As Hermione stared at the cold soup on the floor, struggling with whether to force herself to eat it, give up, or stall for time at the sink...
Draco moved.
He simply turned around slowly, his back to Hermione, and redeemed a Chinese dinner from the system.
In a short while, when he turned around again, he was holding a food box.
The food box was made of dark brown sandalwood, and it was obvious at a glance that it didn't come from Hogwarts Castle.
Even before the food box was opened, a rich aroma wafted out.
First comes the rich aroma of meat, mixed with the savory sauce, followed by the freshness of green vegetables, and finally the savory flavor of egg drop soup and the warm spiciness of ginger tea.
The layers upon layers dispelled the cold atmosphere in the room.
Hermione looked up in surprise at the food box in his hand, momentarily forgetting what to do.
Draco didn't explain where the food box came from; he simply walked slowly to her, bent down slightly, and gently placed the food box on the carpet beside her.
"Cold food doesn't taste good, and it's bad for your stomach. This is better than your soup that's full of oil."
After saying that, he reached out and lifted the lid of the food box.
In an instant, steaming white mist rose up, obscuring the surrounding light.
The box is divided into three layers. The top layer contains a dish of braised beef, which is bright red and tempting. The meat is stewed until tender and the sauce is thick and sticky.
The middle layer is a plate of stir-fried seasonal vegetables, bright green and tender, still glistening with a few water droplets, looking refreshing and delicious.
The bottom layer is a bowl of seaweed and egg drop soup, with egg drop soup scattered like clouds, seaweed at the bottom, and finely chopped scallions floating on the surface.
The soup is served alongside a bowl of steaming white rice and a cup of hot ginger tea in a white porcelain cup, with a delightful aroma of ginger.
The three dishes, soup, rice, and tea were perfectly balanced, steaming hot, warming the stomach and heart, a stark contrast to the cold food on the ground.
Draco saw the astonishment in Hermione's eyes, said nothing more, simply straightened up, and slowly walked back to his high-backed wooden chair.
He sat down again, picked up the cup of black tea that had already cooled slightly, but didn't drink it; he simply ran his fingertips lightly over the inside of the cup.
Hermione looked at the food box in front of her, the enticing aroma filling her nostrils, and the discomfort in her stomach seemed to lessen a bit.
Her gaze darted back and forth between the food box and Draco, her doubts and wariness growing stronger.
Where did he get all this food?
But the aroma of the food was too tempting, and the hunger in my stomach and the chill from the cold food ultimately overcame my doubts.
Hermione hesitated for a moment, then reached out and picked up the spoons that were placed next to the food box.
Then she glanced quickly at Draco, seeing that he was still sitting calmly, his gaze fixed on his teacup.
Only then did he slowly lower his head and scoop up a small piece of braised beef.
The meat chunks were stewed until tender, and the rich sauce coated the well-defined meat, making it melt in your mouth.
The warmth spread from the tip of my tongue, all the way to my stomach, dispelling the lingering sensation from the cold soup.
She took another bite of the stir-fried vegetables, which were crisp and refreshing.
The vegetables, with their own natural sweetness, perfectly balance the richness of the meat.
Seaweed and egg drop soup is warm and delicious, with smooth egg drop and fresh seaweed. After drinking it, a warm feeling spreads throughout your body.
Finally, there was that cup of hot ginger tea. The ginger flavor wasn't too strong, and it had a slightly sweet taste. It slid down my throat, taking away all the tension in my heart.
Hermione ate slowly and silently, each bite taken with cautious care, yet she couldn't help but savor the unexpected warmth.
The cold soup and cakes on the carpet had long been forgotten by her; compared to the steaming hot meal before her, those cold foods seemed more like an embarrassing old dream.
The only sounds in the room were the soft clinking of bowls and spoons, and the occasional, subtle slurping of her soup.
Draco remained silent.
He didn't speak until Hermione put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth with a tissue, and finished the bowl of hot ginger tea.
"How does it taste?" Draco asked.
Hermione pursed her lips, offering no reply.
