Chapter 17 – Friends into Enemies

The arena gets dark a bit too quickly today and I feel like almost nothing interesting is happening. If people don't start fighting or dying soon, the Game Keepers will throw something horrid in to bring us all together. They usually do that when the number of Tributes only gets to about two or three, but since almost nothing is happening now, they might bring us together early. Although, I'm not sure what's going on with Goyle. He might be planning something and awaiting the right time to act. I know I over think things, I just don't want to overlook anything he does like it's not a big deal, because when it comes to him it is a big deal. I want to stay as far away from him as possible, but I know that's not how it'll work out in the end.

I sigh and press my back to the boulder behind me, trying not to think ahead, but I can't help it. Harry just left to refill our water supply and all I can do is watch him like a hawk as he leaves the boulder, like something might jump him from behind if I dare to turn my eyes away. Even though he's only a few yards away, I need to keep him safe, and make sure nothing or no body hurts him. The only time I do get a brief moment of relief is when he begins to make his way back to me unharmed.

"Bored?" Harrys handing me my bottle. I sigh and shift against the boulder, taking my water bottle from him for a drink. "No, I like it this way."

"Me too. But enjoy this while you can." He sits next to me and looks up at the sky as the dark blue turns to black. "It's getting dark. Get some rest, I'll stay look out tonight."

I blink and swallow as I place the bottle down, "You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. You look like death – get some sleep."

I feel guilty letting him stay awake. Maybe that's because I've been staying look out ever since the Games started and I just feel useless having someone else take over. Or maybe it's because I can't stand to leave him unguarded. If I'm sleeping, how will I know if he dies? When I'm this tired, it's usually hard to wake me up while I'm asleep. Even the sound of the cannon won't be enough to shake me awake. Besides, I haven't actually gotten a good night's rest since the beginning of the Games and I'm drop dead exhausted. Even though it's almost impossible to get a good night's sleep when you know you're being watched 24/7.

I know Harry won't let me win if I argue against this so I give in. Only when I lie down I put my back towards him and secretly keep my eyes open, locking them onto the dark forest around me. Even though I'm exhausted, Harry's life matters more to me than sleep.

Just for safety, I keep my hand wrapped around the handle of my axe, because God-for-bid, Harry falls asleep and something unfortunate happens, we'll both die, and I need to keep my guard up. I know Goyle is looking for the both of us and if he's smart enough he can just follow the river. That might not happen since he's dumb as a brick, but there is a close chance. It's also really quiet now. I mean not the comfortable quiet; it's the kind of quiet when you're anticipating something to happen. That's how I feel right now. At any given moment I feel like the whole forest will erupt with fighting and death. With that thought in mind, there's no way I can sleep.

Lying here, I think of another thing: I'm wondering if things would be different if this particular group of people didn't get picked for these Games. It's strange… what would the odds be of Harry and me getting together if we weren't chosen? Or even Goyle; would he still hate my guts with a fiery burning passion if we weren't in this situation together? And Pansy – if anything, I think I would have picked her over Harry if he weren't here with me, only because he never talked to me this much until now. And if we were all never picked, Blaise and I could have still been friends. Thinking back at what he told me before we got put into this arena, makes me a feel a slight pang of nausea. He said nothing would change between us – we'd still be friends no matter what. He lied. He lied right to my face and I fell for it. Maybe that's exactly what he wanted. Do I miss him? Yes. Am I hurt by what he's doing? Definitely. But do I want to kill him? Never. I would never even think about hurting Blaise. Like Crabbe, Marcus and even Goyle, he was my friend before all this. But unlike them I thought Blaise would always stay loyal to me. Turns out I was wrong. And even though I know I should hate his guts and kill him for what he did – I won't.

It's not his fault for this – Goyle and the Games changed him – he didn't choose this path. But maybe he could have fought against it. After all the weakest at heart are the easiest to turn. Maybe that's why I'm still alive – maybe I didn't really change. Even still, I feel slightly different now compared to the day my name was picked from that bowl.

It's getting later in the night, and I think Harry might have fallen asleep next to me. Glancing over my shoulder cautiously, so he doesn't still see that I'm still awake, I check to see if he's sleeping. And he is… his head is cocked sideways and his breathing is shallow. I can't help but smile at how peaceful he looks – like nothing is bothering him for a change. No nightmares… it's good to see he's not suffering in his sleep at least.

I'm about to turn my head back over when I hear a snap in the shadow of trees nearby. Quickly I snatch my axe and sit up, slowly getting to my feet as if the slightly sound I make will arouse whoever is nearby to attack me. I don't dare say a word to Harry and cautiously walk forward. The noises have stopped, and when they do, I keep my position still as a statue, straining my ears to hear even the softest sound possible. Just when I think my ears are playing ticks on me, I hear more rustling and snapping in the woods, but it's far too dark to tell where they're coming from.

