I, Hogwarts Second Time Around.

Chapter 289 is the taste of mint.

Irving dealt massive damage with a single strike.

Miss Granger's expression immediately became unnatural.

In the battle of eye contact with him, she was the first to give in.

She looked away, glancing awkwardly elsewhere.

Her heart was pounding harder and harder, and Hermione quickly covered her chest. The sound was like the beating of drums and gongs, and she was afraid that the boy next to her would hear it.

She...she's not that kind of casual girl.

Just as Miss Granger was about to collapse in her daze, a clear voice suddenly came from behind her, "Hi, Owen." Luna floated over as lightly as a flower.

"I've considered your suggestion," she said.

"Huh?" Miss Granger, whose eyes had been flashed by a bright light, snapped back to reality in a second. Silence fell around her as she saw Luna walking toward Harry again.

The two talked to each other awkwardly. Finally, after Harry breathed a sigh of relief and showed a relaxed expression, Ron's face suddenly turned ugly.

"Hmph!" Granger instantly regained her composure. She narrowed her eyes, her expression calm as usual, but her tone carried a hint of sarcasm as she said, "I don't think so!"

Irving was somewhat surprised when his offensive was suddenly thwarted, as he thought he had already defeated his opponent.

Okay—let's analyze the battle situation.

Ten seconds ago, he was confident of victory; ten seconds later, he suffered a complete and utter defeat. The variable in this situation was, of course, Luna, who had just arrived.

Could it be because of Luna? Is Miss Granger jealous?

No way!

She knew best about his relationship with Luna, because Luna and Ginny were good friends, and Ginny and Hermione wore the same dress. While other things might not be easily transmitted between girls, gossip always went straight through.

Therefore, the reason must be something else.

knock!

This is so troublesome—what am I supposed to do when my brain isn't working properly?!

The next moment, a dangerous glint flashed in Owen's eyes. He then quickly stood up, and to everyone's astonishment, grabbed Miss Granger's hand.

He suddenly pulled her up.

As expected—the intellectual love battles among geniuses are still not quite suitable for him.

What dark lord ever falls in love? They just kidnap princesses and enjoy them themselves, don't they?

"What are you doing!" the little witch exclaimed in panic.

She met Irving's burning gaze with difficulty.

Then—before she could hear anything, Owen moved closer.

Then, in the instant she was stunned, their lips touched.

"Wow!!!"

In an instant, the Gryffindor table erupted in chaos, with the twins whistling wildly.

George even had time to reach out and cover Colin's eyes, saying, "This isn't something someone your age should be watching."

But Colin, holding the camera, had already subconsciously pressed the shutter of the camera he was carrying.

Although he didn't see it himself, he preserved this scene forever.

"Oh my god! He should have done this a long time ago. Pulling at each other is the most pointless thing." Not far away, Angelina turned her head and looked at the two boys and girls who were sticking together.

"That's right!" Fred exclaimed, then couldn't help but wink at Angelina.

This made the girl turn her head away shyly.

"Phew~~~"

The two seemed to kiss for a long time, the tenderness making it hard to break free, but in reality, Miss Granger went from having a blank mind to regaining her senses in less than five seconds.

Then she pushed Irving away.

"you--"

"What's wrong with me?" Owen looked at her with a smug look, savoring the delicate fragrance on her lips. He should have just gone for it a long time ago.

Why waste so much time if things are simple and straightforward?

The girl's face was flushed, and her long eyelashes trembled as she looked at him.

Beneath my feet lay the textbook that had fallen apart for the third time.

This time, however, they fell to the ground like celebratory ribbons.

"I don't think it's enough."

The next moment, Owen stood up at Hermione's gasp, gripped her arm tightly, and then strode quickly and firmly toward the exit of the Great Hall.

Behind him came a burst of enthusiastic cheers and whistles.

Irving, as if he had won, strode out with his head held high and chest puffed out—eager to go.

By this time, the sky outside was gradually darkening. The churning dark clouds in the sky seemed to carry a sense of oppression, making the whole environment feel somewhat gloomy.

They walked out of the auditorium, out of the courtyard, and along the wooden bridge spanning the mountain stream. They trudged through the snow, crossed the ridge, and finally arrived at the shore of Black Lake.

Beside Black Lake stands a massive oak tree. Its trunk is so thick that it takes several people working together to encircle it.

