The next morning, Hermione awoke to an owl tapping at her window in the kitchen. She groaned and inwardly cursed whoever sent an owl at such an early hour. Hermione stretched and wearily opened her eyes as the pecking became more insistent. Surprised by the strength of the sun streaming through her window, she winced and checked her watch on the bedside table. Her eyes widened and she threw off her covers as it was slightly past noon. She couldn't even remember the last time she had slept past ten, let alone past noon. And she hadn't even done anything yesterday; she waited a lot of the morning for Demetri, but he stood her up with no notice, and she just spent the day re-reading Hogwarts, A History as a distraction.

Shaking her head at herself, Hermione walked into the kitchen and opened up the window, slightly disappointed as she realized the note wasn't from Demetri. She had been really looking forward to seeing him, and it was so odd and frustrating that he had stood her up when he was the one who was upset about her work trip.

Hermione absentmindedly petted the white owl she recognized as Harry's as she opened the note from him.

Hermione,

I wanted to check in with you to see how you are after everything that's happened. I meant to stop by yesterday, but I was detained, and unfortunately today, I'm stuck in a meeting all day. (Yes, McGonagall sets all-day meetings on Sundays, which will hardly surprise you.)

Could you meet after you get off work tomorrow? I'm happy to come your way and sneak some food from the kitchens.

-Harry

It took a minute for Hermione to parse the subtext underlying "everything that's happened" but quickly remembered there her supposed boyfriend just died, and her heart melted a bit at Harry's concern. She penned a quick reply expressing her thanks and excitement for Hogwarts food, gave Harry's owl a quick treat and more pets, and sent the note.

She was absentmindedly chewing on her quill when a knock resounded through her apartment. On her way to the door, Hermione grabbed her robe from the corner of her couch and wrapped it around herself before answering.

It was Demetri.

One Year and Nearly Four Months Earlier

Hermione didn't stay at the wedding for much longer after Demetri made his exit; Ginny and Draco looked like they were almost ready to leave, and they had, of course, paid staff to clean up afterward. She tested the waters by saying goodbye to Ginny, who was too happy and distracted to care much that Hermione didn't stay until the absolute end. Taking that as implicit permission, Hermione said goodbye to the rest of the Weasley family—perhaps a little stiffly to Ron—before making her way back over to Draco.

"Congratulations, again, Malfoy," she greeted him as she tapped him on the shoulder, interrupting a conversation between him and Percy that Draco looked relieved to be saved from.

"Thanks, Granger," Draco said with a grin, turning away from Percy, who seemed to have stopped speaking midsentence and looked a little put out. "Are you already planning on heading home?"

"Your wife seemed okay with it." Despite her attempt at deflection, Draco raised an eyebrow. "Besides, your groomsman is already long gone."

"Ah," Draco said with a smug look on his face. "Are you two meeting up?"

"What? No—what are you—no," Hermione sputtered, surprised at the question. "Why would you ask that? I don't even like the guy."

"Apologies," Draco responded sarcastically, "it's just that you two seemed to spend the evening in a personal competition to be as close to one another as possible without touching. From what Goyle tells me, you lost."

Hermione tried to think of a retort; she also tried to stop herself from blushing, which only brought it on more. "We're not meeting up," was all Hermione managed to reply, which only made the trademark Malfoy smirk worse. "I'll see you soon," she added as she left.

Her breath caught for a moment when she saw Demetri standing just beyond the apparation point, just as he had been this morning, although when he turned around his eyes were decidedly green. "Hermione," he said simply, his smile widening to show off his pointed, white teeth.

Now that the alcohol had worn off a bit more, Hermione was feeling even more embarrassed about touching his face when they were practically strangers, especially after the commentary from Draco and Goyle. "Hi," she said awkwardly. "I know I already apologized, but I'm sorry again, I don't know what got into me and—"

His expression turned more serious but still held a mirth to it that had been absent previously; he stepped forward to close the distance between them and traced her face from the edge of her eyebrow to her chin, leaving his hand lifting her face toward him. "Does that help?"

Hermione nodded by only moving her head slightly, not breaking eye contact with him. "I know you said we were going to see each other soon, but I didn't think you meant this soon."

Demetri searched her face for a long moment before responding, clearly wrestling with something. "You are correct. I came out here to apparate and was lost in thought debating whether to leave or go back in and ask you if you would have a drink with me."

"What did you decide, then?" She had meant for it to come out light-heartedly, but her throat was tight and she spoke with the words with a gravity that was unintended. Perhaps it was because of the strange magnetism between them coupled with the fact that his hand was still on her chin, drawing her in.

"I had decided to leave," he replied quietly, "yet I remained."

Silence followed until Hermione heard a twig snap behind her, closer to the wedding. "I think more people are starting to leave," Hermione commented.

"Will you have a drink with me?" Demetri asked.

I should go home, Hermione thought, but her thoughts felt far away as she nodded again, feeling his slender fingers move slightly with the motion.

He kept holding her face as he grazed his other hand over her stomach, past her waist, and then pushed her closer from the small of her back. Hermione noted that his hand was in the same place he had placed it this morning; in fact, in many ways, their encounter now was a mirroring of that morning—just as close, just as tense, yet entirely different.

"I don't understand you," Hermione observed as she continued to reflect. She didn't attempt to pull away, though, even as she remembered her fear from only a few hours ago.

Demetri tucked some of her hair behind her ear as he leaned down to whisper in it. "What have I done that's confusing?"

"This morning…" she hesitated, but there was something in his seeming comfort with her that made her feel similarly comfortable in honesty. "You had changed your eyes again."

"And why did that confuse you?"

"That didn't confuse me; it's the contrast between that and this moment."

Demetri gave her an odd, questioning look that didn't look right against his too-perfect skin. "You will have to explain further."

"You were…" Hermione struggled for the words to explain what it was about his behavior that put her off. "Demonstrating your power," she finished. "It felt like you were messing with me."

"Yes," he replied slowly, a smirk appearing on his face. "It seems you want to force me to admit I was flirting with you. I admit it. What's inconsistent about flirting with you this morning and our conversation now?"

Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but couldn't come up with a good argument as to how his behavior hadn't been flirtatious if that's the lens he was placing on it. It's just that it had felt wrong.