Although they had started off with a wizard duel fought as if neither side would stop until the other was dead, their conversation had not truly ended on bad terms.
Still, when Snape left, his face was certainly cold.
After all, he had not actually accomplished what he came here to do, nor had he received a satisfactory answer...
As Snape's figure disappeared into the darkness, Hermione looked at Draco with hesitation on her face.
"Is this really all right?"
"..."
"Actually, Snape's idea isn't bad. It's much safer, too. Compared to that plan, I'd rather you agree to Snape's suggestion."
"The look on your face doesn't match what you're saying at all."
"...That doesn't matter. If you think this method is better, I'll help you explain it to the others."
Draco naturally understood exactly what Hermione meant.
If he really left Hogwarts according to Snape's plan, then the Draco Constellation's Hogwarts branch, which had been founded with him at its center, would collapse in an instant.
Leaving aside whether Hermione and the other core members would leave with Draco, the bad news that Draco, their pillar of support, was gone would be enough to wipe out the morale those young wizards had only just managed to build.
The more they had admired him before, the more they would resent him afterward.
And Hermione intended to explain things on Draco's behalf, doing her best to ease the resentment of those who felt abandoned.
It was even possible that Hermione might choose to stay behind herself...
However.
As mentioned before, if the price was putting Snape in danger, and even having Hermione stay behind to clean up the mess, then Draco would never accept an outcome where he left in such a disgraceful way.
Draco's pride would not allow it.
Although there was nothing Slytherin about that at all. In fact, it even carried the scent of Gryffindor naivety and the foolishness Snape spoke of.
But he was Draco Malfoy!
A noble who placed all his love in his family!
More importantly, Draco did not believe that staying at Hogwarts meant certain death.
As the saying went.
The most effective way to break through an enemy's camp was to bring it down from within.
Perhaps, at the most critical moment, they might even become the unexpected force in this war...
...
Thinking of this, Draco slowly stood and waved his hand, restoring the stone chairs and table he had Transfigured back to their original state.
Then, as he walked back the way they had come, he began analyzing why Snape had acted this way.
"It seems Snape must have noticed something."
"You mean the Dark Lord is going to make a move against you?"
"Not necessarily. Perhaps... something else has changed outside, and that's what made our Dark Lord take action. As for what could possibly alarm him..."
"It's a Horcrux, isn't it?"
"Exactly. That also means there must be a clue to a Horcrux hidden somewhere in Hogwarts."
"And what about you? From the way Snape put it, you seem to be one of the Dark Lord's targets too."
"Hmm... probably because my father really has put pressure on him."
Compared with the matter of the Horcruxes, Draco did not believe that someone as arrogant as Voldemort would truly fear him, the so-called Dragontongue.
Unless a force capable of contending with him had appeared, and Draco's existence had become a factor full of uncertainty...
If that was the case, then everything made sense.
In that case.
"Draco?"
Hermione, who had been thinking over everything that had happened tonight, suddenly noticed that Draco had stopped walking.
In the darkness lit only by magical light, Hermione saw a pair of eyes that seemed capable of drawing a person's soul inside.
In a daze, Hermione thought she heard a sentence.
"Our plan needs to be moved up, Hermione."
The plan had to be moved up?
Were things really that serious...?