Author's Note: I'm not going to say much, other than I hope you have tissues ready. This chapter certainly piles on the feels. I would like to thanks those of you who reviewed! Also, if you're interested, I have a number of stories that act as prequels to this story and the list and links can be found in my profile. Drop a review when you're finished reading!

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 Fourteen: Safe Word

Song Recommendations: "Monster Hospital the MSTRKRFT Remix" by Metric, "Anxiety" by The Black Eyed Peas, "War (New Version)" by Sean Kingston, "Seven Devils" by Florence + the Machine, and "Rise" by John Dreamer

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"Monsters are real, and ghosts are too.

They live inside us, and sometimes, they win."

— Stephen King

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Safe Word

There was still a chill in the air as the sun began its final descent in the late March sky. Twilight was settling in and Hermione found herself having to squint from the glow, her eyes burning ever so slightly as they adjusted to the strange light that wasn't quite darkness yet. Standing in the entrance to an old, abandoned barn, she crossed her arms and inhaled deeply, the crisp air filling her nose and lungs with the scent of stale hay and dirt. In a couple of hours, maybe less, the field before her would be full of werewolves, spells, and more as the battle with Fenrir commenced. At least, that was what they were hoping for anyway. Sighing as she readjusted her stance, so she could lean against the doorjamb, Hermione was hoping that the werewolf camp Charlie, Luna, and Rolf discovered just beyond the edge of the forest was unaware of the preparations that were currently being made to combat any attack they planned on orchestrating.

Trying not to shiver as a gust of wind blew through the old barn, Hermione watched as Tony, Coulson, Daisy, and Charlie finished setting up the wards and perimeter barriers that would keep the changed werewolves from escaping south towards the Muggle village there. If all went according to plan, Fenrir's army would emerge from the forest just before the moon fully appeared. Then, once they were all safely inside the barriers, Coulson and Daisy would activate the devices, effectively sealing them all in. Charlie's wards were just an extra precaution, one that would reinforce the Muggle devices. There had been some discussion about implementing the use of anti-apparation wards, but they were all in agreement that by doing that they were risking the lives of everyone involved. It would be a lot easier for Charlie, Luna, and Rolf to round up the fallen and stunned werewolves to transport to the safe house where Pansy would be waiting with Hannah, so they could administer Wolfsbane potion and tend to any wounds. Their aim was not to kill, only to incapacitate because these werewolves were victims, and there was no reason to hurt them. Satisfied that at least the Muggles would be safe tonight, Hermione continued examining everyone as they prepared for the battle.

Rolf, Luna, and George were tinkering with a bundle of necklaces. In reality, these were not normal necklaces; they were Portkeys, and everyone magical, except Loki and Wanda, would be getting one this evening. In case of emergency, the Portkeys would be activated to evacuate them, or to retreat if things got too out of hand, and the witches and wizards were unable to apparate out. Everyone had a partner so no one would be left behind. Without knowing much about Fenrir, they'd taken as many precautions as possible, even leaving Jane, Darcy, and Bruce behind so that there were no unnecessary casualties. Besides, there really was no reason to set the Hulk loose on a group of unsuspecting werewolves…not to mention, no one wanted to imagine what would transpire if Bruce happened to get himself bitten by one of those werewolves. Yes, some people were more help back at the lab.

As the evening grew ever darker, Hermione continued to watch her friends from her hiding spot in the barn. Granted, they probably all knew she was there, but it was calming to have a few minutes of peace to herself. Her anxiety and PTSD were attempting to get the best of her, but she was trying her best to keep her emotions in check. It wouldn't be wise to go headfirst into a battle with her mind full of visions of the past. Letting her gaze travel out to the middle of the field, she wondered how Harry and Ron were holding up. They, along with Ginny, were talking to Thor. All three of her magical friends held their booms in hand as they would be part of the aerial team, working to take Fenrir down from above. Thor would likely be spending most of his time in combat with Fenrir so Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Tony would be using their flying skills to incapacitate as many werewolves as possible. George had his broom on hand, as well, in case they needed a fourth in the sky, but his goal was to work with Neville. Everyone had a partner so there was always someone to watch your back. With newborn and young werewolves, you could take no chances—they were too unpredictable.

