Maurice was in a bad way, beaten and bloody, thrown into his own cellar by Gaston, the local big man and supposed hero, rich enough to be the only person in town to have a car. Since his encounter with the beast, and being saved by the unknown woman, the local eccentric had been threatened with everything from exile to commitment to the local sanatorium. But then last week, Gaston had returned from a trip somewhere and heard his story in the local tavern, and was intrigued by the entire thing.

Today he had shown where the castle was and returned home, only to have Gaston beat on his front door as evening came, Maurice's saviour over his shoulder, her head split open. At arguing that he had no right to do that to such an innocent soul, the portly man had been beaten by the coward, who locked them both in the cellar and then proceeded to rally villagers to go and kill the beast. Maurice was just thankful that the village was in the Middle Ages still and the only guns were old shotguns that were brought back from the war, and crossbows.

He had passed out soon after hearing Gaston's plans, but was roused at the pained groans of his saviour in the corner, "Miss?"

Hermione woke at having Chip run into her nostril, and was instantly assaulted by the agony in her skull. When she opened her eyes, still on the ground, she noticed that it was dark and she was in a cellar, 'Now this is more like Malfoy Manor.' Then she heard the single word from nearby, instantly going for her wand, only to find it not there.

Looking around she spotted the same man she had saved the previous year, only he was now beaten badly, "Who did that to you sir?"

"It is Maurice and the monster who did this was Gaston," the name was spat out, "Are you alright?"

"No but I will be. Chip, find my wand please"

"Okay Hermione," the teacup began hopping about before requesting a lift to the window and left them.

Maurice was astonished, "What was that?"

"That was Chip, my friend," getting into a better position, Hermione asked, "This Gaston, why did he take me?"

"No doubts to use for his own pleasure," Maurice said darkly, "There have been rumours of him doing so before. But now he is heading to the castle to kill the beast."

"Adam," the witch breathed, before calling out urgently, "Hurry it up Chip, we're needed at home."

A muffled reply came, "I know, I know."

"How long ago did they leave?"

The man blushed, "I don't know, I passed out."

Groaning in more than pain, Hermione began to plan and said, "Maurice, once we're free, I'm going to leave you to care for yourself, can you do that? It's just, I need to get home to Adam and the others."

"Yes but who is Adam?"

"The one I saved you from, and the one I love"

"GOT IT!" Chip called out, kicking the wand beneath the crack in the door.

Hermione instantly unlocked the door and began healing her head enough to apparate safely. Not bothering to clean up, she swept Chip into her hands, turned to face the man and smiled, "Be safe Maurice and speak nothing of how I got free, okay?"

"Of course," Maurice sat in shock as she did a slight pivot and left with barely a sound, "I really need to move closer to the city, perhaps live with Belle and Tania in Paris. Far too weird in this town these days."

Gaston had been leading his people for a couple hours now, heading towards the castle, when it finally came into view, "There! That is where the beast lives. Kill and destroy the castle, but the beast, he is MINE!"

The villagers all call out war cries, and began attacking the gates, trying to get inside. Cogsworth spotted them first, and screeched, "We're under attack!"

"Master! The castle is under attack!" Lumiere called out as he skid into the west wing.

Adam, certain that Hermione was now dead, as she had not moved since being thrown into the cellar, was devastated. When the candelabra came in, he saw a way out, "Let them come, I will not live without her."

The candelabra groaned in frustration so raced from the room, calling for arms, "Everyone, we must defend this castle ourselves, the master is under the belief Hermione will never return. We do this for her and the master, we do this for us, and we do this for LOVE!"

Everyone gave their own bellowing war cry, made even more potent by Cogsworth sliding from the armaments room, his two human like arms holding two very large guns, "Let them come, we will be ready."

And they were. When the door burst open, the castle occupants allowed everyone to enter before two hat stands slammed the doors shut, and then they all burst into action. Lumiere personally attacked the bastard who attempted to pluck the feathers from his feather duster love Fifi. In the battle waging, no one noticed Gaston climbing the staircase and finding Adam in his room, waiting for death.

"Beast, your head will look perfect upon my mantle," Gaston sneered, "While your woman lays in my bed."

That got the beasts attention and he roared in fury, "You! You took my Hermione!"

And they fought, bursting from the glass doors of Adam's room, onto the balcony overlooking the grounds, Gaston's weapon flung to the side, so it was all hand to hand, where the beast had the advantage.

Hermione apparated onto the grounds near her tree and heard the battle raging within the castle, and was about to run inside when she hear glass shattering. Looking up, she saw Adam battling with a man, and instantly screamed out in fear, "ADAM!"

He heard her voice, and turned to look at her, which would become his downfall as Gaston was flung towards his gun. The man took aim and shot, hitting the beast in the side, bringing a satisfying roar of pain. On the ground, Hermione heard the shot and instantly apparated to the balcony, "NO!"

"How?" That was all Gaston got out before he was flung over the railing by Hermione's wandless and silent curse, hitting the stone with a deafening crunch, head first.

The witch was by Adam's side instantly, cradling his head, "No, no, no, you can't do this to me Adam. Not now."

"You know, I finished that book," Adam lift his paw to the tear soaked face and caressed it softly, "I love you also Hermione but was too scared to say."

"Oh you silly man," Hermione sobbed out, seeing the life leaving his face, "No, I can save you."

His paw halted her reaching for her wand, "All I want, before I die, is a kiss from my love."

Hermione didn't think twice, she pressed her lips against the large animal-like ones, nipping her top lip with one of his fangs, sending as much love as she could through it. Beneath her, Adam took one deep breath and his chest was still, at the same moment that Cogsworth began to chime that it was midnight, "Happy birthday my dear beast."

From the destroyed doors, Mrs Potts, Chip who had joined her, Lumiere, and Cogsworth were all tearing up, unable to believe that their master was gone, "It can't be so."

As she moved, laying her body beside the still one of her true love, Hermione cried her heart out, clutching to Adam's fur tightly. No one noticed the rose inside of the bell jar blooming brightly until the glass exploded out, the power and magic from it weaving towards the horizontal pair.

The witch sensed the tendrils before they seeped through her and entered Adam's body, lifting him from the ground and her embrace. With wide eyes, still releasing tears, Hermione watched as his body rose a few feet into the air, the magic shooting into him, jolting him.

First thing that happened was the fur receded into his body, leaving only a long mane of auburn hair, then Adam's body convulsed, turning his animalistic figure into a 6 foot 2, highly muscled, pale white skinned human. Then, to Hermione greatest shock ever, his chest heaved in a deep breath and those blue eyes she loved so much burst open, life once more in them.