bacchusnovels Chapter 370 Daring Dress
Chapter 370 Daring Dress
Chapter 370 (Bonus Chapter) A Daring Dress
For Sean now, altering his memories is not a difficult task.
Even if Voldemort's mark still remains in his soul.
But... having come this far, who doesn't have the soul of Voldemort?
It seems that in this world, having come into contact with Voldemort's soul is a mark of a powerful person.
After helping Harry successfully fill in the gaps in his memory of the previous night in the Gryffindor common room, Sean helped Harry, who had fainted due to "low blood sugar," back to the common room and took him to his bed.
He is a qualified and helpful teacher.
At least... that's what Sean himself thinks.
Hermione has been having a very bad time these days.
The heavy workload and Buckbeak's case weighed on her like two mountains, making it hard for her to breathe.
Every day, she had to deal with mountains of homework and various courses, especially the extra courses brought by the time converter she chose on her own—which almost drained all her energy.
But yesterday's gathering gave her a moment of relief from her constant tension.
The next morning, Hermione woke up from a light sleep as the sky outside her window was just beginning to lighten.
She slowly sat up, tidied her slightly messy hair, looked out the window, and gently inhaled the cool morning air.
Hermione picked up the Time-Turner from the bedside table and stared at it for a moment.
Today's schedule was still packed, but after a brief relaxation last night, she felt like she had more energy to deal with everything. Hermione gently hung the Time-Turner back around her neck and quickly got out of bed.
She picked up her bag, checked her textbooks and files, and after getting everything ready, quickly washed and dressed. Once dressed, she straightened her slightly disheveled collar in front of the mirror, took a deep breath, and silently told herself, "Today will be a fulfilling day. Go, Hermione!"
Hermione carefully opened the bedroom door and quietly walked down the stairs, afraid of waking the others.
She had planned to spend the early morning hours at the library so that she could use every possible moment to finish some assignments ahead of time and further prepare for Buckbeak's case.
Stepping into the empty common room, she walked toward the corridor leading to the library.
Hermione had barely stepped into the corridor and taken a few steps when she saw a figure standing quietly in the shadows, seemingly waiting for her.
The man leaned against the wall, arms crossed, with a hint of impatience in his expression.
Hermione looked closely and realized it was Daphne Greengrass.
Daphne noticed Hermione's arrival, raised an eyebrow slightly, straightened up and walked over, reminding her with a hint of coldness in her tone: "Hermione, don't forget, tonight you're going to see Professor Phillips to discuss Buckbeak's case, and while you're at it... execute our plan."
Hermione paused for a moment before suddenly remembering the time the two of them had gone to see Professor Phillips a few days ago.
She nodded quickly and said in a low voice.
Daphne nodded and said calmly, "Very well, I heard Professor Phillips has some special news that might be helpful to you. You'd better not be late—I don't like waiting... and neither does the professor." She then added, pursing her lips, "This matter is important to you, and it's important to me too."
Hermione noticed the seriousness that flashed across Daphne's eyes, as if this matter was very important to her.
Is it important?
It is indeed very important.
To be honest, Hermione thought Daphne was a bit bewitched.
She didn't think that someone as good as Professor Phillips could be as awful as Daphne had described.
But then Hermione suddenly remembered something strange.
Just a few days ago, she woke up to find a small note under her pillow.
The handwriting on the note was strikingly similar to hers, but the content was puzzling: "Don't go to Professor Phillips' office."
At first, she thought it was just a prank by a classmate, imitating her handwriting to tease her.
After all, Buckbeak's case has recently become a hot topic throughout the school.
Perhaps some Slytherin students, not wanting her to receive help from Professor Phillips, deliberately misled her in this way.
However... the handwriting on that note was imitated so perfectly.
Aside from being a bit messy, it was almost indistinguishable from her handwritten version.
Even if she writes another one and mixes the two notes together, it will be difficult to tell which one she just wrote and which one is the strange note after a while.
She recalled the note again, and a vague doubt arose in her heart:
Is this message a prank or some kind of warning?
If that's the case, does Daphne's persistence in this matter have another deeper meaning?
Hermione sighed softly, putting those questions aside for the time being.
She wouldn't give up this opportunity just because of a note from an unknown source.