Going over the plans in her head, Hermione recounted the pairs as a way to calm her nerves. Coulson and Daisy, Harry and Ginny, Rolf and Luna, Neville and George, Charlie and Ron, Hogun and Kingsley, Thor and Tony, Wanda and Draco, and Loki and herself. As if reading her thoughts, which was certainly a possibility, Wanda stepped into the barn and sidled up to Hermione, nudging her playfully with an elbow. Rolling her head to look at the Scarlet Witch, Hermione gave the woman a tight-lipped smile.

"What troubles you, Hermione? You seemed a million miles away before I interrupted."

"I just never expected to be in a large battle again, Wanda." Sighing, she tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "This brings back so many bad memories that I thought was over." It was true, though, she'd been nightmare free for the longest time until this whole Fenrir ordeal escalated. Now, as the sun sank lower in the sky, and time ticked ever closer to the rise of the full moon, Hermione couldn't help but relive flashbacks from the Battle of Hogwarts. She could only imagine what her mind would unearth once the actual battle began.

Placing a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder, Wanda let her eyes travel across the field, as if trying to imagine the carnage that was about to unfold. She could sense the unbridled uneasiness radiating off Hermione in hordes and somehow suspected it had more to do with the present than reliving memories from the past. "I too have experienced great losses in war. I am sure you know I lost my brother in the battle of Sokovia, and my parents many years before that. However, we must carry on, as you English folk say, and do our job. We must protect this world." Squeezing Hermione's shoulder lightly, she backed away as if preparing to leave the barn, but was stopped by a whispered admission from her companion.

"I fear there is more at work here tonight than we are aware of…" Hermione shivered having finally admitted it out loud to someone other than Loki, her brown eyes trailing over to where Draco and Loki were having a heated discussion near the edge of the field. Her lover was blocking his emotions, so she had no idea what he was feeling, but by the angry way he was gesturing, it was easy enough to understand he wasn't thrilled with whatever he and Draco were discussing. His words from early that morning echoed in her head for the umpteenth time since she'd awoken from her post-coital snooze. Let us enjoy these last few hours together without intrusion from the others. Swallowing, fear bubbling in her chest, and Hermione allowed her eyes to close as Draco stormed away from Loki towards where Thor was standing. "It was something that Loki said to me that made me rethink everything. Do you know if he shared his and Draco's secret with anyone? Do you have any idea what they're planning?"

Crossing her arms, the red leather of her jacket crinkling, Wanda shook her head. "I am sorry, Hermione. Bruce and I attempted to get him to share this morning, but to no avail. Can you share what he said to you so that perhaps I may help you work it out?"

"He told me we should enjoy our last few hours together, but that implies that we might not—that we might not…" Hermione trailed off, her eyes opening to reveal the tears she'd been attempting to hold back for hours now. Taking a shuddering breath, she shook her head, her hair whipping back and forth as a strangled sob escaped her throat, making it impossible for her to finish her sentence.

Worry taking over, Wanda moved forward and wrapped Hermione in an embrace, allowing the witch to cry messily on her shoulder. Using her powers, Wanda focused her energy and moved them further into the shadows of the barn so that prying eyes would not be privy to the distress Hermione was experiencing. Although, she suspected Loki may already know as he was the one who bestowed such feelings upon her. After a short time, Hermione withdrew herself from Wanda's arms and wiped haphazardly at her face. The Scarlet Witch remained silent, knowing that sometimes words were not the kind of comfort you needed. Instead, she waited for Hermione to be ready to continue their previous conversation, and she was not disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Wanda. I find myself completely falling to pieces over this whole ordeal. I never really thought we'd have another war on our hands, and just knowing that Loki feels like we may not all make it out alive, well; that just makes the entire situation that much worse." Using her fingertips, Hermione wiped the last tears away from underneath her eyes and sighed heavily. "What do you think?"

"I think that he and Draco have something dark and dangerous planned. Neither have allowed me close enough to get into their minds, however." Her forehead wrinkled as if recalling the instances in which she was describing to Hermione.

