THE HUNGER GAMES

A - Chapter 5

There was a bit of an awkward tension between Draco and Hermione on their way to the Witter mansion (Pacey had become a millionaire after starting a shrimping business), but it didn't compare at all to the atmosphere upon their arrival. Luckily, Pacey wasn't the one to answer the door. Dougie was. His jaw dropped at the sight of Hermione and Draco.

"Um, hello," Hermione smiled. Draco rolled his eyes. He just wanted to go home.

"EVERYONE GET OVER HERE AT THIS INSTANT!!" Doug screamed in excitement. Of course, he had read a book about these people too.

"What do you want, Douglas?" Pacey's voice echoed from the stairs. Hermione felt nerves surge through her body and Draco's grip on her wrist tighten.

Pacey came into full view, Joey right beside him. She looked confused but smiled at the couple in the doorway while Pacey went into epilectic shock.

He collapsed immediately and fell down the stairs in perfect Pacey Witter fashion.

"That's embarrassing," Dawson said under his breath (which smelled terrible by the way).

"Dawson, you're gonna be the first one that I kill in the games," Pacey said, grasping his head.

"Not if I kill you first," Dawson scoffed, throwing a basketball at Pacey's face. Where did that ball even come from? Nobody knows.

"Um, I'm sorry. Have we come at a difficult time?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, we have," Draco mumbled.

"Not at all," Andie chimed in. "They're always like this."

Draco rolled his eyes again.

"So, Hermione, why exactly are you here?" Joey asked as she peeled Pacey off of the floor.

"Oh, I just wanted to chat with you all. You know, it's been so long..." she trailed off.

"'Been so long'? We've never met you before," Joey said, raising an eyebrow and looking around the room. Everyone nodded along except for Pacey.

"I mean, I shifted to Hogwarts a while ago..." Doug said in an attempt to break the awkward silence.

"Pacey, you never told her about us?" Hermione questioned. Draco didn't like how hurt she sounded.

"'Us'?" Joey echoed, her eyebrows raising even farther.

"It was nothing," Pacey stuttered. "Just a short-lived relationship in grade five. I was 11, okay?"

Joey relaxed her face and broke out into laughter. "Grade five? Oh, Pacey."

"What's so funny?" Hermione asked.

"You really thought I would get worked out over a fifth grade relationship after accepting the... Tamara incident?" Joey laughed harder and the rest of the gang followed suit.

"Who's Tamara?" Hermione asked eagerly, but everyone was too caught up in their giggles to answer her. She huffed and turned back to Draco, only to find that he had already gone back to the car.
"You coming?" Malfoy mouthed with a smirk. Now it was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes. She surveyed the Witter household once more before shutting the door and entering Draco's car. As they pulled out of the driveway, part of her hoped to catch Pacey looking at her from one of the massive windows, but she couldn't spot him. The couple drove away from the mansion in silence.