Chapter 1 - Fallen
Hermione sat in her room, staring out the window, watching as the snow hit the ground, covering it in its white flakes.
The brisk cool air in the house surrounded her and she sighed. It was yet another day she spent cooped up inside, watching as some of the neighborhood children played outside. Their laughter rang through the air. She longed to join in, to make friends. But making friends was quite hard for her when everyone thought she was too weird, too odd to join their inner circles.
"Hermione," The voice of her mum, Jane, floated through the room as she entered, "Why don't you go outside for a bit dear, it will do you some good." She knew her daughter preferred to read over anything else, hence the pile of books that sat atop the bed, but she also knew she had no friends to speak of and that alone worried Mr. and Mrs. Granger.
With yet another soft sigh, the ten year old stood up, doing as her mum asked and walked out of the room without a word.
"Be sure to grab your jacket on the way out." Jane called out to her, hoping her words weren't falling on deaf ears.
The group that had been out playing in the snow, currently creating a snowman on one of their driveways, watched as the young Hermione Granger carefully walked towards them, hands in her pockets. "Can I play too?" She asked timidly.
One of the girls snickered, flicking her blonde hair to the side as she sneered at her, "Sorry but we don't have room for weirdos like you."
Hermione could feel her own eyes watering but she refused to cry in front of them. This wasn't something new to her, but it still stung every time. "I'm not a weirdo." She spoke again, before turning away, shoulders slumping in sadness as she trudged off down the road.
She hated herself, her stupid frizzy hair that she couldn't tame worth a damn, her teeth, everything. This was why she just kept to herself in her room all day long. The collection of books she had were her friends.
The taste of salt filled her mouth and she realized the tears had begun to fall. Looking around, she saw she had gone into part of the greenbelt that surrounded the neighborhood. It was peaceful, just the sounds of birds chirping seemed to fill the quiet air.
Trying to wipe away the tears, she sniffed, her hands now balled into fists at her sides.
Why were they so mean to her? What had she ever done? She knew she was different, she read books and kept to herself but that was mainly because she was shy. Every time she tried to make a friend they always turned her down. Each time it tore at her heart.
"I just want a friend, just one friend!" The loneliness she felt that books couldn't replace, filled her to the core and her anger at herself grew.
"WHY?" She screamed out and slammed a fist into the ground. Sparks crackled around her, a jolt of energy flew through her very being and she gasped, seeing some of the rocks around her nearly lifting from the ground. They floated momentarily by invisible ropes before crashing back to the solid earth.
A yelp tore from her throat and she clutched her hands, wringing them as she backed away.
"What are you…." A voice spoke suddenly and she screamed, nearly falling over as a small figure approached her.
It was a boy, he looked to be around her age. His bright green eyes flashed with curiosity as he came closer. "Who are you?" She gasped.
"I asked you a question first." He sneered at her.
What am I? She tried to make sense of his question. Oh no….he had seen what she had done. He would go and tell her mum and dad and the she would be put up for adoption and …. She could feel herself starting to hyperventilate at the racing thoughts going through her mind.
As she began to wobble back and forth, he suddenly was right there, grasping her shoulders before she fell over.
"Did you…did…." She stammered.
"- did I see what you just did with the rocks?" He smirked, letting go of her. "Yes."
"I…I don't know how I did that…I'm a person….this isn't possible."
He looked at her, wondering if she really had no idea. The shock was evident on her face and her reaction when the rocks had levitated seemed genuine enough.
The last thing he expected to see was one of these Midgardians using magic. For one of them to even be capable of such….it boggled his mind. According to father, there was only one here who could do such things, an old friend of his.
He had come here to Midgard in order to further his studies back home. Unlike his completely idiotic brother who strayed away from his studies when at all possible, Loki, wanted to know about everything. Even the humans who had no magic. Mother had granted him leave to come here for the next year of Midgardian time to study their ways and then he was to come back and continue his schooling in Asgard.
It was a relief actually, as he had no friends to speak of back home. Everyone shunned him. His magic made him the odd one as most did not possess the powers he did. He'd always wondered why he was different from everyone else but mother just insisted that it made him special.
It sure didn't seem like it though, he was constantly the butt of every joke, and even his own brother wouldn't be seen with him unless he had to be.
Being here, where no one knew him was a nice break and he could come and go as he pleased between worlds.
He hadn't expected to end up in London of all places but he found the quiet countryside to be a pleasant and good place for him to practice his magic without being seen and made fun of.
Of course he also hadn't expected to feel the strong energy of another magical person, almost pulling at him in a way to the point that he couldn't ignore it if he wanted to.
"You don't know do you?"
She stared at him, innocent chocolate eyes, unknowing of the power he could feel she possessed.
He sighed and held his hand up, prepared for her to be scared all over again or perhaps take off running in terror. Flames danced in his palm, flowing upwards and flickering in the cold air.
"That's….that's not possible." Her eyes grew wide, watching his palm. "How?"
He blinked. She wasn't running or screaming. She didn't make any rude remarks or look at him differently. Merely, her face was full of curiosity. She was an odd one for sure.
"Magic." He responded simply.
"Magic…" She trailed off, "But, that's just in stories, it doesn't exist."
"Oh really?" He smirked, allowing the flames to disintegrate before her eyes. "Then how did you manage to levitate the rocks."
She grew pale. "I don't know." Lower lip trembled in fear, "I was just so … angry."
