She stared at Draco, completely mesmerized, as if the world around her had lost its color, leaving only the clear silhouette of the blond man before her.
Her body was so soft it felt damp, and her gaze was so tender it seemed to stretch into silk.
She herself didn't realize that at this moment, the way she looked at him was like looking at the only light in her life, the sun that could illuminate all her confusion and loneliness.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?" Draco was amused by her expression.
Hermione snapped back to reality, her face instantly turning bright red as if she'd been scalded, the heat shooting straight to the top of her head.
She hurriedly tried to look away.
But Draco didn't let her go, leaning closer, his breath almost brushing against her ear:
"You're looking at this so intently... Are you thinking that I'm probably the only one you've ever truly committed to in this life?"
"I... I didn't—I didn't think that at all!"
"No?" Draco said with a half-smile.
"The way you looked at me just now was so affectionate, it was like you were saying 'I'll marry no one but you.'"
Hermione was filled with shame and indignation, but could only protest in a low voice:
"Don't talk nonsense! Who, who wouldn't marry anyone but you..."
"However, even if that's what you think, you're not wrong!" Draco said. "Anyway, I didn't intend to take anyone else."
"Don't be so smug."
Hermione hesitated for a long time before finally managing to squeeze out a sentence, her face flushed.
The voice had no intimidating power whatsoever; instead, it sounded like she was being coquettish.
She didn't dare look at Draco, only lowering her eyes, her cheeks flushed, appearing both obedient and flustered.
She didn't dare look at Draco, her eyes lowered, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, her cheeks as red as ripe apples, making her look so adorable that you wanted to pull her into your arms.
But Hermione's mind was already in turmoil:
How does he know everything...?
How could you see right through me at a glance...?
Was my gaze just now really that obvious? Have I already fallen for him to the point where I can't hide it anymore?
But... he really seems to be the one destined for me. I don't think there's anyone else but him.
At this moment, Hermione's grand visions about the rights of House-elf and her anger at social injustice were completely overshadowed by this fleeting moment of infatuation.
But when he so bluntly exposed her thoughts, Hermione felt less shy and more sweetly annoyed.
She glared at Draco, then muttered under her breath, feigning fierceness. "... Narcissist."
But the corners of her mouth kept turning up uncontrollably.
I just can't suppress it.
Taking a few deep breaths and trying to calm herself down, Hermione forcefully pulled her wandering thoughts back on track.
His gaze became focused and sharp again.
"You just said... why do you think my ideas are useless? Is there really no point in founding SPEW?"
Seeing that she had regained her composure, Draco said seriously, "Because you only saw the 'rights' that the House-elf didn't have, but ignored the House-elf ' distorted 'will'."
He continued his in-depth analysis:
"You're trying to judge them by wizarding values, believing that freedom, pay, and vacations are universal ideals."
"But these are not things that House-elf crave."
Hermione frowned, puzzled, and asked:
"What do you mean? Do they really like being enslaved?" Hermione frowned, asking in confusion.
"They've been brainwashed, brainwashed for millennia, and the brainwashing has penetrated to their very bones." Draco was stating a brutal fact.
House-elf see 'having an owner' as the sole meaning and identity of their existence; what they fear is not labor, but the state of 'ownerlessness'.
For a House-elf, not having an owner means being abandoned, means losing its reason for existence.
That's worse than death.
Seeing Hermione's increasingly serious expression, he continued, "Their sense of honor comes from service."
"The criteria for a 'good House-elf ' are: unconditional obedience, never complaining, and even actively punishing oneself."
They do not believe they need to be 'liberated'.
"The 'freedom' you offer is likely seen by them as humiliation and abandonment."
Hermione frowned deeply, lost in thought. Her words pointed sharply to a more fundamental dilemma.
It turns out that the real obstacle came not only from the wizard's arrogance, but also from the victim's own entrenched soul.
This feeling of powerlessness made her feel suffocated.
Seeing Hermione's somewhat dejected look, Draco changed the subject. "However, it's not like there's no way."
"What method? Do you have a way to change their minds?" Hermione suddenly looked up at him, her eyes gleaming with renewed hope.
Draco looked into her expectant eyes, a confident smile playing on his lips, "You can start by testing it in the Hogwarts Kitchen."
"Turning 'unpaid labor' into an 'employment relationship'..."
Of course, you absolutely can't use the word 'hire' directly; those House-elf would be terrified if they heard that.
"We should call it the ' Model Service Agreement.' It sounds like an honor contract, so they won't object."
He continued to refine the plan:
"Also, give them one day off each week, but don't call it a 'rest day,' call it a 'magic training day.'"
"Tell them that this is necessary learning to improve their magical abilities in serving their master."
"That way, they'll accept it with great joy."
Hermione's eyes widened, and her previously furrowed brows began to relax; she seemed to have caught a glimmer of hope.
Draco raised his second finger.
"Secondly, newspaper publishing and publicity."
We'll create a " Hogwarts Domestic Magic Observer," publishing only real data from the kitchen pilot program, along with an interview with Dobby —letting the facts speak for themselves, not just empty slogans.
Hermione's breathing became rapid, and the light in her eyes grew brighter, a flame of reason ignited within them.
"Third, change the system." Draco extended his third finger, delivering the final, fatal blow.
With the pilot results and the newspaper in hand, I went to Professor McGonagall to formally propose revising the " House-elf Service Code ".
"The goal is clear: to formally enshrine 'voluntary stipends' and 'magical study days' into the school rules. To elevate this from your personal 'student experiment' to a 'school system' of Hogwarts."
These words were like a beam of light piercing through the dark clouds, going straight into Hermione's heart and illuminating all her confusion.
Those brown eyes were now incredibly bright.
All the shyness, panic, and reserve from before were thrown to the winds in this instant, overwhelmed by the joy of "being able to truly help the House-elf."
Only one thought remained in her mind: This method will work! It really will work!