Chapter 5
Everything seemed still in the wake of what she had just said. A breeze swept through. He stood frozen in place, neither moving nor speaking. He now resembled a beautiful statue. And she was the audience come to admire. He stood apart from her, his face concealed, revealing only his gray eyes. Draco stood silently, his expression eerily emotionless, his gray eyes fixed on Hermione, as if probing every thought in her mind. Hermione responded with a calm, unwavering gaze. The two were like opponents in a chess game, where each move was meticulously calculated.
"How ridiculous, Granger," he mocked. "Granger, you think you know so much? How tiresome."
She stood tall, unfazed by Draco's cold presence. She knew she had the advantage. Draco was arrogant, but at this moment, she was the one in control. She tilted her head, the corners of her mouth curling up like a victor. In her eyes, Draco was merely a misguided prey.
"What brings you to tail me in the dead of night? Got too much time on your hands?" he asked suspiciously.
Hermione looked at Draco, perceiving the sarcasm and arrogance in his every word. But she wouldn’t be swayed. He could maintain that cold exterior forever, but she knew deep down he couldn’t ignore the fact that she held a piece of his secret.
"You think I'm stalking you? No need for that, Malfoy. You’ve exposed your own secret," she shook her head.
"This is downright absurd," he rubbed his forehead, studying her expression. But she had no hint of jest. Each word she spoke felt like it was ready to explode.
She remained silent.
"Don’t get tense, Malfoy. If I wanted to harm you, you wouldn't be standing here."
He adjusted his emotions. Surely his Occlumens was still working. His face hardened, his eyes vacant as they stared at her. He knew she wouldn’t lie. Letting her see was his mistake. He hadn’t been cautious or thorough enough beforehand.
Damn it, Draco cursed inwardly.
"What have you seen? Speak, Granger," he probed her cautiously.
"I've seen much more than you think, Malfoy," Hermione replied, her tone calm yet sharp, her gaze never leaving him. "And I will use it however I want," she shrugged confidently.
"Fuck you."
She chuckled softly. "Mind your words, Malfoy," he looked up at her. "Don’t speak like that while I’m still here."
The two fell silent. Time passed second by second. She looked at him triumphantly. In her hands lay his secret. And he wasn’t sure if she would use that little mouth of hers to tell Potter or Dumbledore. To him, she was always a blabbermouth. She would always spill everything to Potter or that dear Weasley.
"If you’re looking for something to share with Potter, then forget it," he said in a low voice.
"I'm not a snitch. But if you do something wrong, perhaps Harry would want to know."
He took a step closer to her, his gaze like a sharp blade, but halted just before the distance became too close. "Just keep that mouth shut, and things will be easier."
Draco clenched his teeth. The feeling of being cornered drove him mad. But a part of him admired how she stood up to him. Not afraid. Not backing down. She was so different now. Hermione Granger was no longer the shy, clever girl of previous years.
"That secret is quite interesting. I wonder if it's worth my silence," Hermione looked at him, her eyes filled with challenge. "And don’t you enjoy power games, Malfoy? So do I. The more mysterious, the more thrilling, right?"
The wrinkles on his face deepened, wondering what nonsense she was talking. She was inviting him to play a game with her. A power game? If she wanted to use him as her plaything, she was mistaken. He considered her a toy, but never the other way around. As Hermione smiled triumphantly, Draco felt a simmering fear rise within him. This wasn’t a power game he could easily control. But regardless, he wouldn’t let Hermione Granger win.
"You’ve picked the wrong person, Granger. And you don’t know what you’re getting into. It’s best if you just forget about it," though he spoke as if trying to help her, he was actually just selfishly wanting to protect himself.
She stepped closer to him, her every footfall deliberate. The words she spoke were what made him pay attention. "You think I’d let you off the hook, Malfoy? Not a chance. It’s fascinating that someone who always pretends to be perfect has secrets to hide. We’ll meet again. This secret is worth my concern."
"What do you plan to do with what you know, Granger?" his voice was hoarse, as if he were trying to stifle his anger.
Hermione smiled, a cold and calculating smile. "It depends on you, Malfoy. But I trust you’ll know your place."
Draco took a step back, as if the space between them was becoming too cramped. Hermione didn’t take her eyes off him, her gaze filled with pride, like a hunter observing her trapped prey. She knew she had the upper hand. Hermione maintained a calm expression, but in her brown eyes sparkled a sense of victory. She knew she held something important. Not everything, but enough to make Draco Malfoy worry. She could feel the tension in the air, yet remained strangely unbothered.
She smirked. "Next time, come find me. We’ll 'decode' your little secret, Malfoy."
She turned on her heel and walked away, a smile still gracing her face. She knew Draco would have to find a way to meet her again. And this time, she would be the one setting the terms. Draco remained silent, but inside him raged a storm. The fact that she knew about the room made him lose control, but the greater fear was what she could do with that secret.
He stared at his bloodied fingers. Draco took a deep breath, his hands clenched tightly as if wanting to crush everything in his palm. As the anger surged uncontrollably, he punched the wall. His fingers bled, but he didn’t care. He squinted, his breath ragged. Not from the pain of the punch, but from the thought that Hermione held something that could destroy him.
