Everytime We Touch - Cascada

I was quick to cast a silencing charm on my bedroom as I entered and let out an excited squeal which would have brought many of the dwarves running, weapons drawn if they heard it.

This was what I had been sent here for. I was sure of it.

I knew someone from the company died, but I couldn't remember who. Or if it was more than one.

I knew some details of their quest. Hermione had been very excited to talk about it and was even more so when I showed the slightest bit of attention. The first time had been accidental and then she just seeked me out whenever she finished a chapter or something exciting happened.

It was for that reason I remember about some trolls, a pack of orcs and a goblin town but I hadn't a clue the time frame in which they happened or if anyone was hurt.

Startled back from my thoughts from laughter I quickly threw off the unappealing blood stained dress I was wearing and pulled on a lovely green dress that matched my eyes. It was one of my favourites, and something Bilbo got me on my last birthday. Matching it with a pair of green slippers and my cotton cream cardigan I was almost set to leave.

Giving my red curls a glance in the mirror, I almost cringed at the state of my hair flung up in its bun.

Not very appealing and I didn't have time to sort it out, so I tugged it from the ribbon keeping it up and watched as my curls floated down my back until the ends curled around my lower back.

When I stepped back into the hallway, my door closing behind me, it seemed I caught the end of whatever song they had been singing.

Their laughter was abruptly cut off by the banging of the door.

I felt the amusement and fun evaporate as if a Dementor had entered the room. For a moment I prepared for the worst, thinking we were being attacked before remembering that Dementors didn't exist in this world.

"He is here," Gandalf said in a serious yet mysterious voice. This was the one they had been waiting for.

As if they were all in sync and had been rehearsing it, all the dwarves made their way to the door, following behind Gandalf. I noted that even Bilbo was caught up in the dwarves bubble of growing excitement as he perched near the door, looking intrigued.

I somehow ended up behind Fili and Kili, Balin and Bofur standing on either side of me.

I waited with baited breath as Gandalf opened the door.

"Gandalf." I was slightly disappointed at the dwarf at the door. I knew that this was the King Under the Mountain, but I didn't feel the respect I should for a royal. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find." Bag End was the easiest hobbit hole to find in The Shire. It was the home upon the hill. "I lost my way." Well, perhaps he needed to pay more attention to his surroundings. "Twice." Who made him in charge of this quest again? He surely would get everyone lost and no doubt go the wrong way if he couldn't figure out his way around The Shire. "I wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door." He was a bit full of himself wasn't he?

"Mark?" Bilbo said, pushing his way towards the door, looking up at Gandalf with a glare as the wizard closed it before he could look. "There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago." Yeah. I painted it. All by hand too. Not using my magic either.

"There is a mark. I put it there myself." If I wasn't mistaken, Gandalf sent me an apologetic smile before raising his hand to Bilbo. "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company." He pointed at the new, arrogant dwarf. "Thorin Oakenshield."

Oh. I knew his name.

I was almost one hundred percent sure that he died at the end of the quest.

"So…" Thorin Oakenshield said, the doubt clear in his voice as he addressed the room "this is the hobbit." Yeah he was clearly doubting Bilbo and I didn't like it.

As if he could sense my thoughts, Fili glanced at me over his shoulder, his eyes flicking from my eyes down to my mouth. Could he tell I was clenching my teeth to suppress my anger?

"Tell me, Mr Baggins, have you done much fighting?" This dwarf better watch what he says to my sweet older brother or he'd have me to answer to.

"Pardon me?" Bilbo muttered, confused at the question.

"Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?" As Thorin asked the question, I felt a heavy hand settle on my shoulder.

Following the hand up with my eyes, I looked at the grandfatherly ones of Balin. He gave me a tight smile and gave my shoulder a squeeze. Did he know I was about to blow my lid with his leader?

"Well I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know." I couldn't help but smile at Bilbo. He was, afterall the adult conkers champion in The Shire. "But I fail to see why that's relevant." True. Bilbo knew nothing of the quest yet. And I knew it'd be hard to get him to agree to coming on the quest, but I had my ways.

"Thought as much." How could he judge someone by their looks? Bilbo was a braver soul than he could ever hope to be. "He looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

Everyone laughed and that was when I knew I reached my limit.

That set me on edge, so when I saw the oh so great Thorin Oakenshield about to turn around and turn his back on Bilbo, I pushed my way through Fili and Kili, ignoring the flutter in my stomach at Fili's touch and feeling Balin's hand dropping from my shoulder.

"Who are you to question someone you just met?" I asked, my voice bringing complete silence to the room.

