Author's Note: Happy Wednesday! Somehow, Wednesday has become the new post day…Anyway, lots of thanks to give out! Thank you to Tina for being an epic beta reader and the little muse in my head always dropping helpful plot bunnies (I'm totally using the RISK idea for the next chapter! You rock!). I also want to thank those of you who took the time to read and review! I love getting to read what you have to say and think, as well as answering my questions! To all the new followers and favorite-rs, I hope you're truly enjoying my story—shoot me a review and say hello! Okay, well here we go! It's time for Draco and Loki to finally have their face-to-face conversation! Woo!
Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, and information belongs to those at Marvel Studios, Warner Brothers, or J.K. Rowling. The title, "Wolves without Teeth" comes from the song of the same title by the fantastic Of Monsters and Men. The cover photo is a mashup I created from photos found on Google. The story plot and dialogue belongs to me. I do not write for profit.
Full Summary: In the age old fight of good versus evil, two souls converge in a battle to stop the end of all worlds. With the universe crumbling around them, Loki and Hermione find themselves connected by more than just their magical abilities. A myth becomes reality when an old foe comes tearing through the realms seeking revenge upon those who wronged him. What will happen when Loki and Hermione discover there's much more to their connection than meets the eye? Will they be forced to sacrifice everything they've ever wanted in order to save the nine realms or will love prevail?
Wolves without Teeth
Pairing: Hermione Granger/Loki Laufeyson
Rating: M (Rated Mature for adult language, violence, and sexual situations)
Part Twelve: The Agreement
Song Recommendations: "Unusual You" by Britney Spears, "Stand by You" by Rachel Platten, "Monster" by Imagine Dragons, and "Come With Me Now" by KONGOS
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"All sins can be forgiven when someone loves you."
— Killian Jones
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The Agreement
It was an interesting sort of atmosphere over the next few days. Everyone fell into their new routine with ease, but there was an undercurrent of trepidation and curiosity over the confrontation that occurred between Draco, Hermione, and Loki. With the entire group diving into their specific duties and responsibilities, it wasn't difficult to avoid certain conversations. However, the involved parties were aware of the lingering unanswered questions and observations that weighed heavily on the minds of their allies, family, and friends. Out of the three, no one was more conscious of this than Hermione, who found herself continually being watched out of the corner of eyes and the topic of whispered conversations. It was clear Loki was not the only one who suspected she still held feelings stronger than friendship for the distressed Draco. The worst part of the entire situation? Now everyone knew Draco clearly still sheltered feelings for Hermione. Why else would he feel obligated to call out Loki in front of everyone?
These queries were the reason why Hermione and Loki found they barely talked in the three days since the disastrous dinner. It wasn't that they'd had a falling out; no, they simply were unsure where to go from here. It was one thing to have an open relationship on Asgard where it was only a handful of their friends aware of their situation, but it was entirely different here among the Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D., and Hermione's friends. The judgmental stares and comments were enough to drive the both of them to irritation. They found it was easier to go about their daily tasks as if they were simply weren't romantically involved. It also helped that there were an abundance of reasons to avoid one another, not only during the daylight hours, but at night as well. With Bruce and Wanda crashing at Hermione's flat and the continual interruptions from owls, the floo, and people just randomly stopping by, they'd neither had the time, patience, or the energy to participate in sexual activities.
It was on the fourth day that the situation would finally come full circle, but neither knew this at the time. Early that morning, Hermione Apparated her current flat mates to the base at Jane's so they could get on with their responsibilities for the day. Immediately, Bruce and Wanda headed into the living room where S.H.I.E.L.D. and Tony set up a sort of surveillance room equipped with video monitoring of the entirety of London. If Fenrir so much as appeared in the city for a second, they would know about it. Loki stood silently next to Hermione as they watched the two go, but made no attempt to follow. Turning to stare down his nose at the anxious witch, he exhaled slowly. He was overly aware of the discord between the two of them, but had no idea how to repair such a fissure. There were certain topics that needed addressed, but neither were ready to do so at present. Sensing her reluctance to separate, Loki decided to break the awkward silence that was currently enveloping them.
"Would you prefer I joined you and the other ladies in the lab this morning?"
Rotating slightly so she could see him better, Hermione bit her lip thoughtfully. She took in Loki's calm demeanor and questioning eyes before sighing and shaking her head. "No, that's alright. I know you would prefer to be part of the surveillance team rather than stuck in the basement with us." Smiling up at him, she made to place a hand on his forearm, but stopped for some reason. Loki watched her movement closely, curious as to why she was avoiding his touch.
Nodding, he pursed his lips before speaking. "If you should require my assistance at any time, you know where I will be." Afraid that she would reject the gesture, Loki swallowed down the desire to kiss her and moved into the living room, leaving Hermione to her own devices.
Once he'd gone, Hermione stood staring at the empty doorway, regret and sadness surging through her veins. It wasn't as if she expected a relationship with Loki to be all rainbows and butterflies. In fact, she expected quite the opposite. However, now that she was experiencing the withdrawal and moodiness, Hermione was unsure what to do about it. She knew he was still curious about her true feelings for Draco, particularly after the way she was treated by her ex at the dinner party. If she were honest with herself, truly and completely honest, Hermione had to admit there may be a tiny bit of love still there for Draco, but it was nothing compared to the overwhelming state of her heart when it came to Loki. Not wanting to scare him away, or chain him to her burdens for centuries to come, Hermione kept her admissions to herself.
Deciding to push her self-doubt away, for the time being, Hermione walked down the rickety, old stairs to the basement. It was time to get to work, and that was something she could easily lose herself in—it worked well enough after her miscarriage, and again when she had to end things with Draco. As she entered the lab, Hermione was glad to see not only Jane and Darcy, but Ginny as well. The wife of her best friend smiled brightly as she caught Hermione's eye and jumped to her feet, running over to wrap her in a warm hug.
"Ginny! I didn't know you were going to be here today!" Hermione returned the hug, relishing in the comfort of her long-time friend.
"The Prophet didn't need me today," she explained, releasing Hermione. "So I thought you could use my help with the research. I'm more useful here than watching all the children at the Burrow."
"Considering we've found less than nothing to help us defeat Fenrir; we could use all the help we can get!" Darcy glared at the computer screen in front of her, causing Jane to roll her eyes.
"She's right," Jane admitted. "We're at a real loss with this one. All the werewolf lore we know from movies and books is fabricated. Only you witches and wizards know the real knowledge of these creatures."
"Well, let's put our heads together and figure this thing out. Fenrir has to have some sort of weakness." Ginny moved away from Hermione's side and returned to the chair she was sitting in before.
"We brought all the texts about The Great Wolf from Asgard, didn't we?" Asking her question, Hermione joined her friends at the lab table and began sorting through the piles of ancient texts.
"Considering you wouldn't leave without them—yes." Darcy smirked at Hermione, who scrunched up her face playfully.
"It's not like we can just pop back and forth between Earth and Asgard for books! Heimdall would have a heart attack!"
