In the Headmaster's Office, Dumbledore carefully locked the jar containing Voldemort into the deepest Chamber of Secrets, completely isolating it from the world.
Quirrell returned to the faculty dormitory, his mind at peace, and was finally able to get a good night's sleep without nightmares.
The same goes for Harry.
Filch, seething with resentment, led Mrs. Norris back to the storeroom in a dejected manner.
While muttering curses at Malfoy's arrogance, he couldn't help but look back, and even his patrols became more cautious.
After that day, final exams were approaching.
Hogwarts was quickly plunged into the panic of final exams, and the entire castle was filled with the anxiety of last-minute cramming.
Harry and Ron spent all their time in the library, with Ron groaning as he devoured his notes, "I can't even tell the difference between Boggart and Chameleon Ghoul!"
Harry was so worried that his hair was all messed up.
The most anxious person in the whole school was Filch, who patrolled every day with his demerit book, marking down anyone he caught studying late into the night, but he dared not touch Draco Malfoy.
People automatically avoid him whenever they see him; even Mrs. Norris has learned to take a detour.
Draco himself, on the other hand, was living a very leisurely life.
While others stayed up all night memorizing spells, he leaned back in his chair basking in the sun; while others were so anxious they were losing hair, he compiled exclusive study notes for Hermione.
Hermione complained that he was "not doing his job properly," but her hands honestly held the notebook tightly and secretly slipped him a piece of chocolate in the corner.
Once at the library, Ron leaned over to borrow some notes, but Draco didn't even look up. "You can borrow them, but these are for my wife. Remember to return them when you're done."
The entire library fell silent for three seconds.
Hermione immediately covered her face with the book, too hot to look up.
Ron froze on the spot, nearly choking on his own saliva.
Harry turned his head, pretending he hadn't heard anything.
Even Madam Pince glared at Draco, but ultimately didn't have the heart to scold him.
In just a few days, Draco has become big news again. Writing a personalized study note for Hermione has become the biggest gossip at Hogwarts, even more exciting than the exam itself.
On the day of the exam.
Professor Quirrell also came to proctor the exam. He looked much better. When he saw Draco, he nodded quietly, then quickly looked away, pretending not to recognize him.
The first exam was for Charms.
Ron drew " Wingardium Leviosa " and was so nervous that his wand trembled. He mispronounced it as "Yugardim Leviosa" and his scroll floated directly to the ceiling.
The entire audience was shaking from trying not to laugh.
Harry drew the " Expelliarmus, and in his nervousness, he swung it wildly at the air, blowing Neville's pencil case away.
Neville was so frightened he almost cried.
Draco, on the other hand, remained calm throughout, as if he were on vacation.
The professor recited a spell, and the examiner completed it perfectly with a casual wave of his hand, prompting the proctor to nod in approval.
Halfway through the exam, he suddenly turned towards Hermione and quietly used Nonverbal Spell to make the eraser next to her pen jump slightly.
Hermione paused, then secretly glared at him.
Draco smiled, and silently moved his lips. "Good luck, young mistress."
Hermione blushed and almost misspelled a word.
What's even funnier is the Potions exam that follows.
Snape stood at the front of the stage, his gaze sweeping across the room like a knife.
Everyone else was cautious and trembling, but Draco slowly and methodically brewed the medicine, his steps as precise as if they were from a textbook.
Snape walked up to him and coldly tossed out a sentence:
Don't think that just because you're putting on an act, I won't be watching you.
Draco smiled and said, "Don't worry, I won't embarrass you, Professor... nor will I embarrass my wife."
Snape's lips twitched, but he didn't utter a curse. Instead, he turned and glared at Ron to vent his anger.
Ron looked puzzled. "Draco, why are you looking at me like that?"
But he dared not speak out against it. He wasn't very good at it to begin with, and now that Snape had his eye on him, he could forget about passing the exam.
The most ingenious one was Filch, who was ordered to patrol outside the examination hall.
Upon hearing Draco's voice inside, they immediately stood far away, not daring to even approach the window, for fear of hearing the name "Little Peeves " again.
Mrs. Norris squatted in the distance, looking utterly dejected.
Several days of fierce fighting.
After the exam, the castle was filled with a chorus of relieved cheers.
Draco walked down the corridor with Hermione in his arms, looking like he was about to be completely free after finishing his exams.
"As a reward for spending every day helping me study," Draco smiled, raising an eyebrow, "I'll take you to a super exciting place to relax."
Hermione rolled her eyes at him, her tone soft and helpless:
"This isn't a reward for me, it's a reward for yourself! You've been studying with me every day, never leaving my side."
Draco laughed self-righteously, "That's not wrong either. I'm with you every day, watching over you, it's so hard for me, shouldn't you reward me?"
Hermione shook her head helplessly at his twisted logic:
"What you call hard work... you chose to come with me yourself."
Draco playfully shook Hermione's shoulder. "I don't care, I've worked so hard, are you going to relax with me or not?"
"Keep me company, I'm really fed up with you." Hermione couldn't help but chuckle.
Then she asked, puzzled, "Where to?"
"Tonight, we'll break through the Trapdoor," Draco said casually.
Hermione's eyes widened instantly. "Are you crazy? Is that place for relaxation? It's a forbidden area guarding the Philosopher's Stone! And nobody's stealing the Philosopher's Stone right now, why would we go there?"
Draco laughed nonchalantly, "What's there to be afraid of? It's just... Hogwarts official version dungeon?"
Then he leaned closer and spoke in a slightly seductive tone:
"Don't you want to know what's inside? Flitwick, McGonagall, Snape... every professor set up a challenge. Aren't you even a little bit curious, you academic genius?"
Hermione's lips moved.
Reason told her it was absolutely impossible, but curiosity gnawed at her like tiny claws.
But she really, really wanted to see it with her own eyes.
She hesitated for a long time.
Finally, Hermione took a deep breath, glared at him, and said helplessly, "... Just this once, and you have to listen to me the whole time. No messing around, no showing off, and no scaring me."
Draco's eyes lit up instantly, and he couldn't suppress his smile, "Deal! Tonight, I'll take you on a legal adventure!"
Hermione suddenly remembered something and asked softly, "Then... should we invite Harry and Ron along?"
Draco's smile faltered for a moment, his brow furrowed slightly, and he shook his head without hesitation:
"What are you taking them for?" He reached out and naturally put his arm around Hermione's waist, pulling her closer to him.
"I finally managed to lure you out of here, so of course I want to spend some time alone with my wife."
Hermione blushed and was about to retort when he cut her off, "Too many people will ruin the atmosphere."
Hermione shook her head. This guy is getting better and better at saying things like that now.