The two sat quietly for a while longer, and the night grew deeper.
Hermione remembered her parents' advice not to stay up late, so she stood up quietly and whispered:
"I'm going back to my room first. You should get some rest too. The guest room is fully equipped, so don't feel uncomfortable."
Draco also stood up and stood in front of her. "Okay."
Hermione shook her head, about to turn away, but then, as if remembering something, turned back and added:
"If you wake up early in the morning, don't be shy, just go downstairs."
After saying that, he felt a burning sensation in his ears and quickly walked towards the door.
Draco watched her figure disappear at the end of the corridor, then gently closed the door, and the room fell silent.
This was the first time he had slept in such an ordinary yet warm room; the blankets smelled of sunshine, and the pillows were soft.
He lay in bed, without the tossing and turning of Hogwarts, feeling completely relaxed, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Hermione returned to her room, but couldn't fall asleep for a while.
She sat on the edge of the bed, his words, "Your family is living such a good life," echoing in her mind.
She buried her face in the pillow, chuckled softly, then pulled the covers over herself and drifted off to sleep peacefully.
The next day, just as dawn was breaking, birds began to sing outside the window.
Hermione was awakened by the sunlight. As soon as she opened her eyes, she remembered that someone was still living in the house. She hurriedly got up, washed up, changed into clean clothes, and tiptoed downstairs.
Just as I reached the top of the stairs, I heard a soft noise coming from the kitchen.
Hermione's mom was already preparing breakfast, and the aroma of fried eggs filled the whole house.
Just as she was about to speak, she saw a figure standing in the living room.
Draco was awake, dressed neatly, his hair combed cleanly, and standing quietly by the window, looking down at the small garden.
He didn't wander around or make a sound; he simply waited quietly.
Hearing footsteps, he turned around, saw Hermione, and greeted her crisply, "Good morning."
Hermione's cheeks flushed slightly, and she replied softly, "Good morning."
Time flies by faster than water; in the blink of an eye, the Christmas holidays are over.
The two chose to return a day earlier.
The sunlight outside the window was still warm, but inside there was a touch of reluctance.
Hermione and Draco packed their bags and stood at the door, ready to leave.
Hermione's parents saw them all the way to the door. Hermione's mother was still clutching a bag of freshly baked cookies, insisting that they take them with them to eat on the way.
She kept babbling on and on, full of caring words. "Drive carefully on the road, remember to let us know you've arrived at school safely, don't stay up all night studying, Draco, you also need to keep an eye on her."
Hermione's father stood to the side, saying little, but patted Draco on the shoulder, his eyes full of approval and entrustment. "Come visit us often, you're always welcome here."
Draco gave a proper half-bow. "Thank you so much for taking care of me these past few days, Uncle and Aunt. I'll definitely come often."
"Eat if you get hungry on the way, don't deprive yourself." Hermione's mother said softly as she straightened Hermione's collar.
The moment they touched, their gazes suddenly froze.
Hermione had a round, soft otter-shaped crossbody bag slung across her shoulder.
The sea otter was fluffy and had an endearing, clumsy appearance, which was clearly not Hermione's usual clean and simple style.
The bag hung on her waist, looking adorable and perfectly complementing her slightly flushed cheeks.
Hermione's mother didn't say anything, but just smiled and patted her arm, "This little bag is quite unique, it suits you very well."
Hermione's cheeks flushed, and she hurriedly hid the bag behind her back, whispering, "I... I just grabbed it randomly."
Draco stood to the side, but couldn't help but smile.
After a long farewell, the two finally left the courtyard.
Hermione and Draco stood side by side in the doorway, turned back and waved, their figures gradually disappearing into the morning mist.
Hermione's parents only slowly closed the door after they could no longer see anyone.
As soon as she entered the house, Hermione's mother couldn't help but laugh out loud. She picked up the small scarf that Hermione had left on the corner of the sofa and gently touched it.
Hermione's father picked up his teacup and asked, "You noticed?"
"Of course," Hermione's mother said with a beaming smile, her tone full of certainty.
"Our girl has always preferred practical and simple things since she was little. When has she ever carried such a delicate and soft little bag on her own initiative? That otter crossbody bag must have been a gift from Draco."
"That makes sense," Hermione's father nodded. "She's thoughtful and understands the little girl's preferences."
"It took thought," Hermione's mother said, folding the scarf neatly.
The fog outside the door slowly dissipated, and sunlight gradually streamed down, falling into the empty courtyard.
They had to go to work too.
On the other side, Hermione and Draco stood side by side at a secluded crossroads outside the Muggle town, making sure no one was around before nodding to each other slightly.
"Hold on tight to me." Draco reached out and firmly supported her elbow.
Upon hearing this, Hermione gently placed her hand on his arm, and in an instant, the two landed steadily.
The path beneath my feet was no longer the cobblestone street of Muggle town, but the familiar meadow at the edge of the Forbidden Forest behind Hogwarts Castle.
Hermione let go of his hand, tidied her wind-blown hair, looked up at him, and said, "We're here."
Draco glanced at her round, otter-shaped handbag. "Yeah, you're back."
The two walked side by side along the path toward the castle, their pace neither hurried nor slow.
Hermione looked down at her handbag, and as if remembering something, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.
The two had just stepped into the castle corridor and hadn't even had a chance to exchange a few words when a series of hurried footsteps rushed in from around the corner.
Ron, flustered and with disheveled hair, bumped into them. When he saw that it was Hermione and Draco, he was stunned for a moment, then his face turned red with anxiety.
"You're finally back!" Ron grabbed Draco's arm. "Something terrible has happened!"
Hermione was startled and frowned. "What's wrong? What happened? Tell me slowly."
" Harry! Something's wrong with Harry!" Ron whispered, stamping his feet anxiously.
"For the past few days, he's been going to that abandoned classroom in the Third Floor Corridor every day, staring blankly at a broken mirror for hours on end. We can't wake him up no matter how much we call him; he's practically lost his mind!"
Hermione's expression changed instantly; her relaxed demeanor vanished, replaced by worry.
"A mirror? What mirror? Did he say what it was?"
"No! He won't say anything!" Ron shook his head.
"Let's go take a look," Draco said.
"Okay, hurry up! I'm afraid something might really happen to him if we're any later!"
The three of them said no more and hurried through the silent corridor.
In winter, Hogwarts is dimly lit, the stone steps are cold, and the air becomes quieter the higher you go up to the fourth floor.
Ron led the way, turning two corners before stopping in front of an abandoned classroom covered in dust and long untouched.
He gently pushed the door open a crack.
The classroom was dimly lit, with only faint sunlight streaming in from the windows.
Harry stood motionless in the center of the room, his head tilted slightly back, his gaze fixed intently on an old and ornate mirror in front of him.
He seemed rooted to the spot, his expression both focused and dazed, completely unaware that three more people had appeared at the door.