The Green Games (Dramione)

Day 15; Part 1

"What's that?" Pike jumped for the package at the same time Pansy did.

"What?" Pansy sneered at his hopeful tone, "Think your mummy is sending you cookies and milk?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, likely not milk but-," He paused, frowning, "Hey. No need for that." He grunted. Pansy gave a light grunt of surprise; seemingly he actually sort of had hoped it was. Maybe not cookies, but something from his parents. Pansy, on the other hand, would be happy to never have to talk to her mom again.

She grabbed the canister and revealed the envelope, scanning it quickly before she started to tear it.

"What the hell?" Pike asked, wrenching it from her fingers before she could get it all the way torn, "What's so important you have to tear it?" He asked suspiciously.

"It's nothing that concerns either of us, that's why." Pansy said through gritted teeth, trying to grab it, but Pike thrust his arm high above her. As it passed over his eyes, they widened, seeing the embossed seal.

"It's from the Game Makers." He said, and glared, "And you were going to just destroy it."

"I already read it. I told you it's nothing we need to concern ourselves with." Pansy insisted firmly, trying to jump up to grab it from his hands. She had never really registered their height difference until now; she knew she was shorter than most, but it had never been a problem, until right now. And Pike? Had he always been so towering, she wondered?

Pike read the note out loud, despite having it a couple feet from his face.

"How about a game to liven this game up? What means the most to you; family, your life, safety, or your wand? Let's put your survival where your mouth is. Come to the clearing where you started and find sanctity with a bed for 12 hours, a chance to hold your wand again, and your family and friends waiting to see you...if you make it. You don't get prizes without playing our games, and they're not going to be simple. The end is worth it, or is it? Come or don't come, that's up to you. But don't say we didn't warn you. Come out and play with us, wherever you are."

He finished reading, and stunned, Pansy managed to grab it away from him. She crushed the paper in her hands, flames licking up her fingers and turning it to ashes before his fingers.

"We're staying here." She said firmly in a tone that dared him to defy her. To her utter surprise, he did.

"What if I want to go?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It's not worth it." She said with a shrug.

"You don't want to have 12 hours where you aren't worrying about being killed?" HE asked, tilting his head.

"I don't worry about that now."

"You don't want to hold your wand again?" He tried again, and she gave a laugh.

"Honey, I don't need a wand anymore."

"You don't want to see your parents?" This question broke a bit on his end, a sad desperation in his tone that Pansy didn't even know he had. She wasn't quite sure he had feelings, frankly, or affectionate ones to be more precise.

"Not worth it." She said, thinking about how that was a very good way to keep her the hell away from a place. But, seeing his angry and almost hurt expression, she added, "We're going to win. We don't need to see them like the rest of the losers undoubtedly will try to do; they're basically going to be saying good-bye. We'll see them again."

Pike clearly didn't like her answer, perhaps her tone was more haughty than comforting, and his eyes blazed.

"We're not safe here either! Why shouldn't we try if we might have to face the same damn things they're going through?" He questioned, which was indeed a logical one. But Pansy was resilient.

"You don't get it, do you?" She asked, angrier than she could recall. If there was one thing she hated, it was insubordinate. She was tempted to kill him right now, but he was still useful to her. Not yet.

She strode up to him, poking him square in the chest, "It's one thing to be liked and supported, but it's a whole other thing to be hated. Newsflash Webber, we've been branded as the 'baddies'," She made air quotes, "Which means that there will be an artillery of magic being provided to children to kill us there, as if we would be stupid enough to walk right into their trap! So indeed, we are safer here. Let some other home-sick idiot perish in whatever they have planned. If you don't think I'm more than capable of dealing with whatever they throw at us for not playing their game, then perhaps you should go by yourself!" She fired at him.

Pike's jaw clenched for a long moment.

"Maybe I will." He snapped with narrowed eyes.

"Have fun." Pansy went back to where she had her sleeping bag slung up in a hammock, crawling back into the warmth.

She watched Pike storm out of the clearing, and sniggered.

"You're just letting him go?" Daphne gasped, and Pansy turned a lazy eye toward her. Three figures sat on a log, or hovered more like, ever present in her field of vision. She saw the ghosts constantly now, and she sometimes almost saw the darkened connection running between her own magic and their evanescent bodies, but often it was gone when she blinked. It gave her a good enough idea where they were coming from though.

"I'm not worried. He'll come back." She said, closing her eyes and enjoying the slight breeze that whispered through the forest.

"You're so sure." Blaise said, more of an observation than anything else.

"I'm sure she has her reasons." Corner said, and she couldn't help but smile. Seeing him in his ghost form had almost terrified her the first time it had happened, a couple miles away from his corpse. And it had hurt in a way she didn't understand.

She'd briefly had wondered if you could love someone in a very non-linear way, such as loving them only for their brain or for their madness? If that was the case, and you could connect on a more transcendent level, she might be tempted to say she was 'in love' with Corner, but not 'in love' at all, for she reserved those words for Draco. Yet, the idea still stood somewhere in her swarming thoughts, and it bobbed to the surface whenever he spoke. She tried to ignore it. He was dead anyway, and you didn't marry a mind, you married a man.

"Of course." She said, for she was confident he'd return, "I mean, first off, it's dark out. No one, not even me, would wander these woods at night without a death wish. Too many things could happen. Second, he follows me everywhere. This will be no different."

Because he fancies himself in love with the idea of you.

Although Corner didn't say it out loud, Pansy could still hear his thoughts. Was he? She hadn't ever noticed before? Had he noticed because he liked her too, or was he just being a regular and observant Ravenclaw? It would explain a lot, or he was just intelligent enough to know that sticking with her insured survival?

Whatever the case, Pansy wasn't going to comment or question Corner, but let the idea go. What did she care if he loved her, other than that she could bend his will even more, but then again she already held that leash quite tight. Therefore there was nothing to contemplate. Like her or not, he would return.

