So…I read the hunger Games books and all and I was a fan. Not a huge, fan, but I liked 'em. Then…the movies came out. And then I read the Black Games, which is a Zutara of the same basic idea, so if you like ATLA go check that one out. Anyway this was born. Sure it's been done a couple times, but eh, whatever.
Anywho, the last week I've been obsessed over HG fanfiction. I'm a Catoniss fan, if anyone in the crowd is with there with me.
There will be character death. And some violence. I can't promise it will be Dramione all the way through though, because I'm not sure where the plot bunnies will take me. Right now it is, but hey- by the end maybe it will be HermionexSeamus, or HermionexFred, but I am pretty positive it will be Hermione/Draco. I dunno, we'll see what the characters are like. Hope you enjoy the second chapter.
And it's short, I know. Chapters will get longer, much longer. But i suppose this is just building...sorta. Anyway the tribute list is at the bottom, if anyone was curious. Along with the Victors.
The group was promptly ushered off the stage. Hermione fell numbly in step between Ron and Luna.
"That was so brave." Luna whispered in her ear, but Hermione brushed her away.
"You'll have time to say good-bye to friends now," Umbridge said, "Each of you in a room, a couple minuets then off to the trains to go back to London! Your things are being collected from your rooms as we speak." She pushed Hermione into the first open room. The door was shut behind her. It was the old divination room- she bit back a cry as she remembered storming out when she was thirteen. Back before Voldemort had rose. When everything was…normal. The room looked the same as she recalled. It hadn't been touched in years though, so there was a fine film of dust over all the soft cushions. She sat on the least dusty, and a puff of smoke rose when she sat.
She watched the door. Who would come to say good-bye?
Ginny burst through first, and half-strangled Hermione with a hug.
"How dare you, how dare you?" Ginny asked into her hair.
"Gin…" Hermione sighed. Ginny pulled back.
"Hermione, this is suicide." She said hollowly.
"I had to." Hermione became defensive, "Would you have sent a child who turned 11 only a couple months ago to die?" She asked harshly.
"No. But she had sisters." Ginny's eyes flared.
"You didn't look at them, did you? They weren't going to say anything. I knew it, I knew it. I had to say something. If you had seen their faces, you'd understand."
Ginny looked unsure. "Hermione, the games aren't the only place we have to survive in. We have to survive the pickings too, I only have a year left. Things have changed since we were young. It's a tragedy for a 11-year old to die, sure. But is this worth it? Is your life worth hers?" She asked.
"Ginny, don't say that. I wouldn't be able to watch her be killed." Hermione reasoned, "I'm smart…I can…I can survive this."
"You're not a killer though." Ginny took her hands gently, "These hands are for gripping book spines, not necks."
"None of us are killers." Hermione argued, "Not even the Slytherins."
"I'd beg to differ. Pansy's nasty- she'd sooner kill someone than let them even be a tiny bit above her. Guess she has to now, has to protect her integrity now that we know she's a half-blood and all."
"She won't go down easily." Hermione sighed in agreement. Ginny stared hard at Hermione.
"You've just accepted this, haven't you?" She murmured.
"What else can I do?" The question hung in the air.
"Fight." Ginny's voice rumbled, "Fight for me, and Harry. Goddamn, don't be one of their puppets. Don't let me loose everyone in these sick games. Not you, not Ron, not Luna…" her voice hitched, "You're all leaving me." She sounded child-like, a first year again, "And I'll be forced to watch you kill each other."
"If I win, then you'll have me again. Ron could win, or Luna. Both are good fighters. Then you wouldn't be loosing them."
"No, I'm loosing all of you now. This is the last time I see my Hermione Granger. If you win, you'll be the game's. They will change you. You won't be yourself, you'll be whatever depraved state is left. I know—I see Fred every Friday, but it's not Fred, not my Fred, anymore."
The door opened as Hermione fished for words.
"Time's up." The guard said, and stepped forward to grab Ginny. She gave Hermione one last hug, so tight it hurt. Those were the best hugs from Ginny, though. It meant she cared.
"Win, Hermione. Don't kill anyone. You're better than this." She whispered, and Hermione sighed.
"I can't promise anything."
She was left alone again, and something chilled inside of her. It was a couple minutes when the next person appeared. Neville.
"Hermione!" He said, "Hermione, you're too good for your own good." He chuckled, but it was forced.
"Neville, I don't know what I was doing." She admitted.
"You were doing the right thing. Voldemort's sick, and to force 11-year olds to fight with bare hands is sadistic. No one wants to watch that." He assured, "I've already made most of my friend rounds. I feel like I was left out of this party," He attempted a feeble joke.
"For the better, though. You're free of the choosing." Something lifted from his face, like he hadn't yet realized it, and he broke into a smile.
"I'm going to help all of you. I'm a pureblood, and my grandma will support my friends. You won't have to worry when you need something, I'll be there for you."
Hermione laughed. "I'm sure you will. But…can you watch over someone here too? Well, two people." She paused.
"Of course. I just told you I'll do whatever I can." He punched her lightly.
"Keep Ginny sane. She's loosing almost all her friends too. And, maybe a brother."
