlier, “Do you have your map with you by chance?” she asked him.“Ah, no,” said Harry. “I didn’t think to bring it. I came straight from training and was in a bit of a hurry.”“No worries,” said Ginny. “It’s not as if I asked you. I thought it might be helpful right now to check and see if we had any unwelcome company in the room.”Unwelcome company? Belle glanced around startled. What might that mean?Seeing Belle’s startled expression, Ginny said to her, “We have plenty of ghosts in the castle that are busybodies and like to turn invisible.”Belle nodded. Ginny had pointed out the ghosts to her when they’d passed them in the hallways. The silverly beings that looked exactly like a human, except they were transparent. The ghosts fascinated her rather than scared her as she might have expected.“Why did you explain that to Hermione?” Ron asked, bemused. “Shouldn’t she be the one explaining that to us?”Ginny sighed. “Well, that’s why I wanted to talk to you before we got to Slughorn’s party. This is not Hermione.” At their shocked faces, she launched into an explanation of the situation.Throughout Ginny’s explanation, both men’s eyes darted towards Belle. They asked questions, not thoroughly convinced that Belle was, in fact, not Hermione.
“Look,” Ginny said, exasperated. “Why don’t you try asking her something only Hermione would know.”The two of them thought for a moment.“What did I do to open the Chamber of Secrets?” Ron asked Belle.“The what?” Belle asked, perplexed.“How did you figure out that the basilisk moved through the pipes?” Harry asked, following Ron’s line of questioning.“A…basilisk? Is that what you said? Are those real?” Belle dimly remembered reading about basilisks in a book. They were monstrous creatures. “And pipes?”“Why can’t people Apparate inside Hogwarts?” Ron asked.“Um…” Belle said.“When are you going to start ‘spew’ again?” Harry asked.“Excuse me?” Belle asked, even more perplexed. Why would she start spewing? Maybe she didn’t understand him right.“Hermione would never miss the chance to tell you that it’s not spew,” Ron commented. He launched into a high-pitched female imitation, “It’s not spew, Harry, it’s the Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare.”Harry whistled. “I’m impressed you remembered what that stood for.”Ron chuckled. “It gets me points if I remember things like that.” Then he started, looking at Belle. “I kissed you,” said Ron looking horrorstruck. “And you’re not even Hermione.”“Oh crap, you kissed her?” Ginny asked.“Wow, you didn’t even notice?” Ron griped. “So wrapped up in my best friend that you couldn’t be bothered to notice anything else?”Harry cleared his throat. “Anyway… what do we do now?”Ginny shot him a grateful smile. “We help Belle here fit in as long as possible. We help her learn to assume the role of Hermione. We teach her about magic. We tell her about what’s happened in the world so far. And we hope that she and Hermione work out a way to switch back.”Harry and Ron nod slowly. “We hope that they work out a way to come back?” Ron asked.“We don’t know much about this spell. And Dumbledore’s portrait said that the only people who can undo it are the ones involved,” Ginny swallowed, bracing herself for her next words. “What if Hermione doesn’t want to come back?”Belle felt a collapsing in her chest at Ginny’s words. She needed to go back. She needed to make sure her father was okay. “But what about me?” she asked quietly to one in particular.“What did you say?” Ginny asked Belle.“I said, ‘What about me?” Belle said more loudly. “I need to go back to make sure my father is all right.”Ginny took her hand. “It’ll all work out,” she said, seeming to say it more herself than for Belle.“Now, we need to go to this party and not raise suspicion,” Ginny continued. “Act normal and be on the lookout for ways to help Belle fit in as Hermione.”Ginny led the way out of the classroom and Harry took the place at her side before Belle could claim it. A rush of irritation swept over her, but then she saw the way Ginny looked at Harry and couldn’t begrudge Ginny this time with her love. Belle wondered what it felt like to feel that way about someone. Did Hermione feel this way about this Ron person she now walked beside?Belle couldn’t imagine someone like Ginny who clearly loved Harry very deeply would ever try to switch places with someone else. Belle wondered then if Hermione felt trapped in her relationship. If she felt trapped in her world. Belle understood that feeling all too well. For the first time, she sympathized with her latest captor.Perhaps instead of being stolen from her old world, she’d been given a chance to start something new.“So…uh…how do you like it here?” Ron asked Belle, clearly trying to make conversation.“Oh, no one’s asked me that,” Belle admitted. She thought for a moment. “It’s all so new but it’s fascinating. I never knew there was a place like this before. Where someone could come and learn magic. I’d heard of enchantresses and sorcerers but had never known they were real.”“There are magic schools all over the world,” Ron told her. “It’s strange being the one to tell you things. Usually, you’re the one bossing us and telling us facts about everything you think we need to know, whether we actually care about it or not.”“Ginny told me that Hermione loves to read,” Belle said.“Yes, she lives in the library,” Ron said. “She’s always carrying about ten books around with her and can quote any of them with perfect detail.”“What about you?” Belle asked. “Do you like to read?”From ahead of them Ginny burst out laughing. “Ahahaha! Ron? Reading!” Ginny guffawed. “When I see the day that Ron actually reads something for fun, I’ll kiss Buckbeak!”“Hey! I do read,” Ron protested. “Harry, tell her about that book I got you last year.” Then Ron’s ears reddened. “On second thought, maybe not.”Harry laughed at Ron’s expression. “Ron reads…sometimes. When the subject matter directly interests him,” he said, jumping in to back up his friend. “Did you ever read any of those Chudley Cannon books you got me as gifts?”Ron scratched his neck. “They looked interesting from the cover,” he mumbled, admitting he didn’t read them.Ginny laughed again. “He doesn’t read,” Ginny said. “I’m not entirely sure he knows how.”“I graduated from Hogwarts, thank you very much,” Ron said.“On a technicality,” Ginny said. “They gave you, Harry, and Hermione the choice to finish school based on ‘services to the wizarding world.’”“True, well, I took my chance and left,” Ron admitted. “I’m not weird like Hermione who wanted to do even more school. It’s not my forte.”“What is your forte?” Belle asked, curiously, wanting to get to know her supposed boyfriend and understand what Hermione saw in him.An uncomfortable silence fell as they continued walking down the hall. Belle noticed that Ron’s ears had gotten pink. She wondered if she’d accidentally stumbled upon a touchy subject.“I don’t really have one, besides being friends with and related to extraordinary people,” Ron muttered looking down at his feet as they walked.“Ron’s the glue that holds everything together,” Ginny murmured from ahead of them. “Plus, he’s funny, brave, and reliable.”Ron looked startled at his sister’s praise and stared at the back of her head in shock.“I’ll only say this once, you know, since Belle hasn’t had the extreme misfortune of getting to know you,” Ginny winked at him from over her shoulder.“Ron’s the best friend you’ll ever have,” Harry chimed in. “He’s saved my life so many times I can’t even count anymore.”“Yeah, yeah, all right, thanks,” Ron said, waving away their praise. “Luckily we’re here and I’ll be spared you trying to make me feel better.”They had indeed reached a door where, from behind it, Belle could hear music and cheerful voices. She started to feel very nervous.Ginny whispered to her, “It’ll all be fine. Just follow our lead. You can always pretend like you’re tired. Or you can pretend like you’re thinking about some book.”Belle nodded, feeling full of trepidation.Harry sighed. “Let’s not stay too long anyway,” he muttered. “I only agreed to come so I had an excuse to come see you.”Ginny smiled. “Sure,” she said. “Probably for the best.”Harry opened the door and led the way into the room. It was full of people, but somehow an extremely fat man appeared out of nowhere from the crowd and yelled, “Harry! M’boy! Good to see you.” He took Harry’s hand and shook it vigorously. He spotted Ginny, “And Miss Weasley! Miss Granger” He gave Ginny and Belle a small bow. “I missed you and Miss Granger in class today. Where were you?”“Apologies, Professor Slughorn,” Ginny said. “We had last-minute business with the headmistress.”“Oh yes, I did receive her note,” said the large man called Professor Slughorn. “Now that you mention it, I do recall.”He hadn’t acknowledged Ron at all, who shifted on his feet looking put out. “Ah! And young Ralph,” Slughorn said. “It’s good of you to come as well.”Ron’s ears had deepened to a dark shade of red. “Erm, Professor,” Harry said. “It’s Ron.”“Ah yes, Ron,” Professor Slughorn corrected. “Apologies, I’m getting old you know. Come! Have a drink!” He grabbed onto Harry’s arm with a vice-like grip and pulled him across the room.“Some things never change,” Ginny said to Belle. “Professor Slughorn wants to show off to everyone that he knows Harry.”Indeed, they’d hardly made it a few feet before Slughorn had introduced Harry to someone along with the others. “These three,” he kept saying to people gesturing at Ron, Harry, and Belle, “Saved the world from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.”Belle found that in this group setting she didn’t need to say much. No one seemed to expect it from her and, for that, she was grateful. Faces started to blur together until suddenly she found herself alone in a room full of people.Startled, she looked around for Ginny and the others. She spotted a flash of red hair, but it was only Ron talking to someone he seemed to know. Ginny and Harry were nowhere in sight.“Looking for your friends?” asked a snide voice from her side.Belle jumped and turned to find Draco Malfoy, the man she’d met earlier today. Her heart sped up. He looked handsome in his dark green and silver dress robes. They looked as if they’d been tailor-made for him, accentuating his body in just the right way.Belle nodded, scared to speak and give herself away.“That Weasley girl and Potter snuck off somewhere to undoubtedly ‘catch-up,’” he said putting emphasis on the last term to make it clear he most certainly did not think they were talking. “And it looks like you see Weasley, but for some reason you’re not hanging around him. Why is that?”Belle shrugged. Again, not wanting to speak and praying that someone rescued her.“I’ve been watching you all night,” Draco continued. “I thought there was something off about you this morning and you’re still acting strange. What is it?”Suddenly, Ron appeared at her side. “Malfoy,” he said. “Why are you here?”“Didn’t your girlfriend mention that I’ve taken up a teaching post here?” Draco said with a sneer.Ron looked at Belle. “No, she did not,” Ron admitted grudgingly. “You’re not important enough to come up in our communications.”“Interesting,” Draco mused. “Or she didn’t want to tell you.”“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ron asked, annoyed.“Tut-tut, I won’t say if she won’t say,” Draco teased.“Shove off, Malfoy,” Ron said. “Let’s go, Hermione.”He took her hand and pulled her away. Belle risked a glance over her shoulder at Draco who watched her walk away, a thoughtful expression on his face.“Why were you talking to him?” Ron demanded once they’d gotten out of earshot.Belle did not like the hostility in his tone. “Why shouldn’t I? I found myself alone and he came to talk to me,” she said.“You need to be careful around him,” Ron said. “He’s sneaky and would likely send word back to his family so they can exploit this information.”“Who’s sneaky?” Harry asked, coming up to them with Ginny in tow.“Malfoy,” Ron said. “He here.”“Really?” Harry asked, looking around. “Wonder why.”“Apparently, he’s teaching here and these two failed to mention it,” Ron gritted out.“Did I? Oops,” said Ginny. “I assumed Hermione mentioned it to you.”“She did not,” Ron said bitterly.“Maybe Hermione assumed that Ginny told the both of you. And in that way, they both assumed incorrectly,” said Belle reasonably. “In any case, why would it be so dangerous for me to talk to him?” She eyed Ron, taking in his hostile pose. “Like I said to Ron, he approached me. And for the record, I didn’t say anything.”This was the most Ron and Harry had heard Belle talk so much. “Her voice is different somehow,” Harry mused.“Probably for the best you don’t say too much,” Ron said.Belle didn’t like the sound of that. Not being able to talk? To voice her opinions? What kind of life was that?Belle turned to Ginny. “I know I’m already asking a lot of you,” Belle said. “But maybe you can help me learn how to speak more normally so I fit in better.”Ginny squeezed Belle’s hand. “Of course,” she said, releasing it.
“I think Malfoy has changed,” Harry mused. “I wouldn’t trust him completely; he helped us in the end. And his mother did save my life.”“A basilik fang never loses its venom,” Ron said darkly. “Just because he’s done some good things, doesn’t mean we should forget all the awful things he did before.”“We all changed in the war,” Ginny said. “This current situation we’re in,” she gestured towards Belle, “has made me acutely aware of that.”They all fall silent, the others looking at Belle with mingled sadness and confusion. She shifted uncomfortably. She knew they missed their friend and likely felt lost without her.“Let’s eat,” Harry said suddenly. “That’s why we came to find you. I’m starving.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The Beast refused to eat dinner with Hermione, so she had a quiet dinner and went to bed early.She discovered that she was really tired after a long day of finding herself in a new place and trying to survive in it.She changed into the nightgown that Madame De Garderobe had given her and she fell into bed.She lay awake for a while thinking about all she’d seen and heard.She wondered how Belle was doing. This woman she didn’t know but had utterly disrupted the life of. Hermione fell asleep thinking of Belle.As Hermione thoughts turned into dreams, she found herself in Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix Lestrange used both magical and physical pain as her instruments of torture.That dream, this nightmare, haunted Hermione. Sometimes, in her dream, Bellatrix broke her and killed everyone: Harry, Ron, Luna, Dean, and Mr. Ollivander. Sometimes, in her dream, Draco Malfoy helped his aunt, leering at Hermione. Other times, Malfoy tried to save her.But this time, something different happened. Bellatrix transformed into someone Hermione didn’t recognize. A blonde, beautiful woman with flowing blue robes. The room was no longer Malfoy Manor. It had become a silvery yet cozy circular sitting room.There was no knife. No torture. Only peace and contentment.“She’s waiting for you,” the woman said, gesturing to an open door that had only just appeared when Hermione looked. All Hermione could see through the door was a glowing blue sky and an open field.Hermione didn’t move. “Who are you?” she asked.“All will be revealed in time,” the woman said. “It is for you to discover.”Hermione glanced at the door and back at the woman. But she was gone.With no other option, Hermione crossed the threshold through the open door and found herself in an expansive meadow on top of a hill that overlooked plains of grass. It was beautiful and serene.A gasp behind Hermione made her turn around. Hermione gasped in turn.It was as if she was looking at her own reflection, but with some minor changes.A woman stood in front of Hermione wearing a blue dress with a white apron. Her hair was smooth and pulled back into a neat ponytail, tied back by a blue ribbon. She carried herself with a certain elegance that Hermione had never been able to pull off. Yet almost everything else was the same as what Hermione saw when she looked at herself every day.“It’s you,” Hermione whispered. “Belle.”“Yes,” Belle said. “And you must be Hermione.”Hermione had so many things she wanted to say to Belle and but started with, “Are you at Hogwarts? Are you okay?”“Yes,” Belle said. “It seems that I’m at Hogwarts.” She paused. “I don’t know if I’m okay. Physically I’m fine, but it’s a lot to take in. Ginny’s been wonderful.”“Oh good,” Hermione said, relieved. “What happ–?”“Why did you do this?” Belle demanded, cutting Hermione off. “Switching our places?”“I couldn’t bear to live in my own life anymore,” Hermione said honestly, thinking Belle deserved the truth. “The reality became too much for me.”“But you have friends who care for you. A boyfriend who loves you. You go to a school of magic, for heaven’s sake,” Belle said. “You have everything. And you wanted to change places with me in my miserable situation?”“Your situation only starts miserable!” Hermione exclaimed. “You then find true love and live happily ever after. But I don’t deserve that ending for myself after taking you out of your own story, so I’m trying to help them with logic and my own skills.”“My story? That’s not the first time I’ve heard this. Ginny said something about you becoming obsessed with fairy tales,” Belle said. “But how am I in a fairy tale? I read about them all the time, but I can’t possibly be in one.”“Perhaps because, for you, the story is still being written,” Hermione said. “And in my time, it became one.”Belle seemed to think about this for a moment. Then asked, “Are you going to reverse this?”“I don’t know how,” Hermione admitted. “I invented the spell on my own and tried it before figuring out if it was reversible.” It was truly reckless of Hermione to do this. Very unlike her. But that’s what she’d done.“Ginny took me to see someone called Professor McGonagall,” Belle said. “A portrait of an old man spoke to us and told us that only you and I could reverse the spell.”“Was he wearing half-moon spectacles?” Hermione asked.“Yes,” Belle said. “You know him, I presume?”“Professor Dumbledore,” Hermione confirmed, her eyes filling with tears. “Of course, he’d know about this kind of magic.”“He called my story the tale of ‘Beauty and the Beast,’” Belle said.“Yes, that’s what we call it,” Hermione said. “Though the reality is different from what I’ve read. I guess that’s how it always is.”“Would you reverse this?” Belle asked. “Even if you knew how?”Hermione was silent for a moment. “Yes,” she said. “I would. If only because I didn’t realize how much my actions would affect others. I didn’t think I’d be potentially ruining someone else’s life.”Belle nodded. “Will you help my father?” Belle asked. “Make sure he’s okay?”“I’ll do my best,” Hermione said. “The Beast isn’t happy with me right now. I told him the truth and he’s furious at me for taking you away.”Belle looked startled. “Really?” she said, surprised that he would care about her being gone one way or another. “We did reach somewhat of an agreement last night after our adventures with the wolves.”“I heard about that,” Hermione said. “Mrs. Potts said she’d reminded the Beast of the dangers outside of the castle.”“Mrs. Potts!” Belle said. “She’s such a dear. I met your boyfriend tonight. And Harry Potter. And someone called Draco Malfoy.”“Oh!” Hermione exclaimed. “I forgot. It was Slughorn’s start of term party, right? How did they respond to you?”“Well, Ron kissed me,” Belle said, still looking startled about it. “Then Ginny explained to them the situation. Draco Malfoy questioned me at the party, but I didn’t respond to him and then Ron got mad at me for talking to him.”Hermione sighed. “Are you pretending to be me?” she asked.“Yes,” Belle said. “I wasn’t given an option. Professor McGonagall said times were too unstable for me to not be you.” Belle looked down. “But it seems I can do magic.”“You can?” Hermione asked, surprised. “That’s amazing! What have you done?”“Everything that Ginny asked me to do,” Belle said and described what she’d done.“Fascinating,” Hermione said. “And you didn’t use any spells to do this?”Belle shook her head, “No,” she confirmed. “I thought about what I wanted to happen and it just…happened.”“I wish I had a library right now,” Hermione said. “I want to read all about this.”“The library at Hogwarts is amazing!” Belle said giddily, recalling the library’s vast tomes and many stacks. “I could live in there.”“Unfortunately, the librarian Madam Pince doesn’t take kindly to that,” Hermione said. “If she catches you asleep, she’ll set her cat on you and that is not a pleasant experience.”“Your cat did not like me,” Belle said. “He knew that it wasn’t you.”“Oh, Crookshanks,” Hermione said fondly. “He’s very skilled at knowing who’s not what they claim to be. Your horse also didn’t like me.”“Philippe!” Belle exclaimed. “He’s a good horse. Very loyal. Could you make sure he’s fed and taken care of?”“Of course,” said Hermione, realizing that she had no idea whether Philippe had a food source or any sort of accommodations. “It’s the least I can do.”“So, if reversing this spell is up to us,” Belle said. “What do we do?”“I don’t know,” Hermione said. “I don’t have access to a library or any means of finding a wand. I also promised to break the enchantment on the Beast and his staff. I hope he’ll warm up to me soon so I can start investigating.”“From what I’ve started to get to know about him,” Belle said. “He has a hard time controlling his temper, but he actually seems to care.”“Hopefully, after a good night’s sleep, he’ll be more cooperative,” Hermione said.“Are there any books you can point me towards to read so I can help?” Belle asked, thinking again about the library.“I’m not sure how much sense it will make to you, but the books on the first row on the top shelf of my bookcase were the ones I’d been using as inspiration for my spellcraft to come here,” Hermione said. “The journal in the top right drawer of my desk has my notes. I bewitched the drawer to only open for me, but hopefully since you’re in my body it’ll open for you.”“Okay,” Belle said. “Will we see each other here every night?”“I hope so,” said Hermione. “That way we can fill each other in and get to know each other. About each other’s lives and worlds.” Hermione looked around. “By the way, do you know where here is?”“Why yes,” Belle said. “This is where I come to escape from my daily worries. It’s my favorite place in the whole world. Not that I’ve seen much of the world besides my village, Paris, and now the Beast’s castle.”“I love Paris!” Hermione said. “Have you seen—­­?” But as Hermione started her question, the world started to fade and Belle disappeared.Everything went black.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It was still dark when Belle woke up. Her thoughts were still on her dream as she took a few moments to get her bearings and remember where she was.She’d first dreamed of her mother. Sometimes she’d dream about their home in Paris and her mother brushing her hair, teaching her etiquette, or just talking to her. These simple dreams brought Belle joy to still have those recollections.In this particular dream, her mother was entertaining some of her friends while her father tinkered away in his workshop. Belle’s mother had all sorts of different friends. Some in high society, some foreign from her native England, or even further abroad.
Belle dreamt of a night when she was about 5 and her mother had been entertaining friends from England.“These are my school friends, Belle darling,” her mother had said. “Come say hi.”Shyly, Belle had approached and given the room a little curtsey.“She’s gotten so big!” one of her mother’s friends had exclaimed.“And beautiful too!” another had commented. “You named her well.”Belle had shyly moved to sit at her mother’s side, who wrapped her arm around her young daughter and kissed her on the forehead.Belle had pulled out a book and read at her mother’s side while she talked with her friends. A phrase had caught Belle’s attention, “Back in our Hogwarts days…” Belle had looked up, startled at those words, but the room had vanished and it was just her and her mother in an indiscernible mist.Her mother had looked older than she had moments ago and Belle was now at her full height, no longer a small girl of 5. Her mother’s curly blonde hair had cascaded down her shoulders over her blue attire.“Mama?” Belle had said wonderingly. “Is that you?”Her mother had only nodded, smiling with love in her eyes and kissed Belle on her forehead, echoing the action she’d done in the previous dream. Then her mother had vanished and Belle was in her favorite meadow outside of her countryside village.Then Belle had seen Hermione and forgotten entirely about her previous dream.Until now. Belle struggled to remember all the details of both dreams.If only I could write it down, she thought. Oh! Hermione mentioned a journal and a desk. I’m sure I can find writing materials.Belle quietly pulled aside the curtain on her four-poster bed, careful not to wake up any of the other girls sleeping in the room. Ginny had told her their names, but Belle couldn’t recall them. Belle spotted a sheet of parchment, quills, and a bottle of ink. Taking her Field Guide to use as a writing surface, Belle jotted down everything she remembered about her dreams.Had her mother truly gone to Hogwarts? Was that a real memory or something induced by her recent experiences?Why had they left Paris? Belle had been about 5 when they left, so the memories were hazy. But something told Belle she should try to remember.Belle’s eyes landed on a book on the desk, the book that had jumped out at her at the library, Witch Hunts of the 18th Century. She picked it up and flipped it open to a random page. Belle’s eyes widened as she read, “In the year 1748, a resurgence of witch hunts came to Paris, more thorough than the previous attempts. An offshoot of remaining North American Scourers had made their way to mainland Europe, equipping and training Muggle witch hunters. These witch hunters had advanced anti-magical equipment and magical detectors, able to reliably track down witches and wizards.”Belle looked up from the book, her eyes wide. Witch hunts. It stirred something in her memory. How when she was young, the house would clean itself. How the knives would chop vegetables as her mother cooked. How the fires would be lit instantaneously.Her mother brewing potions that she would give Belle and her father when they were ill. That she would sell or give to others in need.Things that had seemed normal to Belle growing up in Paris that stopped happening when her mother was gone.Belle’s mother was a witch. Had she gone to Hogwarts then?Could Belle find information about her mother here? Perhaps in that glorious library?Belle looked back down at the book on her lap. Witch hunts. Another memory stirred. Her parents packing up their things in their apartment, talking in rushed, quiet voices. “You take Belle immediately,” her mother had said. “I’m going to cast a spell on her to contain her magic.” She had sighed, looking at Belle. “And modify her memory.”“No!” her father had said. “We’re not leaving you. And you can’t make Belle forget you.”“Of course I won’t make her forget me,” her mother had said. “I’m just going to alter it so she doesn’t remember magic. Until the time is right.”“We’re not leaving you,” her father had said again.“Yes, you are,” her mother had replied. “It’s safer for her if I’m not with you. Just in case. I’ll join you later. I promise.”But then her mother never did join them. After Belle and her father had moved to the village, they waited for her and waited for her. But she never arrived. What had happened? They never knew. Her father kept inventing. He told Belle that she was gone and wouldn’t talk to her about it. Belle began to believe that her mother was dead.Now Belle didn’t know. Witch hunts were brutal and terrible things. Had she been killed? Or was she out there somewhere still?Another mystery.From the bed next to her, a curtain slid open to reveal a messy-haired Ginny. “Morning,” Ginny said, smiling sleepily at Belle whose curtains had remained opened. “How did you sleep?”“I slept well,” Belle said, wondering if she should tell Ginny about her dreams. Belle couldn’t see why not as Ginny was her best ally here. “I had some interesting dreams. I’d like to tell you about them, actually, because I think they’ll help.”“Oh?” Ginny asked. “Let’s go down to breakfast and we can chat on the way.”Belle went over to where Hermione kept her clothes, as Ginny had shown her yesterday. Belle wasn’t sure what to wear. She peeked over at Ginny and saw Ginny pulling on some red robes. Ginny saw her looking and explained quietly, “I have Quidditch practice this morning.” Ginny peered into Belle’s wardrobe. “You don’t have to wear the school uniform today,” Ginny said pointing at the black robes, “as it’s the weekend. Unless you want to. You can wear whatever you want.”Belle found a simple-looking dress and decided to pull that on, feeling shy about changing in front of someone else. She could have gone to the bathroom across the hall but decided it might seem weird if she did as she’d seen all other girls changing in the room the night before. Perhaps after 6 six years of school together, they’d gotten comfortable with each other.“I don’t know how you managed to find the one thing that Hermione never wears,” Ginny laughed under her breath. “I didn’t know Hermione even had any dresses.”“Oh!” Belle whispered back, not wanting to draw attention to herself, “Should I change?”“No, it’s fine,” Ginny said quietly. “If she brought it, maybe she’d planned to start wearing clothes like that. I doubt anyone else will notice. I just know her really well. Let’s go.”As they exited the dorm room and made their way down the stairs, Belle asked Ginny, “You said you have some kind of practice this morning?”“Yes! Quidditch,” Ginny said enthusiastically. “It’s our wizarding sport. I love it. I’m the captain this year and I’ve got to get there early. We’re holding tryouts for the team as we have a couple of vacant spots to fill.”“I see,” Belle said. “Sounds interesting.”“Hermione doesn’t really enjoy flying the way the rest of us do,” Ginny said. “Harry, Ron, and me all play Quidditch, but it’s not really Hermione’s thing.” Ginny patted Belle on the back. “So it’s not really something you need to stress learning about unless you just want to.”Belle nodded, somewhat relieved. She had more pressing things she wanted to learn about.“If you’d like,” Ginny said as they climbed out of the portrait hole. “You can come watch practice. Maybe bring your book and study.”“Maybe I will,” Belle said. “Say, Ginny, is there a way I can look up past students? From several hundred years ago?”Ginny looked startled. “I suppose so,” she said slowly. “Hermione certainly did this a few times over the years. Why do you ask?”Belle told Ginny about both of her dreams and what she recalled and suspected about her mother. Belle’s recounting took them all the way to the Entrance Hall.“Wow,” Ginny said, leading them through the doors to the Great Hall. “That would explain your natural talents with magic. Though I’m still puzzled how you can do nonverbal magic the way you can.”Ginny began to lead them to the table at the far end of the hall but then stopped abruptly. Belle looked at her questioningly and followed Ginny’s gaze to the table at the opposite side of the room from where they stood. The head table, as Ginny referred to it, where the professors all sat. Belle recognized Professor McGonagall sitting in the middle of the table, who stared at both of them and beckoned them to her impatiently.They changed direction and made their way to Professor McGonagall.“Good morning,” she said briskly. Then lowered her voice. “I have filled in Hermione’s professors about the change in…situation.” She looked at Belle. “They have all agreed to assist me in covering for you as you adjust to this new situation. In addition, they have agreed to give you additional lessons outside of class. This is extra work for everyone, but we all agree that helping you fit in here is paramount.”“Thank you, Professor,” Belle said politely. “I don’t wish to be any trouble.”Professor McGonagall’s gaze turned soft. “It’s no trouble, my dear. It’s nothing of your doing. Besides, we all owe much to Hermione. It’s the least we can do.”“I appreciate it,” Belle said. “What do I need to do?”Professor McGonagall handed Belle a sheet of paper. “Here is your revised schedule. It has your classes as well as the times for your additional lessons,” she said. “If anyone asks you about the extra lessons, tell them that you’re doing advanced studies. No one would be surprised by that.”“Okay,” Belle said, looking at the schedule. “Looks like I have two today.”“Yes,” Professor McGonagall said. “It’s the only way to fit everything in, I’m afraid. But you do get Sunday off.”“One is with you,” Belle said. “And the other with a Professor Flitwick.”“Indeed,” Professor McGonagall said. “I will meet you in the entrance hall after breakfast and we can get started.”“Okay, sounds good,” Belle replied.“Miss Weasley,” Professor McGonagall said. Ginny straightened. “Do make sure you find suitable replacements for our team this year. As headmistress, I cannot show favorites, but it would be a shame if Gryffindor didn’t have a fighting chance.”“I won’t let you down, Professor,” Ginny said, grinning.“Good,” said Professor McGonagall. She waved her hand at them in dismissal and the two made their way to the Gryffindor table for breakfast.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hermione could get used to having breakfast in bed. Once again, Mrs. Potts came in with a delicious breakfast tray. Hermione luxuriated in the experience.
But quickly, once she’d finished her food, Hermione realized she didn’t know what to do.She always had things to do. At school she had homework to do, essays to write, exams to study for, and, of course, reading. Hermione hadn’t found a book so far in all her explorations around the castle. What she wouldn’t give to read something. To learn about her predicament. Hermione supposed books weren’t as common in this time period.The Beast still wasn’t talking to her. But at least he hadn’t kicked her out yet, Hermione supposed.Hermione decided to wander around and see what she could discover.After chit-chatting with Madame DeGarderobe and donning a green dress, Hermione heads out of her room and begins to aimlessly wander.Hermione retraced her footsteps and found herself back in the grand entryway to the castle. She stood in the center and looked around for a few moments, trying to determine where she hadn’t been yet. She noticed a flight of stairs leading up to the left that she felt certain she hadn’t seen before. Hermione took off in that direction.As she reached the top of the stairs, she beheld a hallway to her left completely smashed apart. Portraits ripped. Statues destroyed. Rugs and curtains torn to shreds. At the end of the hallway, was a set of double doors with a large golden doorknob. She couldn’t make out the precise shape of the giant doorknob from her position.Tearing her eyes away from the destruction, Hermione looked to her right and saw a door and a beautiful painting of flowers that had been left untouched. Hermione wondered why this area had escaped destruction.Feeling an overwhelming sense of curiosity, Hermione turned the handle on the door. To her slight surprise, it opened and she entered to find a beautifully decorated room. The decor reminded her of the room that she stayed in, tastefully designed yet also grandiose. Overall, Hermione felt a sense of feminine energy as she peered into the room.Hermione took a step forward into the room but then felt a malevolent presence behind her and spun around. The Beast stood behind her baring his teeth. Hermione stood her ground, though inwardly her heart picked up speed.“What. Are. You. Doing. Here?” the Beast said through gritted teeth, hardly getting the words out.“I was exploring,” Hermione said. “Lumiere and Cogsworth showed me around yesterday, but I realized I hadn’t come here before.”“Because I forbade you to come here,” the Beast said angrily. “I let you go where you please except for the West Wing. And again, you broke my rule.”“I never broke your rule,” Hermione reminded him. “And I didn’t know this was the West Wing.”“YOU–?!” the Beast said furiously. Perhaps he’d forgotten for a moment that Hermione wasn’t Belle. “GET OUT OF HERE!!” he roared.Hermione didn’t need telling twice. She scurried past the Beast and made her way back to the entry hall. She went into the parlor she’d been to before and collapsed in an armchair, breathing deep. Hermione didn’t consider leaving the castle. Where would she go? She needed to figure out her situation.Mrs. Potts appeared on her cart, which was laden with some small cakes, a bowl of sugar, and two teacups. “Everything okay, dearie?” Mrs. Potts asked.“No,” Hermione said. “I went exploring this morning and apparently went to the West Wing without realizing it. Your master was furious and yelled at me to leave.”“Tut, tut,” Mrs. Potts said. “He really does need to learn to control his temper.” She poured some steaming tea into a teacup. The other teacup jumped onto Hermione’s lap. “Chip!” Mrs. Potts cried. “Be polite.”“I am!” Chip retorted to his mother. “She look like she needed a hug.” He turned to look up at Hermione. “I’m sorry I can’t actually hug you.” He nuzzled against her hand.“It’s all right,” Hermione said, touched. “I appreciate the thought.”Mrs. Potts smiled at them and sent the teacup full of tea to slowly float towards Hermione, who caught the full teacup. She wrapped her hands around the cup, the warmth comforting her.“Could you tell me about this place?” Hermione asked. “We’re in a castle. Does that mean that your master is royal?”Mrs. Potts studied Hermione. “I suppose since you know about the enchantment, I can tell you. It seems that nothing is stopping me like it did before.” Mrs. Potts looked out towards the door in the direction of where Hermione had come from. “The master is a prince. His father was also a prince before him. They’re distantly related to the king of France and their family has had this territory for centuries.”“How large is the territory?” Hermione asked out of curiosity.“It’s mostly agricultural land,” Cogsworth said, appearing from the doorway, followed by Lumiere. “Rich and fertile. A prize worth holding onto, the master’s father always said.”“It is boring,” Lumiere complained. “But it is home. Zere is only one small village. Everything else is scattered farms and estates.”“Farms that yield bountiful produce. Healthy animals that feed us and provide excellent trade opportunities,” Cogworth commented.“We used to have such parties and gatherings here!” Lumiere said. “We were at ze center of everything.”“What happened?” Hermione asked.“She came and cursed us,” Lumiere said.“The enchantress?” Hermione confirmed.“Oui,” Lumiere said. “She came one night disguised as an elderly woman.”“The master was repulsed by haggard appearance,” Cogsworth said primly. “She was rather dirty and got mud all over the floor,” he added.“The master wouldn’t let her in,” Mrs. Potts said sadly. “We would have taken care of her and he wouldn’t have had to see her. Unfortunately, he answered the door.”“Then she turned into a beautiful enchantress!” Lumiere exclaimed. “She proclaimed that as he ’ad ‘no love in his heart’ and until he could love and be loved in return, he would be stuck as a beast.”“She had warned him not to be deceived by appearances,” Mrs. Potts commented. “So he must find love that can look past his appearance.”Hermione nodded. That fit alongside her understanding of the tale’s moral and lesson. The details she just heard helped deepen her awareness of this particular variation of the story she found herself in.“I appreciate you telling me this,” Hermione said. “Anything you can tell me would help me break this curse.” She sighed. “I just wish your master would talk to me.”“Don’t you worry about that,” Mrs. Potts said. “He’ll come around.”“I’m not so sure…” Cogsworth said. “He’s very stubborn.”“We’ll make him see sense!” Lumiere said. “We have to.”“Well, we can’t do any cursebreaking on an empty stomach,” Mrs. Potts proclaimed. “Lunch will be served in an hour!” She looked over at Cogsworth and Lumiere. “Make sure the master comes. Come along, Chip.”Chip looked up at Hermione from his spot on her knee and said, “Bye!” He hopped back onto the cart, which wheeled him and his mother briskly away and out of the room.“I must inform the master,” Cogsworth said.
“I’ll go with you,” Lumiere said. “We must make sure he actually comes to lunch.”“And you think I’m not up to the task?” Cogsworth demanded.“I think you might not be able persuade him the way I can,” Lumiere said.“Oh very well,” Cogsworth admitted. “Let’s go.”Hermione was left alone once again. With nothing to do but wait.She found this waiting extremely uncomfortable. She was left alone to her thoughts, which she desperately wanted to avoid. She didn’t want to think about Ron’s reaction that she’d left the world entirely. She didn’t want to think about how many people she’d inconvenienced with her antics.Instead of thinking about those things, she thought about the dream she’d had the night before. What Belle had told her about being able to do magic. What did that mean? She’d heard of wizards who didn’t need wands to do magic. But Belle had used Hermione’s wand to cast spells. Did more primitive wizards and witches have the ability to cast without using spells?Hermione had come across a book from Professor Dumbledore’s collection that mentioned several students who’d come to Hogwarts in their fifth years and possessed the ability to see ancient magic. Could Belle possibly have this ability?As far as Hermione understood from what she’d read, those students still needed to learn spells to do magic. They’d had prodigious ability and had been able to learn fast, but they still had to perform normal magic using spells. They could harness the ancient magic to do wonderous things, but it didn’t sound like that was what Belle was doing. Belle was doing normal magic without spells. How was that possible?Hermione wished she had access to a library. Or could talk to someone that might know. Perhaps if she truly could not get the Beast to cooperate, she’d have to leave. And go where? To Hogwarts? That would be extremely far and hard to get to given that she had no means to travel. For one thing, she had no money. For another, she didn’t know how things operated in this time period.Besides, she didn’t really know exactly where Hogwarts was. Of course, she knew it was in Scotland, but she’d always taken the train to Hogwarts. It was unplottable on any maps. Trains hadn’t been invented yet, so students must still be finding their own way to Hogwarts as they did before the Hogwarts Express became the way to get to Hogwarts.There’s always Beauxbatons, Hermione mused. But again, I don’t know how to get there. And I’m facing the same logistical issues.No, Hermione’s best bet was to get the Beast to cooperate. She could do this. She’d remind him that his options were limited and he didn’t have much time if she had to.It had to work.There wasn’t another option.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The dining hall had been fairly empty when Belle and Ginny first entered, but by the time they’d started their breakfast, it had started to fill up.“It’s busy this morning,” Ginny commented.Belle nodded. “Not that I have a normal frame of reference, but it does seem that way.”“You’re sounding a bit better,” Ginny observed, referring to Belle’s accent. “You have a good ear for languages.”Belle ducked her head. “Thank you,” she said. “My mother was an Englishwoman. It’s starting to come back to me.”“Sounds like your mother was an amazing woman,” Ginny said. “I’d love to know if she really did go to Hogwarts.”“Me too,” Belle sighed.Belle looked up and noticed that Draco Malfoy had stopped behind Ginny. He was facing the head table where the professors sat as if he were walking in that direction, but he had stopped. He wore a puzzled expression on his face, which went away almost immediately as he caught Belle’s eye. He looked at her with a blazing intensity that made Belle feel as if she were being X-rayed. She looked away, unable to maintain his gaze. He shrugged and kept walking.“Great conditions for Quidditch, eh?” said another student in red robes that matched Ginny’s as he sat down beside her.“It’s ideal,” Ginny agreed as a few more red-clad students joined them.Under the pretext of reaching for the jam by Belle’s hand, Ginny leaned forward and whispered in Belle’s ear, “More members of the team.”Belle nodded. Her eyes went back to follow Draco Malfoy who was taking a seat next to the jovial Professor Slughorn. He met her gaze and raised an eyebrow. Belle blushed and looked away.Belle didn’t pay much attention to the conversation about Quidditch. She played with her food, thinking about her situation. At the start of a new day, she felt somewhat excited about the possibilities. She still, of course, worried about her father, but she’d never had so many opportunities before. So many books available to her. The ability to learn magic.A cacophonous sound brought Belle out of her reverie. Above her head she heard the flapping of wings, which seemed to get louder and louder. The sound of hooting joined the sound of the wings. She looked up and, to her amazement, she saw a huge swarm of owls flying above her head. Her mouth fell open. Then she felt a sharp pain on her shin, which brought her attention back to the table. Ginny was staring at her. Ginny must have kicked Belle. Ginny mouthed, “Don’t look surprised.” Or at least that’s what Belle thought she said. Belle nodded and shook herself a little.No one around her seemed to notice Belle’s surprise. Unbidden, her eyes darted toward Draco Malfoy at the high table. He was looking at her with narrowed eyes. Belle looked away again. She wondered if he was going to cause trouble.An owl landed in front of Belle with a rolled-up paper in its beak. The owl extended its leg to Belle. She noticed a small leather bag hanging from its leg. Belle was bewildered and not sure what to do.“Did you forget your money pouch today, Hermione?” Ginny asked. “Here, I’ll spot you.” Ginny pulled a brown coin from her bag and put it in the proffered leather bag that the owl had initially extended to Belle. The owl dropped the paper on the table and flew off.“Thank you,” Belle said and picked up the paper. She was curious about the paper and also it felt like the normal thing to do. The other students around them had been watching the exchange, but after Belle opened the paper they went back to their conversation about Quidditch.The heading on the paper said The Daily Prophet. Belle hadn’t seen a newspaper since they lived in Paris. Her small village certainly didn’t get newspapers. After scanning the contents, Belle supposed this was one for the wizarding world. Belle spent the rest of breakfast consumed by the newspaper. The moving pictures mesmerized her. She didn’t understand at all what was going on in stories, but she enjoyed looking at them anyway.Someone cleared their throat behind Belle. “Ahem, are you ready for your lesson, Miss Granger?” Belle startled and looked around. Professor McGonagall was standing behind her.“Ah yes!” Belle said, standing up quickly. “Sorry about that, Professor.”“I found the Prophet rather dull today,” Professor McGonagall said, “But I’m glad you enjoyed it.”Belle nodded and followed after Professor McGonagall. They strode through the Great Hall and out through the Entrance Hall. Almost immediately, Belle felt lost as they went down corridor after corridor until they entered into a familiar passageway. As they stopped in front of the stone gargoyle, Belle realized they were going to Professor McGonagall’s office.Professor McGonagall said to the gargoyle, “Pride of Portree.” The gargoyle leapt aside and revealed the spiral staircase. Belle followed the professor as they ascended the stairs into the now familiar circular office.“Today’s lesson,” Professor McGonagall said as she strode to the back of the office. “Is going to be different than the ones you’ll likely have with the other professors. I’ve decided that it would be best to catch you up on the past seven years by taking you down memory lane.”“What does that mean, professor?” Belle asked.“You’ll see,” Professor McGonagall said. “It’s hard to explain. It’s best to experience it firsthand.”The professor had opened a cabinet and pulled out a large stone basin. She then took it to her desk and withdrew her wand. She placed her wand at her temple and, using her wand, began pulling strands of silvery-looking vapor from her head. The silver substance clung to the wand as Professor McGonagall deposited it into the basin. The contents of the basin began to swirl with each new addition.“Has Miss Weasley told you about the war?” Professor McGonagall asked.Belle shook her head. “No, she hasn’t,” Belle said. “I’ve only heard about it in passing.”Professor McGonagall nodded. “I thought as much,” she said. “It’s not easy to talk about.”Professor McGonagall finished placing the silver substance into the basin. She gave it a little shake. “There was a dark wizard named…Voldemort,” she shuddered as she said the name. “Forgive me, I still have a hard time saying his name. Most people referred to him as You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. His followers would call him the Dark Lord. The fact that folks feared uttering his name increased the overall fear of the man. Most forgot that he was a man.“He rose to power almost 15 years ago and wreaked havoc over our world. His reign of terror was temporarily ended when he tried to kill Harry Potter and the spell backfired. It didn’t kill him but forced him to leave his body.”“He tried to kill Harry?” Belle asked, astounded. “I met Harry last night.”“Ah, yes, that’s right,” Professor McGonagall said. “I saw you all at the party. Excellent job blending in.”Belle didn’t remember seeing the professor there, but it had been very crowded.“Thank you,” Belle said, not sure what else to say.“Yes, he tried to kill Harry,” Professor McGonagall said. “There was a prophecy made where he believed that Harry would be the one to defeat him. But he missed part of the prophecy and didn’t realize that through his actions he would give Harry the ability to defeat him.”“What does that mean?” Belle asked.“When He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named tried to kill Harry, he transferred some…abilities to Harry,” Professor McGonagall said. “Such as the ability to speak to snakes and other things that you’ll learn about as we go into my memories.”“Your memories, Professor?” Belle inquired.“Yes, that’s what you saw me pull out of my head,” Professor McGonagall said. “This here is a Pensieve. It allows one to place their memories and revisit them at will. It can be very helpful when your head gets too full of thoughts and you need to sift through them.”Belle didn’t quite understand, but she’d gotten used to not understanding things.“I’m going to show you several memories today,” Professor McGonagall said. “First, I’ll show you my earliest memories of Hermione Granger. I’ll show you certain memories of her over the years and how she’s grown. Finally, I’ll show you a more recent memory of Harry, Ron, and Hermione telling me about what they got up to during the war.”“Will you show me the war, Professor?” Belle asked apprehensively, her curiosity getting the better of her.“No, not today,” Professor McGonagall said. “It’s not pretty and I don’t want to taint you so early.”Belle nodded, feeling relieved. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever be ready to see a war.“Unless you have any other questions, let us dive into the memories,” Professor McGonagall said. She waved her wand over the basin. “Take a look into the Pensieve.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hermione went to lunch, hopeful that Lumiere and Cogsworth had been able to convince the Beast to come and eat with her. She was sadly disappointed, however, when the two came in with their heads hung dejectedly and reported that the master would not be eating lunch with her today.Feeling a sinking sensation in her stomach, Hermione forced down her food and smiled at Mrs. Potts, complimenting her on the food. Even though she’d tasted nothing.What was she going to do?Hermione felt stir-crazy. She needed to DO something. Hermione remembered her promise to Belle that she would look after Belle’s horse. What was the name? Phil…? Phillippe!“Lumiere?” Hermione asked. “What happened to Belle’s horse?” She had, of course, seen him yesterday, but that hadn’t gone well. Hermione wanted to know where they kept Phillippe so she could find him again.Lumiere looked at Hermione in slight surprise as if he’d forgotten that Hermione wasn’t Belle.“Ah, we made sure he had a place in ze stables,” Lumiere said.“The staff there will be taking good care of him,” Cogsworth added, proudly. “Our stablekeeps are some of the best.”“Can I go see them?” Hermione asked.“Why, yes, of course!” Lumiere said. “Would you like me to escort you?”“No, that’s okay,” Hermione said. “Just give me directions and I’ll find it.”Lumiere told Hermione how to find the stables and she set off. Before she exited the castle, the coatrack by the front door handed her a cloak that matched her dress. Hermione was touched by the thoughtfulness and glad for the warmth when she stepped outside and felt the brisk air on her face.It was good to be outside. She hadn’t been outside except for that brief exit where she saw Philippe that first time. This time, she went out the front door and felt freer somehow. Before, she felt like she’d been sneaking around somehow. Even though the Beast still didn’t approve of her, she’d at least gotten the go-ahead from the servants and somehow that felt better.The sun shone on Hermione’s face, warming her. The cold bitter air made her feel alert and alive. She felt as if she had a purpose again. Even if it were a simple one.Hermione walked alongside the castle until she found what was undoubtedly the stables. Philippe was not inside, she saw him a ways away grazing. He pointedly ignored her.Hermione decided she’d like to see what was in the stables, out of curiosity. The smell of the stables brought back memories from her childhood, visiting her grandfather in the countryside and helping him take care of the horses.As she stepped inside, she saw a rake moving of its own accord, raking the hay while a shovel scooped up the horse dung that had been left behind. A set of brushes bounced around the stalls playfully. Hermione assumed this must be the stable staff.“Hello,” she said, wondering if any of them could talk.All the objects stopped moving and seemed to turn towards her. The rake hopped towards her.“Hello, mademoiselle,” the rake said politely. “What brings you to our stables?” The directness of his question made Hermione think he wasn’t used to interacting with others too much.“I wanted to check on Philippe and see how he was doing,” Hermione said. “I didn’t know there was such a capable staff out here working.”“Thank you, mademoiselle,” the rake said. “It is our pleasure to finally have a horse again to take care of. I assume that’s who you meant when you said, Philippe. We’re glad to know his name now. Anyway, rest assured that Philippe is doing quite well.”“I’m glad to hear it,” Hermione said. She spotted a basket of apples. “Do you mind if I take one of these?”“By all means! Help yourself,” the rake said. “It’s hard for us to directly feed them to Philippe, so we’d be happy if you took them to him.”“Thank you very much,” Hermione said, taking the basket. She got the sense that the stable staff preferred the company of horses to people and didn’t want to bother them too much with conversation.Hermione made her way over to Philippe, who lifted his head as Hermione approached, his large brown eyes studying her with a mix of curiosity and wariness. She held out an apple towards him, a peace offering in her palm. The horse snorted softly, tossing his mane as if contemplating her gesture."It's okay, Philippe," Hermione said soothingly, taking a step closer. "I'm a friend. I know I’m not Belle, but I promised her I would take care of you and make sure you’re okay."Philippe stomped his hoof on the ground, clearly unconvinced. He took a cautious step back, eyeing Hermione with a mix of uncertainty and longing. Hermione could tell that the horse missed Belle, the familiarity and trust they shared evident in his demeanor.Hermione decided to sit down on a nearby bench, giving Philippe some space to relax. She began talking softly to him, sharing stories about her times riding horses with her grandfather. It helped Hermione feel more at ease with Philippe and seemed to soothe Philippe, who listened intently, his ears flicking back and forth as if trying to understand her.It truly was a beautiful day. Hermione’s worries seemed further away with the sun on her skin and the crisp breeze brushing her hair. She sat for a while listening to the sounds of the water coming from the nearby fountain and the wind blowing the tree branches. Music drifted through the breeze and Hermione turned her head to try to find the source. It seemed to be coming from the castle.The music sounded like an organ, reminding Hermione of church music. Her curiosity roused, Hermione decided to investigate the source of the music.

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Belle stood over the desk and looked down into the basin. She thought she could make out what looked like a living room. “Good,” Professor McGonagall said. “Now get closer, so close that your nose almost touches the contents of the basin.”Belle did as instructed. As she got closer, the image below her solidified more clearly. She had been right about it being a living room. She lowered herself an inch or so more to see if she could make out more details. Her nose touched the contents of the basin.Immediately, Belle felt herself being pulled into the depths of the basin. She felt a swooping sensation inside her stomach and felt as if she were diving through the mist. The gray mist swirled and churned around her until it cleared away to reveal the living room she had been looking at from above.Belle saw three occupants in the room: two adults with a small child between them as they nervously sat on a couch. They seemed to be waiting for something. Immediately, Belle recognized the child as a young Hermione. The other two adults Belle supposed were Hermione’s parents. Hermione resembled them. The man was tall with brown hair the exact same shade as Hermione’s and wore glasses. The woman had big bushy sandy-blonde hair and an open, friendly face. The whole family all had a hunched sort of posture as if they spent a lot of time reading.The occupants of the living room didn’t seem to notice Belle at all. Nervousness and anticipation permeated the room. She began to feel a little nervous herself and wondered what they were waiting for. A bell sound rang throughout the house, which startled Belle, but it looked as if the occupants had been waiting for it. The man got up and exited the room. The woman put her arm around the young Hermione and hugged her.The man returned to the room with a person that Belle immediately recognized. Professor McGonagall! Hermione and her mother got up to greet Professor McGonagall.“This is when I first met Hermione,” Professor McGonagall said from beside Belle.Belle started. There was a slightly younger-looking Professor McGonagall in the room, engaging in small talk with the family, and the present-day Professor McGonagall standing beside Belle. Again, it occurred to Belle that no one in the room seemed to notice Belle or, apparently, the current Professor McGonagall. It was as if they were invisible.“They don’t see us?” Belle asked.“No,” Professor McGonagall replied. “This is a memory, which we’re able to relive through the power of the Pensieve.”Belle nodded, not quite understanding but accepting this as something magical beyond her ken. She commented. “You look good, Professor. I can hardly tell the difference between your past and present self.”Professor McGonagall looked surprised and chuckled slightly. “Thank you,” she said.Professor McGonagall told Belle, “Hermione came from what we call a Muggle family, which means non-magical. No one in her family, that she knows of, can do magic. Customarily, we send out Hogwarts letters to all students informing them that they have been accepted to Hogwarts. However, with situations like Hermione’s where neither the student nor the family has any idea about magic, we send a staff member to visit and explain.”Belle watched as Professor McGonagall explained the magical world and that Hermione had a place at a wizarding school called Hogwarts. During the explanation, young Hermione’s mouth fell open in awe at Professor McGonagall’s words.Once again, Belle was amazed at the resemblance between her and Hermione. Belle could recall looking at this very reflection in mirrors when she was younger. The hair was different and this younger Hermione had elongated front teeth, which Belle noted she no longer seemed to have as she ran her tongue along the present Hermione’s teeth.Professor McGonagall did a quick magical demonstration by turning a pillow into a cat and then back again.“This is a lot to take in,” Hermione’s father said. “It’s almost unbelievable, but I just saw you perform magic.”“It explains the unexplainable occurrences that have happened with Hermione over the years,” her mother commented thoughtfully.“Indeed,” Professor McGonagall said. “Children don’t know how to control their magic and oftentimes it expresses itself when emotions are high.”Her family nodded, seeming to all have a recollection come to mind.“This is why it’s important for Hermione to come to Hogwarts,” she continued. “So she can learn to control her powers.”“I don’t know…” her father said. “We already have her enrolled in school.”“One she worked really hard to get into,” her mother said.“It’s ultimately your family’s decision,” Professor McGonagall said in her matter-of-fact tone. “But if she’s not able to control her powers, our magical government, the Ministry of Magic, might have to get involved if she risks violating the Statute of Secrecy, which requires hiding the wizarding world from the non-magical community.”They all looked at Hermione, who seemed to be deep in thought.“Take your time to decide,” Professor McGonagall said. “It’s a big decision.”“I want to go,” Hermione said. “I’ve had these powers that I’ve been trying to hide. That made me feel like something was wrong with me. I want to learn everything there is to know about magic.”Her parents looked worried but seemed to accept Hermione’s decision.“Here,” Professor McGonagall said. “This is your Hogwarts letter that explains everything you need before starting school and where to catch the train to Hogwarts. You can buy all of your magical supplies in London at Diagon Alley. I am happy to accompany you to make sure you know how to get there.”“That would be most welcome, thank you,” Hermione’s mother said, smiling at Professor McGonagall. “We’d be surely lost.”They made the arrangements of when to meet Professor McGonagall in London.“I’ll also explain how to access the private train platform for the Hogwarts Express,” Professor McGonagall said. “It’s fairly simple once you understand how.”The mist began to swirl again and the living room disappeared. The mist swirled around Belle and the current Professor McGonagall for some time until it dissipated to reveal a classroom.Belle saw Professor McGonagall standing at the front of the room and a lot of young-looking students nervously taking seats. Belle looked around and immediately saw what must have been a young Hermione sitting eagerly at one of the desks. She had a textbook in front of her, paper on the desk, and pen at the ready. The other students were still choosing their seats and settling in.
The professor at the front of the room called attention to the room.“Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts,” she said. “Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned.”To Belle’s ­­— and the rest of the class’s — astonishment, the Professor McGonagall at the front turned her desk into a pig and back again. Belle smiled as she saw all the students sit up straighter. Then the Professor McGonagall at the front began instructing students about the complexities of Transfiguration, which made Belle’s head spin, and then gave all the students matches to try turning into needles.As the past Professor McGonagall began to walk around the room instructing students, the current Professor McGonagall explained, “If you haven’t gathered by now, I used to teach Transfiguration before I became headmistress. At the time, I was deputy headmistress. This was my first class with Hermione.”“I see, Professor,” Belle said. She watched as the past Professor McGonagall stopped by two boys ­— one black-haired and the other red. “Is that Harry and Ron, Professor?”“Indeed,” Professor McGonagall said.“They’re so small,” Belle murmured. “And cute.”“This is a precious age,” Professor McGonagall said with a note of fondness in her voice. “They’re very young and learning to be away from their families for the first time. I’ve always been very strict with them because they need structure. Otherwise, they go mad.”Belle turned her attention back to Hermione. It seemed she was the only one in the class who had managed to make a difference in her match.The past Professor McGonagall picked up Hermione’s match and showed it to the class, demonstrating how it had gone all silver and pointy. She smiled at Hermione, which Belle had known enough of Professor McGonagall by now to realize that was a rare occurrence.The silvery mist swirled around them again and absorbed the classroom. The mist revealed a familiar room, the headmistress’ office.Belle immediately realized that time had passed. They were in the headmistress’s office and Professor McGonagall sat at her desk with three grown familiar faces in front of her. Belle recognized Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They all looked tired and the worse for wear but satisfied about something.“Please explain to me what you’ve been doing this past year,” Professor McGonagall said. “Surely, you can talk about it now.”Ron and Hermione looked at Harry, clearly waiting for him to make the decision.“Yes, I suppose so, Professor,” Harry said. “We were searching for and destroying Voldemort’s Horcruxes.”Harry then went into an explanation about what Horcruxes are and how someone called Professor Dumbledore — Belle knew she’d heard that name before but couldn’t remember where — had discovered that someone called Tom Riddle had made Horcruxes from valuable or sentimental objects before rising to power. Harry told Professor McGonagall about their journey to find and destroy Horcruxes along with the challenges they faced. He explained, with some emotion, that Voldemort had inadvertently made him a Horcrux.At that, Professor McGonagall, “So you knowingly sacrificed yourself? Oh, Harry…”Harry explained that once he’d been killed by Voldemort, the only Horcrux left was a snake called Nagini, who Neville killed. He’d managed to live because of his mother’s protection and because Voldemort had taken Harry’s blood along with his intention to die to save everyone else.“That’s quite a story, Potter,” Professor McGonagall said. “It explains a lot of what’s been happening over the years. Thank you for telling me.”The mist swirled around them again and Belle found herself again in the headmistress’s office, but this time in the present.“That last memory,” Belle said. “I have so many questions.”“Ask away,” Professor McGonagall said, sitting down at her desk and gesturing for Belle to sit down as well.Belle asked clarifying questions about the people and details involved. She was reminded that Professor Dumbledore was the man in the portrait who talked to them yesterday. She learned that Tom Riddle was the name of the dark wizard who became Voldemort. She was sure that she’d missed important details and nuances, but she had a better understanding of what had recently happened.“You pick things up quickly,” Professor McGonagall said, a pleased note in her voice. “You are quite like Hermione in that regard. Throughout her years at Hogwarts, Hermione excelled in all her classes just like she did in my first class. She practically memorized her textbooks, worked hard, and read everything she could get her hands on. People were always surprised when they learned about her heritage.”“Why?” Belle asked, puzzled.“Certain wizards have a…prejudice against those who are born to non-magical folk. Muggle-born, they’re called,” Professor McGonagall sniffed. “Blood has nothing to do with it, but there’s still a resentment in certain people.”“I see,” Belle said. She’d grown up in a time when social classes were very pronounced. She thought it sounded similar to the attitudes of the very rich when new people became wealthy.
“I hope this helps you understand Hermione’s background,” Professor McGonagall said. “Hermione took off her final year of study to help Harry track down these Horcruxes to defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I offered to let her come back and finish her schooling and she accepted.” Professor McGonagall sighed. “Who knows what she truly endured during that time.”Belle couldn’t begin to fathom, but it certainly sounded like a stressful time period for Hermione. In comparison, her life up until this point had been extraordinarily dull.“Thank you for showing me, Professor,” Belle said. “I have a better idea of Hermione now and her motivations.”“Of course,” Professor McGonagall said. “It should be time for lunch. After that, you’re to meet with Professor Flitwick who will assess your abilities with your wand and spellcasting.”“Oh, Ginny and I did some of that yesterday!” Belle exclaimed, excitedly. “I can do magic!”Professor McGonagall’s eyebrow raised. “Indeed? Well, I’m pleased to hear it and I look forward to Professor Flitwick’s report on your abilities. It will make things much easier if you can do magic.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Following the sound of the organ music, Hermione re-entered the castle. However, once she was inside, she discovered that it was hard to figure out where the music was coming from. She stepped back outside and walked alongside the edge of the castle, tracing the sound of the music. It appeared to be coming from the second floor and 3 windows from the castle’s edge. Hermione went back inside and climbed the stairs to the second floor and found her way to the correct side of the building. She could hear the music now that she was closer. Hermione followed the music to a small antechamber, which led to a much larger room.Stepping inside the antechamber, Hermione saw a gigantic organ playing music animatedly while the Beast sat nearby. His body was turned away from the organ facing a fire in the larger room. His eyes were closed and he sat slumped in an armchair.The volume of the music went from earsplittingly loud to softer.“Tell me what’s on your mind, master,” the enormous organ said, continuing his music at a softer volume. The organ filled up an entire wall and the room already had a high ceiling. At the top of the organ, was a face. His eyes were fixed on the Beast, but Hermione was concerned she might be spotted by the organ, so she looked around for a place to hide. She found a shadowy corner in the room and sat behind a table.“I don’t understand what’s going on,” the Beast growled. “Two days ago, a girl named Belle came here and took her father’s place. I saved her from wolves and I—” his voice broke off, emotion clogging his throat. He cleared it and continued, “I thought we were getting somewhere. I had started to hope she might be the one to break the spell.”“Indeed?” the organ said. “And what happened?”“The next day, Belle acted completely different and claimed that she was not Belle. That she’s an enchantress who switched places with Belle,” the Beast said angrily. “Something did feel off about her, but I ignored it until I saw that her horse no longer recognized her and caught her speaking English.”“That is fishy,” the organ said. “Poor master, getting taken advantage of by another enchantress. What are you going to do?”“I don’t know, Forte,” the Beast said. “I don’t know what to think.”“Don’t worry, master. I’m here for you, just as I’ve always been,” the organ called Forte said. He continued to play his music for a few moments and then said, “Well, if you ask me, this sounds very suspicious. You must not let her come close. Force her to leave if you must.”His words sent a chill down Hermione’s spine. He said to force her to leave. What kind of power did this organ have over the Beast? Did he have any?“She claims she can break my spell,” the Beast said. “The others think I should give her a chance.”“You can’t trust anyone who does magic,” Forte declared, emphasizing his point with a loud chord of music. “Look what an enchantress did to us.”“I know,” the Beast said. “I’m still thinking about it.” He rose to his feet. “Thank you for listening, Forte. You’re my closest confidant.”“Anytime, master,” Forte said. “It is my pleasure and honor to do what I can to help you. After all, I’m the only one who understands how you feel. Trapped. Isolated.”The Beast prowled out of the room. Hermione sat there, holding her breath that he wouldn’t spot her. He didn’t.“Fife!” Forte yelled once the Beast had left the room.“Yes, sir?” a small, high-pitched voice said. From Hermione’s vantage point, she couldn’t see the owner of that small voice. Hermione could hear the metallic echo of something hopping across the room.“Find out more about that girl who came here,” Forte said. “See if she truly is an enchantress. If what the master says is true, she might be just as dangerous or even more dangerous than the master falling in love with a girl.”“Why is it a bad thing?” Fife asked.“You imbecile! Right now, I’m the master’s closest confidant. If we go back to being human, he’ll look down on me again,” Forte declared, playing a run of notes.“Oh right,” Fife said. “But she’s really pretty and seems nice. Why can’t you find out?”“I’M BOLTED TO THE WALL!” Forte yelled. Hermione could hear chains shaking as if emphasizing his point.“Remember, Fife, that I’ve been working on a piccolo solo for you,” Forte continued, playing a higher-pitched tune. “It’ll be perfect for the opera I’m composing.”“I’ll start investigating right away, sir!” Fife exclaimed, and Hermione could hear the metallic sound of him hopping coming closer. As he passed into the antechamber, Hermione saw a small golden flute – a piccolo – hopping with determination through the door.The music that Forte had been playing crescendoed and reached a volume that made Hermione’s head hurt. She made to leave and heard the organ talking to himself.“I must keep the master coming here to see me at all costs,” he said to himself. “The music helps him. He confides in me.”Hermione took a peek at the organ and saw his eyes were closed as he played and talked to himself. She dashed out of the room. Once she was out of sight, she stood against the wall breathing hard.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Professor McGonagall escorted Belle back to the Great Hall for lunch, though they of course parted ways at their respective tables. Belle didn’t see Ginny, so she sat down in an empty area, pulled out her Field Guide, and caught up on some of the pages she hadn’t read yet.
Thankfully, no one spoke to Belle during the time that she ate her lunch. She felt a little adrift without Ginny and wasn’t sure where to go. She enjoyed reading about the wizarding world in her book, but she hadn’t the faintest idea what this Professor Flitwick looked like.Luckily, he came to her. “Oho, hello Miss Granger,” a very tiny man said from his position standing by the opposite side of the table. “Ready for your lesson?”Belle had seen him sitting at the table where all the professors sat so she guessed ­— or rather, hoped — that this was Professor Flitwick.“Yes, sir,” she said, standing up and following him out of the hall. He led her through many corridors through the castle until they reached a classroom. He opened the door for her and then closed it behind her.“Professor McGonagall filled me in on the situation,” the man said after closing the door. “How very strange and remarkable. I’ve never come across anything like it. Of course, Miss Granger would be the one to accomplish something like this.”Belle didn’t know what to say and felt nervous.“Oh, how rude of me!” The man said. “I haven’t properly introduced myself.” He extended his hand towards her. “My name is Professor Filius Flitwick and I teach Charms here at Hogwarts.”Belle took his hand and shook it. “My name is Belle,” she said, appreciating his kindness and open nature.“Pleasure to meet you, Miss Belle,” Professor Flitwick said brightly. “Is there anything you’d like to know before we get into our lessons?”“I have so many things I’d like to know, Professor,” Belle laughed. “But I’ll start with this. What is Charms?”“Oh!! Charms is a vital subject for any person learning to do magic. It’s where a young witch or wizard learns how to produce spells with precision through proper pronunciation and wand movements,” Professor Flitwick explained excitedly. “Unlike other subjects, our sole focus is on producing spells and magic. Charms can also be an outlet for creative expression in magic.”“Thank you,” Belle replied. “I discovered when I was practicing magic with Ginny that I could produce magic without casting spells.”“Interesting,” Professor Flitwick said, sounding thoughtful. “Why don’t you show me, if you don’t mind?”“Okay,” Belle said, withdrawing Hermione’s — her — wand from her wand pocket in her robes. “Ginny gave me different tasks to do, like levitate a feather.”“Let’s start with that then,” Professor Flitwick said, brandishing his wand and a basket of feathers appeared on a nearby desk.Belle held the wand in her hand and imagined the top feather floating. Immediately, it began to float towards her.“Astounding!” Professor Flitwick exclaimed. “Did you think of any incantations?”“No, sir,” Belle replied. “I just imagined it floating.”Similar to Ginny, Professor Flitwick gave Belle a series of tasks to perform with magic with increasing difficulty. Belle was able to do every one of them.“Magic is a complex and many layered thing,” Professor Flitwick mused. “Other countries and cultures have developed different ways of performing magic. From what I understood from Professor McGonagall, you come from a different time period and different country.”“But I was never able to do magic before now!” Belle cried. “I didn’t even know magic was real until two days ago when I saved my father from an enchanted castle.”“An enchanted castle, you say?” Professor Flitwick asked. “It sounds like you have quite the story. Would you mind telling it to me?”So Belle explained what had happened to her up until that point. She felt like she should mention her dream, so she told Professor Flitwick that she suspected her mother might have gone to Hogwarts.“Now that’s an interesting thought!” Professor Flitwick cried. “Why don’t you go to the library and look up past student records?”“I can do that?” Belle asked.“Yes, tell Madam Pince, the librarian, from what time range you’d like to see them and you’ll be able to examine the lists,” Professor Flitwick advised.“Thank you very much, Professor!” Belle said. “Was there anything else you’d like to do today?”“No, that will be all,” Professor Flitwick replied.“Thank you,” Belle said. “I will go to the library now before dinner.”Belle gathered her bag and made her way to the door. Before opening it, she paused. “Do you know why I’m able to perform magic the way I can?”Professor Flitwick looked at her for a long moment. “I suspect that you are naturally able to replace verbal incantations with strong mental visualization. I also suspect you might have challenges with more advanced types of magic that require complex incantations, but that’s not something you’ll need to know how to do at this moment. Better focus on catching up.”Belle nodded, not quite sure if she understood his meaning fully, but she got the idea. “Thank you, Professor. Have a good day.”Belle entered the hallway and stopped dead in her tracks. She realized she had no idea where the library was. She began to walk aimlessly for a few minutes before remembering her Field Guide. She took it out and asked it where the library was. The book opened to a map of Hogwarts and she could see a little flag that indicated the library’s location and an arrow. Belle started to walk and realized that the arrow represented her location. Belle was astounded at how useful this guide was and how she’d be able to find her away around the castle on her own. It gave her a sense of independence and empowerment that she realized she hadn’t had before. Thanks to this Guide, Belle had agency over her new life at Hogwarts.Belle followed the map to the library and recognized the stern librarian at once, seated at her desk.“Excuse me,” Belle said to the librarian that Professor Flitwick had called Madam Pince. “Could you help me find student records from the 1720’s?”Madam Pince’s gaze scrutinized Belle. “And why, might I ask, would you need such a tome?”Belle scrambled for an explanation. “It’s an assignment from Professor Flitwick.” It wasn’t a lie, he had been the one to tell her to go ask the librarian about the records, after all.Madam Pince raised her eyebrow at Belle but, thankfully, didn’t question her further. She briskly walked out from behind her desk and through the various bookcases until she stopped before one.“Here you can find all of Hogwarts student records,” Madam Pince said. “The ones from the 1700s can be found here,” she pointed at a shelf. “Be careful. These are extremely old and fragile.”“I will, thank you,” Belle said.Madam Pince eyed Belle again. “Something seems…different about you.”Belle shrugged. “It’s a nice day,” she commented, not sure what to say.Madam Pince’s eyes narrowed, but then her attention was drawn away by a loud outcry of laughter from a few bookcases down and she ran off to shush the offending merrymakers.Relieved to be away from Madam Pince’s piercing gaze, Belle turned her attention back to the shelf the librarian had indicated.Belle opened a volume at random and saw that the years written on the page said 1723. It looked to be a list of students and what house they’d been sorted into. She flipped through the pages until she found the year 1731. That’s when she suspected her mother might have started Hogwarts. She’d heard that children started Hogwarts at 11.Belle scanned the pages, looking for her mother’s name. A wave of emotion flooded through Belle. There it was. Colette Ashworth, Ravenclaw. That was her mother’s maiden name. And it seemed like she’d been sorted into Ravenclaw. Belle didn’t know anyone in Ravenclaw, but she’d read that it was a house known for its intellect and wit. Her mother certainly was witty and smart. Belle inherited her love of books and reading from her mother.Belle stared at the pages, stunned. Her mother had gone to Hogwarts. Her mother had been able to do magic.She flipped through the pages to see if she could find anything else about her mother, but it seemed to simply be a book that showed which students enrolled in Hogwarts and what house they’d been sorted into. There were no additional details about the students. Belle wondered if it were possible to find more. But for now, she had enough to think about. She wasn’t sure what she’d be able to do with more information about her mother besides satisfy her own curiosity and longing to know her mother more deeply.

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Back in her room, Hermione puzzled over the organ’s influence over the Beast. Was this interfering with her ability to work with him? Is this why he had such a hard time trusting her?Hermione didn’t know the Beast well enough to have a good sense of his normal personality. From what she’d heard from the staff, he had a good heart once you got to know him. He couldn’t be all bad if he was the hero of a fairy tale. Right?Hermione didn’t know. What had she been thinking, switching places with someone from a story?She knew what she’d been thinking. She’d wanted to get away from everything. Escape into a book.Literally.So Hermione had poured herself into creating the fateful spell that had brought her into this unknown world. This unknown time. This place where she didn’t know how to do magic. She had no idea how to go back.Hermione fell asleep mulling over her strange circumstances.She dreamed that Bellatrix approached her with a knife with organ music blasting in the background.“NO!” she yelled, and her dream shifted. The golden-haired woman appeared and lifted a veiled gate. Hermione stepped through and found herself in the same beautiful meadow as the night before.Belle was already there. “Hello, Hermione,” Belle said.“Belle!” Hermione cried. “How are you doing?”“I’m doing well, thank you,” Belle said. “Professor McGonagall filled in the other professors and they’re helping me catch up. I had special lessons with her and Professor Flitwick today.”“Did you really?” Hermione asked. “That’s wonderful. Professor Flitwick is such a dear.”“He’s very kind,” Belle agreed. “He’s puzzled by how I can do magic without casting spells, but he’s going to look into it. He said he suspects that I’m able to replace verbal spells with strong mental visualization.”“Fascinating,” Hermione said. “Oh, I wish I could go to the library and investigate myself!”“Speaking of the library,” Belle said. “I discovered something.”“Oh?” Hermione asked. “What’s that?”“I realized after the previous night’s dream, that my mother was a witch,” Belle said. “And that she might have gone to Hogwarts. I found records in the library of her going to Hogwarts. She was sorted into Ravenclaw.”“Incredible,” Hermione breathed. “I had no idea. That explains your natural magical talents. Did your mother ever teach you magic?”“No,” Belle said. “But memories have returned to me of magical occurrences around the house. It seems that now I’ve realized the truth, or at least part of it, memories are coming back.”“Fascinating,” Hermione said.“How are things going for you?” Belle asked.“Oh, not much progress on my front,” Hermione replied. “I checked on Philippe and discovered he’s very well taken care of in the stables. There’s a whole set of stable staff thrilled to take care of him. Philippe let me tell him some stories but kept his distance.”“Give him time,” Belle said. “He’ll warm up to you.”“I hope so,” Hermione said. “I also discovered that there’s an enchanted organ that the Beast goes to listen to. It seems like this organ might be manipulating him somehow.”“Really?” Belle said. “I suppose in that environment anything is possible. Do you think the music is enchanting him?”“I’m not sure,” Hermione said. “I think the music has some effect on him for sure. But it also seems like the organ knows how to play on his emotions and manipulate him. The music only amplifies that.”“That’s not good,” Belle said.“Not at all,” Hermione replied. “I need the Beast to cooperate with me if I’m going to be able to do anything about his spell and our situation.”“I wish I knew more to tell you to help,” Belle said. “But I was only there a day.”“That’s okay,” Hermione said. “I’ll figure something out. Is there anything else you’d like to know about Hogwarts or my world?”Belle thought for a moment. “How are things with Ron?” she asked.Hermione started. “You’re asking me about that?” she replied, surprised. Hermione thought for a moment. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I fancied him for years, but now that we’re together it just feels…odd.”“Ginny said that you’d all been friends for a long time,” Belle commented.“Yes,” Hermione said. “And we’ve only now become a couple in the past few months. It was exciting at first, but now I’m not sure how to feel.”“I think that makes sense,” Belle said.“Why do you ask?” Hermione said. “Ron shouldn’t be around you very much. Except perhaps to visit on Hogsmeade weekends.”“Hogsmeade?” Belle asked.“The wizarding village near the school,” Hermione said. “We get days where we’re allowed to go, but they’re only about once a month or two. I suppose the next one is in a couple of weeks.”“Ah okay,” Belle said. “I asked about Ron because Ginny and Harry seemed so happy. Ron seemed…tense. He got mad at me for letting Draco Malfoy talk to me.”“He gets jealous,” Hermione said. “He’s insecure about himself and lets it affect the way he treats other sometimes. Try not to worry to much about him.”“Um…okay,” Belle said, feeling weird and awkward all of a sudden. This was a strange way for someone to tell her to behave around someone she supposedly loved. Maybe Belle had a lot more to learn about romance than she thought.“Oh!” Hermione exclaimed. “We have a lot of homework already even though it’s the second week of classes. I did a lot of it during the week, there’s an Ancient Runes essay due on Tuesday. I missed Potions on Friday, so I’m not sure what you have to do for that. I started the Ancient Runes assignment, but didn’t finish it.”“Homework?” Belle asked. “Are those class subjects you just talked about?”“Yes,” Hermione said. “I take Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, and Ancient Runes. It’s kind of a heavy workload, but I love all the subjects.”“Professor McGonagall gave me a schedule, but I didn’t look at it in too much detail yet,” Belle said. “She gave me a revised schedule with times for the additional lessons.”“That’s very kind of her and the other professors,” Hermione said.“They say it’s worth it because of all that you’ve done for the wizarding world,” Belle replied.Hermione felt her eyes fill with tears. “I didn’t know they felt that way,” Hermione said. “That’s very kind.”“Overall, I’ve had good experiences with everyone,” Belle said. “I’m excited to have a chance at a formal education, actually.”“Good,” Hermione said, feeling relieved that there was a positive side to her meddling.The world started to fade away into blackness.

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Belle woke up early that Sunday morning, eager to continue learning more about this new world she’d been exposed to. Belle took a look at the schedule Professor McGonagall had given her the other day. According to her schedule, she didn’t have anything in particular she had to do that day. On Saturdays and during the week she had extra lessons with professors, but as Professor McGonagall said, she had Sundays off.
Everyone else in her dorm room was asleep so Belle decided to read, while she waited for Ginny to wake up. That’s what she’d done the previous night. She’d sat in a cozy place by the fire and read through some of the books she’d been given by Ginny, who had been hanging out with some of her other friends. Ginny had invited Belle to join them, but she’d declined, opting for reading. Ginny had laughed and told in a whisper Belle that was a perfect imitation of Hermione.
As Belle had suspected, her Field Guide had a bunch of new pages for Belle to explore. She was really starting to feel more equipped to survive in this magical world. Of course, she didn’t know what she didn’t know and there would be plenty of new surprises, but it felt less overwhelming now that she had the book and Ginny and the professors to support her.Belle wondered about this homework that Hermione mentioned and how she might work on it. Belle supposed it was something to ask Ginny.In the meantime though, it was morning and Belle was ready to get started with her day. She supposed she could go down to breakfast on her own, so she wouldn’t disturb Ginny. With her Field Guide’s map, she should be able to navigate down to the Great Hall just fine. Not knowing how long Ginny would sleep in nor how long breakfast was served, Belle wasn’t keen to miss it.Belle dressed and descended through the now familiar staircase through the Gryffindor Common Room and the portrait hole into the corridor.She retraced her past steps as best as she could remember so far. Her eyes caught on the moving portraits and paintings that adorned the walls. Each one seemed to tell a story, their colors vibrant and their subjects animated.Belle realized she could stare at each portrait for hours, but she probably shouldn’t do that at this time. After all, Hermione was supposed to have been here for six years, so nothing should have been new for her.Lost in her mesmerization of her surroundings, Belle turned a corner and found herself in a corridor she didn't recognize.Belle realized she’d forgotten to use her map and now had no idea where she was. Pulling out her map, she found the dot indicating her location. It appeared she was near somewhere called the faculty tower. Belle whispered, “I’d like to go to the Great Hall.” A dotted line appeared, showing her a path.Belle began to follow the path. She didn’t get very far before she heard a familiar male voice from behind her.“Granger,” said Draco Malfoy. “What are you doing here on a Sunday?”Belle froze. She had no idea what to say. She knew that Harry, Ron, and Ginny didn’t think she should associate with him. Belle also suspected that Draco Malfoy found her suspicious.Belle was in a tough situation, precariously on the edge of her secret being revealed.“I took a wrong turn,” Belle murmured. “On the way to breakfast.”“That’s quite the wrong turn,” Draco Malfoy said. “Well, I’m heading there myself. I’ll accompany you.”“Oh, there’s no need,” Belle said.“Look, didn’t we call a truce at the start of term?” Draco asked. “I don’t expect us to become friends necessarily, but walking to breakfast together can’t hurt.”“I suppose not,” Belle said, squirming inside. What was she supposed to do? She didn’t know the way to the Great Hall. He would notice.Belle set off in the direction that she’d been about to head in, hoping that looking confident at the start would help hide her insecurities later on. Belle was starting to regret not waiting for Ginny. What was she thinking? Belle had wanted more independence and to not be a burden for Ginny.Draco fell into step beside Belle. “So…how are classes going?” he asked, after an uncomfortable silence.Belle hadn’t been to a class yet, so she had no idea. “Well enough,” she said, hoping she sounded normal. She paid careful attention to her surroundings but felt completely lost. She didn’t think she’d ever been to this part of the castle before. How did she get herself in this situation?“That’s it?” Draco asked. “You’re not going to expound upon the merits of this subject or that professor?”“Is that something I’d normally talk to you about?” Belle asked, thinking it was a genuine question. From what she’d heard, Hermione didn’t get along with Draco.“Fair point,” he said, leading the way down another passageway. “I suppose you have no reason to talk that way to me, but as long as I’ve known you, you never fail to talk about your classes.”“I’m not used to you being friendly to me,” Belle said, thinking it might be what Hermione might say in that situation. She was really stretching herself but felt like she was holding her own so far.“Another fair point,” Draco said as they descended a flight of stairs. “That is something I’d like to change.”“How can you change years of dislike?” Belle asked. Perhaps if she kept asking questions and deflecting him, she could avoid suspicion.Draco was silent for a few moments. He led them through another corridor and down several more flights of stairs before responding.“Time and effort,” he said. “I have to prove to you that I’m interested in, well, if not a friendship, but a cordial relationship. And I hope you’ll let me.”“And why is that?” Belle asked, curious to know the answer.Again, Draco was silent as they navigated more passages. “I’ve been reevaluating a lot of things,” he said. “And I’m tired of the hostility. So I’d like to get things back on a more amiable track.”Belle nodded. “That sounds reasonable.”They entered into a familiar large hallway. Belle recognized it immediately, feeling extremely relieved to know where she was at last.“Ah, we’re here,” she said and walked determinedly through the open great doors that led to where breakfast was being served. Draco stayed by her side until they reached the tables.“I’ll see you some other time,” Draco said and walked towards the staff table.Belle made her way to the Gryffindor table. To her surprise, she saw Ginny sitting there alone looking anxiously at her. Belle made a beeline towards Ginny.“Belle!” Ginny cried quietly when Belle reached the table. “Are you all right? I was worried about you. When I saw your bed empty, I hoped you’d just come down for breakfast, but then I didn’t see you here.”“I’m fine,” Belle said. “I’m sorry to make you worry. You were asleep and I don’t want to be a burden for you…” she trailed off.Ginny placed her hand over Belle’s. “You’ll never be a burden,” Ginny said. “I’m happy to help look after you and help you fit in.”Belle squeezed Ginny’s hand in thanks. Ginny withdrew her hand and began piling her plate with food.“Oh,” she said. “Why did you come in at the same time as Malfoy?”Belle sighed.“I took a wrong turn and ran into him,” she said. “I don’t think he figured out I wasn’t Hermione.”“That’s good,” Ginny said. “But be careful with him. What did you talk about?”Belle filled Ginny in on their conversation.“You did well,” Ginny said, impressed. “It’s interesting he wants to be friends. Or friendly. I wonder what that’s about.”“No idea,” Belle said, taking a bite of toast. “Say, Ginny, what is homework?”