"I don't know. I've never seen him like that." Blaise said, staring off where he vanished through the bushes.

"He's just being a crybaby." Pansy said, rolling over to attempt to get some sleep, "And if he doesn't return, then he'll likely die or be too cowardly to return, and neither of those are my problems."

There was a heavy sigh from Daphne, "Goodnight Pansy." She whispered, and for a moment, Pansy was twelve and at the Greengrass Mansion, sleeping between a thousand-thread count sheets and satin pillows, and Daphne wasn't dead and the two twittered about how hot Draco Malfoy was all night.

Some things never change, she supposed.

Yet, as she blinked open to respond to Daphne, she realized they were gone although she could almost smell them lingering somewhere in the air.

And that's when she was reminded that actually, inevitably, everything does.

THEGREENGAMES

"Fred? Fred, you there? We got to go, otherwise we're not going to make the deadline." Bill waved a hand in front of his face, while Fred tried to close his hanging jaw. He was going to get to see Ron again, Hermione too. He'd suspected, there had been whispers, but...

"I need five, no ten, minutes." He snapped himself out of his stupor, head already whirling.

"We don't have time." Bill furrowed his brow, "The hoverboard comes in less than that time, and if you're not on it, not only will you not get to see Ron if he makes it, but mum will skin you alive!"

"I just need a couple minutes, okay?" Fred snapped, "It's for them, what I'm doing." He pushed himself up off the chair, trying to orient himself one way or another, but found his head spinning with too many ideas far too quickly.

"Fine. Just be there." Bill said, leaving Fred alone with his thoughts. He spun the corner to call after Bill, but found Ginny throwing a jacket on to leave instead.

"Ginny!" He said, causing his only sister to jump, "You're my sister!" He said, although the full context of his sentence didn't quite make it out. Ginny seemed confused, staring at him with a titled head.

"Gee, Fred. It only took you," She pretended to count on her fingers, "Sixteen years to figure that one out."

"No." Fred ground his teeth, "I mean, you share my mind, my intelligence...I think. I mean, I hope."

"I'm not sure if that was a compliment, but I'm going to pretend that was."

"It was." Fred said, grabbing her by the arm, "We know that the game makers are going to throw hell on earth at them to get to us, and we need to help them." He said, trying to relay the sense of urgency he felt.

"Of course. But how?" Ginny asked.

"I had some plans drawn up...things that could save them in tough spots. I taught Ron and Hermione how to signal for them, but now I'll be gone so even if they were, no one else knows the formulas. We need to think like those bastards and have someone-is Neville staying behind? Maybe Terry-, gather the balls with my instructions to send down."

"We couldn't possibly guess what the game makers are going to do." Ginny said, leafing through the plans Fred had dumped on the floor unceremoniously.

"Then we need to pick some that will help them in a generic situation. They have to make it." Fred said in a firm tone, and Ginny nodded in agreement.

"I need to see Ron again...even if-,"

"No, don't say it." Fred shut his eyes, trying not to focus on the empty bed in his room, the one that had been empty for years. Thinking of Ron dying too was all too much.

"We have," Fred waved his wand, "Four minutes. Pick three, I'll pick three and then I'll run them down to someone left in this house. The instructions are written on the plans already. They'll just have to transfer them."

"I have them." Ginny replied a moment later, holding up three yellowed and scribbled parchments. Fred took them, comparing them against the ones he'd received, and nodded with relief. She'd picked well.

"Go downstairs. I'll be down in a couple seconds. Save a seat for me?"

"Of course." Ginny said, hugging him quickly, "You might have just saved their lives." She added, and Fred grunted in response. He penned a quick note to his brother and Hermione, and divided the sheets into two piles, three inventions each. Nothing against his brother, but he did give Hermione the more difficult ones, knowing that in a pinch she might respond with them better.

He found Neville eating cereal in the kitchen.

"I don't have much time." Fred said, shoving the papers into his hands, "Go to the main center. Gather these materials, but them in separate boxes. Copy the instructions and add my notes. Send it to Hermione and Ron each. Can you do that?"

"Of course, don't worry at all." Neville said, abandoning his breakfast immediately. He summoned his coat from across the living room, and grabbed the plans, his wallet, and a handful of floo powder, "If you see them, tell them I miss them." Neville added before he threw himself through the chimney.

Fred heard the whirling of the hovercraft. He threw himself out of the house just as it was taking of. Bill was leaning out the hovercraft, arm outstretched hand he heard his mother hollering from inside. He took a giant leap, and for one terrible moment thought he wasn't going to make it, but then Bill's firm palms grasped around his wrists. His father and Bill helped pull him into hovercraft, where he lay panting.

"Do you always have to be so dramatic?" His mother said with a disapproving tone, "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"I was doing something to help Ron." Fred felt his cheeks flush, "Sorry mum."

"If you had missed this, and hadn't seen Ron now..." His mother just shook her head. The thought of missing his brother alive and hugging him made his chest clench in the most painful of ways.

"I know." He wiped a tear away from his face, "How do we even know he'll go?" Fred asked, the quiet fear in the back of his head.

Ginny scoffed from at his head, "It's Ron and Hermione. They are the most Gryffindor-ish people we all know, including between ourselves." She pointed out, "They'll come. Hermione is too sensitive not to try and even though Ron doesn't say it, he'd punch the devil in the face to see us all again."

"As it turns out, he might just have to." Arthur sighed.

"But that's good, right?" Bill turned to Fred, "The worst stuff is coming, and that means that it will end soon, so it's not much longer he has to hold on now." There was such hope in his voice, and Fred didn't want to dash that.

"Yes, you're right." He merely said, but in his head he was thinking something totally different. What he didn't want to point out was that the games didn't end just because it had been going 'x' many of days, it ended because there wasn't anyone left to play. The only reason things were getting hard was so a person died...and yes, it was nearing the end, but that didn't bode well for Hermione or Ron in the slightest.

