Disclaimer: As always, I don't own the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I only own my plot here. Characters and some places belong to J.K Rowling.
To say she was okay would have been the greatest lie she's ever told. And she's Hermione Jean Granger. She doesn't know how to tell a lie.
"Adelaide Jane Granger! What was that stunt you pulled?!" Their mother's voice rang in the parlour.
"Why only me?! Ed was right there with me!" She complained with annoyance before plopping down on the couch.
"We wanted to give Hermione a nudge, mother! She's making a decision she'll regret forever!" Edward argued before facing the window that overlooked the vast amount of land the Granger's owned.
Hermione sat there unmovingly. She was in a state of shock and disbelief. How did the Valentines Ball turn into her bittersweet nightmare?
After the scene her siblings had made, Jane Granger immediately apparated to Hogwarts to whisk away her children from the growing spotlight and whispers, that included Hermione.
"Hermione! I need to talk to you!" Hermione sucked in a deep breath of surprise at the voice of Draco. How?
"Let's go back, Draco. Don't act rashly!" She recognized Theo's voice. "You're not allowed to be here! Your parents will kill me."
"I need to talk to Hermione!" The sound of her mother sighing caught her attention.
"I knew it. It's impossible for Draco to not come after you. Not after what happened awhile ago." Wth this she shot her youngest children a pointed look. "You two should've know the chaos your actions would caused!"
"There's a first for everything." Hermione muttered. She sighed and looked into her mother's eyes. "Mother, hypothetically, what do I have to do for all this to settle down quickly?"
"Well, darling, there are two ways I can approve of." Jane started while seriously looking at her daughter. "Claim your birth right or leave the country."
"Mother! Are you out of your mind?!" Edward retaliated upon hearing their mother's suggestions. "You can't actually allow Mia to leave Britain!"
"Your grandparents in America are very much willing to take her in and have her stay there." Their mother said pointedly. "There she won't be under public scrutiny. Do you really want your sister carry the title of an engagement wrecker forever?"
"She should have been the one engaged to Draco in the first place!" Edward argued again. "Why does she have to adjust?!"
"Do not carry that tone with me, young man!" Jane said warningly. "We had a plan, your father and I, on how to introduce Hermione to the pureblood society. Now it's all back to square one."
"Mia, darling." The entrance of their Felix Granger had drawn their attentions. "I have arranged for you to visit your grandparents in America. I need you to stay there for a week, just so we can calm the press and settle everything here."
"That's not fair, father." Adelaide argued. "She can't keep running away. It's her life. This is her life."
"Like what your mother told you. We had a plan. We need to think of a new one. For now, we have to let the dust settle."
Edward turned towards her older sister. "You cannot possibly agree to this?" There was a certain edge in his voice. All he wants is the best for his sister, even if he's a prat to her sometimes. Only he has the license to annoy her, but when people hurt Hermione, there will be hell to pay.
Hermione shrugged tiredly. Truthfully, it has been quite an evening. All she wants is to retire for the night. "I just want to rest, Ed. I don't really care at the moment."
"Mother, father, as the only son in this household, I move to continue this discussion tomorrow. When everyone is well-rested."
"I appreciate it, Ed, but at this point, I just want to settle everything. I do not want a repeat of this conversation tomorrow morning." She pulled her legs up and curled on the couch, drawing lazy patterns on her dress. "Just one week, right, father?" Felix Granger nodded. "And no one will know where I've disappeared to? Not even Theo?" Felix nodded again. "And my studies? I trust that practical arrangements can be made?"
"Mia!" Adelaide complained. "What are you doing?!"
Hermione faced her siblings and tiredly smiled. "I love you both, and I appreciate the sentiment, however, this would be for the best. Even I was shocked with earlier's events. Quite frankly, I need time to think for myself, and so does everyone. With the bomb dropped, I'm sure changes will be made. We all need to rationalise away from each other to avoid emotion-driven choices."
"It's final, then. I'll floo call your grandparents to tell them you're arriving first thing tomorrow morning." Felix said with finality. "Alright you lot! Up to your rooms! We have a stressful week ahead of us."
Grumbling, Adelaide and Edward marched out of the room, carrying disappointment and annoyance with them as they go. Felix and Jane looked at each other and shifted their gaze towards their eldest. All they want is for their daughter to live a life where she's free to do what she wants and love whoever she wants. But with her being involved in the second wizarding war as part of the heroic force that helped stop Voldemort, she's already living a life with quite some expectations.
"I'd like to leave tonight, please." Hermione said in a soft voice. "And I would rather not stay in America since that would be the first place people will go to to look for me."
Felix nodded and looked towards his wife. "Darling, kindly help Hermione pack. I'm going to make arrangements. What she wants, she gets."
Hermione took her mother's outstretched hand and allowed her to be led out of the room and into the hallway. When she was inside the confines of her room, she began to flick her wand to get her luggage and pack her things.
