Beauty and the Beast

The Library

Published: 30. September, 2021

Hermione couldn't help but feel discouraged when the summer was coming to an end and she had still found no way to get home. Keeping herself occupied with other things was the only way she could take her mind of that stupid barrier. Lumière seemed to guess what was wrong and he had the perfect thing to cheer her up.
After breakfast, he led her out of the Great Hall and up several staircases until they stopped in front of two closed doors.

"Voilà", said Lumière and gestured at the old wooden doors. "Try not to get to immersed in your reading."

"Immersed? Wait, where are we?", said Hermione puzzled.

Lumière motioned her to open the doors.
"I'm not allowed in there, not since I almost set the room on fire."
He smirked at her.
"Enjoy."

And then he hopped off, leaving Hermione to wonder what could possibly be behind the doors.

Definitely something with paper, she thought, or something else that's inflammable.

She grabbed the doorknob and turned it. A soft click sounded and then the doors swung open to the inside, to reveal a-

A gasp escaped her lips.

A library.

"It's beautiful!", she said excitedly to herself, her eyes wandering over the endless rows of bookshelves. "There's a department for Transfiguration- and Potions- oh! Botany!"
Hermione scurried off, muttering under her breath.

Lumière poked his head around the corner and shook his head amused as he watched her enter the library.
"Still the same Hermione", he mumbled with a smile and turned away. Knowing the Gryffindor, she wouldn't want to be bothered for quite a while.

The chandelier entered the Great Hall a few minutes later, finding most of the others that were still busy with breakfast.
"You all are still eating?", he said and eyed Horace's potbelly.

The clock huffed and his mustache quivered in anger.

"Sirius, where did you leave Miss Granger?", Albus inquired and looked at him curiously.

"Library."

"Ohh", all of the professors said and nodded simultaneously.

"She'll be there for a while", said the broom, Rolanda Hooch, with a chuckle.

"I remember when she used to barge in and leave hours later, her arms full with books", said Madam Pince with a sniff. She let her book pages flutter open for a second, revealing that she was a childrens' book filled with colorful pictures. Much to her dismay.

"Well, at least she is not in the forest", said Aurora Sinistra. She eyed the ceiling critically, checking the weather.
"I think it might rain later."
And yes, she was a telescope, so she could tell better than anyone else if a storm was coming.

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The Beast spent several days in the dungeons. He ignored Granger when he heard her marching around in the dungeons. He made sure to sneak out into the dark forest only after she had gone to bed. It wasn't until he was once again staring at the glowing summer rose, lost in thought, when it occurred to him that he was avoiding her.

His eyes narrowed and steam puffed out of his nostrils. He did not avoid anyone. He was a Beast, more dangerous and frightening than any other of the talking objects in the castle.

So why am I hiding like a coward?

"I am NOT hiding!", he growled aloud and rose onto his hind legs. The shadow he cast onto the floor showed his broad shoulders, his clawed hands and the sharp horns on his head.
He hissed angrily and lowered himself onto all fours before he moved towards the door.