Professor Phillips' help may be Buckbeak's last hope, and Hermione has no intention of letting this inexplicable interference affect her.
Hermione snapped out of her daze and saw Daphne blushing as she handed her a bag.
Hermione looked at the bag with a puzzled expression, her brow furrowing slightly. "What's this?"
Daphne coughed softly, seemingly a little embarrassed, clearly trying her best to control her emotions.
She tried to keep her tone calm and said casually, "This is what you'll be wearing to Professor Phillips' office tonight."
Hermione paused, her mind filled with confusion.
She reached out and took the bag, carefully opened it, and the clothes inside came into view—a rather "unique" dress.
While it wasn't exactly revealing, it was clearly quite different from her usual Hogwarts robes or casual wear.
The dress was fitted and the off-shoulder design made it look slightly mature; it was almost the most outrageous piece of clothing she had ever worn.
The reason for using the word "almost" is because she wore even more revealing clothes—Hermione will never forget the night she drank Polyjuice Potion, disguised herself as Professor Tonks, and wore those ropes to help Professor Phillips solve his problem.
"Daphne, is this really necessary?" Hermione's face also flushed slightly, her tone carrying a hint of resistance.
Daphne explained earnestly, "Of course it's necessary. This dress will make you appear more confident and mature, and it's more suitable for tonight's occasion. Professor Phillips—he likes rigorous students, but he also appreciates a mature and composed demeanor. Trust me, this way,
He will see you in a different light, and may be more willing to offer the help you need.
"And—I've worn them too," Daphne added, her tone certain. "It's all part of the plan, don't worry."
Hermione frowned slightly, still feeling somewhat hesitant.
Although she didn't entirely believe Daphne's story, she didn't want to miss any opportunity to get help for Buckbeak's case.
Moreover, Daphne's comment, "I've worn that too," left her speechless.
The other person had previously met the professor wearing even more daring clothes, and nothing went wrong.
After a moment's hesitation, Hermione finally sighed softly, clutched the bag tightly in her hand, and whispered, "Alright, Daphne, I'll wear it tonight, but hopefully it really will help."
Daphne smiled slightly, nodded, and said with a mysterious expression, "Trust me, Hermione, tonight is going to be very interesting."
Hermione hugged the bag Daphne handed her tightly and quickly walked back to the Gryffindor common room.
Although she was still somewhat uncertain, she decided to give Daphne's suggestion a try.
Back in her dorm room, she gently closed the door, carefully opened the bag, and took out the close-fitting dress.
Hermione stared at the somewhat daring dress, her heart filled with mixed emotions: shyness mixed with a hint of curiosity.
She sighed silently.
Just as Hermione was carefully taking off her school robes and trying to change into the fitted dress Daphne had given her, Lavender on the bed next to her suddenly turned over and opened her eyes groggily.
Her gaze inadvertently fell on Hermione, and she instantly snapped back to reality, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Wow, Hermione!" Lavender exclaimed, his eyes scanning her up and down with surprise. "I really didn't notice, you have such a great figure! It's such a shame you always hide under those baggy school robes!"
Hermione's face flushed red upon hearing this, and she hurriedly crossed her arms over her chest, saying evasively, "Lavender! Can you please not say that—I was just—I was just trying it on."
Lavender, however, showed no sign of stopping, her smile tinged with a mischievous glint in her eyes: "Hermione, you're being too modest! Your waist, your shoulders—you're a natural clothes hanger! If you dressed like this all the time, every boy in school would be smitten!"
Hermione was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear. She gently pushed Lavender away and couldn't help but protest in a low voice, "Don't talk nonsense! This was just to..."
She stammered and couldn't finish her sentence, her face flushing even deeper, almost burning up to her ears.
How can you get her to admit to Lavender that she wore this outfit to see Professor Phillips?
This made her feel utterly ashamed.
Lavender, seeing Hermione's embarrassed expression, became even more interested, his smile widening:
"Hermione, tell me! Who are you dressed up for? Don't tell me you already have someone you like—?" She deliberately dragged out the last syllable, with a hint of teasing, her eyes shining as if she had discovered some earth-shattering secret.
