Hi peoples =) So, I'd like to say thank you to all of you who reviewed, favourite-d and added this story to their alerts, it really means a lot to me and it keeps me going.

Also, I've had someone ask if they could borrow my "apparating into the arena idea" and it's very flattering, but I'd like to keep my story as original as possible, so I'm afraid I can't borrow you the idea just yet. Maybe when the story is complete.

Another thing, some idiot sent me an anonymous comment saying I should list the story as complete if it is complete. Does the story look complete to you? It doesn't say "complete" which means there is still more to come. Please don't comment for the sake of commenting, because I don't appreciate stupidity.

Okay, now that that's done I'd like to thank you all again for being so awesome. Except the anonymous commenter – you suck.

...

Chapter 10

Hermione had expected to apparated into a war zone, something terrible, but she sighed in relief when she appeared in a large, empty dining room. Everything was quiet, the other tributes silent and locked in place, too afraid to move, too afraid to believe that they were no longer in that place.

A moment later Harry walked in followed by Ron and a few other people Hermione did not recognise, and at that moment nothing in the world mattered because she had her two best friends back. Her legs moved before her mind could process everything and she flung her arms around the two boys whom she had practically grown up with, whom she had faced many dangers with – she held on tightly, afraid they'd disappear again if she let go.

"Mione, if you keep squeezing us, you're going to squeeze us into nothingness," Ron complained, his ears turning red from the lack of oxygen.

There was a moment of silence and then a loud shriek as Katniss dashed past them, throwing her arms around a handsome boy of about eighteen. They shared the same dark hair and grey eyes and they could've been related if Katniss hadn't planted a kiss on his lips. And this confused Hermione, because she thought that Katniss and Peeta were together.

She glanced at Peeta and noticed the sad look in his eyes, a type of knowing look, like he had known all along. He looked in her direction and for some reason his eyes just deadened.

"Haymitch over here suggested we get a few people who could help and suggested we go to District Twelve first. The guy over there joined without question, now I know why," Harry said. "He also explained everything happening here and it isn't good."

Hermione knew what was happening around them, in the world they were in. What she didn't know was what was happening between Peeta and Katniss. She wasn't one to bother herself with other people's relationship problems, but this was Peeta and Peeta shouldn't ever have that look on his face.

She let go of her friends and walked back to him, feeling a sudden pang of guilt for forgetting about him in her moment of happiness. What was wrong with her anyway?

The other tributes all kind of split up, scattering around the room; some talking, others sitting quietly. Her mind stopped working again and her feet carried her back to Peeta, who looked up as she approached. It felt like forever before she finally reached him and she felt awkward. It was like she knew she shouldn't be feeling guilty about something so silly, but she did.

"Hey," she said with a small smile. "What's up?"

"Hey," he said in return. "So you're going home now... you never told me where you're from."

"I don't exist in this world," she said sadly. "Peeta, I thought Katniss was with you," she said, raising a brow.

"Oh, Katniss and I were never together. It was all supposed to be an act in the Games to get more sponsors," was his quiet reply.

"Then why do you look like a kicked puppy, hm?" she asked him curiously.

"She was the only one acting and she knew it. We were strangers before the Games. I worked in my parents' bakery and she went hunting with Gale over there."

Well damn... that was worse than liking someone without them knowing it. What was she supposed to say to that? He was sixteen; he didn't really need a girl in his life? He should bake a cake to calm his mind? She stopped and mentally slapped herself; baking a cake was the worst thing she could suggest.

The only good thing about this was that he had feelings for Katniss and not her; that would make it easier for her to leave when the time came. Maybe by then Katniss would fall in love with him and everything would end on a happy note.

"We're boarding the train tomorrow morning, 5a.m. sharp, don't be late," a lady wearing a pink wig said. Hermione had later learned that her name was Effie and that she had escorted Katniss and Peeta to the Capitol.

Food was brought in and everyone stuffed their faces with as much as their slim bellies could take. Hermione picked at her food, her appetite seeming to have vanished along with any sort of hope that she'd be able to stay. She kept telling herself that leaving afterwards would be for the best; that he'd find happiness and that she'd go home to her friends and family, but those thoughts only brought on a feeling of emptiness which grew from the pits of her stomach and spread throughout her body. It was driving her insane, because it was all just so ridiculous.

She wanted to scream in frustration, to close her eyes and pretend she was in bed at home and none of this was real. How could it be? She had spent six years of her life liking someone who happened to be her best friend and then Peeta comes along and those six years of liking someone don't seem to matter anymore.

"Will you show me where you live?" Hermione asked, trying to keep the conversation going before her thoughts ran wild and she burst out crying. She blamed it in the hormones.

"Sure, if you want," he said. "I think your boyfriend over there is missing you," he gestured at Harry.

"Don't be daft, Harry is the brother I never had and he's with Ginny over there. Stop obsessing over who's dating who, it's annoying," she said, clicking her tongue.

By the time their meal was over, Hermione had only managed a few bites and a glass of water. Sleeping bags were summoned and everyone found a cosy spot on the floor to sleep while Harry briefed Hermione on their plan of action. They would leave early the next morning and board the train to the districts. Everyone would go home first, but as soon as they leave the spells they cast on people would weaken and eventually fade away. It would give them enough time to prepare, though. Each of them would take two districts and Hermione's just happened to be Eleven and Twelve.