Author's Note: Hooray! Another chapter this week! I finished chapter six so I was too anxious to wait until next Sunday to post this one! I recommend listening to the songs as you read this one. You don't have to of course, but it definitely exemplifies the emotions! I'm certain you'll be able to figure out where each song fits in! Also, the songs can be used more than once during the chapter. I am going to create a Spotify playlist at some point or a YouTube one…which do you prefer? You all have been a bit quiet lately, what do you think so far? Shoot me a review or a PM! I love hearing what you have to say and discussing things with you! Anyway, read on my lovelies and enjoy some Loki x Hermione interaction!
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. Yet.
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 Four: Stratagem
Song Recommendations: "Standing in front of You" by Kelly Clarkson, "For your Entertainment" by Adam Lambert, "Undisclosed Desires" by Muse, and "Heart in a Cage" by The Strokes
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"You don't always need a plan.
Sometimes you just need to breathe,
trust, let go, and see what happens."
—Mandy Hale
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Stratagem
Later that night, no—early the next morning, Hermione stood outside on her bedchamber balcony fighting sleep and contemplating everything that had happened since their interrogation of Loki. Running a hand through her tangled hair, Hermione had to admit to herself that everything was in a right state at the moment. For the time being, Loki was magically sealed within his own bedchamber with enough wards to rival Hogwarts, and Odin was in a deep, deep sleep, resting off the remnants of being restrained in solitary confinement the past few years…oh, and the extensive memory charm Hermione had performed on him. Personally, Hermione still felt a bit skeptical about that decision, but it had been Thor's idea to remove any memories of the sketchy plans he had been a part of. She had implanted memories of Loki being put on the equivalent of 'House Arrest' so they could confine him to his bedchamber. Jane had wanted to ensure that Odin would not force them to leave come morning, so she had also included a memory asking them to come and research the lasting effects the Convergence had on the realm. Basically, once Odin awoke in the morning he would have no recollection that he had any part in Malekith's plan, that Loki had imprisoned him and taken his form, or that they were aware of his transgressions.
In retrospect, it was a brilliant plan, but it irked Hermione to force yet another person to forget what really happened in their life. It had been hard enough seeing the hurt and confusion on her parent's faces when she had traveled to Australia to restore their memories after the War had ended. Years later and they still were a bit wary around her, always wondering if she would take away their memories once again. However, Odin was a dangerous force to reckon with. He had been tremendously furious when Hermione had bound him with Veritaligare and they had questioned him about what had really happened the day Frigga had been murdered. He showed remorse over the loss of his wife, but he did not show remorse over the fact that Jane could have died. He also still insisted working with the new king of Jotenheim and the Dark Elves was to their benefit, not wanting to hear that they were most likely playing him for a fool. So it was, that after hours of discussion, Hermione had performed Obliviate and then put him into a magical sleep to relax and rejuvenate him.
Once that had all been settled, Darcy and Jane had retired to their respective rooms while Hermione and Thor escorted Loki to his bedchamber. Thor had roughly pushed his brother into the room, mentally exhausted from everything they'd had to deal with that day. Hermione explained to Loki how she would be placing protective wards around his room, sealing him inside. If for some reason he managed to break free, she would be alerted immediately and they would come for him. She then performed a spell that created a band around his wrist not unlike what a Muggle would wear on their ankle if bound to their home under house arrest. The cuff could not be removed by anyone but Hermione and would also function as a tracking device. Loki had licked his lips, his eyes never leaving Hermione's as she explained how he would be able to use limited magic while in his room, but nothing that could cause someone harm. The wards would also notify Hermione if powerful or large amounts of magic were used in a small amount of time. In short, Loki's magic was nearly useless for the time being until they figured out their next step.
Eyes burning from lack of sleep, Hermione turned away from the beautiful expanse of Asgard and went inside to attempt sleep. Pulling the doors closed behind her, she shut out the sounds of the city below and began pulling the pins from her hair allowing it to cascade more fully down her back. She rolled her shoulders before pulling the lace ties that held her dress together. She felt immediate relief as the deep red dress pooled at her feet. Using her wand to help, Hermione removed the corset that had restrained her for hours, causing deep ridges in her fair skin. She traced the grooves on her skin with her fingertips and shivered before stepping over the pool of material at her feet and walking towards the bed. She flipped back the covers and sat on the edge before sliding under the cool sheets and reclining against the lush pillows. The room was already darkened, so it was only a matter of closing her eyes and letting the rest of the world fall away until sleep overtook her. Unfortunately, Hermione knew her mind would not rest. Too much had happened and there was just so much to think about. Too many questions left unanswered.
The one thing—make that person—that kept popping up in the back of her mind was easy enough to guess: Loki. Why did they have such a connection? What did Jane's ring have to do with the connected dreams? Why exactly had the episodes stopped as soon as Hermione had arrived on Asgard? The last question was interesting enough on its own. Hermione had glimpsed Jane's ring on multiple occasions since their arrival and she had not once had such an adverse reaction as she'd had in the lab. She was curious to see if her dreams would continue, but she was quite certain that this was not something she would have to worry about any longer now that she and Loki were fully aware of one another. As for the mental link, well, that one was still out for deliberation.
Groaning with frustration, Hermione covered her eyes with her forearm. She wasn't sure if it was just complete and utter exhaustion or some type of realm jumping "jet lag" that was making it difficult for her to fall asleep. Her magic seemed almost alive, making her skin tingle and her wand hand itch to execute spellwork. With a gasp, Hermione sat straight up in bed, the covers falling away from her naked body when the realization hit her. It wasn't her that wanted to perform magic, it was Loki. He must still be awake in his room and the wards were notifying her that he was either using magic or testing the boundaries. She suspected it was both. Flinging the now tangled sheets from her body, Hermione grabbed the red silk robe that had been carelessly thrown over a chair to wear for the time being. She then tucked her wand into the pocket before gingerly opening her door and peering into the hallway. All was quiet and empty but that was not unusual given the early hour.
Sealing her own door shut behind her, Hermione crossed the hallway and placed her ear against Darcy's. She could just make out the quiet snores from beyond, so she turned away and began the trek to the upper level where Odin, Thor and Jane, and Loki were supposed to be asleep. The marbled staircase was icy cool against the soft pads of her feet making her walk that much quicker and wishing she had slid on shoes of some sort. She did not see another person until she reached the long hall where Loki's room awaited. Two guards flanked the entrance and she merely nodded at them before surging past. Vaguely, in the far recesses of her mind, she suspected they wondered what she was doing heading towards Loki's room at such an hour, but she did not care. Inside, her heart was thud-thud-thudding and her mouth had gone dry. Her stomach churned with a mixture of fear and anticipation, and her skin vibrated with magic so badly it felt like it was covered in one of the strange creatures Luna was always raving about. Abruptly, Hermione came to a halt in front of the tall wooden doors she had seen only a few short hours ago.
Closing her eyes, Hermione let her hand rest upon the outside of the ancient door, feeling the smooth wood under her palm. Shutting down her mind, she allowed her magic to pulse outwards checking for disturbances in the wards. Forehead crinkling and eyes still shut, she realized that the wards were very much still intact. Just as she was about to return to bed, the door was flung inwards, eliciting a gasp from her lips as surprised brown eyes shot open. Hand still raised in front of her where it had been placed on the door, her eyes found Loki's as he stood in the middle of his nearly dark room. Hermione knew she should reach into her pocket and extricate her wand, but she was frozen in place from shock. Still not saying anything to one another, Hermione allowed herself to examine the Frost Giant in front of her. If it was not for the defensive stance, she would almost suspect that Loki was expecting her visit. He was wearing loose, soft looking black trousers that hung low on his hips, and nothing else. His hair was pulled back into a ribbon and his feet were bare, toes peeking out from the too long pants. Swallowing roughly, Hermione tried to ignore the arousal that threatened to overtake her from the sight his lean, naked chest presented. Instead, she dragged her eyes back to his and whispered his name: "Loki."
