After dinner, Belle made her way to the library, her bag heavy with Hermione's notes. The corridors of Hogwarts still felt foreign to her, but the promise of books and quiet study was a comfort she recognized from her own world. She found Draco already there, tucked away in a secluded corner.
"You're late," he said, but his tone was light.
"Sorry," Belle replied, settling into the chair across from him. "I got caught up at dinner with Ginny and the Quidditch team."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Ah, yes. Granger's sudden interest in Quidditch would certainly raise eyebrows," he said sardonically.
Belle winced. "I'm trying my best," she said, all the warm feelings of accomplishment vanishing away into hurt at his words.
"I know," Draco said, his voice softening. "Don't mind me. Now, what have you got there?"
Belle pulled out Hermione's journal and notes. "I found these in Hermione's desk. I think they detail her process for creating the spell that switched us."
Draco's eyes lit up as he reached for the journal. As their hands brushed, Belle felt a sudden jolt of electricity. She looked up, meeting Draco's intense gaze, and felt her cheeks warm.
Unbidden, her thoughts returned to the first time she looked at the Beast in the eyes. Seeing the human emotions and intelligence in those bright blue eyes. She remembered thinking there must be more to him than his terrifying visage.
Clearing her throat and bringing herself back to the present, Belle said, "So, um, shall we get started?"
For the next hour, they pored over Hermione's notes, discussing theories and possibilities. Belle didn't feel that her contributions were particularly useful, but it seemed that Draco appreciated having a sounding board.
Instead, Belle found herself repeatedly distracted by Draco's proximity, the way his brow furrowed in concentration, the slight quirk of his lips when he found something interesting. She'd never spent so much time with a young man. Especially one that she found so handsome.
"Look at this," Draco murmured, pointing to a complex diagram. "Granger's incorporated arithmancy with transfiguration theory. It's... brilliant."
Belle leaned closer to see, acutely aware of Draco's scent — parchment, mint, and something uniquely him. "You sound almost... proud of her," she observed.
Draco stiffened, then sighed. "I suppose I am," he admitted. He set down the journal, his fingers tracing the edge of the page. "Belle... there's something I ought to tell you."
Belle's heart raced. "What is it?"
Draco ran a hand through his hair, a gesture of nervousness Belle hadn't seen from him before.
"The reason I'm so invested in getting you and Hermione switched back," Draco began, his voice low and intense, "it's not just about making amends or doing the right thing."
He paused, turning to face her. Belle felt pinned by the weight of his gaze. "The truth is... I'm in love with Hermione."
Belle felt as if the air had been sucked out of the room. "You're... what?"
"I know it sounds crazy," Draco continued, his words tumbling out now. "And I don't even know why I'm telling you this. I just keep having this overwhelming impulse to tell you. I suppose I feel like you ought to know."
He took a deep breath. "After everything that's happened between us, I know it's virtually impossible. But during the war, when my aunt was torturing her... something in me broke. I realized how strong she was, how brave. And I couldn't deny my feelings anymore."
Belle sat back, stunned. A part of her heart ached, though she couldn't quite understand why. "Does she know?"
Draco shook his head. "No. I came back to Hogwarts to try to make things right, to show her I've changed. And then... this happened."
Belle felt a confusing mix of emotions — sympathy for Draco, a twinge of disappointment she didn't quite understand, and guilt for feeling anything at all when she was in Hermione's body. It reminded her of the conflicted feelings she still had for the Beast.
"I'm sorry," she said softly, not knowing what to say. "That must be... difficult."
Draco gave a humorless laugh. "You have no idea." He shifted in his seat, ending up closer to Belle this time. "But now you know why I'm so determined to fix this. Hermione deserves to be here, living her life. And I... I need the chance to show her who I really am."
Belle felt a pang of guilt at his words, even though it wasn't her fault that Hermione wasn't here.
"I understand," Belle said, placing her hand gently on top of Draco's. "I'll do anything I can to help make things right for all of us."
Draco flushed red at the contact and pulled his hand away. "So she was investigating Muggle fairy tales," he said, changing the subject back to the research. "And magical ones too. I know nothing about these Muggle stories."
As they returned to their research, Belle couldn't help but see Draco in a new light. His dedication, his vulnerability... it made him all the more attractive to her. But she pushed those thoughts aside. She had a job to do — get back to her own world and let Hermione return to hers. Maybe she'd try to help Hermione see Draco in this light.
Just then, a book on a nearby shelf began to rattle. It flew off the shelf, pages flipping wildly as it hovered in front of them. Belle gasped, still not entirely used to the casual magic of Hogwarts.
Draco chuckled, reaching out to grasp the book. "Looks like even the library wants to help us," he said, a small smile playing on his lips. He looked at the title. "A Collection of Muggle Fairy Tales. With commentary from some Muggle Studies scholar. Indeed. This is a book I'll have to read."
As Belle leaned in to look at the new book, their shoulders brushed. She felt that same jolt of electricity, and for a moment, their eyes met. In that instant, Belle saw a flicker of something in Draco's gaze — a warmth, an attraction — before he quickly looked away.
And in that moment, Belle couldn't shake the feeling that things had just become far more complicated than she ever could have imagined. She was in a world of magic, in another girl's body, feeling drawn to a boy who was in love with someone else. She was caught in another enchantment, with no way to know where this story would end.