Hermione straightened up, her cheeks still flushed, and lowered her head somewhat awkwardly, apologizing softly, "I'm sorry... I accidentally disturbed the books and almost got us discovered."
Draco looked at her flushed face, leaned close to her ear, and asked in a slightly dangerous tone, "Apologize to me? Hermione, do you... want to be punished?"
"Wh... what?" Hermione asked nervously.
Draco took a small step forward, closing the distance between them once again.
"No need to apologize, I won't blame you," he said softly. "Apologizing to me would only make things more distant."
"If you do it again, I'll have to punish you."
Hermione was so nervous that her palms were sweating, her mind was in a mess, and her reason was desperately reminding her that she should continue researching, but the temperature of her face was beyond her control.
This guy definitely did it on purpose!
What kind of time is this to be acting like this!
"I... I won't do it again next time."
Draco chuckled softly and gently stroked her burning cheek with the back of his finger, "That's more like it."
The cool touch on the back of her fingers was fleeting, but Hermione froze on the spot as if she had been electrocuted.
The temperature on her cheeks remained high for a long time.
After calming down for a minute.
Hermione finally regained some confidence and snapped at him, "We're here on serious business, Draco!"
"I know," Draco replied calmly.
Hermione was about to continue speaking when he interrupted her.
"... I've found it."
All her panic and shyness were forcibly suppressed in that instant, and Hermione looked at him sharply.
The dim light fell on her wide-open eyes, and her previously soft and hot expression instantly transformed back into the calm and sharp Hermione Granger.
"Found it?" Hermione asked urgently. "You mean—the one about the Chamber of Secrets of Secrets? You really found it?"
She had almost forgotten the flirtatious moment before, and all her attention was instantly drawn back to the important matter at hand.
Hermione leaned closer, her eyes shining brightly, and eagerly shook his hand. "What does it say? Is it about the heir? Is it about the Basilisk? Tell me quickly!"
Draco watched her instantly tense and serious expression, a smile returning to his eyes. He tilted his head slightly and asked, "Want to know? Praise me once, and I'll tell you."
Hermione was completely stunned.
One second they were talking about a life-or-death situation in Chamber of Secrets, and this person suddenly said something like this.
She sighed silently to herself.
This guy... sometimes he really acts like a child who hasn't grown up. You have to coax him a bit before he'll talk about anything serious.
Hermione's face was still flushed. She awkwardly looked away and managed to squeeze out, "... You... you reacted very quickly just now, that was really impressive."
After saying that, fearing it wasn't enough, she added quietly, forcing herself to speak, "And... she's also very good at researching."
Finally, with a hint of annoyance and anger, she urged, "Are you satisfied now? Tell me! What exactly did you find?"
Draco laughed triumphantly, "I didn't expect my wife to think I'm so amazing."
Hermione's cheeks burned to her ears, and she reached out and pinched his soft side hard. "Tell me!"
"Ouch, ouch, ouch—I'm sorry, I'll tell you right away!" Draco gasped softly in pain and gave in.
Hermione then released her grip, waiting for him to get down to business.
Draco's lips curled into a smile, but he didn't tease her; he simply told her what the system had analyzed:
" The Chamber of Secrets wasn't opened by anyone; it has a fifty-year cycle, and when the time comes, it will be forcibly awakened."
" The Basilisk isn't controlled by anyone; it's simply carrying out an ancient command left by Salazar Slytherin to attack all Muggle-born wizard."
Hermione was utterly shocked, unable to believe that all of this was triggered automatically. Her shock was quickly replaced by an overwhelming anger.
She clenched her fingers tightly, sharply objecting to Salazar: "On what right?"
"Just because he looks down on Muggle-born wizard, does that give him the right to lay such a vicious curse hundreds of years ago, causing an entire castle to perish because of his obsessive hatred?"
"This isn't an ideal, this is malice."
Hermione said disdainfully.
"He etched his prejudices into the castle, buried them in the Chamber of Secrets, awakened monsters, and caused students centuries later to distrust, fear, and even hurt each other..."
"He doesn't deserve to be called a great wizard; he's just a cowardly and cruel fanatic."
"The truly filthy ones are never the Muggle-born, but cowards like him who hide in the shadows and only vent their hatred and monsters."
Draco saw her face flushed with anger, her eyes sharp, and his heart softened. He patted her head and said:
"Don't be angry, it's not worth it. He's an old stubborn man from hundreds of years ago; it's not worth getting angry over him."
"I'm Pure-blood too, and I still love our Miss Granger," Draco chuckled.
Hermione froze, her anger instantly replaced by a surge of panic. " Draco Malfoy, you're being indecent again!"
"Where did I do anything inappropriate?" Draco chuckled again, touching her burning earlobe.
"Anyway, things are clear now. The Chamber of Secrets is for periodic awakening, and the Basilisk is for carrying out orders. The next step is, of course, to strengthen my relationship with Miss Granger."
Hermione slapped his hand away forcefully and scolded him:
"What time is it now! The entire Hogwarts is in danger, the Basilisk is still roaming the castle, and you still have the nerve to say such things..."
Draco's expression suddenly turned serious, his gentle teasing replaced by a earnest tone:
"I think the latter curse was added by Voldemort later. He followed Slytherin's path and turned the Chamber of Secrets into his own weapon."
Hermione frowned, clicking her tongue in annoyance and disdain. "Ugh, they're both the same, both full of prejudice and malice, no difference at all."
"Forget about them for now. What we need to do is—find the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, eliminate the Basilisk, close the Chamber of Secrets, and break this damned cyclical curse..."
"If I told you I knew the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets all along... honey, would you praise me?" Draco leaned closer and chuckled.
Hermione instinctively covered her mouth to prevent a gasp from erupting in the quiet library.
"You... you know the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets?" Hermione asked incredulously. "Really? Where is it?"
Draco, seeing her surprised and flustered expression, tapped her forehead with his finger. "When have I ever lied to you?"
"It's in that abandoned girls' restroom on the third floor, the place where Moaning Myrtle always cried."
Hermione was startled.
All the clues instantly connected in my mind...
"It was there..." she murmured softly, "I only thought that place was remote and eerie before, I never imagined that it would be the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets."