A/N: Thank you to those who have offered their lovely feedback and encouragement!
Eleni sat at the informal kitchen table with Dia, sipping a small cup of espresso and reading the Arts section in Ekathimerini. The hour was still early and she had risen to find the witch preparing a simple breakfast of yogurt, fresh fruit and honey which she had politely declined on sharing. Their usual morning pleasantries were exchanged and then the two of them had settled at the table with their respective work, each lapsing into comfortable silence.
Across the table, her friend seemed slightly distracted this morning, though Eleni had yet to put a finger on it. The witch sat quietly, patiently working her way through a large mound of correspondence, dressed more formally than usual on account of her impending visit to the apothecary.
She had been busy balancing her time between instructing Hermione and working on her own research - two things that Eleni knew her friend enjoyed immensely, but Ana had been insistent that her aunt review the apothecary's tax records before the end of the month.
A wise move, Eleni thought approvingly, letting her mind stray from the arts review. Though the younger witch may have proven herself a natural hand at running her aunt's business, that she still sought Dia's keen eye meant that she hadn't become cocky or complacent in her development.
Assuredly, everything was in order according to Ana's incredibly exacting standards, but it never hurt to have a seasoned opinion. The younger witch had done quite well for herself to everyone's collective surprise and Eleni knew that her friend was quite proud of her niece.
Across the table, Dia's focus slid to one side - staring into space between the edge of the table and white wood floors. Eleni frowned slightly. It was the fourth time in the last ten minutes that the witch had lost her typically imperturbable focus.
"Knut for your thoughts," Eleni said quietly, not looking up from her paper.
Silence.
Looking up, she saw Dia remained oblivious, eyes still staring vacantly beyond her pile of letters.
Eleni let the paper drop, smoothing it on the tabletop with both hands. The movement startled her friend who glanced at her as if suddenly realizing she was there.
For a split second, an expression of dismay flitted across Dia's features before she sat back in her chair, a gentle smile sliding into place as she smoothed the dark blue fabric of her outer robes with a flourish.
Dia sighed quietly and waved a hand at Eleni's unspoken question. "It's nothing, darling. I was simply thinking ahead to how Ana plans to develop the business in the next year. She mentioned a meeting with Stavros Papaioannou to discuss a few new retailers in Crete."
Eleni gave her a long look, inviting her to say more, but Dia gave a thin smile before returning her attention to her work. Hmm.
It was a reasonable cover, but a cover nonetheless. It was unlike Dia to be obtuse in her words. More unlike her to keep counsel without giving reason. Most curious.
Eventually Eleni permitted herself to read a short interview with the new violinist stepping up to first chair in the Athens Symphony Orchestra while she considered how to respond to the evasion. Dia had returned to writing, her quill making quiet scratching sounds on the parchment as she penned a reply in distinctive emerald ink.
Finishing the interview, Eleni sniffed lightly and flipped the page. Stelios had already predicted the promotion a month prior. The new violinist seemed a bit young in her opinion, but his enthusiasm was contagious.
Eleni glanced back at her friend casually and saw the witch had again drifted away.
"Dia. It is clear to me that neither Ana nor the apothecary's investments are what draw your attention." She let her paper drop just enough to give her friend a sideways look. "Now are you going to avoid the question again or tell me what's truly on your mind?"
Dia's quill paused and she merely lifted her eyes to gaze at Eleni quietly. A slight narrowing of her lips was the only indication of her disapproval.
"Perhaps I prefer to keep my thoughts my own for the moment," she replied archly. They stared at each other for a long moment and eventually Eleni gave a nod of acquiescence.
Very well.
They both returned to their activities while she began considering what could be plaguing her close friend.
They had known each other their entire lives.
In many ways, despite their odd relationship, Dia felt like a family member. While there were parts of the witch's life she had not been privy to and parts she knew were too painful for the witch to dredge up, for the most part, Dia confided in her as she had her sister.
What could be more sisterly than attempting to keep information to oneself?
Eleni sniffed softly to herself.
Humans. So roundabout in their behavior and obtuse in their emotions.