I gasp softly and slowly move forward, trying to separate the crunching noises of the grass under my own feet to the rustling under someone else's as I make my way farther and farther away from Harry. I still turn my head at the boulder occasionally just to make sure he's still there.

But even though I try not to get confused, I'm too startled to know which noises are coming from where. I shift around, trying to keep my eyes concentrated on every little thing I can see, turning my head to get a view of everything despite how dark it is. But I can't tell who's watching me. Maybe it is all in my head, but knowing Goyle's allayment broke, I'm more scared now than ever.

I keep walking until I get deeper into the clearing. Harry is pretty much out of sight now, blocked by the overabundance of trees. I almost feel sick with worry that I'm leaving him alone, but it's too late to turn back now. I want to run back to him but maybe running isn't such a good idea. If I run, whoever is spying on me can just jump me from wherever they're hiding, killing me instantly. I'm completely vulnerable now without Harry in sight and I curl my fingers more tightly around the hilt of my axe with a mix of anxiety and fear.

Suddenly, I hear a snap very close to me and I spin around, axe raised, but there's nothing there. It's too dark and I can hardly see anything. I freeze in the spot I'm in, turning my head in all directions, gripping my axe tightly, beginning to feel my palms sweating against the hilt.

Swallowing the knot in my throat, I try to calm my heart rate. I'm not sure what's going on, but finally, the noises stop with a sudden halt. I wait a few more seconds until I'm certain the intruder left. Cautiously, I lower my axe, and take a step forward to make my way back to Harry, hearing the soft crunch of leaves under my boots.

Then I freeze. The noises pick up again, but this time it sounds like someone is running. I barely have time to turn around because something or someone slams my body into the ground, making my axe fly out of my hand, out of sight, and I have no idea where it landed. My head hits something hard, a rock probably. I yell in pain and I try to shake off the sudden headache and dizziness so I can make it out of this fight alive. I still have no idea who my attacker is, for all I know it could be Goyle and I'm desperately trying to get away at the thought.

I try to fight this person off but he's trying to pin me to the ground – grabbing my wrists tightly to get me to stop moving. Still, I try to fight him off, but I can't get away even though I'm trying. "Stay still!" A familiar voice growls above me.

I freeze in shock. "Blaise?" I whisper in horror. This is Blaise. No, this can't be happening. I have to get away somehow – I can't kill him.

"It's me Draco. I missed you." He says tightly with a slightly evil but amused tone.

He tries to grab my arms to keep them down, but my legs are free. I use one of them to kick him in the ribs, which seems to loosen him up just enough so I can worm away from under him. I crawl backwards, frantically looking around for my axe until I spot it a few feet behind me. I turn over on my hands and knees to grab it, and just when I'm close enough, I reach a hand out to grab the hilt. But Blaise holds me by the leg and slides me back, making me fail to grab my weapon, causing fingers to graze against the handle. Sliding towards him on my stomach, I dig my fingers into the dirt trying to pull myself away from him.

I hear Blaise snicker and feel him grab onto the back of my jacket. I manage to kick him in the neck with my foot and he coughs in pain. "HARRY!" I scream, hoping he can hear me, "HARRY! HELP ME!"

Wake up. Just wake up – don't let him kill me. I know I shouldn't yell, Goyle or Marcus might hear, but I can run away from them, easily. I just need to get rid of Blaise for now.

"HAR-" My voice turns into a yelp when Blaise pulls my head back by my hair. I use every bit of strength to get on my back so I can push him off better, since I feel too vulnerable lying on my stomach. Bad idea. It's like he knew my next move because as soon I manage to get on my back, Blaise takes this into account and automatically pins me down by digging his knees into my wrists, digging them painfully into the dirt. My legs are pretty much free, but I can't kick him off since he's practically sitting on my chest. All I can do is dig the heels of my boots into the ground until they're scrapping up the dirt.

I'm still squirming from under him, even though it's pointless. When did he get so strong? I really can't move!

"Oh, this'll be fun." He taunts, watching me struggle.

I try to scream out Harry's name again, but I'm stopped by Blaise's knife behind held up to my neck. I suddenly stop moving, breathing heavily. I try to catch my breath, but I can't stop panicking. "Now, just calm down. I'll make this nice and slow."

I look up at him, terrified, "You lied to me, Blaise!" I yell, "You said you wouldn't change – you lied!"

"You actually believed me!?" He laughs, "Oh, Draco, you really are adorable."

He uses a free hand to caress my hair gently and I yank my head away, "Don't touch me!" I growl, only to grunt in pain when I feel his fingers tighten around my hair. He bashes the back of my head against the ground and I just feel like screaming as my current headache only gets worse. I groan in pain, suddenly seeing the green leaved branches of the trees spinning above me.

