Blimey, it's been two months, hasn't it? I'm not even sure why it took so long to get this out. I mean, sometimes I just can't find the words to start it, and stare at the next chapter plans forever, but I actually had around 15 pages of this already written when i came back to it today...

Anyway, you guys get 26 glorious pages today in one sitting! I was going to cut it in two, but I couldn't and had good reasons. First off, with the time you've waited, you deserve two chapters worth. Also, the further I got into this the more awkward it was trying to find a place to cut it off. The sections become increasingly longer with each one, so like by the midway point there were only two or so scenes left in the rest of the pages to fill up a whole second chapter, and that seemed a little anti-climatic. Also, I put a lot of hints about what's to come in this chapter, and after awhile it might become obvious, and if I were to cut it off, the sense of what's coming would be ruined and all. Even if you do guess, it's better to read it all in one sitting than waiting even a week for the next or what you think will happen.

I don't think anyone will be complaining about the length of this though. The contents? Just know I love you all in advance and keep that in mind that you love me too XD

I got the most chapters I've ever gotten, which makes me feel awful for not updating sooner! Thanks so much to: Auror Dafni, Guest, White Story, Guest (Jamie), Kasumi96, xzShaa97xz, DamBluePancakes, Hopeful Star, and Alsc Petrelli Winchester Stark.

Guest: I'm glad you're enjoying it! There's not a lot of HP/HG crossovers that smash characters with worlds. Usually it's Harry meets Katniss or something, which I'm not a huge fan of. I wanted to do something different.

Jamie: Yes, it does, but I think you will still find sufficient Dramione moments even still in this chapter. As Miss Baker says in the Great Gatsby, large parties are so intimate ;) But yeah, the game makers don't like everyone all together in one place. This won't last, you know that. And my bf's really afraid of heights. It's sad because I LOVE zip lining, but I know I could never get him to go with me! As for failure, I mean, I think most of us subconsciously are afraid of failing something...some fears are just more pronounced than others. I know i'm for sure afraid to fail certain things, but not everything.

DamBluePancakes: You might not be wanting to know what you know about her after this chapter. Knowledge is a burden!

Hopeful Star: All that matters is that you reviewed :) The gang's all together now, sorta!

Onward to a very long and emotional chapter!


The morning was awkward for Ron Weasley.

Not merely because of the circumstances, but because he was pretty sure he had cried. It wasn't totally his fault though; stupid Malfoy decided his leg needed cauterizing, and Colin had seemed far too excited to shove a blazing hot blade of metal against his leg when he was only half-awake. Only Hermione really seemed to wince at his yells, Draco had the audacity to look annoyed.

So what if he cried? It had really hurt, and it was a bloody awful way of waking a guest.

But he couldn't contemplate it too far; for he was soon summoned into sleep once again.

Hermione sat with him as everyone else hurried about, away from him. Ron was stable, according to Draco, and he'd likely be fine. She saw the moment of disgust in his eyes, and she knew she'd have to get Ron to thank him later, or she'd thank Draco on his behalf. He could deny healing Ron if he had wanted, but he didn't. It showed hugely on Draco's part, hopefully proving the people once again he had truly changed.

Colin cleaned off the sword used to cauterize the wound, Hermione's dagger, and gave it back to her and went off to find some soft tree fronds to accommodate the new members with something to rest on. Elizabeth slipped away unnoticed to Hermione, a contemplative look on her face. Draco went around, checking the stores of the medicine and then muttering something about finding breakfast as he took himself out of the sightline of Ron.

Hermione sat by Ron, feeling no other urges than to be here when one of her oldest friends woke up. She rubbed his hand lightly, sighing. She'd fancied him when they were younger, a little. Often she wondered how things might have turned out in a other world if Harry hadn't died, if they'd never grown apart? Then again, he loved Luna so passionately; she'd never want to take that away from him.

He muttered his name in his sleep with a slight smile, and it felt strangely familiar. It was almost like a dream, or a bittersweet memory from a world far away that she once lived, but no longer did, a taste beneath her lips she couldn't place.

Ron rolled over, blinking wearily at her.

"Mione." He breathed in relief, "Is the ferret gone?"

"That ferret saved your life, and your leg." Hermione chastised with a poke to his shoulder, "But yes." She said, and saw him visibly relax.

"I remember crying a bit. I totally embarrassed myself this morning, didn't I?" Ron asked, muttering.

"Not at all." Hermione assured, although she had been rather surprised by it, but understood his reaction nevertheless- painkillers were in short supply here. She wasn't about to let him know that, though.

"Good." Ron sat up a bit, glancing around, the first time truly seeing the shelter, "Not awful. Not the manor like he's used to, I suppose. How do ya think he even manages?" He asked with a scoff.

"Ronald…" Hermione sighed.

"You've gone soft, Hermione." Ron fluffed the sleeping bag pillow behind him; "He probably saved me so he didn't look bad on TV." Hermione bit her tongue. Anyway, Ron was obviously done talking about Draco, thankful; Hermione wasn't sure she could say much else to pacify him, and if he knew that she'd kissed him? Merlin, heads would roll.

Ron looked at her; a frown settled on his face, "Did Seamus…was he in pain when he died?"

Hermione felt something within her freeze. It wasn't unexpected he'd want to know, but Hermione still felt as though she'd been whiplashed, and her heart stung. She thought back to those awful moments, the shift of Pansy's hands and the echoing crack as the lights just flickered out, hardly more than two seconds in between living and dead.

"No, not at all." Hermione said, "He likely never even felt it." It was the truth, something that perhaps she should be grateful for. But Pansy likely could feel the best way to inflict torture would to be to kill him before Hermione could intervene and save him. Quick; no qualms, no chance for miracles.

"That's good." Ron's voice was deadly soft. Then, he shot her a goofy grin; "You knew he held quite the candle for you? Merlin, he'd go on about you for hours in the room! For years he pined over you. It was a little pathetic really." Ron winked, clearly jesting about the last part. She doubted he could be cruel about a dead housemate. He also clearly thought that this was new information for her, and watched her closely.

"I know." Hermione smiled warmly, because hearing another person say it, for some reason made her feel better. Ron gave a slow clap of his hands.

"Go, Seamus! I didn't think he had the guts to tell you." Ron said, surprised.

"Oh," Hermione let out a tinkle of laughter, "I always knew." Ron's jaw opened with surprise, "You boys are not quite as subtle about liking a girl as you think. We just pretend we have no idea." She laughed, and Ron's face turned bright red.

He groaned, "So you could tell me every crush I've ever had?" He asked, wincing.

"Oh, yes." Hermione assured, patting his arm, "Secrets are safe with me though." Ron laughed, such a pure sound. He licked his lips, looking at Hermione with a more serious frown now.

"How'd he die?"

It was obvious his first question would progress to this second, so she was more prepared for it. "Pansy." She spat simply, although it wasn't nearly that simple. And Ron had known him, slept in the same room with him, for seven years. Ron deserved the complicated, un-simplified answer, "Well, I mean, she was the one that officially killed him. She snapped his neck. In reality, I would have been the one dead if it weren't for him. I was out looking for you and Elizabeth, actually," She watched Ron's eyebrow shoot up, but he did not speak, "But that obviously didn't happen." A gray cloud settled over her like it often did thinking back on this moment, "I blame myself. He told me not to, but…how can I not? I was so…stupid! I didn't even notice her coming." She threw her dagger into the ground, watching as it sunk halfway into the sand.

"He?"

"I saw him in a dream, after." She answered. But she said no more. She sort of wanted those moments just between them.