"Hermione is right. He's doing his best to keep the nine realms safe. If we needed to come back for a random book, who knows what evil beings could get in?"
"If Fenrir could get through my family's wards during the War and into Asgard, who knows what he's capable of." Ginny opened an old Asgardian text and smoothed a hand over the pages inside. "We need to find something and quick; we've got just over a week until the full moon."
With the fear of Fenrir's impending attack weighing heavily on their minds, the four intellectual women dove into the literature in search of the tiniest hint towards Fenrir's demise. Early morning moved steadily towards later morning, and then afternoon before any of them spoke up about something unrelated to werewolves, Fenrir, or coffee. With her mind so preoccupied, Hermione didn't even notice for quite a few minutes that the others were trying to get her attention. She continued tapping her pen absentmindedly in rhythm with the ticking of the clock as she thought not about werewolf traps, but rather about Loki, who she could tell was feeling unsettled upstairs. It took Darcy five tries to get her full attention.
"Hermione!"
Startled, the witch in question dropped her pen and nearly toppled off her lab chair. Whipping her head so that her hair flapped to and fro, she scrambled to figure out who'd called her name. "What?! What is it?" She calmed, blinking at the three concerned faces peering at her from around the room.
"Geeze, Hermione, I've been trying to get your attention for like ten minutes." Hermione frowned at Darcy's statement, wondering whether it was true or simply an exaggeration.
"I'm sorry, Darcy. What did you need?"
"I just wanted you to stop tapping your pen—it was driving us out of our minds!" With her cheeks tinged with pink, Hermione straightened her disheveled notes and looked for the pen in question.
"Oh! I didn't realize I was doing it for so long…my mind is a bit preoccupied." Narrowing her eyes at the shared look of concern her three friends gave one another she asked, "What? What was that look for?"
Ginny stood from her perch on the lab stool and made her way around the lab table so she could place a soothing hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Listen, we're just a little worried about you, is all. It took Darcy a long time to get your attention. I haven't had a chance to talk to you since the party, but maybe it's time I brought it up."
Closing her eyes, Hermione had a pretty good idea what exactly it was Ginny wanted to discuss, and immediately she began to try and mentally prepare for the onslaught of questions. Without looking at the group, she exhaled harshly, the rush of air puffing the fringe up and off her forehead. "Go ahead and ask, Ginny. I knew this was going to come up eventually." Finally, she opened her unhappy, brown eyes.
"Hermione, we can give you two sometime alone to talk about this." Jane gestured to Darcy who stood from her place behind the computer, a sympathetic look on her face. However, Hermione held up her hand, halting their movements.
"No, it's okay. You two can stay…I should probably talk about this rather than keep it bottled up like I've been doing." She thought about the current state of her relationship with Loki and knew it was time to bring it up to him as well. She could do that later though, when they returned to her flat. Maybe Wanda and Bruce would allow them some alone time like Jane so graciously offered. "I find it easier to avoid crying when there are more people present." Her breath hitched at that admission, but she managed not to fall apart. As her three companions resumed sitting, Ginny in the chair next to her, she shrugged her shoulders. "Ask away."
"Why haven't you ever talked to me about this?" Ginny's first question was rather vague, and through her pain, Hermione found herself lashing out slightly.
"You're referring to my infertility, of course?" Taken aback by the hostility in her friend, Ginny sat up a bit straighter on her chair and looked at Hermione closely, as if seeing her for the first time in years. She'd never known Hermione to be so aggressive when discussing matters of her health. Normally, she was open and forthcoming with information when asked. As if realizing Ginny's current train of thought, Hermione shook her head. "I'm sorry…I don't know what's gotten into me lately. Sometimes I feel like an entirely different person." The soft-spoken apology was enough for Ginny, who smiled tenderly.
"It's the Rime Diamonds."
"What?"
Taking a deep breath, Jane tried to explain. "The Rime Diamonds—they're binding you and Loki together, which means parts of you are seeping into him and—"
"Parts of him are seeping into me!" Hermione was astounded by this bit of information.
"That explains why he hasn't tried to kill any of us lately." Darcy added sarcastically causing Ginny to laugh, her brown eyes crinkling.
"Why didn't I realize this before?" Clutching at her chest, Hermione found herself shocked at this revelation. Not only were she and Loki bound, but they were becoming more like one another, emotionally and mentally.
"Probably because you were too busy screwing each other's brains out." This time, Ginny practically fell out of her chair at Darcy's comment. Luckily, Hermione still had enough sense to grab hold of her arm before she tumbled over. Jane didn't even bother scolding her dear friend's lack of modesty, instead she merely shook her head and hoped to clear things up for her lovesick friend.
"While the nature of her comment is a bit on the indecent side, Darcy is not entirely wrong. You have been distracted lately, and I'm sure it didn't occur to you that being magically bound to someone would have this effect." Jane reached for a folder and flipped it open. "I've been keeping track of the changes in both you and Loki, so if you decide you want to examine my research, feel free to take a look."
Hermione eyed the astrophysicist warily, her eyebrows shooting to her hairline. "I didn't realize I was some sort of science experiment…but thank you; I'll take a look at it later."
"Don't mention it." Jane smiled playfully, flipping the folder shut and then clasping her hands in front of her.
"Anyway…" Ginny muttered glancing back towards Hermione after eyeing Jane suspiciously. "To answer your question, Hermione, yes. I wanted to talk to you about what Draco said the other night. Is it true or was he just being cruel?" Sighing, Hermione hid her face in her hands, leaning her elbows on the table.
"It's true."
Ginny's heart broke at finally knowing the truth. "Hermione…I'm so sorry. I had no idea." Sliding from the stool, Ginny landed gracefully on her feet before drawing her friend in for a brief hug. "I only wish you'd told me sooner."
"I appreciate that, Ginny." Hermione mumbled as her friend released her. "I didn't want to burden anyone with my problems. You all seemed so happy and it just never was the right time…suddenly years passed and I'd finally come to terms with the fact that I may never find the right person to settle down with, let alone discuss having children."
"When did you find out?" As Ginny settled herself back onto her chair, she wanted to know exactly how long her friend had kept this a secret.
"Draco and I had a pregnancy scare a few months into our relationship. It was right after the Hogwarts Benefit dinner actually. He and I went to my Muggle doctor, but she told me I wasn't really pregnant. After many tests, she informed me that the chances of ever getting pregnant, and carrying to full term, were slim to none." Hermione stood then, walking over the grab a bottle of water from the mini fridge. "I think that is part of the reason he stayed with Astoria in the end."
Ginny stared at Hermione's back, her face showing the great confusion she was currently experiencing. "What do you mean by that?"
As she tried to get her thoughts together, Hermione opened the water and took a long drag of the cool liquid. Upstairs she could hear movement from the living room as everyone grew restless for lunch and other activities. A few moments passed, and she knew her silence was becoming cumbersome, so she returned the lid to the water and leaned against the wall.
"Draco wanted and needed a Malfoy heir. I couldn't give him that, and Astoria could."
