Harry Potter: Miss Malfoy

"Come here! Come here! Don't be shy! That's it."

"Now, I think you all came here because of my reputation, so I will not go into details about my great achievements."

"In short, at this dangerous moment, at the request of Headmaster Dumbledore,"

"I have accepted the important responsibility of reconvening the Dueling Club."

In the dining room of the auditorium, the long tables and chairs of the four colleges had been moved to the wall and stacked.

In the empty hall, there was only a rectangular stone platform in the center.

The students from the four colleges were divided into four groups, occupying the four corners of the stone platform.

Lockhart had changed into a champagne gold robe and was standing on the stone platform, looking proudly.

As he explained, he nodded to the crowd that poured in, never forgetting to show off his proud smile.

"Relax. I know many of you will be thinking that this is Professor Flitwick's responsibility."

"After all, my mentor was once a duel champion!"

Lockhart said, winking at the Ravenclaw students.

Draco followed Lockhart's gaze and looked at the students with blue and silver pins on their robes.

His eyes unconsciously lingered on a girl with long, smooth black hair, an elegant face and a quiet temperament.

The girl tilted her head in confusion, looked at Lockhart, and then frowned slightly.

On top of her long hair, the delicate hair accessory looked like some kind of oriental long bun, with silk bells hanging from it, swaying gently.

Lockhart winked at the girl and continued speaking.

The girl forced herself to smile gently and tolerantly.

Only when she turned her head to the left, she saw another group of students.

When the girl exchanged glances with a tall boy whose face was hidden in shadow, she revealed a hint of helplessness.

Those are the Hufflepuff students.

"But I think, also because he is my mentor, he understands better than anyone the possible risks of dueling with me."

"Even though I will only be responsible for the demonstration, my magic power is too strong and I may accidentally use too much force."

"Fortunately, there is a fearless warrior."

"Even though he knew all the risks, he still stepped forward and served as an assistant."

"Let us give a grand welcome to Severus Snape, my assistant!"

Lockhart introduced the magical creatures in a pompous tone, like a circus narrator.

He raised his hands high towards the students present, as if anticipating that the atmosphere would become heated.

But Severus's dark figure exuded a solemn aura as he slowly stepped onto the stone platform.

The students in the audience didn't even dare to make a sound like breathing or coughing.

"Well, uh, well, it seems like everyone is still too nervous. Right?"

Lockhart held his hands high, frozen in place, embarrassed by the dead silence.

He coughed a few times and quickly straightened his face.

"Ahem, then, without further ado, let's get started!"

"Don't worry, this is just a demonstration, your Potions Master will be fine!"

"Now, look carefully, let's salute each other first."

Lockhart gave a pompous court salute, but Draco raised an eyebrow in displeasure.

Obviously this idiot didn't realize that giving the wrong salute in the wrong occasion would only make him look vulgar.

Severus raised his wand in front of him quickly and decisively, then put it down and turned away.

Lockhart just kept muttering to himself, reminding the students of the proper etiquette in a duel.

"Now, when I count to three, we will begin the first spell."

"Of course, neither of us has any intention of killing each other!"

"Watch my wrist and how I flick the wand at an unexpected speed on the count of three."

"Now! One, two, three!"

"Expelliarmus." "Ah!!!"

It happened too suddenly.

A second ago, Lockhart was still looking around and reminding the students in the audience,

The next second, he had just turned around, Severus chanted a spell in a lazy tone, and Lockhart had already fallen off the stone platform.

What was rare was that this time, even the Gryffindor students applauded Severus enthusiastically.

"Aha!"

Lockhart jumped up with a dusty face, and he didn't know where he got the confidence from.

With the generosity of a winner, he spread his hands towards Severus.

"Disarming spell! A very suitable spell for teaching. You are worthy of being an assistant teacher."

"Of course, I have long seen through your intentions, but I had to sacrifice myself for the sake of my colleagues' face."

Draco looked at Severus's stiff and cold face on the stage, which seemed to contain a look of regret.

