HOPE
HEYY!!
HERMIONE
why the capitals?!
HOPE
bored.
HOPE
hru?
HERMIONE
busy helping mum with smth
HERMIONE
talk later, yeah?
HOPE
I need to tell u smth
important!
HERMIONE
can it wait?
HOPE
ig
HOPE
though I'd prefer to tell u
asap!
UNDELIVERED
HERMIONE FELT A blow to her head, the phone was knocked out of her hands as she now lay in the alleyway. Grace stood over her, checking the surroundings before grabbing her phone and turning it on aeroplane mode.
HERMIONE AWOKE WITH her head pounding, her wrists were bound with strong rope and her eyes couldn't focus through fear.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Hermione asked, "Is this to do with my mother or girlfriend?"
"Girlfriend?" Grace chuckled, "Your brother, technically. Though, I suppose that extends to Norma."
"I know you and Warren are the Tom and Jerry of Hollyoaks, but I thought you were finally on good terms?"
"Not exactly." Grace then looked around, "Hence the kidnapping."
"Figured." Hermione replied groggily, her senses awakening, "What do you want with me?"
"Your mummy knows I have been trying to steal her business because of a certain Sienna Blake blabbing." Grace explained, giving Hermione a sad look, "For the record, I actually like you. Your a decent kid. But, I don't want to die so—"
"You do whatever it takes to survive." Hermione finished for Grace, who smiled and nodded at her. "I get your scared, but, maybe you could untie me and I'll talk to my mother for you. Clear things up."
"Hermione, your a smart girl. Don't act stupid." Grace scolded, Hermione now realised the stakes of the situation. At least she recognised her location to Grace's club, The Loft, she was most probably in her Office.
"You remind me of her." Hermione commented, startling Grace, "My mother, your a lot alike."
"Thank you...?" Grace replied, presuming Hermione was trying to compliment her to get free.
IT HAD BEEN a full day, Grace had been lenient and let Hermione's rope-tied wrists free... for a half hour. But, in Hermione's mind it was better than nothing.
Hermione knew Grace wouldn't hurt her, in fact she had held conversation with her and even gotten her food and drink upon request. Hermione was simply Grace's leverage, of which she needed alive.
"You... Ssh!" Grace put her finger to her lips, Hermione nodded and watched as Grace walked outside of her Office into the main area of the club.
Hermione sat quietly for a full two minutes until she saw Grace open the door, "Up." She commanded, "We need to show mummy that she can't murder you."
Hermione stood up, hesitantly walking through the door until she was in the club, hands bound behind her and yesterdays clothes, hair matted too.
Norma's gaze went soft for a second at her daughter in such a state, but then it went cold once again. Almost as though she didn't care.
Hermione knew better.
"Why did you take my daughter?" Norma asked, the question coming off more threatening as it should have.
"I knew you and Sienna here, thank you by the way, were setting me up. Pretending I didn't know was a ruse." Grace explained, now coming to stand beside Hermione.
Her eyes widened when she felt metal on her back, a familiar feeling. A gun? It couldn't have been.
"I am worth more to you alive than dead." Grace began, "And so is she."
Norma's expression didn't change, "Mum?"
"Darling, we are negotiating." Norma warned Hermione, making her roll her eyes, resulting in the gun being pushed further into her back.
"Norma, I'm a mother and I know that you, most likely, would do anything to protect your kids. I don't want to kill her, but I will."
"Grace, you tried to take my son away from me." Sienna watched with wide eyes, having no idea what to do, "And now my precious daughter."
"Do you think I want to kill a kid?!" Grace cried, "I'm all Curtis has, okay, I don't want my son to end up with no one. And I really don't want to kill Hermione."
"Guess what, I don't care." Norma replied coldly, now pointing at the gun she spoke, "Go on, shoot Hermione. I dare you."
"Mum!" Hermione whined, her blue eyes growing wide.
Grace backed away, holding the gun in her hands as she surrendered, "I can't kill her, she's innocent!"
"That's a shame." Norma replied, knowing she had the upper hand. Hermione struggled with the rope around her wrists, trying to get out of it.
Sienna went up to Grace, she took the gun from her hands, "It's okay, your going to be fine. We all will, Norma won't hurt us."
"Okay." Grace sniffled, cheeks wet from the diamonds of tears that stained them.
Sienna then pointed the gun at Norma, pressing the trigger as she closed her eyes. Norma moved Hermione to in front of her, Hermione took the bullet.
The brunette fell to the floor, tears running down her cheeks, her last words were, "Tell Hope I'm in love with her."
Then she died.
All because of her selfish mothers selfish desires.
Or it was an act of God, something for the next chapter of her life.
That day, a rainbow was in the sky, the colours floating as though someone had blessed them.