AN- This chapter is dedicated to PercabethfanNo.1, who left one of the nicest reviews I have ever seen... THANK YOU!
I apologise for the months I've been away, I am trying to keep my fics going, please bear with me... And reviews always help! *Hint Hint.
Reunion, Day 1
"Mum, why on earth did you invite Hermy?" moaned Bethany. In her own opinion (and that of her parents), the girl was a charming, sweet 'angel' but to everyone else she was the not-so-perfect prissy princess.
"Yeah, how is it fair that we have to put up with her?" chimed in Jenna. Her equally vain and annoying younger sibling.
"I've told you before, your grandmother wanted to see her, and the more we please her, the larger our inheritance," came the reply, issued in a hissed undertone.
"Well, why do we have to wait for her here, can't we just get on with our lives" that was Jenna in her true self absorbed form.
"Yeah, it isn't fair" whined Bethany, echoing her sister's earlier comment.
Cliona finally decided that she too was fed up with waiting, which, just by condense was very shortly after she has remembered that she had forgotten to add the earlier arrival time to her least favourite niece's invitation, she gave in to her daughters and the three muggles headed back into the hotel to retrieve their swimming things and spend an afternoon lounging around the pool.
...
Hermione cruised along the smooth tarmac of the private road in her small Aston Martin, both windows open to the summer heat. Her sunglasses held her slightly wavy hair out of her face and the ribbons of her white halter neck sundress wavered in the warm breeze blowing off the sea.
As it turned out, the hotel happened to be located a short drive away from Alexandria, the great port of Egypt. With a private beach and resort, the hotel was very exclusive. Then again, she should probably know that, as she and Draco owned the place.
Although the invitation had stated the arrival time as 7pm for the dinner, Hermione had decided to roll in at around 3pm to do an inspection on the facilities - she had only visited the place once 7 months ago for her engagement party and subsequent holiday.
The sports car rounded the last curve in the road and the complex came into view: multiple swimming pools, tennis courts, a golf course and an outdoor cafe and restaurant surrounded the main building, larger than Malfoy Manor, and rather more modern. The balconies and terraces were all adorned with flowers and climbing roses, and lush grass grew around the courts and pools. Hermione pulled into one of the two spaces reserved for herself and Draco, before climbing out of the car and walking towards the entrance and welcome desk.
As she walked into the foyer she was hit by an overwhelming sense of luxury and grandeur, not that she wasn't used to that sort of thing, being the fiancée of Draco Malfoy did wonders to your sense of architectural style, but she still couldn't help but feel rather in awe of the beautiful light wood beams that raced, twisting and turning to the high ceiling that perfectly complemented the cream and white walls and glass topped desk. It was behind this desk that one of her old housemates sat, dressed impeccably in the hotel staffs' uniform.
"Hey Parvati." She said as she wandered over.
"Oh hey Hermione, I got your email, although I have a feeling that your idea of an inspection has been rather overruled by Draco's visit about half an hour ago during which he threatened to crucio me if I didn't force you to take a break and relax" she took a deep breath and gave Hermione a cheeky smile.
"He loves you, you know"
"Yeah, he does" replied Hermione, with a slight smile.
"I'll also give you a warning, there was a group at sign in earlier under the name Granger, completely snooty and extremely rude!" she continued in a slightly affronted manner "They had the nerve to complain about the fact that they didn't have the presidential suite!"
"Sounds like them, but I thought the arrival time was 7." Hermione said dryly.
"Yeah well, I thought it was too, but apparently they're so high and mighty that they can just swan in nine hours early and expect to have rooms ready!"
Hermione sighed. "Is there any chance you could request my attention at some point, something business related? I really can't deal with almost four days of non-stop forced pleasantries and veiled insults directed at me!"
"Will do, boss, just let me know when. Here's your room key, have a nice stay!"
She then remembered, just as Hermione turned to leave...
"It's Blaise and Pansy in the presidential suite!"
Hermione turned and smiled gratefully at her, before continuing towards the lift.