Visibly relaxing, Loki stepped back and crossed his arms across his chest, almost self-consciously. "Lady Granger, I was not expecting you." He quirked an eyebrow at her still raised hand so she cleared her throat and lowered it until it was inside her pocket, safely gripping her wand. He watched her every movement like a hawk does its prey and Hermione bit her lip anxiously. "To what do I owe this…pleasure?" He smirked then, slowly, as if anticipating her next response.
Instinctively, Hermione knew she should say goodnight, back away slowly, and return to her own room, but instead she stepped forward into the spacious room. She didn't even flinch when, with a twitch of his hand, Loki's doors flew shut once more, effectively sealing them inside. Alone. Ignoring the fear now gnawing at her, she cleared her throat, never once taking her eyes off of him. "You activated the wards. What were you doing?"
Eyes widening just a fraction, Loki scratched at his jaw. "You could feel that?" She nodded, glancing about the dimly lit room for a second as if looking for something out of place. "Hmm." He did not answer but dropped his arms to his sides before turning and walking away from Hermione, pulling the ribbon from his hair, allowing it to tumble freely on his bare shoulders. "I trimmed my hair with magic. It was getting ridiculous long." He glanced back over his shoulder as he said this last bit, a mischievous grin lighting up his eyes.
Confusion clouding her face, Hermione let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding tightly within her lungs. "Why not just use scissors?" Loki turned towards her again, blatantly rolling his eyes.
"With what scissors, Lady Granger? All items that could be of harm to someone have been removed from my chamber." He opened his arms wide indicating the bare room. "I am quite skilled with blades; of course trivial items such as scissors have been gotten rid of." He leaned against the bed post crossing his arms again and eyeing her almost hungrily, making her uncomfortable.
"I didn't realize." Hermione felt like an idiot. Of course anything he could use as a weapon was removed from his room by Thor and the guards. Walking over to his dresser, she handled the brush sitting atop it as if it had been hurriedly thrown there. Glancing up, she saw him watching her in the reflection of the mirror. "We're trying to trust you, Loki. I hope you understand that. You know better than anyone how deceitful you can be." She watched as his throat bobbed once before he turned his gaze away from her. Straightening the brush, she turned towards him and sank back against the solid dresser, seeking its support. Loki said nothing for a while and Hermione relished the silence. It was calming to her nerves.
"Did I wake you?" Loki asked finally, blinking at her, his hand gripping the bedpost.
She shook her head. "No, I couldn't sleep. If I had been asleep, the wards probably would not haven woken me for such a silly thing as a haircut, but since I was already awake, I could feel the disturbance." Smiling shyly, she laughed. "My nerves are a bit frayed. I overreacted, sorry." She began to walk back to the door when suddenly Loki surged forward, the hand that had been holding the bedpost now pressing into her forearm. A strangled sound escaped her lips when she realized it was her wand arm. "What are you doing?! Let go." She tried to remain calm, but the fear that had nearly dissipated was now rearing its ugly head inside her body. Her fight or flight response was kicking in and she was ready to attack if need be. She resisted the urge to struggle.
Loki's bright green eyes flashed to her lips for a brief second before taking in the rest of her face. They then narrowed as they connected with hers. "Do not lie to me, Hermione. Tell me why you really came to see me."
Hermione squirmed under his gaze, averting her face to get away from those piercing eyes. "Please—please let go of me, Loki." She whispered her request to the floor, praying he would drop her arm and back away. His closeness was making her feel things she knew she shouldn't. Loki removed his grip from her silk covered arm, releasing one finger at a time until his hand was simply hovering above it. She let out a shaky breath as she pulled her wand from the pocket of the robe and pointed it at his chest. Hermione was a bit surprised to see disappointment flicker across his face at her hostility. "Do that again and I cannot promise I will not curse you."
Raising his hands in obvious surrender, Loki backed away from her until he was by his bed once more. "Understood." Dropping his hands as Hermione lowered her wand, he sighed heavily and canted his head to side. "I do not like to be lied to. I was lied to for most of my life about who my birth parents were and who I really was, so excuse me for being a bit defensive."
Hermione tried to get her breathing under control as she took in his words. It was true, after all, those closest to him had kept horrible secrets—secrets that clearly defined who he had turned into. Hermione would have to tread carefully. "I wasn't lying—"
"Well, you certainly were not telling the whole truth either."
She smiled ruefully and tucked her hair behind an ear. "No, no I wasn't." Her gaze wandered away from Loki's as she tried to decide what exactly to say. She noticed that outside the dark sky was growing lighter, indicating dawn was fast approaching. The silence was slowly turning from comfortable to awkward as she delayed responding to his question. She was unsure exactly what to say besides the fact that she needed answers to questions she was afraid to speak aloud.
"Hermione."
She startled, lost in her own thoughts, before returning her gaze to him. He did not look angry, but he did look frustrated with her, and she could not blame him. Here she was barging into his room into the middle of the night, after all. Of course he was irritated. He had probably thought she was Thor or one of the guards coming to harass him some more. The nurturing part of Hermione took over then, causing her to examine Loki more closely than she'd had the opportunity to do before. It appeared that the stress of pretending to be king had taken its toll for he had dark circles under his eyes, wrinkles that made him look far older than he should, and there was a haunted look in those green eyes of his. She was stalling for time, of course, but she did not want to lie to him again. Besides, she really did want some answers. Causing her hair to puff away from her face, Hermione sighed heavily.
"Why me? Why am I affected by Jane's ring?"
Loki chuckled darkly as he slowly lowered himself to sit upon his bed. "Of course you would first ask the question I cannot answer." He agitatedly forced a hand through his dark hair, eyes almost glowing.
"Are you saying you won't answer my question or that you don't know the answer?" Hermione inquired as she took a tentative step towards Loki on the bed. Her wand was still gripped firmly in her clammy hand, but she needed to be closer, to read his face and determine if he was telling the truth. She refused to use Veritaligare again unless absolutely necessary. She wanted Loki to trust her for some absurd reason as crazy at that seemed. He was a known murderer, liar, and all around scoundrel as far as she was concerned.
"Cannot, at least for now."
"Why?" Another step forward. Then another. Her damned feet dragged her further and further until she was the one towering over him, her wand lowered but still aimed at him. If he so wished, Loki could reach up and touch her face without leaving the bed that was how close she had gotten. Or squeeze the life from her throat.
Sighing in frustration, Loki allowed a small scowl to form. "Do you recall what stone is set into that ring?"
"I believe you called it the Rime Diamond, right?"
"That is correct. Do you have any idea what it means?" When she shook her head, he sighed, frustration clouding his features once more. "When you figure that out, ask me again. Only then will I be able to answer your question more fully. Now," Loki's eyes sparkled mischievously, "What other questions do you have for me?" He reached up and tugged at her red silk sleeve, trying to pull her downwards. "Will you relax, Lady Granger? I have no plans to harm you."