"Well, Draco is a skilled Occlumens so there's no getting into his mind, unless he allows it, and Loki is quite brilliant at blocking information that he doesn't want others to know, so I expect that's why you were unable to gather information from their minds." Wrapping her arms around her body, Hermione headed back towards the doorway. The sunlight was fading quickly now, and the groups were beginning to merge in the middle of the field. "I suppose we'll just have to see what happens…"

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Hermione, Wanda could feel the turmoil and fear raging inside the witch's mind, and it sent a chill down her spine. Hermione's memories were like a disjointed photo album that someone was flipping through. Flashes of light from spells and explosions ricocheted through her mind at warped speed. It was unnerving to witness all the pain and anguish her new friend had experienced over the course of just a few short years. When the scene of Hermione being tortured came forward, Wanda pulled herself from the memories, gasping for air and clutching at her arm where she could almost feel pain and blood. Her wide, terrified eyes met Hermione's resigned brown ones, and she cleared her suddenly raw throat before asking the most obvious of questions.

"Are you certain you should participate in the battle?"

"No, but I'm needed. My PTSD can be dealt with later—I'll find a way to lock it down for the time being. That's what I pay my therapist for." With that said, Hermione stepped out of the barn and began trekking through the scattered hay and mud. Wanda watched her for a moment before following, her own war ravaged memories coming to mind after witnessing what Hermione had been through. Perhaps, they all had their demons to bear when it came to battles and war. What mattered now, was whether or not they could all put aside their pasts to prevent the same from happening in the future.

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Not long after arriving at the hay field, Loki left Hermione to her own devices so that he could seek out Draco and tell him that their detestable agreement needed to be abolished before the rise of the full moon. After the morning's revelations, Loki would much rather go into battle without knowing he would be responsible for killing someone and having the weight of such a deceitful plan on his mind. Draco would just have to find someone else to carry out his end of the agreement. Hermione loved him and that meant he could no longer be responsible for death and destruction wherever he roamed. Finding the blonde wizard alone, Loki stalked forward, his leather armor shielding him from the bite of the cold wind. He stopped not two feet away so that their conversation would not be overheard by nosy bystanders. The Jotun stood glaring at the wizard until haunted blue eyes met his unwavering stare.

"We need to talk."

"Four words no bloke ever wants to hear," Draco mumbled before shoving his hands into his pockets and turning to eye Loki up.

"This is no time for jesting, werewolf." Loki could feel his anger crackling just under the surface, but he refrained from throttling the wizard before him for the moment. "I would like you to release me from our agreement."

"No."

Loki blinked in dismay as Draco turned and began walking away, his wizard's robes billowing out in the wind. Following after the wizard, Loki grabbed hold of his shoulder and whirled him about so they were face to face once more, but this time Loki made sure his intentions were clear. He mustered up his most evil of sneers and glared into Draco's arrogant face. Surprisingly, Draco did not blink or try to back away. He met Loki's stare with an unwavering intensity. Knowing somehow that there would be no swaying him to cancel their agreement, Loki tried again anyway, still not wanting to go through with the plan.

"No one tells me 'no', not anymore."

"I believe I just did. Now, I have to mentally prepare myself for what's to come, if you don't mind." He raised his eyebrows as if daring Loki to question him again, but the Jotun decided against it. His fate appeared to be sealed for the time being.

"How am I supposed to kill you if I still have this magical cuff on my arm?" He gestured towards the accessory with his head, curious to see what Draco would do. How was he going to alter the magic of the cuff with everyone milling about, and most importantly, with Hermione observing their conversation from where she watched in the barn?

"I don't have to do anything to your cuff, Loki. I took care of that the night we made the deal." Draco smirked, crossing his arms and waiting for the inevitable questions.

"What do you mean; you already took care of it?" Loki resisted the urge to look at the cuff so no one would suspect something may be amiss.

"When we shook hands, I took the opportunity to adjust it so that it still appeared to function as normal, when, in reality, it's completely useless."

"Useless." Loki repeated the word, his mind reeling from the implications of it all.

"You could have escaped any time you wanted since that night. It was another test. Clearly, you're more devoted to Hermione than I ever imagined. Not once did it even occur to you that your magic was free to be used in any way you wanted, and that is exactly why I'm not allowing you to forfeit our agreement. You've proven to me that she is more important than your freedom."

"I love her." It was the first time he'd spoken the words aloud to anyone, and it made his heart ache knowing he wasn't saying it to her. "She told me this morning that she feels the same, but I have yet to reciprocate my feelings."

"She'll know, Loki. If you can keep your shit together for the next twenty-four hours, then everything will be fine. I've taken care of all the formalities in my Will and other legal documents. As long as you don't stray from the plan, or do anything stupid, then there is no reason she will not forgive you when everything's said and done."

