On the way to Malfoy Manor, Draco's gaze stayed on Kreacher, who was walking at the very front of the group, for quite a long time.
He looked perfectly composed, as if nothing had happened at all, even though Draco had very nearly drawn his wand just moments ago.
And yet, even under those circumstances, despite that stooped posture that made him look humble, the muttering he seemed to think no one else could hear once again reached the ears of everyone present in a way that felt deeply out of place.
Trash, brute, little bastard, and the like. If Draco had not known those insults were not aimed at Hermione, then even without Pansy stepping in, he would not have let Kreacher go on belittling the girl he acknowledged.
Even if Hermione tried to stop him again, Draco would still make him understand that dragons had scales you could not touch.
In fact, it was not as though Pansy had not tried to stop Kreacher. But every single time, he would look at them with that shocked and puzzled expression, as though his muttering was never supposed to be audible to anyone else.
That strange performance made it hard not to feel that taking him seriously would make you the fool.
In any case.
After reminding him several times and still failing to stop Kreacher's muttering, Draco and the others simply stopped bothering with whatever he was saying.
Astoria, though equally annoyed, was much calmer about it. She walked over to Draco's side, her face full of confusion.
"Dobby is already... quite a personality among House-elves, but someone like Kreacher seems incredibly rare. And..."
At the end, Astoria frowned and trailed off, looking conflicted, as though she did not quite know how to put her thoughts into words.
It had to be said, this was the first time she had ever met a House-elf even stranger than Dobby.
And Draco, who seemed to know exactly what Astoria wanted to say, picked up where she left off.
"You mean the sense that something is off?"
"Exactly. It is obvious that his respect for you is genuine, but his hostility toward Hermione is just as real. I do not believe Kreacher does not know Hermione is your... friend."
Contradictory.
Generally speaking, House-elves were beings with a strong sense of professional ethics.
Once they recognized you as their master, they would devote themselves wholeheartedly to your well-being and care about everything around you, including your family and friends.
Just like Dobby.
In a certain sense, Dobby treated Pansy, Hermione, and the others as future mistresses.
Pretending not to notice the deliberate emphasis Astoria had placed on those last two words, Draco calmly voiced his own guess.
"What if what he hates is not Hermione specifically, but Muggle-borns like her?"
"You mean... but why? This is the first time I have ever seen a House-elf care about a wizard's blood status. Even if the Black family really does place great importance on bloodline, I still do not think..."
As she said that, Astoria deliberately glanced in Dobby's direction. Dobby was currently apologizing to Hermione in a panic, having only just belatedly realized what awful things his companion had been saying.
From Dobby alone, it was clear he did not treat Hermione any differently because of the Malfoy family.
After all, the Malfoy family was also known for its pure-blood stance.
Astoria drew back her gaze.
"And setting the Muggle-born issue aside, why would a House-elf hate a wizard? If other wizards found out about something like that..."
"I do not know. But I do not think it would be hard to investigate. After all, for a Muggle-born wizard to have access to the Black family, the opportunity and influence required should not have been easy to come by."
"At the time... was there really a wizard like that?"
Of course, if they could get the answer directly from Kreacher, that would save a lot of time and effort.
But Draco had a feeling it would not be that easy.
And his instincts were already telling him that this matter seemed likely to involve someone important.
...
At the back.
Even though Kreacher himself, the one involved, clearly did not care in the slightest, Dobby still kept bowing to Hermione with teary eyes, apologizing over and over.
Hermione felt both pleased and exasperated by such enthusiastic concern from Dobby.
She was pleased because it seemed her efforts to build a connection with House-elves were paying off. But at the same time, Dobby's tears and repeated apologies looked as though they were never going to stop.
Mostly because Pansy kept stirring the pot from right beside her.
"Muttering to yourself as a way of indirectly expressing your dissatisfaction with a certain wizard? Hmm hmm~"
"Wah... Dobby... Dobby is sorry on Kreacher's behalf, but please believe..."
"What a distinctive House-elf. Do you not think so, Granger?"
"Dobby... was wrong..."
One on the left, one on the right, the two of them buzzed in Hermione's ears like they were performing a comic routine.
Smack.
Helpless, Hermione slapped a hand against her forehead and once again tried to stop the two idiots.
"Listen, Dobby, I am not blaming you. This has nothing to do with you, so you do not need to feel this guilty."
"But Dobby saw Young Master..."
"That guy... Draco will be fine, I promise."
The very next second, the moment Hermione caught Pansy preparing to say something else out of the corner of her eye, she immediately stepped forward and covered her mouth.
"Mmph?"
"I am not letting go. Who knows what you are about to say this time."
"Mmph!"
"I appreciate you speaking up for me, but stop causing me more trouble right now!"
"Mmph?!"
Mentally exhausted, Hermione rolled her eyes. She was obviously the victim here, and yet for some reason, she had ended up as the one soothing everyone else.
And to be honest, those two words did not really hurt her all that much.
If anything, this whole incident had made her realize that her place in Pansy's heart was apparently rather important.
Just as Hermione drifted off for a moment, Pansy suddenly started struggling more fiercely.
"How did you... hm? Where is this?"
What appeared before her was a scene blanketed in mist.
It had not been there just a moment ago, and yet it now seemed to have appeared in front of them in an instant, as though that one step had crossed through space and time and abruptly brought them into a different world.
At a glance, she could vaguely make out a massive building standing within the mist.
At that moment, Pansy finally broke free from Hermione's grip and stepped in front of her.
With her hands on her hips, she spoke a few words that made Hermione's heart jump.
"Welcome to Malfoy Manor!"