THEGREENGAMES

Mandy found Caligula's body only moments before the hovercrafts picked him up. She had just enough time to stumble near the bank, finding his prone body on the grass and the dried blood, touch his cold fingers and stumble away as the whirl of the copters buzzed overhead.

There was a numbing sensation crawling up her fingers that had touched him. She hadn't truly come to realize it, but she'd sort of hoped they'd both make it to the end. She'd been fraught with worry when she couldn't find him, and had been re-tracing all her steps, going back through every word he ever said to her trying to figure out where he might have gone. She'd lost valuable time she could have been sleeping or hunting, trying to find him. And now that he was dead, she wondered why hadn't she spent that time doing other things? Why was she so intent on finding a man she hardly liked herself?

Because she didn't hate him, and she couldn't accept the fact he might have left her...she had to prove her own worst fears wrong.

She supposed this was good enough proof.

She brought her fingers to her lips, pressing them against her face softly, staring at the grass path flattened where he'd been. There was only a sight discoloration to a couple blades of grass; otherwise no one would ever be able to tell there had been a dead body there.

There was a glimmer of pride in her chest...she thought she'd be the first one to die, if either of them were dying. He had Mother Nature on side, whereas she just had hope.

The invitation came down what could have been hours or merely minutes into her contemplation. His death shocked her, quite frankly. It was hard to come to terms with, which is why she was mad at herself. This was exactly why she'd wanted to go it alone...the backlash of emotions of this death was something she never wanted to face.

The choice to go to the center was simple. Yes, she realized it would be difficult and possibly dangerous, but she didn't have much other things to do. What was she going to do here? Stay and feel sorry for a kid that was long dead? No, surely not.

She stuffed the invitation into her boot and stood up.

"Bye, Cal. I'm sorry about it all." She whispered to where he had once laid. She kissed two fingers and pressed to where his head roughly had been, and then shook herself out.

Death was just a part of the game.

THEGREENGAMES

Hannah had been doing quite a good job of doing nothing for the last couple days. Life was boring, but then again, thank Merlin life was boring. She was alive, and by that logic, there wasn't much she should be complaining about.

The part of the forest she'd been in was suspiciously quiet, and she'd been sleeping with one eye open, expecting a surprise attack that never came. At this point, she wasn't sure if it was because there was something much worse on the horizon or the game makers had deemed her not even worth killing off. They likely thought she'd die on her own soon enough, and she didn't disagree with them. She was beginning to think it was a string of accidents, not miracles, that she was alive.

She wondered how Hermione was doing. Although there had been so many cannons, she couldn't imagine Hermione was one of them. In her mind, Hermione was alive. There was no way she could be dead, otherwise Hannah wasn't even sure if she'd want to continue. Not that she loved Hermione, but Hermione was the sort of person the games couldn't possibly take, it just wouldn't be fair. She figured if Hermione was dead, life was officially rigged and she didn't want to live in that world.

She hadn't heard anything from Cedric, although not that she expected it. It would have been nice for a letter or something, because she felt terribly alone. But what would he say to her, if he sent one down? How would any simple scribbles on a sheet of paper sum up everything she hadn't said to him the last night before she'd left? How could these squiggles reply back feelings she wasn't sure he had for her, but oh, she hoped he did?

Then again, in the middle of fighting for her life was probably not the best time to expect their 'relationship' or maybe lack-there-of to be figured out. And she sort of hated herself, that in the thick of it all, she just thought about a boy? Was that wrong, that she wasn't more concerned about her own life?

She slumped into a sitting position in her sleeping back, yawning languidly. The air was a little cold, but nothing really bothersome. She was just glad she'd kept her jacket, like Hermione had told them, even thought that first day-which seemed eons away-had been blistering hot.

In a way, she wished she were still with Hermione. Although experience told her the worst of things happened to Hermione, like it had in school too, it would still be better than where she was currently. She'd give adventure and danger to the odd sleeping pattern and staring off into the foliage life she was doing right now. In fact-

There was a tingling noise from above. As if someone had answered her prayers, Cedric or otherwise, there was a note or something sent to her, and this meant something exciting. She tore the letter apart with her teeth, using her other hand to unravel the letter.

Her eyes widened with glee, not at all the reaction any sane person might have. But after two, or was it three, days alone, Hannah was not sane. And this...this invitation, it was something better than nothing. It was an adventure.

Hannah had never packed up her camp as quickly as she did now. This thrill for the unknown...she chuckled, she almost felt like a Gryffindor.

THEGREENGAMES

"Are we going?" Colin was the first to speak after Hermione finished reading the invitation out loud. No sooner had she finished that Ron had torn it away from her fingers, reading it over himself, before passing it around to Colin, who now spoke.

"Is that a question, really?" Ron said, looking up. His blue eyes shimmered, "We should...shouldn't we?" Even he seemed unsure though.

"I say we do." Draco said, nodding to himself, "I think the risk is worth it."

"Well, actually, now I think-," Ron began to say, likely to immediately disagree with Draco, but Hermione shushed him.

"Ronald, two seconds ago, you wanted to go."

"A guy is allowed to change his mind, right?" Ron muttered sourly, glaring pointedly at Draco, "We're still not done."

"Whenever you want to go, Weasley." Draco responded with a tinge of malice.

"Stop!" Hermione shoved herself between the two boys, "The last time you fought, Elizabeth died." It was a low blow, and both boys winced hard, but she felt little shame. They needed to be reminded where their stupid male complex put them.

"And speaking of which," She said, spinning on Ron, "I'm still not happy with you!"

"He attacked me." Ron said, sounding truly if he was a lone victim in the whole mess, waving his hands between himself and Draco.

"After you read his private mail and then got upset after you violated his privacy? And then had the audacity to act as though you somehow were my keeper?" She asked, hand fisting, although she had no intention to hit him. She just wanted to keep herself from shaking too badly.

"Hermione..." Ron looked flustered, "I know you, and we've been friends a long time. I'm just looking out for you, don't you see?" He asked, pained, "Malfoy is...you wouldn't have ever gone out with him in school, would you?"

