Weeks turned to months and before long it was Christmas Eve, and Hermione was so excited about the day following but infuriated at the lack of progress she had made in finding a way to save her friends. Every day she would scour her large library of books, trying to find something, anything, that could help, but the only things that she had found were when people were turned into one person by an attacker, and even those instances hadn't been predicated on love to end. The ballroom had been turned into a battlefield numerous times, the witch conjuring dummies to attack to get out her anger.

Adam had watched her, both through his mirror and in person, spending more time with the woman now, and liking their times together. He had learnt much about the magical world, his preconceptions of Hermione had been long ago thrown aside but now, with the hints to her past and a war of sorts, plus the ways that she worked, he was getting more and more fascinated her by the day. The few days of freezing temperatures had brought a rare snowstorm during the nights, and yesterday he had been pelted by a dozen balls of the frozen water crystals, and was about to roar at her until he saw how her laughter lit up her entire face, so ended up sending his own snowball at her, starting a battle of immense magnitudes, and he'd been forced to have a hot bath by a smiling Mrs Potts.

His project was ready, and despite his hatred of the Christmas, due to the first Enchantress, Beast was intent on presenting Hermione with her thank you that night. So, he was once again forced into a hot bath, "Mrs Potts, you needn't supervise."

"I've been doing this job since you were born Adam, and tonight I will not have you ruin it by missing something," she whistled through her spout and an army of scissors, combs and brushes head towards the aghast beast, "And you will look your best. Hermione deserves nothing but the best."

As he was forced through the torment, Adam was unaware that Hermione was suffering through the same type of issues. Madame Armoire, or the former opera singer turned wardrobe, was fussing about something for Hermione to wear tonight, while the witch was battling with an overenthusiastic pair of scissors, "You aren't cutting my hair!"

"Dear girl, you must look your best tonight, after all, it is Christmas Eve," the wardrobe sighed, slumping heavily against the wall, "I remember the ball that we had had the week previous to our turning like this. Simply magical, the entire village was up here, as was the tradition ever since the Middle Ages apparently, and everyone had danced as I sang. Oh, I have it, here."

Hermione won her battle with the bladed attacker, and turned to see what she was to wear, and gasped in pleasure, "Oh, Madame Armoire, it is beautiful."

Hanging there inside of the wardrobe was a light yellow strapless dress with black embroidered flowers and a black sash around the middle. On the bottom of the area inside was a pair of yellow satin high heels. Quickly taking the three items, the witch locked herself into the bathroom and got dressed, before bringing in a couple of the brushes and combs to do her hair up. When she ran out of the bathroom, she found her purse and found the jewellery box that was inside, and selected her mother's gorgeous yellow sapphire and diamond earring and necklace set. Once everything was in place she turned and faced the wardrobe.

"You look amazing Hermione," Madame Armoire began to tear up, an odd thing for a wardrobe to be able to do.

"Thank you, well, here we go," with a deep breath, Hermione stepped out of her room and instantly spotted him standing there, stock still, his own walking halted at her appearance.

Adam was dressed in a black dress pants that were trimmed in gold, a white dress shirt underneath a golden vest with a white kerchief, and a navy blue ballroom tail coat trimmed with gold. His hair, the long part that would be his head hair as a human, was pulled back into a ponytail by a navy blue ribbon. There were a few still damp parts of his fur that Hermione noticed, smiling softly and realised how hard it must be for him to dry in such cold weather.

For his part, Beast was trying to remember how to breathe; Hermione was absolutely ravishing in her dress. While he had not been in the company of a human female for a long time, what he did remember of those from the castle Christmas parties when he was younger, the women were all overly made up, trying far too hard, and it showed on them. But Hermione wore very little make up, simply a touch of lipstick to add a glisten to her already ruby red lips, and the lightest eye shadow that illuminated her sparkling brown eyes.

Pulling his head together, Adam continued on his path to her door, and smiled, taking her hand and carefully placing a kiss there, as he had been taught as a child, "You look very beautiful this evening Hermione."

"As do you Adam," Hermione had begun calling him that since the night he had placed her in bed after falling asleep in front of the fireplace, and it barely annoyed him anymore.

"Shall we?" Offering his arm, the pair descended the staircase and were about to enter the dining room when Mrs Potts slid in front of them on the floor.

"Sorry my dears but it would seem that Sultan and Galaxy were left alone in the dining room"

The cat and dog were enemies of the worst sort and could flatten a room in little to no time when left alone, leaving both Hermione and Adam sighing, "How bad Mrs Potts?"

"It will take a while but thankfully we were able to set up another place for dinner," pointing her spout down the hall, "The ballroom."

The witch had an inkling that something was up but didn't mind, the last time she had seen the ballroom in was in bad disrepair and wanted to see it in all of its glory, "Thank you Mrs Potts."

