There are at least two alternative interpretations.
1) Quirrel said this while he was roleplaying as the defense professor. Perhaps the role he came up with happened to be constructed so that Harry’s actions made him happy. But that doesn’t mean that it made Riddle happy (insofar as the “true” identity of Riddle exists). Heck, we don’t even know that Harry is dealing with Riddle in chapter 108, or yet another identity that Riddle selected for the occasion. (He “changes names as you or I change clothes.”)
2) Even if Quirrel/Riddle was not roleplaying, this could have been a calculated statement made in order to gain Harry’s trust and admiration. There seems to have been a lot of that going on in Harry’s interactions with Quirrel.
There are at least two alternative interpretations.
1) Quirrel said this while he was roleplaying as the defense professor. Perhaps the role he came up with happened to be constructed so that Harry’s actions made him happy. But that doesn’t mean that it made Riddle happy (insofar as the “true” identity of Riddle exists). Heck, we don’t even know that Harry is dealing with Riddle in chapter 108, or yet another identity that Riddle selected for the occasion. (He “changes names as you or I change clothes.”)
2) Even if Quirrel/Riddle was not roleplaying, this could have been a calculated statement made in order to gain Harry’s trust and admiration. There seems to have been a lot of that going on in Harry’s interactions with Quirrel.