Chapter 140: Albus is speechless
After leaving Professor Snape's office, Draco did not rush down to the Slytherin common room.
Instead, as the sun began to set behind the western hills, he slowly climbed the stairs, his mind preoccupied with everything about Professor Dumbledore.
Without a doubt, Dumbledore has always been a great wizard.
However, a great wizard is not necessarily a perfect wizard.
Draco doesn't believe in perfection. Reborn, he has shed his awe of certain "authorities" and is more accustomed to looking at things from a detached perspective.
This undoubtedly makes his views lack emotional nourishment, and at times appear particularly indifferent or even cold; but on the other hand, he gains something—a certain relative objectivity.
From Draco's detached perspective, even a figure as influential in the wizarding world as Dumbledore has his flaws:
He was overconfident—even arrogant at times. Draco advised him to pay more attention to the Goblet of Fire, but he dismissed the advice, believing that his magic made him invincible; his blind trust in the fake Professor Moody nearly led to disaster.
He was indifferent to the joys and sorrows of the weak—even when better solutions existed, he neglected to use them. He sent Harry to such a terrible Muggle family to be abused, instead of finding a reliable wizarding family to raise him. Leaving aside Harry's appalling lack of knowledge about the wizarding world, just listen to the foolish things those Muggles did to him!
Draco was already quite surprised that Harry had grown up to be kind, brave, and mentally sound, without developing into a violent and antisocial personality—he didn't know what he could do to those mean-spirited Muggles if he heard anyone insulting his parents.
Dumbledore also has some suspicions of favoritism and nepotism. Putting aside the fact that he favors Harry, Gryffindor, and has given Gryffindor a huge boost, his decision to hire Hagrid as the teacher of the Magical Creatures class was not entirely rational. Anyone could see that Professor Grubland was more suitable for the position.
Perhaps it wasn't simply nepotism. Draco strode up the stairs expressionlessly, pondering as he went: Giving Hagrid a teaching position might be a tactic Dumbledore used to win over the giants, just as his preferential treatment of Lupin was mostly due to his werewolf identity.
But Lupin was different! Aside from his monthly "minor problems," he was, after all, a responsible professor. He knew how to teach and inspire students; while Hagrid's teaching methods were truly questionable.
Draco initially only harbored minor resentment towards Dumbledore and didn't care much about such issues.
In the eyes of a Slytherin, it was only natural for someone in such a high position as Dumbledore to use power tactics and win over certain groups. If Dumbledore didn't have some cunning and skill, he would truly be looked down upon by the Slytherins.
However, he shouldn't have used such disgusting methods on Hermione! This crossed Draco's line.
As someone who is naturally inclined to think about things from a darker perspective, anyone could sense the malice behind Draco's probing.
He could not tolerate this at all and was filled with rage at Dumbledore.
He designated Hermione as Krum's treasure, and this is the root of all evil! Draco suddenly remembered everything Hermione had suffered in her previous life.
He did not deny that Rita Skeeter's report was a fatal blow to Hermione, but if Hermione were not Krum's treasure, those slanders would be like water without a source, completely baseless; people seem to be blind to this, blind to the terrible role this setup played in fueling and even manipulating people's hearts!
That wretched old man, he's never been kind! In his past life, and in this one too! He's never considered the seriousness of the situation from Hermione's perspective!
He even had a moment when he thought that Professor Dumbledore was credible to some extent!
In the end, he outsmarted me!
Draco walked toward the principal's office with an icy expression—the oppressive atmosphere along the way frightened many of the younger students—determined to settle the matter today.
The gargoyle outside Dumbledore's office loved to repeat one phrase to those seeking an audience with the headmaster:
Not everyone can just see Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, whenever they want; you can't expect him to stay at Hogwarts forever.
Draco was lucky; Professor Dumbledore was unexpectedly relaxed today.
In fact, when Draco pushed open the door to the headmaster's office, the headmaster was sitting behind a desk piled high with candy wrappers, happily enjoying the new "Big Cockroach" treat sent by Honeydukes Candy Store—and even warmly invited Draco to try a few as well—a peculiar dietary preference that left Draco utterly speechless.
"Draco, aren't you going to have some?" Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Professor Dumbledore, I obviously have more important things to do, much more important than a pile of cockroaches," Draco said, his lips twitching.
"I really don't know what could make a vibrant young man turn away from romantic love and chat with an old man like me," Dumbledore said casually, glancing at the clear sky behind him. "I heard Professor McGonagall isn't in a good mood today."
"Your informants are truly everywhere in Hogwarts," Draco sneered. "I suppose the portraits at Hogwarts weren't just placed on the walls by chance, were they?"