"Tonight is not a good night to press me, Draco." He says, pressing the knife to my neck harder so that I feel a little blood leak out from a small cut he must have made. I try to yank my head back more to draw distance from the blade.

"Blaise, don't do this…." I say desperately. "This isn't you, you know it's not! You're not a killer."

"You don't know anything about me!" He says, gripping my hair tighter. My arms twitch in pain from under his knees.

"N-No!" I say immediately, trying not to make him even angrier with me. "Maybe not, but I know I felt the same way as you once!" He loosens up slightly, like what I just said kind of shocked him.

"You feel great now, right? You feel powerful. That if you kill me, you'll gain so much from it. I felt like this too once, Blaise, but trust me, once you take my life, you'll hate yourself for it. Then you'll know that you were never a born killer…" He's still quiet, "And I know you felt guilty the day you killed Luna."

His face goes back to rage when he realizes that I witnessed him kill her making me regret saying that, immediately.

"The Sorting Hat should have put you in goody-two-shoes Gryffindor! So what are you saying, pretty boy? Are you calling me weak?"

"No! I'm saying you're better than this…"

He looks at me, like he actually understands.

"You can hate me all you want – you can even kill me right now – it wouldn't matter. Because what you said at the parade doesn't change anything between us. Even if I die by your hand tonight, we'll still be friends. Even if I die and you win."

He's still quiet. "So, if anything kill me. Just promise me you'll let Harry go. That's all I want."

"Why should I take advice from a filthy little pure blood Death Eater? Have you forgotten that it was you who killed Hermione Granger?!" He snarls, immediately getting the anger back in his eyes. "Not me. Not Goyle. Not Marcus," He presses the blade harder against me, "You! You filthy little snake! And if you dare think you're anything greater you're not! You deserve to die, Draco. You deserve everything I'm about to do to you right now." I have never heard him sound so nasty. There's so much feeling in his voice – not even a hint of regret. Not even sorrow. And I'm hurt. It feels like I just lost a brother. Blaise is gone… he's really gone… I've lost my best friend and I'm never getting him back.

I shake my head up at him, with hurt and shock in my eyes. I never thought I would hear him say anything like this to me. When I first became a Death Eater he stuck by me. He and Pansy were the only ones who knew what I was. Now, he's throwing it in my face like I'm some sort of monster. There's evil in his eyes, now, longing to kill me. Now he's finally got that chance. I'm not fighting him anymore. "Blaise…" It's all I can say. Just his name.

"Now. I'm going to kill you." He says with a smirk.

I loosen up my body, not caring anymore. "You already have…"

He pulls back slightly, shocked, letting his guard down.

I yank my arms away from under his legs and slid out from under him, finally able to push him back with my feet before he can even bring his knife down on me.

I reach for my axe and hear him coming up from behind me. My first instinct tells me he's about to stab me from behind, so I try to use the hilt of my axe to push his blade away, unaware about the way I'm swinging the thing since I'm so panicked.

Only my weapon doesn't hit his knife when I spin around, but gets wedge in the center of his face, spewing blood onto my skin.

Blaise freezes as if in shock, blood gushing from his mouth and from the huge gash in his face where my axe is caught in. My whole body feels numb and I fall backwards, backing into a tree, getting as far away from this blood bath as possible. I watch in horror as my former best friend's, dead body hits the hard cold ground.

I hear his skull crush as the axe bends against the earth when he lands, making the gash in his head wider, almost pulling half of his face apart. A huge, haunting shadow of blood forms around his dead body. I'm petrified with fear and horror and I can't blink, or even breathe.

Finally, the cannon shoots off to announce his death, and I cover my mouth with my hands to keep myself from screaming. I can feel my gray eyes burn with hot tears and the water just falls down my pale face, blurring my vision as I still look at him.

"Draco!" I hear my name echo in the distance, but I'm too shocked to react, and I can't take my watery eyes off of Blaise. He's not dead – he can't be dead. This didn't just happen…

"Draco! Answer me!" I'm still unable to take my hands away from my mouth. I'm afraid that if I do, I'll scream in panic.

The puddle of blood around his body is starting to turn into a river and make its way to my feet. I still can't move and I shut my eyes, bringing my forehead down to my knees.

"Draco!" Harry's voice is getting closer and I can now hear his footsteps rustling in the leaves and grass nearby.

"Draco…" He must see me now since he sounds like he's right next to me. He says nothing and all I feel is him pull me into his arms.

I'm quivering against his body and I tightly grip onto his white shirt, crying into his chest.

"It was an accident." I manage to say.

"Yes, it was. It wasn't your fault." He says calmly, even though he wasn't here to see the entire fight, I know he's just trying to reassure me.

"I heard the cannon." He says. I can hear his voice breaking and feel his arms tighten around my shaky body, "I thought…"

I say nothing. But I secretly wish that cannon fire was for me.

AN: *Casually leaves this here and awkwardly walks away.*