"But you could have adopted or used a surrogate mother—"
"The Malfoy fortune can only be left to a full-blood Malfoy heir."
"Oh."
"Exactly." As silence descended upon them all, Hermione found herself feeling slightly better having finally discussed her situation with someone. Wouldn't her therapist be proud…too bad she'd stopped going over a year ago. Jane was the one to break the silence.
"Have you talked to Loki about all of this? Did he know before Draco called you out?"
"No," Hermione admitted. "Loki and I never discussed the future of our relationship or the prospect of children. I suppose now we'll have to. Things have been awkward since the other night. I'm not sure where his head's at despite being able to feel his emotions. I'm sure he's feeling the same about me."
"Do you see yourself having a future with Loki?"
Ginny's question didn't take Hermione by surprise as some might think. She met the curious eyes of both Jane and Darcy and knew they wanted her answer just as much as the red-headed woman did. A future with Loki was a precarious subject to discuss, not only because of the impending fight with Fenrir, but also because Loki was a prisoner of Asgard for the crimes he previously committed here on Earth. Hermione had no idea what his future held, let alone where she may fit into it. In the end, she crossed her arms and shook her head.
"I don't know."
"What if he breaks his promise? What if he double crosses us and attempts to rule over Earth again?" Jane was persistent, and Ginny glared at the woman for asking such heavy hitting questions.
"You know I made an agreement with Thor—if Loki betrays us, not only would I be heartbroken, but he'd be shipped off back to Asgard, and I have to go to Azkaban's Private Vaults."
"What?!" Hermione flinched as Ginny shrieked, jumping from her stool. "Why would you make a deal like that? Of course Loki is going to try to betray us—it's who he is! Why in Godric's name would you want to spend the rest of your days living in the dank and despair cells of the Private Vaults?" Sighing, Hermione tossed her now empty bottle into the rubbish bin before walking forward to stand in front of Ginny.
"Because I've fallen in love with him…, and I'm hoping he loves me enough in return not to jeopardize my life." Unable to help herself, Hermione smiled at the shocked faces of her companions. "It doesn't matter—Loki and I are destined to suffer. If one of us dies, the other will feel unappeasable anguish until they follow, and if we are separated, we'll still feel immense sorrow from not being together. I'm a mortal and my time is limited, whereas Loki is labeled as a villain. I can only hope that he passes before me, because Merlin help the universe if Loki has to live through the pain of losing me."
The truth of Hermione's words was enough to make all four women sit back and think. Loki was a formidable god known for his temper and sensitive nature. If Hermione was taken from him either by Fenrir, illness, or simply old age before he was ready to give her up, there would most certainly be hell to pay. Jane watched Hermione's face as she contemplated all of this. When she ultimately died, Thor would miss her dearly, but he wouldn't rage wars over the loss. Loki on the other hand…well, they could only hope he never had to experience such a feat. Jane was pulled from her thoughts as Darcy asked a few questions of her own.
"Don't you worry that Loki is going to hurt you?"
"What do you mean?" Hermione tilted her head as she questioned Darcy.
"Like…I don't know—I guess if he breaks your heart somehow by doing something reckless."
"There's risk of getting your heart broken in any relationship." Godric knew she was familiar with that.
Ginny ran a hand through her fiery hair. "I don't know, Hermione. I feel I'm utterly out of my league here with all of this. I'm choosing to trust your instinct, and I know you claim to love him, but I think we should be cautious when it comes to Loki and his agenda.
"He has hurt you before," Jane pointed out.
"Yes, but not intentionally, and I don't think he wants to risk losing me or whatever Thor has promised him." She had no idea what the two brother's accord consisted of, but whatever it was; Hermione suspected that it was momentous enough that Loki wouldn't risk throwing it away to rule silly little Earth. "For now, we just have to keep an eye on him, and hope things work out. Besides, if the Rime Diamonds really are binding us so that our personalities are becoming one in the same, Loki shouldn't want to do anything that could get him in trouble, or worse, imprisoned."
Before they could discuss the matter any further, Tony shouted down stairs that lunch had arrived. As the four women made their way upstairs, Hermione vowed to discuss her situation with Loki before the tension escalated between the two of them. As Hermione entered the kitchen smelling of shawarma and full of activity, her cautious brown eyes caught Loki's emerald ones. She couldn't help the smile that slid across her face as she saw the worry and another emotion she couldn't quite place. Despite the friction they were experiencing, she knew Loki would want to fix whatever was currently broken between them.
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An hour, three arguments about why they were always ordering shawarma, and yet another retelling of the 'Puny God' story, and Loki was about ready to push Banner to his limit, just so there would be someone else for everyone to focus their attentions on. You would think he'd be used to the ridicule and teasing at this point, but it still bothered him nonetheless. With Thor and Hogun out of the house, there was no one he could torment without dealing with drastic repercussions. He actually enjoyed Wanda's company…, and the fire-haired friend of Hermione's was pleasant enough. If he tested the limits with Jane and Darcy, well, Thor and Hogun would have his head. Coulson was way too sensitive about that whole TAHITI affair after previously being 'killed' by Loki, and Daisy was overprotective of the old man, so she was out as well. With Banner not a wise option for fighting with, this left Stark, but the more time he spent with the insufferable billionaire, the more Loki found he enjoyed the sarcastic bastard.
It was with immense relief that Hermione sought out his presence after helping clean up the remnants of their nauseating lunch. She appeared at his elbow, bringing with her the smell of apples and warm spices. As she placed a hand on his forearm, she smiled gently up at him, her eyes bright in the fluorescent light of the kitchen. Immediately, Loki felt himself begin to relax, the tension and stress of dealing with the insufferable heroes all morning fading away until only she remained. Ignoring the commotion that continued in the background, Loki peered down at Hermione, his breathing and heartrate slowing. As they stared at one another, he reached up with his free arm and tucked that wayward curl behind her ear.
"Would you like to come outside with me and get some air?"
Nodding his consent, he savored the joyful smile that graced Hermione's lips as her hand slid down his arm so that their fingers could tangle together. She tugged gently, and then they were walking silently to the door. Fleetingly, Loki registered Banner asking if she wanted him to come with them, but she shook her head, rejecting the polite offer. He was glad they would have some time on their own—it felt as if they were never alone anymore save for the few hours of sleep they managed each night. As they ventured out into the cool, March air, Loki inhaled deeply, allowing it to fill his lungs, further relaxing him. Still holding his hand tightly, she led them around the back of the house, away from the windows and prying eyes that were bound to watch for fear he might hurt her somehow.
Once they were completely alone, Hermione released his hand and stood staring at him, her eyebrows raised. Loki stared down at her, unsure of what she was waiting for, but before he could ask, Hermione grasped him firmly by his arms and slammed him into the side of the house, her eyes burning with a new kind of light. Surprised by her strength, the breath left Loki's mouth a split second before her lips crashed upon his own. Not one to resist such a persistent kiss, he allowed Hermione to take the lead this time, his hands coming up to tangle in her curls. Vaguely, he realized they would go no further than kissing, but that didn't stop him from grinding his hardening length into the tantalizing witch currently licking her way into his mouth. He was rewarded with a throaty moan as Hermione continued her relentless kiss.