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Hermione knew she had to deal with Forte’s influence before she’d be able to get the Beast fully on board with her. She trusted her instincts and she knew she was onto something with that organ.Hermione decided to go downstairs for breakfast, determined to ask the staff about him.Mrs. Potts, of course, had the table full of delicious breakfast options. Hermione selected a few items, not paying attention to what she was grabbing.Once Hermione settled in with her food, she turned her attention to the waiting staff.“Mrs. Potts, Lumiere, Cogsworth, I have a question for you,” Hermione said seriously.They all turned to look at her.“What is it, dearie?” Mrs. Potts asked.“Well, I heard music yesterday,” Hermione asked, playing dumb. “Could you tell me where that might have been coming from?”The three objects looked at each other.“Well…” Mrs. Potts said. “That would have been Maestro Forte, the music master.”“Oh wow, you have a music master?” Hermione asked, intrigued. That would make sense why someone like Forte would have been turned into a musical instrument of all household objects he could have been turned into.“Why yes,” Cogsworth said. “Our court, as we told you, is very well off and established. We would often entertain.”“Ugh, but he played the most DULL music,” Lumiere complained. “I never understood why we kept him around. Maestro Cadenza was much more merry.”“That’s because you have no ear for the classics,” Cogsworth sniffed.“Anyway,” Mrs. Potts cut in before the two could start bickering. “The master enjoys listening to his music and that’s what counts.”Lumiere still looked out of sorts. Hermione sensed a tension in the air.“Do you, erm, notice a difference when the master listens to Forte’s music?” Hermione asked, trying to be diplomatic. “Does it seem to make him feel better?”Mrs. Potts looked a bit uncomfortable. “To be honest, dearie,” she said. “It seems to make him more sullen and irritable.”“Do you think so?” Cogsworth asked, surprised.“Haven’t you noticed that every time the master comes back from a visit with Forte, he’s more likely to snap at us?” Mrs. Potts pointed out.“Yes!” Lumiere declared, leaping onto the chance to criticize Forte. “He gets moodier and sulkier. Like when he was younger.”Cogsworth seemed to be thinking about their words. “You might be right there.”“Why do you think that is?” Hermione asked. “Do you think the music has any magic?”As she asked the question, a memory from her first year at Hogwarts popped into her mind. Albus Dumbledore stood at the front of the Great Hall, wiping away a tear and declaring, “Ah music!
A magic far beyond what we do here.” She smiled at the memory.“I’m not sure,” Mrs. Potts said. “I suppose anything is possible. Is there a particular reason you’re asking?”“Well, I’d really like for your master to come around and work with me so we can figure out how to break the enchantment on all of you,” Hermione said, deciding to reveal her intentions. “I’ll confess that yesterday I heard the music and followed it until I found the room where the organ resides.”“You didn’t!” Cogsworth said. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”“Oh, why?” Hermione asked. “What’s the matter?”“Forte is permanently stationed in the West Wing,” Mrs. Potts said.“Oh,” Hermione said, realization dawning on her. “And I’m not supposed to go there.” She’d been so focused on finding the source of the music that she hadn’t realized that she’d walked right into the forbidden West Wing. Oops.“No matter,” Mrs. Potts said. “What’s done is done. What happened?”“I heard Forte talking with your master,” Hermione said. “He told your master to throw me out and tried to convince him not to trust me. So I’m worried about him succeeding in convincing your master that I’m not trustworthy.” Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes. “And if he throws me out, I have nowhere to go.”Hermione was surprised at the sudden emotion. She normally felt fairly calm and collected, but she realized at that moment how precarious her situation felt to her.“We’re working on him,” Mrs. Potts said reassuringly.“Indeed,” Cogsworth agreed.“Leave it to us!” Lumiere said.“Thank you,” Hermione said. “I believe in all of you.”And that was true. Hermione believed these three would help her. But she also thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to track down that hopping piccolo she’d seen and have a talk with him.So, after breakfast, Hermione decided to go on a hunt for that piccolo she’d seen. However, after a few hours of fruitless searching, she realized just how futile looking for him would be. It was a huge castle and she needed help. She knew nothing about where the piccolo might like to spend his time.Hermione went back to have some lunch and chatted with the staff. On the way out, she flagged down Lumiere.“Lumiere!” Hermione said. “Could I ask you something?”“Certainly, mademoiselle,” Lumiere replied, seeming delighted to be sought out.“Do you know the golden piccolo?” Hermione asked.“Ah, yes. Fife.” Lumiere said with an air of disapproval. “Always hopping around and putting his nose into people’s business. He loves ingratiating himself with Cogsworth.”Hermione made a mental note to talk to Cogsworth about him next.“Do you know how I might be able to find him?” Hermione asked.“Why would you want to talk to ’im?” Lumiere asked. “Surely, myself or one of the others can tell you anything you need to know.”“It seems like he’s close with Forte,” Hermione said.“True,” Lumiere said. “Fife IS Maestro Forte’s assistant. I try not to think about ’zem too much.”Hermione couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m not used to seeing you be so negative, Lumiere.”“I am sorry, mademoiselle,” Lumiere said. “But I have never liked Maestro Forte. He has always been very unpleasant.”Hermione could understand that. She didn’t like Maestro Forte much herself.“Anyway,” Hermione said, trying to get the conversation back on track. “Could you tell me where I might be able to find Fife?”“I believe this is around the time he goes to visit Cogsworth,” Lumiere said. “I can show you.”Lumiere escorted Hermione to an office on the ground floor near the stairs. Cogsworth was inside standing on top of a desk looking at some papers. He looked up at their entrance.“Ah, hello,” Cogsworth said. “What brings the two of you here?”“I’m looking for Fife,” Hermione explained. “Lumiere said I might be able to find him here.”Cogsworth’s eyes crossed for a moment and then refocused. “Ah yes, it is about that time, isn’t it?” He straightened the papers on the desk. “Would you like to wait here for him?”“Yes, I’d like that,” Hermione said.“I will leave the two of you then,” Lumiere said and exited the room.Hermione let her eyes roam the room. She loved how cozy it was and how many books lined the wall.“I haven’t seen so many books since I’ve been here,” she commented, walking over to one of the shelves and perusing the titles.“Do you like books?” Cogsworth asked.“Yes, I love them!” Hermione said. “I’ve never gone so long without reading anything.”“Well then you must visit—” Cogsworth started to say, but broke off when he heard a trilling sound and a metallic thump. Fife entered the doorway.“Hello, Mister Cogsworth!” Fife said cheerfully. “How are–?!” Fife noticed Hermione standing there and stopped speaking abruptly.“Fife,” Cogsworth said. “Have you met our new guest?”“No-no,” Fife said. “I haven’t.”“My name is Hermione,” Hermione said bending down to introduce herself with a smile. “Nice to meet you, Fife.”“N-nice to meet you, too, miss,” Fife said.Hermione suspected that flattery would be the best way to get Fife’s allegiance. He seemed nervous. Hermione thought that he might not have very many friends based on how Lumiere talked about him.“I heard that you’re a musician,” Hermione said. “I love music! Would you play something for me sometime?”If an object could blush, Hermione could have sworn Fife would have blushed at that moment. “Y-yes, I am,” Fife said. “Maestro Forte is working on a solo for me! I’d love to play it for you.”“That would be lovely,” Hermione said. “And Maestro Forte transformed into an…organ? Did I hear that right?”“Yes, he did,” Fife said. “He’s bolted to the wall, so he doesn’t get to move about much. His only visitor is the master.”“I see,” Hermione said. “He must be lonely.”“I think he likes it that way,” Fife commented. “He gets to spend all his time composing music, which he didn’t get to before.”“Solitude can inspire creativity,” Hermione said. “But it can also make you feel disconnected from things. What about you? Do you get to spend time with others?”Fife looked somewhat embarrassed. “I try to,” he mumbled. “But only Cogsworth ever talks to me.”Cogsworth cleared his throat. “Well, the rest of the staff is very busy, as you can imagine.”“I’m alone a lot too, Fife,” Hermione said. “You can hang out with me any time you’d like.”“Really?” Fife said, looking excited. “Thank you!”Hermione, Cogsworth, and Fife spent some time talking about anything and nothing. The topics tended to turn towards music and Hermione didn’t know much about classical music. Cogsworth, it seemed, loved music. A familiar name popped into the conversation.“When Maestro Cadenza was here,” Cogsworth said reminiscently. “He often treated us to upbeat waltzes. Oh, how I loved the way he and Madame de Garderobe would perform together.”
“Madame de Garderobe?” Hermione interjected. “The wardrobe in my chambers?”“Yes!” Cogsworth said. “She’s a great opera singer. Her husband was the maestro before Maestro Forte.”“What happened?” Hermione asked.“I don’t know a lot of the details, I’m afraid,” Cogsworth said. “It’s best to ask her. All I know is that Maestro Cadenza left and was replaced by Maestro Forte. I, of course, have my suspicions, but I do not like to gossip.”“I understand,” Hermione said, making a mental note to go talk to Madame de Garderobe as soon as she could.“Maestro Cadenza was really nice,” Fife sighed. “Do you remember that party where…”The conversation turned to times Hermione was not part of and she let her mind wander. She didn’t want to press Fife too strongly just yet, but she was eager to get to the bottom of the situation with Forte.

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“You don’t know about homework?” Ginny asked. “Well, I suppose not since you’re from another time.” She sighed. “I was going to talk to you about this today anyway. We have some catching up to do for Potions. I have no idea what else you have to do.”“Hermione mentioned that she’d done a lot of it already but might have some things left to do for some other subjects,” Belle said. “I can’t recall their names.”“After breakfast, we’ll go back and check her planner,” Ginny said. “She writes everything down in there.”The two women finished their breakfast, Ginny chatting about Quidditch yesterday and telling Belle about the sport.“My favorite team is the Holyhead Harpies,” Ginny commented as they exited the Great Hall and headed back up to Gryffindor Tower. “It’s my dream to play for them one once I leave school.”“Why are they your favorite?” Belle asked.“Well!” Ginny said. “For one thing, they’re the only all-women team. For another…” Ginny began to list off all the things she loved about the team. Belle only half-listened, her thoughts drifting to Draco Malfoy. He really was handsome. She’d like to spend more time with him but feared him learning about her secret. She wondered if it would really be a bad thing if he learned. Ginny and the others didn’t seem to like or trust him.Belle was so new to this world that Ginny had been her only lifeline up until now. But in truth, she didn’t know much about Ginny or Harry or Ron. Belle liked Ginny a lot, but she had only met the guys that one time. Ron hadn’t made a great impression on Belle if she were being honest.As they reached the landing with the portrait of the Fat Lady, Belle pulled herself out of her reverie.Ginny said the password, “Will-of-the-wisp,” and they clambered through the hole as the portrait swung forward.“Sorry if I bored you,” Ginny said, as they crossed through the common room. “I know I can go on.”“I couldn’t follow most of it,” Belle admitted. “But I’m happy to listen to you share something you’re passionate about.”“That’s kind of you,” Ginny said, climbing the stairs to their doom. “Most people get bored and ask me to stop if they don’t care about Quidditch.”“I understand what it’s like for people not to want to listen to things you’re excited about,” Belle said, thinking about the people in her village. She had virtually nothing in common with them.“It can be difficult,” Ginny said, nodding as she opened the door to their now empty dormitory. “Now, let’s look for Hermione’s planner.”Belle led the way to Hermione’s — now her — desk. She looked at all the contents strewn across the desk. There were many books and Belle wasn’t sure what her planner looked like.“There!” Ginny said, pointing at a black leather-bound book.Belle picked it up and opened it from the beginning. The pages were full of writing and had a weekly calendar showing the days of the week.“Turn to this week,” Ginny said.Belle started to turn the page and then paused. “Erm…” she said. “What is this week?”Ginny chuckled. “Right,” she said. “Today is September 14th, but we need to look at last week’s assignments, so look for the dates September 8th-12th.”Belle turned the page and found it immediately.“We’ve only completed two weeks of classes, so there’s not too much to catch up on, at least,” Ginny said. “Let me see what it says.”Ginny scanned over the two pages in front of her. “Looks like she’s finished the Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and Transfiguration homework for next week. Oh, thank Merlin, she’s also done the Arithmancy assignment. But it looks like she needs to do Potions and Ancient Runes.” Ginny grimaced. “Potions I can help you with, but I know nothing about Ancient Runes.”Ginny set the planner down. “I’m grateful that she’s so organized and on top of things,” Ginny said. “Let’s see if we can find those assignments. It’s not helpful if we don’t actually have them to turn in.”Ginny rummaged through the desk, pulling out books and scrolls of parchment. She unfurled parchment after parchment, scanned each one, and then set them aside into piles, muttering to herself, “Ah here’s Charms. This one’s Transfiguration, I might want to take a look at that myself for some…ideas. Defense Against the Dark Arts, great.”Ginny turned to Belle and explained what she could figure out about Hermione’s system. “Let’s go to the library and work on the Potions essay,” Ginny said. “I still need to finish some of my other homework. I’m not sure how to help you with Ancient Runes. Professor McGonagall did say that the teachers know about your situation, so maybe it’ll be okay. It just might look weird if you don’t turn anything in.”Ginny turned back to the desk and pulled out a textbook. “Here’s the Ancient Runes textbook,” Ginny said. “And I think Hermione’s notes are here.” Ginny handed both to Belle, which she promptly loaded into Hermione’s backpack along with the stuff she’d need for Potions and her Field Guide.The two headed for the library.

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After spending the afternoon with Fife and Cogsworth, it was time for dinner. Fife came along to hang out with Hermione as she ate dinner. Lumiere didn’t seem to happy about this development at first, but as they all spent time together, he started to open up.As Hermione finished her soup, she asked, “The master won’t be joining us tonight?”Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, and Lumiere looked downcast.“No,” Mrs. Potts said sadly. “He’s still keeping his distance from you, dearie, I am sorry to say.”Hermione frowned. “I wish I knew how I could get him to understand that I only want to help all of you,” she said sadly.“Maestro Forte doesn’t want you to help!” Fife exclaimed. Then he covered his mouth. “I shouldn’t say anything.”“Oh, really?” Hermione asked, feigning surprise. “Why is that?”Fife looked uncomfortable under all of the stares. “I’m not supposed to say…” he muttered.“Out with it, man!” Lumiere exclaimed.“Please do tell us,” Cogsworth said. “It would be a great help.”“But then he won’t give me my solo!” Fife whined.“Is a solo more important than all of our lives?” Cogsworth reasoned. “We can find you a solo from our repository.”“Well, when you put it that way…” Fife said. “I suppose I can tell you.” Fife took a deep breath. “Maestro Forte doesn’t want to become human again. He likes how the master confides in him now and will do anything to keep it that way!”Fife gasped at his own audacity and jumped backwards, covering his mouth. Unfortunately, he fell off the edge of the table.“Fife!” Hermione cried, running over to check on him. “Are you all right?”Fife looked a little stunned but waved his hand. “Yes, I’m fine,” he said, taking Hermione’s outstretched hand. She gingerly lifted him to his base so he was once again upright.“Fife, I really appreciate you telling us this,” Hermione said. “I know it must be scary, but if you’d like to be human again please help us.”Fife shook where he stood, seeming torn.“Remember, Fife,” Mrs. Potts said. “It’s not only you that was turned into an object. All of us were also human. My boy, Chip —” her voice broke. “Is growing up as a teacup and hasn’t been able to have a normal childhood.” Mrs. Potts burst into tears, water leaking from the top of her head — the top of the pot.“There, there, Mrs. Potts,” Cogsworth said. “We’ll figure it out.”Mrs. Potts took a deep breath and smiled at them. “Yes, I know,” she said. “We mustn’t lose hope.”“I’ll help you,” Fife said, moved by their arguments. “I want for all of us to be human again.”“Thank you, Fife,” Hermione said.“That’s a good man,” Cogsworth said.“Oui,” Lumiere agreed. “That is very good of you.”“I can’t wait to see my boy running outside,” Mrs. Potts sighed. “So what do we need to do?”“Well,” Hermione said. “How big of an influence does Maestro Forte have over your master?”“He’s been able to use the music to influence the master’s emotions!” Fife said. “He combines the music with persuasive arguments and he tends to be able to sway the master’s opinion.”“My goodness!” Cogsworth said. “I had no idea. This is not good.”“Indeed,” Mrs. Potts agreed.“We have to do something!” Lumiere cried.“But what?” Hermione mused. “What could we do to disable Maestro Forte’s ability to use music to influence your master?”“You’re not going to hurt him, are you?” Forte asked, worriedly.“I don’t want to hurt him,” Hermione said. “Is there a way to disconnect his ability to make music or at least the volume of the music? Perhaps if we make it quieter, it wouldn’t be so powerful.”They all fell quiet, thinking. As the silence stretched on, Hermione suggested, “Why don’t we all think about it and reconvene again later?”“Yes!” Mrs. Potts agreed. “It’s getting late. Best to go off to bed with you”They all said good night to each other and went their separate ways.As Hermione returned to her room, she was eager to speak with Madame de Garderobe about what she knew about Forte and this Maestro Cadenza.Once she got into her room though, Hermione wasn’t quite sure where to start. The wardrobe was awake and happy to chat with Hermione about her day. The wardrobe seemed to get bored staying in the room all the time and often slept. She loved hearing news about the rest of the castle. Hermione supposed she might be able to relate to Maestro Forte, who couldn’t leave his room.“I heard today that you are an opera singer,” Hermione said. “You never told me that.”“Oh, yes!” Madame de Garderobe said. “I do love to sing. But it makes me sad because I always think about my dear husband when I sing and I miss him so much.”“What happened to him?” Hermione asked.“Well,” Madame de Garderobe said in a huff. “The former master expelled him for absolutely no reason at all! And replaced him with that horrid man Forte.”“Why?” Hermione asked, intrigued.“No idea!” the wardrobe said. “The only reason I can think of is that the former master had some kind of relationship with Forte. They spent a lot of time together.”“Interesting,” Hermione said. “And you stayed here?”“Yes,” Madame de Garderobe said with a huge sigh. “I didn’t want to. I wanted to leave in protest of those awful men. But my sweet husband convinced me to stay. He said that I was safe and well-cared for here. That I was able to earn money and live comfortably. He promised to send for me as soon as he could obtain a position that could support us both. So I stayed and waited.”“That must have been really difficult,” Hermione said sympathetically.“It was!” the Madame said. “It still is. Not too long after he left, the former master died, leaving the young master in charge. I tried to convince the young master to call my husband back and I think I almost had him convinced, but then the enchantress came and changed us all. I haven’t heard from my husband since.”“That’s terrible,” Hermione said. “You must be so lonely.”“I am, my dear,” Madame de Garderobe said. “I really am. I’m glad that you’re here though.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Laying in her bed in the Gryffindor Tower, Belle felt absolutely exhausted. She and Ginny had spent the day completing the Potions essay and working through Ginny’s incomplete homework. Belle had attempted to read through Hermione’s homework for the other subjects to familiarize herself while Ginny worked. She’d been completely lost. It seemed to help Ginny with her homework though, so Belle saw that as a bright side.In general, this homework business seemed like a lot of extra work. She loved to learn and read, but having to write down arguments and document things seemed perhaps a bit unnecessary. Belle never had a formal education. Her parents had taught her to read and write. Belle helped her father with his inventions and sometimes came up with her own, but nothing so formal as this.Ginny still hadn’t figured out who she knew that took Ancient Runes or what to do about that homework assignment. Hermione had started it but had not completed it yet. Ginny had suggested just turning that in and speaking with the professor privately when Belle had a chance. It seemed like the best option so far.As Belle drifted off to sleep, her thoughts turned towards her father. She hoped he was doing okay.Belle dreamed of her parents in their apartment in Paris. They were sitting on either side of Belle, discussing everything and nothing. She loved being between them and feeling their love.Belle’s mother stood up and Belle followed her to another room. The door opened into a cool, peaceful forest. Belle’s mother smiled at her and disappeared. Belle took in her surroundings. She’d never been to these woods before but felt immediately at home as she strolled across the path. Belle ran her hand along a tree trunk. “Hello,” she murmured, to the tree. “How are you doing?”Belle enjoyed talking to trees. They were some of the best listeners. When she held her hand against the trunk of the tree, she could always feel an emotion from the tree. Generally, trees were very positive, but sometimes she could detect other emotions such as fear or anger. They loved hearing her stories. Trees don’t move after all and rely on information from others about the rest of the world.“Hello, Belle,” a familiar voice said from behind her.Belle turned to see Hermione. Belle patted the trunk of the tree and walked over to Hermione.“Hello,” she said. “Is this somewhere you chose this time?”Hermione looked around a soft smile on her face. “The forest of Dean,” she said. “I came camping here with my parents a long time ago.”“Where are your parents now?” Belle asked.“Australia,” Hermione said. “Under different names than the ones they were born with. I modified their memory.”“Australia…” Belle mused, the name unfamiliar to her. “I’m not sure where that is. Is it quite far?”“Very far,” Hermione confirmed. “It’s over on the other side of the world. Perhaps you know about China? It’s a small continent in the Southern Hemisphere below China.”Belle racked her brain. “I believe I came across a place called New Holland when I was reading a book written by Dutch explorers that meets your description.”“That’s it,” Hermione confirmed. “It was later claimed by the British and I thought it would be safe for my parents but also familiar enough language-wise.”“It must be hard to not be able to see them,” Belle said.“It is,” Hermione said, her eyes filling with tears. “I miss them so.”“I was just thinking of my father,” Belle said. “I hope he’s all right. Have you heard anything?”“I’m afraid not,” Hermione said. “I still haven’t mended my relationship with the Beast and I don’t think I can get very far without his help.”“Did you learn more about the organ?” Belle asked, disappointed that there wasn’t more news of her father.“Yes,” Hermione said. “His name is Maestro Forte and he indeed has an influence over the Beast. I intend to break that influence.”“Good luck,” Belle said. “Do you have a plan?”“Not yet,” Hermione said. “But I’m sure I’ll figure something out. How are things going with you?”“Well, I spent most of today with Ginny in the library working on homework. We have no idea what to do about Arithmancy or Ancient Runes as she doesn’t take those subjects,” Belle said. “Oh, but this morning I took a wrong turn and ran into Draco Malfoy. We walked to breakfast together. I was so scared he would discover me.”“I wonder if that would be a bad thing,” Hermione mused. “Ron and Harry would say it would be, but in the past two weeks of interacting with him, Draco seems very different than before. I think the war changed him for the better.”“He seems to suspect something is off about me,” Belle said.“Keep your guard up,” Hermione advised. “And watch to see how he behaves. Now, as far as Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. I’m afraid I don’t have a better answer for you. I have extensive notes about them on my desk. You mentioned having extra lessons with the professors. Maybe they can advise you on how to catch up.”“That’s okay,” Belle said.The landscape darkened suddenly and Belle woke up to the meowing of Crookshanks who sat perched on her bed.“What is it?” Belle asked, sleepily.Crookshanks seemed to give her a scathing look.“I know I’m not your mistress,” Belle whispered. “But I was just talking to her in my dream. She’s the one who switched us with her magic spell.”Crookshanks sniffed Belle once. He didn’t seem happy, but he jumped down from the bed and trotted off.Belle fell back onto the pillows. Classes started tomorrow. She felt both excited and nervous. She was excited to learn, but also nervous because she knew she’d have no idea what was going on.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next morning, Hermione attended breakfast downstairs again. Unsurprisingly, but still disappointingly, the Beast wasn’t there.“Your master still doesn’t want to join me for meals?” Hermione asked sadly.Cogsworth, Lumiere, and Mrs. Potts all looked dejected. “We tried,” Cogsworth said. “He wasn’t in his chambers when we stopped by.”
Hermione nodded, getting down to business. “Right then, so did anyone come up with any ideas about how to weaken Maestro Forte’s influence over your master?”
“You want to do WHAT?!” a voice roared from behind them. Everyone jumped, including Hermione who slopped tea down her front. The Beast prowled into the room, looking at Hermione menacingly.“Good morning,” Hermione said primly from her seat, refusing to be cowed by him. “Good of you to join us.”From the doorway, Hermione saw Fife peeking into the room. She smiled at him warmly and he waved nervously at her. Hermione decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to reveal where much of her information about Maestro Forte came from.Hermione watched the Beast closely, noticing how his eyes flickered with a dangerous glint as he stood before her. She took a deep breath, preparing herself to confront him about Maestro Forte.“Please listen to me,” Hermione began, her voice steady despite the growing tension in the room. “I know you don’t think much of me, but I genuinely want to help all of you. I wish you would give me a chance.”The Beast huffed a cynical laugh, “Why should I trust you when all you’ve done is skulk around the castle, going to places you shouldn’t go, and speak ill of my closest advisor?”The words stung Hermione. He pierced at her insecurities with a bulls-eye precision. Back home, she had no idea where she fit in the post-Voldemort wizarding world. And now, she put herself in a completely foreign land where she didn’t even fit in at all. And didn’t deserve to ever fit in. Hermione was grasping at straws, trying to figure out productive ways to spend her time. Yet, the Beast’s words were spot on. All she’d done was wander around the castle.No, she said to herself. You unearthed a manipulative being. And, hopefully, found a way to break his influence. Holding onto that thought, she stayed firm in her conviction and refused to let her emotions show.She drew a deep breath. “Please, Maestro Forte has been using his music to manipulate you, to cloud your judgment, and emotions."The Beast's brows furrowed in anger, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "How DARE you speak ill of Forte! He has been by my side for all these years, his music guiding me through these dark times. He understands me when no one else has."Hermione stood up, her hands open beseechingly and her eyes pleading with him to see reason. “But can't you see? His music is not bringing out the best in you. It's controlling you, keeping you from realizing your true potential.”The Beast let out a growl, glaring at her. “I’m just about done with you. I have half a mind to throw you out now,” he snarled.A flash of fear crept through Hermione. She couldn’t let that happen. “Please don’t!” she pleaded. Without being able to help herself, she began shaking at the thought of being displaced.“Master, remember it’s not safe outside,” Mrs. Potts chimed in, coming to Hermione’s defense.“We’re responsible for her,” Cogsworth added. “She’s our guest and it’s on us to ensure her well-being.”“Besides,” Lumiere said. “We think she’s truly trying to help. Why not give her a chance?”The Beast stood there breathing angrily. Slowly, his breath became more even and deep. Seeing Hermione’s fear and absorbing his servants’ words, his anger seemed to fade. “All right,” he said. “You may stay, but no more speaking ill of Maestro Forte.”Hermione nodded. “I can do that,” she said, standing up straighter and shrugging off her fear. Inwardly she thought, at least no speaking ill of him while I’m in your presence. “Will you join me for breakfast?” she added.“Yes,” the Beast said gruffly. “That is why I came here after all.”He slumped over to the other side of the breakfast table.He grabbed food from the elaborate breakfast spread with his large paws, chomping down without bothering with table manners. Crumbs flew and sauces dripped down his face as he ate furiously, his sharp teeth tearing into the food. Hermione couldn't help but watch in a mix of fascination and mild horror at the sight.Hermione picked at her food, finding herself at a loss for words, still reeling from the earlier encounter. The emotions that had run through her reminded her of flying. The unsettling feeling of being in the air with nothing but a stick supporting her always put knots in her stomach.The tension in the room was palpable, and the sound of the Beast’s eating was all that filled the awkward silence. She stole glances at the Beast, who seemed intent on devouring his meal with a ferocity that both fascinated and unnerved her.After a few moments of strained silence, Hermione cleared her throat, trying to break the ice. "So... um, how do you like your breakfast?" she asked, attempting to steer the conversation to safer ground.The Beast paused mid-bite, looking up at her with a mixture of surprise and suspicion. Swallowing his food hastily, he grunted, "It's fine."Hermione mentally sighed, realizing that small talk was not going to be his strength. She scrambled for another topic, anything to ease the tension that still hung heavy in the air. "Did you sleep well last night?"The Beast's brow furrowed. “No one ever asks me that,” he replied. “Not since my mother…” he broke off either unable or unwilling to continue his sentence.Hermione was curious to know more about his mother and what he might have said but felt it would be unwelcome to ask more. Instead, she asked, “Well, I did ask and I’d like to know.”“I slept terribly, if you must know,” he said. “As always.”Hermione noted that. Poor sleep does not contribute to a balanced mental state. From what she’d seen, it seemed that he both struggled to overcome his beastly nature and stay mentally balanced.“I’m sorry to hear that,” Hermione said genuinely. “It makes for long nights when you can’t sleep.”“It does,” the Beast said. “Going into the forest helps.”“Nature has a magical way of making all our worries seem insignificant,” Hermione said.“I couldn’t have said that better myself,” the Beast agreed.They looked at each other with fresh eyes. Hermione was glad that they’d been able to have a normal conversation. Even if it had started off strange and awkward.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Today is one of the busiest days of the week,” Ginny told Belle over breakfast. “We have Double Herbology AND Charms this morning.” She sighed. “Happy Monday.”
Belle pulled out her schedule that Professor McGonagall had given her. “It looks like I also have Arithmancy,” she said. “And a private lesson with a Professor Vector.”
Ginny patted Belle’s hand sympathetically. “I know you’ll do well,” she said.
“Thanks,” Belle said. “I wish I had your confidence.”
Ginny led the two of them outside of the castle. Belle realized that she hadn’t been outside in days, except going through a courtyard once or twice. The castle was huge and you could spend all your time indoors. She inhaled the smell of the grass and fresh air. It felt good to be outside.After some time, Belle and Ginny arrived at the Herbology greenhouse, a place teeming with life and vibrant colors. The scent of earth and blooming flowers enveloped them as they stepped inside, greeted by rows upon rows of exotic plants stretching toward the ceiling.In the middle of the greenhouse stood a middle-aged woman and a tall young man.Ginny whispered to Belle, “The woman is Professor Sprout and the man is Neville Longbottom. He’s a friend of ours.”Neville grinned at the two of them. His warm smile immediately put Belle at ease.Belle and Ginny found a spot near a row of pulsating plants, their spiky bodies emitting faint gurgling noises. “We’re learning about Mimbulus mimbletonia,” Ginny said. “That’s what this plant is called.”“One of my favorite plants,” Neville said, coming up beside them. He lowered his voice and said to Belle, “Professor Sprout confided in me about what happened. Professor McGonagall told her it was okay to tell me. I’m sorry about what happened to you. I’ll do my best to help you figure things out.”“Thank you,” Belle said. “That’s very kind of you.”“It’s nothing at all,” Neville said in an undertone. “After everything Hermione did for me over the years, this is the least I can do.”Other students came to stand beside the three, so Neville waved at Belle and Ginny and walked back to Professor Sprout.The lesson went as smoothly as could be expected. As in, not at all.Belle got sprayed by the Mimbulus mimbletonia with a thick, sticky sap. The other students stared at her in surprise.Professor Sprout bustled over and said, “No matter,” and waved her wand. The sap vanished from Belle. She was stunned at the magical display but quickly hid her wonder.Professor Sprout assigned them all an essay on the properties of Mimbulus mimbletonia due the following class.As they walked back to the castle, a blonde girl who had been in the class joined Belle and Ginny.“Hello, Luna,” Ginny said, cheerfully. “How are you?”“I’m doing well,” Luna said. “Thank you for asking.” Luna looked closely at Belle. “Something seems different about you. Did wrackspurt get you today?”“Um…what?” Belle asked.Ginny quickly intervened. “No, Luna,” Ginny said. “I can’t tell you now, but something happened to Hermione.”Belle couldn’t help but be intrigued by Luna’s ethereal presence. She held herself differently than anyone she’d ever met.“Wait, Luna!” Ginny exclaimed. “You take Ancient Runes, right?”Luna turned her calm gaze to Ginny. “Yes,” she said. “I do.”“Excellent,” Ginny said. “Let’s meet up tonight after dinner. The three of us.”Luna smiled. “I’d like that,” she said. “It’s been a while since we all talked.”As they arrived in the Charms classroom, Belle immediately recognized Professor Flitwick. She smiled at him.After everyone had settled in their seats, Professor Flitwick called the class to attention. "Today, class, we are going to ascend higher to higher learning by learning the spell, Ascendio!” he said with a small laugh at his pun. “My apologies, I couldn't help myself. I hope everyone is prepared for some mild flinging of the person!”Professor Flitwick demonstrated the proper pronunciation of the spell, Ascendio, and how to cast the spell. As he cast the spell, he lifted off into the air. As he began to descend back down, he cast another spell that Belle didn’t hear to slow his descent.“Remember class,” Professor Flitwick said. “Use the Cushioning Charm we practiced the last two weeks if you don’t want to hurt your knees too much today.”As students began to say the spell, no one lifted into the air like Professor Flitwick. Belle noted that some hovered a few inches off the ground, but no one flew up the way Professor Flitwick had.Ginny was trying beside Belle, but didn’t have more luck than the others. The same could be said for Luna.Taking out her wand, Belle imagined herself lifting into the air and coming back down slowly. As soon as the image appeared in her head, she lifted into the air and slowly descended back down.“Ah! Miss Granger has done it!” Professor Flitwick cried. “20 points to Gryffindor.”Belle smiled at Professor Flitwick. She HAD done it! And it felt good.Ginny whispered in Belle’s ear, “Now that was a perfect imitation of Hermione. Mastering a spell before anyone else.”Belle whispered back, “I didn’t do it the proper way.”“It worked didn’t it?” Ginny asked. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to float a bit before this lesson is over.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After an awkward, yet successful meal in that Hermione had managed to have a full meal and conversation with the Beast, Hermione decided to try to find Fife again.She wandered over to the West Wing, but hesitated at the top of the stairs, listening to the faint organ music. She had been told over and over not to go there. She wasn’t sure if the Beast had left the castle or if he were still there. She stood there, feeling suddenly indecisive. Her basic nature of not wanting to break the rules held her in place, but her need for a solution drove her forward. Wishing she had Harry’s Invisibility Cloak, she crept towards the double doors that she’d entered before to find Forte’s lair. Opening the doors, the sound of music doubled in volume.As she entered, she noted her surroundings anew. It seemed to be a large bedchamber. Though it was hard to tell because everything was destroyed. Not wanting to linger, she followed the music to Forte’s chamber. As she peeked through the open doorway, she discovered that the Beast was, in fact, sitting there.Hermione had to know what they were talking about. Taking a risk, she found her previous hiding place.
“What ails you today, master?” Forte said, over the loud organ music.“Nothing ails me,” the Beast said gruffly.“Oh, come now, master,” Forte said. “I can always tell when something is on your mind.”“Oh, all right,” the Beast said. “It’s that girl. She says that you’re manipulating me.”“Does she now?” Forte said, a discordant note playing before going back to the somber tune. “But why would she say such a thing, master? Have I not been loyal to you, guiding you through these difficult times?” Forte's words slithered smoothly through the air, wrapping around the Beast's thoughts like a cunning serpent.The Beast furrowed his brow, his gaze shifting uneasily. “I... I don't know. She just seems so sure of it. And now that I think about it, there have been moments...”Hermione held her breath, straining to catch every word exchanged between the two.“Perhaps she misunderstands our bond, master,” Forte continued smoothly. “I only seek to help you unlock your full potential, to embrace the power that lies within you. Do not let her foolish words cloud your judgment.”The Beast shifted in his seat, a flicker of uncertainty dancing in his eyes.Confused by the conflicting thoughts echoing in his mind, the Beast abruptly stood up, causing the organ music to halt with a dissonant screech. His gaze searched the room as if trying to escape the invisible grasp of Forte's words. Hermione shrank further into her hiding spot, feeling a strange mixture of guilt and urgency swirling within her."I... I need some air," the Beast muttered, his voice heavy with doubt.“Very well, master,” replied Forte into the eerie silence. “But do consider what I said. Trust in our bond."The Beast turned and strode out of the room, leaving behind a tense silence that seemed to linger in the air.“FIFE!!” Forte blasted once the Beast had left the room. The suddenness of the organ’s yell startled Hermione.“Yes, sir?” Fife said, his voice trembling.“Do you see what that girl is doing to the master?” Forte’s pipes practically vibrated with rage, the discordant notes reverberating throughout the chamber. “She’s planting seeds of doubt in his mind, poisoning his thoughts against me.”Fife fidgeted nervously, the high notes of his piccolo quivering in response to Forte's wrath. “But sir, what can we do?”Forte’s pipes let out an ominous rumble, the sound akin to distant thunder rolling across a darkened sky. “You must bring her to me,” Forte said. “I’ll take care of her.”“You aren’t going to hurt her are you?” Fife squeaked. “She’s actually really nice.”“Idiot!” Forte yelled. “You’ve been deceived by her treachery, her pretty face. Who’s cared for you all these years? Who’s writing a solo just for you?”“You, sir,” Fife mumbled.“Then do as I say and bring her to me!” Forte declared.“Yes, sir,” Fife said. The music crescendoed to a deafening volume as the organ became enraptured in his own music.Fife entered Hermione’s line of sight. She waved at him to catch his attention and beckoned him over. Fife looked nervously between her and Forte. Seeing that Forte was engulfed in playing his music, he made his way over to Hermione.“Miss!” he whispered. “You shouldn’t be here.”“I know,” Hermione said. “I was looking for you, but didn’t know how to find you.”“You were looking for me?” Fife asked, astonished. “No one ever looks for me.”“I told you that we were friends, didn’t I?” Hermione said, smiling. “Why don’t we go somewhere else so that we can talk.”“You aren’t mad that I’m supposed to bring you to Maestro Forte?” Fife asked.“No,” Hermione said truthfully. “I’m not. There was nothing you could do. Besides, I’m glad for an excuse to talk to him. Let’s get out of here though.”“Okay,” Fife said. “I’ll go make sure the coast is clear.”Fife left the room and returned a few minutes later.“The coast is clear,” Fife said. “Follow me. And be careful!”Fife hopped towards the exit, stopping to make sure that Forte was still playing music. Hermione followed, keeping a careful eye on Forte. As she left the room, she found herself able to breathe more freely.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Ginny asked as they finished lunch after Charms class, concerned about Belle going to class on her own.To tell the truth, Belle wasn’t sure. She imagined she was supposed to know people in the Arithmancy class. Without Ginny to cover for her, she might make some strange faux pas.But Belle didn’t want Ginny to worry. Belle didn’t want to rely on Ginny her whole life either. She needed to forge her own path.“It’s for the best,” Belle said. “I need to start figuring things out on my own.”Ginny nodded, acknowledging Belle’s point. “You’ll be fine,” she said as if to convince herself and Belle of that fact. “I’m happy to walk you to class if you’d like? This is a free period for me.”Belle considered Ginny’s offer. It was kind of her and would definitely get her there faster.“No, thank you,” Belle said. “I need to learn my way around the school and when I’m following someone else, I find that I don’t pay as much attention. I remember better when I have to do the navigating.”“Okay,” Ginny said, smiling in understanding. “If you leave now, you’ll have plenty of time to make it there even if you take some wrong turns along the way.”Belle nodded and got up. She left the Great Hall and pulled out her Field Guide. “Lead me to the Arithmancy classroom,” she whispered to the map inside. As usual, a dotted line appeared at her location and led her in the direction she wanted to go. Holding the book as casually as she could, Belle glanced down every so often to verify that she was going in the right direction.Belle took in the details of the castle as she walked. The beauty of the castle never ceased to amaze her. The rich colors, the painted portraits, the elaborate tapestries. It was nothing like the cold barren castle of the Beast. She wondered how Hermione was adjusting to coming from a warm place like this to the unfriendly domain of the Beast.Lost in thought, Belle nearly missed a turning as she navigated her way through the labyrinthine halls. She quickened her pace, trying to make up for lost time. Finally, she arrived at the Arithmancy classroom just as the other students were settling in.The room was unlike any other Belle had seen in the castle. Parchments covered in complex equations and symbols adorned the walls, and shelves were filled with ancient-looking books on magical numerology. The air hummed with an energy that made Belle's skin prickle with anticipation.Taking a seat at a vacant desk near the front, Belle opened her bag and pulled out her quill and parchment. Belle had found Hermione’s previous notes bound together and planned to take notes from where Hermione left off. Belle read through Hermione’s notes as she waited for class to start.“Decided to change up the seating arrangements, Hermione?” a voice from behind her said.Belle turned to see a young man with curly hair addressing her. She thought she might have seen him in one of her previous classes. Had she taken his seat? “Oh,” she said. “Sorry about that, I wasn’t thinking.”“It’s all good,” he said cheerfully, taking the seat next to her. “Change can be a good thing. Maybe I’ll take in information better here.”Belle smiled, relieved that the boy was kind about her mistake. She looked around the room and noticed some familiar faces from Herbology and Charms. A familiar face in particular stood one. It was one of the girls from her dormitory. What was her name? Ginny had told her… She also played Quidditch with Ginny. Belle wished she could remember the girl’s name, but she knew Ginny would know if she asked.The Arithmancy professor entered the room. With her sharp features and piercing gaze, she exuded an air of authority that commanded attention. Belle was impressed already. This must be Professor Vector.Professor Vector immediately began the class. “Continuing on with our topic of complex spell formulation and enhancement, we’re moving past the theoretical foundation which we covered the past two weeks and into spell analysis,” she said.Belle wrote the heading “Spell Analysis” on the parchment and began to write down everything Professor Vector said. Belle used to help her father write down his ideas as he’d dictate them to her. He would talk extremely fast, so Belle learned to write fast. Even if she didn’t understand what she was writing, she was confident she’d captured the majority of the professor’s lesson.The curly-haired boy leaned over and whispered, “Wow, your handwriting is different. How can that happen?”Belle started, noticing that her handwriting was, in fact, much different than Hermione’s. Belle struggled to come up with an excuse but was saved by Professor Vector.“Mr. Finch-Fletchley,” said Professor Vector. “Do you have something to say about deconstructing spells into their numerological origins that you’d like to share with the class?”“No, Professor,” said the so-named Mr. Finch-Fletchley. “Apologies.”“Good,” said Professor Vector. “As I was saying…”Belle hurriedly took notes as Professor Vector concluded the lesson.“Before you go,” she said. “Please place your homework assignments in the tray on my desk.”The boy called Mr. Finch-Fletchley pulled out a scroll of parchment from his bag. “Here’s hoping I do better than last time,” he said as he grabbed his bag. “I’ll see you next time,” he waved and headed to the front of the classroom.Belle had a private lesson with Professor Vector immediately after the class, so she turned in the homework assignment that, mercifully, Hermione had completed and went back to her desk, waiting for the rest of the students to file out.“Well, well,” Professor Vector said, walking over to Belle. Belle stood up and gave her a slight respectful bow.“It’s nice to meet you, Professor,” Belle said.“Nice to meet you as well,” Professor Vector said. “I must say, I’m impressed with your ability to take notes. You almost convinced me that Professor McGonagall was playing a joke on me.” She appraised Belle. “But I can see the differences between the two of you. They’re subtle, but definitely there if you know how to look.”Belle nodded, not sure what to say.“Well, I suppose I’m meant to try to catch you up on what you’ve missed since the third year,” Professor Vector said. “That won’t be easy, but we’ll start with the basics. Arithmancy refers to the magical properties of numbers. Numbers underpin everything.”“I know!” Belle exclaimed in excitement, realizing this was a familiar concept to her. Professor Vector looked startled.“I’m sorry,” Belle said. “I got a bit excited. My father is an inventor and studies the properties of numbers. I learned from him and read everything he collected on the topic. I should have made the connection before. Our word for the subject is slightly different in French.”“That is good,” Professor Vector said. “I’m glad you have some foundation. However, while the Muggle understanding of Arithmancy has some overlap with ours, we, I dare say, have a much deeper understanding of it.”Belle nodded, excited to learn more. “Please continue, Professor,” she said.Professor Vector continued to explain to Belle the role of Arithmancy in the wizarding world. She briefly mentioned the importance of Arithmancy in daily magical use and its applications in various magical professions.“I want you to find the textbook Numerology and Grammatica and study the properties of numbers 1 through 9,” Professor Vector concluded. “Write a 12-inch essay about the properties of those numbers and turn that in with the rest of the students next week when they turn in their homework. You are welcome to try the homework assignment that the other students receive, but I do not expect Hermione’s usual standards.”“Thank you, Professor,” Belle said. “I appreciate you taking the extra time to help me.”“No worries, my dear,” Professor Vector said. “I’ve found myself wondering if the curriculum for this year encouraged Miss Granger to do what she did. Did I enable her in some way? I can’t be certain. Regardless, I feel I have some part to play in your plight.”Belle was confused until she remembered how Professor Vector had introduced the class. “We’re studying spell formulation,” Belle said, comprehension dawning on her. “And Hermione created a spell to change places.”“Precisely,” Professor Vector said. “Like I said, I feel some remorse for any part I played in your current predicament.”“You’re not responsible for the actions of your students,” Belle said. “You provide them with the opportunity of knowledge and then they choose their paths.”“That’s very kind of you,” Professor Vector said. “I suppose you may be right. It’s hard when you’re a professor. You feel such a responsibility for your students.”“I can imagine that must be very difficult,” Belle said with compassion.“Well, it’s part of the job,” Professor Vector said, the melancholy leaving her voice. “I look forward to reading your essay.”Belle recognized the dismissal and left the classroom, relieved to be done with classes for the day.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Fife led Hermione out of the West Wing and to a comfortable sitting room. He shut the door behind Hermione. He proceeded to look around the room to see if anyone else was in there. After deeming it clear, he turned to Hermione.
“I-I really hope y-you’re not mad at me,” he stammered referring to the conversation earlier with Forte where he’d caved to Forte’s demands.“Of course not,” Hermione said, not resenting Fife in the slightest. “He’s a bully and skilled at manipulation.”“I’m afraid of what he’ll do if I don’t bring him to you,” Fife said, wringing his small flutey hands in worry.“Don’t worry, you’re going to bring me to him,” Hermione said matter-of-factly. “This is the perfect opportunity for me to talk to him.”
“Really?” Fife asked, clearly shocked. “But why? What if he hurts you?”“How could he hurt me?” Hermione asked. “Isn’t he bolted to the wall?”“Well, that’s true,” Fife admitted. “But he’s able to do something with his music. And he’s also so convincing. And he knows just what to say to make you feel bad.”“Words can’t hurt you,” Hermione said. “It’s only if you allow them to hurt you. Which, of course, is easier said than done, especially if you care about the other person.”Hermione looked thoughtfully out of the window, the snow-covered grounds reminding her of Hogwarts. It made her miss her friends. Miss being able to do magic.“I’ll have to risk the music,” Hermione said. “I suspect it’s a matter of will.” She looked at Fife. “Could you tell me more about how Forte works?”“How he works?” Fife asked, perplexed. “I don’t really know, he’s an organ who can play powerful music that preys on people’s emotions.”
“And he’s remained in that room all this time?” Hermione asked.“Yes, that’s where he appeared when the spell transformed us,” Fife confirmed.“So he has you go about the castle and report back?” Hermione asked.“Yes, I’m his eyes and ears,” Fife said. “But I don’t tell him everything.”
“Really?” Hermione asked.
“Nope,” Fife replied. “I especially haven’t told him about us being friends.”“I appreciate that,” Hermione said. She thought about whether she should confide her plans to Fife. “I’d like to see if there’s a way to incapacitate him. Not kill him but remove or weaken his ability to play music.”
“I don’t know how you’d be able to do that,” Fife said. “But let me know how I can help.”
“I will,” Hermione said. “You’re a good friend, Fife.”
Hermione left the room to go find Cogsworth. She suspected he might have an inkling of what to do, being a mechanical object himself.She found Cogsworth in his study.“Cogsworth, I need your help with something,” Hermione said. “Do you have any idea how Forte works? Mechanically speaking?”Cogsworth looked at Hermione thoughtfully. “Well, he’s a pipe organ,” Cogsworth said. “And a rather complex one at that. You see, the pipes are intricately designed to produce specific tones when air is forced through them. It seems that Forte can manipulate the airflow within himself, creating a wide range of music that can stir emotions in those who listen. Specifically, the master.”Hermione listened intently, taking in every detail Cogsworth shared. She marveled at the complexity of Forte's design and how he used it to his advantage.“Is there any way to disrupt his ability to control the airflow?” Hermione asked, her mind already racing with ideas.Cogsworth stroked his chin thoughtfully. “It would require a careful approach. Perhaps if we were to tamper with certain key mechanisms within him, we could throw off his ability to play his manipulative tunes…”Hermione nodded. “If only there were some way we could find out how those mechanisms are interconnected, like a blueprint of sorts,” she said.“You know,” Cogsworth said. “There might be a way.”Hurriedly, he hopped to one of the bookshelves behind him and dug around until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out several large scrolls and unfurled them on the table one by one until he said, “There!”Hermione craned her neck to see what Cogsworth pointed at. She had a hard time making heads or tails of what she observed.“The floorplans of the castle,” Cogsworth said by way of explanation. “This is the blueprint of the West Wing, where Forte resides with the master.” He pointed to a specific place on the map. As Hermione looked closer, she could see that it was indeed the West Wing.
“It appears that there are several pillar-thick tubes that run below the floor connecting Forte’s pipes to…” Cogsworth trailed off, tracing the lines of the tubes directly below the room where Forte resided. “The boiler room.”
“The boiler room?” Hermione confirmed. “Interesting. So that would be the source that controls the airflow?”“Yes,” Cogsworth said. “The boiler is nice. He likes to keep things warm and cozy. Sometimes he overdoes it on the wood and causes minor explosions, but the boiler room staff has it well handled.”
“I guess that’s where I must go investigate next,” Hermione said. “How do I get there?”
“I’ll show you!” Cogsworth said. “It might be best for me to come with you and help explain who you are.”
“Okay,” Hermione said. “I’ll be glad for the company.”
Cogsworth led Hermione along several hallways, through a door, and down some stairs to a room that Hermione immediately recognized as the boiler as she could feel the warmth radiating up from the space as she climbed down.Hermione's eyes widened as she stepped into the boiler room. The room was filled with a symphony of whirring gears, hissing steam, and the rhythmic thumping of pistons. Massive pipes crisscrossed above them like metallic vines, pulsating with energy. In the center stood a hulking figure made of burnished iron and brass — the enchanted boiler.Hermione noted large piles of wood along with many other fire-maintaining related objects around the room: axes, pokers, bellows, brooms, and more.Cogsworth beamed proudly as he introduced Hermione to the boiler room staff. “Hello everyone, this is our new guest, Hermione. She’s here to help us all, so I trust that you’ll make her feel welcome.”The boiler let out a content rumble, sending vibrations through the floor beneath their feet. He had a kind face etched into his metal exterior, with glowing embers for eyes that flickered warmly.“All right, welcome, welcome,” said a mustachioed axe with an impatient, no-nonsense tone. “Let us know if you need anything. Back to work people!” He yelled the last line at the fire-related objects, who scurried back into action.“Let’s see what we can figure out,” Hermione said.Cogsworth nodded in agreement and led Hermione around the bustling boiler room, pointing out various devices and explaining their functions. Hermione listened intently impressed by Cogsworth’s knowledge of machinery. She marveled at the complexity it took to keep a castle running.As they made their way to the heart of the room where a massive control panel loomed, Hermione marveled at the complexity of it all. Gauges and levers adorned the panel like a clockwork masterpiece, each serving a specific purpose in maintaining the boiler's temperature and airflow.This is very advanced, she thought. I had no idea that during this time period there was so much machinery already.Among the sea of dials and switches on the control panel, Hermione noticed a particularly ornate valve tucked away in a corner. It gleamed with an otherworldly sheen, intricate engravings dancing along its edges like ethereal vines. Curiosity piqued, she approached it with caution, her fingers tingling as she reached out to touch the cool metal."What's this?" Hermione asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The valve demanded her attention. It had an air of magic to it.Cogsworth peered over her shoulder, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "Ah, that's the Airflow Control Valve," he explained. "It regulates the flow of air into Forte's pipes.” His voice grew excited. “If we shut it off, we might be able to disrupt his mind-controlling music!"A thrill flowed through Hermione as she studied the valve more closely. She felt the hum of magic emanating from it, an undeniable power flowing through it. With a determined glint in her eye, she turned to Cogsworth and turned the valve so that the supply of air was cut off.

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Belle found Ginny waiting for her outside of the Arithmancy classroom.“How was it?” Ginny asked immediately, falling into step beside Belle as they walked down the corridor.“It went rather well,” Belle said, as they descended stairs in what she hoped was the direction of the Great Hall. It was just about dinner time and Belle was hungry. “I actually have some familiarity with the subject because of my father, but from the, how do you call it, Muggle perspective.”“That’s good, right?” Ginny asked.“Yes, it is,” Belle said. “The foundations seem to be similar if not the same so far. Of course, we go deeper into the magical aspects here.”“You seem, overall, to be really well suited for magical school,” Ginny observed. “You’re a natural.”“I didn’t do so well in Herbology,” Belle pointed out. “I have a garden at home, but these plants are nothing like mine.”“Well,” Ginny said. “Professor Sprout likes to keep all the ‘interesting’ magical plants. Ready to eat?”“Yes!” Belle said. “I was hoping that’s where we were going.”They talked about Belle’s experiences with numerology and gardening as they continued their walk to the Great Hall.Once they entered the hall, they sat down at an empty part of the table so they could talk uninterrupted.As they ate, Belle pointed out the girl who was in her Arithmancy class to Ginny. “Who is that?” Belle asked Ginny. “I forgot her name.”“Demelza Robbins,” Ginny said enthusiastically. “She’s very sweet. And a great Chaser. Why?”“She was in my Arithmancy class,” Belle said.“Ahh, I didn’t know she studied Arithmancy,” Ginny said. “That’s good to know.”“I also met someone that Professor Vector called Mr. Finch-Fletchley,” Belle commented.“Ah yes, Justin Finch-Fletchley,” Ginny said. “He couldn’t complete his final year last year because of the war so he came back to finish just like Hermione.”“Why not?” Belle asked.“Because he’s Muggle-born,” Ginny said. “And the bad guys were rounding up anyone Muggle-born. It was safer for him not to attend. There are a few like him here.” Ginny pointed down the table to a black boy. “That’s Dean Thomas. He couldn’t attend Hogwarts last year either, so he came back.”Dean looked towards them, caught Ginny’s eye, and quickly looked away. “Things are a bit awkward between me and him,” Ginny commented. “We used to date. But he also plays on the Quidditch team and is in the same house so we can’t avoid each other.”Ginny seemed to have had a lot of experience in the realm of dating and relationships. Belle was once again intrigued by her.“Oh, remember,” Ginny said. “After dinner, we’re going to meet up with Luna.”“Okay,” Belle said, remembering the ethereal blonde girl who walked with them from Herbology to Charms.“Luna can be trusted,” Ginny said. “I think she’ll be one of your best bets to help you stay on top of Ancient Runes and help with other subjects if she’s willing. Luna is really smart, even if she’s odd. She’s in Ravenclaw.”Belle recalled that Ravenclaw was the Hogwarts House characteristically known for knowledge and wisdom. Also, her mother’s house. Belle was glad to get to know someone from Ravenclaw. It helped her feel closer to her mother.As if summoned by them speaking about her, Luna drifted over from another table. “Would you like to meet up now?” Luna asked. “Or meet later?”Ginny looked at Belle questioningly. “Does now work?” Ginny asked.“Sure,” Belle said. “I’m finished.”“Let’s go then,” Ginny said, standing up. “Shall we go to the library?”The three women walked in the direction of the library. As they walked, Ginny kept checking different classrooms. At last, Ginny pulled them into a vacant classroom and shut the door.“Before we get there,” Ginny said. “I wanted to explain something to you, Luna.”“That this isn’t Hermione?” Luna asked.“How did you know?” Ginny asked, startled.“I could just tell,” Luna said simply. “Her expressions and mannerisms are different.”“I forgot how observant you are,” Ginny said, smiling.“But I don’t know what happened,” Luna said dreamily.Ginny launched into an explanation, Luna listening intently.“I discovered something new today,” Belle chimed in when Ginny finished, remembering something she hadn’t told Ginny yet. The other two looked at her. “In Arithmancy, we’re studying complex spell formulations. Professor Vector feels guilty that she might have enabled Hermione to do this.”Ginny and Luna looked thoughtful. “It’s just like Hermione to have read the full textbook ahead of time,” Ginny said. “It’s not surprising she figured it out early.”“Very complex magic,” Luna said. “And dangerous. My mother used to experiment with spells. She died from an experiment gone wrong.”“I never knew that,” Ginny said softly. “I’m so sorry.”“Yes, it’s very sad,” Luna said. “I’m very glad nothing like that happened to you or Hermione.”“Me too,” Ginny said.“Agreed,” said Belle.“Well, Luna, would you mind coming to the library with us and helping Belle with her Ancient Runes homework?” Ginny asked.“Not at all,” Luna said. “Let’s go.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hermione sat alone in the dining room for dinner with the enchanted household servants keeping her company.
“Your master won’t be joining me for dinner then?” Hermione asked as she ate her soup.“We’re not sure, dearie,” Mrs. Potts said. “He’s been out all day.”
“He should be hungry after a day in the woods though!” Cogsworth chimed in.As if on cue, the door burst open and the Beast prowled inside.“Master! You’re here!” Lumiere exclaimed. “Excellent.”
“I’m starving,” the Beast said by way of reply and threw himself into his seat at the other end of the table. His cutlery had assembled itself the moment he walked into the room. He tore into his food, devouring it with a ferocity that made Hermione glad for the long table—she could avoid the food spray.
When he slowed somewhat, Hermione broke the silence. “Did you have a nice time outside?”The Beast grunted but made no reply.“I’ll take that as a yes, then,” Hermione said wryly.
Hermione watched as the Beast continued to eat with an almost primal intensity, his focus solely on the food in front of him.“Your castle is truly magnificent,” Hermione tried again. “There are so many hidden nooks and crannies, I doubt I could find everything in 10 years.”The Beast paused mid-bite, a glint of something unreadable flickering in his eyes as he slowly raised his gaze to meet Hermione’s. His expression softened for a fleeting moment before the mask of indifference settled back onto his features.“Magnificent?” he echoed, his deep voice rumbling through the room. “To you, perhaps. To me, it feels like a prison.”Hermione frowned, taken aback by his unexpected admission. “But it’s so grand, so rich with history,” she ventured, gesturing to the elaborate tapestries adorning the walls and the intricately carved furniture that filled the room. Hermione noted Cogsworth puff up with pride at her words.The Beast’s gaze swept around the dining hall, lingering on the opulent decorations before returning to Hermione. “Yes, it may be grand on the surface,” he conceded, his tone tinged with bitterness. “But every corridor, every room, every shadow holds memories of my past mistakes and regrets. It feels confining and suffocating. A reminder of everything that I’ve lost.”“And what, precisely, have you lost?” Hermione asked.“My freedom,” the Beast said. “My ability to leave this place and be among others.”“Well, you have me now to keep you company. If you’ll let me,” Hermione said. “And you have a castle full of staff who care deeply for you.”The Beast flinched. “They are constant reminders of my failures. What I cost all of them,” he said so low Hermione almost didn’t hear him.Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, and Lumiere exchanged surprised glances and then a silent agreement passed between them. Clearing her throat gently, Mrs. Potts spoke up, her voice taking on a soothing tone. "Master, we had no idea you felt that way. Please know that we don’t blame you for this.” She sighed. “If anything, we blame ourselves.”
“You blame yourselves?” the Beast said, astounded. “How could that be?”“We did nothing to protect you from your father,” Mrs. Potts explained. Lumiere and Cogsworth hung their heads and nodded their agreement.“Indeed,” Cogsworth said. “We could have done so much more to help you. Kept you from getting so jaded.”
“Oui,” Lumiere agreed. “We should have done more to honor your mother’s memory.”
“You can’t possibly blame yourselves,” the Beast replied. “There’s nothing you could have done. I let myself go down that path of negativity.”
“Even so,” Mrs. Potts said. “We want you to know that we’re always here for you and care deeply for you. And, if I may be so bold, I see you like another son to me.”
“…You don’t hate me?” The Beast said. “I was sure that—I thought that everyone but—I thought everyone resented me.”“Hate you!” Cogsworth exclaimed. “Heavens no.”
“You’re our beloved master,” Lumiere cried.
“I thought that only Forte understood me…” the Beast mused. “I guess I was mistaken.”Hermione observed the entire exchange with fascination. Hearing that the Beast was reconsidering Forte’s trustworthiness on his own made her happy. This would make things much easier.
Hermione addressed the Beast, her eyes filled with compassion. “It’s understandable why you would feel that way, but please believe me when I say that you are not alone in this castle,” she said softly. “You have friends here who truly care for you, who want to support you and see you happy.”The Beast looked at Hermione, his eyes reflecting a mix of doubt and longing. “But how can I trust that?” he asked, his voice heavy with uncertainty.“You can start by trusting in the goodness of those who stand by your side,” Hermione suggested, her voice gentle yet firm. “Let go of the past mistakes that weigh you down and embrace the possibility of a brighter future.”Mrs. Potts nodded in agreement, her warm smile reassuring. “We’re all here to help you find your way back to the light, Master,” she said. “You deserve happiness just as much as anyone else.”Cogsworth added, “And remember, true strength comes from within.”The Beast furrowed his brow, “I thought that my anger made me strong,” he said. “But maybe relying on others is a different type of strength.”“Indeed, master!” Lumiere exclaimed. “It takes courage to trust others.”The Beast nodded slowly, seeming to ponder everyone’s words. “Thank you all,” he said. “I’ll take my leave now.”He stood up and exited the room. Hermione wondered if he was going to visit Forte.“I’m finished as well,” Hermione said. “Thank you for a delicious dinner. I think we made some real progress tonight.”“Agreed,” Cogsworth said.“Anytime, dearie,” Mrs. Potts said with a wink.“Good night,” Lumiere said.Hermione waved at all of them and headed out the door, the scurrying of the enchanted household staff clearing the table echoing behind her.Walking in the direction of the West Wing, Hermione hoped to find Fife along the way to have an excuse to visit Forte. As if her thoughts had summoned him, she saw him hopping around a corner in her direction.“Ready to bring me to the maestro?” Hermione asked Fife with a smile.“Y-yes, miss,” Fife said, his voice trembling. “Are you sure? Something’s off with him right now and he’s in a terrible mood.”“Yes,” Hermione said, her grin widening. “I am completely sure.”Fife led Hermione up the stairs and through the corridors until they reached the West Wing. The double doors opened immediately for Fife, as if they knew him. Hermione supposed that the door did know him and that it was enchanted like everything else in this castle seemed to be.Hermione realized that she hadn’t heard the sounds of music like she normally had on other visits. Had her interference worked?Fife led the way to the organ’s antechamber. As Hermione crossed the threshold, she realized she could hear music, but it was very faint now. She also realized they weren’t alone. The Beast was there.Hermione slowed, wondering if she should come back another time, but the Beast saw her. He rose from his seat and prowled towards her.“What are you doing here?” he asked a note of anger creeping into his voice, but nothing like before.“I apologize for intruding,” Hermione said. “But Fife here told me that Maestro Forte would like to meet me.”Upon hearing his name, Hermione saw that Forte’s eyes opened and fixed upon her, blazing with surprise and irritation. This was the first time she’d stood face-to-face with the intimidating organ.“Ah, so this is our new guest in the castle,” Forte said. “Master, you mentioned she is an enchantress. Perhaps she would know why I suddenly cannot play my music to its fullest. Why it is so subdued, barely a shadow of its true brilliance.”The Beast looked at her curiously. “Yes, Forte and I were just discussing this. His music is much quieter than normal.”“While I do know quite a bit about magic, I don’t know much at all about music or musical instruments,” Hermione said truthfully. “How did this change come on?”“I was playing my glorious music as normal this afternoon when the sensation of not being able to breathe came upon me,” Forte explained, as he continued to play his music. “While it has been so long since I physically had lungs, it feels as if what should be my lungs are constricted and I cannot draw a full breath. Each note I try to play comes out stifled and weak, lacking the force and clarity I'm accustomed to.”“Really?” Hermione said, inwardly glad that her and Cogsworth’s plan had worked. “To me, you sound incredible.”Forte’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Do not try to placate me, enchantress,” he growled, the notes in his voice falling discordantly. “I know when my music is not at its peak. There is foul play afoot, and I will not rest until I find out who is behind this treachery.”Hermione raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He was showing his true colors and she would let him.“Forte, let’s not point fingers just yet,” the Beast said. “From what I can tell, Hermione genuinely wants to help us.”Forte’s gaze shifted between Hermione and the Beast, a malevolent glint in his eyes. He continued to play, but the melody now had a sinister undertone that sent shivers down Hermione's spine.“Didn’t you tell me only yesterday, master, that this enchantress deceived you?” Forte asked. “That she took away the sweet girl you’d come to admire?”“I didn’t do it on purpose!” Hermione exclaimed. “Well, I did, but I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I didn’t realize how much I’d be affecting other people. I’m truly sorry for that and want to make amends in any way that I can. That’s one of the reasons why I’m determined to help you break the spell that’s preventing all of you from being human.”“The other staff seem to trust her,” the Beast said. “I’ve decided to give her a chance.”Hermione beamed at him.“Don’t be foolish, master,” Forte said, playing soft soothing music. “Nothing good can come of magic. Look what happened to us.”“If a spell can be cast, it can also be broken,” the Beast replied. “I’ve decided to let her try.”“Thank you,” Hermione said. “I am most grateful to you. Perhaps in the morning, we can talk strategy?”“Yes,” the Beast said. “Let’s do that.”“I look forward to it,” Hermione said. “I will take my leave then. It was nice to meet you, Maestro Forte. Your music may sound different to yourself, but to my ears, it is lovely.”Hermione nodded her head at both of them and walked towards the exit. She saw Fife staring at her in awe. She gave him a smile and a wave as she exited the room. From behind her, Hermione heard Forte mutter, “She must be tone deaf.”Hermione smiled. She had done it what she’d sought out to do. She had weakened Forte’s influence on the Beast and had gotten him to accept her help.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After spending the evening working on her homework with the guidance of Ginny and Luna, Belle collapsed into bed feeling exhausted yet satisfied with her day.She was learning so much. She was beginning to enjoy her time here at Hogwarts.As Belle drifted off to sleep, she dreamed again of her mother. Belle saw her mother as a student at Hogwarts. The robes looked to be of a different fashion than the robes Belle and the other students wore, but the castle looked the same.Standing in a corridor, her mother laughed with other students and performed dazzling tricks with her wand for their amusement. Her mother caught Belle’s eye and beckoned her over. Belle walked over and her mother immediately turned and rounded the corner, disappearing from sight.“Wait!” Belle cried, not wanting to lose sight of her mother and ran after her.As Belle turned the corner, she found herself again in the forest she’d been in the night before.Hermione was there waiting for her.“Belle!” she cried, running towards her. “I did it! I took down Forte!”“The organ?” Belle asked, distracted by the thoughts of her mother. She shook herself a little and called herself to the present moment with Hermione. “That’s great! What happened?”Hermione explained what she did and the Beast’s reaction.“I’m feeling very hopeful now that he’ll work with me,” Hermione said. “Hopefully this is one step closer to cracking both of our enchantments.”“That’s really great, Hermione,” Belle said. Hermione’s words had reminded Belle of something. “Speaking of enchantments. Did you happen learn how to craft the spell that changed our places from Arithmancy?” Belle asked.“Why yes,” Hermione said, surprised. “I used a combination of principles from Arithmancy and other subjects. How did you know?”“I had Arithmancy today and Professor Vector said she felt guilty for my predicament as the curriculum covers spell components this year,” Belle said.“Oh no,” Hermione said, her face falling. “I certainly don’t want her to feel guilty. I had already read about spell crafting in my fifth year when I found out what the N.E.W.T. level Arithmancy class covered. I thought it might help me with my O.W.L.s.”Belle wasn’t quite sure she followed Hermione’s train of thought but spoke to what she did understand. “I tried to assure her that a professor is not responsible for the actions of their students,” Belle said. “I think it helped.”“Thank you,” Hermione said. “How are your classes going? I didn’t realize it was Monday already.”Belle summarized her day to Hermione and told her about the people she met.“Luna figured out I wasn’t you without Ginny having to tell her,” Belle commented.“Luna can be surprisingly astute,” Hermione said. “I love Luna, but I want to caution you not to believe everything she says. Her father likes to invent make-believe creatures and Luna believes in them.”“I see,” said Belle, not sure if she followed, but decided not to worry about it. Luna seemed really nice. “No news of my father?”“No,” Hermione said, her face falling. “I’m really sorry about that. Now that I’ve gotten to a place where I have a tentative truce with the Beast, I will see what I can find out.”“Thank you,” Belle said, disappointed that Hermione didn’t have more news. “I truly hope he’s all right.”“I do too,” Hermione said, kindly. “I promise to do what I can to ensure that he’s doing well.”“I appreciate it,” Belle said again. “It’s the one thing that actually keeps me from fully enjoying my time at Hogwarts.”Hermione looked at Belle critically, surprised and pleased by Belle’s words. “Truly? Do you mean what you say?” she asked. “You’re enjoying your time at Hogwarts?”“Why, yes,” Belle said. “I always wanted to go on an adventure. It’s nothing like what I expected but I’m truly enjoying all of the things that I’m learning. I had no idea I had this ability to do magic.” Belle sighed. “I only wish I didn’t have to pretend to be someone I’m not.”Hermione patted Belle’s shoulder. “I’m sorry about that,” Hermione said. “I know that must be tough. I wish I had a better answer for you.”“It’s okay,” Belle said. “I’m grateful for the experience nonetheless.”“Do you still want to come back home?” Hermione asked. “If we can figure out how to switch places.”Belle had to think about it for a moment, but the answer came to her immediately. “Yes,” she said simply. “I can’t leave my father forever. And I’d love to be able to bring these skills I’ve acquired back home.”Hermione nodded. “That makes sense,” she said, somewhat relieved. For a brief moment, Hermione had wondered herself if she wanted to stay in Belle’s world. It would certainly be an escape from her troubles, but it wasn’t a long-term solution. She needed to go back to see her friends and reconnect with her family. She couldn’t imagine life without any of them.“What about you?” Belle asked. “Do you want to come back?”“Yes,” Hermione said. “I want to go home too. I want to find out how my parents are doing. I have some business I need to resolve.”“But we still have no idea how to return home?” Belle asked.“No,” Hermione said. “I still need to do some research. Hopefully, now I’ll have more opportunity.”“Yes,” Belle said. “And perhaps the more I learn, the more I can be of help.”“Definitely,” Hermione said. “It seems that you’re catching onto things rather quickly.”“In the meantime,” Belle said. “Let us enjoy this new adventure that we’re on.”“I like how you think,” Hermione replied, smiling.