"We'll only give special attention to certain classrooms and corridors," Dumbledore said gently. "I can tell you with pleasure that most of the portraits are carefree and don't involve much strenuous work."
"So, you probably already know from the sketches that I'm heading towards the principal's office, right?"
"Oh, indeed. They said you rushed over here in a flash. I thought you were here to join my cockroach tasting party." Dumbledore's eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Please allow me to applaud your unrealistic imagination," Draco said coldly. "You're mistaken. I've come to confirm one thing—was it your idea to make Hermione Krum's treasure?"
Draco did not betray Professor Snape. He asked the question tentatively, even though he already knew the answer.
"Oh, speaking of which, you must admit, a very brilliant choice, isn't it?" Dumbledore waved the pile of cockroaches in his hand with great interest—which made Phineas Black, the headmaster in the portrait behind him, fan his nose in disgust.
"I don't agree with this choice. What are the criteria for choosing Treasure? She's not even Krum's dance partner! What special reason is there to choose her?" Draco tried to maintain a polite smile, but the smile never reached his eyes.
"If we're going to delve into it, this was a test based on my personal interest. I just didn't expect the result to be so unexpected, it was quite a surprise." Those blue eyes looked at Draco with lingering interest through his half-moon spectacles.
"Not a surprise, but a shock. I think this kind of tasteless test is completely unnecessary. You could have simply chosen Krum's own dance partner as a hostage," Draco said coldly.
"Krum doesn't care much about his dance partner. He hasn't spoken to her since, except at the ball; instead, he frequents the library to see Miss Granger. He's quite interested in her, isn't he? She's probably the person he's been most interested in since coming to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said gently, with a matter-of-fact tone. "If we don't let her down, we'll probably only have a Golden Snitch tied to the bottom of the lake—nobody likes that cold, lifeless jewel—it's not as vibrant and lively as Miss Granger."
"At least we won't have to worry about the Golden Snitch being left at the bottom of the Black Lake," Draco said. "I guess even if no one rescues it, it will fly back up on its own."
"I never imagined Krum would have an accident; everything was arranged perfectly," Dumbledore said regretfully.
"Yes, you just haven't thought about it. You haven't thought about how she would feel, all alone at the bottom of the Black Lake, with no one to rescue her, right?" A whirlpool was brewing in the boy's gray eyes.
"Draco, don't be silly, we won't let anything happen to her—there's absolutely no danger. The hypnotic charm ensures the hostages are completely unaware of their surroundings; they won't even have a chance to be afraid. The hostages have also been given a considerable number of protective charms, warmth charms, and so on, so there's no physical harm. They just need to be rescued by the warriors, and they'll wake up as soon as they're out of the water. Even if no one comes to rescue them, the hostages will still be brought ashore by the mermaids when the time comes." Dumbledore absentmindedly fiddled with the pile of cockroaches, finally mustering a little patience to explain to the angry boy in front of him.
To everyone's surprise, the boy became even angrier after hearing the explanation.
"And then what? What will people think of her? A hostage abandoned by Krum? A so-called treasure that no one cares about?" he asked, suppressing his anger.
Dumbledore raised his eyelids to look at him, his expression slightly surprised.
"Have you ever considered how many of Hogwarts' most ardent female fans of Krum would be jealous of this? And how many irrational fans throughout the wizarding world would care who Krum's treasure is? Once she's abandoned at the bottom of the lake, for whatever reason, it will be twisted into the most damaging rumors against her." Draco's icy eyes flashed with fire as he pressed, "Have you ever considered how people will kick her while she's down? Have you ever considered the impact of those gossips, even the ridicule, sarcasm, and slander, on a 15-year-old girl?"
These were questions Draco had wanted to ask for a long time. He had been preoccupied with them in his past life, and in this life, he was even more perplexed.
The moment his girl entered the Black Lake, she was destined to face an unfavorable situation filled with gossip. Whether Krum saved her or not, it would attract a great deal of criticism.
If she is rescued, she might be maliciously interpreted as "Scarlet Woman," caught between her old love Harry and her new love Krum; if she is not rescued, she might be seen as a forgotten treasure, abandoned by both Harry and Krum.
What if Harry wasn't so noble? What if Harry followed the rules of the game and only saved one hostage before swimming back?
Having lived a second life, Draco certainly understood Harry's noble character; however, for others who had never experienced this, it was a stark test of humanity. Whether Harry, who had first rescued Ron, would then needlessly rescue others remained unknown until the dust settled.
