Unexpectedly

Chapter 17 - Hide Away

After Theo departed for work, Hermione decided to seek solitude in a hotel. Leaving him a note expressing her gratitude and apologies, she felt the need to be alone amidst the whirlwind of recent events. In just a matter of days, her life had taken an unexpected turn, resembling more of a romance movie than the usual adventure and mystery she was accustomed to.

Apparating to Tottenham Court Road, Hermione checked into the first hotel she encountered. Exhausted by the tumultuous emotions, she slept for an entire day, waking up in the middle of the night with a profound sense of emptiness. Done with tears that seemed to provide no resolution, she realized her phone needed charging. Though she had missed numerous calls, she presumed most were from Theo, concerned about her whereabouts. Charging her phone, she prepared herself for the inevitable messages.

Upon turning on her phone, Thea's name flashed on the screen. Ignoring the calls and the repetitive text messages urging her to answer, Hermione reached out to Theo instead. She informed him of her location and emphasized the need for secrecy, and he assured her he would keep her whereabouts confidential.

Feeling unprepared to face the looming challenges and considering the possibility of disappearing to a new place, Hermione grappled with her thoughts. However, she reminded herself of her identity as Hermione Granger and contemplated talking to Thea the next day to hear her side of the story. After all, Thea was her biological sister.

Wednesday, 5th September 2001

Hermione awoke the next day at noon, feeling a bit more at peace with herself. Despite the need to talk to Ginny, the absence of an owl and the lack of wizarding services in the hotel made communication challenging. Hermione decided to take solace in solitude and rented a presidential suite, equipped with a living room, bedroom, and kitchen, providing her a comfortable space to be alone for a while. The anonymity offered by a Muggle hotel allowed her to retreat without her friends knowing.

The growling sound from her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten since yesterday, forgetting about the scrambled eggs Theo had prepared for her. Opting to order food through room service, she took a bath after finishing her lunch.

Before eating, Hermione called Thea and granted her permission to visit the hotel, hoping for an explanation to clarify the unsettling elevator conversation.

A knock at the door roused her from a brief nap, and she found her twin sister standing on the other side. Despite Thea's warm hug, Hermione lacked the energy to respond.

"Thank God you're okay," Thea said.

"I'm fine," Hermione replied in a flat tone, allowing her sister to enter. Leading her to the living room, Hermione offered tea, which Thea accepted. Breaking the silence, Thea asked, "How are you?"

Keeping her mouth shut, Hermione pondered the truth behind Thea's actions.

"Are you going to lie about everything, Thea?"

"It's not like that, Hermione. You don't understand."

"Enlighten me, then."

"I'm just... I really don't know how to tell you everything. I don't want to marry him. It's only about business..."

"So you have no feelings for him?"

"You and Draco are a perfect couple. Please don't ruin what you have."

Hermione chuckled, noticing Thea's evasion of her question.

"So you do have feelings for him."

"It's not like that... no..."

"Don't lie, Thea."

"Okay, I'm going to tell you the truth now. It started when my parents asked me to meet their colleague two years ago..."

Thea recounted the events, detailing her encounters with Draco over the past year and revealing Lucius Malfoy's plan to unite their companies through marriage. Thea's parents insisted on her willingness to marry Draco, which prompted her to learn more about him, including his life in England.

"... He told me about you, not at first, but eventually he cracked and told me all about you. That's when I thought maybe it's time to discover the truth and maybe this is just a way for us to be reunited."

Hermione looked at her sister, searching for sincerity in her words. Thea pleaded for a response.

"At this point, I really don't know what I should do," Hermione admitted hopelessly.

"Start with a baby step, come home to your own place."

"I'm not ready to see Draco right now."

"He's not there."

"W-What?"

"He went to talk to his parents."

******

I'm sorry it took very long for me to update this. But hey I finally have time to update! 2 more chapters before the finale! (I guess) Anyway, I'm thinking to make more images as I did on the top. What do you think? Comment below if you want me to make more clips of the conversation that happened in this story !! Thank you so much to everyone that still reading and waiting for this story to reach an ending. This chapter is dedicated to every single one of you that been commenting and asked me to update this sooner. Thank you so much, you guys! xx