Author's Note: AU. Madge lives, and Katniss went to Hogwarts and marries Draco Malfoy.
Gale had walked for nearly 25 days. He was tired but where he wanted to be. District 12. Why he wanted to be there he wasn't sure. Yes he'd grown up there but he hadn't been back for years. He was sure everyone thought he'd come to see Katniss but he didn't think that was it. At one time he had thought of her as more than a friend, but that was long ago. He didn't know if they could even be considered friends now.
As Gale walked toward town he saw someone coming toward him. He recognized her even though it had been a long time since he'd seen her. "Madge."
"Gale?"
"Yeah."
"What are you doing here?"
"I really don't know," Gale said truthfully
"Is it about Katniss? I'm really sorry Gale. I know how much she meant to you. I'm sorry she had to marry that Draco guy."
"It's fine. Really we were only meant to be friends."
"Oh do you think…is there anyone you could be more than friends with."
"Yes."
"Who?"
Gale thought for a moment then, because he could think of no reason not to, said, "You."
"Really?" Madge asked.
"Yes."
"Oh, I like you, too."
And then, because he could think of nothing else to do, he kissed her. And she kissed him back. When they broke apart she whispered, "I'm glad you came back."
"Me, too," he agreed.
"I want to go back to 2," Gale said, one day as he sat out in the woods with Madge.
"You do?" she asked.
"Yeah. I don't want to stay her. There are too many memories."
"Okay, how long will it take?"
"Less than a month. Will you come?"
"Of course."
"Okay, we'll leave tomorrow. There's something I have to do here first."
Gale walked slowly up to Katniss's house. He hadn't seen her for ever and he didn't know how she'd react. They'd gone their separate ways years ago and he hoped she'd be alright with seeing him now.
When the door opened a man stood there. He must be Draco Malfoy Gale thought and for the first time the name didn't make him feel unhappy.
"Who are you?" the man asked.
"Um…Gale Hawthorne," Gale said.
"Oh, Katniss has mentioned you. I think you should leave."
"Please, I just want to see her one last time," Gale tried not to beg.
"Draco, who is that-" Katniss pushed past Draco and froze when she saw Gale. "Gale"
"Hi," was all Gale could say.
"I…didn't expect to ever see you again," Katniss said slowly.
Draco looked back and forth between the two of them. "I'll go wait in the other room."
Gale and Katniss sat on the step outside the house.
"Why'd you come?" Katniss asked.
"I…I don't know," Gale answered. "I guess I just had to come back here one more time. This was where I grew up; this was my home for years. Remember all the times we hunted in those woods. I—"
Katniss looked over at him and gave him a forced smile. "Gale, don't."
"Wait…I need to say this. I used to think we were meant to be together but—"
"Stop, you don't have to tell me. I know."
"No, I do have to because I'll never be happy if I don't," Gale said. "I thought I loved you but I didn't know what love was. And then you went off to Hogwarts and I was so upset but I realized you had your own battles to fight and you had a whole life I didn't know anything about.
"And you married him, Draco Malfoy, who I'd never even met. I couldn't deal with that so I went to two. If I had been anyone else I would have hoped you would change your mind, begged you to. But I knew you too well. I knew that you'd make the right choice even if I wasn't willing to admit I knew.
"But after a couple years I started my own life. I was happy but missing one thing, love. At first I thought it was you I was missing but I realized it was someone else."
"Who—?
"Madge."
The next morning Gale found Madge and they set off. Gale knew she'd slow him down, but he didn't care.
As they walked they talked about what life had been like since they'd last seen each other.
"Not much has happened," Madge said. "Katniss's wedding was probably the most exciting thing."
"Nothing's happened with me either," Gale agreed. "Life's so boring now."
"I know. I almost wish…No I don't, this is so much better than that."
Gale nodded. No matter how boring their lives were it was better than watching people die in the Hunger Games.
When they got hungry they sat down to eat the food they'd packed.
They slept on a bed of leaves in the woods and woke early to keep going. After a few days of walking they ran out of things to talk about so they walked in silence.
Finally they arrived in 2. Gale led Madge to his house. "It's kind of small, but…"
"I don't care," Madge said. "As long as I'm with you I'd live anywhere." She looked up and kissed him.
They went inside. The house really was small. It had four rooms, a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and a small living room. It was late so Gale said, "You take the bed and I'll sleep on the couch."
"Oh you don't have to sleep on the couch," Madge argued, then realizing what she'd said, looked embarrassed. "I meant I'll sleep on the couch."
"No," Gale didn't allow her to argue.
They both slept until well into the next day. When they woke up Madge took a shower first at Gale's insistence and then he took one. After that Gale went to buy something to eat since he'd take all his food with him to 12.
The two ate and Gale said, "I have to go to work."
