The day before school started, Draco, who had returned to school early, had nothing to do, so he tried out his new Wizard Chess set in the Great Hall.
He used a pair of rampaging soldiers and a ruthless bishop to checkmate Theodore Nott, defeating him decisively.
"Fine, I admit you are better." Theodore threw down his chess piece and walked away sullenly.
Before long, Hermione dashed up to Draco like a whirlwind, beaming as she said, "Draco, thank you! It is all thanks to you!"
"What happened?" Draco casually tapped the chessboard with his wand and said, "Pack!" The chess pieces automatically jumped into the chessboard box and stored themselves away.
"How did you do that?" Hermione asked. "Why do different people get different results when they cast the Packing Charm? I have tried it many times, and while the gestures are helpful, they have little effect on how well the spell is actually executed."
"I suppose you have not grasped a core principle yet," Draco said cheerfully. "Organization and tidying spells require a combination of meticulous logic and imagination. At the moment of casting the spell, you need to imagine where all the pieces should be placed, and work together with the spell to achieve the desired effect."
He suddenly reached out and disturbed the pristine chessboard box, causing the chess pieces to wail and scream in chaos within. "Try it," he said.
Hermione took out her wand and said, "Pack!"
The pieces were arranged close together, but some pieces were not in the correct positions.
"Oh, I see. You might not be that familiar with Wizard Chess," Draco said. "That brings up another issue: you need to have a very good understanding of the things you are organizing and tidying up. You need to remember exactly where they were originally placed before you can use your imagination."
"I understand," Hermione said happily, secretly pleased to have learned some more tricks for casting spells from the boy.
She never expected to meet such a talented peer as Draco at Hogwarts. To her, he was like a platinum surprise.
The closer she got to him, the more dazzling he became, the more impossible for her to ignore him.
He possessed a level of understanding of knowledge far exceeding that of his peers. While most students were still struggling to memorize spell names and correct pronunciation, he was already far ahead, applying these spells fluently in real life. His classmates all knew he was the first in the class to complete a spell, but few knew that Draco was the one who could complete spells even better and had a deeper understanding of them.
He never mocked her ignorance of the magical world. When she first entered Hogwarts, she had initially been afraid of showing her ignorance, worried that her unfamiliarity with the magical world would be ridiculed by the children from wizarding families, but he never did.
He would gently remind her, easing her anxiety. This seemed to have started around the time of the Sorting Hat. Later, she had even gradually lowered her guard, admitting that she did not know enough about certain things and wanted to hear his thoughts on them.
And he, this boy who hid a gentle heart beneath his cold exterior, seemed incredibly patient with her. He was always generous in sharing his insights with her, even helping her practice, identifying weaknesses in her understanding, and assisting her in refining her knowledge of spells.
Draco Malfoy's name had now been placed at the top of this academically minded Gryffindor know it all's wish list for her most desired study partner.
As long as he was in the classroom, any other study partner seemed so ordinary that she found it unbearable.
"What happened?" Her favorite study partner was asking her at that moment, "What did you want to say when you ran over here?"
"Oh! I almost forgot." She leaned close to his ear and said excitedly, "We found Flamel! And the Philosopher's Stone! The three headed dog is guarding the Philosopher's Stone!"
"Shh!" Draco covered her mouth to silence her.
Through Hermione's shoulder, he saw Quirrell not far away. He was swaying as he walked over.
The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor seemed to have had a terrible Christmas holiday. He was pale, thin, and looked as though he had been seriously ill.
It was obvious that Quirrell was in bad shape. Draco was not surprised.
It is impossible to have a soul possess the back of someone's head without any cost. Physical weakness might be the least of the costs.
Hermione was startled by his sudden contact. His hand was warm, and the gesture was somewhat domineering and forceful, but she did not dislike it.
This reminded her of the scene on Halloween night when he rescued her from the troll.
He was not the type to joke for no reason. She had that confidence in him. So this time she was not angry. Instead, she cleverly followed Draco's gaze and quietly turned her head, immediately spotting Quirrell.
What a close call! Thank goodness, she breathed a small sigh of relief.
Her soft, warm breath brushed against Draco's hand, making him feel somewhat uncomfortable.
He quickly released her, put his hand behind his back, and subconsciously held the warmth in his hand. He looked around, frowned at the students chatting in twos and threes nearby, and said to her, "Let us find a quiet place to talk."