They both had been forced to put on make up and they were both dressed in fashionable, Madame Malkins' combat robes.
By the time Hermione reached her platform, Draco was already on his looking at her with that air of self-importance.
"I feared you wouldn't show up, Granger," said the boy, slurring each word. Hermione's blood boiled at times, but she decided not to play their game.
"Let's get this over with, Malfoy. The world wants to see us fight, here we are".
They heard shouting coming from above. The fight was going to start at any moment.
"The world doesn't want to see us fight," Malfoy said, shaking his head, "they want to see us eating our mouths 24/7. Have you not read all the stories written about us on Witch Weekly? We are the new OTP".
"Well, this is our only chance to prove them wrong. Are you with me or not?"
Draco didn't answer. An amplified voice was calling out his name. His platform began to rise to the surface.
"I'm always with you, Granger," he said in a mysterious tone as he disappeared from sight above the ceiling. Then it was Hermione's turn.
At first, she didn't see anything. She was blinded ny so many flashes and stadium lights. Then she began to see the stands, people shouting and cheering for one or the other, the colors of Gryffindor and Slytherin.
Then she got a better look at Malfoy. His robe was emerald green with serpentine scales. Make-overs had put green eyeshadow on him too. Hermione, on the other hand, was wearing a scarlet tunic to match her lipstick and the highlights that had been done in her hair.
"ROUND ONE ..." said Ludo Bagman's voice. "FIGHT!"
There was no need to say it twice.
"PETRIFICUS… TOTALLUUUUUUS!" Hermione roared like a lioness. Her eyes had gone from brown to red like blood and you could see two long fangs when she opened her mouth.
The beam of light headed towards Malfoy, who was only five meters from her. Malfoy's pupils dilated for a second. He crouched like a ferret to protect himself. Malfoy wasn't top of the class, but he wasn't far behind either. A green-colored force field formed around him. Hermione's spell fell apart like a shower of stars. The audience could not stop applauding. Then there was silence for a few seconds.
"CRUCCIO!" Malfoy ordered. A strong breeze ruffled her hair as ge spoke one of the most unforgivable words. His pupils became two slits and his eyes turned yellow like a snake's. The green light chased its target, but the target disappeared. With a loud Crack! Hermione was gone, only to reappear two seconds later, sitting on the edge of the bleachers as if nothing had happened. Her fans howled and reached out to touch her. Draco took advantage of this moment to fight back.
"CRUCCIO!" But Hermione disappeared again. This time she appeared behind him. Draco whirled around just in time to see a red light hit him square in the face. He rolled on the ground, almost unconscious.
"CRUCCIO!" CRUCCIO! CRUCCIO! "He bellowed hatefully as soon as he was able to get to his feet. The stadium was filled with green lights. Hermione's fans were on the edge of the chair, suffering because everything was happening so fast and they could barely see her appear and disappear in the middle of all the green light. Draco was out of his wits.
"You'll pay for this, you mudblood!"
Time stopped. The audience was silent. Hermione was red as a beetroot. Her fans, who knew Hermione better than they knew their own mothers, had never seen her so angry.
"¡That does it, you filthy PEST!" She cried, and she started to grow and grow magically, until she was taller than the whole stadium. Draco's blood froze. "¡YOU DON'T GET TO SAY THAT! ¡NOT AFTER WHAT YOUR FILTHY FAMILY DID TO ME BACK IN THAT MANSION!"
"G-Granger...?" he started to beg "Granger, listen... I'm with you, remember. I'm sorry.
But it was too late. Draco's words sounded like the shrieks of a distant insect.
"¡AAAARGH!" Hermione cried while sparks came out of her wand, hands and entire body, and rained on the stadium making visitors run for their lives.
Her final spell turned Draco into a giant cockroach, and with a loud BUMP, she stepped on him, and Draco was K.O.
"GRANGEEEEEEER...WINS!" Cried Ludo Bagman, and Hermione was restored to her normal size with a wave of his wand.
The heroine felt dizzy and tired, but she saw Draco laying on the floor and immediately ran towards him. His bones were broken, and blood was coming out of his mouth.
"Malfoy... Oh dear, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break ALL of your bones!"
She laid her wand on the floor, and used her "fighting" hand to reach Draco's cheek.
"It's OK, Grang...¡COF-COF! I totally deserved it". He was running out of strength, but he reached Hermione's hand with his "...Friends?"
"Of course we can be friends!"she said with a smile, and then she added "So! Are you ready for round 2?"