"Look at this!" Haymitch groaned as he threw a newspaper at Draco.

The two had just gotten back from their meeting with their stylists and walked into the tribute tower and the room they were staying in. Draco caught the paper like a seeker he was and roughly gazed at the front page and widened his eyes.

"They think you two are a couple now." Katniss explained to Hermione as Malfoy began to thoroughly read the paper, "A paparatzii snapped a picture of both of you holding hands earlier at the train station."

Hermione boggled and Haymitch snatched the paper away from Malfoy, "Look what they wrote in here," Haymitch said as he shook the paper wildly, "Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy was caught holding hands at the train station earlier this day. They are yet confirmed to be a couple, but the fans and witnesses are already swearing that they are dating. " Haymitch sighed, "You two haven't even started training, but yet you cause havoc."

Peeta nodded from the wide couch he was sitting on, "I have to agree with Haymitch there," He said agreeing, "I know you didn't mean it as a relationship thing, or at least I think you didn't, but this situation made you two look weak. The other tributes will underestimate you."

Hermione saw Draco's eyes flash as his mouth went agape.

"Actually, that is what we are trying to do." Malfoy spoke up, "Well, somewhat." He added as Haymitch gave him a nasty look, "I mean, what I'm trying to say is that we are trying to look weak, but also show that we are strong."

Peeta nodded slowly, "Explain how…?"

"Well we are trying a method," Hermione continued for Malfoy, "we're not sure it will actually work, but we are about ninety-nine percent sure it will." Hermione paused and took a deep breath, "People are… greedy. Ambitious." She simplified, "They will always want to go out for the ones who stand out, the strong ones to prove that they can overthrow them. But in the meantime, the weaker lurk. And when it's finally time for the weak to die, they always surprisingly show a murderous, competitive side."

Hermione gazed at everyone and was glad they looked like they were actually listening.

"And not trying to be full of ourselves or such, but we are strong people." Hermione stated confidently, "We survived in a war and won." Malfoy's eyes went round at this sentence. "With no major injuries or scratches, we won a war. If we look weak before the games, nobody will target us nor they would try to get us dead instantly. They will merely see us as something they could take care of later. But when the time comes for them to get us, we change."

"That." Haymitch said blankly, "That is the best idea I have ever heard in my life."

"It is?" Effie sputtered.

"YES." He laughed, "And I have gotten an idea to make this work even better." Haymitch pressed on, "Hear me out, you two actually pretend to be a couple. That will make you look weaker."

The room went quiet and Hermione froze. That was the most stupidest idea ever, but she had to admit it would work. Out from the corners of her eyes, she saw Draco tense.

"I mean…" Peeta began slowly, "Haymitch is right, but it is up for them to agree on the idea."

"Ok."

All eyes went on Malfoy who opened his mouth and took out his answer. Okay? Okay?! He was okay with this? How did he agree so quickly? Maybe he's possessed, or maybe tired, but there was no way he said that in full consciousness. All eyes were on Hermione now, who was still very confused and startled.

"O-okay," Hermione's mouth stammered. She didn't know what she was saying, these were the rare times Hermione's brain completely shut down, "Okay I-I'll do it."

xXx

The patterns on her wall was pretty. Black floral patterns on a white canvass. Hermione had stared at her beautiful wall for ten minutes. It was now hours after Hermione's brain shut down, and unfortunately it was still shut down. Before Hermione had slouched into her room in their large penthouse, it felt like her body had a mind of its own. She didn't talk or eat during dinnertime where they served giant amounts of food that even Hagrid's half-brother, Grawp, couldn't eat. After dinner, where she had stared at her cup of milk the whole time, she retreated off to her room without even saying anything to anyone.

Currently she was sitting on her huge bed, thinking about everything. She regret agreeing to this idea. She was mad that Draco had said yes. She was confused why nobody stopped this idea from going.

"Granger?"

"Mm."

Malfoy stepped into her room and closed the door behind him. Hermione continued to stare at her wall and didn't make any movement as the bedsprings squeaked as Malfoy sat next to her.

"You alright?" He asked cautiously.

"Mm." Hermione mumbled back, still staring at the wall.

"Yeah, you know I'm going to take that as a no Granger."

Hermione tore her gaze away from her wall and stared straight at Malfoy who stared straight back.

"Yes, I'm fine." Hermione replied again as her voice shook violently.

Malfoy rolled his grey eyes. "Well you don't look fine." He said, "You weren't eating anything, you weren't talking, and don't think I didn't notice you kept chewing on those nails. Are you okay?

Was she? Hermione looked down at her fake fingernails and saw that they were chewed.

"Well that was absolutely disgusting," Hermione said laughing with no emotion. "Those were fake nails and were incredibly painful to put in. It's a bad habit you see, I chewed on my nails since first year. I also remember whenever-"

"Stop avoiding the question Granger," Malfoy hissed, "I'm not a patient person."

"Well what am I supposed to say?" Hermione exploded, "Oh wonderful!" She forced her voice to change into a high-pitched one. "I'm so glad I'm 'fake-dating' you! It will be such a pleasant experience and we will both win the games and live happily ever after."

Malfoy's facial expressions softened, "Is that it?" He asked gently. Hermione never thought gentleness would come out of Draco. "You're sad because you have to pretend to date me."

