Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Once again another loud bang rang out through the Dark Castle. This time the noise came from Rumpelstiltskin's tower. Belle looked up from her book at the ceiling with a scowl before getting up. Time to go check on Rumpel again.

"I swear. If that man has finally managed to blow himself up, I am not picking up the pieces,"Belle muttered to herself. However in the tower, there was no sign of Rumpelstiltskin."Rum. Where are you?"

"Down here!"

The voice shocked her, but Belle looked over at the table covered in potion bottles. There, on the old wooden thing, stood Rumpelstiltskin no taller than a hairbrush.

"Rum? Is that you?"

"Of course it's me, dearie? Who else can get in here?"

Belle leaned down to get a better look at him."What happened to you?"

"A little mishap with a potion. Now, I'm stuck like this."

With a grin, Belle picked him up by his collar, ignoring the small yelp the imp gave."I must say Rumple, you look cuter than normal."

He crossed his arms and glared at her."I am not cute! This size or any other."

"If you say so."Belle then dropped him into the pocket she'd sewn onto her dress."I'm keeping you in there, so I don't step on you by accident."

After a moment of shuffling, Rumpelstiltskin's head popped out of the pocket."It's not like I can do anything today. I'm too short to make anything or spin, and I'm certainly not making any deals looking like this."

Belle laughed at the thought of a pint size Rumpelstiltskin trying to haggle with some poor farmer."I doubt they'd take you seriously after that."

Rumpel let her laugh before snapping,"If you're done laughing, you can take me to the kitchen. I didn't eat this morning."

"And whose fault was that? You're the one who didn't come down because you were working on a potion."

"Believe me. The irony is not lost to me."

Belle laughed as they finally entered the kitchen. She placed Rumpel on the wooden table, and he stared at the kitchen for a moment before spotting the fruit bowl. With a grin, he plucked one of the grapes which was now the size of a baby to him and bit into it. It took him five bites to finish it. Belle laughed at him again.

"I should keep you this size. At least then we wouldn't run out of food so quickly."

Rum swallowed the bit of apple he'd been eating."Don't you dare."

She simply smiled. Suddenly, a hard thumping made him fall out of the bowl. Belle looked out of the window and saw Draco's head appear. Carefully, she reached out the window and rubbed the dragon's snout

"Careful, boy. Rumpel had a little accident today. He's not exactly himself."

The dragon cocked its head to the side, confused, until Belle showed him Rumpelstiltskin. A familiar clicking sound was heard, and the Dark One glared.

"Not you, too."He turned to face Belle."You had to tell him."

The clicking got louder, and Belle barely contained her laughter."I had to Rum. What if you went outside and he accidentally ate you?"

"Excuses, excuses. Just take me back to the library until this wears off."

With a grin, Belle took him back upstairs. Rumpel glared at her as she dropped him on the plush settee and watched him bounce. He watched her grab her book and settle down comfortably. After a while of silence, he got an idea. Carefully, Rumpelstiltskin climbed up Belle's dress and body to find a comfortable seat to read with her. She glared at him then since said comfortable spot was right between her breasts.

"Really, Rum?"

He grinned cheekily before leaning back with his arms folded behind his head."I thought you liked me this size, dearie?"Finding no point in arguing with him, Belle settled back with her book

Hours passed, and the lines one the pages began to blur. As always, that was her sign to stop for the day. With a yawn, she rubbed her eyes and looked down only to end up smile. Rumpelstiltskin was fast asleep on her chest. Carefully, she stretched her legs out farther and closed her own eyes. In a few minutes, both the Dark One and the princess were fast asleep.

Not too long after doing so, Rumpelstiltskin's eyes popped open. He felt the familiar tingle of magic before he was back to his normal size. For moment, he simply looked around, happy to see things from a larger perspective again, before remembering Belle. The shift thankfully hadn't awoken her, and Rumpel returned his head to its previous position atop Belle.

She'd enjoyed his pain today, and he would get his revenge. Just as soon as he wasn't so relaxed.

TBC