"You're lucky." Ron's voice was drenched in sorrow.

"How did Luna die?" She asked.

"A bear, protecting Elizabeth." Ron said, looking away, hiding his face. Then, he turned back, as though he remembered it was Hermione, and she was a loyal friend that wasn't going to judge him, "I wish I could say she died protecting me. To sacrifice yourself for the one you really love, that's-," He couldn't find the words. But Hermione knew all too well, for of course that's what Seamus had done.

It was a long moment before he continued, "But to sacrifice for just someone else? Just someone you think you like? Not even a sister or cousin or something? It's a little hard to swallow. I know I shouldn't be mad, because I know that's how Luna was. She'd save Pike if she saw a glimmer of goodness in him." Ron smiled, and Hermione couldn't help it either. His smile was contagious, for that was exactly how she was- selfless.

"Not Pansy?" She teased.

"No." Ron said rather seriously, "Pansy…I don't even know if she's human anymore." He didn't sound like he was joking now, "I've heard things, I ran into Mandy. That she's being consumed by the darkness of magic. Like…him." Ron said with a forced inflection.

"Voldemort."

Ron flinched violently at his name.

Hermione absorbed his theory, sighing. If that was the case, they should all be really worried and super vigilant. She now realized how right Draco had been; they would need each other to come out alive, if not maybe more people.

"You know?" Ron said suddenly, "I thought I was going to die last night. I wasn't as upset as I should have been about it. I was a bit relieved." He admitted, "I thought I was going to get to see Luna."

Hermione didn't know how to respond, she just crinkled her eyebrows in a mixture of pity and sadness.

"It's just so tiring, you know? Sometimes it would be so easy…just to let go."

"I know." Hermione jumped, saying a little to quickly. Even though Ron had prompted it, he seemed shocked.

"Hermione Granger, give up?" He sputtered, "Who are you and what have you done with her? The Hermione I know, she'd never in a million years stop fighting." He grabbed her hand, "You can't, you hear me. Don't stop fighting."

Hermione thought back to Harry and Ron and Draco saving her life and recalled she'd been given a second, miraculous chance. It sounded so ungrateful, agreeing with him. She didn't want to give up fighting, no now at least. She wanted to be alive on the other side of this.

"Of course, I was being silly." She admonished with conviction, "I have more than a few fights left in me."

"Good." Ron relaxed.

"You don't stop fighting either. I mean, we're Gryffindors! Giving up isn't even in our vocabulary." She teased. Ron waved a hand.

"I think about, I guess, but you're right…it's in my blood to never stop fighting. You shouldn't worry about me, though." He gave her a wicked grin, his whole face lighting up with a joke she didn't yet understand. It reminded her of the Ron she missed most often, the one that existed before Harry's death, and she wanted to capture that Ron forever, "Long before I got picked, Fred and I made a bet about me getting put here." He laughed, "He owes me 100 galleons and I plan on coming to collect!"


Draco found Elizabeth sitting on the roof of the cave. He didn't even know how she'd managed to shimmy up there because it gave him trouble. But once he was up there…he could tell why she'd take refuge up here. It was peaceful.

"Breakfast is served, ma'am." He said, handing her the cooked eggs. Hermione had said they were a robin's, but he wasn't much in the mood to consider what he was eating. If it could be served sunny-side up, he was eating it.

Elizabeth took it, taking small bites.

"That bad, huh?" Draco whistled, and he wasn't talking about Colin's cooking. Elizabeth looked at him, and she looked so tired.

To the untrained person, they'd look at her and see the same symptoms that plagued the other victims of the games; the gauntness in her cheekbones and her side from lack of proper food, the bags that seemed to hang low from interrupted sleep, the gray tinge to her in general that seemed to match her mood. But Draco, as a healer, saw the words beneath the lines, and it terrified him what he saw.

"Some days are better than others." She whispered, sighing, "There's not many of those anymore."

"I wouldn't think so. It's a mercy you're still alive." Draco scoffed, and then became serious, "You're seriously the strongest person I know, Elizabeth. Stronger than Hermione."

Elizabeth gleamed at his words, but shook her head, "I'm really not. You wouldn't be saying that if I was just like the rest of them. I couldn't survive on my own out here, not a day." She said, setting the food beside her. Draco took it, he was pretty sure she would only throw it up. Shouldn't let it go to waste.

"I could help." Draco offered, "For the pain."

"I'm okay." Elizabeth insisted, "It won't be long now."

He stopped eating, a chill settling over him like death.

"What do you mean?" He demanded harshly, his angry tone scaring even him. He was upset at her, at himself for not doing anything, at this thing, which he knew in his heart he couldn't change.

"I dunno." She was thirteen years old, he often forgot. So young, a child, really, "I just can feel something." She flexed her fingers, "It might not even be me. It might be someone else." Her gaze caught upon Hermione down below them, shaking out the sleeping bags of dust.

Draco stiffened, "No." He growled.

"Some things we cannot help." Elizabeth said, drawing her knees up, "I don't think it would be here, don't worry." She added, smiling widely at Draco, "You two would be cute together."

"I helped her cheat death once-,"

"I doubt you'd get a second chance." Elizabeth pointed out, the same thing he so deeply feared, "Or you'll have to pay for it. All magic comes with a price."

"I know." Draco's features pinched, "Stop reminding me. You're thirteen. Shouldn't we be discussing boys or makeup or something?" He snapped at her. She blinked, uncomprehending, and then she laughed.

"Let's see, there's you- you're basically off the market. Ron wouldn't even do anything, and I think he might hate me. Erm, is Cal still left? I don't even know him! And let's talk about Pike, the psychopath." She said, deadpanned, "Oh! Colin. But he's so sweet, and cute, I guess. Like a golden retriever."

"That's a good way to put it." Draco gave a pearl of laughter, "I see your point. Did you have a boyfriend though? Back at Hogwarts? I had one my third year, you know. Me and Daphne Greengrass."

"It's a little harder now." Elizabeth said, and seemed not to notice she'd spoken, but when she did grew red, "Hogwarts is different growing up than you did." She admonished, and Draco realized she was right, "But that didn't mean I didn't like guys. I guess I just always thought I'd have more time." She threw her hands out in mild frustration, the first sign of her true struggle getting to her.

Draco let out a breath; he didn't even know he'd been holding it in the first place. But her words shook him deeply. "Me too."

He recalled the mixture of shock and terror as his name had been pulled from the bowl. He'd been so ignorant to think that just because his dad was chummy with Lord Voldemort he was untouchable. The blur of being shoved onto stage was just a mash of colors to him, watching helplessly as his father was escorted away after fighting with Umbridge. How no one called out to take his place. When he realized he was alone. When he realized he might have to kill someone.

"I think," Elizabeth tilted her head, thoughtful, "The true fallacy of teenagers is we think we're immortal. You hear that some kid here or there died like this or that and you think 'well, that was him. That won't happen to me' and we go about our way. That we won't contract some awful disease even though the odds are not in our favor. Even with these games, we rely on the chances we don't get picked, that you're too special or too much of nobody to do something like this. I don't even know if everyone in the games truly gets it until they're here…that we're just like anyone else. We have the ability to die, as an individual, as much as the next. It's startling."

"You're thirteen and far too wise." Draco said, standing, unsettled by her words, but joked his emotions away. Elizabeth shrugged.

"I've had a lot of time to think about mortality." She said simply, "Do you mind…letting me alone? Just for a bit."

Draco's eyebrows knit. "Of course, anything." He murmured quietly.

