Writer's Note:

I don't own Harry Potter, enjoy the ride.

It all began during Harry Potter's Fifth Year at Hogwarts one morning as Harry joined his fellow students for breakfast, so far things hadn't gone well, especially in the aftermath of Voldemort's return to power the previous year. First he nearly got expelled after a Dementor attack and now he had to endure the tyrannical Dolores Jane Umbridge, their latest "Defense Against The Dark Arts" teacher. Harry hated her so much, he wanted to do something terrible to her, he just wanted to.

Every time he saw Umbridge, especially after landing in detention with her for saying that Voldemort was back, he was tempted to pull out his wand and unleash some curse on her. But he couldn't do it, something held him back. Was it his friends? Was it his good heart? Was it fear of expulsion or because Umbridge worked for the ministry and Harry already had issues with the ministry?

Whatever it was, he had yet to do something aside from teach his own classes in the Room of Requirement. Harry sat next to Hermione and Ron at the Gryffindor table as usual, hardly eyeing the staff table so he wouldn't boil with rage at the sight of Umbridge again. The mail arrived as usual, making Harry miss writing to Sirius. He wished he could do so, but unfortunately, Umbridge was monitoring the mail. Sirius could not land back in Azkaban or get the Dementor's Kiss, he was an innocent man.

"Hey, Potter." Said a sneering voice behind Harry.

Harry turned, facing Draco Malfoy of Slitherin house, still smug and mean as ever. "What is it, Malfoy?" Harry asked casually.

"Happy Halloween. Or should I say, Happy Potterween." Malfoy replied.

This got a chuckle from Harry, "Potterween? What's with the well wishes or jokes, Malfoy?"

"Its Halloween, Potter." Malfoy replied, "Important time of year, especially when it comes to magic and ghosts. You could say, it's a perfect time... for wizarding duels."

"Are you challenging me?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I'm challenging you, Mr. The Dark Lord's Back. Sundown, before dinner, Hogwarts grounds. Don't be late, Potter, or I'll have Umbridge expell you."

Brilliant, Harry thought as he ate his breakfast, I just got challenged by Malfoy. What else could be happening today? Guess there's no way out of it.

Harry tried not to think much about it as he went into Transfiguration, hardly looking at Malfoy, who seemed to be smiling smugly behind his back. After class was done and as the other students headed off to potions, Harry had a quick word with McGonagall.

"What did you expect, Potter?" McGonagall told him when he told her about Malfoy's challenge, "Slytherin's are always toying with Gryfindors. All I can say is, try not to lose and do your best out there when you duel him."

"What? You're not going to stop it from happening?" Harry was surprised to hear someone from his own house basically say that she was not going to stop the duel from happening. "Its out of my hands, Potter." McGonagall said curtly, "Now go, you got classes."

Harry made it to potions in time and was relieved Snape didn't antagonize him, he didn't need that. Unfortunately however, after Potions was done, Harry was about to leave when Snape said, "Not so fast." He turned to face his potion's teacher, thinking he was in trouble.

"Mr. Malfoy tells me you two will be dueling at sunset before dinner." Snape told Harry.

"He... He challenged me, professor. I talked with McGonagall and she's not stopping it."

"Duels are unavoidable, you either fight or you lose or be branded a coward."

Throughout the rest of the day, through almost every class, Harry dreaded and prepared himself for his upcoming duel with Malfoy Draco. Then, as six thirty chimed on the clock, it was the hour of sunset and Harry headed down to the school grounds, ready for what was to come. As he left the castle halls, the Boy Who Lived mentally told himself he would be fine, if he could make it out of a duel with Voldemort then why couldn't he do it with Malfoy. Besides, they'd dueled before during their second year at Hogwarts.

It was no surprise that there was no one else on the grounds, save for a few students on their way to a class or on their way to dinner. Harry drew his wand and took up his position, waiting for Malfoy to come. Oh he would show him, he would teach him a lesson. Maybe this would be the perfect opportunity to get some aggression out of his system, to cope with his frustration towards Umbridge. Everything he had against her would be channeled at Malfoy, perhaps at some point he could duel Umbridge.

Harry shook his head, it wouldn't work, he would be tempted to unleash the Cruciatus Curse or the Avada Kedavra curse on her if he actually fought her. IF he ever stooped that low, attacking Umbridge, cursing or ending her, he would be just like her or, even worse, Voldemort. The setting sun cast an orange radiance across the sky, the bell was ringing. The grounds were empty, yet the only thing present here was Harry. The Whomping Willow, which stood still like a normal tree, did not count.

"Waiting for me, Potter?"

Malfoy had arrived, wand in hand and smirking as if he anticipated beating Harry and getting him kicked out of school. "You bet I was, Malfoy." Harry said, trying to be confident, "Happy Halloween, hope to defeat you and wipe that smug look off your face."

"Mark my words. You're going to go from being The Boy Who Lived to being The Boy Who Wasn't So Lucky Enough To Defeat Draco Malfoy. Think about it, you were lucky to survive against the Dark Lord in a duel but couldn't beat me in one."

"Well, what are you waiting for, get on with it."

"Oh I will. EXPELIARMUS!"

"PROTEGO!"

Malfoy flicked his wand and attempted to disarm Harry, only for Harry to cast a shielding charm that deflected the shot back at its caster, who ducked to avoid that. "STUPEFY!" Malfoy yelled and tried to hit Harry again, the hero ducked and cast the disarming charm. Just as Harry had cast the shielding charm to deflect Malfoy's disarm charm, Malfoy cast Protego to deflect as well but ducked when Harry cast the disarming charm again. "PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Harry attempted to freeze his opponent, that didn't seem to work.

"CRUCIO!" Malfoy bellowed. Harry saw it coming and deflected it back at Malfoy, who screamed in agony as the curse hit him. He recovered and cast Rictumsempra, a spell Harry had deployed the first time they dueled over a few years prior. "PROTEGO!" Harry blocked the incoming spell successfully. Coming up with an idea and thinking of a happy memory, he raised his wand and shouted, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry's stag Patronus emerged and charged at Malfoy, who was caught off guard.

The Slytherin jumped aside to avoid getting run over by the stag, completely surprised that Harry would try that even though he was NOT a dementor. "Cheap move, Potter!" Malfoy remarked snidely, "Very cheap move." Just as the two foes were about to unleash more spells, a familiar voice cut through the grounds. "I see we're dueling." Umbridge had arrived. Harry was pre-occupied with fighting Draco and only heard her voice, he did not see her until he blurted out "Crucio!"

When Umbridge shrieked and fell over, writhing in pain, that was when Harry saw her. Draco was caught off guard, completely surprised as much as Harry was. In fact, Malfoy got so distracted with Umbridge under the Cruciatus curse, he ended up getting Stupefied. The Slytherin student fell over and Harry put away his wand, ending the duel as he observed Dolores Umbridge on the ground, wailing in pain. He hadn't planned on it, but it had happened anyway. After cursing her, Harry almost felt better.

Malfoy recovered and went into retreat back inside the castle, the duel was over. Harry headed back inside the castle as well, heading straight for the Great Hall to eat dinner. However, he knew that once Umbridge had recovered, he would be in trouble for unleashing Crucio on her...

The End