When they walked into the large room, both of them took gasps of breath, it was wonderful, back to its original pristine state. And there, in the middle of the dance floor, was a table with two seats, a single red rose from the gardens in a vase, and Lumiere sending light over the area, "Please, come and sit."

Adam helped Hermione into her seat before taking his own, going over in his mind all the practice he had done with cutlery. Then the trolley came out and he spotted the soup, and instantly his stomach plummeted. The woman saw his face fall and remembered watching his fumbling with spoons a few weeks earlier, so instantly came up with a plan. After Mrs Potts put the bowls on the table, she smiled over Lumiere, raised the bowl in both of her hands and smiled, "Santé."

"Santé," Beast replied, his own smile present.

From the side of the room Mrs Potts was shaking her head as the pair drank their soup from their bowls, before heading out for the salad course. The dinner went by with pleasant conversation between the pair, about various things that Adam had read in the books that Hermione leant him, or Hermione giving an example of where a spell would be used, typically using her own life experiences in doing so. They were friends, and things to talk about were plentiful, easy. Lumiere simply stood where he was, directing his candle light about so that it illuminated in romantic ways, a smile never leaving his metallic face.

Once they had finished eating, Adam was about to ask his companion to accompany him up to see his gift to her, when the band began to play a waltz, the table and chairs bustling from the dance floor. Madame Armoire strode to her stage and began to croon them with an elegant French song. Hermione blushed lightly and looked at the man/beast, "I believe we have been set up."

"As do I," quirking an eyebrow at the three gesticulating figures over in the shadows, Adam then extended a paw, "May I?"

"Alright," Hermione placed her far smaller hand into the animal-like one and her other reaching up to rest on his shoulder, feeling his other one going to the small of her back.

With a lightness belying his size, Adam led her around the floor easily, his nails clicking with the heels of her shoes. The music changed to be in English but neither paid it any attention, they were in a world of their own, dancing as though there was no one else in the universe but them. They must have been dancing for an hour when Adam slowed at the end of another song, "You are an excellent dancer."

"As are you Adam"

"Come, I have something to show you," hands clasped together, they moved quickly to the stairs and up them.

When he turned towards his wing, Hermione hesitated, "I don't want to intrude."

Smiling at her, Adam said, "It is not an intrusion if I request your presence. It's just here. Now, close your eyes."

Only the fact that she trusted him did the witch do as asked, closing her eyes and shuddering slightly as she felt his arms coming from behind to help lead her safely. A door opened and a soft light seeped through her eyelid joins but she kept them closed, not wishing to ruin the surprise. The door closed and Adam was no longer behind her, she missed his presence, but his low rumbling voice softy said by her ear, "Open them."

When she opened them, they instantly went wide, "Oh Adam."

They were standing in the largest library she had ever seen, which was saying something considering how large the Hogwarts one was. The walls were lined with books, two storeys of bookcases on the floor that were connected to the roof for security. There were rolling ladders to help get to the top shelves, tables and chairs in a spot in front of a fireplace. It was amazing.

"I cleaned this out for you, as a thank you for everything you've been doing here," Adam looked like he would be blushing, "Not a bad gift for a prisoner."

Hermione laughed with him, she hadn't ever truly considered herself a prisoner, but her eyes were wet, she was crying, "No, not bad at all. It's perfect; thank you."

"Why are you crying Hermione?"

"It's just, this has to be the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me," looking up into those blue eyes, Hermione drew on every ounce of her Gryffindor courage and placed a gentle kiss onto Adam's furry cheek.

"You, you deserve it," the almost 21 year old stuttered, stunned by the kiss.

Shaking her head, the witch then took his hand, pulling him from the room, "It isn't a library but, I've got a present for you also."

That stunned Adam even more, he hadn't gotten a present in a decade. Waiting outside of her bedroom door, the beast watched as Hermione dug into her purse, removing a book that she brought over to him, "What is it?"

"This is something I've never shown anyone; it's a story of my life since I bought this journal when I was 11 years old. I'd like for you to have it," the brunette blushed and placed it into his large hands, "You always say you don't know much about me."

"But this, it is something so…"

Hermione cut him off, "No, I want you to have it. I should get some sleep but tonight was, it was one of the best nights I've had since starting that book, thank you Adam."

"It was my pleasure Hermione," placing another kiss onto her hand, Adam reluctantly walked off, intent to start reading the journal as soon as he was back in his room.

In her room, Hermione didn't bother to undress, she simply fell onto the bed, clutching at her chest, at the bubbling beneath it, and sighed, "I'm such a wuss, he shouldn't learn through a freaking book about my feelings. Dammit to hell, such a pathetic Gryffindor."