Regretfully, the kiss ended a few minutes later when both were nearly breathless and panting. If they'd been anywhere else, Loki would have taken her then and there with the desirable way she looked with her hair a tangled mess, lips swollen from their kissing, and the flush coating her pale skin. Not a fool by any means, Loki knew they'd come outside for a reason, and as much as he hated to admit it, he knew it was not for sex. Collapsing against the side of the house, he smirked down at Hermione, enjoying the way her chest strained at her grey jumper with each heaving breath she took. As if reading his mind, her cheeks turned an even darker shade of red, and her tongue came out to lick her swollen lips.
"If you plan to discuss anything at all, Hermione, I suggest you hurry before I decide to ravish you for the entire neighborhood to hear and see." Swallowing roughly, Loki watched as her pupils dilated from the very thought as she once again closed the space between them. Instead, Hermione reached up and brushed his own dark hair from his face before placing a gentle kiss upon his cool cheek.
"There will be time for that later, I promise." She backed away then, but not too far. If he wanted, Loki could easily pull her into his arms if he so wished. "I actually wanted to discuss a few issues with you before they got out of hand, or uncomfortable."
"You are referring to what happened the other night between Draco and myself, are you not?"
"Yes. I don't want things to become even tenser between the two of us, especially now that we've...come so far from where we were before." Hermione looked sheepishly at the ground. When he said nothing in return, she looked up and caught his eye once more. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't want you to feel as if you can't trust me."
"Hermione, if anyone can't be trusted, that person is me."
"Don't be ridiculous, Loki." Hermione scolded the god, thoroughly shocked. "I thought we had talked about this before." Sighing heavily, Loki crossed his arms and glanced away, into the neighbor's backyard.
"Sometimes, I just can't help myself. It's in my nature, to be mischievous; I mean." Laughing darkly, he shook his head. "If you hadn't pulled me outside just now, I was planning on seeing how far I could push Banner before he tipped over the threshold he so precariously stands on."
Deciding not to react to that admission, Hermione instead tried to bring the conversation back around to the entire reason she'd asked Loki to join her outside. She would deal with his boredom later, and also be mindful of warning Bruce to his mischievous intentions, so he wouldn't be found off-guard at any point. Examining her lover, Hermione tried to find a way to get him to be more serious. With a deep breath, she stepped back, away from his body in the hopes that some space would allow them to think more clearly. Their bond was constantly trying to get them to touch, to kiss, to become one with the other. It was immensely distracting. The space seemed to work, and Hermione was thankful to the cool breeze that picked up, fluttering both of their hair around their faces.
"Look, I'm not just talking about what happened with you and Draco…I'm talking about my involvement in the entire situation as well."
"Your strength."
"What?" She questioned him, her face crumpling in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"If you hadn't grabbed my arm and whipped me behind your small body, I would have destroyed Draco." When Hermione continued staring at him inquisitively, Loki realized she truly had no idea of the current changes undergoing her body. Uncrossing his arms, he splayed his hands out in front of himself. "Not only is your magically core becoming stronger, but your physical strength is increasing as well. Do you not, at this very moment, feel the visceral strength surging through your body?"
Stumbling backwards, Hermione's eyes widened. She looked down at her palms, flexing her fingers as her mind raced with this newfound discovery. If she focused on her body, really focused on it, she could feel the faint vibration of power that was entirely unrelated to her magical signature. Breathing rapidly, her startled brown eyes shot back to Loki's green ones. He was watching her closely as yet another side effect of the Rime Diamonds was revealed to her. Clenching her hands into fists, her shock became rage so quickly she was fearful of what exactly she could do in such a state. In her anger, Hermione lashed out, glaring at Loki as her fists trembled, and it became harder to control the emotions surging inside.
"What is happening to me?"
Suddenly fearful of the witch in front of him, Loki held up his hands to show he was not a threat. Clearly, she was completely unaware of the changes prior to his bringing it up. With his limited use of magic, he would have no way to protect himself if she lashed out. Trying to appear calm and reassuring, he blinked and attempted a smile or sorts. "Listen to me, Hermione—you are not in any harm from me. The Rime Diamonds are binding us together."
"I'm fully aware of that, Loki!" He flinched at her hostility, taken aback momentarily as he struggled to regain his composure.
Easing forward, away from the wall, Loki closed the distance between them until he could gently hold her shoulders. "Listen to me, love, allow me to explain." The quiet intonation of his voice appeared to calm her, the shoulders under his palms releasing the tension they held. "As the Rime Diamonds continue to bind us to one another, they are making it so that we are one in the same. This means that eventually our skills, both magical and physical, will be of the same level. Neither of us will be stronger than the other. Do you understand?" He barely breathed as he waited for her brown eyes to register understanding. When Hermione blinked, her body relaxing completely in his arms, Loki knew he'd gotten through.
"So I'm not going crazy then?"
"No, of course not. Why would you think that?" Rubbing his thumbs back and forth over the cotton of her jumper, Loki stared affectionately into her anxious face.
"My emotions are all out of control and I just—I don't feel like myself anymore." Suddenly on the verge of tears, Hermione looked aside from Loki just as a single tear fell from her eyes. She flinched as Loki swiped it away, but she did not resist when he took her chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilted her head, so she was looking at his face once more.
"Relax, love. These are all side effects from the diamonds. Have you not noticed the changes in me as well? I find it much easier to control my mischievous side than before, and this is all thanks to your kind and loving nature." Watching as a few more tears escaped her eyes, Loki let the air rush from his nose before leaning forward and placing a chaste kiss upon her lips, soothing her frazzled nerves. "Come now—you must cheer up. Your chaotic emotions will level out eventually."
Swallowing back the burning in her throat from the tears she wanted to cry, Hermione blinked up at Loki. "They will? I'll go back to normal?"
"Not quite normal, no, but you and I will get used to the new versions of ourselves—together." Loki observed as Hermione was finally able to stem the flow of tears, and a tentative smile blossomed on her round face. Her emotions truly were a mess, there was no doubt about that, but he would help her through this ordeal, especially since he was the one who started it. Inhaling a shaky breath, Loki realized his own emotional status was just as fucked up as the woman in front of him. Not only was he finding himself empathic towards the entire situation, he also wanted nothing more than to make sure Hermione was as content as possible. If anyone told him a year ago that he would feel this way now, he'd have ripped their heart out and gladly fed it to Fenrir.
As Hermione once again stepped away from Loki, she found herself wanting to laugh at her own silliness. "I'm sorry for losing it, Loki. I honestly didn't mean to jump down your throat like that." As she used the sleeves of her jumper to wipe away the last of her unreasonable tears, her mind fought to remember the original reason she brought Loki out here. Hoping she wouldn't cry again, she allowed herself a moment before taking his hand in her own and squeezing gently. "There is something else from that night I wanted to discuss with you."