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That morning, the Beast was already in the dining room when Hermione arrived.“Good morning,” she said, pleased to see him there.“Morning,” he murmured.“Did you sleep well?” Hermione asked as she took her seat.“Better than usual,” the Beast said, a note of surprise in his voice.“I’m glad to hear it,” Hermione said with a smile. “Sleep is a magic worker.”The two fell into silence as they both served themselves food and began to eat.Hermione recalled her conversation with Belle from the night before. “I have a question for you,” she said to the Beast. “Do you know what happened to Belle’s father?”“Her father?” the Beast asked, surprised, a slight note of anger in his voice. “That thief who intruded into my home.”“Now, now, master,” Mrs. Potts said. “We couldn’t let the poor man freeze and starve.”“I sent him back to his village,” the Beast said. “He should be at home now.”“Oh,” said Hermione. “That’s a relief. Is there any way to check on him?”“Why do you ask?” the Beast said. “Why a sudden interest in Belle’s father?”Hermione realized she’d stumbled right into this one. Should she tell the Beast she saw Belle in her dreams? He’d likely think she was crazy, but he’d accepted her this far. At least, eventually.Taking a risk, she said, “I see Belle in my dreams every night. Belle has asked about her father several times.”“You see her?” the Beast breathed. “Is she all right?”“Yes,” Hermione said, intrigued by the Beast’s apparent interest in Belle. “She’s doing quite well. She’s learning to do magic.”“She’s turning into an enchantress,” the Beast said, stunned.“She already had the latent skills,” Hermione said, trying to defend Belle. She hoped this wouldn’t affect the Beast’s opinion of Belle. “It turned out that they only needed to be activated. Her mother had apparently gone to my magical school.”“She’s the daughter of an enchantress,” the Beast said, almost echoing his previous sentence. “I don’t know what to think.”Hermione felt somewhat surprised by the Beast’s attitude toward Belle. He acted as if he’d been betrayed somehow by Belle. Yet, as she’s learned, they’d only known each other a day. Did he care for Belle? Could feelings develop that quickly?“It doesn’t change the woman you met,” Hermione said, continuing to defend Belle. “It’s just that she’s learned a new skill. You wouldn’t be angry if she learned how to knit or something would you?”“I wouldn’t put knitting and spellcasting in the same category,” the Beast said, the wariness still in his voice.“Well, maybe that wasn’t the best analogy,” Hermione admitted. “But I hope you get what I mean. This ability doesn’t change Belle’s character or good heart.”“I suppose…” the Beast said. The two fell into silence again as they continued to eat their meal. Hermione considered the Beast’s words about Belle again. She hoped the Beast wouldn’t hate Belle because she could do magic. Hermione loved the Beauty and the Beast story and truly hoped she didn’t derail the story too much. To tell the truth, Hermione was rooting for Belle and the Beast to fall in love when she could figure out how to bring Belle back.Hermione remembered that they still hadn’t discussed Belle’s father fully. “Anyway…” she tentatively said. “Is there some way to check on Belle’s father?”The Beast thought for a moment. “I can send someone to check on him,” he said, turning towards Cogsworth and beckoning him over.“Yes, master?” Cogsworth said.The Beast, being on the far end of the other table, murmured something quietly to Cogsworth that Hermione couldn’t here. Fair enough. At least he seemed cooperative.“Right away, master,” Cogsworth said and scurried out of the room.“Cogsworth will see to it,” the Beast said.“Thank you,” Hermione said. “Belle would be most relieved to hear good news of her father. Any news would be beneficial.”“Well, okay then,” the Beast said. The two returned to their meals. Hermione watched as the Beast struggled to eat with the normal serving utensils that seemed so dainty in his large paws. Sympathy rose in her. She truly hoped she could figure out how to help them.This time, the Beast broke the silence. “So how do you want to go about figuring out how to break this curse?” he asked.“Well,” Hermione said. “Truthfully, I don’t know where to start. It seems I couldn’t bring my wand with me when I switched places with Belle, so I don’t know how to perform magic in this world. Yet.” She sighed. “If only I could go to a library.”The Beast looked startled. “A library? You want to go to a library?” he asked.“Yes,” Hermione sighed. “Books have rarely failed me and I think there must be books on enchantments and magic somewhere in this land.” She looked thoughtful. She knew books weren’t as common in earlier centuries as they were in her time. Where would she find books on magic?“Well, you’re in luck,” he said. “Because I just happen to have one.”
Abruptly, he got up and strode out of the room, leaving Hermione to scramble behind him to keep up.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

At breakfast, Belle and Ginny sat with the other 7th year girls from their dormitory. Belle spoke a bit with Demelza Robbins, who was in her Arithmancy class, but didn’t say much. Belle felt relieved when the owl post arrived and she could hide behind the Daily Prophet. Belle had figured out how to pay the owl this time and enjoyed sticking the little bronze coin into the owl’s money pouch.This morning, the seventh years had double Defense Against the Dark Arts. Those who had qualified to go onto the N.E.W.T. level that is, as Belle recently discovered. Not everyone could take the advanced level courses. That’s what Hermione had been talking about in her dream the night before. The dots were connecting slowly but surely for Belle.Belle also had Ancient Runes later in the day along with lessons with each of the professors after each class. She’d be able to go to lunch in-between the two sets of classes and lessons, so that was a relief.A shadow fell over Belle as she read the Daily Prophet. She looked up to see a giant man with a wild black beard and brown overcoat. She jumped a little at his appearance.“Hello, Hagrid!” Ginny greeted the giant brightly. “How are you doing?”“Doing well, Ginny,” Hagrid said in a booming voice. “Doing well.” He put his hands on his hips and looked at Ginny and Hermione sternly and continued, “Why haven’t the two of you been to visit me?”“It’s been crazy!” Ginny said, shaking her head. “Start of term and all that. But we’d love to. Does late afternoon today work for you?”“Sure!” Hagrid said, his stern expression transforming into a broad smile. He hadn’t been truly angry then. “See you then.”He stumped off towards the high table where the professors all sat. Belle raised her eyebrows at Ginny, who mouthed, “I’ll tell you later.” Belle nodded.“We better get going,” Ginny said. They stood up and began making their way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. None of the other girls who’d been sitting with them followed. It appeared they weren’t taking this class.“That was Hagrid,” Ginny said as they exited the Great Hall. “He’s the gamekeeper and teaches Care of Magical Creatures. We’re not taking that class. It’s an elective. He’s a good friend of ours.”“You’re friends with a professor?” Belle asked, slightly confused.“Well, he wasn’t always a professor,” Ginny said. “And he has a special bond with Harry that has now extended to the rest of us.”“I see,” Belle said, not really seeing, but accepting it as fact of her new life that she didn’t have the background to know.As Belle and Ginny entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, they found that it already had students sitting at desks, ready for the class. Ginny led Belle over to a pair of vacant seats and they pulled out parchments and quills.“Professor Dawlish,” Ginny whispered. “Used work for the Ministry of Magic, but he was dismissed after participating in the previous regime. He’s now here teaching to atone for going along with them. Professor McGonagall decided to give him a chance since he has a niece who attends Hogwarts. He says that they’d threatened to hurt her, or worse, if he didn’t cooperate with them. It’s kind of her. We also probably desperately needed a professor for this class since they never stay long in this position.”Belle didn’t understand a lot of what Ginny said. She made a mental note to check her Field Guide later about this Ministry of Magic Ginny mentioned.Professor Dawlish entered the room. His tall figure draped in simple flowing black robes.“Good morning class,” Professor Dawlish said. “Today we’ll discuss defensive magic against Inferius. It will be a theoretical lesson, so no need for wands.”Some members of the class groaned. Ginny shrugged. “He hasn’t done many practical lessons,” she muttered. “I don’t know why people are surprised.”Belle fell into the habit of taking notes as Professor Dawlish spoke. The class period went swiftly by and as the class ended, Belle found herself still writing down things that had been covered in the class. She remained in the class as the other students packed up their things.“I’ll see you later,” Ginny said, smiling.Belle waved at Ginny and waited for Professor Dawlish to acknowledge her. As the classroom emptied, Professor Dawlish turned to Belle.“Now, I hear you require some additional lessons,” he said. The lesson turned out to be Dawlish referring Belle several books to read and requesting that she write an essay detailing what she learned about defensive magic.While Belle loved to read, she wished she had more time to investigate her mother. As Belle left the classroom, she checked the time. It looked like did have some time before lunch to go read a bit more.Belle took out her Field Guide and made her way to the library. She found a table and thought about what she wanted to do. Did she want to be a good student and get started on her homework? Or did she want to see what else she could find out about her mother?Curiosity about her mother won out. Belle hadn’t the faintest idea where to start though, so she began to wander the stacks. What would Hermione do?Should she ask the librarian? To be truthful, the librarian seemed intimidating.Belle retraced her steps to the place where she’d found the student records previously. She found the book where she’d found her mother’s name before and decided to take another look.As Belle skimmed through the pages of the student records, her eyes narrowed in concentration. The names and dates seemed to blur together, but she couldn't find any additional mention of her mother.Perhaps this was a waste of time. She didn’t know where else to look and the prospect of all this homework loomed over her.“Looking for something?” a familiar voice said.Belle whirled around to find Draco Malfoy leaning against a bookshelf. Her heart pounded as she took in his tall and elegant form.“Nothing in particular,” she said evasively, closing the book.“You’re looking at student records from the 1700s,” Draco commented. “Why?”“Just curious,” she said, putting the book away. “Not that it’s your business. I better go.” Belle dashed away from him as fast as she could.Luckily, he did not follow.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The Beast led her through the grand passageway, as she’d come to think about it. After walking for some time, they reached a large set of double doors. He paused in front of it. “Here we are,” he said.He pushed the doors open and stepped inside. Hermione followed slowly. Awe filled her as she stepped into one of the grandest libraries she’d ever seen. While she loved the library at Hogwarts, the splendor of this library put it to shame. The space was wide and open, with bookshelves climbing high into the ceiling. It was at least three stories high.“You like it?” The Beast asked Hermione.“I love it,” she breathed. “I think this is the most wonderful library I’ve ever seen.”He looked around the library. “I suppose it is,” he replied. “You’re welcome to spend as much time as you like here.”“I may just move in,” Hermione said, only half-joking. “Do you have books about magic?”“Yes, we do,” he told her. “They’re mostly in this section.” He led her over to an area in a corner. Hermione took in the titles, eager to get started.“Thank you,” she said. “I want to get started as soon as possible to figure out how I can do magic in this world.” Hermione thought of something. “How did the enchantress transform you? Do you remember what kind of spell she cast? Did she have a wand?”The Beast paused a moment, seeming to think. “I remember her dictating the terms of the spell, but I don’t remember her saying words of the spell. Unless that was part of the spell. She did have a wand.”That helped Hermione. The problem was, Hermione had no idea how to make a wand. She knew that Ollivander used magical components that formed the core of the wand along with wood. She imagined it was the same in other countries. She remembered Harry talking about the weighing of the wands at the Triwizard Tournament and how Fleur’s wand had veela hair. Hermione wondered if there was a wandmaker in France she could visit. Or even if she could somehow get to Diagon Alley and see the Ollivander of this time.“If only I had a wand,” she sighed.“I’ve tried for years to find the enchantress, but haven’t been able to,” the Beast said. “Aside from her, I have no idea who else might have a wand.”Hermione smiled at him, relieved to find the Beast cooperating and finally able to get started on this mystery. “We’ll figure something out,” she said. “Have you looked into any of these books at all?The Beast looked at the shelves. “I mostly focused on the ones about enchantments. They aren’t encouraging. There’s rarely a way to break an enchantment if you’re not the original caster.”“Well. let's see if we can find a way,” Hermione said, smiling at him. “Together, we should be able to figure it out. Two heads are better than one.”“Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat,” said a voice from behind them. Hermione and the Beast turned to see a grey bust of a statue hopping towards her which continued to say in his journey, “and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling.” He stopped in front of them. “William Shakespeare.”“Fred,” the Beast said. “Begone with you. We don’t need senseless quotes right now.”“With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men,” Fred said, turning. “Ephesians 6:7.” Fred called over his shoulder as he hopped away.“Master! Might I be of service?” a book on a pedestal that Hermione hadn’t seen when they arrived in this section asked.“Oxford. No, I don’t think so—” the Beast replied. “Well, actually, maybe you can help.” The Beast turned towards Hermione. “What is it you’re looking for exactly?”“I’m not really sure,” admitted Hermione. “The first thing I want to learn about is how magic works in this time period and location. It’s possible there are different customs.”“Ah! Magic!” Oxford replied. “A popular topic as of late. I’m afraid I have not been able to help the master crack this particular code. But books about magic, we do have.”He flew to the shelves and books began to pile on the nearby table. “I suggest you start with these,” he said. “Oh! And this one! And this one!”Hermione looked at the stack of books on the table, feeling a thrill of excitement. She had books to read! A renewed sense of purpose flowed through her.Although she didn’t know exactly where to start, she felt like she had a purpose again.“Could you tell me which books you’ve already looked at?” Hermione asked. “And what you were looking for when you read them?”The Beast showed her a few titles about spells and enchantments. “I mostly focused on the mechanics of them and tried to figure out how to break them.” He sighed. “But I know nothing about magic and didn’t know what to look for. Maybe you’ll have better luck.”“Did you have any familiarity with magic at all before having the curse placed on you?” Hermione asked.“No,” the Beast said. “I didn’t think it really existed until I got cursed. My mother told me fairy tales growing up, but that’s all I thought they were.”He looked across the room. Hermione followed his gaze and they watched Oxford hopping across the library to a globe and start a conversation with it. Another library servant, she supposed.“So you haven’t heard of any magical communities here?” Hermione prompted.“No, not at all,” he said. “Though…now that I’m thinking about it…my father did rant about witches. But I always dismissed it as superstitious nonsense. The witch hunts over the centuries only targeted people trying to help and heal.”“Indeed,” Hermione said. “They rarely caught any true magical folks. And, when they did, it was simple for them to cast a freezing spell on the fires.” She laughed, recalling a lesson from History of Magic. “There was one witch called Wendelin the Weird who loved getting burned at the stake so much that she allowed herself to be caught forty-seven times over the years.”“My father was a vindictive and cruel man,” the Beast said. “I doubt he was truly interested in or knew about witches. He always sought more power.”“I heard that this is a rich territory that your family has,” Hermione said.“It is,” the Beast confirmed. “But it doesn’t have much in terms of culture, which always chafed at my father and, later on, me. When I became a teenager, I thought this area was so backward and boring. I traveled whenever I could, which wasn’t often because once I was old enough my father left me in charge so he could travel and escape. He never trusted anyone to rule in his place, except for me. And then he died not long after leaving me in charge.”“How did he die?” Hermione asked.“Oh, he died in a place of ill repute, if you know what I mean,” the Beast said. “He’d overdosed on whatever they were serving there.”“I’m sorry to hear that,” Hermione said, not sure what to say.“Don’t be,” the Beast said shortly. “I’m not.”An uncomfortable silence fell. Hermione felt like she’d learned a lot about the Beast and his history. It explained why he would have hosted parties regularly at this castle. He had to bring the so-called culture and excitement to him, since he couldn’t travel far. She wondered how old he was, but didn’t feel like she could ask him just yet. She sensed he didn’t want to talk more about his past.“Why don’t we start looking in these books?” Hermione asked, turning the conversation back to the original topic.“Sounds good,” replied the Beast.They turned to their stack of books and began to read.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After reading and pouring over books for what felt like hours, Cogsworth and Lumiere came in and found them.“Master,” Cogsworth said. “I have a report on Belle’s father.”Hermione and the Beast immediately looked up from their books. “Yes?” they said in unison. Hermione laughed and the Beast huffed a little in amusement.“It seems her father is at home, resting,” Cogsworth said.“How did he seem?” Hermione pressed, knowing that Belle would want as many details as possible.“It appears that he might have had some kind of illness, but that he is fine now and recovering,” Cogsworth said.“That’s good,” Hermione said. “I hope he’ll be okay.”“We’ll continue to check on him,” Cogsworth assured Hermione. “And report back on his progress.”Hermione was touched by the kindness. “Thank you,” she said. “I know it’ll mean a lot to Belle. And it means a lot to me.”“It’s nothing at all,” Cogsworth said. “We’re glad to help in any way we can.”“Speaking of helping,” Lumiere said. “You’ve been inside for hours! You need to take a break. Why don’t the two of you tour the gardens?”“Has it been hours?” Hermione asked. “It feels like we only got here.”“You need to take a break,” Lumiere insisted. “It’ll help you come back and have even more focus.”“Okay,” Hermione said. “I suppose that’s wise.”So, at the urgings of Lumiere, the Beast escorted Hermione outside to show her the snow-covered grounds. Before they exited the main doors, the coat rack handed Hermione a fur-lined cloak that matched her dress. Touched at the thoughtfulness, she gratefully accepted the warm garment and followed the Beast outside.Surveying the grounds of the Beast’s castle, Hermione was fascinated by the similarities and differences between these grounds and the Hogwarts castle grounds. The overall layout was different, but both had bodies of water. The lake at Hogwarts was much bigger, she thought, since it went all the way to Hogsmeade, but there was a nice-sized pond here.The Beast showed her his favorite places. First, they walked through a courtyard full of various statues. Hermione noted an empty fountain. Perhaps they’d drained the water for the winter.He took her to a bridge that crossed the icy pond. “I used to go ice skating here when I was younger,” he mused.“You used to?” Hermione asked.“Yes, I stopped when my mother died,” the Beast said. “My father took over my upbringing and he thought it was a waste of time.”“I’m sorry about your mother,” Hermione said. “What happened?”“I’m not entirely sure,” the Beast admitted. “I was told she died of an illness, but it seemed so sudden and I don’t remember any doctors being called. It was like one day she was there and another one, gone.”“How old were you?” Hermione asked.“Ten,” the Beast said.“That’s old enough to remember clearly and be aware of someone taking ill,” Hermione mused. “There certainly are illnesses that can kill fast, but unless it was something like a stroke or heart attack, usually there is more notice.”“What’s a heart attack?” the Beast asked, curiously.“It’s when the flow of blood someone’s heart is suddenly blocked and the heart can no longer function,” Hermione said. “It’s becoming more and more common where I come from.”“Curious,” the Beast said. “I’ve never heard of it before. What’s a stroke?”“It’s a similar concept to a heart attack,” Hermione said. “But instead, the flow of blood is blocked to the brain.”“Hmm…” the Beast said. “I might ask the staff what they recall. I haven’t thought about this in a long time. The suddenness of her death is very strange.”They fall into contemplative silence. Hermione enjoyed looking at the beautiful, snow-covered landscape.“It’s really peaceful here,” she said.The Beast follows her gaze. “True,” he said. “No one from the village or elsewhere comes here anymore. They’ve forgotten about us. It’s part of the enchantment.”“A complex piece of magic,” Hermione commented. “Once we go back to the library, I’d like to know the exact details of the spell.”“I suppose I can give you as much as I know,” the Beast said. “After all you stole away the woman I’d hoped would save me and discovered the enchantment’s existence on your own. What do I have to lose now?”“Were you not allowed to tell me?” Hermione asked, intrigued.“It’s more like I couldn’t say anything about it,” the Beast said. “The subject couldn’t even leave my lips to a stranger.”“Interesting,” Hermione said. “Some of the staff shared what they knew with me. I hope that was okay.”The Beast nodded. “Perhaps the servants have a little more flexibility with the enchantment than I did. However, now that you know, my lips seem to be unlocked.”Hermione wondered if it was possible that her experience with magic allowed others to speak more freely to her. She knew so little about this type of enchantment. Or was it really a curse? She remembered the stories she’d heard from Bill Weasley about Cursebreaking and accounts she’d read about Cursebreakers. It seemed more like a curse by an extremely talented caster.“We’ll get to the bottom of this,” Hermione said, assuring herself as much as the Beast.They came across a beautiful rose garden, the blooms peeping out of the icicle covered bushes. “This is the garden where I like to come and read sometimes,” he said.“How do the roses grow in the snow?” Hermione asked, amazed at the beautiful red and white roses emerging from vibrantly green bushes, despite the frost and ice.“I don’t know,” the Beast admitted. “My mother tended to this place. She loved it.”Something in Hermione’s instincts made her think that they should learn more about the Beast’s mother. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but it seemed important.“What’s your name?” Hermione asked suddenly. “I’ve never heard anyone refer to you by name yet.”“My name…” the Beast said. “It’s been so long since I’ve heard it.” He gazed at a rose for a really long time. “I almost forgot my name. It’s Adam,” he said.“Adam,” Hermione repeated. “That’s a nice name. Nice to meet you, Adam.” She smiled at him and extended her hand. “I never properly introduced myself, did I? My name is Hermione Jean Granger.”The Beast, or rather, Adam, took her hand and shook it, his large paw engulfing her hand. “Nice to meet you, Hermione. Like Helen of Troy’s daughter,” he commented, referencing the origin of her name. He released her hand.“Yep,” Hermione said, beaming in surprise that he understood the reference. “No one has gotten that before. My parents are dentists who couldn’t possibly give their daughter a common name.”“It means ‘Messenger,’ right?” Adam asked. “In reference to the god, Hermes, if I’m not mistaken.”“I believe so,” Hermione said, smiling broadly. “I read that it’s a feminine derivative of the name Hermes. Not that I’m an expert in Greek.”“If you want to brush up,” Adam joked. “I have a whole section of books in Greek in the library.”“Can you read them?” Hermione asked curiously.“I once could,” Adam said. “I had an expensive education. But I haven’t practiced in years. Not since my mother died…” His eyes regained that faraway look. “My father thought I should focus less on legends of the past and instead emphasized politics, manipulation, and tactics.”“It might come back to you,” Hermione observed. “If you practiced.”“Well, I don’t remember the enchantress speaking Greek, so I doubt I need it for this particular situation,” he said wryly.“True enough,” said Hermione. “True enough.” Hermione thought for a moment. “You’ve mentioned an enchantress several times. She was female then.”“Yes, as far as I could tell,” Adam said. “She appeared to me as an elderly hag. Or that’s what I thought at the time. She offered me a rose in exchange for a warm night’s stay. I refused, repulsed by her appearance. She gave me another chance, but I turned her away again. She transformed into a beautiful woman. I thought she was a fairy at first. Then she warned me not to be deceived by appearances. That beauty is found within. And cast the enchantment over me.”Hermione was riveted. It followed the legends she read, but with some nuances. “I’m going to need you to tell me this again. And in more detail. In the library where I can write all of this down.”“Yes, ma’am,” said Adam, amused.“But first, let’s go find Mrs. Potts for a nice warm cup of hot chocolate and ask her some questions about your mother,” Hermione said.“My mother?” Adam asked, surprised.“Yes,” Hermione said. “Something tells me that there’s something there that’s important.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the Hogwarts grounds, Belle, Ginny, and Luna stood at the edge of the forest, their eyes wide with anticipation as they waited for Hagrid to collect his crossbow and call Fang.“Follow me,” Hagrid said. “And stay close.”Hagrid led them along a well traveled trail into the expansive woods. As Hagrid led Belle, Ginny, and Luna deeper into the Forbidden Forest, the air grew thick with mystery and anticipation. The towering trees seemed to whisper ancient secrets to each other, their gnarled branches reaching out like skeletal fingers against the twilit sky. Shadows danced along the forest floor, playing tricks on their eyes as they continued into its depths.Belle had never been in a forest quite like this one. The forest close to home overall felt friendly and open. The only time she’d been anywhere quite like this was when she’d run away from the Beast’s castle and happened upon wolves.“Are there wolves in the forest?” Belle asked, the question coming to her lips unbidden.“Wolves?” Hagrid repeated. “Aye, there are wolves. The rumors about the werewolves aren’t true though.”“Werewolves?” Belle said, a thrill of fear coursing through her. “Those exist?”“Oh aye,” Hagrid said. “In fact, a good friend of ours was one.”Ginny and Luna nodded sadly. “Was?” Belle asked, suspecting the answer.“He died in the war,” Hagrid said solemnly. “Like so many other good folk.”The group walked in silence for a while, the only sounds the rustling of leaves and the occasional hoot of an owl in the distance. The path they followed twisted and turned, sometimes narrowing to barely a foot's width before opening up into a small clearing. Belle's heart pounded with a mixture of fear and exhilaration. The air was heavy with the scent of earth and moss, and she couldn't shake the feeling that unseen eyes watched them from the darkness.As they ventured deeper into the forest, the trees seemed to close in around them, forming a canopy that blocked the fading sunlight.“We’re getting close now,” Hagrid said. “Keep your guard up.”The group continued deeper into the Forbidden Forest, their footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of moss that covered the forest floor. Belle felt a shiver run down her spine as they passed through a particularly dense thicket, the darkness pressing in around them like a living thing.“It’s all right,” Ginny murmured to Belle. “I should have asked you if you wanted to come instead of assuming. Luna and I have been in the forest many times, but it never stops being intimidating. It feels like a living being of its own.”“It’s okay,” Belle said. “I was curious about the situation and wanted to see if I could do anything to help as well.”“You’re very brave,” Luna chimed in. “Most people would have turned back already.”Roaring sounds began to reach their ears.“Oh dear,” Hagrid said. “They’re at it again.”“What?” Ginny asked.“They’re fightin’,” Hagrid said. “The females are always more vicious than the males. They want to make sure the males are strong enough. Cliffa likes to test poor Grawpie. He’s never been able to defeat her and that’s why she’s so out of control.”They emerged into a large clearing, where two mountain sized figures grappled with each other.“What do we do?” Ginny asked Hagrid.“Nothing,” Hagrid said. “It’s best to leave ’em be. Unless you want to lose yer head.”As the group watched the titanic struggle before them, Hagrid's expression softened. He gestured for them to retreat to the edge of the clearing, where they could observe safely while staying out of sight.“Y’see,” Hagrid began in a hushed tone, his eyes never leaving the battling giants, “what we're watchin' here is more than just a fight. It's part of giant culture, goin' back centuries.”Belle leaned in, fascinated. “How so?”Hagrid stroked his beard thoughtfully. “Giants have always been misunderstood by wizard-kind. People think they’re just violent brutes, but there's more to it than that. This here,” he gestured towards the grappling figures, “is a sort of courtship ritual.”Ginny's eyebrows shot up. “Courtship? You mean they're... flirting?”“In a manner o’ speakin’, yeah,” Hagrid chuckled softly. “Female giants, like Cliffa there, they value strength above all else. It’s not just about physical power, mind you. It’s about provin’ you can protect the family, provide for ’em.”Luna tilted her head, her protuberant eyes reflecting the moonlight. “It's rather like the Crumple-Horned Snorkack mating dance, isn’t it? Except with more punching.”Hagrid shrugged, seemingly used to Luna’s odd comparisons. “Giants have a complex social structure, believe it or not. Each clan is led by the Gurg — that’s their chief. The position isn’t inherited. It’s earned by provin’ strength above all others. Many deaths happen when a new Gurg takes over. An’ the numbers of giants dwindle every year.” He ended his explanation with a note of sadness.Belle watched as Cliffa landed a particularly powerful blow, sending Grawp stumbling back. “It seems... brutal,” she said hesitantly.“Aye, it can look that way to us,” Hagrid agreed. “But for giants, it’s a way of life. They live in harsh conditions, high up in the mountains where few other creatures can survive. This toughness, it’s how they’ve endured for so long.”He sighed heavily, a note of sadness creeping into his voice. “Course, their numbers have decreased over the years. Wars with wizards, in-fighting between clans... it’s taken its toll. That’s part of why seein’ this,” he gestured to the clearing, “well, it gives me hope. Means they're still holdin’ on to their old ways, still lookin’ to the future.”Belle nodded, drawing parallels to her own experiences. “I understand feeling misunderstood, or judged based on appearances. Sometimes, what looks frightening on the surface can hide something... beautiful.”Hagrid beamed at her. “Exactly! That’s it exactly. Giants, they’ve got their own kind of beauty. Their own magic, you might say. Not the kind we do with wands, but somethin’ older. Primal. Somethin’ tied to the earth itself.”As if on cue, the fight in the clearing seemed to reach its climax. Grawp, with a mighty roar, managed to lift Cliffa off her feet and set her down gently a few paces away. Instead of retaliating, Cliffa let out a booming laugh that shook the trees around them.“There, you see?” Hagrid said, his eyes twinkling. “That’s the end of it. Grawp’s proved himself, and Cliffa’s accepted it. Might not look like much to us, but in giant culture, that’s as good as a proposal. Good for Grawpie. I’ve never seen him be able to take her before.”The group watched in awe as the two giants, no longer fighting, began to converse in their own guttural language, occasionally punctuated by what sounded like laughter.“It’s rather beautiful, in its own way,” Ginny admitted.Belle nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. “Yes, it is. It reminds me that love and acceptance can take many forms, even in a world as magical as this.”Hagrid nodded. “Perhaps now, there’s nothing we have to do,” he said. “Now that Grawp has proven himself to her, maybe she’ll stop causin’ trouble and I can talk to her. Let’s go back for now.”As they turned to head back to the castle, Belle found herself reflecting on the strange and wonderful new world she was discovering, and how, in its essence, it wasn’t so different from her own after all.

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Nestled in a cozy armchair by the fire, Hermione wrapped her hands around the mug of hot cocoa that Mrs. Potts brought her. With amusement, Hermione noted that Adam’s mug looked more like a bowl than a proper cup. Whatever works, she thought.“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” Mrs. Potts said, after serving both of them, and started to wheel herself away.“Wait!” Hermione called. Mrs. Potts stopped her cart and hopped around to look back at them. Hermione looked to Adam beseechingly.“What?” he asked, confused.“Weren’t you going to ask Mrs. Potts an important question?” Hermione prompted.“Oh, right,” he said. He cleared his throat. “Mrs. Potts, could you talk to me about my mother?”“Your mother?! My dear, you haven’t asked me about her since you were a boy and your father forbade us to speak of her,” Mrs. Potts said. “But he has since passed and you’re the master now, so I would be glad to. Any of us would.”“How did she die?” Adam asked. “I never really knew. It seemed so sudden to me.”Mrs. Potts looked down. “It was no illness, I can tell you that much,” she said and sighed. “Your mother liked to make trips to Paris frequently.”Hermione was a bit puzzled by the seeming change it topic, but said nothing, listening to the conversation.“I do remember that,” Adam said. “She was gone a lot. I always wanted to go with her, but she never let me. She promised she’d take me one day, but then she died.”“We never quite knew why she left, but your father never cared much,” Mrs. Potts said. “After all, she always came back with new gowns and brought the latest gossip from the court. He assumed she was making connections on behalf of our small territory.”
“He assumed, you say?” Hermione asked, that word standing out to her as significant. “Does that mean she did something he didn’t know about? Did something happen?”“Well, I don’t know all of the details,” Mrs. Potts said, “But I gathered that he learned something about her activities in Paris and disapproved. He…well…he punished her. We never saw her again.”Adam, the Beast, suddenly stood up roaring in rage and pain. His bowl of cocoa smashed to the floor, the contents seeping into the rug. He threw the armchair he’d been sitting in over, stormed across the room, and dragged his claws across the drapes. He roared and roared and paced on all fours.Hermione thought it best to let him get his anger out, so she sat in her chair, sipping her hot cocoa and thinking. Mrs. Potts cowered and withdrew to a safe place behind her cart.In the open doorway, Lumiere and Cogsworth peeked around the doorframe looking curious and nervous. Spotting Hermione in the chair and seeing the Beast pacing around in the back of the room behind her, they hopped over to her.“We wanted to check on you, mademoiselle,” Lumiere said to Hermione. “We heard his roar and wondered what it might be about.”“He just found out about his mother’s fate,” Hermione said. “Or, at least, that she’d been punished and you never saw her again. We didn’t get farther than that.”“Oh dear,” said Cogsworth. “It’s been so long since he asked about her. We were forbidden to say anything before. And then it never came back up.”“I know,” Hermione said kindly. “Mrs. Potts said his mother was punished. Do either of you know anything else about what might have happened? Do you think she’s truly dead? Why was Adam told that she’s dead?”Lumiere shrugged and said, “I have no idea. I did not have the position I do now to be close to ze former master. Cogsworth?”Cogsworth had raised his decorative arm to his chin. “We were forbidden from interfering or coming close. However, I do remember the carriage was sent out that night. We can ask the chauffer!”“What you do mean, she might not be dead?” the Beast’s rage had quieted at Hermione’s earlier question and he’d approached the group quietly. “Why was I told that she’s dead?” he asked, echoing Hermione’s question.Mrs. Potts had also hopped over to the group. “It’s the story your father told everyone, including us, dearie. But servants see more than their masters think and we knew he’d punished her. And we never saw a body.”Adam shuddered. “I didn’t know he’d ever punished her…” he said. “I thought he only punished… Well, I wish I’d made him pay for that.”Silence fell. Hermione wondered how he’d originally meant to complete that sentence. Had he been punished by his father? Everything she’d heard about his father so far made him sound like a cruel man. She felt compassion for this man trapped in a beast’s form.“Violence only perpetuates more violence,” Hermione commented, breaking the uncomfortable silence. She turned to Cogsworth, “you mentioned asking the chauffeur?” Hermione asked.“What? Oh yes!” said Cogsworth, pleased at the distraction. “Shall I fetch him here?”“You better go to him, dearies,” said Mrs. Potts pointed out. “He’s gotten rather large after all and it’s hard for him to navigate the doorways.”“Right you are!” said Cogsworth. “Well, let’s be off.”“You aren’t coming?” Hermione asked Mrs. Potts.“Oh no,” she said. “Responsibilities come first and I must get dinner on the table. You’ll be hungry after all of this detective work!”“We’ll fill you in after,” Hermione promised Mrs. Potts.“Thank you, dear,” said Mrs. Potts. “I hope you can help the master find some peace.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

As they made their way back through the darkening forest, Belle’s mind was still thinking about the giant courtship ritual they had witnessed. The group walked in companionable silence, with Hagrid leading the way and Fang trotting close behind.Suddenly, Hagrid stopped in his tracks, raising a hand to signal the others. “Wait,” he whispered, his eyes scanning the shadows. “Somethin’s not right.”A rustling sound came from the bushes to their left, followed by an unsettling clicking noise. Belle's heart raced as she remembered Hagrid's earlier warnings about the forest's dangers.Without warning, a massive spider, easily the size of a carriage, burst from the undergrowth. Its eight eyes gleamed in the moonlight as it advanced on the group.“Acromantula!” Ginny gasped, reaching for her wand.As Hagrid moved to protect the students, two more giant spiders emerged from the darkness. Belle’s mind raced, recalling her experiences in the enchanted castle and the lessons she’d learned about courage and quick thinking.“Wait!” Belle called out, surprising everyone. She stepped forward, her hands raised in a non-threatening gesture. “We mean you no harm. We’re just passing through.”The spiders hesitated, their pincers clicking uncertainly.“Belle, careful!” Ginny warned, but Belle pressed on.“I’ve learned that sometimes, what seems monstrous is simply misunderstood,” Belle said, her voice steady despite her fear. “Is there something we can help you with? Or a way we can pass peacefully?”The largest spider, seemingly the leader, took a step closer. “You speak... differently,” it said in a deep, rasping voice. “Not like the usual humans who enter our territory.”Hagrid, catching on to Belle's approach, added, “We’re friends of Aragog, rest his soul. We’ve always respected your boundaries.”The mention of Aragog seemed to give the spiders pause. As they conferred among themselves in hushed clicks, a new sound echoed through the forest — the thundering of hooves.From another direction, a group of centaurs galloped into view, their bows drawn and aimed at both the humans and the spiders.“Humans and Acromantulas together?” a chestnut-bodied centaur called out. “What mischief is this?”Belle, emboldened by her conversation with the spiders, turned to address the centaurs. “Noble centaurs,” she began, remembering the respect such creatures commanded in her storybooks, “we are not here to cause trouble. We were simply observing the giants and are now returning to the castle. These spiders and us just had a misunderstanding, which we’re working to resolve peacefully.”The lead centaur lowered his bow slightly, intrigued by Belle’s diplomatic approach. “You speak with wisdom unusual for a young human. What is your name?”“I’m Belle,” she replied. “I’m... new to this forest and its ways. But I believe that with understanding and respect, different creatures can coexist peacefully.”The centaur leader exchanged glances with his companions. “Interesting,” he mused. “The stars speak of change and new perspectives. Perhaps this is what they foretold.”To everyone's surprise, the lead spider addressed the centaurs directly. “We have no quarrel with you or these humans. The girl speaks truth — we merely protect our territory.”Belle seized the moment. “Perhaps we could all agree to respect each other’s boundaries? We’ll be on our way, and everyone can return to their homes without conflict.”There was a tense moment as all parties considered her words. Then, slowly, the centaurs lowered their bows, and the spiders began to retreat into the undergrowth.“We will allow you passage this time,” the centaur leader declared. “But heed this warning: the forest grows more dangerous by the day. Be cautious in your future wanderings.”As the centaurs galloped away and the spiders disappeared into the shadows, Hagrid let out a low whistle. “Blimey, Belle. That was some quick thinkin’. You've got a real gift for talkin’ to magical creatures.”Ginny and Luna both stared at Belle with newfound respect. “That was brilliant,” Ginny said. “I’ve never seen anyone handle Acromantulas and centaurs like that. There’s no way they would have listened to me.”Belle blushed slightly. “I just remembered what I learned from my time with the Beast — that sometimes, showing kindness and understanding can diffuse even the most dangerous situations.”As they resumed their journey back to the castle, Belle felt a mix of exhilaration and contemplation. This magical world was full of wonders and dangers, but perhaps her unique experiences had prepared her to face them in ways she never imagined.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Adam, on all fours, raced to the chauffeur, the others following along in his wake, hurrying to keep up.They followed him outside to find a carriage. It rose at their arrival. Hermione noticed that it didn’t have wheels. It had what looked like wooden, well, legs.“Hello, Palanquin,” said Cogsworth.“Wow, another visit,” Palanquin said sardonically. “Left to rot for years without anyone bothering to check on me or ask me to take them anywhere. Then asked all of a sudden to deliver an old man to the village. My poor unused legs could hardly take it. What is it you want from me this time?”“What happened the night my mother died?” Adam, the Beast, growled, skipping any pleasantries. “Cogsworth said that you went somewhere.”“Now that’s a very interesting question. I suppose I can tell you now that your father is long dead,” Palanquin said. “I drove your parents to the asylum in the village where your father handed your mother over to the man who runs the place.”“WHAT?! The asylum?!” Adam, the Beast, roared. “Why did you never speak of this?”“I was threatened by your father,” Palanquin said solemnly. “He threatened my family if I breathed a word to anyone.”Hermione raised her hands at Adam placatingly. “That means she might not be dead,” Hermione pointed out.Cogsworth sighed. “She very well might be worse than dead if she were taken there,” he said.“Why do you say that?” Hermione asked.Cogsworth shuddered. Adam and Hermione looked at him beseechingly. “Well, the man who runs that place is a master witch-hunter. He hates all things magical and tracks down magical beings to eek their power away slowly.”Adam looked startled. “A witch-hunter? How do you know that?”“Your father funded him,” Cogsworth replied. “And our estate continued to fund him until this enchantment cut us off from everything.”“I know he was crazy about the witch hunting,” Adam commented. “But I never believed it.”“So why would he hand your mother over to a man like that?” Hermione mused.“No idea,” Adam replied. “They weren’t particularly close, but I can’t imagine why he’d do something like that.” He looked around at the gathered servants. “Do any of you know?”Lumiere and Palanquin remained silent. Cogsworth looked thoughtful. “Your mother had her own secrets. I did not pry as my main responsibilities involved me working with your father and helping to manage the estate. However, she did have her own accounting and funds that she could use. Perhaps we should look into those.”“I agree,” Hermione said. “I have a feeling that we shouldn’t ignore this.”“But what about the enchantment research?” Adam asked.“We need to do both,” Hermione said. “But I just have this hunch that they’re related somehow.”“I don’t see how my mother could be connected,” Adam replied. “But I can’t argue that I want to know what happened to her. And why she’d be turned over to some witch-hunting maniac.”“Shall I go investigate the accounts?” Cogsworth asked.“I’d like to do it with you,” Adam said. “I’m ashamed I didn’t know that we still funded a place like this. It makes me want to know what else we’d been funding.”“Excellent!” Cogsworth said cheerfully. “I’ve been saying for years you should take more interest in this.”Adam rolled his eyes. Hermione resisted laughing at his petulance. She felt grateful that Adam had seemed to let go of his anger towards her and she could see this side of him. Hermione was glad to have a sense of purpose again. A mystery to solve. It felt good.“Hey!” a child-like voice yelled from the back of a red footstool that had emerged in the doorway leading from the castle. Hermione immediately recognized Chip, hopping precariously as the footstool barked (!!) and raced towards them. Hermione started, reaching her hands out in case she needed to dive to catch the fragile-looking teacup. None of the others looked concerned though.“Is that safe?” she muttered to Adam.“Not really,” said Adam, in an unsurprised tone, “But he does it all the time.”“His mother has given up trying to get him to stop,” Cogsworth said disapprovingly. “But it’s extremely uncouth to ride a dog.”“Ah, let ze boy have his fun,” Lumiere said. “He deserves as normal of a childhood as possible, given ze circumstances.”They watched as Chip raced towards them. “Hey!” he cried again. “My mom said to tell you that dinner is ready. Hey, stop!” He hopped on the top of the footstool, who screeched to a halt. Chip lurched forward, laughing, and did not fall off. “Good boy, Sultan!” The footstool barked happily in response. Hermione stared. She hadn’t been imagining things earlier when the footstool had barked. A dog had been enchanted too?“My mother also said to tell you to come now and eat. That you need your strength for mystery solving,” Chip said carefully, as if trying to recall his mother’s exact words. “I think that was it. What is mystery solving?”“Thank you, Chip,” Hermione said smiling at the adventurous teacup. “Mystery solving means that we’re trying to figure out something we don’t know. A mystery is when there’s something you don’t know the answer to and solving is when you figure out the answer.”“Ohhh!!” Chip exclaimed. “Like how Lumiere disappears with Fifi and no one will tell me why or what they’re doing.”Lumiere looked amused. “Oui, zat is a mystery zat you will learn when you grow older,” he said.“Ughhhh….” Chip whined. “Adults always say that. I grow older every minute and still don’t know.”“One day you will,” Cogsworth said.“Or if you’re like me, you’ll just be left out here to ponder the mysteries of the world while everyone goes about their lives,” Palanquin groused. “And never find an answer to them.”“Maybe you need to open your mind a bit more,” Lumiere commented.“Are any of you allowed to leave the grounds?” Hermione asked, thinking about what Palanquin had said earlier about not being used.“There’s no restriction of it,” Adam said. “But look at us. If any of us went anywhere, it would be a disaster.”Hermione nodded. “That makes sense.”“Master, you always forget about ze wolves,” Lumiere commented. “We’d have to get past ze wolves if any of us tried to leave.”“The wolves keep people out and keep us in,” Cogsworth sighed.“Wolves you say?” Palanquin asked, surprised. “No wolves attacked me when I suffered the voyage with the old man back to that pitiful village.”“Really?” Cogsworth asked. “I wonder why that would be.”Chip hopped a little on the back of the footstool. “Hey! Remember dinner? My mom will be mad at all of us if you don’t come.”They all laughed. “We wouldn’t want that,” Hermione said.“Let’s go,” Adam agreed. They all went back into the castle, except for Palanquin.“Oh fine, get what you want from me and leave me out here in the cold,” he complained as they walked away.“That man has always been so unpleasant,” Cogsworth said when they got back inside. “But he’s an excellent driver. The best we’ve ever had. And he’s reliable, no matter what he says.”“Is there nowhere else for him to go?” Hermione asked.“Well, we have a garage where we keep carts and carriages,” Cogsworth said. “He could go in there.”“Zis is true,” Lumiere said. “But if he were inside, he would find something else to complain about. Don’t worry about him, mademoiselle. He would find something to complain about in ze richest of places.”Hermione nodded. She’d encountered people like that. Draco Malfoy came to her mind. Throughout their time at Hogwarts, he’d always found something to complain about. However, she’d noticed in the past two weeks in her limited interactions with him at Hogwarts that he didn’t seem to be like that anymore. He was more quiet and contemplative. He still could pull out that masterful sneer when he wanted, but didn’t seem to be as spoiled or negative.Belle mentioned that she’d talked to him. Hermione hoped Malfoy didn’t give her much trouble.

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The girls made it to the Great Hall just as dinner ended. They managed to grab a few bites of food before it magically disappeared.“Is this enough?” Ginny asked. “We can go visit the kitchens if we need more food.”“I’m all right,” Belle said, hardly able to eat through the knots in her stomach after their adventure. “I’d like to get to the library. Being surrounded by books after all that adventure would calm my nerves.”“I could eat some more,” Luna said. “And I’d love to go see the house-elves.”“Will you be all right?” Ginny asked Belle.“Oh yes,” Belle said. “I have my field guide and I’ll set myself up somewhere and get started on my extra homework.”“Okay,” Ginny said. “We may join you later once we get a bit more to eat.”Belle, Ginny, and Luna all walked out of the Great Hall and separated paths once they reached the Entrance Hall. Belle followed her map to the library.It had grown familiar to her now and she felt a sense of ease as she entered inside. The dusty volumes and smell of paper comforted her.She sat down at a table and pulled out her Arithmancy homework. She began reading Numerology and Grammatica, documenting the numerological meanings of 1-9.As she read, the tense, wound up feeling from the afternoon’s adventure began to dissipate and Belle began to relax.For a moment anyway.“Isn’t that a bit remedial for you?” a voice asked from behind her, causing Belle to jump. Draco Malfoy was there, looking over her shoulder at her work.“Are you following me or something?” Belle demanded, feeling exasperated. “Besides, it’s always important to revisit the fundamentals,” she continued evasively trying to deflect him.“There’s something off about you,” Draco said, narrowing his eyes at her. “I’ve noticed it since last Friday when I ran into you outside of McGonagall’s office. You look like Hermione, but you don’t act like her. It’s almost as if you’re…someone else.”Belle looked around. No one was near them. No one that she could see.“Come with me,” Draco said, imperiously, withdrawing his wand and pointing it at her.“Why should I do that?” Belle said, eying his wand. Belle knew that going off somewhere with him would not be good.“Because I believe you’re an imposter impersonating Hermione Granger,” Draco Malfoy said. “Someone who’s poor at their job. Someone who doesn’t know enough about her to do a good job pretending to be her.”“You’re being ridiculous,” Belle said, unnerved to have a wand pointed at her. “Put that away and leave me alone. I have a lot of work do to.”“Look at me,” Draco commanded. Unable to stop herself, Belle looked Draco in the eyes. His light grey eyes pierced her. Memories flooded Belle’s mind. Of being caught by the Beast. Of waking up here in Hogwarts. Of Ginny discovering what had happened. Of Professor McGonagall saying that she’d have to impersonate Hermione.“No!” Belle cried, pulling herself away and rising to her feet. “What did you do to me?”Draco staggered a few feet away, lowering his wand and looking stunned. “What in the world?” he said, rubbing his hand over his face. “It’s not at all what I thought. I thought… Well, never mind.” He turned to look at Belle. “You didn’t kidnap Hermione? You didn’t choose to be here?”“No,” Belle said, completely baffled about what had happened and the sudden change of his tone. “Not at all.” Had he read her mind somehow? Had he seen those memories?“You’re not impersonating Hermione out of malevolent intent?” Draco asked, intently.“Of course not,” Belle said, still confused but glad he was not longer threatening her. “I’m only trying to fit in until we figure out how to switch back.”“Astounding,” Draco said, relaxing somewhat. “I don’t know what to think.”“Please don’t tell anyone else,” Belle begged. “Professor McGonagall said it would be best to keep this quiet. The professors know, but that’s it.”“Why do you care so much if other people find out?” Draco asked.That made Belle pause. Why did she care? Why did she want to make sure that nothing was disrupted?“I’m not entirely sure,” Belle said. “It’s just that everyone here has been so kind to me and they think that’s what’s best for the world right now.”“But what about what’s best for you?” Draco asked, his grey eyes fixed on her intently. He straightened up. “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything. But think about what I said.”He strode away, leaving Belle feeling raw and exposed. What’s best for her? She’d always wanted to go on adventures and learn new things. She was getting that. But at the expense of not being her true self. She hugged herself and tried to repress the shaking that had started.Ginny and Luna appeared then. “B-Hermione!” Ginny cried, rushing over to her. “Are you all right?”Luna came to Belle’s other side. “It looks like a Wrackspurt got her,” Luna said. “I know what to do. Flap your arms over your head 5 times and —”“No, no,” Belle said. “It’s nothing like that.” She lowered her voice. “Draco Malfoy discovered my secret.”“What?” Ginny demanded loudly. Then, lowering her voice, she added, “How?”“I don’t know,” Belle admitted. “I ran into him several times today. It’s almost as if he were following me. He said I seemed different since the time we saw him outside of Professor McGonagall’s office.”Ginny wrung her hands. “This isn’t good,” she said, nervously.“He said he wouldn’t tell anyone,” Belle said, deciding to refrain from mentioning that she suspected he’d read her mind. She had a feeling it would make Ginny even more freaked out.“We can’t be sure of that,” Ginny said, looking serious. “He’s not to be trusted.”Thinking of Draco’s earlier words, Belle asked, “What do you think is the worst that could happen if people found out about me?”“I’m not sure…” Ginny said. “Professor McGonagall thinks that it might make people feel insecure. Perhaps like we’ve been infiltrated or that we can’t keep our own people safe. It’s such an unstable time right now and she’s afraid of tipping the balance in either direction.”Belle nodded. “I suppose I understand that,” she said. Then she sighed. “It can be weighing to pretend to be someone else.”Luna patted Belle’s back sympathetically. “I once tried to pretend to be someone else,” she said. “Then I realized it was too much work. I’d rather be myself than fit in and be normal.”Belle smiled. “I’ve always thought that too,” she said. “But in this case, I suppose it’s for the best. This isn’t my world after all.”“I’m sorry,” said Ginny, apologetically. “I wish I could do something to make it better.”“It’s all right,” Belle said. “I’m on a grand adventure. And I’ve learned so much.”Belle tried to focus on the positive. She had to.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After a hasty dinner, where they filled in Mrs. Potts and began speculating what might have happened to Adam’s mother, they followed Cogsworth through the castle and onto a now familiar path that Hermione had trod before.They were headed to the West Wing.Fearing another outburst, she did not question the direction as she followed Cogsworth alongside the Beast named Adam.As they climbed the stairs, Hermione again saw the destruction in the hallway as they reached the landing. Yet, they did not go towards the set of doors she’d seen at the end of the hall. Instead, they went to the pristine preserved end just at the edge of the landing. The area that had drawn Hermione when she’d been exploring and the Beast had yelled at her.Cogsworth opened the door and went inside, followed by Adam’s hulking form. Feeling like she’d come full circle, Hermione entered the room she’d stumbled upon the other day.She noted again the elegant simplicity of the room. Understated, yet showing the wealth evident of someone living in a castle. A realization struck her.“Did this room belong to your mother?” Hermione asked.“Yes,” Adam replied shortly.Hermione noted that it was the only room on this floor that hadn’t been destroyed.“It was the mistress’s study,” Cogsworth said, moving to the desk. “She kept her own bookkeeping and company here.”“I see,” Hermione said, taking in the room. There was a sitting area with elegant couches and a desk at the other end of the room with a wall of books behind it. Across from the door was a large window with a cushioned bench where she could easily see sitting there reading and taking in the sun. Simple landscapes dotted the wall depicting scenes of nature.“Let’s take a look at the books,” Adam said. Cogsworth indicated some nondescript books behind the desk and Adam began pulling them out and flipping through the pages.“Is this the most recent one?” he asked Cogsworth, showing him a page in a book.“I believe so, sir,” Cogsworth replied, watching as Adam flipped through the pages. “Ah yes, see, the pages are blank here. She didn’t finish this one.”Hermione peered over their shoulders as they poured over the book. She couldn’t make much sense of it and left them to it, opting to explore the room.She moved to look at the books on the wall. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Not that she knew what might be “ordinary” in 18th-century France, but she made her best guess anyway.Hermione walked over to the fireplace near the couches and looked at the various knick-knacks on top of it.The shelves that lined the walls also contained knick-knacks. Collections of items that Adam’s mother had accumulated over the years.A movement caught her eye. On the mantlepiece was a small portrait that she recognized as a small dog. A Yorkshire Terrier, to be specific. The long hair of the dog was perfectly groomed. It stood as if frozen in time. She wondered if this had been Adam’s mother’s dog at one point. Despite its stillness, she could have sworn she saw its tail wag.Next to the dog, was another small portrait of a woman that looked vaguely familiar to Hermione. She stared at the portrait. The woman’s face looked calm and serene. The woman stared blankly into space. Hermione moved closer and peered into the woman’s face. She had golden hair that cascaded down her back in golden waves.“It’s you!” Hermione cried. She recognized the woman from her dream the night before.The woman flinched but did not respond.It was as Hermione suspected, a magical portrait.“I saw you move,” Hermione said.“No, I didn’t,” the portrait replied, then gasped and shook her head at herself angrily.“Who are you talking to?” Adam rumbled from across the room, his deep voice echoing.“A portrait,” Hermione said without looking away.“You’re talking to a portrait?” Adam said, crossing the room. Cogsworth hopped along behind him, trying to catch up.“Why yes,” Hermione said as if nothing was unusual about talking to a portrait. Because, of course, to her, nothing was unusual about that.“How irregular,” Cogsworth said.“After an entire castle getting transformed, you think that talking to a portrait is unusual?” Hermione asked.“It is in this castle,” Cogsworth replied huffily.“And why are you talking to a portrait?” Adam asked.“It’s an animated portrait,” Hermione said. “Look at her!” She pointed to the woman who had resumed her previous position.“I think it’s probably time for you to go to bed,” Adam said, not unkindly. “It’s been a long day.”“In this world of enchantments, you don’t believe that a portrait can talk?” Hermione asked, shocked.“I don’t think it’s not possible, but I’ve seen that portrait hundreds of times and she hasn’t so much as moved,” Adam replied. “That’s my mother’s friend from school, Colette. My mother would visit her often in Paris. She told me stories about her.”“I dreamed about her,” Hermione mused. “I wonder why.”The woman’s eyes flicked to Hermione and back again.“Wait, I think I saw something,” Adam said. “I must be getting tired too.”“She can move, I tell you!” Hermione asserted. “Magical portraits are imbued with the magic of the artist to move and even talk.”
The words sat in the air for a few moments. Then Adam nodded his large head.“Okay, I believe that it’s possible,” Adam replied slowly. “After all we’ve talked about today, I can see that it’s possible.”“Master!” Cogsworth exclaimed. “What are you saying?”“Cogsworth, do you truly believe that after all we’ve been through that a portrait couldn’t talk?” Adam asked the talking clock.Cogsworth pondered for a moment. “I suppose that’s true.”They all turned back to look at the portrait on the mantle. She looked strained to Hermione. As if she were forcing herself to be still. Her face began to redden.“Is her face—?” Adam started and trailed off.“Yes! All right! I can talk!” she exclaimed. “And so can everyone else in here.”At her words, the Yorkie in the adjacent portrait began to bark and run around, chasing its tail. The elements inside of the landscapes that dotted the room began to move. Trees swayed in the breeze, water lapped against the shores, and the wildlife moved about.“What in the world?” Adam wondered aloud.“It looks as if some kind of charm bound all of the portraits so that they remained still,” Hermione commented.“Yes, that’s right, Miss Know-It-All,” the portrait said primly. “And who are all of you? Why hasn’t Estelle been to visit me?”“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Adam said. “My mother, Estelle, vanished years ago.”“Vanished? Your mother? I don’t know where to start,” replied the woman in the portrait looking baffled. She focused her eyes on Adam, squinting a little. “You are Adam?”“Yes, Madame Colette,” Adam replied. “An enchantress transformed me into this form.”“Curious,” the woman replied. “You’ve grown so big! And hairy! I remember you running about this study as a young lad.”“Would you happen to know anything about why Adam’s mother might have vanished?” Hermione asked.“Let me think,” Colette replied. “Estelle and her wretched husband had a huge fight the last time I saw her. In this very room. It seems like he’d discovered that she’d been allocating funds to her school.”“Was it called Beauxbatons?” Cogsworth asked, seeming to get over his shock and scandalization that a portrait could talk. “We saw regular withdrawals in the books for a place with that name.”“Why, yes!” Colette exclaimed.“Beauxbatons?!” Hermione cried. “The wizarding school in France?”“You know of this place?” Adam asked, surprised.“Of course I do,” Hermione said, she turned to the portrait. “Adam says you were school friends with Estelle.”“Yes, until I had to return to my home school,” Colette replied. “We kept in touch and reunited when I moved to Paris.”“What school did you transfer back to?” Hermione asked.Colette studied Hermione. “I suppose I can tell you. Hogwarts.”“Hogwarts!” Hermione cried. “That’s my school! And where Belle is now.” She turned to Adam. “Your mother must have known how to do magic then if she went to Beauxbatons.”“Of course, she knew how to do magic!” Colette exclaimed. “She was one of the most talented artists of our time. She did this portrait of me after all.”Adam looked positively stunned at this revelation.

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Belle stared at her Arithmancy homework, the numbers blurring before her eyes. Draco's words echoed in her mind: “What about what's best for you?” She glanced at Ginny and Luna, who were engrossed in their own studies, unaware of the turmoil brewing within her. She watched how Luna’s silverly blonde hair shone in the light. How Ginny’s quill scratched rapidly against the parchment.Belle sighed, trying to relieve the tension building in her chest that threatened to suffocate her. It was as if both her mind and heart were trying to overwhelm her. She shook her head to try to clear it.“Are you alright, Hermione?” Ginny asked, noticing Belle's distraction.Belle forced a smile. “Yes, just... thinking about something Draco said.”Luna looked up dreamily. “Malfoy often says things that make you think.”“Don’t let that prat get to you,” Ginny said. “He’s always trying to twist things to his advantage. Let me know if he bothers you again.”Belle nodded absently, her quill tapping against the parchment. She'd always valued honesty and being true to herself. Back home, she'd stood up to Gaston and the townspeople, refusing to conform to their expectations. Yet here she was, living someone else's life — albeit not by her own choice.As the evening wore on, Belle's concentration waned further. The weight of her situation pressed on her mind. She thought of all the people who believed she was Hermione. What would they think if they knew the truth? And was it fair to them to keep up this charade?Belle tried to focus on her work. She jotted down explanations she found in the book about the numbers. She knew it wasn’t her best work. She knew she could do better. But in truth, the professors already had low expectations of her because they knew she wasn’t Hermione.Finishing her essay, Belle decided to call it a night.“I think I'll head to bed now,” Belle announced, gathering her books.Ginny looked concerned. “Are you sure you're okay?”“Just tired,” Belle assured her, forcing another smile.“I’ll come with you,” Ginny said. “I’m pretty much done for the night anyway.”“Good night,” Luna called to them as they left.Ginny talked to Belle about what they’d seen in the forest. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” she said. “I wonder now if Hagrid will try to ‘civilize’ Cliffa like he did Grawp.”Belle hardly listened. Her mind was still on Draco’s question. The experience in the Forbidden Forest seemed like a long time ago now. How had he been able to get under her skin that much?As Belle and Ginny passed through the Gryffindor common room, a mix of emotions washed over her — wonder at the magical world she found herself in, excitement at the knowledge she was gaining, but also a twinge of longing for her own life and identity.“Hey,” Ginny said as they reached the spiral staircase. “Try not to worry too much about what Malfoy said.”“I’m not,” Belle lied. Ginny raised her eyebrows. “Okay, I am,” Belle said. “He just got to me.”“He has a way of doing that,” Ginny said bitterly. “I wish I could tell you something better. It’s a tough situation for all of us.” Emotion and weariness tinged Ginny’s voice.Belle felt a rush of empathy for Ginny. Ginny hadn’t asked for this either. Her friend had left and replaced her with someone else, leaving Ginny to take care of the aftermath.As she prepared for bed in the dormitory, Belle caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. Hermione's face stared back at her, so like her own yet different somehow. Belle’s uncertainty and conflict reflected in Hermione’s eyes.She climbed into bed, drawing the curtains around her. In the darkness, she whispered to herself, “Is it right to keep pretending, even if I didn't choose this?”Belle tossed and turned, her mind racing. She thought of her father, of the Beast, of her life back home. She'd always longed for adventure and learning, and she was getting that in droves. But at what cost to her sense of self?Then she considered the kindness shown to her by Ginny, Luna, and the others. Their world was recovering from a terrible war and stability was crucial. Was her continued impersonation truly helping maintain that peace?As sleep finally began to claim her, Belle made a decision. She would continue her role for now, appreciating the incredible opportunity to learn and experience this magical world. But she would also try to be as true to herself as possible within the constraints of her situation and work harder to find a way to switch back with Hermione.“I’m grateful for this chance,” she murmured into her pillow. “But I need to find a way to be myself too.”With that resolution, Belle drifted off to sleep, her dreams a swirling mix of enchanted castles and magical spells, of home and of Hogwarts, of who she was and who she was pretending to be.

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Before Hermione went to bed, a warm bath waited for her. Grateful for the thoughtfulness if the staff, she soaked in the water, enjoying its warmth and the way it made her feel grounded and calm.It had been an eventful day! She had gotten the Beast’s — Adam’s — cooperation and discovered a connection to two of the wizarding schools in Europe.They hadn’t been able to get much more useful information out of the portrait of Colette. After all, portraits reflect only the information that either the artist themselves knew about the subject or the information that the real person instructs to the portrait. For example, the headmasters of Hogwarts often instruct their portraits about matters the headmasters believe would benefit future heads of the school. It appeared that Estelle had painted the portrait of Colette as a remembrance of her friend, but neither Colette nor Estelle had spent much time instructing the portrait beyond the surface.However, it was enough to know that Adam’s mother had a connection with Beauxbatons. Hermione wasn’t sure yet what she thought they could do with that information but she knew something would come to her.Hermione wasn’t quite used to using a chamber pot, but she relieved herself before going to bed.Laying in bed, Hermione felt rather satisfied with all that she’d done. She felt like she was getting a handle on this new world.As she drifted off to sleep, her awareness swirled into darkness. She dreamed of walking down a long corridor, not sure what would be at the end of it. When she reached the end of the corridor, she found the only way she could go was right. Hermione followed the path until she rounded another corner to be blinded by a bright white light. As her eyes adjusted, she saw that it was the woman in the portrait.“It’s you!” Hermione cried. “Colette!”The woman nodded and gestured towards a portal behind her. It revealed the grassy hilltop where Hermione had first seen Belle. Colette vanished before Hermione could ask her anything, so Hermione stepped through the portal to find Belle waiting for her.“Belle!” cried Hermione. “I have some news.”“Okay,” Belle said, dejectedly. Hermione could see a troubled look in her eyes.Hermione’s excitement faded somewhat. “Are you okay?” she asked. “What’s wrong?”
Belle sighed, her shoulders slumping. "It's just... it's been difficult, Hermione. Pretending to be you, it's wearing on me. I've always valued being true to myself, and this deception... it doesn't sit well with me."Hermione's brow furrowed with concern, her spirits sinking. "I'm so sorry, Belle. I never meant to put you in this position."Belle shook her head. “I know. There's more. Draco Malfoy... he's figured out that I'm not you."Hermione gasped. "Malfoy knows? How? What did he say?""He noticed the differences in my behavior," Belle explained. "He confronted me in the library. He did something to me. He made me look at him and, when I did, I saw…memories.”“You saw memories?” Hermione asked intently. “And he had eye contact with you? It sounds like he used Legilimency on you.” Hermione looked thoughtful. “I had no idea he could do that. That’s very advanced magic. Harry mentioned that he might have learned Occlumency, but to be able to use Legilimency too…Wow…”“Um…” Belle said, breaking Hermione out of her reverie. “What?”“Oh, sorry,” Hermione said. “I got lost in thought. Basically, he read your mind.”Belle nodded, “I wondered… Can anyone do that?”“No,” Hermione said. “Only really skilled wizards and people who were born that way can do it. It’s rare.”“That’s good,” Belle said, feeling relieved. She didn’t want people going around reading her mind.“There’s a way to protect against it as well,” Hermione said. “But it’s also difficult to master. I don’t think it’s something you need to worry about. What are you going to do?”“Well, Draco promised not to tell anyone,” Belle said. “So I hope my secret is safe. But... our conversation made me question everything. Am I really helping by maintaining this charade?"Hermione reached out and grabbed Belle's hand. "Belle, I understand your frustration. But please believe me when I say that your presence there is crucial. The wizarding world is still recovering, and any disruption could have serious consequences."Belle nodded slowly. "I know. Ginny and Luna have explained that to me. But it doesn't make it any easier.""I promise I'm doing everything I can to find a way to switch us back," Hermione assured her. “By the way, I think I might have found something out that might cheer you up.”“Really?” Belle said. “I could use some good news.”“First,” Hermione said. “I heard from Cogsworth that your father is home and safe. He’s recovering from an illness but seems to be fine. They will continue to check on him.”Belle’s eyes filled with tears. “What a relief,” she murmured. “I wish I could have been there for him. He had a nasty cough when I found him in the castle. But I’m glad to hear he’s on the mend. I wish I could see him with my own eyes to know for sure.”“You will soon,” Hermione promised. “The Beast is cooperating with me now. And we made some progress figuring things out. Just before bed we had an interesting development. We visited the Beast’s mother’s study and found a portrait of a woman named Colette.”Belle's eyes widened. "Colette? That's... that's my mother's name."“It is?” Hermione asked, excitement building. She thought the breakthrough about the Beast’s mother might cheer Belle up, but now she sensed something even deeper at work. “This portrait of Colette mentioned that she went to Hogwarts. I remember now that you told me your mother went to Hogwarts.”“Really?” Belle asked, shocked. “What did she look like?”“She had long golden blonde hair,” Hermione said. “Light colored skin and green eyes. I’ve seen her before in these dreams. She brings me to you.”“That sounds like her,” Belle murmured. “And I’ve seen her in my dreams too.”“Amazing,” Hermione said. “We found her portrait in the Beast’s mother’s study. It seems that his mother and Colette, perhaps the very same Colette as your mother, were friends.”Belle took in a deep breath. “I don’t know what to think,” she said, stunned by the news.“Colette said that she and Estelle, his mother, were school friends,” Hermione continued. “It seems that Colette studied briefly at the wizarding school located in France called Beauxbatons.”“And the Beast accepted this?” Belle asked, wonderingly.“He was surprised,” Hermione admitted. “But he’s seeming a lot more open to the magical world. He’s realizing that not everyone who can do magic is bad.” Hermione paused. “I found out his name. It’s Adam. He’s actually a prince.”“That makes sense, I suppose,” Belle said. “He does live in a castle and have a ton of servants.”“Indeed,” Hermione said. “I wanted you to know that we’re making progress. I visited his library — it’s wonderful. It’s even grander than the Hogwarts library. You’re going to love it.”“I can’t wait to see it,” Belle said with a small smile.“We’re getting close,” Hermione assured Belle. “This information about your mother and Adam’s mother might be the key we need."Belle managed a small smile. "Thank you, Hermione. I'll try to hold on a little longer. And I'll keep working on finding a solution from my end too."As the dream began to fade, Hermione called out, "Stay strong, Belle. And be careful around Malfoy. He may have promised secrecy, but his track record works against him.”Belle nodded as she faded from view. "I will. Good luck, Hermione."Hermione blinked herself awake in Belle's bed with a renewed determination to solve their predicament.

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When Belle woke up, her mind still buzzed from her conversation with Hermione. As she dressed in Hermione's Hogwarts robes, she still couldn't shake the feeling of being an imposter. Shaking her head to clear it, she gathered her books and notes for the day’s classes. Ginny and the other girls had already left the dormitory, so Belle hurried down to the Great Hall hoping she’d have time for breakfast.As she turned a corner on her way down and rounded into a corridor, a familiar drawling voice called out, “Granger... or should I say, Belle?”Belle tensed, turning to see Draco Malfoy leaning against a pillar, his pale grey eyes fixed on her. She glanced around, ensuring no one was within earshot. “What do you want, Draco?” she whispered.He pushed off the pillar, closing the distance between them. “I’ve been thinking about your... situation. I want to help.”Belle's eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Help? Why would you want to help me?”Draco's expression softened slightly. “Let's just say I have my reasons. Meet me in the library during lunch. I have some ideas about research we could do.”Before Belle could respond, students began filtering into the hallway. Draco gave her a significant look before melting into the crowd.Confused and intrigued, Belle continued on her way to the Great Hall. As she sat down next to Ginny, her mind raced with possibilities. Could she trust Draco? What did he know that could help her?Belle mechanically began to eat, not paying attention to what she put in her mouth as she contemplated Draco’s offer. She didn’t know much about him aside from the fact that everyone close to Hermione didn’t trust him. Yet she felt a pull to Draco that she couldn’t resist.“Earth to Hermione,” Ginny said, waving a hand in front of Belle's face. “You okay? You seem distracted.” Belle suspected that Ginny refrained from saying more because of the other students sitting nearby.Belle forced a smile. “Just thinking about Charms class,” she lied, feeling a pang of guilt about deceiving Ginny. She wasn’t sure why she didn’t tell Ginny about Draco’s offer to help. Perhaps because of the way she’d reacted last night. It was clear Ginny didn’t trust Draco Malfoy.After breakfast, Belle and Ginny headed to Professor Flitwick's classroom. As Belle took her seat, she couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. Despite the stress of her situation, the opportunity to learn real magic still thrilled her.“Today, we will be practicing again the Ascension Charm,” squeaked Professor Flitwick from atop his stack of books. “Don’t forget to cushion yourself!”Belle's heart raced with excitement. Charms was one of the classes proving to be natural to her. It was a fun class, full of practical magic rather than theoretical notetaking that went above Belle’s head. As the class began practicing, students began to rocket into the air and then crash into their desks. Many shouts of pain echoed throughout the room.“What did I say?” Professor Flitwick cried. “Remember the cushioning charm!”Belle visualized herself shooting into the air and descending slowly to the ground. Again, it happened immediately. Exhilarated, she laughed.“I love magic,” she said under her breath.“The cushioning charm looks a little different than a slow descent,” Ginny whispered. “It’s more like landing on a large fluffy pillow. Or cushion.”“Ah,” said Belle. “Thanks for the tip.”Belle tried again, this time imagining herself rocketing into the air and then landing on a firm, invisible cushion. The impact was much harder than her original method, but still better than crashing into a desk like many other students were doing.“Nice work,” Ginny said from her position on the floor, rubbing her knees. “Hoping I’ll manage that next time. It’s hard to remember to cushion when you’re thrown into the air and find yourself free falling to the floor.”“You’ve got this,” Belle said, her elation unable to suppress her grin. “I believe in you.”After class ended, Belle and Ginny gathered their things and hurried from the classroom. As Belle with Ginny through the corridors, her thoughts returned to Draco's offer.Maybe accepting his help wasn't such a bad idea after all. She could at least see what he had to say. The mystery of it intrigued her too much to not at least go investigate.“I’m going to go to the library,” Belle said. “I have some things I’d like to look into before class this afternoon.”“Okay,” Ginny said. “Would you like company?”“No,” Belle said. “It’s all right.”Belle still wasn’t sure why she didn’t want to tell Ginny about Draco and his offer to help. Perhaps because Belle knew Ginny didn’t approve and wanted to get a sense of him for herself without Ginny influencing her even more.“I’ll see you later, then,” Ginny said. “I’ll head back to the Common Room for a bit.”Waving goodbye to Ginny, Belle headed towards the library. She had some time before lunch, but perhaps she could get a head start on whatever research Draco had in mind.As she reached the library, Belle pushed open the heavy doors, her mind racing with thoughts of Draco's offer and the complexities of her situation. Belle walked around the library to see if Draco was there already. Not finding him, she browsed the stacks letting her feet carry her where they would.Looking around, she noticed that she’d wandered into a section with a lot of books about Arithmancy. How perfect, she thought, recalling that this was the subject Hermione had used to craft the spell that switched them. She pulled out a few books and retreated to a quiet corner with her stack.Draco arrived shortly after, his eyes darting around to ensure they were alone before sitting across from Belle.“You’re early,” he said. He eyed the stack of Arithmancy texts. “I see you've started without me.”Belle nodded. “We’re studying complex spell formulation and enhancement in Arithmancy. I discovered she used these theories from to create the spell that switched us.”Draco's eyebrows rose in surprise. “That's advanced magic. Leave it to Granger to dabble in experimental spellcraft.”“From what I understand,” Belle continued, “It involves manipulating the numerical variables within a spell's formula to alter its effects. Hermione crafted a spell and it seems to have had her intended effect, but now she doesn’t know how to reverse it.”“How do you know she doesn’t know how to reverse it?” Draco asked, his eyes boring into hers.“I see her in my dreams,” Belle admitted. “She told me to be careful around you.” Belle snapped her mouth shut. Why had she said that?But instead of being angry, Draco laughed wryly. “She has every reason to say that,” he said. “My track record…hasn’t been the best.”“That’s what she said,” Belle murmured softly. “It makes me question what I’m doing here.”“I don’t know why you came either,” Draco said. “But I’m glad you did.”Draco pulled one of the books towards him, flipping through it with growing interest. “This approach could be the key. If we can understand how she crafted her spell, we might be able to reverse engineer it and find out how to reverse it.”They spent the next hour poring over Arithmancy theories, with Draco explaining the magical concepts to Belle as they went as if he were thinking aloud. Despite the complexity of the subject, Belle found herself fascinated, her quick mind grasping the overall concepts even if she didn’t understand the details.As they delved deeper into their research, Belle couldn't help but notice Draco’s dedication to the task. “Why are you doing this, Draco?” she asked softly. “You barely know me, and I know you and Hermione weren't exactly friends.”Draco's face tightened, and he was quiet for a long moment. “People can change,” he finally said, his voice low. “After everything that happened... I want to make things right. And getting Hermione back... it's important.”There was something in his tone that made Belle pause. She studied him carefully, noting the intensity in his eyes whenever Hermione’s name was mentioned.Before she could pursue that line of thought, the library clock chimed, signaling the approaching hour.“Oh, I better see if I can grab a quick bite before class,” Belle said. “I have Arithmancy, funnily enough. Maybe I’ll pick up something there.”“Yes, pay careful attention,” Draco said, gathering the books. "I think we made a good start. Let’s meet again after dinner?”Belle nodded, her mind whirling with new information and theories. “Thank you, Draco. For your help.”As they prepared to leave, Belle felt a mix of emotions - hope at their progress, gratitude for Draco’s help, and a growing curiosity about the complex young man before her. But underlying it all was a nagging feeling that there was more to Draco’s motivation than he was letting on — a mystery she was determined to unravel.

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Hermione rose early that morning. She decided that she’d like to take a walk before breakfast and get some air. She wanted to clear her head and be fresh for the day’s activities.
As Hermione strolled through the castle grounds, the morning mist still clung to the vibrant flowers that lined the cobblestone path. The air was crisp, carrying the fragrance of dew-kissed roses and the distant sound of birds greeting the dawn. Her steps were light, her mind wandering as she took in every magical detail around her.She thought about what they knew so far. They knew that the Beast’s — Adam’s — mother was magical. It was highly possible that this Colette in the portrait was the same Colette as Belle’s mother. Adam’s mother, Estelle, was not only magical, but a highly talented and esteemed artist, who visited Paris a lot.Hermione imagined that Paris must have its own magical community similar to Diagon Alley in London, which had gone underground after the International Statute of Secrecy took place. The International Statute of Secrecy was a much more recent development in this time period. Less than 70 years had passed since it had been established.Hermione wondered if they would need to try to find the magical community in Paris before all of this was over. Hopefully not, though it would be cool to see what Paris looked like during this time period.Lost in thought, Hermione found herself standing before the grand iron gates of the castle. Beyond the gates lay a lush forest stretching out as far as the eye could see, its emerald canopy swaying gently in the breeze. She leaned against the cold metal, mesmerized by the beauty that lay just beyond her reach.The gate swung open at her weight, startling her. She’d assumed they were locked. The sound of metal scraping against metal shattered the tranquility of the morning.Moments later, a voice rang out. "Belle! Belle is that you?" Hermione’s head snapped to the side, her eyes widening as she saw a figure approaching from the wooded trail. She stood frozen in place, watching the figure come nearer.Hermione noted his tall, masculine physique. He was broad-shouldered and muscular with a strong jaw and sculpted chin. His long dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail. He wore a rifle strapped to his back. Had be been hunting in the woods?Clearly, he knew Belle. He must have been from her village. Of course, Hermione didn’t know him and had no idea what his name was. He was within arm’s reach of her now. She hadn’t run when she had the chance, so now she didn’t know what to do but stay there.He stood right in front of her, looking down at her. “Belle,” he said. “Why didn’t you respond to me?”“I was so surprised,” Hermione said quietly, and truthfully.“Your father came into my tavern with the wildest stories,” the man said. “He said that you’d been captured by a Beast and locked in his castle.” He looked around. “I didn’t believe him at first, but no one saw you in the village for several days. So I decided to look around.” He looked back at Hermione. “And here you are. Right on the edge of a castle.”“Here I am,” Hermione echoed.“Is it true that you’re imprisoned by a Beast?” the man said.“Yes…and no,” Hermione said. “Imprisoned is a strong word. I’m here helping him.”“Helping…him?” the man said, a note of jealousy entering his voice. “You’re helping a monster? A male monster?”“He’s not a monster!” Hermione declared, not liking his tone one bit. “He’s actually good once you get to know him. He’s caring.”“It seems you care for this monster,” the man said indignantly. “I think it has enchanted you. Come away with me now, Belle, while the coast is clear.”“No!” Hermione said. “I’m not going anywhere. Especially with someone I don’t know.”Inwardly, Hermione cringed. She’d just admitted to not knowing this man. She hadn’t meant to, but she was starting to feel nervous about this man. He seemed to have feelings for Belle and jealous of her relationship with the Beast. With Adam, Hermione corrected herself.The man raised himself up to his fullest height, which was considerable. He must be significantly over 6 feet tall, Hermione thought.“You dare to claim you don’t know me,” the man boomed. “I, Gaston Legume, renowned hunter and the greatest catch around? The man who wants to marry you and provide you with a comfortable home?”“I’m sorry,” Hermione said, not knowing what else to say. She felt vulnerable outside and alone without a wand to defend herself. “I got confused for a minute.”“You clearly are very confused,” Gaston said. “I’m taking you back with me to the village.”“No!” Hermione cried. “You can’t do that! I won’t let you!”“Let me?” Gaston laughed. “It’s not as if you can stop me.” He grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder. Hermione kicked and screamed, but nothing she did deterred Gaston and it seemed that no one heard her.Gaston walked up the trail and back into the woods, where two horses and a small man waited.“Lefou,” Gaston said. “Ready my horse.”“Aye, aye, captain,” the one called Lefou said. “Having a difficult time, there?” His voice carried dry humor.The look Gaston gave Lefou sent him scurrying off to get the larger horse ready.Gaston set Hermione down roughly in front of him and pinned her arms to her side.“We can do this the easy way,” he said. “Or the hard way. You can cooperate and I’ll let you ride with me on my horse peacefully. Or you can ride behind me trussed up like my latest kill.”So, she was right about him being a hunter, Hermione mused. She didn’t like either option. She eyed Gaston. He was much stronger than her physically. Without her wand, Hermione wasn’t much of a fighter. She didn’t see anywhere to run. She didn’t particularly want to ride behind him tied up like a hunted animal.“I’ll cooperate,” she sighed, feeling scared and defeated. Would the castle inhabitants figure out what had happened to her? Would they worry about her? Or would they think she’d just abandoned them?“Good,” Gaston said. He led her over to his horse, which the man called Lefou had prepared. He lifted her up and sat her on the horse, sidesaddle. Hermione had never ridden sidesaddle before and didn’t like the idea of being off balance, so she swung her leg over the other side of the horse. Gaston raised his eyebrows, but didn’t comment as he climbed on behind her.“Where are we going?” Lefou asked Gaston from his smaller horse beside them.“The asylum,” Gaston said. “She’s clearly been bewitched.”The asylum? That’s where they suspected the Beast’s mother had been sent. Surely there was only one asylum.Suddenly, Hermione didn’t think her abduction was such a bad thing after all. Maybe it would lead her to some clues.

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Belle rushed into the Arithmancy classroom, her mind still buzzing from her research session with Draco. She took the seat she took last time, grateful for some familiarity.Professor Vector strode to the front of the class. “Today, we'll be continuing our topic of advanced spell analysis where we break down complex spells to understand their numerological underpinnings.”Belle’s ears perked up. This was exactly what she and Draco had been discussing earlier.“Let's start with the Patronus Charm,” Professor Vector said, waving her wand to display a complex series of numbers and symbols on the blackboard. “Can anyone tell me what the base number for this spell is, and why it's significant?”Belle looked around. No one raised their hands. Justin Finch-Fletchley was scratching his head absentmindedly.“No one?” Professor Vector said, a note of disappointment in her voice. “I’ll break this one down for you. This time. Next time, I’m calling on someone.” She turned to her blackboard and wrote the number eight. "The base number is eight, which represents strength and power. A key phrase of the number eight is…what?”Professor Vector looked around the room. Belle knew this. She’d just been doing her Arithmancy essay on the key principles of numbers 1-9. Seeing that no one raised their hand, Belle tentatively lifted hers.“Yes, Miss Granger?” Professor Vector said, looking a little surprised.“A key phrase of number eight is harnessing strength,” Belle said, trying to sound more confident than she felt.Professor Vector beamed. “Excellent, Miss Granger.” She looked around the room. “Can someone else tell me how that’s relevant to the Patronus Charm?”Demelza Robbins raised her hand. “Well, the Patronus Charm is about protecting oneself and harnessing strength from your positive emotions and memories.”“Well, done Miss Robbins,” Professor Vector said, pleased. “20 points to Gryffindor. Now, let's break down how each component of the spell contributes to its overall structure…”As the lesson progressed, Belle found herself genuinely fascinated. She scribbled notes furiously, her mind racing with potential applications to her own situation.After class, Belle hurried to the greenhouses for her private Herbology lesson. She found Professor Sprout and Neville waiting for her, surrounded by an array of plants.“Ah, there you are, Miss Granger,” Professor Sprout said warmly. “Or, since we’re alone, I suppose we can drop the pretense and call you by your name. I hope you’re doing well today, Miss Belle. Mr. Longbottom and I have prepared a brief overview of some fundamental magical plants for you."Neville smiled encouragingly. “We'll start with the basics and work our way up. Don't worry, Belle, we'll have you back up to speed in no time.”Belle nodded gratefully, trying not to show her nervousness. This was one area where she couldn't rely on past knowledge from her previous life or innate talent. She had a garden at home, but these plants in the greenhouse were nothing like the ones she knew at home. Many of them seemed positively dangerous.“Let's begin with Dittany,” Professor Sprout said, gesturing to a small, leafy plant. “Can you tell us its properties, Miss Belle?”Belle hesitated, her mind blank. “I… I'm afraid I don't know, Professor.”Neville jumped in smoothly. “That's all right, Belle. We’re just trying to see what you might already know. Dittany is a powerful healing herb. Its essence can be used to regrow skin over wounds.”As the lesson continued, Belle found herself relaxing. Neville and Professor Sprout were patient teachers, and Belle’s natural curiosity helped her absorb the information quickly.“You’re doing well, Belle,” Neville said as they repotted some Bouncing Bulbs. “Though I must say, it’s strange to see Hermione uncertain about a subject. Even though I know you’re not Hermione. I’m glad to be able to pay it forward and help you though. How are you feeling overall?”“I’m fine, Neville,” she said truthfully. “Just... a bit overwhelmed by it all.”Professor Sprout patted her shoulder. “Not to worry, dear. We’ll get you up to speed in no time. Now, let's move on to the properties of Bubotuber pus…”As the lesson wrapped up, Belle felt a mix of accomplishment and exhaustion. She was learning so much, experiencing a world of magic she'd only dreamed of. But the constant deception with the others weighed heavily on her. Experiences like this with Neville and Professor Sprout where she could be herself felt few and far between.“We’ve just taught you half a year of magical education in one lesson,” Professor Sprout said. “I must say, you’re taking it all in exceptionally well. You’re a natural.”Belle smiled in appreciation, “It’s all so fascinating,” she said. “It’s exciting to learn about. I appreciate that you’re taking extra time to do this. I know you must be busy and have better things to do.”“It’s fun to teach someone so receptive and eager to learn,” Neville commented.“Agreed,” Professor Sprout said. “It’s no trouble at all.”Bidding farewell to Neville and Professor Sprout, Belle made her way back to the castle.Her mind was a whirl of Arithmancy formulas and Herbology facts. She was more determined than ever to find a way back to her own world — but a small part of her couldn't help but wish she could stay just a little bit longer in this magical realm.

