Hermione finally finished checking the numbers and charts.
"Very well, you are right," she said reluctantly. "I never imagined I had this kind of personality hidden within me.... "
Helplessly, she turned her face towards him, wanting to give him a resentful look, but suddenly found that he was staring at her with a beautiful smile on his lips.
Ah, his smiled. So charming!Bah! what am I thinking?
Her eyes blinked rapidly, a mixture of surprise and nervousness in her heart.
He was right in front of her.
Close enough to see the light in his grey eyes. Close enough to see that his pupils were filled with her face.
Hermione was caught off guard. A faint blush rose to her cheeks from his barely perceptible breath.
She quickly moved her face away from his shoulder, frantically rummaging through the parchment on her table. "Ah.... I have already calculated yours. Would you like me to read it to you.... "
Draco felt a sudden lightness on his shoulder, and a sense of bewilderment washed over him.
But seeing the slight blush on her face, he felt a little happy. "Go on, then. I will give you the chart."
"Draco Lucius Malfoy, number nine." Hermione hurriedly flipped through the charts and began reading the analysis, her words coming as fast as a rabbit bolting from a burrow.
"It represents completion and fulfilment, a willingness to serve others. You are suited to be a teacher, scientist, or humanitarian. You are determined, work tirelessly, and never feel fatigued. You often inspire others. However, you may also be somewhat arrogant, and when things do not go as planned, you might appear rather self-righteous.... "
"Wait a moment!" Draco said incredulously. "Arrogant? Self-righteous?"
Hermione ignored him, forcing herself to continue reading word by word. Gradually, she felt the warmth in her face begin to subside.
"The soul number two represents inner harmony, loyalty, a willingness to take responsibility, and exceptional fairness. However, 'two' also represents contradiction.... a mixture of positive and negative aspects. It often represents two diametrically opposed things: day and night, good and evil, and so forth."
"What utter nonsense!" Draco interrupted her, no longer able to focus on examining her expression, a faint blush spreading across his pale face. "You make me sound like.... what do Muggles call it.... a schizophrenic!"
Hermione laughed out loud.
Now, her composure had returned to normal, and she was no longer inexplicably flustered as before. Drawn in by his personality analysis, she chuckled and continued reading, "People with this number may be introverted, withdrawn, moody, indecisive, and quite introspective.... "
Draco let out a groan through gritted teeth.
She clicked her tongue in amazement as she looked at him, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Oh, my poor dear.... so introverted and withdrawn.... "
"Please do not say that," Draco said with a pained expression, suddenly understanding the disbelief she had felt just moments ago.
"Your social number is seven. You project a strong cognitive ability to the outside world, are intelligent and perceptive. You enjoy hard work and challenges. You are serious, have an academic air, and are interested in all things mysterious. For you, originality and imagination are far more attractive than money and wealth.... "
Upon reading this, she could not help but smile and turn to look at him. "Really? Draco Malfoy.... forgoing money and wealth to choose imagination?"
"Imagination.... " Draco had given up struggling with the analysis by now. He glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. "I do not think so, unless it is some kind of imagination unique to this world."
She glanced at him quickly, then averted her gaze and continued reading with interest: "At the same time, they may also possess characteristics of pessimism, a penchant for irony, and insecurity.... "
Upon reading this, she briefly made a small, surprised expression. "Insecurity?"
"Do not forget your personality number is also seven, and you have these traits too. Essentially, we are not so different.... " Draco reminded her, lest she tease him again.
Hermione shrugged, unconcerned. She was engrossed in looking at the charts and did not argue with him.
"Listen.... what is going on with your class schedule?" Taking advantage of a break after finishing his calculations, and noticing that Professor Vector was still checking calculation methods with a group of students on the other side of the room, Draco quickly pressed her. "I know you are also attending Divination, but how is that possible? The class times clash, do they not?"
"Draco! We are still in class! How can we gossip like this?" Hermione said with a reproachful look, turning to Professor Vector and earnestly asking her about the calculation method.
Draco looked at her profile, completely absorbed in her work, and felt utterly helpless.
She was clearly dodging the question and determined not to discuss it!
This cunning girl.
In the days that followed, whenever he showed even the slightest hint of wanting to ask her about her timetable, Hermione would begin to unleash her "wilful and domineering" traits.