"People change, Ron." Hermione said, although neither denying nor admitting to his question. She realized after a belated second if she was talking about herself or Draco, because she surly wasn't the same person that had entered this arena. She was crazy to think any of them were the same.

"Hardly." Ron hissed at Draco.

"Fine, you can hate him. I can't control your feelings. See what I did there?" She asked, pausing a pregnant moment before continuing, "I think we all agree to get our wands, to get a break, to see our family..." her voice broke a little, "Is worth anything they might throw at us."

"I can hardly remember what my wand feels like anymore." Colin whispered, timid.

"I suppose to sleep on something other than pine fronds would be nice." Ron agreed after a long moment. Hermione subconsciously glanced at Draco, half expecting him to add in something, but not carrying this too far. He did, however, and it was a very venerable admission.

"I don't care about the rest, I do want to see my mother."

"Malfoy has parents. Brilliant. Here I was pretty sure you were just hatched, like a larvae or something and claimed, or some other weird pureblood shit." Ron said nastily, and Hermione restrained herself from really hurting him this time, but Draco wasn't taking his insults lying down.

"If I was a larvae or whatever, but there's only one of me. If so facto, then you must have been from a little of rats or something. You know there's a saying that in animals, the more offspring born, the more likely it is that most won't survive. With singular births, it's because we're more acclimated to survive. Better in general. It's a legit science."

"Both of you!" This time it was Colin who interrupted their pissing contest, "Can it, will you? It's wasting our time."

"Whatever." Ron said, "We might have the same end goals, but no way in hell am I traveling all the way with him. I might actually end up killing him."

"For once we agree on something. Not that he'd kill me, I'd disable him before he could."

"Well, it might be a good idea to split up..." Hermione reluctantly agreed, and both boys gave her quizzical looks, both clearing expecting her to disagree, "We know that it will be dangerous, and the point is to kill off as many of us as possible because they know this chance is worth it. If we stay all together, we run the risk of all being trapped in the same pitfalls. Right now, size is not safe. I don't think having more than a partner would make a difference with what I'm expecting. At least one pair should have a chance to make it safely there." She said.

Draco nodded in agreement but said nothing. Colin slowly looked out into the forest. Ron, however, roughly grabbed Hermione, tugging her to his side.

"Hermione goes with me." Ron said, a dangerous tone. Hermione did not want to go with Ron, for she was still very sore with him and frankly didn't want to spend the whole way fighting. It was exhausting and she needed to be mentally prepared for whatever the game makers threw at her. She didn't hate Ron, because how could she, but she knew that this wouldn't work in her angered state.

"I don't think so." Colin shook his head; "You're both here because you both suffered really bad injuries. Hermione may not seem like it, but she died for more than just a few seconds, Ron." He said. Ron released his grip on her. She realized in the chaos of the day, she'd never fully told him everything. He didn't even know she'd seen Harry yet, and there wasn't ample time to tell him now.

"What? Are you okay?" Ron's face was full of concern, "Merlin, why didn't you say something..."

"I'm alive right now, aren't I?" She asked, but lifted her shirt slightly to show Ron the ugly scar that had nearly killed her.

"She's alive, but not fully healed. If something happened to her in the middle of the forest, you couldn't save her, Ron." Colin said logically, "And vice versa. She's too weak to try to save you herself. I've been with Draco; I've helped him save both of you. I know a medical magic, enough to get by these next hours." He insisted.

Hermione looked at Draco, but he was looking at Colin like he was the proudest parent in the world. She hadn't thought Colin capable of such underhanded persuasion, but he had been spending a large amount of time with a Slytherin. She supposed some things wore off. Colin glanced back at Draco, and upon seeing his grinning face, the boy's whole face lit with such glee that Hermione had to look away from this private moment.

"So if you went with Hermione, which I'd rather prefer, that would leave me with the Ferret. Fuck." Ron surmised, and Draco was clearly trying to hide a smile.

"What will it be, Weasley. I'll let you chose. Do you travel with Colin, or with me?" There was a devious smile on Draco's face, but one that Hermione didn't mind all too much.

"You know the answer." Ron kicked a rock, "Colin, obviously. But if you hurt a single hair on her head, Malfoy, I swear to god-,"

"Really?" Draco sighed, as if bored, "If I weren't under oath to do no harm, which I am by the way, I would have killed Hermione long ago if that was my plan." He said with a casual air.

Ron's jaw twitched and Hermione ran her palm down her face.

"I don't think that comment helped things, Draco." She said. He shrugged.

"Probably not. What's he going to do about it though?" She sent him a deadly look, and he quieted. She wasn't perfectly happy with him either, but in a much more complicated way. The fact that they'd be alone, as Colin set up in an almost too happy way, and thinking they might be faced to discuss things...Hermione wasn't sure she wanted to go there.

Not because her own feelings were muddled, in fact it was becoming clearer with each moment, but because it terrified her a little. Seamus was safe, if anything. Draco and his emotions were anything but, in a non-literal way. He'd never do anything to hurt her, but he was a sort of person she'd never had like her before, a dark and deep pool unlike Seamus whose love for her was like a puddle after a light spring rain.

There was a bell sound from above.

"What now?" Draco moaned, looking to the sky, but it was much bigger than just a letter. Ron, the tallest, jumped up to grab it before anyone else could. He tore through the packaging, a wide smile creeping onto his freckled face.

"Freddy, my boy." He said, fist-pumping the sky.

"It's from Fred?" Hermione was curious, and pulled herself toward Ron.

"Look there' stuff for you too, specifically." He said, handing one of the two packages in there to her, "Lucky you." There was a tinge of jealousy to his voice, although Fred had sent him things too. Of course, he must be wondering why she got anything at all, something Hermione faintly wondered too.

She wasn't going to dissect that question now.

"We'll surely make it now." Ron said, showing his goods to Colin, who jumped a little with happiness.

