Beauty and the Beast
Chapter 11 – A Token

Hermione awoke to another bright day and sighed. It was the end of her first week at the manor and it could not have been more depressing. After their last dinner conversation, things had become strained between her and Sirius. They had barely spoken to each other and never even saw each other before or after dinner. Hermione turned over in her bed and saw the bedside table had an envelope with her name and two small silver keys on a ring on top. She carefully slid the envelope out from under the keys and opened it. Inside of was a single folded page.

Hermione,

Go to the Solarium. Believe it or not, I do want you to be happy here.

Sirius

P.S. Take the keys

For the first time in a while, a smile spread across Hermione's face. She leapt up, hurriedly threw on another gown, forest green with white lace, and ran to the Solarium. She gasped as she crossed the threshold and couldn't hold back the delighted giggle that escaped. The whole place had been transformed. The glass ceiling was crystal clear and the hanging plants were now accompanied by small lanterns. The stone table was transfigured into a beautiful, standing-height work station with enough space to brew two cauldrons and prepare ingredients. There was polished wooden desk by a window with a chair and further inspection revealed it to be fully stocked with parchment, ink, quills, and notebooks. There was two bookcases on the left hand-side supplied with vials, stoppers, at least twenty cauldrons of various sizes, spoons, knifes, measuring instruments, essentially everything she'd could ever need. Then Hermione noticed the two locked ornate wooden cabinets standing on either side of door. Using the silver keys, she opened them and found they held every type of ingredient imaginable. Sirius didn't just honour her wish list, he'd given her practically an entire apothecary.

"Hermione dear?"

"In here Molly." Hermione called back

Molly appeared. "You're up early, I left your breakfast in your room. My, this is impressive. Sirius has really put his back into this."

"You mean he did all of this himself?"

"I would assume so since I didn't help him," Molly shrugged. "It would explain why he fell fast asleep right after changing back, probably dead tired after putting this together. Anyway I need a cup of tea, between helping Sirius at dawn and looking for you, I could use some rest."

"Didn't you know I was here?" Hermione gripped the keys tightly.

"How could I have?" Molly asked confused. "Anyway, go eat. You can come back and start your work after you've put something in your stomach." Molly left and Hermione looked down at the innocent scraps of metal in her palm. It was still possible that Molly had put them in her room but in her heart, she knew it had been Sirius. More than that, he had to have been in his human state, a face that Hermione never thought of until then. She know no idea what he looked besides his eyes, she was certain that the ones she saw were his eyes. It was a strange thought having Sirius in her room while she slept but he wouldn't hurt her. More of her mind was devoted to the fact that he'd made a point of accomplishing everything right down to giving her the keys and the note himself. He only wanted her to be happy and she only wanted him to be happy so why were they both so miserable?

Making up her mind, she crossed over to her new desk and took out a piece of parchment and a quill. She pondered over her message for some time, carefully choosing her words before folding it carefully. Making sure Molly wasn't around, she went out to the head of Sirius's wing. Even in the morning it was so dark and foreboding. She tentatively took her first step in, listening intently for any sound at all and then another, the taps of her own footsteps causing her breath to quicken and her heart to race. It took a while for her eyes to adjust but she could make out the outline of doors along her left and windows with curtains closed on the right. It wasn't hard to locate Sirius's room, it was the last door and the only one with light coming from underneath. Whether this was a sign that he was awake or his windows were open, she did not know. She carefully slipped her envelope under the door and took off, back to her side of the house.

*BB*

Sirius had had a long night. He could only have one night to convert the Solarium for Hermione without her noticing. During the days, he forced himself keep the distance between him and Hermione but every night Sirius channeled every ounce of himself into doing this for her. Every unspoken word, every failed acknowledgement, was said and done through his nightly workings, sorting ingredients, gathering equipment, and preparing for the reconstruction. When it was finally complete, Sirius was proud of himself. Happy he could give her something with the hands of a man who cared for her. That left one last thing to do before the sun rose. It had to be done with these hands, not the beast's. He wrote the note and sealed it, and took the keys. He crept into her room and laid the items where she was sure to find them in morning. The sun was just beginning to break the horizon so he gently stroked her hair once before leaving.

He collapsed into bed and the not a moment too soon because the transformation began. It was overall slightly less painful to become the beast but only marginally so. He still roared in agony, Molly still came in and assisted him with his clothes and made sure he didn't injure himself with his claws. By the time it was over, Sirius was exhausted and quickly fell asleep. When he finally awoke, the sun was streaming through his window and the clock read near midday. Molly, bless her, had left a tray of sandwiches and a pot of tea that he knew had been pre-prepared just the way he liked it. Sirius rolled out of bed and stretched his limbs, working out the soreness and stiffness that had set in. He blindly grabbed a sandwich and ate most of it in one bite. He poured some tea and was drinking it when his eyes fell on something on the floor by his door. It was an envelope; strange, where had that come from? Sirius scooped it up and saw his name on it. His still sleep-addled brain not fully recognizing what he was holding, he opened it and began to read while taking another sip of tea.

No sooner than when he had read the first word, he understood what it was and ended up spraying the tea in his mouth everywhere. Moving this suddenly precious piece of paper out of the way, he coughed and sputtered comically, internally glad none of the Marauders were present to witness this. Once he was sure that his fit was over, he returned to the letter and read –

Sirius,

Thank you for everything. Believe or not I am happy here…with you. I see no difference.

Hermione

P.S.I slipped this under the door, relax

Sirius smiled widely. Dinner would be…oh to hell with it, he wanted to see her now.

A/N: Hey guys, something a little more light-hearted after the angst of the last chapter. ENJOY! R&R PLZ!