I should have known! You had designs on me!

It was 11:55 p.m.

Outside the Trophy Room, moonlight streamed through the high windows, spreading a swath of silver across the stone floor.

Harry had just rounded the corner when his steps paused.

Someone was already there.

Malfoy stood by the window.

Even though she had sneaked out for a duel in the middle of the night, the girl still wore her black wizarding robes impeccably.

An exquisite silver ornament was pinned to her collar, gleaming faintly in the moonlight.

Her sleek, platinum-blond hair fell over her shoulders, its ends stirring gently in the night breeze, as though moonlight had plated them with silver.

The girl's skin was fair and smooth, her delicate features seemingly sculpted with care. Beneath her fine, slightly upturned nose was a pair of pale, beautifully shaped thin lips.

Most striking of all, though, were her gray-green eyes, like two translucent gems.

Moonlight reflected in them in tiny glimmers, cool and bright, carrying an inborn arrogance.

That pretty little face clearly still held some of a young girl's childishness, yet already hinted at breathtaking beauty.

Harry couldn't help taking a couple of extra looks.

He had to admit it.

Setting aside her arrogant, rude temper, the Malfoy family's only daughter really was unfairly pretty.

Just then, the girl noticed his arrival too.

She immediately lifted her chin, her lips curving into a reserved, proud smile.

"Hmph, Potter."

"I thought you were too scared to come."

Harry glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Aren't there still five minutes?"

"Keeping a lady waiting is terribly rude in itself!"

"...Fine."

Looking at the wand in her hand, Harry finally couldn't help smiling.

She really had come, and not only that, she had arrived even earlier than he had.

Apparently, the one who wanted an apology from him tonight was far more enthusiastic than the one in the original story who had wanted to get him into trouble.

"What are you smiling at?" Malfoy frowned.

"Nothing. I just thought Miss Malfoy really does keep her word."

The girl gave a soft huff. "Of course I keep my word."

As she spoke, her gaze passed over Harry and settled behind him.

Ron was craning his head to peer down the corridor.

"Why is Weasley here too?"

"He insisted on coming."

When Harry had left, Ron, who was still awake, had happened to see him.

Once he learned that Harry had actually agreed to Malfoy's midnight duel, Ron had climbed straight out of bed.

"I knew that 'nothing' you said this afternoon couldn't really have been nothing!"

"I have to protect you!!"

Now, this friend of his was watching Goyle and Crabbe at the other end of the corridor with great vigilance.

The two girls were watching him too.

Ron drew his hand into his robes and gripped his wand. "I'm here to keep an eye out for Filch for Harry."

With that, he immediately stationed himself at the corner near the stairs, a little farther from those two.

After all, he had only just been through a grueling tussle that afternoon.

Brave Ron needed some time to recover.

Malfoy had stationed Goyle and Crabbe at the other end.

In the middle of the corridor, only the two of them remained.

"Let's be clear first." The girl looked at Harry. "If you lose, you have to give me a proper apology."

"I remember. If you lose, you teach me three spells."

"I won't lose."

"Then let me see what you're planning to teach me first. It has to live up to your noble status, doesn't it?"

Malfoy immediately glared at him.

This fellow.

He was already thinking about what he would learn after winning?!

She raised her wand and took a step forward. "Bow first."

Watching her straight back and shoulders, Harry dropped his smile too and followed her example with a slight bow.

Then they each stepped back a few paces.

In the distance, the clock slowly began to chime.

Twelve strokes.

Harry tightened his grip on his wand.

During his afternoon practice, the wooden stick hadn't dodged, and Ron had stood obediently still. But now, the young lady opposite him clearly had no intention of being so cooperative.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Malfoy's lips lifted slightly. "Begin!"

Almost as soon as she spoke, Harry had already raised his wand.

"Expelliarmus!"

Red light shot from his wand tip.

Malfoy twisted aside, and the spell brushed past her sleeve, striking the stone wall behind her.

Her wand swung up at the same time, and an unfamiliar incantation reached Harry's ears.

He hurriedly stepped sideways, only to feel a sudden tug at his shoulder.

Harry looked down.

At some point, one corner of his outer robe had become firmly stuck to the wall behind him.

His step had only pulled the fabric taut.

"A Sticking Charm." Seeing his expression, Malfoy's eyes filled with even more smug satisfaction. "Well, Potter?"

Harry tugged at the corner of his robe.

It wouldn't budge.

"Pretty useful," he said.

"Of course." The girl raised her chin, but her wand never stopped. "Locomotor Mortis!"

Harry hurriedly turned sideways, but his robe tugged at him again.

The spell skimmed past his lower leg.

He nearly lost his footing, and his wand hand wavered with him.

[Unsteady wand movement. Current magical output too rushed.]

The Status Panel's prompt flashed past. Harry quickly undid his robe fastenings and pulled his arms out of the sleeves.

"Expelliarmus!"

Malfoy had already raised her wand again, but at the sight of this, she hurriedly stepped aside.

Red light flew through the spot where she had just stood.

The girl's long hair swung with the movement, and when she steadied herself again, the look she gave Harry had changed a little.

His reactions are pretty quick.

Opposite her, Harry wore a serious expression.

After all, that last exchange really had left him rather flustered.

The difference between learning a spell while standing still and actually using it was even greater than he had imagined.

Seeing that he had stopped making wisecracks, Malfoy suddenly felt that this Potter wasn't entirely incapable of recognizing what he was up against.

"If you're scared, you can surrender early."

"Not yet." Harry raised his wand again. "I'd quite like to learn that spell you just used."

The girl's eyes widened at once.

She had just trapped him against the wall!

And this fellow was already picking spells?!

Infuriating.

