A/n: Hey! Another chapter. Hope you enjoy.
Chapter 5
When they got to the Great Hall, the competitors were already there, waiting as Draco and Hermione were. The Great Hall was fixed the same way it was for the first competition. Slowly the rest of the school filled in, waiting for the competition to begin.
Draco and Hermione were starting to wonder. No one had given them directions about the task yet. Hermione and Draco looked at each other, both of their faces saying the same thing. What's going on? Why haven't we been told anything yet?
"Professor McGonagall!" Hermione called. "I have a question."
"Yes, Miss Granger?" said Professor McGonagall as she walked over to them.
"Why haven't you told anything about the next task yet?"
"We will tell you at the same time, considering neither the competitors nor the rest of the students knows what's going on." McGonagall stated. "Except for the fact that the competitors know that there is dueling involved and the rest of the students don't." She paused. "Unless one – or more – of the competitors has told."
Both Draco and Hermione shook their heads immediately. "No," Hermione said, "we haven't." She then looked at Draco for reassurance.
He immediately replied, "That's right. We haven't. Or – at least – Hermione and I haven't."
Hermione nodded in agreement.
Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows in shock as Draco referred to Hermione by her first name. That was certainly something new. She immediately blew it off as something they had decided to do for the sake of the competition – which was the truth.
With that, Professor McGonagall said, "Good." Then said, "Now if you'll excuse me." And then walked away to join the other teachers.
Draco and Hermione shifted slowly in place as all the students filed into the Great Hall and took their seats. Then Professor Dumbledore stepped forward. "Welcome," he said, "to the second of the competition. And I know you're all anxious to see the competition, but a short introduction is in order. This task will involve dueling –" There was a great round of applause at that statement. Professor Dumbledore put up his hand, and the students quickly quieted down. "Yes, I know you all are excited. I, myself, am excited. But I must explain how this dueling competition is going to work." He cleared his throat. "One team will be dueling against another team, until, finally, only 1 team is left." He paused slightly. "One person on one team will duel one person on another team. You will not participate in your partner's duel. If you're finished with your duel and your partner is not, you will wait until your partner is, or vise versa. The duels will go as follows: Year 1 vs. Year 2, Year 3 vs. Year 4, Year 5 vs. Year 6, and Year 7, I'm afraid, you'll have to wait. From there it will be, the winners of the "Year 1 vs. Year 2" duel will duel the winners from the "Year 3 vs. Year 4" duel. The winners of that duel will duel the winners of the "Year 5 vs. Year 6" duel. They will duel Year 7." Professor Dumbledore took a deep breath. "Now, everyone get in your places." No one moved. "Come on," he ushered, "Year 1 vs. Year 2, and so one and so forth." The students arranged themselves facing their proper opponents. "Now, Year 7, stand away from the other competitors." They did so. "Now, 10 steps back, turn around and then put your wands in the ready position." They 12 competitors did so. "Now, when I say, go, starting dueling. Ready…. Set… Go!" The duels began.
Draco did quite well. But the sixth years were hard to beat. They were both very good, but Draco and Hermione knew much more spells than they did.
But, Draco was surprised at how well the sixth years could duel. So was Hermione. But in about 15 minutes, Hermione and Draco had them beat. The other duels were still in progress when they had finished.
After that duel, Draco and Hermione smiled at each other and bowed. Then they stood aside and waited for the other duels to finish. Slowly, one by one, they finished.
Professor Dumbledore clapped when all the duels had finished. "Great job, students, great job, all of you." He said. "Now, Year 5, stand aside with Year 7, and Year 6 stand aside as well." All did so. "Now, let's see… it's Year 2 vs. Year 3." There was clapping heard from the audience, and loud applause heard from Years 2 and 3. "Get in your respective positions." They did so. "Now, 10 steps back, turn around face your opponent, and the assume the ready position."
The 4 competitors took 10 steps back, then, turned around and faced their opponent, and then assumed the ready position.
"Ready…." Dumbledore said, "Set…. Go!" The competitors began to duel once again.
Draco and Hermione watched with interest. Both were quite good, but neither a match for the fifth or sixth years.
So, it's safe to say that the duel only lasted about five minutes. But it was a good duel, and both teams did very well.
Dumbledore and the students clapped. "Well done, well done. Yes, well done." He said. "You both did very well. But, I'm afraid that second year had been eliminated." There was some polite clapping for them. "Stand over by the competitors, please." They did said. "Now, it's 'Year 5 vs. Year 6'." There was a loud tumultuous of applause from the crowd, especially from years 5 and 6.
"You both know what do," said Dumbledore. "I doubt I need to tell you what to do."
The 4 competitors, Draco and Hermione nodded, and then walked back 10 steps, turned around, and then got into the ready position.
