The After Life

The Witches Duel

"Here...drink this, it'll help."

Harry took the mug of steaming liquid Hermione was offering him, and sniffed at its creamy head.

"What is it?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"Just hot chocolate, Harry," Hermione replied. "Made with boiled cream and squirty cream on top and melted chocolate chips inside. It's how my mum used to make it for me. It will help with the after-effects from the Dementors."

"I'm alright, honest," Harry lied, not quite meeting Hermione's eye.

Hermione merely stared blankly at him. "I know that's not true, Harry. I wouldn't need any special bond with you to work it out. You're very pale, and clammy as hell. Now...drink up. You'll feel a load better if you do, I promise."

Harry shrugged and took a tentative sip. Actually, it was really quite good. Drinking was made difficult by his hands, which he noticed then were shaking rather badly. He scoffed at his own weakness, willing his fingers to behave themselves. He hoped Hermione couldn't see, but one glance at her pained expression told him he was out of luck.

"You're finding this really hard to throw off, aren't you?" she asked softly.

Harry didn't answer right away. He took another swig of hot chocolate, feeling it warm his insides right down to his belly. It eased his shivering a bit, but not as much as chocolate usually did after a Dementor attack.

"They were no ordinary Dementors we faced today," said Harry. "So ordinary cures will just take that little bit longer to work. I'll be okay, really I will."

Hermione looked doubtful, but knew it was pointless to push Harry on the issue, which he was thankful for.

"In any case," he went on. "I'm pretty used to dealing with my own darknesses. It isn't me we need to worry about just now. We have to get you through this duel."

Hermione scoffed at him. "You don't doubt me, do you?"

"Your power, of course not," said Harry. "But duelling...what possessed you to come up with that one?"

"Ginny was threatening to release six very angry-sounding dragons at you!" Hermione cried, hotly. "That was inducement enough, don't you think?"

Harry couldn't argue with that. "Okay...but even so...a duel..."

"Ginny's no more of a dueller than I am," Hermione replied blankly. "It's sauce for the goose as far as I can see. The odds will be even."

"But you made me your Second," Harry huffed. "I can't get involved. What if Ginny gets help, tries to get an outsider to cripple you or something?"

"The Rules of Combat prevent that," Hermione explained. "If either she or I attempt anything like that, the effect will happen to the other person. That was the appeal of a duel...I could lock Ginny into a combat situation with just me, or us at a push. That makes it advantage us, as far as I'm concerned."

"Maybe you're right," said Harry. "But we still need a strategy."

"You're worried," said Hermione, genuinely surprised. "Don't...don't you think I can beat her?"

Harry sipped his hot chocolate as he considered his response. "You are more powerful magically. That isn't it doubt. But Ginny is not only an athlete, but she's a sneaky, callous little hag. And she's got no problem playing dirty, as we've already seen. She's the type to use a bone-crushing curse over a Confundus Charm, that's all I'm saying. I'm worried that you're too nice for a straight up fight."