She watched her friend carefully out of the corner of her eye, measuring her movements, the stiff carriage of her shoulders, shortness of her quill strokes. Dia was anxious. A lightbulb seemed to go off in her mind.
It's something personal.
Brow furrowed, Eleni quickly reviewed the last several weeks. Dia had not made many trips away from Naxos and all but one had been on business terms, meaning she would not have had opportunity to interact with someone new.
Eleni threw a glance over the parchments on the table and quickly deduced that she hadn't been engaging in correspondence by post. Which meant that whatever was causing her anxiety had to do with someone within her immediate circles.
Eyes narrowing, Eleni began running through several possibilities. Surely not Hermione. The two witches shared a professional relationship steeped in knowledge and respect. Eleni knew the younger witch held her master in the highest esteem and had been too absorbed in her own research to cause trouble.
Besides, the true disagreements wouldn't surface until the witch's second or third level classifications when the boundaries between master and apprentice began to blur. At this point, any disagreement between them would be theory-based which wouldn't have rattled Dia to such an extreme.
Family was also out of the question. Yiayia was the logical culprit, but the elder witch had been in Egypt for the majority of the past month. Ana would have been the next guess, but Dia was meeting with her today, ruling out any sort of tantrum that the young witch could have incited. The rest of the family was also unlikely. And it wouldn't have been a falling out with a close friend. If there had been a misunderstanding with anyone, Dia would have been irate, not distracted.
Who then…?
Uncertain, Eleni shifted, lifting her paper slightly to look at her friend over the top edge surreptitiously. Dia continued writing in short, jumpy quill strokes, her usually elegant posture somewhat tense through her neck causing her to fold in upon herself slightly. It was a subtle hint at insecurity.
Well, well, well…. Eleni thought slowly, a small smirk spreading out on her features. It has been awhile, kopelia mou...
At once, her friend huffed and shot her an exasperated look.
"Merlin's beard, Eleni!"
Hermione's colorful language seemed to be rubbing off on her Master. Eleni quashed the bubble of amusement at that and gave Dia an innocent look as she lowered her paper.
"I didn't say anything!"
"I can see you watching me!" Dia pushed her inkwell aside as she glared and crossed one arm on the table in front of her before tossing an open hand in her direction. Eleni sat back smoothly as Dia broke her gaze, fiddling with a few more letters and parchments, muttering under her breath in Greek as she shifted her things and created space in front of her.
Eventually there was a pause and Dia sighed. Settling back in her chair, she fixed Eleni with a pained expression.
Oh, this is something good.
"If you must know, I had a rather surprising discussion yesterday with -"
*CRASH!*
They both jumped at the sound of breaking glass, Eleni turned to see Schlif's large furry tail waving gently on the counter. It was certainly a mark of Dia's distraction that she hadn't noticed the cat earlier.
"Schlif! Get out!" Dia was on her feet at once, hand outstretched, the wicker basket of fruit on the counter already morphing into a trap for the confounded feline. Eleni snapped her fingers, but somehow the cat moved quicker than the both of them.
WIth utter ease, he evaded the flurry of magic - dodging bright flashes of spellwork with uncanny agility, eventually making a zig-zagged dash for the door that Dia followed, slinging one last stinging hex in frustration.
Eleni raised an eyebrow as Dia lapsed into Greek, flinging the door shut with a slam.
"That confounded monster! Heaven knows why I promised my sister I would look after him! Damned menace!"
Eleni repaired the broken bowl with a snap and banished the yogurt to the trash with another gesture. It was Dia's fault for leaving it out anyway. She would have her bring more from Thessaloniki.
"Leave the cat, Dia. As always, we are fighting a losing battle." Eleni said, slipping back into her chair calmly and smoothing her skirt. Dia glared and stalked back to the counter, transforming the now-repaired bowl and adding an elegant strip of Greek key around the outer edge. Eleni frowned at the gratuitous bit of magic.
"Kopelia, peace. What disturbs you has nothing to do with Schlif." She said quietly, extending a hand toward Dia's empty chair.