Deep down, I always felt that maybe Severus was lamenting the missed opportunity of accidentally hitting too hard.

"Then without further ado, let's get into groups!"

"Remember, all you need to practice is how to disarm!"

Lockhart seemed to feel Severus' gaze. After swallowing, he hurriedly walked into the group of students.

-

Draco turned around and looked around. It seemed that no student dared to muster up the courage to practice pairing up with the Malfoy daughter.

The Slytherin students dispersed, leaving Draco alone standing at the stone platform.

Draco didn't take it seriously, but his attention was inadvertently drawn to the commotion.

It seemed that something happened among the Hufflepuff students near the handsome boy that I noticed just now.

"Cedric, are you really going to agree to him?"

I vaguely heard someone among the students wearing yellow and black scarves ask this question.

Draco caught Hannah's eye in the crowd; she seemed surprised by the Hufflepuff commotion as well.

After realizing Draco's gaze, her innocent eyes blinked at her.

It seems that he wants to come towards me and practice with me in the same group.

Draco felt warm in his heart and just as a smile appeared on his face, he heard Severus' whisper behind him.

"You seem eager to try, Potter."

"Draco, come here, let's see how you deal with the famous Potter."

Hearing this, Draco sighed, puffed up his cheeks towards Hannah, and made a helpless expression.

Hannah smiled cheerfully, pinching her cheeks gently in her spot, as if to compliment her cute expression.

The cheerful sunflower and the arrogant amaryllis exchanged smiles.

Draco turned around and saw Harry looking at him nervously.

I just remembered that I haven't spoken to him since he asked about my and Daphne Pansy's condition in the ward.

My chest suddenly felt numb and my heart started beating wildly.

Thinking back to my first year, I always felt so dazed when I went on adventures with Harry.

"Wand at the ready! On the count of three, cast your spell to disarm the opponent."

"one......"

"Are you okay? Parkinson and Greengrass..."

Harry asked tentatively as Lockhart counted.

"two......"

"It'll be fine, thanks. Just practice hard."

There was worry in Harry's emerald eyes, but Draco just blinked and responded politely.

Seeing Harry shrinking back at his cold response, he felt even more confused.

She didn't want to accept Harry's concern in front of everyone, but she secretly regretted the tone of her response.

Before he could say anything else, Lockhart raised his hand and shouted dramatically.

"three!"

"Except your weapons!"

"Well…"

As Lockhart gestured, Draco widened his eyes in disbelief as he watched Harry raise his wand towards him.

Watching the weak scarlet beam of light attacking him,

With a soft moan, his body endured the impact of the powerful spell.

Fortunately, perhaps because Harry was not yet proficient in the spell, or perhaps he realized at the last moment that he did not attack.

The spell was not very powerful, and the wand trembled violently in his palm, but he never dropped it.

The soft-heartedness I showed not long ago has turned to ashes in an instant.

"Porter."

Her eyes widened as she stared coldly at the young man in front of her who was scratching his head with a panicked look on his face.

"I...you said...Ah!!!"

Without waiting for Harry to explain, he waved his wand and chanted a spell softly.

Harry's head was hit hard by the mist that had frozen into ice crystals, and he could only hold his head and groan.

"What did I say, Potter."

Draco narrowed his eyes, pressed on, asked questions, and smiled at the same time.

At that moment, Harry suddenly understood.

Why would the fearless Weasley twins admit their mistakes decisively on the Quidditch field?

"You...you said...practice seriously...Ah!!!"

"sorry."

After being hit hard twice again, Harry, who originally wanted to explain himself out of guilt, lowered his head resignedly.

Draco narrowed his eyes again, folded his arms across his chest, looked at Harry with a stern face, and tried hard to suppress a smile.

Seeing Harry raise his head tentatively, the moment their eyes met, they smiled at each other for some unknown reason.

Miraculously, as their eyes met, Draco's anxiety and hesitation in the past few days seemed to be slightly relieved.

The brief silence was not broken until Lockhart's loud exclamation was heard.