11 Suspicions

Silena seemed to be expecting her when Hermione walked into the coffee shop. Silena called another employee, muttering something about an early break before guiding Hermione to a booth in the corner. Hermione was always happy to see Silena, though this time she felt guilt weighing her down.

"What is it?" Silena asked tentatively. Hermione swallowed. She had never been so blunt before, and neither had Silena, but the look on Hermione's face told her this wasn't just a friendly visit.

"I think I want to go back to England," she said. "I want to go back to England."

"You don't sound particularly sure," Silena said kindly. "When do you want to go?" She looked at Hermione with kaleidoscopic eyes, as if Hermione were fragile.

"As soon as possible. I've got a friend waiting for me," Hermione said. Guilt weighing her down after she spoke the words.

"What about the wedding?" Silena asked, eyebrows raising. "It's my wedding, Hermione, you can't miss it. I was thinking of making you one of the bridesmaids—gods know I have too many sisters."

Hermione only smiled; she knew how large Silena's family was. She'd never met any of them, but she had a good idea. "That's why I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh."

Just then, another boy walked in, one with dark hair and sea-green eyes. Hermione ducked her head at the sight of Percy. Silena, on the other hand, beamed. She turned to Hermione, a knowing glint in her eye. "There's my friend," she said. "Do you mind if he joins us?"

"N-no," Hermione stammered, her eyes averted discreetly. Silena waved Percy over, a big smile plastered on her beautiful face.

"Hermione?" Percy asked. It had been a week since their incident, and Hermione refused to answer the door when he came. It was out of embarrassment, not hate, but Percy still smiled when she caught his eye. She silently cursed Silena, wondering if she could cast a quick Jelly-Legs jinx at her. She dismissed the idea, reminding herself Silena meant her no harm.

"Percy," Hermione greeted, smiling thinly.

Silena didn't look surprised that they had met. Percy took his seat next to Silena, directly in front of Hermione. The tension in the air was palpable, but Silena seemed oblivious to it. She wasn't.

"Hermione was just telling me she was moving back to England," Silena said, watching Percy's reaction closely. Percy raised an eyebrow at Hermione, nose twitching like it had when LA Galaxy scored against Man United.

"When?" he asked but Hermione could see the regret flash in his eyes and her guilt seemed to double.

"Soon," Silena said. "She's going to miss my wedding, it seems." If Hermione were a bit less flustered, she would've seen that Silena didn't seem particularly bothered by what she had said at the moment.

"That's a shame," Percy said, shrugging slightly. "I was hoping she could go with me, actually."

Hermione couldn't stop the warmth creeping up her cheeks. "Well-that is, if you want me to stay... I-"

"Stay," Percy said suddenly. Hermione blinked. What had come over her? Why on Earth would she offer that? Nonetheless, she nodded thickly, a lump forming in her throat. She eyed Silena carefully, suspicious of the playful smile on her face.

"Remind me, again, how you two met," Hermione said, shooting a look at Silena. There was a twitch in her lips that Hermione didn't like.

"Just like I've said before," Silena said, a grin cracking on her face. "Summer camp."

"Must've been great," Hermione finally accepted. "My cousin used to go to summer camp too." Malcolm hadn't been very close, because of her time spent at Hogwarts, but he was like a brother.

Percy's eyebrow was cocked, surprised. "You have cousins in America?" he asked curiously. He looked adorable, but Hermione was fuming at Silena.

"Just the one," Hermione said, crossing her arms as she leaned back in her chair. "Malcolm. We rarely see each other, though. We share the same grandmother, I think."

Hermione watched Percy and Silena's expressions carefully, aware of the looks they shot at each other. Percy's was confused, but Silena's was pleased. "Did I miss something?" Hermione asked, her hand finding her wand in her pocket.

"Nothing," Percy said, cutting off something Silena was about to say. "So you'll go with me? To the wedding?"