They stopped in front of a huge oak tree, so thick that it would take several people to encircle it.

Then he extended his wand, and the oak tree suddenly stretched out branches, like a ladder. He held the girl's hand tightly and stood on it with her.

Then the branch quickly grew taller and returned to its original position.

Owen and Hermione sat on the tree trunk.

"I like being here," he said.

"Why...why?" Miss Granger asked somewhat dazedly, her face already burning red. The cold wind that had just blown through the mountains hadn't sobered her up; instead, it had made her even more intoxicated, like a drunkard.

"Because—" he pointed into the distance.

From this vantage point, the Black Lake in the distance and the village of Hogsmeade not far from it are all visible. Further still, you can see the railway stretching towards the sky, as if leading to heaven, merging seamlessly with the dark clouds.

"I can see where I came from from here," he said, pointing to the tracks.

"I often think, if someone has experienced this world but never ridden a train along that railway, has no magic, and doesn't love Hogwarts, then—what's the point of all this?"

Irving's expression gradually calmed down, and he relaxed his grip on Granger's hand slightly.

"I have walked that road countless times, and each time I have become more determined, even when I am with the Death Eaters and fighting against Dumbledore. I must take the train through there, I must embrace magic without hesitation, and I must love that castle more than anyone else, even though it is full of danger."

He blinked, his clear eyes revealing a gentle ripple he had never shown before.

"But now, I think we need to add one more condition to the above." He turned to look at the girl beside him.

"After all—who wouldn't love Miss Granger?" Owen's lips curved into a beautiful smile, his voice as gentle as a breeze in the rising sun, carrying the scent of free-spirited wildflowers from the mountains and fields, which brushed against Hermione's cheek.

"Hermione," he said, "I've been thinking about it carefully, and how much I'd regret it if I didn't see your face in my dying moments!"

He stared into the girl's brown eyes as if he were gazing into her soul. He could see that the girl's expression froze, as if she had been struck by something heavy, and the smile that had been on her lips gradually faded.

Her brown eyes stared straight ahead, without moving an inch. In her clear eyes, a misty haze visibly rose, gathering at the edges of her pupils, as if about to turn into tears and fall.

Her nose stung, her face fell, and she breathed heavily, as if questioning someone in anguish. Her eyes seemed to say, "Do you know how long I've waited for this day?"

Before the tears could even fall, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.

She was filled with a mix of fear, anger, resentment, and joy, and could only bite her lip and try to suppress it.

But tears still streamed down her cheeks.

"You bastard!" Miss Granger finally couldn't hold back and cursed. Then, with courage from who knows where, a smile returned to her lips, and she leaned in and kissed Owen's cheek.

That was the most sincere and heartfelt confession.

"Hi!"

The boy mumbled a reply and touched the spot where he had just been kissed.

"That's it?" Before Hermione could react, he cupped her cheeks and kissed her fiercely.

The kiss was passionate and deep; Hermione's lips were cold yet sweet, carrying the unique fragrance of a young girl.

The little witch instinctively wanted to resist, but soon that barely perceptible resistance disappeared, and she began to awkwardly respond to his kisses, just as she did every time he taught her to practice magic.

a long time.

The two of them finally snapped out of their reverie.

"Huff~~~" She breathed heavily, her heart had never been beating so fast, then she smiled with relief.

"Miss Granger," Owen said, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he looked at her flushed cheeks, "you planned this all along!" He smacked his lips. "It tastes like mint."

"You..." Miss Granger glared at him, her face turning even redder. "You're a real jerk!" she said.

"What can we do then? It's your own fault for liking such a jerk."

"Who likes it?" she muttered, speaking in a voice only she could hear, "You gave Luna a bracelet, and I..."

She wanted to continue, but before she could finish speaking, Owen pinched her cheek and interrupted her.

"Miss Granger." He gazed at Hermione's bright red lips and couldn't help but reach out and gently touch them with his finger. "I thought it was something else."

"That's just a bracelet, but I—I've given you my heart, which is far more valuable than anything else."

Hearing this, Hermione's flushed face grew even hotter. She lowered her head, and even the cute little ahoge on her head seemed to lose its luster and droop.

A moment later, Hermione looked up again, her flushed face now serious. "Owen."

She said, "There's a question I've been wanting to ask you."

"What's the problem?"