"Honey, slow down." Her mother called from her small couch. "Isn't that too much for a week?" When Hermione didn't slow down nor answer her mother, Jane stood up and lightly pulled at her daughter. "Hermione... what's wrong?"
"I want to transfer schools, mum. To where dad went." She sighed, stopping herself from packing to look at her mother. "It's been an option, mum. One I've been considering, too."
"Ilvermorny?" Her mother asked in shock. "Darling, that's too far from Europe."
"I know, mum, but if we truly want to settle things, I need to prepare myself. Preferably somewhere far and unknown."
"But that's too much, Mia. That's too far." Jane argued. Hermione could only smile slightly and pat her mother's hand.
"It's a price I am willing to pay, mum. It's not like me leaving will make too much of a difference here."
"You know we love you, right? Your father and I." She nodded.
"I know, mum. That's why I know you'll allow me to do this. I will claim my rights, mum. Just not now. Trust that I will when I return." With a heavy heart, Jane could only pull her daughter in for a hug.
"I love you, darling." Unbeknownst to the mother-daughter pair, Felix Granger stood by the door, watching their exchange. He wished things could have been different, that their daughter won't need to keep running away from what her life should be.
Hermione took the latest portkey out of Europe and to North America. There, her grandparents welcomed her with open arms.
"Welcome back to the Upper East Side, Hermione." Her grandmother greeted her with a warm hug. Her grandfather took her lugagge and led them out of the building and to an apparition spot.
"Make yourself at home, darling. Your father says you want to transfer to Ilvermorny?" Her grandfather asked once they entered a sophisticated-looking house.
Hermione nodded while scanning the place. "You had another house renovation? I like it."
"Your grandmother wanted a new scene to take in every morning. You should see the houses in California and in Massachusetts." Her grandfather joked.
Adeline shushed her husband. "I wanted things to be ready for when you decide to claim any of the estates we have here in North America. You are the firstborn grandchild."
Hermione nodded. Her heart filled with the will to have her accept herself for who she really is. Baby steps, Hermione. Baby steps. She thought to herself when she felt she was thinking ahead too much.
"I'm trying, grandma. News about me would have spread all over Europe now." She sat on the couch. It was a few hours earlier here than it was in back in London.
"Who knows of your departure and your arrival destination?" Adeline asked. She leaned back on the couch with her legs crossed as she waited for Hermione to answer.
"Both Adelaide and Edward knows. They are, by the way, the reason why everyone back home knows." She added. "Of course mum and dad. Then both of you."
"How are you feeling for a little trip across a few of our estates?" There was a mischievous glint in Jeremiah's eyes as he suggested the trip to his eldest granddaughter.
"I'm tired, grandpa." She complained jokingly. "Do you honestly think Adelaide and Edward will think of following a trace?"
"Come on, darling, we both know your siblings aren't that smart. Or at least they are but they don't necessarily use it. I'd like to believe that it's the latter case since everyone in our side of the family is very intelligent and-" Adelaide was cut off by her husband's throat clearing. She swallowed and composed herself. "Yes, yes. I got carried away. I'm sorry. Come along, Hermione. I'll have you stay at the Massachusetts estate for the time being. It's closer to Ilvermorny, too."
"I don't think going to the Massachusetts estate first is the best idea." Hermione chuckled. She stood up and stretched her arms upwards before holding onto her grandfather. "How about the California estate?"
They both grinned at her. Then before she knew it, they were gone after a soft pop.
The California estate looks both the same and different. Nostalgia taking over, Hermione can still picture her younger self sitting on the balcony overlooking the blue waters.
The estate was situated a bit farther away from the main city. It's facing the ocean and beach and the entire place was modernly designed.
"I like the place, grandma." She complimented with a soft smiles as she ran her hands down the kitchen counter. "It's very modern."
"Your room still has that victorian theme you've always liked. I just changed up the color scheme to match the entire mansion." With that, she ran up the stairs, her grandfather warning her to slow down before she trips, and then Hermione entered her room.
True to her grandmother's words, the room still had the victorian theme going on but now it was all whites and dark brown mahogany wood.
"I love it! Thank you!" Hermione turned to hug both of her grandparents while still admiring the room. It's been a while. She said in her head.
"We'll leave you here for awhile and come back for you when your siblings have come to the New York estate. For the meantime, make yourself comfortable here." After kissing her cheek, both her grandparents left California.
She'll be staying here until arrangements regarding her transfer can be made and up until her siblings are off her case.
She knew running away wasn't the answer. She knew damn well what she should be doing, but for once, she wanted to choose herself. She wanted to do something so unlike the perfect Hermione Granger.
She wanted to breathe and not be rational and not face the truth.
She wanted to run away.
A/N: I'd like to thank people who've been here ever since! Please leave a comment and let's talk. Let's finish this story so we can start a new one.
