It looks like Hepatica but.........???

I've seen hepatica and when I first noticed these plants they already had fully developed "hepatica-like" leaves but no flowers had appeared prior (like with hepaticas).
I kept an eye on them for about a month and was surprised yesterday to see tiny blooms of pale yellow 3-petal flowers on weak, hairy stems.
The flowers are normally down-facing, with the stalks practically lying on the ground, but I propped these in the leaf divides in order to photograph them.
Others in the same area have varigated, or "water melon-like" leaves but no blooms.

 

Nearby plants:

 

You might be looking at the involucre, the rest of the flower having come and gone.

 

I suppose that is possible but this area is one I've monitored since frost-out and I am pretty sure these blooms are newly developed.
However it wouldn't be the first time I passed an area every day and didn't notice a change.

 

Hepatica usually has three leafy bracts subtending the sepals (tepals) as in this illustration.

 

Yes, it now seems apparent that I did miss the flowering. I'll mark that spot for next spring.
thanks

 

Around here, they flower from late January to March or early April.