He slid off the rock, and was met with Hermione's inquisitive stare.

"Is Elizabeth up there? I haven't seen her all morning." She questioned.

"Yeah," Draco said, and grabbed her arm as she passed to clamber up, "Just…let her be. She just wants some time alone."

"Is she okay?" Deep concern instantly coated Hermione's face.

"Of course." Draco lied, "She's just…well, there's a lot of us here now. Loud, noisy, what have you." He said, which wasn't a total lie. He himself was a bit wanting Ron to leave already, despite the doctor inside fighting his will.

"Oh, right." Hermione shook her head, waving her hands, "You're right. She's safe there, I guess."

Draco nodded to Hermione, and the two shared an awkward silent moment before he coughed. "We should think about what our plans are in the future, you know? I think the cave was only meant to hold two comfortably. We have five."

"That's a reasonable idea." Hermione said, and he saw the gears turning in her head to her leader mode, "Rations, sleeping patters, plans…I can't imagine the game makers will be happy with us all settled together…" She trailed off.

"Well-,"

"Ron's not leaving. Not yet." Hermione said sharply before he even got the suggestion out.

"How did you-? Never mind." Draco shook his head, "But he should be more grateful. I saved his life." He huffed.

"He is." Hermione assured, touching his shoulder before she realized her arm and hands were moving without her. She was aware he did not flinch away.

"Well, he should be more emotive in his thanks." Draco said. Hermione gave a tight smile, because Draco knew Ron would sooner kneel over and die before he thanked Draco Malfoy. It was nice of Hermione to pretend for him, though. If he did kneel over and die…well, Draco wouldn't be crying, that was for sure.

"We've been friends a long time." Hermione defended him.

"Yeah, yeah." Draco waved her off, "I'm going to go find something. I'll take Colin with me."

"Okay." Hermione frowned, sighing, "I'll watch Ron. Tell you if his condition changes."

Draco could only manage a grunt; he didn't want to hurt Hermione's feelings, but Ron got his blood boiling like no one else. He grabbed Colin, who was drawing in the mud with a knife.

"C'mon." He muttered, "We're going out to find something."

"What kind of thing?"

Draco looked back to see Hermione laughing with Ron and his jaw twitched, "Anything."


Cal, after the darkness evaporated and the ground stopped shaking, found himself alone and hungry. He'd been so sure of himself when he was retracing his steps, but alas nothing in the forest looked familiar, nor did he manage to find Mandy. He wondered how she was fairing; was she okay? Was she scared? Did she have their food?

He chuckled as he realized it never crossed his mind that perhaps she'd run off with their meager produce, leaving him to die. Somewhere in between her saving his life and he saving hers, he had come to trust her implicitly. Maybe that's where all the trouble really was.

Yet he couldn't imagine her just doing that. The one thing he'd gleaned of her was her staunch loyalty. Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Slytherins all fought about who was the most loyal to their own, but he secretly knew that Ravenclaws took the cake. They weren't going to brag about it though. He was actually grateful to have been accepted into such a group.

He knew that most of the other houses didn't truly consider him a Ravenclaw, for Voldemort had forced him into their group too late. Before all this, he'd been on an exchange program from America to Durmstrang. In between it all, he'd been caught up in the madness of this dictator, and never gotten to go home. That had been two years ago. The first year had been tough…he didn't know a lot of people at Hogwarts. Anyone who rebelled, and there were many, were killed on the spot. Plus, most of his housemates seemed distrustful toward him.

The second year, this year, had been better. The glimmer that perhaps he'd get to go home was so close he could taste it. Sneak out of the country after Hogwarts, take his family and go deep underground…it wasn't going to be much of a life, but Cal was confident Voldemort would be stopped soon.

And people had been a bit nicer, perhaps. Maybe they had just realized he wasn't going away any time soon. Luna had also been kind to him, he wondered how she was doing now? And Elizabeth; so young and wise always had never uttered a mean word in her life. He had been pained when her name had been called, just below hearing his own name ring out across the clearing.

A deep cough exploded in his throat, and the tinge of sickness coated his mouth in a slimy film. He'd felt the illness creep over him before, but hadn't said anything to Mandy. He didn't want to worry her. But now, left without food or her help, he wondered how long he truly had?

A couple birds led him to a berry bush, raspberries, but they were sour and mushy and the bush only had a meager few. He considered, not for the first time, killing a bird…He shook his head. There was a reason he didn't eat the animals, for they spoke to him. He knew that they'd stop helping him if he betrayed him like that. Then again, how long of his life did he have left, truly?

He wandered back, finding the area that he and Mandy had begun at, their names etched into the tree, but found her nowhere in sight. Their bag was missing too, and he kicked a rock in frustration. He tied his long matted hair back the best he could with a piece of string he kept around his wrist, staring out blankly into the forest. The very will of life had seemingly abandoned him as another echoing cough came up.

He hoped Mandy was in better shape. She had seemed more put together than he had, and he came to truly like the brash girl. They hadn't ever really spoken in school, he knew she had thought him to be a bit of a prince (he was) and he'd thought she was too loud and overbearing (also true). After they'd both mutually accepted their downfalls, they'd managed to become quite the team. And hey, they'd survived this long, hadn't they? That surely meant something.

He looked at the tree, a grimace on his face.

"We almost lived." He muttered, a quiet whisper. He sighed.

He decided to go back to the stream. Something about it called him there, a beckoning. It had been what had separated him and Mandy in the first place. Had he not been so preoccupied there…he could have saved her from whatever got her. He had a sinking feeling she was already dead. There had been a cannon, he was sure.

The river bubbled happily, unaware of the bloodshed of the Green Games that drizzled into the current, and he sat himself on a rock, feet dangling in it. He didn't even see a damn fish, and he was hungry enough to eat a moose. Plus, the coughing and the sickness would only worsen if he didn't get something in him. He wondered what grass tasted like? Probably not very healthy, unfortunately.

A speck caught his eye on the left far on the other side of the bank. He stood abruptly, a deep fire burning through him as the figure took shape. It was a person-digging through his bag, eating his food!

"Hey!" He yelled, splashing through the water, "That's mine!"

He grabbed the person's arm, Tracey, before she could run. He could see a sort of glint in her eyes, one that he did not like. There wasn't even a trace of hunger in her bones, just greed.

"Finders, keepers." She taunted, trying to pull her arm away. Cal was stronger than he seemed, and his fingers were like an iron vise on her arm, gripping her flesh with his nails.

"Give it here, or else." He growled. He was starved. He needed that bag. He'd do anything for it.

Tracy yanked her arm away, holding the bag just out of his reach. Her position was precarious though, and he shoved her roughly, sending her tumbling into the stream. In a flash, before he could process, her arm snapped out and grabbed Cal's leg, sending him down with her.

He breathed in water for a moment, and coughed it out with his sickness. Tracey was trying to get her footing on the slimy rocks that sat below her, and Cal lunged at the bag she held slightly above the water.

He felt her head hit the rocks, and with a flash of triumph snatched the duffle from a limp hand. He was clambering out of the river when he felt her pull him back, a fury in her grip he hadn't thought she had. Blood trickled from a wound on her head into her eyes, her nose dripping circles of red into the water.

He kicked back, but she expected it, and Cal felt a fit of coughs coming on.

He screamed in his head as his body contorted to the illness, leaving him weak and vulnerable. He clawed at a rock near the edge, catching it between his fingers and leaving a bloody trail behind as Tracy pulled him back. He felt as though the water was betraying him, the lapping waves seeming so much more menacing as it welcomed him back under with a deadly slapping sound against the banks.

