We're nearly at the end of this story now, so before I bring it to a close, here's a little bit of silliness that I just couldn't resist.
For the last time in this story. I do not own any of the Harry Potter or the Thor characters, and I am making nothing from this story.
Hermione had thoroughly enjoyed her trip, and the picnic, but she was glad to get out of her riding clothes and into something more comfortable. Since she and Jane were spending the afternoon exploring the library, she changed into a thin cotton jumper in a shade of blue that she was particularly fond of, and a pair of jeans. Slipping her feet into some flat pumps, she combed out her hair and splashed some water on her face before leaving their chambers. There was no sign of Loki, who had been whisked away by Thor to discuss a matter of diplomacy on which he required his brother's advice.
"He hasn't told you what he is has he?" Sif had clearly been lurking outside, waiting for an opportunity to catch Hermione alone.
Hermione reminded herself that she had faced down much worse than Sif in her lifetime and met her eyes coolly.
"I have no idea what you're talking about Lady Sif"
Sif's face simultaneously brightened in satisfaction and softened in sympathy. It was an interesting piece of facial gymnastics thought Hermione.
"My poor child" Hermione stiffened at the word 'child'. "Of course, he hasn't told you, that much is clear. No decent woman would allow that creature to.." Sif hesitated delicately "... touch her, knowing what he is."
Hermione took a firm grip on her fraying temper. "Lady Sif" she answered with slightly more heat than she would have liked. "Firstly I would like to take issue with your use of the word 'child'. I can assure you that although I may appear young to an Aesir, I am a grown woman by my race's standards, and secondly, I wish you would stop being so evasive. What on earth are you implying about my future husband."
"Lady Hermione, what do you know about Frost Giants?"
"Oh!" smiled Hermione. "I wondered what on earth you meant. Thank you for your concern Lady Sif, but I can assure you that I am..." just to mess with Sif's head, she permitted herself a delicate pause all of her own "...intimately familiar with my future husband's heritage and all that it entails. I had wondered why you apparently disliked Loki so much, now I understand. It's because you're racist. How disappointingly plebeian". Her voice was calm and slightly mocking, but inside her temper was flaring.
Sif looked frankly ill. "YOU are a silly ignorant child, and HE is a monster. He should never be allowed to return to Asgard. They should send him back to Jotenheim where he belongs, not let him swagger around the palace like some little pretend prince. You cannot possibly marry him. That would make your twisted offspring monsters too! You think he can make you happy? He betrays everything he touches"
That was enough. Hermione's magic flared within her, she needed neither wand nor incantation in the heat of her temper. She turned and stalked off down the corridor, ignoring Sif's scream of rage from behind her, intent only on reachingthe library.
x-x-0-x-x
The afternoon was drawing towards its end, and members of the royal household were returning to their chambers to prepare for the second evening of feasting in Odin's honour. Knowing that Jane and Hermione would never leave the library without persuasion, Thor and Loki left the room that Thor now used as his private study with this intention. The palace was full of staff, officials and visitors, so it was no surprise that there were a fair number of children of a variety of ages to be found around the palace and grounds, and over the years Thor, who loved children had come to know most of them by sight. The adorable little dark haired girl of around six years old that they found pacing one of the private upstairs corridors however, was not known to him at all.
Thor hunkered down, so as to avoid frightening her. "Hello, what is your name? I don't think we've met. And what are you doing up here? Where is your mother child?"
Loki was looking at her more closely. "Thor, there is something very strange about this child... look at her clothes, her hair. The pink dress is of Midgard. And what child of Asgard would have pigtails and pink hair ribbons?"
The child shrank behind Thor's legs, trying to avoid Loki's eye at all costs. Thor chuckled. "Clearly you have a way with children Brother. I hope that you will do better with your own."
Loki scowled at him, losing centuries of hard won maturity in a moment, before turning his attention back to the child. A hand extended towards her, he frowned for a moment, concentrating. A faint green glow emanated from his fingertips.
He smiled, in fact, Thor got the distinct impression that he was trying urgently not to laugh.
"Bring her with us to the library, we cannot leave her here. And Thor, I believe there may be a pink teddy bear somewhere in the vicinity. You had better bring that too."
Thor looked perplexed. "What are you about Brother? And what by all the Norns is a teddy bear?"
Peering behind a column, his face cleared. "Ah – that must be it." Collecting the stuffed toy, he hoisted the child into his arms and followed his brother to the library.
x-x-0-x-x
Hermione and Jane had spent a blissful afternoon surrounded by the magnificent library of Asgard. As could only be expected, they had completely lost track of time, so both of them looked up in surprise when Loki entered, nodding politely to the librarian in charge. "Madam, would you grant the All Father and me some time please?" The librarian bobbed a curtsy and hurried away.
Loki strode over to the table where Hermione and Jane sat surrounded by books. He was trying very hard to look stern, but it clearly wasn't working.
"Hermione, do you have something you want to tell me?"
Hermione, looked mulish. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Loki folded his arms and glared at her. Hermione – who had stood up to werewolves, dementors and Bellatrix Lestrange - caved in seconds.
"Oh alright – but she deserved exactly what she got. In fact under the circumstances I think she got off quite lightly. Any other witch would have turned her into a toad – permanently."
Thor was finally catching up. "Lady Hermione – are you telling me that this child is not actually – a child?"
Loki's face twitched. "I believe that the child in the pink dress and hair ribbons, currently clutching a teddy bear is actually - Lady Sif..."
Behind her, Hermione heard Jane gasp "remind me never to upset you Hermione"
Thor took a deep breath, he was perfectly conscious of the humour in the situation, but this could not be allowed to go any further.
"Lady Hermione, may I ask why you turned one of my warriors into a six year old girl in a pink dress?"
Hermione met his eyes calmly. "I am happy to explain, but I would rather tell you in private."
Loki frowned. "Hermione..."
Ignoring his brother, Thor took Hermione's hand and led her to the far end of the library. After a few moments of conversation they returned. Thor's face was stern.
"Lady Sif. I am appalled by what I have just heard from Lady Hermione. After she has turned you back, you will beg her pardon. My brother and the Lady Hermione will be returning to Asgard permanently later this year. If you do not treat them both with the utmost respect, dear and valuable though you are to me, you will find yourself in charge of a small garrison on one of Alfheim's moons. Do I make myself clear?"
Thor then turned back to Hermione. "Lady Hermione, Sister. I entirely understand what prompted you to do something so - drastic. However, if you have any further problems on Asgard I would be grateful if you would bring them to me. I really cannot have you turning my warriors into children, toads, or anything else. Now as a personal favour to me, will you please restore Lady Sif to her adult form."
Hermione concentrated. Without the energy boost from her temper, she needed her wand to end the spell. Once Sif was returned to her adult state, she made a reasonable if grudging apology to Hermione and to Loki, before looking around her.
"What happened to my sword?"
"Ah" Hermione flicked her wand once more, and the pink teddy turned back into something rather more lethal. Outraged, Sif glared at them both, before retrieving her weapon.
As she turned around to make a dignified exit, Loki gave a snort of laughter. Tattooed clearly, on Sif's shoulder, just out of her sight, was a pink sparkly teddy bear...
"And that" Hermione muttered as the door closed behind Sif, "is NOT coming off anytime soon!"
I do actually like Sif in the movies. It's just that she has a bit of a blind spot where Thor is concerned, particularly at the beginning. It struck me that she probably wouldn't take the idea of a happy, married Loki, back at court and in Thor's favour, very well, and would probably try to stir things up if she could. M x
