The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 337 Holding Hands, Hermione's Instructions

On the second floor of the castle, there is a quiet and slightly long corridor.

One side leads to Madame Pomfrey's office and treatment room, while the other side connects to the castle's movable staircase.

The midday sun shone through the window, casting dappled shadows.

As Ino stood at the entrance of the school hospital, her gaze inadvertently caught sight of Hermione and Ginny walking side by side at the end of the corridor.

This stirred a ripple in his heart. Although Harry was often passively bearing the burden, he was also fortunate in some ways.

For example, Ginny, with her unwavering trust and care.

From afar, the two Gryffindor girls also spotted the people standing at the entrance of the school hospital.

Hermione, in particular, wore a delighted smile.

"Ino!" A clear and melodious voice rang out in the corridor.

Hermione's words carried a hint of unexpected joy, and her long legs unconsciously quickened their pace.

"You've come to see Harry too? I came with Ginny; she's not feeling well, and I'm a little worried about her."

Hermione approached while explaining softly, her eyes glancing back every now and then, as if waiting for Ginny's confirmation.

She hadn't expected Ino to be there; she had originally planned to take Ginny to the school hospital first and then personally offer her congratulations.

This encounter is a pleasant surprise, but there are also some things that need to be clarified.

"As a friend, you did the right thing; she really didn't look well."

Ino saw through Hermione's thoughts and waved his hand dismissively.

While the two were talking, Ginny finally caught up with Hermione and arrived at the entrance of the school hospital.

"Good morning, Mr. Swinburne!" Despite her worries, Ginny still greeted him politely.

"Just call me Ino," Ino said naturally as she turned her head.

Although George and Fred got along very well, he didn't have much interaction with Ginny. Apart from the time he talked to her in his second-year notebook, he hadn't even had a proper private conversation with her.

"If you want to see Harry, now is the time, even though he's asleep. But if more people come later, Madam Pomfrey will probably have to restrict entry. But don't worry, he's not seriously injured."

Ino quite admired Ginny; such a determined and devoted girl was truly endearing.

Perhaps his appreciation was superficial, because after he finished speaking, he found that his boot had been kicked.

Turning her head, she saw Hermione staring nonchalantly at the ceiling, as if nothing was happening to her.

Seeing this, Ginny couldn't help but laugh and gently covered her mouth.

Upon hearing that Harry was unharmed, the worry in her eyes lessened, but she still had to go in and visit him no matter what.

After giving Hermione an encouraging look, Ginny headed towards the school hospital gate.

……

With Ginny's departure.

The corridor returned to silence.

After a moment, Hermione broke the silence: "Is he really alright?"

"That seems to be the case at the moment." Ino nodded slightly.

"Okay! But more importantly, I haven't congratulated you yet. A perfect score is well-deserved." Hermione raised her head slightly and said with a sincere expression.

It seems that after sharing a common secret in the Room of Requirement, their relationship has grown considerably closer.

The most noticeable change is that Hermione no longer blushes easily like before, and now she gazes at people openly and confidently.

"Thank you! But it was just a game," Ino explained with a smile, without avoiding Hermione's gaze.

In the quiet corridor, the two stared at each other, as if everything around them had come to a standstill.

a long time.

With a soft click, the quiet atmosphere was broken, and the door to the school hospital was pushed open once again.

Upon hearing the sound, the two turned around at the same time, and the iconic black robe stood out prominently.

Outside the door, Snape was unusually embarrassed, standing there blankly, unsure whether to go in or out, seemingly caught in a dilemma.

"Good afternoon, Professor Snape!" Fortunately, Hermione quickly came to her senses and even took the initiative to greet him.

Actually, she was very grateful to Snape from the bottom of her heart. If it weren't for those two-way mirrors, and later finding that bottle of Felix Felicis in the Potions classroom...

She may not have noticed many things at the time, but now, upon careful reflection, she has discovered the similarities behind different things.

And this commonality is that of the Potions professor in front of us, wearing a long robe.

To avoid embarrassing the professor, Hermione, after greeting him, grabbed Ino's arm without thinking and headed to the other side of the corridor.

Meanwhile, Ino was also stunned by this sudden action and didn't even get a chance to say a word to Snape before being pulled away by Hermione.

In the corridor, Snape stood silently, watching the two figures leave.

……

With each step.

Even after leaving the entrance of the school hospital, Hermione didn't seem to have any intention of letting go and continued walking ahead on her own.

Upon realizing this, Ino didn't say anything more, but simply tightened her grip slightly, turning the passive hand-holding into an active walking side by side.

This is a natural and smooth transition.

Perhaps from the moment she accepted Hermione Felix, this transformation was already a natural progression.

Almost any relationship begins from the moment someone owes you something.

……

Feeling the warmth from her palm, Hermione's lips unconsciously curled into a smile.

The two walked side by side down the long corridor, their pace slow but always in sync.

After a long pause, Ino suddenly spoke:

"For the time being, if possible, stay away from Harry!"

"Because of the Unforgivable Curse?" Hermione looked up in surprise, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Can dark magic cause such a serious effect from just one use?"

"No! There are other reasons." Ino shook her head slightly, while also struggling with a brief decision.

In the end, he decided to tell Hermione everything, lest the girl be unaware of the seriousness of the situation.

Hermione, there's something you might need to know, but it's best if you're the only one who knows.

Stopping in their tracks, Ino said solemnly, "Harry has become somewhat different, but it's not due to his own actions; you could interpret it as a curse of dark magic..."

In just a few minutes, aside from not mentioning Voldemort and Horcruxes, he tried his best to convey the seriousness of the situation to Hermione, including the uncertainty surrounding Harry.

"Oh my god!" Hermione's eyes widened in disbelief. She had thought it was just an emergency evacuation, but she never expected it to involve so much.

"Oh no! Ginny's still inside!" Hermione turned around abruptly, then looked towards the other side of the corridor.

She remembered that Professor Snape had come out of the ward before she left, so now Ginny and Harry would be alone together.

"It's not that serious yet," Ino pulled Hermione back and explained, "Besides, Harry drank Madam Pomfrey's potion and won't wake up anytime soon."

"Didn't Professor Dumbledore know this? Didn't he think of any solution?"

Hermione stopped, her voice filled with uncertainty.

(End of this chapter)