Tracey got on top of him, holding his head under the waves. He struggled, holding his breath for as long as he could, while also trying to escape her. Hands shoved him under harder, and knocked his head against the rocks. The air escaped him in a cloud of bubbles. Water filed his mouth, and panic made his movements more frantic.

Help me, anyone help me!

He could feel his vision growing blacker, the air loosing to the waterfall invading his body. The world around him grew fainter…fainter…he was so hungry…he'd just wanted his bag…he hoped Mandy was fine…

A flash of white exploded behind his eyes, and that was simply the end of it.


Tracy heard the cannon and stumbled back in shock as Caligula's body floated to the surface. A stream of red came up from underneath him, as his body floated with the stream, hitting against a collection of logs. She watched motionlessly as his body just bobbed there, his hair fanning out behind him.

The water lapped at her legs, and she touched her skull gently. She wiped a bit of blood from her nose as she realized she should get out of the river. She scrambled to the bank, sitting in surprise at her own actions as she cradled her pounding head in her palms.

She hadn't truly meant to kill him, she'd just been so mad. Who was he to demand things of her, when it was his own fault he'd left his bag unattended? And he'd been so persistent; grabbing her, pushing her to the water…but it was really when she'd hit her head she'd literally seen red. It was the red of the blood that dripped down her face and red of the rage that filled her.

She had just meant to teach him a lesson, leave him coughing up blood and water on the banks while she took his bag and ran. She'd meant to scare him, prove to him that she was the stronger one here, and he shouldn't be so quick to think because she was a women it was going to be easy to overpower her. She'd just meant to let the water fill his mouth before pulling him up…but none of that happened.

It was just sort of a blur, and she couldn't quite recall the choice to leave him under, even when his flailing limbs became feebler and she could almost feel the life leaving his body. She couldn't recall when scaring turned to killing, or when the part of her that was still good or merciful just switched off.

She did remember one thing, and she didn't know how to process it. It was the moment she realized she enjoyed killing him.

Some would fear this revelation, be ashamed of themselves, or afraid of their own strength. Tracey watched her own fingers in amazement instead, flexing them in front of her. She had felt so powerful. She wondered if Pansy had felt this, this feral type of strength that just radiated through her. That she had the power to decide if he lived or died and she'd chosen death. Great Salazar, it was invigorating!

And she wondered how she'd gone all this time without knowing it, thinking Pansy was merely mad for the joy she got from watching life slip away from people's eyes. A giddy glee soared through her. She'd always felt left out as a Slytherin, wondering what had really put her there. She wasn't all too crafty, but liked to take problems head on. She hadn't a chance to see if her means would justify the end, for she didn't push herself to be the best like the others. The others for not being like them taunted her but now, now she knew that she had truly belonged there when she killed Cal and didn't cringe at her actions.

She took the bag from his death grip, cracking his fingers away from it as she stood on a log. She hadn't even truly wanted the food or supplies in here; Marcus supplied her with plenty. It was the principal of the thing, she decided. And now she was going to keep this bag as a war prize. She slung it on her back, wincing at the water that dribbled down her shirt. But she could hardly be concerned with it, for she felt she could take on the world. Her place in the food chain had just become a lot clearer. She was so glad she'd left her old campsite, albeit perfect, for if she'd never found the bag sitting without an owner, she'd never encountered Cal, and she would have never gained the confidence she did now that maybe she could win.

But…she wasn't heartless. Turning back toward the stream, she hauled his body from the water, laying him face-up in the sun, on the softest bed of grass she could find. It was pretty here, and the hovercrafts would find him soon. She did feel a tinge something looking at his limp form, but it was too small and too fleeting to place.

Who cared, anyway? She had an area to overtake.


Elizabeth slipped away a second time nearing dusk. The tension in the camp was awful, and she'd forced herself to play the peacemaker for the last couple of hours, steering the conversation, keeping a smile on her face. It wasn't even just the tension between Ron and Draco that was palpable, but it was the tension between everyone else. There was the tension between Draco and Hermione that was like the slowest burning romance she'd ever seen and she just sort of wanted to throw them together and force them to kiss, there was the tension between Draco and Colin- a sadness on his part that she couldn't understand, and the loyalty and conflict Draco felt toward him, the tension between Colin and Ron; two former Gryffindors that had never really talked now together sharing sadness, and finally the tension between Ron and Hermione that signaled the end of something. She was pretty sure every time they looked at each other, they were thinking of Harry. How could they not be?

She felt his memory haunt every inch of this forest; especially his two former best friends were together. It was as though every time they spoke, they were invoking an evanescent memory of times before, times that didn't even happen, but should have happened. This much-repressed magic in one place did funny things to emotions, she decided. She might have never been able to feel those lines of emotions between the people so strongly, otherwise.

She finally couldn't take anything anymore. Not trying to ease or strengthen certain tensions, not looking at Hermione or Draco and seeing the pity in their eyes (for different reasons) when they looked at her, and couldn't look at Ron so vulnerable on the bed knowing he almost died and he had hated her and this life had made her not care about that. Colin was the only bearable one, and it was his unwavering naivety that did it in. He didn't know about her, he didn't know what she'd gone through, and he didn't know Ernie at all.

She thought a lot about Ernie.

She wished she could remember more about him, to be honest. She would always remember his kindness, his protection. Yet as the hours wore on, and days multiplied, his face was shifting into the shadows. Maybe if she'd known, she would have spent every moment searching his face, asking about her mother, trying to remember him in all his golden glory in a way that she wished she had before.

She found a snaking tree root that almost formed a cove, soft moss lining the bottom of the ground, and found it comfortable as he bones sighed in relief as she pressed against the tree, the night closing around her. She was still within Draco's ingenious border; otherwise they'd be out looking for her. She thought they might wonder already, but Draco had already paused Hermione once from bothering her earlier today. He understood. She never thought she'd find a solace and sense of relief when she thought about a Slytherin.

She took her dragon onto her lap, and smiled. She pressed a button under one of his wings, and the camera inside of it flickered to life. It seemed all right still, the little red dot now visible blinking with energy.

She didn't trust the game makers. They could cut out or add in whatever they pleased. She'd thought previously that taking a note to her parents during the games might be left up to her. Speaking directly to this camera, insuring they got it if she didn't make it, it was the best she could do.

And today of all days, she felt an intense need to record this video. Well, she'd felt it yesterday, but she hadn't really gotten the chance, and she'd felt too connected to Ron to leave him.

"Hi." She whispered into the eyes of her dragon stuffed animal, "Mom, dad…" Her voice cracked, "Merlin, I miss you." She wiped a couple tears away from her face, "Ada, I'm a mess. I didn't mean to do this, cry all over while recording this. I promised I wouldn't. It's just really getting to me, the games." She sniffled, wiping her sleeve over her eyes.

"No more tears," She said decisively, "Not now."

The recorded letter was almost an hour long, in the end. She wasn't really sure she even talked about anything important, but she just simply talked. She might have even rambled on for longer, had the camera not blinked to show her battery was finally running short. So, although it hurt her to do so, she wrapped it up.

She found the camp to be quieter when she returned. The fire was lazily burning, and Hermione was sleeping on one of the beds. Draco was in a corner, doing something with a plant, and Colin was watching him like a hawk. Ron was far away from the rest, thankfully, and sitting by the fire, staring at his leg with an emotionless expression.

"Hey, Ron." She said, and he jumped, wincing as his leg shifted.

"Where you been?"

