The girls made it to the Great Hall just as dinner ended. They managed to grab a few bites of food before it magically disappeared.
"Is this enough?" Ginny asked. "We can go visit the kitchens if we need more food."
"I'm all right," Belle said, hardly able to eat through the knots in her stomach after their adventure. "I'd like to get to the library. Being surrounded by books after all that adventure would calm my nerves."
"I could eat some more," Luna said. "And I'd love to go see the house-elves."
"Will you be all right?" Ginny asked Belle.
"Oh yes," Belle said. "I have my field guide and I'll set myself up somewhere and get started on my extra homework."
"Okay," Ginny said. "We may join you later once we get a bit more to eat."
Belle, Ginny, and Luna all walked out of the Great Hall and separated paths once they reached the Entrance Hall. Belle followed her map to the library.
It had grown familiar to her now and she felt a sense of ease as she entered inside. The dusty volumes and smell of paper comforted her.
She sat down at a table and pulled out her Arithmancy homework. She began reading Numerology and Grammatica, documenting the numerological meanings of 1-9.
As she read, the tense, wound up feeling from the afternoon's adventure began to dissipate and Belle began to relax.
For a moment anyway.
"Isn't that a bit remedial for you?" a voice asked from behind her, causing Belle to jump. Draco Malfoy was there, looking over her shoulder at her work.
"Are you following me or something?" Belle demanded, feeling exasperated. "Besides, it's always important to revisit the fundamentals," she continued evasively trying to deflect him.
"There's something off about you," Draco said, narrowing his eyes at her. "I've noticed it since last Friday when I ran into you outside of McGonagall's office. You look like Hermione, but you don't act like her. It's almost as if you're…someone else."
Belle looked around. No one was near them. No one that she could see.
"Come with me," Draco said, imperiously, withdrawing his wand and pointing it at her.
"Why should I do that?" Belle said, eying his wand. Belle knew that going off somewhere with him would not be good.
"Because I believe you're an imposter impersonating Hermione Granger," Draco Malfoy said. "Someone who's poor at their job. Someone who doesn't know enough about her to do a good job pretending to be her."
"You're being ridiculous," Belle said, unnerved to have a wand pointed at her. "Put that away and leave me alone. I have a lot of work do to."
"Look at me," Draco commanded. Unable to stop herself, Belle looked Draco in the eyes. His light grey eyes pierced her. Memories flooded Belle's mind. Of being caught by the Beast. Of waking up here in Hogwarts. Of Ginny discovering what had happened. Of Professor McGonagall saying that she'd have to impersonate Hermione.
"No!" Belle cried, pulling herself away and rising to her feet. "What did you do to me?"
Draco staggered a few feet away, lowering his wand and looking stunned. "What in the world?" he said, rubbing his hand over his face. "It's not at all what I thought. I thought… Well, never mind." He turned to look at Belle. "You didn't kidnap Hermione? You didn't choose to be here?"
"No," Belle said, completely baffled about what had happened and the sudden change of his tone. "Not at all." Had he read her mind somehow? Had he seen those memories?
"You're not impersonating Hermione out of malevolent intent?" Draco asked, intently.
"Of course not," Belle said, still confused but glad he was not longer threatening her. "I'm only trying to fit in until we figure out how to switch back."
"Astounding," Draco said, relaxing somewhat. "I don't know what to think."
"Please don't tell anyone else," Belle begged. "Professor McGonagall said it would be best to keep this quiet. The professors know, but that's it."
"Why do you care so much if other people find out?" Draco asked.
That made Belle pause. Why did she care? Why did she want to make sure that nothing was disrupted?
"I'm not entirely sure," Belle said. "It's just that everyone here has been so kind to me and they think that's what's best for the world right now."
"But what about what's best for you?" Draco asked, his grey eyes fixed on her intently. He straightened up. "Don't worry, I won't say anything. But think about what I said."
He strode away, leaving Belle feeling raw and exposed. What's best for her? She'd always wanted to go on adventures and learn new things. She was getting that. But at the expense of not being her true self. She hugged herself and tried to repress the shaking that had started.
Ginny and Luna appeared then. "B-Hermione!" Ginny cried, rushing over to her. "Are you all right?"
Luna came to Belle's other side. "It looks like a Wrackspurt got her," Luna said. "I know what to do. Flap your arms over your head 5 times and —"
"No, no," Belle said. "It's nothing like that." She lowered her voice. "Draco Malfoy discovered my secret."
"What?" Ginny demanded loudly. Then, lowering her voice, she added, "How?"
"I don't know," Belle admitted. "I ran into him several times today. It's almost as if he were following me. He said I seemed different since the time we saw him outside of Professor McGonagall's office."
Ginny wrung her hands. "This isn't good," she said, nervously.
"He said he wouldn't tell anyone," Belle said, deciding to refrain from mentioning that she suspected he'd read her mind. She had a feeling it would make Ginny even more freaked out.
"We can't be sure of that," Ginny said, looking serious. "He's not to be trusted."
Thinking of Draco's earlier words, Belle asked, "What do you think is the worst that could happen if people found out about me?"
"I'm not sure…" Ginny said. "Professor McGonagall thinks that it might make people feel insecure. Perhaps like we've been infiltrated or that we can't keep our own people safe. It's such an unstable time right now and she's afraid of tipping the balance in either direction."
Belle nodded. "I suppose I understand that," she said. Then she sighed. "It can be weighing to pretend to be someone else."
Luna patted Belle's back sympathetically. "I once tried to pretend to be someone else," she said. "Then I realized it was too much work. I'd rather be myself than fit in and be normal."
Belle smiled. "I've always thought that too," she said. "But in this case, I suppose it's for the best. This isn't my world after all."
"I'm sorry," said Ginny, apologetically. "I wish I could do something to make it better."
"It's all right," Belle said. "I'm on a grand adventure. And I've learned so much."
Belle tried to focus on the positive. She had to.