Hermione went to lunch, hopeful that Lumiere and Cogsworth had been able to convince the Beast to come and eat with her. She was sadly disappointed, however, when the two came in with their heads hung dejectedly and reported that the master would not be eating lunch with her today.
Feeling a sinking sensation in her stomach, Hermione forced down her food and smiled at Mrs. Potts, complimenting her on the food. Even though she'd tasted nothing.
What was she going to do?
Hermione felt stir-crazy. She needed to DO something. Hermione remembered her promise to Belle that she would look after Belle's horse. What was the name? Phil…? Phillippe!
"Lumiere?" Hermione asked. "What happened to Belle's horse?" She had, of course, seen him yesterday, but that hadn't gone well. Hermione wanted to know where they kept Phillippe so she could find him again.
Lumiere looked at Hermione in slight surprise as if he'd forgotten that Hermione wasn't Belle.
"Ah, we made sure he had a place in ze stables," Lumiere said.
"The staff there will be taking good care of him," Cogsworth added, proudly. "Our stablekeeps are some of the best."
"Can I go see them?" Hermione asked.
"Why, yes, of course!" Lumiere said. "Would you like me to escort you?"
"No, that's okay," Hermione said. "Just give me directions and I'll find it."
Lumiere told Hermione how to find the stables and she set off. Before she exited the castle, the coatrack by the front door handed her a cloak that matched her dress. Hermione was touched by the thoughtfulness and glad for the warmth when she stepped outside and felt the brisk air on her face.
It was good to be outside. She hadn't been outside except for that brief exit where she saw Philippe that first time. This time, she went out the front door and felt freer somehow. Before, she felt like she'd been sneaking around somehow. Even though the Beast still didn't approve of her, she'd at least gotten the go-ahead from the servants and somehow that felt better.
The sun shone on Hermione's face, warming her. The cold bitter air made her feel alert and alive. She felt as if she had a purpose again. Even if it were a simple one.
Hermione walked alongside the castle until she found what was undoubtedly the stables. Philippe was not inside, she saw him a ways away grazing. He pointedly ignored her.
Hermione decided she'd like to see what was in the stables, out of curiosity. The smell of the stables brought back memories from her childhood, visiting her grandfather in the countryside and helping him take care of the horses.
As she stepped inside, she saw a rake moving of its own accord, raking the hay while a shovel scooped up the horse dung that had been left behind. A set of brushes bounced around the stalls playfully. Hermione assumed this must be the stable staff.
"Hello," she said, wondering if any of them could talk.
All the objects stopped moving and seemed to turn towards her. The rake hopped towards her.
"Hello, mademoiselle," the rake said politely. "What brings you to our stables?" The directness of his question made Hermione think he wasn't used to interacting with others too much.
"I wanted to check on Philippe and see how he was doing," Hermione said. "I didn't know there was such a capable staff out here working."
"Thank you, mademoiselle," the rake said. "It is our pleasure to finally have a horse again to take care of. I assume that's who you meant when you said, Philippe. We're glad to know his name now. Anyway, rest assured that Philippe is doing quite well."
"I'm glad to hear it," Hermione said. She spotted a basket of apples. "Do you mind if I take one of these?"
"By all means! Help yourself," the rake said. "It's hard for us to directly feed them to Philippe, so we'd be happy if you took them to him."
"Thank you very much," Hermione said, taking the basket. She got the sense that the stable staff preferred the company of horses to people and didn't want to bother them too much with conversation.
Hermione made her way over to Philippe, who lifted his head as Hermione approached, his large brown eyes studying her with a mix of curiosity and wariness. She held out an apple towards him, a peace offering in her palm. The horse snorted softly, tossing his mane as if contemplating her gesture.
"It's okay, Philippe," Hermione said soothingly, taking a step closer. "I'm a friend. I know I'm not Belle, but I promised her I would take care of you and make sure you're okay."
Philippe stomped his hoof on the ground, clearly unconvinced. He took a cautious step back, eyeing Hermione with a mix of uncertainty and longing. Hermione could tell that the horse missed Belle, the familiarity and trust they shared evident in his demeanor.
Hermione decided to sit down on a nearby bench, giving Philippe some space to relax. She began talking softly to him, sharing stories about her times riding horses with her grandfather. It helped Hermione feel more at ease with Philippe and seemed to soothe Philippe, who listened intently, his ears flicking back and forth as if trying to understand her.
It truly was a beautiful day. Hermione's worries seemed further away with the sun on her skin and the crisp breeze brushing her hair. She sat for a while listening to the sounds of the water coming from the nearby fountain and the wind blowing the tree branches. Music drifted through the breeze and Hermione turned her head to try to find the source. It seemed to be coming from the castle.
The music sounded like an organ, reminding Hermione of church music. Her curiosity roused, Hermione decided to investigate the source of the music.