Hermione leaned in close, clearly excited yet mindful they were in the library. She lowered her voice, her adorable face just inches from Draco's. That alone sparked a flicker of curiosity in his mind.
It wasn't that he didn't understand why the little witch cared about school rules. Nor was he confused by Hermione's tendency to get involved in matters that didn't concern her.
What puzzled Draco was—how did Hermione even know about the duel?
"Come to think of it, that Weasley guy probably wouldn't have told you something like this. So where'd you hear about it?"
"I just found out, okay? But is that really the point?"
"Of course it's the point. Think about it—if this gets out and everyone knows, how is the duel supposed to happen?"
"..."
Hermione paused, caught off guard. That angle hadn't occurred to her. But now that she thought about it, it really could work—and she wouldn't even have to deal with that irritating Weasley directly.
Just as she began to smile at the prospect of using this plan...
Draco's mischievous streak kicked in.
"So... you eavesdropped on Weasley and the others, and that's how you found out?"
"I did not eavesdrop!"
Draco chuckled as he watched the flustered little witch avert her gaze, clearly embarrassed and a bit guilty. She didn't want to admit it, but she wasn't denying it either.
He must've guessed right...
...
While Hogwarts encouraged healthy competition between the Houses—sometimes even relishing the tension between Slytherin and Gryffindor—it didn't mean unsanctioned wizard duels were allowed.
In fact, casting harmful spells on fellow students without permission was a clear violation of school rules.
Let alone sneaking out to duel at midnight—that was forbidden on multiple levels.
So why choose midnight for the duel?
The reasoning was simple.
There was no way Goyle and Weasley's duel could take place during the day or anywhere crowded. Not unless they wanted to blatantly break the rules in broad daylight.
Which is why, at Goyle and Crabbe's suggestion, the duel was scheduled for midnight. Both sides would sneak out of their dorms and meet at a predetermined location.
And that's where things got risky.
If no one found out, it'd be fine. But if they were caught by a professor? That would mean breaking several rules at once. Expulsion might be a stretch, but a heavy deduction in House points and harsh punishment were guaranteed...
So when Hermione went with Draco's idea, the rumor spread fast.
Even if the professors didn't fully believe it, they would have to investigate.
And that was exactly what Hermione wanted.
If her own warning hadn't worked, surely Professor McGonagall's would.
But what neither she nor Draco expected... was an unexpected twist.
The twist being none other than Professor Snape—who never passed up an opportunity to belittle Harry.
"A duel? I suppose Potter and Mr. Weasley, who can barely cast a basic charm, plan to win by relying on their fame—or perhaps by swinging that broken wand of his like a stick?"
That was the very first thing Snape said to the class during Potions.
His scorn, paired with the Slytherins' laughter, struck a nerve in the Gryffindors' pride.
After all, Gryffindor never lacked for courage.
Now it wasn't just Ron Weasley—Harry Potter, who had originally been nothing more than a bystander, had also decided to take part.
Whether to teach Slytherin a lesson, or maybe... to prove something.
A development neither Draco nor Hermione had seen coming…
….
It was a few days later when Draco and Hermione met again.
Judging by the surroundings, they were back in the same courtyard where Draco had first brought her.
The moment she saw him, Hermione started complaining.
"What kind of terrible idea was that? It was completely useless!"
Her puffed-up expression left Draco slightly confused.
"Didn't it work fine? Goyle and Crabbe slept like the dead last night. They didn't go anywhere."
In truth, part of the reason Goyle and Crabbe didn't show up was because the details of the duel had somehow been leaked. After all, barring any surprises, patrols had definitely been increased last night—especially by that gatekeeper who couldn't stand younger students. He was all too eager to catch someone.
And if that had been the only issue, Goyle and Crabbe—who usually relied on brawn more than brains—might still have gone through with the duel. But with a certain "little princess" quietly pulling the strings behind them, the outcome wasn't all that surprising.
Because in that little princess's plan, skipping the duel and letting Weasley and his friends walk right into getting caught was exactly what she wanted...
"So, you were so worried you camped out in the common room, figured things out, but couldn't stop those two—and ended up tagging along?"
"Well, I didn't have a choi—"
The little witch suddenly realized what Draco was implying. She glared at him and snapped loudly.
"It wasn't an ambush! And who said I tagged along?! I couldn't get back—couldn't go back! How many times do I have to say it!!!"
"Mhm... So you couldn't go back, huh? I see, I see~."
See your Merlin!
That smug tone and that half-smile on his face—he clearly didn't believe a single word she'd said!
Looking at this annoying jerk acting all dismissive, Hermione was so tempted to hex that infuriating grin right off his face.
But then she remembered what had happened the night before, and managed to rein in her frustration.
Because there were still a few things she wanted answers to...
After hearing her explanation—or rather, her account—Draco more or less pieced together what had happened.
To put it simply, things had gone wrong on Hermione's end.
Not only had she failed to stop the Weasleys, she'd also gotten herself stuck and unable to return to the common room.
In the end, unwilling to leave things as they were, Hermione had no choice but to join Harry Potter and the others on a midnight adventure through the castle.
And yes... it really was an adventure.
"You're saying you broke into the forbidden corridor? The one on the fourth floor?"
"We didn't have a choice. We were almost caught. It was pure panic—no time to think about where we were going."
Just remembering the risk of breaking school rules—the thought of those disappointed looks from the professors and the looming threat of expulsion—made Hermione's small frame tremble.
Even though it was all over, she still shivered at the thought.
Almost instinctively, she leaned a little closer to Draco...
"So... you definitely ran into something, didn't you?"
Draco saw through it—but didn't say it aloud.
This time, he didn't tease the little witch who still looked shaken.
He understood.
Something had definitely happened, or she wouldn't have come to find him.
Still... it seemed he had a pretty important place in Hermione's heart?
For some reason, the corners of Draco's mouth lifted slightly.