A/N: You will need to use your imagination somewhat with the Gifs but hopefully they illustrate what I mean. Hope you enjoy!

Hermione knew what was coming. She knew how big it was. She knew how dangerous it would be. She also knew her boyfriend. If she was dating Harry or, god-forbid, Ron, she would have been lecturing the pants off them.

She knew and trusted Y/N enough to know he knew what he was doing. He didn't need to be nagged or badgered into making a smart decision. What he needed was a loving and caring girlfriend to support him.

That's what she did following his argument with Dumbledore until the next morning.

Not long after they got to breakfast mail started to arrive. Hundreds of owls flew through, dropping newspaper after newspaper. It was no surprise to see the front page.

MINISTRY BROUGHT TO ITS KNEES!

Archduke declares war on Ministry of Magic.

Following the title and subtitle blazoned across the page there was a picture of the five purebloods, on their knees, looking down. Y/N and Hermione were standing over them. Y/N chuckled loudly and yelled across the hall.

"HEY MALFUCK YOUR OLD MAN HAS NEVER LOOKED BETTER!!!"

The article went on to detail what had transpired, Y/N's speech and finally the Motion of No Confidence. It went into graphic detail the effect that this would have should the Archduke fully enact it.

"Thirty months seems like a long time?" Lavender said as she read.

"It's what was legislated after the civil war Lav. I guess they felt as the matter was so serious it was sufficient time for the Ministry of the day to rectify the issues brought against it."

Most of the hall had gone into whispers and glances towards Y/N who smirked and left with Hermione once they had finished breakfast.

They sat alone in a courtyard for most of the morning, just hugging. It was brisk but the sun was trying its hardest to shine. They had plenty of warmth from the embrace as Hermione smiled to herself and snuggled into her much larger boyfriend.

—~—

The anxiety and nerves had started to overtake her as they walked towards the Quidditch pitch with Lavender and the 'fab five' as Lav called their older friends.

"Thank you for being so supportive baby. I know you're nervous, but it means the world to me how much you trust me, and how much you've been there for me last night and today."

Y/N smiled as he spoke and Hermione giggled back at him.

"Legilimency?"

"No. Don't need it. You wear your emotions on your sleeve baby. But you don't need to worry..."

She shriek-giggled as he picked her up bridal style.

"Everything is under control"

They arrived to see a big crowd already gathered, twenty minutes before the scheduled challenge.

Hermione and the friends had seats reserved in the teachers booth as VIP guests so they headed up, Y/N went to his tent alone to prepare.

—~—

Y/N was sat on a bench in his tent meditating when he heard McGonagall call out via the sonorous charm

"Welcome today. As has been the right of a new Archduke for centuries we are gathered here in the spirit of friendship and co-operation, to see a magical duel. The Hogwarts champions are gathered so the Archduke may challenge who he wishes. We welcome you now to the field of combat, Lord L/N, 58th Archduke of Magical Britain."

Y/N walked out in his traditional robes and smiled. They had definitely drawn a crowd. He cast the sonorous charm on himself. Of course, he didn't need a wand to do it. He looked at the five potential Hogwarts champions gathered in front of him.

Flitwick, Snape, McGonagall, Sprout and Dumbledore- the four Heads of Houses and the Headmaster. Y/N smiled to himself.

"I don't think this will surprise anyone. I challenge you... Albus. One on one. Man on man."

The others looked at him with a look of resignation. Albus looked at him with fury. Never had he desired to hurt one of his students, but he had had enough. The arrogance of this boy had reached its peak, and Albus was going to give him a good hard slap of reality.

—~—

Hermione looked at Y/N and Albus glare at each other as they approached the centre of the field. The four Heads of House walked to each corner of the field as they waited to cast a protective shield around the duelling area.

"You know I can't help but think this whole thing was a dick measuring contest" Bea chuckled.

"From what I've heard it's a no contest" Lavender said with a laugh as she held her index fingers about a foot apart to the others. Hermione slapped her arm amid a chorus of giggles.

"I think they need this, both of them. It's been building for a while. They need to get this out of their system" Hermione stated, holding a brave face hiding her worry.

"Aren't you scared for him, Hermione?" Maisy asked. She cared for Y/N deeply, he had done so much for her. She had been panicking all night after the argument the previous day.

"No Maisy" Hermione said with a smile. "You guys know Y/N, but you don't really know, Y/N. I think a lot of people are going to be very surprised."

As she finished she looked across and waved back at Newt and Tina, who were waving to her from the next box.

—~—

Albus copied Y/N's trick and wandlessly cast Sonorous.

"Well here we are. Are you satisfied, Y/N?"

"Not yet Albus but I think I will be soon" Y/N said calmly before he removed his robes and shirt, standing topless with only his slacks and shoes on.