"Fred states very clearly that he doesn't know what's in store, he just gave us general things that might be helpful." Hermione corrected, and Colin's face fell a little, but Ron's did not.

"C'mon, he hast o know something, even if he didn't realize it. He's around those game makers and the game center all the time, and he's a victor." Ron seemed totally confident in his brother. Hermione wasn't going to pop his bubble, not now. Perhaps, maybe Ron was right.

"Did you two get the same things?" Draco asked, already have seen Ron's box.

"Not sure." Hermione carefully dumped the contents on the ground.

"It's different." Ron noticed, "Why do you-,"

"Not everything has a reason, perhaps it was just by random he separated these items. He couldn't guess we'd be splitting up. He likely was just covering bases." Hermione said, and Ron seemed to be able to accept this answer.

"Right." Ron straightened, "We should leave straight away, Colin. I guess you guys can wait or go a different way, but don't follow me." He said more to Draco than Hermione.

"Wouldn't dream of it. We'll wait here. I should gather some supplies. Colin already has a decent enough med kit in his bag from previous days, and it will fix anything you come across. If it doesn't, I probably couldn't save you anyway." Draco said.

"Noted." Colin saluted him; "See you on the other side?" He asked.

Hermione went up and hugged them both. She turned to Ron, "I'm still mad at you, and I don't know when I wont' be, but I do want to see you at the end there. Don't do anything stupidly gryffindorish." There was a snort from Draco and a mutter of 'rich coming from you', which she ignored, "No heroics, please?"

"I just want to get to my family. I wouldn't risk that." Ron said with earnest, "I love you Hermione." He said, in a platonic sense.

"I love you too Ron." She said, and hugged him, "Good luck."

Draco waited to cough hard until the pair was gone.

"Oh, shush. If I loved him more than like a brother, I would have kissed him." She said sourly.

"So do you really think Fred just randomly split up the things?" Draco asked, examining their pile.

"No. I didn't want to hurt Ron's feelings, but mine are fare more complex formulas than his. It's good we are waiting a bit, I might start on a couple compounds to save time now that won't blow up while we're walking while you collect what you need to collect."

They diverged to their separate tasks, Hermione starting to carefully create some compounds, Draco gathering what he though he would need in the cave. She didn't have a watch, but by the way the moon flung across the sky and turned into a pinky dawn, Hermione figured they'd been there about an hour.

She could theoretically work on these hours longer, perfecting them to the point of almost detonating in their various ways. She was extremely careful with them; not that any one substance on their own was explosive, but most would burn or hurt her is she let it on to her skin.

The only reason she stopped was because Draco seemed to be coming out of the cave with a bag, and she figured she should go get her own. She didn't know what she was expecting, but coming to the mouth of the cave and seeing it completely bare was not it. Draco must have seen the confusion on her face because he turned and sighed.

"Do you really think we'd ever make it back?" He asked lightly. She was almost sad to leave the cave, but he was right. In the back of her mind she knew today was the beginning of the end, and they wouldn't ever be so lucky to see this cavern of protection again. Draco was giving up the perfect hide out to see his parents.

"No." She slumped her shoulders, "You're absolutely right." He handed her her own bag, more filled than usual, and the beaded purse.

"The three things Weasley sent us?" He questioned.

"Nearly ready at hand if we need them. Minor additions." She said, "You know, they might actually save our lives."

"I have no doubt." Draco said, tilting his head.

"I'm just saying, you're often so judgmental of the Weasley family, and you know that Fred's actually-,"

"Quite intelligent, yes. I gathered that from the short meeting he was forced to give the Slytherins back at the training camp. I've seen his works before too, it's not easy at all. He's very skilled."

Hermione couldn't stop her surprise from bubbling up, "Oh."

"I just don't like Ron and sometimes Ginny. I so far have no qualms against one else in his family. I'm not prejudiced without reason." Draco said, and at Hermione's even more shocked face, "I'm not 12 anymore."

She knew pushing the subject that he really shouldn't be prejudiced about Ron or Ginny either was likely asking too much.

She slung her backpack over her shoulder, and took one last glance at a place that had becoming synonymous with comfort, before forging forward. Draco paused at the boarder of the camp, and she head him inhale deeply.

"Together?" She asked, offering a hand. He jumped a little at the motion, hesitated before reaching out and clasping it.

"Of course."

THEGREENGAMES

For the first hour, Colin and Ron didn't talk. Ron mostly was at the head of this choice, determined to get further ahead of ferret and Hermione, get there first, prove him wrong (for whatever Malfoy judged him about). It wasn't until he was sure they'd made good progress that he scrutinized Colin. In fact, he wasn't too happy with his blond companion. At least the color blond of this boy's hair was an acceptable shade.

"I don't get it, Colin." He said, breaking the silence.

"What?" Colin spun, frowning, "Don't get what?"

"Why you did that." Ron hissed, insulted.

Colin paused, very unsure. "Why I...walked forward?"

"No," Ron said, frustrated he didn't understand immediately, "Back at camp. Push them together like that. I doubt you're really concerned about my leg." Ron said, quite sure that Colin was conspiring against him to push Hermione and Draco together.

"I actually am worried about your leg." Colin said, and Ron still waited for him to deny it, "Especially because you've been limping for the past half-hour. If you tripped, you'd tear some stitches and then what?" Colin questioned.

"That's only one thing answered." Ron said, blushing as he attempted to walk without a limp. It didn't work all too well.

Colin stared at Ron, as if deciding to speak or not, but finally gave an uncaring shrug. Apparently whatever he was going to withhold he didn't feel the need to, "I think they work well together, as a team and a couple."

"I didn't actually want honesty." Ron said, a bit disgusted.

"Too bad. You hate Draco for no reason other than you always have. Do you think I trusted him immediately when I first washed up around him? No, but I knew I had to try, otherwise I'd die. He saved your life too, and he's saved Hermione's. I also know he'd never hurt her."

"Seamus wouldn't have ever hurt her either," Ron fired back.

