Beauty and the Beast [Draco Malfoy]

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Lizzie's POV:

Draco and I spent Valentine's Day together at Hogwarts. Since everyone else was going to Hogsmeade for the day, we decided to stay behind to get some solitude. We spent most of the day sitting together in the common room alone, reading The Beauty and the Beast.

"'She has been received by her subjects with transports of joy as great as those of grief which her loss had occasioned them. She had always loved them dearly, and her will being now unfettered, she proved as much, by showering upon them for many centuries all the benefits they could desire. Her power, assisted by the friendship of the Queen of the Fairies, preserved the life, health, and youth of the King, her husband, for ages. He only ceased to exist because no mortal can live forever.'" I read to him, leaning between his legs and grasping the aged book in my hands.

"'The Queen and the Fairy, her sister, were equally attentive to Beauty, her husband, the Queen, his mother, the old man, and all his family, so so that there was never known people who lived so long. The Queen, mother of the Prince, caused this marvellous history to be recorded in the archive of her kingdom and in those of the Happy Island, that it might be handed down to prosperity. They also disseminated copies of it throughout the Universe, so that the world at large might never cease to talk of the wonderful adventures of Beauty and the Beast.'"

I shut the book and leaned my head back against Draco's chest.

"That's it?" Draco asked.

"That's it," I confirmed, looking up to the stone ceiling above us, studying the cracks and seals.

"How is this version different from the muggle movie version?" he questioned for possibly the hundredth time.

"The movie brings in a character named Gaston who tries to get Beauty to marry him and he ends up becoming the villain by trying to kill the Beast. In the movie, the servants are different too. Instead of monkeys and parrots, the servants are pieces of furniture such as a candlestick and a clock that come to life. Those are the most prominent differences. I'll show you the movie someday so you can see for yourself."

"Promise?" he asked, wrapping his arms around me and placing his chin on my shoulder.

"Promise." I giggled at how much interest he was taking in the fairy tale.

"May I have this dance?" He stood up and bowed, holding his right hand out to me. I giggled and placed my hand in his.

"There's no music, you know," I told him as I placed my hand on his shoulder and he placed his on the small of my back, pressing my body against his.

"Sing," he smiled at me. I lurched and stared at him as if he was stupid. "I know how much you love it, don't pretend you don't. Just sing, it's only me here." He gestured to the empty room around us with his head.

"Uh- w-what do I sing?" I stuttered nervously. I loved singing as much as Draco loved drawing but became frozen with fear when I sang in front of someone.

"Is there a song from La Belle et La Bête in your movie version?" he asked.

"Well- there is this one song..." I trailed off.

"Sing it," he commanded softly. "Please."

"Uh- okay." I closed my eyes and began to hum the beginning of my favorite song from the Disney form of Beauty and the Beast. My voice lilted over the pitches easily. "Tale as old as time, true as it can be. Barely even friends, then somebody bends, unexpectedly."

Draco began to guide us across the floor, gracefully turning us around and around.

"Just a little change, small to say the least. Both a little scared, neither one prepared. Beauty and the beast." My eyes opened and connected with his.