After Hermione finished speaking, she broke free from Draco's hand and walked quickly forward. As soon as she stepped out of the corridor, she froze on the spot, her face flushing red again.
Her roommates were all gathered around the fireplace, ears perked up and heads pressed together, their eyes fixed on her and Draco.
Hermione was so embarrassed by his expression, as if he had overheard the whole thing, that she wanted to disappear into the ground.
Her feigned composure crumbled instantly, and she hastily took a small step behind Draco.
But then he felt something was wrong, so he suddenly straightened his back, not daring to look anyone in the eye, only staring down at the tips of his shoes, and stubbornly and angrily squeezed out a sentence.
"What... what are you all doing here?"
Olivia was the first to speak, jokingly saying, "We're all waiting to see Hermione's little secret."
Lavender, swinging his leg, chimed in, "Of course! We heard everything they were whispering outside—they were talking about being a perfect match, making promises, we heard it all clearly."
Parvati covered her mouth and laughed, her gaze shifting between Hermione's flushed cheeks and Draco's smiling eyes, and said:
" Hermione, you've kept it well hidden! Standing next to Draco, they really do look like a perfect match, just as the Fat Lady said."
The three of them chatted amongst themselves, their smiles carrying an ambiguous undertone, which made Hermione blush even more.
She frantically waved her hands, urgently stopping them. "Don't talk nonsense... that's not true at all! It was just the Fat Lady joking around."
As she spoke, she moved slightly closer to Draco's side, then suddenly seemed to remember something and took a half-step back.
His helpless look only made Olivia and the others laugh even harder.
"Oh~" Lavender deliberately dragged out the words, "If it wasn't like that, then what was it? Draco's assurance just now was spoken with such certainty."
"Exactly, what's the rush? We're not going to eat you," Parvati chimed in.
Olivia continued to egg him on, "Seriously, Draco treats you really differently. He wouldn't bother with anyone else."
The back-and-forth between the group made Hermione's cheeks flush red with anxiety.
She stomped her foot and muttered a rebuttal, "That's not how it is! You're just talking nonsense. I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going upstairs!"
As she spoke, she turned and ran towards the spiral staircase, her light brown otter-shaped shoulder bag bouncing beside her.
As they ran past Harry and the others, they didn't even dare to lift their heads.
After running up two steps, Hermione suddenly turned around and glared at Draco, her eyes filled with embarrassment and annoyance, as if she had remembered something.
After saying "It's all your fault," she quickly disappeared around the corner of the girls' dormitory.
The group watched Hermione's retreating figure, laughing so hard they were doubled over. Lavender slapped the sofa and shouted, "You still say no! Your face is all red again!"
Parvati smiled and said to Draco, " Draco, you'd better keep your promise."
Ron stood to the side, frowning and muttering, "I really don't understand you guys," while Harry's shoulders trembled as he tried to suppress a laugh, and Neville blushed and scratched his head, secretly giving Draco a thumbs up.
Ignoring their teasing, Draco glanced at the group and asked calmly, "What are you all doing here?"
"Of course, I want to hear the most interesting whispers from Gryffindor today," Olivia said with a smile.
Parvati smiled and leaned closer to Lavender, saying:
"After all, not everyone can get Fat Lady to personally vouch for a good match and give them such a confident guarantee."
Lavender was even more direct. "Of course, we're just waiting to see Hermione get caught. Draco, you're really something."
Ron stood to the side without even looking up, his face long and drawn. He said, "Who wants to listen to your nagging? Can't you see we're playing Wizard's Chess?"
Neville blushed and scratched the back of his head, his eyes darting around, avoiding Draco's gaze. After a long pause, he whispered, "..."
"I was waiting for you guys to come back, but I ended up... joining in the fun. You two... are really a good match."
He had barely finished speaking when he hurriedly lowered his head, causing Olivia and the others to burst into laughter again.
"Thank you for your hard work."
As he spoke, Draco redeemed six scallion pancakes from the System Shop. They were still steaming warm, and the aroma of the crispy crust instantly filled the lounge.
Draco casually placed the item on the long table in front of them, raising an eyebrow. "I brought you some good stuff; that should shut you up, right?"
Olivia's eyes lit up first. She reached out, picked up a piece, took a bite, and the crisp crust crunched. Her eyes immediately crinkled with a smile.
"What wonderful stuff is this? It smells amazing! Draco, this is a perfect gift!"
Lavender and Parvati joined in, grabbing at the food while mumbling, "Your mouths are shut, but we've got it covered!"
Harry held a scallion pancake, took a bite, and his eyes widened.
He had never tasted this before, and immediately gave Draco a thumbs up, saying, "It's even better than what they make in the Great Hall."
Ron was frowning and trying to put on a sullen face, but the rich, oily aroma wafted into his nose, and he couldn't resist reaching out to grab a piece. The moment he took a bite, his frown relaxed.
He muttered, "You're smart... this stuff is actually pretty good."
Neville picked up a small piece and took a small bite, mumbling softly, "Thank... Draco, it's delicious."
The room was filled with the aroma of crispy pastries. The group happily ate their scallion pancakes, occasionally making a joke, but no longer dwelling on what had just happened.
Seeing the others enjoying their meal, Draco said, "I'll go upstairs too."
Before anyone could respond, Draco started walking towards the spiral staircase.
Lavender, munching on a biscuit, called out jokingly, "Going up to find Hermione? Remember to say hello for us!"
Olivia laughed along, "Take care, I won't disturb your private conversation~"
Draco didn't turn his head, only waved behind him, and his footsteps made a soft sound on the stairs.
In the shadows upstairs, a small part of a light brown otter-shaped shoulder bag peeked out. It was obvious who was hiding there, their ears perked up, listening for any sound.
Draco went upstairs to the Gryffindor' dormitory and opened the door to find Seamus curled up in the corner of the bed, fast asleep.
He must have been exhausted after practicing the Blasting Curse all afternoon...
He carefully removed his wizard's robe, folded it, and placed it on the low cabinet at the foot of the bed, then changed into loose cotton pajamas.
He made sure to move quietly when he pulled back the covers to lie down so as not to wake Seamus.
With the back of his head pressed against the pillow, he gazed at the canopy above the bed and couldn't help but smile.
Today's ordeal was actually quite fruitful.
Not only did my Fortune Points increase, but Hermione's blushing face was etched into my mind and I couldn't shake it off.
What's even more interesting is that, apart from Ron, who was still stubbornly sticking his neck out, everyone else became his and Hermione's matchmakers.
The Fat Lady, Professor McGonagall, Olivia, and others were all obsessed with shipping them, and even Neville, with his shy nature, dared to whisper that they were a good match.
Whenever I think of Hermione, I picture her clutching her otter handbag, stamping her feet and saying, "It's not like that anyway," and the way she hid behind the door, her ears burning red, listening to what was going on.
Draco couldn't stop smiling whenever he thought of that two-faced wife.