The witch's face fell slightly and she paused a moment before floating back to her seat as if suddenly untethered. Sitting, she planted both hands on the table deliberately as if steadying herself, a somewhat stricken look upon her face.
For a long moment, neither of them said a word. Eleni watched her friend carefully, accustomed to remaining patient whenever it came to Dia's personal matters. After a minute or so, the witch took a deep breath, lifting troubled eyes to meet Eleni's.
"Eleni… I've made a mistake. As usual, too much fire and water, not enough earth," she said softly. Eleni's brow furrowed and she leaned forward.
"You spend much of your time acting as the earth for others, Dia. Sometimes you must allow yourself the follow the impulse of other elements," she replied gently.
The witch sighed and slumped forward, planting both elbows on the table and letting her head fall forward into her hands. Several dark curls sprang forth from her loose chignon. Eleni felt a niggle of concern. Folding her paper for the moment, she pushed it to one side and stared at her friend.
Dia rarely permitted herself moments of such informal behavior in public spaces, even within her own home. Within the privacy of her own rooms, Eleni knew that the woman was much more relaxed and playful than she let on to others, however she firmly adhered to proper etiquette unless extraordinarily tired or unsettled.
"I fear I may have been too rash in my words and actions." Dia's soft voice was somewhat muffled as she continued to speak down toward the table. Eleni's heart softened.
She had no idea what event her friend referenced, and while she worked to put answers to the many questions bubbling in her mind, Eleni elected to go along with the witch's vague statements as best she could.
"For years you have tempered your weather, Dia. You deserve moments of release just as the rest of us do. Water does well within boundaries but it is still a force of nature. You must let it flow and stay its own course, lest it become a dam and threaten to break from pressure."
Dia lifted her head and shook it slowly.
"This is different..." she began miserably, but Eleni held up a hand and cocked an ear at hearing a distant door open. Immediately, Dia sat back and smoothed her robes, assuming her usual serene expression. Eleni smiled at her friend reassuringly.
"Hold your thoughts. We shall speak again soon," she patted the table before lifting her voice and gesturing dramatically towards the approaching footsteps, "For now, room, witch! Here comes Hermione!"
They both turned as the apprentice glided down the hallway. Immediately, Eleni fought to keep a neutral expression at seeing the younger witch's atypical attire.
A fluffy towel slung under one arm, Hermione sauntered into the large kitchen, chestnut curls wild about her face and eyes bright and fresh. The young witch wore a dazzling one-piece swimsuit that clung to her lithe form, revealing more skin than Eleni had ever seen her dare. The deep jewel-toned red seemed luminous even in the natural light of the kitchen, but what surprised Eleni was the woman's confidence.
While humans and elves differed greatly in their conceptions of beauty, intellectually Eleni knew that both witches under her charge were considered extremely attractive. Exotic was a word frequently used to describe Dia, who had worked hard to cultivate her air of elegance and mystique.
She had heard others on Naxos refer to Hermione as classically beautiful, though the younger woman still retained a tentative air about her that spoke to her unfurling acceptance of others' perceptions. This morning however, the apprentice displayed a casual bravado that Eleni hadn't even know she possessed.
Eleni gave a dutiful nod as Hermione folded herself gently into a proper greeting before them, her flushed cheeks momentarily hidden by her curtain of curls as she bowed her head demurely.
"Good morning, Master. Eleni."
The witch rose gracefully out of her curtsy and Eleni was surprised when Dia simply returned the greeting with a stiff nod of her own. There was an awkward pause as Hermione waited for her master's acknowledgement.
After a moment Dia cleared her throat lightly and shifted a few items on the table before her.
"A swim is in order, I see?"
Eleni pretended to return to her paper, while watching Dia out of the corner of her eye. Her friend kept her eyes lowered, one hand relaxedly attending to her coffee cup.
"I thought to begin my day with an hour or so in the sea before going on a short hike," Hermione replied smoothly, sliding past her master's awkward overture before beginning to move toward the refrigerator. The young witch learns quickly.