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As they emerged from the forest, Hermione saw for the first time Belle’s village. It surprised her to see that it wasn’t snow-covered like the enchanted castle. The weather was, in fact, completely different. It felt positively balmy and warm. She began to sweat under her thick cloak and full-length, long-sleeved dress.Nestled in rolling green hills, the village was quintessentially picturesque. Hermione loved it immediately. The small, rustic buildings. The smell of the grass. She almost forgot that she had been taken captive and was being brought to an asylum.Gaston led his horse around the village to a large building on the edge. The looming stone structure of the asylum looked eerie to Hermione as compared with the cheery buildings around. The dark windows seemed to be like vacant eyes watching their approach.Gaston halted the horse in front of the building and dismounted. He pulled Hermione down to stand in front of him."Listen here, Belle," Gaston said. “I will be merciful and offer you a choice. Either you agree to marry me and become my wife, or I will have no choice but to hand you over to the proprietor of this establishment."Hermione stood aghast. Did this man truly have the gall to ask her to marry him after he’d forcibly taken her against her will?“I’ll never marry you,” Hermione declared.Gaston sighed. Lefou snickered from behind them. “Rejected AGAIN?” he said. “Poor Gaston just can’t get a break.”“Hush, you,” Gaston said. He turned back to Hermione. “Then you leave me no choice.”He marched to the door, dragging Hermione behind him. He raised a large fist and pounded on the door.A few moments later, the door opened revealing a crook-back old man with a long, pointed nose. Something about him made the hairs on Hermione’s back stand up.“Yes?” the man asked, his voice deep and ominous.“Monsieur D’Arque,” Gaston said. “It appears that Belle has been enchanted. I found her at an enchanted castle in the woods.”“Enchanted castle you say?” Monsieur D’Arque breathed. “You found it?”“Why, yes,” Gaston said, sounding startled. “It didn’t prove to be that difficult after all.”“Not difficult you say?” Monsieur D’Arque said. “I’ve been searching for it for years. You must bring me there.”“But what about Belle?” Gaston said. “Will you break the enchantment on her?”“Yes, yes,” Monsieur D’Arque said impatiently. “Let me examine her.”He turned his sharp gaze onto Hermione. She refused to shrink down under his scrutiny and stood tall. Let him examine her.“Come with me,” Monsieur D’Arque said, his eyes not leaving Hermione.They entered the dark asylum. Despite the bright morning sun outside flooding in through the open door, Hermione could not see more than several feet ahead of her. It was as if the proprietor of the facility wanted to be the only one who could navigate its depths. Monsieur D’Arque lifted a candle from a small table and led them into a slightly more illuminated room.The wall was lined with primitive-looking instruments. Hermione suppressed a shudder. Some of them looked like they deserved to be in a medieval torture museum. She hoped he wouldn’t use anything like that on her.Monsieur D’Arque gestured for Hermione to sit on a wooden chair in the center of the room. The old man moved around her, muttering to himself as he took out an array of peculiar instruments from his worn leather bag.He began with a long black baton. He brought it close to Hermione’s arm. It immediately shimmered with an ethereal light. As he moved it closer to her, tiny sparks danced along its surface like fireflies in the night.Next, he brought out what looked like a needle. Hermione didn’t like the looks of that. He grabbed her hand and Hermione pulled back, resisting.“Help me,” Monsieur D'Arque said.Gaston grabbed Hermione’s hand and forced it open so that Monsieur D'Arque could prick her finger with the needle. Hermione glared at Gaston with immense dislike. How could a man treat the woman he wanted to marry like this?Blood welled to the tip of her finger. Monsieur D'Arque brought out a small crystal vial filled with silverly liquid that seemed to swirl and pulse with a life of its own. He squeezed the blood from Hermione’s finger into the vial. It swirled and even more rapidly and turned a bright green color.“Well, well, well," Monsieur D'Arque exclaimed, his voice filled with a grim satisfaction. “It appears that this woman possesses magic.”“Possesses magic?” Gaston asked. “Are you sure? It’s not just remnants of a spell?”“I know my equipment,” Monsieur D'Arque said. “She’s got power of her own.” Turning to Gaston, he said, “You have yet again brought me quite the prize, my dear boy.”Gaston shifted slightly. “I want her intact,” Gaston said. “I intend to marry her. She’s the perfect woman to create beautiful offspring with.”“Oh, if that’s all you require,” Monsieur D'Arque said. “She’ll be able to fulfill those…requirements…when I’m through with her.”Hermione was disgusted. What kind of place had she been brought to? This man clearly hunted and harmed magical people.“But first,” Monsieur D'Arque said. “I want you to show me this enchanted castle, Gaston. I will put her away…for now. You two may wait here.”Leaving Gaston and Lefou behind, Monsieur D'Arque led Hermione through another door which opened into a dark hallway. Hermione could see nothing. Monsieur D'Arque had left the candle behind and navigated them by memory. Hermione heard the sounds of him opening a hatch and he pulled her downstairs. Stumbling and trying not to fall, Hermione tried to follow the rhythm of the stairs.As they reached the bottom, Hermione could tell that they were underground. The air smelled earthy and stale. The darkness seemed to deepen though her eyes had begun to adjust to faint light filtering in from narrow windows high upon the walls. Monsieur D'Arque led Hermione through labyrinthine passageways. In the darkness, Hermione thought she made out rows of cell-like compartments filled with inhabitants of all shapes and sizes.Suddenly, they halted. “Here,” Monsieur D'Arque said, opening a cell door and shoving her inside. “I’ll be back for you later.”In the darkness, Hermione had never felt more alone.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

As Belle reached the castle, she remembered that Hermione had left notes detailing her thought process around the spell she crafted. Belle checked the time, she had time to go back to her dormitory and collect them before dinner.Withdrawing her Field Guide, Belle made a beeline back to Gryffindor Tower. She was intercepted, however, by none other than Draco Malfoy.“What is this?” he asked, plucking the book out of her hands. “I see you with it all the time.”“Professor McGonagall gave it to me,” Belle said defensively. “It helps me navigate this world.”“Wizard’s Field Guide,” Draco read from the cover. “Interesting. Where are you going?” He asked the question in a familiar, casual way. Belle felt like he was merely curious rather than demanding.“Back to Gryffindor Tower,” Belle said. “I remembered that Hermione had some notes that we might find helpful in our research.”“Excellent,” Draco said. “But I know a faster way to get there. It seems your guide doesn’t know all the shortcuts.”Draco walked Belle to Gryffindor Tower. Belle noted that their presence together drew some strange looks.“People are looking at us funny,” Belle said.“Yes,” Draco said. “We’ve been mortal enemies for six years, after all.”“Why the change?” Belle asked.“Let’s just say that people change,” Draco said evasively.“You said that before,” Belle pointed out.“And I’ll say it again,” Draco said. “Doesn’t make it any less true.”They arrived at portrait of the Fat Lady. “I’ll leave you here, then,” Draco said. “I’ll see you later.”Belle entered the Gryffindor Common Room and dashed up to the dormitory. She explored Hermione’s messy desk, looking for the notes that Hermione had mentioned. Belle recalled that Hermione had said something about a special drawer. Belle began opening drawers at random. She found one that seemed to stick when she pulled at first. Pulling harder, the drawer opened to reveal a leather-bound journal.Belle picked up the journal and saw all kinds of notes about fairy tales and spellcrafts. There it was. Excellent.Belle loaded her bag with anything she could find that might be relevant to the research and made her way back downstairs for dinner.Following the Field Guide’s map, Belle found her way to the Great Hall without incident.Belle entered the Great Hall, her eyes scanning the Gryffindor table. She spotted Ginny's flaming red hair among a group of students wearing Quidditch robes. Taking a deep breath, she approached them.“Hey, Hermione!” Ginny called out, waving her over. “Come sit with us!”Belle slid onto the bench next to Ginny, offering a shy smile to the rest of the team. She recognized some faces from seeing them around the school the past few days but struggled to put names to them all.“Quidditch practice tonight?” Belle asked.“Yes!” Ginny said, beaming. Under the pretense of reaching for some salad, Ginny whispered to Belle, “You catch on quick.”Belle smiled. “I try,” she whispered back.“How was your day?” Ginny asked, piling food onto her plate.“Oh, um, busy,” Belle replied feeling awkward but trying to sound casual. “Lots of studying, you know me.”A tall boy with dark skin — Dean Thomas, Belle recalled from Ginny pointing him out the other day — chuckled. “Some things never change, eh, Hermione?”Belle laughed nervously, reaching for a bowl of mashed potatoes. “Right, well, there's always more to learn, isn't there?”“Speaking of learning,” piped up a younger girl with long blonde hair, “any chance you could help me with that Transfiguration essay later? It's doing my head in.”Belle froze for a moment, panic rising in her chest. “I, uh…”“Oh, come on, Natalie,” Ginny interjected, rolling her eyes. “Give Hermione a break. She's not a walking homework service.”Belle shot Ginny a grateful look, letting Ginny change the subject to spare Belle from an awkward situation. Belle knew absolutely nothing about Transfiguration. She hadn’t had any exposure to Transfiguration yet besides seeing Professor McGonagall’s memory in the Pensieve. She had her first double Transfiguration class and her remedial lesson with Professor Jones the next day.The conversation shifted to Quidditch strategies for their upcoming match against Hufflepuff. Belle listened absentmindedly, trying to follow along as much as she could.“What do you think, Hermione?” a weedy looking boy asked. “Think our new Woollongong Shimmy variation will work against their Keeper?”All eyes turned to Belle, who felt her palms begin to sweat. What in the world? “Well,” she began, racking her brain for anything useful, “considering the... aerodynamics involved, and the, um, unpredictability factor... it could be quite effective?”There was a moment of silence before the team burst into laughter.“Blimey, Hermione,” Dean said, wiping tears from his eyes. “I think that's the most Quidditch-sounding thing you've ever said!”Ginny, still giggling, threw an arm around Belle's shoulders. “Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?” she asked, winking at Belle.If only they knew, Belle thought, forcing a laugh. “I guess some of your Quidditch obsession is rubbing off on me after all these years.”As the meal continued, Belle found herself relaxing slightly. Her thoughts began to wander as they discussed tactics and techniques. By the time dessert appeared, she overall felt like she had successfully navigated the social minefield.“You know,” Ginny said quietly as the others debated the merits of different broom models, “you're doing really well. I know this isn't easy for you. I almost slapped Coote when he asked you that, but you pulled out a remarkably good answer.”Belle smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Ginny. I'm trying my best. I guess it turned out well that Hermione doesn’t know much Quidditch either.”As she finished her treacle tart, Belle couldn't help but feel a small sense of accomplishment. She was fitting in, even if it was just on the surface. It wasn’t easy and she felt exhausted trying to manage it all, but she was doing it.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

All Hermione could feel was the eerie stillness that surrounded her, broken only by the distant sound of dripping water.The walls seemed to press in on her, their rough surface mocking her inability to escape. Shadows danced tauntingly in the flickering torchlight, twisting into grotesque shapes that sent shivers down her spine. She had always been the one with the answers, the one who knew how to solve any problem with a flick of her wand and a clever incantation. But now, with no wand and no way to do magic, she felt lost and vulnerable.As she sat huddled in the corner of the cell, Hermione's mind raced with thoughts of her friends back home and the people she’d left behind at the enchanted castle. If only she could see Harry, Ron, and Ginny again. If only she hadn’t gone on that walk this morning. If only she hadn’t switched places with Belle in the first place. What had she been thinking?Memories flooded Hermione’s mind, each one a dagger twisting in her heart. The time Harry and Ron had saved her from the troll. Solving the secret to the Chamber of Secrets and then getting petrified. Flying Buckbeak to save Sirius Black. Victor Krum asking her to the Yule Ball. Fighting Death Eaters at the Ministry of Magic. Sending birds flying at Ron’s head. Watching Harry defeat Voldemort. Warm memories of life at the Burrow. How far away it all seemed.Hermione closed her eyes, trying to summon that strength, wit, and courage she was known for. She had faced countless challenges before. But she’d almost always had her friends with her. She remembered Ron yelling at her when they were only 11 and she’d panicked, “Are you mad? Are you a witch or not?” Her friends balanced her out. Now she had no friends and no wand. She felt truly alone.She had no one but herself. And being herself was something she hadn’t felt like being for a long time. She didn’t know when it started exactly. But not long after the war, she’d started hating herself and her life. She didn’t feel worthy anymore. She didn’t feel like she belonged with her friends, who were happy in the new world. She hadn’t felt happy in a long time. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt at peace with herself.Sinking deeper and deeper into her gloomy thoughts, time stretched into what felt like an eternity. Hermione's sense of isolation deepened. Desperate for some semblance of connection, Hermione whispered her friends' names into the darkness, the sound barely more than a breathy echo that dissipated into the cold air. The memories of their laughter, their camaraderie, now twisted into painful reminders of what she had lost. How she longed for Ron's humor, Harry's determination, and Ginny's infectious spirit. They had been her anchors in the tumultuous seas of hardship, guiding her through.But now, in this suffocating solitude, Hermione found herself adrift in a sea of uncertainty. The weight of what she had done threatened to bury her.Then suddenly. She found she was not alone. A voice from across the hall rang out.“Hey,” the voice said. “Newcomer. Who are you?”Hermione started, scrambling to her feet. She’d suspected there might be other people in here, but she’d completely forgotten about it in the darkness. She remembered that she’d actually wanted to come here to see if the Beast’s mother was here. Hope welled in her chest when she realized she wasn’t alone.“My name is Hermione,” she said. “I got turned in here by someone called Gaston.”“Join the club,” the voice muttered. “He’s captured a lot of us.”“Who are you?” Hermione asked.“My name is Colette,” the voice said.“Colette?” Hermione asked, not daring to breathe. “Do you happen to have a daughter named Belle? Or be friends with someone named Estelle?”“Yes, to both. Oh, my sweet Belle,” Collette breathed. “I haven’t heard her name spoken aloud in an eternity. How do you know her?”“It’s actually a long story,” Hermione began, not knowing how to explain the situation. “But I’m actually in your daughter’s body right now.”“You’re in Belle’s body?” said Colette. “Wait, what?”Hermione gave Colette an overview of what happened.“You agreed to come here because you thought Estelle might be here?” Colette summarized the last part of the conversation. “Well, she is. She’s not doing well. But she’s on the other end of the hall.”“How can we escape?” Hermione asked, concerned to hear about Estelle’s state.“It’s no good,” Colette said. “Once he gives you some of his potion and you eat the food, you can’t do magic. It suppresses our magic. Those blasted Scourers from North America came here and taught these imbeciles all kinds of tricks.”Hermione remembered reading about the Scourers. Wizards who initially started off as a pseudo-militia in the so-called New World that didn’t have a reigning magical government. They started off with good intentions, tracking down criminals and helping keep the peace.Before too long, however, they got corrupt and started turning on their own kind. They began to hunt their fellow witches and wizards, even going so far as to aid the Muggles who led the witch-hunts. Previously, Muggles had a hard time detecting true magical folk. With the help of the Scourers, the witch hunts became much more effective.Thankfully, once the Magical Congress of the United States of America formed, they put the Scourers down. It took a long time, however, and many escaped.It appeared that some of the escaped Scourers made their way to Europe. It seemed that she’d fallen into the hands of, perhaps not an actual Scourer, but a Scourer’s follower.According to history, over time, the Scourers merged in with the non-magical population and taught their descendants to hate magic-kind. They became a problem in the early 1900s during the time of Grindelwald’s uprising. That last part was irrelevant to their current situation though.“I don’t recall consuming anything that he gave me,” Hermione said, wracking her brains to recall if she’d consumed anything since she’d came into this wretched place. The dryness in her throat reminded her how thirsty she was.“He didn’t force a potion down your throat?” Colette asked. “You’d remember if he did.”“No, he didn’t,” Hermione said. “Perhaps he was too enticed by the enchanted castle.”“Enchanted castle?” Colette asked. “Ah, that. They won’t find it,” she said confidently.“How do you know?” Hermione asked.“I just do,” Colette said simply. “Anyway, you haven’t taken a potion. You can get us out of here.”“But I don’t have a wand,” Hermione said. “I can’t use magic.”“Pish posh,” Colette said. “You only need to visualize what you want and channel your magic. A wand helps, but you can channel it by other means.”Channeling magic. Hermione recalled that wizards in Uganda didn’t rely on wands to harness magic. They drew on power from within themselves and the natural world around them. They cast spells using their hands. Why hadn’t she thought of that before?“I’ve never done that before. I’ve only ever used a wand,” Hermione said. “But I’ll try.”“Wands make us so lazy,” Colette muttered. “My father always said that…” Her voice trailed off, leaving Hermione to her contemplation.Hermione closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to center herself. She focused on the tingling sensation that always seemed to dance beneath her skin whenever she held her wand and performed magic. Slowly, she instinctively extended her hands in front of her, palms facing up as if cupping an invisible ball of energy. She took a deep breath, feeling the pulsating magic within her yearning to be released.Focusing on the image of a shimmering light illuminating the room, Hermione slowly started moving her hands apart. Yet, nothing happened at first. She could feel the frustration bubbling up inside her. Why wasn't it working? She tried harder, picturing the light growing brighter and warmer in her mind.Suddenly, a faint glow appeared between her hands. It was like a tiny flicker of a candle in a vast dark room. Hermione's heart leaped with excitement as she continued to concentrate. The glow intensified, swirling and dancing like ethereal flames.But just as Hermione thought she had finally tapped into the magic within her, the glow flickered out, leaving her hands empty once more. She opened her eyes in the fresh darkness, suddenly blind again after that bright light.“You did something,” Colette exclaimed. “Good. Keep practicing. See if you can unlock the door.”Hermione placed her hands on the door’s cell lock, imagining that it would open. After a few tries, nothing happened.“Focus on that feeling of magic,” Colette said. “You have the power inside of you.”Hermione summoned that feeling again. That tingling sensation of magic that pulsed within her. She felt it and tapped into it. She placed her hands on the lock once more and it clicked open.Just as the cellar door at the other end of the hall opened.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After dinner, Belle made her way to the library, her bag heavy with Hermione's notes. The corridors of Hogwarts still felt foreign to her, but the promise of books and quiet study was a comfort she recognized from her own world. She found Draco already there, tucked away in a secluded corner.“You're late,” he said, but his tone was light.“Sorry,” Belle replied, settling into the chair across from him. “I got caught up at dinner with Ginny and the Quidditch team.”Draco raised an eyebrow. “Ah, yes. Granger’s sudden interest in Quidditch would certainly raise eyebrows,” he said sardonically.Belle winced. “I’m trying my best,” she said, all the warm feelings of accomplishment vanishing away into hurt at his words.“I know,” Draco said, his voice softening. “Don’t mind me. Now, what have you got there?”Belle pulled out Hermione’s journal and notes. “I found these in Hermione's desk. I think they detail her process for creating the spell that switched us.”Draco's eyes lit up as he reached for the journal. As their hands brushed, Belle felt a sudden jolt of electricity. She looked up, meeting Draco’s intense gaze, and felt her cheeks warm.Unbidden, her thoughts returned to the first time she looked at the Beast in the eyes. Seeing the human emotions and intelligence in those bright blue eyes. She remembered thinking there must be more to him than his terrifying visage.Clearing her throat and bringing herself back to the present, Belle said, “So, um, shall we get started?”For the next hour, they pored over Hermione’s notes, discussing theories and possibilities. Belle didn’t feel that her contributions were particularly useful, but it seemed that Draco appreciated having a sounding board.Instead, Belle found herself repeatedly distracted by Draco’s proximity, the way his brow furrowed in concentration, the slight quirk of his lips when he found something interesting. She’d never spent so much time with a young man. Especially one that she found so handsome.“Look at this,” Draco murmured, pointing to a complex diagram. “Granger's incorporated arithmancy with transfiguration theory. It's... brilliant.”Belle leaned closer to see, acutely aware of Draco's scent — parchment, mint, and something uniquely him. “You sound almost... proud of her,” she observed.Draco stiffened, then sighed. “I suppose I am,” he admitted. He set down the journal, his fingers tracing the edge of the page. “Belle... there's something I ought to tell you.”Belle's heart raced. “What is it?”Draco ran a hand through his hair, a gesture of nervousness Belle hadn’t seen from him before.“The reason I'm so invested in getting you and Hermione switched back,” Draco began, his voice low and intense, “it's not just about making amends or doing the right thing.”He paused, turning to face her. Belle felt pinned by the weight of his gaze. “The truth is... I'm in love with Hermione.”Belle felt as if the air had been sucked out of the room. “You're... what?”“I know it sounds crazy,” Draco continued, his words tumbling out now. “And I don’t even know why I’m telling you this. I just keep having this overwhelming impulse to tell you. I suppose I feel like you ought to know.”He took a deep breath. “After everything that’s happened between us, I know it’s virtually impossible. But during the war, when my aunt was torturing her... something in me broke. I realized how strong she was, how brave. And I couldn’t deny my feelings anymore.”Belle sat back, stunned. A part of her heart ached, though she couldn't quite understand why. “Does she know?”Draco shook his head. “No. I came back to Hogwarts to try to make things right, to show her I've changed. And then... this happened.”Belle felt a confusing mix of emotions — sympathy for Draco, a twinge of disappointment she didn’t quite understand, and guilt for feeling anything at all when she was in Hermione’s body. It reminded her of the conflicted feelings she still had for the Beast.“I’m sorry,” she said softly, not knowing what to say. “That must be... difficult.”Draco gave a humorless laugh. “You have no idea.” He shifted in his seat, ending up closer to Belle this time. “But now you know why I’m so determined to fix this. Hermione deserves to be here, living her life. And I... I need the chance to show her who I really am.”Belle felt a pang of guilt at his words, even though it wasn’t her fault that Hermione wasn’t here.“I understand,” Belle said, placing her hand gently on top of Draco’s. “I’ll do anything I can to help make things right for all of us.”Draco flushed red at the contact and pulled his hand away. “So she was investigating Muggle fairy tales,” he said, changing the subject back to the research. “And magical ones too. I know nothing about these Muggle stories.”As they returned to their research, Belle couldn’t help but see Draco in a new light. His dedication, his vulnerability... it made him all the more attractive to her. But she pushed those thoughts aside. She had a job to do — get back to her own world and let Hermione return to hers. Maybe she’d try to help Hermione see Draco in this light.Just then, a book on a nearby shelf began to rattle. It flew off the shelf, pages flipping wildly as it hovered in front of them. Belle gasped, still not entirely used to the casual magic of Hogwarts.Draco chuckled, reaching out to grasp the book. “Looks like even the library wants to help us,” he said, a small smile playing on his lips. He looked at the title. “A Collection of Muggle Fairy Tales. With commentary from some Muggle Studies scholar. Indeed. This is a book I’ll have to read.”As Belle leaned in to look at the new book, their shoulders brushed. She felt that same jolt of electricity, and for a moment, their eyes met. In that instant, Belle saw a flicker of something in Draco’s gaze — a warmth, an attraction — before he quickly looked away.And in that moment, Belle couldn’t shake the feeling that things had just become far more complicated than she ever could have imagined. She was in a world of magic, in another girl’s body, feeling drawn to a boy who was in love with someone else. She was caught in another enchantment, with no way to know where this story would end.

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Hermione froze. Not sure what to do. D’Arque had returned. She was sure of it.She had already unlocked her door, but she knew she’d be caught if she tried to escape. She couldn’t reliably summon magic at this point. Should she try to free Colette? Colette couldn’t perform magic. No, she’d have to save herself.Hermione had been able to summon the magic inside of her. The power was inside of her all along. She could do this.Hermione breathed in and out. She focused on that sensation of power. She summoned it from within her and channeled it to her hands. Quickly, she relocked the door, hoping that Monsieur D’Arque couldn’t hear the clicking sound as his footfalls descended the steps.Hermione retreated back to the corner where she’d only recently been so full of despair. She listened to the shuffling feet of Monsieur D’Arque drew closer.He was an old man. She could take him.“Well, well,” Monsieur D’Arque said. “It seems your enchanted castle disappeared. What am I to do with you then?”He unlocked the door and strode inside. “You have magical abilities. That much I know, but that fool Gaston seems to want you. So perhaps you shall be my new test subject for removing magic. My current one isn’t much left for the world.”He stopped in front of Hermione. “Get up. And follow me.”“And if I don’t?” Hermione asked, trying to sound braver than she felt.“Then I’ll have to use this,” Monsieur D’Arque said, withdrawing what looked like a small spear. “You won’t like this at all.”If Colette was right and the Scourers had helped the witch hunters here, Hermione didn’t doubt it. The Scourers were particularly cruel and invented wicked devices. They’d been known to torture their victims and even sell subjugated wizards as slaves.“Okay,” Hermione said, pretending to be defeated. “I’ll come.”“Good,” Monsieur D’Arque said. “Proceed.”He shoved Hermione in front of him. Blast, she thought. She’d hoped she could get to him from behind. She would need to time her moment carefully.Monsieur D’Arque prodded Hermione back down the hallway and impatiently pushed her up the stairs to the main level. He brought her back into the room where he’d first tested her.“Sit,” he said imperiously, indicating the chair.She did as he was told and he turned his back on her. Now! She thought and she sprang to her feet, summoning the magic. Petrificus Totalus! She imagined him petrified and on the floor. Like Neville Longbottom in their first year.Monsieur D’Arque froze midstep. Then he laughed. “You think that simple magic will work on me?”Hermione didn’t let his words deter her. She renewed her focus and caught him by the arm, sending her power into his body. Petrificus Totalus!His arms snapped to his sides. His legs locked together. His stunned eyes watched her as he fell backward onto the floor.Hermione was elated. It had worked. “I did it, I did it!” she cried, dancing around the room. “But I had better do something to keep him bound,” she said to herself.Just as she finished saying that the doors burst open and the Beast bounded inside.“Hermione!” he cried. “You’re all right.”Hermione looked at him in shock. “You’re…here?” she asked.“Yes!” he said. “Porter saw that you’d been taken by that man and so we tried to find you. We discovered them snooping around the woods, we followed them as they came back from trying to find the castle.”Hermione had so many questions but now was not the time. Lumiere, Cogsworth, Porter, as well as a few other household staff she recognized filed in through the open doors.“You’re all here!” Hermione said, touched. “Thank you for coming.”“But of course!” Lumiere said. “Glad to see zat you’re okay.”“You are okay, right?” Cogsworth asked, concerned.“Yes, I am,” Hermione said. “Luckily, he didn’t give me the potion to suppress my magic yet. You won’t believe what I found out, your mother is here, Adam.”“What?!” Adam roared. “Where?!”“I don’t know,” Hermione admitted. “Colette, remember her? She was in the cell across from mine.”“Let’s go find her,” Adam said. “Now.”“Shouldn’t we do something with him to make sure he doesn’t escape?” Hermione asked. “I’m not sure how long my spell will last.”“Porter will watch him,” Adam said, looking to the coatrack. Porter, the coatrack, bowed and assumed position above Monsieur D’Arque. “Lead the way.”“Let’s find some light,” Hermione said, looking for a candle. She spotted the one that Monsieur D’Arque used earlier. She summoned her magic and thought, Incendio. The candle illuminated. She handed it to Adam.“You discovered how to do magic again?” Adam asked.“Yes,” Hermione said. “I’ll tell you all about it later.”“You could ’ave just asked me for light, you know,” Lumiere said, igniting the candle above his head and the candles on his two hands.Hermione laughed. “Now why didn’t I think of that?” she said. “Let’s go.”Hermione retraced her steps back to the below-ground prison. It was much easier with the light from the candles. She led the way downstairs.“Colette said that Estelle was somewhere around here,” Hermione said. “I’m going to go ahead and rescue Colette, but why don’t you look for your mother here.”Hermione left Adam and the others searching the immediate cells next to the staircase. Hermione summoned a ball of light to hold in her hand and hurried down the hallway.“Over here,” Colette said as Hermione approached. “Well done,” she said.Hermione placed her hand on the lock, thought the incantation, and the door opened. “I’m getting the hang of this,” Hermione said.“You had the power all along,” Colette said. “You just needed to believe. Now, let’s get everyone out of here.”Colette led Hermione to all the cells that had prisoners inside. Each were in varying degrees of weakness. Some could hardly stand. Some couldn’t move at all. Some seemed more agile. Now that Hermione could see Colette properly, Hermione noted that Colette looked much hollower and more emaciated than the woman she’d seen in her dreams. She was shaky and moved slowly, but her determination for freedom seemed to spur her forward.“We’ll have to come back for some folks,” Hermione said.“Those who are more able-bodied can help,” Colette said, directing newly freed inhabitants to help the others.Soon enough, they reached the end of the hall where Adam was with the others. Upon spotting them, Colette froze.“It’s okay,” Hermione said. “They’re here to help. He’s looking for his mother, Estelle.”“That’s Adam?” Colette said, her eyes widening.“Yes,” Hermione said. “An enchantress transformed him.”“Oh, my,” Colette said, stunned, taking in his large beast form.“Have you been able to find her?” Hermione asked the others.“Not yet,” Adam said. “A lot of the people here are in the corners, laying down and it’s hard to see them.”Colette pointed to a cell just behind Adam. “She’s there,” Colette said. “Let’s save her, she’s in bad shape.”Hermione rushed to the cell doors and opened them. “I’m going to let you go ahead and take care of her,” she said as Adam rushed inside, Colette on his heels. “I’m going to free the others.”Hermione moved on to the other cell doors, opening them as she saw Adam carry his mother outside out of the corner of her eye.“Everyone out!” she said. “Please help those who cannot walk themselves. We’ll take care of you once we know what we’re dealing with.”Hermione shepherded the newly free inhabitants up the stairs. She wasn’t sure where they were going, but she knew they’d figure it out.Once everyone had filed out, Hermione did a quick walk down the hallway, illuminating each cell to make sure she had gotten everyone. She was glad that she’d checked, because at the end of the hall, she found a little girl inside of a cell. Hermione opened the cell doors and kneeled before the girl.“Can you walk?” Hermione asked.The girl nodded. “Am I really going to get out?” she asked.“Yes,” Hermione said, rising to her feet and extending her hand. “Come with me.”The girl took Hermione’s hand and together they walked down the hall and up the stairs towards freedom.

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Belle and Draco were hunched over Hermione’s notes, their heads close together as they examined a particularly complex Arithmancy formula. They had been working for hours, and the library was nearly empty.“I think we’re getting close,” Draco murmured, his finger tracing a line of calculations. “If we can just figure out how she modified this variable…”Belle nodded, acutely aware of Draco's proximity. “I wish I could be of more help,” she said.“No worries,” Draco said. “Just having someone to bounce ideas off of helps. Surprisingly.”Belle felt gratified by his kindness. She thought that Ginny and the others really should give him another chance.Draco sat back in his seat. “It's brilliant, really. The way she’s interwoven the numerological components with the—”“Hermione?”The shocked voice cut through the quiet of the library. Belle’s head snapped up to see Ginny standing a few feet away, still in her Quidditch robes, her face a mask of confusion and hurt.“Ginny!” Belle exclaimed, instinctively pulling away from Draco. “I… what are you doing here?”Ginny's eyes darted between Belle and Draco, her expression hardening. “I don’t need to explain myself coming to the library,” she said. “What are you doing here? With him?”Draco straightened, his face carefully neutral. “Weasley, this isn’t—”“I wasn't asking you, Malfoy,” Ginny snapped, her eyes never leaving Belle. “Hermione, what’s going on? What are you doing with Malfoy, of all people?”Belle felt panic rising in her chest. She glanced at Draco, unsure of what to say. “Ginny, I can explain—”“Can you?” Ginny’s voice was sharp with betrayal. “Because I thought we were friends, Hermione. I thought you trusted me. But here you are, sneaking around with Malfoy, and you didn’t even tell me?”“It's not like that,” Belle protested weakly. “We're just... working on a project.”“A project?” Ginny repeated incredulously. She lowered her voice. “I thought I made it clear to you that Malfoy is dangerous. That he can’t be trusted after everything he’s done to us over the years.”Draco flinched at her words but remained silent, his eyes fixed on the table.Belle stood up, reaching out to Ginny. “Please, let me explain—”But Ginny took a step back, shaking her head. “I don't understand, Hermione. I thought... I thought I was helping you. I thought we were in this together. But clearly, you didn’t think you could trust me with... whatever this is.”With that, Ginny turned on her heel and stormed out of the library, leaving Belle standing there, her hand still outstretched.Belle slumped back into her chair, her head in her hands. “Oh no,” she whispered. “What have I done?”Draco placed a hesitant hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I didn't mean to cause problems between you and Weasley.”Belle looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “It’s not your fault. I didn’t tell her you offered to help me.”“Ah,” Draco said. “And she undoubtedly worries that I’ll try to do something to harm you or interfere with bringing Granger back.”“I need to talk to her,” Belle said. “Make her understand that you’re helping me.”“Don’t tell her what I told you about my…reasons for helping,” Draco said. “I rather her not go running off to her brother who would come here and cause problems.”Belle suddenly remembered that Hermione was dating Ginny’s brother, Ron. Remembering how Ron had reacted to Belle talking to Draco, she said, “Yes, that would not be a good situation. Don’t worry, I won’t tell her your exact reasons.”As she gathered her things to go after Ginny, Belle couldn’t shake the feeling that she had just made everything infinitely more complicated. How could she explain her growing connection with Draco without revealing his feelings for Hermione?With a heavy heart, Belle left the library, hoping she could find a way to mend the rift she had inadvertently created.

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Upstairs, the asylum was transformed. It was full of light and full of people. As Hermione walked hand-in-hand with the girl, she looked for Adam and the others.She found them in a foyer she hadn’t been able to see before. Adam’s mother lay on a settee. Hermione sucked in a breath. The woman was emaciated. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing seemed labored.“That man was experimenting on her,” Colette said bitterly. “Trying to remove magic from her.”Adam roared in rage. The newly freed prisoners shrank back in fear of the Beast.“Speaking of, where is Monsieur D’Arque?” Hermione asked.“He wasn’t here when we got back,” Adam said, indicating the coatrack to his said. “Porter said that two men had come and taken him away. They overpowered Porter.” Porter hung his head in dejection. “It wasn’t your fault,” Adam said to the coatrack. “I should have been more careful and never left you in that situation. I was too hasty and didn’t bring enough backup.”“Was one man large and one small?” Hermione asked.Porter nodded.“It was the men who captured me,” Hermione said. “We better get out of here. I’m afraid they’ll come back with more people.”Hermione looked outside. It was nighttime. Where could they take these people? She didn’t know if the village would be safe, especially with people like Gaston around.“Do you think we can take them all back to the castle?” Hermione asked. “We can take care of them there.”Adam looked at her in surprise. “Yes. Good idea,” he said. “We should do that. Palanquin can’t fit everyone though.”Hermione deduced that meant that they had traveled here using Palanquin.“Let’s put those who can’t walk and are in the worst shape in him,” Hermione said. “Are there any horses?”Cogsworth chimed in, “I noticed a small stable in the back.”“Good,” Hermione said. “Let’s get anyone who can ride on horseback and double up people. Some are so thin we could probably triple up people.”Colette and Hermione organized the group so that, soon enough, Palanquin was loaded with the weakest, the horses had riders, and the rest would walk. Hermione convinced Adam to stay with the larger group rather than follow Palanquin and his mother. “Mrs. Potts will know what to do,” Hermione assured him. “We need you here to guide and protect us on our way back to the castle.”Begrudgingly, Adam agreed and they set off back to the castle. Under the cover of the setting sun, they were not disturbed as they made their way to the forest or even to the castle. At a certain point, the weather shifted and snow covered the ground. Hermione suspected that meant they had crossed some sort of barrier of the enchantment.“Curious,” Hermione commented as they passed through the gates. “I heard so many stories about wolves and I didn’t encounter them.”“Strange indeed,” Adam said. “I’m not sure why they appear sometimes and other times not.”Colette and the girl Hermione rescued walked beside them. Colette looked pale as she took in the castle. “Are you okay?” Hermione asked. “That was a very long walk.”Colette shook herself. “I’m fine,” she said. “It’s nothing.”Hermione suspected there was more Colette wasn’t saying but dismissed it as she shepherded the rest of the group inside the castle.Inside, Mrs. Potts was in full swing. The entrance hall had makeshift beds set up and she bustled around ordering the staff to give this person this and that person that. The former prisoners took in the castle in awe and wonder, watching the enchanted objects bounce around talking and taking care of their fellow inmates. Cogsworth ushered the group to the dining hall to sit and relax and eat a warm meal.“Oh, good,” she said, “You’re back. Glad to see all of you back safe and sound. Especially you, Hermione, we were worried when we didn’t see you this morning.”“Thank you,” Hermione said. “Is there anything I can do to help?”“There’s plenty to do,” Mrs. Potts said. “But you ought to rest after everything you’ve been through.”“Where is my mother?” Adam asked abruptly, after looking around and not seeing her on one of the cots.“We took her to her room,” Mrs. Potts said. “We thought she’d be more comfortable there.”Without a word, Adam bounded up the stairs.“Why don’t you go with him, dearie?” Mrs. Potts suggested to Hermione. “I’ll send up some food.”Hermione nodded and headed after Adam. Colette followed her. The little girl began to follow as well, but Hermione thought it might be best to leave her in the hands of Mrs. Potts.“Mrs. Potts,” Hermione said. “Is Chip around? This little girl could use some company.”“Certainly!” Mrs. Potts said. “Excellent idea. Chip! Come over here.”Hermione heard some barking and saw Chip riding across the hall on the back of Sultan, the footstool. She smiled at the awe on the girl’s face as she saw the little teacup bouncing over on the back of Sultan, the footstool-dog.“Hi! My name is Chip!” the teacup cried to the girl. “Wanna play?”With amazement on her face, the little girl nodded.“Catch me if you can!” Chip said, egging Sultan away. The girl laughed and chased after him.“They’re in good hands,” Hermione said to Colette, gesturing towards the newly freed asylum inmates.
“I can see that,” Colette said as they began to climb the stairs.“This castle is something, isn’t it?” Hermione said.“Yes,” Colette agreed. As they reached the top of the stairs, Colette suddenly halted and pulled Hermione into an alcove. “Before I go any further, I must confess something to you,” she said, taking a deep breath. “I’m the one who enchanted this castle.”“What?” Hermione said, shocked. “You are?”“Yes,” Colette said. “I came here in search of my dear friend Estelle. The witch hunts had come to Paris and I wanted to make sure she was okay. But I’d never visited her at her home before so I wasn’t exactly sure where it was. I came here in the middle of the winter, hoping for food and shelter. The prince I found was so cruel to me that I got angry and cursed him. I had no idea it was Adam, my friend’s son. I thought I’d come across some horribly unpleasant bourgeois Muggle. I didn’t know until I got caught by that wretched Gaston and taken to the asylum that she’d been captured and that the castle near this village was her home.”Hermione was shocked. Belle’s mother was the enchantress?“Do you know how to break the curse?” Hermione asked.“There’s no way, aside from the Beast experiencing love and being loved in return,” Colette said sadly. “It’s a very specific curse.”“Are you sure?” Hermione said. “From what I can tell, this is a very conditional advanced transfiguration.”“And the condition is that he experiences reciprocated love,” Colette said. “I may have been able to extend the timeline a bit, but I don’t have my powers.”Hermione felt a surge of disappointment. “I’ve got to get Belle back here,” she said. “At all costs.”

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Belle hurried through the corridors, her Wizard’s Field Guide clutched tightly in her hands. She consulted the map within it, trying to navigate the quickest route back to Gryffindor Tower. As she rounded a corner, she nearly collided with Ginny, who was walking with her head down.“Ginny!” Belle exclaimed, relief washing over her.Ginny looked up, her expression hardening when she saw Belle. “Oh. It's you.”Belle took a deep breath. “Ginny, please. Can we talk?”Ginny hesitated for a moment, then nodded curtly. “Fine. But not here.”They walked in silence until they reached an empty classroom. Ginny entered first, leaning against a desk with her arms crossed. Belle closed the door behind them and turned to face her friend.“I’m so sorry, Ginny,” Belle began. “I should have told you about Draco.”“Yeah, you should have,” Ginny replied, her voice tight. “Why didn’t you?”Belle wrung her hands nervously. “I’m sorry. I knew you didn’t like him, but he offered to help.”“He offered to help?” Ginny asked, stunned. “And you trusted him more than you trust me? After everything I’ve done to try to help you?”“No!” Belle cried. “It’s not like that. I just figured since he knew about my secret and offered to help, I’d see what he had to say I didn’t know how to mention it to you. I didn’t want to worry you. I’m so sorry I didn’t say anything.”“You’re a grown woman who can make her own decisions. Of course, I don’t need to supervise everything you do,” Ginny said. It’s just that, after everything Malfoy has done to all of us, it’s hard to believe he could have genuine intentions.”Belle nodded. “I know it sounds crazy, but he's really trying to make amends. He’s been incredibly helpful with the research.”“But why keep it from me?” Ginny asked, hurt evident in her voice.Belle felt a lump in her throat. “After I talked to him, I felt like I should give him a chance. I suppose I felt like I wanted to get to know him without any other opinions to influence my decision. And I didn’t want to let you down by going against your advice, so I didn’t know how to tell you.”Ginny's expression softened slightly. “Belle... you wouldn’t have let me down by telling me the truth. I’m not upset that you're trying to find a way home. I’m upset that you didn’t feel you could trust me with this information.”“I’m so sorry,” Belle said, her voice cracking. “You’ve been nothing but a true friend to me since I arrived here. I should have told you.”Ginny sighed, then stepped forward and took Belle's hand. “I understand why you were afraid. But Belle, you can trust me. No matter what. Even if it involves working with Draco Malfoy of all people.”Belle let out a watery chuckle. “He’s not so bad, you know. He’s really trying to help.”“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Ginny said, but there was no real anger in her voice. She squeezed Belle’s hand. “No more secrets, okay? We’re in this together.”Belle nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. “No more secrets. I promise.”“And I’m sorry I overreacted. It was a long practice and I’m tired. And it’s hard to see Malfoy after everything he’s done. It’s even harder to think he might be trying to help,” Ginny said, pulling Belle into a hug. “But I’ll try. Now, tell me everything. What have you and Malfoy figured out so far?”As they sat down on the classroom floor, Belle began to recount everything she and Draco had discovered. She carefully omitted the part about Draco’s feelings for Hermione, as it that wasn’t her secret to share.As they talked late into the night, Belle felt the weight on her shoulders lighten. She realized that in Ginny, she had found not just an ally in this strange world, but a true friend.And for the first time since she’d arrived at Hogwarts, Belle felt like she might just be able to handle whatever challenges lay ahead — as long as she had friends like Ginny by her side.

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Hermione’s mind was reeling with the news that Colette had shared. She didn’t know what to make of it, but she knew that Belle needed to come back. Hermione knew that she needed to go back home. She needed to fix her mess.Colette and Hermione entered Estelle’s room. Adam stood in the corner, as far away from his mother as possible. The staff had tended to her. She’d clearly been given a bath and changed into fresh clothes. Her eyes were closed.Colette rushed to her side and held her friend’s hand. “Estelle?” she asked. “How are you?”Estelle’s eyes fluttered open and fixed on her friend. “Colette?” she asked. “Where are we? Are we free?”“Yes, my dear,” Colette said. “We’ve escaped from that wretched man. We’re in your home.”“My home!” Estelle exclaimed, looking around for the first time. Adam edged towards the door.“What are you doing?” Hermione asked.“I don’t want her to see me like this,” he muttered.“Estelle,” Colette said firmly, pulling Estelle’s attention back to her. “I have to confess something to you.”“Don’t leave,” Hermione said to Adam. “You’ll want to hear this.”“When I was looking for you all those years ago…when the witch hunts came here,” Colette began. “I came to this castle. But I didn’t know it was your home. In hindsight, I should have. I feel stupid. I made a terrible mistake.”Estelle looked at Colette patiently, waiting for her to continue.“I set a curse on your son and all the inhabitants,” Colette said very quickly. “He’s been transformed into a beast until he can learn to love and be loved in return.”“WHAT?!” roared Adam. Estelle startled, taking in Adam for the first time and shrank back in involuntary fear at the strange creature in her bedroom.Immediately, Adam withdrew in on himself and looked away from the terror in his mother’s eyes. But Hermione was watching Estelle and saw the way that she allowed Colette’s words to sink in. Saw the realization come over Estelle and the terror shift to compassion and love.“Adam?” Estelle said, feebly reaching towards him. “Is that you? Come here my son.”Adam looked at his mother, not daring to hope. He seemed to detect the shift in her and took a step forward. Hermione wanted to yell at him, “go to her!” But knew she shouldn’t interfere. This was between them.“Yes, come here, my love,” Estelle said, encouragingly. “It’s okay.” She was soothing the Beast, trying to encourage him to come forward. Hermione couldn’t help but think of the way they had to be cautious with wild creatures when working with them. Any sudden movements or actions could startle. This was a moment like that. Adam was almost in flight mode, ready to flee to avoid hurt.Yet, overcoming his instincts to flee, Adam slowly approached his mother and stood next to Colette, looking down at her with what Hermione suspected was mingled fear and hope.Her eyes went to his. “Yes,” she said, weakly moving her hand to rest on his large paw. “You are my son. I would know your eyes from anywhere.”“Mother,” he said, his voice breaking. “You’re alive.”“Did you think I was not?” she asked, her voice full of emotion.“Father led me to believe that you’d died,” he said bitterly. “Then he changed everything.”Estelle stroked his paw. “My son,” she said. “There has not been a day since that I haven’t thought of you. I love you.”The words hit Adam and he closed his eyes. He placed his free paw over his heart, letting the words sink in. Letting the emotion sink in. “I forgot what that felt like,” he said. “To be loved. And to love in return. My heart feels full again and light. I love you, too, Mother.”As the words settled in to the air, light suddenly poured out from Adam’s heart, blinding everyone in the room. He lifted into the air as light shot from his hands, his feet, his head. He was light embodied. The fur vanished, revealing pale white skin. The paws shifted into hands and feet. The claws retracted, turning into human nails.As the light vanished, the man that replaced the beast was tall and handsome. He had the same blue eyes as the Beast. His hair color was a golden brown.“The curse broke,” Colette said in awe. “Thank goodness.”Hermione too was awed. He had transformed back into a human without Belle. The love he shared with his mother ran deep.The door burst open and two men ran into the room.“Is it true?” said the familiar voice of Lumiere, but this man was tall with brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. “Ze curse has broken?”“Yes!” said the shorter man, who had the voice of Cogsworth. “Look!” He pointed at Adam, freshly human.Adam rushed back to his mother and kissed her on the cheek. “Mother, you helped me break the curse!” he cried.She smiled. “I am so glad, my son,” she said, stroking his smooth face. “It’s good to see you. My how you’ve grown! You’re a man now.”“Mademoiselle!” Lumiere said, turning to Hermione. “You saved us all!”“What?” Hermione said. “No, I didn’t.”“Yes,” Cogsworth said. “For once, I agree with Lumiere. Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to save the mistress and bring her home. The master could experience love once more.”Hermione was stunned. In a way, Hermione had broken the curse after all. Rather than feeling accomplished, she felt like she had interfered in something that she shouldn’t have interfered with.Would Adam and Belle still be able to fall in love like they should? She didn’t know.What Hermione did know was that she needed to try to bring Belle back and make things right.Leaving the happy reunion, Hermione slipped away and went into her room and shut the door. Hermione noted that Madame De Garderobe was absent. She must have become human again and left to celebrate with the others. Hermione was glad.Hermione stood in the middle of the room and summoned her magic. It had been inside her all along. She’d only needed to believe in herself. Hermione centered herself, focusing her thoughts on finding Belle. The Belle inside of her true body. Hermione saw a vision of herself/Belle at Hogwarts alone in the bathroom in the Gryffindor Tower, getting ready for bed.Hermione willed her consciousness to go to that space and become form. Now she had become part of the vision, standing behind Belle who washed her face in the sink.As Belle dried her face with a towel, Hermione willed herself to speak and said, “Belle.”Belle looked up, startled, and saw Hermione’s reflection in the mirror. It was almost as if she were seeing double. Belle whirled around to face Hermione.“Hermione!” Belle cried. “How are you here?”“I found my source of magic,” Hermione said. “Are you ready to go back home?”Belle’s eyes filled with tears. “Yes,” she said. “I know it’s time for me to go back.”“Good,” Hermione said. “Your mother is waiting for you.”“My mother?” Belle said wonderingly. “She’s there?”“I don’t know how long I can sustain my presence here,” Hermione said. “But yes, she’s there.”Hermione approached Belle and hugged her. Hermione opened her heart up to Belle. “We need to do this together,” Hermione said. “Visualize that you’re back home. Wish with all of your might. Summon your magic and make it so.”Belle’s arms wrapped around Hermione. Hermione could feel Belle opening her heart and pouring love and light into Hermione. Hermione sent love and light back into Belle. She could feel their consciousnesses merging together to become one. For a brief instant, there was no separation between Belle and Hermione. They were completely together. Then they broke apart and Hermione was back inside of herself and Belle was back in her body.Belle smiled at Hermione. “We’re back,” she said.“Yes,” agreed Hermione. “Now go back to your home and live your life.”“I will,” Belle said. “Thank you for the adventure. I love you.”“I love you, too,” Hermione said.Belle smiled and slowly vanished into the air.Hermione was back home.

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Gentle reader,In Book 2, Belle and Hermione have gone back home and have to deal with the aftermath of the switches. Will their world be how they left it? Neither of them are the same as when they left.This half has been written already but is undergoing some revisions to make sure the story is consistent and comes across the way I want it to. It’s going to have a lot more romance and spiciness. If that’s not your cup of tea, then you might just want to stop here.Regardless of your tastes, I’d love some feedback on what you’re thinking so far. How are you liking this story? What do you think about the alternating point-of-view chapters where we switch between characters??I’m exploring making a story with a similar concept in the world that I’m creating for my original stories, so your feedback one the overall story structure and format will be extremely valuable.Thanks for reading! I really appreciate it.xoxo,Rowena Pendragon

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Belle opened her eyes and found herself laying on the floor in the middle of the room she’d been given in the Beast’s castle. She rolled onto her back and looked up at the ceiling. She was back in her world.Belle wanted to feel happy, but at the moment she only felt empty. She’d only just felt a sense of confidence about her place in the other world after her talk with Ginny and experiencing the help from Draco.Granted, she was glad to be in her world where she could stop pretending to be someone else, but she just felt exhausted.Belle looked out the window, it was nighttime. Maybe she could just go to bed and face things in the morning.Rolling to her side and intending to make her way to her bed, Belle stood up and looked around. Immediately, she noticed the conspicuous absence of the talking wardrobe. What was her name? Madame de Garderobe! Where was she?As if in answer to her thoughts, a knock sounded on the door. “Dearie?” said the familiar voice of Mrs. Potts. “I’d heard you’d left the mistress’s room and thought you might have come here. I brought some food. May I come in?”“Yes,” Belle called, sitting down on the edge of the bed.To Belle’s surprise, rather than a teapot entering the room, a matronly woman entered, carrying a tray.“You’re human!” Belle exclaimed, not thinking about politeness.Mrs. Potts looked taken aback. “Didn’t you witness the master’s transformation, Hermione?”She thinks I’m Hermione, Belle thought in some wonder. I’m done being Hermione. Belle released a breath. “Actually,” she said. “I’m not Hermione. I’m Belle.”The words washed a feeling of intense relief and satisfaction over her. She no longer pretended to be something she wasn’t. She could be herself once more.“Belle?” Mrs. Potts repeated, setting the tray down on a side table and approaching her looking at her intently. “Is it really you?”
“Yes,” Belle breathed. “It’s me. Hermione figured out how to switch us back.”“Oh, thank goodness,” Mrs. Potts said, her voice full of relief. “We liked Hermione, of course, but we’re so glad to have you back where you belong.”Belle’s eyes filled with tears. Where you belong. Did she belong here? Certainly, in this world, but this castle in particular? She wasn’t sure. Nonetheless, Belle was touched by her words. She’d spent almost a week pretending to be someone she wasn’t. It had felt like an eternity.“Thank you,” Belle said. “It’s nice to be told that I belong somewhere.”“Of course you do, dearie,” Mrs. Potts said affectionately and patting Belle on the arm, the words and touch filling Belle with warmth. “Now, I hate to leave you so soon, but tonight’s a busy night! We have a full castle with all the folks Hermione and the others freed from the asylum.”“The asylum?” Belle repeated, shocked. She knew that Gaston sometimes helped the man who owned the asylum, but she didn’t know much else about it. “Sounds like I have a lot to catch up on.”“Indeed!” said Mrs. Potts. “Would you like to come with me and speak to the others?”Belle thought about it. What she really wanted to do was rest, but she had a feeling that she’d regret not going with Mrs. Potts.“Yes,” Belle said, summoning her energy. She grabbed a roll of bread from the tray and took a swig of tea. “I’ll come with you.”Belle followed Mrs. Potts down to the main entryway of the castle. It looked completely different than how she remembered. The architecture of the castle seemed brighter and less haunting. Moreover, the castle was full of people rather than the complete emptiness she remembered. No longer household objects, the staff bustled around ordering this and that. The entryway looked like a makeshift hospital with pallets organized into rows. Upon the pallets rested a variety of people in varying degrees of health. Some sat up eating or chatting with their neighbor. Others lay still, either sleeping or retreating inside themselves.A little girl ran up to Belle, followed by a little boy. “Hermione!” she cried. “This boy was a teacup and then he turned into a boy!”“How amazing,” Belle said. “You must be Chip,” she said to the boy, remembering the little teacup who had cheered her up when she’d first gotten to the castle.“Yep!” he declared, his blonde hair dancing. “And now I’m going to run!” He took off running around the entry hall, chased by a small black dog and the little girl.Belle smiled and looked at Mrs. Potts, who was wiping away a tear as she watched her son. “You must be so happy to see him able to run again,” Belle said.“I am,” Mrs. Potts said. “I was so worried about him not having a normal childhood.”“I’m glad for you,” Belle said, smiling and patting Mrs. Potts’ shoulder. Then Belle saw a familiar golden head of hair and, without another thought, took off running.“Mother!” she cried. The woman turned and looked at Belle, bemused.“Mother?” the woman replied. “You know me, Hermione. We broke out of the asylum together. I’m not your mother.” The woman paused and stared at Belle. “Wait, did she switch the two of you back?”Belle nodded, smiling.Beaming, Colette opened her arms wide and wrapped them around Belle. “My daughter,” she said tearfully. “All grown up. Back here in my arms. I’m so thankful.”Belle buried her head in her mother’s shoulder. Tears fell from her eyes. She never thought she’d be able to see her mother again. But here she was.“Mother,” Belle said, her voice choked with tears. “You’re alive.”“Yes,” Colette said. “Thanks to Hermione and the others, I’m free from that horrid place.”
Colette pulled back and looked at Belle. “I’m exhausted. I came down here to see if I could find a spare bed. How are you doing?”“I’m doing…okay,” Belle said. “I have a room. Why don’t we go there and catch each other up?”“That sounds wonderful,” Belle’s mother sighed.And so, mother and daughter retreated to Belle’s room. They climbed into bed together, Colette recounting to Belle about Hermione’s appearance at the asylum, them breaking out, and afterwards with Adam and his transformation. In turn, Belle told her mother about her experiences at Hogwarts.“I’m so glad you got to see my beloved school,” Colette said warmly. “I always wanted you to see it. But then the witch hunts disrupted my plans entirely.”“You locked my magic away,” Belle said, a note of accusation in her voice.“I only wanted to protect you,” Colette said. “I’d planned to come back and lift the block. But then my plans went awry. I suppose I should tell you about that…”Colette shared that she’d been the one to enchant this castle in the first place. “I’m so ashamed now,” Colette said. “But you have to know how tired and exhausted I was after my fruitless travels to find Estelle. And to be treated so horribly. I snapped.”“In a way, I understand,” Belle said, astounded at the realization that her mother had been the one to curse the castle’s inhabitants. “And I also don’t understand. How could you be so cruel?”Colette hung her head. “Forgive me,” she said.“Of course, I forgive you,” Belle said. “You were in an unimaginable situation. I can’t begin to understand what you were going through.”“It was idiotic of me to do,” Colette said. “It’s how that hunter, Gaston, caught me. That was a huge curse and lit me up on their magic detectors.”“Gaston?” Belle asked. “From the village? He’s the one that caught you?”“You know him?” Colette said. “I suppose you would. Yes, he’s terrible.”“He really is,” Belle agreed. “He won’t leave me alone. He wants to marry me for some reason known only to him.”“Stay as far away from him as you can,” Colette warned.“You don’t have to tell me,” Belle said. “I’ve known that ever since I met him.”“I always knew you were a smart girl,” Colette said warmly. She yawned. “I can barely keep my eyes open. Let’s get some sleep.”Belle nestled close to her mother, feeling more at home than she could ever remember feeling.

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Gazing at herself in the girl’s bathroom mirror, Hermione finally began to accept that she was really back in her world. Back home at Hogwarts. It filled her with both dread and excitement to be back. A sense of rightness filled her. She knew she’d done the right thing in coming back.Unsure if Belle had done so, Hermione brushed her teeth. Then she wandered back across the hall to her dormitory.Hermione took in the room, full of sleeping students. It was good to be back. Hermione snuck a peek at Ginny’s bed and noticed her sound asleep. They’d have to catch up in the morning then.Hermione felt relieved that she was spared having to face Ginny tonight. Then she felt guilty for feeling relieved. Oh, things felt so complicated. Tomorrow, she’d have to face the consequences of what she’d done. She’d have to face everyone. What would they think of her? How would they respond?In general, she felt foolish for doing the switch in the first place. Even though she’d been in a really bad place. And living in Belle’s world, it’s not like she could have let things go on as they were and not switch back.Crookshanks was nowhere to be found, but that was usual at night, the time of hunting and prowling around. Perhaps she’d see him in the morning.Hermione climbed into her bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. She closed her eyes, hoping for sleep.Sleep found her swiftly and suddenly. The next thing she knew, the light was filtering into the cracks between the curtains of her four-poster bed. The sounds of the others moving about and getting dressed floated inside.Hermione smiled, she’d managed to sleep through the night. She hadn’t had any nightmares or dreamed at all. She hadn’t dreamed at all! That meant she hadn’t connected with Belle the previous night. Hermione had grown used to her nightly conversations with Belle. Hermione wondered if they’d ever share dreams again. Perhaps not now that they’d switched back. The thought saddened her because Hermione wanted to know what happened to everyone back at the castle.But Hermione couldn’t think about that now. Drawing back the curtains, Hermione took in the room around her. She knew it was time to face the consequences of her actions. A sinking feeling entered her chest and stomach as she thought about having to face Ginny and the others.Well, better not delay things any longer, she thought. Hermione quickly got dressed. She spotted Ginny coming back into the room from the bathroom and waved her over. Ginny came over.“Hey, Belle,” Ginny said quietly. “What’s up?”“It’s me,” Hermione said. “I’m back.”“Hermione?!” Ginny asked, her voice raising a little and then she went back to her whisper. “Is it really you?”“Yes,” Hermione said smiling at Ginny’s apparent excitement. “You can ask me a question only I would know if you want.”“I don’t really need to, it’s not like you’re a Death Eater. But sure,” Ginny said. “What advice did you give me about Harry?”“I told you to be yourself,” Hermione said instantly. “Maybe try dating other people and relax around him.”“You’re really back?” Ginny squealed. “I’m so glad.” Ginny wrapped her arms around Hermione and hugged her tight.“Aren’t you mad at me for putting you through all of that?” Hermione asked over Ginny’s shoulder, noticing that some of the other girls were giving them odd looks.“A little bit,” Ginny said, pulling back and looking Hermione in the eye. “But I also realized I had no idea what you were going through. I still don’t. I want you to feel like you can share your troubles with me. I’m here for you. Just like I’ve always been. Like we’ve always been for each other.”Hermione’s eyes filled with tears, and she hugged Ginny again. “Thank you,” she said. “I didn’t want to trouble you after everything you lost. Add to your burdens in any way.”“We have to rely on each other,” Ginny said, rubbing Hermione’s back. “Otherwise, we’ll collapse.”“You’re right,” Hermione said, pulling back and wiping away a tear. She smiled at Ginny.“What is up with those two?” Hermione heard someone ask from behind her.“Who knows,” another girl replied. “They’ve been acting strange all year.”“Whatever,” said the first girl. “Let’s go eat.”Ginny and Hermione laughed. “What day is it?” Hermione asked.“It’s Thursday,” Ginny said. “We’ve got Transfiguration.”“And I have Ancient Runes!” Hermione said. “I better see if I can find all my schoolwork. I never finished that essay.”“Luna helped Belle with it,” Ginny said. “It might not be up to your standards, but I think they finished it.”“Luna?” Hermione asked. “Oh, that was kind of her.” Even though Luna was odd and had strange beliefs, she was smart and good in her class subjects.“We need to tell Professor McGonagall you’re back,” Ginny said, getting down to business. “She organized a bunch of remedial lessons for Belle and so we also need to tell her those are no longer needed.”“I feel so bad that I made everyone go to so much trouble,” Hermione said, a sense of guilt pressing down on her.“We were glad to do it,” Ginny said. “We all care about you, you know.”Hermione nodded. She supposed she was only starting to realize that.Ginny wandered over to her side of the dormitory to finish getting ready. Hermione looked at her desk. Belle had left it extremely organized. More organized than Hermione ever left it. Hermione wondered if she’d be able to find anything. To her surprise, her Transfiguration and Ancient Runes necessities were right on top of the desk, easy to grab. Maybe there was something to Belle’s system. Maybe she’d try deconstructing it later.Hermione scanned the Ancient Runes essay. Belle’s neat handwriting was completely different from Hermione’s untidy scrawl. Yet, the essay was thoughtfully written and seemed accurate enough, even if it missed some arguments Hermione might have included. She supposed it would have to do, given the circumstances.Hermione checked her special drawer and noted that her notes and journal were all in there, neatly tucked away. Belle had really taken care of Hermione’s possessions.It seemed Belle had taken good care of Hermione’s life in her absence.Hermione smiled in gratitude and whispered, “Thank you, Belle.”Hermione felt something rubbing against her leg. She looked down and saw Crookshanks, winding his way between her legs, purring loudly. “Crookshanks!” she cried, bending down and scooping him up. “It’s good to see you,” she whispered, putting her forehead against his. He headbutted her gently, his loud purr vibrating against her chest. He tolerated her holding him like a baby for a moment or two before he squirmed to get down. Hermione gave him some of the face scratches he loved so much.Ginny came back over to Hermione. “Ready to go down for breakfast?”Hermione nodded. “I’m as ready as ever,” she sighed as she watched Crookshanks scamper away, not eager to face the rest of the castle and the consequences of her actions.Hermione and Ginny headed out of the dormitory and down towards the Great Hall. Hermione was ready to meet her world with fresh eyes and a new perspective. She’d experienced a different life, one where magic was hunted. Here, she’d been hunted for coming from non-magical blood. It seemed that discrimination never went away.Hermione wanted to build a world free of discrimination. One where children could grow up not worrying about who they were or where they came from. They could just be themselves. Where sentient magical creatures had equal rights to wizards.Hermione felt fired up and inspired in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time.Her world was available to her and full of possibilities.

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The light seeped in from open curtains Belle had failed to close the night before. She felt a gentle hand stroking her hair. Belle looked up to see her mother smiling gently down at her. Belle couldn’t believe she was here with her mother. That the enchantment on the castle had been broken and everyone was human again.“Good morning,” her mother said. “I didn’t want to wake you.” She continued to stroke Belle’s hair, smiling broadly. “It’s still amazing to me that I’m here with you. That I woke up this morning in a sumptuous bedroom in a castle rather than that dingy cell in that dreadful asylum.”Belle snuggled closer to her mother. “I’m so grateful to have you back,” she said. “I really enjoyed learning about magic, which is my only regret about leaving, but it is good to be home where I can be myself again.”“Who said you have to stop learning about magic?” Colette asked. “You’ve got me, Estelle, and all the people we freed from the asylum after all.”Belle felt a thrill of excitement course through her. She hadn’t thought of that! Her mother could do magic. And Hermione, with the help of her mother, had freed a bunch of magical people.“You mean it?” Belle asked. “You’re not going to make me forget again?”“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Colette said. “You’re of age now and it’s your birthright to do magic.”Belle smiled happily. In general, she didn’t quite know what she ought to do now or where she fit in. But she felt hopeful about her options with her mother at her side and the ability to do magic.“I don’t have a wand,” Belle said, thinking. “I wonder what I need to do to get one.”“That wretched man D’Arque at the aslyum destroyed all of our wands,” Colette said. “But you don’t need a wand to do magic. It’s an instrument to help you channel your magic; with enough focus you don’t need it.”“Really?” Belle asked astounded. “I thought you had to have a wand.”“It helps,” Colette said. “But no, it’s not required.”“What do I do?” Belle asked, eager to feel the thrill of doing magic once more.“Summon your magic,” Colette instructed. “Feel it coursing through your body. Channel it into your hands.”Belle closed her eyes and tried to connect with her latent magic that until so recently had lay dormant. She could feel it there, faintly, but didn’t know how to get it to go anywhere in particular. It had felt much more easily available in Hermione’s body.“I can feel the magic,” Belle said. “But I don’t know how to channel it into my hands.”“It takes practice,” Colette said. “Wands help pull and channel the power. Like a magnet. First try practicing being aware of your magic. Then see if you can get it to come into your hands. There’s no rush.”Belle tried again. It was easier to detect this time. She could feel the power coursing through her. But when she imagined it in her hands, she couldn’t feel it move.Belle sighed. “It was so easy with a wand,” she said.“That’s how they make you lazy,” Colette pointed out. “While helpful, tools like wands can often disconnect us from ourselves. From the source of magic within. We start to take our magic for granted.” Colette patted Belle’s hand. “Keep practicing your awareness.”A knock sounded at their door. “Yes?” Belle called.The door creaked open. It was little Chip followed by the girl from the night before. “Hello!” he said brightly, coming into the room. “Still in bed? Mother sent me up here to check on you and to let you know that breakfast is ready.”“Thank you, Chip,” Belle said. “We’ll be down shortly.”“Okay!” Chip cried and ran out of the room, followed by the girl. Belle smiled as he left. It was good to see him running around and playing with another child.Belle and her mother scrounged around the room for fresh clothes. Now that the wardrobe was gone, it didn’t seem like there’d been a replacement. In the end, they ended up wearing what they’d worn yesterday. Both items were not in great shape.“Things are out of order right now,” Colette said eying their dingy attire. “I’m sure no one will be disturbed by our appearance.”Belle nodded. Her appearance was the least of her concerns, though she would have preferred to wear something clean. Her dress was dirty and torn in a few places, but not in as bad shape as her mothers’ shapeless shift. Her mother hadn’t said much about her time at the asylum, she’d stuck to the story of her rescue the night before, but based on her thinness and paleness, the state of her clothing, and the appearance of the others, the conditions had been disastrously poor to say the least.“How bad was it?” Belle asked her mother.Her mother seemed to know what she was talking about. She shuddered. “Unimaginably terrible,” she said. “That man cannot be allowed to continue.”Belle shuddered at her mother’s dark words. But she was right. Belle didn’t know the full implications of what had happened yet, but she knew that her mother and the others could never go back to a place like that.Belle did know that very soon, ideally after breakfast, she would need to find the Beast, or whoever he was now, and then go find her father.“Let’s go,” Belle said, leading the way out of the room. Belle realized that as they entered the hall, she had a rough idea of where to go but wasn’t exactly sure how to get to the dining room. The castle was enormous, and she’d only been there for a day. It was a miracle that she’d been able to find her bedroom last night.Belle retraced her steps to the entryway, where she found it bustling full of people with plates eating food. Some people remained in their bed pallet, while others sat on the floor in circles or stood eating.A plump man with dark brown hair spotted Belle and her mother and made his way through the crowd to them. “Ah, Belle, and…forgive me, I don’t know your name,” the man said to her mother. Belle thought that this might be the human Cogsworth. The voice and pompous mannerisms reminded her of the mantle clock she’d met the week before.“Colette,” her mother supplied.“Colette, yes,” said Cogsworth. He turned to address Belle. “Mrs. Potts filled us in that Hermione had managed to bring you back, Belle.”“Yes,” Belle said. “That’s right.”“Well, that’s a relief,” Cogsworth said. “It’s good to have you back where you belong.”Again, the words touched Belle. Did she belong here? She’d only been here in this castle for a day at best. An eventful day to be sure, but simply a day.“Thank you,” Belle said, meaning it.“Now, I better escort you to the dining room,” Cogsworth said. “There’s much to discuss.”Cogsworth led the way into the dining room. The table was loaded with food enough for an army. The food looked as yet untouched, as if no one had started eating yet. Belle wondered where the food that the people in the entryway ate came from. She supposed they had been served directly from the kitchen.Looking away from the food, Belle saw a golden-haired man rise from the head of the table to greet them. He was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. Even handsomer than Draco Malfoy. She’d never seen this man before, but she felt as if she knew him. As he approached, cautiously, Belle looked into his sky-blue eyes and recognized him as the male who had once been the Beast.“Belle?” he asked. “Is it really you?”Belle nodded, unable to speak.“Thank goodness,” he said, emotion in his voice. “I’m so glad you’re back.”Belle realized that many people in this castle had cared for her, even after knowing her for so short a time. This beautiful man, who had once been the Beast, seemed to care for her. The realization made her stomach flutter.“Good morning, Adam,” her mother said, greeting the man. “How’s Estelle doing?”The man who had once been the Beast, apparently called Adam, nodded at Colette. “She’s doing better,” he said. “She’s still very weak though, so we decided to leave her in her rooms for the time being.”“Understandable,” Colette said sadly. “She had the worst of things. It’s like that man D’Arque had a special grudge against her.”Adam let out a growl, which startled Belle in how close it sounded to when he was a beast. It sent a shiver down her spine that wasn’t wholly unpleasant. “That man has to pay.”“I agree,” Colette said. “We must discuss what’s to be done about him. And soon, before he has time to muster a force against us.”“Do you think he’d get the villagers to turn against us?” Adam asked, looking between Belle and Colette, who shrugged.Belle, however, thought for a moment. “The villagers are a superstitious lot,” she said. “Not all of them are bad though.”“We need to collect your father,” Colette said. “Before they can use him against us.”Belle felt a thrill of fear course through her. “Then we must go at once!” she cried.“Not before you eat something,” Adam said sternly. “Delaying for a few minutes to regain your strength won’t hurt anything.”Belle wanted to argue, but her mother cut in. “Yes, we need our strength just in case,” she agreed, making a beeline for the table and sitting down, piling her plate with food. She tore into the food with a ravenous hunger that reminded Belle that her mother had been imprisoned for years and malnourished. A wave of compassion washed over Belle, mingling with her worry and impatience. Belle joined her mother at the table and placed some food on her plate.Adam resumed his place at the head of the table and joined them in eating. He moved with grace and strength as he ate his food.Belle didn’t feel particularly hungry. The worry about her father combined with the fluttering in her stomach at seeing this man she felt so attracted to. She’d never felt this way about anyone before. Even though he sat far away from her because the table was so large, his presence set her on edge.Belle tried not to stare at him. His gaze often met hers and she’d look away, embarrassed to be caught staring.As the group ate, they were largely silent. Colette was seemingly oblivious to the tension between Belle and Adam as she tore into her food with a ravenous intensity.When they wrapped up eating, Mrs. Potts came in and brought Belle and Colette some fresh clothes. Belle inspected their dresses. Mrs. Potts had found full-length everyday dresses, that Belle knew would feel more restrictive than the shorter dresses she favored to go about her daily life.“Sorry, it’s not much,” Mrs. Potts said apologetically. “But they’ll do as we try to track down where everything is. So much has changed in such a short period of time! But it’s good change, so I can’t complain.”“Where is Madame de Garderobe?” Belle asked, thinking about the talking wardrobe who had supplied her with her nightgown the night she’d stayed here and had talked at length to her about how excited she was to have someone to dress. “She was very kind to me.”“Oh, she’s helping clean up and put things in order,” she said. “If I see her, I’ll tell her to say hi to you.”“Thank you,” Belle said genuinely, she’d like to see the former wardrobe who’d helped make her feel at home all that time ago.“Now, how are we going to go to the village?” Colette asked.“Philippe could take us,” Belle said after a moment.“All three of us?” Adam asked, wryly.“You’re coming with us?” Belle asked, surprised. “Don’t you have things around here you need to do?”“Yes,” Adam said, simply. “But I don’t want you going out there by yourself. We don’t know what it’s like out there.”Things had changed while she was away. Ordinarily, she would have asserted that she’d be fine alone, but now that she’d learned about these witch-hunters, she wasn’t so sure. Belle nodded in agreement.Much had changed. Herself included.

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As Ginny and Hermione descended from Gryffindor Tower, Ginny caught Hermione up on all the antics of the previous week. Ginny shared that Belle had started working with Malfoy to see if she could find a way to reverse the spell.“Malfoy? Really?” Hermione asked wonderingly. Of course, Belle had mentioned that Malfoy had been questioning her, but she hadn’t realized that they’d been working together. Perhaps that was a new development Belle hadn’t been able to share with Hermione.A lot had happened to Hermione the previous day: she’d been captured by Gaston, imprisoned in an asylum that held magical people, found out she’d been able to do magic all along by channeling it, broken out of the asylum and freed the inmates, and witnessed the enchantment on the Beast breaking. It was a big day. She hadn’t had the chance to fill Belle in.It sounded like a lot had happened to Belle too.Hermione pondered this. From what she remembered, Malfoy had been acting differently this year. He still retained his bravado and sneering nature, but it was milder. His comments lacked the biting cruelty they used to have. In fact, now that she thought about it, he’d been positively civil to her in their encounters during Potions class and outside of class when they happened to bump into each other.“Hermione?” Ginny asked, bringing Hermione out of her reverie. “Did you hear my question?”“Oh, no, sorry,” Hermione said. “I was thinking about this situation with Malfoy and trying to understand it.”“It’s certainly hard for me to understand,” Ginny commented. “I still don’t know what to think. Belle genuinely believed that he wanted to help.”“I’ll investigate this,” Hermione said. “I don’t think we should leave this unresolved.”“Do you really have to?” Ginny sighed. “I mean, I do see your point. But Malfoy? Really?”“I know,” Hermione said. “I know.”“Enough about Malfoy,” Ginny said. “Tell me about what you’ve been up to. You escaped into a fairy tale?”“Yes, I will!” Hermione said. “But I assume you don’t know the story of Beauty and the Beast?”“Hmm…nope,” Ginny said. “Though I believe that’s what I heard Dumbledore call the story when we brought the issue to Professor McGonagall.”“Of course, Dumbledore would know it,” Hermione said, smiling slightly. “Let me start there.”Hermione launched into the story of Beauty and the Beast, sharing it with Ginny on their way to the Great Hall. “It was always my favorite fairy tale growing up,” Hermione said. “I guess I felt pulled back to it during my processing period and read several versions of it. That got me down a rabbit hole of reading various fairy tales and mentally escaping into them. I started to wish I could physically escape into them, actually transport myself. Then I realized, maybe I could transport myself into one. So, I started researching how to do it.”“And you pulled it off,” Ginny said, as they entered the Great Hall. “How?”“Through Arithmancy spell crafting techniques,” Hermione said. “And wishful thinking. Or, perhaps, delusional thinking.”“It wasn’t delusional,” Ginny said. “You actually did it.”“True,” Hermione said. “I woke up one morning in a completely different castle surrounded by enchanted objects.”Hermione told Ginny about her experiences in the castle and her many attempts to get the Beast to trust her. The malicious organ that she discovered was controlling the Beast. Hermione shared with Ginny about the culture of witch-hunting and how she’d been imprisoned as a witch. How she’d discovered that it was Belle’s mother that had cast the curse in the first place.By the time Hermione recounted their tale, they were almost finished with breakfast, having chose a solitary spot away where others weren’t sitting.“That’s quite the adventure,” Ginny said, chewing thoughtfully on her toast. “It doesn’t sound anything like the original fairy tale you told me.”“Not at all,” Hermione agreed. “I wonder if I’ve somehow now altered the fairytale or what. Now that Belle is back, will she reunite with the Beast? Will they fall in love? Do they even need to fall in love? I hope they do because I always loved their love story.” She sighed. “I’ve messed so many things up.”“You know, you’ve been so good most of your life. Such a rule-follower. It was time for you to make some trouble,” Ginny said, grinning. “What was it Rita Skeeter always calls you? Little Miss Perfect? Well, none of us are perfect, but you’ve always been close. Now you’re like the rest of us.”Hermione didn’t quite know how to respond to Ginny’s words. “I’ve always been far from perfect,” Hermione said.“I’m only teasing,” Ginny said. “Mostly. My point is that you need to stop beating yourself up about it. What’s done is done. Now the only thing is to move forward.”“How did you get so wise?” Hermione asked, smiling at Ginny’s words.“I’ve always been wise,” Ginny said, sagely. “It’s just that most people don’t pay attention.”“That’s not—I’ve always,” Hermione stumbled over her words trying to communicate that she’d always listened to Ginny. But had she truly? She’d always been close with Ginny, but she’d also thought of Ginny like a younger sister. She supposed that’s because she was Ron’s younger sister and they’d grown up together. But in the past few years, the age difference became much more minor and Ginny was certainly wise in her own way. They’d confided their worries in each other while in school, but that had usually been girl talk and not necessarily each other’s deepest darkest secrets.“It’s okay,” Ginny said. “I’m not offended or anything. Just speaking the truth.”“The truth is what we all need to hear right now,” Hermione said. “We need to rebuild.”Ginny nodded her agreement.Hermione looked to the staff table. “I better go speak with Professor McGonagall,” she said. “Tell her I’m back.”“Ah, yes,” Ginny agreed. “Good idea. I forgot all about that while listening to your story. Do you want me to go with you?”“No, it’s fine,” Hermione said. “You’ve already done so much to help with this mess.”“I won’t lie and say it’s been no trouble,” Ginny said. “But I was glad to help. We all care about you.” Ginny looked down for a moment. “And, I will admit, it was nice to be in the center of action this time. Normally, it’s the golden trio off on the adventure. This time, I felt like I was part of the adventure.”Hermione put her hand on top of Ginny’s. “Hopefully, we don’t have the kind of adventures anymore that require that kind of secrecy,” she said referring to the hunt for the Horcruxes.“True,” Ginny said. “It’s just that I don’t like being babied. Harry wanted to keep me safe. My parents, of course, wanted to keep me safe. But I hate sitting on the sidelines.”“Well,” Hermione said. “We’re both here at Hogwarts. No parents. No Harry. No Ron. So let’s make our own adventures, shall we?”