This time when Draco walked away, Loki allowed it. He stood staring after the wizard, his stomach a twisted mess of emotions. The last rays of the sun were reflected on the horizon. To his left, he could see Hermione and Wanda leaving the shelter of the barn and heading toward the middle of the field where the rest of their team were gathering. Pushing his trepidation as far into his soul as possible, he reopened himself to Hermione, so she would not question him about hiding his emotions from her. Steeling himself for battle, Loki clenched his hands into fists, narrowed his eyes, and made his way forward to stand at his woman's side.

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With everyone gathered, portkey necklaces were distributed and final battle tactics were discussed before they began pairing off and getting into position. Just as the last of the sunlight disappeared, Wanda pointed at the edge of the field where the line of trees divided the field from the forest. Loki stepped closer to Hermione, sensing her fear, and allowed her to tangle her fingers briefly with his own before she took her wand in hand. Distractedly, he toyed with his magical cuff, still unsure whether or not he was doing the right thing by betraying everyone there. Hermione, probably catching a drift of his mixed feelings and his fidgeting, gave him a sideways glance.

"Is your cuff bothering you, Loki," she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can loosen it if you need me to."

Realizing his error, he released his grip on his wrist and glared out at the field. "No," he hissed. "I'm fine." He was unprepared for the look of hurt that flashed across her face, but there was no time to repair what he'd done, for at that moment, Fenrir and his army of unchanged werewolves emerged from the forest. He stood still, along with everyone else, as the evil being led his army across the muddy field. Briefly, Loki's eyes glanced to the sky, trying to determine how much more time they had before the moon revealed itself. Not long now.

When Thor moved forward to meet Fenrir, Loki and Tony flanked his sides. Despite their troubled past, Loki promised to protect his brother, or he would die trying. Fenrir stopped about ten feet away, his children standing behind him. Using his magic, Loki determined that not only were there witches and wizards in his army, there were non-magical folks, or 'Muggles' as Hermione called them, as well. This was an interesting turn of events. Deciding that this was important information that needed to be shared, he mentally explained to Hermione what he'd discovered and allowed her to do what was needed to be done.

"There are Muggles over there, Luna," he heard her whisper to the strange blonde girl to her left. He didn't hear what was said in reply because at that moment, Fenrir decided to break the tense silence that had fallen on the field.

"I see you've found another of my bases. I must really look into stronger wards for the future. Not that I'll need them once I destroy the lot of you tonight." He laughed at his words, a few of the fifty or so people behind him joining in as well. This seemed to please him as a smile formed on his lips, revealing teeth that were clearly not human. Loki's eyes narrowed at the fiend, wanting to hit him with some of the magic he felt simmering in his Jotun blood. He refrained from doing this; however, so that he would be able to use his strongest powers later, when they were truly needed. When still no one spoke, Fenrir continued. "What an interesting alliance you seemed to have formed. Wizards, Asgardians, and Earthlings…how enlightening."

"Fenrir, release these people from your hold and surrender yourself before we are forced to take action."

Fenrir simply rolled his eyes at Thor's request, taking another threatening step forward. "That won't be happening this night, Son of Odin. No, tonight you will all bow to me."

Scoffing, Loki found he could no longer keep his tongue. Wetting his lips, he stepped forward so that he was shoulder to shoulder with the only brother he'd ever known. In his mind, he could hear Hermione asking him to be careful, but he blocked out her words. "I don't believe we have anything to worry about from this fool. Those who truly wish to rule know that their subjects kneel, not bow."

"That's right," Harry said stepping forward as well. "Perhaps you spent too much time bending to Tom Riddle's every whim for you to know how to rule people properly."

"It looks to me," said Kingsley unsheathing his wand from the inside of his royal blue robes, "that you are far more used to using power as a crutch than your brain or brawn."

"People were not made to be ruled," Tony added, as he shot a quick smirk at Loki, who rolled his eyes.

"Exactly! So why don't you let these poor people go. We can take them someplace safe where they can get help for what you've done to them!" Ginny was glaring so fiercely at Fenrir that even Loki would not have crossed her in that moment.

Laughing, Fenrir took another step toward their group. "Let them go? Why on Earth would I want to do that? Once the full moon rises, they will be my greatest weapon. Even now, they are under my control and will cater to my every whim. Once they changed for the first time, their minds became mine. They became mine." He swept his arm out indicating the myriad of people behind him. Loki observed their faces—some appeared terrified, while others looked as if they were anticipating the fight. It made his skin crawl, and it took a lot for that to happen.

