Go to Apologize

Malfoy clearly knew that Li Mu had shown mercy.

Being hit like that from such a height, if Li Mu hadn't held back, Crabbe and Goyle would probably be attending his funeral tomorrow. He felt a wave of fear, but also gnashed his teeth in anger. This time, his show of force had backfired, and he had lost face in front of the entire year.

He glared at Li Mu resentfully, but couldn't think of a way to deal with him, so he had to cover his injury and retreat into the Slytherin formation. Around him, a large group of Slytherin students had already gathered to take care of him.

The Slytherin first-years were taken aback. Most of them couldn't even master the most basic Luminescence Flicker, and they were a little intimidated by Li Mu, who could cast strange spells. And as mentioned before, a major characteristic of Slytherin was pragmatism... so quickly, more than twenty Slytherins stepped aside, leaving only three people in front of Malfoy.

Besides Crabbe and Goyle, the two hulking figures with only brute strength, there was only a short-haired girl named Pansy Parkinson left. She stood in front of Malfoy, trembling with fear, her voice shaking: "W-what do you want to do!?"

"Li Mu!" At this moment, a clear and sharp shout rang out from behind Li Mu. Everyone saw an exasperated Hermione rushing up, her entire face seemingly flushed with anger. She questioned, "How could you! How could you! ... Do you know how dangerous that was? All you know how to do is cause trouble for the house!"

Her words were a bit harsh, and Li Mu felt a little uncomfortable—he had done this mainly for her! He turned to look at Hermione, but couldn't help but be stunned.

Hermione's eyes had turned red again, and her eyes held too much: anger, annoyance, loneliness, and worry—was she actually worried about them? Li Mu thought, momentarily dazed. It was said that girls matured faster, and he felt that Hermione was maturing particularly quickly. While Ron and Harry were still caught up in childish squabbles, she had already understood more responsibility. It was this sense of responsibility...

Ron followed almost immediately behind Hermione, running over to grab Li Mu's arm, his face full of excitement: "Ignore her! You were amazing!"

But Li Mu didn't show Ron's joy. He calmly glanced at Hermione again and said softly, "Sorry, but it's not over yet."

"What?..." Hermione and Ron asked almost simultaneously, somewhat inexplicably. Then they understood, they saw Li Mu turn around and stride towards Malfoy. With each step he took forward, the more Malfoy's lips trembled, and the more Crabbe and Goyle, as tall as two small hills, retreated.

Pansy Parkinson also wanted to retreat, but Malfoy was behind her. The color drained from her face, but even when Li Mu was close at hand, she still stood in front of Malfoy.

"Not bad, little girl, you should try to go to Gryffindor." Li Mu smiled slightly. He was a head taller than Pansy, and at this time, he looked down at her, his peaceful smile carrying a bit of ferocity, making the short-haired girl's face even paler. Then, Li Mu raised his hand.

Pansy finally couldn't bear it anymore. She screamed "Ah!" closed her eyes, frowned, and squatted down, holding her head. She had probably heard that flames would come out of Li Mu's hands, or imagined Li Mu casting some terrifying curse out of thin air.

But none of this happened. Li Mu's raised hand only landed on Malfoy's collar. In front of the four houses, in full view of everyone, he pulled Malfoy out from behind Pansy, sneering: "Hiding behind a girl's protection, are you even a man?"

"W-what do you want? I'm Malfoy, my father is..." Malfoy's face was ashen. He didn't want to be seen as a coward either. But the powerful Li Mu was right in front of him, and he couldn't think of a way to resist for a moment, so he could only subconsciously bring up his proud family background, bring up his father.

But as soon as he said it, Malfoy understood. Others feared their family, but why would Li Mu from the Celestial Dynasty be afraid? If Li Mu was really afraid, he wouldn't repeatedly oppose him.

Sure enough, Li Mu just snorted contemptuously, grabbed his collar, and pulled Malfoy in front of Hermione: "Apologize!" He said, the coldness in his eyes making Malfoy feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave, "If I hear such dirty, vulgar, disgusting words from your mouth again... I don't mind helping your parents teach you what manners are."

"Uh?..." Malfoy was stunned for a second. Seeing Hermione in front of him, he finally understood what the problem was. His face turned from green to black, both regretful and annoyed. He understood how hateful that word was. He hadn't intended to say that word, but after years of being influenced by it, the word had blurted out without thinking.

But to make him apologize... to make him apologize just like that...

Malfoy's eyes darted left and right, trying to grab a lifeline. He saw Crabbe and Goyle trying to approach him, but Li Mu just raised his hand, and the two idiots shrank back again. His gaze continued to wander, but even Crabbe and Goyle were useless, and the Slytherins who usually flattered him even turned their faces away. Some people from the other three houses were looking at him, but their eyes were filled with disgust and ridicule. He knew that the word had angered everyone, and now, no one would help him.

Finally, he saw Li Mu's cold and stern eyes again, and that expression made him understand that if he didn't apologize, it would lead to even more serious consequences. He could knock him down in the air, he could grab him out of the Slytherin formation... what else would this Li Mu not dare to do?

"I'm sorry..." Malfoy faced Hermione, lowered his head, and said in a low voice.

"Too quiet, didn't hear you." Li Mu's voice rang out immediately after, almost making Malfoy vomit blood.

The situation forced him to be strong. Malfoy could only take a deep breath, and finally almost roared out: "—I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"

The sound was so loud that Hermione couldn't help but cover her ears.

The severity on Hermione's face turned into gentleness. She finally understood that Li Mu's reckless behavior was all for her... an iceberg melted. She shook her head gently, looking at Malfoy at this time, and actually felt a trace of pity.

"I don't quite understand that word, I think it might be really bad. I come from a Muggle family, and I've been very apprehensive these days." Hermione said softly, not knowing who she was saying it to, but the sharp-eared and bright-eyed Li Mu heard it clearly. He thought that at least Malfoy also heard it, "Even so, I still try my best to do my best, to help others, I believe that people are no different, even Muggles and wizards... we are all born equal."

In the end, Hermione truly responded to Malfoy: "If you sincerely apologize to me, I think I would say... it's okay..."

Just like that? ... Malfoy was a little surprised. He stared blankly, his eyes wide, but saw that the girl with the big brown curly hair had already turned around and walked back to the Gryffindor camp, leaving him with only a graceful back view.

Is it over just like that? Ron hadn't caught up in time just now and didn't know what Hermione had said, so he was momentarily stunned—if he were Hermione, he wouldn't let Malfoy off without peeling off a layer of his skin.

It was indeed over. Li Mu reached out and patted Malfoy on the shoulder, then turned to leave with Hermione. In the instant of turning, Malfoy heard him say softly.

"Take care..."

(End of chapter)