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In the end, they saddled up four horses. One each for the riders and a fourth for Maurice. They’d opted not to use any of the carriages so that they could move quicker and travel more incognito.The air outside was warm and the sun bright on their faces as they rode out of the gates and into the forest.Adam helped Belle navigate the forest until they could find the main road that led to town. Belle enjoyed riding with him. He knew the forest extremely well and seemed intimately familiar with each branch, twig, and creature that lived there.“You seem very familiar with these woods,” Belle commented as she got a chance to ride beside him when the path widened enough for them to ride side by side.“I spent a lot of time here,” Adam said. “The castle felt so confining…” His voice trailed off, as he seemed to be lost in memory.Belle sensed that he didn’t want to speak about those times, so she didn’t press him. But it did explain how he knew the forest so well.The castle and surrounding was no longer snow covered. It had been that way during the entire enchantment, apparently. A never-ending winter. No wonder the castle grounds felt confining.Belle didn’t miss the snowy weather that surrounded the castle, thinking about the dangers that it had concealed.“I’m glad we haven’t encountered any wolves,” Belle said as they found the main road that led to town.“Me too,” Adam said, with some humor. “I would have a harder time keeping them off you this time.”Belle laughed. “I would be happy to never find myself in a situation like that ever again,” she said.“That night gave me hope,” Adam said, thinking about the night he’d saved her from the wolves. “That we might be able to get along after all.”Belle smiled, thinking about how she’d discovered that his grouchiness concealed a kind and caring heart. “We got off to a rough start,” she said. “But many things have changed now.”“Can we start over?” Adam asked, hope in his voice.“Of course,” Belle said, smiling at him. His returning beam sent her stomach fluttering once more and she found that she could not hold his gaze.Looking forward, she noticed the trees beginning to thin and the countryside becoming clearer and clear. “Oh, here’s the edge of the forest. I can see my house!”Belle led the way to the cottage she shared with her father on the edge of town. It wasn’t hard to find as it was right off road that led from the forest to the village.“What a cute house!” Colette exclaimed from behind them. Belle had almost forgotten that her mother was there. Inwardly, she felt a small flush of shame for paying so much attention to Adam. “Maurice knows my tastes well. Just the kind of house I always talked about moving to one day if we ever left the city.”Belle smiled at her mother. “I always thought it was so provincial,” she said. “I used to imagine it was a castle.”“Well, now you can have the best of both worlds,” Adam said. “You can have your cottage here and a castle. If you’d like.”Belle looked at him. There was such genuine openness in his gaze. “You’d still like for me to stay at the castle?” she asked.“The castle is your home as long as you’d like for it to be so,” he said. “And for now, it’s much safer than trying to come back here.”Belle didn’t know what to say to his words. They dismounted their horses. Philippe was clearly glad to be home. He neighed in happiness and immediately began to graze. Belle steered him and the other horses away from her vegetable garden. They tied the horses out of grazing distance.If time had passed the same way here as it had when she was at Hogwarts, it had been about a week since she’d left the cottage. Already, signs of disrepair showed. Weeds had begun to sprout up, overtaking the produce in the garden. The chicken coop was a mess. The front porch and surrounding areas desperately needed a sweeping.Belle sighed. None of that mattered though until she knew her father was safe. She led the way inside, calling, “Papa?” as she opened the door.There was no response. Colette followed closely behind Belle and began to look around her family’s home for the first time. “I recognize this,” she would say, pointing out various knickknacks and items. Or she would say, “Oh, this is just like your father to do this,” with both annoyance and affection in her voice.Belle dashed upstairs to his bedroom to see if he was there. The bed was rumpled and the room clearly looked disturbed.“It looks like he was taken,” Adam said from behind Belle, startling her.Belle had been thinking the same thing but was reluctant to admit it.“Where would they have taken him?” she wondered aloud. “How can we rescue him?”Colette joined them on the landing, moving slowly up the stairs. Her eyes hardened as she took in the scene. “They would have taken him somewhere secret. To use him against you,” she said.Belle felt her chest caving in. No no no no no. Not after everything she’d done to keep her father safe. Everything she’d sacrificed. She put her face in her hands, feeling absolutely overwhelmed.“I may have a way to look for him,” Adam said. “I don’t know if it still works now that the enchantment is gone, but the enchantress—” he broke off and looked at Colette, “ahem, you, left me a magical mirror I could use to see the outside world.”“Oh, that’s right!” Colette said. “It should still work. I can’t see why it wouldn’t. It worked before I cast that curse. To be honest, I kind of just wanted a safe place to keep my scrying mirror while the witch hunters were about, so I put it there.”“I thought it was there to taunt me,” Adam said bitterly. “To show me everything that I was missing by being trapped in my castle.”“Well, that too,” Colette said, wincing a little. “Adam, I’ll atone the rest of my life for this mistake. You can’t begin to know how sorry I am.”Belle put her arm around her mother’s shoulders. “I’ll wager you’ve atoned for several lifetimes worth of mistakes.”Adam studied the two of them. He noted Colette’s wanness and weakened state. He nodded curtly at them, wordlessly agreeing with Belle’s assessment.“Shall we go back?” he said. “We don’t know if they’ll return.”“I’ll take them if they do,” Colette said, violence in her voice. She looked down at her hands. “Or, I would, if I had my magic.”“You don’t have your magic?” Adam asked, surprised.“No,” Colette said. “He forced us to drink a potion that suppressed our magic. Then our food also was laced with magical suppressants.”“That’s rich,” Belle commented. “Giving you a potion to suppress your magic. Using magic to fight magic.”“They wouldn’t see it that way,” Colette said. “But yes, it’s true. These witch-hunters came out of a group of wizards who went rogue and began hunting down their own kind. They supplied non-magical folk with instruments to be able to hunt down those who do have magic.”“We better move,” Adam said, edgily. “I don’t like our position.”“Let me gather some things first,” Belle said, conceding that they would be safer at the castle. “I didn’t get the chance to do so before and now, well, who knows when I’ll be able to come back.”“Of course,” Adam said. “I’ll keep watch outside. Don’t be long though.”Colette and Belle moved around the house, collecting various and sundry items that they thought they would need. In Maurice’s bedroom, they came upon a small chest full of Colette’s belongings.“He never gave up hope,” Colette said, her voice full of tears. “My jolly, sweet Maurice.”Colette took a few items from the chest and put them into the bag she was using to pack stuff.With some fresh clothes and other essentials, Belle and Colette went back outside and met Adam. They mounted their horses and returned to the castle.

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Steeling herself, Hermione approached Professor McGonagall in her place at the center of the staff table. It still seemed strange to Hermione that Professor Dumbledore no longer sat there. It would continue to take time adjusting to all the changes that had been wrought at Hogwarts due to the war.“Professor?” Hermione asked as she stood in front of Professor McGonagall at the table. “Might I have a word?”Professor McGonagall appraised Hermione. “Certainly, Miss Granger,” Professor McGonagall said. “Let’s go to somewhere more private.” Professor McGonagall got up and Hermione followed her around the table into the room she had seen Harry enter when his name had been called out of the Goblet of Fire all those years ago. That event felt like the distant past to her.Hermione, however, had never been in this room. It was small, cozy, with several armchairs arranged around a small coffee table.Professor McGonagall indicated that she should sit down. Hermione did and Professor McGonagall sat in the adjacent seat.“Now, what would you like to tell me?” Professor McGonagall said.“Well, professor, it’s me,” Hermione said, feeling nervous. “I’m back to normal. I’ve sent Belle back home.”“Are you now?” Professor McGonagall said, raising her eyebrows. “Back to normal, that is?”“Well, perhaps not back to normal,” Hermione admitted. “But it is me, Hermione.”“You know, I had a feeling,” Professor McGonagall said thoughtfully. “Belle had a different air about her. A different way of carrying herself. It was subtle. But detectable if you paid attention.”“Is that so?” Hermione asked, genuinely interested in this tidbit. “I wouldn’t have thought about that.”“Your actions made things very complicated,” Professor McGonagall said sternly. “We professors have been doing a lot behind the scenes to make sure that your actions were not noticed.”“I’m sorry, Professor,” Hermione said, hanging her head. “I didn’t think this through. At all. I was so lost in my pain.” She sighed. “And, I admit, I got caught up in the discovery of the powers of spell crafting. I’d always shied away from it, but I lost my head and went all in.”“You know there are strict regulations on spell-crafting,” Professor McGonagall said curtly.“I know,” Hermione replied. “And for some reason, I stopped caring about all of that.” She laughed under her breath. “Totally unlike me. Like I said, I lost my head.”“I will not ask for more details about it,” Professor McGonagall said. “As I don’t want to be under any more obligations than I already am to report this. I’m making a concession for you because of the trauma you went through during the war. But don’t do something like this again. Or I shall have to take stronger action.”“Thank you, Professor,” Hermione said, relief and gratitude washing over her. “I won’t, Professor. I learned my lesson. I feel horrid for all of the inconveniences, trouble, and even pain I caused.”“I believe you have learned your lesson,” Professor McGonagall said, nodding to herself. “And that’s another reason I will refrain from reporting you.” She stood up. “Now, you better get along to class. I will inform the other professors.”“Thank you again, Professor,” Hermione said. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done.”“Of course,” Professor McGonagall said. “Provided you don’t do something like this again.”“I won’t,” Hermione promised and exited the room, feeling relieved. She had been very nervous to speak to Professor McGonagall, who she held in very high esteem. All in all, the conversation went better than she could have possibly dreamed. Walking through the Great Hall, Hermione felt almost giddy with relief.Hermione found Ginny waiting for her at the doors to the entry hall.“I almost left to tell Professor Jones you were with the Headmistress,” Ginny called as Hermione approached, looking at her watch. “But we should still be good on time to get to Transfiguration.”“Good,” Hermione said, picking up her pace. She hated to be late and knew she had a lot to catch up on. Trying to get her head back in school mode was proving to be a challenge. There was a sense of unreality about it all. It somehow didn’t seem quite real that she was here still.“Looks like the two of you made up,” a drawling voice said from behind them. Draco Malfoy leaned on the side of the archway, looking at them with an unreadable expression on his face. His eyes were focused on Hermione.“Yes, we did,” Ginny said shortly. “Not that it’s any of your business, Malfoy.”“That’s good,” he said honestly. “I wouldn’t want to cause problems between the two of you.” There was no sign of a sneer in his voice.Ginny and Hermione looked at each other in shock. This was Malfoy saying he didn’t want to cause problems?“Since you’ve made up,” Malfoy continued. “Meet me in the library at lunch,” he said to Hermione. Without waiting for a reply, he strode off towards the dungeons.Hermione felt perplexed. “Who does he think he is?” She said aloud to Ginny as they resumed their walk to Transfiguration.“That’s what I’ve always said about him!” Ginny said. “He’s so entitled.”“I wonder what kind of relationship he struck up with Belle to talk to me like that,” Hermione said. “And what was that about not wanting to cause problems?”“Ah, well, I overreacted to seeing Belle in the library with him yesterday,” Ginny said. “I was tired from Quidditch practice and upset because she was letting him help her try to break the curse and I was hurt that she didn’t trust me enough to a) tell me she was working with him and b) to let me help her instead of him.”“Naturally,” Hermione said. “How strange. I’d been able to see Belle in my dreams at night. She told me once that Malfoy suspected her and was giving her trouble. But I suppose I didn’t have a chance to talk to her about this new development before we switched back.”It certainly had been a big day for both of them yesterday, it seemed.“Will you go see him?” Ginny asked.Hermione pondered it for a moment. “Yes, I think I will,” she said. “Even though I resent him for thinking he can just command me to come whenever he wants. But I’m too curious to know what he wants. It’s so strange to me.”“You’re telling me,” Ginny muttered. “This all has been extremely strange.”A flash of guilt washed over Hermione again. “I’m really sorry,” she said again.“Stop apologizing,” Ginny said. “At least to me. Like I said, what’s done is done. The past is in the past. All we can do is move forward.”Hermione let Ginny’s words wash over her. All she could do was move forward. And that’s what she determined she was going to do.

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When they returned to the castle, Belle and the others left the horses in the enthusiastic hands of the stablekeepers, who were thrilled to have Philippe and the horses from the asylum in their care.Adam took the majority of the bags from Belle and Colette that they’d strapped to the horses’ saddles, waving away their protests. Colette’s protests in particular were feeble. She looked drained from the journey there and back, though she tried her best to hide it.Once inside the castle, a tall male servant greeted them as they came inside.“Thank you, Porter,” Adam said. “Could you see that Belle and Colette’s things are brought up to their room?”Porter nodded and beckoned a couple of younger looking footman forward, who came to take the bags from Adam, Belle, and Colette.Every time Belle walked through the castle after the enchantment had been lifted, it amazed Belle just how many servants this castle had.While Belle realized there had been many servants, seeing them now in their human form amazed her. Enchanted objects, if they didn’t move or talk directly to her, could easily blend in with the surroundings. As humans, their presence was much more detectable and obvious.In fact, the castle seemed positively crowded as opposed to the apparent emptiness of when she’d first arrived.The atmosphere of the castle was completely different as well. It was much more warm and regal. Before, it had been dark and spooky. Eerie. Now, it felt full of life and hope.As the servants bustled away with their luggage, Adam turned towards them. “I can see if there are enough free quarters available and ready for you to have your own room if you’d like,” he said, addressing Colette.“No need,” Colette said. “At least for now. Let’s focus on more urgent priorities.”Belle was in no rush for her mother to stay in another room. Belle felt they had half a lifetime of time to spend together and make up for.Looking around, Belle noticed that the entryway seemed less crowded than it had been when they’d left. Many of the makeshift beds that had been occupied by the freed asylum inmates were now empty and being removed by staff.“Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, and the others are finding rooms for the people who are stable enough to not need constant supervision,” Adam commented. “We have our healer taking care of them. There were also several people among them with healing abilities who are helping.”“I should be helping, too,” Colette said, looking intently at the remaining people laying on the pallets on the floor. “But I also want to find Maurice.”“I think they’re doing all right for now,” Adam said. “No one is critical as far as I was informed this morning.”“Even so,” Colette said looking at Belle. “We should gather supplies to make healing remedies later. If the others aren’t already doing so.”The part of Belle that wanted to learn about magic was thrilled at the idea of learning how to make healing remedies. She nodded in response to her mother, but the part of her worried about her father urged her to say, “Let’s go see that mirror.”Adam let the way up to the West Wing. As the group approached the stairs, a small group of men that Belle had never seen before approached Adam.“Your Highness,” said the leader, bowing slightly to Adam. “We received word that you left this morning. With all due respect, you should have brought at least a few of us.”He gestured towards the men, who all appeared strong and fit. As if they were used to fighting. “After all, Your Highness, what’s the point of having guards if you don’t use us?”Adam looked slightly abashed. “Very true, Laurent,” Adam said. “You’re right, of course. We have no way of knowing what dangers might lie before us. In my time as a beast, I had no need of guards, but things have changed.” Adam glanced towards Belle. “I have more I want to protect.”Belle wondered at his words. He’d looked directly at her when he said he had more he wanted to protect. It sent a thrill through her.“Very good, sir,” Laurent said. “We will continue our training to ready ourselves to be at your service. Please do let us know the next time you venture out and if there’s anything else we can do to help.” Laurent bowed once more and the rest followed suit. They passed Adam, Belle, and her mother by and continued outside.Belle felt startled at the whole interaction. She hadn’t realized he would have a guard. It seemed strange to her. It struck her more strongly than ever that they were staying in a castle and that this man before her was a prince.It filled her with a sense of intimidation and inadequacy. Who was she to feel such attraction to a prince? She was nobody. A commoner. Royalty and nobility never married below their class.Contemplating these things, Belle followed Adam to the West Wing. It was utterly different than how Belle remembered the destroyed and wrecked chambers from the time she’d snuck into the West Wing. It was full of light, orderly, and utterly regal looking.Adam saw her look of amazement. “I found it like this after the enchantment was lifted,” he said and then looked at Colette. “Thanks for that.”“What did I do?” Colette asked.“When the enchantment was lifted, the castle was restored to its previous state,” he said. “It was as if we hadn’t aged and no time had passed at all. Though the outside world had clearly changed.”“That spell was a masterpiece,” Colette said, a note of pride entering her voice. “My finest work.”Then she looked at Belle and Adam’s faces which were filled with horror. “Of course, it was also a terrible thing to do and I wish I hadn’t done it,” Colette added hastily.“Do you wish you hadn’t done it because I’m the son of your friend?” Adam asked. “Or do you truly regret your actions?”“Both,” Colette replied honestly. “Of course, I’m horror struck at cursing a dear friend’s child. Who wouldn’t be? But also, I regret that I thought so high of myself to play God and meddle in the fate of others.”Adam considered her words and seemed to accept them. “Perhaps it was God acting through you,” he mused. “Perhaps your actions set us on a course that will lead us somewhere better than it would have been otherwise.” He glanced at Belle.“It set us all on some kind of course,” Colette muttered. “Time will tell what kind of course it is.”“Well, anyway, I am grateful that the castle has been restored,” Adam said, returning to the previous topic of the drastic change in the West Wing. “And I’m glad that little Chip can still have a relatively normal childhood and he didn’t grow up as a teacup. Mrs. Potts worried so about that.”“I never thought about a child being affected,” Colette said, her voice filled with regret as they walked. “I didn’t think through the consequences enough. I was so angry.”“I was a right little shit to you,” Adam admitted, looking over his shoulder.“I still shouldn’t have done it,” Colette said as they neared a large balcony.“What’s done is done,” Belle chimed in. “Now, let’s look to the present and see if we can figure out where papa is.”Adam paused at a small table before the balcony, where rested an inverted bell jar with a plump red rose underneath and a small handheld mirror beside it. Adam picked up the mirror at the table and showed it to them. It was silver and ornate, with a long handle to hold the mirror to look into its depths.“My scrying mirror,” Colette said fondly, reaching out for it. Adam handed it to her. Colette ran her hand over its surface, smiling down at it. Memories flashed before Belle’s eyes and she realized that she’d seen her mother with it many times when she was younger.Colette looked at her reflection in the mirror for a moment, shook her head, and then ordered, “Show me Maurice.”The reflection in the mirror vanished, mist swirling for a moment, and then turned black. Colette gasped and took a step back.“What does that mean?” Belle asked, panic entering her voice. “Why won’t it show him?”“Either because the worst has happened,” Colette said, her voice sounding very far away. “Or, they have him somewhere beyond magical detection.”“He’s not dead,” Belle said, her voice coming out firm and certain. “I would feel it.”Belle hoped that were true. Would she know if her father had died? She couldn’t let herself entertain the possibility that he was dead. She would fall apart.Colette set the mirror down on the table wrapped her arms around Belle. “We’ll find him,” she promised.“How?” Belle asked.“We’ll think of something,” Adam said, looking concerned and less than confident.

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After a double Transfiguration class where Hermione’s head spun as she tried to focus and get herself back into student mode, Hermione said goodbye to Ginny and made her way to the library to wait for Malfoy.She was rather curious to know what he wanted. And to hopefully find out more about why he had been helping Belle.It wasn’t quite lunchtime yet, but she had plenty of things to occupy her such as homework and notes she wanted to revisit and the recently assigned homework from Transfiguration.Hermione found her favorite table and sat down. She mindlessly pulled out her notes and books. She stared blankly at them, feeling a sense of unreality.Where am I? she wondered. Of course, I’m at Hogwarts, she said to herself, stop being foolish.But am I really here? Oh sure, my physical body is here but am I here? she pondered.This gave Hermione pause. Before coming back from her fairy tale adventure, she’d been physically present in life, but she hadn’t been truly, consciously present. Hermione had been going through the motions, not really caring about what she did. She had buried herself in schoolwork and her research, avoiding what really mattered.Now, she had to be here and confront what she’d done. She’d forced someone out of their life and into hers. She hurt her dearest friends by leaving them without warning. What did Harry and Ron think about the whole situation? Belle met them and they had to be confronted with the reality of the switch. And Ron! Oh, what was she going to do about Ron?If she were honest with herself, Hermione was relieved that Ron wasn’t here at Hogwarts with them. Though she did feel guilty for thinking that. What kind of girlfriend was she? She’d have to face him sooner or later. He would likely be visiting with Harry at the next Hogsmeade trip. When was that? Next weekend, she thought. She had time. I ought to write him though, she thought.She took out a blank sheet of parchment to begin a letter to him and realized she had no idea what to say. I’ll leave that for later, she decided.Sensing that someone was nearby, Hermione looked up and saw Draco Malfoy standing a few feet away from her table watching her.“Oh!” Hermione said, flustered. “I was just getting some work done while I waited.” Hermione felt extremely nervous and off balance at finding Malfoy there watching her. How long had he been there? She’d been seriously woolgathering and lost in her thoughts.“Yes,” Malfoy said. “I see that.” He nodded towards her blank paper.A sense of embarrassment came up at being caught not doing anything arose in her. No. Hermione refused to feel ashamed at his words. She reminded herself that this was Draco Malfoy. The same Malfoy who did everything he could to get Hagrid into trouble over the years. The same Malfoy who called her a Mudblood and cursed her heritage. The same Malfoy who had been there when Bellatrix had… She shook her head, not willing to think about it. Any nervousness was gone, replaced by anger and wrath.“What did you want, Malfoy?” she said, straightening up and glaring at him.A sigh escaped him. A flash of happiness crossed his face and then immediately disappeared.“Ah,” he said. “You’re back.” He then moved across the room and sat down at her table in front of her. “Belle is gone.”“Yes,” Hermione said shortly, still peeved at him. Then his words hit her. He knew. He knew that she wasn’t Belle anymore. “Wait, what? How did you know?” She was too surprised to pretend otherwise.“There are too many ways to count,” he said. “But I’ll start with the fact that you’re calling me Malfoy again.”“Ah,” Hermione said. “And naturally Belle wouldn’t know to call you that.” Hermione lowered her voice when she said the name, Belle, not wanting anyone to overhear.“No,” he replied. “She was very kind,” he added.“She was,” Hermione said sadly. “She didn’t deserve what I did to her.”“You might have done her a favor,” Malfoy pointed out. “You helped her realize that she could do magic.”Hermione was at a loss for words. She didn’t know this person sitting in front of her. He’d deliberately made the observation that Belle was kind. And he said that she might have done Belle a favor. If she didn’t know better, she would think he was trying to make her feel better.Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, feeling suspicious of his motives. “What do you want, Malfoy?” she asked again.“Can’t we just have a conversation?” he asked, playing dumb and acting like he didn’t know why she was suspicious.“Since when have we ever had a conversation?” Hermione asked pointedly. “Normally, you’re trying to sabotage someone, land someone in prison, or just insult someone. Oftentimes, you’re insulting me. I’m just a filthy little Mudblood after all, right?”Malfoy winced. “You have a point,” he murmured. “I’ve been a right little shit to you, haven’t I?”Hermione drew back. What was he saying? He was admitting to being wrong?“What’s gotten into you?” she asked, feeling absolutely bemused and baffled at his behavior. She didn’t know how to talk to him when he acted liked this.Malfoy sighed. “The war got to me,” he said. “And it sounds like it got to you too.”“Why do you say that?” she asked, defensively.Malfoy raised his eyebrows. “Come on, Granger. I’m no fool. Not like your Weasley paramour.”“Don’t insult—” Hermione started hotly, but Malfoy cut her off. “Old habits die hard,” he said, by way of explanation of insulting Ron. “I’m not trying to make you angry. I’m merely pointing out that if the war hadn’t affected you, you wouldn’t have run off and switched places with someone.”Hermione huffed. “You’re going to have to try a lot harder to not make me angry.”“Well,” Malfoy said, his eyes becoming mischievous. “Maybe I like seeing you angry.”“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hermione said, flaring up again despite herself.Malfoy grinned. “I thought you had all the answers, Granger. Figure it out.” He stood up. “Great chat,” he said. “I’ll see you around.” And with that comment, he turned on his heel and strode away from her, disappearing into the stacks.Hermione’s head was spinning. What was going on with Draco Malfoy?She had no idea.

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In the end, Adam suggested that he send out scouts from his guard to investigate the village sentiment and see if they could get a whiff of where her father might be.Belle insisted that she should go instead. She pointed out that the villagers would be suspicious of unknown people and they’d have better luck with her going back home and asking around.“I don’t want you going back there by yourself,” her mother said. “It’s too dangerous.”“I lived there half my life,” Belle pointed out. “They all know me. We don’t know if they remember the castle or any of the staff who might have been from there.”“But with that oaf Gaston and D’Arque on the loose, who knows what they’ve done to stir up the village,” Colette said.“There’s only one way to find out,” Belle said. “And that’s to go.” Belle looked at Adam. “Your men can come with me and keep an eye out for me, if they must. I don’t think it makes sense for them to talk to the villagers yet, but I do see the value in having backup. Just in case.”Adam crossed his arms. He hadn’t liked Belle’s suggestion of going either. “I don’t like this,” he said. “But you make valid points. In that case though, I’m coming with you.”Belle opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. “No arguments. I’m coming with you.” The command in his voice brooked no argument. The voice of a prince issuing an order. It sent a thrill through her. A selfish part of Belle didn’t mind the idea of spending more time with this man. The most handsome man she’d ever seen. The Prince Charming of her wildest dreams. Even if it could never work between them.“Me too,” Colette said standing up tall with determination, swaying a little. Belle took in her mother’s wan appearance and frailness. Her mother shouldn’t go on another journey. The one this morning had already taken its toll. She needed to recover her strength. But her mother wouldn’t like that argument.Belle turned to her mother and reached for her hands. “Mother, as much as I’d love for you to come, you’re needed here,” she said. “These people need your healing abilities. I’ll be back in no time to help you.”Colette stared at Belle and saw the determination in Belle’s face. She sighed. “All right,” Colette said, conceding to Belle’s point. “I’ll leave it up to you.” Colette turned to face Adam and glared at him. “I know I don’t have much right to demand anything of you,” she said. “But protect my daughter. At all costs.”“At all costs,” Adam said, agreeing easily.Belle stared at the both of them. At all costs? “I don’t think that will be necessary,” she said, laughing a little at their tone. “But I appreciate the concern.”“I’ll meet you downstairs in half an hour,” Adam said to Belle. “Gather anything you might need.”Belle nodded, glad that they’d be moving quickly. She bade her mother farewell, who hurried off to check with the healers to see how she might be able to help. Belle made a mental note to ask Mrs. Potts, if she saw her, to make sure her mother ate something.Returning to her room, Belle changed into a more comfortable dress and donned her favorite apron. Belle wasn’t sure what else to bring, but she took her small everyday knife that she used for various tasks.Belle looked at herself in the mirror. Appearance-wise, she looked like she was going out to do some work around the house, to tend to the chickens and her garden. Or perhaps even for a normal trip to the market to buy provisions.In reality though, she now lived in a castle, not the cottage she shared with her father. And while she was going into town, she was walking into unknown dangers.She’d had no idea that the whole time she’d lived in that village, there had been a whole witch hunting operation going on underground. With Gaston as one of the chief hunters.Why had her and her father moved to this village in particular? Out of all the places they could have gone. Her father couldn’t have known about the witch hunting operation or they never would have moved there. They’d left Paris, after all, to escape that.And to think, Gaston had asked her to marry him! A witch-hunter seeking a witch as a wife. If he knew the truth, what would he do to her? She must have escaped detection for so long because her father had no magical abilities and because her mother had tamped down on her magic.Wait, did her father have magical abilities? She’d assumed that he had none, but did he? Belle wracked her brains and tried to recall everything she knew. As far as she could tell, he had no magic. And that’s why they escaped from Paris together, without Colette. He must be able to escape detection. Otherwise, he would have been thrown into D’Arque’s prison a long time ago.There was still so much she didn’t know about her family and her world. Her eyes had been opened so completely by Hermione inadvertently switching places with her. It amazed her that in her own world there was so much she’d never known existed. That magic was real.As Belle gazed at herself, she could see that physically she looked the same as ever, but her eyes possessed a newfound confidence. There was a fire in her eyes that burned brightly and with determination. She could be so much more than she’d ever imagined. There was so much potential before her.If only magic came as easily to her here as it did when she was at Hogwarts. Was it solely because of the wand? Was it because Hermione’s body had been adept at producing magic for so long?She had no idea.

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“What did Malfoy want?” Ginny asked Hermione as she sat down at the Gryffindor table just in time to grab some food before the lunch period ended.Hermione looked around. No one was sitting near them. As Hermione had entered, the other students Ginny had been eating with had gotten up to leave, having finished their meal. Ginny had decided to wait for Hermione. The table was relatively empty as the lunch period was almost over.Quickly, Hermione grabbed some items from the center of the table before they vanished. It had happened to her several times in the past. She’d spent too long in the library studying or working on a project before rushing to the Great Hall to get food, only to arrive at the table and watch the food vanish before her eyes. Sure enough, right as Hermione finished putting a piece of fruit on her plate, the food vanished from right in front of her.“Just made it,” she sighed, taking a bite of her sandwich. She looked up at Ginny, chewing thoughtfully. “You know,” she said, once she swallowed. “I really don’t know what he wanted.”“What?” Ginny asked, perplexed. “How come? You didn’t talk about it?”“Not for a lack of trying,” Hermione said. “I asked him several times what he wanted, but he evaded me. He said, ‘can’t we just have a normal conversation?’”“No,” Ginny said, stunned. “After everything he’s done to us?”“That’s what I said!” Hermione said, taking another bite of her sandwich. “And do you know what he said to that?”“What?” Ginny asked.“He said, ‘I’ve been a right little shit to you,” Hermione replied, still shocked at those words.“Whaaaaaat?” Ginny said, a look of absolute shock and surprise crossing her face. “You’re pulling my leg.”“No, I’m not!” Hermione said. “That’s literally what he said.”“I’m so confused right now,” Ginny said, the confusion evident in her tone of voice.“You and me both,” Hermione replied, continuing her meal. “I really don’t know what to make of it.”“What else did you talk about?” Ginny asked.“Nothing substantial,” Hermione said. “He insulted Ron and I told him that he wasn’t doing a good job having a normal conversation with me because he was making me angry. And he said that he maybe he liked seeing me angry.”Ginny had paled when Hermione mentioned Ron’s name. “I have so many things I could say about that but, Hermione, Ron!” Ginny said. “Have you written Ron yet?”Hermione sighed. “No,” she replied. “I was starting a letter when Malfoy showed up, but I don’t know what to say to him.”Ginny nodded sympathetically. “I understand,” she said. “But he better hear about it from you.”“I know,” Hermione said. “He will.”Hermione suspected that Ginny didn’t quite understand all her reasons for being hesitant to write Ron just now.“Hogsmeade is the following weekend,” Ginny said. “We’ll get to see both him and Harry. You can make things right then.”“Maybe so,” said Hermione. “But I get the feeling it might not be so simple.”Ginny looked at Hermione questioningly. “What do you mean?”Hermione polished off the rest of her food. “Look, I better get going to Ancient Runes if I’m not going to be late,” Hermione said. “I’m still sorting out all of my feelings.”“You’re not going to break up with him are you?” Ginny asked, emotion coming into her voice.“I don’t know,” Hermione said, honestly. “I need time to figure things out.”“He deserves to know the truth,” Ginny said, a note of warning in her voice.“I’ll write to him,” Hermione promised. “I’ll at least tell him I’m back. I better go.”Ginny narrowed her eyes at Hermione but said nothing as Hermione got up from the table and left the Great Hall.As Hermione made her way to the Ancient Runes classroom, she felt bad about her conversation with Ginny. The Weasley family were all very close and loyal to each other. Ron was the brother closest in age to Ginny, who loved and cared for him. Even though they annoyed each other frequently. Would Ginny understand if Hermione did break up with Ron?Hermione didn’t know what she wanted to do. She’d wanted to be with Ron for so long. Or she thought she had.Hermione had started developing feelings for Ron ever since their 4th year and had realized she fancied him when he talked about Yule Ball dates and never considered inviting her. Until he’d notoriously said, “You’re a girl, Hermione,” when it apparently dawned on him he could invite her.Ron had considered inviting Hermione as a last resort, when he couldn’t figure out anyone else better to invite. When he failed to invite Fleur Delacour. Who, ironically, married Ron’s eldest brother a few years later. Ron only considered inviting Hermione because he didn’t want the shame of going to the Yule Ball alone.But Viktor Krum had noticed she was a girl. For a time, Hermione tried to forget about Ron and simply enjoy the attention Viktor gave her. And she enjoyed being with Viktor. He was strong, dark, and mysterious. He was very much a man who knew what he wanted. And he’d wanted Hermione. There was no pretending or playing around with feelings with Viktor.When it was time for Viktor to leave Hogwarts after the tournament ended, she kept in contact with him, but she refused to commit to any kind of formal relationship with him. She didn’t want to do long distance. And, she thought, maybe Ron would come to his senses.Yet almost 3 years went by and Ron never asked Hermione out. Ron let Lavender Brown come between him and Hermione, which hurt her deeply. Even when they did get together, it had been Hermione to make the first move. She’d kissed Ron first.Hermione liked that Viktor had been the one to initiate things. It felt right to her. Ron liked to talk but he took a long time, if ever, to act.Yes, she realized. That’s something she found frustrating about Ron. She’d never quite realized it before.Perhaps what she’d loved all these years was a fantasy Ron and not the real Ron.What she needed, was time to sort things out. She needed to sort out her feelings about the war, the aftermath, and Ron. Hermione needed time and space. They say that time heals all wounds. Yet, it’s hard to allow time to work its healing. It’s far to easy to lose patience and feel lost in the pain.When you can do magic, you want a magical solution to everything. That’s what Hermione had sought when she worked her spellcraft. In a sense, it had helped her heal. Her actions had helped her come to her senses that she needed to face what had happened and accept it.In her case, there was no magical solution. Hermione had to come to terms with her life and face it. And, with a startling clarity, Hermione realized that the best thing for her right now was to be alone and able to focus on herself.Hermione just hoped that Ginny would understand.

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“You’re not going anywhere until you’ve had a bite to eat,” Mrs. Potts told Adam, Belle, and the three men who would accompany them to the village. “And you’re not leaving before we pack you food to bring. You’ll not go hungry on my watch.”The group laughed appreciatively at Mrs. Potts’ concern and ate a quick lunch before taking the provisions that the kitchen staff prepared and heading off.From the castle, there were two roads one could take to the village. Well, technically it was the same road, but it made a huge circle through and around the village.Belle suggested that they take the road that led to her home as that would be the place the villagers would expect her to appear from. Belle and her father lived on the edge of town, it was a good 10-15 minute walk to get to the bridge that connected the road to the village.Once they arrived, they left their horses to roam behind the house. One of the men stayed behind to keep watch to see if anyone would come to the house and to mind the horses.“Keep them out of my garden,” Belle joked. “Philippe knows better but these other horses would love to munch on my tomatoes.”The man assured her that he would keep the horses out of her garden and Belle gave him a winning smile.Belle, Adam, and the other two men set off down the road towards the village.“How will you explain who I am?” Adam asked as they walked along the road. The other guards walked behind them at a distance so they could give them some privacy to converse.It was a good question. Belle had been contemplating a variety of options but kept wondering if lying about his identity might backfire.“Did you ever come into the village?” Belle asked. “Do you think they’d recognize you?”Adam thought for a moment. “Perhaps,” he said. “Are you suggesting we tell the truth?”Belle nodded. “I think so,” she said. “I think it would be worth seeing what the villagers remember. And if they’d be sympathetic to our cause.”“I’ll follow your lead then,” Adam said, continuing their leisurely pace.Belle smiled. “Perfect,” she said. “Imagine that. A prince following my lead.” It was a feeling she found herself enjoying.“The best leaders also know how to follow,” Adam said. “My mother taught me that.”“I’d love to meet her,” Belle said earnestly. “I’ve heard a lot about her from my mother. It sounds like she’s an amazingly gifted painter.”“She is,” Adam said. “Though I never appreciated it until recently.” He laughed a little. “It was quite a surprise to find that the portrait she painted of your mother could talk. All of us were shocked. We didn’t believe that portraits could talk at first, despite the enchantment on us.”“I’d love to see them,” Belle said. “At the castle in the other world, all the portraits could move and talk. I could spend hours just staring at them, though I rarely had the time.”“What was it like over there?” Adam asked, sounding genuinely curious. Belle enjoyed his attention and that he seemed so interested in hearing what she had to say.They crested a small hill and they could see the village in the distance. Even from here, the town bustled with its everyday activities. As far as Belle could tell, nothing looked amiss.Belle thought about how she could explain how her time at Hogwarts.“It was nothing like I’d ever dreamed,” Belle said. “A school where I could learn magic, have more books than I could read, and interesting people to talk to.”Belle thought of Ginny, Draco Malfoy, Luna, Hagrid, Neville, and the other professors. All of them had been fascinating people to interact with. Nothing like the villagers who she’d always thought were boring because they focused only on their day-to-day lives.“Do you miss it?” Adam asked, concern creeping into his voice.“Yes and no,” Belle said truthfully. “I overall enjoyed my time there, but I had to pretend to be someone I wasn’t. I didn’t like that. I realized I like being myself. And I had to learn that in a hard way by not being able to be myself.”She gazed ahead at the nearing village. “And besides, I wanted to come back for my father. I belong in this world.”“Yes,” Adam said. “You do.” He paused, as if thinking about something she said. “What do you mean you couldn’t be yourself? Hermione revealed her identity to us, when she could have gone on pretending that she was you. We’d only just met you after all.”“Their world had just gone through a war,” Belle said. “And they said that people knowing that Hermione was gone would destabilize everything they’d worked to build.”“Sounds like what they built is extremely fragile if something like that could destabilize it,” Adam said. “That was really unfair of them to do.”Belle thought about his words, the excuses for her having to pretend to be Hermione sounding thin to her ears now that she was far away. “Maybe so,” Belle said. “But, you know, I’m glad I went through that experience. I might not have realized how much I love myself otherwise.”“That’s what I’ve always liked about you, Belle,” Adam said, emphasizing the word ‘you.’ “You always know how to put a positive spin on a situation.”“Thank you,” Belle said, feeling a bit flustered at his praise. “I’m surprised you even remember anything about me.” They’d only known each other a day, after all. And most of that, they’d been snarling at each other. It was only after the incident with the wolves, that they’d seem to form a truce.Adam stopped and faced her. The guards behind them stopped a respectable distance away. She turned, feeling shy under the intensity of his gaze. “How could I forget anything about you?” He asked. “You were the bright spot in the darkness of my existence as a beast. Through you, I started to see the light again.”“But I was only there for a day,” she said. “At best.”“In the monotony of loneliness, it felt like an eternity,” Adam said, his sky-blue eyes boring into hers. “In the best way, of course. When you yelled at me to learn to control my temper, it seemed like you’d stopped fearing me. It gave me hope you could start to see past my exterior. You also took care of my wounds and thanked me for saving your life, which touched me deeply. So when, the next day, I discovered that you weren’t you, I felt like the world had been taken from me.”Belle was touched beyond measure. To have made such an impact in such a short time amazed her.“Thank you,” she said, feeling light and happy. “For remembering me.”“Don’t thank me for something like that,” he said. “Don’t thank me for remembering you.”Belle smiled at him. “Okay,” she said, at a complete loss for words. The sincerity and intensity in his gaze threatened to overwhelm her. Her heart couldn’t take it.Looking away, she asked, “Shall we continue to the village?”Adam nodded.Belle turned towards the village and continued to walk with a lightness in her step that hadn’t been there before. Despite herself, she began to hope that Adam might care for her in a similar way to how she felt about him.The small party crossed the bridge and found themselves on the outskirts of town, which was primarily residential. Villagers bustled around, tending animals, sweeping the sidewalk, trading goods, and chattering animatedly. Children ran around underfoot playing and getting into mischief.As people began to notice Belle and her companions, people slowed their various activities and stopped to stare at them. The gazes were curious, not unfriendly. That was a relief at least.An elderly man stepped into their path and bowed towards Adam. “Welcome, Your Highness,” he said. “It’s been ages since we’ve seen you here.” A confused expression crossed his face. “In fact, I can’t remember when we last saw you.”“It’s been too long,” Adam said. “Thank you for your welcome.”Well, that answered the question of how to introduce Adam. Some of the people remembered him.Whispers began to wend their way through the crowd. Belle could hear snippets of “the prince” and “his highness” and speculations about him.They continued walking through the main street of the village. Belle thought they could go to the bookstore. That’s what people would expect her to do and she’d always loved the old bookstore owner. She thought they could talk to him about what happened.As they walked, three blonde girls stepped into their path, hands on their hips. Belle recognized these girls as the ones who followed Gaston around and spread nasty rumors about her. “And where have you been?” asked Claudette, clad in a red dress and looking directly at Belle. “People have been worried.”Belle supposed by “people” Claudette meant Gaston. “I’ve been at the prince’s castle,” she said indicating Adam.“The prince?” Laurette in the amber dress asked. “We have a prince?”“Don’t you remember?” Paulette in the yellow dress said to her sister. “We used to pretend that we’d marry him when we were girls.” Her face reddened as she looked at Adam and realized what she said. “You know, girlish fantasies.”“Oh yeah!” Laurette said. “How could we have forgotten about there being a prince? We haven’t heard about him in ages.”“Why were you there?” Claudette asked pointedly to Belle, steering the conversation back to the interrogation.“It’s top secret,” Adam said, mischievously. “Not for you to know.”The three girls looked at him in awe. Belle wondered if their affections for Gaston would hold or be swayed to the prince. Perhaps that was something they could use to their advantage.“For now, at least,” Belle said, smiling at them. “We need to keep moving, but we’ll see you around.”“Are you going to the bookstore?” Laurette asked, falling into step beside Belle. “The storeowner isn’t there.”Belle halted. “What?” she asked, shocked. “Where is he?”“He’s—” Paulette began to say, but Claudette nudged her and crossed her arms again.“It’s not your business,” Claudette said. “Not for you to know,” she continued, tossing her hair over her shoulder and throwing Adam’s words back at her. “Let’s go,” she said to her sisters, striding away with her nose in the air. The sisters left Belle and her small party to watch them disappear.“They know something,” Belle said. “I’m certain of it. They’re all infatuated with Gaston.”“Perhaps not all of them,” Adam mused. “Perhaps we can convince them to help.”Belle looked at him. “What do you have in mind?”

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Things with Ginny had felt a bit strained since their conversation at lunch the previous day. Hermione didn’t know what to tell her friend. She’d only just gotten back from her foray into 18th century France and now she was back home where nothing felt right. To tell the truth, things hadn’t felt right since Professor Dumbledore had died. And Malfoy had played a not-insignificant part in that incident, she recalled.She needed time to figure out what was the new right for her. The world had irrevocably changed and she didn’t know where she fit in this new world. If she was honest with herself, that’s why she’d gone back to Hogwarts for her final year. She’d needed more time to figure things out.And instead of doing the work to figure herself out, she’d buried herself in the challenge of inventing a new spell to help her escape. To find a magical solution to her problems. A quick fix.Hermione got up early that morning and gone to the Owlery to send a much labored over letter she’d written the night before. She read it one more time before sending it. With trepidation, she nodded to herself and selected one of the school owls to bear the letter. As she watched the owl fly away, a sense of finality washed over her. She’d made her decision. Now she could take a step forward.Hermione headed to the Great Hall, hoping to find Ginny there. Hermione caught her at the table sitting with Dean Thomas and Demelza Robbins from the Quidditch team.“Good morning,” Hermione said as she joined them.“Morning,” Ginny said shortly, not looking at Hermione.Demelza and Dean looked at each other. Demelza raised her eyebrows at Dean. “Well, we’re going to head out,” Dean said, a note of trepidation in his voice. “See you later, Hermione. Ginny.”Ginny refused to look at Hermione and stared at her plate, continuing to eat.“Ginny,” Hermione said. “I know what I said yesterday was… confusing and probably hurtful.” Ginny grunted. “You know I love Ron,” Hermione continued. “And I wouldn’t want to hurt him unnecessarily. I’m just so confused myself.”Hermione poured her heart out to Ginny, sharing her confusions about not knowing her place anymore.“And I just don’t know how to feel about Ron anymore,” Hermione continued. “The world has changed so much. We’ve all changed so much. And over the summer, things didn’t feel the same. I didn’t feel the same. And instead of dealing with it, I buried myself in a new project. Which is what I do. Bury myself in work.”Finally, Ginny looked up at Hermione, compassion in her eyes. “I see,” she said. “Thank you for opening up to me. It’s hard for me to think about you and Ron not being together. All these years, we’ve talked about how we like Harry and Ron. I got used to the idea of us getting what we always wanted. I got used to the idea of you being my sister.”Hermione’s eyes filled with tears. “I know,” she said. “I want to be your sister too. In every way that counts, you are my sister. I need time to focus on myself and figure things out.”Hermione took a deep breath. “And that’s what I wrote to Ron in my letter I sent him this morning.”Ginny’s eyes widened. “You broke up with him?”After Hermione had gotten out of class the day before, Hermione had spent the rest of the day and long into the night writing and rewriting what she was going to send to Ron.Ultimately, what she’d landed on was telling him the truth about her feelings. And telling him that she needed time to herself to figure things out. That she needed to be alone while she did so. She told him she loved him and that she needed time. She hoped he would understand.Hermione nodded, looking down, afraid to see Ginny’s response. “I think it’s for the best,” she said. “I need to find out who the new Hermione is. And I need to do that alone.”Hermione felt a hand on top of hers. “I understand,” Ginny said. “Take the time you need. I’m here for you.”Hermione’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you,” Hermione said. “You’re such a good friend. Better than I deserve.”“Hey, don’t say that about my friend,” Ginny said. “You deserve the best.” Ginny stood up. “I better warn Harry. I don’t know if my owl will get to him before Ron does though.” She looked at her watch. “There’s not much time before double Potions. Crap. I guess I’ll have to wait until class is over.” She sat back down. “I’ll go ahead and write the note.”Hermione finished her breakfast quietly while Ginny wrote out a note to Harry. Dimly, Hermione wondered if she’d made the right choice. There’s no going back now though, she thought. She’d sent the letter. She couldn’t call back the owl. And a sense of rightness had filled her up this morning ever since she sent off the owl. She knew she’d done the right thing.“We better go,” Hermione said, looking at her watch.“Just a sec,” Ginny said, scribbling faster. Hermione watched her finish her sentence and then sign her name at the bottom with a heart. “Okay, done. Let’s go.”Hermione and Ginny descended to the dungeons for Double Potions. They joined the queue standing outside of the Potions classroom, waiting for Slughorn to open the class and let them in.They heard Professor Slughorn’s booming voice before they could see him. As he turned the corner, Hermione immediately noted Malfoy walking beside him, a tall and lean form beside the squat rotund form of Professor Slughorn. Hermione’s stomach fluttered a little at seeing Malfoy. The way he’d talked to her yesterday was so strange and unusual. She hadn’t known how to respond to him. She didn’t know what to think about him.Professor Slughorn opened the classroom door and they all filed in. Malfoy waited beside the door, letting the students enter. He greeted Hermione and Ginny, “Granger. Weasley.”“Malfoy,” Hermione said. Ginny said nothing, eying him warily as they entered the classroom.He followed behind Hermione, closing the door to the classroom behind them. “You look better today,” he said quietly, so only Hermione could hear.She whirled to face him, color rising to her face. “I—”“Now, now,” he said, smirking at her angry expression. “Better get to your seat. Class is about to start.”Frowning, Hermione went to her seat. Ginny raised her eyebrows at Hermione, but Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes trying to communicate that Malfoy was being Malfoy. Ginny nodded and pulled out her textbook.Professor Slughorn announced that they would begin the process of making Polyjuice Potion. “This is a very intensive potion,” he said. “It will take about a month to prepare. Today, we’ll start stewing the lacewing flies, which must stew for twenty-one days. You’ll likely want to come back to the classroom during this time to make sure that they’re stewing properly.”Hermione found her mind wandering. To think, she’d brewed this potion in her second year. How young she’d been! She remembered visiting Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom in her spare time to check on the lacewing stew. To add in the fluxweed and the knotgrass.“I timed this intentionally,” Professor Slughorn said. “There’s a special ingredient that must only be picked at a certain time. Can anyone tell me what that is?”Hermione felt her hand shoot into the air. It was almost an unconscious reflex. But one she hadn’t done in over a year. Since she’d returned to Hogwarts, she hadn’t felt the urge to answer questions the way she used to. She’d stayed quiet in class, letting others answer questions. The way her hand shot into the air this time made her feel like things were becoming normal again. She smiled to herself.“Ah, yes, Miss Granger?” Professor Slughorn said, looking at her in some surprise.“Fluxweed,” Hermione said. “It can only be picked at the full moon.”“Very good, Miss Granger!” Professor Slughorn said, beaming at her. “10 points to Gryffindor! Now, my stores are full of fluxweed, but I’m not sure which have been plucked at the full moon and which have not. So we’ll need to pick some fresh just to be certain. Not all of us need to go of course. My assistant, of course, will go, since it’ll be after curfew, but we need at least one other person. Perhaps Miss Granger can join Mr. Malfoy to pick some for us?”Hermione’s mouth fell open. What was Professor Slughorn playing at? Having her go do something with Malfoy? But, of course, it wasn’t unusual for a professor to ask a student to do something out of class, especially if it would help the class. Potions ingredients often had to be collected. Hermione felt stuck. She didn’t feel like she could say no.Avoiding Malfoy’s eyes, she said, “Of course, Professor.”“Excellent!” Professor Slughorn said. He waved his wand and words appeared on the board behind him. “You have your instructions for how to prepare your lacewing flies. You may begin.”“Slughorn must be crazy,” Ginny muttered from beside Hermione. “What’s he doing, sending you out there with Malfoy?”“Who knows,” Hermione replied, pulling out her supplies. On Hermione’s other side, Dean Thomas stood up and went to the supply closet, followed closely by Demelza Robbins. From across the table, Luna Lovegood leaned over and said, “It’s good to see you back, Hermione.”“Luna!” Hermione said, glad to see her strange but special friend. “Yes, thank you. I heard that you helped make sure things went smoothly.” Hermione spoke as cryptically in case they were overheard, referring to how Luna helped Belle with Ancient Runes.“It was no trouble,” Luna said. “It was interesting to talk to you but not you.”Luna had a unique way of looking at things sometimes.“But I’m glad you’re back,” Luna continued.“I am too,” Hermione said, realizing she meant it.

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At a nod from Adam, one of his men disappeared to follow the sisters. Belle and Adam and the remaining guard, Laurent, continued their walk through the town. Many people looked at them in surprise and suspicion. Some people seemed to recognize Adam, but no one approached them as they navigated to the bustling village center.At Belle’s insistence, they stopped by the bookstore despite the warning. She was unsurprised to find it closed and locked but disappointed nonetheless. She’d half hoped that the girls had been playing a joke on her.“Where could he be?” Belle wondered aloud. “His store is always open.”“Why don’t we go and sit somewhere?” Adam suggested. “Where we can observe the comings and goings of people. Perhaps we’ll notice something that way.”“All right,” Belle said. “I know just the spot.”She led them to her favorite fountain in the middle of the square where she often liked to sit and read by the running water. Laurent, the captain of the guard, didn’t sit down, instead he opted to stroll around the square, giving Belle and Adam space as well as keeping an eye out for threats among the town’s crowded center.The village square hosted the town’s daily market where farmers came to sell and trade their wares. It was full of movement, activity, and various animals that roamed freely. All the villagers kept animals, but if they lived in town, they didn’t have much land, if at all, for the animals to roam. So many animals roamed freely about the town. No one worried about them, the animals always knew where to go back home to at night and generally the villagers respected each other’s property.“Tell me about these men that came with us,” Belle asked. “They seem to know what they’re doing.”“They’re my private guard,” Adam replied. “I trust them the most. I have other guards, but these are the ones I’m closest with.”Belle nodded. “I suppose a prince would need guards,” she said. A flock of sheep came up to them, sniffing to see if they had any food. Belle patted the head of one as it came close to her.“Well, you never know,” Adam shrugged. “It’s not something that seems unusual to me. I grew up like this. But I recognize it can take some getting used to.” He looked out on the square, where many of the people blatantly stared at them while they went about their business. “I certainly didn’t need them when I was a beast.”“Who were they under the enchantment?” Belle asked, not recalling meeting any guards.“Oh, some of them turned into suits of armor,” Adam replied. “Others turned into gargoyles or other statues around the castle.”“That makes sense,” Belle said. Her thoughts from earlier came back. “I hadn’t realized how many servants you had until they became human again and I could more visibly see them. Where do they all stay?”“There are servants’ quarters and they all have rooms there,” Adam said. “Some have homes in the village and many of them have relatives here. I requested they not come back though until I could get a sense of the overall sentiment here. I wanted to make sure it’s safe. After what happened with my mother and everyone at the asylum, I want to be careful.” He leaned closer to Belle. “I have more scouts discreetly looking around.”Belle looked at him in alarm. “You do? I thought I made it clear this morning that might end up backfiring and that we agreed to be the first wave of investigators,” she said. “This village doesn’t get many visitors. They might get even more suspicious if they see unknown people lurking around.”“My men know how to be discreet. And what would you have me do?” Adam asked. “I want to ensure my people will be safe before coming back. They’ve lost enough because of me.”“And my mother,” Belle muttered.“Regardless,” Adam said. “I want to ensure that it’s safe for them.”Belle thought seriously about his question. Even though he’d gone against her advice, she felt pleased that he asked for her opinion and seemed to seriously want to know what she had to say. She had grown used to men like Gaston who forced his opinions on other people without listening to the other side. Gaston was an extreme example, but many men in the village were like that. Even if he didn’t follow her advice, Adam seemed to genuinely listen and weigh her opinions.Thinking about everyone she knew in the village, the bookstore owner was the person she trusted the most. She’d been counting on visiting him and seeing what he knew about Gaston and the asylum and the possible whereabouts of her father. Belle and her father had lived in this village for eight years and they hadn’t grown close with anyone in all that time. Everyone thought they were strange.Therefore, Belle didn’t think they could talk to anyone who would honestly tell them what was going on. Belle thought Adam’s idea of getting the three sisters on their side was a good one. They clearly seemed to know something.“From what I gathered about the timeline of things,” Belle said. “We moved to this village right around the time my mother cursed you. Probably after because I don’t remember anyone talking about a nearby castle or a prince. How was your relationship with the village before that?”Adam sat quietly for a few moments. “Absent, at best,” he said. “I would throw parties at the castle, but I rarely invited villagers.” He sighed. “I looked down on them as poor and provincial. My mistake.”Belle gazed around the square, watching the familiar faces of her village going between shops and the outdoor stalls of the market. She’d spent her whole time in the village wishing she could be somewhere else. On a grand adventure.On the other hand, the villagers had always been content with their life. They didn’t seek escaping into a book or getting away. They lived their lives fully in the present. It dawned on Belle that they might have had a better perspective on life than her.“I used to think the same way,” Belle said. “Which made me no friends among them. And now, when we need them, we have no one.” She continued watching the crowd. “I think we should do something for them. Honor them in some way.” Belle turned to Adam. “What if we threw a party for the village? It would be the thrill of a lifetime for them.”Adam looked at Belle thoughtfully. “That’s an interesting thought,” he said. “I can see how that might help reintegrate our castle with the village folk. But how will it help us find your father?”“That’s a good question,” Belle said. “I’m not sure how it’ll help us with him. If at all. But I think it’ll help us down the road with improving relationships.”“I like all this talk of ‘us,’” Adam said to Belle, leaning closer. The proximity sent a thrill through her. “I must admit, I’ve been worried that you’ll leave as soon as you can. There’s nothing to bind you to me anymore.”Belle gazed into his clear blue eyes. “I hadn’t thought of leaving,” she confessed, her stomach fluttering like mad. “I only just returned and everything is in turmoil. I want to do my part to help. And find my father.”“Whatever your reasons,” Adam said. “I’m glad to have you by my side.”Belle felt her cheeks heat up at his words and the intensity of his gaze. Her poor stomach felt like there was a party of butterflies inside. He truly was the handsomest man she’d ever seen.“You know…” Adam said, leaning back and looking around the village. “This might be a good way to see who’s still loyal and who might be against us.”Belle wasn’t used to thinking about where loyalties lay. She’d read about that kind of thing in books. Perhaps that was something a prince grew up thinking about.As they’d been talking, Belle heard whispers float out from passersby. “Who’s that man with Belle?” “It’s the prince!” “What prince?” “Remember, the young prince whose father—?” “Why haven’t I thought about him until now?” “The prince?” “We have a prince?”“I better address them,” Adam murmured. “It’s not good for me to hide.”Belle wondered if that was wise. “I suppose that since they’ve seen you, there’s no way word won’t get back to Gaston and D’Arque,” she thought aloud.Adam turned back towards the fountain and climbed on top of it, standing so that he stood above the villagers. As people began to notice him standing there, people stopped what they were doing and turned towards him. Phrases like “hush, it looks like he wants to speak” and shushing sounds went through the crowd.“People of Villeneuve,” Adam said. “It has been far too long since I last addressed you. Many of you probably forgot that I even existed. There have been…extenuating circumstances keeping me and your loved ones away from you all. I’ll tell you all about it at the ball I’m throwing in your honor in two weeks hence.”Murmurs went through the crowd. “Did he say a ball?” “Oh, what am I going to wear?” “What kind of extenuating circumstances?” “Hmph, I wonder what Gaston will say about this?”Belle tried to identify who had said Gaston’s name, but she couldn’t tell who it was. She hadn’t seen Lefou or Gaston since they’d come to the village.“In the meantime,” Adam said. “You might see some of my men coming and going. Do not be alarmed. They’re here to listen to you and see what you all might need. I have some time to make up for and I want to make sure all your needs are being met. I won’t take up more of your time, but I hope I’ll see you all at the castle two weeks hence. We are here to be of service.”Belle looked around at the crowd. They didn’t seem to know what to make of him. Adam jumped down from his post and he was swarmed with villagers asking him questions, greeting him, and wanting to talk to him. Laurent, the captain of the guard, stood behind Adam at the ready. She watched as Adam patiently fielded and navigated the conversations with the villagers.Belle noted that some villagers left the square, muttering darkly. Many of them walked towards the village tavern. The tavern! Gaston owned that tavern. Perhaps it would be worth investigating the tavern.“What am I going to wear?” “We have no finery here.” “Two weeks!”Belle suddenly felt sorry for the village seamstress. She would be overrun. Even if Adam told them that what they wore didn’t matter, people wouldn’t listen. They’d want to look their best.Belle edged her way towards the tavern, hoping that the distraction of Adam would allow her to move there unnoticed.With the difficulty of navigating the crowd, Belle found herself at the side of the tavern rather than the main entrance. She looked in the window and found it…deserted. Where was everyone? She could have sworn she’d seen people entering the tavern. Where had they gone?“Looking for something?” a snide voice came from behind her.Belle whirled and saw the squat Lefou standing before her, a sneering smile on his face. His favorite expression, it seemed.“Why, yes,” Belle said. “And I think you know exactly what I’m looking for.”“I might…” Lefou said tauntingly. “Be persuaded to help you.”Belle looked around. The press of the crowd was near, but no one stopped to look at them. She couldn’t see Gaston or D’Arque anywhere.“What do you want?” Belle asked, warily.“I want what Gaston wants,” Lefou said. “And he wants you. For some unknown reason. And he’s angry that you’ve evaded him again. He’s going too far now. If you’re by his side maybe he’ll be content. So. Turn yourself in and I’ll make sure that your father and the bookstore owner are released.”“And if I don’t?” Belle asked, a thrill of fear running through her.Lefou shrugged. “They’re old. They’ll meet their fate.”Belle shuddered. “What do I need to do?”Lefou smiled.

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It was the full moon and Hermione was supposed to meet Draco Malfoy to go picking fluxweed, which grew around the grounds. She supposed that as Malfoy was now staff, normal curfew rules didn’t apply to him. And by extension, her, since she’d be with him.Back when she was a prefect, she had to patrol the hallways for wayward students. With her strange situation, however, she was no longer a prefect. After all, she wasn’t technically part of this class of 7th years. That particular honor had gone to another young woman in the class.Draco had pulled her aside after Potions class and suggested they meet in the entrance hall after dark on the night of the full moon.Hermione had spent her time catching up on her schoolwork. She’d been very impressed at Belle’s notetaking abilities and realized she only needed to do the homework instead of trying to chase down notes and information from other students.Ron had written back to Hermione. It was very short and abrupt. Hermione knew him well enough to know he was very hurt and upset. He’d written, “Fine. If that’s what you want.” And that was it.Hermione knew via Ginny’s correspondence with Harry that Ron had completely lost his cool and had been distracted for days. According to Ginny, Harry was concerned about Hermione and hoped she was okay. But Harry wasn’t exactly great at talking about his feelings either. Those two were hopeless.Hermione found herself checking her hair in the mirror as she prepared to go downstairs to meet Malfoy. It was crazy as ever. What was she doing? She shook her head. Why should she care what it looked like?Hermione grabbed a basket, gloves, shears, and a few other things she would need to collect Potions ingredients. She exited the girls’ dormitory and began to descend the steps.As she descended, she ran into Ginny and Demelza, who were trudging up the steps in their Quidditch gear.“Hello,” Hermione said, greeting them. “Good practice?”“It was fine,” Demelza said, looking weary. “I’m going up for a shower.” She continued up the steps.Ginny shrugged. “Can’t complain. Nothing special but also nothing terrible, which is always good. Where are you off to?”“Collecting potion ingredients with Malfoy,” Hermione said, rolling her eyes.“Ahh right,” Ginny said, making a face. “Hope it’s not too unbearable.”“I hope so too,” Hermione said. “I’ll see you later!”Hermione made her way down to the entrance hall, letting her mind wander. Could Malfoy really have changed as he’d claimed? Or was his behavior lately an act of some sort?She wondered if it were truly possible for someone who’d been so awful for so long to change.As he’d pointed out to her, the war had made a big impact on all of them. And he’d certainly gone through a lot in the past few years. His father had been thrown into Azkaban and he’d been expected to fill his father’s shoes to regain the family honor.Voldemort had assigned him an impossible task: killing Albus Dumbledore. When it came to the moment, Malfoy had been unable to kill Dumbledore. Instead, Snape had done it, but that had been prearranged as Dumbledore had suffered a cursed wound that would kill him anyway.For several years, Malfoy Manor had been taken over as headquarters for Voldemort. Who knew what he had to deal with over there.Perhaps all that happened had changed his perspective.Hermione decided that she’d keep an open mind.As she rounded the corner and descended the steps to the entrance hall, she spotted his blonde hair immediately. As an assistant professor, he didn’t have to adhere to the student dress code of black robes. He wore dark green robes, impeccably tailored to fit his body. His blonde hair accentuated his pointed, chiseled features.As his eyes met hers, an expression she’d never seen before crossed his face. It was something like…happiness. Happiness at what? The expression made him look…different.He’s really very handsome, Hermione thought, the words coming into her mind unbidden. She’d never noticed before. He’d always been so nasty, with that expression of an unpleasant smell under his nose he’d seemed to inherit from his mother.“You’re late, Granger,” he said as she drew close. “It’s been dark for almost 30 minutes now.”“I didn’t realize you were so in tune with the movements of the sun and moon,” Hermione said, stopping a few feet away and crossing her arms.“There are a lot of things you don’t realize about me, Granger,” Malfoy commented. “Shall we go?”“Yes,” she agreed. “The sooner we go, the sooner we’re done.”“Then I’ll walk slow,” he said mischievously.And sure enough, he set a strolling, leisurely pace across the grounds. Hermione kept walking ahead of him and having to wait for him to catch up.“If you slowed down, you wouldn’t have to wait,” he said, smirking at her.“If you walked at a normal speed, I wouldn’t have to wait,” she pointed out.“Ah, but I’m enjoying the scenery,” he said. “It’s beautiful.” He looked directly at her as he said that. “Plus, you need to slow down. When do you ever let yourself relax and enjoy the moment?”What was he getting at? To be sure, he had a point. Hermione didn’t know how to relax. But why should she relax now? With Malfoy of all people?Hermione looked around. A rare cloudless night and the full moon out illuminating the clear night sky, it truly was beautiful outside. The pale golden light cast across the grounds, illuminating the landscape.“It is lovely,” she agreed and noticed now that he was ahead of her. She’d been standing there as she took in the landscape.She quickly caught back up to him and matched his slow strolling pace. They were silent for a time. She had no idea what to say to him. Instead of worrying about that, she allowed herself to enjoy the night.At a distance, she could see Hagrid’s hut illuminated across the grounds by the fire within. She ought to go visit him soon. She’d heard about Belle’s foray into the Forbidden Forest and knew that Hagrid should hear from her directly that she was back. Even though he certainly knew already. She should have gone to tell him sooner. She made a mental note to visit him as soon as possible.After a time, Malfoy broke the silence.“How’s your adjustment back to reality going?” Malfoy asked.Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. “Why do you want to know?” she asked.“I’m genuinely curious,” Malfoy said, holding his hands up as if to say he came in peace. “I don’t know any details, but I gathered that you went wherever Belle came from. It seems like that would be a completely different environment than here. I’d just like to know.”Hermione thought about what to tell him. Finally, she decided on the truth to see how he’d respond. “I’m doing okay,” she said. “I was trying to escape my problems and ended up creating more. Now, I’m trying to face them.”“I see,” he said. “And how’s that going?”“I’m not sure what to tell you. I’ve been catching up on the schoolwork I missed,” Hermione said.“Of course you are,” Malfoy replied as they neared the first cluster of fluxweed. “I wasn’t worried about that. How are you adjusting?”Hermione set down her basket and pulled out her scissors. Kneeling, she asked, “You’re worried about me?”Malfoy knelt down beside her. “Despite myself, yes. You’re a danger to society if you’re off your rocker. Creating spells like that…” he shook his head, awe in his voice. “That was a powerful spell you crafted.”“Ah, so now you claim to care for society,” Hermione said, placing her fluxweed clippings into her basket and standing up. They always left enough of any plant for more to grow. She began to lead the way to the another fluxweed cluster. “Instead of only your fellow purebloods.”Draco sighed. “For the first time in my life,” he said. “I’m living completely away from my family. I moved out. Well, I moved here to Hogsmeade. I stay there most of the time, rather than my room in the faculty tower. I don’t stay in contact with them. Having that distance… I’m finding that my perspective has widened. Which makes dealing with my family nearly impossible.”“What are you saying?” Hermione asked, wanting to hear him say what she wondered he might be trying to say.He stopped walking and faced her. “I’m saying, Hermione Granger, that blood status means nothing. The evidence has been staring me in the face for years, but I’d been too blinded by prejudices and my upbringing to see.” His eyes were full of light and determination. Or was that a trick of the full moon? “Professor Slughorn has helped me work through my beliefs.”Professor Slughorn, of course, didn’t care about blood status if a student was brilliant, unique, or well-connected enough. While shallow and conceited, Slughorn was different from many other Slytherins regarding his beliefs around blood status.“I’m not sure I can quite believe what I’m hearing,” Hermione said, continuing their walk. “But you are being strangely nice to me. It makes me suspicious that you have some ulterior motive.”“Ha” Malfoy laughed. “Perhaps I do have an ulterior motive. But I doubt it’s what you think. In general though, my outlook on life has expanded. Maybe over time you will be able to see that,” Malfoy said.“Perhaps,” Hermione said as they reached the next fluxweed cluster. She bent over and began collecting more fluxweed. Her basket was filling up quickly. “Do you know how much we need?”“Slughorn wants me to get extra,” Malfoy said. “He wants to restock his stores of Polyjuice Potion and plans to use the good ones brewed in class for his…business dealings.”Hermione let out a small chuckle. “Why does that not surprise me?” she asked. “I remember Harry talking about how he managed to get a whole skein of unicorn hair off Hagrid. And acromantula venom!”“He calls it the Apothecarium Slughorn,” Malfoy confirmed.“What an official sounding name for black market dealings,” Hermione said as she continued to fill her basket. “I should report him.”“But you haven’t so far,” Malfoy pointed out. “Why would you now?”“I wouldn’t, of course,” she said. “I’m just saying he’s violating all kinds of laws and regulations.”“Hermione Granger, breaking the law by not reporting an old professor who likes his comforts,” Malfoy teased. “How you have fallen.”“Well,” Hermione said. “I’ve learned over the years that some laws are not just and need to be changed.”“So, you’d allow the black market to run free?” Malfoy asked, standing up and leading the way to another fluxweed cluster.“No, of course not,” Hermione said. “At least, not completely and entirely free. But there are many other things that our government invests time and money attempting to regulate when they should be focused elsewhere.”“People like my father put politicians in their pocket to make the law to suit their interests,” Malfoy said.“Exactly!” Hermione said. “Diverting attention away from the things that matter.” His words sunk in. “Wait, you’re admitting that your father is in the wrong?”“My father, as it turns out, is wrong about many things,” Malfoy commented. “Hence why I’m not talking to him right now. I need to get my head on straight.”“I can relate to that feeling,” Hermione muttered. “My head hasn’t been on straight for ages, it feels like.”“And therefore, the foray into myths and legends?” Malfoy asked.“Basically,” Hermione said. “Burying myself in trying to solve a problem like how to go into a story was easier than facing what was actually going on inside of me.” Hermione found it shocking how easy it was to talk to Malfoy about these problems. It was almost like they hadn’t been enemies for years.“At last, we get to the truth,” Malfoy said. “You were trying to escape reality.”She recalled his first question to her. “How’s your adjustment back to reality going?” he’d asked her. He’d known why she left! How could he have known? He hardly knew her. Had he been paying more attention than she’d ever realized?“Yes,” she said, hating that he was right. “And so what?”“So what?” he said, his voice rising. “You made everyone worry about you. You changed places with someone else and wreaked havoc in who knows how many people’s lives by doing so. You—”“Okay, okay,” Hermione said, feeling a sinking in her chest. “I know all of this. I don’t need to hear it from you.”“We didn’t know where you were!” Malfoy said, undeterred, his voice still impassioned. “We didn’t know if you were alive or if you were all right or what kinds of dangers you faced.”
“We? Who’s we?” she asked. “Were you worried?”He stopped again and faced her. He looked at her in the eyes. “Yes, I was worried,” he said.“You were worried about me?” Hermione said in a small voice. “Why?”“Because I love you!” he exclaimed. He looked surprised at his outburst but faced her resolute. He did not take back his words.“You…love me?” Hermione said, shocked. “How could you love me? You’ve been nothing but awful to me for years.”“I’ve loved you for a long time,” he said. “I tried everything I could to deny those feelings. Pretending otherwise. Burying them in false hatred of you.” A distant look crossed his face. “I only realized it when my aunt tried to kill you.” His voice filled with pain at the recollection. He shook his head. “I was about to do something desperate like attack her, when Dobby of all beings appeared to rescue you.”“I…don’t know what to say,” Hermione said, at a complete loss for words. Of all the reasons he’d been wanting to spend time with her, this had never occurred to her. Malfoy of all people, loved her? He’d always been so cruel to her. She couldn’t comprehend what he was saying.“I don’t expect you to say anything,” he said, putting his hand over his eyes. “I didn’t mean to tell you that right now. So soon. I meant to give you time to get to know me. The real me. But it just came out.”Hermione was silent, processing what he’d said. He said he’d cared for her for a long time but only realized it when Bellatrix had tortured her.“I lost some of myself that night,” she said aloud, verbalizing her train of thought. “I still have nightmares about it.”“I do too,” he admitted, lowering his hand. Horror was evident on his face. “I often dream that she actually killed you and it breaks me every single time.”Hermione looked up at him. His gray eyes shone in the light. Was that love in his eyes? Or was this some elaborate way to play some kind of evil prank?He touched her arm. “I’ll give you all the time you need. You may never feel the same way about me. I know you’re with…Weasley,” he spat the name out. “But I just hope that you’ll allow me to reintroduce myself to you and start fresh.”She didn’t correct him about her and Ron. She didn’t feel like it was something she wanted to share widely.Deep down, Hermione truly did believe in giving people another chance. That everyone had some good in them. In part, she’d learned that from Harry. Even after everything that Voldemort had done, Harry had tried to give him one last chance to redeem himself.Thinking about Harry and Malfoy, Hermione knew that, in general, Harry didn’t like Malfoy as a person still. But after the way his mother had saved Harry by lying to Voldemort, Harry had been disposed to give Malfoy another chance.After all, when Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had tried to stop them from finding the Horcrux, Malfoy attempted to restrain Crabbe from killing them. They’d ended up rescuing Malfoy and Goyle from the Fiend Fire. Harry and Ron had saved his life again in the Hogwarts corridors. After that, as far as Hermione knew, Malfoy had not attacked their side during the war. He’d merely tried to find his family and escape.Another person they all had thought was evil was Severus Snape. The war had revealed that Snape had been a decent person after all. Well, at least that he’d been on Dumbledore’s side all along. Even though Hermione couldn’t excuse him for the way he treated Harry, herself, Neville, and the non-Slytherin students.Yet, he’d favored the Slytherins. Malfoy in particular. Snape had always been a mentor to Malfoy. They’d had a special bond. What kind of influence had Snape had in Malfoy’s life over the years? Snape who had loved the Muggle-born Lily Evans Potter. Hermione wondered what happened last year between the two of them when Snape was headmaster and Malfoy attended school while the Carrows ran rampant.Perhaps, even though Snape had been wholly unpleasant and downright cruel at times, he’d been a positive influence on Malfoy. In a strange way.Her eyes had wandered while she thought, staring without really looking at the greenhouses in the distance. She turned back to Malfoy. His usual mask was gone. He watched her, waiting for her response. He appeared so open, so genuine. Almost vulnerable.So, almost despite herself, she allowed herself to smile. “I think I can do that,” she said. He deserved a chance to prove himself. “Give you a chance to start fresh, that is.”Though, she wasn’t planning to let her guard down any time soon. She could start over with him, to an extent. She couldn’t forget seven years of animosity instantly. Nor should she. Yet, she could give him a chance to change his ways.Sometimes, a person who has done bad things just needs someone to believe that they can do good.A wide smile crossed his face, transforming him. The moon’s light shone from behind him, creating a silvery aura about him. He looked like a fallen angel gleaming in the darkness. “Good,” he said. “And maybe we can start spending some more time together.”“I’ll make no promises,” Hermione said, not wanting to commit to anything until she could process this a bit more. “But I won’t avoid you either.”“I guess I can start with that,” he said. “Shall we gather the rest of the fluxweed then?”“Yes, let’s,” she agreed.As the light of the full moon illuminated the grounds while they walked, Hermione had never imagined that she’d ever be peacefully walking beside Draco Malfoy. Who apparently…loved her?

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“You can come with me,” Lefou said. “Right now. And I’ll bring you to Gaston.”“Why should I do that?” Belle demanded.“The clock is ticking,” Lefou said. “Once Gaston hears about you coming into town, who knows what he’ll do to them out of anger. He’s been in a fury since you evaded him again.”A thrill of fear went through Belle. Gaston’s temper was notorious. He would often do something in a fury that he might not have done otherwise. He lost what little sense he had. If he’d been in a fury since that incident at the asylum…who knows what he’d done already.Belle was petrified for her father’s safety. Had they been hurt? What could she do? This might be her only chance to get them free before the worst happened.“If I go with you, you’ll release my father and Mr. Levi?” Belle asked, referring to the bookstore owner.“Yes,” Lefou said. “You have my word. If you cooperate and try no funny business with magic.”“Agreed,” Belle said. “I’ll come with you. No funny business.”What Lefou did not realize, or at least Belle prayed he didn’t realize, was that Laurent had been watching and following Belle. Though Belle didn’t know much about the skill of Adam’s guards, she hoped that he would figure out what she was doing and help her.Lefou led Belle to a cellar door behind the tavern. He opened the doors and beckoned Belle to go down before him. Belle felt frightened at going into the dark, unknown cellar first, but refused to be cowed before Lefou. Summoning her courage, Belle descended the steps into the cellar.At first, Belle was puzzled why she’d been brought down there. As her eyes adjusted, it appeared to be a normal cellar, keeping vegetables, caskets of various beverages, and other items preserved in the darkness and cooler temperatures for use later.But once Lefou joined her after locking the cellar doors from the inside, he led her to a shelf against the wall where he pulled a box toward him and the shelf swung out from the wall, revealing a hidden passage.Amazed, Belle followed behind Lefou to discover a vast underground space of many passageways that seemed to go for miles.“What is this place?” Belle asked, amazed.“It’s—” Lefou began to say but was interrupted by a horribly familiar arrogant voice.“Lefou! What are you doing?” Gaston appeared before them, his arms crossed. He eyed Belle. “Did you lead her straight in here?”“Well, yes,” Lefou said. “She agreed to come with me.”“SO?!” Gaston boomed. “She can do magic, you dolt. You didn’t even restrain her!”“Actually,” Belle said. “I cannot do magic.” In a way, it was true. She’d yet to be able to direct her magic in any way. Oh, how she missed having a wand. It had been so easy.Gaston turned to her, eying her. “Don’t lie to me,” he said. “D’Arque tested you himself. You overpowered him with magic.”Of course, Belle hadn’t been tested by D’Arque nor had she overpowered him. But she’d heard the story and knew it had happened while Hermione impersonated her. Belle wasn’t sure exactly what had happened with D’Arque and Hermione. She hadn’t seen Hermione in her dreams and this event had happened the same day they’d switched back. But she decided to take a chance anyway.“And now I cannot do any more magic,” she said, and left it at that, letting Gaston fill in the gaps.“You used it all?” he asked.Belle nodded, letting him think what he would.“I’m still going to restrain you,” he said. “Just in case. Unless…you agree to marry me.”Belle sighed. That business of marriage again. Should she agree? Just to get him to let his guard down with her? Would that even work? Gaston was boorish and brainless after all. He didn’t think much of women and would assume she’d be loyal to him.“Will you free my father and Monsieur Levi?” Belle asked.“I will,” Gaston said, his eyes boring into hers. “So will you do it?”Belle felt as if she stood on a knife’s edge. Her decision now could alter her entire life. If she said no, what would he do to her? Would he hurt or kill her? She had foolishly allowed herself to come into this underground maze alone. What had she been thinking? If she said yes, perhaps he’d be lax enough with her until Adam and his men could find and save her, or she could find a way to escape herself.“Yes,” Belle said, praying that she hadn’t made some fatal error. “Now let me see my father. And Monsieur Levi.”“After our wedding,” Gaston said, seizing her arm in a vicelike grip. The pressure of his grip hurt. “Lefou, summon the priest.”Lefou looked surprised but vanished away into the darkness. Belle wanted to call after him to remember his promise but sensed it wouldn’t be the best idea. But if Gaston went back on his word… Belle prayed that Adam and his men would find her before Gaston could make the wedding happen.Gaston began to drag Belle down the hallway. A group of three men stood a few paces away, seeming to wait for Gaston. “Seal all of the exits,” Gaston said. “I don’t want any of Belle’s companions entering.”Belle felt a flush of fear. Gaston knew. He knew she’d come into town with Adam. That’s why he rushed the wedding. What had she done? She had no way of knowing how skilled they were and whether they’d be able to find Belle.Belle chastised herself. Sometimes she could be so foolhardy and not think things through. What kind of situation had she landed herself in? Why hadn’t she been more cautious? Because she wanted to be the hero of her own story, she realized. She wanted to have agency over her life.So instead of waiting to ask for help and going back to find Adam, she’d let herself go investigate on her own. What had she been thinking? She couldn’t even summon her magic. Magic! Gaston hadn’t cuffed her and, as far as she knew, no anti-magic devices had been place upon her.As Belle was half-dragged by Gaston down the halfway, she ignored the pain of his grip and focused on finding that magic from within herself. As she tried to center herself, she could feel that source of magic running through her veins.Yet, try as she might, she could not summon the magic to her hands to channel it. Belle sighed in despair as Gaston brought her to a small, dimly lit chamber. He thrust her in there before him.“You’ll wait here,” he said. “I’ll return soon, and we’ll be married. Even though it’s not the ceremony I would have liked, we’ll still look our parts.”Baffled by his words, Belle watched him close the door and lock it behind him. Belle rushed to the door, willing her magic to come to her hands so she could unlock it. Nothing happened. She was too panicked. She collapsed against the door, feeling helpless and defeated. Her forehead rested against the door and she closed her eyes, trying to think.She hadn’t imagined a place like this under the tavern. Under the village! It was so vast and there was no way that even if Adam and his men could follow them that they’d find her quickly.Hearing female voices outside the door, Belle stepped back as the sound of keys jangled until she heard the lock click, then doorknob turn, and the door swing open. There stood three identical faces that she’d seen only an hour or so before.Paulette, Laurette, and Claudette. The three twin sisters who fawned over Gaston. Between them, they carried an enormous white dress.“We’re here to get you ready for your wedding,” Claudette said resentfully, closing the door behind them.“Why?” Belle said. “Why would you help get me ready?”“Because Gaston demanded it,” Claudette replied with more than a hint of bitterness. “And we obey.”“But why should we help him?” Laurette said. “That prince is really nice…”“Because!” Claudette exclaimed. “We love Gaston and want him to be happy. No matter what.”The door sprung open again and Lefou stepped in. “Claudette,” he said. “Gaston wants you.”Claudette straightened, a look of determination crossing her face. “I’ll be right there,” she said and disappeared into the hallway, straightening her hair into place.Lefou watching her go, sneering, and began to follow after her.“Lefou!” Belle cried. “Remember your promise.”Lefou turned towards Belle, eying her. “I owe you nothing,” he said. “But I remember. I’ll see to it. If I can.”“You made me a promise,” Belle said, summoning intensity and prophecy into her voice, point her finger at him ominously. “If you break that promise, a curse will befall upon you. Take heed of what I say and fulfill your promise.”Lefou gulped. Clearly, he was afraid of magic. He nodded and disappeared, closing the door once more and locking it behind him.Paulette and Laurette looked at one another and shrugged, dismissing the scene. “I suppose we better help get you dressed,” Paulette said, draping the dress over a chair.“You’re right about the prince, Laurette,” Belle said as the two girls bustled around preparing things. “He is kind. He will help you. Why do you follow Gaston still?”“We trust Claudette,” Laurette said as she helped Belle unbutton her dress. “She’s has always taken care of us and she, well, has Gaston’s favor.”“You mean she goes to his bed,” Paulette said wryly.Belle blushed. If she didn’t get herself out of this somehow, she’d be going to his bed too. “Claudette and Gaston…?”“Gaston has been with all of us,” Paulette said matter-of-factly, holding out the monstrosity of a dress for Belle to step into. “He’s a great man with great needs. But his favorite is Claudette.”“Which is a relief,” Laurette said as she began to do the laces of the wedding dress. “He likes to be rough. I’m the sure the prince would be gentle and kind.” Her voice was dreamy as she thought of the prince.Belle inwardly thought of how the prince used to be a beast and wondered what Laurette would think of him if she knew that.“The prince wanted to talk to you,” Belle said, seizing on her last hope. “Perhaps you should find him and talk with him.”“And then what?” Paulette said suspiciously. “Will he try to get us to help you? We can’t go against Gaston.”“You don’t have to do anything,” Belle said. “You’re free to make up your own minds. You’re your own women. But if you talk to him, you might find that you have more options than being at Gaston’s mercy.”Paulette and Laurette looked at each other. “Claudette says we have no other options than to be with Gaston. Because after father died—” Paulette broke off, unable or unwilling to say more. “Let’s do your hair.”As the girls sat Belle down and began discussing how they should arrange her hair, Belle filled in the blanks beyond what Paulette had failed to say. She remembered hearing that their father died a year or so ago. That the three sisters had been left with their mother, who turned to drinking and eventually died of overconsumption. For the first time, Belle wondered at the girls being left alone as orphans. The girls had been so cruel to Belle in all her time in the village that Belle hadn’t known much about their situation. When their father died, what had become of their finances? Had their mother squandered it?As Laurette ran a brush through Belle’s hair, Belle asked, “Is Gaston helping you somehow?”The silence between the two girls was all the confirmation Belle needed. “Talk to the prince,” Belle urged. “He’ll help you.”“For what price?” Paulette asked, staring at Belle in the mirror.“Nothing,” Belle said. “He doesn’t need anything from you. Though he would appreciate your support.”“I think we should talk to him,” Laurette whispered, setting the brush down.“We should ask Claudette first,” Paulette murmured, still suspicious.“Why don’t you find out what he has to say?” Belle suggested. “And then you can tell Claudette. And even if Claudette doesn’t agree with you, it doesn’t mean you have to agree with her. You all deserve more than being tied to Gaston.” Belle looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair had been brushed so that it was sleek, shiny, and lay down across her shoulders, covering some of the monstrous puffy sleeves on the dress. “I can continue from here,” Belle said. “Why don’t you go find the prince while he’s still in the village?”Paulette narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Belle but said nothing. “Let’s go,” Laurette said, tugging on Paulette’s arm. “I want to see him again.”“Fine,” Paulette said, relenting. “Let’s go see.” She strode over to the door and unlocked it. Laurette and Paulette vanished from sight as they closed the door behind them and relocked it.Belle looked at herself in the mirror again. She had opted not to take the keys from the girls because she didn’t want to bring Gaston’s wrath upon them.Belle really hoped she could find a way out of this mess.

