Draco watched as she curled up into a ball, covering her eyes and almost burying her face in them, and finally stopped teasing her.
"Alright, alright, I'm just teasing you."
"You'll see it sooner or later anyway, so what's there to be shy about?"
Hermione's fingertips paused slightly, but she still covered her eyes tightly, her cheeks flushing red from head to toe.
Her heart pounded wildly; she felt both ashamed and embarrassed, and angrily forced out a sentence through her fingers:
"Who... who's going to see this sooner or later! You... you shameless person!"
Her heart was in turmoil and burning. She wanted to scold him for being indecent, but the thought of "we'll see sooner or later" made her feel like she was on fire.
This guy... he really, really knows how to bully people.
Draco looked at her cheeks, which were flushed red, and his smile deepened, his voice carrying a hint of danger:
" Miss Granger, if you keep being this cute, I might really start to get physical with you."
Hermione froze, overwhelmed by shame.
But the string of reason in her mind suddenly tightened!
She knows this guy too well; he's the type to do what he says.
She pinched herself hard, forcing down her wandering thoughts, and slowly lowered her hand from her eyes.
Her cheeks were still burning, but she tried her best to keep her eyes serious.
"... You... you mustn't do anything reckless."
Her voice was still a little soft, but she tried her best to look serious, afraid that if she showed any more cuteness, he would really "get physical" with her.
Hermione's mind was in turmoil: No, no, she couldn't let him keep flirting with her like this. If this continued, she'd really be completely under his control...
Hermione immediately suppressed all her shyness and panic, instantly becoming serious, and quickly lowered her voice to ask:
" Voldemort... what exactly was he planning to do in the Third Floor Corridor?"
Draco, seeing that she had finally become serious, also stopped joking and his tone turned somber:
He wants to steal the Philosopher's Stone and use it to rebuild a more powerful body.
Hermione gasped sharply, her face paling even more instantly.
She instinctively clenched her fingers, and the panic that had just faded from her eyes surged back up.
Philosopher's Stone... Flesh...
She finally understood why Dumbledore had warned the students not to go to the fourth floor, and she finally understood how dangerous the chaos that night had been.
It turns out they weren't just stopping a runaway Troll.
Instead, it almost allowed Voldemort to truly rise from the dead.
"If... if he actually succeeds, the consequences will be unimaginable."
"He can't succeed. The Philosopher's Stone already has an owner." Draco shook his head slightly.
Hermione was startled again.
All the information converging in an instant into an answer she couldn't believe.
"... Is he/she taken?"
Could it be... that the Philosopher's Stone is now in your possession?
Draco still shook his head:
"No."
" Dumbledore has enchanted the Philosopher's Stone —anyone who tries to obtain it with the intention of using or possessing it will never get it."
"Only those who truly want to protect the Philosopher's Stone and don't want it to fall into the wrong hands can actually find it."
"So, the Philosopher's Stone is now in my hands, and in yours, and it will most likely end up in Harry's hands next."
Hermione understood instantly.
It's not about who hides it or who monopolizes it; it's about the heart determining everything.
Looking into Draco's earnest eyes, she instantly felt completely at ease.
It turns out he wasn't bragging or showing off.
He truly stood on the side of the protectors, with Dumbledore, and with her.
Hermione's heartbeat was so light it was almost inaudible, yet unusually earnest. "I understand... As long as we're determined to protect it, it won't be taken away."
Just as the two were talking in hushed tones, a familiar silver-bearded figure slowly emerged from the shadows.
Dumbledore looked at Draco with a smile:
"Kid, you know quite a lot."
In fact Dumbledore had been secretly observing Draco for a long time.
He vaguely guessed that the boy possessed an almost prophetic ability.
But what truly earned Dumbledore than his abilities, was his unwavering commitment to protection despite holding the trump card, without a trace of greed. This character is far more valuable than talent.
Draco and Hermione were both startled.
Hermione's face tightened, and she quickly composed herself, her expression a mixture of panic and respect. " Professor Dumbledore! You... what are you doing here...?"
After realizing what was happening, Draco's face fell, and he lowered his voice to accuse him:
"You Old Dumbledore, you've been eavesdropping here the whole time? You saw me and my girlfriend being intimate? How shameless!"
Hermione blushed instantly, her ears turning bright red. She shrank back awkwardly, her heart pounding wildly.
Oh my god... He actually told the professor I was his girlfriend right in front of him...
And they even talked about intimate behavior...
Did the professor see everything we were doing? It's so embarrassing...
Dumbledore coughed lightly, his eyes innocent yet sly. "No, no, I'm just here to find... something very important."
Only Draco understood the implication in those words.
Draco crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "I just don't believe it. You've clearly been sitting here listening for ages."
Dumbledore uttered a sentence that only the two of them could understand:
"I won't interfere with young people's love affairs, but the security checkpoint on the fourth floor hasn't been very safe lately."
Draco raised his eyes and smiled, his tone relaxed yet confident:
"Isn't this exactly what we were prepared for?"
Dumbledore was slightly taken aback at first, then a smile instantly spread across his crescent-shaped eyes, and his beard trembled slightly.
"As expected, nothing can be hidden from you."
That's right, those checkpoints on the fourth floor—they were never meant to stop you from the start.
Hermione stood to the side, watching the two of them talk back and forth, each sentence like a riddle, their faces calm. She was completely dumbfounded.
What's prepared? What's prepared for them? The checkpoint on the fourth floor?
Wasn't it meant to protect the Philosopher's Stone and stop bad guys? How come it's prepared for them?
How much more do Draco and Professor Dumbledore know that I don't know?
When did they reach this tacit understanding?
Why am I the only one who's completely confused...?
Just how many secrets is this guy hiding?!
Dumbledore's smile faded slightly.
"Two items have already been destroyed; the progress is going more smoothly than I expected."
"Thanks to the crucial clues you provided beforehand, otherwise I would have had to grope in the dark for much longer."
Draco waved his hand impatiently:
" Old Dumbledore, put that thing aside for now, and don't bother looking for it here. Come back tomorrow. This 'Room of Requirement ' has been requisitioned by us today."
Hermione stared at Draco, completely frozen in place.
How dare he speak to Professor Dumbledore in such a tone?
They even said they wanted to requisition the Room of Requirement and told the principal to come back tomorrow?
This is Hogwarts' most distinguished headmaster!
Where does his confidence come from...?
Dumbledore looked at the scene before him, chuckled, and instead of being angry, nodded gently.
"Okay, okay, I'll do whatever you say."
I'm handing this over entirely to you today; I won't disturb you.