The day she entered his shop was the day his life changed. She was beautiful. The most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. And when her gaze met his, the smile she'd graced him with had made his heart skip a beat. She browsed the shelves for a while before making her selection, and when she paid for her books, he learned her name – Belle French.
She quickly became a regular. At first she always referred to him as "Mr. Gold." But eventually her teasing manner showed itself as she dubbed him with the nickname "Rumple" - a joke referring to the way he always dressed perfectly. There was never a wrinkle gracing his clothes, and Belle decided that if he were to ever adorn himself with anything unpressed, he would surely burst into flames. As weeks turned to months, he changed in her eyes from a bookshop owner, to a friend, to a love interest. Their first date was over coffee, a long discussion of their favorite tomes. He found it adorable just how much she loved the Harry Potter series. The way she lit up as she talked about her favorite characters was something he could enjoy all night. They'd closed the coffee shop that night, both having a difficult time leaving the other. A first date turned into a second, which led to a third and before long they were seeing each other on a regular basis. His bookshop was more a library for her, as he refused to take her money; instead feeding her book lust with whatever she wished as long as she returned them in good condition. He knew he could trust her to do so, as her love of reading bound her to good care of the books in her hands.
Even with her fastidious care of her novels, years of rereading eventually wore down her personal collection of the Harry Potter series. She began borrowing them from Gold's Book Store, one each week. They were always returned in pristine condition. No matter how many other books she would borrow, she would always take one of the series and have it completed by the following week.
Her visits were the highlight of his day. He couldn't imagine continuing his life without her. So he set a plan into motion. The wait was the hardest part. But he wanted everything to be perfect for her. Finally, the week for her to borrow Half Blood Prince arrived. His heart thundered in his chest as he handed her the novel and it was all he could do to keep his hands from shaking.
She was curled up in her armchair, once again joining Harry on his adventures. Finally, the crucial page was turned, exposing the chapter titled, "An Unbreakable Vow". There she found the pages carefully cut into a square, a ring tied to a blue ribbon that had been glued to the first uncut page. A soft gasp burst from her as the book tumbled from her fingers.
He had spent each day anxiously staring at the door, waiting for the moment she would arrive. When the bell jingled, he stared at her with baited breath. She strode across the shop, slamming the book onto the counter with her right hand before shoving it across the counter at him, "Is this a joke?!"
His mouth fell open. Of all the scenarios he'd pictured, her anger was not one of them, "Belle …"
She couldn't hold up the ruse anymore and a smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth, "Tell me you didn't destroy a perfect copy of a wonderful book."
He paused, momentarily unsure if she was joking or still angry, "I …"
Her features softened, a loving smile crinkling the corners of her eyes as her left hand withdrew from her pocket, resting on the counter and showing the diamond that sparkled atop her ring finger, "Please tell me you have some books on wedding planning?"
Relief swept through his body. He grinned at her as his heart soared. She'd said yes. In a way that only she could have done. It was the best moment of his life, "Right this way, Miss French." His arm swept in the direction of the back of the shop
"You'll have to use that name while you can, Rumple," she took his hand as he moved around the counter, "Because soon I'll be Mrs. Gold."
He drew her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers before murmuring against her mouth, "Mrs. Gold suits you."