"And what would that be?" Apprehension rose inside of Loki at the same time it flooded Hermione, causing him to step back in case she wanted the space.
"I wanted to apologize for not telling you the truth about myself before Draco crudely revealed it to everyone so dramatically." She shrugged a shoulder, before continuing her apology. "I should have brought it up when we discussed my miscarriage, but it didn't really cross my mind. With our future still unknown to either of us, I didn't want to burden you with the possibility that you may never father a child if you chose to remain with me." Her breath hitched at the end, but she refrained from crying this time, choosing instead to glance away so she wouldn't have to see Loki's disappointment. It was hurtful enough knowing Draco probably chose not to come after her because of her infertility, it would be complete and utter devastation to have Loki react in a similar manner.
That's why it came as a surprise that not even a second later, Loki was forcefully pulling her towards him. Tucking Hermione's small frame against his body, Loki placed his chin gently on her head, relishing the way she fit so perfectly in his arms. "You silly witch. Has this been what plagued you since that appalling dinner party?"
"You mean it hasn't been bothering you?" Her question was muffled as she spoke into the soft fabric of his shirt. Splaying his hands across her back so that he could keep her from wiggling away, Loki scoffed quietly at the absurdity of her query.
"Absolutely not. I was more preoccupied by the rapid progression of our bond." Loki continued holding Hermione securely as he felt uncertainty and apprehension flicker across their connection. "Not to mention, I was appalled by the vulgar way in which Draco spoke to you."
Twisting her head, so she could see up into Loki's green eyes, Hermione couldn't help but question him further. "You're not disappointed by my infertility? I mean—I know we've never discussed a future in which children were a possibility, but doesn't this change things between us?"
Sighing in frustration, Loki readjusted Hermione, so he could hold her at arm's length, his long fingers sinking gently into her arms. "Listen to me, Hermione; I am not saying I agree fully with Draco's words, but I have never contemplated the idea of bringing a child into the universe. I never had the greatest of father figures—Odin only wished to use me as a pawn, and Laufey cast me out simply because I did not conform to the preexisting characteristics of what a Frost Giant should look like. I was expecting to spend the remainder of my days either in the dungeons or find my way into an early grave. Children were not in my future, and I am not dissatisfied with you simply because you are unable to bear a child for me."
Staring up at Loki, Hermione could feel the sincerity behind his words, and relief rushed through her body. Yet, part of her ached desperately knowing that this twisted and tangled Jotun before her felt he did not deserve the pure and utter joy fathering a child could yield. Despite her persistent justification that he was not, in fact, a monster, Loki was still adamant in describing himself as such. He didn't have to say the words aloud for Hermione to understand he agreed that by bringing a child into the universe would only unleash more monsters like he felt himself to be. Even though Hermione disagreed with his perceptions of himself, she was glad that Loki felt no ill will towards her inability to bear his children.
As Loki watched the emotional transformations happening on Hermione's features, he realized that she was probably thinking herself unworthy of his love because of her infertility. Shaking his head, Loki opened his mouth to disprove that line of thought but never got the chance to speak. Hermione barreled into him, wrapping her arms tightly around his body in an unrelenting embrace. His hands flapped about in surprise at her unexpected change in behavior. Her emotions certainly were a tangled mess—going from near tears to sudden joy was an interesting development. As he returned the embrace, he relaxed, feeling her sigh in contentment.
"You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say those words, Loki. For so long I secretly worried that no man could ever want me because of this." Her mumbled confession made his blood boil, but instead of getting angry at whoever made her feel this way, Loki turned their bodies and pushed her up against the wall. Grinding his hips into her as his carnal side reawakened, Loki buried his face in her neck, so he could nibble at her soft flesh.
"I am no man, love. You can be sure of that," he growled into her ear, savoring her shiver of pleasure. Loki wanted nothing more than to make this brilliantly and beautiful witch feel wanted and appreciated in a variety of methods, but unfortunately his endeavors would have to wait because at that exact moment a 'pop' could be heard signaling the arrival of another wizard. Grumbling as his body sagged with frustration, Loki asked, "Were you expecting someone?"
"No…" Hermione gingerly pushed her lover away, both disappointed at the interruption and curious as to who it may be. Readjusting her jumper, Hermione gave Loki a guarded look before peering round the side of the house. To her utter amazement, Draco stood staring at her with a troubled look upon his pale, pointed face. As Loki came to stand behind her, his body a reassuring presence, Hermione felt the tension from earlier returning as she tried to figure out why Draco came to visit. Stepping forward, she couldn't help reaching towards him before closing her hand and dropping it back to her side. "Draco? What are you doing here?"
Grey eyes shifting to Loki only briefly, Draco cleared his throat and stepped closer to the couple. "I've come to talk to you, that is; if you let me."
"What? Of course, you can talk to me." Hermione was shaking her head completely perplexed as to Draco's sudden turn around. Just a few days ago he was distant and moody, but today he appeared remorseful, and dare she say it, a bit frightened.
"I figured you'd never want to speak to me again after the way I've treated you lately." He laughed emotionlessly before running a shaking hand over his face. Hermione noticed the way his jaw was coated in stubble and that the dark shadows beneath his eyes were just as apparent as ever.
"Draco…I don't know what's gotten into you, but if you just talked to me about it, maybe we could find a way to help you." Watching as Draco's face crumpled, she instantly regretted her words, afraid he was going to get angry. Instead, he smiled sadly before closing his eyes.
"There's no helping me, Grang—Hermione. Not anymore." When he opened his eyes, it was like looking at an entirely different person, and for the second time in recent days, she felt a chill of fear run down her spine. "That's not your problem though…I actually came for two reasons."
"What reasons?" Swallowing the dread she felt, Hermione was grateful for Loki's comforting presence behind her as he placed a reassuring hand on her lower back. Once again, she thanked their connection, knowing he sensed her trepidation and wanted to protect her if need be.
"First, I wanted to come and apologize to you for the cruel things I said to and about you." Shaking his head, Draco looked remorseful to the point of tears, but he managed to hold onto his resolve. "If you can't forgive me, I'll understand, but I can't go into this battle knowing that I've managed to hurt you so completely. I did that once before, and I refuse to do it again." Finished with his apology, Draco looked down at his muddy boots, not wanting anyone to see the tears in his eyes.
With one quick glance over her shoulder at Loki, Hermione walked away from the safety he provided to stand in front of her former lover. Draco's head snapped up upon realizing she was in front of him, but Hermione didn't give him a chance to say anything further before wrapping her arms around him and laying her head on his now bony shoulder. His weight loss worried her, but she pushed the thought aside for the moment. He didn't respond at first; no doubt worried about Loki's reaction, but slowly Draco melted into the embrace, his body shaking from pent-up emotions.
"Draco," she whispered against his shoulder, "I want you to know something very important."
