Disclaimer: The characters belong to J.K. Rowling and the idea of the Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins.
A/N: This is the sequel to Deathly Love so if you haven't read that first I recommend that you do so it will all make sense. As always review at the end!
It had been five months since the seventy-fourth Hunger Games had ended. Harry had gone back to District Twelve shortly after the Final Ceremonies where he and Draco sat in the spectator filled arena and watched the highlights of the Games. He watched the initial bloodbath at the cornucopia, the doxies attack and Hermione being killed. They did not show when Harry placed the phoenix feather on her and gave the 12 honor salute although he was sure that at the time the events unfolded it could not have been censored by the Ministry. The television showed Harry running from the fiendfyre, the Careers contemplating his death, and the fight between Krum and Draco. As Harry watched the scenes unfold before him he wondered why he had ever thought that Draco had been planning to kill him. He felt ashamed and guilty when it was clear that early on he had no thoughts whatsoever of the blonde and it was only when the new rule was announced did he suddenly care. Harry hoped that as an objective viewer Draco could see Harry's feelings change for them and perhaps he would forgive him.
When the film was over Minister Riddle greeted them both personally. He stepped forward and gave a thin smile to them both.
"Congratulations tributes from District Twelve."
His blood red eyes eerily stared at them for a moment longer than necessary and his smile seemed forced as if he had no desire to congratulate either of them on surviving. Harry had a suspicion that Minister Riddle had wanted them both dead in the Games and was unhappy with the turn of events.
"Thank you Minister," spoke up Draco, his pale slender hand shaking the Minister's own spindly one.
Minister Riddle turned towards Harry and he held out his hand. When their hands touched, Harry resisted the urge to immediately pull away. The pasty white hand of Minister Riddle was ice cold and he grasped Harry's hand more forceful than necessary.
Harry said nothing, his green eyes staring hard back at red ones that narrowed. He felt as if he almost imagined the look of loathing pass over the Minister's face because it was gone in an instant and the Minister had pulled away and turned towards the arena.
"Until next year's Games!" Minister Riddle said loudly, his arms spread wide. "We look forward to the seventy-fifth Hunger Games which also means it is the Quarter Quell!"
There were shouts and screams, applauding, and a commotion of excitement coming from those in the arena.
"Thank you Minister!" said Albus Dumbledore with a slight bow. "But don't forget these two young fellows will be visiting your district at the six month mark so look forward to their visit. As the Minister said, until next year!"
Harry and Draco were shuffled out of the arena and promptly taken to the train station where they were going directly back to District Twelve with Snape.
Since the moment Draco told Harry he did not want to see or speak to him after both of their recoveries Harry had barely seen the blonde despite the fact that they lived in Victor's Village together. At first Harry had tried to talk to Draco, to explain himself, but Draco refused to listen. When Harry went over to Draco's house one late summer evening, his mother, an elegant woman who had Draco's gray eyes, quietly and politely explained that she thought it best if Harry left Draco alone. From that moment on he had quit trying to speak or get the blonde's attention.
Instead he focused on Teddy and spending as much time as possible with him. Teddy thought the world of Harry when he returned, especially since he realized that Harry knew more spells than he let on. They had a talk after Teddy mentioned this, Harry forcefully stating that he only used those spells to get through the Games and he better not find Teddy trying to do them. The young boy sulked for several days after the lecture, but he quickly moved on when school began again and his friends occupied more of his time.
Now Harry had no need to hunt for food since the victors and their families were supplied weekly with an abundant amount of food, but this didn't stop the yearning inside to hunt. He had only been able to escape a handful of times since his return to 12 because he knew that he would be watched more closely. It was shortly after his return that Harry realized he had to be more careful since as a recent victor his every move would be watched by the peacekeepers and there was no way to be sure that his own home wasn't tapped into the Ministry somehow. Perhaps he was being overly paranoid after Snape's warning about his repercussions with the wands in the final moments of being in the arena. Was this how Snape became so introverted and was skeptical of almost everything?
The paranoia drove him so far as to go visit Snape one fall day. The look of utter surprise that crossed the man's face when he opened the door made Harry's bitter mood somewhat better.
"Can I come in?" Harry asked.
Severus Snape gave a sharp nod and stood aside, opening the door and closing it promptly once Harry entered.
"I'm sure you've realized I'm surprised to see you here after everything. You must have some sort of reasoning behind it."
