Heat.
There was still some distance between them, yet it felt almost contagious. Pansy's whole body grew warm, and her legs shifted restlessly against each other.
Do not mistake her composure for boldness. Pansy could express her feelings so openly only because the other person was Draco. In front of people her own age or even close friends, she would still feel shy and embarrassed.
Especially when the secret in her heart was seen through.
Hermione's startled cry and flushed cheeks confused Pansy at first. But when she noticed Hermione's gaze drifting toward Draco from time to time, she immediately understood.
Realizing what Hermione must be thinking, Pansy felt both embarrassed and irritated.
And Pansy's reaction, in turn, made Hermione realize her own thoughts had been exposed.
Their eyes met.
Both froze for a second, their breathing stalling at the same time.
Their emotions rose and fell like a roller coaster. Confusion first. Then sudden understanding. Then indignation.
What made it even stranger was that neither of them stopped to question why the other had immediately thought of something so intimate. Instead, their attention shifted elsewhere.
Had the other gotten ahead of her without saying a word?
"You wouldn't…"
"You actually…"
"You too?"
"So it was you?"
"..."
"..."
They spoke at the same time, then fell silent in perfect sync.
Neither girl was foolish. On the contrary, from those few unfinished sentences and that heavy pause in the air, Pansy and Hermione instantly grasped what the other meant and what questions were forming in her mind.
Clearly, they shared something in common, though their experiences were not entirely the same.
"You…"
"You…"
"You go first."
"No, you first."
"..."
"..."
That infuriating unspoken understanding made them both shut up again.
An awkward silence spread between them.
There was curiosity in their eyes, and scrutiny, but even more hesitation.
Part of it was wanting to know how far the other had gone toward that unspoken "end." Part of it was uncertainty over whether it was wise to press further.
After all, though neither of them would admit it, both Pansy and Hermione cherished the complicated bond between them, something that hovered between rivalry and friendship.
And yet.
What had begun as a discussion about casting the Patronus Charm had somehow drifted completely off course, landing them on a conclusion far too embarrassing to say aloud.
If the wizard who invented the Patronus Charm ever learned that its key lay in filling one's mind with… that sort of thing, he would probably be utterly stunned.
Then again, it was something joyful, harmonious, and undeniably powerful.
Perhaps being a wizard truly did require this kind of imagination.
…
Draco did not have a third eye on his back.
With his back turned to Pansy and Hermione, there was no way he could know that a certain crisis was quietly approaching him.
At the moment, all of his attention was on the pale beauty in front of him.
He had drawn up training plans for everyone.
Everyone except Astoria.
For her alone, Draco had granted complete freedom.
It was not neglect, nor was it indulgence. It was simply different.
Not because he did not value her. Not because he failed to see her as one of his own. And certainly not out of pity for the Blood Curse she bore.
What Draco had never said aloud was this: among everyone present, the one whose magical strength was second only to his own was the girl now flustered under his steady gaze.
Not Pansy Parkinson, talented in Transfiguration.
Not Hermione Granger, whose theoretical knowledge surpassed her peers.
But Astoria Greengrass.
Astoria did not know what Draco was thinking. She only knew that being stared at for so long by someone with such a unique status, someone who occupied such a special place in her heart, was becoming unbearable.
It felt as if, if this continued, the rapid thudding of her heartbeat would give her away to everyone.
"Is there something else?" Astoria blurted out, almost as if trying to escape. "My potion is at a critical stage."
Trying to fool Draco with that excuse was pointless.
He was skilled in Potions himself, and his godfather was a recognized Potions Master.
Not to mention that the flame beneath Astoria's cauldron had gone out who knew how long ago.
Draco knew.
And when Astoria saw the look in his eyes, she knew that he knew.
"..."
"..."
Flustered and annoyed, Astoria shot him a sharp glare. He was looking at her with that faint, knowing smile again.
She turned her head away, both embarrassed and regretful.
Her puffed-up expression was undeniably fresh and rather adorable. But Draco truly had not meant to tease her.
After a quiet laugh, he explained himself.
"Researching Potions is fine. But why not try learning the Patronus Charm as well? I don't think it would be difficult for you."
"..."
There was no joy on Astoria's face at his confidence in her. Instead, something complicated flickered in her expression.
Draco's suggestion was not unreasonable.
As the leader of this group, and with the enemies they might face in the future, it was only natural that he wanted everyone to have at least some ability to resist, or at the very least, protect themselves.
And the Patronus Charm was one of the most effective spells for that purpose.
Astoria pressed her lips together.
"…I'll find time to try."
"I see. Pansy and the others haven't asked directly, but I think they're worried about you."
"..."
Only then did Astoria understand what Draco had truly meant.
At that thought, she unexpectedly glanced past him toward Pansy and Hermione not far behind.
But what Draco did not expect was the strange, almost amused expression that crossed Astoria's face.
For no clear reason at all, his eyelid began to twitch.