Thorin, as if shocked by the voice of a woman, slowly turned, his eyes roaming over me and blinking as if he wasn't sure he was seeing right.

I frowned as he shared a look with Dwalin and then his eyes darted over my shoulder. Curious, I followed his gaze and was almost surprised by the frightened and concerned look on Fili's face.

"And who are you?"

"If I'm not mistaken, Thorin Oakenshield, I asked you a question first," I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest as I turned back to face him.

His eyebrows rose and I didn't know if it was in surprise or anger.

"I am the leader of this quest, and—"

"And that gives you the right to judge Bilbo about the lack of his fighting skills? If you know anything about the world, you would know that hobbits are gentle, kind creatures that see no need in fighting."

"I know plenty about this world," Thorin growled, stalking towards me. He would have been intimidating if I hadn't spent my teenage years with the uprising of dark wizards and being cousins to Harry Potter. "What have you, a mere girl barely out of childhood, faced in this world?"

"Thorin," Gandalf warned and I knew the wizard didn't want to bring up my past. There were few people in this world that knew my true origins, and Gandalf was one.

"I have faced plenty in my life," I hissed, shaking off the feeling of someone stepping behind me. "In this world and in others."

Thorin seemed to pause at that, his head quickly turning to face Gandalf and although I couldn't see his face, I knew he was questioning the wizard.

"Thorin, may I introduce you to Etheldred Rettop-Baggins, the only witch to reside in Middle Earth."

Oh. Great way to put it Gandalf. Make me seem like a treasure and prized possession to these dwarves.

"You're not a hobbit?" Kili asked, the childlike question drawing a few serious looks from the other dwarves.

"No. I am human. Well I was human but when I arrived here in Middle Earth, I stopped ageing and I don't really look like the humans in Middle Earth," I muttered, feeling uncomfortable at the change of events. I was meant to be yelling at Thorin, not answering questions about myself.

"You look like a hobbit."

"Etheldred is of Middle Earth, young Kili. Within her blood she has that of elves, humans, dwarves and hobbits. Blessed by the Valar. Daughter to Aule and Yavanna."

There were many hushed whispers at Gandalf's words and I was struggling to understand them myself. If what Gandalf said was true. Why had no one mentioned it to me before?

"Come, we have much to discuss," Thorin said, giving me one last look as he led the dwarves to their makeshift dining table.

I couldn't face going to join the dwarves and Bilbo after learning the truth from Gandalf so I snuck out the front door and was taking in the night air.

Who was I?

Why did Gandalf say I was blessed by the Valar?

How many years had I been here and not once had they thought to communicate with me.

And he said I was the daughter of Aule and Yavanna.

Was that just in the sense that they had been the ones to bring me here or were they actually my biological parents?

There were too many questions and I knew I wouldn't get any answers from them.

I grunted in annoyance as my fingers got stuck in my knotted hair. A bad habit I had picked up from Harry was running my fingers through my hair when I was stressed.

"Merlin's' beard," I grunted again as my hair managed to get wrapped around the ring I was wearing. "I'm going to cut it all off!"

"Don't." I jumped and spun quickly at the voice that snuck up on me, losing my balance and falling due to the hand stuck in my hair. Well, I would have fallen if Fili didn't catch me. "I didn't mean to scare you," he muttered, and I could feel myself flushing at the close proximity between us. Why was my body tingling at his touch?

Were all dwarves this warm or was it just a Fili thing?

"You shouldn't cut your hair," he said, causing me to blink up at him as if he was stupid. He flushed at my intense look. "It's beautiful, you shouldn't cut it."

"Oh." For some reason, him calling any part of me beautiful made butterflies erupt in my stomach. Is this how Ginny felt when Harry started paying her attention? Is this what Hermione felt when Ron muttered her name when he was poisoned? Did I have a crush on Fili? "My ring's got tangled up and my hand's stuck," I said, feeling like a complete idiot as I tried to lift my hand to show him. "I only meant to cut myself free."

Fili gently ran his hands down my arms, which had my toes curling as he make sure I was safely on my feet before letting me go. His hands rose up, hovering in front of my hair as a contemplating look came across his face.

"Do you… do you mind if I touch your hair?" I had no idea why he was asking. "To help you," he added as if it was a good enough reason to touch my hair.

The amount of times Ginny or Arwen just tried to tackle my hair without asking had me used to someone touching my hair. Even Bilbo gave me a disappointed look every other day when my hair was crazy and waved me over so he could sort my tangled hair into some sort of braid.

"Please, feel free to do whatever you can to fix this mess," I said, waving my free hand in the general direction of my hair.

