A/n: Hey! Another chapter. Hope you enjoy.

Who heard them?: Thank you! I hope you keep reading!

Chapter 4

Dumbledore led the competitors into the room behind the Great Hall. "The next part of the competition, if you remember, is a dueling competition." Dumbledore stated. Some of students (those who didn't know how to duel, obviously) were looking a bit scared. Most of the older students were confident (Draco and Hermione included) that they were good in dueling. Mostly because they knew a lot of spells, and – when it comes to dueling – spells are just about everything.

"The competition will take place a week from today." He continued. "Please be prepared. As it was today, you will hear an announcement calling you all down to the Great Hall." He looked around as the students. "For those of you who do not know how to duel, I suggest you find someone who is not in the competition to teach you how. Is everyone clear on this matter?" he asked. The students nodded. "Very well, then. You are all dismissed."

Draco and Hermione looked at each other. "We'll meet up later?" He asked.

"For what?"

"To practice for dueling." He replied. "We do need to practice, right?"

"Yes, yes, of course." She said. "We'll meet up later. After dinner."

"Ok."

With that, they left to join their friends who congratulated (or their friend, as the case was) on winning second place in the first stage of the competition.

That night in the Great Hall, the students and competitors were eating dinner. When Hermione was finishing her dinner, she was wondering how she was going to go over and ask Draco and tell her to meet up with her without being suspicious. She decided that she was just going to do it. If people were suspicious, that was their problem. She and Draco knew there was nothing going on, so why should they worry?

She took a deep breath, then said to Harry and Ron, "I'm going to go get Draco."

"Why?" was their reply.

"Because we're working on this competition together and we need to practice for the next part." She said plainly.

"What is the next stage?" Ron asked.

She just smiled. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"Ah, come on, Hermione." Harry pleaded. "Tell us."

"Yeah." Ron said. "We're your best friends, you should tell us."

"Not this, I won't." She said.

"Fine. Don't tell us." Ron said.

"I won't." She said, and with that she walked over to the Slytherin table.

"Draco!" She called when she got there. "We should get practicing for the next stage before it gets too late."

He looked up at her as she spoke. "Oh, of course." He said. "I'll meet up with you in a few minutes. Wait for me outside of the doors of the Great Hall."

"Ok." She said, and she walked away to wait for him.

When he met up with her, they walked together and found an empty room to practice in.

"So, do you remember how to duel?" he asked. He knew she had been in the Dueling Club (as he had been) in their second year, but did not know if she remembered, or if she was any good.

"Yes," she said. "Although I'm not sure how good I am or how well I'll do."

"I'm sure you'll do fine." He said.

She smiled. "Yes, I'm sure. I know enough spells…"

"Exactly." He said. "You know a lot of spells, so, you'll do just fine. But, let's have a little duel to see just for sure how good (or bad) we both are. I haven't dueled in while, myself, either."

"Alright." She said. "What are the ready stances again?"

Draco showed her the two stances (holding your wand out in front of you or holding your wand above your head) and she nodded in understanding.

They both bowed at each other and then they got in the ready stances. (Hermione chose to put her wand out in front of her.) Then they began to duel.

They both were quite good. Hermione because she knew a lot of spells, and Draco, because he was. (Although he knew a good number of spells, himself.)

When they realized that they were both quite good, and were probably going to end up in a draw or something (if that's possible) they stopped.

"You're good." Draco said.

"So are you." Hermione said. "I have pity on the poor soul who gets partnered up with you."

Draco smirked. "So you have pity on Potter?" Harry had dueled with Draco back in their second year.

Hermione just glared at him. The smirk left his face, and he silently agreed that had gone too far.

"Again?" Draco asked.

"Sure." Hermione.

They bowed again, got in the ready stance, and then started to duel.

The duel went on much like the last one had. But halfway through the duel, Draco did a spell he shouldn't have. Hermione had not known the counter-spell, and even if she had, she had not been prepared (it had come very quickly and she didn't have time to think) and it sent her back up against the wall hard, and she was still conscious.

Draco gasped and knew had made a mistake. He couldn't believe he had been so stupid. What made him do that spell? Against her of all people? He knew (or had known) that she would not have been prepared and wouldn't have known the counter-spell anyway. Yet, he had done it anyway.

He rushed over to her, feeling really guilty. "Hermione!" he said, kneeling down next to her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she said, "I'll be fine."

"Where does it hurt?" He asked.

"My shoulder." She stated.

"Let me get you to the hospital wing." He said, helping her up carefully.

"Thanks." She said. "It's the least you can do."

Draco said nothing.

They walked the rest of the way to the Hospital Wing in silence. When they got there Madam Pomfrey was appalled.

"Come here, dear," she said, taking Hermione out of Draco's hold. "Where does it hurt?"

"My shoulder," she said, pointing to her right shoulder.

"Ok." Madam Pomfrey said. "You'll have to remove your clock and your robes."

"Ok." Hermione said, and with that Draco lowered his had so he could not see her.

Hermione took off her robes far enough that Madam Pomfrey could tend to her wound. Draco didn't look once.

"How did this happen?" Madam Pomfrey asked, as she finished up, and Hermione put her robes back on.

"Uh…" Hermione said, "Draco and I were practicing and I was being careless and a spell accidentally me that I should've been able to block. I was just careless." She lied.

Madam Pomfrey looked at her in shock and so did Draco. Why did she lie? He thought. Why did she lie for me?

Pomfrey dismissed them and Draco and Hermione left the Hospital Wing, Hermione feeling no pain in her shoulder.

Draco stopped her as soon as they left the Hospital Wing. "Why did you lie for me?" He asked her. "Why did you cover up for me?"

"Because," Hermione said, turning toward him, "you're my partner. If I would've told her, you would've gotten in big trouble. You are partner. If I would've told her, you probably would've been disqualified, and that means I would've been disqualified." Draco's eyes widened in realization. He hadn't thought about that. "We've already placed in a competition together, so, naturally, no one else would be able to replace you. Who would say if we would've done that well with someone else?" She said. "Now, DO not EVER expect me to do that again, understand?" She said, her voice rising. "Because I will NOT cover for you again, so don't get used to it. Do you understand?" She was now yelling.

Draco nodded his head up and down, being scared of her a little. "Yeah, I understand."

"Now don't ever, EVER do that again. Alright?"

Draco nodded again. "Alright." Let's just say he had a lot more respect for her from now on.

They went back to the room and began to practice again, and they continued to practice everyday after dinner in the Great Hall until it was the day of the competition.

"All competitors in the competition, please report to the Great Hall immediately. The second stage starts in 15 minutes sharp." They heard Professor McGonagall's voice boom.

Draco and Hermione had been practicing when the announcement was heard. They looked at each other, put their wands inside their robes, and took a deep breath. Then they proceeded to walk to the Great Hall.

When they got there, they stood around and waited for further instructions.

A/n: Sorry for the long wait. Here's the next installment. I'll have the next one soon enough. I hope you enjoy it! R/R!