Whether Ron Weasley's sudden boldness had anything to do with Draco not being present, or whether it was confidence born from the influence of some Horcrux, was unclear.
The only thing that was certain was that the courage driving Ron Weasley to act so outrageously vanished completely the moment Draco appeared…
"Draco!"
Unlike Ron Weasley, who didn't dare turn around, let alone look back at Draco, Hermione cried out happily the instant she saw him. She slipped past Ron and, with a quick sidestep, hid herself behind Draco.
It was hard to imagine how Hermione, dressed in an evening gown, could still move with such speed and practiced ease.
Pansy, who had also stepped down from the stage, shot an angry glare at Ron Weasley's back. It was hard to tell whether she was furious because he'd bullied Hermione, or because he'd ruined her own plans…
Whatever the reason, Pansy couldn't ignore Hermione beside her.
After flicking a glance at Astoria, who seemed to know more than she was letting on, Pansy tilted her head toward Hermione.
"Granger, what's going on? Why is this guy here instead of trailing after Potter?"
"It's nothing. You two should go back to the stage…"
Biting her lower lip, Hermione said nothing more and edged closer to Draco.
That pitiful, aggrieved look made Pansy roll her eyes. She seriously suspected that Miss Know-It-All was playing it up. Anyone who didn't know better would think Pansy herself had just bullied her.
Still, Pansy kept quiet. The one deciding how things would go now was Draco, standing in front of them.
She cast a glance at Harry Potter's sidekick, then discreetly waved over Goyle and Crabbe, who were already heading this way.
Before Draco made a move, it was better to have Goyle and Crabbe block things off. At the very least, it would be best not to draw a professor's attention too quickly.
After all, Pansy hadn't seen Draco this angry in a very long time…
...
Once Goyle and Crabbe, along with the rest of their followers, formed a human barrier, the situation was no longer something Ron Weasley could bluff his way out of.
Realizing he couldn't leave without saying something, a flash of cold malice passed through Ron Weasley's eyes, only to be replaced by mounting panic.
But when he noticed that this was neither the Triwizard Tournament arena nor a proper dueling ground, Ron straightened his back slightly and turned to glare at Draco Malfoy.
"This is between Hermione and me! What right does a Slytherin like you have to interfere!"
The followers nearby all gasped in shock, instinctively taking a step back. The looks they cast at Ron Weasley now carried a hint of pity.
No one understood better than they did just how terrifying the strength of that iron-blooded instructor, whose expression was hidden in the shadows, truly was.
Even if wands weren't allowed at the Christmas ball, none of them believed Draco would have any trouble dealing with a mere Weasley…
With Draco there, Hermione's sense of security surged. She poked her head out from behind him and shot back at Ron immediately.
"Ron Weasley, I have nothing to say to you! And this has absolutely nothing to do with which house anyone's in!"
"I just wanted to invite—"
"But I don't want to!"
Rejected yet again, and in front of his so-called rival no less, Ron Weasley, already unsettled by his recent string of relentless dreams, was finally pushed over the edge by Hermione's words.
The corner of his mouth split into an unsettling grin.
"It's just…"
Ron Weasley's muttering, along with the strange change coming over him, made Hermione pause. She knew what kind of person he was, or at least she thought she did.
Ron Weasley wasn't exactly brilliant, but he wasn't completely hopeless either. And yet, at this moment, Hermione felt a distinct sense of danger radiating from him.
It felt familiar.
As Hermione was about to warn the others, she heard Draco murmur quietly.
"Is it that it can't be hidden… or that it no longer wants to hide?"
"Huh?"
Hermione blinked, eyes wide, her blank expression making it clear she didn't understand what Draco meant.
What was he talking about?
Was Weasley not as simple as he seemed?
How was that possible!?
While Hermione was still lost in confusion, Draco narrowed his eyes sharply.
If it were just a matter of learning patience and developing a scheming mind, Draco had already sensed Ron's growth some time ago. But only now did he realize that things were far more complicated than he'd assumed.
Especially those eyes, filled with naked malice.
They inexplicably reminded Draco of a certain presence.
Or rather… of a Horcrux that should already have been destroyed…
…
Though countless questions flashed through his mind, now was clearly not the time for Draco to think.
Ron Weasley, his entire body wreathed in ominous energy, let out a cold sneer in their direction.
"So what if it's that Death Eater standing beside you? But really, Hermione Granger, what do you have to be proud of? You couldn't even become a dance partner and got thrown aside. What's there to boast about!"
The vicious, mocking words made Hermione's eyes sting red with anger. Still, her pride refused to yield, and she glared back, teeth clenched.
As for arguing back?
At this moment, Hermione didn't want to say a single word to him.
Just as she turned to leave, her hand was suddenly caught. That familiar, warm sensation made her stop without resistance.
Because the one holding her was Draco Malfoy.
Seeing the girl he liked instantly become so compliant shattered what little composure Ron Weasley had left.
He raised his hand.
Magic surged.
Aside from the bizarre dreams he desperately tried to hide, there was another reason Ron Weasley kept everything to himself.
Through those dreams, in a way he couldn't even explain, his strength had been growing at an alarming pace.
His magical power increased visibly, and spells he had never even been able to touch before came to him night after night, delivered through sleep like gifts other wizards could only dream of.
This effortless path to power became Ron Weasley's greatest secret.
And among those abilities—
Wandless magic was one of them!!!
"Reduct—"
"Ughhh!!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Against the backdrop of cheerful music, a body was sent flying backward, smashing through tables and wooden chairs in rapid succession.
Glancing back, the human wall formed by Goyle and the others looked even more solid than before…