She began to look at him with pity, saying he was an "introverted, withdrawn, insecure little thing."
"Keep your voice down, it is embarrassing. I will not ask anymore, alright?" Draco's face began to flush. He was both wary of having his personality laid bare and flustered by her calling him "poor dear".... a term that was somehow simultaneously awkward and affectionate. It left him rather unsettled.
Hermione looked at his unusually flustered state with satisfaction and decided to let him off the hook.
After class, she went even further. As if afraid he would change his mind and continue to question her, she slipped away with a pile of books on her back.
Draco was left sitting there, completely dumbfounded.
For the first time since his rebirth, his self-esteem suffered a subtle blow.... he had been pitied by a girl for an entire lesson, and then she had to avoid him!
And all simply because he asked one harmless little question.
This is what she means by "friends should treat each other with honesty"!
He wrinkled his nose and finally decided to seek some help.
After thinking for a while, he grabbed a piece of parchment from his desk, which he had not yet had time to tidy, quickly wrote a few lines, swept all his belongings into his schoolbag, and headed straight for the Owlery.
Joan was idly preening her tail feathers with her beak on a magnificent perch in the centre of the room, having recovered from her long journey to Egypt. She was overjoyed to see Draco.
"Could you deliver this letter to Grandfather? Be careful and do not get caught by dangerous people." He patted Joan's head, rolled the letter into a small scroll, and tied it to one of her legs.
The letter read as follows:
Dear Grandfather,
I hope you are well. I have arrived at Hogwarts safely and there is no need to worry.
I have a question for you: is there any kind of magic that allows a person to appear in two places at the same time?
With respectful regards,
Your bewildered grandson,Draco.
Joan looked at him with trusting eyes and lovingly pecked the back of his hand with her beak. She skillfully took flight from the Owlery, soaring through the sky and quickly disappearing below the horizon.
Emerging from the Owlery, Draco planned to head to the library to finish his half-completed Arithmancy assignment. As he rounded a corner near the library, he overheard several students chattering: "Yes, Professor Trelawney said.... "
".... This year, one person will leave us forever.... "
"That is a bit too terrifying!"
"That is not necessarily true! Think of Peter Pettigrew.... I have heard that someone spotted him in a nearby town."
"Oh, this is dreadful! Is he after Hogwarts?"
"I reckon he is here for revenge. Who do you think is leaving.... Harry Potter or Draco Malfoy?"
"When are you going to decide who is leaving us?" Draco approached them, speaking in a listless tone. They were startled and buried themselves in their books, neither daring to utter another word.
Very good.
Sybil Trelawney, that insufferable fraud, and her peculiar little following of gullible believers.
Whether it was Divination or Arithmancy, Draco absolutely refused to admit that his mood was affected.
It was not because of those rumours, nor because Hermione was keeping up her little secret from him!
He expressionlessly brushed off non-existent dust from his robes, suddenly losing interest in the library. He turned to leave, only to walk directly into Marcus Flint, captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team.
"You are here! Brilliant.... I was looking for you!" A smile spread across his burly face. "The Quidditch trials are next week, and Derrick, Bole, Bletchley, and the others have all put their names down...."
"I will sign up too," Draco said.
"Excellent," Marcus said with satisfaction. "I really cannot think of anyone more suitable to be Seeker than you. If we want to win the Quidditch Cup this year, it has to be you. Have you been practising much this summer?"
"Of course," Draco smiled at him. "Rain or shine."
"Very good. I look forward to your performance at the trials. I still need to inform Montague, Warrington, and the others...." Marcus said gruffly, handing Draco an envelope before heading off. "Professor Dumbledore asked me to give this to you."
"Thank you." Draco took the envelope, a question arising in his mind.
Why would Dumbledore suddenly contact him?
Draco opened the envelope with little enthusiasm and unfolded the note:
Draco, please come to the Headmaster's office at 4 p.m. this Tuesday. The password is: 'Acid Pops'
He sighed. What an unpleasant day.
He was in very poor condition today. He had absolutely no desire to meet this wizard.... who possessed such sharp eyes and keen perception.... under these circumstances.
Besides, what could Dumbledore, such a busy man, possibly want with an ordinary, well-behaved third-year student like him?
It was definitely not going to be good news.
Draco yawned lazily and sauntered towards the Headmaster's office.