Neville sighed. "I figured as much. She looked ready to collapse out there after you all were pushed from the stage. She's not taking it well."
"I wouldn't' either." Hermione scoffed, "Also…look over Artemis. I just…don't let my volunteer go to waste." She said. There was unspoken words to it, and Neville understood.
"She will be safe." He clasp her hand, like it was the start of an unbreakable Vow. Hermione knew him to be good on his word, so perhaps, in a way, it was.
"Summer will be hell without any of you." Neville sighed, "You know that, right?"
"My summer will be just as bad. Who knows how long it will last. Last year lasted almost three weeks, right?" Neville mulled, finally nodding in agreement.
"The first one lasted the longest. I doubt you'll all beat the two-and a half months. Everyone there was mostly killed off by the game makers, not each other." He agreed.
"Until Cho went crazy and killed everyone." Neville's face darkened.
"They say it changes people." He said solemnly.
"No. Not me. It won't change me. I'm…I stronger than that." She said firmly, repeating what Ginny had whispered not only a couple moments ago.
"If anyone can stay sane, it's you."
"I wish I knew what you did, Neville." Hermione sighed, "Plants could save me in there. I've been reading, I mean, but I never thought I'd be picked."
"C'mon Hermione." Neville nudged her, "If you've been reading you're ready. More than anyone else out there. I heart Blaise is fancy with some weapons, but put a berry in front of him, and he won't tell if it's poison or not."
The door opened, and Hermione felt it was much too soon to let him go. Neville had always been so faithful, so brave. His face fell, and he hugged her. He'd grown and now, she dug her face into his chest and he rests his chin on her busy hair. She didn't want to leave him.
"I will help you win. I promise." He said. Hermione gave a half-smile.
"I'm sure you said that to everyone else. Only one can win." She sniffled, and Neville put his hands up in a 'you caught me' sort of way. Yet, he still smiled.
"I did make a promise, didn't I? But shhh-don't tell the others."
Hermione knew her time was running thin, and couldn't image who else would be in to see her. She accepted this, and sat back down, and her head began to swirl. With knowledge. With fears, dreams, and hopes. She wondered what Ron was doing in the next room over, who was saying good-bye to him. She wondered when she'd have to say good-bye.
The door creaked open, and Hermione startled.
Artemis entered with her sisters. Artemis went right for another hug, but her sisters hung back. Hermione glared at them.
"We wanted to thank you, for saving her." Scarlett began. Hermione bit her tongue so not to say anything that would hurt Artemis, but the words slipped out anyway.
"Clearly, because neither of you were going to." She bit out.
The sisters gave hesitant looks at each other. "Artemis is stronger than you think-," Blair tried to argue softly.
"An 11-year-old is more likely to win than a seventh year, then?" Hermione questioned swiftly, crouching down next to Artemis, rubbing the girl's back.
"If you had just waited, maybe I would have offered!" Scarlett snapped.
"So it's my fault?" Hermione's voice was even, and she glared harder.
"Look." Blair stepped in, "What happened…happened. C'est la vie, right? It's undone. We just wanted to thank so, so I guess that's it." She began leaving to avoid the confrontation that was swimming in Hermione's eyes, "C'mon Arty."
"I'll be right there. Can I get a moment alone?" She asked. Scarlett and Blair exchanged looks.
"Fine." Scarlett said and the two left in a haste. Hermione was at eye-level with the girl.
"Thank you. Thank you, so much." Artemis repeated for the umpteenth time.
"I couldn't let you go out there." Hermione said with a soft sigh. She tugged on a little braid in Artemis' hair.
"My sisters wouldn't have volunteered. I know that. They're not…good. They may be in Gryffindor, but I think they belong in Slytherin." Artemis said sourly.
"No, that's a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone." Hermione chuckled.
"My uncle, he's a pureblood in London. He watches the games. He can help. After this, he will because I'm his favorite." Artemis said in one big rush, and caught Hermione's confused gaze, "My dad is a squib. He's counted as a muggle, and met my mum. That's why technically, I'm a muggle-born. But the magic was there. Always."
She traced Hermione's hand, "The magic is there." She repeated, words that sounded sage for her age, and Hermione bit back a question, but settled for a nod.
"You have to win." Artemis said, "After this, you can't die."
"I don't want to."
"No one wants to die. I'm not safe, I know. Next year, I might be picked. But next year, or the year after, or the year after, I'll be ready. I'm going to train and learn everything I can so that when I'm picked, I will be ready like you are." She put so much faith in her voice, "Otherwise you wouldn't have volunteered." Hermione didn't want to tell her otherwise.
The door opened, and Artemis was gone. Hermione was sure now there would be no one, because a guard came in, motioning for her to follow. She was met with a stream of the other students, who all were a bit more nervous looking. Ron and Seamus walked in deep conversation, and when he glanced up, his eyes flickered with a fire she'd never seen before.
They were planning something.
She fell into step with Ernie, who greeted her with a small smile and a half-brightened look.
The train waited for them, and steam was puffing from the sprout already. It was just like going home after the year's end, because it was the right time, but it wasn't. It wouldn't be taking them to 9 and ¾, it would be taking them into the mouth of hell.