DISCLAIMER: Not mine, will never be. You know the drill, it's only the plot.
"So where are you going, again?"
"Oh, for crying out loud. I've told you about two dozen times already. Hong Kong. It's in China, but used to be a British colony, until 1997. Before we took over the area, it..."
"Yes, yes, great Hermione. But why?" Ginny inquired. "You've spent all your previous summers here. Or someplace in Europe at least. Why suddenly Hong Kong, of all places?"
"Well, a family we know has moved there, and my parents think I should go visit, and at the same time see somewhere new. They have some sort of Health conference that they need to go to in America, so they can't come with me."
"Wow. Sounds like fun. I wish I could go somewhere now. But mom and dad can't afford a hotel, and we don't really know anyone outside of Europe. Or England for that matter."
"Come on, Gin, I don't think I'll enjoy it as much as you'd expect. Our family friends, the Sussmans? They aren't really my kind of people. Very... uh... lenient about what their kids get up to."
"Well, I'm just saying. At least you'll be able to relax, and get away from this blasted place."
"I suppose. But I need to be going. I'll see you when I get back, yeah?"
"OK. Have fun!"
Hermione pulled Ginny into a tight hug before moving to the window and shouting a goodbye to the boys, who were playing Quidditch outside.
Already running a little late, Hermione said a hurried thank you to Molly and Arthur Weasley, before taking a pinch of Floo powder, throwing it into the fireplace, and enunciating clearly, "Granger Residence".
The minute she got home, Mrs. Granger proclaimed "About time! The taxi is here already! Brush yourself off, comb your hair and go get your suitcase. I would go with you to the airport, but I can't be any later for work."
"Don't worry mom, you can go now, I'll lock up before I leave."
"You sure?"
With an affirmative nod, Hermione gave her mother a hug. "Love you. Tell dad I said bye, I'll call you or something when I get to Hong Kong."
"OK then, darling. Be safe. Say 'hi' to Morgan and Jamie for me, will you?"
"Sure mom, I will. Love you."
"Love you too. Bye! And have fun."
And with that, her mom walked out the door. Standing there a second longer, she heard the engine start, and her mom's car peeled out of the driveway and into the street. Sighing, Hermione trudged up the stairs and entered her room. Checking a last time that she had everything with her, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and lugged her suitcase out to the waiting taxi. Seating herself in the back, she quickly lost herself in her thoughts, and the passing scenery.
To be perfectly honest, Hermione Granger did not know her way around the airport at all. Yes, Check-In and Immigration were simple enough, but the departure gates were all over the place. Hermione was getting frustrated. Looking at her watch, she figured she could spare some time in a café, just to relax a bit before the flight. Flying was never her favorite mode of transport. She found a small coffee shop, vaguely wondering if they got enough revenue for the expensive airport rent from over priced coffee, or simply lots of customers. She sat, and ordered herself a caramel latte. Sighing to herself, she pulled a book out of her bag, and began to read, while waiting for her drink. Just as she set eyes on the first page of her book, however, someone standing vaguely next to her asked "Is this seat… Granger?"
Whipping around, Hermione saw an unexpected sight. The one and only Blaise Zabini. Of all people, she had to meet Malfoy's right-hand man at the airport, while she was on holiday.
Oh, woe is me. What on earth have I done to anger the Almighty?
His haughty features were schooled into a look of disgust, and amusement bordering on horror, that seemed, if possible, graceful.
"What are you doing here, Zabini?"
"Well, I was hoping to take one of these plane things, and get on or into it so the nice young man who controls it can take me somewhere exotic." He replied sarcastically.
Hermione just stared.
"I'm glad you like what you see, but that vacant look is so unbecoming of you, and it's slightly unnerving being stared after lustily by a Mudblood."
The dreaded 'M-word' snapped her out of her reverie, and she narrowed her eyes.
"Well, why would you, a 'high-and-mighty' Pureblood," she spat, "be here, in a totally muggle place? Can't you find some other way to travel?"
Zabini's disgust was swiftly replaced with a smirk.
"Weeeell," he said, drawing out the word, "thing is, my parents thought it would be a learning experience, as I tend to take wizarding travel for granted. It's like how your rich muggle doctors go to poor places to 'experience the poverty and hardship.' Or whatever. Anyway, wonderful conversing with you, Granger, but I must be on my way. Don't want to miss my flight because of you."
Turning on his heel, Zabini stalked off, leaving Hermione sitting there slightly disturbed. When suddenly, and odd thought wormed its way into her head.
The movies were right. The bad guys have always been into this monologue thing, haven't they?
