After Ron and I were done in the woods we took about a five minute break just to eat and talk. He talked about his sister and how she would be going to school soon to start learning about spells and potions and the other things we had to learn. Also, he had wanted to set up a day where Abigail could go over and hang out with Ginny; we set out date for a week after today. Everything seemed so perfect and quiet, like anything could happen today. We felt so free out here, like nothing could touch us, the woods was our home. A couple of chuckles and laughs came from us as we nibbled on a couple of crackers, making sure they lasted. "We could just run away you know?" Ron mentioned with a smile out of the blue.

"Yes we could," I played along, "We could just run away."

I could feel the slight sarcastic tone in my voice and I wanted to soften it, but he knew that we couldn't just run away…. I also wasn't going to mention it right now. We were having too much fun, I didn't want to ruin that moment with him, with my best, and only friend. But the gong of a drum and a song that told us it was time to gather in the square, snapped us back into reality. The smiles on our faces and the joy in our throats faded quickly as we shot up from where we were sitting and ran back to the fence as fast as we could. I handed Ron the bow to take home, along with the arrows, as I carried our game bag to my house.

When I got to my house, my mother and sister were already prepared and ready to go. "Hermione Granger," my mother scolded, "Where have you be-"

"Not now mom," I interrupted her quickly as I set my bag down near the door. "Crookshanks no," I said to the fat cat when I noticed him trying to get into the bag. Then I walked over to Abigail and took the brush she had probably set down minutes ago.

I ran the brush through my curly and knotted hair until all the knots came out. Then my mom came over to me with a dress and I ripped my own off quickly. I can't believe we spent that much time in the woods…. Everyone was supposed to be in the square by the ending of the anthem and the gong of the second drum. And judging from the amount of time had already gone by, we had four minutes.

So I rushed and put the dress on my mother handed to me, not even noticing or taking down the details as to what it looked like. Then I brushed my hair again and took my sister's hand, along with my mother's and we all went running to the square.

We got there, just as the second gong went off. I kept kicking myself for doing that to them, making us almost late. My mother broke off to one side where the adults and those over 18 got to stay, aka, the lucky ones, while Abigail and I went off to another. We watched as Umbridge went on stage, dressed all in pink from head to toe, she reminded me of a pink flamingo, yet you would never see one here, or anywhere for that matter. Even her hair was dyed pink! Her suit was a bubble gum pink, her nails were magenta, and her shoes the same magenta as her nails. "Welcome ladies and gentlemen," she chipped happily into the microphone, "Today is a big day my children. We will choose one young man and one young woman to be our champions." The smile on her face made me sick as she continued talking about the rebellion. My eyes found Snape sitting in a chair and he looked so worn…. Then I saw the bottle of liquor in his hand.

Ever since he won the games, he's taken up the habit of drinking. I almost felt sorry for him, until I was old enough to realize he could've helped himself fight against those urges. When he looked back at me I looked away just as quickly and directed my attention back up at Umbridge.

Instead of listening to her speech I decided to think about other things. Like how it was so weird being separated, girls and boys…. We would all be going to the same place, so why not let us be together until we got called? I was so used to being with Ron all the time, but I should be used to it, I've been over here on the girl's side for the past 5 years. "Ladies first now," Umbridge announced, her high pitch voice ringing in my ears and breaking me from my thoughts.

I watched as she slowly reached in and grabbed a random piece of paper. It was in that suspenseful moment I realized I'm wearing one of my mother's dresses, and I must now act more grown, and brave. She opened the paper slowly and it bugged me how much she was putting into this! As she opened the slip, my hand squeezed Abigail's hand a little tighter, and I could feel her eyes inch up to my face to see my emotions. Of which I was good controlling at the moment, but I knew by her squeezing back she was just as afraid as I was. "Abigail Granger," I heard the name called.

It took me a moment to realize what happened until they pried Abigail from my hands and she was crying my name for me to help her, "Hermione!"

"Wait-" I said pushing through people as time finally caught up to me, trying to get through them to my little sister. The crying from Abigail was unbearable; I needed to get to her. Aurors held me back as I thought all was lost. "I volunteer," I said to myself, wondering what could get her out of this, and I suddenly knew that phrase would. "I volunteer," I yelled even louder, "I volunteer!"

Everyone fell silent and the Aurors released me. I saw a smirk spread across Umbridge's face and I felt even more disgusted. Why was she so happy about this? I kept my head held high as I made sure they all saw me as strong and it worked. The Aurors put Abigail back on the ground and she ran over to me immediately, "Hermione no!"

My arms wrapped around her tightly as I continued to look up at Umbridge and keep my cool "It's okay Abigail," I told her, "You are strong. Stay strong for me." I gave her a tighter hug before I kissed the top of her head and made my way up the stage.

One of the Aurors guided me up there as the other took Abigail from me. "No," she screamed again.

It took everything in me to keep from jumping down and running with her in my arms. But I had to stand up there and I had to participate in their games…. Something I never wanted to do. I watched again as Umbridge went over to the bowl with the boys names in them. A part of me hoped Ron would get chosen because I wouldn't be in the arena with a stranger. But I knew that that was selfish and that I shouldn't be hoping that because he could help keep my family alive.

Again, she reached in slowly and opened the slip with care as if it were a child. Then the name was called. A name that I never wanted to be anywhere near me. Someone I had despised since I was a child. "Draco Malfoy."