"If you refuse to release them, then we have no other option than to help them by force." Thor, gripping his hammer tightly, nodded to those around him before adding, "Coulson, is everything in order?"

"Wards have been activated," he replied with a thumbs-up to the God of Thunder.

"Wards?" Fenrir bellowed, turning his head to and fro. "This was a trap!"

"After the destruction you caused in Romania, did you really think that we'd just allow your creations to run amok once the full moon emerged? Muggles died in that village, but that will not be the case here." Harry indicated the pillars of light that signified the special wards Coulson and Daisy activated while they distracted Fenrir.

With an angry roar, Fenrir's cool façade broke, his hands clenching into fists as he growled at them all. "You will regret this. You may have trapped us here, but my secret weapon will destroy you all once the moon has risen."

"What is this secret weapon you refer to," Thor demanded, raising Mjolnir threateningly.

"That's for us to know, and you to find out." Loki didn't miss the way Fenrir's evil eyes flickered towards Draco for the briefest of seconds before he unsheathed his own wand and pointed it at them. "Attack!"

Chaos ensued after the Great Wolf set his pack at them. Spells immediately making the air heavy with the scent of magic as the bursts of color ricocheted off of protection and counters spells. Tony, Harry, Ginny, and Ron took to air, trying to send stunning spells at the still human werewolves, as well as Fenrir. Loki followed Hermione into the battle, using magical spells that would not give his advanced abilities away. To his left he watched as the strange blonde witch and her husband singled out the Muggles and began apparating them out of the battlefield. Behind and to the right of him, Draco and Wanda were using their different types of magic together to keep a clear space around where Fenrir and Thor were battling. Occasionally, Wanda or Draco would send in a spell to protect Thor from an Unforgivable.

Loki had never been part of such a different kind of war before. Normally, they would have to rely on brute strength, but he was quickly realizing this battle would be dominated by magic. Hogun was struggling not to beat the life out of the enemy, and instead was helping round up the fallen, so they could be moved out of the way. Daisy and Coulson were doing much of the same. They were using their ice-guns to bring down as many as they could, but until the moon revealed itself, there was little for them to do. Turning his gaze skyward after shooting a wizard/wolf in the stomach with magic, Loki noticed the clouds clearing. A sliver of the moon was revealed, and with it, the first screams of pain echoed in the night.

Around him, some of their enemies were frozen in place as they began to change. Even without the entirety of the full moon in the sky, some were unable to control the beast within. Observing the gruesome change taking place, Loki was unsurprised to find that it was the remaining Muggles and younger wolves that found themselves transforming. A few were hit from above with stunning spells as Ron and George flew across the field, rendering them unconscious. Beside him, Hermione continued battling a witch that seemed determined to take her down, but his lover was a strong fighter and rendered her motionless not long after. Feeling that the time was nigh for him to make his way back towards Draco, Loki grabbed hold of Wanda's shoulder, pulling her close to him, so he could whisper harshly in her ear.

"We're switching partners, Scarlet Witch. Do not let any of these beasts harm Hermione or there will be hell to pay."

Roughly pulling her shoulder from his grasp, Wanda scowled, attempting to get a read on his mind, but he was closing himself off. "I should demand you tell me why, but with the full moon just seconds from arrival, there is no time. Go to him. I will make sure your love is kept safe." Loki nodded once before running in the direction of Draco.

Hermione, immediately sensing his absence, turned and was surprised to find Wanda now fighting at her side. "What happened to Loki? What are you doing?" Hermione sent a spell barreling at a half transformed wizard, knocking him to his feet. Wanda used her powers to lift the man and move him from the battlefield. Then, the two of them moved onto the next person.

"He's gone to aid Draco, although I do not know why. He seemed to be doing fine on his own, despite being slightly distracted when the wolves began changing.

"What?" Hermione's head whipped around, panic rising in her chest, as she sought out Draco and Loki in the distance. Sure enough, Loki was now battling at Draco's side. She watched as Draco was nearly taken down by a random spell only to be saved at the last second by one of Loki's own spells. Except, it appeared something was off. Draco was acting so disjointed, so distracted that her heart nearly stopped beating. "What…no. No it can't be…."

"Hermione! Duck!"

