Potter vs. Weasley
The Gryffindor common room was abuzz with chatter. Small groups of two or three debating the pros and cons of the first Friday duels in the sixth year Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. So much so that Hermione was getting sick of being asked who she thought would win.
If those boys don't hurry up they will miss breakfast.
Just then Harry and Ron came into the common room laughing.
"Good morning Hermione."
"Good Morning Harry."
Ron moved behind Hermione as she sat on the couch and gave her a soft kiss on the base of her neck.
"Good morning my lady fair." Ron smiled.
"Don't you lady fair me. We've almost missed breakfast." She said in a harsh tone that couldn't mask the smile on her face.
Ron forced a fake hurt look on his face. "I would have been here sooner but the mighty boy who lived was regaling me with how he is going to destroy me this morning in class."
Harry laughed as they headed to the portrait door.
"You two should not laugh about that, you guys could really get hurt today." She said worriedly."
"There is no way that someone so sad as to have a stag as a Patronus could possibly defeat."
"Well I would make fun of your Patronus Ron if you had one." Harry smirked.
Ron acted like he had been shot in the chest with a spell and fell to the floor.
Hermione and Harry laughed and helped him to his feet. Then the three of them went into the Hall to grab a quick bite to eat.
As they began to eat Lavender walked up to them and sat down.
"Ron a bunch of us in Divination are going to get together this weekend and study, are you up for that?"
"Well if it's Sunday I will be. My Saturday is completely full."
Lavender stood back up "Ok then I'll make it for Sunday afternoon."
"Sounds good Lavender just let me know the details."
He started eating again but he could feel Hermione looking at him.
"Is there anything wrong Hermione?"
"I don't like the way Lavender looks at you." she said frowning.
Ron saw Harry begin to smile and looked away before he started laughing.
"Whats important is if you like the way I look at you Hermione."
Hermione blushed but nodded.
"So if you like it then what other people think or do doesn't matter now does it?"
"I guess your right Ron. It just seems like a lot of people don't seem to believe that I am really your girl friend."
"Why on earth would you say that Hermione?" Ron asked looking at Harry who just shrugged.
"I..well...I heard some girls talking about it in the restroom and how you could do so much better than me with my bushy hair and my always studying. They were also saying I couldn't possibly be any fun and that you would soon get tired of me and a few of them intended to be there when you did."
Ron thought she was going to start crying any second and Harry was looking angrier by the second.
"Well then I guess I'll just have to fix that then won't I?"
Ron pushed his chair back and jumped up onto the table they had been eating at.
"Can I have everyone's attention please." he called loudly.
All of the students in the Hall and the teachers as well turned to look at Ron.
"I just wanted to say that I have had the most wonderful and admittedly undeserved good fortune to fall madly in love with the most charming, beautiful, intelligent and kind hearted witch ever to attend Hogwarts and despite that intelligence she has somehow fallen in love with me. So for all of you blokes out there, who have for years loved a lady from afar, go tell her, you have nothing to lose but your heart."
"Now I would like to introduce my love to all of you."
Ron reached down and offered his hand to Hermione who blushingly took it. He lifted her onto the table.
"For the few of you who have not had the pleasure of meeting her I would like you to meet Hermione Granger."
The Hall erupted in clapping as Ron wrapped his arm around her and bent down to slowly kiss here only breaking the kiss to catch her bottom lip between his teeth and nibble for just a second.
Straightening up he looked at her face glad to see that her smile had returned.
"Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger if you are finished you might want to get down from the table top." Professor McGonagall noted.
Ron held Hermione's hand steady as she jumped down then he jumped after her.
"So Professor McGonagall how shall we spend the evening tonight?" Ron asked
"This evening Mr. Weasley?" she looked sharply.
"Yes Professor, I can only assume I will be joining you in detention." he laughed.
Minerva McGonagall lips twitched as she fought and then failed to keep from laughing.
"Mr. Weasley you remind me of Sirius Black more and more every day. Well with the exception of Sirius never found a young lady who could temper his more exuberant outbursts the way you have."
Harry stood up laughing "Come on Padfoot lets get to class."
Ron looked at Harry for a second "So it's Padfoot and Prongs back again eh?"
The students were talking among themselves when Professor Leonidas walked in.
"Well class I take it you are all looking forward to today's dueling?"
Most of the heads were nodding though a few of them seemed a bit apprehensive.
"I hadn't decided which pair would duel first so I thought I would let the students choose. So this morning I spied on you while you were at breakfast and it seemed to me that everyone was talking about the Potter-Weasley match."
At that Ron and Harry looked at each other and shrugged.
"If you two would be so kind as to join me here on the stage. Also fifteen points to Gryffindor for Mr. Weasley's umm speech at breakfast. A good duelist must take chances and I like to reward such."
Hermione smiled at the memory and most of the people around her were shocked that she was not blushing.
Harry and Ron had made it onto the stage by then and had taken the marked positions.
"Gentlemen when I say begin. You will attempt to defeat the other. I will judge the winner and if at anytime I say the word HOLD you must stop fighting and lower your wands. Do you understand?"
Both Harry and Ron nodded that they did.
"Very good then begin."
Harry quickly shouted "Expelliarmus." hoping to end the fight quickly. Ron however had dove to the right as soon as he heard begin and Harry's spell glanced off the wall. Ron propped up on his elbow yelling "Stupefy" and then rolled to left before he even saw if his spell hit.
"Protego" Harry blurted out and barely caught Ron's spell with his shielding. Trying to follow Ron's rolling he screamed "Impedimentia"
Ron had just stopped rolling and jumped to his feet when Harry's spell came at him. He jumped back as the spell hit just in front of him.
Running to his left Ron called out "Stupefy" three times quickly in a row.
Harry blocked all three but was unable to cast a spell at Ron for a bit as he had to concentrate on blocking.
Ron continued running to the left then quickly changed directions and moved to the right causing Harry's next spell to miss. Meanwhile Ron had been waiting for Harry to cast, as soon as Harry cast his spell Ron cast "Stupefy" hoping he was fast enough to prevent Harry from blocking it.
Ron's spell hit Harry and slammed him back against the wall he quickly got to his feet though and the duel continued.
Ron really hurt me with that one. I better think of something quick.
Both duelists were starting to tire quickly and it was showing. At that Harry screamed "Stupefy at the exact same moment Rom yelled "Expelliarmus".
Harry's wand was torn from his hand while Ron was thrown back against the far wall with a crunch.
"Hold" Professor Leonidas shouted
"Potter you are the winner of this match and if I may say so it was a damn fine duel."
Professor Leonidas quickly walked over to where Ron was laying and examined him.
"He's ok he just has a broken bone or two. It looks like you both need to go to the hospital wing for a bit."
"I'm fine Professor." Harry lied.
"You're not fooling me Potter. Weasley almost put you out earlier. You have a separated shoulder and a couple of broken ribs I bet."
Professor Leonidas revived Ron and helped him to his feet.
"Very impressive Mr. Weasley."
Ron laughed weakly "I don't feel very impressive."
"Nonsense Mr. Weasley every duel you walk away from is a good duel." he laughed.
"Now the two of you get to the hospital wing. Bones-Smith get up here."