"Oh," Madge knew she shouldn't be surprised. She knew Gale had a job but she hadn't thought about it. What would she do all alone? She didn't know anyone from 2 except for the victors and even them she only knew for their killing skills. She would never consider spending time with them or anyone else in 2. "I guess I'll just stay here."
"I'm really sorry I have to leave you," Gale apologized.
"It's fine. You have to work."
Gale left and Madge lay down on the bed to think. She hadn't been thinking when she'd agreed to come. She'd only thought about being with Gale and being happy. But he already had a life. He had everything worked out here and she didn't fit in that schedule.
She was so bored. She cleaned the entire house by the time Gale got back. They ate dinner and went to bed.
The next morning Gale left earlier and Madge went out to the small yard behind the house. She stood in the middle and spun in slow circle. This was her home. This was the place she would most likely spend the rest of her life.
Slowly Madge developed a routine. She'd get up to tell Gale good-bye then try to find something she could do around the house. It wasn't an exciting life but Madge was okay with it. For the most part.
Until one day.
"Why do you have to be gone some much," she asked Gale.
"I don't have much choice. It's my job," he replied.
"Yeah but I never see you."
"I know, I'm sorry but I can't do much about it."
"Why'd you bring me here anyway?" that had been the question in her mind for the two months she'd been in 2.
"Because I like you and I want you here with me."
"You like me! We've been living in the same house for two months and you still haven't told me you love me! And you're never here, I'm never with you! Doesn't that bother you!"
" Of course it does. I do love you, Madge, but I have no choice. Why can't you understand that!"
"I do understand that! But I don't understand why you don't even try to change it so you can spend a little time with me!"
"I'm sorry, Madge," Gale really didn't want to fight.
"You're sorry! You're sorry! That doesn't change anything, Gale!"
"Stop screaming. I CAN'T DO ANYTHING!"
"Oh I'm screaming! So are you! You need to try! You could but you aren't!"
"No, I can't! I would if I could! Don't you get that!"
"No actually I don't! I don't get why you have to be gone all the time! I don't get why you brought me here! I don't get why you say you like me so much but never show it!"
"Just quit, Madge. You don't understand anything!"
"Oh, it's me is it! My fault! It's not, Gale, it's all you!"
"Why…it's not!"
"You-don't-understand-anything!" Madge started to cry.
"Don't cry! You're making me feel guilty! I understand. You don't!
Madge cried harder and ran off into the bedroom. Gale rolled his eyes and walked outside slamming the door.
Gale was walking alone down the street when a girl came up behind him and said, "Excuse me, do you know Draco Malfoy?"
"You mean that guy who married Katniss," Gale said turning around to face her. "Yeah."
"It's true then, she really did marry him?" the girl sounded sad.
"Yeah," Gale sighed, "it's true. Who are you?"
"Astoria Greengrass. I went to school with Draco and Katniss."
"You're a witch then." Gale asked.
"Yeah. I didn't realize you knew about Hogwarts, most muggles don't."
"Katniss is, was my best friend."
"Oh, you guys aren't anymore?"
"I don't know. She got married and I don't know what happened."
"Yeah same here. I thought Draco liked me but then suddenly he married her."
"I learned you can never take anything for granted. I thought we'd always be best friend but I haven't spoken to her for years," Gale said sadly.
"I really want to talk to him one more time," Astoria told Gale. "I just want to know what happened. Do you think…could you help me find him?"
Gale looked at her. He had a new life. He'd gone back to 12 and found the only person he stilled cared about. Did he want to go back just to help some random person find her old boyfriend? He looked into her eyes and so the hopeful longing but knew he couldn't. "I can't, this is my life."
"Oh. I…"
"I'm sorry," Gale said. "I know how you feel but you'll get over him. I promise. You'll find someone else."
Astoria forced a smile and sat down on the side of the road. "I hope so."
Gale sat beside her. "I did…at least I think I did."
"I don't want to think I've found someone. I want to be sure."
"I know. I really like Madge. She's so sweet and everything, but I don't think our life is what it's meant to be. At least not right now."
"I know what you mean. I've had some really nice boyfriends but I've always liked Draco. I just couldn't get him out of my head so eventually I stopped dating."
"Oh I didn't mean it like that," Gale said quickly. "I do like Madge and there's no one else I feel that way about. But I just feel like…I don't know. I'm never home and she's alone and I feel awful about taking her away from the only life she knew for this."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought…oh never mind." Astoria looked over at Gale. He was beautiful. She loved the look in his eyes he got when he talked about Katniss. He still felt something for her. Astoria didn't know what it was but it was something.
Gale looked over and caught her staring. He looked like he was about to say something but at that moment Astoria's stomach growled and he said, "You must be hungry. Sorry I didn't think of that before."
"Oh it's fine."
"Come back to my house. I'll get you something to eat."
"Alright."