"Fuck."
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She returned to her room, immediately lying down on her bed. She felt satisfied with what had just happened. Making him fear her was something she had wanted to do throughout her school years. But she hadn’t expected it to be in this context. Nevertheless, she couldn’t hide her victorious smile.
She was certain he would come looking for her. Because this wasn’t a secret he had ever dealt with before. She was sure this secret had something to do with what he was doing for Voldemort. So if Dumbledore discovered this secret, it would affect not only Draco but also the "mastermind" behind him.
He thought she was following him? Ha, she wasn’t so free as to trail him all day. But he was partly right. Just a little bit.
She sat in the library, the only light coming from her wand. It took a while for her to realize that curfew had already passed. She hastily gathered her belongings and made her way out of the room. She saw a shadow flit by. She thought it might be some leader on patrol or a professor. She looked around, deciding to find another way back to her room.
She sneaked through a deserted corridor. This corridor rarely saw foot traffic, and few students knew about it. She wasn’t sure if it was safe, but as long as she wasn’t discovered, it was fine.
She observed the dusty old portraits hanging on the walls. They seemed neglected, with cracks and cobwebs clinging to the walls. She walked along the corridor. Suddenly, she stopped, for what lay before her made it difficult to move.
Malfoy.
She pressed against the wall, carefully watching him. He stood before the blank wall, doing nothing. She could only see his back and had no idea what he was doing. Draco stood motionless before the empty wall. He glanced around one last time, then closed his eyes and whispered something. Immediately, a door materialized from thin air. He disappeared through the door, leaving the corridor in utter silence.
She turned around, pressing her back against the wall, astonished by what she had just seen. On that blank wall, there was a door leading to another room. It definitely wasn’t a classroom. She had never heard of any room here. Why did Malfoy know? What was he doing in there?
Her breath was erratic, the event making her head spin. She took a deep breath to steady her mind. She looked back at the wall, still nothing there. The light from Hermione's wand illuminated the confusion in her eyes. That wall had just been a blank surface, but she knew it was hiding something far more significant.
She took a risk and stepped closer, despite the possibility of being seen or him returning at that moment. But her curiosity wouldn’t let her think too much. She touched the wall, tracing the cracks. She wanted to be sure there was no hidden button. So to make the door appear, a spell was needed. She flipped through the books in her hands, page by page. She had read *Hogwarts: A History* countless times but had never heard of this room. She glanced skeptically at the pile of books.
As she was lost in thought, the sound of shoes echoed closer. She turned her head, panicking as she ran to the recess in the wall. Her breath was chaotic. She pressed herself further in, clutching the books in her hands, trying to remain silent. She gasped for air, peering outside. Once she was sure no one was around, she sighed in relief. But just as she was about to step outside to check, she caught sight of Draco's silhouette. He was standing there, dazed. She observed his actions, quickly stuffing the books back into her bag.
She moved forward as quietly as possible. She noticed him suddenly pressing against the wall. She whispered his name softly. However, in this quiet space, even the smallest sound could startle someone. Not seeing him respond, she continued. She looked at his stiff face, unable to hold back her rolling eyes.
She chuckled at the memory. Now she had her first secret about him. Draco would soon have to come looking for her. She had already thought through the next steps.
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Hermione Granger walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, her mood not much different. She had read about it in the forbidden books and researched it deeply. The gloomy and oppressive atmosphere in this classroom made her feel as if she were stepping into a battle. The cold stone walls around seemed to sense the tension in the air.
Professor Snape entered, his stern expression like a stone wall, devoid of emotion. His long black cloak billowed behind him, creating a sense of mystery and authority. His gaze swept across the classroom as if evaluating each student, searching for those who dared to challenge him. Hermione felt that gaze cut through her like a sharp blade, with the slightest mistake enough to land her in his sights.
“Today,” Snape began, his voice as cold as ice, “we will study the monsters you may face in real-life situations.” He paused for a moment, noticing the tension in the room. “Remember, knowledge is not just theory. It must be applied, or else it will all be meaningless.”
Hermione listened intently, feeling as if every word of his seeped into every cell of her body. She had prepared meticulously for this lesson, reading all available materials and researching the various types of monsters they would discuss today.
“Now, I want each of you to come up to the board and present about a type of monster that you think could be dangerous,” Snape continued, his icy gaze challenging every student in the class. “Who will start?”
Hermione felt the eyes of her classmates turn toward her. She stood up, a confident smile appearing on her lips. “Professor, I would like to talk about Boggarts. This is a type of monster that will manifest as the greatest fear of the person facing it.”
Snape nodded, though his expression remained unchanged. “Go on, Miss Granger.”
Hermione did not hesitate. “Boggarts do not have a fixed shape; they have the ability to change to manifest as the fears of each individual. To defeat it, one must use the Riddikulus charm, but it is essential that the person has enough confidence to face their fear. Otherwise, the Boggart will simply become a stronger foe in their eyes.”
