[HP] Comparative

Because of Slughorn's unusual invitation, this time Ron and Hermione were still waiting for Harry at the Gryffindor Tower.The next day was the weekend, and the common room was bustling with people - everyone's attention was drawn to a large canary - and no one noticed that Harry pushed through the portrait hole and hurried through the crowd again.

Thanks to Fred and George's canary custard biscuit promotion, Harry spent the rest of the time uninterruptedly briefing his two friends on what had just happened over dinner.

"Really?" Hermione's eyes were wide open, with a look of disbelief on her face, "The third project is a maze, and that's what the professor told you?"

She forgot to control her voice, and Ron was frightened and looked around, but fortunately, no one paid attention to their corner. "Keep down, Hermione, do you want to be heard?" He reproached in a low voice, and then looked at Harry with enthusiasm, "Did the others not know? Then we must have won?"

This earned Hermione a stern stare. "You're being too optimistic, Ron," she remarked tartly, shaking her head, clearly not buying any cheating. "It shouldn't have happened. But on the other hand," she said. Then, she gave Harry a sharp look, "Just knowing it's a maze isn't much use."

Harry thought she was right—the maze couldn't be just a maze, and the dangers in it were unpredictable. "I guess that's why Professor Slughorn dared to tell me." He shrugged indifferently, thinking about Tom's expression when he said the game was not difficult, and quickly made up his mind. "Anyway, I plan to learn a few useful spells next."

Hermione looked at him, her tense expression slowly relaxing. "Yes," she agreed, "we want to be as prepared as possible."

Ron's eyes flicked between the two of them, his mouth was pursed, and he seemed disappointed that his reasoning had not been echoed.But soon, he picked himself up again. "Then it's the same as I guessed before, the professor still wants to mention the competition. So..." He leaned towards Harry, rather curious, "Why did he call Riddle at the same time?"

Harry flinched imperceptibly.This was the part he least wanted to mention...or the hardest part to say. "In the eyes of the professor, Tom and I have a good relationship. The professor thinks..." He explained as quickly as possible, "Maybe Tom is willing to provide me with some help within his ability."

He had tried to be tactful, but it still caused a wave of shock in the two friends.

"Yes, I think it's totally fine!" Ron clapped his hands excitedly, his eyes sparkling, "Riddle knew more spells in first grade than seventh graders! If he's willing to tutor you, then we will definitely Win! You and him..." He froze suddenly, seeming to have just remembered something Harry had confessed before.

Just when Harry didn't know what to say, Hermione gave Ron another glare. "That's Harry's game!" She specially bit the accent on Harry's name, "He should complete his task alone!" After saying this, she realized that there was a loophole in it, and hurriedly made up for it: "I'm very happy." Would love to practice spells with you, Harry! But you must have turned down the Professor?"

Facing the expectant eyes of the brunette girl, Harry swallowed with some difficulty. "That...no."

"What?" Hermione was shocked.

"I'll say it!" Ron clapped his hands again, showing a triumphant smile.

"How could you..." Hermione couldn't even stare at Ron now. "You've never been like this..."

Harry could only nod to her, and patted her hand on the table reassuringly. "I agreed to the professor's proposal, not that I really want to ask Tom for help. I just..." His voice lowered, and his eyes dropped, "I just need a legitimate reason to see him .I don't want him avoiding me anymore."

As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere in the corner where the three of them were located took a sudden turn for the worse, becoming extremely stiff and dull.The smile faded from Ron's face, and he fidgeted.And Hermione froze in her armchair, staring at Harry.

After a long while, the terrible silence was broken. "You said 'again'?" Hermione repeated, her tone dry. "So during the time after Christmas and before the second project, it wasn't that you had a fight, but Riddle unilaterally ignored you?"

Actually, not after Christmas, but after their encounter in the prefect's bathroom...

Harry mentally corrected the timeline of the brunette girl.He knew very well that it would be troublesome to tell the truth-Ron and Hermione didn't know that he and Cedric reminded each other, and the reason he used when he went to the bathroom was to study the golden egg alone; It is best to keep silent about clicking on the map and being dragged into the bathtub by him.

