Disclaimer I do not own the Harry Potter series.

This may contain series spoilers. This first chapter is short, but I want some opinions before I continue.

Part I: The Preliminaries

Chapter I: Betting and Victory

"I believe that is not a good idea," Hermione warned, her chocolate eyes giving off an aura of intelligence, "It's important we get an education, being in a stupid tournament is not part of an education."

"Blimey, Hermione," Harry slapped his forehead.

"You need to take a break once in a while," she scowled at Ron's comment.

"McGonagall said it was okay, twenty students from Hogwarts are permit to go me, you, Ron, and Ginny. We get first dibs," Harry explained, "And it might give us a lead on the Horcruxes.

"Still…" Hermione was stubborn.

"Nothing Hermione, we're making you go!" Harry commanded.

"Oh fine," Hermione gave in.

End Flashback

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"Heh," Ginny smirked at the look of her opponent, "I can take you!"

"You've have spunk, kid," a teen, maybe two years older admitted.

"More than spunk… Petrificus Totalus!" Ginny flicked her wand and her opponent froze in place, she walked up and pryed the other teen's wand of her hands. "Emni!" Ginny pointed her wand, and a blast of yellow magic flew out, but backfired slam into Ginny's face making her lose grip of the wand she was holding. "Darn, I mixed up the wands!" Ginny's opponent broke free of the spell and picked up her wand.

"Emni!" a similar jolt of yellow magic hit Ginny again.

"Blast," Ginny scowled.

"Heh heh," the girl teen mocked.

"Expelliarmus!" a red flash hit the girl and her wand flew out of her hands. Ginny pointed her wand threateningly, but the other girl raised her hands in defeat.

"Ginny wins her first preliminary match!" an announcer called out, a crowd screamed and cheered for her.

"Yeah!" Ginny said triumphantly, she walked off the arena and started back for the social hall where she would meet up with her friends.

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"When will Ginny get here?" Hermione said worriedly, "She might be hurt! I told you this dueling tournament was a bad idea."

"Hermione shut up," Ron said quietly. Hermione gasped and scowled.

"Humph, am I the only one around here that is sane?" she asked herself.

"Nope, Ron's just insane," Harry said, Hermione giggled, but then went back to scowling. Suddenly, a flame orange head ran into the room smiling.

"I won! I won!" Ginny grinned. Hermione's

Face brightened.

"That's great!" then she scowled, "Ron here doesn't give a care you get hurt or not."

"Well shame on you!" Ginny wagged her finger and picked up her wand, but Hermione pointed her wand down and away from Ginny's target.

"Save it for the rink," Hermione grinned.

"Well, well Potter and the gang are all here," the group turned around to see no other than Draco Malfoy, Harry and Hermione groaned in unison. Ron ran away for the last time he saw Malfoy, Ron's face ended out covered in spaghetti sauce. Ginny just stood her ground.

"What do you want? Death Eater?" Ginny asked, she didn't sound mean until the last part.

"Nothing, nothing, I just want a word with Granger," Malfoy brushed past Ginny, purposefully bumping into her. Ginny made a face, but walked off and beckoned Harry to talk with her.

"What do think he wants?" Ginny asked.

"I can hear you Weasly girl! And I quit the Death Eaters!" Malfoy told her.

"Yeah whatever," Ginny wasn't convinced.

"Granger," Malfoy whispered, "I need a favor. I bet a friend I could do any dare and he said he would give me 500 bucks if I did this one, but I owe him 2000 if I don't."

"Too bad, I won't help," Hermione made clear.

"Granger!" it was a loud and commanding whisper, "Help me get a date with Ginny."

"No way, I don't want her near you!" Hermione exclaimed loudly.

"Shut up, Granger! Shut up!" Malfoy was still whispering loudly.

"Ask her yourself, I refuse to help you, Ginny is not meant for you," Hermione explained.

"It's just a dare," Malfoy said.

"I don't care," Hermione responded. Malfoy grunted and walked over to Ginny.

"Will you… date me?" he asked the flame haired girl.

"What!?" Ginny and Harry said at once. If it was an anime they would have fallen on their faces or done a sweat drop.

"It's a dare for 500 bucks! If I don't I lose 2000," Malfoy countered.

"Okay," Ginny said.

"What!?" Hermione ran over to Ginny, furious.

"But on one condition," Ginny said smiling, "I get all the money."

"No way!" Malfoy exclaimed.

"Then expect no help from me," Ginny shrugged.

"Fine!" Malfoy said sourly, "meet me outside at seven."

"Hermione Granger, Hermione Granger, report to the arena," a voice said over the intercom, in response Hermione dashed out of the social room and into a preparation room.

"Okay, Hermione lets win this!" Hermione encouraged herself. She walked out onto the arena and the crowd cheered for the intelligent witch. She saw her opponent, a teen her age.

"Shall we begin?" Hermione asked.

"Ready when you are," the teen answered readying her wand as Hermione readied her own.

"Expelliarmus," red flashes of magic shot at her opponent as Hermione uttered the spell.