Grimacing, Hermione looked at her watch, and seeing that she had only about 20 minutes remaining to sit and enjoy the remainder of her coffee, she paid and left, but not before asking for directions to Gate 23.
Finally, having managed to board her plane, Hermione found her seat, and promptly pulled out her book again, waiting for takeoff.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts, and adjust your seats to the upright position. The pilot and crew would like to welcome you onto flight CX 305, Cathay Pacific."
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived in the Hong Kong International Airport. Please wait for the pilot to switch off the seat belt sign before retrieving your belongings from the overhead compartments, thank you."
Hermione was exhausted, to say the least. She had slept most of the flight, but traveling always managed to drain her. Currently, she was just going with the flow of other travelers, all too aware that she was in a new country where she didn't speak the language, and in the world's largest airport. Hoping that the crowd would take her to roughly where she needed to go, Arrival Zone B. Passing through Immigration, and still following the crowd, she retrieved her luggage, and made her way out of a pair of automatic sliding glass doors. Hermione could not express her relief at seeing a huge blue obelisk, marked with the letter 'B'. If only she could find Cori. All around her, people were united with their friends, relatives, lovers. A constant cacophony of greetings, tears, and laughter. Glancing at a collection of clocks above the Information desk told her it was 10:30, Hong Kong time. Hermione had told Cori that she'd be arriving around ten.
Oh shit. What if she's left? What am I going to do? The plane was a bit behind schedule, and it took me a while to get through immigration.
A ream of 'worst case scenarios' began playing through her head. What if she never showed up? What if something had happened to Cori on the way there? What if she tried to get to Cori's home by taxi, only to be abducted by the foreign taxi driver? What if…
Oh wait. She gave me her number. Haha.
Mentally berating herself, Hermione walked over to the Information counter, and asked where the nearest public payphone was, as she didn't have a mobile phone. The woman behind the desk looked at her strangely. No mobile phone? Must be some new breed of human being. Still looking a tad perplexed, she pointed over to a wall behind her, where stood a payphone, shiny new. Thanking the woman, Hermione walked over to the phone, wondering if she was the first person to have ever used it. Inserting some coins, and mentally congratulating herself on having gotten the best exchange rates around, Hermione dialed the number and waited.
Brring.
Brring. Brring.
Brring.
Please pick up please pick up please pick up.
A calm woman's voice came on the line "The number you have dialed cannot be reached at present. Please try again later."
"Shit."
Getting more nervous by the moment, Hermione walked back to the Zone 'B' marker, and found a bench to sit at. Hauling her suitcase next to her, she contemplated what to do next.
Maybe she was just late.
By 30, no 45 minutes now?
Sighing, she buried her head in her hands. She was tired. She was hungry. And she wanted to see a familiar face.
"Oh mother of Merlin. Please tell me you are not Hermione Granger. Oh bloody hell."
No no no. That cannot be Zabini. Fuck. I need an aspirin.
Wearily raising her head, she confirmed that she was indeed Hermione Granger.
Zabini's eyes narrowed.
"Are you stalking me? Seriously. Or have you been sent by that precious Order of yours to make sure that I, the big bad Slytherin, have not come to destroy Asia, one overpopulated city at a time?"
"Ugh. Drop it, Zabini. I'm tired. And I want to find my friend, Cori. Either you help me find her, or you leave me alone and piss off."
Slytherin or not, please help me find her. Damn it.
"OK then." He turned on his heel and walked off.
Argh!
Hermione sat on the bench for another good fifteen minutes, trying to quell the pounding that had developed in her head. Looking up, she saw that the crowds had dispersed somewhat.
"Excuse me, mister. Have you seen a European girl, with really bushy hair around here? ... Fuck… Excuse me, mister…"
A tall, well-built brunette dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with the words 'Define Girlfriend' emblazoned across the front was running around asking all the people she could find about some bushy-haired girl. Turning in exasperation, she saw Hermione sitting on the bench, and at that second, the most ridiculous grin plastered itself across her face.
"HERMIONE! I'm so sorry I'm so late! The traffic was a bitch coming down from home, and I had to take a cab. How was your flight?"
Answering Cori's rapid fire questions as they walked along, Hermione was glad that she was finally getting somewhere, and even better, Cori was pulling her suitcase along for her.
Taking a train back to the city center, aptly and most creatively named 'Central', then a taxi up to the Peak, Hermione passed in a daze, the combination of exhaustion, hunger, thirst, and that relentlessly pounding headache were making her light-headed. Finally reaching the Sussman home, she allowed herself to be led to the guestroom, and promptly fell asleep, fully clothed, before her head even touched the pillow.