After leaving Dumbledore's office, the two of them wandered leisurely for the entire day.
They strolled along the edge of the Black Lake, enjoying the fresh scent of the earth and grass.
They visited Hagrid and Norberta, and under Hagrid's guidance, secretly rode a dragon, soaring low over the Forbidden Forest.
They lay on the grass in front of the castle, where they encountered Crookshanks, who was also wandering around, and basked in the sun together.
Or, when they were tired from walking, they would return to the Room of Requirement to rest, enjoying time spent exclusively with each other.
All in all, it was a very pleasant day.
As dinnertime approached, Hermione's friends from various houses began to disperse in the Great Hall, returning to their respective house tables. After the chaos caused by the Acromantula uprising, the barriers between the four houses at Hogwarts had significantly diminished. It had become a daily occurrence for students to visit other common rooms, and changing seats during meals was now commonplace.
Of course, during dueling club sessions or Quidditch matches, the houses were still eager to beat each other's brains out.
Disputes still occurred, and the atmosphere could still be tense, but the relationships between Hogwarts students had undeniably improved. This gave Hermione a sense of relief and satisfaction, as if her efforts were finally bearing fruit.
And indeed, they were. Much of what Hermione did in school was aimed at fostering mutual recognition and respect among the four houses.
While differences could never be completely erased, mutual respect and understanding were achievable goals.
Not only that, but relationships among students within and across houses had grown closer and friendlier, and their academic performances had improved significantly.
A positive learning environment and the influence of their peers truly motivated the young wizards to study seriously. Not to mention, the duel club and the unforgettable battle had made them realize the importance of mastering magic.
Learning magic well could indeed save lives and protect loved ones in critical moments.
Even the most mischievous students forced themselves to tone down their antics and focus on their studies after that. However, catching up on missed lessons was a painful process—so much so that it felt like the "mask of suffering" was permanently etched onto their faces.
Fortunately, Hermione made time every day to hold small study groups, where she and other students could discuss academic problems and help each other. Teaching others is also a form of learning, and Hermione often found herself discovering gaps in her own knowledge during these sessions. She thoroughly enjoyed this process.
The study groups grew larger and larger. Even some upper-year students, before taking their O.W.L.s, would occasionally join in to relax and offer guidance to their younger peers.
Initially, the study groups were held in the Gryffindor common room. But as the number of participants grew, Hermione applied to Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore for a dedicated classroom, which both professors enthusiastically approved.
Now, that classroom had been magically expanded several times by Dumbledore using the Extension Charm. Students from all four houses frequently gathered there to discuss both academic and practical matters.
Of course, Hermione couldn't handle all the questions herself, so she called on her friends to help. Thankfully, some of the students attending the study group volunteered to assist, which greatly eased the burden on Hermione and her friends.
The members of the study group got along very well, making it the only place on campus free of inter-house conflicts.
Well, conflicts did occur, but they were always about differing opinions on the same topic.
Which was a good thing, actually.
Thanks to this positive learning atmosphere spreading throughout Hogwarts, the young wizards performed surprisingly well in their end-of-term exams, despite the long period of unrest earlier in the year. The average scores reached the highest levels in years.
This made Hermione proud—not just of the students, but of herself as well.
And of course, she received plenty of praise from Glenn~
However, despite the academic improvements across all houses and the newfound focus in classes, some lingering tensions from last year's events still lingered in the minds of certain students from specific houses.
And so...
"...First place, Slytherin House, with 867 points!"
Holding a parchment scroll, Dumbledore announced the scores for the House Cup competition. Slytherin House, with an unstoppable momentum, reclaimed the glory they had lost last year, surpassing second-place Gryffindor by 43 points.
Well, Gryffindor's second-place finish was largely thanks to Hermione. Her lightning-fast responses in class and her role, along with Glenn, in resolving the Chamber of Secrets incident had earned them both 100 points each—despite their protests against receiving points for it. This boost allowed the Gryffindors, who had only recently started focusing on their studies, to narrowly surpass the talented and ambitious Ravenclaws.
As for the Hufflepuffs?
They remained as laid-back as ever, seemingly content with their usual unbothered demeanor. However, their noticeably higher scores compared to last year raised the question of whether they were truly slacking off or secretly preparing to surprise everyone.
But those uncertainties were for the future young wizards to ponder. At this moment, the stars of Hogwarts were undoubtedly the Slytherins.
"Woohoo!"
The Slytherin students could no longer suppress their grins and cheered loudly. Their hats were thrown high into the air. After a year of hard work, they had finally reclaimed their honor with their own hands.
At the professors' table, a peculiar expression appeared on Snape's face. Though the old bat tried to suppress his facial muscles, those who knew him well—like a certain pair of youngsters—could tell that the Slytherin Head of House was very pleased with this fair and just outcome.
Dumbledore simply smiled, his wise blue eyes twinkling as he subtly glanced in Harry's direction.
The green eyes of the young boy reflected a mix of frustration and acceptance, prompting Dumbledore to sigh in contemplation.
Sometimes, a single failure could be more of a motivation for growth than a setback.
And so, Dumbledore led the applause.
The entire Great Hall erupted into applause, the clapping pure and filled with admiration, without any other undertones.
"Next term, I'll definitely help our house win the House Cup."
Hermione pouted unhappily but still clapped her hands. She turned to Glenn, who was still sitting beside her, and declared.
"Mm, good luck."
Glenn replied calmly.
"...You know I'm going to be the villain who steals the House Cup from your house, right?"
Seeing Glenn unmoved, Hermione rolled her eyes and gently bumped her head against his shoulder.
"Do you think I care? Besides, I have to admit, the average level of wizards in Slytherin is indeed higher than that of other houses. Even for someone like you, Hermione, it would be difficult to bridge the gap with individual effort alone."
Glenn analyzed seriously, patting the fluffy-haired girl's head.
"Our students are working hard too. When the time comes, who knows who will be stronger?"
"Then we'll wait and see."
"Mm, wait and see!"
"As long as you're happy, that's all I care about."
"Hehe, that's just like you—so straightforward~"
And with that, the second year came to a close, marked by Glenn and Hermione's secret little interactions.
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