The Beauty and The Wizard

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Hermione Granger wasn't an ordinary girl. She was a girl with extraordinary beauty and intelligence beyond compare to any professional man in her town. Many townswomen chattered about her beauty, and how she wasted it away in the town's small, usually empty library when she could be the most eligible bachelorette.

At the moment, Hermione sat in the back corner of the library, hidden behind stacks of old, rare books only she seemed to appreciate. Realizing how long she had been there, Hermione gently and neatly tucked the old books away in her black book bag and headed home.

Once she reached home, she quietly snuck into her hiding place, away from her abusive uncle, into the small cupboard under the stairs. Dust fell from the slanted ceiling of the cupboard as her uncle bounded down the stairs, and Hermione held her breath.

"Hermione, dear? Where are you?" Her uncle called as he opened the cupboard, his voice dripping with fake sweetness.

"'Mione?" Another voice called behind her uncle. It couldn't be, could it?

"Father?" She breathed. Hermione pulled herself out of the cupboard and into her father's arms.

"I have something for you," he whispered in her ear. Hermione followed her father to the stables, and to his horse, Penelope. Penelope galloped up to Hermione, and rubbed her neck affectionately. Phillip laughed, and rifled through his saddlebag. He pulled out two books. One, was an old rare edition of Hermione's favorite story, Beauty and The Beast, and the other, an empty journal, with Hermione written across it in spidery gold letters. She bit her lip in happiness and gave her father a big hug.

"I've got to go now dear." He sighed. Hermione pulled away as a crack of lightning erupted from the sky.

"Right now?" She asked. Her father nodded sadly.

"But there's a thunderstorm about!"

"Yes, but I'll never make it to Amity Park at this rate."

"Alright, but ride carefully." She muttered.

------------------

Three hours later, Hermione grew restless. She rushed into the stables, and mounted her horse. She shoved a picture of her, her father and her late brother Jonathan, the two books her father gave her into her bag. Hermione turned around quickly to her cat Phantom, and gently put him in the large front pocket of her bag. Hermione's uncle heard the noise of the stable door opening, and ran after her, shouting insults.

" Not this time." She whispered as she pulled the hood of her black cape far over her brown curls, and rode off into the night.

A/N: Like it? Hate it? Please review! Sorry about the slow update, I had to write this in my notebook first, so I'll try and update faster!

-E.J.W.