N/A: Thank you for your reviews! :) So, here's how it continues. I try to keep up with the story in the book in this one. A few slight changes, but sometimes hardly noticeable. I hope you'll enjoy it! Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling and Suzanne Collins wouldn't let me steal their stuff...
It didn't také Hermione long to find out about the story of the star crossed lovers of District 12. Mr. Ninefew was even so nice to re-play her the old interviews with Caesar Flickerman and short shots about Katniss' and Peeta's love. Hermione really fancied the boy who could bake, the boy, who got eight points during the training, the boy, who was so deeply in love with Katniss Everdeen. But, she didn't seem to return his love completely. And if, it felt cold and detached. She hated him for joining the careers. But he did it, because he wanted to protect the girl he loved.
That night in the arena was very cold. Some girl lit up a fire. The camera was taking a detailed view on her. District 8, a caption read on the screen beneath her. Hermione's mind raced. That didn't look good. The fire was shining, even Claudius Templesmith, the Games' commentator noticed. '1 mile further', yelled the display. A little light, like a firefly, was still to be seen, showing, how dangerous it was. Suddenly, a panting sound got in.
'Hey, see that?' asked a loud voice, which belonged Cato, a boy from District 2. 'I hope that's your girlfriend!' he laughed cheekily and pointed with his knife at Peeta, who shuddered and better hoped that not. Cato caught Clove around her waist and the crowd of careers marched towards the light. Glimmer yawned: 'Holy crap, it's late. Shouldn't we find a place to sleep?' 'Later. When we kill the girl on fire.' It nearly sounded like a joke now. 'I can't believe she's so stupid to make fire in this darkness. I guess she thinks how strong she is, don't you think, Lover Boy?' Peeta ignored them, but in his mind, he was blaming and cursing Katniss. She couldn't do that. Surely. But what if?
The screen split into three, so the viewers could see the careers, the eighth District girl and Katniss Everdeen, who tied herself on a tree branch. She spotted the girl as well. It apparently didn't make her any happy, either. The dawn was setting in, when the group of killers, as Hermione nicknamed them, reached the girl. She was sleeping by now, covered with a few big leaves and bones of some bird lay around her. They stood around her, trapping her and Clove stepped forward, gently brushing her fingers along the girl's cheeks: 'Wake up, dear. Good morning.' The girl stirred and moved on her side, making the careers laugh. Clove hoisted her up from behind and the girl quickly woke up, her eyes on top of her head. 'NO! Please!', she screamed, when she saw Cato coming to her with a long dagger and evil grin on his face. He stabbed her in the stomach. The girl drew out a blood curdling scream and collapsed down. Cato pulled the dagger out with joy from the others and they walked further, so the hovercraft could lift her. 'So, that's twelve dead, eleven to go!' The crowd cheered and moved on.
Hermione had tears in her eyes. She felt so sorry for the girl. And for Peeta. He had to be a part of this lot, even though he didn't choose voluntarily. The more she was suprised, when Peeta offered himself to check the girl and finish her off. Hermione sipped from her mug of coffee, which was offered free at the centre and watched Peeta go deeper in the wood.
The girl lied curled up in a ball, moaning silently, her bloody hand clutching the deep wound. She looked terrifed at Peeta, who looked really sorry, kneeled beside her and took her other hand. He held her tightly, running his finger along hers, whispering to calm down: 'Shhh, it will be alright,' even though it wasn't going to. He knew she will die, soon. He couldn't even help her anyhow. Because he was meant to kill her. The girl soon closed her eyes slowly and her hand fell down to the groud, loose and motionless. As was her chest. No rises and falls. Silence, deadly silence and nothing moved. A loud bang from a cannon signalised that she really was dead. Peeta got up, wiped a single tear from his eyes and headed back to the careers.
Hermione was crying, too. This gesture, his personality, it was really moving. This was how he really was. But the careers knew he was soft. They intended to kill him as soon as there was no use for him. They still hoped he could help them find Katniss. They planned to kill her, using him. Hermione heard their interview. They played it before Peeta returned. The Gamemakers really relied on people not to miss anything. No word seemed to slip away, especially when two targets of the Games were so close to each other.
Days passed on and the careers found Katniss. On a tree, mocking them. They gave up climbing to her, she would have to go down anyway. But she set a trap on them. When the Capitol emblem appeared on the night sky and the hymn started playing, she started to carve one branch, which a wasp nest hanged on. It fell down and stinged Peeta and the others a bit, and Glimmer to death. Katniss got a few as well. Peeta helped her to run away from Cato, though, but deserved a stab into his thigh from Cato himself.
N/A: Please, review :3 I'll be honoured!