Draco's competitor, one of the third years, Matthew Elks, was afraid of dueling Draco. You could see it in his face. Draco was a very good dueler. Matthew had known how quickly the sixth year, someone in a higher grade than him. I mean, how quickly would he beat him? But, he got in the ready position and stood and held his wand firmly. But, Draco knew he was afraid. He could see it. Draco put an evil sneer on his facing, knowing that it would be easier to duel him if he was afraid. Hermione's competitor, Trian Li, stood firmly and was confident. She was sure she could beat Hermione. But, if Matthew could beat Draco? That she wasn't so sure of.
"Now, Ready…." Dumbledore called, "Set… Go!" And the duels began once again.
Now, could Matthew Elks beat Draco Malfoy? Of course…. Not. Draco's much too good. Not even 5 mintues later, Draco had him beat. Matthew was good, no doubt about that, but he was no match for Draco, especially when he was scared.
The duel between Trian and Hermione took a little longer. Neither one was afraid of the other. But, in the end, Hermione prevailed and won.
She and Draco at each other and shook each other's hands.
Professor Dumbledore, the rest of the staff, and the rest of the students clapped.
"Well done, well done." He said. "Now, for the final duel… Year 5 vs. Year 7!" There was a great round of applause at the remark.
The 2 7th years walked confidentially in front of Draco and Hermione, smirks on their faces. Neither Draco nor Hermione liked this. What gives them the right to be so cocky, they thought. Just because they're the Head Boy and Girl and they're 7th years, and we're 5th years? That doesn't mean anything!
But that was exactly why Aaron McLean and Michelle Marcus (the 7th years) were cocky. They naturally assumed that because they were 7th years, they would beat the 5th years. But, if that is true, only time can tell.
"Now, again, I don't think I have to tell you what do to do now." Professor Dumbledore said.
With that, the 4 competitors took 10 steps back, turned around and got in the ready position.
"Now, on the count of three…" Dumbledore said. "One…. Two…. Three!" And the competitors were at it again.
Now this duel was truly a sight to see. All four competitors were really good, and it went on for a total of a half an hour. Hermione and Michelle's duel was the last to end. Draco and Aaron's duel went on for almost 25 minutes, and then about 5 minutes later, Hermione and Michelle's duel ended.
Draco and Aaron were out of breath by the time their duel ended. Aaron could not believe he had lost, and to a 5th year at that. But, he had lost fair and square and he would live with that. Draco was very good, and he and Draco shook hands good-naturedly. Although, he never missed the smirk that played on Draco's face the whole time. The dumb Slytherin, Aaron thought. You know, I've never liked, and I like him even less now that's he's beaten me and has the smug look on his face. Slytherins…And it was true. Draco did have a smug smirk on his face when he beat Aaron. Draco likes to win, and he isn't afraid to show it. And beating everyone in a dueling competition does something to one's ego as well.
When Draco and Aaron finished dueling, they turned sideways to finishing watching Michelle and Hermione's duel. At one point in the duel while Draco and Aaron were watching, Michelle threw a spell at Hermione and it sent Hermione back, but Hermione kept her balance, and threw another spell at Michelle. It sent Michelle down on the ground. She was about to get up, when she shook her head, and dropped her wand in submission. She had given up. Hermione had won.
Hermione clapped and turned to Draco. They shook hands, smiles on their faces.
Dumbledore and the audience clapped, and there was a roar of screaming from the 5th years. "Very good, students. Very good. Well done, all of you." Dumbledore said. "Now, for the results, and just because they win the duels does not mean that they have won. Just so you know. Now here are the results…" He cleared throat. "In third place: Year 3!" There was applause and screaming from the 3rd years. "In second place: Year 7!" There was more applause. Most of the 7th years were upset that they had lost. "And in first place… Year 5!" The fifth years screamed. Draco and Hermione hugged each other. As soon as they realized what they were doing, they stepped back, stared at each other, and released each other, and dusted each other off, and then shook hands. Both of them were ecstatic that they had won at least one of the stages so far. They had been doing very well.
Meanwhile, when Draco and Hermione hugged, Ron and Harry looked at each other with shocked looks on their faces.
Ron leaned over to Harry, and whispered. "Do you know what that was about?"
"Not a clue." Harry said. "Awfully weird, don't you think?"
"Very weird." Ron agreed.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Harry said.
"Me, too." Ron agreed. "I don't like Hermione getting close to that scum, Malfoy. She shouldn't even be nice to him. He doesn't deserve it."
"I couldn't agree with you more, Ron."
"The next stage will be held one week from today." Dumbledore announced, and then the Great Hall slowly started to empty out. "All competitors please report to room behind the Great Hall for information on the next task." The competitors followed Dumbledore to the room behind the Great Hall.
A/n: I hope you enjoyed it! R/R!