Her emotions triggered it, that much he was sure of. He would prove to her that she was no ordinary Midgardian.
"What were you angry at?" He moved closer, watching her, eyes narrowed.
She sniffed, "Everything. Everyone." She sighed for what had to be the millionth time that day. "No one wants to be my friend. They say I'm weird. That I am ugly and to just go away. I always get made fun of and my mum wanted me to go outside today. The other girls were making a snowman and I wanted to make one too…." She trailed off, tears starting to pour down once more, "They said they didn't have room for weirdos."
Her heart broke again, she felt as though she were drowning. It hurt.
He watched, feeling her pain, her anger. Seeing the tears running down her face, he felt for her in that moment. She was like him. Alone. No one wanted to play with them, no one wanted anything to do with them. No one would give them a chance.
The crackles of energy sparked all around them and he was in awe. He could feel it and furthermore, he could see it. She was strong, maybe close to his level which said something since she was still just a Midgardian.
"Do you feel it?" He asked her.
She sniffed and glanced up, "Feel what?"
He groaned, this was going to take a lot of effort on his part. But just maybe….
Before she could say anything else, Loki placed his hands close to her and watched her eyes widen again as he let his own hands hover over hers. The energy that he could feel surrounding them crackled in the air and before either could say a word, a ball of light formed between their palms. The light pulsed brightly before slowly blinking out of existence.
"What…." She opened and closed her mouth a few times, reminding him very much of a fish. "Did we just…"
He grinned, "Yep."
Finally she looked at him, as though realizing he truly existed, that it wasn't her imagination making things up. "Who are you? You never told me your name."
"You never told me yours either girl."
"Hermione Granger." She gave him a small smile.
He hesitated, her eyes lingered on him, waiting for him to tell her who he was. Mother and Father said to never let a Midgardian know who he was, let alone that he wasn't one of them if confronted. Yet here he was, revealing to this strange girl his own magical abilities.
"I can't tell you my name." He grumbled, "Father would kill me."
She stared at him, her curiosity taking over. "Are you from here?"
He shook his head, brushing the raven locks that fell over his face, out of the way.
"I have to call you something…." She mused.
Midgardian names….his mind raced through some of the names he had heard in his travels since arriving here. "Jace." His thirst for knowledge had brought him to one of the small bookstores in the countryside one day. He had found a book which he felt he could very much relate to in different ways called 'The Mortal Instruments' and he'd taken a liking to the lead mortal in the book.
"Jace…" She scrunched her nose up. He didn't look like a Jace but it would have to do. Her curiosity begged her to find out his true name but she didn't want to chase away what seemed to now be the only friend she had.
Days turned to weeks and months turned to a year before she knew it. They had grown close and he had even met her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Granger had been stunned upon seeing the boy who had befriended their daughter but pleased nonetheless.
Every day he would wait for her to come outside and they would spend hours practicing magic away from the prying eyes of other people. The area in the greenbelt that he had found her in became their spot in a way.
As the year came upon them, she turned eleven with "Jace" at her side, teaching her magic day in and day out.
He knew this would happen eventually but it came quicker than he would have liked. His mother called upon him, asking his immediate return home. He was to continue his studies in Asgard alongside his stupid brother.
The timing couldn't have been worse but he could not refuse or father would come for him and then he would really be in trouble.
He thought of telling Hermione goodbye and how upset she would most likely become. She was an emotional one and he knew she would probably burst into tears as he had no idea if or when he could come back.
His mind was made up. He would leave her a note and one of his most valued treasures. That should be okay.
I'm sorry
I have to go back home. Maybe one day I can come back. Don't forget our lessons. And take care of this for me.
….
The letter wasn't signed, just dots ended it as though he wasn't sure what to end it with. Tears clouded her vision as she gripped the paper tightly. She had found it underneath one of the big rocks that lay in their spot. She had come for their lessons and had not expected to find this instead of him.
Her only friend was gone and she was alone again. It hurt. But she should have expected it. She just wasn't meant to have friends.
Her heart fell and she wiped at her eyes, the tears not stopping as she turned to walk away. A glint of light caught her eye and she leaned down closer to see something under the paper.
A beautiful stone lay on the ground, emerald in color. As she brought it up to her face she could see the colors change to form what looked to be space. It was amazing to say the least, she could see the stars and small planets in it.
This must be what he wanted her to take care of for him. Perhaps this meant he would be back soon. With that in mind, she sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm down as she pocketed the magical gem and began her trek back home.
She hadn't realized she wouldn't see him for years to come.
One day, her letter came. A letter which informed the Grangers of their daughter's unique ability and that as such, she was accepted to attend their school to hone her skills and grow as a witch.
To say her parents freaked out was a complete understatement. They thought the whole thing was a complete joke or scam at first. That is until their daughter demonstrated her talent.
It took weeks for them to come around, to wrap their minds around the fact that their daughter wasn't normal.
It was during this time that they realized she would be better off in a place with people who understood her unique abilities and wouldn't be shunned or worse for it.
The day came for Hermione to head to platform 9 3/4 to catch her train. She was excited beyond belief and had basically packed her entire room and by room she meant all her books.
The green gemstone sat on her desk, glinting in the daylight and she reached for it. Staring at it like she had so many times since he had left her that note, she sighed.
Looking at her room one last time, she smiled a small smile and turned, ready to leave. The gemstone fell gently into her jeans pocket and she walked out, ready for this new adventure.