"I'm not going to swoon at the sight of your muscles, Y/N" Albus said sarcastically. Y/N chuckled.

"I'm the wrong Grindelwald to make you swoon, aren't I? No, that's not what this is Albus. This isn't a display of friendship. This isn't the Champion against the Archduke. This is you and me. Man on Man. You've lied to me, manipulated me, allowed me to suffer the worst pain imaginable... just for your master plan. It ends today Albus. If you won't recognise me as your equal I will prove myself your superior."

Y/N unsheathed his wand. The crowd was silenced. Shocked. Albus glared at Y/N, the sheer insolence of this boy. If it took embarrassment at this level to break his hubris then Albus would gladly grant it.

"Unsheathe your wand, Y/N" he spoke calmly.

"Have you lost your eyesight, Old Man? It's in my hand."

"Your other wand, Y/N"

"I have a girlfriend Albus" Y/N replied immediately. Albus chuckled. In the stands Hermione rubbed her eyes with her thumb and forefinger.

"Your spare wand, L/N. The one on your left arm."

Y/N chuckled.

"Don't want to give you an excuse old man. A reason to cry when I beat you".

Albus's face hardened but a smirk formed on his lips.

"It only seems fair, since I'm using this"

He pulled his wand from his sleeve.

"You know exactly what wand this is, Y/N. You also know that I won it when I humiliated your grandfather!"

The crowd oohhed. The arrogant smirk on Y/N's face was instantly replaced with anger... with rage. Albus smiled, he had prodded the bear.

"Heads of houses" he called calmly, the four heads holding up their wands and speaking almost in unison:

Repellio Inimicum

Fianto Duri

Protego Maxima

Albus smiled at Y/N and asked:

"Shall we begin?"

—~—

The two combatants glared at each other before Y/N fired off a spell. Then another, then another. He stalked inwards towards Albus, continuing the barrage of spells as he got closer and closer before jump thrusting with his wand, firing a spell at Albus which shattered his protego shield and forced him back several feet.

The crowd gasped in shock. Y/N sheathed his wand quickly, signalling for Albus to bring it before rearming it.

Albus fired back a tirade of spells Y/N easily blocked before returning fire. It lasted several minutes, neither able to better the other but each spell causing the crowd, especially the student body who had never seen anything like this before, to ohh and ahh until finally the pair were locked in combat. Albus fires off a red spell, Y/N his signature deep purple.

They held firm as they both groaned in effort... finally both spells were forced upwards, smashing a hole through the top of the shield to the astonishment of the crowd.

Y/N quickly called forth his elemental magic, appearing to spit fire at Albus that morphed into a dragon.

He laughed at Albus who quickly used the power of the Elder wand to cast Aquamenti

He circled above his head before using the giant ball of water he summoned to extinguish the fire dragon.

Y/N continued laughing though as he didn't give Albus a break, throwing lightning bolt after lightning bolt at him.

"Yield Albus. Yield!" he roared.

Albus blocked them with a powerful shield before wandlessly pulling a chunk of earth from the quidditch pitch and smashing it into Y/N, sending the third year spinning and pummeling before he rolled back to come up on a foot and a knee, smirking as his wand still pointed at his adversary.

"Enough" Albus bellowed. He lifted his arms and used the Elder wand to cast Avis. Thousands of birds appeared above and around Y/N- Albus released them.

Y/N quickly summoned a shield all around himself that was instantly attacked by bird after bird.

Neither man relented as the shield started to constrict around Y/N as he grunted and groaned, using his strength to keep the attack at bay.

Hermione started to panic as it got closer and closer to Y/N before he roared in an unearthly voice:

Enough!

He threw his arms and wands out, the shield destroying the birds and the protective barrier around the pitch. Albus was thrown from his feet.

Y/N charged, firing spells as Albus attempted to cut them down and respond, the two of them getting closer and closer as the Heads and senior wizards and witches in the audience attempted to protect the students in the crowd from deflected spells which were ricocheting in every direction.

"Enough! It's a tie!" Minerva yelled from the side via sonorous, the crowd shocked as the dust cleared, Y/N and Albus stood face to face, wands at each other's throats. It was silence until the student body roared in applause, almost in unison. Hermione perhaps roared loudest of all.

Y/N and Albus glared at each other, breathless.

"Do I have your respect yet, Old Man?"

"Perhaps boy. Perhaps"

"I could have ended it at any time Albus." Y/N said as he juggled a ball of Protego Diabolica in his left hand.

"I didn't wish to harm you, only for you to see what is in front of you."

Albus lowered the Elder Wand and placed it in his sleeve before holding out his hand to Y/N. Y/N extinguished the Diabolica and sheathed his wand, shaking Albus's hand.

As equals.