"Yeah, but he's dead, isn't he?"

Ron didn't talk for another long time after that. It was Colin who broke the silence a second time.

"What's with the dragon?" He asked, slightly tugging the stuffed plush from Ron's bag. Ron spun around with a fury Colin had only seen when he was attacking Draco, grabbing the toy from Colin protectively.

"It was Elizabeth's." Ron muttered, stuffing it back into his pack.

"Is that guilt I hear?" Colin asked, because it was obvious when the pair arrived at camp, Ron didn't like her. In his old ways, he wouldn't have ever been so blunt. But he'd been learning from a Slytherin and it had changed him, enough to bring up the fact that Ron didn't want her around before. But now...?

"Maybe." Ron said, drawing a hand over his face, "I just miss Luna." He said, although Colin wasn't fully sure how the two related. Ron didn't seem to be in a sharing mood either.

"I'm sorry, mate." He said, "Luna was a good girl."

"She was the best." Ron said simply, "I just...Elizabeth asked me right before she died to give this to her parents. As I said at camp, I think she knew last night was her last night. I don't know what's the importance of this, per sey, but I sort of do, but it's really a big deal that I do this. She deserves it, and I need to do it for myself. Hopefully I can give it to Mum to give to her parents. I think they'd like it even if it was just a doll, the last thing she touched that they can keep."

Ron's answer was a big jumbled mess, different thoughts colliding and half finished ideas that only he understood in his mind. Colin followed his thinking best he could, and at least got the gist of his insistent attitude. He didn't disagree, someone as kind and pure as Elizabeth deserved her last wishes carried out by whomever she chose.

"Fair enough." Colin said, ending the conversation there, "I think we should stop, let me look at your leg before we continue. Straining yourself won't do anything but hold us back."

THEGREENGAMES

Tracy didn't really think about the perks of making it to the center, she hardly read them as it was. She was looking, but not truly seeing the words on the page such as 'parents' or 'wand', as her mind already had begun to wander to planning for the other big draw there.

In her mind, she was going because logically everyone would be getting this message, and she craved the sensation of killing. She'd feared she would have to seek out the remaining people for days, because there weren't many left by her own calculations and they weren't the stupid ones either. It was as though some holy being above had answered her bloodthirsty plea and sent the perfect trap for her. If she made it to the center first, or at least within good time, she could just wait near the entrance for the people coming and spring attack them.

Not only would this catapult her closer to winning everything, it would satiate the deep hunger that had opened like a chasm within her chest. In the back of her mind, she was a little excited to see Marcus to thank him for his help so far. She wondered if he'd be proud of her, what she was doing, and what sort of person she'd become? Surly he would be, as he was one of the bloodiest known contestants in the games ever. Even though there was only a handful of victors and a slightly bigger handful of players, and everyone eventually everyone did things they never thought they'd do, Marcus held a certain reputation.

To put lightly, until Pansy came around, he was the only one who almost enjoyed what he did here. To put it bluntly, Marcus' ledger was drenched, and not even the most powerful drying spell could evaporate all the blood on it. It gave Pansy a run for her money.

The difference between the two was that Marcus wasn't the smartest person; he was just ambitious and willing to do whatever it took-the epitome of a Slytherin, in Tracey's opinion. Pansy was a little more cunning, a little cleverer and she was ruthless in a totally different and terrifying way.

She had set off as soon as she'd gotten the message, hastily packing her things, and setting off in the direction she thought was the center, although she admitted to herself she had the possibility of being incorrect.

She was begging to fear all together that she was being terribly turned around and would never find the center, as humiliating as it was, when she heard voices. She ducked behind a bolder, peering around, and to her great delight, saw Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes Granger and Draco making their way through the forest.

She knew Pansy likely wanted Hermione for herself, and for some crazy notion didn't want Draco dead (even if it was clear she'd never get him), but Tracy wasn't truly thinking about that right now, except in the fact these kills would make her even-if not elevated-in comparison to Pansy. Plus, she could deal with Pansy's wrath.

Finders, keepers...right?

THEGREENGAMES

After what seemed like forever (in reality, it was likely an hour), Hermione turned to Draco.

"How long?" She questioned. She didn't want to say out loud, although it was true, that she frankly had no idea how to get the center. She'd been turned around so many times in this area she'd lost all sense of direction. Luckily, Draco seemed to have picked a spot and stayed there, so she was confident he knew exactly where they were going.

If Draco had any doubts, he didn't' say them. Instead, per what she was accustomed to, he had his signature smirk on his face.

"However long it takes." He said, and Hermione narrowed her eyes, "Fine, fine. Four, five hours if we just keep walking, no interruptions?"

"But there will be interruptions, our own needs or the game maker's test." Hermione finished his thought, sighing, "I guess I didn't realize it was a full day's trek."

"I didn't want my camp to be anywhere near people. It's not like I planned originally to be the doctor of this, you know? I just planned on waiting out the storm, but fate, or game makers, drove certain people toward me. I'm a little grateful for this; the camp was far too crowded. If we had just gotten rid of one annoying ginger, it would have been a much nicer place."

"We were still crowded with three. It was really a one-maybe two-person cave." Hermione said, scoffing at his jibe.

"Well, I couldn't kick you, my ailing patient, out. And Colin?" Draco just shrugged, unable to find words to his reason, at least none he wanted to admit to the cameras. But Hermione knew, he'd found a friend within him. Maybe something he'd never even had before, a best friend. Hermione couldn't say she talked to Hannah all that much before the games, but she knew that if they both survived, their bond would be stronger than anything.

She was terribly excited to see Hannah. She missed her so much, and Hermione was determined to keep her alive with her, whatever the cost. She wasn't sure she could bear loosing her again.

"What did the Preferred Weasley send, just so I know?" Draco cut into her thoughts, and Hermione looked up.