"I needed a moment alone." She said, rubbing the soft tuft of fur on her dragon's head, "How are you?"

"Not sure." He winced, "Draco did some other shit to my leg. Hasn't killed me yet, but the night is still young." He chuckled. Looking at his leg, I did look much improved.

"Oi! Colin and I are going to go get a plant not too far from here for Ron and Hermione's wounds. We'll be back soon." Draco called specifically to Elizabeth, nodding tensely at Ron as he left. Ron glowered back. Elizabeth rolled her eyes at their melodrama.

"You should be thankful." She said, "You moved, didn't you?"

"I am." He whispered, "But if you ever tell him that, I will deny it. Don't want him getting a big head about things, do we?" He said. Elizabeth laughed.

"I suppose we don't." She agreed.

She looked down at her dragon, recalling why she'd sought him out in the first place, "Hey Ron? Can you look after this? And if anything happens to me, give it to my parents? I uh, they'll just want it. It's important." She said, looking down.

"What? You think you're going to die soon?" He asked, half joking, but she saw a glimmer of worry.

"No, of course not." She waved her hand, "I just…well, I think you'd be able to protect it better. And if I make it, I won't need it delivered, will I?" She pointed out.

"Fair point." Ron grunted, taking it, "Want a roasted lizard?" He asked, holding up a small lizard poked through a stick, "It's not half bad!"

Her stomach grumbled, but she winced, shaking her head. "I'll pass." She said, "I'm not sure I want to take your word for it."

"Fair enough." He agreed. She watched him.

"You seem to be in a good mood."

"I guess you're right. I'm alive. It was lucky they found us."

"Hermione said Fred told her, right?" Elizabeth frowned, thinking back to the previous night.

"Blimey, you're right." Ron straightened up, "I wonder if the letter's still around. I would really like to read it." He said. Elizabeth smiled; she would give anything for a letter from her brother.

"Its probably still in there. I can't imagine Hermione or anyone else would have a reason to get rid of it." She said, thinking as she glanced to the cave.

"I'm going to look for it. Want to help?" He asked, dragging his leg up to stand.

"I think I'm going to sit here a bit longer. The fire's nice." She said. He shrugged.

"Suit yourself."


Hermione was fast asleep when Ron entered the cave, about ten yards from where the fire was. Draco had built that fire area today, widened the field so that he and Ron could always be far from each other. It was the singular thing Ron was grateful about. He didn't want to have to see that ferret's face unless…no, there was no unless, he didn't want to see Malfoy period!

He considered waking Hermione to ask where the letter was, but decided that would be mean. He had heard Draco say she hadn't been sleeping lately, and he wasn't going to be the one to change that. See, he respected their friendship, he thought with a superior grunt.

After putting Elizabeth's dragon carefully inside his knapsack, although still unsure why she asked him but feeling responsible for this task now, he turned around to survey the area.

The inside area was small, so Ron was confident if the letter was here, he'd surly find it. He accidentally knocked over a couple vials, breaking one (oops…or was it) in his search, not feeling all that bad at all. He still thought a lot of it was for sure, Draco, a doctor? That was just insane. It was probably poison in those vials anyway, he was dong everyone a favor.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a couple sheets of paper sticking out from a rock on a shelf. Grinning with glee, he eased the papers out, and looked at the top, eager to see his brother's handwriting. He was a bit hurt Fred wasn't writing him, but at this point he was so desperate to hear from his family he didn't care.

What he found, thought, and was not his brother's letter.

It was a pompous handwriting, which told him immediately it must be Malfoy's family. He eased onto Malfoy's bed, fully intending to read every word. He was positive in these stacks of papers one of the most say something awful about Hermione, something he could take and prove to her that Malfoy hadn't changed a bit since Hogwarts.

He was mostly disappointed, as he read it because there was nothing really that bad about Malfoy, until he became angry. Not just angry in a slight sense, like someone mucked up his order in a restaurant, but seeing red and steaming ears angry.

He heard Malfoy return, and saw Colin go and sit by Elizabeth near the fire. He bolted up, the letter fisted in his hands, and stormed out of the cave to find Draco on the other side of it, hanging up some plants on a line.

He grabbed the bloody bastard by the shoulders, and spun him around. A look of confusion passed over Malfoy's face, but it was fleeting, as next he was reacting to Ron's fist connecting squarely with his face.

Malfoy reeled back, spitting blood.

"What the fuck, Ron?"

Ron's whole body shook. "Don't say my name, you ferret!" He demanded angrily, going back in for another swing. Malfoy ducked, getting out under him.

"What have I done? I bloody saved your life! I saved Hermione's life too! I think you should be-"

"Don't say her name either!" Ron grabbed him by his shirt, "Don't look at her, you disgusting bug!"

"Weasley." Malfoy's eyes were as hard as flint as he unhinged Ron's fist from his shirt, "What in the name of your bloody Godric Gryffindor is going on?"

"This is what's going on!" His leg burned with pain, but he hardly noticed it. It was all adrenaline and fury running through his blood, pushing him for Hermione's sake. He threw the crumpled letter at Malfoy's face. Malfoy picked them up, confusion morphing into shock and anger now too.

"You read my personal letters? My god, did your mother never teach you manners, Weasley? Never mind, I know she didn't." He said, angrily snatching up the papers.

"Oh, stop bluffing and stop ignoring the real topic here." Ron said, spitting in his direction.

"I honestly don't know what's gotten you so riled up. You're not the one whose privacy has been invaded." Draco said, trying to side step past him, but Ron put a firm hand on his shoulder, shoving him back.

"I don't know what sort of twisted game you're playing with her, because it obviously is a game- people like you can't have feelings, but you need to back off." He said in a low voice.

Draco actually took a moment to see which letter he'd read. A strangled laugh came up his throat.

"True Love's Kiss." He said, "This is about Hermione."

"I told you not to say her name!" Ron slammed Draco back into the wall, "You don't even deserve someone like her. She's far too good for you, you evil and manipulating little…little…"

"And here I thought you had increased your vocabulary. Shame." Draco said, trying to wriggle from Ron's grip, "And, as it were, I don't really think what Hermione feels or doesn't feel is any of your concern."

"Of course it's my concern!" Ron thundered, "You've obviously magicked her somehow! A love potion, a spell, a charm, something! Because if she really saw you, like I do, she'd be so disgusted with what she saw. She'd be horrified." He saw an interior flinch, and a sense of triumph rose within him, "She lost someone she loved. She needs her feelings protected from creeps like you that are obviously trying to take advantage of her nature. It's sick, Malfoy. You have her convinced that through a stupid kiss she saved you. That…that…" He shook his head, "I don't' know what she's thinking or what you think you're getting out of this, but I'm putting a stop to it!"

Draco was quiet for a moment, and Ron saw his fists clenching and unclenching. When he met Ron's eyes, there was a storm ranging within them that Ron had never seen in the blonds' eyes before. Yet when he spoke, his voice was eerily calm, just his jaw twitched in a way that showed he was holding in a tsunami

"You know nothing about her, do you?" He asked, his voice as level as a pond on a summer's day, "You and she haven't talked for years, because if you did, you'd know she doesn't need anyone protecting her. She's fully capable of defending herself, ginger idiots aside. If she did need anything, it would be someone that saw her as an equal. You obviously see her as someone whose lost and confused. Maybe she did love him, maybe she is grieving, but that hasn't reduced her to a sobbing, helpless puddle, but in fact she's the strongest damn person I know. She's also a thousand times better than you, and she saved me out of the goodness of her own heart, not thinking she'd get anything back or that she owed me anything. She is smart enough to realize when she's being deceived, and I am actually an honorable person, despite what you might think. She has her opinions and I bloody respect them, Weasley. I haven't forced her to to think or feel anything. If you think anyone could be in charge of her own emotions and feelings beside herself, you've clearly been out of touch with Hermione Granger well, all her life."