Perhaps Dumbledore's test was never just aimed at Draco, but more at Harry.
As he stared at Dumbledore, Draco suddenly thought of something.
Looking back, what perilous choices Harry faced when he first reached the bottom of the lake: Ron, his best friend whom he had just reunited with after a fight; Hermione, his friend who always supported him with her wisdom and intelligence; Cho Chang, the object of his unrequited love; and Gabrielle Delacour, who was particularly attractive to boys because of her Veela blood.
Perhaps Dumbledore wanted to see who Harry would choose first, to see Harry's character in dire straits, and to see what kind of life choices he would make; but why should the joys and sorrows of innocent people be paid for, and the fragile and sensitive hearts of teenagers be carelessly hurt?
"Some people only care about the Warriors' inner choices and want to see the deeper meaning behind those choices; but who cares about the thoughts of those hostages—whether they wanted to be hostages or not?" Draco asked angrily. "Or rather, when they naively agreed to be hostages with your trust, did anyone consider their worries and concerns? Did anyone clean up the storm caused by the result of this foolish game?"
Has anyone truly considered Hermione's situation? She is an independent individual, not a cold, lifeless object. Yet, in front of the Triwizard Tournament judges, did she ever have the opportunity or the right to say "no" to being "a treasure"?
Then, after experiencing all that was imposed upon her, does Dumbledore, this nonchalant manipulator, intend to let her bear the enormous turmoil brought about by this irresponsible choice alone?
Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of this century, never imagined that he would be speechless when questioned by Draco Malfoy, a Slytherin boy.
Albus did indeed overlook this problem.
No one ever told him that he needed to care about these trivial matters. His mother never had the chance to tell him, nor did his sister.
His younger sister, Ariana, had always been well-behaved and had never bothered him with the kinds of troubles that teenagers often experience.
As the principal of the university hosting the three-way championship, Albus had far too many things to worry about. How could he possibly consider every single detail?
For him, the thought of the Warriors hostages was a trivial matter; Albus was more concerned with the excitement of the game and the goals that could be achieved behind it.
Yes, Albus admitted that his vision was so grand that he often overlooked the mundane realities of life—but that doesn't mean everyone was indifferent to them.
The Slytherin boy in front of him cared, and cared a lot.
The room was completely silent.
Even the phoenix sensed a bleak and intense emotion. It tucked its head under its wings, determined not to get involved in their death-related discussion.
Draco continued to stare directly at Dumbledore. He had been burdened by a deep sense of guilt, afraid to be alone with Dumbledore or to look at him closely, but now, the anger that had erupted because of Hermione had cured him of this ailment.
He stared intently at Dumbledore, waiting for the old man's reply with an attitude that showed he would never give up.
After a long silence, Dumbledore's gentle voice rang out, "You can't expect an old man to do everything perfectly—"
"If you can't do that, at least don't reach out so far," Draco scoffed.
"I think your anger today is mostly because of Miss Granger," Dumbledore decided to change the subject, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "You care about her a lot, don't you?"
"So, this is one of the reasons you took her hostage? To see how I would react if I cared about her?" he said sharply. "Satisfied? What did you see?"
"Your reaction is impressive," Dumbledore said. "I see your sincerity."
Draco sneered, "And you also got to see Harry's reaction, didn't you?"
"What makes you say that?" Dumbledore asked in a calm tone, smiling.
"Professor Dumbledore, nobody likes being the one left over, not even among friends," Draco said curtly. "Harry chose Ron without hesitation as his rescuer. What do you think she'll think—won't she feel disappointed?"
"Oh." The old man paused for a moment. "I just wanted to see—"
"You just want to see who's more important to Harry! What a disgusting choice!" Draco said. "You never consider how desperate the one making the choice must be, just as you never consider how disappointed the one being abandoned must be, do you?"
"You've gone to such lengths for Miss Granger?" Dumbledore suddenly laughed, asking with interest, "Is Miss Granger that important to you?"
"Using students as pawns to test feelings—" Draco recalled Hermione's expression when she talked about Dumbledore and suddenly felt sorry for her. "The great Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, whom this silly girl has been praising so fervently and even trusting so completely, don't you feel ashamed?"
"Be a little more lenient with this old man," Dumbledore said, his voice softening. His gaze drifted into the distance. "I didn't think that much about it. My actions—whether right or wrong—were without malice. Please understand me; older people always want to witness things that are vibrant and youthful, which makes them forget their own dullness."
"Say whatever you want—I don't care. Just promise me you won't touch her again," Draco said wearily, a weariness creeping into his voice.