Eleni was impressed at that the young woman discerned the non-verbal subtleties between formal and informal address so easily. Usually those skills were developed during an apprentices' second classification as they prepared for their formal debut into society.
"Eleni, if you need any help later, I was thinking of spending some time revising my knife cuts," Hermione called. The halo of dark curls had disappeared behind the refrigerator door. Before Eleni could reply, Dia cut in.
"I do remember permitting my apprentice a respite from her studies," Dia said quietly, long fingers wrapping around her cup and pulling it toward her as she gazed down into it. It was a deceptively calm gesture.
Eleni looked at her friend openly, unable to read her expression. It seemed like the beginnings of disapproval.
What is happening here?
Eleni looked back at Hermione who was still rummaging for breakfast unconcernedly. Dia took a sip of coffee, a slight aura of tension about her. She seemed to be avoiding looking at her apprentice.
Eleni began to feel as though she were watching a ping-pong match.
Hermione emerged from behind the refrigerator holding a fresh peach. Eleni's eyes narrowed as the young witch took her time in answering the comment, choosing to inhale the fruit's scent deeply. The younger witch pinned Dia with a direct look before biting into it, reclining against the counter as she chewed thoughtfully. She crossed one long leg over the other and stared at her master.
"Perhaps my pleasures are best served in action," she finally said. Suddenly feeling as though she were an outsider in the room, Eleni saw her friend's jaw twitch just as her light green eyes darkened and subtly raked over Hermione's languid form.
The puzzle pieces clicked into place.
Smoothly, Eleni rose from the table and vanished her paper with a snap.
"I will begin preparing both lunch and dinner around half past eleven," she said neutrally, looking at Hermione whose cheeks looked slightly flushed. "You may assist me then, should it please you."
The young woman nodded her affirmative. Off to her right, Eleni felt Dia tense.
"I apologize for the abrupt exit, but I've just remembered I must confer with Stelios before he leaves for Athens this morning. Good day to you both," Eleni nodded at both witches, smirking inwardly as she noticed Dia's imploring gaze.
Shouldn't have held your tongue so long, kopelia.
Without waiting for their reply, she snapped her fingers cheerfully and vanished.
Hermione felt a surge of heat as Eleni disappeared and the tension in the kitchen seemed to snap into place, reverberating between master and apprentice like a thick rubber band. Master Kallas shifted her weight subtly and kept her attention on her correspondence.
"When do you leave for Thessaloniki?" Hermione asked, nonchalantly. Still holding the peach, she allowed herself to recline back on the counter slightly as she ate in slow, deliberate bites, keeping her focus on the fruit.
"Soon," Master Kallas responded curtly. Her master's wand effortlessly emerged from the sleeve of her robes and quickly darted above the table, reorganizing the parchments quickly before vanishing them.
As the older witch stood, Hermione sensed the weight of her clear gaze and allowed her tongue dart out to lick a stray droplet of juice. She felt rather than saw her master tense slightly and felt a rush of empowerment.
Master Kallas rounded the table and came to stand before Hermione, a note of concern gracing her features.
"I do encourage you to find time for rest and relaxation, darling. The coming months will soon challenge you in ways that will test the limits of your physical, mental, and emotional endurance. It would be wise to reserve your energy while you can," she said. Hermione softened slightly and vanished the peach to the compost outdoors.
"Please trust that my peace of mind is best served by attention to my studies," she replied earnestly. And it was true. Master Kallas gave her a searching look before nodding, summoning a light set of outer robes and slipping into them effortlessly.
While the fall months on Naxos weren't nearly as hot as summer, they were still far warmer than anything Hermione had ever experienced in Great Britain. They were approaching the middle of November and Hermione generally saw fit to roam about in either one set of simple linen robes or Muggle shorts and a t-shirt.
Despite the weather, Hermione had never seen Master Kallas leave the house without her customary set of three layers and today was no different. She had thought to ask if the woman layered cooling charms into the fabric or if she was simply used to the warmer climate.