"What is that?" His response was laced with tears, and Hermione was unsurprised when a few fell from her own eyes to darken the grey of his traveling cloak.
"I want you to know that no matter what you say or do, I will always forgive you. You and I—" Her voice broke, and she felt Draco hold her even tighter as she tried to get herself under control. "You and I have been through quite a lot since we first met each other, and if I can forgive you for calling me a Mudblood, I can forgive you for things you said when you were scared and under the influence of fire whiskey."
"Do you really mean that, Hermione?"
"Yes, Draco. I mean it with every bone in my body."
As Draco broke down in her arms, Hermione cradled his frail form and found she too succumbed to the sadness that engulfed her. Together they sank into the ground, Draco sobbing uncontrollably into her shoulder, hidden by her abundance of curls. Hermione had no idea what was going on with her former lover, but she would do everything in her power to find out. It was almost as if he was trying to say good-bye, like, for some reason, he didn't expect to make it out of this battle with Fenrir alive. The thought rocked Hermione to the point where she felt faint, but she shook her head, clearing the insane idea from her emotion befuddled mind.
As Draco's crying finally began to ebb, Hermione shot Loki a look to see how he was taking this change of events. She was thankful to find that he'd wandered over to examine the mailbox, allowing her and Draco a moment of privacy. As if sensing her gaze, Loki caught her eye and nodded, reassuring her that he was not upset by her display of affection to her former lover. Hermione suspected that he was holding back his jealousy, so she wouldn't feel bad about the situation, and for that she was grateful. With both of their tears under control, she assisted in getting Draco to his feet once more. Smiling faintly, she wiped away her tears with her jumper sleeve and looked off while Draco did the same. Once they were both presentable, Draco sighed heavily and faced Hermione.
"I should apologize for losing it there…that was a bit unexpected."
"Don't be ridiculous, Draco. I'm not upset by your tears, and you shouldn't be either. I just wish I knew why you were so distraught." Hermione watched as Draco's hands twisted together, clearly uneasy about something still. "What else was it that you came by for? Did you need me to come into work? Have you found a lead on Fenrir?"
"Not exactly…I came to apologize, and to talk to him." Hermione's mouth dropped open in shock as Draco pointed in the direction she last saw Loki. She turned, following his outstretched hand to see Loki leaning against the tree they used for Apparating in and out of the yard. The mischievous god raised his eyebrows as he pushed away from the tree to stride across the yard towards the two Midgardians. As Loki came to a stop in front of Draco, staring down the bridge of his nose, Draco added, "Alone."
"What?!" Hermione shrieked, throwing up her hands and whipping her head back and forth between the two. "Absolutely not! That is a horrible idea! Have you both forgotten the last time you were in each other's presence? Loki nearly walked through fire to rip out your throat, if you recall!"
"He won't kill me today."
Smirking, Loki glanced down at Hermione. "Despite wanting to punch those perfect cheek bones until they fractured under the force of my knuckles, I'll refrain from doing so, unless provoked."
Draco laughed, mirroring the Frost Giant's smirk. "We'll keep it civil. I promise." Grey eyes glared into green as the two ignored Hermione's persistent protests.
"If anyone has cause for worry, it should be me. I am the one without use of my full powers after all." Loki held up his left arm, his shirtsleeve falling back to reveal the black cuff around his wrist.
"Good point." Nodding towards the magical cuff, Draco withdrew his wand from the pocket of his cloak and tossed it at Hermione, who somehow managed to catch it despite being stunned out of her mind. Shrugging one shoulder, Draco taunted, "Now we're even." His stare unwavering, Loki crossed his arms and stood at his full height.
Huffing, Hermione held Draco's wand in her hand and pointed it at both the two stubborn men in front of her. "You're both insane. This is never going to end well."
"Let us be the judge of that, my pet. Now scurry off into the house, so we can discuss whatever it is Draco so urgently wants to share with me." Never glancing her way, Loki enjoyed the way Draco's lip curled at the use of Hermione's submissive nickname.
"Don't you go ordering me around when you know perfectly well this is quite possibly the worst idea I've heard in days! Now you two better promise not to hurt one another." When they both nodded, stare unmoving in a battle for dominance, Hermione finally conceded. Still grumbling, Hermione turned upon her heel and walked briskly to the house, only stopping to enter the passcode before slamming the door closed behind her.
Knowing she would be watching from the window, along with whoever else happened to be around, Loki tilted his head and asked, "Should I put up an illusion so that we are not interrupted or overheard?"
"That would probably be for the best. The information I have to share with you is of the utmost secrecy."
Raising his eyebrows in evident interest; Loki inhaled deeply before pushing his magic outward, weaving together an illusion that depicted a scene of tranquil conversation between the two for those watching through the window. Smiling smugly at his handiwork, Loki managed to notice Banner and Wanda were now at the window along with Hermione. Oh yes—the illusion was definitely needed. With his immediate task taken care of, Loki clenched his fists, prepared to deal with Draco.
"So let's get to it, shall we?" Draco's question was answered by Loki lunging forward, his fist connecting with Draco's face in a sickening crack that flung the fragile man to the cold ground in a tangle of limbs and traveling cloak.
After that initial punch, Loki stepped back, squaring his shoulders and jaw as he awaited Draco's recovery. Not one to stay down for long, Draco pushed to his feet and began massaging his slowly bruising chin. He shook his head and laughed lightly, as if he was impressed. As his tongue darted out to swipe at his newly split lip, his grey eyes met Loki's green ones with a renewed respect.
"I'd say I was surprised by that, but I'm not. I expected no less from a man who loves Hermione. My only astonishment is that you restrained yourself for so long." Righting his robes, Draco shook his head to clear the haze from being so thoroughly punched on top of his other current predicaments.
"It is not my intention to hurt Hermione in any way. Laying hands on you would anger her greatly. She regards you most highly, despite your short comings." Loki hated to admit it, but he spoke the truth. Despite telling him she no longer loved Draco; he was fully aware of the small amount of affection that still smoldered for this man. Loki would have to tread lightly when it came to this one. There would be no further handling unless provoked.
"You've got a mean right hook; that's for sure." Working his jaw once last time, Draco sighed and ran a hand through his tousled hair. "In all seriousness, I've come to talk to you about an important issue."
"I'm listening."
"Right. First off, I need to do the whole former boyfriend, if you break her heart, I'll break your face thing."
Loki sniffed, "I think we've clearly seen who has the upper hand in that situation." He gestured towards the newly formed bruise on Draco's pale jaw, as well as the split lip.
"That's beside the point."
"Then what, pray tell, have you truly come to discuss with me? I'm losing patience, and I do not expect my illusion will fool Hermione and Wanda for long. They are extraordinarily perceptive of illusory magic." Gesturing towards the window, Loki noticed the two women in question already scrutinizing the scene playing out before them.
