"Why?" Her hands trembled on the floor, her body contorted into a ball against the stone ground."I have to do this." He shoved the blade closer to her throat, still making no direct contact with her skin. The adrenaline was wearing off, now the only feeling he had left was took a staggered breath as she tried to eye the silver blade, now too far under her chin to see."What did I do?" Now everything she spoke was a whisper, too afraid to speak much louder. Much like the previous victim, she let out a harsh laugh, still piercing her eyes with his."What did you do?" A mocking tone now sliding into his voice, "Nothing, stupid girl. You didn't do a thing. This, precisely, is the reason for your death."She flinched at the last word. Big mistake. He swiftly moved the dagger from her neck, to her heart, plunging it into her chest. The only sound left were the soft gasps from the crowd forming behind the metal snapped his head up to face them, holding the bloody knife at his side, blade facing them. Everyone took a small step back, causing much more commotion than anyone wanted. The lifeless body fell against the gray stone under their feet and was hauled away almost immediately. "I've had enough," His voice echoed throughout the forest, making a few unlucky participants jump. "It is now time for my son. Draco?" He looked to his left at the pale, almost sick-looking, boy. His hands were shaking, the cold sweat on the back of his neck was now seeping down his shirt, his breath was sharp and short, making his appearance not all that enjoyable. Lucius made a sharp movement with his hand, motioning his son to come forward and collect his took short steps, looking all around him for some escape, but found none. He looked at the crowd of muggle-borns ranging in ages from ten to seventy. He searched for a familiar face, praying she wasn't there. His eyes passed over the young blue eyes of a boy looking much like himself with his platinum blonde hair. As they exchanged that short glance, the boy jumped behind a taller woman, mother perhaps, trying to cover himself. Draco shook his head at this. He's just a boy. The longer he tried to postpone his presence, the more impatient his father became, Lucius' foot tapping hard against the ground, the sound echoing against the trees. Draco's eyes moved to his fathers as his pace quickened, realizing there was no way around it."Pick your poison, Draco, wand or real?" Draco looked at all the muggle weapons strewn across the stone floor, before resting his eyes on his wand. He immediately reached for it, hoping he could just use a spell and get it over with. "Ahh... The easy way out. I see, it's your choice I suppose. However, now, I am allowed to pick your victim." At the last few words, Lucius' mouth curved into a cruel eyes moved across the line of bodies left to right a few times over as Draco kept his eyes glued to the wand in his hand. He'd rather not see who he would be mercilessly rested his eyes on a young, bushy-haired girl about 16 years old and smiled."You," He said calmly, still smiling as he extended a finger in her direction. She let out a sharp breath and took her first step forward, keeping her eyes locked on Draco. She was ushered toward the metal door leading into the arena and pushed to the floor as the men quickly shut the door so she couldn't escape. As if she was even thinking of that. Only a fool stayed on the ground, bringing her knees up to her chest, sort of in a fetal position. She knew what was coming, why fight it?Draco kept his death grip on the handle of his wand slowly bringing his vision from it to the shoes she was wearing. Then slowly up her legs until he was face-to-face with her. A terrified yelp escaped his mouth."Granger?" Hermione was the only one who could hear it as his hand started shaking, sending the wand falling to the floor. She quickly got up and walked to the place it landed, picking it up and offering it to him. When he wouldn't take it, she grabbed his hand and shoved it into his grasp."Do it, then." She was hell bent on being started mumbling to himself, not even Hermione could make out what he was saying."No, no, no, you weren't supposed to be here, it's not supposed to be like this, no..." His eyes were now on his shoes as he whispered to himself."Draco. If you don't soon, he will." She nodded her head to where Lucius was standing, admiring his son for becoming just like him. Killer."Why aren't you fighting for yourself? You're better than that," He spoke, still completely terrified, but shocked at the fact she was giving in."What am I supposed to do?" She looked into his eyes, searching for an answer, but found none. She let out a sigh and put her hands in her pockets, giving started moving his wand up to her face as his mouth turned into a straight line. He held it in midair for what seemed like ages before a tear fell down his cheek. "Hermione. I've only seen this done once before, but I need you to do this for me," He tried to keep his mouth as closed as possible, to give the illusion he wasn't talking at all."What?""Now, don't flinch, don't move, don't react, don't do anything." He slowly turned the wand on himself as she kept a straight face, doing as she was told."I won't. I'm not like you." He shouted for everyone to hear, directing his words toward his father before screaming the curse and collapsing on the ground, flew up out of her bed, nearly knocking her head on the wall next to her. Her breathing became increasingly heavy before realizing it was just a dream. Her reoccurring nightmare of October the seventeenth. The night her life was sparred by her worst enemy. How she wished she could've thanked him in person. She closed her eyes and whispered the words as she did every night since that day."I wish I knew. I would've stopped it. We could've ran away together. We could've survived. I love you, Draco. Thank you."