"I think it's the combination of the two things you said." To be on the safe side, Harry chose a half-way answer, his tone extremely dry.

Let Hermione think so, after all, when he refused Tom's offer to trade Hagrid's secret (that is, Skeeter) in exchange for him not to be nosy, the other party did walk away, let alone him It's not disgraceful to be thrown in the sink after kissing Tom wet and wet...

Hearing this, Hermione's expression became more complicated.She must have known Harry was hiding a lot, because she sighed heavily next. "I understand that I shouldn't judge other people's private lives," she whispered, turning her head to the side, visibly upset, "but... Riddle is really not..."

Harry guessed that she probably wanted to say that Tom really wasn't a good date for a relationship, after all, she had announced early on that although she liked Tom, she knew at the same time that it would not be fruitful.I have to say that Hermione is very sensible, but unfortunately he has already plunged into it. "I know you're doing it for my own good, Hermione."

These words are thanks, but at the same time, there is another meaning, that is, he has already made a decision.

Not only Hermione, but Ron also understood the meaning. "Actually..." He scratched his head anxiously, "In this respect, I agree with Hermione." His voice was not loud, but Harry's heart sank, "But I've known you since I was a child, Harry , more than ten years! If someone can make you change your mind, then we don't have to hang around here now!" He gesticulated his arms, "I guess I can only wish you luck, buddy." Finally he Saying so, he spread his hands helplessly.

The eyes of the two friends met across the round table, and Ron gave Harry a somewhat grinning grin.Although he was still preoccupied, Harry couldn't help but smile back, and a warm feeling came into his chest immediately.

Hermione's eyes flicked back and forth between the two boys, her cheeks tensed in disapproval.But after a while, those disapprovals all changed into something else. "You also told Riddle these words, Harry? You like him, and you won't give up easily?"

Uh... Harry felt his face burning, and leaned towards the fire to cover it up.It's one thing to say it yourself, and quite another to hear someone point it out. "Yes," he admitted vaguely, not wanting to mention that he'd had a few fights with Tom about it.

Hermione moved closer to him, studying him, looking unwilling to miss any of his reactions. "What did Delder say?"

"He...he didn't forcefully refuse?" Harry opened his mouth, then paused to organize his words, not particularly sure, "The only thing for sure is that he doesn't want to show off. So, I think increasing the number of private meetings may be the only way Method."

Ron wrinkled his nose at the part that didn't forcefully refuse, and his expression was not very optimistic.

Hermione frowned too, but only for a moment. "That's why you promised Professor Slughorn." She nodded knowingly, rolling her eyes, obviously thinking. "That's good, at least we don't have to deal with those Slytherins who are bound to be troublesome."

Harry was about to nod and say that he thought so too, when he noticed Hermione's words the next second. "What is 'us'?" He frowned, staring at the girl's curly hair illuminated by the fire in disbelief, "Could it be that you want to help me deal with it..."

Before he could finish, Hermione waved her hand impatiently, like chasing flies away. "What are you thinking, Harry? Don't you think Ron and I are going to ignore it?"

Ron, who was suddenly dragged out, opened his mouth, looking like he really wanted to clarify that he really didn't want to get involved in his friend's emotional life, but Hermione didn't give him a chance to say it. "We have to do something," she said urgently and quickly, the expression on her face showing that her brain was also running at high speed, "Riddle is really difficult to deal with... But since you said he didn't forcefully refuse, it must be Have the opportunity……"

Hermione in this state could not be easily interrupted.Harry exchanged cautious glances with Ron, then asked cautiously, "So...?"

"If you can't impress Riddle with you, Harry, he won't care about you at all." Hermione quickly concluded, "We have to win the third project beautifully! "

Ron looked relieved. "Naturally. Harry's going to get the Triwizard Cup, right?" He smirked, nudging Harry's with his elbow.

Of course Harry wanted to win - and Tom had asked him to - but he didn't think winning the Triwizard Cup would make Tom like him. "That's right." But he agreed anyway.