Ron stared at Malfoy, his jaw dropping. Almost like he'd been burned, his hand sprung back, as he stared at the boy in front of him. Utter revulsion plagued his face as he shook his head.

"Bloody cor!" He cursed, shaking his head in utter disbelief, "You're…you're actually fucking in love with her, Malfoy!"

Draco didn't say a word, but held Ron's steady gaze, his fingers twitching.

"And what makes you think she'd even like you back?" Ron sneered, a dark look coming over his face.

"I don't expect her to." Draco said quietly, "She doesn't need to."

"She won't, of course. She couldn't love someone that called her a mudblood." Draco flinched visibly here, and Ron chuckled, "Not someone that's a pompous arse like you are. Even she has standards."

Draco's eyes snapped up, "Even she?" He asked.

"I love Hermione, but I mean, she has ruddy taste in guys." He laughed, like it was a causal joke between friends, but even if it were, Malfoy's blood boiled, "Seamus was alight, but Krum? McLaggen?"

"You ass." Draco said, "I don't even know how's she's friends with you! You're absolutely awful!"

Ron's fist came out again. "Say that again, Malfoy!"

"Don't mind if I do!" He lunged at Ron. He was really considering killing this idiot for real!

"Stop it!" Draco felt someone wedging themselves between them, and saw Hermione, eyes blazing with fury. She looked between them-Draco's slip lip and shiner on his cheekbone, a long scratch down Ron's neck from Draco's fingernails, the two men staring each other down like they were actually considering offing the other. Colin and Elizabeth were not far behind, both staring with wide eyes at the scuffling boys.

"What in the world is going on?" She demanded, lips tight and eyes glowing with rage.

"He's in love with you!" Ron burst out, throwing his arm toward Draco, "Bloody stupid, right? Tell him you hate him, don't' you!"

"Sod off, Ron!" Draco said, wiping across his nose, "Don't put her in the middle of this."

"She is the fucking middle of this!"

Ron turned back to Hermione to see her eyes wide, unsure, "Tell him, ya?"

"I…I don't know what to say." She said, catching Draco's eyes. He looked down, shame running through his cheeks. A small part of him feared Ron was right, that she'd never even like someone like him.

"Tell him he's obviously delusional and you don't love him. That's obviously what you feel, Hermione."

"And since when did you become a master on my feelings, Ronald?" Hermione's voice was sharp, pointed.

"I…" Ron floundered, "You don't like him, do you?"

"Whether I do or not is none of your concern." Hermione said, stomping her foot, "And my god, how childish are you? We need each other now! We can't be killing each other off."

Both boys had the good sense to look ashamed at this.

"Hermione, I'm just looking out for you." Ron said a bit softer.

"I know, but I can look out for my own feelings, thank you very much." Hermione said, her voice cooling, "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Fine thanks, just a couple hits," Ron began, but Hermione cut him off with an annoyed look.

"I was talking to Draco, actually."

Ron stared at her, and stormed past her. "Bloody hell, I don't even know you anymore!"

Elizabeth and Colin moved to follow him as Hermione knelt down by Draco, but Draco was the one who spoke up.

"Let him go. He needs to blow off steam. It's the Gryffindor way." He added wryly.

"Ron shouldn't have done that." Hermione said tensely, touching Draco's cheek tenderly. She realized that both Colin and Elizabeth were still behind her, watching them, but she couldn't be tempted to care.

"I'm okay." Draco said with a small, careful smile her way, "Nothing broken. It was worth it. He's an ass, Hermione."

"Sometimes." She agreed with a laugh, "He…he just feels as though he should protect me. I think he feels guilty."

Draco was about to say something else when he stiffened.

"Ron went through the barrier. He's out of the protection circle." He said.

"What?" Hermione recoiled, "Why would he? Oh, no." She stood quickly, and turned to see Elizabeth running after where he went, "Elizabeth! Stay in the circle!"

"I need to find him!" Elizabeth called back, and was gone out of it too before anyone could react.

"I need to go after them." Hermione turned to Draco.

"After her, or Ron?" He asked sourly.

"Stop it!" Hermione hit his shoulder, "Ron is still my friend. I don't expect you to care about him, or to go too." She added.

"I won't be." He growled, then sighed, "Bring them both back safe. You're right…we should be together, not apart."

"I'm going too." Colin said, "She's still hurt, so is Ron. Hopefully they won't get far."

"Okay. I'll be waiting here." Draco agreed. He caught Hermione's hand as she stood, "Be careful." He hoped she understood everything more he was trying to say. She squeezed his hand.

"I will." In a way, it seemed she did.


Elizabeth bolted after Ron. He was confused and hurt and wasn't thinking straight. He was also wounded, and he needs to be back in camp! She felt obligated to help him, but more selfishly, he need to live so he could deliver the dragon!

"Ron!" She yelled, and then clamped her hand over her mouth. She'd forgotten herself in the moment. She'd forgotten that they were in danger, and if anyone heard her, she'd be dead.

Her whole body ached with pain and weariness, but she shoved on. She heard Colin and Hermione calling out for her and Ron, but ignored them. She could see in the full moon a set of foot-prints she hoped were his and she didn't want to loose too much space between them.

If she were feeling perfectly fine, she would have been able to easily catch up. But…time was gaining on her, and she knew she couldn't keep going for much longer. She had to find him before then.

She tripped over a branch, and stumbled on the ground. Her foot caught on something else, and she tugged it forward, thinking it was another tree branch or vine, but it wasn't at all. Something metal clench down on her ankle, and this time-caution be damned-she screamed like bloody murder.


Hermione heard Elizabeth's scream and her whole body went cold and stiff. Colin and her had slip up a couple yards back, and she was confident they could find their way back. If that was one thing she had learned of Colin, it was that he was a master at maps in his head. He probably had a scene of the whole arena in his noggin, thankfully.

She went in search of Elizabeth's scream, slashing through trees. She stumbled through a bush, and was about to take a step forward when she heard a strangled scream.

"Wait!"

It was Elizabeth.

"Look down!"

Hermione looked at where she was about to set her foot and sucked in a deep breath. It was a bear trap, a large on at that, the metal glittering menacingly in the moonlight. She stepped over it, more careful of her footing now, stumbling through the darkness to where there was a slumped figure on the ground. She waved her hand, "Lumos", she whispered, lighting up her fingertips with light.

Elizabeth sat on the ground dejectedly, tears streaking her mud-stained face, pain firing through every nerve ending on her body. Hermione followed her hand down her body to see her leg caught in a bear-trap, nearly gorged through.

"Elizabeth, we need to get you out of here." She said, her hands hovering, not really quite sure what to do. Hermione had never felt so helpless, so without knowledge. She'd never thought…

"It's no use." Elizabeth's voice was raw.

"What? Don't be silly! I'm sure Draco can save this, it's fine. Ron almost lost a leg, and he survived. You'll be okay, we just need to get you out of it, I swear." Hermione said, and her hand went try to unhinge the beast but Elizabeth grabbed her arm tightly. Something about the strength made Hermione look into Elizabeth's eyes.

"Hermione." She said softly, but with so much resolution it scared her, "I want you, no, I need you to kill me."

