His was a strength borne(忍受) from years of enduring(持久的) cruelty(残酷) and perpetuating oppression(压抑): hers a result of fighting it, of refusing to quit(离开), growing stronger and brighter with each passing day, like a flame. As long as there was oxygen, he mused, a flame thrives(繁荣), and Hermione Granger had done much the same. She had never stopped fighting for her survival(幸存). First, she'd had to learn to survive(幸存) in a completely new world, then a world being ripped(喝醉的) apart(相距), then a world slowly piecing itself back together.
But those struggles were nothing, nothing, compared to the war she was waging now. A wry smile twisted(捻) his face. In all the years he had known her, watched her face off against truly menacing(恐吓) opponents- himself included- she had finally found a worthy(值得的) opponent(对手), one truly capable(能干的) of destroying her: herself. He realized he was, by now, standing in the doorway(门口), staring at her with a slight smile. He was somewhat surprised to see she'd honored his request and forgone the scarf, which now hung loosely around her neck, a sharp contrast(对比) to her white shirt. Her body language shifted(移动), as if sensing his presence(存在), and he cleared his throat, hoping-praying-she would remain unable to recognize his voice.
"It's alright(没问题的), Red. Don't hex me now, will you?" He spoke, breaking the silence that radiated anticipation(希望). Her shoulders relaxed slightly, but not fully.
"No promises," she replied, falling with strange ease into a familiar, comforting pattern. She tugged(用力拉) at the end of the ribbon(带), seeming frustrated. "This is ridiculous(可笑的)." Malfoy bit back a smile, unable to resist taking a few tentative(试验性的) steps forwards.
"Not ridiculous," he murmured(低声说) back. "Humor me, remember?" She smelled of caramel(焦糖) and spices(香料), mingling(混合) with a fresh, clean smell like rainwater(雨水) that was elusive(难懂的) and essentially Hermione. A stray(迷路的) lock of golden brown hair fell across her forehead, and he clenched(紧握的) a fist to avoid brushing it away. She beat him to it, scooping(捞球) the hair behind her ear in a familiar way he must have inadvertently(非故意地) seen her do at least a hundred times during their school years. She cleared her throat, breaking his spell somewhat.
"And what, may I ask, was so affronting(冒犯) about the Gryffindor scarf that made this necessary?" She asked, amusement masquerading(伪装) as indignation(愤慨) on her expression. The comment elicited(抽出) a rare laugh from him, so natural, done without thinking, so easy it surprised him.
"It was just so very typical(典型的) of you, Red. And you're anything but typical," he whispered. This, he thought, was surely penance(以苦行赎罪) for the years he'd thought she was exactly that. Boring. Uninteresting, unimportant. Her body language shifted(移动) closer towards him, and for one terrifying second he thought she was going to tug the red silk away, open her eyes.
"Take it off," she whispered. "I want to see. I want to know." Of course she did. Not knowing something was painful for her. But he knew that knowing, in the long run, would be a far more painful process, and he was loathe(讨厌) to cause her more pain than he already did, so he smoothly diverted(转移) her attention, knowing she'd see right through it, but deciding to do it anyway.
"It scares(煤中黄铁矿薄片) you, doesn't it? That you know, somewhere inside of yourself, that that would be a very bad idea. You know, Red, I think that somewhere inside of you, you already know who I am," he whispered, then pausing, adding an afterthought(事后的想法). "What I am. You just don't want to admit it just yet." Her breathing quickened(加快); they both knew he was right.
"W-what if I figure it out?" The words tumbled(摔倒) quickly out of her mouth, and she bit the corner of her lip. He tensed, knowing that it wasn't a question of if that she was talking about, and they both knew it. It was a question of when.
"Everything will change," his voice replied, then frowned(皱眉), trying to sound more light-hearted(轻松的). "What are names anyway, Red? What do they matter? What good do they do anybody?" There was no way she could have missed(感到思念的) the undertones(低音) of seriousness(严重性) in his voice, but she played along.