Harry knew exactly to what the man was referring to. After his fallout with Draco, Harry had gone directly to Snape to give him a piece of his mind. If it wasn't for Snape's meddling and his plan then Draco would not be avoiding him and trying to forget like Harry existed although that was next to impossible to do since they lived right across from one another and their tour of the districts would be coming up shortly.
"This is all your fault!" Harry cried, barging into Snape's Ministry rooms after the weight of what had just passed with Draco had settled. He was seething inside, angry at his mentor for trying to make him go along with the plan and not seeing that Harry had been genuine in his feelings for Draco. Most of all, Harry thought he was angriest with himself, but he wasn't quite ready to admit that.
"What are you talking about?" Snape asked briskly. He was reading in a chair next to a window that overlooked the dazzling streets of the Ministry below.
"You made a fool out of me!" Harry lashed out, fists clenched and eyes narrowed. He had never been so worked up before in his entire life. If only he had a wand he would hex the man into the next century. "Draco thinks that I played him the entire time in the Games and he hates me now because of what you said! I never agreed to go along with your plan in the first place. Couldn't you see that from the very beginning of the Games when Draco and I went our separate ways?"
Snape closed his book and crossed his hands over his abdomen as he watched Harry spout off his anger at him.
"I actually came to have feelings for him and you went and ruined any sort of trust or relationship Draco and I could have had in a matter of seconds!"
"I had not realized you actually felt something for Mr. Malfoy," Snape began calmly.
"Because you don't have feelings!" Harry spat viciously. He was hurt and the only way he could deal with it at the moment was to dish it back to the person who had been the cause of it all.
Things fell silent until Snape spoke slowly and clearly. "I'm sorry I've put you into this position. If I had any indication that you saw Draco as an ally, as something more, then I would never had made the suggestion, but you never said anything."
Harry realized that this was true, that things only changed during the Games, but he refused to say anything to Snape about it.
"If it would appease you I can try and speak to Draco about it."
"Don't bother," Harry said coldly. He glared at Snape and walked out of the room.
That had been the last time Harry had spoken to the older man until today when he actively sought him out.
"Er, yeah," Harry answered to Snape's inquiry. "Can I sit?"
Snape gestured towards his kitchen table and conjured a kettle of tea to boil before sitting down opposite of Harry.
"What you said about the Ministry's been bothering me. I – I've been feeling paranoid lately like they're watching me because of what happened. Am I crazy to think so?"
Snape's eyebrows rose and then he sighed, two sets up cups floating over to them before being placed on the table.
"I felt similarly after I won, but I had no need to feel so back then. Do I think you are a target that the Ministry wants to take down because of the wands in the Games? No. I'm sure they have been watching you and you've done nothing to give them any suspicion, but I must warn you, Harry."
Harry always knew it was serious when Snape used his first name. The tea whistled and Snape flicked his wand, the kettle coming over and pouring out a generous amount of tea. Snape reached for the sugar while Harry kept still.
"There have been occurrences in some other districts of people rising against the peacekeepers. Naturally the districts don't have a way of knowing what is happening in the other ones, but I have my sources that tell me."
"Uprisings?" Harry questioned, finally reaching for the sugar and pouring in a dash of milk.
"Not in such large numbers, but things have been stirring ever since you and Draco won. The Ministry has been trying to keep it under lock and key, but it is spreading."
"How do you know the Ministry isn't listening in on us now?" Harry asked, glancing around.
"They can't do that, but in open areas it is a different scenario. More peacekeepers have been sent to some districts to try and keep things at bay."
They fell silent and Harry thought about Snape's words. How had the man known that this could be a possibility? Was it truly Harry's actions that were causing all of this?
"Is it my fault that this is happening in the other districts?"
Snape took a sip of his tea before setting it down. It appeared as if he were weighing his words, cautious now of what exactly he said to Harry.
"Is it happening because of your direct actions? No. Did what you do in the Games motivate them? Yes."
Harry felt stunned and he sat back in his chair, speechless. It wasn't as if he had come up with some elaborate plan to say fuck you to the Ministry. That hadn't even crossed his mind. No, what went through his mind was that he refused to kill Draco and if neither of them could live then they would go together.
He reached forward and took a drink of his tea before setting it down, aware that Snape was watching his every move.
"Have you spoken with Draco lately?" Harry asked.
Snape shook his head. "Despite you telling me I shouldn't try and speak to him I did. He refused to listen, stating that clearly you were the favorite and that a plan had been concocted from the beginning."
