Chapter 23
Avery Kensington sat down in her hair stylist's chair and glared at herself in the mirror.
"Hello Darling" came a familiar voice from behind her. It was Liat her hair stylist and good friend. "Oh dear if you keep frowning like that you'll great premature wrinkles." She said teasingly but when Avery didn't laugh she knew something wrong. "Blimey, hold on dear I have got the best remedy!"
Liat rushed off and came back with two flutes of champagne and a chilled bottle of Crystal. "Tell me all about it sweets." She said sympathetically as she poured the champagne.
Avery took a big gulp then looked at Liat through the mirror. "It's everything, it's Ron, it's Vegas…"
"Whoa what happened with Ron and Las Vegas?" she asked sensing some gossip.
"It nothing to do with bloody LAS Vegas!" Avery fumed "It's this little tart from Texas, she's Hermione's cousin! Hermione has just been ignoring me! All because of this little twat who's comingtomorrow!" she seemed on the verge of a temper-tantrum.
"All right deary don't have a fit, u said sommit bout Ronald's been giving you a fit too is that right?" She inquired starting to play with Avery's raven locks.
"Stupid arrogant prat hasn't called in two whole weeks!"
"Maybe he's busy, Why don't you call him?" Liat said taking out her shiny scissors. Avery opened her mouth to speak but she quickly closed it and glared at herself in the mirror. Avery was a Kensington; Kensington women do not chase their men.
"2 weeks mate!" Harry blurted out in the parliament hallway
"Shhhh bloody hell 'arry!" Ron whispered furiously.
"I thought you fancied her?" Harry inquired
" I do and I don't" answered Ron cryptically.
Hermione was between clients when her mobile rang, the name Vegas flashed across the little screen.
"Hello." Hermione chirped brightly
"Now darlin' what's this I hear about you getting married to a prince?" came a bubbly voice with a strong southern accent.
"I am, go figure right?" Hermione said with a soft chuckle.
"Now how long have you been dating this prince?"
"Oh about four months now, why?" Asked Hermione getting suspicious
"Well, I'm just thinking are you really ready for it Hermione? I mean you've never been one for the spotlight. There's bound to be a lot of pressure on you." She sounded apprehensive.
"I'm ready it's just…"
"You've only had to deal with this for what four months! Hermione I think you're moving to fast." Vegas's voice went from bubbly to stern. Hermione's brain began to fill with doubts and qualms. She had these thoughts in the back of her mind for a while but she was in denial.
"Oh god Vegas what am I going to do! I'm not ready they stalk me you know! I can't get undressed or eat at a café with out being followed. I went out with Dria and there they were taking pictures. It doesn't help Harry has bodyguards stalking me also" Hermione was overwhelmed with everything. " They just sit outside in their black cars and follow me to work. He says it's for my protection but I hate it!"
"You should take a vacation, go and think. Is there anyone you can go to?"
"No not in this country." Hermione said overwhelmed
"Then leave the country lay low for a while think things over." She paused " Is there anyone who can help you leave un-detected?" Hermione thought hard at this and only one name came to mind. Phineas Brinks.
"I have to go, should I tell Harry?"
"No absolutely not." Vegas almost barked. "Now go I'll come there anyways and cover for you."
Hermione hung up put on black pea coat and wrapping her gray Burberry scarf around her neck. It was a cold and rainy out as it usually was Hermione didn't mind that much she couldn't stand living someplace where it was sunny all the time. Hermione hailed a cab she didn't say a word except her address she just watched the rain drops fall down her window. The cab pulled up to her flat building where she could see paparazzi waiting for her, in the bushes, in trees, across the street in balconies. Hermione sighed paid the cabbie and stepped out of the cab.
She tried to shield her face with her hand but they swarmed her on all sides. She quickened her pace in to the building. She didn't bring her hand down from her face until she was safely in the lift. She closed her eyes till she heard the ding that she'd reached her floor. 'Am I really prepared for this?' she thought. She walked quickly down the corridor quickly unlocking her flat. Before she entered she looked at the gold plaques that had her, Dria's, and Avery's names on them. She took hers down, Avery and Dria didn't deserve to have the paparazzi stalk their flat.
Hermione walked in to the flat looking at her pointy toe boots, so she wouldn't look around and have second thoughts. She closed the door of her bedroom behind her. She grabbed her Louis Vuitton duffle bag her mother had given her when she went away to boarding school; she quickly stuffed it with clothes making sure to leave her mobile and computer. Her bag was filled with everything Hermione could fathom she'd need. There was just one thing left to do, she picked up her mobile scrolled impatiently threw her phonebook and found Phineas's number.
"Hello." Came his smooth voice, he knew who it was.
"Hello Phineas, this might sound odd but I need your help." She said her voice shaking a bit.
"Anything for you my dear, now what can I do."
"I need to get out of England and go far, far away un-detected."
"All right, but there's one problem."
"What?"
"You're the princes fiancé, it won't be easy at all to get you out of here. And my pilot is sick and was quarantined in Japan." He waited for her reaction.
"Thank you Phineas, I'll just have to ask someone else."
"Hold on! I never said I couldn't. In the back of your building there with be a black Benz waiting for you in 35 minutes. It will take you to the airport, all right?"
"Thank you Phineas." And she hung up. She wrote a note for Dria and Avery:
Darlings,
I've gone for a while to think. I'll call you when I get settled, don't worry and don't tell Harry, just tell him I'm safe. I love you both very much.
Love,
Hermione
She folded the note and left it by the coffee maker. She looked at the clock and used her remaining time to cancel all of her appointments for a long time. She sighed wrapped a black silk scarf around her head, a black trench coat, and a pair of large black rimmed sunglasses. She grabbed her bag and made her way down to the back exit. Right on time there was a black Benz, the driver placed her bag in the trunk and she slid in to the back seat. They sped off she stayed silent until they reached the airport.
When she stepped out the driver left her bag at her feet and then left. She looked up to see a large privet jet a set of stairs extended down from it. She picked up her bag and started towards it. As she made her way towards it even her large sunglasses could not hide the tears trickling down her face. Phineas's head poked out he was dressed like a pilot? Hermione climbed up the stairs and he greeted her with a warm smile. She had to admit he looked dashing in the pilot's uniform.
"Why on earth are you dressed like that?" she asked allowing him to take her bag and put it in a closet.
"Well I am going to be flying the plane so I thought it was appropriate." He smiled closing the hatch, he took off his pilots hat and placed it on her head.
"Don't worry I'm quite a skilled pilot, Now where are we going?"
Hermione shook her head and just plopped in a one of the comfy leather seats.
"All right, how's St. Johns?" he asked brightly trying to cheer her up. She removed her sunglasses and gave him a weak smile her eyes were blood shoot from crying and they had lost that sparkle. "Oh sweetie." He sat next down next to her and pulled her in to a hug. Her head rested on his chest and she couldn't do it anymore, she broke down and cried. " Oh sweet pea please don't' cry," he said sweetly in her ear as he caressed her head.
It took a long time and a lot of Phineas's comforting She looked up at him putting on a brave face "So St. Johns?" she gave him an attempt at her old smile. He returned her smile gave her a kiss on the cheek and stood up. He let his hand linger on her cheek then entered the cockpit. Hermione then turned took off her jacket and scarf, grabbed one of the warm looking evergreen blackest and curled up on the couch and tried to fall asleep.