"What?" Hermione thundered back away from her, "What? I couldn't. I can't, I can't." She blubbered, "Elizabeth, this isn't…you'll be okay. The pain is bad, I'm sure, but you're not thinking right, really."

"I'm the clearest I've been in days." Elizabeth said, not bothering to wipe another tear down her face, "Hermione, look at the bear trap closely." She instructed. Hermione was to stunned to deny her request, still reeling after the tiny girl asked her to kill her, and saw something besides blood glimmering on the glimmering teeth.

"I don't understand. Do you know what that is?" Hermione said, searching Elizabeth's' face. In response, Elizabeth just pointed up to the stars, where clouds now obscured the moon. It took Hermione a second to understand, and when she did, she felt every hair stand up on her body.

"No." she said, shaking her head, "The game makers wouldn't, they're not-,"

"You so sure?" Elizabeth gave an emotionless laugh, "It makes sense. I wouldn't be in my right mind when I turned. A perfect killing machine. I would kill you and Draco and Ron and Colin and never feel sorry about it until I turned back. I'd be so disgusted with myself after that."

"You can still exist as a werewolf." Hermione said weakly, "I still don't need to kill you. Draco can handle you, I'm sure. We can put a spell on you. Knock you out. It takes twenty minutes for the poison to fully circulate, we still have time, Elizabeth, at least ten minutes!" Hermione pleaded.

"Hermione, please!" Elizabeth's voice had reached a peak of desperation, cracking under a weight Hermione didn't fully understand, "I'm dying."

"Well, yes, I know! We need to get your leg looked at fast, you're going to get an infection if we-,"

"No." Something in Elizabeth's voice stopped all her protests, all her attempts to save her, "I have leukemia. It's…terminal."

There was a quiet silence between them. Elizabeth waved her hand, and Hermione had to slap her hands over her mouth to stifle her cry. Elizabeth already looked dead-she could see every bone in her body, clumps of hair missing, rashes ravaging down her body, bruises and more…and when she looked into her eyes, there was nothing there.

"The only spell I ever became proficient in, nonverbal and wandless, was a glamour spell. It's fitting though." Elizabeth chewed on the inside of her check, looking at Hermione, whose eyes were glimmering with tears. She didn't' even care if it was all pity right now, she felt low, but determined.

Hermione was silent, unsure if she just couldn't find words or if she expected Elizabeth to continue talking. The thirteen-year old took it as a sign she should explain, or perhaps it was just words that needed to be said, and Hermione happened to be here. It struck Hermione how strong she was, to shoulder a disease like this and never have anyone know, to be in so much pain, and still be here now…this girl was like god.

"I was diagnosed late, last May. We missed all the signs, never thought…it snuck up on me. They gave me a year to live. When the Green Games last year came around, I was naive, thinking I could be one of those lucky people to magically beat this death sentence and that I'd get better. That I was special. But as this year rolled around…I knew, I knew I wasn't going to beat it. I knew it was getting to me, that I was going to die. My days ticked down. When I heard the buzz about the Green Games and the preparations starting up again, I just knew."

Elizabeth took a shaking breath, "I went to Umbridge the night before. I didn't even know you could volunteer, or I would have done that. I mean, I had a month at that point to live. Why should I let myself go through that month and die and have a friend of mine also die here when I could just take both of our places, save someone? It seemed like the right thing to do, make something good come out of this diagnosis. Umbridge seemed thrilled. I think the idea of a cancer kid trying to be noble; trying to be brave and strong made her giddy somehow. Or maybe, maybe she actually did take pity on me. I don't know."

"The name she pulled-?" Hermione asked softly.

"Not mine. She just said my name and ripped the card up before anyone could see. She told me, Lisa Turpin. It was Lisa's name. She's so brilliant, you know. She does deserve to live, to make something of her life. I'm glad I could take her place."

"Only Andrew and my parents knew about the diagnosis. They were so angry when I did it, but I had to. I just had to." She seemed weaker, "I thought…I'd maybe make it a day or two? I thought I'd be long dead before the disease ate me away this much. If I don't die tonight, I will either tomorrow or the next day. I know that much, I do. I feel bad, I wasn't ever meant to come out alive, and Ernie saved himself for me. I feel so awful." She began to cry, hot tears running freely down her face.

"Ernie?"

"He's my uncle, and he spent the whole time trying to protect me. I wish I would have known, so I could tell him. I wish he could be here with me. I'm afraid Hermione!" She admitted, and threw what she could into Hermione's arms, her body shaking.

"I wanted to kill myself so many times, be done with it, but I couldn't. I'm such a coward! The disease is winning and I hate it. I would do it myself now, but I can't, Hermione, I just can't. I'm not strong enough." She continued to cry in Hermione's arms.

"There was nothing they could do?" Despite everything she'd said, Hermione clung to the idea that this girl was dying of cancer, and magic couldn't help her. Magic had always helped her. Magic was…magic! She felt betrayed that magic couldn't save this girl, that magic-for the first time in her life-had failed her.

"There are some things beyond our control in life." Elizabeth sniffled, "Some things are meant to be."

"No! You are not meant to die, Elizabeth." Hermione said, "This wasn't your role in this world, I promise you."

"I just seem to bring death wherever I go. My real mom, Ernie, almost Ron, Luna…" Elizabeth's eyes were glassy, "I should have left this game long ago." Hermione wasn't even sure if she was talking about the actual Green Games anymore.

Hermione stared at her, staggered with anger for something she knew she couldn't control, for the way this was. Even as she touched herself on the girl, and she was obviously no doctor, she felt the girls' magic fighting every inch of the darkness killing her on the inside. A non-magical person would have died long ago. Even so, the magic was weak. Elizabeth was right…despite this, she would have had a day or two left.

"Draco?"

"Oh, he knew right away." Elizabeth said, "He always felt bad for me, offering me pain killers and such. The one thing I wanted he couldn't give me; death, a painless one. I guess I wasn't meant to get that." She mused. She looked at the moon, and the clouds were clearing, "Hermione…time's up." The striking slap of the metaphor in her words killed her; not just it was twenty minutes, their time table gone, but it was also all the time gone on Elizabeth's life. And Hermione couldn't come to terms with either.

"No!" Hermione couldn't see, her eyes were filled with so many tears, "I won't accept it. I don't want to kill you. Please, don't make me do this."

"Hermione," Elizabeth curled her fingers around a knife hilt, pushing it into Hermione's form, "You'd be doing me the best favor in the world. And I want you to do it, my friend. Not someone like Pike, or Pansy, or myself-my own worst enemy. I didn't want to be alone when I died. That was my worst fear, what I saw with the boggarts. I know I'm not now…you're here, Hermione. It means something." She said.

"No, no, no." Hermione didn't even care every ounce of her composure was utterly gone, pleading with the Grim Reaper himself to keep this girl here, as useless as it was, "Elizabeth…"

"We couldn't exist here together, in the end. I'm glad it's you and not me." Elizabeth assured, pulling the knife still in Hermione's fingers to her neck. She looked right into Hermione's eyes, and she was crying, but now it was tears of gratitude, "I'm not afraid anymore, Hermione. Don't you understand? I'm not afraid."

Hermione saw her skin begin to shift as the moon's power took hold, and she didn't even feel it as she pulled the knife across her friend's wintery neck. She only heard the sound of the cannon and felt Elizabeth's body go limp against hers, and saw the smile on Elizabeth's face, the fucking insanity of it all. The knife dropped to the ground, and Hermione held onto the painfully small body like it was her own child she'd lost, rocking back and forth and crying, sobbing like when she'd lost Seamus. Elizabeth's blood coated her fingers and stained the girl's wispy blonde hair as she clutched her face to her chest. The blood from her neck poured down Hermione's shirt, soaking it, and she felt it just. She should be marked with the blood, no matter how much-deep down- she knew it had to be done.

