Whether it was the work of some hidden hand behind the scenes or simply because the name "Malfoy" had fallen out of favor, rumors about Draco spread like wildfire—growing louder and harder to contain with each passing day.
By the time the holidays were over, the gossip had festered so much that Pansy began to regret taking Draco's advice to ignore what he had dismissed as "a trivial matter."
Especially after catching the judgmental looks people were throwing her way, Pansy felt utterly deceived. Frustrated, she gave Draco a sharp kick on the foot.
"They're saying Death Eaters have appeared."
"Death Eaters? You mean Malfoy?"
"You didn't know? Ask the Gryffindors—apparently Harry Potter was there that night, and he knows the truth."
"Couldn't it be a mistake? The Daily Prophet said it was just a prank."
"Who knows? Either way, it's safest to be wary of a Malfoy."
"Yeah, someone died that night. Maybe our little Malfoy was the one who did it."
Even though the Daily Prophet downplayed the entire incident and called it a prank, it clearly couldn't silence the witnesses who'd actually been there. With certain people deliberately fueling the rumors, Draco found himself pushed straight into the center of public attention.
Was it revenge?
Or a deliberate distraction?
Whichever it was, the people behind it had certainly succeeded...
...
"So tell me, because of those idiots—do you have any idea how close you were to being sent to another wizarding school?"
Remembering what Mrs. Malfoy had told her earlier, Pansy gave Draco another irritated kick.
This passive, evasive approach was not what she wanted to see.
Indeed, no one knew exactly what Lucius was thinking, but over the break, he had apparently given serious thought to sending Draco elsewhere.
Durmstrang, for example. To Lucius, that ancient school—known for its tolerance, even admiration, of Dark Magic—seemed like a far better fit for his son.
But in the end, Narcissa had firmly vetoed the idea.
Aside from not wanting her beloved son so far away, Draco himself had refused to leave Hogwarts.
Facing Pansy, who was glaring at him with puffed cheeks, and Hermione, who had gone pale at hearing this for the first time, Draco absently stroked Crookshanks nestled in his arms.
"Don't worry. The Hogwarts library is far too captivating for me to leave. Until I've gone through every book in it, I think I'll be staying right where I am."
"...That's not what I'm worried about!"
'Leave Hogwarts...?'
It was the first time Hermione had heard anything like this. Her expression shifted from fondness as she looked at Crookshanks to sudden alarm.
As for whether it was even possible to read every book in Hogwarts, Hermione didn't question it. In fact, she was quite certain that if anyone could, it would be Draco.
So his answer did nothing to calm her.
"Other wizarding schools? Is that really true?"
"Ah... barring any surprises, it would've been Durmstrang. Actually, I was supposed to attend there back in first year."
"But... according to An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe, that school's reputation... Me—"
Hermione cut herself off mid-sentence, suddenly remembering who she was talking to.
After all, when it came to bad reputations, the name Malfoy wasn't exactly spotless either. It wasn't as if Durmstrang's image made much of a difference.
If anything, the two were rather well-matched.
Birds of a feather, perhaps.
Ahem.
In any case, Hermione suddenly found herself curious about Durmstrang. After a moment's hesitation, she set down the book in her hands.
"So where exactly is this school? Is it far from Britain?"
...
"No wizard knows for certain. Like Hogwarts, it's hidden—its location can only be roughly guessed, never precisely determined. Of course, Durmstrang is definitely somewhere in Europe."
"Is that so... the books say the same."
"Yes. Fortunately, you'll get to see them at Hogwarts this year, if you're curious about that school."
Draco answered Hermione's questions casually, not noticing the subtle shift in her tone.
Hermione, slightly lost in thought, didn't catch Draco's last remark. Otherwise, she would have been quite curious about what he really meant...
...
While Draco was calmly answering Hermione's questions, Pansy was practically jumping with frustration at his completely misplaced focus.
Compared to Hermione's worries, the idea of transferring to another wizarding school wasn't exactly a problem for the Parkinson family. In fact, it would have been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
What truly bothered her were the wizards scheming behind Draco's back—that was what had her blood boiling.
"Didn't you see the way they looked at you? Anyone who didn't know better would think you'd just walked out of Azkaban."
"Death Eaters... honestly, what era are we living in? How can anyone still be stupid enough to think that's an organization worth joining?"
"Listen, Goyle—go find out who's been spreading these rumors about Draco. I want names, and I want them now!"
The way other students from different houses treated Draco—like he was poisonous—had clearly struck a nerve with Pansy. Standing in the middle of the train compartment with her hands on her hips, she glared fiercely at the growing group of followers before her, issuing orders like a general.
Draco, meanwhile, didn't bother stopping her. He simply sat there, absently petting his cat, an amused look on his face as he watched her in action.
In truth, he already had a pretty good idea who was behind it all.
It wasn't hard to guess.
Whoever it was would need to know exactly what had happened that night—and they'd have to be someone at Hogwarts who despised him.
There weren't many who fit both of those conditions.
"I think I know what's going on."
"..."
"..."
Just as Pansy was confidently barking out her next set of orders, that quiet, steady voice stopped her cold. She froze for a moment, then turned to look.
It wasn't Draco who had spoken.
It was Hermione Granger—rising slowly to her feet...