It was getting quite late now. After finally having some free time, their stroll had lasted two or three hours, and it was now nearly ten o'clock at night.
Hermione pushed open the door to the Room of Requirement and unceremoniously deposited Glenn, who offered no resistance, onto the sofa.
"I'm going to shower first. You're not allowed on the bed if you haven't washed up, okay?"
The girl stood with her hands on her hips, pointing with one small finger as she gave this expressionless command.
"Go ahead. I need to finish assembling some things I'll be installing in the various secret passages anyway."
Glenn nodded, straightened up, and pulled out numerous small components from his black ring.
"Ah, you mean what you mentioned... wait! I almost fell for your trick there. I've decided to give you the cold shoulder!"
Hermione looked thoughtful, about to follow Glenn's lead, then her expression changed before returning to calm.
This guy—they were about to share a bed tonight, and he showed absolutely no reaction!
Was her charm not enough?!
Ah, maybe he was just used to it by now...
But that wasn't an excuse!
Glenn watched strangely as Hermione stood before him, her expression shifting through various moods. Though their usual level of understanding was practically telepathic, under certain conditions Glenn still found it difficult to grasp Hermione's rather contradictory thoughts.
Yes, contradictory—Hermione was currently caught between being unable to help softening and forcing herself not to soften.
How strange. If you wanted to do something, just express it directly. But Hermione seemed to prefer those roundabout ways of expressing herself.
The books said people who adopted this approach toward others were called "tsundere."
But Glenn had always gone along with Hermione. Since she liked expressing her thoughts this way, he'd naturally accept it.
However...
"Hermione? Aren't you going to shower?"
The girl seemed unable to sort out her thoughts for the moment, which was a waste of time. Better to give her a push.
"Oh, oh! Going right now."
Hermione responded instinctively, then walked a few steps before freezing.
What about the cold shoulder treatment?
Hermione, oh Hermione, you can't keep being so soft-hearted. To make Glenn truly realize the kind of mood he should have when boyfriend and girlfriend are in an enclosed space together, you need to be firm!
Yes, this was Hermione's truest thought deep down.
And so their thoughts successfully crossed paths without meeting.
Cross-server communication while face-to-face—it was probably something like this.
Glenn thought: He should understand and accept Hermione's tsundere way of expressing herself.
Hermione thought: She needed to make Glenn realize how they should be spending their alone time together.
"I'm going to shower now, okay?"
"Go ahead."
Hermione walked into the bathroom, then poked her little head back out.
"No peeking, okay?"
"I won't."
"..."
In conclusion, the above exchange left Hermione completely unable to achieve her goal.
At a time like this, shouldn't he retort with something like "How could I possibly peek?!" with strong emotion and slight embarrassment?
Though that didn't really fit Glenn's personality, if he could reply like that, it might actually be quite nice...
Sigh, but that was probably hopeless. Glenn's response just now was exactly what he would say.
This straightforward honesty... it made her love and hate him at the same time...
This was Hermione's true feeling at the moment.
Hermione convinced herself.
Then Hermione closed the door.
Hearing the door close, Glenn stopped what he was doing and leaned back against the sofa.
"I wonder if that reply was correct?"
But there didn't seem to be any other possible answer.
"Then that must be the correct answer."
Glenn convinced himself too.
Then he continued working.
This was the strange way of thinking when the two got along—Glenn and Hermione always found ways to convince themselves.
...
With the sound of the bathroom door opening, a wave of steam billowed out. Hermione emerged wearing pajamas, toweling her hair.
"Your turn. Go on."
After a quick shower, Hermione's thoughts had become much clearer.
Since Glenn's personality was like this, she should just accept it. Why worry about what books or information from others said?
They weren't the ones dating Glenn!
She'd just be herself!
With clear thoughts and feeling refreshed, Hermione strode toward the bed and dove into the covers, leaving only her little head visible as she watched Glenn.
Of course, while in the air Hermione had used a spell to dry her half-wet hair.
Always dry your hair before bed~
"Wait a moment, just a few final steps."
Glenn didn't move immediately, speeding up his hand movements. Alchemical light flickered continuously, and after about thirty or forty seconds, he completed the device in his hands.
"Clothes."
Hermione rummaged in her protective charm and pulled out a set of Glenn's pajamas that matched her own, plus a pair of underwear, tossing them toward Glenn. He caught them without looking and entered the bathroom.
Compared to Hermione, Glenn's shower speed was much faster.
For the girl, bathing was a sacred and enjoyable activity. Thorough bathing could refresh body and mind, dissolve a full day's fatigue, and make herself smell lovely—what a wonderful thing.
So Hermione always washed her body by hand.
For Glenn, it wasn't like this. Bathing was purely a daily task of cleaning the body—work. In non-extreme moments, if dirt on the body wasn't quickly and completely dealt with, there would be a great risk of wound infection if injured.
To complete this task as quickly as possible, Glenn chose to use magic.
This was much more efficient than washing by hand.
So Glenn used less than a quarter of Hermione's bathing time to emerge from the bathroom, completely ready for bed and able to turn off the lights and sleep at any moment.
But obviously, tonight it was unlikely he'd just lie down, close his eyes, and fall asleep.
There was still a Hermione on the bed who seemed to be playing hard to get, lifting the covers beside her and patting the bed next to her.
Though the girl had turned her head in another direction, so her expression couldn't be seen.
For such behavior, what approach would be the correct choice?
"What are you standing there for? Stop thinking and hurry over here..."
Hearing Hermione's soft call, Glenn's foot unconsciously stepped forward.
Then he looked down at the step he'd taken and stopped thinking.
"Mm."
Just be yourself.
As night deepened, due to the body's natural functions resting during normal sleep hours, human rationality would be weakened, replaced by more emotional thinking.
But would this point have any effect on Glenn, who had emotional deficiencies?
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