Hermione wasn't really angry; she was just flustered by Draco's advances and too shy to respond.
So I can only use anger to hide my racing heart.
She glared at Draco, her cheeks still flushed, and said with a deliberately fierce threat:
"Don't get too cocky... If I don't practice flying well today, you're dead."
"Alright, if Miss Granger doesn't practice well, I'll owe you a favor. You can use that favor to ask for a kiss later."
Draco's tone was very serious, but what he said was quite ambiguous.
Hermione's cheeks flushed, and she immediately blurted out, "Who would...?"
She stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence, her mind instantly alert.
I almost followed his lead again.
Hermione forcefully suppressed her inner turmoil, feigning composure as she steered the conversation back on track, denying him any further opportunities to tease her.
"Fine, if you don't practice well, you'll owe me a request."
Draco, seeing her forced composure, stopped teasing her. "Yes, Miss Granger."
After a two-second silence, Hermione asked softly, "Then... where shall we practice? The courts are closed now, aren't they?"
"You forgot one place, a place where you can change the scene at any time and arrange things however you want," Draco pointed out.
" The Room of Requirement." Hermione realized instantly.
"Oh, right." Draco chuckled.
The two followed the hidden corridor to the Seventh Floor, walked back and forth three times in front of the tapestry depicting the Troll beating Barnabas the Barmy, silently reciting their needs, and a hidden door slowly opened in the wall.
Upon entering the Room of Requirement, the originally empty space expands as you wish.
Draco had a sudden thought.
The originally hard floor, the edges of the stone pillars, and all other places that could be bumped were instantly covered with thick, soft, and elastic cushions.
From the ground to the walls, even the protruding structures at higher elevations are covered with a cushioning layer, completely eliminating the possibility of falls and bumps.
He then simulated the external wind environment.
A gentle yet stable airflow moves slowly indoors, simulating the wind resistance and undulations experienced during outdoor flight.
It's not too intense or out of control, yet it allows for genuine practice of balance and control.
After finishing everything, Draco looked at Hermione and said:
"Alright, it's perfectly safe here. You can fly however you want."
Hermione tightened her grip on the broom handle, looked up at the spacious yet still tall space above, and said uneasily, "I... I'm a little afraid of heights."
Draco's smile immediately faded, and he softened his voice to reassure Hermione:
"Don't be afraid, this place is all padded, so even if you fall, it won't hurt at all. And I'll stay by your side the whole time and make sure nothing happens to you."
Fearing Hermione might be nervous, he added:
"We won't fly high, just a little off the ground, to find our balance first, and we'll take it slowly."
After saying that, Draco stepped onto another broom and gave her a personal demonstration.
His movements were slow and steady, without any showing off or sudden bursts of speed; he simply ascended slowly into the air.
It ascended to a height of more than one person above the ground and hovered steadily in mid-air.
"Look, just like this, relax your body, apply gentle pressure with your wrist, don't be afraid, the broom will obey you."
Draco slowly spun a small half-circle in mid-air, remaining perfectly still with almost no shaking.
He deliberately slowed down every detail so that Hermione could clearly see how he exerted force and maintained balance.
"It's your turn. I'll stay right next to you."
Draco steadily demonstrated the circle, then slowly landed back in front of her, and softly asked, "Well, did you see it clearly?"
Hermione gripped the broom, rubbing against the cushion, but still couldn't help shrinking back, clearly timid, and said, "I... I'm still a little scared."
Draco smiled helplessly yet indulgently, and said softly, "Well, there's no other way but to take you flying with me."
He had Hermione straddle the front of the broom, while he sat firmly behind her.
Hermione remained stiff with tension.
Draco slowly stretched out his arms, walked around her, and gently grasped the broom handle in front of him.
It looked exactly like he was holding her firmly from behind.
Draco's warm breath brushed against her ear. "Now you can rest assured, right?"
Hermione froze instantly, completely forgetting about her fear of heights.
The two were very close, their backs pressed tightly against his chest, and they could clearly feel his body temperature and steady heartbeat.
Her cheeks flushed bright red, her heart pounded as if it would explode, and her mind went completely blank.
After a long while, Hermione finally adapted to the rhythm, her body relaxed, and the flight became smooth and stable.
Only then did she regain some composure, tilting her head slightly and tentatively asking, "... I suspect you're just trying to take advantage of me."
Draco laughed out loud, his chest vibrating slightly, the sound of his laughter clearly audible against her back.
He tightened his arms around her slightly and said, "If you hadn't said anything, I really wouldn't have known I was trying to take advantage of you..."
Draco then asked, "Is it okay now?"
"Can... what?" Hermione asked, slightly out of breath, still feeling a little dizzy.
"Try flying by yourself for a while," Draco replied.
Hermione bit her lip, nodded, and said, "Okay."
She had just steadied the broom and gently controlled its direction, and hadn't flown far when she suddenly felt a tightness around her waist, and a pair of warm, large hands steadily encircled her.
Hermione flinched, her breathing became erratic, and the broom lurched violently, almost falling off the ground. Fortunately, she reacted quickly, gripping the handle tightly to regain her balance.
She was both ashamed and anxious, and turned to glare at Draco, yelling, " Draco Malfoy! Are you trying to kill me?!"
Draco grinned mischievously, resting his chin lightly on her shoulder, and said, "You're the one who reminded me that I could take advantage of you."
Hermione opened her mouth angrily, but realized she couldn't argue with him at all, so she could only glare at him fiercely.
Being held in his arms and flying in mid-air like this, I felt safe and secure, and I didn't dislike the feeling of my heart racing at all.
Draco tightened his grip on her arm and said with a smile, "Honey, you're flying pretty well, aren't you?"
Hermione was startled, then suddenly came to her senses.
She was actually controlling the broom herself, gliding smoothly through the air, turning, and adjusting her altitude, completely independent of him, and no longer afraid.
This discovery instantly excited her.
The next second, she completely let loose, pressed down with her wrist, and the broom suddenly accelerated, its speed reaching an astonishing level.
The wind howled into his ears, Draco could hardly keep up with the sudden change in speed. He instinctively hugged her tighter, his cheeks slightly Transfiguration by the gale.
" Minmin... isn't this too fast!" he shouted.
"What did you say? I can't hear you—the wind is too strong!"
Hermione laughed and said that instead of slowing down, she accelerated, as excited as a little madwoman breaking free of her restraints.
Draco, both helpless and amused, could only hold her waist tightly, letting her carry him wildly across the spacious, soft-cushioned area.
He realized that this usually calm and serious academic star could be wilder and more daring than anyone else when he got carried away.