On the eve of the Christmas holidays, a sudden heavy snowfall blanketed Hogwarts Castle, causing almost all the students to lose their focus on their studies.
Even Hermione Granger, who was always engrossed in her studies, an anomaly at Hogwarts who practically lived in the library, had to admit that Hogwarts, covered in snow, was so beautiful that it sparked the imagination.
She imagined that if someone were to ride a broomstick and look down on Hogwarts from midair, they might see Hogwarts as a whole, exquisite gingerbread house sprinkled with icing sugar, or a model of a castle inside some kind of musical snow globe from the Muggle world.
Why would one make such a conjecture, from a perspective viewed from high above? Hermione suddenly wondered.
It seemed that the five minute flight initiated by a Slytherin boy on a whim still had a profound influence on her way of thinking.
Draco, that boy who is as gentle as snow, yet as cold as snow.
Occasionally, during class breaks or in the hallways, Hermione would overhear the Slytherins whispering, "Malfoy is to be expected. You cannot expect him to be friendly to you. His family is known for its arrogance."
Arrogant? He is very approachable to me in private, Hermione wondered, confused.
"I think there is something wrong with his nervous system that controls his smile," Lavender said to Parvati during a late night dormitory chat. "I suggest you look at other boys. Malfoy is too aloof, and he is a Slytherin, no less."
"I know. I never liked Slytherins either. They always act like they do not respect anyone," Parvati said dismissively. "But just looking at them, Malfoy is quite good looking, is he not? It is hard not to notice him."
"He is only good to look at when he is stern. Who knows, he might look ugly when he smiles!" Lavender chuckled. "That is why he does not dare to smile."
No way! Hermione thought angrily from behind the bed curtains. He is definitely handsome when he smiles.
Hermione had seen him smile. When he took her flying and they dismounted from the broomstick, he had smiled so brightly and passionately, like a dazzling sun, with starlight in his eyes.
He never laughed like that again. He always maintained a cold and aloof demeanor.
Thinking about it this way, when we were partners in Transfiguration Class, he never smiled. He always had a stern face and looked quite serious.
But that does not mean he was unfriendly to me.
If they were talking face to face, studying together in the library, or working as classmates, he was always very friendly toward her, spoke to her politely, and even subtly showed her special treatment.
This special feeling was subtly reflected in certain details that only the person experiencing it could notice.
No matter what class it was, if she walked to the empty seat next to him and was about to sit down, he would glance at her expressionlessly and then pull out a chair for her. She had never seen any other study partner who cared about such things. In fact, he did not seem to be this considerate to other students either.
When there were no seats in the library, and she intended to sit or stand and torture herself by reading for a while, he would most likely walk out from behind a bookshelf and accidentally find her, taking her to that incredibly comfortable private space that she could never find on her own, and gently placing her in a soft armchair so she could sit and read for a while, and even making her a cup of hot tea.
He was willing to respond to her greetings anywhere, regardless of whether there was a group of Slytherins around. However, he rarely greeted her first, unless she was walking around the castle carrying a pile of rickety books. Only on such occasions would he be more proactive, not only suddenly learning to greet her but also offering to carry her books until he reached her destination.
Was he giving me special treatment? Hermione wondered.
It is also possible that I am just imagining things.
Sometimes, she would inexplicably feel his gaze fixed on her, but when she turned around, he was looking elsewhere.
A boy who is neither too close nor too distant.
She did not even know if their relationship could be considered friendship.
He never sought her out unless absolutely necessary. It seemed he only approached her when she needed help.
Once she was all right, he left without hesitation. Afterward, he kept his distance from her coldly and even avoided eye contact with her.
It is as if he does not want to get into any trouble.
However, whenever she took the initiative to approach him, no matter when, where, or what, he never showed any annoyance. In fact, his expression would be more relaxed than usual.
She could sense his thoughtfulness, even a touch of attentiveness. When she got close enough to him, he did not act coldly at all, but rather let her feel a hidden tenderness in him.
Their conversations were always very pleasant. When he was truly engaged, he would give her a brief, slight smile, very occasionally, and then, he would usually wipe that smile off immediately, his expression turning bitter and resentful.
The boy is an enigma. He gives off an air of mystery, even cryptic, but this does not make him unpleasant. Instead, it piques my interest in investigating him.
She began to observe him.
He was reluctant to talk much. In fact, he would never use a sentence if he could answer with a single word.
He rarely smiled. He did not smile at anyone except the professors. His attitude toward everyone was indifferent, with a calm demeanor and a weary expression.
Compared to that, he actually talked to her quite a lot. Compared to his peers, his attitude toward her could be described as unprecedentedly enthusiastic, Hermione thought.
For some reason, even though he exuded an aura of keep away, the Slytherins still respected him. They did not seem to find anything wrong with it.
At the Great Hall's dining tables, there were always some Slytherin students surrounding him, eating and talking happily around him, following his lead, and getting used to his cold attitude.
This is utterly illogical. How could a cold hearted boy possibly win the favor of friendship?
Could it be that Slytherins follow a different set of rules for making friends, that the more aloof a person is, the more popular they are in this house? Hermione wondered, puzzled.
In Gryffindor's way of making friends, the more cheerful, outgoing, and enthusiastic a person was, the more popular they were. For example, her roommate Lavender Brown got to know everyone in Gryffindor on her very first day at Hogwarts.
Lavender had a special talent. She could quickly become friends with all the Gryffindors. No matter who it was, she could greet them warmly and exchange a few words with them.
But judging from Draco's indifferent demeanor, he probably could not be as gifted as Lavender and quickly learn all the Slytherin students' preferences.
What is it about him that makes the Slytherins always want to flock around him?
Just like me, I always cannot help but want to be his classmate, even though he does not like to smile.
Hermione Granger, why have you been willing to partner with him again and again? She asked herself.
Ah, the Slytherin boy, as gentle as snow, yet as cold as snow.
The Gryffindor girl sighed wistfully, peeked out from the corridor, looked up at the snowflakes dancing lightly in the sky, and involuntarily stretched out her arm. A few crystal snowflakes drifted down, like gifts from the smoky grey sky. They fell with the wind, casually kissing her palm.
The slight chill melted instantly in her warm palms, leaving only faint watermarks.
Hermione shuddered at the icy touch, shook off the chilly water droplets, breathed warm air on her hands, and a lively expression appeared in her eyes.
She smiled slightly, suddenly feeling somewhat happier. Shaking off the speculation sparked by the snowflakes, she continued walking toward the library, carrying several books.
The girl was completely unaware that a pair of pale grey eyes were watching her as she tilted her head back to catch the snowflakes.