She didn't know how to answer.
It's delicious?
Wouldn't that be admitting that you were being deliberately courted and won over?
You say it doesn't taste good?
But that would be going against my conscience too much.
She simply set the empty porcelain cup down gently, her gaze falling on the sandalwood food box, trying to find a clue in its exquisite patterns.
Draco didn't expect her to answer. He placed his teacup on the table, leaned forward slightly, and rested his interlaced fingers on the edge of the round table, ready to get to the point.
" Hogwarts is always full of surprises, isn't it?"
He didn't look at Hermione, as if he were talking to himself.
Hermione paused for a moment, her head still lowered, her long eyelashes drooping, but her ears involuntarily perked up.
The secret of Hogwarts?
This was undoubtedly one of her most interesting topics, especially in this room where such magical displays had just been performed.
Draco seemed not to need her response and continued speaking to himself:
"A thousand years of history, countless wizards have studied, lived, and left their mark here. The castle itself is like a giant, living Magical Creatures, breathing, growing, and hiding countless unknown corners and... wondrous magic."
As he spoke, his gaze drifted to the door that had returned to its original stone form.
"Like this room." Draco finally steered the conversation to the heart of the matter.
Hermione's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand.
Her entire being was captivated by the secret door to this magical house that he had mentioned in his words.
Draco seemed quite pleased with her silent concentration.
Even with her head down, her slightly tense shoulders and neck, and her held breath, did not escape his eyes.
Draco continued, "It has many names: the Forgotten Room, the Vanishing Cabinet... Of course, these are inaccurate names, merely names conjured up by ordinary people based on fragments of information."
He paused deliberately, creating a small suspense and letting the curiosity slowly ferment in Hermione's heart.
He continued speaking after a few seconds:
"But in some of the more reliable records and traditions I know of, it has a more fitting name."
Hermione involuntarily held her breath.
" The Room of Requirement," Draco uttered the name.
The phrase struck Hermione like a strange incantation, sending a shiver down her spine.
She could no longer maintain the posture of bowing her head.
She abruptly raised her head, her brown eyes filled with undisguised shock.
His gaze was fixed on Draco across the round table.
"The House of Responses..." Hermione murmured, repeating it over and over.
The name itself is full of magical power, straightforward yet mysterious, perfectly summarizing the characteristics of this room!
Those five simple words contained endless magical imagination, instantly setting her mind at work.
Before Hermione could finish processing what he was saying, Draco continued:
"As the name suggests, when you truly need a room, and you are focused and clear enough about what that room should look like, walk in front of this wall three times, and it will appear, becoming exactly what you need."
"It's like an all-powerful butler, or a magical node that has solidified extremely high-level ' Transfiguration Charm ' and ' Extension Charm,' responding to the user's most urgent needs."
Draco was explaining an interesting magical phenomenon rather than sharing a major Hogwarts secret.
"Of course, it's not omnipotent and has its limitations. For example, it can't conjure real food; it can only provide some simple refreshments..."
It also cannot create truly living objects.
"Moreover, it seems to only be able to respond to one 'demand' at a time. If many people need different rooms at the same time, or if the demand is ambiguous, it may... malfunction, or produce some strange things."
Draco elaborates on the characteristics and limitations of the Room of Requirement.
This greatly satisfied Hermione's curiosity and thirst for knowledge as she became a know-it-all.
She listened intently.
They even temporarily forgot about the lukewarm soup in front of them, forgot about Malfoy's unsettling behavior just now, and forgot about the deal between them that was fraught with unknown risks.
She was completely absorbed in marveling at and contemplating this wondrous magical creation.
"So..." Hermione couldn't help but ask, "It's like... a living, magical space that changes according to needs?"
"This is incredible! It involves such complex spatial magic, Transfiguration principles, and the ability to sense the user's thoughts..."
She was almost lost in academic soliloquy, spouting a string of technical jargon.
But halfway through his sentence, he suddenly realized who he was talking to, and quickly stopped, a look of annoyance and wariness flashing across his face.