"Oh!" Hermione gushed as she was forcefully, but gently, pulled to sit beside him on the large bed. He turned his body so he could lean against the footboard, crossing his legs underneath himself. It seemed a ridiculously casual act, and Hermione felt herself relax just the tiniest bit as she too replicated the position. "I'm sorry, it's just that you're well—you!" Loki chuckled, that sinful smile creeping upon his face again lighting his eyes and effectively warming Hermione from the inside out.
"I am afraid my reputation proceeds me. I assure you, Lady Granger, you have nothing to worry about at least." His face softened ever so slightly as his voice turned serious. Despite his previous misdeeds, Hermione believed him—she believed that while with him, he would allow no harm to befall her. She was uncertain whether this reassurance came from the look in his eyes or the strange connection she felt with him. Either way, she decided it was best to give him the same curtesy so she tucked her wand away and folded her hands in her lap, playing with the tie of the robe she wore. "Thank you." Loki nodded his head once before smoothing out the wrinkles in his trousers. She tried to ignore that pale chest that was now smack in front of her. "I have a question for you actually."
She jerked her head back. "What?" realizing how rude that sounded, she cleared her throat and tried again. "Oh, um…sorry, what is your question?"
"Why can you only perform magic with your wand?"
"It helps guide the magic from my core and projects it forward. It takes a lot of skill and practice to perform wandless magic, as I am sure you know. I can do some spells without my wand but not many. Sometimes it even takes a burst of emotion to allow me to complete wandless magic." Hermione felt herself blush while she explained, worried he might judge her for not being as skilled as he was.
Instead of being judgmental as was his usual custom, Loki regarded her carefully, unsure how to respond without sounding like a complete and utter prick. "Perhaps, if you had learned to control your magic without a wand from the very beginning, like I did, you would be able to go without a wand completely." She was silent for a few minutes, and Loki began to think that he had still managed to insult the beautiful witch that sat before him. Eventually, Hermione let a small smile grace her lips, allowing him to breathe a silent sigh of relief.
"You're probably right. I might have to look into that once I return to Earth."
"Midgard."
"What?" Hermione canted her head to the side.
"You are from Midgard." Loki smirked, causing Hermione to laugh. His smirk turned into a full blown smile at the sound. It warmed him somehow, which was a feat unto itself considering he was a Frost Giant.
"Very funny, Loki. I know that, but I will always call it Earth. It's what I'm used to." Her smile remained as she shook her hair over her shoulders. "Anyway," she continued, "Witches and Wizards are not supposed to use their magic until they go to a magical school at the age of eleven. Some, like me, are not even aware of their powers until someone comes to tell them they are a witch or wizard."
Crossing his arms, Loki quirked an eyebrow. "What do you mean some do not know of their powers?"
Leaning forward and placing her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands Hermione stared across the small space at Loki. "I forget that you had no idea we existed. Here let me explain…"
For the next hour, Hermione explained all about the Wizarding world to Loki. She told him about the difference between Muggleborns, Halfbloods, and Purebloods. She explained Hogwarts and the other schools a magical being could attend. She even told him the story of when she had found out she was a witch.
"So you really had no idea you were a witch?" Loki asked, eyes twinkling from the sunrise just barely creeping in from the open balcony door.
"I had no idea. I just thought all this weird stuff was happening." Hermione said as she shook her head. "I thought I was crazy…I had no friends. My childhood was quite lonely until I went to Hogwarts." She trailed off, looking away from him, a sadness creeping into her features Loki could relate to and that made him angry at the same time. He may have grown up surrounded by a mother, father, and brother, but he had never had any true friends of his own. Lady Sif and the Warriors Three were always more loyal to Thor than to him. He couldn't blame them with the many pranks he pulled over the years, but it still stung knowing he was utterly alone in the universe. Even his true birth family had not wanted him.
Loki was unsure of what to say in response to her sudden sadness, so instead he reached forward and placed a hand on her knee, squeezing slightly. Hermione's head shot up to stare at him, an unknown question in her eyes. "I am sorry—I can relate." She only nodded in response, eyes still glued to his, as he slowly removed his hand from her silk covered knee. "I fear that it is time we both try to get some sleep, Lady Granger." He shuffled from the bed, walking towards the door. He could feel her stare on him the entire time as if she were burning him apart with some sort of laser eyes. Loki used his magic to open the doors like he had done earlier before turning to face her.
Delicately, Hermione untucked her legs, the silk robe a whisper over her skin as she carefully padded across the room towards the door. "Why?" She asked as she stopped in front of Loki, who was now completely emotionally cut off. She could almost feel the resentment and sadness radiating from him.
"I don't think it would go over well for you to be found here when everyone awakes." Loki had no plans of hashing out his troubled childhood with Hermione at present. He also left out the part where he was avoiding the connection he felt growing stronger between them. If she remained in his presence for much longer, there was no stopping him from doing exactly what had played out in their dreams so often over the past few weeks. He suspected Hermione was aware of this fact also, but she had not yet realized the implications of their present situation.
"The guards will know how long I have been here." Hermione pointed out, leveling her stare with his.
"They will not tell anyone unless specifically asked. Now, get some rest, I am sure we will have more to discuss later today as we make plans to visit Jotunheim." Loki waited until Hermione had stepped into the hall before walking forward until his bare feet were a mere centimeter away from activating the wards. Eyes narrowed, Hermione glanced down at his feet, face full of confusion.
"Loki, you're going to set off the wards."
"Then, move closer."
Heart pounding nervously, Hermione stepped forward so they were now toe to toe in the open doorway, her body ever so slightly across the ward line. She pulled her bottom lip inward before biting down on it gently. Loki's eyes shot down to her mouth, his hand coming up to hold her chin between his thumb and forefinger. Every fiber of his being screamed to kiss her, but he knew deep down she would reject him at this point. She knew nothing about him besides the horrible actions of his past. If he bent his head downward, just so slightly tilted to the right, and captured that plump, pink lip between his own, Hermione would gasp, jerk away with a scream, and probably hex him into unconsciousness. No, he would wait. Loki would wait for her to come to her own conclusions about him, their connection, and the feelings that he knew were surging inside of her at this very moment. He would let her be the one to kiss him first.
Inside, Hermione was screaming! What were these emotions raging through her? This had to do with those dreams and that damn Rime Diamond. Her skin felt on fire from the cool touch of Loki's hand upon her chin. She wanted to surge upward and capture his cold lips in a heated kiss. Instead, she let go of her lip with her teeth, licking them unconsciously which did nothing to stem the arousal burning her from the inside out. Loki's eyes followed the movement of her tongue causing her to blush ever so slightly. Taking a shuddering breath, she blinked slowly. She needed to break this spell, so despite herself, Hermione planted her hands on Loki's shoulders and gave him a gentle push backward, away from the ward line—away from her.
They stood staring at one another as the sun pushed further and further into the early morning sky. Hermione's heart was doing that obnoxious pounding thing again and Loki just kept staring at her so intensively she was afraid she was going to burn alive. If one of them didn't break the silence, surely she would go mad! In the end, it was her that broke, unable to stand it any longer. "What is this?" She gestured between them, stepping backwards over the ward line. "What do you want from me?"
Sunlight glowed behind Loki as he shook his head. "Again, Lady Granger, you ask the wrong questions." With that he smiled sadly before the door swung forward, blocking him from view.