Not needing to be told twice, Hermione dropped to the ground as a werewolf bounded through the air right where she'd been standing. Wanda made quick work of the creature, knocking it unconscious with a swipe of her red magic and sending it flying out of the field to where Rolf was waiting. Not waiting to catch her breath, Hermione rolled onto her side and pushed back to her feet, taking off towards where Loki was creating a protective barrier around Draco—a barrier that he should not be able to create with the magical cuff on his wrist. Loki! What the hell are you doing?! What is going on!? There was no response from her lover. In fact, it was like her words were hitting a solid barrier and rebounding back into her own mind, echoing over and over until her head pounded from the intensity. She could hear Wanda's frantic footsteps behind her as they ran the length of the hay field, their feet slipping and sliding in the mud.

As the full moon was revealed above the field, its brightness illuminating the battle below, time seemed to slow nearly to a stop as Hermione watched on in horror. Skidding to a stop three feet from Loki, Hermione felt all the blood leave her head as she witnessed a nightmare unfold. She didn't even react as Wanda slammed into her from behind, not prepared for Hermione's abrupt stop. Grasping at the Scarlet Witch, a scream of terror ripped from her throat, tearing through the night loud enough to ring out over the chaos around her.

"DRACO!"

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Loki arrived at his side not a second too late. As the last of the clouds moved from in front of the full moon, Draco felt his skin start to burn and his bones beginning to shift. Vaguely, he heard the Frost Giant muttering something about placing him in a protection spell, but his mind was already shutting down, the wolf taking over. He fought with everything he had to keep his thoughts trained on the task at hand. Get to Fenrir. Hurt Fenrir. Maim Fenrir. Kill Fenrir. Get to Fenrir. Hurt Fenrir. Maim Fenrir. Kill Fenrir. He repeated this mantra over and over as his back and limbs elongated, his bones breaking and reforming to accommodate the wolf escaping its prison. He felt the prickling sensation over his body as fur sprouted up, his jaw jutting forward as his teeth grew razor sharp in his mouth. Dropping to his knees, Draco dug his hands…no paws…into the hay and mud, clenching as his body continued to morph into a monster. Throwing his head back, his brilliant blue eyes shone in the night, seeking out the only person who could give him the strength to complete his last mission. He found her, brown eyes wide with terror as she watched him lose control of himself. As his name left her mouth in a scream, he met her gaze one last time before the final shred of his humanity vanished, and all that remained was a werewolf.

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Loki watched in amazement as Draco transformed before his very eyes. He'd never seen such a sight having not been able to witness Bruce Banner change into the Hulk. He suspected it was a similar transformation. Keeping his protection spell surrounding Draco, he made sure that no one interfered. He saw Hermione regain some semblance of herself and try to rush forward, only to be held back by Wanda. He would thank the Scarlet Witch later for keeping his lover out of the way. When Hermione's voice pierced the night, it brought nearly everyone to a standstill, the battles around him tapering off as Draco's friends realized what was happening. As Draco's tremors became less and less, his body getting accustomed to its new form, Loki watched as Fenrir blasted his distracted brother to the ground before slowly making his way to where they were standing.

As the Great Wolf smiled, the expression more of a sneer than anything, his remaining children moved to follow behind him. Loki knew he had to release Draco from the protection spell, but he had to wait until Fenrir was close enough. If he released him at the wrong time, Fenrir would take control of his mind too soon, ruining their plans. Heart pounding in his chest, Loki met Fenrir's gaze, trying to calculate the most opportune moment. Smirking, he knew that he could distract the beast by engaging him in discussion. Fenrir always did seem more than willing to gloat about himself. Meeting Thor's eyes as his brother heaved himself from the ground, he knew what had to be done.

"It appears you forgot to share with us, Great Wolf, that we had a traitor among us."

Fenrir laughed in response, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth before stopping exactly where Loki wanted him to. "A traitor? Hmm, I don't think even you believe that nonsense, Loki. It looked as if you were all too ready for him to transform. Do not try to lie to me. I watched you fight your way back across this field to get to him when the moon came out." He pointed at Loki then, his smile growing ever wider. "I think it is you who is the traitor, and from past experiences, this should not come as a surprise." Taking another step forward, Fenrir gestured towards Draco's growling form, still huddled inside Loki's protection spell. "Now, I believe you have something that belongs to be. Would you be so kind as to release my child, my secret weapon?"