"No-" Hermione sputtered, "No, it's just complicated okay? I mean, I'm still not used to us being in a civil relationship, but this-" Hermione paused, "this just really hit hard."

Malfoy sighed and closed his eyes. "To be honest, it is difficult for me too." He admitted slowly, "But it is something we need to do for at least one of us to survive."

"I know-" Hermione said sighing in exasperation, "I know, but it's just not something I can just easily get used to."

Malfoy sucked in a large breath and nodded quickly, "Alright, is there something I can do to get you more used to it faster?" He offered as he breathed out, "Or anything I can do to get you to actually talk and move and not stare at your fucking wall?"

Hermione mumbled curses under her own breath, she just wanted him to go away, or for her to just travel back in time where there was no such thing as the pathetic Hunger Games.

"Come with me." Malfoy said suddenly as he stood up and reached his arm out towards Hermione.

Hermione glanced at his hand and then brought her gaze up to his eyes, meeting his steady gaze. "Was that an option or do I not really have a choice?"

Malfoy scratched his head, "You don't really have a choice Granger."

Hermione sighed and grabbed Malfoy's outstretched hand, she was too tired to stand up on her own. Draco pulled Hermione up to her feet and the girl swayed, her legs got wobbly as her blood rushed down rapidly. Malfoy rolled his eyes and steadied her into a standing position.

"Merlin," He said starting to lead Hermione out of the room, "You're so needy, you know that?"

Hermione ignored his remark and rolled her brown eyes. Her legs were moving on its own as Malfoy led her up a set of wide stairs by her shoulders. If Ron, Ginny, or any of her friends were here watching this situation right now, their jaws would be dropped at how civil they were.

It was weird that Malfoy was touching Hermione, his grip was firm as he steadied Hermione up the stairs and around the corners of long hallways. Through her shirt, Hermione noticed how warm his hands were. That was unpredictable since Hermione had always imagined them being ice cold. This was the second contact they had since they had first met in first-year. Well, excluding the time when Hermione had punched Draco in the nose in third-year. The first was obviously this morning when Malfoy had pulled Hermione through the tight crowd at the train station, but at that moment, Hermione didn't have time to think about it.

This time, as Malfoy walked her up another set of stairs, Hermione had plenty of time to think about this. Hermione knew that they were going to have friendly contact someday, but always imagined that it was going to be short, and uncomfortable. Like a handshake. Hermione was startled that this wasn't uncomfortable at all. Sure, it was weird that her worst enemy was gripping her shoulders firmly and was walking her thorough the penthouse, but it wasn't bad.

Wow.

"Where exactly are you taking me?" Hermione asked as Malfoy halted both Hermione, and himself to a stop.

"Well… while you were in your room being all depressed and shit, Effie told me about this room." He said pointing to a door in front of them. "I like it and I think you will too."

Hermione gave Draco a hesitant gaze and opened the door. Then she gasped. It was a small room, but it was filled with bookshelves and in those shelves, hundreds of books were displayed neatly in alphabetical order.

Hermione's eyes boggled as she turned around to see Malfoy leaning on the doorframe and smirking. "And we're allowed in here?" She asked hopefully, all her problems seemed to drift away at this moment.

Malfoy scratched his head and put on a guilty look, "Erm technically no…" He muttered honestly, "But Effie said nobody ever comes in here so I think we'll be pretty safe to lounge around here for a bit."

Hermione gave Malfoy a small smile and turned back to look at the books. "Biography of Katniss Everdeen?" She queried as she picked up a dusty book from the top of a shelf, "I've never seen this book ever before in my life."

"Effie told me that there were unpublished books in here too." Draco explained as he walked over and glanced at the book, "That's kind of why this room exists, to store the useless and unpublished books."

"An odd place to store them, don't you think?" Hermione related as she opened up the biography and started flipping through it.

"Yeah I guess so," Malfoy agreed as he picked up a cook book, "but it said in the book they sent us over the summer that the tribute tower got used as a storage place after the war. I guess they didn't have much time to clear everything out before we came."

Hermione smiled as closed her book, it was truly wonderful to have a place that can remind Hermione of her real self. Malfoy strode over to a particularly large bookshelf and started taking random books out from it.

"What're you doing?" Hermione asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"Well, since nobody will know, might as well take a bit for some reading." Malfoy said as he grinned and picked out more books.

"Don't you think we'll get caught?" Hermione worried, but she too was giggling.

Malfoy shrugged as he piled up his books into his arms, "No, why would we?" He scoffed, "Now quickly take out some books before I leave without you."

Hermione laughed, her brain was turning on quickly as she strolled down the bookcases and started to pile up books into her arms.

"Seriously," Malfoy pointed out as he raised an eyebrow, "You're getting-" He snatched a book away from Hermione's arms, "-All you need to know about the Hunger Games 101? You're not fucking serious are you?"

"Language." Hermione said rolling her eyes.

"Yeah like you don't swear at all Granger." Malfoy smirked but stopped as Hermione shot an ugly look at him, "Ehem-" He added sheepishly, "Let me rephrase, you're not serious are you?"

"Actually, I am quite serious." Hermione remarked as she picked up her book out from Draco's grasp, "I happen to attend these games in just about a few weeks and I would like to know all about them."

"Ah," Malfoy said closing his eyes, "a point made."