Hermione stumbled forward numbly and placed both palms flat against the door's surface, followed by her forehead. She sensed, thanks to the wards, Loki directly on the other side. Gasping for air over the tight feeling in her chest, she closed her right hand into a fist, pulling it away and gently pushing it back silently against the wood. Words failed Hermione as she continued to stand there trying to regain her composure. How quickly she fell to pieces. She wanted to know everything he refused to tell her. Clearly, she had research to do, but her heart—no, her soul ached to be in Loki's presence to learn what she needed from his own lips. Knowing she would get no more out of him right now, Hermione straightened herself back up and began the trek back to her bedchamber.
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Later that morning, Hermione sat quietly in her chair at the banquet table attempting to eat breakfast while Thor and Jane talked quietly. Thor was planning on summoning Lady Sif and the Warriors Three to Asgard for a council meeting later that afternoon. Darcy was supposedly still sleeping as was Odin. Hermione suspected Odin would be asleep for quite a while due to the after effects of the Memory charm she had worked on his mind. She sipped her tea and tried to force some toast down her throat, but her nerves were shot from her encounter with Loki earlier. She continued robotically chewing the toast in her mouth until it practically slid down her throat before gulping her cooling tea. It took her a moment to realize Darcy had plopped down across from her and was trying to get her attention.
"Oh, sorry, Darcy. Did you ask something?" Hermione shook her head to clear it of any remnants of her daydreams.
Darcy gave her a weird look and pointed at the sugar bowl. "Uh yeah. Can you hand me the sugar?" The weary look remained as Hermione scrambled to grab the bowl and knocked it over before righting it and finally sliding it across the table. Hermione cleared the mess up easily enough with her wand, but her actions were suspicious enough to warrant further questioning from her clever friend. "You look like shit. Did you sleep at all?"
Glaring at Darcy, Hermione pursed her lips as she prepared herself a fresh cup of tea. Sighing, she sipped at the scalding liquid, effectively searing her tongue in the process. She rubbed her injured tongue against the roof of her mouth before responding. "No, not really. Loki accidentally triggered his wards just as I was falling asleep so I had to go and check on him." Jane and Thor stopped mid-conversation, causing Hermione to cringe. Now she was going to have to explain everything.
Thor's utensils were slammed onto the table as his anger surged to the surface, automatically thinking the worst had happened. "Loki triggered your wards? Was he trying to escape?" Hermione shook her head aggressively, hair flinging about her shoulders and face.
"No, it was silly actually. He was trimming his hair."
"With his magic?" Jane questioned, doubt underlying the statement.
"He didn't have anything else to use, so yes." Even to herself, it was starting to sound like she was defending the Frost Giant. Clearing her throat, she tried to make it seem more natural. "He didn't realize using a severing charm on his hair would be cause enough for my wards to notify me of his actions. At least we know the wards are working." Hermione smiled timidly as she pushed the last bits of her breakfast around her plate with a fork. Thor and Jane exchanged a nervous look but dropped the subject.
"I am going to see Heimdall so we can summon Lady Sif and the Warriors Three. Hopefully, they can be here before late afternoon. What do you three have planned?" Thor regarded the women as they all looked back and forth amongst themselves.
"I think we'll visit the Asgardian Library and conduct some research like we had originally planned. Maybe there will be something there that will help us prepare for what's to come?" Jane shrugged finally, smiling up at Thor. He kissed the top of her head and bid them goodbye, leaving them alone for the time being. Hermione had thought that the topic was dropped, but apparently Jane was waiting until Thor had disappeared before bringing it back up. "So, you went to see Loki all by yourself in the middle of the night?" Jane let the question linger in the air, marinating with insinuation as it awaited Hermione's response.
Blushing, Hermione averted her eyes. "I know what you're thinking, Jane, and it's not true. Nothing happened." Darcy snorted into her coffee and Hermione shot her a dirty look. "I'm telling the truth. He triggered the wards and I went to check on him." Sighing she slumped back in her seat, no longer enjoying her tea. "We talked for a bit about the differences between our powers…and there was some tension, but other than that it was a normal conversation." After a short pause she ran a shaky hand through her curls and added, "Then he told me I should leave, so I did."
Hermione refused to look at Darcy and Jane's faces after admitting that last bit as she had sounded thoroughly disappointed at the early morning's turn of events, so she continued to stare at her lap. She picked at the lace on the purple dress that reminded her of something you would wear to a Renaissance festival. Jane twisted a piece of her hair around her finger as she contemplated Hermione's tale. "Are you sure it was a good idea to be so open with Loki like that?' Hermione was grateful she did not tease her, but then again, that wasn't the type of person she was. No, that was Darcy.
"Yeah. I can't imagine all the naughty things that might have been running through Loki's head with you in his bedroom!" Darcy leered playfully at Hermione who sent her a stern look in return.
"I don't see a problem with it. I had my wand on me at all times and we were just talking." Okay, now she sounded like a schoolgirl who was dating someone her mother didn't approve of. This was not going to way Hermione had expected. "I thought he might answer some of the questions I have." Jane pulled her left hand off the table, curling into her lap.
"Oh…I hadn't thought about that."
"He told me to figure out why it's called the Rime Diamond and he will be able to explain more to me."
"It sounds like he's playing games with you." Darcy set her empty mug on the table and pushed her chair back, standing and readjusting the green Asgardian dress she wore. "Remember this guy sent a fire breathing robot to destroy Thor, helped Aliens invade New York, and faked his own death. How can you ever trust someone like that?"
Hermione didn't have anything to say to that so she kept her mouth shut and her eyes on her lap. It was stupid to assume that Loki could be trusted after what he had done. How could she ever truly know if he was being honest unless she used a truth serum of her special bindings? Jane and Darcy were looking at her sympathetically and boy did that make her feel even worse. Standing from the table, Hermione tried to quell the hurt feeling in her chest as she followed Jane and Darcy out of the banquet room and through the palace halls on their way to the Asgardian Library. She barely paid attention as they passed through endless hallways.
Mind still distracted, Hermione found Draco's face coming to mind. Draco had been a villain too. He was a bully in school and grew up to become a Death Eater. It was true he had never murdered anyone, but he most definitely had participated in torture, and there was that whole planning Dumbledore's demise scenario notch on his belt as well. Hermione had been able to forgive him for his past transgressions, and so did most the Magical World. He'd just won that award too! Who was to say that Loki could not find a way to redeem himself? He was thousands of years old and would live for thousands still before finally passing on to the afterlife. There was plenty of time left for him to find the goodness inside his heart and change for the better.
She said none of this aloud for fear of being considered a traitor or worse, crazy, but it sat heavy on her mind as the three of them entered the grand library. Thoughts of Loki and his fragile future were wiped from Hermione's mind as she came to an abrupt halt just inside the doorway. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth hung agape as she took in the breathtaking view before her. The library was several stories high with shelves upon shelves bursting with books. There were two spiral staircases on either side leading to the upper levels, as well as a sprinkling of tables with lush looking chairs scattered about. It was the largest library Hermione had ever seen, and her pleasure grew as her eyes looked up towards the ceiling. It was glass allowing the natural light to shine in. There was no question about it, Hermione could spend a lifetime in this library and never be able to read all the books.
Swallowing down her book lust, Hermione hurried after Darcy and Jane to a table at the far end of the room. Jane was passing out books along with scrolls of parchment. "I took the liberty of sending a book request earlier this morning so we wouldn't have to do much digging. As you can see, this library is massive. The Book Guards made sure to gather as many books as possible they thought might help us with our research." Hermione sunk down into the chair across from Darcy, relishing the comfort and wishing Hogwarts had these types of chairs when she had spent endless hours studying and researching back in the day. Jane pushed some texts her way so Hermione picked the first one off the stack.