Harry always believed that he had been the stubborn one, but maybe Draco was just as stubborn as he was.
"He hates me now."
Snape sighed. The older man was not used to dealing with teenage problems such as these, but he felt he should at least try and appease the young man before him due to his role in it all.
"Draco does not hate you. He is hurt after what happened. I think it best if you leave him be until the Victory Tour and then you two will be forced to confront your all's problems."
"I don't like saying this, but I suppose you're right. I just wish he would at least listen. He won't even do that."
"He loved you, Harry and you broke his heart because what you did felt like a betrayal. Just give it time."
'But I have given it time,' Harry thought to himself. It had been three months since they left the Ministry. When would enough time pass for it to be okay?
Harry thanked Snape and left his house, feeling somewhat lighter about the Ministry not watching him, but now he had the extra weight of Snape's news. He still found it impossible to believe that he was a motivator behind the revolts in the other districts. What had they seen in Harry that inspired them to go against the Ministry? Didn't they understand he was only trying to survive and live to see outside the arena once more? The thoughts unsettled him and he remained dismayed over his and Draco's non-existent relationship. The Victory Tour was less than a month away. The tour signaled the halfway mark to the upcoming Hunger Games and as the previous winners Harry and Draco would tour each district and speak a few words about the Games. What Harry was going to say he had no idea, but he supposed that's what Gilderoy Lockhart was for.
From the moment Harry had his talk with Snape it was as if he saw Draco everywhere he went. When he went into town he would see the blonde, when he was going to and from in Victor's Village he saw Draco, and even when he was walking towards the outskirts of town he saw him. At first Harry thought the blonde hadn't noticed Harry when they were in the same place, but then his eyes would steal a glance and Draco resolutely looked away. These coincidences were making him agitated; agitated at Draco for refusing to hear him out and at himself for letting this bother him more than he should, or so he thought.
It was one day after a fresh layer of snow had come down overnight that Harry saw Draco leaving his house and the need to try and confront the blonde made him rush out the door and follow him. After all, he was never very good at listening to directions, especially Snape's.
"Draco!" he shouted.
The blonde paused a moment at Harry's voice, his body going rigid, but he continued to walk and ignore Harry.
"Draco, please wait!"
Draco refused to listen and it was only when Harry had caught up to him and touched his shoulder did he turn and jerk his body away from Harry's, a glare on his face. It was an ugly expression that Harry had only seen one other time on the normally beautiful face and unfortunately it was always aimed at him.
"I have nothing to say to you, Harry," Draco said coldly before turning around and beginning his walk towards town once more.
"If you would only listen!" Harry shouted, scrambling after the blonde.
Draco whirled around, gray eyes narrowed. "And why should I? To hear more lies from you? I think not. I've been duped enough as is."
"It's not like that! Snape wanted me to pretend to like you, but it didn't work out like that."
Draco stepped forward while his glare became more intense. As he did this Harry thought that maybe he said the wrong thing, but he was trying to gather his thoughts and explain them all at the same time.
"It didn't work out like that?" Draco repeated. "Oh no, I'm sure it worked out better than planned now didn't it? You're the hero now and I'm the one who looks like a fool."
Harry gaped and when Draco stormed off he did not follow. If only Draco knew that Harry was anything but the hero right now. The Ministry thought he was a villain and so did Draco.
For the first time in his life Harry wanted to be far far away from District Twelve.
It happened one afternoon that Harry had been able to escape outside the confines of District Twelve's fences and had gone hunting. The day had been crisp and cold with a dusting of snow, but the sky and air were clear. He had come home to find two peacekeepers along with a man with slicked back black hair in a fur cloak sitting on the couch, his back to Harry. Teddy came forward with worried brown eyes.
"I'll take that," he whispered, grabbing the bag from Harry and shoving it in a closet. "The Minister is here to see you!"
Teddy's words hit Harry like a punch to the stomach and for a moment he couldn't breathe. All of Snape's warnings and Harry's recent conversation with him came rushing to the forefront of his mind. Maybe Snape had been wrong and the Ministry was watching him from within his very own home. Why exactly was the Minister here? Was he coming to arrest Harry?
As Harry stepped forward these questions whirled about, but he cleared his throat and pushed all his fears aside.
"Minister."
Minister Tom Riddle turned his head slightly at the sound of Harry's voice, but he stayed seated for a moment. Harry supposed it would be proper to go over to the Minister himself, but the Minister had come into his home unannounced. He wasn't feeling very welcoming.