Hearing this, Hermione gave him a sharp look. "And that's not enough." She went on to point out, "I dare say there is not a single student in Hogwarts who can match Riddle. Riddle must know this himself. But you and him use twin wands." ..." She glanced at Harry again, with a slightly troubled look, "This is a good entry point, or it may be a very bad entry point."

Ron was bewildered by her. "What do you mean, Hermione?" he asked wonderingly. "Isn't that nice? I mean, he did notice Harry, didn't he?"

"Riddle does treat Harry differently because of that, but you know, Ron, it's not the kind of difference Harry wants!" Hermione couldn't bear it.

Now Harry understood.Twin wands multiplied the power of spells, and Tom knew this before he did. "I think you might be overthinking it, Hermione," he said hesitantly. "At first, Tom might have thought about it. There should be some similarities between the holders of the twin wands, and he admitted that he wanted to find out who Something like that. But he's given up."

"'Give up'?" Hermione couldn't help asking, looking very surprised, "What is 'give up'?"

"I mean, it doesn't seem like he's trying to win me over for the twin wands or anything," said Harry, recalling the tall boy's relentless assertion that they weren't alike other than half-blood, "he didn't, after all. Plans to use twin wands, and I don't have one."

Hermione stared at Harry without blinking, as if trying to gauge whether Harry was telling the truth, or whether Harry had been tricked by Tom. "If it's true," she murmured at last, reluctantly and relieved, "it's a little better than I expected."

The brunette had been hesitant to talk all week, and Harry knew she'd been worried that he was being led by the nose by Tom.He admitted that Tom was a lot smarter than he was - damn Slytherin - but he didn't think he was stupid enough to know the difference between using and liking.Just half an hour ago, facing his embarrassment, Tom offered to meet next week...

Looking back now, Harry still feels overjoyed and his heart beats faster.The tall boy was like a long-frozen lake of ice, and he had caught the slight creak of cracks spreading beneath it.It started when he was on the Astronomy Tower, but he didn't dare to make a conclusion at that time.If he can maintain this development trend, maybe the day he wants to be is not too far away...

"Merlin's socks..." Ron moaned in pain, and the freckled boy even covered his eyes, "Help, Harry—don't smirk into the air!"

Hermione's expression was not much better than Ron's, but she still stared at Harry. "We know now that you really like him," she tried to keep a straight face, but not very successfully, "please don't tell us what you just thought."

Harry's face was completely red now.How could he just... "Cough," he said in embarrassment, "I really didn't think about it..."

The tone was weak, and the two friends gave him a pair of white eyes in unison.

"Okay," Hermione took the conversation, still a little angry, "then two plans, two prongs. One, try to prepare for the third project as much as possible; two, try to help you create opportunities to be alone..."

Ron coughed suddenly and violently, as if choking or choking.

Of course Hermione heard, but she didn't give him a look at all. "For the best, Ron, it will save you the chance of seeing Harry smirking into the air."

Before the words fell, Harry couldn't hold back a cough. "Hermione..." He was very grateful for her help, but her words could be a little more subtle!

The author has something to say:

Ron: blind blind QAQ

感谢在2020-03-2323:31:30~2020-03-2918:50:55期间为我投出霸王票或灌溉营养液的小天使哦~

Thanks to the little angel who cast the deep water torpedo: Ljubavboli 1;

Thanks to the little angel who cast the rocket launcher: Don’t Believe in Evil, Tang Chenxin 1;

Thanks to the little angel who threw the grenade: 1 mint tea grass;

Thanks to the little angels who cast mines: 3 Birdofparadise; 1 tayaoku, Alien Bird, Anna Dumbledore, and Umbrella;

感谢灌溉营养液的小天使：Musyya106瓶；地下室的床单50瓶；花花42瓶；薄荷茶草40瓶；莉莉丝30瓶；椋酱20瓶；明澜、雨洗月、KR、灰灰灰灰10瓶；傘蕪5瓶；小山凉、243279881瓶；

Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!