"What are we all looking for exactly?" She asked, smoothing a hand over the fragile leather binding.
"Darcy is going to research this myth about Fenrir, I'll take on the task of the star charts and the Convergence, and I thought you might like to find anything you can about the Rime Diamond and cross dimension mental connections." Jane plopped a few books in front of Darcy who made a face.
"Don't they have some sort of computer here with this information?" She picked up the giant book in front of her with two hands before letting it fall back onto the table with a loud thud. "You know I'm much more tech than book savvy."
"While some technology may be a bit further than we have on Earth, they do not yet have the type of technology needed for actual computers." Her task of divvying out books completed, Jane took her place at the head of the table. "We do this the old fashioned way."
Darcy groaned, her face falling forward onto the table. Hermione and Jane sniggered before opening their books and getting started. They all settled in for the long research that needed to be executed. It was a few minutes before Darcy spoke again, whispering across the table at Hermione.
"Do you have a pen?" Hermione exchanged a quick look with Jane before sliding forward a spare quill and ink-well. Darcy's eyes went wide before she whined, "Are you serious?" Hermione nodded, causing Darcy to grumble under her breath. Jane rolled her eyes and they all resumed their task once more. Hermione was suddenly thankful for all the years of using quill and ink in the Wizarding world.
The hours passed slowly as they researched. There was still no word from Thor, so they continued working. Jane and Darcy seemed to be finding the information they needed, but Hermione had yet to stumble upon any mention of the Rime Diamond or why she and Loki had shared a telepathic connection across the realms. Becoming frustrated, she pushed her chair away from the table and stood, stretching her arms over her head to relieve some of the tension in her back. Jane and Darcy glanced up so she just gestured that she was going to browse the shelves. With a nod, Jane returned to her work so Hermione meandered through the many shelves, heading towards where she thought the historical section might be.
Fingertips dragged against the ancient texts as she wandered by, wishing she had thousands more years herself to spend in this library. The thought of near immortality was both a blessing and a curse in Hermione's opinion. It was quite petty that the only reason she wished for more years in her life was so that she could read the nearly endless supply of books in this beautiful library. She could not even begin to imagine how it would feel to watch her friends and family grow older and pass away right in front of her eyes as she barely aged at all. It was no wonder that Odin had tried to dissuade Thor from loving Jane, a mere mortal.
Plucking a random, dusty book from a shelf, Hermione wondered if the opportunity became available whether or not she would choose to be with someone if there as a chance one of them would be forced to live lifetimes longer than the other. Granted, witches and wizards did tend to live longer than average lives, but it was nothing compared to the lifetimes of Thor and the other gods. With a sigh, Hermione returned the useless book to the shelf she had gotten it from and pushed her persistent hair from her face as she kept on looking.
Turning the corner, she stumbled into an area where a large map of the nine realms was mounted against the wall. Hermione stepped in front of it and observed the hand drawn details. Gingerly, she placed the tip of her finger on the blueish green circle labeled 'Midgard'. Hermione idly wondered what Harry and her friends were up to right at this moment. Were they worried about her? Were they trying to reach her somehow? Time moved much differently here on Asgard than it did back home. Two or three days had probably already passed without any word from her. She imagined that Harry was worried most of all. Hermione decided she would really have to try and get a message to him via Heimdall at some point soon.
Pushing her homesick thoughts far from the forefront of her mind, Hermione began trying to see what section she had ended up stumbling into. "Yes," she muttered quietly to herself when she noticed a pattern—the books were stored in a chronological account of the different realms. She could see the different sections now for Asgard, Midgard, Jotunheim and the others. Research skills kicking in, Hermione began to cross reference the many tomes in an attempt to find anything about the damned Rime Diamond. Angrily, she (carefully) shoved her seventh or eighth book back onto the shelf before turning away and rubbing her tired eyes with the heels of her hands. Damn Loki, Hermione thought. He could have told her where to look at the very least! The worst part of the entire situation was that Hermione knew he really would refuse to answer her questions until she did as he asked. She may not know much about Loki, but she knew for fact that he was a stubborn prick.
"Hermione?"
She nearly jumped out of her skin as she whirled around, hand covering her beating heart. Jane stood there between two rows of books, her arms full of scrolls and a concerned look upon her face. Trying to get her breathing back under control, Hermione grinned at her friend. "Jane, you nearly gave me a heart attack," she teased.
"I'm sorry." Jane bit her lip, concern still lingering on her face. "Thor's sent for us. We're meeting with Lady Sif and the Warriors Three over dinner in the banquet room." She stopped biting her lip and tilted the corner of her mouth up in a half smile. "Did you find anything useful?"
"Not at all. I haven't found a bloody line about the diamond." They began walking back towards where Darcy was no doubt waiting for them.
"We can come back tomorrow. Is there any way to expand your search? Maybe Darcy and I can help."
"Help with what," Darcy asked as they met her at the exit. She took a few of the scrolls from Jane's arms as they made their way back towards the main part of the palace.
"Hermione needs us to pull our resources to see if we can find out about the Rime Diamond."
Deep in thought, Darcy almost walked right into a pillar before Hermione grabbed her sleeve and veered her to the left. "Thanks." They took a few more turns before Darcy spoke up again. "What do we know about it already?"
"Just that it sparkles with magic, sets Hermione into fits accompanied with telepathic dreams, and was a gift to Odin from his mother." Jane ticked off these facts on her free hand, face screwed up as she tried to think of more information. That was all they really knew though, nothing else had been explained about its origins. She added, "I suppose we could ask Odin when he wakes up."
"Don't bother." Darcy shook her head with a roll of her eyes. "When did Thor get that ring?"
Jane stopped suddenly. "Oh! He got it that time he visited right after Hermione's birthday! That means it wasn't really from Odin—it was from Loki!" A huge grin spread across her face as she stared at Darcy. "You're brilliant! Of course you couldn't' find anything in the Asgardian history, Hermione", she turned her attention to the witch. "We're going to want to check the books on Jotunheim!"
Not once had it occurred to Hermione that Loki had been the one to gift Thor the Rime Diamond. If it was a relic from Jotunheim that meant Loki had possibly given it to Jane on purpose, but for what reason? What special properties did it hold? They knew that it was the key to her telepathic connection, but that still didn't explain why he had wanted Jane to have it. He had to have known Thor was going to propose with it. The entire situation was still extremely sketchy to Hermione. She wracked her brain for anything else that might clear this confusion up but had no luck.
"Maybe he will tell me why it's significant…I doubt it though. It was as if he wanted me to understand it myself, if that even makes any sense."
Jane was holding her left hand up and staring at the ring upon her hand intensely. She pushed the scrolls in her arms into Darcy's and slid the dainty ring from her hand before turning and holding it out to Hermione. "I'm not sure I should be wearing this, do you think it's okay if you touch it or should I hold onto it for now? It clearly doesn't affect you in this realm like it did on Earth." Her worried eyes met Hermione's frightened ones.
Hermione stared at the ring intently for a moment before reaching out, palm up, and letting Jane drop it. She closed her hand around the ring and nothing happened, she didn't even breathe. They stood quietly, awaiting any disturbance from the Rime Diamond, but it appeared there was nothing to worry about. Hermione squeezed her fist harder around the ring before sliding her eyes back up to Jane's face. "What are you going to tell Thor?"