Gale stood and grabbed Astoria's hand to help her up. He let go immediately and Astoria tried not to sigh. What was wrong with her? She'd come here for only one person and that was Draco Malfoy. So how was it that Gale, who she'd only just met, was making her feel this way?
She stuck her hand in her pocket and fingered the tiny bottle. No she thought, it was for Draco, no one else.
When they reached the house Gale opened the door and stepped inside quietly calling, "Madge, are you here?"
There was no answered and finally Gale said, "She must have gone out. I wouldn't have expected her to; she doesn't know her way around very well, if at all."
Astoria was relieved; she had not been looking forward to meeting Madge.
Gale looked in the cupboard and set out some food for her. "Aren't you going to eat?" Astoria asked.
"No, I'm not hungry."
"Oh I can't eat if you aren't. I won't feel right."
"Alright," Gale said. "I guess I'll have something."
The two sat down to eat and suddenly Astoria jumped up and said, "Oh my gosh! Is that—?"
"What?" Gale asked standing up.
Astoria pointed to the window with one hand and reached in her pocket to draw out the bottle with the other. "I could've sworn I saw…"
"Who?" Gale looked at her and she hid the bottle behind her back.
"Draco. Come stand over here." Gale moved to where she was forcing her to move closer to where he had been sitting. "If you look out the window in a certain way it looks like a person." She took the stopper out of the bottle while he was looking out the window and dropped a few drops in his drink. She watched them mix in the water until you couldn't tell she'd put anything in it.
Gale turned around. "I can't see what you mean."
"I don't know," she said and sat down. She hadn't really seen anything. She'd just wanted him to look away.
Gale sat back down too and they went back to eating.
Astoria kept looking at him out of the corner of her eye. She was waiting for him to take a drink. He reached for his cup and she tapped her fingers against the edge of the table as she often did when she was nervous.
He took a drink and Astoria felt as if her heart stopped. She only had to wait a second for the effects of the potion. Gale dropped the cup on the floor where it shattered. "Astoria," he said breathlessly and Astoria recognized the expression on his face as one of the effects of Amortentia, the strongest love potion in the world. It had worked. She'd been worried that something would go wrong. She wasn't the greatest potion maker and Amortentia was very complex, but it had worked.
Astoria smiled back at Gale and he pulled her towards her and kissed her. She kissed him back, heart pounding with excitement. She'd never felt this way the few times Draco had kissed her. She'd enjoyed those times but they were nothing like this. He ran his hands through her hair and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Everything else disappeared; it was just her and Gale. Until—
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
Astoria pulled herself away from Gale, who resisted, and turned to look at the girl who'd just entered the room. "Who are you?" she asked.
"I might ask you the same thing since you're sitting in my house kissing my boyfriend," the girl said.
"I'm Astoria Greengrass."
"Well I'm Madge, his girlfriend."
"Uh no, it was me he was just kissing."
"I…well…" Madge stuttered.
"Maybe you should leave," Astoria suggested.
"This is my house, you should leave!"
"Fine! Come on Gale." Astoria grabbed Gale's hand and led him out the door. They walked to an open area near where they'd first met. They sat on the grass and kissed.
It got dark and they fall asleep hands clasped
In the morning Astoria woke first and turned to look at Gale. She wished everything that had happened yesterday had been real and not because of a love potion.
Oh no! She thought. The love potion would have worn off. She reached in her pocket for the bottle. She pulled out off and found it empty. The stopper hadn't been in tight and it had spilled. What am I going to do? She wondered as Gale rolled over and opened his eyes.
"What? Where am I? What happened?" he asked.
"I…Gale I think I love you," she couldn't think of anything else to say.
"You do? You just met me."
"I know but everything you said about me and Draco made so much sense and…I realized I didn't feel that way about him any more. So I…I slipped some love potion in your drink last night."
"Oh…" Gale looked shocked but a little pleased. "I…I do like you Astoria…I think I could love you…but I can't do that to Madge. I brought her here and I can't leave her stranded. I'm sorry," he kissed her lips once quickly and then stood up sighing. "Bye," and he walked away.
Astoria fought back tears and walked back the way she'd come only the day before. Why couldn't her life ever work out the way she wanted it to? Why did everything have to go wrong? He had liked her, he might have even loved her, but he'd chosen Madge. Why?
Astoria stopped crying and tried not to think of Gale. She'd find someone else. She was sure of it and she couldn't let anyone tell her otherwise, even herself. And if, in the end, she didn't find anyone she'd be happy to know that the only two boys she'd ever loved were happy. And hopefully that would be enough.
Gale walked back to the house unsure what he'd find there. He cautiously opened the door and walked in. Madge was lying on the couch sleeping, her face streaked with tears.
Gale sat beside her and stroked her hair until she woke up. She didn't say anything, only looked at him.
"I'm sorry," he whispered and then. "I love you. Can you believe that?"
"Yes," she whispered back and he leaned down and kissed her.
He was happy.