As she spoke, Snape listened with an unimpressed demeanor, but there was something in his gaze—perhaps recognition, but Hermione didn’t want to stop there. She continued, “If we cannot confront our own fears, we will forever be their slaves.”
A prolonged silence fell over the classroom. Snape looked at her with an examining gaze. “Perhaps you think you possess those theories. But reality will not be as easy as you think. Remember, what makes Boggarts dangerous is the deep-seated fear within the human mind. When faced with it, one can still be consumed by that fear.”
Hermione was not swayed by Snape's sarcasm. She felt that if he wanted to challenge her, she would not hesitate to respond. “Professor, I understand that theory is necessary, but practice is equally important. If one does not believe in their own abilities, perhaps you are living in your own fears as well.”
Snape raised his head, his gaze sharper than ever. Hermione’s response surprised him slightly, but he was not one to easily reveal emotions. “Miss Granger,” he said, his tone unchanged, “you may have forgotten that arrogant words will never replace true wisdom. Each word has its power, and sometimes, silence can be more powerful than speaking.”
Hermione sensed the tension in the air. She could not let him win easily. “Professor, I do not want to simply be silent and wait. If we do not dare to speak our minds, we will remain forever in the dark.”
She knew her words might provoke Snape, but she also understood that she had voiced something many would not dare to think. Deep down, Hermione felt a sense of satisfaction seeing the slight change in Snape's expression, even though he quickly concealed it.
“Perhaps,” Snape said, “you will find that one day, in real life, theory will not help you when facing dangers. I hope you do not regret your excessive confidence.” His voice remained cold, but it was clear he had started to regard what she said with some weight.
After Snape concluded the class, Hermione felt a surge of pride. She had won a small battle in her mind, but she knew this was just the beginning. Thoughts of the mysterious room, Draco, and seizing power still haunted her. She would not allow anyone, not even Snape, to hinder her path. She told herself that one day she would stand firm in a position that no one could reach. Victorious, she stepped out of the classroom.
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In a dark corner of the Hogwarts library, where dim light shone on ancient books, Hermione sat reading materials on forbidden spells. Although the quiet atmosphere helped her focus, her mind was filled with thoughts of Draco and the plots slowly forming in her head. Suddenly, Theo Nott's deep voice broke the silence.
“What are you searching for that’s so interesting you haven’t noticed your surroundings, Granger?” Theo stood nearby, his sharp gaze reflecting curiosity.
Hermione looked up, trying to maintain her composure. “It seems you’re not too busy yourself coming here to find me,” she replied, her tone cold but not overly rude.
“Isn’t this the ideal place to explore mysteries? The Forbidden Library,” Theo smiled, unperturbed. “There are many untold stories in this library. Sometimes, secrets are just questions that haven’t been asked.”
Hermione sensed a hint of sarcasm in his words. “You’re not the only one seeking secrets,” she replied, implying that she had her own goals. “But I don’t trust those who only know what they want.” She found it somewhat amusing that she was the very person she didn’t trust.
“A fascinating statement,” Theo nodded, his eyes gleaming with understanding. “But sometimes trusting others can be a good strategy. Do you think keeping your distance from everyone might cause you to miss out on significant opportunities?”
Hermione couldn’t help but feel the probing nature in Theo’s every word. “Opportunities? Or just a trap?” she asked, her lips pressed into a straight line. “I am not someone who can easily be exploited.”
“A very smart thought, but it could also limit you,” Theo said, his tone gentle yet full of implications. “Many here at Hogwarts want to exploit your power and intelligence.”
“I know that,” Hermione admitted, but in her mind, she wondered if she was the one being exploited. “I am not a pawn in someone else’s game. I am a player.”
“Then you should carefully consider who you choose as your companions,” Theo advised, his gaze sweeping over the books on the table. “Perhaps collaborating with capable individuals will bring you closer to the secrets you seek.”
Hermione felt the challenge in his words. “And you’re saying you could be a trustworthy ally?” she asked, trying to keep her tone calm, though doubt lingered in her heart.
“Only if you know how to leverage the advantages I have,” Theo replied, his smile still in place, but his eyes reflected seriousness. “You can be confident that I am not an enemy, but at the same time, remember that in this world, people often have their own motives.”
“I understand,” Hermione nodded, her heart filled with conflicting thoughts. “But there is no guarantee that you don’t have your own intentions in approaching me.”
“Perhaps,” Theo admitted, his voice betraying no surprise. “But maybe you and I can find a common path if we learn to connect our interests.”
Hermione realized that this encounter was not just a simple conversation. It was an exploration between the two, a test of who could hold power in this relationship. She was not sure if Theo could become an ally, but the sense of mystery surrounding him made it hard for her to look away.
“One day, perhaps I will consider your proposal,” Hermione said, her tone cold yet holding a hint of concealed wisdom. “But first, I need to ensure I am not a fool in this game.”
“Very clever,” Theo replied, a look of appreciation crossing his face. “But remember, sometimes a fool is someone who doesn’t dare to take risks.”
And with those words, a complex connection began to form between Hermione and Theo, making her rethink her choices and the secrets they both were keeping. She knew that in this game, everyone had a role to play, and hers would never be that of a loser.