"The truth." Jane explained as she took back the scrolls she had thrown at Darcy. They resumed their walking, the smell of dinner permeating the air the closer the got to the banquet room. "I don't think he would feel it was right for me to wear it considering it's not even of his family. We can find something else. I don't really even need a fancy ring as long as I have Thor." Darcy gagged and Hermione laughed as Jane joined in also, effectively breaking the anxious feeling that had begun to envelope them all upon realizing the ring was a relic of Jotunheim.
They were nearly to the banquet hall, but Hermione couldn't help wishing she could rush back towards the library and devour the books in the Jotunheim section in search of a reference to the ring she felt digging into her palm. She paused briefly, unclasping the simple gold chain around her neck to add the ring before securing it once more. Darcy and Jane had continued walking so Hermione rushed back to their sides. Upon entering the banquet hall, Jane and Darcy deposited their scrolls onto the table near the door while Hermione moved forward into the room. Hermione took in the sight of the three male and one female warrior. Lady Sif was in the corner talking with Thor who had become immediately distracted when Jane had walked into the room. By the tight, pinched look upon Lady Sif's face, she had been in love with Thor at one point…or possibly she still was. Hermione knew that feeling. How many Ministry galas and dinner with her friends had she attended where Draco and Astoria had been there arm-in-arm? Countless. Smiling to herself, Hermione thought that she and Lady Sif would no doubt get along perfectly.
She walked forward until she was next to the two she had just been scrutinizing. "Hello," she said reaching out with her wand hand, "I'm Hermione Granger. What a true honor to meet you, Lady Sif."
Lady Sif, tilted her head with a smile and grabbed hold of her hand with one of the strongest grips Hermione had ever encountered. "It is an honor to meet you, Lady Granger. Thor has told me much about you and your abilities. I would love to hear of how you helped win the Wizarding War."
"I wish to hear more about you, as well." After that, the others were introduced and Hermione and Darcy had to briefly explain who they were and why they had come to Asgard. Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg were quite impressive, and Hermione couldn't believe she was meeting yet three more gods. It was baffling to her that there were so many of them together under one roof. The seven of them stood talking until the last of the meal was brought in and set upon the table ready to be served.
"Let us feast!" Thor gestured towards the abundance of food, so they all sat down. Thor at the head of the table with Jane to his right and Darcy next to her. Lady Sif sat to his left followed by the Warriors Three. Hermione, unsure of where to sit, plopped down next to Darcy for the meal. The group made idle conversation while wine was poured and meats were carved. Hermione was astounded at the amount of food Volstagg piled onto his plate, not because of the amount, but more because Ron could pack away nearly the same! She whispered this observation to Darcy who had seen Ron eat on numerous occasions while at their flat, and she had to agree. The two shared a silent giggle as Jane gave them a look indicating they should mind their manners. Raising her eyebrows, Hermione stifled her laughter for the moment.
As they ate, the conversation slowly began to turn towards what needed to be done about the army of Dark Elves on Jotunheim. The new king, Thrym, was refusing their entry and had not yet returned their correspondence. Thor, had sent word that he was aware of Odin's treacherous deal with Malekith and Thrym and wanted to rework the deal, cutting out the Dark Elves before Fenrir had the chance to join sides with them. Lady Sif suggested that Thor, The Warriors Three, and herself set out first thing the next day and force Thrym to talk with them.
"You can't do that!" Jane said, shaking her head frantically. "That is bound to start a war right off the bat. We need to keep it to a minimum of one or two that go—three tops. That way Thrym doesn't feel threatened and engage you in battle."
"Who do you suggest we send then?" Hogun questioned with a raised eyebrow. Jane sat back, unsure of how to respond. All of them were aware that sending Thor would be seen as a threat. Hell, sending any of the warriors gathered would be seen as a threat. They needed someone unknown, but skilled, or someone who may not be seen as a threat right away. The realization crashed into Hermione with such force, that her hand shook, dribbling wine over the back of it.
"You can send me."
All faces turned to face her, mouths dropping open and eyebrows lifting towards hairlines. She set her glass down, wiping the red wine from her hand before clearing her throat. "You can send me, with Loki as my escort."
"You know not what you are saying, Hermione." Thor stated while shaking his head, blond hair falling about his shoulders. She shot him a glare laden with such hostility, Thor jerked backwards.
"Pardon my forwardness, Thor, but I know exactly what I'm talking about. I too have fought in a war. I may not be a goddess with near immortality, but I am a witch, and a damn good one at that. Despite hating the title, I'm known as the Brightest Witch of my Age. I had the top marks all through school, and if it wasn't for my resourcefulness, Harry would never have been able to defeat the darkest wizard of all time. I also happen to be the only woman in the wizarding world to climb to Head of Department as quickly as I managed." She took a breath and leaned forward, invading Darcy's space. "So, excuse me if I take offense to your unintentional insult, but I know exactly what you need for this mission." Hermione leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms in an almost arrogant way. "In order to get a chance to talk with Thrym, you need to send someone with fighting abilities, but who is unknown to him. You must also send a familiar face that should not be seen as a threat." She gestured with one hand. "It's the only way for this to work."
Sitting back in the chair at the head of the table, Thor scrubbed his face with his hand. All were silent, even Darcy, as the God of Thunder processed this information. Lady Sif shot Hermione a small smile of encouragement accompanied with a wide eyed look. The Warriors Three chewed their food silently, the only sound coming from the scraping of silverware upon plates. Finally, with a sigh, Thor shook his head, his blond hair flinging back and forth.
"First, Hermione, I feel as though I should apologize." He nodded his head at her, hand placed over his heart as he said this. "It was not my intention, as you said, to insult you with my words. Be that as it may, I am hesitant to think that including Loki in our plans would be of our best interest. From prior experience, it is quite obvious that Loki is only willing to contribute when there is something for him to gain from the situation." He shrugged both shoulders before reaching forward for his goblet of wine. "I do not think I need to remind you of the last time he and I joined forces."
Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course she was aware of Loki's misgivings. That was the entire reason she had accidentally on purpose made the trip! Despite these annoyances, Hermione kept the calm manner about her as she breathed deeply out her nose. She felt Darcy pinch her leg under the table, so maybe she was not as successful at this feat as she thought. With one last attempt to quell her anger, Hermione swallowed a mouthful of wine before returning her own goblet to the table with a definitive clunk. Readjusting herself so that she was sitting a bit straighter, she laced her fingers together on the table in front of her and prepared to win over those who doubted her, just like she did hundreds of times before while fighting for the rights of House Elves.
"I see your point, Thor, but you are failing to see mine. Loki, while not necessary their ally, is not their enemy either at this point. He is their Switzerland, so to speak. Ideally, he would be able to go and talk to Thrym without them attacking right away."
"He killed their king, Laufey." Darcy pointed out this fact, causing Hermione to have to rethink her argument.
"He did, but this allowed for Thrym to ascend the throne. Loki did not take it for himself, so we can use that to our advantage." Jane pursed her lips and swiveled her head to look at Thor who was regarding Hermione carefully.
"She does have a point. Loki very well could have stormed Jotunheim after defeating Laufey and rose to power there." Thor still said nothing, for once he was trying to be the kind of ruler that looked at every perspective before just rushing into battle. It was what Odin had always tried to teach him. Finally, resolution leaked onto his weary face.
"There will have to be strict specifications before Loki may take part in this excursion." Thor reached for his goblet, and raised it towards Hermione. "I would like to hear how you plan to control Loki for he can be quite overpowering when he wants to be."