"What? Oh, yes, good idea. I suppose you should know. They're all color coded, so that all the ingredients and such are together and found easily, if you were to need to assemble one." She said, and Draco nodded, absorbing the information so she could continue, "The green is a knock-out gas. It's in a little ball that emits the gas, and we just can't inhale it if we with to stay awake. Fred included a warning with that one, it sounded severe. It probably is just very strong, and we don't have a way to wake one up. I imagine he'd be smart enough to create something so enervate wouldn't work, because if there were two people, that would counteract the whole point."

"I would expect that." Draco nodded, "Next?"

"The purple one is a bomb. He's given us some extremely sticky paste so that we can either attach it to places or we can just use it like a grenade. It's relatively safe right now, no chance of blowing up on us, until we add a compound that is apparently completely harmless on its own."

"Good, I guess I was a bit concerned you'd just be a pile of Hermione-goo without warning." He said, wincing.

"The last is pink colored. It...stops time in a sense. Moreso, for a couple seconds, it gives the person that drinks it super-speed to the point that the world around them stops. You only get a minute or so of experiencing this phenomenon, but that could be game changer. I remember him working on it back before the games." He face puckered.

"But?"

"Well, he warned me it wasn't quite finished, the kinks weren't all worked out. He sent it anyway because it's so helpful in situations, but anything could happen. It's...unstable at work."

"I guess it would take a last-ditch situation to use that." Draco said, previously excited, but now his shoulder slumped.

"Yes, sucks, right?" Hermione shared a knowing smile, "He'll perfect it. He just needs more time. I hear you're pretty good with potions; who knows, if you make it out alive, maybe you could help him."

"Me and Weasley? Any Weasley? Even Preferred Weasley?" Draco repeated, before shaking his head, "I doubt he'd want me anyway."

"You are calling him 'preferred' and by his surname instead of 'weasel'. I'm sure he knows how much that means." Hermione said almost sarcastically, patting him on the shoulder.

"I would enjoy picking his brain. Just once, if it would ever be able to happen. And besides, with any luck, I'll be back at St. Mungos." He said, although Hermione wasn't sure she believed it herself. He sounded like he thought there was zero luck, but said it anyway, a faraway dream.

"They'll understand. They shouldn't hold this against you. What you are now, what you've had to do these past few weeks, isn't a true version of the Draco they'd employ. The games turns us all into people we'd rather not be."

"Hermione, the people running the board are mostly pure-blood wizard that used be quite like stupid, second-year me that called you that nasty word. They aren't known for being 'understanding' or 'lenient'."

"If you want a job, you certainly shouldn't be saying that out loud!" Hermione chastised him, "I think you should just wait and see. The point that we both walk out of here alive is still a long way away."

"Any thoughts to what you want to do after this is all over?"

Hermione let out a long sigh. "I never really got a chance to think about it. Well, I did, but I think I hoped I'd be able to have an apprentice somewhere, but instead I chose to be here." She waved a hand around, "I almost want to say Ministry work, to help people, but after seeing this, experiencing this?" She shook her head, "I can't say for sure if any job would satisfy my guilt. I think I'm too good at too many things, there's so many things I could do, but I'm beginning to wonder if there's something I want to do."

Draco just nodded, "It's tough. Hogwarts wasn't great at helping kids decide their careers before, well, you know. Now it's even shittier." Hermione gave a derisive snort.

She was about to reply when a knife sailed through the air. Draco swerved, and the knife hit him right where his heart was...if his heart was on the wrong side. If he hadn't swerved, it may have been a direct hit. Draco groaned, crumpling to his knees.

"Fuck, again?" He cried, touching the knife-handle gingerly. Hermione threw off her pack to grab the bandages he'd put in her bag, but realized the knife had to have come from someone. She spun around to go after the person, but a second too late, as a boot hit her squarely in the face. Hermione stumbled back, falling to her butt and grabbing her nose as she saw Tracy emerge from the foliage. Draco gave a sputtering gasp.

"Davis?" He asked, astounded, but more than that, confused.

Hermione knew she'd have to fend Tracy off, because Draco had a knife sticking from his chest and that wasn't going to let him be all to mobile. Already, he seemed to be working on himself quickly, and Hermione was pretty pissed off, not just because the girl had the gall to kick Hermione, but also because she'd tried (and failed, keyword) to kill Draco.

Hermione didn't even have words for this girl, this mousy girl she'd often forgot existed while they were at school, but now seemed hardened and determined. A girl that she'd forgotten was still alive in the games, but now, obviously, it was clear she was indeed alive.

The pair of females circled each other for a second, and Hermione tried to focus on Draco and his progress, the girl in front of her with blazing eyes, and her own health, since she was still recovering from the last Slytherin girl she'd fought.

Tracy lunged out at her, and Hermione could see her falters where it was clear she wasn't as fine-tuned as Pansy had been; leaving her left leg unguarded, miss-stepping into a moss patch that made her foot slide a bit, how her eyes flickered unsurely about.

"If you walk away right now, I won't hurt you. We'll leave." Hermione said, hoping that Tracy was only pursing them because she felt like it's what she should do. She was surprised to see Tracy react negatively against her words.

"No! You think I'm afraid of you? You think I'm a victim of the games? I want this. I want to kill both of you." She insisted.

"Oh...okay, then." Hermione said, frowning as she processed the statement but then realized what she'd said, "Or, I mean. No, I'm not going to let you, obviously."

"The hell, Davis? Where did that come from?" Draco called.

"Don't try to distract me, Malfoy!" She said, never breaking Hermione's glance. If Hermione could just get to her dagger...she could hurt Davis enough so that they could escape. She wasn't planning on killing this girl, no matter how far off the deep end it seems she'd gone. She knew she was too weak to use wandless magic, and she didn't trust that hitting her would be enough. Extracting a knife from one's own body was dangerous as it was, so she wasn't even going to try to rely on Draco right now.