Today, Master Kallas' innermost robes of ivory silk skirted around dainty ankles with ethereal ease. Her second set of robes were more architectural, with pleats and folds across the bodice reminiscent of origami. The fabric was a deep royal blue satin, setting off the tanned skin and dark features nicely as it hugged her willowy frame, highlighting her toned body.
The outer robes were Hermione's favorite - another layer of light ivory that wrapped across the witch's waist elegantly like a kimono, but with a subtle swirling burnout pattern across the soft fabric that allowed one to see the deep blue beneath.
Just as Minerva McGonagall was invariably associated with emerald green or Severus Snape had been with all black, Diamantina Kallas never deviated from her standard ivory or deep blue - a constant symbol of pride and love for her homeland, she said. The witch moved toward the open entrance hall and formal living space and Hermione dutifully followed to see her master off.
She vaguely wondered what colors meant to the Wizarding world and whether it was individual preference that so many noted witches and wizards adhered to one color scheme, or if it was yet another hidden meaning that she had yet to discern. A brief thought flitted across her mind as she considered what her own color might be, but it was interrupted by the musical voice of her master, who had finished assembling her things.
"If I may, you look beautiful today, Hermione." Startled by the non-sequitur and the casual use of her name, Hermione met her master's eyes curiously.
Seafoam eyes were now appreciating her body openly.
Hungrily, even.
The sexual tension that had sizzled indiscriminately in the kitchen returned with full force and it was as if her body zoomed from zero to sixty in the span of seconds. Heart suddenly beating like a drum within her chest, Hermione felt the sensuous touch of her master's gaze across her body like the barest graze of a feather.
The contrast between the smouldering gaze and the collected posture elicited a shiver that Hermione fought to keep invisible. Despite herself, she felt the telltale hardening of her nipples against the soft fabric of her suit and saw her master's eyes dart down toward her chest. Full lips parted briefly and Master Kallas seemed momentarily frozen as she stared. The lioness within her preened.
Throwing caution to the wind, Hermione stepped forward boldly, stopping a hair short of invading her master's personal kinesphere. Her lips curled into a soft smile as she let her eyes soak in the supple form of her master, lingering for just a moment on the soft skin of exposed collarbones above the silken line of her robes.
"As you do, my master," she replied with a low purr.
There was a split-second of panic as one dark eyebrow rose slightly - the usual prelude to disapproval, however a moment later there was a fluttering of long lashes and the serene expression returned with just a subtle darkening of her master's elegant cheekbones as the witch lifted her chin.
It appeared her overture was well-received.
Hermione felt herself tip forward slightly and her master leaned away with a sharp intake of air. The older witch seemed to be fighting for composure.
"This is not the time, my apprentice," Master Kallas' voice was soft and strained as she closed her eyes and slightly turned a cheek to one side. Hermione felt a heady sensation as her master's long neck was revealed before her, suddenly aching to lean forward and capture it with her lips and tongue.
Quelling the urge, Hermione took a step back reluctantly. Deep breaths...
"Then I defer to you to instruct me as to the appropriate moment, my master," she replied. Master Kallas took a long moment before gazing at her impassively. Without breaking eye contact, the older witch stepped forward and reached down to grasp Hermione's towel.
Taking it, she wrapped it around Hermione's waist carefully, long fingertips lingering on the exposed skin of her waist. The light touch sent a forkline of pleasure straight to her groin and Hermione fought to keep from gasping aloud. The subtle curve of her master's lips told her that the witch knew exactly what she was doing.
Merlin's hairy balls!
"Enjoy your swim, darling."
Just as Master Kallas was about to turn away, Hermione reached forward and captured a hand, startling both of them.
"And may you have a productive day, Master Kallas," she said softly before lifting the hand to her lips. Rather than brushing across the knuckles, she flipped the hand over to plant a light kiss in the center of the palm. A small sound escaped her master, somewhere between a gasp and a light groan.
Stepping back smoothly, Hermione gave a small curtsy before brushing past the older witch and moving to the door.
While technically an improper gesture as Master Kallas had not dismissed her, Hermione's inner lioness purred as she strode out the door confidently…
All's fair in love and war.