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As she walked with Ginny to Hogsmeade, Hermione’s mind still reeled at Malfoy’s revelation from a few days ago. She hadn’t told Ginny what happened, which she felt guilty about. But Hermione had wanted to keep it to herself for a while to absorb the new information without anyone else’s opinion muddling her own.Even though she strove to be honest with her friends, sometimes you needed time to yourself to wrap your mind around something. This situation was no exception. Draco Malfoy, their long-term enemy, had told her he loved her. And she had no idea what to make of it.In Potions class the previous day, they had added the fluxweed to their Polyjuice Potions. “Beautiful!” Professor Slughorn had exclaimed, seeing the results of the students’ potions with the new ingredient. “Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy performed their task perfectly. These fluxweeds are just right.”Malfoy had looked at Hermione and said, smirking, “The moon was very bright and shiny,” he said. “Perfect for fluxweed collecting.”Hermione had felt her face grow hot at his words. For some reason she couldn’t explain at all.Ginny had looked at Hermione curiously. “It’s rather hot in here, isn’t it?” Hermione said, fanning her face.“I suppose…” Ginny had said, eying the steam coming off from the cauldrons.The morning of the Hogsmeade visit, Ginny warned Hermione that Ron might come to Hogsmeade. She said, “Harry mentioned that Ron was thinking about it. I thought you deserved a heads up just in case.”For a moment, Hermione had reconsidered going to Hogsmeade. But no. She was no coward. She would face the consequences of her actions, no matter how unpleasant.So, with some trepidation, Hermione joined Ginny on the walk to Hogsmeade. As they walked, Ginny kept alternating between excitement at seeing Harry and worry about Ron.Hermione felt bad for being the cause of dampening Ginny’s excitement to see Harry. If she hadn’t broke up with Ron, Ginny wouldn’t be worrying about her brother.Before Hermione had broke up with Ron, they’d planned to meet the boys at the Three Broomsticks for a drink. Then from there, the couples would go off and do their own thing.The plan was roughly the same, they were going to the Three Broomsticks to see Harry and Ron, if he showed. From there, Harry and Ginny would likely break off to have some alone time.Hermione wasn’t sure what she’d do if Ron was there. Go back early? No, she wanted to explore the village and do a little shopping alone.Hermione loved looking around stores by herself. It was one of her favorite things to do. She enjoyed not having to worry about others getting bored if she took too long. Ron never had the patience to stay in a store as long as she would have liked. Not even Ginny had the patience to wait if Hermione found herself in a bookstore.She supposed she’d just have to play things by ear.Before Hermione knew it, they were in Hogsmeade and Ginny was pulling open the door to the Three Broomsticks. As usual, they found it packed with people, the noise of conversations and movement amplified by the open door.Hermione scanned the room, looking for the two familiar faces she’d known almost as well as her own for the past seven years. Almost at once, she saw familiar flaming red hair sitting at the bar and noticed a put-out looking Harry sitting next to him, facing the door. She couldn’t see Ron’s face. He sat slumped with his back to the door. He seemed to be nursing a drink of some sort. Hermione guessed it was firewhisky.She caught eyes with Harry. His eyes widened and he mouthed at her, “Ron’s not good.”“Uh-oh,” Ginny said, seeing everything. “Ron came. And looks like he’s been here for a while.”Indeed, even from the back Hermione could see that Ron’s hair was rumpled, his robes askew.“Should I go?” Hermione said to Ginny. “What do you think?”Ginny hesitated, torn between protecting her brother’s feelings and her friend. Harry extricated himself from the bar and made his way over to them. “Let’s see what Harry says,” Ginny said.“Sounds good,” Hermione replied. Harry’s progress was slow, he had to navigate between tables and chairs and people milling about. Once he reached them, he wrapped his arm around Ginny’s waist and kissed her on the cheek. He said to them, “Let’s go outside. I can hardly hear myself think.”“Is Ron all right?” Hermione asked, as they stepped outside.“No,” Harry sighed. “He’s blowing it in Auror training. He’s failed all the tests this week. He feels like a complete failure.” He led them a few feet away from the front door, so they didn’t block it. They stood in one of the alcoves in front of the pub, between the doorway and the wall.Harry eyed Hermione warily. “So, you’re back then?”“Yes,” Hermione said, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. Like she was in trouble for something. Which only affirmed the guilt she carried. “I’m so sorry for all the worry I caused.”“You should be,” Harry said shortly. “Ever since Slughorn’s party, Ron has been preoccupied with why you would have done something like that. Why you would just leave our world without saying anything. We were both worried, of course, but Ron blamed himself.” He sighed again. “Your note sent him over the edge.”Hermione felt a flush of shame and guilt. “That was not my intention,” she said, sadly. “I really didn’t want to hurt him. He shouldn’t blame himself. No one is to blame but me.”Harry’s stern look softened. “I know you didn’t want to hurt Ron,” he said. “You’re not responsible for Ron’s actions.“Listen, I’ve been thinking about things. We all went through a lot last year,” Harry continued. “You in particular carried such a huge burden and without complaint. You stuck with me through everything. I can’t imagine what you went through. What you endured. Voldemort would still be here if it weren’t for you and I’d likely be dead. I owe everything to you. I’m so grateful for you.” He smiled at her. “I thought I ought to tell you that.”“Thank you,” Hermione said, her throat clogging and her eyes filling with tears. “It’s nice to hear you say that.”“I’m a bastard for not telling you earlier,” Harry said. “And I shouldn’t take my frustration with Ron out on you. It’s just been hard to deal with him. You deserve all the time and space you need.” He hugged her.“I didn’t want to hurt him,” Hermione said into his shoulder, her tears falling into his robes. “But I thought it would hurt him even more to pretend. It would have hurt both of us more.”“You’re right,” Ginny said, moving beside them and rubbing Hermione’s back. “We just love both of you so it’s hard for us, too.”“I know,” Hermione said, stepping back and wiping her face.The door to the Three Broomsticks open and Ron emerged, swaying. He looked even worse close up. His eyes had dark bags under them and he reeked of alcohol.“Ron…” Harry said warily, as Ron turned around to face them.Ron pointed his finger accusingly at Harry. “You told me you were going to the bathroom,” he said. “But you went to see HER without me. I saw all of you leaving.”“I wanted to talk to her first,” Harry said in a reasonable tone. “You’re not in a good state, Ron. Are you sure you want to talk to her right now?”“Yes,” he said stubbornly, crossing his arms.“Ron, don’t be stupid,” Ginny said, gently grabbing Ron’s arm. “Let’s get you sobered up.”“No!” Ron said, jerking his arm out of Ginny’s grasp. “I want to talk to her now.”Hermione watched the exchange, feeling full of trepidation, but she stood her ground. Swaying, Ron turned to face Hermione.“What were you playing at?” he demanded in a loud voice. He seemed to be having a hard time focusing on her. “First, you decide to go back to Hogwarts. Then you completely disappear from—”“Careful…” Harry warned, elbowing Ron and looking around for on-lookers. A few passersby had slowed at Ron’s raised voice, but at Harry’s glare, they sped along.“Then you break up with me in a note!” Ron exclaimed. The passersby who remained within earshot halted at his words, gaping at them. “You couldn’t be bothered to talk to me in person? You’re really something you know.”Ron’s voice echoed down the street and people began to whisper.Hermione shook her head. “Ron, let me explain,” she said quietly. Tears threatened to escape again. She desperately wanted to tell Ron everything. For him to understand that her needing time to herself wasn’t because of he had done something wrong. She needed time to figure out who she was again.“No! I don’t want to hear it,” he said loudly. “You’re a real piece of work you know that? Stringing me along and then leaving me high and dry.”Hermione shrank away, wrapping her arms around herself and looking at the ground. Maybe she deserved Ron to berate her after what she’d done to him. The least she could do after what she’d done to him is let him take out his feelings on her. The words cut deep though. Hermione began to shake.The door to the Three Broomsticks opened again and Draco Malfoy rounded the corner to where they stood, looking calm and disdainful.“I thought I heard raised voices,” he said, the usual sneer in his voice. “In particular, Weasel King.”Malfoy looked around at the street, staring any remaining onlookers down. “Beat it,” he said to them in a threatening tone. Frightened at Malfoy’s appearance and manner, the onlookers vanished, but not before giving them all curious looks.Hermione’s eyes widened. What was he doing? Ron whirled around and glared at Malfoy.“You! What are you doing here?” Ron demanded. Harry and Ginny moved to Ron’s side, ready to restrain him, catch him, or back him up if needed. Hermione stood to the side, watching and not sure what to do.Malfoy looked at Hermione, as if to make sure she was all right.“I saw you through the windows,” he said, shrugging. “Wanted to make sure everything was all right.”“You expect us to believe that?” Ron demanded, swaying a bit.“Believe what you want, Weasley,” Malfoy said. “Would you believe me if I said I heard you insulting Granger and thought I’d come stop you before you caused irrevocable damage in your intoxicated state?”The words seemed to take a while to hit Ron. Harry and Ginny exchanged glances from behind Ron’s back, looking absolutely bemused. Inexplicably, Hermione’s heart rose. Was that really it? Was he defending her? She didn’t know.“I don’t need your help, Malfoy,” Ron said, tilting dangerously towards Harry, who propped him back up.“Oh, but I think you do,” Malfoy said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. “Since it seems your friends won’t help you.”“Let’s go, Ron,” Harry said. “I’m going to take you to George.”“Good idea,” Malfoy commented. “Get him away before he says something he regrets.”Harry narrowed his eyes at Malfoy. “I didn’t ask for your opinion,” he said. “Or your help.”“Always ungrateful,” Malfoy said, raising his eyebrows. “Perfect Potter thinks he deserves everything. Can’t handle a little conflict between his two friends.”“Shove off, Malfoy,” Ginny said. “Harry’s right, we didn’t ask for your help.”“Maybe you didn’t,” Malfoy said. “But Granger looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here. She looked like she desperately wanted someone to stop Weasley but couldn’t do it herself because she’s wracked with guilt and shame at hurting him. At hurting all of you. She looked as if she thinks she deserves whatever he says to her.” He looked at Hermione, surveying her. “And she doesn’t deserve his insults. So I came to stop Weasley.”Hermione’s mouth fell open. Had he really read her that clearly? She hadn’t expected or even hoped that Harry or Ginny might step in because she’d put them in the horrible situation of being in the middle. But for Malfoy to step in? That was completely unexpected. And, she realized, not unwelcome. Gratitude filled her.Ginny’s eyes darted between Malfoy and Hermione, taking in how they looked at each other. Ron also saw this. He suddenly lunged towards Hermione, roaring, “YOU! AND HIM?!”“No—,” Hermione said, weakly, raising her hands in defense, shocked at the sudden outburst. “No, it’s not—”Suddenly, Ron was wrenched up in the air by his ankle. Malfoy’s his wand was out, glaring at Ron, “No, you fool,” he said. “We are not together, if that’s what you’re implying. But I won’t stand idly by while you threaten her.”Ginny and Harry also had their wands out and pointed at Malfoy. “Relax,” he said to Ginny and Harry. “I’m not going to do anything else to him. He needed to be stopped.”“Let him go,” Ginny said, calmly. “And we’ll get him out of here.”Malfoy waved his wand and Ron was unceremoniously dumped on the ground. Harry helped Ron to his feet and, without another word, he Disapparated leaving behind only air where he and Ron had just been.“Well, that’s not how I’d imagined my day,” Ginny muttered. Then she whirled on Hermione. “What on earth is going on?” She gestured towards Malfoy.Hermione was at a loss for words. How could she explain now what Malfoy had told her when he was standing right there?Malfoy stepped over to stand at Hermione’s side. “Nothing is going on,” Malfoy restated. “Granger and I agreed the other day to start off on a new foot. And I just couldn’t stand by and let him treat her that way.” He looked at Hermione as if to make sure she was all right one last time. “And now that everything seems calm again, I’ll go back inside.”Without waiting for a response, Malfoy walked away and reentered the tavern. As the doors closed behind him, Ginny eyed Hermione. “Care to explain?” she asked simply.“I’m not sure I understand it myself,” Hermione said shakily. “Let’s go sit over on that bench and I’ll try to explain.”Hermione led Ginny over to a bench near where they’d been standing and began to explain what had happened the night she and Malfoy had gone collecting fluxweed. About his confession.“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” she said apologetically. “But honestly, I was so shocked that I needed time to absorb it and try to make sense of it on my own without another person’s opinions or judgements.”Ginny sighed. “I suppose that makes sense,” she said. “But this is not going to be easy to explain to Harry. Or Ron. How do you feel?”“Honestly,” Hermione said. “I can’t think about anyone in that way right now. I need time to regather my thoughts and sense of self. But I did agree to give him a chance to prove he’d changed.”“Hmm…” Ginny said, her voice full of suspicion. “I’ll certainly be keeping my eye on him too.”“Please do,” Hermione said and sighed. “I keep wondering if this is some elaborate prank he’s trying to pull.”“If it is,” Ginny said. “We’ve got your back.”“Thank you,” Hermione said, grinning at her friend.“As much as I hate to admit it,” Ginny said, sighing as she reflected on the earlier encounter. “He was right. Harry and I should have stopped Ron earlier.”“No,” Hermione said. “You’re already in a really tough spot. I don’t want you to have to be in the middle any more than you already are.”“But you didn’t deserve him to drunkenly insult you,” Ginny said. “We’re lousy friends if we let that happen.”“Well, Harry’s gotten him into safe hands,” Hermione said, feeling uncomfortable.“If you can call George safe,” Ginny muttered.“Better than Percy,” Hermione laughed. “Percy would have wrung him out and then delivered him to your mother.”“Who would have murdered him,” Ginny agreed, laughing too.CRACK! Harry appeared a few steps away from them.Ginny stood up and threw her arms around him. “How’s Ron?” she asked.“Ah,” said Harry. “He’ll live.” He looked at Hermione. “You all right?”“Yes, I’m fine,” Hermione said, “Ginny can fill you in.” She eyed the way Harry held Ginny tightly. “Why don’t you two go? I’ve already ruined enough of your time together.”Ginny opened her mouth to protest. “No, I don’t want to hear it,” Hermione said. “You’ve both been looking forward to this time together. Don’t pretend otherwise. I’d been planning to go off on my own anyway. I have some shopping to do and I prefer shopping alone. No one rushes me that way.”“Are you sure?” Ginny asked.“Yes, or I wouldn’t have said it,” Hermione said. “Go.”“All right,” Ginny said, pulling away slightly from Harry’s embrace and taking his hand. Harry mouthed, “thank you” to Hermione before leading Ginny down the street.Hermione smiled, watching them go. She’d always rooted for the two of them to get together. It made her happy that it had finally worked out.Hermione stood up. Where should she go now? She’d been wanting to visit the store with school supplies. She thought she might like a new quill.But then she remembered how Malfoy had helped her. How he’d gone back inside the Three Broomsticks. Maybe she should go talk to him.What did she want to say though? Should she thank him? He hadn’t had to do that. He’d risked Ron and/or even Harry attacking him. Heck, Ginny was known to throw a good curse if someone annoyed her. But he’d come to her defense in front of all of them. Yes, she should go talk to him.Hermione entered the Three Broomsticks and looked around. It was as packed as ever. She cast her eyes around until she saw him sitting at a small table in a corner by the window. A perfect spot to see everything going on both inside and outside. He was watching her. She knew he’d seen her the moment she walked in. She made her way towards him, dodging students, teachers, visitors, and villagers alike until she at least arrived at his table.“May I?” she asked over the noise.Wordlessly, he gestured at the empty seat across from him. She sat down.He said nothing, watching her. Hermione had expected him to say something and felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny. Unable to bear the silence, she said, “Thank you.”His eyebrows rose. He looked extremely skeptical.“I mean it,” she said. “Thank you.”“I expected you to come over and berate me like your friends,” he said. “You didn’t ask for my help.”Hermione looked down at her lap. “It’s almost as if you read my mind,” she said quietly.“What was that?” he asked loudly, over the noise.Hermione leaned closer, looking at him this time. “I SAID,” raising her voice. “That it’s almost like you read my mind.”“That’s what I thought you said,” he commented, leaning closer. “But I thought I was hearing things.”“You heard correctly,” she said. “You happy?”“Actually, yes,” he said. “I debated stopping Weasley as I saw him leaving the bar. He looked angry and it concerned me. But I argued with myself about it. I shouldn’t interfere between a couple, I told myself. I followed him and stood behind the door listening with one of those Extendable Ear things.” He looked alarmed. “I shouldn’t tell you that. I sound pathetic.”“No, it’s okay,” Hermione said. “I appreciate the concern.” She found herself truly feeling that. It was nice to have someone looking out for her like that.“I couldn’t stand it any longer,” Malfoy said. “I had to do something.”“Thank you,” Hermione said again. She felt her eyes fill with tears again. “It was hard to hear all of that. I’d been imagining him saying those things to me, but it was worse to hear in person.”“Hey,” Malfoy said. “It’s not true. Any of it. His feelings are hurt and he spoke out of anger.”Hermione shook her head. “I don’t know…” she said. “I really messed up. I never meant to hurt him though.”“Sure,” Malfoy said. “You did mess up. But you’re not responsible for how he behaves. And you don’t deserve him insulting you.”“I suppose…” Hermione said. Suddenly, she realized how close they’d gotten to hear each other. They were leaning across the table and only a few inches separated them. She pulled back, feeling uncomfortable at the proximity. “Well, I better go,” she said loud enough that he’d hear her as she stood up. “I have some shopping to do.”“Do you want company?” he asked, looking up at her from where he lounged in his seat. The image of splendor. “I’m really good at shopping.”Hermione laughed. “I suppose you are,” she said, eying his rich attire. “I’m not sure my budget quite matches your usual standards.”“I have a keen eye for quality,” he said. “I know how much something is worth. Many times, people try to overcharge you and rip you off because they know you have money. I…re-educate them.”Hermione was tempted. She realized she enjoyed talking with Malfoy. “Sometimes I take a long time looking at stuff,” Hermione said. “If you get bored, don’t feel like you have to stay.”Malfoy stood up. And walked so he was close to her. “I’ll never be bored hanging around you,” he murmured.Hermione doubted that. But allowed him to accompany her nonetheless.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Time ticked away as Belle waited in the dimly lit room for Gaston to appear. Or for anyone to appear.In truth, Belle didn’t know how to do anything special with her hair, despite what she’d told the girls. Being raised mostly by her absentminded father in a provincial village, Belle hadn’t felt any desire or need to learn how to arrange hair.However, she didn’t want to get the sisters in trouble, so Belle attempted to put it up in a way that looked different from her usual ponytail. Inspecting herself, she thought the effect was all right. What did it matter anyway?She’d spent a while messing with her hair and still no one came.As time passed, the more her hope rose. Would Adam and the others be able to find her in time?Her thoughts returned to magic and taking matters into her own hands.Belle focused her attention on finding the source of magic within her. But any time she was able to call it forward, it flicked back out again. Her negative thoughts and fears pressed down on her, suffocating her. It was as if doubt and fear had become two entities inside of her, forcing all feelings of hope and alignment away.Belle jumped as the door banged open and Monsieur D’Arque appeared. Belle hadn’t seen him very often and hadn’t thought much about him in her village existence. However, as he entered the room, Belle really took him in for the first time.This spindly, hook-nosed man had imprisoned her mother, Adam’s mother, and countless others for possessing magic. For being different. An air of evil surrounded him, making her want to draw back and hide.But she stood proud and did not betray her fear as he entered. Guessing he was likely here to see if she still had magic, Belle channeled her fear to trap and dampen her magic. In this situation, she felt glad of the ability to suppress her magic. No longer could she feel even a hint of magic.After he fully entered the room and closed the door behind him, he turned towards Belle, sneering at her.“So, Gaston says you claim that you no longer have magic,” he said. “I’m going to assess that for myself.”“Where is Gaston?” Belle asked, hoping to distract him or delay his examination for as long as possible. “He said we were to marry immediately.”“In a hurry now all of a sudden are you?” D’Arque said, striding into the room. “Why might that be?”“I’m worried about my father,” Belle said, truthfully. “Where is he?”“He’s safe…enough,” D’Arque replied, slamming a bag down on the table and pulling out wicked looking instruments.He first pulled out a long stick. A baton of sorts. He ran it over Belle. As he did so, Belle focused on her fear and doubts, pressing that damper on her magic down hard.“Hmm…” D’Arque said, eying the baton. Belle wondered what he was looking for. Nothing had happened. “Well, I’ll try another thing,” he said, turning to his bag.The door burst open once more and Gaston strode in, wearing a tuxedo and looking smug. He halted as he took in the scene. Belle in her wedding dress and D’Arque with his wicked instruments.“D’Arque!” Gaston exclaimed. “What is this?”“I’m testing her,” he said. “For your own protection.”“I don’t need protection,” Gaston said confidently. “She’s under my protection now. No more interfering, D’Arque.”“Fine,” D’Arque said, shrugging. “It’s your own skin. It looks like she was telling the truth anyway. My magic detecting baton picked up nothing. Though I’d prefer to run more tests to be sure.”“Good enough,” Gaston said, waving him away. “Not that I needed your test anyway.” He turned to Belle and his eyes shone in satisfaction as he took in her appearance. “Let’s go, wife.”For the first time, Belle noticed Claudette behind Gaston. Claudette’s eyes scanned the room, most likely looking for her sisters. Belle moved towards Gaston and he took her arm in a firm grip and escorted her out of the door and down the hallway.Belle glanced over her shoulder at Claudette, who followed behind them. Claudette seemed to be looking at Belle’s hair, her eyes narrowing as she took in Belle’s inept hairstyle.“Are you excited?” Gaston asked, pulling Belle’s attention forward once more. “You’re getting to marry the most eligible and well-off bachelor in town.”“Where’s my father and Mr. Levi?” Belle asked.“They’re nearby,” Gaston said. “I’ll let them go…after the ceremony is done.”Belle desperately looked around trying to find any means of escape. Any sign that someone might be coming to rescue her.She saw nothing.Gaston led her into a small room that had been set up to look like a church. It had an ornate altar, a few cushions for prayer, and an elevated platform. The village priest stood waiting for them, watching them come in.Belle hardly knew the village priest. Belle and her father did not attend the church services. All of her interactions with him had been perfunctory at best. He’d hardly ever deigned to talk to her, deeming her not worth his notice.“Are you sure you want to marry this witch?” the priest asked as they approached. His question validated Belle’s overall impression of him: small-minded and judgmental. She certainly would not find an ally in him.“I will not have anyone referring to my wife as a witch,” Gaston snarled as led Belle to stand before the priest. “She has no magic. D’Arque tested her himself. She’s under my protection.”The protective tone of voice Gaston used surprised Belle, as well as his overall statement. She wondered at his words. He was protecting her.“Very well,” the priest said, not questioning him further. “Come stand before me then.” It was clear that the priest Gaston held in high respect if he let his disapproval of Belle slide by so easily.Hearing murmuring voices, Belle took a look behind her to see that the small room had filled in with people. She noted Claudette standing in the back of the room beside Lefou.A small crowd of villagers had trickled in. Belle felt a mad urge to cry out for help, but she tamped it down beside her magic, knowing it would be useless. These people were loyal to Gaston.And, for now, it seemed, Gaston was trying to protect her. She decided she better not risk losing his goodwill.It was time to become a survivor until she could escape.The thought sent a shudder through Belle. She looked back towards the priest, who had opened a book before him and cleared his voice to begin intoning the words of the marriage ceremony.Belle didn’t hear any of it, her thoughts swirling in the madness of the situation. She’d sworn that she’d never marry Gaston and yet here she was marrying him.She told herself she didn’t really have a choice. She’d come down here in his territory, defenseless. She didn’t know how to control her powers at all. For the thousandth time, she wondered what she had been thinking.Belle jumped a little when she heard Gaston’s booming voice from beside her say, “I do.”Where they already there? Where was Adam? Had he even noticed she was missing?The priest turned to Belle. Dread filled her. “Belle, do you take Gaston Legume to be your husband? Do you promise to be faithful to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and to honor him all the days of your life?”Belle couldn’t breathe. The dankness of the space, the unfriendly eyes of the villagers, and the hopelessness of her situation pressed down upon her. Belle felt faint.Suddenly, all she could feel was her heart pounding and her head spinning. Darkness began to swirl before her vision and she lost all sense of the world.The next thing she knew, she saw Gaston kneeling before her looking concerned. Belle felt arms supporting her from behind and looked up to Claudette of all people.Claudette was speaking to Gaston, “She’s just nervous and overwhelmed. I was talking to her before and she’s really excited. She just needs some air. Let me take care of her.”“All right,” Gaston said. “You have three minutes.”“That’s just enough,” Claudette assured him. Gently, she helped Belle to her feet and wrapped her arm around Belle’s waist, supporting her as they exited the room. The villagers kept their distance from them, looking wary.Claudette brought Belle into the hallway and immediately dropped her arm from Belle’s waist. Claudette glared at Belle at crossed her arms.“Where are my sisters?” Claudette hissed. “What did you do with them?”“Nothing,” Belle breathed, leaning against the wall, her head still spinning. “They went to see the prince,” she whispered.Claudette eyed Belle. “And why would they do that? You must have talked them into it.”Propping a hand on the wall to support her as she moved closer to Claudette, Belle whispered, “He can help you. No strings attached. He won’t hold his assistance over your head to make you do things you don’t want to do. You all can be so much more, Claudette. Be better.”Belle withdrew then and leaned back against the wall and watched the mixture of emotions cross Claudette’s face: surprise, worry, fear, suspicion, and…Belle wasn’t sure but could it be…hope?Claudette’s face resumed its usual sneering mask. “Why should I believe you?” Claudette said. “You’ve always looked down on us.”“You were always mean to me!” Belle exclaimed.“You and your father, so happy, living in your own world,” Claudette said. “You came from Paris and judged all of us.”Belle looked down, remembering how she’d been when they’d first moved to the village. She’d been upset at the loss of her mother and been distraught to leave the only home she’d ever known. She hadn’t understood the life of the villagers and had questioned her father about it constantly.“I’d just lost my mother,” Belle said softly. “And I’d only ever known life in Paris. I didn’t understand why we’d left or why life was so different here. I desperately wanted friends but didn’t know how to interact with you. I’m sorry if I gave you the idea that I looked down on you.” Belle looked at Claudette earnestly. “Is there anything I can do to make it right?”Claudette studied Belle. “I don’t know if you’re just saying this to get my help or if you really mean it.”“I mean it,” Belle promised. “I always wanted to be friends with you and your sisters. But I always thought you hated me. Now, it seems that perhaps I’m the one who first drove you away. I promise you, that’s not what I wanted. I was lost in my grief at losing my mother. And that’s why I’m doing everything I can now not to lose my father.”“I know how much you love your father,” Claudette said. “I loved my parents too. Very well, I’ll consider your words.”Belle smiled at her. “Please do,” she said. “I’d like for us to be friends.”“Your hair looks awful,” Claudette commented, eying her hair once again. “My sisters would have done so much better. Good thing Gaston doesn’t notice that kind of thing.”“Maybe you can teach me one day,” Belle said ruefully. “My father is hopeless when it comes to fashion, and I never learned.”Claudette lips turned up in a smile. “Maybe so,” she said.Then a shout startled both Belle and Claudette. “Hey!” Lefou said, sticking his head out of the door. “What’s taking so long?”Belle stood up from the wall, resigned to her fate, yet hopeful that she’d made an ally in Claudette. “I had to catch my breath,” Belle said.Lefou eyed her. “You look better,” he said. “Your color has returned.”“Remember our agreement, Lefou,” Belle said. “I’ll go through the ceremony with no more trouble if I get your word that you’ll see my father and Mr. Levi safely out of this place.”Lefou gulped, seemingly remembering Belle’s threat of a curse. “I’ll see to it,” he said.“Go right now,” Belle demanded, staring into Lefou’s beady eyes. “I’ll go back inside with Claudette. You go make sure they’re freed.”Lefou shrank back a little at the determination in her gaze but nodded. “Fine,” he said. “But I’m going to make sure you go in first.”“I’m going,” Belle said, striding through the door, her head held high. She knew that Lefou wouldn’t dare go back on his word now.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It shocked Hermione how much she enjoyed shopping with Malfoy. Not only did she enjoy the conversation, but she also found it interesting to see what he looked for in items.He hadn’t been lying, he was discerning. He helped her avoid buying a high-cost, but low-quality quill and instead taking her to a small, out of the way shop that had custom-made, high-quality quills for a reasonable price.To her amazement, when they went stopped by Tomes & Scrolls, he didn’t hurry her as she looked at books. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it as much as she did, talking to her earnestly about the titles they looked at and other books he’d read.As the day progressed, he suggested they get dinner and she agreed. They enjoyed a noisy dinner at the Three Broomsticks, still packed with students, villagers, and visitors. Hermione had noticed curious glances their way the whole afternoon and their dinner together was no exception.“People are confused why we’re alone together,” Malfoy commented, voicing the observations Hermione had been thinking.“And plenty of people witnessed the row with Ron,” Hermione observed. “Well, let them talk. I’ve been subject to worse gossip.”“That’s true,” Malfoy said. “That bit with Rita Skeeter in our fourth year was particularly nasty. I remember you had bandaged hands for days.”The memory filled Hermione with an echo of the anger and wrath she’d felt at the time. “Yes,” she said stonily. “And you and Parkinson helped with that.”Malfoy winced. “I’m sorry for that,” he said. “Would you believe me if I told you that I was jealous of Harry? Like everyone else, I wanted glory in the Triwizard Tournament. And I saw you pouring over books with him and it made me even more angry. Though I didn’t understand why at the time.”Hermione mulled over his words. “So you took revenge by spreading nasty rumors?”“Basically,” Malfoy said. “It felt like the only thing I could do at the time. Initially, it felt good. But then I started feeling awful and so I continued to be awful to chase that vindictive feeling that I enjoyed so much.” He leaned back in his chair. “I’ve finally realized that feeling doesn’t last and isn’t worth the guilt.”Hermione nodded. “In a way,” she said. “I understand. I’ve always been obsessed with the feeling of being right. I’ve sought gratification by answering questions in class and being the top student. But the feeling doesn’t last and it feels empty, so I had to keep seeking more and more validation.”Malfoy’s eyes glowed across the table. “Exactly,” he said.Before he could say more, Madam Rosmerta appeared. “Anything else?” she asked.“No, that’s it,” Malfoy said, giving her a winning smile.“Very well,” she said, telling them the price for the food and drink.Hermione pulled out her money bag but before she could hand Rosmerta her share, Malfoy had paid and exchanged a few more words with the pub owner before Hermione could pay.“Hey,” she said. “I can pay for myself.”“I know,” Malfoy said, waving her off. “But I wanted to treat you.”Hermione glared at him. Malfoy grinned at her expression. “You can pay for the next one, if you want,” he said.“Next one?” Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows.“Yes, the next one,” Malfoy said slyly. “I’m not giving up you know.”Hermione shrugged. “We’ll see,” she said.“I’ll walk you back to the castle,” Malfoy said.“You don’t have to do that,” Hermione protested. “Isn’t this a long walk for you? Didn’t you say you live in Hogsmeade? It makes no sense for you to go to the castle. It’s not as if you can Apparate or fly home.”“I can always go to my room in the faculty tower,” he said. “No big deal. I’m enjoying our conversation.”If Hermione were being honest with herself, she was enjoying her time with Malfoy as well. She allowed him to accompany her. As they walked out of the village, Hermione realized something that seemed odd.“Say,” she said. “It seemed like you were very friendly with Rosmerta. I would have thought she’d hate you after what you did to her in our sixth year.”Malfoy winced. “Very true,” he said. “I’ve done my best to make it up to her in the past year and a half or so. It wasn’t easy and it took a long time. But I’ve spent a lot of time there and think we’ve found an agreement.”He looked at her. “I’m hoping you’ll find it in yourself to forgive me too one day.”Hermione was silent. Could she ever forgive Malfoy? She didn’t know.As they walked back to the castle and to Gryffindor Tower, they talked of other things. At the portrait of the Fat Lady, Malfoy had stopped and said, “Well, I suppose this is where I leave you. Have a good night, Granger.”And he walked away, leaving Hermione somewhat surprised at his abrupt goodbye. “Good night,” she called after him.When Hermione got back to the girls’ dormitory, she noticed that Ginny still hadn’t returned. Hermione wondered if she’d gone with Harry somewhere.Perhaps he’d gotten a place in Hogsmeade. Hermione doubted he would have taken her all the way back to his place in London. Hermione knew that Ron lived with Harry and Harry would want to avoid having Ginny over with Ron there.Ginny was cutting it awfully close to curfew though. The gates back to Hogwarts closed at a certain time and you couldn’t get in unless someone opened the gates for you.Hermione wasn’t sure if they were still monitoring the secret passageways from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade like they did during Voldemort’s reign. Hermione hoped that Ginny wouldn’t have to risk it.Hermione fell asleep and didn’t hear Ginny return. Her dreams were pleasant, peaceful for the first time in a long time. She dreamed of being reunited with her parents.When she awoke, Hermione realized that she didn’t know what she was going to do for the holidays. Usually, she’d spend it with her family or go to the Burrow.With this situation with Ron, Hermione doubted that going to the Burrow was a good idea. Perhaps she’d try to find her parents. How would she get all the way to Australia though? It’s not like she had much money and she couldn’t Apparate that far.Could she commandeer a Portkey somehow? Maybe she could make one. How would she even find them though? There had to be a way. Perhaps some kind of locator spell.It looked like Hermione had a new project to research. At least this one made progress to making amends towards what she had done, rather than trying to escape.Hermione and Ginny caught up over breakfast that morning.“Did you and Harry have a good time?” Hermione asked Ginny slyly.Ginny blushed a little and nodded. “Yes,” she said. “It was good to spend some alone time with him. We’ve hardly have been able to do that.”“I know,” Hermione said, thinking about the overcrowded Burrow where they all had spent the summer. “I’m glad you had some time together.”“What did you get up to?” Ginny asked.“Well, it’s going to sound crazy,” Hermione said, opting to tell Ginny the truth after the previous day’s encounter. “But Malfoy and I ended up shopping together.”Ginny almost spat out her pumpkin juice. “What? You actually hung out with him?” she asked, coughing. “How did that happen?”“Well, I decided I ought to talk to him after what he’d done, so I found him in the Three Broomsticks,” Hermione said. “We got to chatting and he came along with me. He helped me find this really nice quill at a store I’d never been to before.” She pulled it out and showed Ginny.Ginny took it. “Wow, that is nice quality,” she said inspecting it. “Better than the ones we usually find.” Ginny handed the quill back to Hermione.“And it was about the same price! It turns out he’s good at getting a good value,” Hermione said.“Interesting,” Ginny said thoughtfully. “Harry and I talked about the whole situation yesterday. Harry thinks Malfoy really might have changed. He’s going to try to work on Ron, but we don’t think that’s going to go very well. Ron thinks Malfoy is evil still. I doubt he’s going to feel better about him since the incident yesterday.”“Have you heard anything from Ron?” Hermione asked.“Harry and I contacted George using the Floo Network yesterday,” Ginny said. “Ron wasn’t available, but George told us that Ron was recuperating. Hopefully we’ll hear something else soon.”“That’s good,” Hermione said. “I hope he’s all right.”“He’s not,” Ginny said. “But he’ll pull himself together. Hopefully.”As the conversation turned towards other matters, Hermione prayed that Ron would find his way and figure things out. Just like she sought to do for herself. Hermione truly thought it would be better for both of them to have time to figure things out on their own.During the day, all sorts of people came up to Hermione to ask her about whether she had dumped Ron and was now dating Draco Malfoy. Over and over, she denied the rumors. The stories people had come up sounded more and more absurd. Finally, Hermione couldn’t focus in the library and decided to visit Hagrid.Hagrid greeted her warmly and invited her in for a cup of tea. “It’s good ter have ye back, Hermione,” he said.“I’m sorry I haven’t come sooner,” Hermione said apologetically. “It’s been crazy trying to catch up on what I missed.”“I understand,” Hagrid said. “Ye gave us quite a scare with that. But y’know, that Belle girl was very kind. She managed to charm the centaurs!”“Really? That sounds like quite a story,” Hermione said. And Hagrid filled her in on the adventures in the Forbidden Forest.They chatted amicably for a time until Hagrid said, “Say, is it true that Ron and Malfoy had a duel fightin’ over ye?”“No!” Hermione said. “Not you too! It’s not like that. But I did end things with Ron. I need some time to sort myself out after the war. And Malfoy wants to have a fresh start and make amends, so I’m giving him a chance. But we’re not dating.”“That’s real good of ye to give ’im another chance,” Hagrid said. “It’s what Dumbledore would ’ave done. But I’m not sure I’d be able to after everything.”At the mention of Dumbledore, Hermione smiled fondly. “Harry and Dumbledore have helped me see that having faith in someone, even if they’ve had a bad track record, can make a world of difference,” she said. “Take Professor Snape, for example. Look at how that turned out.”“Fair point,” Hagrid said. “Well, good luck with all that.”As it began to grow dark, Hermione left Hagrid’s hut and went back to the castle with a promise to visit Hagrid again soon.As the days passed by, Hermione buried herself in her work, coming up with a timetable to ensure that she’d ace her N.E.W.T.s and have time to research ways that she could find her parents. She’d offered to make Ginny a schedule, but Ginny had declined. “Thank you,” Ginny had said, “But your schedules stress me out.”Ginny often joined Hermione in the library or beside the fire in the Gryffindor Common Room. When Ginny wasn’t doing homework, Hermione noticed that Ginny wrote in a journal. One day, Hermione asked about it. “What are you writing, Ginny?”“Oh, this?” Ginny said evasively, holding the book to her chest. “It’s nothing really.”“You don’t have to tell me,” Hermione said. “But I’d love to know.”“Well….okay,” Ginny said. “I’ll tell you. I’ve been writing down stories of what happened during the war and I just got started writing about our adventure earlier in the year with Belle.”“Really?” Hermione asked. “I didn’t realize you liked to write.”“Yes,” Ginny said. “It’s a good outlet for me. I don’t expect anyone to read it. I’m writing this for myself. So that I can process my feelings and so that I’ll remember.” Her voice broke off. “I–I want to write about Fred too,” she said. “But it’s too hard right now.”Hermione’s eyes filled with tears at the thought of Fred and everyone else they had lost. “I love that,” Hermione said. “I love that you’re writing all of this. Maybe I should try that too. I don’t think I’ve found a very productive way to process my feelings.”Hermione thought about Malfoy then. She’d felt good talking to him that night they’d picked fluxweed and that time in Hogsmeade. He’d figured out her motives and she could talk to him honestly. But was talking to him overall a good idea? She hadn’t spent much time with him since their visit in Hogsmeade. She’d seen him in class and bumped into him now and then. They had short conversations. Friendly ones, but short.Yes, maybe writing wasn’t such a bad idea, she thought. Better that than spilling out my heart’s secrets to my former enemy.That night, she looked around her desk for a blank notebook or something for her to begin journaling. She came across a sheet of parchment that Belle had written on. Hermione pulled it out and read it. Belle had written about a dream with her mother and her first encounter with Hermione.Reading Belle’s words put a fond smile on Hermione’s face. Sometimes Hermione dreamed flashes of scenes that Hermione thought might be Belle’s experiences. A group of leering villagers with that oafish Gaston at the front. Three identical blonde sisters. A handsome, golden-haired man Hermione recognized as the transformed Adam. A short, plump man besides Belle’s tall, beautiful mother, Colette.Hermione wondered how Belle was doing. She wished she could contact her and find out.After reading Belle’s dream recollections, Hermione tucked Belle’s dream writing away in a safe place and pulled out her notebook where she’d written all those notes on spellcrafting. This was the perfect place to start documenting her experiences. The journal where she’d sought escape would be the journal to help her find herself.Or so she intended. Whenever Hermione opened the journal, however, she found she could not write down a word. Her mind clashed and clanged against her. Insecurities flooded Hermione and she always put the journal away, intending to try again another time.One day, Hermione confessed this to Ginny. “I know the exact feeling,” Ginny said. “The way I get around that is to just write. Write whatever comes into your mind and don’t stop. It ends up being better than you think it will be. Once you get down that first word, the rest begins to flow.” Ginny smiled softly. “At least that’s how it works for me.”
That night, Hermione decided to try Ginny’s advice. She wrote, “I feel silly and I don’t know what I’m doing.” And then she kept writing. And the words flowed out of her. Before Hermione knew it, her watch read midnight.From then on, Hermione wrote about anything and nothing in her journal. She experienced a newfound connection with herself. An ability to recognize the feelings arising in her and be aware of them.Hermione began to feel more and more present in her reality. Less of an outside observer.She was becoming an active participant in her own life.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Shivering, Belle stood blindfolded.After the wedding ceremony had ended, Gaston put the blindfold on her and scooped her into his arms, carrying her for an indeterminable amount of time until he set her down in a place she could not see.Belle could hear Gaston striding around the room, shutting the door behind them and then Belle heard the familiar sound of striking flint. He must be lighting the fire.It wasn’t that cold temperature wise, but Belle felt cold inside. She’d married that boorish man. He had kissed her at the end of the ceremony, taking more time than was entirely necessary. He seemed to savor having her finally. Belle had stood still, unable to move or escape, as he forced her lips open and jammed his tongue into her mouth.The thought of that experience sent a shiver of disgust through her. And the anticipation of what might be coming sent a deeper shiver through her.The crackling sound of a fire reached Belle’s ears. He’d managed to light the fire.“I’ll have those people for forgetting to light the fire,” Gaston muttered. “My poor wife is shivering.”He strode over to her and removed the blindfold. Belle blinked her eyes open and saw him standing before her, his tie thrown aside and the top few buttons of his shirt undone. The hair on his chest peeked out the top.“Sorry for that,” he said. “I want to trust you and let you see everything. But D’Arque was making such a fuss about it that I put it on you to shut him up.” He put his arms around Belle. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll warm you up.”As his muscled arms engulfed her, Belle felt trapped and scared. She grew as stiff as a board, feeling as if she’d been turned into a statue.“Relax,” he murmured against her. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He began to rub her back.Could he mean that? He wasn’t going to hurt her?“I’m scared,” she said against his chest. It was the truth. Perhaps that would elicit some sympathy.“Don’t be,” he said. “I’m going to protect you and keep you safe. I’ll be gentle with you, my beautiful wife. I know it’s your first time.”Belle inwardly wished it wasn’t true. She wildly wished that she’d had a passionate love affair with…anyone else. The thought of Draco Malfoy came to mind. Then she remembered Adam. She grew hot thinking about these men. Adam in particular. The man she’d started to care deeply for.Could she pretend that Gaston was Adam? Maybe if she closed her eyes and he didn’t talk. They were a similar height. Adam wasn’t as big as Gaston, but he was also strong and muscled.“There, there,” Gaston said, rubbing her back. “See it’s not so bad.” He seemed to notice the shift in her body.“You’re like my prize mare,” Gaston continued. “She freezes when something spooks her. But if you rub her and give her time, she calms back down.”“Gaston!” a familiar voice exclaimed. Claudette had thrown the door open and strode into the room. She put her hands on her hips. “Never tell a woman she’s like a horse. Or any animal really.”Gaston eyed her. “And what are you doing here?” he asked.“I wanted to see if you needed any assistance,” Claudette said, standing firm. “Remember, you asked me to come?”“Oh. That’s right,” Gaston said, turning to Belle. “Would it make things easier for you if Claudette was with us for your first time? She could show you some things.”Have Claudette there with them? Belle couldn’t deny that the idea of having someone else there to divert Gaston’s attention appealed to her. She couldn’t fathom why Claudette would do something like this though.Belle gazed at Claudette, trying to see if this was something Claudette wanted to do. Belle didn’t want to put Claudette in a situation she didn’t want to be in. Belle cocked her head, questioningly, at Claudette. Smiling slightly, Claudette nodded.“I would appreciate that,” Belle said, still looking at Claudette. “Thank you.”Claudette nodded again and shut the door behind her. Claudette walked towards them, slowly. She reached behind her and began to unbutton her red dress. Belle watched as the arms of the dress loosened and fell down her shoulders before the rest of the dress fell to the floor.Stepping over her discarded dress, Claudette raised her shift over her head and tossed it to the side. She stood completely naked before the two of them, confident in her skin.Belle wondered at her confidence in being completely in the nude before two people. Claudette possessed a strength that emanated from her as she stood sky clad. It impressed and stirred something in Belle.Claudette turned to Gaston and pulled his jacket off, laying it gently on a chair. She unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off too, throwing it on top of his jacket.Naked from the waist up, Belle took in the dark hair covering his muscled chest. The bigness of him re-impressed itself upon her. He was so large. The hair triangulated down his stomach into a line that led into his trousers. Belle’s gaze followed that line and noticed that the bulge in his trousers had more than doubled in size.“It fires me up to see you looking at me like that,” Gaston breathed. His hands went to Belle’s shoulders and he turned her around. He ripped open her dress from the back in one fluid motion and yanked the dress down her body.Tears filled Belle’s eyes at the violation and she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest. She began to shake again.“Easy, Gaston,” Claudette said, running her hand across his chest. “We have plenty of time. You don’t want to scare her now, do you?”Belle looked at Claudette in utter gratitude and mouthed thank you. Belle wondered at the kindness Claudette was showing her now. These were not the actions of someone who hated her. Had the conversation earlier meant something to Claudette?Claudette nodded. She briefly squeezed Belle’s hand, before moving it to Gaston’s trousers.“Let me help take the edge off,” she said, pulling down the front of his trousers, which caught at his boots and hung from them. His large erection sprung free, pointing straight at Belle. She couldn’t help but stare at it while Claudette said, “Oops, we better take your boots off.”Gaston moved to sit down on the edge of the bed. Claudette followed and pulled off his boots, one by one. Belle’s eyes couldn’t leave his enlarged penis as he moved. It stood straight up at attention, almost at 90 degrees from his body.“Like what you see, eh, Belle?” Gaston said in such a male satisfactory way that she shuddered, reminded of how chauvinistic he was.Belle didn’t know what to say but was halted from having to say anything because Claudette, who had finished removing Gaston’s boots, bent over Gaston’s erection and put her mouth around it.Gaston’s eyes closed momentarily in satisfaction as Claudette moved her mouth up and down along his penis. As Belle watched, Claudette spat on his member and moved her hand up and down it, moistening it entirely. She alternated between taking it fully in her mouth and using her hands to move his foreskin up and down his penis.The entire time, Gaston stared at Belle where she stood a few feet away in her shift, unmoving from where she’d been set down by Gaston. Belle arms were still wrapped around herself, holding herself as she watched in fascination at this sexual act. Belle also felt mildly disturbed watching this, but mostly because this was Gaston and she couldn’t imagine herself doing this to Gaston. Taking that in her mouth?Moaning, Gaston’s eyes closed again as he grabbed Claudette’s head and held it in place as he began to jerk. Belle observed that Gaston was holding Claudette’s head in place with her lips around his cock. Given what Belle knew about sex and reproduction, she guessed that he was ejaculating into her mouth. Claudette’s eyes were closed and she did not move as he jerked into her mouth.At least he finished, and Claudette removed her lips from his cock, swallowing. A white liquid trickled out of the edge of her mouth and she wiped it away as she stood up. Gaston lay back on the bed, his eyes closed.Claudette moved close to Belle. “He’s not done,” she whispered. “I only helped take the edge off. It’ll make him be more gentle with you.”Belle clasped Claudette’s arm. “Thank you,” she whispered back earnestly. “You have no idea how grateful I am.”Claudette nodded. “I wished I’d had that my first time,” she replied. “I did the same for my sisters.”Belle hugged Claudette then. “You carry so many burdens,” she whispered in Claudette’s ear. “And you don’t have to. Let them go. Remember what I said before.”Claudette’s eyes had filled with tears. “Go now,” Belle urged quietly, keeping an eye on Gaston who still lay back on the bed with his eyes closed. “I think I’ll be all right now. Go, find your freedom.”Claudette’s eyes searched Belle’s. “All right,” she said quietly putting her hands on Belle’s shoulders. “Remember, you have power in your sexuality. Gaston has wanted you for a long time. Use that to your advantage.”Belle wasn’t sure exactly how she could do that, but she said, “I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.” Belle stepped away and made a motion towards the door. “Go now,” she urged Claudette.Claudette nodded. “Thank you,” she said. “I have to find my sisters.”Belle smiled at her. “I’ll be forever grateful to you,” Belle said.Claudette smiled at Belle, donned her clothes, and left the room. The courage Belle had felt while talking to Claudette threatened to leave her as she turned back to eye Gaston laying on the bed. Remembering the way that Claudette had stood naked with such confidence, Belle removed the shift from over her head.She would have Gaston on her own terms.Gaston’s eyes fluttered open and he took Belle in standing over him. His eyes grew heated with lust and longing. His cock twitched, growing stiff once more. The clear desire that emanated from Gaston made Belle feel that power Claudette had shown. She was desirable. She had this man practically drooling just looking at her.Gaston got up on his elbows, staring at her. “So, what’ll it be, Belle?” he asked. “Is it yes, or is it ohhh yes?”Gaston said the weirdest things sometimes, Belle thought. That wasn’t much of a choice he was giving her.Gaston was looking at her like he wanted to devour her. Maybe he did. She shivered, that prospect didn’t sound pleasant.She stood there, unsure what to do and reluctant to encourage him. Yes, she found herself enjoying the way he looked at her, but she also still cringed at the idea of him touching her. Of him entering her.He sat up suddenly and reached out to her, gripping her by the waist. “I like having you above me,” he said. “I can see all of you.” He pulled her closer, so that she was between his legs. Belle tried not to look down at cock that had reattained the full size it had been before.He hands lowered to her behind, cupping each of her cheeks gently at first. His hands were so large, it felt like they covered her entire backside. Her skin crawled at his touch, but she made no move to escape. Claudette was right, she did have power over him. If…she stayed on his good side.She tried to play on his protective side, saying truthfully once more, “I’m scared.”“I know,” he said. “I’m a big strong man. The handsomest man in town. Of course you’d be nervous.”Belle nodded, resisting rolling her eyes at him. “I don’t know what to do,” she said.Gaston pulled her closer, moving the angle of his hands so that he was lifting her. “Put your legs on either side of me,” he ordered. Belle obeyed, so that she was sitting on his lap. His enlarged member stood at attention between them. Was that supposed to go inside of her?Leaving one hand cupping her ass, Gaston put his pointer finger on his other hand to her lips. “I’m going to warm you up, first,” he said. “Suck on my finger.”Hiding her disgust, Belle closed her eyes and did so, imagining that it was Adam that she was with, guiding her. Belle could feel the rumble of Gaston’s sigh as her tongue touched his finger and soaked it with her saliva. “God, Belle,” he said. “If you feel like that on my finger, I can’t imagine how those sweet lips might feel elsewhere.”Despite herself, Belle felt a sense of satisfaction that she could make him feel that way. To say those things.Gaston extricated his finger from her mouth and, using the other three fingers he brushed his hand down her chin to her throat to her chest all the way down between her legs. Once he was there, he moved his finger along her vulva until he found her hole and gently inserted the moist finger.It hurt. She’d never been touched there before and her hole felt very small and tight around his large forefinger.Gaston brought his mouth to her neck and kissed it as he began to move his finger around her hole. “You’re so tight, Belle,” he breathed against her neck. “Good thing Claudette took the edge off. I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself from entering you right away.”Belle said a silent prayer of thanks to Claudette. His finger hurt. She couldn’t imagine if she’d had to endure his enlarged penis inside of her right away. She still couldn’t imagine it inside of her. It made her feel sick.As if only now realizing she wasn’t there, Gaston paused for a moment and broke away from Belle saying, “Where’s Claudette?”Belle, wanting to protect Claudette, said, “Does it matter?”Gaston laughed. “No,” he said, returning to her neck, biting it, and kissing it. Belle closed her eyes again and imagined the kisses being Adam. She imagined that the finger which still moved in slow circles was Adam preparing her.Belle always had a good imagination and she quickly could picture Adam holding her in his arms. She relaxed, discovering that the kisses felt good. That the finger inside of her felt good.“There,” Gaston murmured. “That’s it. Surrender to me.”If only Gaston didn’t speak. He was handsome until he opened his mouth. Belle tensed for a moment at his words, but as he continued to kiss her, she was able to recreate the illusion.“I think you’re ready,” Gaston said. He moved his hands to her hips and lifted her. He spat on his hand and ran it over his cock, wetting it. He held his cock in place as he used his other hand to guide her down onto it. “Sit down on it,” he ordered.Keeping her eyes closed, Belle remained in her illusion that this was Adam she sat on top of. Slowly, painfully, she eased herself down, unable to restrain the wince as he entered her.“It’ll be all right,” he said. “Sit there until it feels okay.”Belle had no idea why Gaston was being so patient with her, but she found herself thanking God that he hadn’t forced her. Well, forced her more than he already had by forcing him to marry her. Belle took a deep breath. And let it out, forcing herself to relax. He was right, it did start to feel better.Gaston pulled her against his chest. He stroked her back and buried his face in her neck, breathing her in. Again, Belle imagined that it was Adam doing this to her and relaxed in his arms.Gaston sighed and murmured in her ear, “Ride me like you ride your horse.”Belle shook her head, clearing it of Gaston’s interjection into her illusion of Adam. She could do that. Belle lifted her hips slowly, realizing that this motion felt incredibly good. She slowly lowered her hips and began to ride Adam in a manner that felt all too familiar to her, except incredibly better. She felt filled and complete. Belle began to pick up speed. Adam’s hands on her hips moved to up to her waist and held her as she rode. His breath against her neck was hot and sent tingles down her spine.Losing herself in the sensation, Belle felt her breasts bouncing up and down as she rode. A hand had moved to one of them, cupping it. Belle felt as she moved, a mouth seal around the other nipple sucking it. Belle threw her head back and moaned at the sensation.Her moan sent a shudder through Adam as she rode him. “I’ve imagined you like this so many times,” Gaston’s voice said against her chest. “The reality is nothing like I could have imagined.”The illusion broke, Belle opened her eyes to realize that she was riding Gaston. And enjoying it. Shame coursed through her. She was enjoying sex with the man she hated. Gaston wasn’t looking at her face, otherwise he would have seen the horror that crossed it. Instead, he suddenly put his hands on her hips again and lifted her off him. He threw her down on the bed and pulled her hips up in the air so she was on all fours.He entered her from behind, going deeper than he had been when she was riding him. Pain redoubled as he began to thrust in and out of her, pounding her hard. She gripped the sheets, grimacing in pain and discomfort as he pounded in and out of her. The act reminded her of a stallion dominating a mare. Belle felt tears trickle out of her eyes as she braced herself against his onslaught. Belle didn’t try to imagine this as Adam. Even though he had been a beast, she knew instinctively that he wouldn’t hurt her in this way.Finally, Gaston let out a huge moan and Belle felt liquid fill her. He had finished then. He held her hips in the air in a vice-like grip until he finished jerking against her. Finally, he released her and she collapsed onto the bed as he withdrew. He lay down beside her and pulled her against his chest.“You’re mine now,” he whispered in her ear. “All mine.”

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Before Hermione knew it, Halloween had arrived. Hermione always loved the transformation Hogwarts experienced during major holidays.Hagrid’s pumpkins were bigger than ever, floating by the ceiling on the morning of Halloween. The professors always went all out with the décor and the overall atmosphere was spooky and cozy.Halloween always was an interesting time at Hogwarts, Hermione reflected. Her first year, she’d found herself cornered in a bathroom by a wayward troll. She’d been crying about something Ron had said. But then he’d redeemed himself by saving her with his first perfect execution of the Windgardium Leviosa spell. She smiled at the memory. She, Harry, and Ron had become best friends that night.There was the year they went to a Deathday party for Nearly Headless Nick. That was something she could live her whole life without experiencing again. And directly after that, the Chamber of Secrets had been opened.The following year, Sirius Black had attacked the Fat Lady. Then the next year, Harry’s name had been drawn from the Goblet of Fire at Halloween. She wondered if this year would be eventful.Ginny had heard from Harry that Ron dropped out of Auror training. He didn’t seem to have the heart for it and failed too many exams. He’d started working with George at Weasley’s Wizard Weazes and moved into Fred’s old bedroom in the apartment he’d shared with George. Ron had said so he could be closer to work, but Harry wondered if Ron was mad at him for defending Malfoy.Hermione was troubled at the news but also thought that it might be a good thing for Ron to take some time away from Auror training. She remembered that he hadn’t been sure if that’s what he really wanted to do. He just couldn’t think of anything better, so he went along with Harry.This way, Hermione hoped, he’d have some space to explore possibilities without feeling pressure. And who knew, maybe he’d love working with George and stay on there. Ron lacked Fred and George’s brilliance for mischief and coming up with inventions, but Ron had other talents that might help balance out the business.Yes, Hermione thought, this might be a good thing after all. Or so she hoped. She hated to think that Ron dropped out of Auror training because of her. She couldn’t help those thoughts though, even when Ginny dismissed them.Ginny and Hermione planned to go to another of Slughorn’s parties after the feast. He’d invited Harry and Ron and his usual slew of guests. As far as Hermione knew, Ron wasn’t planning to attend. They’d briefly considered skipping the feast and going straight to the party, but this was their last year at Hogwarts and both of them loved the Halloween feast. The atmosphere! The food!The Halloween feast was not a time for dieting. Just when they thought they couldn’t eat another bite, the dessert appeared. Ginny and Hermione grinned, loading their plates with sweet stuff. Hermione thought that she might not eat for three days after this meal, but it was worth it.“I don’t know if I can move,” Ginny said, her hands resting on her stomach.“Me either,” Hermione sighed. “I might need someone to levitate me out of here.”“I wonder if we can simultaneously levitate each other?” Ginny wondered aloud. “That could be an interesting thing to try.”Hermione laughed at the mental image of them trying to keep each other afloat while both in a food coma. “Best not risk it in our states,” she said, still laughing. Ginny laughed with her.“Come on,” Ginny said. “We better go. We need to rescue Harry from Slughorn’s grip.” Harry had come ahead of them so that he’d be done with “Slughorn duty” by the time Ginny and Hermione arrived.Hermione laughed again. “More like his web,” Hermione said, standing up slowly. “Oof, I don’t know if I can walk.”“We can take our time,” Ginny said, groaning. “We just need to make progress in that direction.”As the girls exited the Great Hall and entered the much draftier entryway, the cooler air refreshed them somewhat. They found that as they descended into the dungeons, that they felt more energized and ready for the party. Fresh air and walking helped them digest their food.Hermione found herself looking forward to the party. She’d get to see Harry and she truly did enjoy Slughorn’s parties. Since she’d missed the one at the beginning of the year, she hadn’t been to one since starting back at Hogwarts.The noise of music and conversation grew louder as they approached the party room. As always, when they entered inside, Hermione was struck by how Slughorn always managed to completely transform a classroom at Hogwarts into a space that seemed larger, yet intimate and suitable for a party. For all his faults, Slughorn knew how to throw a good party.Since Harry wasn’t with them, Ginny and Hermione were able to slip into the party relatively unnoticed and unannounced. They always joked that Slughorn had a “Harry Potter radar” because whenever Harry walked into one of his parties, Slughorn managed to appear right at his side.“Wow,” Ginny shouted over the noise. “Slughorn really outdid himself.”She was right. The décor was outstanding. Almost as good as the décor in the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. Hermione spotted many familiar faces in the room, including some not quite welcome faces like Cormac McClaggen and Blaise Zabini.“Let’s go over here,” Hermione said, pulling Ginny’s arm and steering her towards a wall, away from McClaggen. “We can see better here.”Hermione had inadvertently pulled them over to where the food table was. “Oh, no,” she said, “we don’t need that.” Then she spotted Neville Longbottom preparing a plate of food. He saw them and smiled, coming over to them. “Hi Hermione, hi Ginny,” he said. “We haven’t gotten to see much of each other this term.”Hermione had reunited with Neville in Herbology class where he’d been happy to know that she was back. But he was right, they didn’t get to see a lot of each other outside of class.“Professor Sprout keeping you busy?” Hermione asked.“You have no idea,” Neville said. “She always made it seem so easy, but managing all the different greenhouses is like a full-time job. Not counting teaching!”“I’m sure she’s glad for the help,” Ginny said.“I think so,” Neville said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love it. But it does make it hard to make time to see friends.”“It’s weird being a student and now people I went to school with like you and Malfoy being on the staff,” Hermione said. Hermione remembered how cruel Malfoy used to be to Neville and thought she’d use the opportunity to ask about him. “Speaking of Malfoy, how has he been to you?”“Well,” Neville said thoughtfully. “I was apprehensive about him being around. I only see him at faculty meetings and sometimes in the staff room, but he’s been all right actually. Doesn’t say much to me, but he doesn’t go out of his way to be awful to me like he used to. He seems…more grounded than he used to be.”Inwardly, Hermione was relieved that Malfoy wasn’t bullying Neville anymore. Perhaps he really had changed.“That’s surprising,” Ginny said, verbalizing essentially what Hermione had been thinking. “But I’m glad he’d being decent to you.”“He really is,” Neville said. “Say, speaking of Malfoy, I was just talking to him, Harry, and Professor Slughorn before I came to get food. Harry and Malfoy were actually…getting along. It was very strange.” Neville pointed in a direction cattycorner to the food table. “Actually, they’re still over there. And without Professor Slughorn. And they’re talking.” Neville shook his head in bemusement.And sure enough, from their new vantage point, they spotted Harry and Malfoy standing together talking in a nearby corner. Slughorn was nowhere to be seen. Ginny and Hermione looked at each other, raising their eyebrows.“Well, we’re going to go over and say hi to Harry,” Ginny said. “You want to join us, Neville?”“Nah,” Neville said. “I already talked to him earlier. I’m going to go say hi to some old family friends that are here. Slughorn knows everyone! See you two later.”Waving goodbye to Neville, Ginny and Hermione made their way through the crowd to where Malfoy and Harry stood talking.“Hello,” Ginny said, wrapping her arm around Harry’s waist. He beamed at her and kissed her on the forehead.“Happy Halloween,” Hermione said to Harry and Malfoy. “Interesting to see the two of you together.”To her surprise, Harry laughed. “Isn’t it? I’m not sure I’d believe it myself, if I weren’t actually standing here.”“Slughorn, that shifty bastard, somehow manipulated us to be by ourselves,” Malfoy said ruefully. “And then Potter and I ended up finding something to talk about.”Hermione shook her head. When Slughorn had sent her and Malfoy to gather fluxweed, she’d wondered if he had an ulterior motive. This only made her suspicions grow. Was he trying to help Malfoy make friends?“Slughorn is a master maneuverer,” Hermione admitted.“And it’s always a surprise given his bulk,” Malfoy joked with a surprising fondness in his voice. Hermione didn’t detect a sneer in his voice at all.“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Slughorn boomed, appearing out of nowhere. “Oh, don’t mind me,” he said, noting their looks of abashment. “I’m well aware of my talents. And my vices. I just stopped by to greet Miss Weasley and Miss Granger. Welcome to the party!”“Thank you, Professor,” Ginny and Hermione said in unison.“I’ll leave you young people to it then,” Slughorn said and disappeared as instantly as he’d appeared.“Master maneuverer indeed,” Harry said. “Did you try any of the food? It’s delicious, as always. Slughorn has great taste.”Ginny and Hermione groaned in unison.“I couldn’t possibly,” Hermione said, feeling heavy at the thought of more food.“I can still hardly move,” Ginny agreed.“Stuffed yourselves at the feast, eh?” Malfoy asked. “Well, can’t blame you for that. The house-elves always outdo themselves.”“I’m surprised to hear you acknowledge the house-elves,” Hermione said. “Especially after your family’s treatment of Dobby.”A wash of sadness crossed Harry’s face at Dobby’s name. Hermione had been thinking about how Dobby had been the Malfoy’s slave for years until Harry freed him. Poor Dobby had been fatally wounded at home of his former masters. He’d risked so much to save them, overcoming the terror of being back in the home where he’d been enslaved. And had met his doom there.“Way to kill the mood, Hermione,” Ginny muttered. “But also, good point.” Ginny eyed Malfoy, curious to hear his response.“I’ll be forever grateful to Dobby,” Malfoy said. “That elf did what I couldn’t bring myself to do. He was braver than I ever realized. His memory inspires me to be brave when all I want to do is hide and survive like I’ve always done.”Harry, Hermione, and Ginny stared at him openmouthed, shocked at his words.“Hey, don’t look at me like that,” Malfoy said, looking uncomfortable at their stares. “I still think you’re a big-headed prat, Potter.”The familiar insult broke them out of their shock and Harry laughed, Ginny and Hermione following suit.“And you’re still a snobby git, Malfoy. But perhaps you’re all right, after all.” He turned to Ginny and extended his hand. “Shall we go dance?”Beaming, Ginny took his hand and the two of them vanished into the crowd.Hermione watched them go, happy for them. She was reluctant to look at Malfoy. Her conflicted feelings whirled within her. The years of dislike mingling with the newfound interest and even…respect?“So…shopping with me was really that awful, was it?” Malfoy asked Hermione, a wry smile on his face.Hermione turned to look at him, surprised. “What?” she asked. “No, not at all. Why do you say that?”“Because we haven’t seen each other since then,” Malfoy commented.“We’ve seen each other in class and around the school,” Hermione said, playing dumb.“You know what I mean,” he said, his gray eyes boring into hers. “We haven’t spent more time together.”“Oh. Well, I’ve been busy,” Hermione said defensively. “And plus, it’s not like it’s normal for us to hang out. I wasn’t avoiding you or anything.”“You didn’t exactly invite contact either,” Malfoy said. “You’ve been brushing me off.”Had she? Hermione hadn’t realized she was doing it, but looking back on it, he might have a point. She’d always been the one to end their conversations.Hermione sighed. “I’m confused and feeling kind of overwhelmed by everything,” she admitted. “I’ve been doing a lot of…processing.”Malfoy’s eyes softened. “I suppose I can understand that,” he said. “How’s it going for you?”“A lot better,” Hermione said. “I took up a habit I learned from Ginny. I’ve been journalling. And it seems to help me process things and get them off my chest.”“I’m fond of journalling myself,” Malfoy said.“You are?” Hermione asked, surprised.“Yes,” he replied. “Why do you think I’m so particular about my quills?”“I don’t know,” Hermione said, smiling. “I thought it was because you’re particular about a lot of things.”“Well, that’s fair,” he said. “But I am especially particular about my quills.” He looked at her. “I like seeing you smile.”Hermione’s smile vanished from her face. She didn’t know how to respond when he said things like that. “You didn’t like my smile when my teeth were long,” she said. “You used to make fun of me.”“I thought they were cute,” he said. “But I wasn’t supposed to find anything about a Mud—” he broke off and quickly changed what he was going to say. He’d almost said Mudblood. “Muggle-born cute. So I had to bury it under forced prejudices and insults.”Hermione narrowed her eyes and examined him. “I’m still not sure I can quite believe you,” she said.“Why don’t we spend more time together?” he asked. “That way, you have time to see me for who I truly am. Otherwise, you’ll always be in doubt.”“I’m very busy,” Hermione said truthfully. “What with school and a research project that I’m doing, I don’t have much extra time to spend socializing.”“Well, I enjoy the library,” Malfoy said. “Perhaps you can let me sit with you at least.”“I suppose we can try that,” Hermione said, seeing that he would not be deterred. “As long as you don’t bother me too much.”“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Malfoy replied.“Hermione!” a large, sandy blonde-haired man appeared out of the crowd to stand beside Hermione. “I thought I recognized you. What are you doing over here with Malfoy? Why don’t you come with me? I’ll introduce you to some people.”Hermione turned to see Cormac McClaggen. Great. Just what she needed. This imbecile who was so full of himself and his connections. “Ah no,” Hermione said. “I think I’m good where I am, thank you.”“What?” McClaggen said, not able to comprehend that she might not want to spend time with him. “You can’t be serious. Come on, let’s go.”“No,” Hermione said. “I am quite serious. I’m going to continue my conversation with Malfoy.”“Is he keeping you here hostage?” he said, grabbing her arm and lowering his voice but still loud enough for Malfoy to hear.“No!” Hermione said, pulling her arm free. “I’d rather talk to Malfoy than spend another second with you.”McClaggen looked like he wanted to argue, but Malfoy said. “She said no, man. Take a hint”McClaggen glared at Malfoy. His hand twitched towards his pocket, like he wanted to pull out his wand.“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Malfoy said. “If you want to stay in Slughorn’s good graces. And from what I’ve heard, you need his good graces after what your uncle did. How’s your so-called career at the Ministry going?”McClaggen flushed scarlet. “Oh, that’s rich, coming from you. Your family is in disgrace.”“Oh, I agree,” Malfoy said dryly. “But at least I’m not pretending otherwise.”“You—!?” McClaggen exclaimed.“Why don’t you be on your way,” Malfoy said. “Before your little brain explodes from too much thinking.”“Would you like to dance, Draco?” Hermione said, intentionally using Malfoy’s first name to annoy McClaggen.With satisfaction, she noted the way McClaggen’s red face began contorting in even more rage. She suspected he might have had one too many firewhiskeys that night.“I’d love to,” Malfoy said, extending his hand and leading her to the dance floor.Ginny and Harry were nowhere to be found, Hermione noted, as she faced Malfoy. He led them in time with the music, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.He’s had a lot of practice dancing, Hermione thought. He’s doing this without even thinking.She wondered if he’d gone to a lot of high society occasions in the wizarding world. She wondered what those would be like. Perhaps they too, like Muggle high society events required a lot of dancing and etiquette knowledge.“You called me Draco,” Malfoy said, breaking the silence. “You’ve never called me that before.”Hermione nodded. “I thought it would piss McClaggen off even more,” she said smugly. “It worked.”“It worked splendidly,” Malfoy said, spinning her. “He’s fuming.”He pulled her back, close to him, his hand just at the small of her back. “But it also made me very happy,” he whispered in her ear. “I like hearing you call me by my first name.”He loosened his grip, allowing her to disentangle herself further if she wished. To a more neutral ground.Strangely, Hermione found herself unable to pull herself further away. This close dancing felt comforting to her. It felt right to be in his arms this way.And just for this moment, she allowed herself to enjoy it.

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Gaston snored behind Belle as she lay in his arms wide awake. Her mind raced and her emotions ran wild. She felt disgusted that she’d been with Gaston in an intimate way. She also couldn’t help but feel exhilarated recalling those moments when she’d been taken away by sensation and thoughts of Adam. Belle hadn’t quite realized how deeply attracted she was to Adam until he came to her mind as her ideal lover. In the end, he'd won over Draco Malfoy in her mind.Belle desperately wanted to get away. But with Gaston’s arm around her, she was afraid to move. Belle felt torn. Perhaps she should try to sleep because she’d need her strength. At the same time, this felt like an ideal opportunity to escape.She had no idea where she was though. Looking around, she realized the light of the fire let enough light into the dark room that she could take in more of her surroundings than she’d been able to before. She could see that, besides the bed in which they lay, there was a table and a large rug in front of the fireplace flanked by two chairs.In the dim light, Belle couldn’t make out clearly what hung on the walls, but the shape of antlers indicated some beasts that Gaston had hunted. It reminded her of the main room of the tavern. The tavern! Belle looked to the walls. Yes, there were closed curtains at one of the walls. That meant there were windows and that they were no longer underground. Were they in Gaston’s room on top of the tavern then?She now recalled the sensation of climbing stairs as Gaston had carried her. This meant she might have a better chance at escape because she wouldn’t have to try to navigate the labyrinthine tunnels.Belle’s stomach rumbled and she realized just how hungry she was. If Gaston wakes up, she thought, and he catches me trying to leave, I can tell him that I’m hungry. It wouldn’t be a lie.Making her decision and before her nerves could get the better of her, Belle gingerly lifted the weighty arm of Gaston and rolled out from under it. She quickly slid a pillow to replace where she’d been and Gaston hugged the pillow to him.Breathing a small sigh of relief, Belle gingerly found her shift and donned it. She looked at the bedraggled wedding dress on the floor and refused to put that on. But if anyone saw her in her shift… Belle wasn’t sure what to do.Gaston rolled over in bed, letting out a loud snort as he turned. Hurriedly, Belle took Gaston’s jacket and put it on over her shift and walked as quietly as possible towards the door.A floorboard creaked just as she was a few feet from the door and she froze. Gaston’s snores were uninterrupted and remained motionless in the bed.Suddenly, the door in front of Belle swung open and Belle crouched down into a fighting stance, ready to defend herself or run if need be.To her intense relief, it was Claudette who stood in the door. “Belle!” she exclaimed quietly in surprise. “I’m glad you’re up and about. This makes things easier.” Claudette peeked over Belle’s shoulder and took in Gaston’s slumbering form.“He’ll be like that for hours,” Claudette said. “Once he’s satiated and asleep, you can’t wake him.” She beckoned to Belle. “But we better go ahead and get going.”Belle didn’t need telling twice. She sped out of the door, past Claudette who closed the door behind Belle. “Here,” Claudette said, handing Belle her dress. “I managed to retrieve this for you.”“Thank you,” Belle said, shrugging off Gaston’s jacket and dumping it on the floor. She pulled the dress on over her head quickly. “How did you…?” Belle began to ask, but Claudette shushed her and said, “Come with me.”Belle followed Claudette down the stairs. Belle could hear music and rowdy voices growing louder as they descended the steps. At the foot of the stairs, Belle saw Laurette and Paulette holding tankards and looking casual. Noticing them, Laurette silently tossed Claudette a hooded cloak, which Claudette immediately passed to Belle.“Put that on,” she ordered. Belle obeyed. Claudette pulled up Belle’s hood and nudged her forward. “Go with them,” she said.Paulette and Laurette had set their tankards down and pulled the hoods from the cloaks around their shoulders.“What about you?” Belle asked, not moving.“I’ll be right behind you,” Claudette said. “It would look suspicious if four of us left at the same time.”Belle could see the logic in that, but she didn’t want to leave Claudette. “Go,” Claudette urged, pushing her forward. “The sooner you leave, the sooner I can go.”Belle climbed down the remaining steps and found herself between Paulette and Laurette. Immediately, the two sisters began to walk towards the exit. Belle followed close behind.Unfortunately, the stairs were at the back of the tavern, so they had to walk all the way through the crowded tavern.“Hey!” a drunken man cried once they were about halfway to the exit. “Leaving so soon?”Paulette dropped her hood and tossed her hair, “We’re calling it a night,” she said. “We’ve got a ball to get ready for.”“Oho, now that some prince has come around, you’re too high and mighty for us?” another man complained loudly.“Let’s go,” Laurette said quietly to Belle. “Paulette’s got this.”Loath to leave another sister, Belle trusted that Paulette knew what she was doing.Luckily, Laurette and Belle made it to the exit undisturbed. Just outside the door, Belle saw Adam pacing back and forth in the darkness, with two of his guard standing nearby.As the door opened, Adam saw Belle and ran to her. “Belle!” he exclaimed quietly. “Are you all right?”Belle’s eyes filled with tears as she looked into his face, full of relief at seeing him. His expression darkened. “What I wouldn’t give to go in and tear him apart,” he said darkly. “But I need to get you away safely.”The door opened and they all stiffened until they realized it was Paulette coming out.Laurette beamed at her. “You pull the usual on them?” Laurette asked.Paulette grinned. “Yep,” she said. “I kindly reminded them that Tom likes to cheat and they better pay more attention to what’s going on their game.”“We always play them against each other,” Laurette said conspiratorially to Belle.“We need to move,” Adam said and ushered Belle to the back of the tavern, which lay beside the woods.“Papa!” Belle cried, running to her father. Sure enough, her father and Mr. Levi stood waiting for them in the shadows by the guard who’d been left at Belle’s house. Belle hugged her father tightly, who said, “Belle, I’m so glad to see you.”“Papa,” Belle said tearfully. “I am too.”“Let’s go,” Adam urged. “There’s time for reunions later.”Belle mounted Philippe and helped her father clamber on behind her. Adam looked like he wanted to say something but decided not to and mounted his own horse.“Wait,” Belle said. “What about Claudette?”“She’s safe,” Adam said. “Laurent is with her.”Sure enough, Claudette and Laurent, one of Adam’s guard, ran around the side of the tavern towards them. The sisters each mounted behind a guard, while the fourth man rode with Mr. Levi. He looked less than pleased that one of the sisters wasn’t riding with him.Belle smiled at Mr. Levi, grateful to see him safe.Guiding his horse, Adam led the way through the sparse woods to the road leading in the direction of his castle. Thinking about the landscape around the village, Belle remembered that road formed a circle that went around her cottage, through farmlands, and started and ended in the woods where Adam’s castle lay. Well, it certainly was convenient that they didn’t have to go back through town to get to Adam’s castle.They rode as fast and as hard as they could laden with two people per horse, except for Adam, who constantly changed positions and watched for trouble as they rode. Sometimes he rode ahead, sometimes in the middle, and sometimes bringing up the rear.However, it seemed that none had noticed their absence. Yet.The woods drew nearer and nearer until they were underneath the trees. They slowed their horses, allowing the horses and themselves to adjust to the dimmer light, the trees blocking the light of the moon.The sound of flint striking caught Belle’s attention and Adam’s face was suddenly illuminated by the light of the torch he brandished in front of him. She felt safe and calm just looking at his face. His eyes were fixed on hers, the worry evident.“Follow me,” he said, tearing his gaze away from Belle and leading them down the trail.The horses knew to follow the leading horse and they fell into a comfortable trot along the path, riding single file.From behind Belle, she felt her father adjust his position. “Papa,” she said quietly. “What happened?”“I could ask you the same thing,” he said. “What happened to you?”“I better wait until we’re at the castle,” Belle said. “I don’t want to have to tell the story over and over.”“Very well,” Maurice said, his voice turning stern. “Belle, you have to stop sacrificing yourself for me.” His voice softened, “I’m old. I’ve lived my life. You have so much before you.”Belle felt tears fill her eyes. “You’re all I have,” she said. “Or at least, you’ve been all I’ve had. I’d be lost without you.”“Perhaps not anymore,” her father said, pointing ahead of them at Adam’s back. “It looks like this prince fellow cares deeply for you.”“Do you know who he is?” Belle asked. “He’s the beast who locked you up.”Belle was watching Adam’s back and noticed him visibly wince at her words. He said nothing though as he led them through the woods.“What?” Maurice asked. “That can’t be true. This man is fair and handsome. That beast was hideously ugly.”“He wasn’t so bad,” Belle said, watching Adam’s back as he rode stiffly ahead of them. “But don’t you remember that the castle was enchanted?”“True,” Maurice said.“Well, the enchantment broke,” Belle said. “And you’ll never guess who the enchantress was.”Belle had been contemplating letting the fact that her mother was alive be a surprise to her father, but she worried the shock might kill him.“Oh?” Maurice asked.“Mama,” Belle said simply.Maurice took a sharp intake of breath. “Now, Belle, you know your mother is lost,” he said sternly once more. “Don’t be cruel now.”“You know I wouldn’t,” Belle said earnestly. “She was captured by D’Arque and Gaston. Just like you were.”Maurice fell silent pondering Belle’s words for a time. “She’s alive?” he finally whispered.“Yes,” Belle said, squeezing her father’s hands. “She’s waiting for you at the castle.”

