Beauty and the Beast

The kitchens

Published: 15. July 2021

Hermione closed the door behind her with a bang and cast a locking charm on it. She leaned against it and closed her eyes, breathing heavily.

I must be the luckiest person in the world...getting stuck with a beast for all eternity!

She felt her throat tighten and slowly slid down to the ground, pressing her hands against her eyes.

Merlin...

Her heart was still hammering like mad as if it were about to explode from her chest.

I need to get my things...once I have my things I can camp in the forest until I have found a way to leave...

She swallowed heavily when fear threatened to overwhelm her again, but she pushed it aside.

She was Hermione Granger. And she would not let anything stop her from returning home. Absolutely nothing.

Something clattered to the ground.

Hermione flinched and opened her eyes in shock, not having expected anyone else to be here. Ahead of her were rows of tables. Cabinets and vitrines lined the walls, as well as several fireplaces. There were pans hanging everywhere and many plates and cups sat on the tables, staring at her. In silence.

She gulped.

Was there anything here that was not alive?

"Miss Harry Potter's friend!", a tiny tea cup yelped delightedly and jumped forward. It landed on the stone ground without breaking and hopped over to Hermione. There was a little chip in the porcelain rim of the cup, but other than that it seemed to be in good shape.

Hermione's eyes widened and she pressed herself further against the closed door. Having a tea cup charge at her was not something she saw every day.

"How do you know Harry?", she whispered.

The tea cup stared at her out of big blue eyes. They looked watery, as if it were about to burst into tears any moment.
"Sorry!", it cried, "Bad Do- bad Chip!"

It started jumping up and down, banging its head against the ground.

Hermione hastened to reach out with her hand and cought the tea cup in midair before it broke.

"No need to do that", she said slightly confused, holding the tea cup in the palm of her hand.

The tea cup looked at her gratefully.
"Me is Chip, Miss."

Chip? Hermione's eyes fell again onto the small crack in the tea cup.

How fitting.

"I am Hermione", she said, having to smile slightly when Chip beamed at her out of his big blue eyes. "And- how exactly do you know Harry?"

The tea cup paled.

"A newspaper flew in through the shield, years ago", a red plate spoke carefully and looked down at Hermione from the table.
"Us saw you and Harry Potter."

"Oh."
Hermione got back onto her feet and took a few steps forward to place Chip onto the table.
"Is this the kitchen?"

"Yes, Miss", a green tea cup said proudly. "Us make the food of the castle."

Hermione's eyes widened.
"Really? I loved the breakfast this morning", she said honestly.

If plates and tea cups could blush, they certainly would have. Some got pink spots on their cheeks.