Hermione was so embarrassed that she finally couldn't help but retaliate. She gently patted Lavender's shoulder and said in a low, urgent voice, "Lavender! Keep your voice down! Don't make wild guesses, it's not what you think!"
Lavender covered her mouth and laughed so hard her shoulders shook. She blinked and leaned closer to her, saying, "Oh, don't be shy, Hermione! It's just a fitting, I won't make wild guesses." Although she said that, the teasing in her tone was undisguised.
Hermione glared at her anxiously, her lips trembling slightly, unsure how to explain.
Lavender suddenly put his arm around her shoulder and said with a smile, "Don't be nervous! Actually, this dress really suits you, Hermione. To be honest, you're always so focused on your studies, you've never really dressed up—I didn't expect you to look even better than I imagined!"
Hearing this unexpected compliment, Hermione blushed slightly, her shyness lessened, and a smile unconsciously curved her lips.
She sighed softly and said in a low voice, "Well, maybe trying them on isn't so bad."
So, under Lavender's expectant gaze, Hermione picked up the dress Daphne had given her.
She was so nervous that her palms were slightly sweaty. After taking a deep breath, she finally decided to put it on.
The dress was fitted and made of soft, light material that clung to her curves, making her feel both excited and shy for a moment.
She carefully adjusted the tulle at her shoulders, put on the dress, and looked up at herself in the mirror—this dress was much bolder than her usual attire, revealing her elegant shoulder and neck lines and slender waist, making her look mature and confident.
Hermione couldn't help but feel her cheeks burning, and she secretly glanced at Lavender.
Lavender's face was filled with surprise, and he stared intently at her body without moving.
It wasn't until Hermione reached her side that Lavender snapped out of her daze, exclaiming incredulously, "My God! Hermione, you're a completely different person! This dress suits you perfectly, you look stunning! Look how slim your waist is, how beautiful your shoulders and neck are—I never knew you could be so captivating!"
Hermione's face flushed red. She glanced awkwardly at Lavender before looking away.
She never expected that Lavender would show such appreciation and admiration for her new look.
For a moment, Hermione felt a surge of inexplicable joy and pride, but even more so, a sense of unease.
She shook her head and said softly, "Lavender, you're joking! I'm in such an unusual state right now that if anyone else saw me, they'd think I'd gone mad!"
Lavender shrugged dismissively, a smile still playing on her lips. "What's so unusual about it? You just changed into a nice dress! Look how beautiful you look! If it were me, I'd dress like this every day!"
Hermione was speechless for a moment, and her face flushed again.
Lavender noticed Hermione's hesitation, a mischievous glint in his eyes, and leaned closer to her, whispering, "Tell me, was it some handsome young monk who made you dress up like this for him? If you ask me, with his current taste, he'd definitely be head over heels for you!"
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Hermione quickly denied it, her face burning: "No way! Lavender, if you keep talking nonsense, I'm not talking to you anymore! I just did it on a whim!"
Lavender gave Hermione a meaningful look, then nodded. "Alright, since you put it that way, I won't ask any more questions. But whatever your reason for dressing like this, I think it's a good thing—you know, sometimes a new look can really brighten your mood."
Hermione nodded, carefully considering what Lavender had said.
It seems the other party... isn't entirely without reason.
If wearing a new outfit can improve one's mood, then could she dress up in different clothes every day to maintain a good mood and thus devote more energy to her studies?
But... getting dressed up takes time.
Can the efficiency gained from the former make up for the time spent on the latter?
Undoubtedly, this is a question worth pondering.
Just as Hermione was weighing the options in her mind, Lavender took advantage of her momentary lapse in attention and suddenly reached into her collar.
"Ouch! Lavender, what are you doing?!" Hermione screamed, instinctively dodging and slapping Lavender's hand away.
"Hehe... I just thought you'd like your body a little better~" Lavender chuckled, pulling her hand back and winking at Hermione.
Hermione blushed furiously, wishing she could dig a hole and bury herself in it, and said coquettishly.
"Lavender, why are you always so indecent! If people knew what we were doing, I'd be so embarrassed!"
"Don't worry, it's nothing~ After all, we're good friends, aren't we?" Lavender said nonchalantly, then urged Hermione to hurry up and get ready to leave.
With exam week approaching, she's going to the library for some last-minute cramming.