Draco saw that the matter was mostly resolved, and that further delay would only arouse suspicion, so he gently waved his hand:
"Alright, things have sorted out, and you've worried enough. You guys go back and celebrate!"
Upon hearing this, Ron muttered, "It's like this again... Just the two of us going back, and you and Hermione will be alone again."
Hermione urged, "Let's go back with Harry quickly, don't keep everyone waiting. We'll be there in a bit."
Ron pursed his lips and followed Harry out of the empty classroom, their footsteps gradually fading at the end of the corridor.
Once the door was completely closed and silence returned, Draco chuckled and joked:
"Our Miss Granger, your acting was truly superb just now. Your look of confusion combined with your serious analysis almost made me believe you knew nothing."
Hermione sighed softly, "It's all your fault. I'm not the only one pretending to be clueless; Harry and Ron were kept in the dark the whole time."
Looking at the empty classroom, she continued, "This is the consequence of their lack of critical thinking; they simply can't see anything unreasonable about it."
"With just the four of us freshmen, if we were to rush up and confront a professor, especially one afflicted by Dark Magic, wouldn't that be like throwing an egg against a rock?"
Draco nodded slightly. "They're not exactly known for their meticulous thinking; their hot-blooded impulsiveness is more like what people their age should be like."
Hermione remained silent for a moment, a hint of worry still quietly rising in her heart:
"... But do we really have to face Quirrell head-on at the very end? Underneath his turban lies Voldemort."
Draco didn't panic; instead, he smiled gently.
"Don't panic, I have a way to deal with Voldemort."
"Moreover, Harry possesses a protective spell of love left by his mother, specifically designed to counter Voldemort."
Upon hearing this, Hermione looked at the ever-confident young man before her, and her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down completely.
With Draco backing her up, Hermione's worries about the Philosopher's Stone gradually subsided.
She knew in her heart that no matter what she did, Voldemort would ultimately not be able to get his hands on the stone.
Instead of wasting your energy, it's better to get the important things in front of you done first.
So she devoted all her energy to preparing for the final exams, burying herself in books and notes all day long, keeping herself extremely busy.
Not only Hermione, but Harry and Ron were also overwhelmed by the sheer volume of homework from their teachers.
Potions papers, memorized History of Magic, and spell practice piled up like a small mountain.
The thoughts that used to linger about Quirrell and the fourth-floor restricted area have long been washed away by the overwhelming amount of homework, and even breathing has become much less strenuous.
In the vast library, only one person seemed exceptionally relaxed and at ease—that was Draco.
He neither wrote furiously nor buried himself in his studies; he simply sat quietly beside Hermione.
He would occasionally flip through a couple of pages of a book, or tidy her loose hair, looking as relaxed as if he were there to clear his head.
Ron, watching from across the table, grew increasingly resentful. He slammed his pen down on the table and couldn't help but lean over to mutter:
" Hermione, aren't you going to do anything about your Draco? Everyone else is working themselves to the bone, but he just sits around all day, too lazy to even lift a pen."
Hearing this, Lavender chimed in, "Exactly! We're all overwhelmed by homework, but he seems to be having a great time."
Hermione looked up at them, completely bewildered. "What's it to you?"
"Who cares if he doesn't study!" Ron exclaimed anxiously. "Aren't you afraid he'll be completely clueless at the end of the semester and fail every subject?"
Hermione chuckled softly at his words, her pen still steadily writing on the paper. "If Professor McGonagall doesn't worry about his grades, what do I have to fear?"
Draco, quite pleased with himself, shrugged at Ron and thoughtfully added, "I already knew that a long time ago."
"I don't believe you!" Ron immediately retorted, unconvinced. "You usually copy Hermione's homework, and now you're saying you know it all? Who would believe that!"
Olivia, unable to bear watching any longer, gently patted Ron's arm. "Just accept your fate, Ron. Some people are born without having to put in so much effort; you can't compare."
Parvati laughed along, "You just can't stand people having such a leisurely life... To be honest, I'm a little annoyed too."
Draco shrugged helplessly, his tone utterly innocent. "I was just sitting quietly, not disturbing your studies."
"It's not a matter of whether I disturb you or not!" Ron retorted, sticking his neck out. "It's like you're working hard here, and someone else is just sitting there watching you effortlessly. Who would feel comfortable in that situation?"
Draco lowered his head slightly upon hearing this, looking aggrieved, and gently tugged at Hermione's sleeve.
" Minmin, they're disliking me. Let's move to another table so we don't upset them here."
These words immediately caused an uproar in a corner of the library.
The group of people who had been engrossed in their studies suddenly put down their pens and stared at Ron.
They seemed to be about to surround him and argue with him on the spot.
Lavender was the first to speak, and whispered urgently:
" Ron Weasley! Don't you dare do anything reckless! If Hermione leaves, who will we check our study notes with? Who will help us with our homework? Do you want everyone to fail the final exam?!"
Olivia nodded in agreement.
"Exactly! We're all counting on Hermione to help us with our revision, and you just have to kick her out. What are you up to? Draco didn't cause any trouble, you just have to make things difficult for us."
Parvati was even more direct, reaching out and gently pushing Ron:
"Shut up! Hermione finally agreed to stay here and help us study. If the desk is changed, who are we going to cram with? If you don't want to pass, don't drag us down with you!"
Even Harry, who was engrossed in his homework, looked up helplessly at Ron and sighed.
" Ron, stop joking. We can't do without Hermione right now. If we really change the table, we'll definitely fail our History of Magic course."
Even the most honest Neville, gripping his pen, chimed in quietly but firmly:
"I... I agree. I can only read books with Hermione here. Ron, please don't let them leave..."
A group of people spoke up, each offering their own explanation, making the point very clear.
Most of the students in the entire grade are relying on Hermione's homework, notes, and study strategies for survival!
Ron's outburst effectively cut off everyone's "final exam survival rate," and who could tolerate that?
Ron was surrounded by a group of people, with nowhere to put his hands and feet, and he stammered for a long time without being able to utter a complete sentence.
"I... I didn't mean that... I just..."
He just couldn't stand Draco's carefree lifestyle, but little did he know that a single sentence would stir up a hornet's nest and offend everyone.
Now I'm caught in the middle, disliked by both sides.
Draco leaned back in his chair, a forced smile playing on his lips, looking innocent and aggrieved as he quietly watched Ron being surrounded and attacked by the crowd.
Hermione shook her head helplessly, not stopping them, letting her classmates support Draco.
Within half a minute, Ron was completely overwhelmed by the crowd. Head drooping, utterly defeated, he could only listlessly pick up his pen and mutter weakly:
"Alright, alright... I won't say anything more, okay... I won't change the table, I won't change it..."
The library returned to silence, leaving only Ron alone in a corner, sullenly chewing on his quill pen, becoming the culprit in everyone's eyes who almost ruined their final exam preparation.