I was utterly shocked by the gentleness of his fingers, brushing through my hair almost as light as a feather. I almost didn't feel him untangling my ring from my hair until his larger fingers brushed against mine, sending tingles from my fingertips to places I was embarrassed to think about.

It is not appropriate to think like that while I have this gorgeous specimen helping me out.

"There you go," he whispered, making my throat go dry. "Perfect."

Was it me, or was Fili stroking my hair?

"Thank you, I'll get Bilbo to braid it before bed," I told him, catching a hurt look cross his face.

"Does Bilbo touch your hair a lot?" I was shocked to hear a hint of jealousy in his voice but I could understand.

"Bilbo is my brother, he helps out when I need him to, which is more often than I'd like." Fili still didn't look happy with my answer and I felt like I had to explain more. "When I came to Middle Earth I was alone and had no family. I was adopted by another family first, a wonderful family that came to be my father, sister and brothers and was later sent to Bilbo and his mother to enlighten me of all the world had to offer. They became my mother and brother in less than a year."

"What do you mean, when you came to Middle Earth? I have a feeling you don't mean Arda."

He was a smart cookie. I had to give that to him.

"No. You're right. I don't mean Arda. My world, the one I was born in, is known as Earth or Terra." I smiled at him as I saw nothing but interest on his face. It gave me the confidence and courage to continue. "Terra is divided into two species. Muggles, who are non-magic folk, and those blessed with magic, witches and wizards. Muggles don't tend to know about the magical world unless they have a child or family member born with magic."

"And you were from a magical family?"

I had no idea how he knew that but he wasn't wrong.

"I was born into a long line of witches and wizards. Some would call me a pure-blood. My family blood has never been shared by that of muggles. It's not important to me and I think it's quite barbaric. Some people say mixing pure-blood with blood that isn't is tainting it. You would think they would understand that now after three wars but they haven't learnt." Shaking my head, I caught the look in Fili's eyes and knew I must have lost him somewhere.

"Did you fight in any of those wars?" His voice was so soft and concerned it made me smile. Which quickly flattered when I realised what he asked.

"There was no way we couldn't fight in the war. My cousin, Harry, he was, well, he was the main reason the third war started. Voldemort discovered a prophecy that stated he couldn't live while Harry lived which turned into him trying to kill Harry for seven years. My family was basically royalty in the wizarding world because of Harry. I think that was another reason Voldemort tried to kill Harry so mihc, because of the power and respect he was gaining." I paused then because it had only hit me how lost I felt without knowing how the war ended.

"Ethel?"

"I just remembered that I have no way of knowing if we won. I don't know what happened to my family. I was brought here before I could find out."

To my great surprise, Fili pulled me against his chest, his arms wrapping around me, one hand settling at the back of my head while the other rubbed gently at the bottom of my back.

I felt oddly comfortable in his embrace, like I was returning home.

"Shh, you don't need to cry." I hadn't realised I was crying until that point. I was slightly disappointed in myself as I was proud that I was normally able to keep my emotions in check. The twins would never let me live this down if they found out.

"Fee?" We both turned at the voice and I was wondering at first why Kili was calling for me before realising he was talking to his brother.

There was this look on his face. It was as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. His eyes were moving from Fili's hand on the back of my head to the one on my lower back before darting to our faces.

At that moment, Fili jumped away from me as if he had been burned.

It didn't escape him that when he pulled away from me, he also pulled my hair, wincing apologetically as I rubbed my head where the burning pain came from.

"Uncle is looking for you brother," Kili said, a suspicious look on his face as he glanced between the pair of us.

"I will see you later?" Fili asked, the hope bubbling in his voice that I couldn't ignore the excitement building within me. Why was I so happy that he wanted to see me again?

"I'm sure you can find me pottering around the house tidying," I told him, giving him a soft smile as he bounced away and into the house.

Kili stayed by the door and with the intensity of his gaze I was reminded that I had been crying and quickly wiped away any tears left behind. As if it was an afterthought, I brushed my hair, hovering over the spot where Fili had so gently caressed it.

"Did he touch your hair?" Kili asked in a soft voice. I almost didn't hear him.

"What?" I questioned, not sure I heard him correctly. And here I was standing like an idiot defending my hair.

"Fili, did he touch your hair?"

I didn't know why it was so important to him, but he seemed adamant about getting a reply.

"I got my fingers stuck. My ring got caught on a couple of curls. Fili was kind enough to help me untangle myself." A shocked look came across Kili's face and he spun on his heel about to head indoors. "Did I do something wrong?" I asked him, fearful for any rules I had broken.

"NO!" he called over his shoulder as he rushed into the hobbit hole.

I had a feeling that perhaps Kili was lying to me.