The sun hung high in the sky above Hogwarts, bright and warm but not scorching.
The golden sunlight, imbued with the unique clarity of early autumn, bathed me in a warm glow.
Even the castle's ancient stone bricks were illuminated, their outlines clearly defined, gleaming with a warm light.
Draco and Hermione walked out of the castle side by side, looking back at the towers and stained-glass windows gleaming in the sunlight.
Long, clear shadows were cast across the lawn, and the heavy stone walls still retained the warmth accumulated throughout the morning.
Turning around and looking forward, the vast Black Lake suddenly unfolds before you, a sight that soothes the soul.
The lake was no longer the deep gray of the morning; under the sunlight, it spread out millions of shimmering golden scales, a magnificent sight that took one's breath away.
A gentle breeze swept by, creating ripples that spread in layers, like a pot of perfect Potions simmering slowly over a low flame, its surface shimmering with golden light.
The lawn in front of the gate was a vibrant, lush green, and groups of students sat lazily, enjoying this rare relaxing weekend.
The distant mountains were clearly visible, shrouded in a thin layer of pale blue mist. The air was crisp and slightly cool, which perfectly balanced the warmth of the sunlight, making one feel refreshed and relaxed.
The two walked slowly along the lakeside path, their shadows stretched long by the sunlight, almost touching.
Draco glanced at the girl beside him.
The girl's hair fluttered gently in the breeze, and a hint of afternoon languor lingered on her lips.
Draco couldn't help but speak softly:
Do you know what kinds of creatures live in Black Lake?
Hermione blinked, then suddenly smiled and deliberately uttered two words in a serious tone, "There's definitely fish."
Draco burst out laughing. This was the first time Hermione had ever teased someone on her own initiative, and she looked incredibly cute.
"That's right, so besides fish?"
The joke ended, Hermione became serious, saying definitively, "Don't think I don't know, there are also Giant Squid, Merpeople, and the water ghost Grindylow."
"There are two other very magical creatures." Draco slowed his pace, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense.
Hermione turned her head to look at him in confusion, her eyelashes fluttering, her eyes filled with curiosity. "There's more? How come I didn't know?" she asked in surprise.
"It might be recorded in other ancient books, it's normal that you didn't find it."
She muttered under her breath, a hint of resentment in her voice, "Looks like I haven't read enough books..."
Draco panicked immediately upon hearing this, stopped in his tracks, and looked at her intently, saying:
"That's more than enough. Don't think of yourself as a bookworm."
Hermione paused for a moment, then her cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn't look away from Draco's gaze.
She gave a soft "hmm," then naturally moved a little closer, subtly tightening her grip on Draco's hand.
After taking a few steps, Hermione looked up again and asked softly, "What about the other two? What kind of creatures are they?"
Looking into Hermione's clear eyes, Draco explained in detail:
"There's a creature called Selkie, a very magical creature—it looks like a seal in the water, but once it comes ashore, it transforms into an extremely beautiful woman."
"Oh... it seems there's a reason you know all this." Hermione glanced at Draco.
Draco chuckled at her words, gently squeezing her fingers and saying helplessly, "What are you talking about! You're even jealous of some unknown magical creature?"
"Then why do you know about Selkie?" Hermione persisted, raising her chin as she pressed on.
Draco's smile faded, his gaze suddenly becoming deep and serious as he locked his eyes on hers, and he said gently:
"Because I know that the unknown is most attractive to you, I made a special effort to find out. I just want to tell you something you don't know, so you can see more of me."
As soon as she finished speaking, a thin, translucent blush instantly spread across Hermione's cheeks.
She instinctively tried to look away, to avoid Draco's overly intense gaze.
But those eyes seemed to have an extremely strong magnetic force, firmly attracting her and making it impossible for her to look away completely.
Her gaze drifted away in a flustered manner for a second, then uncontrollably returned, engaging in a brief but passionate exchange with Draco.
Then, she finally lowered her head shyly, her long eyelashes concealing the panic in her eyes.
Hermione gently tugged at Draco's hand and quickly took two steps forward, as if trying to avoid his overly direct tenderness.
But her steps were slow, more like a coquettish attempt to escape.
Draco could clearly see that the corners of her mouth were uncontrollably curving upwards.
A small yet incredibly genuine smile of happiness quietly took shape on her lips.
She seemed to want to hide it, and subconsciously bit her lower lip lightly.
But that barely concealed joy was still reflected in the lake.
Seeing Hermione's contradictory expression, Draco's lips involuntarily curled upwards.
"... So, um... what was that other creature you mentioned earlier?"
Hermione hurriedly changed the subject, but the flutter in her heart from earlier hadn't faded.
Her words had unconsciously become unusually gentle.
"Another one is called Porlock." Draco shrugged, honestly admitting, "I don't know much about it either."
Hermione's eyes immediately lit up, a hint of smugness appearing on her face. She chuckled softly, "Hehe, it seems there are things you don't know."
"Although I don't know Porlock," Draco said, "I know how to get Selkie out."
Hermione abruptly stopped, turning her head to look at them, her eyes narrowing slightly, a hint of murderous intent in them.
Draco couldn't help but tease, " Miss Granger's expression right now is just like the weather in Kuala Lumpur."
"The weather in Kuala Lumpur?" Hermione paused, tilting her head slightly as she repeated.
"It's a place in Southeast Asia with a tropical rainforest climate. The weather is unpredictable; one second it's sunny, and the next it's cloudy—it happens very quickly."
She immediately realized Draco was referring to her quick change of expression, her cheeks puffed out slightly, and she reached out to gently pinch Draco's arm, asking:
"You mean I'm moody?"
Draco quickly took her hand, looking down at her with a loving smile, "I didn't say that—I meant you're incredibly beautiful whether it's sunny or cloudy."
Her cheeks flushed again after Draco's words left her speechless.
She wanted to glare at him, but couldn't help smirking. In the end, she could only turn her face away and mutter under her breath, "Smooth talker..."
Hermione suddenly gently pulled away from Draco's hand, ran a few steps forward lightly, her skirt fluttering slightly in the early autumn breeze.
She stopped a short distance away, turned around and smiled back at Draco, the sunlight falling on the ends of her slightly curled hair, gilding them with a layer of light gold.
She said, "That's your problem—you're like that equatorial low-pressure system with strong convection."
Draco, seeing the smile in her eyes, started walking after her. "That strong convection is coming, Miss Granger, don't run away."
Hermione took a small step back, her eyes crinkling with a smile, and deliberately tilted her head back to face the warm sunshine, replying cheerfully, "I don't want rain; it's still sunny and clear."