Why didn't you say a word?

Chalki proved to be a small island with a picturesque village functioning as the main port. A few elder men were servicing their boats and nets while others sat leisurely in the shades smoking and chatting. Life definitely had a slower, more relaxed pace here, even reflected in the faces of the island's inhabitants.

"Finally!" Scorpius stormed off the ferry to reach safe, unmoving ground, sighing dramatically after a few steps. "Why did we have to take the ferry, Dad?"

"Because it's the only way to get here," Draco replied as he brought their travel bags on shore. His son most definitely had his dramatic personality from his mother. "And it wasn't that bad..."

"Sure." With a shrug, Scorpius reached for his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "It's not like I almost threw up. Seriously, Apparating is not as bad as that ferry trip–"

"Mr Malfoy?" A young woman approached them with hurried steps. "Thank the gods I found you!"

Draco gasped when he saw her, even let go of his bag he was about to shoulder himself. The girl had the same mane as her mother, except for it being blonder with dark streaks; however, she did have the same dark amber eyes. Only her face undeniably showed features she had inherited from him, her father.

"I told Maria to send me a message when you'd arrive... She helps with the guests taking the right ferry to Chalki. And I had to make sure I'll catch you before my mum sees you. I mean, she is already totally stressed out with the wedding and everyone staying at our little hotel–"

After a few seconds, Draco finally caught himself, ignoring the smirk on his son's face. "Sofia, right? Please, call me Draco... And this seasick boy here is my son, Scorpius."

"You-You have a son?" With wide eyes, Sofia now stared at Scorpius who started to shift with unease. "Oh, boy..."

"However, what did you mean with 'before your mum sees me'? She doesn't know I'm here?"

"Well, not exactly." Sofia blushed as she briefly looked down before she ran her hand over her hair to check her lazy bun. "I sent the invitation."

"What?"

Scorpius put his bag back down, his brows furrowed in confusion as he looked at Draco who just rubbed his face before running his hands through his hair. "Dad?"

"Sofia, your mother is going to kill me when she sees me! Oh boy indeed!" Draco grabbed his bag and made to turn around towards the ferry that was still anchored in the port. "I shouldn't have come–"

However, she caught his arm before he had the chance to take a step. "Please, stay. I-I just need to tell Mum... But I would love to have you at my wedding whatever she says. Until I found her diary, I didn't even know who my father was..."

That stopped Draco, even though he didn't turn around to face her. His mind was racing with all the possible outcomes of meeting Hermione. He had left her without a note, thinking she'd wait for him while he broke off his engagement. She'd definitely make him a head shorter, if not hex him into oblivion for what had happened back then.

"Please, stay," Sofia repeated, pulling gently at his arm. "It would mean the world to me."

"Dad? Is she my sister?" Scorpius made a step closer to look him in the face. "Why did you never say a word?"

"I didn't know, okay?" Draco snapped at him, but then he winced at the harshness of his words. He took a deep breath and finally let the bag drop back on the ground. "I didn't know until I received the invitation a few days ago."

"She never told anyone." Sofia smiled as he turned to face her, her cheeks blushing lightly. "But from what I could read in her diary, she was happy with... I mean, she... you know..."

"Fine. I'll stay..." With a defeated sigh, Draco finally gave in to her pleading. He brushed through his hair one last time before picking up his bag. He was anxious about meeting Hermione, even though at the same time, he longed to see her again; he wanted to know how she was after all those years.

"Thanks. Now, let's go back to the hotel. I promised Mum to finish the decorations in the main hall before dinner." Sofia made to move towards one of the side alleys going off the port. "There's a hidden spot in that alley from which we can Apparate to the hotel. The folks here don't mind us wizarding people too much, as long as we keep it discreet."

Scorpius immediately followed her as she started walking. "You said your mum owns the hotel?"

"Yes. You'll love the beach!"

"Wait!" Draco ran after them after a few seconds. "Is that true?"

"Yes," Sofia said with another of her charming smiles as he caught up with them. "We have a lot of wizarding folk from all over Europe staying at our place. Like we're some sort of well-kept secret in the community. I made sure you have one of the nicest rooms, and Myles said I could book you under his name, as part of his family."

"He sounds cool," Scorpius said, as he followed Sofia into the empty side alley; Draco simply let them lead the way, his thoughts stuck on the moment he'd see Hermione again, after getting over the shock of really having a daughter.

"I hope you don't mind sharing a room, as we're booked out..."

..

The nice room Sofia had mentioned proved to be open-spaced with a decently sized en-suite. Draco felt like walking into a dream, as the simple Mediterranean décor of the room reminded him of the ideas he had once shared with Hermione.

And thankfully, the room had two separate beds.

Scorpius immediately checked everything out after throwing his bag on the smaller bed. "Dad! You need to see the balcony! You can see the beach!"

"Give me a moment, will you?" Taking a deep breath, Draco sat down on the other bed, trying not to feel overwhelmed by it all. For a second, he cursed his ex-wife for the RSVP in his name because right now, he would have loved to just run away.

