A/N: I've been away for far too long. Rest assured, this story and several of my others are well-plotted to conclusion. I have a trusty new laptop and hope to be back with more updates. Thank you all for your patience and your encouragement!
-R

Sunday, Nov. 28 (continued)

The villa was quiet when Hermione finally arrived home.

Yiayia had departed at the outer wards, and despite knowing that Stelios and Eleni were only a call away, the large home seemed more empty and lonely than Hermione could ever remember.

The grey day had not dissolved, and though night had already fallen, she found herself missing the reassuring glow of moonlight over the sea as she padded toward the bay windows in the kitchen.

One of the Elves had left a plateful of homemade snacks upon the kitchen counter and Hermione waved away the stasis charm with a quick flick of her wand and quickly palmed a square of halva as she tried not to focus on the weight of her emotions. Her body ached and she rubbed her temples absently, trying to get a fix as to why she felt so completely drained.

"About time you arrived."

Hermione gasped and nearly inhaled a mouthful of cinnamon semolina as she turned and found Eleni standing in the threshold with hands on her hips, one eyebrow lifted in an unconvincing expression of disapproval. Bright eyes held more concern than ire.

"I thought you would be resting," she finally choked, eyes watering as the Elf waved over a glass of water. She drank gratefully.

"Yes, well… forgive me for hovering. Yiayia explained the nature of your meeting today."

Eleni watched her for a long moment, one ear twisting slightly in a manner that belied her worry, even as her small features continued to betray little beyond their typical expression of bored mischievousness. The small tell made Hermione's heart warm.

"How did it go?" the Elf asked after a moment.

"It went well, I guess," Hermione replied, gaze growing distant as she settled upon one of the barstools and pulled her treat a bit closer. Eleni rematerialized on the opposite corner of the center island with a quiet pop!, her large eyes patient as one hand rearranged her skirt absently.

"You guess?"

Hermione wrinkled her nose and took her time with another bite of the dessert as she struggled to arrange her thoughts. There was still so much to unpack from her meeting with Harry and Ron and she had hardly begun to think through all of the tangled thoughts and emotions that continued to swirl through her brain indiscriminately.

Briefly, she found herself wishing for Master Kallas' steadfast presence before pushing the rush of emotion away.

"I said what I needed to say and the boys and I reaffirmed our friendship, but…" Hermione trailed off, jaw working for a moment as she tried to put her feelings into words. She shrugged one shoulder listlessly and swallowed, surprisingly, a wave of tears.

Pressing a hand against her mouth, Hermione heard Eleni shift quietly.

"Oh kopelia… nothing can take you backward in time. And as hard as it is, sometimes the only choice we have is to move forward," her friend said softly.

Hermione took a shuddering breath and made a face.

"That's not what -" she began, wiping her eyes with an impatient finger.

"Isn't it?" The Elf challenged, cutting her off before she could finish.

The words 'That's not what I wanted' had been about to fall from her lips, but Hermione fell silent as she realized that's exactly what she had wanted.

You wanted to step back into your friendship as if nothing had changed… when, really… everything has…

A small hand reached out and pressed itself upon the polished marble between them in a reassuring gesture that Hermione had so recently utilized with her two friends.

"We all want to pick up where we left off, my darling… but you have changed since coming to Naxos and your friends have continued upon their own journeys. That is neither a good thing, nor a bad thing. It's just life. It simply is."

Biting one lip, Hermione busied herself by shoving another bite of halva into her mouth… feeling an uncharacteristic flare of annoyance at her friend's simplistic way of distilling her long circuitous conversation with Harry and Ron and a surge of obstinance, even as she was forced to acknowledge that the Elf's assessment of her situation was sound. Her eyes burned at the corners.

Even without knowing the full story, Eleni is right… as usual.

Rather than making another face as she desired, Hermione settled for a deep sigh.

"I just wish…" she trailed off, tears beginning to cloud her vision again as she tucked her chin and willed herself not to cry.

That the War had never happened? That you hadn't let your friendship lapse? That Master Kallas were here with you now?

"Don't hide from your feelings, kopelia…" Eleni murmured, her small hand finally connecting to Hermione's. The gentle touch nearly broke her and her shoulders shuddered under the weight of a stifled sob. The nameless ache was growing in her chest and Hermione suddenly felt more exhausted than she had felt in months.

"You must allow yourself to grieve for what you've lost, Hermione. Lean into it. Embrace it. Let yourself understand the pain of it," Eleni continued, dark lashes obscuring her large eyes for a moment as her gaze fell toward their clasped hands. "Only then will you be able to move forward again."

"But I haven't lost anything," Hermione sniffed feebly, wiping away another tear even as a distant part of her recognized she was being automatically defensive and petulant. Somehow it was easier to hold onto her frustration and anger than to listen to the Elf's quiet words.

And she hadn't lost anything had she? Her parents were safe. Her friends were safe. Hell, you're safe… and you're ensuring that those you love remain safe as well…

Eleni's expression was pained as she pulled away, small chin drawing downward.

"Well, then… if you haven't lost anything then you have no need for tears, Hermione," the Elf said softly, smoothing out her skirt again. The pressed white fabric was impeccably crisp as always, and despite the gentle tone of voice, Hermione could hear an edge to her friend's words.

She frowned, mouth halfway open to another retort when Eleni's soft sigh cut through whatever protest had been about to spill out.

"But then… it is always easier to grieve for a loss that is tangible. A death. A missing friend..."

Hermione's shoulders slumped as large green eyes unerringly found hers even she felt a desperate impulse to run for her bedroom. The Elf continued with a relentless sort of quiet and she found that she could not look away.

"However a loss of connection? Of innocence? There's no marker for that. No headstone, no empty room, no tangible source for your grief other than the empty space reserved in your heart."

A strange hiccuping sound reached her ears - small and plaintive, as if it had come from a child. Eleni's face was suddenly marred by bright halos of light, as if someone had painted the room in water and Hermione blinked uncomprehendingly.

"And to the grief we experience for an intangible loss… I have found that sometimes there are no easy answers. Some things cannot be repaired. Only carried along as we continue. And you are stronger than most, Hermione."

Another sound followed the hiccup - a rattling sort of breath and a moment later, Hermione realized that she was crying.

Sobbing, really… her shoulders shaking in great heaves that vibrated through her body and left her clutching the marble countertop in a vice-like grip. Her torso seemed to have collapsed in on itself with the force of her emotion, and her throat was burning.

Images floated through her mind - a background reel that was almost cinematic… replaying moments from her childhood, from Hogwarts… Harry and Ron's faces at different points in her life.

Her parents.

Minerva.

For the first time since the end of the War, Hermione allowed herself to let go.

It was time to grow up.