"Mr. Potter." The voice was silky sweet and when the Minister rose and turned his thin almost gray lips were smiling at him. "Do excuse me for visiting you without any notice, but I'm sure you don't mind, do you?"
The red eyes narrowed even though he was still smiling. Harry said nothing for a moment until he forced a smile of his own.
"Of course not."
Minister Riddle turned towards the peacekeepers and Teddy, offering a false smile. "If you all will excuse Mr. Potter and I for a minute I wish to speak with him in private."
The silent peacekeepers nodded and Teddy gave a long worried glance back to Harry before leaving the room.
As soon as they left a cold chill swept through the air and Harry tried not to shiver. He stood straighter and watched the Minister who was observing him, the pleasant smile gone.
"I must be honest with you Mr. Potter. When I saw what was occurring in the final moments in the arena I was quite displeased with your actions. Never have I seen someone so young try to defy me and in the Hunger Games no less!"
The Minister was speaking in what would appear a polite and amiable way, but the deathly look he was sending Harry told him something differently.
Harry didn't understand why everyone believed he was purposely trying to go against the Ministry because that was far from the truth. What would it take for people to understand?
"And now Mr. Potter there has been rebellions in the other districts, no thanks to you, and we can't have that." The Minister threw his head back and laughed cruelly, his red eyes narrowed when they landed once more on Harry.
Harry's hand instinctually reached towards his cloak pockets where he was keeping his wand.
"Oh please Mr. Potter," Minister Riddle chuckled. "There will be no need for wands. For now at least."
The words felt like an omen and even after the Minister would leave did the words haunt Harry.
"So you see Mr. Potter, I can't have people going against me, that just won't do. It will be your job on the Victory Tour to convince everyone in the districts that you were not trying to stir up trouble. It might be best if you and Mr. Malfoy work things out."
Harry was shocked at the statement for how did the Minister know that he and Draco were not speaking? Perhaps it was through the peacekeepers in town and they were reporting back to the Ministry, but lately Harry hardly went into town himself. He hadn't seen his friend Neville in over a month and he only left Victor's Village to go hunt.
"Of course if you don't do as I tell you there will be consequences. You wouldn't want your family or even, say, Mr. Malfoy and his family to have to suffer would you?"
"Are you threatening me?" Harry said evenly, the first words he spoke since the Minister began to speak.
"Threatening? No, no, no. That is a promise Mr. Potter. If the rebellions don't stop then you will be held responsible resulting in some very unfortunate circumstances. I'm sure you didn't save Mr. Malfoy just to let him be killed shortly after."
Harry's head was spinning at what the Minister was inferring and he felt anger flare within. He clenched his hands, his wand hand itching to grab it and curse the Minister into oblivion or better yet to disappear altogether.
"It sounds to me that you know I wasn't trying to start a rebellion, Minister," Harry said. "Or why else would you threaten Draco?"
"Don't play coy, Potter," spat Minister Riddle, brandishing his own wand. He held it in his hand, more than likely as a threat to Harry, but Harry refused to back down. "You may not realize that you started the rebellions, but you did. Oh yes, you wanted to save Mr. Malfoy, but even he doesn't believe that now does he? If you don't try and make the districts see that you meant no harm in the arena then I will hunt down Mr. Lupin, the Malfoys, Draco included, and kill them."
The Minister's red eyes were glaring harshly at him and Harry glared back. He wouldn't let anyone, the Minister included, threaten Teddy or Draco. There was nothing he could do at the moment to fix the problem, but he would not back down like a good little soldier.
"Well," the Minister said, his body relaxing and another false smile plastered on his face. "I see our business here is concluded. I look forward to seeing you in the Ministry again Mr. Potter!"
There was no reply forthcoming from Harry and he watched as the Minister strode out of the room. In the hall Teddy looked worriedly from the retreating peacekeepers and the Minister to Harry, but Harry's mind seemed to be elsewhere.
"Harry?" Teddy asked, entering the room cautiously. He wasn't sure what exactly passed between Harry and the Minister, but whatever it was seemed to ignite something in the older teen.
With a determination Harry had not had since the Games he turned towards Teddy.
"I'll be back in a bit. I need to go talk with Snape."
He barely noticed Teddy's nod as he walked out of the house and into the snowy night. If anyone would have a plan it would be Snape.