Scorpius came back inside, a grin on his face. However, it faded into a sympathetic smile as soon as he saw his father. "You okay?"

Draco nodded, even though he wasn't convinced himself. "Your mother sometimes has weird ideas of what doing me a favour means."

Scorpius sat down next to him, a curious look on his face. "Is Sofia really my sister?"

"Probably." Draco stretched his back in an attempt to loosen the tension in his shoulders. "I mean, it was twenty years ago, but she does look about that age..."

"What happened back then?"

"I think we should get something to eat first, as this might take a while..."

"Dad, please." Scorpius cried out, stopping him from getting up. His scowl made it clear that he wanted an honest answer, whatever the question would be. "Did you cheat on Mum?"

"What? No!" For a moment, Draco was shocked by the bluntness of Scorpius' question, but then he took a deep breath as he shook his head. "You know I loved your mother–"

"Dad! Be honest, please! Sofia said you could be her father–"

"Yes, she said that. But there's no need to talk to me in such an accusing tone. I have done nothing wrong; everything else is between me and your mother."

"Fine," Scorpius conceded, although his fidgeting hands showed that he was still upset. "Just what happened all those years ago?"

"Look, I was on a research trip in Greece twenty years ago," Draco started, only to sigh once more before digging into memories he had pushed down until now. "One day, I walked into Hermione, Sofia's mother, who was here trying to sort things after her parents died in a horrible accident. We've been close in Hogwarts, you know? But back then, that's when we fell in love, or at least I did. We even made plans for the future, after I finished my last year as a professor at Hogwarts. Like opening a small hotel like this one."

"But weren't you engaged to Mum already?"

"Yes. I broke off the engagement when I returned from my trip, although I tried to be honest with your mum about the reasons and that I did cherish her too." Draco sighed, as the memory of that moment still stung in his chest. He brushed through his hair and looked at his son once more, who still had a slight scowl on his face. "I should have told Hermione that I would return to Greece as soon as possible... I thought she'd wait for me. But when I came back, I couldn't find her, or only heard rumours about her being with someone else already. So, I begged your mother to take me back."

Scorpius shook his head and clicked his tongue once. "Dad. That's just... And you tell me about being honest–"

"I was honest with your mother. I made that promise, and I kept it. And she was honest too. That's why I agreed to our divorce after she told me that she had met someone else."

"That French guy," Scorpius let out with a hint of dislike, trying to hide it with a sigh. "He's like ten years younger!"

"He makes her happy, better than I could." Draco got up to grab his bag and open it. "So, want to tell me about Marlena?"

"No." Scorpius crossed his arms and lowered his gaze in a defiant manner.

"Okay." Draco pulled the few clothing items out of the bag, including the suit he had brought along. Thankfully, it wasn't wrinkled from the transport. But what worried him more was the hurt he could hear in his son's voice, indicating that the break-up had been painful. Marlena had been a great girl, so the break-up had been a surprise. "Let's go grab something to eat and then check out the beach before the sun goes down."

Draco had barely finished speaking when they heard a knock at the door; he motioned Scorpius to open the door, as he didn't want to be caught unguarded.

"Mr-Mr Malfoy?" It was a young girl at the door who sounded a little surprised, much to Draco's relief. "I'm Andrea, one of Sofia's best friends. She told me to bring you something to eat."

Now Draco joined them at the door, smirking as he saw the smitten look on his son's face and the blushing cheeks of the girl. She was cute indeed, with her olive skin and her black hair she wore in a loose braid. Behind her, he could see a wooden trolley with covered plates. "Come in..."

"Thanks." With a smile, Andrea entered the room, pulling the trolley in. "Today's menu at lunch was fish, so she had the cook put some aside for you."

Scorpius immediately checked out the plates, lifting the covers; he took a few deep breaths to inhale the delicious smell that made both their mouths water.

"I'm at the beach later," Andrea said, her hands linked behind her back; her cheeks were still blushing, but she seemed more confident now. "I mean, if you want to join us."

Draco couldn't help but smirk at the grin that showed up on his son's face, although he tried to cover it with a cool brush over the back of his head.

"Sure."

"See you later then." And with a last smile towards Scorpius, Andrea left the room.

"What?"

Draco just shook his head in amusement and reached for his plate to bring it to the balcony. Watching his son trying to act cool reminded him of his days just after finishing Hogwarts. Cocky but a complete failure at flirting. But at least someone was going to have a great time...

..

In the evening, Draco was at the beach, watching the sun go down in all its fiery beauty, lightening the sky in a multitude of red shades. He had followed Scorpius to the beach but decided to sit alone on a cover, as he desperately needed some space to breathe and time to think.

After all, he still didn't know what to say when he finally saw Hermione. What do you say to someone you loved for a summer and then left without leaving a note saying he'd be back? Would she even want to talk to him?

"Hey... Mind if I join you?"

Startled, Draco looked up, only to find Sofia next to him with a timid smile. He shook his head and shifted his position to make space for her.