She decided to make a leap for her bag, but underestimated Davis' speed. Tracy kicked the bag away, inches from Hermione's grasping fingertips. Hermione felt a heavy weight descend on her. She was flipped onto her back, and Tracy's fingers were at her neck. Seamus flashed through her mind, although it only took a second to realize Tracy was far too weak to snap her neck. She was strong enough, however, to apply enough pressure to make Hermione gasp for her breath.

She tried pushing Tracy off, but Tracy pressed herself more on Hermione, a glint in her eyes that frankly scared Hermione. It was familiar, and Hermione wondered if perhaps she'd killed before, and this did concern her. She'd gone into this with the assumption that Tracy hadn't gotten the chance to kill someone, and that maybe she could convince her out of it, but now she realized she was wrong.

Tracy had killed before, and Tracy seemed to like it.

"Draco..."Hermione puffed out, still trying to unhinge Tracy's fingers from her neck. Her rapidly fizzling vision did give her an idea, even if it wasn't ideal, "Green...green!" She gasps out, hoping he got the message. She managed to crane her neck slightly to see him-knife still halfway in his body- lunge toward her beaded bag and start to frantically rifle through it.

He'd gotten the message, thank god.

Tracy looked at him, confused, but didn't stop putting pressure on Hermione's neck. Hermione began to feel really dizzy, and she was straining to keep her eyes open and her vision clear. She hoped Draco had found the green vials and carrier. She didn't know how much longer she could fight. She hated this; she thought she'd be stronger, but her injuries were getting the best of her, and she despised feeling so weak.

"Hurry...please..." She managed to get out.

"I'm trying, I promise!" Draco's voice was frantic and Hermione's struggle against Tracy became feebler. She stopped altogether, insistent to save her strength to escape...when...when...what was she waiting for?

A projectile metal sphere hit Tracey squarely on the face. It was enough to loosen Tracy's grip on Hermione, who-although foggy and reeling, found her instincts shoving her as far away from the girl as possible, and was pleased when she managed to hit Tracy near the face in the processes. And even though all she wanted to do was gulp in the most delicious breath of air, she forced her body to wait as she scrambled far enough away, and close to Draco, that when that thing went off she'd be safe.

When she opened her mouth, she couldn't get enough air.

She looked back at Tracy who almost picked the device now at her feet up, but thought better halfway down, and brought her foot back in the intention to kick it back to them. Hermione watched hazily as the device, before it could be kicked, burst with a spurt of air forcefully up into Tracy's face.

Tracey coughed violently, gasping just as painfully as Hermione was, grabbing her throat.

Hermione was confident in Fred's work, and turned to Draco frantically. Draco pulled her closer to him, hands at her hips, his face searching hers with worry.

"Hermione, Merlin..." He whispered.

"You saved me, again, Draco...are you okay?" Two thoughts came tumbling out one after the other, as she grabbed Draco's shoulders, "What do you need me to do?" Draco was distracted though, frowning.

"I promise I did it right...what it said. The directions..." Draco replied instead, looking past her. Hermione turned to see what he was talking about, namely that Tracy wasn't on the ground passed out, but had regained her breath and was coming at them with a fury unmatched.

"I don't know what the hell you thought that would do, but newsflash-," In the middle of talking, her nose began to bleed. She hardly noticed it until it dripped onto her tongue, and she licked away the salty taste and paused, realizing it wasn't just mucus. She wiped her hand across her nose to wipe away the blood that Hermione thought maybe she'd given to her.

She stopped inches away from them all together when they all realized at the same time her nose wasn't just bleeding, it was gushing.

"Wha..." Tracy wiped her other hand across her nose, both fingers dripping and crimson slick, as she pushed the sleeve against her nose, obviously determined to not let a little nosebleed stop her killing rampage.

Draco's hands tightened on her waist almost painfully.

"Tracey..." He whispered, taking one hand away to touch near the tear-ducts of his eyes. Hermione felt a violent shiver run up her body as she saw blood dribbling from where tears would usually be.

Tracy wiped her fingers on her pants, touching her eyes, terror seizing her body as her fingers came back red.

"What? What's going on?"

"Your ears..." Hermione's voice didn't even seem like her own, not really, as she whispered what she saw next, or blood dripping from her ears as well. She looked at Draco, but he was just as frozen in fright as blood came from every orifice of the girl. He seemed even more freaked out than Hermione was, likely because even as a healer, it seemed he had no idea what had happened to cause this.

"What did you do to me? What did you-," Tracy turned, stumbling on the ground, pushing herself onto all fours. She retched on the ground, but only blood came up, mixing with acid. She was shaking all over, and would have been likely crying if blood weren't flooding up her tear-ducts instead. She looked back, her whole face streaked and stained, heaving again.

"I can't stop!" She said, desperate, and started clawing her way toward them, "You got to save me, Draco. Please! Help me!"

Her terrified cries would haunt Hermione forever. The piercing pitch, the fear, the way it broke and wavered...everything about her last sounds were the worst thing Hermione had ever heard, and would trouble her dreams for years after.

Tracy never made it all the way too them. She kept vomiting up blood, more and more coming out and Hermione knew that one couldn't survive with all this blood loss, but didn't dare speak, just watched helplessly as Tracy fell to the ground, coughing a couple more times before the light from her eyes died and she lay in a pool of her own expelled liquids, soaking into the grass.

When the cannon sounded, both Hermione and Draco nearly jumped out of their skin. Hermione realized in their shared horror, they'd almost hugged each other against the other, both their hands gripping the other person so tightly that it left marks. Even after the cannon, they were silent for a long time, and finally when they moved, it was just a long look at each other, a mixture of emotions flitting across each other's faces.

Draco untangled himself first, his eyes turning back to Tracy. He stood, wobbling uneasily, staring at a person who he'd known well for years.

"You know..." His voice quivered in a horribly shattered sort of way, "I always thought we'd burn after we died for what we've been forced to do here, in the arena." Hermione took a step closer, and his head snapped up, and she stopped mid-step, seeing his eyes glassy and empty, "But I was wrong. I was so wrong. We won't go to hell then, because we're already there."