Draco was a contradiction.
He always seemed cold and arrogant, yet sometimes, he acted like a typical child.
Like when the little witch came to him with Neville, asking for help—he didn’t turn them away. He helped.
From that alone, it was clear.
Draco wasn’t as heartless as he looked.
At the end of the day, he was still just an eleven-year-old boy. It was the people around him who often forgot that.
Still, that didn’t mean...
He could completely ignore the constant chatter in his ears...
...
“Every new student has to cross this lake when they arrive. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History.”
“I think there’s got to be some special meaning behind it.”
“By the way, which house do you think is the best...?”
At some point, Goyle and Crabbe—who had been standing beside Draco—were replaced by a little witch who held her chin high and spoke endlessly to herself.
Not long ago, Draco had helped her out.
Now, with his arms crossed, he stood by the lakeshore, waiting to cross. He glanced toward Crabbe and Goyle, who had clearly gone off to stir trouble with the Weasleys.
Then he looked down at the girl next to him—at least a head shorter than he was...
Hermione.
“I’m talking to you. You’re not from a wizarding family, are you?”
“I heard Slytherins are all—eh?”
Caught off guard by Draco’s sudden question, the little witch froze.
Her lips parted in surprise, and under the moonlight, it gave her an unexpectedly cute look.
“What’s wrong with that? I don’t think it makes any difference between us!”
She frowned and snapped back instinctively.
A prickly little hedgehog of a girl.
But it was clear—this girl had her pride.
Still, she might’ve been a little too sensitive...
“Are you stupid?”
“Huh!?”
Eyes wide, she stared at his profile, completely stunned by the blunt response.
Ignoring her sharp glare, Draco turned his attention to the calm, rippleless surface of the lake.
“Didn’t you notice?”
“Notice what?”
“Look around, you idiot.”
“...”
She didn’t quite understand what he was talking about, but the word “idiot” came through loud and clear. Her brown eyes sparkled with indignation.
Her reaction made the corners of Draco’s mouth curl into a small smile.
For someone raised in a noble household like him...
Meeting a girl this fiery and full of personality was new—and oddly entertaining.
...
Draco’s words actually had a reason behind them.
If the little witch hadn’t been so focused on him, she might have noticed the strange looks and quiet stares coming from the other young witches and wizards around them.
Curiosity.
Admiration.
Even a little fear.
Most of the students here had already recognized who Draco was.
To be precise...
In the wizarding world, who didn’t know the Malfoy name—the platinum-blooded noble family?
That pale blond hair was practically a symbol of pure-blood heritage...
Because of that, the young witches and wizards from various families, after weighing their options, generally kept their distance. They’d all been warned by their parents long before arriving at school.
And those who hadn’t been told anything still ended up keeping their distance—subconsciously pushed back by Draco’s aloof demeanor.
Which is why...
The one girl bold enough to approach Draco naturally became the center of attention.
Not that she’d noticed yet...
...
Just then, the tall man who had brought them to the lake walked up to the shore.
He’d introduced himself as the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.
And a few students knew he was also a half-giant...
“All first-years, board the boats! Remember, only four to a boat.”
One by one, small boats with lanterns hanging from their bows emerged silently from the darkness and drifted toward the shore, as if guided by invisible hands.
The sight made the Muggle-born witch widen her eyes in wonder. It wasn’t until Draco stepped forward that she snapped out of it and realized—it was time to board.
“Are these boats enchanted? Or did someone cast a charm on them?”
“I read about this part in a book—there’s a rule that only four people can ride in a boat. Supposedly, it’s because the four great wizards who founded Hogwarts crossed the lake this way when they established the school.”
As the boat glided forward, the young witch kept talking nonstop.
“Hey, Draco, who is this girl?”
“Is she from some wizarding family?”
Goyle and Crabbe had returned to Draco’s side and were now eyeing the girl on their boat with confusion.
They clearly wanted to know who she was.
In response, Draco glanced at the girl who was currently glaring at him and then said slowly...
“Just a stu—”
“Hermione Granger.”
The proud young witch cut him off, announcing her name through gritted teeth.
“And... I’m not stupid!!”
Her shout of frustration rang out—
Followed by Draco’s soft laugh.
And so, after their long journey, the new first-years of Hogwarts...
Finally began their entry into the magical school filled with wonder...