Chapter Two

Hermione's week continued on as normal, and it was less than 48 hours later that she forgot all about the blonde haired man without a face.

Between work, reading, and her friends consistently trying to get her out of the house, she didn't give her mind the time to over analyze it.

Saturday night was approaching and Hermione's friends predictably had something planned. Pre-dinner drinks were to be held at Wyatt and Cassandra's home this time. While she wasn't anywhere near a "social butterfly", she refused to let herself become hidden away from everyone, allowing loneliness to consume her. She forced herself not to push everyone away just because she'd never get see her old friends again.

Noticing the time, Hermione threw on an olive green jacket over her blush-pink top, dark skinny jeans, and wedges. She insisted to Alice, who had been persistent on them getting ready together, that she would meet her there. A quick walk a few blocks over and she was knocking on the front door. She glanced around awkwardly when there wasn't an answer. After a minute and a half, she double checked the time and raised her hand to knock once more. Before her hand could hit the wood, it swung open with Cassandra standing inside. Hermione retracted her fist, fumbling with the straps on her purse as she readjusted it on her shoulder.

Cassandra stepped aside, "Come on in, Hermione. Everyone's in the kitchen," and turned and walked swiftly towards the kitchen, not looking back to see if her guest was following.

"Oh, hey, it's nice to see you too," Hermione mumbled when Cassandra was out of ear shot. Once the door clicked shut, she slipped off her jacket and laid it over her forearm.

Making her way across the living room, the voices in the distance became more distinct. Her steps slowed and she strained her ears, figuring out that there were six different ones.

"Hermione!" Alice squealed, rushing over to embrace her.

"Hey!" Hermione tried to mimic her excitement. She adored Alice, but outings like this with everyone were depleting for her.

Looking over the faces in the room, she received nods, waves, and a "Hello!" from Gavin. A woman named Rachel, who was best friends with Cassandra, and another woman she didn't recognize stood talking with one another almost in a private manner.

Wyatt was in the corner mixing up a martini for someone, so Hermione decided to sneak up behind him, keeping her steps light.

"Surprise," She said, amused when he jumped before she'd gotten the full word out.

"Holy- you about made me drop this!" He gestured to the glass in his hand.

"Well you should be more careful then," she teased, smirking and placing an elbow on the bar with her chin resting on her palm.

He snickered, "Any requests?"

Hermione thought for a second before replying, "Probably just my usual for tonight."

"Coming right up!"

She laughed at him, knowing he thought he was some sort of 'professional', the so-called king of making drinks.

The sipping and socializing went on until everyone was satisfied that they had enough alcohol without reaching their limit. This town seemed to have unspoken rule about drinking. Anyone who reached the point of being completely uninhibited was looked down upon, as if they were less of a person for making "such a spectacle of themselves". Most everyone was stuck in their ways, taught one thing without really questioning why.

They walked downtown and into a newer restaurant that seated them immediately. Hermione sat between Alicia and the girl she'd never met. Hermione sat and half listened, casually looking around the at the other tables to see who else had come out tonight. Alice elbowed her in the ribs and she tuned back in to her own table.

"Ow, what?" Hermione whispered a bit harshly, grabbing at her side.

Alice ignored her tone and continued to stare at Wyatt and Cassandra. "Look!"

Wyatt had a ring box in his hand and was in the middle of getting down on one knee.

Hermione's mouth dropped open. This shouldn't have been a huge surprise, since they've been together for three years, but Wyatt hadn't even mentioned that he was thinking of popping the question. She thought she would've had the privilege of knowing, considering Wyatt was someone she considered herself rather close with. Had he kept it a surprise from everyone perhaps? Though Cassandra's friends appeared more excited than surprised. It didn't matter, really. What would she have said? It stung a little but she quickly dismissed it and focused on being happy for the couple in front of her.

"You are the journey, and I want to travel. Our life together is an adventure and I never want to reach the destination. Continue on this journey with me, baby; will you be my wife?" Wyatt pleaded, his eyes sparkling sincerely as he looked up at his girlfriend.

Cassandra's hands covered her mouth with a gasp and her friend without a name continued to record the entire scene on her cellphone.

"I will!"

After an hour or congratulating, wedding talk, and mindless chit-chat, Hermione had made an excuse to get away from everyone after dinner, while everyone else stayed to continue celebrating. She tried to push out of her head the thought that Wyatt deserved better, repeating to herself that he loved Cassandra and she loved him. There was nothing technically wrong with their relationship, and he was happy, so she needed to be happy for them.

Hermione had decided on going to the beach. It was cold, so no one was there. The biting air gave her contentment as it gently nipped at her exposed skin. She walked down the shore line a foot or two away from the water, holding her shoes in her hand. Eventually she stopped and plopped down into the cool, dry sand, laying down onto her back. She closed her eyes, soaking in the sounds of the water rushing to meet her.

Then she heard it, so faint she almost didn't. It took a couple of minutes to register it was even there. Sitting up and opening her eyes, she glanced around, using her hand to shake the sand out of her hair.

In the distance she noticed a figure, definitely male. He was throwing rocks he was finding across the great body of water. Hermione squinted, her eyes drawn to the head of hair that belonged to him.

Platinum blonde.

She stood quickly and took a few slow steps, then continued on a bit faster so she could prove to herself that she was being unreasonable. The man in the distance was too preoccupied to notice her, clearly distracted by the thoughts in his own head.

Hermione halted, dropping her shoes. She could just make out the side of his face.