Seething from being called a traitor, Loki tried to ignore the confused faces of his allies, secretly hoping they did not believe what the beast was saying. Most importantly, he prayed that Hermione didn't think he went rogue, but before the night was through, he suspected she would no matter what he said next. Straightening his back, Loki tilted his head as he continued to face off with Fenrir. He calculated how much danger those around him would be in once he released his hold on Draco, and hoped that the new wolf would head towards his target and not at anyone else instead. There was no guarantee this inane plan would work, and they had no proof Draco's bite would even hurt Fenrir enough to destroy him, but they had to try.

"If that's what you wish."

With a flick of his wrist, his protection spell disappeared. At first, Draco appeared confused by his sudden freedom, but when Hermione's gasp echoed in the clearing, he shook his wolf head and howled, head thrown back. Fenrir laughed heartily, the sound sending shivers down Loki's spine. When Draco finished calling to the moon that'd transformed him, he began to growl, the sound low, feral, and deadly. Holding his breath, Loki took a defensive stance, ready to protect himself and the others against Draco's inevitable attack. He continued to block out all emotions, to protect Hermione from his deceit, and himself from feeling more than necessary. Draco crouched down onto his haunches, causing Fenrir to smile sinisterly, but the smile did not last. Before the beast had a chance to command Draco's wolf form to attack, he sprang forward, soaring through the air.

Loki watched with fascination as Draco's fangs sank into Fenrir's shoulder, immediately breaking through clothing, fur, and skin, and tearing straight down to the bone. The Great Wolf yelled out in pain as Draco shook his head, ripping and pulling until the flesh and muscle separated from the bone. Blood spattered both Fenrir and Draco as they fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Continuing to growl, Draco fought and bit at Fenrir until the beast was finally able to use his magic and remaining strength to force Draco from his body. Clutching at his nearly severed arm, Fenrir fought for breath as he rose unsteadily to his feet.

"You will—you will regret that Frost Giant," he spat, blood dripping from his mouth. Turning his attentions to Draco, he commanded, "Kill the girl, Draco. Kill Granger."

There was an abundance of gasps and cries of 'No!' from those around them once this was uttered, and Loki felt panic such as never before when he realized Draco was unable to control his wolf form any longer. Draco whimpered and shook his head briefly before the command became rooted in his brain, a growl resonating from deep within his chest. His brilliant blue eyes turned to red as Fenrir's power took control, and Loki knew that Draco was no longer on their side. Draco, blood dripping from his snout, began making his way towards Hermione, who had fallen to her knees at some point. Wanda was trying to get her to her feet, but the witch was frozen in place; her terrified face fixated on the wolf stalking towards her.

"Draco! No! Please, Draco…it's me! Stop!" She was sobbing, begging the man who was no longer a man to recognize her in some way. It broke Loki's heart, but he knew the time had come to do what he'd vowed to do. He had to stop this from happening, and in doing so, possibly killing the man Hermione clearly still loved. It broke his heart to realize such a thing, but it was undeniable in the way she called out to her former lover. This was going to break her, but it was going to break him more.

As Draco pounced towards Hermione, Loki sent out a wave of magic, not aiming to kill. The blast hit Draco in the side, causing him to crash into the ground, but the damned wolf bounded to its feet and resumed his task. Ignoring Fenrir's hoot of triumph, Loki closed his eyes and allowed his true self to be revealed. He felt his skin returning to its blue hue, the ridges on his face and skin rising up. When he opened his now red eyes, he realized that Fenrir had disappeared, teleported to who knew where. That did not matter though. What mattered now was preventing his soulmate from being torn to shreds by her former lover. Ignoring Thor's shout that was intended to stop him, Loki created an ice dagger in his hand and used his magic to send it flying through the air at Draco just as the wolf made to pounce on top of Hermione.

Draco yelped as the ice dagger hit home, slicing through his tender underbelly and sending him careening into the hard ground. Loki stood rooted in place, regret and anguish already rippling through his being as the reality of what he'd just done set in. It was over though, and there was no taking it back. Hermione's eyes shot to his blood-red ones for a split second before she threw herself to her feet, dashing forward towards Draco whose wolf form was slowly dissipating until he'd returned to human form. Wanda stood staring at Loki, both hands over her mouth in horror at what he'd done. Hating himself, Loki closed his eyes and returned himself to his Asgardian demeanor before making his way towards where Hermione held Draco as he bled from the gaping wound in his stomach.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Oh Merlin….No Draco…no," Hermione muttered frantically while trying to hold her hands over Draco's wounds. It was no use though, as the ice dagger had gone straight through his body. Pulling him into her lap, she rocked back and forth as he sputtered and coughed, blood dripping out of his mouth and spraying her neck and face. "Draco, please…you can't die. You just can't."

