Hermione shrugged and spread her hands helplessly.
Then she picked up a Chocolate Frog and fed it to Luna.
Lockhart was utterly at a loss. He could only look toward Gryffindor again and call out another name:
"Harry, why don't you go instead?"
Of everyone at Hogwarts, Hermione and Harry were the ones he knew best, so he could only inflict this on his acquaintances first.
Harry nodded without refusing.
Lockhart might not be very capable, and he was terribly narcissistic and pompous, but Harry had to admit that he treated him pretty well and meant him no harm.
When Malfoy heard that Harry would be taking the stage, his earlier terror vanished, and he immediately perked up.
He scrambled off the floor at lightning speed, brushed the dust off himself, and gave Harry a provocative look.
Watching Malfoy's lightning-fast change of expression, Harry seethed.
Fine, fine. So you're only scared of Hermione, and not scared of me at all, are you?
I'll show you in a minute.
The two had never gotten along. Now that they finally had a chance at an officially sanctioned Wizard's Duel, neither could ask for more.
They approached each other and finally stopped close enough to kiss.
"Scared, Potter?"
Malfoy spoke with a sinister edge.
"In your dreams."
Harry snorted, refusing to back down.
With both of them guided by the principle of "teach him a good, hard lesson," the tension between them grew thicker and thicker.
"Wands at the ready."
Hermione's voice rang out at just the right moment, interrupting their battle of wills.
"Both of you may only use the Disarming Charm. The first to disarm his opponent wins."
As soon as Hermione finished briefly explaining the rules, Harry and Malfoy eagerly turned around and took their dueling stances.
"Three, two, one...