"Sure," Hermione said, feeling fuzzy inside. "I'd love to go with you."

When she returned to her flat, the fuzzy feeling had disappeared. Had she been put under a spell? No. Impossible. She hadn't spent any time around wizards lately. Not to mention she was a lot stronger than any spell. It must've been hormones. She retired to her room in a daze, wishing everything she felt would go away.

Percy's P.O.V.:

"You can't use your charmspeak on me like that!" I said, obviously frustrated with Silena. She was staring at me with a playful smile, innocence absolutely radiating off of her. It wouldn't be the first time I was under Aphrodite's spell.

"I don't know what you mean," she said. I rolled my eyes at her.

Sure, she had gotten me a date with Hermione. To a wedding! But after their night together things felt forced. He remembered how reacted the day after as if she was going to explode. He thought he would give her space only for her to ignore him and not answer the door. Then I remembered how dazed she looked as she left. Entranced by nothing. Sooner or later, she'd figure out what we were.

As if she'd read my mind, Silena shot me a look. "I know she's not an idiot. But she's also got almost no clue we exist. Demigods are myth to her."

"Then…" I trailed off, remembering the time she'd cleaned up the shrapnel. It'd been so… magical. So quick. My reasoning was that there still wasn't a cleaning god, as far as we knew… Something else, maybe?

"I promise," Silena chided gently. She had that way of doing that—instilling certainty where there was none. "As long as you take her to the wedding, I won't use my charmspeak anymore."

"You promise," I asked pointedly. She nodded. "Fine. It's only a week away anyways. I'll see you around."

Silena said nothing, instead cleaning up the half-empty coffee mugs we left behind. My mind flashed back to several years ago, the first time I'd seen her do something remotely Aphrodite-an. She had been munching on a box of chocolates that tasted like cardboard, but there was so much beauty at such a heartbreaking scene. At least her father had tried.

"I'd better go make sure she's feeling well," I muttered, resigned.

The trip back to the apartment was quiet. Since I'd met Hermione, Annabeth's voice had been quiet. had Hermione replaced her; maybe. But my guess was Hermione filled a different hole. The chasm Annabeth had left… That might be impossible to ever truely mend.

I knocked on Hermione's door hesitantly, feeling comfort at the presence of the pen in my pocket. If not for its magical properties, I probably would have lost it by now. Five times, at least. She opened the door on the third knock, her eyes wide with surprise at the sight of me.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, clearly out of her daze. My relief was internal, but abundant all the same.

"I was wondering if you were busy tomorrow," I said quickly, the words spilling out of my mouth before I could think. Why would I say that? Gods. If possible, her eyebrows rose even further.

"I have work," she murmured stiffly. I felt my face fall. "But, you could stop by if you'd like."

"Where do you work?" I asked, maybe a bit too hopefully.

"A bookstore near here," she said. "Cute little place. I've got strange blokes popping up all the time. Just yesterday I met twins hell bent on picking up book son Greek mythology." I almost smiled at the British slang.

I froze. "Greek mythology?" I repeated cautiously. She studied my look warily.

"Yes," she said. "I don't know much about it, but then they were muttering about me behind my back, too."

"What'd they say?" I asked. I had a good mind who the twins were.

"Something about a girl called Thalia," Hermione mused. "Anyways, was there anything else you wanted to tell me?"

"Nothing," I said quickly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," she echoed.

Without pausing, I went back down, checking my wallet for money. Fortunately, I had enough to take a cab back home—Camp Half Blood. The taxi driver seemed confused about my choice of destination. I waved it off, promising an extra ten dollars to get me there in under fifteen minutes.

Once I paid the man, I watched the taxi leave before turning to the camp. From where I stood, I could see Festus guard the tree soundly. If I strained my ears, I could hear the chatter of demigods littering the basketball court. With a determined sigh, I took off up the hill.

I knew they were crazy, but what did the Stoll brothers think they were doing?