"Two years ago, you also asked me for assurances, every word of which still rings in my ears. Back then, it was for your parents." Dumbledore's probing gaze flickered like a runaway radar. "This time, it's for you—"
"Please make a promise to me," Draco said stubbornly, refusing to say anything more.
"I promise." Dumbledore shrugged regretfully, as if he had lost one of life's greatest pleasures.
"So, one day, will you use her to blackmail me?" Draco abandoned his Slytherin caution; he was tormented by this question.
There was something unsettling about Professor Snape's words. So he chose to ask the question with the boldness and directness typical of Gryffindor, just as Hermione often did.
Albus sighed. A true Gryffindor would often interpret all of this with humor, like Harry's friend Ron Weasley, who felt a sense of pride in being "hostage" and rarely delved into the deeper meaning behind it; but he couldn't fool a true Slytherin, who could always quickly understand the issue from the most negative and profound perspective and would never consider it a joke.
Most importantly, he also harbored, to some extent, what the Slytherins understood as a probing intent—though only a tiny bit—which is undeniable.
Albus could sense the sharpness in those words. This indicated that Draco Malfoy valued Hermione Granger far more than he had anticipated.
This meant he had to answer the question seriously—if he still wanted to win over this troublesome Malfoy boy.
"Don't think so badly of me, Draco Malfoy." Dumbledore unusually called him by his full name, instead of just "Draco."
He lowered his stance, maintaining a smile for the wary-looking boy. "You should know that I am not a heartless beast. I will only try my best to persuade people to move towards the light."
"I don't doubt your noble pursuits. But I have people I want to protect. If you want to sacrifice the people I care about to achieve your noble pursuits, I will never agree to it, nor will I stand idly by." Draco's expression was solemn and straightforward.
"I respect that," Dumbledore said briefly.
"I'm glad we've made that clear," Draco said haughtily. "Thank you for your respect, Professor Dumbledore."
He bowed to Dumbledore with impeccable manners, looked at him again, and turned and walked out of the headmaster's office without hesitation.
The astronomy lesson that night was rather boring.
On the towering observatory, the night wind howled in late March, carrying a chilling cold that made the students shiver.
Professor Sinister's voice was almost blown away by the wind as she shouted at the students to work in pairs, randomly observe a satellite, and draw its trajectory over a period of time.
"Draco, how was it? Did Professor Snape give you a hard time?" Hermione asked Draco, pretending to adjust a telescope in the corner.
"Not bad. Not as bad as you think—he's been quite lenient with me." Draco lowered his head and gently kissed her hair—the scent of her hair wafted into his nostrils on the breeze—and his gloomy mood vanished instantly.
He reached out to help her steady the heavy telescope barrel. "I was worried about you. Didn't Professor McGonagall have a heart-to-heart talk with you again?"
"Have a heart-to-heart talk—what kind of heart-to-heart talk?"
"For example, she advised you to stay away from me, this bad Slytherin. Judging from her tone earlier, it sounded like I was coercing you or even kidnapping you." He said these words in a joking tone, but his heart was as heavy as the lens.
"She's completely silent. Draco, don't think of Professor McGonagall like that. You know she's always been very fair… I guess she's just too shocked to speak properly." Hermione leaned closer to him amidst the howling wind, saying anxiously, "She just needs some time to process this…"
"Even if that's what she thinks, it doesn't matter. In a way… I did seduce you…" Draco smiled slightly, tucking her wind-blown hair behind her ear with a hint of smugness, and scrutinized her expression—surprised to find her lips turning pale.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" he asked keenly.
"It's okay." She smiled at him.
"Nothing's wrong? Your face is turning pale!" He looked at her worriedly and touched her face with his hand. "It's so cold!"
"I'm really fine—" Hermione said, her body trembling slightly from a sudden gust of wind blowing through the tower.
She must have gone through some severe interrogation, reprimand, or even punishment, and she doesn't want him to know!
A surge of anger welled up in Draco's heart. Couldn't those single professors, who had nothing better to do, just leave the two of them alone?
"Alright, you're already shaking. Tell me, what exactly did Professor McGonagall say to you? Did she threaten you?" He frowned, turned Hermione's shoulders, and looked her straight in the eye with a serious expression.
"No, really no! She didn't say anything to me! I just, I just—" Hermione stammered.
With a touch of shyness, she didn't want to answer the question. But seeing the fury about to ignite in Draco's grey eyes, she knew she couldn't avoid it.
She felt the warmth of Draco's hands on her shoulders, and a blush finally crept onto her cold face.
She lowered her eyes and whispered in his ear, "It's just that I'm on my period."