Nodding gruffly, Draco acknowledged this observation and shoved his shaking hands into the pockets of the traveling cloak he wore. "I assume you heard of the complication that arose when Harry and I found Fenrir in Romania?" Pausing so that Loki could confirm this with a jut of his chin, Draco tried to brace himself for what he was about to share. Swallowing his uncertainty, he exhaled shakily and continued his description. "At one point, I was pinned down by not only one werewolf, but two, and the second one was none other than Fenrir himself."
"How did you survive?"
Ignoring the flagrant insult, Draco shrugged. "Pure luck and a bit of help from Harry. Unfortunately, I didn't come out of the fight entirely unscathed." Reaching for the collar of his cloak, Draco peeled the fabric away from his shoulder to reveal the patch of reddened skin he'd come to loath. The puckered skin resembled a burn mark and indicated the monster he was to become.
An uneasiness trickled up Loki's spine as he regarded the barely healed injury on Draco's shoulder. "What is that?" Draco laughed darkly as he released his cloak, hiding the vile mark from view.
"I think we both know exactly what this is." Gesturing towards the concealed mark, Draco was tired of dancing around the topic. He was ready to voice the real reason he'd sought out Loki, and he wasn't going to waste precious time playing twenty questions with the deceptive Frost Giant. "I've been bitten by a werewolf, and not just any werewolf—oh no—Lucky for me, my good old friend, Fenrir, had the pleasure of branding me as one of his children." As the wind picked up, causing his robes to flutter and a chill of his own to run down his spine, Draco watched as Loki deciphered the meaning behind his words.
"The night of the battle, you will shift into a werewolf for the first time." Glancing over at the window, Loki knew this would be devastating news to Hermione, as well as Draco's other friends and family. "Who else is aware of your secret?"
"No one. I've managed to keep it from everyone until now." Scratching at his stubble, Draco felt his resolve fading as his newfound depression began to overtake him again. "Listen, I can already feel Fenrir's hold over me strengthening as the moon grows ever fuller in the night sky. He knows what I am, and I suspect that's why he told you he was coming for me. He's probably planning to use me as a weapon, and if that happens, you're all doomed. The Ragnarok prophecy will come be. The universe will be destroyed—everything we know and love will be ruined." Taking a shuddering breath, Draco gestured towards where Hermione watched from the kitchen window, a solemn look upon his face.
Contemplating this interesting turn of events, Loki didn't bother looking at Hermione, knowing Draco was here to ask something momentous of him. He intended to find out though, and quickly because there would be terms to negotiate. With the battle just a little over a week away, Loki knew there was little time to take action. If Draco was a werewolf, and seeing him now, Loki could not deny the obvious signs, there was no time to waste.
"Tell me, Draco, what do you want me to do?"
"Kill me."
Loki looked at Draco's miserable face for a few quiet seconds before bursting out into laughter. He cackled so hard he had to turn away, holding his side dramatically. As he continued to laugh, Loki was vaguely aware of the calm façade Draco continued to keep. He waited silently as Loki managed to get his merriment under control, a bored expression on his bruised face. Finally able to cease laughing, Loki shook his head, a maniacal grin baring his teeth as he smoothed out his clothing.
"You can't be serious? If I kill you, I'll be sent back to the Asgardian dungeons, Hermione will never forgive me, and she'll have to spend the rest of her days living in the Private Vaults of your Wizarding prison." Loki gave the ignorant wizard one last look before turning away, intent upon returning to Hermione's side. He didn't make it more than two paces when Draco called after him, causing him to stop and grit his teeth in annoyance.
"You're wrong, about Hermione at least."
Whirling around Loki stormed forward and gripped the infuriating man's robes, nearly lifting him off his feet. As his anger got the best of him yet again, Loki bared his teeth and moved his face so that it was mere breaths away from Draco's. "Enlighten me then. I am not here to play games, mortal." The order was snarled out, the underlying threat evident with every syllable. Shoving Draco away, Loki stepped back, his arms crossing and a sneer forming on his regal face.
Trembling slightly, Draco eyed the formidable god warily, not wanting to give him cause to hurt him further. Deciding to take a few steps back, he tried to regulate his breathing before carrying on with the conversation. If he was going to get Loki to agree to his terms, Draco needed a clear mind, and currently his nerves were shot to hell. Even now, after days of deliberation, he was still unsure whether or not he could fully convince the god to agree to the halfcocked plan he'd come up with in a moment of panic. Exhaling slowly, Draco held out his hands, gesturing that he meant no disrespect.
"Take it easy." When Loki made no attempt at laying hands on him again, Draco continued, "I only meant that Hermione will forgive you—if you kill me for the right reasons. I'm not asking you to murder me for sport here. There are circumstances that need to be met in order for everything to fall together."
"What circumstances?" Loki eyed the wizard thoughtfully, curious as to exactly what crazed kind of plan he had in mind. "I'm not sure what you've heard about me, but I don't just waltz around killing people for fun. I always have a motive, and that's for my benefit." Loki watched as the blond-headed man ran a hand through his hair in obvious frustration.
"I've already explained how Fenrir can control his children with his advanced magical abilities. If I survive my first transition, my main goal is to maim Fenrir enough that he has to retreat, or better yet, so all of you can immediately take him down. From what I've been able to discover these past few weeks, only a werewolf born of his creation, or some sort of powerfully advanced magic can injure or kill the Great Wolf." Draco paused and looked off towards the house, eyeing Hermione's worried face in the tiny kitchen window. "If I can keep my own mind for long enough, I want to attack Fenrir, if not entirely kill him. The only downfall…as soon as he realizes what's happening, he's going to use his hold over me to force me to attack all of you."
"What happens when he inevitably turns you on us?" Loki knew the answer before Draco spoke the words, but he needed to hear it regardless in order to believe it.
"After I've incapacitated Fenrir to the point where he's forced to control me to hurt the others, I'm asking you to kill me before I can do any harm." Draco shivered having finally spoken aloud the words he'd dreaded all these weeks. "Newborn werewolves are utterly erratic and vicious—there's no telling what chaos will ensue if I'm left to my own devices, or worse Fenrir's."
Narrowing his eyes, Loki was hesitant to believe the ludicrous tale Draco was telling. Surely this was not the only option they had to defeat Fenrir. "You said, 'If you survive your first transition'…does that mean you may perish before fully becoming a werewolf?"
"Yes." Nodding once, Draco grimly explained, "It's uncommon, but there are cases where the transition goes wrong—the body rejects the wolf—and the heart gives out, killing the person mid-transformation. It's more common in children and elders, so I'm fairly confident I'll survive. However, I'm not too keen of what will happen afterwards. This is why I need a backup plan, and you are that back-up plan."
"You're delusional—the werewolf venom has warped your fragile mind somehow." Loki gestured about his head, indicating the swirling mess Draco's mind must have become since being bitten by Fenrir. "If for one second you imagine Hermione could ever forgive me for slaying her former lover, you have to be madder than I am myself." Finished with this fool, Loki made to extinguish the illusion once more, but he stopped, facing Draco as the man's words washed over him like a tidal wave.
"She loves you."
