Lost Image | dramione

16 | the duel

Hermione poured her frustrations into something productive, working to fill any empty spots in the Potions cupboard. There were more than enough ingredients for her to do so, and she set about brewing with confidence.

She had managed to find an old radio in what she could only describe as a "homage to the seventies" storage closet. Of course, it only picked up magical stations, but with her recent reading on Metal Charming she was able to adjust the radio in two ways. First, she managed to pick up one "80's classic rock ballads" muggle station. Second, she was able to alter the radio to have a headset jack, in case she didn't feel like playing her music out loud. While brewing, however, she felt no urge to keep the noise level down.

Interestingly enough, she found the loud obnoxious music almost calming in its familiarity. Normally when studying she wanted nothing less than complete silence, but somehow the background noise seemed to work well with making Potions. She could almost use the beat when it came down to stirring, counting her strokes easily.

The evening flew by, and by the time she crawled into bed she had almost forgotten about her run-in with her husband.

...

It was late the next evening when Hermione received an answer, by owl, from the Goblin Liason Office. In no uncertain terms, she had been turned down.

The letter cited her run-in with the Goblins last year, involving a theft from one of their vaults and the release of their dragon.

Hermione stared down at the letter, feeling several emotions at once.

Disappointment. She had really wanted that position, and she had thought her interview had gone so well.

Embarrassment. She should have known the Goblins wouldn't want her as a liaison after all she had done- apparently they didn't take "saving the world" as a legitimate excuse for theft.

Anger. The letter mentioned an informer regarding her involvement in the break-in. She didn't think it was an accident that her past problems with the Goblins had come to light so very quickly after her interview. She hadn't thought Draco had known about her break-in, but since Bellatrix had been his aunt maybe he had heard something? And he had been only too quick to mention this to Mrs. Valley.

Draco didn't play fair, and so she was done playing nice.

"Yugo?" she called gently, and sure enough the nearby but invisible house elf came with a quick pop. It looked glad to be summoned by her, and bowed deeply.

"How's is I helping you, Mistress?"

"Where is Draco?"

His happy demeanor faltered briefly, but apparently her commands were level with any Draco might have made regarding his privacy at home. "He is being... in the dining hall, Mistress."

"DRACO!" she yelled, apparating with a loud "crack!" and bursting through the door of the hall the moment the elf had finished speaking.

Draco was sitting at the dining table alone, obviously having just finished his meal. He was holding a letter in his hands, the window still open to admit the owl that delivered it.

He smirked at her as she entered with that stupid smug look of his. "Hermione, guess who she pick- what are you doing!?"

She had her wand raised towards him, and had stopped short in the center of the room. "We are going to settle something, Draco. Right here, right now. You have been both kind and cruel to me in turn, with no apparent pattern, and it is driving me crazy! This time, though, it's about my future, and I will not let it slide!"

"Y... your future? What about my future? Are you that much of a sore loser?"

"Pick up your damn wand, Draco! We're dueling! You commented once that you could win in a duel when I didn't catch you by surprise; well after what you've done, this should be no surprise. Pick. Up. Your. Wand."