It hurt so much she couldn't even breathe, the thought of Elizabeth gone. She didn't even consider the fact she shouldn't be here, in the open like this. After what seemed like forever and no time at all, there were footsteps thundering behind her. She turned around, totally broken, to see Ron, Colin, and Draco.

"I found him." Colin licked his lips, "Ron. Brought him back to camp. Hermione, it's been almost an hour! We've been worried sick. We heard a cannon!"

"Something all three of us agree on." Ron agreed, but still glared at Draco.

"Hermione?" Draco asked, stepping forward. Elizabeth's body was obscured in the shadows, in Hermione's lap facing the other way. They couldn't see her body from this angle. Draco came around to Hermione's front cautiously, and his knees buckled when he saw Elizabeth's body in her arms.

Colin and Ron saw his face and strode around quickly too. Hermione couldn't even form a coherent sentence in their presence, just sobbed to her, never wanting to let the tiny girl go.

"Oh, Hermione." Draco whispered, looking from the knife to the trap to Elizabeth. She realized that he understood it all without needing her to say a word. And she didn't' see any hate or disgust in his eyes, only deep sadness for Elizabeth.

"What happened?" Ron asked, his voice haunted.

"We should get back to camp." Colin whispered.

"I won't leave her here." Hermione found her voice, the veracity in it shocking even herself.

"Of course not." Draco recovered first, and the three boys worked to unhinge the trap as Hermione clung to Elizabeth's body. When they finally untangled it, Hermione only gave Elizabeth to Colin once she realized she couldn't stand properly and Elizabeth was a literal dead weight in her arms. Draco let her lean on him, and for once, Ron had nothing to say about it.

Back in the camp, the three washed her face of dirt and blood. There was a patch of flowers closet o their camp, and the boys took turns going to pluck them and lining her body with such beauty as Hermione struggled to speak what had happened.

"I can't believe she made it that long." Draco said, confirming her story. Not that Hermione really feared any of them would think Hermione killed her for any other reason, but she still had that irrational fear.

Ron opened his mouth, likely to disagree with Draco and call him a liar or something, but instead he looked like he'd been kicked in the gut repeatedly, "Merlin, she knew today. She knew she was going to die. Somehow she knew."

He looked ghostly.

"I know. She told me in not so many words." Draco whispered, "I didn't think she was serious."

"Come away, we should let the people be able to pick her up, so her family can give her a real funeral." Colin said, trying to steer Hermione back toward the shielded camp, but Hermione wrenched her shoulder back.

"I don't think I can leave her."

"You have to." Draco said softly, "Let go, Hermione. She's gone."

Hermione let herself be pushed back into the circle by the three boys. Everyone was clearly affected by her death, everyone looking as though they'd seen hell and been forced to return. She even saw Ron crying, not even bothering to hide his pain.

"I…I'm going to bed." He said. Hermione felt the guilt in his voice, and wanted to go after him. If it hadn't been tonight, it would have been tomorrow or the next day. It was unfortunate circumstance of him running away that led to this. But she let him go, for she felt equally as guilty and she had a hard time convincing herself…how could she convince him?

"I'm going to bed too." Colin just seemed tired of everything, the games, this pain, his own feelings. This was the tipping point for them all. Loosing such a pure soul, "The world is darker without her. She was the last glimmering light of sheer goodness I knew."

No one disagreed wit him.

Hermione sat on the log near the now fire, now only embers, shaking as she cradled her head in her palms. She felt Draco sit next to her, and leaned into his embrace as he put an arm around her shoulders. He rested his head on her head as she burrowed into his shoulder, trying to soak up everything comforting he had to offer, but it could never be enough.

"In a perfect world, you wouldn't have to do that, what you did. This isn't a perfect world, and she's grateful." He whispered.

"I know I had to, but I hate it." Hermione said, no tears seemingly left to cry. She had dried up. She felt gutted, as if someone had gone within her and scooped out everything until there was nothing left but a numbing emptiness, "My god, cancer."

"I know. She asked me more than once for a poison berry or something, but I…I couldn't in good moral conscience give it to her. I'm beginning to think that moral is such a construct…she was in so much pain these last few days. I wish I had, honestly."

"You would have hated yourself." Hermione shook her head, "I'm shouldering this pain so you don't have to."

"I would have shouldered it with you."

She looked up, gratitude swimming in her eyes. She was about to say something, but there was a tinkling from above. They both stood up.

"Cor, who's sending those sorts of things in the middle of the night?" Colin asked sleepily, stumbling out of the cave.

Draco leapt up, bounding over to the message.

"Your dad?" Ron guessed with a slight sneer, getting up also. Draco frowned though, not even commenting on his tone.

"No…" He whispered almost painfully, "The game makers."

The shift in the circle's mood changed immediately.

"What?" Hermione said, coming forward, regaining her normal tone of voice, "What do they want? What is that?"

"It's…an invitation." Draco said, blinking at it.

"To what?" Colin said, leaning in. Hermione took the paper from Draco's fingers, grimacing.

"As you can imagine, nothing good."


So...that was enough feels to last you a couple weeks, eh? Lots of stuff happened in that chapter, lots of connections to the actual HG novels, which you don't see a ton. And sadly, Elizabeth's demise has been coming for many chapters- there's been hints since the original group with Ernie disbanded and Draco found her the first time. It was always going to end like this, because unfortunately, she and Hermione were both muggle-born so only one could survive.

And now Draco really can't escape his feelings, huh? That's really out in the open...thanks to Ron, and what he thought would hurt Malfoy actually worked against him...maybe next time, Ron!

Any guesses what sort of invitation they received from the Game Makers?

LIVING LIST

Gryffindors: Colin, Hermione, Ron

SLYTHERINS: Tracey, Pansy, Draco, Pike

RAVENCLAWS: Mandy

HUFFLEPUFFS: Hannah

Remember when there was like all those Ravenclaws left and you all thought there should some Ravenclaw deaths to even the numbers? Lookie, now there's only one left.

...too soon?

Once again, I apologize for being so MIA but school is busy and I'm working on A LOT of projects right now (damn plot bunnies). To prove it, I shall list them all... (all stories I'm currently writing, or currently planning on writing in the near-er future, like within two months)

1. This story, Green Games

2. Dramione epic I'm always writing. Four years, nowhere near being done (unpublished)

3. A Design in Copper and Bronze story,(Fremione) started chap3

4. A Particular Women in a Particular Globe (Jelsa, last chapter)

5. Omphalos epilogue and time line (Hiccelsa, time line written, started epilogue)

6. New Hiccelsa called 'Reversal of Fortune' (planning stages, unpublished)

7. Prota (Bellarke, recently updated twice, on back burner a bit)

8. Long ass supposed to be Bellarke one-shot around a marriage AU still on the Ark (unpublished)

9. Catoniss multi-chap (planning stages, unpublished)

Whew! So as you can tell, my brain is leaking creative juice all over my carpets...and creative juice don't come out easily! I'm going to try to finish this story up though, it's about time :)

Anyway, review, even if it's throwing sobbing hate mail at me for killing Elizabeth (she was a fan favorite, which I truly did not see coming). If not, comment on something. I gave you 26 pages worth, I'm sure there's something here you can find to comment on!