"I want to know how you plan on not getting killed! What if Loki turns on you?" Jane's full attention was on Hermione, her eyes wide with fear. Hermione immediately felt herself soften at the knowledge that Jane was worried about her. A quick side glance to Darcy proved the same effect. She forgot what it was like to go into battle with friends at her side. Even though she worked for the MLE, it had been seventeen years since she and her friends had participated in a full blown battle. She would have to get the kind of mindset back where you didn't take any second of friendship for granted.
"Loki will not harm me, of that I am sure." And she was sure of this fact. She really, really was. Whether it was from their conversation the night before or the connection she knew they had, Hermione did not know. However, her entire body and soul screamed that Loki would protect her until his last dying breath. Of course, she could not say this aloud for obvious reasons. "He will still have his magic cuff on so I can keep track of him."
"What about Thrym and the other Frost Giants. What if they attack when they realize you have magical abilities?" Lady Sif spoke up now, face grim with uncertainty.
"They cannot attack me if they do not know I am there."
Confused glances were shared all around the banquet table as they tried to decipher the meaning of her words. It was Darcy who finally said what everyone was thinking, along with a swift, playful punch to Hermione's arm for good measure.
"What?!"
"That's the trick," Hermione started, "Thrym and the other Frost Giants will only see Loki, I will be invisible so that my abilities and I remain a secret. Loki goes in via the Bifrost, walks right to Thrym, discusses the treaty, and leaves all the while I am beside him completely invisible. This allows me to keep tabs on Loki and be present if things go awry." Smugness was evident on Hermione's face as she waited for the next obvious question to drop.
"Yes, but how are you planning on becoming invisible? Do you have some sort of cloaking device?" She was unsurprised that it was Jane who got their first.
"Something like that." A sly grin snaked its way onto Hermione's face. "Harry has this cloak. It's one of the Deathly Hallows. You see, when worn, the person underneath becomes entirely invisible. All I have to do is pop back down to Earth and borrow it before Loki and I travel to Jotunheim."
"How does this Cloak of Invisibility work exactly?" The question came from Thor who looked aghast at the very idea that people could become invisible from a piece of fabric.
"The legend is that the cloak was made from the cloak of Death himself. I have the story in a book. I'll grab it while on Earth so that I can share it with you." She pushed back her chair from the table, the wood grating over the marble flooring before standing. "Now, shall I go and retrieve Loki so that he can be a part of our plans more properly?"
"Of course," Thor gestured towards the door, "Bring him forth." Hermione gave an abrupt nod before turning and exiting the banquet hall.
As soon as she was out of sight, Hermione put her back to a wall, breathing heavily. Letting her head fall back against the solid marble, she closed her eyes and let out a quiet laugh. Shaking her head, Hermione realized she had been quite nervous going toe-to-toe with Thor and the other warriors. She had won their approval though and now she just had to go and convince Loki to help with the plan—and to not try and betray them all! Shoving away from the wall, Hermione hurried down the hall, up a winding staircase, and finally reached Loki's wing. She smiled faintly at the two guards as she rushed past into the darkness beyond.
As it always did, Hermione's heart began to beat faster and faster the closer she got to Loki. Her mouth became dry, and butterflies began to flutter inside her stomach. It was horribly embarrassing to admit, even to herself, that the God of Mischief held such power over her emotions. Holding her breath, she stood in front of Loki's door, fist poised to knock out of curtesy and fighting the nervousness that had begun to take hold of her heart. Just as her hand jerked backwards for momentum, the doors swung open of their own accord to reveal Loki standing inside as he was the night before, only this time he was clothed in amour. There was a tiny smirk gracing his lips and one eyebrow was quirked ever so slightly.
"You truly must learn to control your magical signature when you are feeling emotional, Lady Granger. I have been able to sense your presence in the palace for nearly ten minutes." Hermione blinked in surprise, her hand falling stupidly to her side.
"You can sense my emotions?"
"Not completely, but I am quite attuned to your magic from the connection we share. When you are feeling especially angry, melancholy, cheerful, or…" he trailed off there with a smirk that lit those green eyes up to smoldering intensity, "aroused, your magical core spikes and creates a vibration within our connection allowing me to sense your whereabouts and emotional status." He stalked towards Hermione, eyes narrowing and hand reaching out to point at her chest. "In fact, I believe now that you are wearing the Rime Diamond around your neck, the link between us is growing ever stronger. Even now, with your emotions nearly under control, I can still feel your presence. Tell me, Lady Granger, why do you now possess the ring my oaf of a brother bestowed his beloved?"
"It was not meant for Jane." Hermione decided to tell him of their theory. She stepped across the threshold, right into the snake pit, so to speak. "Originally we thought Odin's mother was the true owner of this ring. As it turns out, we have discovered that not to be true. You were the one to gift this ring to Thor. That must mean it belonged to your birth mother." She fingered the ring on the delicate gold chain as she spoke, feeling the braided band warm curiously to her touch.
"Hmmm." Loki closed the distance between them, towering above Hermione so that she was forced to tilt her head back in order to see him properly. "I see you have been busy with your research today. What else have you learned?"
Hermione wet her lips nervously, before dragging the bottom one between her teeth briefly. "Not much other than that. What can you tell me about the Rime Diamond? I know it is from Jotunheim. Surely, you can explain it to me more fully now." She mentally crossed her fingers, praying he would indulge her curiosity. When he sighed heavily, she knew she was mistaken.
"I believe you would feel much more satisfaction if you were to discover the legend on your own rather than if I were to delineate it for you." Loki reached out slowly, asking permission with his eyes before gently closing his hand around the ring dangling at the top of her cleavage. She shivered at his touch, wanting to both step back and surge forward into his arms at the same time. Her body yearned for more of his touch, but her brain screamed at her to be wary of his actions. As always, her brain won over her heart. For now at least, until she knew more about both him and the ring, she would keep her distance. Carefully, she reached up, both hands wrapping around his cool wrist to push it away.
"I believe I would feel satisfaction simply from not being kept in the dark by you, Loki. I am not the type of person who enjoys not knowing something." After she let go of his wrist, Hermione forced herself to put some space between the two of them.
"I am aware of that, Lady Granger. I tend to be quite perceptive of others."
"But not of yourself?" Loki's face clouded with grief and he looked away.
"You are not the first to make that observation." He cleared his throat and placed a placid smile upon his pale face. "I assure you that I will not keep you in the dark for much longer. First, I need you to discover some information on your own, otherwise you will continue to see me as some sort of villain." Sadness surged outward, encompassing her heart as Loki spoke to her. Hermione was surprised that the ring did seem to be exemplifying their emotional connection. Despite knowing how he felt, she flinched in response to his words, and Loki, thinking the worst, turned his head away, jaw clenching.
"I do not understand," Hermione admitted, "how will the knowledge of this diamond change my opinion of you?" Halfway through her question, Loki had begun shaking his head.
"No, you misinterpreted my meaning, Lady Granger. If I tell you what the Rime Diamond is capable of, you will believe I meant to use it for harm. I can assure you, however, that I had no immoral intentions when I gifted Thor that ring you wear." He stopped speaking then, taking a moment to collect himself, his face a solemn mask. "I am not as esurient as my previous infractions illustrate me to be."