"What...what do you like about me?" Her eyes were filled with confusion. "I'm not that pretty, nor that gentle. There are so many girls in the castle who like you."

The boy squeezed the girl's hand, his eyes shining, and said, "They are not like you, Miss Granger."

"What's different?" she asked shyly.

The boy smiled slightly and said, "They are all witches, but you are not."

"?" Hermione looked at him, puzzled.

"There are many young wizards from Muggle families in the castle, but without exception, they all choose to integrate into this corrupt magical world. I often wonder why they don't have any psychological resistance when they integrate into this reproductively isolated magical world."

Is it simply because of magic?

You know what, Miss Granger? They shouldn't have fallen so low. They shouldn't have.

That's the biggest difference between you and them; even Dumbledore isn't as good as you in this respect.

You are doing your best, doing whatever you can, to change this broken world little by little.

"I came, I tried to change, and I have no regrets—that's what I admire most about you," Irving said calmly.

Hermione, standing nearby, looked at him with some surprise. She had never expected to hear such words from Owen. "Do you really think so?"

"Of course," he said.

"How long have we known each other?" she suddenly asked.

"Hmm—it's probably over a million words by now!" Owen joked.

"What?"

"I mean, Xu—it's been many years."

Hermione nodded. "Many years?" She didn't notice Owen's suddenly mature tone. "It feels like I just met you today."

Miss Granger blinked and looked at him affectionately.

"Then you'll have to put more effort into me," Owen joked. "What bride doesn't know her groom?"

"Who's going to be your bride?" Hermione said coquettishly.

"Do you still want to marry someone else?" He pulled her forcefully, and the girl fell into his arms. "You're mine now, Miss Granger. I've even thought of names for our children."

"You..." She looked at him, her brown eyes revealing a deep shyness.

Call me Hermione.

--------

From that day onward.

The young wizards were surprised to discover that a perfectly matched couple had appeared in the castle.

The two would often stroll hand in hand through the castle. Although they would try to avoid crowds, they would sometimes run into other young wizards. Of course, this was not the beginning of the rumors. The story of their relationship spread throughout the castle after the two kissed in public in the Great Hall.

Speaking of this, being in love is actually not a strange thing at Hogwarts.

Many wizard couples confirm their relationship at school and eventually get married and have children.

Some couples even get engaged in sixth or seventh grade.

Many of the students were in relationships, and they would go on dates, kiss, and do things that weren't allowed to be written about inside the castle.

Think of Harry; his mother was twenty when she gave birth to him.

In this respect, Hogwarts is chaotic.

Every evening after eight o'clock, if you walk into a secluded corridor or classroom, you'll encounter several couples.

Every so often, Snape would catch several pairs, followed by a storm of punishment.

Of course, both Harry and everyone else thought he was just jealous.

Only Irving understood that although there was indeed a twisted part to this gloomy prince's heart, he was indeed tormented.

It is self-torture.

However, none of this concerns them.

The weekend before the last week of December.

Owen and Hermione were not at the castle all day.

The two of them followed the ridge from the path leading to Hagrid, then to the Owl Tower, then to the Screaming Shack, and finally to Hogsmeade.

They walked past one by one.

This place, which I had visited countless times before, felt different this time.

Unlike typical couples who are passionate and talkative, seemingly inseparable, Owen and Hermione share a gentler, companionship-like bond. They are mostly silent, and when they do talk, it's always about the castle.

Or it might be about a game of chess.

Until they stepped into Hogsmeade Village.

Christmas is coming soon.

The two walked along the main road, which was difficult because the snow on the road was thick, and each step was quite strenuous.

And then it started snowing lightly. The fluttering snowflakes were a little cold on the back of her hands, but Hermione didn't want to break free from the warmth that felt like wearing gloves—Owen was holding her hand.

A few steps later, the two stopped in front of Devis-Bans, a shop that specializes in selling all sorts of magical items, including spyglasses, and also provides repair services for magical items.

Every Christmas, Owen struggles with choosing a gift. But this year, he doesn't have to worry about it alone, because Hermione is there to help him.

They shopped from Devis and Bance stores to Elegant Wizarding Clothing, Literati Quill Shop, and even Zoko's Magical Joke Shop—they explored every shop in Hogsmeade where you could buy Christmas presents. Owen stuffed all the bags and packages into pockets he'd seemingly cast an Infinite Strength Charm on his sleeves.

