After finishing her rice noodles, she picked up a small porcelain spoon next to her, gently scooped up a spoonful of chilled mung bean syrup, and put it in her mouth.
The sweet taste melts instantly on the tip of the tongue.
It's warm, smooth, and cool, sliding down your throat.
That coolness seemed to have a magical power.
The oppressive feeling from the cave and the intense heat from close contact during high-altitude flight were instantly dispelled.
But the more she ate, the more she felt something was wrong.
This flavor... is so unique.
Unlike the mass-produced desserts at Hogwarts, these don't have that distinctive flavor.
The seasoning ratio for this rice noodle dish is just right, and the mung bean syrup is cooked to a perfect consistency—sweet but not cloying.
This feeling,
Unlike standard meals conjured by magic, it felt more like... something someone had made by hand.
She put down her chopsticks and looked at Draco with a slightly puzzled expression.
"This wasn't taken from the kitchen, was it... Did you make it?"
"Yeah, hard to believe?" Draco leaned back lazily in his chair, a familiar smile playing on his lips, but his eyes reflected her slightly dazed expression.
Anyway, the system is mine, and what I got from the system is the same as what I made, so there's nothing wrong with it.
Looking at the man in front of him,
Hermione seems to be reassessing her perception of him.
"... I never knew you could make this," she said, then couldn't resist scooping up a spoonful and putting it in her mouth; the rich aroma exploded on her tongue.
This made her squint her eyes. "It's delicious, really... much better than the same old food in the Great Hall of Hogwarts."
Hearing his beloved's praise, Draco's smile deepened, but he remained completely composed.
"Of course, I learned this especially for my 'wife.' We've already agreed that I'll be a full-time stay-at-home dad from now on, solely responsible for keeping you healthy and plump."
Hermione paused, her hand holding the chopsticks faltering. In that instant, a blush spread rapidly from her neck to her ears, like the glow of the sunset.
She lowered her head, trying to hide her out-of-control expression with her cascading brown curls, but the uncontrollable upward curve of her lips completely betrayed the sweetness in her heart at that moment.
She mumbled softly, "... Who... who asked you to be a stay-at-home dad?" After a few seconds of pause, she added very softly, "But... it's fine this way too."
After saying that, Hermione, as if to hide her embarrassment, suddenly buried her head and began to eat the mixed noodles in large bites.
It was as if the person who had just blushed and felt their heart race wasn't her at all.
However, as the warm touch of the food slid into her stomach, a picture suddenly surfaced in her mind—
That will happen someday in the future.
She had been busy at the Ministry of Magic all day, dealing with mountains of paperwork, and wearily pushed open the door to her home.
Inside, there was no desolate darkness, only warm yellow light, and the familiar aroma of food filled the air.
Draco no longer wore robes, but instead stayed quietly in the house, waiting for her return.
She toiled tirelessly outside, fighting against the world for justice and peace, while he kept the home impeccably clean and tidy.
She would also magically produce her favorite foods.
When she's too tired to speak, I'll quietly stay by her side, needing no words, just a hug.
Without the noise of the outside world, without political strife,
She took care of external affairs while he took care of internal affairs; one upheld the banner of ideals outside, while the other provided warmth for their small family inside.
The more she thought about it, the hotter her face became, as if she could fry an egg. Her long eyelashes drooped, concealing the tender affection that was about to overflow from her eyes.
But in her heart, she admitted:... it seems that such a future is actually quite good.
She didn't say anything, but quickly stole a glance at him.
Draco was looking at her with a half-smile, his sharp eyes seeming to see right through her disguise.
She lowered her head again in a panic.
But a sweet smile still lingered at the corners of her lips.
Draco immediately saw through the pleasant images she was conjuring up in her mind, and he laughed, "What are you thinking about? Your face is so red, it could bleed."
Hermione was caught off guard and choked with fear.
She nearly choked on her saliva, then glared at him fiercely, her voice barely audible, like a mosquito's buzz.
"N-nothing! Hurry up and eat your noodles!"
Draco laughed even harder.
Hermione took a deep breath and muttered softly, "You seem to... know everything."
"Of course," Draco said, resting his chin on his hand and staring intently at her. "No one else gets this treatment; only Miss Granger has this privilege."
"... Mmm." She didn't dare to look up into his overly affectionate eyes again, nor did she have the strength to argue as she usually did. She simply responded with a single word.
At that moment, Hermione suddenly realized clearly:
The man in front of me is both handsome and capable.
He possesses the domineering nature unique to Pure-blood nobles, yet he also harbors an extreme tenderness that he shows only to her.
All his goodness, all his talent and thoughtfulness, were reserved solely for her!
Quietly finished the last bite of the rice noodle roll, and also drank almost all the sweet soup in the bowl.
Hermione gently scooped up the remaining sweet soup at the bottom of the bowl with a spoon. It tasted so good that she didn't want to end the moment.
After a moment, the blush on her face gradually faded, and she calmly and earnestly brought up the previous topic:
"We just... believed a story too easily. It turns out you really can't just listen to one side of the story. The truth might just be hidden in the half that nobody wants to hear."
"Indeed, one-sided accounts are too one-sided." Draco's playful expression faded, and he nodded.
"In this world, everyone tells their own version of events, often ignoring the whole truth."
Hermione's eyes dimmed slightly, and she sighed softly, " Apollonia may have been injured, but the crimes she committed were real, and Jackdaw deserved to die..."
"But Anne did nothing! She's the only innocent and pitiful person in this dirty farce."
In conclusion,
Her voice trembled slightly, as if she felt heartbroken for the girl who had been tormented by fate.
Seeing her sad expression, Draco suddenly reached out and took her hand, which was resting on the table.
"So, girls really need to keep their eyes open," he said. "For example, my wife has excellent taste."
Hermione paused.
Just moments before, her heart had been slightly immersed in heavy thoughts, but his sudden quip gently stirred her emotions, causing her cheeks to flush.
She was talking about very heavy social issues, but the moment he opened his mouth, he could always easily pull her emotions away.
Let her forget the heaviness, forget the sorrow.
All that remained was a heart full of excitement.
After a few seconds of silence, Hermione finally muttered helplessly, "... You're always like this."