HP: I beat the otome game at Hogwarts

Chapter 183 Tradition Under the Mistletoe

Lyra followed Fred and George's gaze and also spotted Ludo Bagman, along with the two red hounds beside him, their strong aura suggesting they were about to pounce on their prey.

But Fred and George didn't immediately pounce on their target. Instead, they paced anxiously around Lyra, clearly the only reason for their hesitation being the dark-haired girl.

“Go ahead,” Leila said immediately.

“We should take you back to your dorm—” Fred hesitated, glancing at Leila, who was wearing his coat. He had instinctively realized that there was a difference between a good friend and a dance partner.

George didn't speak, but his expression conveyed the same meaning as Fred's; he was always more sensitive and considerate than Fred.

“It’s not like I’m new to Hogwarts—” Lyra was both amused and exasperated by their reactions. She felt that her two red-haired friends seemed a little different from usual tonight, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

“Go!” Leila insisted. “You need to talk to him face to face, seriously.”

Fred and George exchanged a glance, then looked at Lyra before quickly chasing after the tan figure.

Lyra walked alone toward the Gryffindor Tower. A gust of wind blew by, and she couldn't help but tighten the dark blue dress coat she was wearing. The scent of lemongrass wafted up again.

This prompted the young girl, who had just returned to the castle from the Midnight Gardens and was both cold and hungry, to turn her attention from the Gryffindor Tower toward the kitchen.

A cup of hot black tea, paired with a plate of lemon cookies, is what she needs most right now, not to go to bed hungry.

Leila decisively stormed into the underground corridor, tickled the green pear on the portrait until she was thoroughly amused, then pulled the green doorknob, revealing the warm kitchen to her.

A wave of heat carrying the aroma of freshly baked cakes enveloped Lyra, and house-elves immediately surrounded her, but a few others stayed behind to greet the guests who had arrived earlier.

A handsome and familiar Hufflepuff.

Cedric was sitting somewhat forlornly in a corner drinking pumpkin juice when he unexpectedly ran into Lyra in the kitchen late at night after the ball.

And there was no one else around; she was all alone.

Lyra finally managed to get rid of the house-elves who had surrounded her, only to see Cedric looking at her with a delighted expression.

“Have I ever told you,” Cedric looked intently at the dark-haired girl in the black tulle dress before him, “that you… are truly beautiful tonight.”

"Thank you. No, I guess you probably didn't have a chance to say it before..."

Lyra noticed a hint of regret and sadness in Cedric's earnest praise, and she understood that it was because the two of them wouldn't even have a chance to dance that night.

“However,” Leila approached the handsome young man, whose gentle nature concealed even his regret, “I think the dress you chose is also beautiful—”

Cedric watched in disbelief as Lyra waved her wand, transforming her original black dress into a long, light pink gradient gown covered with white gardenias and fluttering butterflies.

The night elf instantly transformed into a gentle and pure flower fairy.

“You…” Cedric stared blankly at the transformed Lyra, not daring to move or speak loudly, afraid that this was just a fantasy he had conjured up in the middle of the night, and that it would dissipate into smoke at the slightest touch.

"May I have this dance?"

Leila playfully extended her hand, mimicking the man's gesture as if making an invitation.

Before his consciousness could even register what was happening, his body moved first—by the time Cedric came to his senses, he had already taken the dark-haired girl's hand, his lips curling into a wide grin like a fool who had been subjected to an excessive spell of happiness.

The two started dancing in the open space in the center of the kitchen.

The house-elves busied themselves setting up the space for the two of them. In the blink of an eye, the four long wooden tables that had been in the kitchen had vanished, and the stone slabs under their feet had been replaced by gleaming marble.

The many copper pots and basins piled up along the surrounding stone walls have all disappeared, replaced by clusters of roses and Christmas statues. Hidden among the flowers are many little fairies with transparent wings, some carrying miniature flower baskets and sprinkling gold dust, others sitting on the antlers of reindeer statues, clapping and singing with laughter.

The original ceiling was also enchanted, with tiny gold and silver stars constantly sliding down. Most romantically, when those little stars landed on Lyra and Cedric, they would instantly transform into tiny pink hearts.

Before they knew it, Cedric and Lyra were spinning around in circles until they came to a huge Christmas tree. They both looked up at the same time and saw a clump of mistletoe hanging above their heads.

Cedric gazed tenderly at the dark-haired girl in his arms.

Leila could see his slightly disheveled bangs, his thick, curled eyelashes, his dark pupils that held her silhouette, and his incredibly soft lips...

It's unclear who moved first, but the two drew closer and closer...too close, close enough to see the fine hairs on each other's noses and every flutter of their eyelashes...

Cedric was completely unable to think, relying solely on instinct to explore. Waves of tingling sensations spread throughout his body, and every tender turn and deep breath sent him teetering between heaven and abyss countless times.

His hands, legs, spine, every inch of his skin, were constantly experiencing waves of blissful tremors... His brain was completely numb, yet he had no desire to resist, only to sink into eternal oblivion...

It felt like centuries had passed before the two reluctantly parted ways.

Cedric's gaze lingered on Lyra's rose-like face, unable to calm his frantic heartbeat.

“I…” Cedric was about to speak when the black-haired girl stopped him.

Lyra simply placed a slender finger lightly on his lips.

“It’s a mistletoe tradition,” Leila said with a smile, leaning closer. “Isn’t it?”

“This is the best tradition…” Cedric said softly, then involuntarily closed his eyes.