This spell is really convenient.

The question is—what would happen if this spell were cast again in the space where the Infinite Stretch Spell had already been cast?

Finally, he and Hermione stopped at Lady Partridge's Tea House.

"Lady Patif's Tea House?" Hermione repeated softly.

Who among the young wizards of Hogwarts doesn't know Madam Patiffe's Tea House? As a sacred place for dating, generations of men and women have confirmed their relationships and eventually come together in this little tea house.

Originally, this was just a small, cramped teahouse, filled with the architectural ideas of wizards. Everything was placed haphazardly and decorated with gaudy lace, even the small round tables.

The small shop is located on a street corner on the main road.

The shop owner used a very strange ornament as a Valentine's Day decoration, with golden, chubby angels occasionally throwing candy at people.

It was filled with the aura of magic.

But now, it's completely transformed. The cramped shop has become much more upscale, and all the old, outdated decorations have been replaced. Furthermore, the teahouse has added many new services and experiential activities.

But Irving would say that sometimes a cramped and confined space is actually a good thing, depending on what you use it for.

After crossing the road, the two entered the teahouse one after the other.

A sweet fragrance filled the air.

The huge floor-to-ceiling windows allow the room to be filled with natural light, and the one-way glass ensures that no one outside can see into the room. Christmas decorations are everywhere in the teahouse, making it exceptionally warm and lively.

The teahouse is divided into three floors, each with a different decorating style. The first floor retains the original color scheme of the teahouse, with steam rising from the ceiling. Everything seems to be decorated with ruffles or bows, and pink petals fall, giving everything an ambiguous feel.

The two sat down at the only remaining round table, next to the misty window.

Next to them was a large Christmas tree, and through the gaps in the leaves, you could vaguely see a Hufflepuff fifth-grade boy with a pretty blonde girl, holding hands.

Hermione was very uncomfortable, while Owen acted as if they were old friends and waved to each other.

Two cups of floral tea were then floated over from the counter.

"What would you like to order?" At that moment, a plump middle-aged woman with shiny black hair in a bun squeezed through the gap between two tables.

"Oh! It's you, Owen." Mrs. Partiff smiled warmly. "And this is—oh my goodness! You're Miss Granger."

She stared at Hermione in shock, her gaze darting back and forth between Owen and Hermione. "You two—"

"You two—" she began, but stopped abruptly. Owen winked at her, and Mrs. Patif immediately understood.

Aside.

A moment later, two small cakes floated up and landed in front of them along with plates, cutlery, and other utensils. Hermione's cheeks were rosy and she looked incredibly cute, like a ripe apple that made you want to take a bite.

She couldn't help but glance up at Owen every now and then, then quickly looked down again, picking up the teacup with both hands to take a sip. But she forgot the temperature of the tea, and cried out "Ouch!" as she burned her tongue. In her panic, the tea spilled onto her fingers, burning them red.

Seeing this, Owen gently stroked her hand, and Hermione felt the burning sensation on her hand instantly replaced by a cool, water-like sensation. Then, the temperature slowly decreased, and in just a few seconds, the pain in her fingers was dispelled.

Then the boy naturally covered her hand.

"Why are you so nervous!" Irving said softly.

Hermione trembled slightly, as if she wanted to pull her hand back, but she stopped immediately. Her face was redder than ever before.

Hermione stared at Owen with a dazed look in her eyes; the sweet scent in the air almost made her mind stop working.

She saw Owen approach, and they went from sitting opposite each other to sitting close together.

Hermione's body trembled slightly. Although this wasn't the first time she had shaken hands with Owen, it still gave her a strange, electric feeling.

She didn't know when this boy had entered her heart; all she knew was that she seemed unable to forget him.

Even though Irving was already very close.

But deep in her heart, she still hoped that the distance could be closer, even closer.

Owen sat quietly beside her, watching her. The scene was quite interesting, especially as he watched the girl's face gradually turn red, burning from her neck to her ears.

This doesn't seem like Hermione at all.

That spirited girl rarely showed such an expression.

Looking at Hermione like this, a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

Then his lips kissed her cheek; she—she was so adorable.

Hermione's heart was pounding, her palms were sweaty, and she had no strength left in her body.

"It's almost done, Miss Granger."

(End of this chapter)