Then I'll show him a few more!

The exchanges that followed grew noticeably faster.

Malfoy really did know far, far, far more spells than Harry.

Leg-locking, sticking, and a little spell that suddenly made the flagstones underfoot slippery.

Harry lost his footing. Just as he dodged sideways, the sole of his shoe slid out.

He hurriedly braced himself against the wall and steadied his body.

The girl stood on the other side, hardly able to hide the smugness in her eyes.

"Expelliarmus!"

Red light suddenly swept past in front of her.

Malfoy hurriedly twisted her shoulder aside, tucking her wand hand against her body.

That shot had missed her wrist by only a fraction, and the girl's heartbeat instantly quickened by a couple of beats.

Harry had already regained his footing.

He no longer rushed forward, nor did he immediately move every time he saw her wave her wand.

There was something wrong with the floor, so he would look carefully first and avoid that faintly gleaming flagstone.

For now, he couldn't match her variety of spells.

But he had practiced the Disarming Charm many times that afternoon.

Slow down a little. Steady the wrist. Wait for her to extend her wand again to cast.

"Expelliarmus!"

Malfoy had only just raised her hand when she saw the red light flying toward her. She hurriedly dodged sideways, her back nearly touching the windowsill.

Harry didn't stop to watch and had already moved one step sideways.

The next instant, a spell struck the spot where he had just stood.

Both of them paused for a moment.

Malfoy looked at him and tightened her grip on her wand. Potter was actually getting harder and harder to hit.

Clearly, he kept using that same Disarming Charm over and over, yet every time she extended her hand, she had to guard against him first.

This fellow.

So annoying.

Harry, however, smiled at her. "You really do know quite a lot."

The girl paused briefly, then Malfoy pressed her lips together. "Then get ready to apologize, Potter."

She raised her wand again, and Harry steadied his grip on his own.

But the next instant, his gaze suddenly passed over the girl and fixed on something above.

A crooked hat appeared around the corner of the wall above the stairs.

Then came a face peering around in every direction.

Peeves!

Harry's expression changed slightly.

Before Malfoy could utter her spell, he stepped forward, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her into the shadows behind a nearby stone pillar.

The wand in the girl's hand wobbled.

Her whole body froze.

What?

What was Potter doing?!

She jerked her head up, her fair cheeks flushing red at once.

"Potter! Who gave you permission to-"

"Don't make a sound." Harry lowered his voice, his gaze still watching above.

But Malfoy had already raised her hands and pushed hard against his arms.

He wouldn't even let me speak?!

This fellow had said something about one knee that afternoon, and now he suddenly hugged me!

Could it be that he hadn't come here to duel at all?!

"Let go of me this-"

Harry hurriedly raised a hand and covered her mouth.

"Shh, Pee-"

"Mmph!"

The girl's eyes flew wide. He actually dared to cover her mouth too?!

"Mmph mmph mmph!"

The more she struggled, the angrier she became. Seeing that Harry still would not let go, she finally ducked her head and bit down.

"Hiss-!"

Harry immediately pulled his hand back.

Malfoy took the opportunity to push him away and step back.

Her face was scarlet, and the anger in her eyes was almost spilling over.

"Harry Potter!" the girl cried in fury, her voice suddenly rising.

"I should have known! You rude bastard!"

"Don't think I don't know those filthy little thoughts of yours! You've clearly been bewitched by my-"

"Oho!"

A shrill voice suddenly rang out overhead.

The rest of Malfoy's sentence caught in her throat, and she slowly looked up.

A small figure was hanging upside down in midair, grinning as he watched them with keen interest.

Peeves.

He looked at Harry, then at Malfoy, and his grin grew wider.

"Out of bed at midnight, sneaking off for a secret rendezvous!"

"How interesting, how interesting!"

For a moment, the corridor fell silent.

Malfoy looked at Peeves, then at Harry beside her, who was shaking out his hand.

The girl's lips moved. All that bluster from a moment ago suddenly had nowhere to go.

Harry finally had a chance to finish speaking.

"I was trying to say that Peeves was up there."

Malfoy: "..."

"But that bite hurt a bit."

The girl's face instantly grew even redder. "Then why didn't you make yourself clear first?!"

Harry looked at her without replying.

He had wanted to, but unfortunately, Her Ladyship had not given him the chance.

Overhead, Peeves was still laughing.

Malfoy immediately looked up.

"Shut up! Who's having a secret rendezvous with him? We were dueling!"

"Dueling?" Peeves spun in a circle, so excited that even his hat wobbled. "Then that's even more interesting!"

"Shall I fetch someone to come and watch?"

Harry's eyelid twitched. "Don't-"

Too late.

Peeves kicked the suit of armor beside him.

Clang!

The helmet rolled onto the floor.

He bellowed at the top of his lungs, loud enough to be heard clearly throughout the corridor.

"Filch! There are students here!"

A hoarse voice soon came from the distance.

"Where?!"

Then came footsteps, drawing closer and closer.

At the corner, Ron's face instantly went white.

"Harry, run!"

At the other end, Goyle and Crabbe hurried over as well.

Malfoy finally came to her senses. She raised her wand, quickly lifted the Sticking Charm, yanked the outer robe off the wall, and tossed it to Harry.

"Your robe!"

Harry caught it, already running toward the stairs. The girl followed close behind, the redness still lingering on her face.

"Potter, I haven't settled the score with you over what just happened!"

"I'll remember."

"And we haven't decided who won the duel!"

"I'll remember that too!" Harry glanced back at her. "So! Let's not let Filch win first!"

Behind them, Peeves's laughter grew louder and louder.

And the staircase beneath their feet suddenly gave a slight shudder.

The stairs... began to turn.