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“Hermione! Is it true you danced with Draco Malfoy at Slughorn’s party?”Yet another random Gryffindor student had stopped by where Ginny and Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table to ask Hermione about her and Malfoy.It had only been after they stopped dancing that Hermione noticed all the curious stares around the room, watching them. The whole school had heard about it by now. Hermione didn’t doubt the whole British wizarding community had heard about it by now too.Hermione sighed. “Yes,” she said wearily.“I don’t believe it!” the third-year said. “Why?”“Leave her alone,” Ginny said across the table. “She has her reasons.”“Oooh maybe she’s trying to spy on him!” another third-year student said.“Yeah! Maybe she’s trying to find out if his family is trying to bring back the Dark Arts,” the first student replied.“No!” Hermione cried. “Malfoy and I are…well.” She paused. What were they? “I suppose we’re friends now.”“Noooo,” the two third years looked at her in shock.“Yes,” Hermione said. “He’s different now. The war changed him.”“But he’s so unpleasant and rude to us,” the first third year said.“Well,” Hermione said. “It’s not like his overall personality changed. Some spots don’t go away. He’s reevaluating his attitude on his previous stances.”“She’s told you enough,” Ginny said. “Now go away.” She shooed off the nosy third-years.Dean Thomas, who was sitting nearby leaned over. “I can hardly believe what I’m hearing,” he said. “After what we went through at the Malfoy Manor, Hermione…”“I know,” Hermione said. “But as you may recall. I had the worst of it.”Dean winced. “True,” he said, shuddering. “I still can hear your screams. It was horrible to not be able to do anything.”“Malfoy… he told me that event torments him,” Hermione said. “He said he was fighting with himself about stepping in. Dobby appeared before he could do anything.”“How convenient for him,” Dean muttered. “I don’t see why you’d bother, Hermione.”“It surprises me too, Dean,” Hermione said. “But I believe that if anyone wants to try to change and do good, they deserve a chance to prove themselves.”“She doesn’t let him off easy, Dean,” Ginny interjected. “She calls him out. Frequently. And he explains where he’s at on a certain topic. He’s reevaluating everything he ever knew. Everything he was brought up with. Can you imagine growing up with parents like that?” Ginny shuddered. “I can’t.”“You know,” Hermione said thoughtfully. “His situation reminds me of Sirius’ brother, Regulus. Do you know the story?” Ginny and Dean shook their heads.“I think I remember hearing about it,” Ginny said, “But I don’t recall the details.”“I’m still adjusting to the fact that Sirius Black was on our side after all,” Dean muttered.“Well, long story short, as we know, Sirius rebelled against his pureblood family, making friends with Harry’s dad and getting sorted into Gryffindor,” Hermione began. “But his younger brother was the golden boy in his nasty family. He got sorted into Slytherin and joined with Voldemort when he graduated and became a Death Eater. But he got disillusioned and, in the end, tried to take down Voldemort and died in the process.”“And you’re saying that the same thing is going with Malfoy?” Dean asked.“More or less,” Hermione said, her mind racing with the similarities. Regulus was a Black. Draco Malfoy also was a Black from his mother’s side. That nasty home on 12 Grimmauld Place would have been right up his parents’ alley and probably had been a place they’d visited.“I think Hermione’s right,” said a dreamy voice. Luna Lovegood had drifted over to their table and sat down beside Ginny. “Malfoy seems different this year. He hasn’t called me Loony once.”“Well, that’s something,” Ginny said, grinning.“And when I was trapped at his house with Ollivander,” Luna said. “Sometimes he would slip me a copy of the Quibbler. It was hard to read in the dark, but I could manage with the cracks of light.”“He gave you copies of the Quibbler?” Hermione asked, absolutely baffled. “Why would he have copies of the Quibbler?”“Maybe he read it?” Dean asked, also looking puzzled. “But it seems out of character that he’d read such outlandish content.”“I think it’s more likely that he read the Quibbler to keep up with the latest news. The real news,” Ginny said. “Remember that Luna’s dad was the only person writing the truth during that time. Hence why Luna was captured in the first place.”“Yes,” Luna said. “It was a lot less interesting, but Daddy knew it was important to get the truth out.”“Until you were captured,” Hermione said. “Then he started printing that Death Eater propaganda.”“Everyone has a price,” Dean said sagely.“And Mr. Lovegood loves his daughter,” Ginny said, smiling at Luna. “It was an impossible situation.”“Poor Daddy,” Luna said. “That time was awful for him. He was so worried about me.”Draco Malfoy appeared behind Luna. “So…” he drawled looking at Hermione. “The gang’s all here.”“Hello, Malfoy,” Ginny said. Hermione smiled at him. He smiled back, a half-smile that sent a butterfly in Hermione’s stomach flittering about.Malfoy eyed Dean and Luna, who looked at him with different expressions. Luna had her usual dreamy expression while Dean looked apprehensive.“I came to see how Granger here was doing,” he said. “I’ve been getting a lot of questions from Slytherin busybodies and it looks like this part of the Gryffindor table has been unusually active.”“Ah,” Hermione said. “I’m fine. I’ve had my share of gossip over the years.”Malfoy looked thoughtful. “Yes…I suppose you have,” he said. “That Rita Skeeter business really was nasty.”“And if I remember right, you and your friends had something to do with that,” Hermione reminded him, echoing their conversation from weeks ago.Dean and Ginny smirked at each other, enjoying Hermione calling him out.“I’m not proud of that,” he said. “I told you before that I was…jealous of Potter. And I wanted to get back at his friends.” He looked at Hermione intently. “But I’ll have you know that it was Parkinson who told that Skeeter woman all those things about you.”“In addition to Rita’s own snooping,” Hermione said. “Well, in any case, I’m not sure I would have been quite so motivated to figure out how Rita was spying on us if she hadn’t directly attacked me. I got a tougher skin and later on was able to have a direct line to a journalist when I needed one.”“Wow, that’s one way to look at it,” Ginny said, impressed at Hermione’s way of turning a negative into a positive.“In any case,” Malfoy said. “I came by to see if you might want to go for a walk with me. Want to give people more to gossip about?”“Sure,” Hermione said. “Why not?” She got up. It was Saturday, after all, and though she had homework and research, she didn’t feel like she’d be able to focus today.“See you all later,” she said to her friends and walked away, joining Malfoy at the end of the table. She ignored the eyes staring at them as they walked away together.As they exited the Great Hall, Malfoy asked, “Are you really all right? Your reputation is in the gutter now.”Hermione laughed. “My reputation?” she said. “What reputation? I never had much of a reputation to begin with.”“Oh, now that’s not true at all,” Malfoy said. “Hermione Granger. Top of her year, despite her non-wizarding background. Best friend to the famous Harry Potter and the one everyone knows is the brains behind the operation. Practically perfect in every way.”“Stop,” Hermione said, feeling embarrassed. “I get your point. But what about you? Draco Malfoy. Pureblood wizard of high pedigree. Wealthy and well-bred. Clever and cunning. Associating with someone from no family that counts in this world.”“Definitely a relationship to get people talking,” he said. “And I don’t care if you don’t care.”“Like I said,” Hermione replied. “I’ve had worse gossip.”“That you have,” Malfoy said again. As they opened the double doors to go outside, the biting cold air cut into their skin. “Oh,” Malfoy said. “I didn’t think about it being cold when I suggested the idea. I was thinking too much about whether or not you’d reject me. We both don’t have cloaks.”“That’s okay,” Hermione said. “Do you want to go somewhere else?”“Well,” Malfoy said, withdrawing inside and letting the doors fall shut. “There’s always my quarters in the faculty tower. But I’m not technically supposed to bring anyone there and I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”Thinking he was talking about breaking rules, Hermione shrugged. “That’s fine with me,” she said. “Unless you don’t want to break the rules.”“I didn’t realize you were such a rule-breaker,” Malfoy said. “I don’t care at all. Let’s go.”

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Belle examined a patch of amaranth on the edge of the castle grounds. It looked satisfactory to her, but she didn’t have the eye her mother had when it came to the suitability of plants for potion making.Her mother was a few feet away examining a conglomeration of many herbs and weeds. Belle thought about calling her over to check but decided not to.Having something to do calmed Belle. Helping her mother build up the castle’s stores of herbs and remedies gave Belle a sense of purpose. Of utility. The servants had made quick work putting the castle in order and finding places for newcomers, the magical folk who’d been rescued from the asylum.Belle’s mother had been overseeing those with potion-making and healing skills to heal those still recovering from their time in the asylum and to stock the castle with the necessaries for future occasions.Belle kept mostly to herself. She didn’t know how to relate to those around her anymore. The situation in the village and getting caught by Gaston had all been because of her own foolishness and pride. No matter what her mother, Mrs. Potts, or anyone else said to the contrary.Adam could hardly look at her. Belle felt ashamed and dirty.Yet, she also felt that something inside of her had been awakened. Something that would never go away.“That basket is looking pretty full,” her mother said from behind her, making Belle jump and breaking her out of her reverie.Belle nodded. “Yes, I’ll have to get creative if I want to fit anything else.”“Shall we head back to the castle?” her mother asked.Belle hesitated. She wasn’t eager to go back into the castle, which despite its transformation, still felt dark inside compared to the bright late summer sun, reminding her of her time underground. Plus, the hustle and bustle of the inhabitants overwhelmed her.“I suppose there’s no rush,” Colette said. “Might as well enjoy the day. Would you like company or shall I take your basket for you?”Belle looked at her mother. She’d started filling out somewhat in the two weeks that they’d been staying in the castle. Belle was happy to see the color back in her mother’s cheeks, though she still looked wan and haunted. Belle wondered if her mother would ever fully recover. Belle wondered if she would ever fully recover.“I’d love your company,” Belle said truthfully. “I don’t know if I can get enough of seeing you still.”Belle’s mother smiled at that and took Belle’s hand. “We’ll get through this,” she said, squeezing Belle’s hand.Suddenly, her mother looked uncomfortable, as if struck by an unpleasant thought. “Belle,” she said. “I have to ask you… I know it’s soon to know, but do you think you could be pregnant?”Belle shivered and shook her head. “No,” she said. “My cycle just ended a couple of days ago. It started a couple days after I got back.”“Oh, that’s a relief,” her mother said. “You likely were in your luteal phase. I imagine he released inside of you?”Belle nodded. Despite the tightness in her throat, it felt better somehow to talk about what had happened. “I wasn’t sure where I was in my cycle since Hermione and I switched places, so I was worried about that. Gaston told me once he wanted six or seven boys. I’m sure he was eager to get started. I was relieved to start bleeding soon after we got back.”“I was going to offer you a potion,” her mother said. “Just in case. But I’m glad I don’t have to. It’s always better to keep track of your cycle if you can rather than rely on substances.” Her mother shuddered. “Claudette told me about the herbal tinctures they used to prevent pregnancy. I’m glad they haven’t been taking them too long because those can cause lasting harm.”Belle hadn’t realized that the sisters took something to prevent pregnancy, but it made sense given that they’d been under obligation to Gaston.“Are you ready for the ball tonight?” her mother asked, changing the subject to safer topics.The ball! Belle had almost forgotten. Though it was impossible to ignore the flurries of preparation around the castle.The energy of the castle was frenetic, the inhabitants both excited and nervous to finally reunite with the village. Adam had advised the staff not to seek out the villagers until they’d held the ball.Two weeks felt like both a blip and an eternity to the staff who had endured under the enchantment, deprived of their loved ones.Belle was happy for them, but she craved peace and quiet. Hence, another reason she’d wanted to escape outside.“I keep forgetting about the ball,” Belle admitted. “It’s like my mind intentionally wants to pretend it’s not happening.”“Wasn’t it your idea in the first place?” Colette asked. “That’s what I heard anyway.”“In a way, yes,” Belle said. “But that was before… Now, I don’t think I’m worthy to go.”Colette set her basket down and took Belle’s from her hand and set it down beside her own. Colette put her hands on Belle’s shoulders. “Don’t fall into the trap of feeling like a victim,” Colette said looking at her square in the eye. “It’ll eat away at you.”“But it was all my fault,” Belle said, for what felt like the thousandth time. “It’s my fault this happened.”“It was no one’s fault,” Colette said sternly. “And I’m tired of you saying that. You need to stop thinking that way. This situation happened. And are you going to accept that this is what happened?”“Are you?” Belle countered. “Are you going to accept that you were imprisoned by D’Arque?”Colette’s eyes darkened. “I do accept that it happened,” she said. “I will not deny that. I was imprisoned by that sadist. And now I’m going to take him down.”“How?” Belle asked.“If you’d deigned to pay attention or join our councils these past couple of weeks, you’d know more of our plans,” Colette said sternly. “It’s time for you to stop moping and take action. Take control back over your life.”Belle stepped back, stunned at her mother’s words, feeling like she’d been slapped. Up until this very moment, everyone had been so understanding that Belle had wanted space and time to recover from her ordeal. No one had insinuated that she’d been moping. She felt speechless at her mother’s harsh words.Her mother took a basket in each hand and said, “I’m going to return these to the castle. Then I’m going to make sure your father is presentable for the ball. He’s gotten so disorderly without me.”Walking a few steps towards the castle, Colette turned back and said, “I love you, Belle. I’m saying this out of love, you know.”Belle watched her mother walk away, reflecting on her actions the past couple of weeks. When they’d returned from the village ordeal, Adam had led them all into a sitting room where Mrs. Potts had brought them all hot cocoa.Staring into her mug, Belle recounted what happened up until the wedding. When she tried to recount the wedding night, she’d faltered, unsure what to say. Claudette had squeezed Belle’s hand.“Was the marriage consummated?” her mother had asked, being the only one willing to ask the tough question.Belle nodded, not looking at any of them. Adam had left the room without a word, his fists clenched. Belle’s mother had hugged Belle, holding her as Belle finally succumbed to tears, her eyes on Adam’s retreating form. Mrs. Potts patted Belle on the back, telling her that there was nothing she could have done.When Belle’s tears had finally dried, she was exhausted and could hardly move. They took her up to her room. Her mother sat beside her and stroked Belle’s hair until she fell asleep. In the late morning, Belle had woken up alone, with a covered tray waiting for her beside her bed.The days had followed a simple pattern from then on. Belle stayed in her room most of the day, reading, unless she’d gone out with her mother to collect herbs.Slowly, the magic suppressing potion left the magical folk’s systems and they’d begun to practice magic around the castle once more. Belle wanted to be more interested in what they were doing, but she hadn’t been able to summon the interest to engage in interactions with anyone.Belle ate her meals in her room. She slept alone, as her mother now slept in a separate room with her father. Belle couldn’t begrudge them that, but she did feel lonely.Any time Belle had seen Adam, he’d averted his eyes and avoided her. Remembering how she’d imagined it was him she was having sex with now filled her with shame. He’d never want her now.Had she been moping? Belle supposed her mother was right. But she’d hardly been able to consider doing anything else. Her mind hadn’t allowed her the possibility of anything else.It had been easier to wallow in her pain and her self-criticism — that feeling of being wronged and that it had all been her fault.Yes, she had been coerced into married Gaston and had sex with him. She’d done what she needed to do to survive. And she had survived. But could she thrive? Would she continue to just survive through life? These past two weeks, that’s what she’d done. She’d survived what happened to her.As Belle stared out on the fields, her sense of self began to return. The truth had been harsh, but she’d needed to hear it. Her mother had given her a strong dose of tough love. Belle needed to face reality. What happened, happened. All she could do was move forward. Only then could she handle the ramifications of what had happened.Her mother had mentioned planning to take down D’Arque. What did she mean by that?Slowly, Belle walked back to the castle. Each step bringing her strength and a stronger sense of self.As Belle entered the castle, she saw the three sisters conferring about something while servants dashed around with decorations. Belle stopped to look around. It was truly marvelous inside. Clearly, some of the décor had been enhanced with magic.As Belle approached the sisters, she witnessed Claudette direct a servant to change something and asked another to check on something else.“Well, well, look who it is,” Claudette said as Belle approached them. “Finally deigning to talk to us?”Belle stopped, taken aback.Claudette smiled at her broadly and came forward wrapping her arm around Belle’s shoulders to usher her into their circle. “Only joking, Belle,” she said. “How are you doing?”Belle considered her words. “I’m finally feeling alive again,” she said.Laurette nodded sympathetically. “It takes time,” she said.Paulette said, “Agreed.”Claudette pulled Belle close. “You know you can talk to any of us anytime.”Belle warmed at her words. Of course she could talk to the sisters. They knew exactly what she’d gone through. In fact, they’d probably gone through worse. Why hadn’t she realized?“I imagine he was careful with you,” Claudette said. “Or tried to be. But that doesn’t make it easier.”“He was,” Belle said. “At first. Then he lost control.”The sisters hummed in sympathy. “He has great needs,” Paulette said. “They can be hard to tame. Claudette was the best at that.”Belle looked at Claudette who met her eyes unabashedly. Belle remembered how proudly Claudette had stood naked before the two of them, utterly at ease and confident in her own skin.“How do you do it?” Belle asked. “How are you so strong and confident?”“I refuse to be otherwise,” Claudette said. “Even if inside I feel another way, I refuse to let that part of me take over.”Belle was amazed at Claudette’s strength. “You’re so strong,” Belle said. “I tried to channel you…after you left. I decided to be with him on my own terms.”Claudette grinned. “Good for you,” she said.“I just feel so dirty and ashamed,” Belle admitted. “Adam won’t even look at me. He must hate me.”“Don’t be so sure,” Claudette said. “I think he blames himself for what happened to you and feels guilty. But he won’t talk about it. Not to us anyway.” Claudette turned to face Belle, looking her in the eyes. “And don’t you ever feel dirty or ashamed. You did what you had to do to survive. Now it’s over. You can only move forward.”“That sounds like what my mother said,” Belle commented wryly.“Smart lady,” Claudette said. “I knew I liked her.”“Miss Claudette,” a servant said approaching the women laden with decorations. “Excuse me for interrupting, but what should I do with the—?”As Claudette gave instructions, Belle said to her sisters, “Looks like Claudette is in her element.”“Yes,” Laurette said, grinning. “Prince Adam let us help Mrs. Potts and Cogsworth plan the party. Claudette took charge like she always does.”“It looks incredible,” Belle said. “I’m looking forward to the party.” She realized she meant it, too. Something had changed inside of her, pulling her back to life. Even if she wasn’t fully recovered.“And what are you going to wear?” Madame de Garderobe said, appearing out of nowhere.“Madame!” Belle said, hugging her. She hadn’t seen the former wardrobe except briefly on her first full day back to the castle. The former wardrobe had been Belle’s first real friend at the castle.“Well?” Madame de Garderobe asked, pulling back and putting her hands on her hips.Belle shrank back a little, abashed. “I’m not sure,” she admitted.“You are in need of a makeover. Immediately,” Madame de Garderobe assessed. “Come, I will summon the maids and we will get you ready for a ball.”

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“I’ll go ahead,” Malfoy said. “Just to make sure no one else is around.”Hermione waited outside the entrance to the faculty tower. She’d never been inside before. She’d gone to the faculty break room once or twice to ask a professor something, but never the faculty tower. It was off-limits to students, so of course she’d never been there. She didn’t think even Harry had been there in his nighttime wanderings with the Invisibility Cloak.Malfoy popped his head out from behind the door. “The coast is clear,” he said. Hermione followed him inside. They went up several flights of stairs until they reached the second to the top floor and the first doorway beside the stairs.Malfoy opened the door for Hermione, letting her enter first, and then followed her inside. It was a small living space, with worn furniture. Yet it was far from shabby.Malfoy had tastefully decorated the room to make it appear inviting and elegant. Hermione noted that an adjoining, open door led to a small bedroom with a made bed. It was very clean and organized. Unlike Ron’s room at the Burrow, Hermione thought, unbidden. Malfoy clearly liked to have things tidy and in order.Looking at his bedroom and space, Hermione suddenly felt nervous. She hadn’t thought about the fact that she’d be in such a private, intimate setting with him. It dawned on her that that was what he might have meant when he said he didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable.“Would you like to sit?” Malfoy asked, gesturing towards the loveseat by the fire. Hermione walked across the room and sat down. “Tea?” Malfoy asked.“Please,” Hermione said, thinking that having something to hold in her hands would make her feel better. It was cozy by the fire, the castle was drafty and cold this time of year.Malfoy flicked his wand and a tea set appeared, with small cakes and scones. He poured them both tea and then sat in the armchair against the wall and next to the loveseat.“It’s not much,” he said. “But it does the job. I split my time between here and Hogsmeade.”“It’s nice what you’ve done with the place,” Hermione said.“Thank you,” Malfoy said. “You should have seen it before. They gave me the worst room. After all, here I’m a lowly assistant coming from a family of dark wizards, so I understand why.”“Is that why you got that other place?” Hermione asked, curious.“No,” Malfoy said. “I got that place to get away from my family and have some space. Before I got the job here. Hogsmeade is the only all-wizarding village in Britain, so it seemed like the best option to me. I moved there during the summer and spent my time wandering around aimlessly, puzzling over life. That’s eventually how I got on good terms with Rosmerta. Anyway, one day, I ran into Slughorn and we talked for hours at the Hog’s Head. He reminisced with about my grandfather and ended up offering me a job.” Malfoy laughed. “I’m not sure he quite had the authority to do so, but it seems like he worked something out with McGonagall. It doesn’t pay much, but it’s nice to have some kind of occupation. Some small purpose to work towards while I figure things out.”Hermione smiled. “That makes sense,” she said. “It’s good to have a purpose. What does your family think?”“I have no idea,” Malfoy said. “I’m sure they disapprove of me working. In our family, we don’t ‘work’ in the way most people do. We manipulate different forces to our advantage. I took my inheritance and I’ve been living off of that.”“It must be some inheritance to be able to afford a place in Hogsmeade,” Hermione commented.“I suppose it’s not the most financially sound decision to have that place,” Malfoy agreed. “But it’s the first place I ever had to myself and I find it hard to let go. Besides, it’s nice to be able to leave the castle and go there. Usually, I spend at least the weekends there, but I stayed here last night rather than go home from the party. Now that I’m working, I use most of my salary here to keep it. And given that all my meals are provided for, I just save what’s left.”“Well, it’s your money,” she said, still thinking it a bit odd that he paid for a second place to live when he already had a free place to live.“Yes,” he said, with a note of pride. “It is my money. It feels surprisingly good to have earned the money.”Hermione nodded. She could understand that. As dentists, her parents weren’t wealthy to the level of the Malfoys, but they were comfortable. She never had the worries that Ron and Ginny had around money.But now, she had to be careful. She’d taken the money her parents had set aside for her before sending them away to Australia. Hermione had carefully rationed what she had left and felt like she could live on her own still. She figured she’d have enough until she could get a job of her own.Of course, she’d been counting on going back to live at the Burrow after finishing Hogwarts. With things with Ron being what they are right now, that was no longer an option. Perhaps she could stay at Harry’s place when she graduated. Oh, she’d have to think about that later though.Hermione held her tea in her hands, enjoying the warmth. “It is nice in here,” she said again.“You said that already,” Malfoy said, smiling a little. “Thank you. Did you sleep well last night?”Truthfully, Hermione had not. After they had finished dancing, Hermione had panicked a little at letting Malfoy hold her close as long as he had. She told him that she was exhausted and left before he could say goodbye. She had been the opposite of tired, however. Her mind had been racing after the dance with Malfoy. Why had it felt so nice? So safe to be in his arms? It should have been the opposite of safe.She shook her head. “I could hardly sleep,” she admitted, looking into her tea.Malfoy shifted, moving over to sit beside her. He took her hand. “I couldn’t either,” he said. Hermione looked up. With the light of the fire flickering on his face, she could see the shadows under his eyes. The play of the light on his handsome features mesmerized her. She couldn’t look away.“Holding you like that,” he said softly. “It felt so…right. I’ve never felt like that before.”“Me neither,” she whispered, unable to tear her eyes away from his.He twined his fingers between hers, holding her hand tightly. “Do you mean that?” he said. “I was surprised when you didn’t pull away, but I couldn’t allow myself to think…”“Like you said,” Hermione continued speaking softly. “It felt…right. I couldn’t pull myself away.” Even now she couldn’t pull away her hand from his.“Until the music stopped,” he said. “It’s as if a spell was broken.”“My mind raced in,” she said. “Telling me all of the reasons why that was a bad idea.”“What does your heart tell you?” he asked. “The heart always knows the truth, even when our minds try to tell us otherwise.”Hermione thought that was a rather wise and profound statement coming from someone like Draco Malfoy. “Where did you learn that?” Hermione asked, diverted.“It’s something I heard my Aunt Andromeda say when I was young,” he said. “Before she was blasted from the family tree. For some reason, it always stuck with me.”“Poor Andromeda,” Hermione said. “She lost both her husband, daughter, and son-in-law during the war. But at least she has her grandson.”“Yeah, it’s awful,” said Malfoy. “I’ve thought about contacting her, but I don’t know how she’d receive me. I don’t remember a lot about her except that I liked her. She used to play with me. My other relatives didn’t give me the time of day until I was older. They’re of the mindset that children should be seen and not heard.”“I think she’d love that,” Hermione said earnestly. “Who better to understand your family than her? I imagine she was raised the same way as you, more or less.”“Maybe you’re right,” he said. “Perhaps I’ll send her an owl.”“I think that’s a good idea,” Hermione said, looking down at their still intwined hands. Again, she felt that sense of rightness. That feeling came from a place deep within her. But her mind gave her a million reasons why this wasn’t right.As if he read her mind, he said. “So, what does your heart tell you?” He squeezed her hand, as if in demand.She looked into his eyes, “My heart tells me that this is right.”He nodded. “It is right. I hope that you can one day trust me.” He looked down, then, at their hands. “And hopefully one day return my feelings in some measure.”Unable to stop herself, Hermione touched his cheek where the fire reflected so brightly. “I’ve already started to,” she said, the words escaping her lips before her mind could stop them.The look of hope and love on his face took her breath away. Again, she was struck by the utter transformation of him.No, he was still Malfoy. An overall prat to the majority of people. Spoiled and entitled. But he was learning to look at the world differently. He was realizing that the way he was taught was not always right.Their faces grew closer. Hermione realized she had reached a moment of decision. Where she could turn back and retreat, go the safe route. Or dive headfirst into the unknown. Where she might get deeply hurt.However, imagining herself going back didn’t feel like an option. Not one that she felt like she could pursue and feel like she was living her life to its fullest.A recklessness took her over. Hermione rubbed his cheek with her thumb. He put his hand on the back of her head and pulled her to him. His lips met hers with a gentle intensity. She closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss. She moved closer to him, so that her legs were pressed against his. She wrapped her other arm across his shoulders.After a few breathless moments, he pulled away to look at her. She opened her eyes to gaze into his. “I…didn’t plan to do that,” he said. “I couldn’t stop myself.”“I don’t want you to,” she breathed and kissed him. The kiss deepened, growing more urgent and fierce. His tongue entered her mouth and searched it. She met his tongue with hers. He pulled it into his mouth and sucked on it. Oh, no one had done that to her before. It melted her to her core. She moaned against him, leaning on him.He pulled her tight against his chest, holding her close. Hermione’s hand fell from his face to his chest, feeling his firm muscled chest. When had he gotten muscled? She wondered. Had he always been like that and she hadn’t noticed? She ran her fingers against the fabric of his robes, feeling the muscle underneath.He gently grabbed her hand and pulled his head back. “Now, now, Granger,” he said, a bit of that old tone in his voice. “We mustn’t get too ahead of ourselves.” He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed the top of her hand and then her palm. Then kissed her gently on the lips. “Don’t get me wrong, I love feeling your touch. But I want to do things right by you. We can’t rush this.”Hermione’s face flushed and she felt embarrassed. “Okay,” she said, looking down, her voice coming out small.“Hey,” he said, putting his hand under her chin and forcing her to look at him. “Listen to me. You didn’t do anything wrong. I loved that. Too much. I need for us to do this right. I don’t want to rush into anything. I want your mind to agree with your heart.”Hermione’s chest warmed at his words. Even though some part of her had felt hurt that he’d stopped her, this showed her that he really valued her. He didn’t want to rush sex and have her feel trapped into something with him.“You’re right,” she said. “Let’s take our time.”“Come here,” he said and pulled her into his lap. For a long time, he held her across his chest, cradling her to him. She rested her head against his shoulder. That same sense of rightness from the night before came over her.The warmth of his body and the fire made her feel utterly relaxed and safe.Hermione’s eyes closed and, in Draco Malfoy’s arms, she fell asleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Looking at herself in the mirror, Belle hardly recognized herself as the same person she’d been only hours before. Donned in a golden dress with her hair fashioned into a partial bun with the rest of her hair cascading down her back. She’d never worn something so richly elegant.When she’d tried to protest the extravagance of the dress, Madame de Garderobe had waved all of her protests away. “Remember you’re in a castle,” she’d said. “This was saved for someone like you.” And said no more about it.Belle gazed at herself in the mirror. She looked like a princess. Unable to help it, she smiled a little.“There,” Madame de Garderobe said, satisfied. “Enjoy your night. I must finish getting myself ready.”Madame de Garderobe exited Belle’s room, followed by several maids. One of the maids named Fifi stayed with Belle.“Is there anything else you need mademoiselle?” Fifi asked.Belle turned to face the beautiful maid. “No, I think I’m all right,” she said. “Aren’t you going to get ready for the ball?”“Oh, I’m helping out with the ball,” Fifi said. “Someone has to make sure things are running. But don’t worry, we’re having a special celebration with the servants later.”“Oh, I’m glad to hear that,” Belle said. “You deserve to celebrate as much as anyone else.”“Do not worry, mademoiselle,” Fifi said. “Being human again is celebration in itself, but we servants know how to have fun.” Fifi winked at Belle.Belle smiled at Fifi as she exited the room. Belle was glad to hear that the staff would be able to have their own celebrations. She also hoped this ball would help them reconnect to their roots in the village.A knock sounded at Belle’s door. “Come in,” she called, wondering who it could be.Claudette, Laurette, and Paulette entered the room bedecked in finery, yet wearing their same customary colors.“You all look amazing!” Belle exclaimed. “Where did you get those dresses?”“Our mother was a seamstress,” Paulette said. “She taught us everything she knew.”“But only Laurette really mastered the skill,” Claudette said. “I’m afraid I’m wretched with a needle.”“You are a hopeless case,” Laurette agreed. “Good thing you have other skills. Paulette’s a decent help though.”“I’m decent at a lot of things,” Paulette murmured. “But not exceptional at anything.”“That in itself is exceptional,” Claudette said, squeezing her sister’s hand. “It makes you so much more adaptable and well-rounded.”Paulette shrugged. “Anyway, Laurette and I made the dresses out of fabric the Lady Estelle had brought from Paris!” Excitement had re-entered Paulette’s voice from her momentary dejection. “She gave us the fabric one morning after we told her about our mother.”“She’s such a dear,” Laurette said dreamily. “This royal family is so kind and generous.”“That’s incredible,” Belle said. “Are you all happy?” She’d missed a lot while she’d been caught up in her sorrow, it seemed.The three sisters nodded. “These past two weeks have been like nothing else,” Laurette said. “I finally feel safe and hopeful for the future. Even if no man will have me, I feel like I don’t have to worry about that because the prince told us we always have a home here if we’d like one.”Paulette nodded in agreement. “I haven’t found a clear place like Claudette or Laurette,” she said. “But I’m happy just to be beside them and know there’s no pressure for us to have to do anything we don’t want to do.”Belle looked at Claudette who grinned broadly at her. “I’ve found a place where I can manage things and order people about,” she said. “After seeing what I can do, Mrs. Potts has invited me to help her manage the household and I think I’ll accept. There’s a lot to take care of in a royal estate that’s trying to rebuild.”Belle beamed at them. “I’m so happy for you all,” she said. “I’m forever in your debt for saving me.”“No,” Claudette said sternly. “We’re even. You vouched for us with the prince. We won’t forget that.” She wrapped her arm around Belle. “We saved each other from him.”Belle nodded and whispered, “Thank you.”“Now,” Claudette said, straightening up. “You ready to go to the ball? People should be arriving by now and we should go greet them.”Belle shrank inside at the idea of greeting villagers. She didn’t know who’d been at her “wedding” with Gaston and whether or not they’d come.“Don’t let him win,” Claudette said, reading the fear in Belle’s eyes. “Don’t let them win.”Belle nodded, shook off her fears, and stood tall. “Let’s go,” she said.Belle and the sisters made their way into the ballroom, descending the stairs into the castle entrance hall which had a fair-sized crowd already. Belle noted footmen bustling about taking traveling coats and cloaks from the villagers who gazed in wonder at the opulent, richly decorated castle. Many of them had never seen the castle, Belle realized.“I want to check to make sure everything is going fine,” Claudette said, approaching Lumeire and Cogsworth, who stood at foot of the stairs. “The main event is happening in the main dining room and the attached ballroom.”Indeed, Belle saw various staff members escorting villagers down the hall that Belle knew led to the main dining room and other parts of the castle she’d yet to explore.“Mademoiselles!” Lumiere exclaimed. “You look fantastique!”Cogsworth cleared his throat. “Yes, very nice, indeed,” he said.“Of course we do,” Claudette said brusquely, waving them off. “How is everything going here?”“Oh, it’s going swimmingly,” Cogsworth said. “Flawless execution.”“Oui,” Lumiere said. “You ought to get to ze party!”“Very well,” Claudette said, looking around the hall with a critical eye. “I’ll leave everything in your hands.”Claudette led the way as they followed behind a small group of villagers walking down the hall. As they passed, Belle said to the two men, “Thank you.”“But of course!” Lumiere said, grinning while Cogsworth nodded, moving forward to intervene in something that only he’d noticed was amiss.Once they were out of earshot, Claudette sighed. “You did well,” Paulette said. “I know you wanted to critique Cogsworth and I’m glad you didn’t.”“Agreed,” Laurette said. “We told her to be on her best behavior tonight,” Laurette said to Belle. “They’ve been butting heads all week.”“We wanted to actually enjoy the party,” Paulette said, grinning at her sister.Claudette rolled her eyes but refrained from commenting.The four women followed the group of villagers down the hall. Belle noticed that people would surreptitiously peek over their shoulders to look at them and look away quickly, putting their heads close together to mutter quietly. Belle noticed that Claudette stood straighter and saw her sisters follow suit. Belle lifted her head high as they continued to walk.The hallway split in two directions, one leading straight ahead and the other leading to the right. The line turned to the right. As the women got to the split, Belle saw a pair of footmen blocking the path to continue straight and directing people to the right. Belle realized she’d never gone to down this small corridor and was interested to as they followed behind the gossiping group of villagers.The corridor led to a simple door, which stood open. A footman stood at the door. He’d just let the group of villagers through the door and stopped the four women from entering. “I’ll let you pass when they’ve been announced,” he said, gesturing through the open doorway indicating the villagers who’d passed through.“Of course,” Claudette said, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Wait until they’ve cleared the stairs. I don’t want anyone mistaking us.”“Very well, mademoiselle,” said the footman, looking inside the doorway. Belle could see that it led to a staircase that descended to a lower level where a richly attired man stood. On the opposite side of the room, she could see another staircase leading to the same level. No one seemed to be descending from that side, however.“The other side is for the royal family,” Claudette said. “But I think they’re already among the crowd.”Belle nodded, feeling a bit nervous at the idea of being announced and descending stairs. She hoped not that many people were there yet.“It is time, ladies,” the footman said.Claudette stepped through the door, followed by her sisters. Hesitating for a moment only, Belle followed the triplets. Focusing on descending the steps, Belle took her skirt in one hand and placed a gloved hand lightly on the railing for balance.Joining the sisters and the man on the middle level, Belle only now allowed herself to look to her left and take in the large crowd below the grand staircase. How was it so crowded already? Belle heard the man announce, “the sisters Claudette, Paulette, and Laurette joined by the lady Belle.”Lady? Belle thought as she and the sisters curtseyed to the crowd below. Looking at the foot of the stairs, Belle saw Adam standing there beside his mother.Adam was staring at her, his expression unreadable. Belle couldn’t take her eyes off him as she stood up and began to descend the steps. He looked regal and handsome with his long golden hair pulled back by a blue ribbon with his rich blue suit with gold embroidery that brought out his bright blue eyes.“You failed to mention how crowded it would be,” Belle said to Claudette as they followed behind Paulette and Laurette.Claudette shrugged. “What can I say?” she said. “I like a grand entrance.”“Well, I don’t,” Belle muttered, taking in how people were watching them and murmuring.“What better way to show them that you’re strong and don’t care than by making a grand entrance?” Claudette said as they reached the foot of the stairs. Paulette and Laurette greeted Adam and Estelle and moved aside to room for Belle and Claudette.“Belle,” Estelle said. “How good it is to see you here. You look lovely, my dear. Your mother and father should be around somewhere. I know they’ll be happy to see you here too.”“Thank you,” Belle said beaming at Estelle. She turned to Adam, her smile faltering a little at his expressionless face.Estelle nudged Adam and then said to Claudette, “And thank you, Claudette for doing such a wonderful job with organizing the ball while I recovered.” In the two weeks since Belle had reappeared in this world, Estelle still looked frail, but her color had returned somewhat and she was able to stand and greet the visitors. Belle thought she looked tired, however, and hoped that she’d take a break soon and not overdo it.“You do look well,” Adam said to Belle as Claudette replied to Estelle. “I’m glad you could make it.”Belle realized that they all thought she might not come to the ball. “I wouldn’t miss it,” she said to him, mustering a smile despite her nervousness.He appeared to be at a loss for words. The announcer on the upper level announced the names of more villagers and Belle saw a small crowd there bowing and curtseying to the crowd. Belle nodded to Adam, “I’ll take my leave then,” she said, “so you can greet the others.”Adam nodded, looking like he wanted to say something else, but held back. As Belle followed the sisters past the royals, she noticed Estelle whisper something in Adam’s ear. He shook his head and whispered something back to her.“Are you hungry?” Claudette asked Belle. “Why don’t we grab food before the action happens.”Belle nodded. “Sure,” she said, following the sisters to an adjoining room, where enormous dining tables laden with food took up most of the room with just enough room for people to navigate around the tables. Small plates were stacked at the edge of each table for people to serve themselves food.Villagers sampled the food and as they walked through the crowd, Belle could hear exclamations at the richness of the food. Dishes of many varieties lay on the table. She recognized many of them from her first night at the castle when the staff had performed for her to cheer her up. She smiled at the memory.Those that noticed the four women stared openly and muttered quietly. The three sisters held their heads high, so Belle did the same as they piled food onto their plates and re-entered the ballroom where tall circular tables stood around the edges of the room.The women claimed an empty table and quietly ate their food, while watching more and more people enter the ballroom, getting announced by the announcer and greeting the royal family.“Helloooo my dears,” said Madame de Garderobe, who joined the women at their table, bearing a plate of her own. “You all look splendid.”“So do you,” Belle said, looking at the Madame in her elaborate gown and wig that made her look like she’d grown a foot.“Thank you, my dear,” she said. “The master asked me if I might perform tonight. I agreed out of love for him, but I abhor singing alongside that dreary Maestro Forte.” She sighed. “He’ll give me no end of trouble for skipping rehearsal with the orchestra too. If only my dear husband were here. I haven’t been able to get in contact with him.”Belle felt as if the Madame were telling her things she should have known but didn’t. Belle opened her mouth to ask, but then her parents appeared.“Belle!” her father cried, dabbing at his eyes. “You are a vision. It does my heart good to see you here like this.” Maurice wore a suit and his hair and mustache had been combed. He looked rather dapper compared to his usual wild appearance.Belle hugged her father, feeling glad that she’d come, despite the stares and muttering of the villagers. Her mother embraced them both. “I’m proud of you,” she whispered in Belle’s ear.Belle smiled at her mother, who wore a beautiful gown and looked more like how Belle remembered her from childhood, grateful her mother had brought Belle to her senses.The small group stood around the table chatting and watching the ballroom fill up. Colette kept her attention on Estelle, seemingly monitoring her friend’s condition.“She’s pushing herself too hard,” Colette muttered to Belle. “I think I’m going to go make her stop soon.”“It’s about time for music to start,” Claudette said. “How about I go let the maestro know?”“Good idea,” Colette agreed. “I’m going to go check on her.” Claudette took one last bite and disappeared into the crowd.Colette made her way towards Adam and his mother, Maurice following behind her. Belle’s father had hardly left his wife’s side since they’d been reunited.“I suppose I had better join the musicians,” Madame de Garderobe sighed, sounding not at all enthusiastic and followed after Claudette.Belle stood at the table alone with Paulette and Laurette. She continued watching the crowd, amazed at the beauty of the space. The ballroom was enormous with a vaulted ceiling with gorgeous painted cherubs flying in a blue clouded sky. The floor-to-ceiling arched windows and arched columns made her feel like she was in another world entirely. The tiled floors were hard to see fully due to the crowd, but they were no less beautiful than the ceiling.Feeling content, Belle smiled. Until she caught the eye of a group of rough looking men she recognized walking towards them. They had been with Gaston when he’d forced her to agree to marry her. They had been at their wedding.A sense of dread washed over Belle as they reached their table.“Well, well,” one of the men said. “Gaston would be interested to know that his wife is here.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hermione stirred, feeling utterly relaxed and at peace. It took her a moment to realize where she was. The feeling of gentle stroking on her back brought her back to her senses and she realized she was lying cocooned in Draco Malfoy’s arms on the loveseat in his rooms in the Faculty Tower. A sense of unreality washed over her. Was this really happening?She stretched a little, her chest rubbing against his. The hand on her back stilled for a moment, then continued its stroking. It felt so nice.“Good morning,” he said. “Or should I say, good afternoon?”Hermione raised her head to look out of the window behind them. Sure enough, the sun was already beginning to set. It set early this time of year in Scotland, which was so far north.“Did I really sleep that long?” she wondered aloud.“I confess I was also sleeping most of the time,” he said. “I only just woke up a few minutes before you.”That made Hermione feel a little better. She would have felt strange about him being awake while she slept all day.“I can’t remember ever sleeping this well,” she said. “Not for a long time anyway. I’ve been plagued by nightmares and strange dreams for so long, it seems.”His arm tightened around her. “Me too,” he said. “Exactly what you said.”Hermione placed her hand on his chest, feeling his sturdiness there. “So what now?” she wondered aloud. “How should we move forward?”Malfoy looked at her closely. “What do you want to do?” he asked.“I’d like to see where this goes,” she said. Then she sighed. “But it’ll be complicated. You’re a faculty member for one thing. For another, there’s Ron and his family. But I guess that was a potential consequence of me breaking up with him. That I’d also lose his family.” Her voice broke. “I think Ginny will understand at least. And Harry. Maybe.”“No one will understand,” Malfoy said, continuing to stroke her back. “We have to be prepared for that. They may never understand.”Hermione nodded. “I hope that they will, but perhaps you’re right.”“Are you willing to sacrifice the possibility of losing people you hold dear?” Malfoy asked.Hermione thought about it. “I think,” she said slowly. “If the people who care about me truly care about me, they would be honest with me about how my actions make them feel. And then they would also respect my decisions.”“We’ll see,” Malfoy said, seeming unconvinced.“And I can’t think of any way that this decision would hurt someone,” she said. “Well, aside from Ron. And, unfortunately, that can’t be helped.”“So, Hermione Granger,” Malfoy said with a note of formality. “Would you like to be in a relationship with me?”“Yes, Draco Malfoy,” Hermione replied. “I would.”Malfoy smiled then and kissed her lightly on the lips. “As far as the issue of my being on the faculty,” he said. “There’s a few options. One, I could resign from my post.”“But you just told me how much you enjoy making your own money!” Hermione exclaimed.He put a finger to her lips. “There are other ways I can make money,” he said. “Two, we could keep it a secret and I continue working here.”“Hmm…” Hermione said. “I don’t particularly like either of those options. I’d like for you to continue working here but keeping it a secret…I don’t know. I feel weird about lying to Professor McGonagall about something like this after all the inconvenience I caused her.”“Well, we are the same age,” Malfoy pointed out. “And were in the same year at Hogwarts. You just…delayed.”“Technically, I’m older than you,” Hermione teased. “Even more reason why this shouldn’t be a problem. The rule against faculty/student relationships was to protect underage students. At 19, I’m two years overage now.”“So what do you want to do?” Malfoy asked.“I’d like to tell Professor McGonagall and see if we can get an exception,” Hermione said. “I would feel a lot better about it all if we did that.”Malfoy studied her. “Well, I’ll do whatever you want to do.”Hermione smiled at him. “Thank you…Draco,” she said, using his first name.He groaned a little. “I really like hearing you say that,” he said, pulling her close. “Hermione.”She smiled into his chest. She quite like hearing her first name from his lips too.“It’s so strange,” she said pulling away after a moment. “You can come and go so much more freely than I can just because you’re faculty. You can leave the grounds whenever you want. I have to wait for Hogsmeade weekends.”“I’ve always thought that the older students should have more freedom,” Draco said. “It’s stifling.”“There are some secret passageways,” Hermione said. “But as far as I know those have all been discovered now and are monitored. I don’t have Harry’s special map to know for sure though.”“Potter’s map?” Draco said, raising his eyebrows.“He has a map that’s enchanted so that you can see where everyone is at Hogwarts,” Hermione explained. “The map doesn’t lie. It has a dot showing where everyone is.”“That explains so much,” Draco said. “Could you make one yourself? Master spellcrafter that you are?”“I hadn’t thought about it,” Hermione said. “I suppose I could. I don’t know why I’d need to though.”“So you can come see me in Hogsmeade,” Draco said, poking her in the back.“Hah,” she said. “Maybe I will. First, let’s just see if we can get an exception granted to us.”“Otherwise,” Draco said. “I might have to resign.”“Don’t you dare,” Hermione said. Her stomach growled. “Oh, I guess I’m hungry.”Draco looked at the clock on his wall. “It’s just about dinner time,” he said. “That’s good. That means no one will be around here and we can sneak out undetected.”“It’s a shame we can’t eat together,” Hermione said. “We’ll have to find other ways to spend time together.”“There’s always the library,” Draco said, smirking at her.

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Ice shot through Belle’s veins at the man’s words.Another man spat on the floor. “I don’t think he’d want to take this slut back after she’d been sullied by the prince.”“He’s really upset you know,” said another man. “What he sees in you, I don’t know.”“Oh, I wouldn’t mind having her in my bed,” said the first man. “Even if she’s been sucking the prince’s —”“That’s enough,” said Adam, emerging from the crowd, wrath in his eyes. “I invited you here out of good will, but if you’re going to talk like that to my guest of honor, I’ll have you expelled.”The three men cowered as they saw the prince. “We were only joking,” the first man said.“Villager humor,” the second said.“We apologize,” said the third.“In my castle,” Adam said, his voice brooking no argument. “That kind of talk is not permitted. If you cause one more problem, you will be expelled.”“Of course,” said the first man. “You are most gracious, Your Highness.”Adam extended his hand towards Belle. “Will you take the first dance with me?” he asked.Belle nodded, grateful for his intervention. Adam took her hand and nodded at two men Belle recognized as part of his guard. Immediately, the guards went to Paulette and Laurette and stood beside them, glaring menacingly at the three ruffians.Belle still felt shaken as she grasped Adam’s hand and followed him not to the dance floor, but through a set of doors that led to an outdoor patio that surveyed the grounds.“Are you all right?” Adam asked Belle, looking at her.Belle wrapped her arms around herself. “The things they said…” she said staring at the ground. “Is that what they all think?”“Of course not,” Adam said. “Those men are troublemakers. If I were still a beast, their heads would have been ripped off already.”Belle shuddered at the violent talk. Unable to prevent herself from shaking, Belle said, “I’m trying to be brave like Claudette and the others. But everywhere we go, the villagers stare and whisper. I never imagined that might be what they were saying though…”“Those men are filth. I wish you hadn’t heard that. As for the rest of the villagers, many of them are jealous of you,” Adam said. “That you’re living here, under my protection. They’ve always been jealous of you and your charmed life.”“Jealous of me?” Belle asked amazed. “What makes you say that?”“I have my sources,” Adam said. “My spymaster has been gathering all sorts of intel ever since the enchantment was lifted.”“Your spymaster?” Belle asked. “Why am I even surprised that you have a spymaster?”Adam chuckled. “My father was paranoid,” he said. “And I’ll admit that having a spymaster has proven to be useful time and time again.”Belle sighed. “I don’t know how I can face them.”“Like you always have,” Adam said.Belle shook her head. “Like I always have won’t cut it,” she said. “They deserve more compassion from me. I never bothered to try and understand them. Claudette helped me see that. And now they won’t give me the chance.”“You might be surprised,” Adam said. “That’s what this ball is all about, remember? Re-establishing connections with the village and gaining good will.”Belle smiled slightly at the memory of them talking about it in the village before things went so horribly wrong. “What about your good will?” she asked. “After what I did?”“What you did?” Adam replied, stunned. “What do you mean, what you did?”“You know, running off and getting myself captured and forced to marry—” Belle broke off. “And everything that happened after.”“That wasn’t your fault,” Adam said. “It was my fault.”Belle stared at him. “How could that possibly be your fault?” she asked. “I’m the one who went off on my own and got myself into that mess.”“I failed to protect you!” Adam cried. “I let you get caught.”“Let me?” Belle demanded. “Let me? Were you controlling my steps? Did you intend for me to get captured?” When Adam shook his head, she continued. “I made the choice to investigate the tavern. And then Lefou found me and I agreed to go with him. It was my fault and mine alone.”Adam continued to shake his head. “Did you want to get married?” he asked.“Of course not!” Belle said. “I couldn’t see another way out. But you can’t blame yourself.”Adam sighed. “So you’re not mad at me?” he asked.“Mad at you?” Belle said, perplexed. “Why would I be mad at you?”“For failing to protect you!” Adam cried again, putting his head in his hands.Belle reached towards his arm and hesitated, unsure if he’d welcome her touch. She let her hand fall and said, “I do not blame you for what happened.”He looked at her through his fingers. “How could you not?” he asked, desperation in his voice. “I came with you to protect you and I failed.”“I went off on my own!” Belle cried, protesting. “I won’t lie and pretend that I didn’t hope that you’d be able to find me, but I made the choice to leave by myself without letting you know about my plans.” She sighed. “To be honest, I didn’t have any real plans. I was just going to investigate and then I thought I could handle Lefou. I was wrong.”“I just can’t shake the feeling that I let you down,” Adam said, lowering his hands to look at her. “When Laurent found me to say that you’d disappeared into the tavern, we tried so hard to find you. We couldn’t figure out how to get into the tunnels. There are tons of anti-detection spells and traps in place, we learned later. My guard who’d been tailing the sisters lost them. But, at some point, Paulette and Laurette found us. It took some time to convince them to help us. By the time they found us and they decided to trust us, it was too late. The wedding was over. You’d disappeared with…him. But we did come across your father and Mr. Levi while we searched for you. We decided to regroup outside and that’s when we found Claudette. With her, we hatched the plan to rescue you.”He hung his head dejectedly. “I feel so sorry that I came so late and did so little for you,” he concluded.“Did so little? You got me out of that situation! You saw my father to safety!” Belle cried. “I probably would have done something desperate and gotten thrown into a dark hole somewhere.”He shrugged at her words, continuing to believe he’d failed her.This time, Belle did put her hand on his arm and said, “Look, I don’t blame you in the slightest. I made my own choices and suffered the consequences.” Saying the words aloud, owning what had happened, brought a sense of peace that had been eluding her.Adam winced at the word “suffered.” He put his hand on top of hers and took it into both of his. “Belle, all I wanted was to keep you safe,” he said.Belle was touched by his words. “Thank you,” she said. “I won’t run off on my own again any time soon. Mistakes were made. There’s nothing to forgive.”He kissed her hand, his lips lingering against her palm. His warm breath heated her. Unbidden, she imagined that night with Gaston and how she’d imagined being with Adam instead. What would his breath and his touch feel like against other parts of her body?She shook her head to clear it. He stepped back, seeming to think she was shaking her head at him. “I’m sorry,” he said, letting go of her hand. “That was too forward.”“Oh no!” Belle said, immediately missing his touch. “Don’t— It wasn’t—” she stumbled over her words. “I was trying to clear my head of…thoughts.”“Thoughts?” he asked, sounded startled. “What kinds of thoughts?”“Dirty ones,” she mumbled unable to think of a witty retort.Stunned, a laugh burst out of him. “My ears must be deceiving me,” he said. “Because it sounded to me like you said dirty thoughts.”Belle said nothing and merely shrugged. Adam stepped closer to her and ran his fingers through her hair, “I’d like to hear some of those dirty thoughts.”Belle shivered. “What would you think of me then?” she asked. “I suppose it doesn’t matter,” she continued in a dejected tone. “You already think I’m dirty after what he did to me.”Adam put his hands on her shoulders. “Look at me,” he said. Belle did, unable to resist the command in his tone. “I could never think of you as dirty. Especially for something like that.”“You don’t think I’m…impure?” she asked, thinking of lectures she’d overheard the village priest giving about women who’d had sex before marriage.“I don’t believe in that,” he said simply. “I don’t believe God makes those kinds of distinctions either.”For the first time since she’d entered in that dark maze under the tavern, Belle felt a lightness in her chest. Hope. “Truly?” she asked.“Truly,” he said. Belle smiled at him. With his hands still on her shoulders, Adam looked back into the ballroom through the glass doors. “We’ve been out here too long,” he said. “The musicians are waiting on me to lead the first dance. I meant what I asked earlier. Would you do the honor of taking the first dance with me?”“It would be my pleasure,” Belle said, meaning it. She took his hand and walked inside, feeling happier than she had in a long time.

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Surprisingly, Professor McGonagall was understanding about the situation. Hermione asked her if they could meet and if Draco Malfoy could join. They met in her office and Hermione explained that her and Draco would like to start a relationship, but that they didn’t want to break school rules and asked for an exception.Professor McGonagall was taken aback by this, but she had gotten to know Malfoy in a different way as a member of the faculty.“It’s a strange and unusual circumstance,” she said. “Given that you’re both the same age, yet circumstances have made one faculty and one student. I’ll grant an exception.”“Thank you, Professor,” they both said.“But you are not to flaunt this relationship,” Professor McGonagall warned. “You are to remain professional while at Hogwarts and in front of other students. I’ll speak to Professor Slughorn about how to handle the two of you in class. Mr. Malfoy should not grade any of your work, Miss Granger.”They had agreed, thinking it seemed reasonable. After all, if Draco were to be respected as a faculty member, he couldn’t be flaunting a relationship with a student.“I want to flaunt it though,” he said to Hermione after meeting with the headmistress. “I want everyone to know we’re together.”“Everyone will find out,” she said. “Nothing stays secret for long. Which is why I wanted to tell Professor McGonagall and get, well, her blessing.”Ginny was another matter. “So, what, now you’re dating Draco Malfoy?” she asked. “It’s one thing to be friends with him, but to date him? What about Ron?”“I know,” Hermione said from her armchair as they sat by the fire the night Hermione and Draco made their relationship official. “My head keeps giving me all these reasons why it’s a bad idea, but my heart wants this. My whole heart. And I think I would be lying to myself if I said I didn’t want this. That I didn’t want to see where this goes.”“Ugh,” Ginny said, putting her head in her hands. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. As your friend, I must say that I think this is a bad idea. But it’s obviously your decision and so I’ll support you.” She sighed deeply. “But Ron is my brother. And he’s not in a good place right now. He’s not over you at all from what I’ve heard. But that doesn’t mean you need to live your life for him. If I thought that women didn’t have the right to their own feelings, I’d still be with Dean or Michael.”Hermione leaned over and rubbed Ginny’s back. “It means so much to me to hear you say that,” Hermione said. “I was really nervous to tell you. Afraid I might lose you.”Hermione’s chest tightened and with an effort, she continued, “I’ve been afraid that I’ll lose your whole family because of what I did to Ron.”Ginny looked up at Hermione, her mouth open in shock and surprise. “Hermione, if you thought that my family would leave you for one thing like that, then you don’t know us well at all. One hurt doesn’t replace years of love, respect, and mutual support. We’ve all been through so much together. While we all want to protect Ron, you’re family as well. Though it looks like you won’t be in the way we’d all hoped.”Hermione’s had eyes filled with tears. “I’m so happy to hear you say that. I’ll still keep my distance while things settle out.” Hermione recalled how Mrs. Weasley had been cold to her when Rita Skeeter had spread those rumors about her playing Harry. She could only imagine how Mrs. Weasley might treat her now with the way she’d broken the heart of her youngest biological son. “It might take a while for your mum to feel warm towards me again.”Ginny looked thoughtful. “Mum might be tough one,” she agreed. “That doesn’t mean she doesn’t still love you though.”“I’m so grateful for you,” Hermione said. “I’m so glad to have you in my life.”Smiling, Ginny asked, “Say, what are you doing for the holidays? They’re coming up.”Hermione had been anticipating this question for a while. “I’m going to try to find my parents,” she said. “I want to know how they’re doing. See if they’re…happier without me.” Her voice broke off.Ginny grabbed Hermione’s hand. “That’s huge! Do you want company?” she asked. Hermione was touched. She knew Ginny would want to spend the holidays with her family. With Harry. It was a sign of true friendship that she offered this.Hermione placed her hand over Ginny’s. “I really appreciate the offer,” she said. “Truly. But I need to do this myself.”Ginny nodded. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help,” she said.“Thank you,” Hermione said. “You’re a true friend.”Hermione had debated writing Ron a letter explaining the situation but decided not to. She thought that giving him space was the best thing at this time.If Hermione and Draco spending time together had caused rumors, it was nothing compared to the outcry about the two of them dating. Many Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws expressed their mingled feelings of shock and betrayal to Hermione. Slytherins sneered at her even more than ever. Many Slytherin girls in particular started being particularly nasty to Hermione.Not of it got to her, however. The opinions of these students meant little to her when she felt so happy dating Draco Malfoy. The idea of which still startled her, if she were being honest with herself.Eventually, as the days passed into weeks, the hubbub around Hermione being with Draco Malfoy began to die down as people got used to the idea.Draco started to join Hermione in the library while Hermione did her homework or researched. They would flirt under the table, him holding her hand or touching her thigh. They hadn’t risked sneaking into his room in the faculty tower again now that the other staff knew about them and would probably be on the alert. That was a line they knew they shouldn’t cross.One day, in the library, Draco said to Hermione, “You know. You never told me what it is you’re researching.”“I didn’t, did I?” she said, realizing she hadn’t.“No,” he said. “I was hoping it was a secret map to help us sneak around.”Hermione laughed. “Oh, that? That actually slipped my mind,” she admitted.He put his hand over his chest in mock pain. “You wound me, madam,” he said. “I thought you cared more about alone time.”“I do!” she protested. “But I honestly forgot. You see, I’m trying to find a good locator spell that will help me find my parents.”His face sobered quickly. “Ah,” he said. “Any luck?”“I think so,” Hermione said. “It’s been challenging to find one that doesn’t require a bit of the person, like Polyjuice Potion. But I think I’ve found one that allows you to use a photograph of the person instead.”“Interesting,” Draco said. “Have you tried it yet?”“No,” she said. “I need to get a map of Australia. I know they’re there because I sent them there, but I don’t know exactly where they went.”“I’ll help you,” Draco said. “I’ll find an atlas.” He got up and disappeared into the stacks.Hermione watched him go, smiling to herself. She really enjoyed spending time with him. Talking to him about what was going on really helped her process what was going on with her. In addition to the processing she did in her journal.This spell she finally found would help her locate her parents. Was she ready for that? She was so worried that they were happier without her.Draco returned with a large volume full of world maps. He flipped through the pages until he found a two-page spread of Australia.“Here you go,” he said. “Australia.”Hermione stared at the page, unable to move.“What is it?” Draco asked, sitting beside her and putting his hand on her back.“How am I even going to get to Australia?” she asked. “The only way I’ve been able to figure out is by Portkey. And getting an authorized Portkey between two countries can take weeks. And what’ll I do when I get there? What will I even say to them?”She put her face in her hands. “They’re probably happier without me,” she said, tears rolling down her face.Draco pulled her to him and held her while tears streamed from her eyes and onto his front. He stroked her hair. “It’s not possible for them to be happier without you,” he said. “You’re their daughter. They love you.”“You’re just saying that,” she said, hiccupping a little.“True, I don’t know them personally,” he said. “But from everything I’ve heard you say about them, I know they love you and you love them.”“Thank you,” she said, sitting up and wiping away her tears. “Hopefully no one saw that.”“Just some nosy first years that I shooed away,” Draco said.“Oh well,” Hermione sighed. “Can’t do anything around here.”“As far as getting to Australia,” Draco said. “We can always make our own Portkey.”“We?” Hermione asked.“We,” Draco confirmed. “I’m going with you. If you’ll have me.”Hermione’s eyes filled with tears again, touched. “I’d love for you to come with me,” she said. “I wasn’t looking forward to going alone.”“You’ll never be alone if you have me,” he said. “Unless you want to be alone.”Hermione took his hand and squeezed it. “Thank you,” she said.He squeezed her hand back. “Why don’t you try the spell?” Draco asked.“Okay,” Hermione said. “I’ve been putting it off long enough.”Hermione pulled out a picture of her parents and set it on the map. She held her wand loosely in her hand, just enough so that it stayed in her hand. Hermione murmured the incantation and her wand spun in her hand a few times and returned to its starting location.“That’s odd,” Hermione said. “It’s not pointing anywhere.”“Try again?” Draco asked.Hermione tried once again. And again. “The same thing keeps happening,” she said.“Let’s try something else,” Draco said, flipping in the atlas to a world map. “Try this.”“I don’t see what that’s going to do,” Hermione said. “I enchanted them so they would go to Australia. But it can’t hurt, I suppose.”Hermione placed the picture on the map and repeated the incantation. This time, the wand pointed to the United Kingdom. “What?” Hermione asked. “That’s impossible.”Draco flipped the pages until he had a large map of the United Kingdom. “Try again,” he said.Hermione did. Her parents were in London.

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As Adam led Belle back inside, the crowd parted to let them come to the center. Belle avoided the gaze of the village men leering at her.The music began the moment they stepped into the center of the room. Adam took Belle’s hand in one of his and put the other around her waist, leading her in a waltz.After a few moments, beautiful operatic singing filled the room. Belle turned her head and saw Madame de Garderobe standing erect on a plinth, singing with joy. “I had no idea she was so talented,” Belle said in amazement. “The whole orchestra is amazing. Were these musicians here the whole time during the enchantment?”“Some of them,” Adam said. “Fife, the piccolo player was here. The organ player, Forte, was here as well. He was hired by my father before he died. The rest we brought in.”“I heard about Forte,” Belle said. “From Hermione.”Adam gave Belle a spin, sending her away to face the crowd for a moment, before pulling her back in. “Doubtless nothing good,” he said. “I brought back Maestro Cadenza as a surprise to the Madame. Most of the musicians came with him. That’s why she looks so happy and why her singing is better than ever.”“Who’s Maestro Cadenza?” Belle asked. “I feel like that’s something I’m supposed to know but just don’t.”“Madame’s husband,” Adam said. “He’d been dismissed by my father, but we tracked him down and invited him back after the enchantment was lifted. He arrived just in time for the ball. I gave him Forte’s position and created a new role for Forte as the court composer. I couldn’t just dismiss Forte outright. He kept me company through those dark times. I think he’ll be happier composing music than dealing with the musicians directly. Hopefully, it’s better all around.”Belle smiled at him. “It does sound like the best solution,” she agreed. Noticing for the first time that no one else was dancing, Belle asked, “Why hasn’t anyone else started dancing?”“It’s customary for the first dance to be led by the host,” Adam said. “Once the first dance is over, I’m expected to officially welcome everyone and then the dance floor is open for everyone.”Belle nodded, feeling self-conscious at all the stares. Many were not friendly. Her parents, Estelle, the servants, and the three sisters beamed at them, but the rest looked either hesitant, wary, or downright angry.“Don’t worry about them,” Adam said, bringing her attention back to them. “We’ll sort everything out.”“It’s hard not to worry,” Belle said.“I know,” Adam said. “But let’s enjoy tonight and work it out later.”Belle clung to the confidence in his voice and focused her attention on the music, losing herself in the dance. The musicians truly were talented.All too soon, the music ended and Adam bowed to Belle, who matched his bow with a curtsey. Adam then took her hand and bowed to the crowd. Belle followed his lead and curtseyed. Perhaps half the crowd gave polite applause, but the rest stared at them stony faced.In the back of the ballroom, Belle noticed for the first time that Adam’s guards lined the walls. Was he expecting trouble?Adam began to speak. “Welcome people of Villeneuve,” he spoke in a carrying voice. “It is my honor to welcome you here and to reunite this castle with the village.”“Thief!” a voice cried from the crowd. Belle turned to look but could not detect where it came from.Undeterred, Adam continued, “Undoubtedly, you should now remember that our village and court used to be tightly connected. Many villagers work in the castle and still work here. An enchantment kept us apart for many years, but now it’s lifted and we will be connected once more.”“We were fine without you!” another voice cried.“You took our loved ones from us!” another voice cried.“Down with magic!” yelled yet another voice.The crowd began to rumble with noise as more and more voices raised in protest. This was not going well. At all. Other villagers Belle recognized tried to placate the rowdy ones, Monsieur Levi among them, but they were rebuffed.Belle trembled at the antagonism.“Silence!” Adam roared, the echo of the Beast in his voice. To Belle’s surprise, the crowd obeyed.“I will address your complaints,” he said. “But this is not the avenue for that. Tomorrow, I will hold court where you may bring your complaints before me and I will address them.” He stared at the troublemakers one by one. “Tonight, we will make merry and celebrate our reunion.” He beckoned and servants came forward, rolling barrels of wine into the room. “Let us all drink to re-establishing ties. Those who do not wish to partake peacefully, may leave.” He gestured towards the guards around the room. “Willingly or unwillingly.” There was no room in his voice for compromise.Witnessing the armed guards surrounding them, the crowd fell silent. No one made a move to leave.“All right,” he said. “Then let’s enjoy. I’ve brought out my finest wine. Let us share and toast to the future.”In the background, the staff had been filling wine glasses. At his words, glasses began to be passed through the crowd. Two glasses made their way to Belle and Adam. Wrapping her hand around the glass, she followed Adam’s lead in raising it.“To the future,” Adam declared. “To the future,” Belle and most of the crowd replied, following suit. The naysayers remained silent but downed their glasses of wine.“Let’s have some music!” Adam cried. At once, Maestro Cadenza cued the musicians and began a fast tempo’d song. Adam took Belle’s hand and led her in another dance. Belle’s mother and father stepped out onto the dance floor. Slowly, others began to follow suit. Once the dance floor had enough people on it, Adam led Belle off the dance floor.“I need to mingle with the crowd,” he murmured in her ear over the noise in the room. “That was very close. Too close. We anticipated some trouble, but I had hoped to avoid a situation like that. You don’t have to join me, but I’d welcome your company.”“I’ll join you,” Belle said, feeling nervous but determined to make amends with the village.Adam and Belle moved through the crowd, coming up to small groups of villagers. Two of Adam’s guards followed behind them at a respectful distance. Belle noted that members of the staff had joined the crowd and saw tearful reunions of families.One that made Belle extremely happy was the reunion of Mrs. Potts with her husband. “Mr. Potts!” cried Mrs. Potts, running through the crowd, Chip in tow. A middle-aged man turned towards them and exclaimed, “Beatrice! It’s you! I remember now!” He embraced his wife and burst into tears when he looked down at Chip, who looked surprisingly shy. “You’ve gotten so big,” he said, kneeling down. “You’re almost a man now! Have you been looking after your mother?”Chip nodded, looking in awe at the man in front of him. Mrs. Potts knelt down and hugged both of them.Belle smiled and moved on with Adam, approaching Fifi with a family that Belle recognized as farmers. “Our daughter has returned!” exclaimed the mother. “We always knew something was missing.”Adam talked to the family, apologizing for everything that had happened and asked them if they needed anything. He listened earnestly to their troubles and promised that he’d send aid.“I better call Cogsworth,” he murmured to Belle. “I’m never going to remember everything.”“You called, master?” Cogsworth said, appearing out of nowhere and looking a little frazzled.“Cogsworth!” Adam exclaimed. “When did you get here?”“I saw you and thought that you might need help,” Cogsworth said, his eyes darting around the crowd surrounding them. He looked harried and on edge.“You were right,” Adam admitted. “But are you already done greeting your wife? I don’t want to keep you. You haven’t seen her in a long time.”Cogsworth stepped closer to them and said quietly, “I prefer it that way. I don’t need to see her for another 10 years.”“Henry!” a haggard looking woman called, following Cogsworth out of the crowd. “Where did you run off to?” Belle recognized the woman as one of the particularly devout villagers who regularly spent time at the church and spoke loudly against women doing anything besides being at home in service of men.“Good gracious,” he muttered under his breath. He faced her and said firmly, “the prince needs my assistance. We’ll talk later.”“Don’t forget the money you owe me,” she said in a stern voice, pointing at him.“Of course not,” Cogsworth said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag. “Here’s a little bit to get you started.”Mrs. Cogsworth took the bag and weighed it in her hand. “Very well,” she said. “But you owe me more than that.”“I know,” Cogsworth said, looking positively embarrassed now. “You’ll get it. Now be off.” He shooed her away.She acquiesced, pocketing the bag of money.“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Cogsworth said. “All she cares about is money. But she doesn’t know anything about managing it.”“Why are you married to her?” Adam asked, looking shocked by the interaction.“It was arranged by our parents,” Cogsworth replied. “She keeps a home in the village, and I stay here, sending her money. During the enchantment, it seems she forgot about me and squandered everything.” Cogsworth reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a small book. “Now, do you need me to document the outcomes of your conversations?”“You always know how to read my mind,” Adam said, recognizing that Cogsworth absolutely did not want to talk about his wife, and filled him in on the conversations they’d had so far. Belle helped filled in the gaps that Adam missed, for which Adam thanked her.The trio passed through the crowd talking first to the villagers who had family members among the castle staff. Then they moved onto the more sympathetic villagers who merely seemed happy to attend the ball and see the castle for the first time. The sympathetic villagers thanked Adam for what he’d already done for them as far as aid and assistance. It seemed that Adam’s scouts and spies had been busy in their reporting back to the castle, to which Adam had been quick to dispatch help or action.Finally, after talking with all the sympathetic folks, Adam and Belle approached the group of the discontented, who — conveniently or inconveniently — stood congregated in a corner, surrounding the barrels of wine and drinking freely from the prince’s stores. The majority of Adam’s guards stood nearby, monitoring them.“Well, well,” the ringleader said. “The prince and his slut deign to talk to us.”Adam froze and glared at him. “I already told you what would happen if you said anything like that about Belle.” He signaled the guard. “I won’t tell you again. Escort him out.”Two of Adam’s guards flanked the ringleader and escorted him out. He shouted behind him, “I’ll be letting Gaston know where his wife is.”“Follow him,” Adam said to one of his personal bodyguard, who nodded and disappeared into the crowd.Adam turned back to the rest. “Now, anyone else have something to say?”The malcontents muttered but said nothing. “Good,” he said. “Enjoy my wine and food. If any of you would like productive work and good pay, feel free to come visit the castle tomorrow and we can talk. This is only a sample of what those part of my court gets to experience.”Adam turned to Belle, “Shall we take another turn on the dance floor?”“Yes please,” Belle said, eager to get away from the people she supposed had witnessed her wedding.Adam led her back to the floor, wrapping his arm around her waist once more and grasping her hand.“Shouldn’t you be dancing with other people?” Belle asked, noting the women standing around the room watching them.“Undoubtedly,” Adam said, following her gaze. “I’ll get an earful from my mother about it, I’m sure.” He looked back into her eyes. “But I don’t want to spend another minute away from you. I was stupid these past two weeks to not try to talk to you. It was cowardly of me.”Belle swallowed. “I was too wrapped up in myself,” she said. “And I was worried you hated me.”“Never,” Adam said, squeezing her hand and pulling her closer.Belle wanted to rest her head on his chest, but didn’t think it would be appropriate with the audience.A large hand fell on Adam’s shoulder from behind. “I’ll thank you,” said a horribly familiar voice. “To get your hands off of my wife.”