"You like the room?" she asked as she was sitting next to him, brushing over her burgundy summer trousers. "I'm really glad that you decided to stay... I realise it might not be easy for you–"

"You're right; it's not exactly easy..." Draco leaned back, supporting his upper body with his arms. He watched the last few rays of the sun slowly disappear in the darkness of the night sky. "But I guess it's time for it."

Sofia turned towards him before crossing her legs to find a comfortable position. "You know, I tried to ask Mum about those times, but..." She sighed. "She never said anything, only that I wouldn't understand. I'm just glad that Myles understood why I had to send you an invitation. I mean, I didn't even hope that you'd answer, less so come."

Draco smiled pensively, turning his head to look at her; she had the same thoughtful look in her eyes as her mother. "You know, your mother and I both were in the same year at Hogwarts–"

"Hogwarts?"

"She didn't send you there? I mean, you're not a squib–"

"No. She taught me everything herself, and sometimes, one of our guests would teach me some stuff. Did your son—I mean, Scorpius—go to Hogwarts? What's it like?"

"He just graduated, with pretty good grades," he replied with a nod, throwing a glance over to the group of younger people that his son had joined. "I think I'll give you a copy of Hogwarts, A History...Your mother knew it by heart. And it saved us quite a few times from trouble with Mr Filch, as she knew all those secret hideaways. We spent a lot of time together, mostly in the library though. And she loved berating me a lot for showing off as the Seeker for Slytherin... I think I just wanted to impress her."

"She still has a Gryffindor shirt."

"Yes, she was a proud Gryffindor. Fierce in everything she did. No one challenged me and my beliefs as much as she did. And believe me, she taught me a lot about life."

"Yeah, fierce is a good description." Sofia leaned her head on her hand, a soft smile now on her face. "What was that summer like? I mean, when I was supposedly conceived?"

"Intense. Happy. Sad. All of it. I never wanted it to end, because I've never felt this connected to someone else before."

"I guess it had been the same for Mum."

A light breeze came up, engulfing them with its refreshing feel. Draco took a deep breath, inhaling the salty air, as he tried to swallow the small knot that had formed in his throat as he talked about the past. "But how did you both end up here on Chalki?"

She shrugged. "All I know is that she didn't want to go back to England. I guess it was a decision made on a whim. I grew up here, and it's a nice place for a child. Maybe, one day, I'll raise my own children here... But who knows."

"Here you are, kardia mou." A young man approached them, a drink in his hand and a happy smile on his lips. His black curls bounced as he kneeled down to her level. "We miss you in our group. I miss you."

"I'm sorry. I-I was just curious." Sofia gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. "Myles, this is Draco, my... my father."

With a more polished smile, Myles held out his hand for a shake. "Nice to finally meet you. I'm glad you could make it."

"This is Myles, my fiancé," Sofia continued with slightly more blushing cheeks. "But don't trust his smile, he's a little devil sometimes."

"Thanks for helping us." Draco leaned forward to accept the offer to shake hands. Watching them interact reminded him a lot of those summer days, and he was sure that Sofia was in good hands.

"No problem. Anything for my Sofia. She's my pearl, and I just want to make her happy. I mean, I would even marry her without the big party, just us and a priest."

"Liar," Sofia replied with a chuckle. "You love the whole excitement just as much!"

"I mean it," Myles said and placed an arm around her waist. "But it makes you happy, so I'm happy too."

For the briefest of moments, Draco felt a pang of longing in his chest, a longing to relive those happy summer days with Hermione leaning against him just as Sofia did now in Myles' arm. A small shiver ran down his spine when he remembered how Hermione always sneaked her hand underneath his buttoned shirt to let her fingers wander over his skin, the softest of touches.

"So, want to join us?" Myles then asked, nodding towards the group behind them, now sitting around a small fire. "We're just having a few drinks after a long day of being chased around by Sofia's mum."

"I think I'll stay here." Draco shrugged apologetically and then caught sight of Scorpius leaning towards one of the girls to his side. "And I think my son might be too embarrassed to sit with his father."

"At least get him a beer, then I'll come back with you." With an innocent smile, Sofia grabbed Myles' drink and had a generous gulp before he attempted to take it back. However, she pushed his hand away.

"I'm fine, thanks. Just go back to your friends, and maybe have an eye on... well... your brother."

"I will." Sofia got up, although she couldn't resist to briefly hug Draco before leaving his spot with her fiancé. "I have a brother, Myles! I'm a big sister now; that is so cool! My whole family is here for my wedding..."

Draco watched them walk back to the others, smiling at her happy rambling; only when he felt alone once more did he lean down until he was lying on the ground, his gaze wandering over the night sky, illuminated by a sea of stars and the faint outlines of the Milky Way.

He felt lost and overwhelmed. Everything he thought he had left behind or pushed down deep enough had come back ever since he had set foot on this island. All the memories of the happiest days in his life, all those complicated emotions of shame, guilt, love, and—above all—some hope.

And he still didn't know what he could possibly say to her to at least have a chance to explain.

..

I can still recall our last summer...