"Oh—" Draco's annoyed expression vanished, replaced by utter bewilderment.
His lips moved, his ears turned bright red, and his expression was a mixture of confusion and amusement. "Oh, is that so? I didn't expect that—"
Of course, she's already a slender young woman, so of course she has to go through menstruation.
A girl's menstrual cycle—from past lives to this one—is a new subject for Draco Malfoy.
He had seen Pansy make a scene in the common room, making sure everyone knew about it. What did she say back then? "Brace, I'm in so much pain! Come and hug me in three seconds, or I'm going to throw a tantrum!"
Hermione is clearly not an outgoing person; she is shy and insecure.
She's not used to proactively expressing her needs—she's not used to relying on anyone—and she doesn't want to bother others as long as she can get through things on her own.
This is a bad habit. He wanted to be relied upon by her, not have her keep secrets from him.
Draco wanted to help her, but he didn't know how. He didn't know whether he should touch her, whether he should warm her stomach with his hands, or whether he should just give her a hug.
Faced with the girl's downcast eyes, he became flustered. "What—should I do? Do you—do you feel pain?"
"Ah, it doesn't hurt too much now," Hermione complained softly, blushing. "I'm a little sensitive to the cold and the wind. It's so windy here—"
"Indeed." Draco quickly turned around, turning his back to the wind vents near them, trying to shield her from the wind.
However, in this drafty observatory, his little bit of shelter was utterly inadequate. He looked at her long hair, still disheveled by the wind, and her weak face, and his brows furrowed deeply.
Draco pursed his lips and looked around: Professor Sinister was nowhere to be seen, while the other students were bewildered and busy observing the stars; the observatory was always dimly lit so that the students could see the stars more clearly, and they were in a secluded corner...
"Hermione, come into my arms." Draco made up his mind and opened his arms. "I'll warm you up."
"No!" Hermione whispered, glancing nervously around. "We're still in class, Draco! We were caught by Professor McGonagall this morning, have you already forgotten?"
"Just for a little while. I'll let go when the wind gets a bit calmer," Draco coaxed her gently. "I promise, no one will notice. I'll keep an eye out for anything around us."
Hermione hesitated.
She knew it was wrong to hug and cuddle in class, but the cool breeze on her lower abdomen felt awful; moreover, she was indeed more vulnerable than usual today, both physically and mentally—she was secretly hoping for a comforting hug.
"Come on, let me do something for you." The boy's fingers deftly unbuttoned his wizard's robe, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Give me a chance to fulfill my duties as a boyfriend."
The word "boyfriend" greatly pleased Hermione.
Without further hesitation, she flew into his arms like a nimble fledgling bird, throwing herself into his trap.
He was warm to the touch, and his thin sweater carried her favorite scent. Hermione wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing herself tightly against him, a warm and comfortable feeling gradually spreading from her body into her heart.
She tentatively rested her head on his shoulder, and from her angle, she could see his bright red ears and the small mole in front of his left ear. She felt him busily draping the front of his wizard's robe over her back, covering her completely.
Then, he placed his hand on her lower back and gently massaged it.
Before long, the warmth of her palms seeped through her clothes, making her sigh with satisfaction.
"Feeling better now?" Draco asked quietly after massaging her for a while. The soft, fragrant part of her body that nestled in his arms reminded him of the cloud soufflé cake he had for dinner—a source of pure joy; the part of her body being touched was delicate and tender, evoking feelings of tenderness and affection.
He simply didn't want to let go of her.
"It's so comfortable—I love it—" Hermione's tone was filled with joy.
He wrapped her up tightly, keeping the cool night air out of their world. She held him close, feeling no chill in her lower abdomen. His hands continued to caress her, filling her with immense joy.
A cluster of stars twinkled dimly above them. It seemed that only they remained, embracing each other. Everything else seemed distant and insignificant.
Hermione gradually relaxed. She slowly shifted her weight onto Draco. She was as limp as a kitten whose bones hadn't hardened yet, letting him knead her as he pleased.
"Aren't you tired? Am I heavy?" the girl asked whimperingly. She nuzzled against his neck, the warmth and comfort making her sleepy.
In her hazy state, she heard him chuckle softly, "I'm not tired. You're as light as a breeze. I love holding you like this, it makes me feel like you're completely mine."
"Am I yours?" she retorted lazily. "On the contrary, I feel that you are mine!"
She childishly hugged him even tighter.
"Alright. I'm yours, and I'll always be yours." Hermione heard the boy's smiling whisper in her ear, and she took a light breath of his cedar scent, smiling lazily along with him.