Closing his eyes, Loki swallowed roughly in an attempt to calm his erratic heartbeat. "How do you know?" He hadn't meant to ask the question aloud, but once it was out there, Loki knew he needed it answered by Hermione's former lover. Not wanting to see Draco's face, Loki kept his back towards him as he awaited the inevitable answer.
"I just do," Draco breathed. "The way she looks at you—that's the way she used to look at me. It's like you're the only person she sees when you're together, even in a roomful of people." Hope and a tinge of despair overwhelmed Loki as he opened his eyes to stare at the woman Draco was describing. Sure enough, as Hermione watched the illusion before her, she only had eyes for Loki. "She would go to the end of the universe and back for you in a heartbeat. That's how I know she'll forgive you for killing me if the situation calls for it. Besides, if you agree, I'll make a note of our accord in my Will. The only catch…a Wizard's Will has to be magically sealed and will refuse to open for a full twenty-four hours after its owner has perished."
Clenching his fists, Loki returned his attentions to Draco. "You mean to say that for twenty-four hours, Hermione will believe that I executed you simply because you are a werewolf?" Uncertainty made Loki's skin prickle uncomfortably. By agreeing to Draco's terms, he was not only putting his relationship with Hermione at risk, but his own life as well. Thor and the others would be furious, if not driven to lethal actions. At present, he could see no positive outcome for him, besides Fenrir being mortally wounded and easier to take down later.
"Yes…but she will inevitably forgive you because of what I will write in my Will, as well as her undying love for you."
"Obviously, you want no one to know about this daft plan?"
"If anyone finds out, they will try to change my mind. Besides, I'd prefer if the Wizarding community didn't discover my situation. Werewolves are not exactly considered high standing citizens, despite the immense amount of civil rights decrees Hermione's filed since the end of the War."
"Like Frost Giants in Asgard."
"Exactly." Draco smirked; glad Loki found a way to relate to him. "From one monster to the other, I'm asking for your help with this plan. I can't do it without you—if I could, I wouldn't have asked. I know how much you love Hermione; I wouldn't want to jeopardize your future together despite how I feel about you personally." As the Jotun's green eyes widened in obvious surprise, Draco sighed heavily, giving in to his compassionate side. "In order to ascertain your true feelings for Hermione, I had to get under your skin—hence why I insulted her inability to have children."
"You tricked me into showing my hand." Loki smirked and visibly relaxed. "I'm impressed."
Laughing freely, Draco shrugged. "Slytherin."
"I have no idea what that means."
"Have Hermione explain it to you later." Mirth fading from Draco's bruised and worn face, he became serious once more, ignoring the chill from the wind. "Now, Loki do you have any last questions before we move forward?"
"While a few alterations have been made so that I can protect myself from deadly attacks, there still comes the issue of my magical cuff." Holding up his wrist, Loki allowed Draco to examine the restrictive piece of leather. Making a distasteful face, he lamented, "As it is, this will prevent me from stopping your beating heart properly."
"That wasn't a question, Frost Giant."
"Don't test my patience, werewolf. How are you going to resolve this quandary?" His anger spiking as Draco merely rolled his eyes in response to his question, Loki wanted to punch the smirk from the face before him, but managed to refrain for the time being.
"That's simple—those magic cuffs are an MLE standard for prisoners awaiting interrogation at the Ministry. Before we head into battle, and before the moon rises, I'll make sure to alter its magic allowing you to perform any and all spells necessary to achieve the desired end—mine in this case. Anything else? I want to make sure you're entirely on board before we go through with this plan." Draco crossed his arms, trying to appear calm and collected, when inside he was an unsettled mess of doubt and panic.
Lifting his chin, Loki stalked silently as he made a circle around Draco, examining him and contemplating the pros and cons of the deal he was being offered. Stopping in front of the nervous looking wizard, Loki canted his head slightly. "Let me make sure I have this clear; you are going to transform into a werewolf and attempt to mortally wound Fenrir. Assuming Fenrir survives and he sends you at us, you want me to murder you before any harm can be done. Then, I am to deal with the repercussions of this situation for twenty-four hours or more until Hermione, your wife and child, along with the rest of the Wizarding community and my companions are made aware of our agreement and hopefully forgive me my transgressions. Have I missed anything?" This last question was asked a bit sarcastically, but Draco ignored the cynical nature of his query.
Instead, he nodded never, wavering for a second. Draco knew that he was asking a lot from Loki, more than he could even contemplate at the moment, but there was no other option. This plan had to go to fruition—if they failed…if he failed, rather, Fenrir was going to slaughter them all. Watching as understanding and acceptance of their fate formed on Loki's face, Draco thrust out his hand, amazed that the trembling stopped.
"So, do we have a deal?"
Hesitating only briefly, Loki grasped the cool palm that was offered to him. Shaking once, Loki allowed the illusion to fade away so that their true forms were now visible to the others. Still gripping Draco's hand tightly, Loki swallowed back his dread and apprehension before speaking.
"Yes, we have an agreement."
Loki released Draco's hand as a numb feeling of uncertainty overwhelmed him from Hermione's end of the connection. What had he just gotten himself into? With his task completed, Draco waved Hermione back outside. As the witch hurried to their side, Loki was in a daze, barely registering her frantic questioning, or that she'd returned Draco's wand to her former lover. All he could think about was the feeling of betrayal and devastation that would grace her face if Loki had to hold up his end of the bargain. Draco met Loki's eye once more before disappearing from the yard, leaving him alone with the curious witch. He was unsurprised when she reached for his hand and looked urgently into his pale face. Before she could speak, Loki held up his free hand and shook his head, eyes blinking closed for a second before opening once more.
"Don't ask me to explain what he and I talked about because I will be forced to lie to you, and I don't want to do that."
"Oh…alright."
With that settled, Loki used their intertwined hands to tug her small frame into his body, shielding her from the pure devastation he knew was taking place in his eyes. As his feelings cascaded around them, Loki thought about what Draco said: Hermione loved him. Wrapping her securely in his arms, he prayed that after everything was said and done, no matter the outcome, she loved him as much as Draco seemed to think she did. Without a doubt, Loki knew he loved her in return, and that meant he would do everything in his power to protect her—even if that meant murdering someone she loved herself. Ignoring the tears that coated his eyes and made it difficult to breathe, Loki vowed if they made it through this endeavor, he would tell Hermione exactly how he truly felt about her. Until then, he had many monsters to tackle; himself included.
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End Notes: Anyone else all teared up? So emotional. Now, while I know exactly what is going to happen and how in the next chapter, I make no promise that I can write it all, make sure it's perfect, and post in seven days' time. I may need a few extra days, and if you bear with me, I promise you won't be disappointed. The next chapter is the big battle scene, and there is just so much to write and include that I fear if I rush, it won't be as magical as it should be. Okay, with that said? What did you think!? I need to know! The response to last chapter was fantastic, and I'm hoping to hear from all of you! I absolutely love when you respond and I get to reply! Thanks again to everyone supporting and enjoying this story! Until we meet again…
xxDustNight