Hermione stared up into Loki's face and thought about all the evil and deceitful things she knew and had heard about him over the years. Right now, none of it mattered. Okay, well it mattered a little, but the important thing was getting Loki on their side and their side alone for what was shaping up to be a pretty big ordeal. Pushing away the thousands of questions that were burning to be answered about the ring, she crossed her arms and put on her best deal making face. A calm, level head and heart were needed or else Loki would be a ticking time bomb when it came down to whatever final battle was looming in the future.
"Do not assume that I allow others to make up my mind for me, Loki. Only time will tell whether or not I find you trustworthy or foe. Now, I came here to escort you to down to dinner for the planning of our trip to Jotunheim." She pointed forcefully at him before re-crossing her arms, chin coming up almost defiantly. "I've coerced Thor into allowing you and I to travel there together to discuss the treaty with Thrym, but I need to know that you are on our side one hundred percent first or I will be take someone else in your place." It was interesting to not only see but feel the different emotions that flooded Loki's eyes as she spoke. Hopefully, with the help of the Rime Diamond she would be able to discern whether or not he was ever lying to her.
Loki let out a strangled sound before stepping back and beginning to pace the length of the room. Occasionally he shot a pointed look in Hermione's direction making her feel a bit unsettled. This went on for about three or four minutes before he pivoted, stopping directly back in front of her, intense eyes locked onto hers. He glanced quickly to the ring before returning his attention to her face and wetting his lips. Whatever conclusion he had come to must be causing him some sort of turmoil for he looked out of sorts to say the least. The calm exterior she was used to was gone in this moment, but she waited quietly for his response.
"Perhaps, Lady Granger, you would like for me to keep that ring safe for now."
That was certainly not what she had been expecting. Her eyes went wide as he stepped forward, reaching out to take the necklace from her. Clearing her suddenly dry throat, Hermione reached up and grabbed the necklace, securing it within her grasp so that he could not get a hold of it. She also backed up until she was just behind the threshold line, successfully eliminating any chance he had of getting hold of her without activating the wards. Clearly, he was worried about her being able to sense his feelings and vice versa. Loki's outstretched hand dropped slightly before it came up to play with the magical cuff on his left hand. She could feel the turmoil swirling within him laced with regret and just a tinge of anger.
"Absolutely not. It's perfectly safe where it is, thank you." She narrowed her eyes with agitation. "Now, are you or are you not going to aid us? If not, I can always have Thor accompany me." She squashed down any emotional response she may have to telling that little white lie so that Loki would not call her bluff. She needed Loki to believe she really would leave him out of the plan and take Thor instead. When his eyes flashed red with anger, Hermione had to fight the urge to turn and run. If it hadn't been for the fact that jealousy was the first emotion that flashed hot and dangerous through their connection, she probably would have. Her idle threat had worked.
Seething, Loki lunged forward, his hands grabbing the doorframe with crushing strength and his face leaning forward so that it was mere breaths away from activating the wards. Hermione could not suppress the fear that rose inside of her from the malice radiating in his body. It surged through the connection, making her stomach churn and causing her to stumble backward into the wall opposite his door.
"I believe I have told you before not to lie to me, Hermione." Loki's eyes roamed her body hungrily, making Hermione blush with both embarrassment at being found out and lustful anticipation to what he may do to her if he was willing enough to just step through that door and take her right then and there like she knew he so badly wanted to. Her disobedience was a turn on for him and it made her ache with want from knowing such a thing. "You need not lie for me to understand the importance of such a mission. It was I, after all, that told you of Odin's perfidious plans." Hermione watched as his breathing calmed and his face returned to its normal façade. "I will go with you to Jotunheim, Hermione, and gain the information it is you seek, with one condition."
"And what is that?" Hermione's heart was beating frantically, her mouth dry and her nerves frayed. Loki was still braced in the doorway, eyes narrowed at her indignantly.
"You will stay silent and out of sight while I talk with Thrym," she had opened her mouth to explain the Invisibility Cloak but he shot her a glare so she shut it again and let him finish. "And, you will return that ring to me afterwards." She stared at him for a beat before moving forward, away from the false safety the marble wall provided. If Loki had wanted to harm her, he could easily have done so. She doubted the silly wards would stop such a formidable god from doing what was necessary. She walked slowly, her ballet flats silent as she shuffled along. When she was in front of him, Hermione glared upwards and reached out her hand across the ward line.
"Fine. Now give me your hand."
"That's it? No debate?" Loki seemed baffled by her acceptance to his deal, and albeit reluctantly, he allowed Hermione to take his left hand in hers. She grasped the cool appendage with her left hand, relishing the touch of his skin against her own.
Confusion clouded his face as he stared down into hers. "What are you doing?" Hermione shot him another cross look.
"Do you want me to adjust your cuff or not? If not, you'll set the wards off and have every guard here within two minutes." She extracted her wand from the pocket of her dress and tapped the tip to the magical cuff that prevented Loki from using harmful magic and leaving his room. After a moment, she sighed and put away her wand. "There. Now you are able to leave this room, however, it still limits the type of magic you may use, so don't get any ideas, okay?"
Blinking down at her, Loki breathed easily as he examined her features. Her eyes were warm honey and her cheeks were still a bit flushed due to being upset, angry, and turned on from his outburst. Smirking ever so slightly, he allowed his gaze to travel down her slender neck to rest upon the Rime Diamond. How easily it would be for him to just grasp and rip it from her body. She had agreed to his demand though, and he would uphold his end of the deal for fear of hurting this beautiful woman.
Hermione flushed when she realized that Loki could probably see directly down the top of her dress as he stared hungrily at the ring she wore around her neck. It was a bit disconcerting to realize that she actually wanted him to see more of her skin, to touch and kiss her all over. Shakily, she stepped back effectively putting some space between them, but never letting go of Loki's cool hand. She glanced up to see him staring at her with heavily lidded eyes, nearly glowing with hunger. Clearing her throat, Hermione tilted her head, a ghost of a smile gracing her pink lips.
"Are you coming or not?"
Loki tried unsuccessfully to bury the growing attraction he felt for Hermione. Damn that blasted diamond for starting this nonsense. If he had been more careful with the Rime Diamond he would not be in this state at the moment. He blinked, breaking the spell for the moment, but he didn't have chance to reply before Hermione was gripping his hand tightly and giving a tug until he stumbled across the ward line where he clumsily fell right into Hermione. The near fall caused their hands to separate allowing Loki to bring both hands up to grasp at her arms.
"I do apologize, Lady Granger. I have never been the most graceful of beings." Shaking her head with a little laugh, Hermione shrugged. Loki reluctantly let go of her shoulders now that both of them were steady.
"It's alright, Loki." She turned to walk down the hallway, but looked back before saying, "Now, are you ready to plan our trip to Jotunheim?"
A smirk grew upon Loki's face as he observed the excitement radiating from the witch in front of him. She seemed just as eager about a dangerous mission to his home planet as he was. He gave a short nod before she began leading the way. He followed along beside her, unable to control the large grin forming on his lips at the prospect of working with Hermione more closely. He had never planned on becoming so attached to this mortal, but now that there was definitely something growing there, he was completely and utterly intrigued with where they may end up. For now though, there was a mission to plan and get through. His budding feelings would have to be tabled for the time being.
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End Notes: AHHHHH! So what did you think? Omg. I LOVE the sexual tension, don't you? So I hope that you enjoyed this chapter because it was so much fun to write! I am off to begin writing chapter seven so that after chapter six is posted next week you hopefully won't have to wait ages for the next one! Review my loves, as you are the true reason I write!
xx DustNight