Quick commercial announcements. I had written this a few months ago and then deleted it. Recently, I got a PM from ZeldaFanatic926 asking me if I had taken it down and why. I wasn't sure if the idea, and took it down in the idea that I'd redo it. Well, needless to say, never got around to it, did I? So here's the rewrite. :) I still want to try this idea, whether people read it or not. I know ZeldaFanatic926 will like this, since you liked the last version. :)

Hermione's POV

The Great Hall was buzzing with excited voices. People were excitedly talking about their summer vacations. I sat watching Ron Weasley flick wads of paper that Seamus Finnigan had made with his wand. Harry Potter watched, amused.

"You two are so easily entertained," I said. "You act like you've never seen magic before."

Ron grinned and pulled out his wand and waved it. A large wad of paper shot across the table. Seamus knocked it back.

"C'mon, 'Mione. You know you wanna laugh," Ron said. He wiggled his eyebrows at me. Harry laughed.

"Hardly, Ronald. Honestly, are you a fifth year or a first?" I asked.

"Don't call me Ronald." He pointed the tip of his wand at me.

"Then don't call me 'Mione. And be careful where you wave that thing." I swerved backwards. "You'll hurt someone."

"You sound just like Mum. Ever since Fred and George got that money, Mum got me a new wand. So, there." To prove his point, he waved it and another paper wad shot out and hit me in the forehead. I blinked.

"Sorry, 'Mione," Ron said. I huffed and turned to talk to Ginny, pointedly ignoring Ron.

Harry offered me a sympathetic smile which I did not return.

Ron kept shooting wads of paper at Seamus; they had a game of table tennis going on. Ron made a particularly large wad just as Professor McGonagall and the first years walked in the Great Hall. It landed at McGonagall's feet. She looked from it to Ron and Seamus and back.

"Mr. Weasley and Mr. Finnigan, I presume?" she said. McGonagall arched one perfect eyebrow. Ron blushed crimson.

"Sorry, Professor," Seamus muttered. I bit the smirk back that was bound to show on my face. I nonchalantly looked down and pretended to scratch my nose.

"Well, welcome back anyway." Professor McGonagall flicked her wand and the paper balls disappeared. A couple of first-years looked impressed.

Ginny laughed at her brother once Professor McGonagall had walked away.

"Oh, shut up, Ginny." Ron smoldered as she grinned. Harry stared at her from the side.

I rolled my eyes and faced the front. Really? These were my best friends? Professor McGonagall had gotten out the Sorting Hat and placed the stool for everyone to see. The noise level in the Great Hall died instantly.

The hat, instead of singing, sat dejected on the stool. I shot Ron and Harry a concerned look.

"Why do you think it's not singing?" I whispered.

"Probably forgot to make one up-" Ron started. Suddenly, the hat perked up and cleared its voice.

"Oppression and arenas, Tributes and Volunteers...

All a part of Panem's history for 75 years.

Now comes the time they have dubbed the Quarter Quell.

Pardon my language, but they say it's like hell.

I speak no lies, that I can say.

The Tributes of Panem are coming to stay...

75 years with thousands of tears.

Cried all by mothers, brothers and sisters.

Now listen good misses and misters.

I will only say this once:

To survive the Arena, you mustn't be a dunce..."

Every face in the Great Hall held the same expression of confusion; even mine. I knew Panem was a country that had a very strict government. Every year, twenty-four teenagers had to go to an arena where they fought to the death to show the power of the Capitol. Only one could remain. Except last year. From what I'd read, last year (The seventy-fourth Hunger Games) there were two Tributes, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Now came the Quarter Quell.

The Quarter Quell was the Game that happened every 25 years. It was a bigger, deadlier version of the usual Hunger Games. So why was the hat singing about it now? And the "Tributes of Panem are coming to stay"? I started to nibble on my lower lip as the Sorting began.

"Alan, Gilbert..." Professor McGonagall said. A short, blonde boy stepped up nervously and when the hat was on his head, it slipped past his ears. He was sorted into Ravenclaw.

"Andrews, Claire..." went to Hufflepuff and "Waters, Valerie" went here in Gryffindor. Professor Dumbledore stood up at the podium and the room went silent again. He smiled.

"Welcome, welcome, all. It is so nice to see you. So fresh-faced. I only see a few cases of acne here and there. Now, as the Sorting Hat said, the Tributes from the country of Panem are going to visit us here at Hogwarts. And some of you could be Reaped. A few stipulations, however. Only fifth years and higher can participate. No exceptions." Ron's ears perked up. "The Reaping balls will be in the entryway with age-boundries. They will be labeled by gender. Girl's names in the girls' bowl, gentlemen in the boys' bowl. Now, enough with the dawdling, shall we begin the feast?" Dumbledore smiled again and the food appeared on the tables.

Ron eagerly dug in. He shoved an entire Pumpkin Pastry in his mouth.

"Ron Weasley, that is utterly disgusting. You just ate on the train. How much food can you hold?" I said.

Ron answered after he'd finished chewing and swallowing, "Oh, 'Mione. I'm a growing boy. I need to eat. I have to keep myself in shape if I'm going to put my name in for the Reaping."

Ginny scoffed. "You? In the Quarter Quell? Hardly. You'll be the first to go. Do you know how I'd have to explain that to Mum? 'Oh sorry, Mum, but Ron was trying to impress a girl and got himself killed in the Quarter Quell'?"

Ron huffed as Harry busted a gut. "Well. I don't think you'd say it like that necessarily."

"Hermione, you should sign up. You'd be a Victor without a doubt," Neville said. I smiled at him.

"Thanks, Neville. Just for that, I will," I said. "Maybe Ron and I will get to fight each other? Up for it?"

Ron simmered.

A/N: You likey? First chapter of a new fanfiction? That's always promising. It took forever to think of that song. I don't see J.K. Rowling did that. Anyway, R&R, I loves it all! :3