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“Well, I’m glad I didn’t have to resort to taking a Muggle airplane,” Hermione said to Draco, who sat across from her in their compartment on the Hogwarts Express. “This is much more straightforward.”“What? Those metal tubes that fly in the air?” Draco asked, stroking Crookshanks who sat on his lap. It amused Hermione how much Crookshanks liked Draco, who’d been indifferent about any sort of pet but now seemed resigned to Crookshanks’ presence. Hermione thought Draco secretly liked the attention from the cat. “No way. I would have dug out our family’s old flying carpet before I let you do that.”“Let me?” Hermione asked, raising her eyebrow at him. “As if you could let me do anything.”“Well, I would have highly advised against it,” he said, amending his statement.“You’re just nervous about it because you’ve never been on one,” Hermione said. “They’re really quite safe. And sounds more comfortable than a flying carpet where you could fall off at any time, have no bathroom, or drinks.”“You’ve clearly never ridden a flying carpet,” Draco said. “You can set down anywhere you’d like, you have more flexibility, and you can have all the food and drink you’d like. Plus, the carpet can catch you if you fall.”Hermione raised her eyebrows again. “Hmm, I still think a plane would be a better option. Besides, aren’t flying carpets outlawed for a reason?”“The Ministry tries to control everything these days,” Draco muttered.“In this case, it sounds to me like it’s for a good reason,” Hermione said.“Maybe,” Draco said, looking out the window. Hermione followed his gaze. The snow-covered countryside was lovely. She watched the countryside pass by for a time. She was glad Draco was coming with her. It would have been lonely to do this on her own.Ginny and Luna opened the sliding door, re-entering the compartment. They’d gone off in search of snacks and to use the bathroom. Ginny’s eyes darted to Draco. She was still getting used to having him around. Luna remained as dreamy as ever, sitting down and pulling out her copy of the Quibbler to resume reading.“We should be there soon,” Ginny said. “It’s getting late in the day.”“I see the snow thinning out the further south we go,” Hermione said. “Once we reach London, it’ll be completely gone.”The landscape grew more and more urbanized the closer they got to the station. Soon enough, it changed completely into a cityscape. The train began to slow.“Looks like it’s time to go,” Draco said, standing up. They all began gathering any loose items and restoring them into various bags and backpacks. As the train stopped, they joined the queue in the hallway to exit their train car.“Ginny!” a familiar voice called. Hermione spotted Harry, wending his way through the crowd to them. He reached Ginny and pulled her into his arms and spun her around. After a quick kiss on the lips, he set her down and greeted the others.“Hello Hermione, Luna. Merry Christmas,” Harry said, hugging both girls. Then he nodded at Draco. “Malfoy,” he said in greeting.“Potter,” Draco said with a hint of his former sneer.“I had to see this with my own eyes,” another familiar voice said. Ron emerged from the crowd, followed by his parents. He stared at Hermione and Draco with his hands on his hips, animosity filling his face.Brushing past Ron, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley hugged their daughter and then Luna. Mr. Weasley gave Hermione a hug, but Mrs. Weasley was more reserved. She said, “Hello, Hermione,” rather stiffly. Hermione’s heart sank. It was exactly like that time when Mrs. Weasley had been reading Rita Skeeter’s articles and got mad at her for playing Harry. Evidently, she thought the same thing about her with Ron.“Hello, Mrs. Weasley,” she said cautiously. “Merry Christmas.”“So it’s true, then,” Ron said eying Hermione and Draco. “You’re with Malfoy?”Hermione held Draco’s hand. “Yes, Ron,” she said.“Was this going on when we were together?” he demanded. “Is that why you never told me he was at Hogwarts?”“No!” Hermione said. “I just didn’t think to tell you that. And when I said I needed space, I really meant it. I wasn’t interested in getting involved with anybody. I needed time alone. And I spent a good amount of that time alone. This relationship with Draco just sort of…happened.”Luna’s father appeared out of the crowd. The Weasleys greeted him while Luna rushed to him and gave him a big hug. “I’ll see all of you later,” she said. “Happy Yule!” With a wave, Luna and her father vanished.“So you ditched me to get with him?” Ron said petulantly.“Did you even listen to what I said?” Hermione asked. “We weren’t together.”“They weren’t,” Ginny chimed in.“You stay out of this!” Ron exclaimed, rounding on Ginny. “You deceived me!” He said pointing his finger at Hermione. “I was ready to give you space, but it turns out you just were cozying up to Malfoy.”“I’ve had enough,” Draco said, stepping forward Ron. “You can insult me all you want. I can take it. I know I deserve a lot of it. But you cannot insult my girlfriend in front of me and expect me not to do anything. She’s telling the truth, man.”“Come on, Ron,” Mrs. Weasley said, grabbing her son by the arm. “You’re making a scene.”Ron looked like he wanted to shake her off, but then he caught his father’s eye. Mr. Weasley looked at him sternly with a no-nonsense expression. It wasn’t often that Mr. Weasley got stern, so one tended to listen when that happened.Mr. and Mrs. Weasley began walking away, their youngest son between them. Harry and Ginny hugged Hermione one last time.“I’ll work on them,” Ginny promised Hermione, then Ginny looked at Draco, “You better not hurt her,” she warned. “I’m going to a lot of trouble because of you. I’m putting good faith in that you have genuine good intentions.”“Right,” Harry chimed in. “You’ll have us to answer to.”“If there’s anything left of him when I’m through with him if something like that happened,” Hermione laughed. She did appreciate her friends looking out for her though.Draco raised his hands in surrender. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” he assured them.“Good,” Harry said shortly. He took Ginny’s bags from her and took her hand. “We’ll see you in the new year, then.” Ginny waved to them as they walked away.“Bye!” Hermione called after them. Draco and Hermione were left standing by the train, the once crowded platform now virtually empty as students and families had been reunited and departed the station.Neither of them had family there to greet them. Draco’s mother had wanted to come, but he had told her not to. His father was furious at him for his relationship with Hermione. Apparently, his father thought he was just trying to punish him by dating a Muggle born.Inwardly, Hermione was relieved she didn’t have to deal with his family. If they continued their relationship, she’d have to, one day. That was not something she looked forward to.“Shall we go?” Hermione asked.“Yes, let’s,” Draco said.They Apparated to Diagon Alley and got a room at the Leaky Cauldron. They’d talked about getting separate rooms, but it was expensive this time of year and neither of them had a lot of spare funds.Hermione was both nervous and excited about the prospect of sleeping in the same room as him. They’d kept their relationship very wholesome so far, only kissing and some light touching. But she was feeling more and more like she wanted more from him.Finally, they were not around other students or faculty. No outside influences. Just them.Tom, the innkeeper, led them to their room and disappeared after giving them their keys. The room was small. The bed dominated the room. There was a small dresser and desk squeezed against the wall next to the adjoining bathroom. It would do. Hopefully.Hermione set her things down on the desk and released Crookshanks from his cage.Draco stood in the doorway still, his face distasteful as he took in the dingy room. “Not up to your usual standards?” Hermione asked, amused.“Not exactly,” he said. “Is it even clean in here?”Hermione pulled back the covers and checked the sheets. “No bedbugs at least,” she said. She hadn’t been particularly impressed by room herself, but seeing Draco’s reaction filled her with humor.“You’re enjoying this,” he accused. Hermione didn’t attempt to hide her smile.“You’re kind of prissy,” she pointed out.“Fine,” he said, stepping further into the room and setting down his elegant leather suitcase on top of the dresser. “I won’t deny that I like things to be nice. But I suppose I’ll survive.”“Yes,” she said coming up to him and wrapping her arms around him. “It’s cozy in here.”“That’s true,” he said. “We can’t avoid each other here. Maybe it won’t be so bad.”His lips met hers, sending warmth coursing through her body. She stepped even closer, deepening the kiss. Desire washed over her and she bit his lip, demanding more.His tongue entered her mouth, exploring. His fingers intertwined themselves in her hair, holding her. His other hand was at the small of her back, pressing her to him.Hermione stood on her toes, reaching up to him so she could be closer and have more access to his mouth. Her arms were around his shoulders, holding him tight and pulling him close.They kissed with a ferocity released by the fact that they had utter privacy. A privacy they hadn’t been able to experience together before now.“This room is dangerous,” Draco murmured into her ear. “I don’t think I’ll be able to stop touching you.”“Then never stop,” she practically purred into his ear, biting the earlobe.Draco groaned. She felt a hard twitch against her navel as he hardened.He began to kiss her neck and she tilted her head to the side to give him more access. The delicate presses of his lips tingled against her skin. It felt delicious.A loud meow interrupted them. Crookshanks was scratching at the door and glaring at them, demanding to be let out so he could explore his new territory.Hermione laughed breathlessly. “Sorry, Crookshanks,” she said, moving to the door and opening it for him. He darted out of the room.She turned back to Draco, who was straightening his robes and smoothing back his hair. “Why don’t we go eat?” he asked. “I have a feeling that I, at least, am going to need my strength.“Let’s do that,” she agreed. They had two weeks together. No need to rush things.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

As Adam turned, wrath on his face, Belle saw Gaston standing behind. Immediately, Claudette and her sisters were at Belle’s side, Belle’s parents behind them. Guards swarmed Gaston but were warded off by the village naysayers who rallied behind Gaston.The hands of the guards rested on their swords, but did not draw them. Adam raised his hands to have them hold position. He stood facing Gaston, sizing him up.“Gaston,” he said. “It’s been a long time.”“It has indeed, prince,” Gaston said, sneering. “Your father would be so disappointed. I’m the one who carried on his work. It seems you’ve decided to associate with the…oddities.”Belle wondered what Gaston meant by that. She resisted the urge to shrink back behind Adam and hide. She stood there tall and proud, channeling Claudette.“It seems you’ve stolen more than my wife from me,” Gaston continued, eying the sisters. He looked at Claudette, “I hope you’re not attached to anything at your home. You forfeited your right to it by abandoning me.”Claudette shrugged. “There’s nothing for us there,” she said, standing erect and proud. Her sisters nodded their agreement.“What is it you want, Gaston?” Adam asked, eying Gaston with barely concealed fury and disgust.“I want many things, prince,” Gaston replied. “Namely my wife. But I’d be content with other things as well.” Gaston made a motion with his hand.Suddenly, the ringleader who’d been expelled from the hall, but had seemingly found his way back in, pulled out a wicked looking weapon and stabbed one of the guards. The other rabble-rousing men followed suit, but the guards recovered quickly and began to counter them.Gaston lunged for Belle, but Adam jumped in front of her and grabbed Gaston’s arms with his bare hands. “Go!” Adam yelled to Belle. “Get the bystanders out of here!”Belle didn’t need telling twice. She, Claudette, and the sisters began to shepherd the horrified villagers out. Some of the villagers, however, resisted and ran to aid Gaston’s followers.It was chaos. People ran in all directions. Belle did her best to point people towards the exits amidst the madness.Belle’s mother had disappeared. Belle didn’t know where she went. Maurice stayed close to Belle, helping her and the servants rally the sympathetic villagers out of the hall.As Belle shepherded people out of the ballroom, she saw her mother, Estelle, and a group of the magical folk rush forward and cast protective spells over the innocent. Colette and Estelle ran ahead of the group to try to stop Gaston’s supporters.Belle, feeling like she should help, left Claudette in charge of trying to get people out of the hall. She ran after her mother, hoping to help.But she was too late.Monsieur D’Arque had appeared, brandishing some kind of anti-magic device shaped like spear and counteracted everything that Colette and Estelle did. He strode directly towards the two women and stabbed Estelle in the chest. She fell to the floor. Colette, enraged, launched herself onto D’Arque, who laughed and whacked Colette away.Belle saw all of this from afar as she ran desperately towards her mother, but she was waylaid by Lefou.“Get away, Lefou,” Belle said, pushing him off. “Hasn’t Gaston gone too far this time? Why are you helping him?”“It’s all I’ve ever done,” Lefou said, blocking her path. “He’s all I’ve ever known.”“You can do better,” Belle cried, trying to dodge him. “You deserve better. You’re not a bad person. Stop helping him. Make things right.”Lefou hesitated. Belle took the chance to dart past him towards her mother. Belle crept around D’Arque and seized him from behind, wrapping her arms around his neck. Colette wrested his spear from and stabbed him in the chest. Belle hopped back, letting D’Arque fall to the floor.“Die you wretched man,” Colette said viciously, pressing the spear in deeper. “Die for what you’ve done.”Belle couldn’t look at the violence before her. At the hatred and fury that had consumed her mother. She looked around, the guards and castle staff that remained to help had recovered ground and were pursuing the rioters, who were fleeing. Adam and Gaston were nowhere to be seen.At the edge of the ballroom, Belle thought she saw two familiar looking men grappling. They ducked through the doorway that led outside. She ran towards them, determined to help Adam if she could.On the patio where Belle and Adam had talked what had seemed like moments before, Adam and Gaston fought with a fury she’d never seen before. As she approached, Gaston punched Adam in the face with such a force it knocked Adam back onto the ground. Gaston spun away and ran to the edge of the patio. For a moment, Belle thought he was running away, but then she saw him withdrew his blunderbuss gun.Without thinking, Belle ran to Adam and threw herself on top of him.“What are you doing, Belle?” Gaston asked, striding warily towards her, pointing his gun at them. “Get out of the way. This man has hoodwinked you. He’s not who you think he is. He’s built his power off the backs of the poor. He’s sympathetic to magical people. His father would be ashamed of him. I always planned to steal this castle from him and drive the magical folk away for good.”“Then what did you plan to do with me?” Belle asked, straightening up. In her heightened state from the panic, Belle had been feeling the magic within flow strong and fierce, ready to be released. Now, she allowed it to course through her. Her skin began to glow at the untapped potential.“You?!” Gaston said, staggering backwards. “You do have magic! D’Arque was right. I was blind.” Gaston glared at her, hatred consuming his features. “You’re no wife of mine.” He aimed his gun at her. “Very well,” he said. “I’ll go through you to get to him.”“No, you won’t,” Belle said, standing on her feet. She imagined Gaston encased in ice. Her hands began to freeze and, quickly, she held them up in front of her. Ice beamed from her hands. Gaston began to freeze.BANG! Belle felt a pain in her stomach, but she kept her focus on freezing Gaston. She held the image in her mind of him completely solid and encased in ice. Her vision wavered as Gaston began to turn blue.As the world went dark, Belle saw Gaston’s face get entirely covered in ice.

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The reality of the impending reunion with her parents hit Hermione over dinner. Her mood grew increasingly somber and pensive. When they returned to their room, they got in bed and Hermione fell asleep in Draco’s warm and comforting embrace.The next day, Hermione and Draco looked at a map of London they had picked up. Hermione used the locator spell to find her parents. It was the weekend, they should be home, Hermione thought. Her parents weren’t generally the sort to go out and do things on the weekends. They preferred reading and doing things around the home.Her wand pointed to the same location in the suburbs that she’d seen in the many times that she’d used the spell to locate her parents over the past few weeks. She was reasonably sure now this was where they lived since they spent most of their time there outside of the working hours.Hermione also was reasonably sure she knew where they worked as that was the other location where they spent the majority of their time.“Looks like they’re home,” Draco said. “Shall we go?”Hermione’s stomach was in knots. Now that the moment had come, she wasn’t sure if she could do it. She began to wring her hands.“I don’t know,” Hermione said. “I’m afraid.”“What are you afraid of?” Draco said, rubbing her back soothingly.Hermione thought. What was she most afraid of? “I’m afraid of them being happier without me,” she whispered.Draco’s hand stalled, then began to rub her again. “That’s impossible,” he said flatly. “They love you and they won’t have forgotten about you deep down. They’re your parents. They gave life to you.” He sighed. “As my mother always likes to point out.”
“Are you going to see her?” Hermione asked. “Over the holidays?”“Don’t change the subject,” Draco said. He sighed again. “Maybe.”“Let’s make a deal,” Hermione said. “I’ll go see my parents if you go see yours.”Draco eyed her. “Deal,” he said. And then seemed to have a realization. “Wait, does that mean you don’t want me to come with you?”Hermione took his hand. “As much as I’d love for you to come,” she said. “I just realized this is something I need to do for myself.”Draco nodded. “That’s fair.” He straightened up. “All right,” he said. “I’ll go visit my parents while you go see yours.”Hermione squeezed his hand. “See you tonight for dinner?” she asked.“Yes,” he said. “See you tonight.”Hermione kissed Draco and gave him a tight hug. Before she let herself fall too deeply into his embrace, she stepped away and Disapparated.Hermione appeared on a quiet, well-groomed street that reminded her of the neighborhood that she’d grew up in. Her parents’ overall tastes in living locations hadn’t changed, then.She walked down the street until she found the spot she’d seen on the map. Hermione stood staring at the house. The lawn decorations included the ugly Father Christmas that she’d grown up with. Her and her father had always hated that Father Christmas, but her mother had loved it and insisted on putting him outside their house. They’d kept that then. Even though they’d moved to Australia and back, it was clear they hadn’t gotten rid of everything.Gathering her nerves, Hermione strode up to the front door and knocked. “Someone’s there, Wendell!” she heard her muffled mother’s voice cry out. “Could you go check who it is?”Hermione heard someone stumping towards the front door. It opened to reveal her father. He’d aged only a little in the almost two years since she’d seen him. The lines around his eyes were deeper. He had an air of worry about him she’d never seen before.When he saw Hermione, his mouth fell open. He seemed stunned into silence. Finally, he said, “It’s you.”“What do you mean?” Hermione asked quietly.“I-I, well,” he said, stumbling over his words. “I don’t know quite how to explain it. Would you like to come in?”“Yes, please,” Hermione said, feeling mystified.“Monica!” her father called. “It’s her. Could you bring some tea?”Hermione heard running footsteps and her mother appeared in the home’s entryway. She gasped. “It is her!” Her mother stepped closer looking at Hermione, inspecting her. Hermione inspected her mother in turn. Similar to her father, her mother had aged a little and had that same air of worry about her. More grey flecked her mother’s hair.“Oh, come in, come in,” her mother said, a little flustered. “How rude of us to leave you standing at the doorstep while we stare at you. Wendell, why don’t you show her to the sitting room while I put the kettle on.”Hermione noted that they still used the pseudonyms that she’d given them as part of her memory charm.Hermione’s father brought her into a small sitting room that looked so familiar to her even though she’d never been there before. This, of course, wasn’t the house or neighborhood that she’d grown up in, but the style and accoutrements around the house were very similar, if not the same. Hermione recognized a few knickknacks from her childhood that her parents clearly had not let go of.“Won’t you sit down?” her father asked, indicating a plaid patterned armchair.Hermione sat down, while her father sat on the adjacent sofa looking awkward.After some time, her mother entered the room. “I just put the kettle on,” she said, brushing her hands nervously on her pants. “The water will be warm enough for tea soon.” She sat down next to Hermione’s father.“Did you ask her for her name?” Hermione’s mother asked her father.“Ah, no,” he said. “I didn’t.”Hermione’s mother tutted a little. “What’s your name, dear?” she asked Hermione.“My name is Hermione Jean Granger,” she said.“Hermione,” her father said wonderingly. “I always wanted to name my daughter that if I were so blessed to have one.”“Jean,” her mother said, in the same tone. “Just like my grandmother.”“What did you mean when you said that it’s her earlier?” Hermione asked, not daring to hope.Her parents looked at each other. “Well, we’ve been having these dreams about a young woman” her mother said. “She looks exactly like you. We’ve described our dreams to each other and realized we’re dreaming about the same person.”“Sometimes this same young woman appears younger in our dreams. Sometimes as a toddler, a small child, and a young girl,” her father said. “But we know it’s the same person, just at different ages. We knew it was you at once.”Hermione’s eyes filled with tears. “That’s incredible,” she said.“What about you?” Hermione’s mother asked. “What brings you here?”Hermione debated telling them the truth right then and there. But she wasn’t sure if she was ready. Or if they were ready. She wanted to find out why they’d come back from Australia.“My parents were dentists,” she said, using the excuse that she had come up with. “They’ve been gone for two years.”“I’m sorry to hear that,” Hermione’s mother said, gently.“Thank you,” Hermione said. “I was looking through their things and saw that they’d mentioned knowing you. I thought I’d come by and visit, just to talk to people who knew my parents.” It was a weak story, but she hadn’t been able to think of better.“Poor dear,” Hermione’s mother said. “What were your parents names?”“Hugo and Michelle Granger,” Hermione said, truthfully, curious about their reaction.Her parents looked at each other. “The names…” her father said. “Are very familiar.”“We have sometimes accidentally called each other by those names,” her mother confessed. “Without really knowing why. It’s strange.Hermione nodded to herself, it appeared that they were remembering their old lives subconsciously. “I heard that you’d moved back here from Australia recently,” she said. “Which is why I thought I’d come by and visit.”“Why yes,” Hermione’s mother said. “We spent about a year over there.”“What brought you back?” Hermione asked, hardly able to breathe.Her parents looked at each other again. “We’re not entirely sure,” her father said. “Something just pulled us back. It felt right to come back.”“It felt like we weren’t in the right place anymore,” her mother said. “We had this strong urge to move to Australia, but after about a year had passed, we knew it was time to come back. And something pulled us to London in particular.”Could it be that they somehow sensed that Voldemort had been defeated and that it was safe to come back? That she’d needed them? The emotion hit Hermione full blast in her chest, and she began to cry.Her mother rushed to her side and wrapped her arms around Hermione like she’d done many times over the years. “What is it?” she said, holding Hermione close.“You’re my parents,” Hermione said. “And you came back for me.”“How can that be?” Hermione’s mother said, still holding Hermione.“I’ll show you,” Hermione said, gently extricating herself from her mother and standing up. Hermione pulled out her wand and cast the complex counterspell to reverse the false memory spell she’d placed upon them.Her parents’ eyes grew blank and fuzzy as she cast the spell. Slowly, they refocused upon her.“Our daughter,” her father said, coming to her side. Both of her parents embraced Hermione, crying and laughing.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Sunlight streamed in through the open window as Belle opened her eyes and took in the room around her. She was back in her tower room at Adam’s castle. She began to lift herself and felt a dull pain in her abdomen.Looking down under her nightgown, Belle saw a bandage wrapped around her midsection.“You’re awake,” a deep male voice said.Belle turned to see Adam sitting next to her bed. He still wore the suit from the ball. His hair looked bedraggled and he looked exhausted.“What happened?” Belle asked.“I should ask you that,” Adam said. “One moment I was fighting Gaston and then another moment you were standing above me and falling to the ground. I caught you and saw a new ice sculpture on my patio that wasn’t there before.” He smirked. “It wasn’t to my taste, so I had it disposed of.”Belle recalled that she’d been able to summon her magic to freeze Gaston. “How long was I out?” she asked.“Through the night and half the day,” Adam said, looking out the window. “I’d say it’s about noon right now.”“What happened to everyone?” Belle demanded. She recalled Adam’s mother falling before D’Arque. “Is your mother okay?”Adam’s pained expression told her everything. He shook his head. “She…fell,” he said. “She hadn’t recovered enough strength. Even everything your mother did to heal her wasn’t enough. She passed away in my arms.” Tears filled his eyes.Belle reached for his hand, wincing at the pain in her stomach as she moved. “I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice choking. “I wish I’d had time to get to know her.” Inwardly, Belle felt angry at herself. She’d had some time to get to know the sweet Estelle. But she’d spent the past couple of weeks alone and sulking.Adam placed his hand on top of hers. “I wish we’d all had more time with her,” he said. “I’d only just gotten her back.” He looked at Belle. “I was so afraid I’d lost you too.” His eyes darkened. “I can’t believe he shot you.”“He finally accepted that I had magic,” Belle said. “He declared that I was no wife of his.”“Well, if he were still alive,” Adam said, “that could be useful in annulling your marriage. But things as they are, he’s not going to be coming anywhere near you ever again.”“Is he dead?” Belle breathed, shocked at the mixture of emotions rising in her.“We cracked open the ice to be sure,” Adam said. “But his heart had completely stopped beating and we burned him with the other dead.”Belle shuddered, both horrified and relieved at the news of Gaston’s death at her hands. She’d have to work through those complicated feelings. She hadn’t intended to kill him, just stop him. But for now, she had more pressing things to know.“D’Arque too?” Belle asked, remembering the way her mother had vindictively stabbed D’Arque. There was no way he could have survived.“D’Arque, a few of the rabble rousers, and some of my best men,” Adam confirmed. “What a disaster.”Belle held Adam’s hand, reflecting on all of the violence and action from the night before. “What are we going to do now?” she asked.Adam squeezed her hand. “I like this talk of ‘we,’” he said, echoing his previous words from weeks ago. He stroked her hand for a few moments before saying, “we address the village and make reparations.”“Are you still holding an audience for them?” Belle asked.“Yes,” Adam sighed. “I was informed that there’s already a large crowd, but I didn’t want to leave you. Mrs. Potts is feeding them and we have the musicians playing to entertain them. Feeling like I couldn’t delay further, I was just getting ready to go when you woke up.”“Well,” Belle said. “Then let’s go.” She sat up gingerly and pulled back the covers, setting her bare feet on the ground. She wore only a simple white nightgown.Adam watched her, a barely disguised hunger in his eyes. He looked away quickly. “I should find Fifi or someone to help you,” he said, averting his eyes from her.“No need,” Belle said. “I won’t be long. Why don’t you freshen up? You don’t look the part of a prince at the moment.”Adam breathed a laugh, running his hands through his hair. “True,” he said. He wandered over to her dresser, where a large bowl of water sat and a variety of hairbrushes. Belle left him to wash his face and straighten himself out, disappearing behind the privacy screen and donning one of the everyday dresses she’d been given to wear at the castle. The green dress was more formal than her customary blue dress she’d worn in the village, but still comfortable.Belle emerged from behind the privacy screen and joined Adam at the mirror, taking the brush he’d just set down and running it through her hair before pulling it back with a green ribbon.He watched her brushing her hair. “I can’t tell you what that does to me,” he said. “Seeing you brush your hair with the same brush I just used.”She smiled at him. “It might be the same as what it does to me,” she murmured.“I want to touch you,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest as if to stop himself.Belle turned towards him. “Then why don’t you?”“You sure it’s okay?” Adam asked, twitching a little as he moved forward and stopping himself.“I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t mean it,” Belle said.Adam put his arms around Belle’s waist, pulling her close. Part of her felt nervous at the enclosed arms around her, but she calmed it with few breaths. Adam’s presence soothed her. This wasn’t Gaston. Gaston was gone. Forever. She inhaled deeply, breathing in his scent. Belle laid her head against his chest as she’d wanted to do the night before. He stroked her back, holding her close. Belle closed her eyes, soaking in the feeling.“I was worried you’d never want to be touched,” Adam said. “After everything with…”Belle froze a little at the implication and then relaxed again as his hand ran up and down her back. “Part of me felt nervous, but you make me feel safe. You know, when I was with him, I actually pretended I was with you,” she murmured. “It made the experience…bearable. Pleasant even at times.”Adam pulled back his head to look down at her. Belle squirmed under his gaze. “I don’t know what to say,” Adam said. “Part of me is thrilled you imagined me. That you could find some solace even without me physically being there. Another part of me hates hearing you say it could have been pleasant with him.”Belle put her hand on his cheek. “I have nothing to compare it to,” she said. “And believe me, I have a strong imagination. When I lost myself in the dream of it being you, I had no idea who I was with.” She looked down bitterly. “Until I had no choice to know who I was with.”“Bastard,” Adam said, cursing Gaston’s name. “I wish I could kill him over again.”“It’s all over now,” Belle said, stroking his cheek. “The only thing we can do is move forward.”Adam kissed her lightly on the forehead. “You are quite right,” he said. “That’s all we can do.”

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Sitting between her parents on the sofa, Hermione spent the rest of the day catching up with her parents on what had been going on her life.Hermione told her parents everything. About why she’d cast the spell on them, which they could understand why she’d done it but also were not happy about. About their journey to hunt down Horcruxes and destroy Voldemort. About the aftermath of the war. About how she’d decided to finish her final year at Hogwarts. About how she’d been able to transport herself into her favorite fairy tale. At that last one, her parents were amazed. Her father, in particular, who loved mythology asked her many questions.Hermione was eager to find out what they’d experienced. Their memories of the transition to becoming Monica and Wendell were hazy. To them, they’d just woke up one day and wanted to move to Australia. They’d sold their home and most of their furniture and moved there.At first, they stayed in Australia on a tourist visa but then had been able to apply for a skilled migration visa due to the fact that they were both talented dentists. They’d enjoyed their time in Australia, but then after about a year, they’d felt a burning need and desire to move back to England and settle in London. It hadn’t been easy to uproot themselves so many times, but they’d felt like it was what they needed to do.“One thing I still don’t understand,” Hermione’s father said. “Is how we have documents under the name Wendell and Monica Wilkins. And where did all of your things go?”“Well, in short,” Hermione said. “Magic. I altered your documents, vanished my things, and erased all traces of myself.”Her parents had nodded at that. “It’s hard to be angry at you,” her mother said. “Because I’m so happy to see you. But you completely altered our whole lives. Without asking us.”Hermione hung her head. “I know,” she said. “I feel awful about it. It’s been such a weight on me these past two years or so. I completely altered your lives without your consent. It makes me no better than the Death Eaters, even if my intentions were good. But I saw no other way to be 100% sure I could protect you. So, I took this horrible action upon myself with the hope that doing this awful thing would ensure your safety in long run.”Her parents looked at each other and nodded. “We forgive you,” her father said. “In the scheme of things, these inconveniences matter little when we’re all safe and together again.”Her parents hugged her tightly. And Hermione felt happy and home again.Her parents told her about how they’d started to become increasingly plagued and confused by memories of her and their old lives.There are some patterns, Hermione realized, that are ingrained in our bones. You can’t just entirely forget that you had a child, for instance.After hearing her parents talk, Hermione was glad she’d come when she did. Their mild confusion might have grown until it turned into outright psychosis. That would have been the last thing she wanted.Luckily, she came in time to avert a long stay in St. Mungo’s. Hermione shivered at the thought of her parents needing to be in the same ward as Neville’s parents and Professor Lockhart.Once they’d caught each other up on their lives, her parents asked her about Ron and Harry. Hermione explained that, unlike her, they had decided not to go back to school so she didn’t see a lot of them. She also, awkwardly, explained that she had started dating Draco Malfoy.“That boy who was so mean to you?” her mother asked.“Yes,” Hermione explained. “It makes no sense to anyone, myself included sometimes. But the war woke him up to his true nature. That’s the only way I can explain it. He’d been so indoctrinated by his family and upbringing that he’d been living a false version of himself.”Her parents had nodded thoughtfully. “We’d like to meet him,” her father said.“That can be arranged,” Hermione said, smiling. “He came back from Hogwarts with me.”“What are you doing for the holidays?” her mother asked.“I…don’t know,” Hermione confessed. “I hadn’t gotten beyond trying to find you.”“Why don’t you spend it with us?” her mother asked. “We’d love it if you stayed here. You can stay here the whole holiday break. We have a room already ready for you. We didn’t quite know why, but we got a house with two extra bedrooms. One for guests and one for…someone special.” Her mother beamed. “Now we know that was you.”Hermione smiled. “I’ll have to discuss it with Draco,” she said. “He came to London with me and I want to make sure he’s comfortable with it.”“Won’t you stay for dinner?” her mother asked.“I can’t,” Hermione said, apologetically. “I made plans with Draco to meet him for dinner.”“Of course,” her mother said. “We love you. We’re so glad you came home.”Hermione’s eyes filled with tears as she embraced her parents one more time before she left and Disapparated back to the Leaky Cauldron.Hermione found Draco waiting for her in their bedroom.“How was it?” he asked immediately, coming up to her and embracing her.Emotion choked Hermione’s voice as she told him what happened. “It was beyond everything I could have hoped for,” she said.Draco rubbed her back. “I’m glad to hear it,” he said.“How was it for you?” Hermione asked, looking up at him.Draco shrugged. “About as good as could be expected,” he said. “I spent some time with my mother before my father figured out I was there and threw me out.”“Oh no,” Hermione said. “He’s still angry?”“Furious,” Draco said. “I was his last hope for redeeming the family name.” Draco sighed. “But getting with a Muggle-born is not what he had in mind.”Hermione put her head on his chest. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Not about being Muggle born, but that your father is so narrow minded.”“Ironically, you might be one of my best chances at redeeming the family name. Depending on who you want to redeem yourself with,” Draco said. “And since my father is handing over names of Death Eaters to the Ministry to save our skins, I would think us dating could only be a good thing. You’re part of the Golden Trio that saved the world from the Dark Lord, after all.”Hermione laughed. “There is that,” Hermione said. “Maybe one day he’ll see it.”Draco shrugged again. “Who knows,” he said. “But my mother would like to meet you. Well, meet you again as my girlfriend,” he continued. Before Hermione could say anything, he added. “But don’t feel like you have to. I have no idea how she’ll behave. She could be quite nasty.”Hermione squeezed his hand. “I’d be happy to,” she said. “Or at least, I’d be happy to do that for you if that’s what you’d like.”He squeezed her hand back. “I would like that,” he said.“Speaking of meeting parents,” Hermione said. “My parents invited us to stay with them for the holidays. I didn’t commit one way or another because I didn’t want to speak for you. I know would be a huge step.”Draco kissed her on the lips. “What would you like to do?” he asked.Hermione thought about it. “Well,” she said. “I’d love to spend as much time with them as possible. It’s been so long. But I also want some alone time with you and we won’t get that there. They’d likely put us in separate rooms. They’re fairly traditional.”“Well,” Draco said. “We better make the most of this alone time before we go stay with them.” He pressed his lips against hers, kissing her deeply.Hermione pulled back. “Wait,” she said. “You’re fine with staying with them? Remember, they’re Muggles. Their way of life is different than what you’re used to.”Draco kissed her lightly. “Yes, I’m sure,” he said. “This will be an opportunity for me to see what it was like for you growing up without magic. And in a, well, more loving home.”Hermione kissed him back, fiercely. “Thank you,” she said. “How about we plan to come back here a few days before we have to go back to school so we can have some alone time?”“Deal,” Draco said. He pulled Hermione close and pressed his lips against hers.The thrill of successfully reconnecting with her parents charged Hermione as she wrapped her arms around Draco’s neck and pulled herself as close as she could get to him.She breathed him in as she returned his kiss, smelling his usual cologne that he wore, a fresh citrusy and minty smell that she quite liked. His tongue met hers in a fierce dance.His hands ran down along her sides, feeling her waist. He slipped his hands under her t-shirt and began to caress her skin. She shivered at the sensation. She wanted to feel him. Skin to skin. She began to undo the ties that held his wizard robes in place.“I’m ready to see all of you,” she said.In response, he helped her by pulling his robes over his head and discarding them. He stood absolutely naked before her, except for his undergarments where she could see a large bulge that sent a thrill of excitement through her. Hermione took him in. Lean and tall with a strong, muscled chest, legs, and arms. She also noticed how round his ass was.“I’m ready to feel all of you,” she said, stepping closer and grabbing his ass with one hand and running her other hand across his chest. She pressed her pelvis against his erection, feeling the hardness against her.Draco closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the sensation. “Are you sure?” he asked.“Yes,” she said shortly. “Or I wouldn’t have said so.”“Okay, then,” he said, letting his words settle into the space around them. And then he was pulling off her shirt. Hermione unbuttoned her pants and stepped out of them, ready to be close to him. In just their undergarments, they renewed their kiss, exploring each other’s skin.It felt so good to have this skin-to-skin contact. It was so different than touching each other through clothing or even touching each other underneath clothing. Hermione luxuriated in the feeling.Draco’s hand moved around from her back to her stomach, caressing her gently. The other hand rested on the small of her back. The moving hand slowly inched upwards until it cupped her breast. She let out a small moan at the feeling. Her hand found its way into his hair and she ran her fingers through it. As he began to knead her breast, she gripped his hair harder, pulling his hair into her fist.His hand slipped inside her bra and she realized she was still wearing it. Hermione reached behind her back and unclasped her bra, giving him full access. He moved his head to her neck and kissed her there, sending more shivers down her body. His head moved from her neck to the other breast and took the nipple in his mouth. He began to suck and lick at her nipple.Hermione arched her back in pleasure, giving him more access. It was hard to think about anything with him worshipping her breasts. Hermione let her hands roam freely across his chest and back, enjoying the feel of him while he gave her breasts such devoted attention.She let her fingers rest against his nipples. She could feel him shudder at her attention there. She began to stroke them, feeling them become more erect under her touch. She left one hand to play with his nipples and the other to caress slowly down his chest until she found his firm erection.Hermione let her fingers brush against the fabric of his underwear while increasing the pressure so that he would surely feel her touch. He moved away from her quickly enough to take off his underwear and she began to renew her explorations, feeling the smoothness of his penis and the rougher feeling of his balls, the hair there rubbing against her skin.She looked down to discover that he really was blonde everywhere, though his pubic hair was a darker shade of blonde.She wanted him. Now. She pushed him towards the bed. Responding to her touch, he stepped backward until he hit the bed. She pushed him further until he was laying down on the bed. He edged backwards towards the pillows as removed her underwear. She climbed on top of him, her body positioned above his so she was looking down on him.His hands found their way to her hips and held her there before she could move further. “I have to ask,” he said. “Are you taking any contraceptive potion?”Hermione, looking him in the eyes, said, “Yes, of course. I have several women’s remedies that I work with depending on where I am in my moon cycle and…my sexual activity. I was hopeful this morning and drank one.”“Of course you did,” he murmured, letting his hands move idly across her skin. “You’re always prepared. So I can unload myself inside of you.”She shivered at the mingled words and touch. Imagining the feeling of him inside nearly drove her crazy. She kissed him on the lips and began to lower herself closer to his chest, letting her breasts fall and brush across his skin.She moved her body further and further down his body until her head was just above his erection. She let saliva pool in her mouth and then gently spat on his enlarged penis. She spat on her hand and then moved it up and down his member, ensuring that it was wet and coated.Hermione looked up at Draco, his eyes were partially closed, clearly enjoying the feeling. Hermione moved back up his body and positioned her entrance over him. She kissed him on the lips and lowered herself, letting him enter her.As he filled her, she felt so good. His hands ran over her hips and back as she began to move on top of him. As she began to move faster, his hands gripped her ass, squeezing hard. That made her feel more wild and she moved faster, riding him.Her breasts bumped against his face and he took one of her nipples in his mouth. That sent her over the edge and she came, hard on top of him. She let herself gloriate in the sensation of being out of her body while he continued to suck on her nipple and squeeze her ass. Then when she was finished, she lowered herself on top of him and he held her while she caught her breath.“Was that all right?” he asked, grinning.“I think you know the answer to that,” she said. “Amazing.”“Good,” he said. “My turn.”He flipped them over so he was on top. He began to thrust slowly against her, getting her used to the sensation of him. As she opened herself to him and moaned in pleasure, he began to move faster and faster until he was pounding her. She met him thrust for thrust, enjoying how deep he penetrated. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him in deeper.Hermione could feel the rising wave of pleasure coursing through her once more. As she let the pleasure ride through her, she could feel him find his own release within her.He collapsed on top of her, the weight of him comforting her. The feeling of just…rightness…hit her once more. He felt so right to her. She held him close, letting her fingers trace idle patterns on his back.“I love you,” she whispered in his ear.He pulled back quickly. The love and happiness in his eyes touched her deeply. He nuzzled her neck and whispered, “I love you, too,” he said. “But you already knew that.”“Yes,” she said. “But it’s nice to hear it all the same.”“Say it again,” he demanded, nipping at her earlobe.“I love you, Draco Lucius Malfoy,” she said.“And I love you, Hermione Jean Granger,” he said.A sudden scratching at the door signaled that Crookshanks had returned and wanted to come in to rest and digest his afternoon prey. Hermione laughed. “At least he waited until we finished,” she said, as she stood up and pulled a robe around her to let him in.Crookshanks entered the room and sniffed the air. He let out a strange mrow sound and prowled under the bed.“I’m not sure if that was disappointment, disapproval, or what,” Draco said as Hermione climbed back into bed and cuddled against him. She rested her head in the crook between his shoulder and chest as he wrapped his arm around her.Hermione chuckled. “Maybe he’s jealous,” she said. “He doesn’t show it when anyone else is around, but he loves getting attention and you’re pulling away my attention.”“Poor cat,” Draco said. “But I can’t bring myself to apologize for receiving your attention. It’s most welcome.”“I’m sure it is,” she murmured, rubbing his chest. “And I plan to give you much more attention.”“I like the sound of that,” Draco said.

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Adam and Belle watched as Cogsworth escorted the last of the villagers out.“Well, that was a fiasco,” Adam said as Cogsworth returned. “Even with the main leaders gone, we’re going to have a lot of trouble on our hands.”“Agreed, Your Highness,” Cogsworth said, bowing slightly. “What will you do?”“My very best,” Adam replied. “But for now, let us honor our dead and rest.”“Very well, sire,” Cogsworth said. “Lumiere should be done with the preparations.”The mood of the castle was somber as they gathered to honor Estelle and the other fallen. Belle held Adam’s hand as he openly cried at the loss of his mother. The servants also wept and comforted each other. Estelle had been very loved and some of the guards had also fallen during the scuffle. Fifi cried into Lumiere’s shoulder, while Chip sat at his mother’s feet holding Sultan to his chest looking sad and confused at everyone’s grief. The little girl who they rescued from the asylum sat beside Chip, looking lost and confused. They had learned that she was D’Arque’s niece. She had been orphaned at a young age and he had locked her up when she’d begun to show signs of magic. Mrs. Potts had decided to adopt her.Several spoke words, honoring the fallen. Belle’s mother spoke, “Estelle was my best friend. And I failed her,” she said breaking down into sobs. Belle and Maurice hugged her.“There was nothing you could have done,” Mrs. Potts said. “She died protecting what she loved.”“You did the best you could,” Adam said, patting Colette awkwardly on the back, tears running down his cheeks.Colette shook her head, her face in her hands. “Don’t let blame destroy you,” Belle whispered to her mother. “Remember what you told me. Listen to your own advice. Honor her memory by living and protecting her people.”Colette leaned on Belle. “How did you get so wise?” Colette asked.“I have very special parents,” Belle said, squeezing the hands of her parents. Maurice took his wife in his arms as another person came forward to speak words in honor of the fallen.Belle returned to Adam’s side and held his hand. She leaned on his shoulder as the memorial progressed.Eventually, the memorial ended and the crowd dispersed, going back into the castle. Colette squeezed Belle’s hand before retreating back into the castle with Belle’s father.At last, only Belle and Adam remained outside, watching the dying embers of the fire go out.“Will you marry me?” Adam asked abruptly, turning to face her.“What?” Belle asked, startled out of her reverie. She’d been watching the fire, thinking about everything and nothing.“I want you to stay with me tonight,” Adam said. “But first, we should be married.”Belle turned to face him. The earnestness in his eyes made her realize he was being serious.“Of course I’ll marry you,” she said.Adam kissed her briefly on the lips. “Are you sure?” he asked.“I wouldn’t say it if I wasn’t,” Belle replied.“Would you like to have a big ceremony?” Adam asked. “Or would you prefer to get married immediately?” Adam paused. “Or both?”Belle thought about it. “Let’s get married right away,” she said. “I don’t need a ceremony.” Belle thought about the ceremony with Gaston and shuddered at the thought. “Let’s get my parents though.”“Why don’t you go get them?” Adam asked. “And I’ll summon Cogsworth to officiate. Would you like anyone else there?”“Mrs. Potts and Lumiere,” Belle said. “And the triplets. And the Madame.”“Done,” Adam said, kissing her. They ran back to the castle hand-in-hand. Belle ran to find her parents, who were still slowly making their way upstairs.They were delighted at the news. “Estelle would be so happy,” Colette said, dabbing her eyes. “Oh, this puts some joy back into our lives. We always hoped you’d get together, you know.”In a short period of time, the small group had assembled into the sitting room with the fireplace where Belle had first tended to Adam’s wounds after he’d saved her from the wolves. How things had changed since then.Cogsworth conducted the ceremony, reading from a book. “Please sign here,” he said after reading several formal and elaborate passages about the responsibilities of marriage.Belle saw a contract of marriage before her. She scanned over the page, hardly taking in the words as Adam signed his name at the bottom. She picked up the quill he handed to her and signed her name.“I now pronounce you man and wife,” Cogsworth said. “Or should I say, prince and princess.”“Princess!” Belle exclaimed, startled.Adam wrapped his arms around her. “What did you think would happen after marrying a prince?” he asked, laughing.“I forgot you were a prince,” Belle muttered.Adam laughed again. “And that’s one of the many reasons I love you,” he said and kissed her.After they broke apart, the small group assembled came to congratulate them. “How could you forget he’s a prince?” Laurette asked, amazed.“We never would,” Claudette agreed, hugging Belle. “Take care of us, Belle,” she whispered in Belle’s ear.“Of course,” Belle replied, pulling back and looking Claudette in the eyes. “Always.”“Well,” Adam said, taking Belle’s hand. “I’m going to take my wife away now. Good night to you all.”Belle blushed as Adam pulled her out of the room and up the stairs to the West Wing. “I had to get us out of there before Mrs. Potts started trying to serve us food,” Adam said. “I told Cogsworth to be brief, but that still took forever.”“It was perfect,” Belle said, smiling as she followed behind him. They crossed the threshold of the West Wing. “So, this area is no longer forbidden, is it?”“It is yours,” Adam replied. “Everything in this castle is yours.” He gestured around the room. “You may do whatever you like with this space.”The West Wing looked much improved from the first time Belle had seen it. Everything was neat and in repair. Yet, it still looked stuffy and formal. She’d like to make it more homey. And create a nice reading nook.Thoughts of how she might alter the space vanished, however, as Adam pulled her to him.“I love you, Belle,” he said. “And I’d like to show you how much I love you. I want to worship your body. But tell me if anything becomes too much.”“I will,” Belle said. “I love you, too. And I want to be with you. All of you.”Adam’s lips met hers, sending a fire coursing through her. Belle wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself towards him.As her body pressed against his, it felt as if she couldn’t get close enough to him. He seemed to feel the same way, he pulled her towards him, pressing her body against his.Gently at first, his tongue entered her mouth and explored the inside. She met his tongue with hers and he sucked on her tongue. She shivered and pulled herself closer to him. He was devouring her and she loved every second of it.He began to unfasten the back of her dress and she helped him, speeding up the process. As her dress fell to the ground, she began to unbutton his shirt. She ran her hands across his taunt, defined, and golden-haired chest. He groaned and lifted her shift over her head. She stood before him naked.“You’re so beautiful,” Adam said, running his hands gently over her waist, going up to caress her breasts. Belle shivered and pulled off his shirt so that he stood half naked before her.She pulled down his breeches and he yanked off his boots so that he could remove all the articles of clothing from his body.Naked, they gazed at each other. His erection stood tall and proud, yet Belle didn’t fear it. She was eager to feel him inside of her. Tentatively, she reached out and wrapped her hand around it. He moaned at her touch. He gently grasped her hand and guided it up and down, his foreskin moving with her hand along his penis.He moved his hand down between her legs, nuzzling aside her hair to find the sensitive spot. She jerked away at his touch. He pulled back immediately. “No,” she said. “Don’t stop. I’m just very…sensitive there.”He returned his hand there, lightening the pressure. Gently, he stroked her. She felt like jelly under his touch. It soon became hard to stand as he caressed her in her most sensitive area. Her knees buckled and he caught her.Carrying her to the bed, he laid her down gently. He pulled apart her legs and replaced where his hand had been with his head. The warmth of his wet tongue set Belle aflame and she writhed as he licked her. As he picked up speed, Belle shattered, crying out.He inserted his finger inside of her as he continued to worship her with his tongue. Belle writhed and writhed as he inserted his finger in and out of her. He added in another finger.Belle shook as pleasure flooded over her again. She felt like she was melting into the bed as waves and waves of pleasure rode her. Adam rose above her, watching her as she panted.“I think you’re ready,” he said, coming over her and kissing her lightly on the lips. Belle wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back. As they kissed, Adam slowly inserted himself inside of her.The fullness of him made Belle feel utterly complete. This was nothing like she could have imagined. She felt safe and whole with him. Adam began to gently move inside of her and she moaned in pleasure.He began to pick up speed. Belle wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer and closer to her.He moved to kiss her neck as he continued to thrust. Belle exposed her neck to give him easier access. It felt so nice.Adam moved down to her breast and took a nipple into his mouth. At the sensation, Belle shattered once more, shouting in pleasure.Belle felt a filling sensation inside of her as Adam found his release. She watched him jerk and moan as he continued to thrust a few more times before he collapsed on top of her, placing his weight on his forearms so as not to crush her.“I wanted to last longer,” Adam said. “But you felt so good. It’s been so long since I…” he trailed off. “I’m out of practice.”Belle kissed him. “We have all the time in the world together,” she said.“Very true,” he said, laying down beside her and pulling her against him. He nuzzled her neck, kissing her. “And just give me some time,” he murmured. “I’ll be ready again for you soon enough.”Belle smiled.

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Overall, Christmas at the Grangers’ was a comfortable, relaxed affair. However, at the same time, Hermione’s parents were trying to figure out what to do about their identities now that they knew who they were again.While Hermione had changed their documents for them when she altered their memories and she’d done it once again for them, they’d established themselves at a dental practice nearby and had gotten to know people under their pseudonyms.Ultimately, they’d decided to tell their new acquaintances that they were moving back to Australia and actually move themselves back to the south England town that Hermione had grown up in near Dover. It would be unlikely that they’d ever run into those people again. But for now, they weren’t going to worry about all the details. They would enjoy the holiday.Draco’s family had never done much in the way of holiday festivities, thinking it beneath them. Primarily, he’d grown up going to fancy, stuffy events where there was very little holiday spirit.In contrast, Hermione’s parents loved Christmas time and went all out. They sung Christmas carols, prepared special meals, and popped Christmas crackers — though they were nothing like the wizarding crackers. Draco pulled his with Hermione, half braced for an explosion and had thought the gunfire sound to be rather tame.A few days after Christmas, Draco and Hermione visited Draco’s cousin Andromeda Tonks. Despite the fact that she and Draco had been corresponding via letters for some time, she was still a little wary around Draco at first. After all, he was a Malfoy and after her sister married Lucius, her sister had become even more snobby and disdainful.As their visit continued, however, Andromeda warmed up to Draco. They seemed to understand each other in a way that Hermione would never be able to, given that she hadn’t come up from their particular upbringing. Hermione wondered sadly how Draco might have gotten on with Sirius and Tonks, for that matter. The losses they’d experienced still staggered her sometimes.Watching little Teddy toddle around the house helped clear any sadness away from Hermione’s mind. The youngster was precious, getting into all sorts of trouble. Andromeda constantly had to run get him out of this mishap or that. She certainly had her hands full.Yet Hermione could see how much Andromeda loved her grandson. He was the only living remnant of her immediate family, as she’d lost her daughter, husband, and son-in-law during the war. Hermione guessed that Teddy kept her so busy that Andromeda had no chance to let grief consume her.They learned Andromeda had spent Christmas Day with the Weasley’s, which had been crowded, mad, and filled with holiday spirit. Andromeda had been grateful for the invite and, as Teddy was Harry’s godson, they were part of the family.Hermione felt a brief pang that she hadn’t been at the Weasley’s, but the holidays with her parents and Draco was extremely special.To Hermione’s delight, her parents took quite well to Draco. In particular, Draco got along especially well with Hermione’s father. Draco unwittingly got Hermione’s father started on the subject of history and mythology. And once you get Hugo Granger started on history and mythology, it’s almost impossible to get him to stop. Thus, Draco got a crash course on Muggle history and literature. Surprisingly, he didn’t seem to mind the lectures and would ask Hermione’s father thoughtful questions.Aside from stolen moments here and there, Hermione and Draco had very little alone time, but Hermione found the time spent with family invaluable after spending so much time being estranged from them.As Hermione promised, a couple days before they were meant to ride the train, they said goodbye to Hermione’s family and returned to the Leaky Cauldron. Draco and Hermione took good advantage of their time together.“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think I’m starting to appreciate this room,” Draco said as he held Hermione to his chest in bed. “It’s started to grow on me.”Hermione idly ran her fingers along his bare chest, playing with his golden chest hair.“It’s certainly cozy,” she said. “And we’ve taken advantage of every surface here.”“Indeed,” Draco said. “I dare say I might even miss it.”“We can come back when I graduate,” Hermione said. “If you miss it that much.”Draco pulled her tight. “I think I’ll be able to make better arrangements for us by that time,” he said. He stroked her hair. “It makes me happy to hear you talking about the future.”“Thinking about the future makes me nervous,” Hermione admitted. “I haven’t figured out what exactly I want to do. But the one constant I see in my future is you. And that fills me with hope and happiness. I feel much less worried about the future than I have in years.”“I feel the same,” Draco said. “And I think it’s okay we don’t know what we want to do. We have time to figure it out.”“Well, for me, at least until I graduate,” Hermione said. “After that, I have to figure out how to make money somehow.”“There’s always Hogwarts,” Draco said. “I’m sure McGonagall would give you a post.”“That’s true,” said Hermione. “But I don’t think that’s the right thing for me. I want to do something to help change the world. We’re in a fresh opportunity to start over.”“So what might that look like?” Draco asked.“I don’t know,” Hermione said. “I used to think I wanted to take my Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare further. I’d love to take that a step further and advocate for all sentient creatures who are oppressed by wizards.”“Including goblins?” Draco asked, a note of skepticism in his voice.“Goblins, centaurs, werewolves, vampires, giants, house elves, and all sentient creatures,” Hermione confirmed.“Not all of those are guilt-free,” Draco said. “Many have done serious harm to wizards.”“And why is that?” Hermione said hotly, sitting up in bed and looking down at him. Her hair fell over one shoulder, cascading down over her breast. “Because wizards have oppressed them and looked down on them as other. They’ve wanted to dominate those they deem lesser. Like Muggles.”Draco considered her. “You’re so sexy when you’re angry and fired up about something,” he said, his eyes filling with desire.“Don’t change the subject,” Hermione said, feeling herself growing even more hot and flushed despite herself. The way he was looking at her…Draco sat up beside her, the sheets covering his naked lower half. “I see where you’re coming from,” he said. “And my first instinct is to say you’re wrong and that goblins, werewolves, and other creatures are foul. But yet, if I step back a little, I realize I need some time to reevaluate my stance on this.”Hermione smiled softly at him. “Of course,” she said. “And I’m so thankful that you’re even aware of that and willing to do so.”She kissed him softly. And then they didn’t talk for quite some time as they lost themselves in each other once more.The night before returning to Hogwarts, Draco’s mother met them at the Leaky Cauldron for dinner. As she entered, her face had the usual pinched expression of smelling something distasteful. Her eyes took in the dingy atmosphere of the pub and clearly did not look eager to eat there. Yet as she saw her son, her expression brightened and she made her way to their table.“Hello, Draco,” Narcissa Malfoy said, kissing her son on the cheek.“Hello, mother,” he said. “Please officially meet my girlfriend, Hermione Granger.”Narcissa surveyed Hermione, who felt very dingy and uncomfortable under her gaze. Hermione was aware that she was wearing Muggle casual clothing, while Narcissa and Draco wore richly fabricked robes in wizard fashion.After what seemed like forever, Narcissa nodded at Hermione and said, “I’ve heard so much about you.”That could mean anything, Hermione thought. She could have heard bad things and she could have heard good things. It was a very neutral sort of statement.“And I’ve heard a lot about you from Draco,” Hermione said. “He’s very fond of you.” Hermione added a positive note to the statement.Narcissa raised her eyebrows. To Hermione’s amazement, the expression mirrored on Draco’s face. How alike they look, she thought. And yet not.They all sat down at the table. Tom came by and took their orders.Overall, they had a pleasant meal. Narcissa did not insult Hermione but she mostly talked to Draco of people they knew or places they’d visited. Hermione didn’t mind that his mother focused her attention on Draco. She wouldn’t know what to talk about with Draco’s mother.At the end of the meal, Narcissa paid for their meal, which Draco protested and she waved him off. “Let me,” she said. “Since you refuse to visit and to allow me to send you anything, give your mother this small comfort.”Draco acquiesced and soon, she stood up and they stood up as well. Narcissa kissed her son goodbye and said to Hermione, “Farewell Miss Granger.” Narcissa gave Hermione a nod and added, “Take care of my son.”Hermione held Draco’s hand. “I will,” she said, smiling. In that small way, Hermione understood that Narcissa was giving her acceptance to their relationship. Perhaps Narcissa wasn’t glad that Draco had chosen Hermione but she demonstrated that she could accept his choice.Returning to Hogwarts was thankfully peaceful. Ron had not made an appearance at the train station, so Hermione got to catch up with Harry in peace before the train departed. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley also came to see Ginny off.“This is the last time we’ll put any of our children on the Hogwarts Express,” Mrs. Weasley said tearfully. “It’s almost the end of an era.”Mr. Weasley wrapped his arm around his wife. “I hadn’t thought of that, dear,” he said. “You’re right. It’s time for new beginnings.”“I’m not sure what I’ll do when all the children are out of the house,” Mrs. Weasley wailed.“The house is never empty very long, my dear,” Mr. Weasley pointed out. “As long as you never stop cooking, there will always be at least one child coming to visit.” He chuckled. “And remember Bill and Fleur’s news?”At Hermione’s puzzled expression, Ginny chimed in, “Oh! I didn’t tell you!” Ginny said. “Fleur is expecting. She told us at Christmas.”“Oh, how wonderful!” Hermione squealed. “I’ll have to write them my congratulations.”Mrs. Weasley eyed Hermione, studying her. She then examined Draco, who stood somewhat aloof at Hermione’s side.“I’m still not sure what to make of this new development,” Mrs. Weasley said looking at the couple. “But in the name of Christmas I’ll let bygones be bygones.” She patted Hermione on the back. “You’ve every right to follow your heart. Even if I don’t understand it.”Thrilled, Hermione hugged Mrs. Weasley. “Thank you,” she said. “Our relationship means a lot to me. I’d hate to think I’ll never be able to spend time with you again. Perhaps one day I can get more cooking lessons.”“I think that could be arranged,” Mrs. Weasley said, patting Hermione on the back. “You made some improvements over the summer and I’d hate to let that improvement go to waste.”Luna drifted over to their group. “Shall we get on the train?” she asked in her dreamy way. “It’s starting to fill up.”“Yes,” Ginny agreed. “We want to make sure we get a compartment.”They bade their farewells and boarded the train, securing one of the remaining few free compartments.Without further ado, the second term of the school year started back up and they all fell back into a familiar pattern.
[BONUS FLUFF!]
Now that Draco and Hermione had deepened their relationship over the holidays, they began to take more risks to see each other.One day Draco pulled Hermione into an abandoned classroom when Hermione had a free period. He cast the Muffiliato charm and sealed the doors, striding towards her.“Draco!” Hermione said startled. “This is pretty public.”“I don’t care,” he said. “Besides, I cast some enchantments around. We shouldn’t be bothered.”“Shouldn’t,” Hermione muttered, her protests ending as Draco met her lips and pulled her tight. He pressed her up against a desk, lifting her up so that she could straddle her legs around him. She pulled him in tight, throwing her arms around his neck.Their kiss deepened as he pulled up her school robes, so that they pooled around her waist. He gripped her thighs, hard. She moaned at the intensity of his grip. She began to rub his back with her calf, pulling him even closer.He pulled up his robes and unleashed his enlarged member. He slipped her panties to the side and entered her.She grinded against him, meeting him thrust for thrust. Riding him hard and fast, she found her release at the same time he did. She buried her face in his chest to muffle her cry of pleasure.They held each other for a few moments, panting. Then, he kissed her and stepped back.Draco grinned at Hermione. “See?” he asked, straightening his robes and smoothing out his hair. “This was a good idea.”Hermione stood and straightened her robes, “I suppose I can’t disagree,” she said primly.“Even if you don’t admit it,” he said. “Your body admits it. And those little sounds you make.”Hermione turned a bit pink at his words but smiled. She kissed him lightly on the lips.“This term won’t be over soon enough,” she said.“I don’t know,” he said. “I enjoy it. You as a student. Me as a professor. It’s hot.”“Assistant professor,” Hermione said. “And I am older than you, you know.”Draco shrugged. “And yet, I’m the one on faculty and you’re not.”“I chose to come back to school,” she said.“Still doesn’t alter the situation,” he said.Hermione rolled her eyes. “I need to study,” she said.“I’ll come with you,” he said.“You can walk me there,” she said. “If you want. But that’s it. I need to focus. You always distract me.”He took her hand. “Very well,” he said. “It would be a shame if you didn’t get all O’s on your N.E.W.T.s and not come out on top of this crop of seventh years.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Despite Adam and Belle’s efforts, pacifying the village proved to be an impossible task. The sentiment in the village was divided. Even with Gaston and D’Arque gone, anti-magical sentiment remained strong.As the weeks and months progressed, sympathizers such as Monsieur Levi and relatives of the magical folk started spending more and more time at the castle, eventually moving in as they no longer felt welcome in the village as tensions grew.Moreover, during the time of the enchantment, anti-royalty sentiment had begun to spread throughout France. While some in the village were still enamored with royalty, many did not welcome the idea of a prince being around. Especially one who had mysteriously vanished for years.After much deliberation, Colette’s suggestion of hiding the castle and surrounding area from the rest of the non-magical world won out. She was inspired by Hogsmeade, the only all-wizarding village in Britain, which was also near a castle. It was Unplottable along with Hogwarts. Adam’s castle grounds were expansive and had plenty of room to support a small hamlet and even a new village if it grew enough. If needed, they could begin to expand into the woods around the castle. The seclusion of the castle lent itself to becoming hidden again.Using the combined strength of the magical folk alongside Belle, they hid Adam’s castle once more and the surrounding area, including anyone who wanted to live with them.The overall mood in the castle was somber as they became separated from the world once more. They could leave the castle but would have to exercise extreme caution. In this way, they abided by the International Statue of Secrecy and could be protected by the International Confederation of Wizards if it ever came to that.Yet, as time passed, the group began to flourish, practicing magic to make the territory a thriving and prosperous place. In disguise, select members of the community would go trade with the village on market days, keeping the castle community supplied with provisions. These community members became known to the village over time and became accepted as regular market attendees. If ever anyone asked too many questions, there was always the Confundus jinx.Belle studied magic from her mother and the other asylum rescuees. Over time, she learned to channel her magic into her hands consistently and found that once she could do that, her abilities came naturally to her again. Her struggle before had been having a means to channel her magic. Once she figured that out, she could effortlessly direct her magic alongside her powerful imagination.Other forms of magic, such as Potion-making, Alchemy, Arithmancy, and Herbology, she learned through study and practice.One day, almost a year after all of the events that set their current path in motion, Belle’s mother commented at breakfast, “I feel so cut off from the rest of the magical world. We’ve cut ourselves off from the non-magical world by necessity, but we don’t have to be so limited to this area. We need access to magical supplies. I think I’m going to try to find Beauxbatons.”“Beauxbatons?” Adam asked. “That name rings a bell.”“It was your mother’s school,” Colette said. “And mine for a time, when I studied here as an exchange student. I desperately would like to see it again. There’s a thriving magical village near the school. So I’d like to see if I can find a wand-maker and gather other necessities like Floo Powder.”“Floo Powder?” Belle asked. “I think I heard something about that at Hogwarts, but I can’t recall what it is.”“It’s a way for us to travel by fire,” Colette said. “We can step into the flames and it doesn’t harm us. We can state our destination and appear in the fireplace wherever we want to go.”“Incredible,” Belle said. “Can I come with you?”“I better go alone this time,” Colette said. “I’m not confident in my ability to have you do side-along Apparition with me. I’ve been practicing it alone, but without a wand, I’m afraid of something going wrong in the process. I promise I’ll bring you there though once I find it.”Belle was disappointed, but Adam was secretly relieved. He held her hand, “That means I get you to myself,” he said. “You can show me more of what you’ve been learning.”Belle gazed at him, love filling her heart as she saw the mirror of her feelings in his eyes.“Oh, get a room you too,” Claudette griped from across the table where she sat with her two sisters. They all grinned at Belle, letting her know they were happy for her and just giving her a hard time.Belle laughed. She was the happiest she’d ever been in her life, despite everything that had happened with Gaston. Whenever Belle awoke in the night from her nightmares, Adam held her and stroked her hair, slowly erasing the memories with his kisses. So, even though much was uncertain about their future, she had him, her parents, and new friends by her side.Meals felt so different than when she’d first arrived at the castle. The table was always full with people, so much so that they reserved their table for close family and friends while the rest of the castle inhabitants ate elsewhere in the castle’s many rooms. Life was full and happy.Belle only wished she knew what was going on with Hermione. She yearned to be able to talk to her and know what had happened since she left. Even though she’d only been there for a short amount of time, she’d grown to care about Hermione and her friends. They’d been very kind and patient with her.Belle looked across the table at her parents, her father looked worried about Colette leaving again and they were talking in low voices. They were living in dangerous times and risks must be taken. Belle could see the wisdom in her mother leaving and forging connections to other magical communities. If they were to have a thriving territory that continued to thrive in the long term, connections would be crucial.After finishing breakfast, Belle retreated up to the West Wing to look for anything that might help her mother in her travels. As she entered her private chambers she shared with Adam, Belle felt like she was home. Of course, the castle was her home, but their private rooms were her sanctuary. It was filled with things that she’d rescued from her cottage back home, creating a funny mix of decorations with the regal décor that had been there before. She loved the overall effect. It felt so them.Belle spied the small table with the rose in the bell-shaped jar and the mirror. They’d left the rose there in remembrance of the enchantment. Belle walked over to the table and picked up the mirror. I ought to give this back to my mother, she thought. It’s hers after all and it might be useful. “Looking for something?” Adam asked from behind her. “Or someone?”Belle jumped a little. She hadn’t realized he’d followed her.He wrapped his arms around her from behind, holding her to him. “Sorry,” he murmured in her ear. “I didn’t meant to startle you.”“It’s all right,” Belle said. “Too much coffee at breakfast. I didn’t realize you’d followed me.”“I couldn’t resist,” he said, running his hands along her body. “You looked delicious.”“You make me sound like a snack,” Belle said.“Maybe I want to eat you,” Adam replied.He began to nibble at the side of her neck. Setting down the mirror, Belle exposed her neck to give him more access. His hands moved to her hips and he pulled her against him.His hands roved across the front of her body, cupping her breasts, running along her stomach and her pelvis. She moaned at the sensation.Belle wanted to feel his hands directly on her skin, so she leaned forward and began to unfasten her dress. He helped her and soon she stood before him completely naked. Swiftly, he removed his clothing as well. He pulled her back against him and resumed his stroking and kissing her neck. Belle felt the hardness of him against her and titled her hips so that she ground against him. His cock twitched and she felt an overwhelming desire to have him inside of her. To fill her with his seed.Turning around, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. Pulling back, she looked into his eyes and said, “Would you like to start trying for a child?”Adam’s eyes gleamed. “Are you sure?” he asked.“I wouldn’t ask if I weren’t,” Belle reminded him, nipping at his nose. Belle had a good awareness of her menstrual cycle and, so far, she’d told Adam when it was safe for him to come inside of her and, when it wasn’t, they explored other ways for him to find his release.As they’d been rebuilding the community and safeguarding the castle, it hadn’t felt like the right time to bring a little one into the world. But Belle had been feeling more and more that now she was ready. With a complete certainty, she knew it was time.Belle kissed him again, “We’re in that window right now,” she said. “If you’d like to try.”In answer, he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her to bed and sat down at the foot. Her legs still wrapped around him, she lifted herself up a little and grasped his cock, guiding him inside of her. At this time of the month, it took her no time at all to get wet. She was wet with the thick, sticky mucus of her ovulation window.He slid right into her and she slowly began to move her hips, allowing them both a little time to adjust to the position. As he cupped her ass tightly, she began to pick up speed. Belle rode Adam fast and hard, the pleasure building in her and cresting in a powerful climax that had her yelling. She was glad for the millionth time that their wing was secluded from the rest of the castle and she could be as loud as she wanted to be.Adam kissed her chest and move his head between her breasts as they bounced against his face. He took one of her nipples in his mouth and Belle felt that wave of sensation build back up. She continued to ride him hard. He moved his head between both of her nipples, alternating between them until he held them both so he could take both in his mouth at the same time. She screamed in pleasure when he did that and arched her back to give him more access as she found her release once more.Falling against him limply, she buried her face in his neck and soaked in the sensation of him filling her and holding her against him. He held her as she basked in the aftermath of her orgasms, kissing her forehead lightly and stroking her back.Once she caught her breath, Belle sat back up and kissed him. “Would you take me from behind?” she asked. That was a position they hadn’t done before, avoiding it as that had been how Gaston had brutally forced her in the end.“Are you—?” Adam began, but Belle put her fingers to his lips and gazed at him fixedly. She nodded and, removing her finger, kissed him.He held her kiss for a few moments and then he gently lifted her off of him. Belle crawled onto the bed and remained on all fours. “Like this?” she asked, trembling somewhat at the thought of him entering her like this. But she wanted to erase the negativity once and for all.He ran his hand along her backside and kissed her all over. Gently, he put his hands on her waist and pulled her a little closer to the edge of the bed. “Tell me to stop any time,” he said. Belle nodded.He guided himself to her entrance, gingerly entering her slowly and deliberately. Belle felt the fullness of him enter her and felt the rightness of it. This was Adam, her husband, the love of her life. He did not move, letting her process her emotions and adjust to this new position. Belle felt tears come to her eyes in gratitude for his thoughtfulness and kindness.Yet she wanted more. Belle tilted her hips back against him, giving him more access. Slowly, he began to move in and out of her. In this position, he filled her more deeply than she’d ever felt him. It was simultaneously incredible and intense. He began to pick up speed and Belle braced herself against the bed. Why had she waited so long for this? It was amazing when she was ready for it, when she loved the man entering in and out of her.She moaned as he thrust once more inside of her. Her moan drive him crazy and he sped up even more. He was pounding her just as Gaston had been, but with Adam, she relished the sensation. Him turning over to that beastly nature. Every time he let some of the beast come out when they had sex, Belle loved every second of it. This time, he seemed to lose himself to the Beast within. He grabbed her ponytail and pulled her head back, pounding her. His other hand on her hip dug in tightly, holding her in place.He let her hair fall and pushed her back so that her chest fell onto the bed and her arms rested above her head. Her hips still were raised and he held them as he pounded her.Belle completely surrendered to him, yielding herself before him as he took her. He leaned forward and bit her neck as he thrusted. She shivered and moaned. He growled in her ear and stood back up, his hands tightening once more before he exploded inside of her. He roared as he filled her, jerking as he rode the waves of his release.Belle smiled as she felt him let go. She’d never experienced him lose control like that and she loved it. He fell down beside her and looked at her, worry in his eyes.“Belle,” he breathed. “I’m so sorry. I lost control. Are you okay?”She thought about teasing him, but the concern on his face was so evident that Belle merely cupped his face and smiled at him. “I’m more than okay. I’m incredible. You should lose control more often.”He stared at her, stunned. Then his face broke into a wolfish grin. “Yes, ma’am,” he said. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “I love you,” he said. “So much.”Belle gazed into his eyes, feeling satiated and complete. “I love you, too.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“I think I’m going to faint,” Hermione said, watching an owl fly closer and closer while she stood by a window in the apartment she shared with Draco in Hogsmeade.Hermione knew it had to be the owl bearing her test results. Mr. Weasley had mentioned it to her the night before when she’d been visiting Ginny at the Burrow. Ginny was always careful to invite Hermione to the Burrow when she knew Ron wouldn’t be visiting. He rarely visited anyway, it seemed, preferring to spend his time in London.Hermione had been helping Mrs. Weasley prepare a celebratory dinner for Ginny, who had just found out that she’d made the all-female Quidditch team, the Holyhead Harpies, as a reserve player. Ginny was beyond thrilled, as it had always been her dream to play for the team.That news had been dampened, for Hermione anyway, by Mr. Weasley’s announcement that the N.E.W.T. scores should be delivered the following day. She’d been a nervous wreck since then.Draco wrapped his arm around her waist. “Why are you worried?” he asked. “You know you aced it. And it doesn’t matter anyway. You already have a job.”Hermione sighed. “But it affects my future!” she said. “It’ll determine if I’m qualified for advanced positions.”Draco raised his eyebrows. “Do you really believe that?”Hermione stepped out of his embrace, feeling stifled and flustered. “I don’t know,” she said stress and worry threatening to overtake her. “I know I failed everything.”Draco wrapped his arms around her, and she buried her face in his shoulder. “Is this how you always are with exams?” he asked. “You were a wreck at Hogwarts the whole time you took the N.E.W.T.s.”Hermione hiccupped in response and nodded into his shoulder.“I never would have dreamed you were so insecure about your test performance,” Draco said. “If your past history is any indication, you’ve aced them all.”The owl landed on the open windowsill. “Well,” Draco said, “Are you going to open it?”“I can’t look,” Hermione said, not moving her head from his shoulder.Draco extricated an arm and took the letter from the owl, who shook his feathers importantly and took back off out of the window. Around Hermione, he opened the letter.“Just as I thought,” he said. “All Outstandings.”“Even Defense Against the Dark Arts?” Hermione asked, stunned.“All I see are O’s,” Draco replied.Hermione snatched the parchment from him, scanning the page. Sure enough, she’d managed all Outstandings this time. Maybe since Harry wasn’t there, she’d been able to impress the examiners enough. Or maybe something of what he’d known had rubbed off on her in the year they’d spent roaming the countryside together.A huge wave of relief passed over Hermione. “I did it,” she said. “I’ve finished magic school with the highest scores possible. My younger self would never have dreamed I’d be able to pull this off.”Draco hugged her again. “I’m proud of you,” he said. “And of course you beat me. I only got three Outstandings.”“But you got Exceeds Expectations for everything else,” Hermione countered. “And that’s very impressive.”“Still,” he said. “I’m a failure for not doing as well as a Muggle-born. Or, at least, that’s what I was always raised to think. Now, I don’t give a damn.”Hermione kissed him. “And that’s how it should be,” she said. She glanced at the clock.“I better get to work,” she said. “What are you going to be up to?”“I’m meeting with Professor Slughorn,” Draco said. “He has a business proposition for me.”“Does he?” Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows. “Do you think it has to do with his little side business?”Draco laughed. “I think it has everything to do with that,” he said. “I’m curious to see what he has to say.”“Don’t put me in a bad situation,” Hermione said. “As a Ministry employee, I might find that I have to report you.”“Don’t worry,” Draco said. “What you won’t know, won’t hurt you.” He winked at her and then seeing her incredulous face, added, “Just kidding. I actually have a proposition for him, which we’ll see what he thinks about.”“What is it?” Hermione asked, curious.“Now, now, Miss Granger,” Draco said. “Hadn’t you better be getting off to work? Magical creatures can’t control themselves after all.”“Actually, they can,” Hermione said hotly. “That’s more wizarding arrogance.”“Yes, yes, and you’re doing amazing things from the inside to help change that,” Draco said, referring to the fact that Hermione now worked in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures where she currently worked to improve the lives for all sentient creatures. “It’s a good thing you’re close with the Minister.”Hermione glared at him. “Kingsley didn’t give me the job,” she said hotly. “And you know it.”“And you know that he put in a good word for you,” Draco said. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. That’s how the world works. Connections. The sooner you accept that, the better off you’ll be.”Hermione shrugged. “I do need to go,” she said. “I’ll see you later.” Kissing him goodbye, Hermione Disapparated.After living with her parents for a few weeks, Hermione had moved in with Draco after she got her job at the Ministry. Hermione refused to move in with Draco until she could split the rent with him. Now, Hermione’s salary helped them both start saving for the future. At first, Hermione’s parents didn’t like the idea of her living with a man unmarried, but she didn’t care and they accepted it since she was a grown woman.Similarly, Ginny hadn’t wanted to move in with Harry until she could support herself. Besides, they all knew Mrs. Weasley couldn’t handle an empty nest just yet.Hermione’s work in the office involved a lot of paperwork, meetings with different Ministry officials, and so much bureaucracy. She often asked herself how she’d ever get anything done. Things moved at a snail’s pace and she often got disheartened.When she got home later that day, Hermione found dinner ready. Draco, of course, didn’t cook, but the last time he’d visited his family, he’d freed the house-elf who’d replaced Dobby and offered the house-elf, Werf, a paid position with him. His father had been absolutely furious with him when he found out. But that was nothing new these days, Draco had said. Hermione was thrilled that Draco made the life of this house-elf better. Draco had convinced his mother to hire some staff to help around the house instead.Draco wasn’t sure how long his father would allow that, because despite being filthy rich, his father didn’t like to spend money “unnecessarily.” And house-elves didn’t cost money. Hermione hoped to get new laws in place to give house-elves fair wages and time off before Lucius Malfoy obtained another house elf.Werf, like many of his fellows, felt strange about the idea of receiving wages and protested it many times. Eventually, however he started to get used to it and appreciate the wages. Hermione appreciated having him around so that she could learn more about house elves. Whenever she visited Harry, she’d also talk to Kreacher to learn from him. Kreacher had warmed up to Hermione after the whole incident with Regulus’ locket, seeming not to be bothered by her Muggle heritage anymore.Thanking Werf for the food, Hermione and Draco ate together and talked about their days. Hermione complained about all the bureaucracy she had to wade through before making any progress.“But enough about that,” she said. “Tell me about your meeting with Slughorn.”“Well,” Draco said. “I proposed helping him expand the Slug Club.”“Expand the Slug Club?” Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows.“Yes,” Draco said. “In my family, we’ve gotten to where we are through our connections. Slughorn knows the value of connections, which is why he’s cultivated his club. I think we could take this much further than mere school gatherings.”“And why would you do this?” Hermione asked, bemused.“To create a network of people that are in a position to make change,” Draco said. “Change for the benefit of society, I mean.”Hermione took in his words. “How can you make sure that this group has the benefit of society in mind?”“That’s a tough one,” Draco said. “And one I can’t answer immediately. It would take some intentional curation of the people allowed to be part of the group. And some checks and balances with the leadership.”“Would you cut out people like McClaggen and Zabini then?” Hermione asked.“Just because they’re unpleasant and self-centered, doesn’t mean they’re bad people,” Draco pointed out. “Zabini never sought to become a Death Eater and McClaggen, while idiotic, despises the dark arts.”“Even so, I wouldn’t be able to deal with them,” Hermione said.“Ah, but I know just how to,” Draco said. “It’s what I was raised to do. Manipulate and pull strings from behind the scenes. And I see the value of it. But I want to do it for the good of all, rather than for personal gain.”“I don’t see how this can work,” Hermione said. “Wouldn’t it end up turning for personal gain anyway?”“Perhaps. But you’ll keep me honest,” Draco said. “I’m depending on it. Besides, weren’t you just complaining about bureaucracy? This might help move things along faster.”“I don’t know…” Hermione said. “It sounds a bit dodgy. Like bypassing the law.”“And yet,” Draco said. “As we’ve talked about, many laws, regulations, and bureaucracy are all put in place for the gain of those in charge. What if we were able to manipulate that somehow so that more people benefit? Perhaps even the good of all.”“And where would you start?” Hermione asked.“Well,” Draco said, thoughtfully. “I’d start by supporting you, of course. Trying to find ways to help get some of the changes and reforms you want to make get through faster.”“I don’t know if I want to kiss you or slap you,” Hermione said, thoughtfully. “This doesn’t sound ethical to me.”“Why not both?” Draco said, mischievously. “And besides. This is how the world already works, babe. Why not accept it and use it for your advantage when you know what you’re doing is good?”“But what if I think I’m doing good things and then I’m really doing the wrong thing?” Hermione mused.“That all depends on perspective,” Draco said. “And we’ll need to think of ways to measure that.”“Perhaps we could work with the press and have polls and interviews of the public sentiment,” Hermione mused.“See,” Draco said, getting up and coming over to her, pulling her into his arms. “This is why I need you.” His lips met hers.Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, Hermione could tell that this idea filled Draco with a sense of purpose she’d never seen in him before. He really felt like it could work. After getting to know the real Draco, she trusted him. But, like he said, she’d be there to keep him honest.Hermione pulled away and looked at him. “I can see you’re really keen on this idea,” she said. “It’s an area I know virtually nothing about. But you’re right, throughout history, there are always groups that move things behind the scenes. I’m just worried about something starting off good and then turning to ill.”Draco put his forehead against hers. “With your brains and my cunning, we’ll figure out a way to make sure that doesn’t happen.”Their lips met once more. All in all, the future looked hopeful to Hermione. Both she and Draco had found a direction to start working towards. She’d decided to try making change from the inside out, while Draco, it seemed, would support her by making change from the outside in.

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The Hogwarts library looked the same as ever, Hermione thought, as she walked through the stacks, running her hands over the spines.As Hermione rounded a corner, she stopped, startled at seeing almost a mirror image of herself examining the shelves. Then it dawned on her. Hermione was looking at Belle.“Belle!” Hermione exclaimed, overcome with joy at seeing her.Belle turned and screamed in delight. The two women ran to each other, embracing and laughing in joy.“Hermione!” Belle cried. “It’s so good to see you doing well. I’ve thought about you and the others often.”“And I’ve thought about you! So, so much,” Hermione said. “Sometimes I think I see flashes of events in my dreams that I think might be what’s happening in your life, but I never can remember them fully or figure out what happened.”“I dream often of Hogwarts,” Belle said thoughtfullly. “I’d assumed it was my mind creating things from my past experiences there, but perhaps I’m seeing flashes of your life too.”“Well, I recently graduated from Hogwarts,” Hermione said. “So, if, in the future, you dream of an office building, that might be my life you’re seeing.” Hermione wondered if Belle even knew what an office building would look like. She doubted Belle would come across them often in her life in the 18th century.“You graduated?” Belle exclaimed. “I suppose that means you’re no longer at Hogwarts then. Congratulations!”“Thank you. It still feels odd to be done with school. It was about two weeks ago that September 1st rolled around and it felt strange not to be boarding the train and going to school,” Hermione said. Then she had a realization and did a little mental math. “I suppose that means been almost exactly a year since we switched places.”“That’s right,” Belle said thoughtfully. “Do you think that’s why we can finally see each other? Because it’s that time?”“Perhaps,” Hermione said. “Though I can’t explain why it’s happening. Perhaps it’s some holdout from the connection we shared.”“A connection we’ll always share. Whether or not we see each other again. You’ll always live on and be part of me in my heart,” Belle said affectionately. “You opened up my world so much. I’m not sure I ever would have found out about magic otherwise. I might have had that magical suppression and memory modification my mother put on me forever.”Hermione felt her eyes fill with tears at Belle’s sweet words. “I’m so glad that, despite everything, you don’t resent me for what I did.” Despite all the work she’d done to move on from the past, Hermione still felt guilt at interfering with innocent people’s lives. Especially someone so kind as Belle.“Of course not!” Belle said earnestly. “And, to tell you the truth, I might have brought the situation on myself. I’d asked for a great adventure. And I certainly got one.”Hermione took Belle’s hand and squeezed it, something easing inside of her chest. “I’m glad it all worked out in the end,” she said, grateful that she could move on from her guilt. “Did it? Work out for you?”“Beyond anything I could have imagined,” Belle said genuinely. “There definitely were some awful things that happened too, but all things considered, I’m so happy with my life.” Hermione could hear the warmth and happiness in Belle’s voice.“Things have worked out well for me, too,” Hermione said smiling. “I’ve completely changed from the desperate girl who sought to escape her life last year.”“We’ve both done a lot of growing it seems. Oh Hermione, I have so much I want to ask you!” Belle said, eager to hear about news from Hogwarts and the magical world she’d spent almost a week in. “And I want to find out what’s happened in your life.”“Likewise,” Hermione said. “Tell me about what’s happened with you.” Hermione, too, was keen to hear about what had happened at the Beast’s — Adam’s — castle after the enchantment was reversed and the asylum inmates had been released.And, although both girls didn’t initially mention it, they both wanted to know about the other’s love lives. Hermione truly hoped that she hadn’t irrevocably split apart the Beauty and the Beast with her interference. She hoped that Belle and Adam would get together. And likewise, Belle who had heard Draco’s confession of love hoped that Hermione somehow found out that Draco loved her and got with him.At Hermione’s request, Belle began to recount her adventures, but, before too long, the connection ended and the dream shifted. The connection only maintained as long as both women were asleep and the right circumstances could make their dreams align.Fortunately, the connection lasted five more nights. And in those five subsequent nights, Belle and Hermione appeared in each other’s dreams. It gave both women enough time to catch each other up on their lives and talk of the future.It does not need to be said that both women were thrilled beyond measure to hear that the other had found love and happiness. In turn, both women were excited to hear about the meaningful changes that the other sought to make in the world. Both women would have great contributions and impact the lives of many during their lifetimes.And so it was that every year, in late September on the anniversary of their switch, the two women would dream of each other for six nights and get to catch each other up on their lives. They could consult with each other and share knowledge.In that way, the connection between these two remarkable women endured for the rest of their lives.

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Gentle reader,A dear thank you for sticking with me through this story until the end. This was a passion project that came to my head one day when I bought a Belle Halloween dress but was lazy to do my curly hair and decided to cosplay as Bellermione. That is, Hermione dressed as Belle. The inspiration came, of course, from the fact that Emma Watson plays both of those characters who have so much in common and yet are very different. I wanted to explore these characters and what it might be like if they switched places.The story took many different directions as I explored possibilities, but my urge to write a Dramione fanfic won out. My two cats, Draco and Hermione have been my muses for this story. Before I adopted them, I never considered Draco and Hermione as a couple, but then I gave my cats those names and the idea started nagging me until I had to write a fic!As I explore making a story with a similar concept in the world that I’m creating for my original stories, it would mean the world to me if you could leave some comments or message me with feedback.I’d love to know what you thought about the pacing of the story and the alternating point-of-view (POV) by chapter. Was it disruptive (in a bad way)? Did it help make the story more engaging? Or was it hard to follow?Thank you so much!xoxoRowena Pendragon