Once outside the bar, the man in the top hat no longer had any reservations.
Through the glass window of the bar, he stared intently at Hermione inside, threatening her with resentment:
" Malfoy! You just wait! If you've got the guts, don't hide in a bar! And tell your little girlfriend to watch out."
Before the words were even finished, the air suddenly distorted.
"Smack!"
With a soft sound, Draco appeared beside the man in the top hat, not even a wisp of snow splashing beneath his feet; the precision of his Apparition was chilling.
Before the burly thug could react, Draco didn't even glance at him, casually flicked his wand, and uttered the chilling spell. " Petrificus Totalus!"
A flash of green light,
The thug froze instantly, collapsing to the ground in a running posture, like an ugly stone statue falling into the snow.
The man in the top hat's pupils contracted sharply, his heart feeling as if gripped by an invisible hand. Just as he drew his wand, Draco pressed it firmly against his neck.
The icy touch of the wand, mixed with the chilling killing intent emanating from Draco, almost froze his blood.
"I already said," Draco's voice was soft, yet exceptionally clear in the snowy night, "If you have a problem, come at me."
The man in the top hat froze, but managed to maintain his last shred of arrogance. "You... you wouldn't dare kill me!"
"You're just a Hogwarts student. If you kill me, the Ministry of Magic will never let you get away with it!"
He was betting on Draco's identity.
A Pure-blood young master, burdened with the future of his family and still studying, would never dare to kill a member of a prominent dark wizard family in broad daylight.
This was his last line of defense!
Unfortunately, he made the wrong bet.
Draco's lips curled into a cold smile as he slowly took a step closer and pushed his wand forward.
The man in the top hat could even feel the magic emanating from the tip of the wand burning against his skin.
You can give it a try.
These four short words carry a suffocating sense of oppression.
The man in the top hat clearly sensed that the boy before him was truly intent on killing.
For the girl behind him, he seemed to truly disregard his family's future and legal rules.
This resoluteness,
This completely shattered the man in the top hat's psychological defenses.
He looked into Draco's cold, gray eyes, and a deep-seated fear swept over him.
"I... I understand!"
The man in the top hat's voice instantly faltered.
He pleaded, "I'll never do it again! I'll never try anything with you again! Let me go!"
After staring at him for a few seconds, Draco confirmed that only fear remained in his eyes before slowly retracting his wand. The murderous intent around him vanished abruptly, and Draco took a half-step back, saying indifferently, "Get lost."
"Halt!" Draco snapped, stopping him. "Take your men with you, and don't soil the snows of Hogsmeade."
The man in the top hat stopped in his tracks, his face turning deathly pale. Not daring to disobey, he could only turn back, trembling, and struggle to lift his stiff, rock-hard subordinate, his body swaying violently.
"Get out of here now."
Draco's tone was full of impatience.
The man in the top hat dared not linger any longer, and carrying his men, he trudged into the wind and snow, his steps uneven.
Draco stood there, watching the two figures disappear, slowly suppressing the murderous aura around him, putting away his wand, and with Apparition back into the Three Broomsticks.
Hermione looked at him, a hint of panic in her eyes.
She wasn't afraid that Draco would hurt her.
She was afraid of that boy who had looked as cold as ice, pressed his wand against someone's neck, and who had actually intended to kill them.
That wasn't the Draco she knew who would secretly protect her; that was Malfoy, who would cross the line without hesitation for her sake.
Draco turned around and saw her expression. His anger dissipated considerably, and he asked softly, "Did I scare you?"
Hermione nodded slightly, then quickly shook her head and whispered:
"I'm not afraid of you... I'm just afraid something might really happen to you."
"You're a student, you have a family, and... you can't ruin yourself for someone like that."
"Just now... I was afraid you really killed him, not afraid he would die, but afraid you would never come back."
Draco's heart clenched.
Ignoring the other guests and Madam Rosmerta around them, he reached out and gently pulled her into his arms.
"I'll be fine," Draco said softly. "I know where the line is better than anyone."
Hermione buried her face in his shoulder, her voice still a little muffled. "But just now... the way you looked, I was really scared."
"You are Malfoy, a student of Hogwarts, and I am..." she continued.
"He's the person I like. I don't want you to change yourself into someone I wouldn't even recognize for that scumbag."
Draco was silent for a few seconds, then released her.
"I won't kill him." Draco looked earnestly into her eyes. "I'm not stupid enough to ruin myself, and more importantly, our future, for a mad dog."
I was just trying to scare him.
Draco continued, "Only when he's terrified to the core will he dare not mess with you again."
Hermione stared at him, stunned.
"I promise you," Draco gently took her hand, "From now on, I will only protect you, not hurt anyone. I will not cross that line, I will not make you worry, and I will never let you lose me."
Madam Rosmerta stood not far away, watching this scene, then quietly turned her face away, revealing a gentle smile.
Then she raised her hand to signal the other customers in the shop to continue drinking and not disturb the two young people.
Hermione gave a soft "hmm".
"Don't worry, my wife. I still want to marry you, how could I joke about something like this?"
Hermione blushed and lightly punched him.
The unease and fear from before have now transformed into a sense of peace and shyness.
Hermione suddenly realized they were in public, her cheeks flushed red, and she quickly and gently pulled away.
After pulling away from Draco's embrace, she hung her head so low it was almost buried in her chest, too embarrassed to look at anyone.
Madam Rosmerta, upon seeing this, beamed with joy, then exaggeratedly covered her eyes, exclaiming, "Oh dear, oh dear, you can continue, you can continue, I didn't see anything!"
The moment she opened her mouth, the entire bar erupted in chaos.
The young wizard apprentice wiping the cups nearby let out a loud whistle. "Wow! Young master is so manly! He was cool fighting earlier, and he's even cooler now!"
" Miss Hermione, you're so lucky!"
"That's right, that's right! We didn't hear anything! We only heard someone say—'He wants to marry you!'"
"Together! Together!"
"Give me a kiss! Give me a kiss!"
Even a few villagers quietly drinking in a corner chuckled, "It's so good to be young..."
Hermione blushed deeply and secretly pinched Draco: "It's all your fault... everyone was staring at us..."
Draco, far from panicking, laughed even more blatantly and simply reached out and pulled Hermione close to him.