Chapter 8 Battlegrounds

That Friday, the Dark Arts Combat class gathered in the Dark Arts practice room. In one of the corners, Hermione thought she saw Muggle speakers. Wearing all black clothing, combat boots and a long, black, thick raw silk trench coat with the Malfoy symbol on its lapels and silver buttons with the sun etched on them, Draco stood with his blond spiked hair, now with black tips. Unfortunately, an attractive Italian girl wearing a black utility kilt and tight sweater stood next to him. Hermione recognized her as one of the witches from Beauxbatons. Most of the wizards gazed at her legs.

"Everyone, thank you for joining us. Today we will practice combat. Many of you have asked why the spiky haired freak became the Spitze and Dark Arts Combat expert at Durmstrang. With the help of my lovely assistant and stylist, Bianca, I'll show you." Bianca curtseyed.

"The entire class will pit themselves against me. Whichever side can cast a total of five harmless spells first, wins." He pointed to a red streamer at the ceiling. "Once the streamer touches the ground, the battle will begin. Before we begin, does anyone have any questions or have anything to say?" Everyone shook their heads. Draco nodded to Bianca.

Promptly, Bianca zapped the streamer causing it to slowly float downwards. Just seconds before it hit the ground, from all four corners of the room, thrash metal music blared in a deafening cacophony causing most students to cover their ears. Unfazed, Draco cast three minor stun spells at the witches and wizards in the front line. Then Harry countered with two spells that Draco blocked with his own spells.

Afterwards, Draco bowed and the music stopped. "During a battle, one isn't blessed with silence or predictability. Also, there are many distractions. For instance, Bianca's legs distracted most of the wizards." Politely, he nodded to Bianca. "Each Friday afternoon, we will practice dueling and spells under strenuous conditions. If anyone can tell me the biggest mistake the group made, I'll dismiss the class early so you can enjoy a long weekend after we practice to the music for an hour."

"We made two mistakes." Harry stepped forward. "We didn't survey our surroundings. Also, by being bunched together, most of us couldn't aim at you but only each other."

"Correct," Draco said. "Let's get started."

For an hour, they focused on spells while a din of noise echoed around them. As they left, some students grumbled that it wasn't fair but not Harry. "No, it was brilliant. During combat, nothing is fair."

Joining Ginny near the rose garden that weekend, Hermione enjoyed a sandwich for lunch. Nearby Draco held court amongst the passel of witches that followed him everywhere, imparting his rather obnoxious views about the world. "Any given witch is just as powerful and intelligent as any given wizard. Moreover, you all can read us like books while we don't have a clue as to what you are thinking. Further, you know we think with our trousers. All things considered, witches have the capability of ruling the world, but they don't. Considering how badly wizards have done ruling the world, between the war and all of the prior skirmishes between the families, why haven't you witches taken over?" Impatiently, Draco awaited an answer. "Well, are you just too lazy to take over the world, or what? Give me a reason."

No witch within his audience would answer. Instead, they giggled and cooed. Hermione wanted to acknowledge his compliments, but give reason as to why witches hadn't taken over the world when he had given valid reasons as to why they should. "If you must know, ruling in the forefront makes one a target. However, pulling puppet strings enables one to rule and not be a target. If something goes wrong, the puppeteer isn't held at fault and simply gets a new puppet. It just takes awhile to string up all those puppets. Once we do, the world will be a better place."

"Clever, devious and manipulative, an absolutely perfect response," he commented.

Draco Malfoy, you certainly are obnoxious and arrogant but it is just who you are. From your outfits, you know how to push the rules. Nonetheless, those witches are still hovering.

A few days later in the grand dining hall, everyone gathered for the announcement of the tournament champions. Directrice Morel and Professor Snape brought the three foot tall ornate silver chalice into the front of the dining hall. The cup flamed blue and a round delicate looking piece of paper blew into Karkaroff's hand. "Representing Beauxbatons, Gizelle Budois." A stunning young woman with raven hair and piercing green eyes smiled as her fellow students congratulated her.

"Representing Hogwarts, Harry Potter." Ginny hugged and kissed Harry, while everyone else in the Hogwarts' contingent congratulated him.

"Representing Durmstrang, Draco Malfoy." Durmstrang wizards shook his hand, while several of their witches hugged and kissed him, again and again. What is it with him? He has a certain inexplicable magnetism.

Two mornings later as Hermione read about more rumors of Voldemort's return, Directrice Morel loudly and in French reamed out two girls: Gizelle and Bianca, her roommate, in their room, before she closed the door. A few Beauxbatons' students loitered in the hall, eavesdropping. Curiously, Ginny approached them. "What happened?"

"One of the Durmstrang wizards, Spitze Malfoy, has been popping in frequently. Technically, it isn't against the rules since they are of age. Both girls swear nothing happened."

For some reason, this relieved Hermione.