The face she was staring at matched the bully who had tormented her in school, the boy who took the dark mark and let death eaters into Hogwarts, the boy who watched her being tortured in his parents home.

She felt sick. Why was here? Did he know she was here? How long has he been here? Hermione's mind swirled with countless questions that she didn't know the answer to, almost making her dizzy.

She didn't know what to do. Should she confront him? Run and hide so he doesn't see her? Before she could decide he turned, his back facing her, and began to depart from the beach.

Hermione picked up her shoes and began to run after him, but then stopped. She repeated this process two more times before growing frustrated with herself. She couldn't decide whether or not to just do it, but before she could figure it out he was out of view. She mentally cursed herself, then him, and headed home.

Her mind was cloudy the entire walk. Where did he live? Was he watching her at this moment from a window? Did he know where her home was? She laughed at those thoughts, refusing to become paranoid, but doubt hid in the back of her mind.

Once Hermione arrived and went inside, she locked the door and pulled all the curtains closed. Her brain felt fuzzy, so she decided to go to bed. Walking back to her bedroom, she didn't bother to turn on any lights to find her way and laid in her bed without undressing.

The day following her encounter left her highly distracted. Hermione went about with her normal routine, with the exception of her eyes always scanning groups of people on the street or those in the shadows. Alice had to snap her fingers at Hermione three different times during their brunch to keep her involved in the conversation.

Alice continued on, "You know, I was thinking about it and I don't think I really want-"

"Has anyone moved into town recently?" Hermione interrupted.

Alice was taken aback for a moment. "Uh, what? I was in the middle of trying to tell you tha-"

"I know I'm not being a good listener, and consequently, not a good friend. I'm sorry, really. I'm just dealing with something right now… Do you know if anyone has moved here recently?"

"What's wrong? Has something happened?" Alice dropped her look of annoyance for one of concern.

"It's something private… Something that has to do with someone from my past, before I moved here," confided Hermione.

"Oh," said Alice. "Well as for someone moving here, I'm not sure. If they did they must have done it quickly and quietly, because new comers usually make their way into the town gossip. I can ask around of you want?"

Hermione smiled and relaxed a little, "That would be great, I really appreciate it."

Alice returned her smile and then continued on with her story from before, while Hermione did her best to not let her mind wander.

After finishing off their plates, they said their goodbyes and went off in different directions. Hermione attempted to window shop instead of searching through the people on the street, but it didn't do much good. She ended up in the bookstore. Browsing through a wall lined with various genres, she found one of interest and pulled it down.

Hermione headed toward the back of the store to find her favorite spot, a small corner on the floor between bookshelves covered with pillows in assorted patterns.

It felt like thirty minutes had passed, but her watch confirmed it to be two hours since she sat down. She stood and readjusted the jumper she had on. Once Hermione returned the book to its assigned place, she turned around to leave and knocked hard into a man with a stack of books in his arms that consequently tumbled to the ground.

"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" Hermione tried to catch the books that were tumbled to the floor without success. They both quickly kneeled to pick them up.

"It's okay, it was my fault. I should have known you didn't have eyes on the back of your head to see me," he smiled and looked up from the mess on the floor.

Hermione blushed and looked back down at what she was doing, "Well I definitely should have been paying closer attention. I hope none of your books are damaged."

"They don't appear to be," he looked over the last one and placed it on top of the new stack. "I'm Jackson by the way," he said, standing up and offering her a hand.

"Hermione," she took it and let him pull her up.

"Well it's finally nice to properly meet you after all this time."

"Yeah," she laughed, absentmindedly picked at the hem of her top. "I've been shopping here for two years now and I've never known your name."

"To be fair you've probably interacted more-so with the employees, I'm not always on the floor working. Although, now that I've met you maybe I should."

Hermione smiled, her cheeks becoming hot as she found herself unable to come up with a decent reply.

Jackson graciously keep the conversation flowing. "I won't keep you from the rest of your day, and I have to find these books their homes, but I can't wait for you to stop back in. Enjoy your afternoon, Hermione." Jackson winked at her and smiled before strolling off to somewhere in the store.

Hermione blushed again and hurried out of the store after he walked away. As she walked down the sidewalk, she couldn't keep a grin from forming on her face. She pictured him introducing himself; his short, caramel-brown wavy hair; his white, perfect teeth when he smiled. Shaking her head she focused on where she was going, but the corners of her mouth were creeping upwards again.

Since finding this town, she hadn't had much luck with romance. Gavin didn't count since she didn't return those feelings and no one else had found enough interest in her to flirt or pursue anything. It wasn't something Hermione concerned herself with much, something she just didn't think about. It didn't bother her to not have a boyfriend, as she'd been doing just fine on her own.

"Hermione!" A voice called from her right. Alice was walking towards her in large strides. "I've been asking around like you wanted me to, and besides the usual Joe's and their wives and kids, there was one Joe who almost no one knows anything about. He's lived here six months, apparently, but he's like a hermit. He spends a lot of time in his home and it's rare anyone sees him out. Like maybe once or twice a month, but he's pretty stealthy with getting around supposedly and stays in the background when he does go out and about."

Hermione stood silent to for a moment to process what she just told her, "Which house is his?"

"He lives on the very outskirts of the town, near the forrest." She answered, looking relieved that her information was of good use.

"Thank you, Alice. That's actually very helpful." Hermione smiled warmly and hugged her, happy to have some answers. Then she turned to head home, unsure of what was to come.