Opening his eyes, Draco stared up into Hermione's face, watching as her tears mingled in the blood there. Coughing, he flinched, the pain inflicted from Loki's fatal attack excruciating on top of his body having transformed to wolf and back in the matter of ten minutes. Lifting his hand, weakly, he brushed his fingers across her face, managing to get her attention. "Hermione…listen…"

"No, Draco…save your strength. You'll be alright. We'll get you to St. Mungo's."

"No," he coughed. "There's no time…left for me…You'll be alright…" More coughing wracked his body, his eyes falling closed. Forcing them back open, he was determined not to let go until she understood. "You have Loki…he loves you…he told me before—before this began…you have to let me go now…after all this time…it's finally time to let me go…"

"I can't Draco," she sobbed, pulling him closer to her chest and holding him there. "I can't lose you…I love you too much just to let you go like this. There has to be a way."

"It's done…I can't hold on for much longer…,but…but I need you to know one thing…Her…mione…"

"What? What is it?" She held him close, the scent of his blood filling her nostrils and making her head spin. Her tears dripped down onto his face, mixing with his blood and tears.

"I want you…to know…I never stopped…loving you…I have loved you…all along…please…forgive me for the pain…I caused you…"

"Draco—oh! I forgive you. Of course, I do." She choked back a sob, her throat so full of emotion she couldn't utter another word.

"I'm so glad…er…mi…e…now…you…ave to for…give him too…good…bye…"

As Draco's eyes fell closed and his body went slack in her arms; Hermione let out a strangled sob, unable to control her emotions any longer. Tears poured from her eyes, burning her cheeks and making nearly impossible for her to see. She buried her face in his neck, allowing her crying to consume her. She screamed, rocking back and forth, completely oblivious to anything other than the fact that the man she'd loved for so long was gone. Draco was dead; he was gone…, and it was all Loki's fault.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

He watched as she brushed the fringe from Draco's forehead, before placing a kiss there. Gently, she placed him on the ground before standing, one hand over her mouth as she struggled to suppress her sobs. Slowly, Loki let down the immense wall he'd constructed to block his feelings from her, and hers from him. As an ache developed deep in his core, he knew she was feeling his regret, and suddenly he wished he'd left the block in place. She bent to pick up her fallen wand, her small hand choking the wood with such an intensity, even from ten feet away he could see her knuckles go white. She was hurt. She was broken. She was furious. She took a shuddering breath, the sound hitching in her throat and making him want to fall to his knees, but he refrained. With one last glance at Draco's dead body, her eyes met his, making him stumble back from the intensity of the stare.

"What have you done?"

The question was quiet, but the fury behind it brought it to his keen ears.

"Let me explain—," he began, but didn't get to finish.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"

As she screamed her question, a surge of power exploded from her small frame, and this time, Loki was forced to his knees, his right hand coming out to hold him up, sinking into the mud. Her magic also sent the rest of their team stumbling, and with wide eyes, Loki realized she'd formed a large barrier around the two of them, cutting them off from everyone else. Pushing back to his feet, he held out his hands, wanting to show he was no threat to her. She pointed her wand at his chest; her other hand clenched into a fist. Not sure what to do or say, Loki was relieved when Thor spoke up.

"Hermione—take down your barrier. I will take Loki into custody. He will pay for what he's done."

"No," she seethed. "First, I want to know why Draco is gone. I want to know why he is DEAD!" Another blast of power shot out from her core, causing Thor to move away from the barrier. Harry was next to try and reason with her.

"Come on, Hermione. You're upset…, but it's no reason to do this. Let us capture him. Let us question him."

Instead of responding, Hermione shot a spell at Loki's feet. He jumped out of the way, shock evident on his pointed face. He knew she was going to be upset, angry even, but he never expected this. He took calculated steps back, moving until he felt the magical barrier pulsating behind him. She never took her eyes off his face, tears painting rivers down her cheeks. Swallowing, he held out his wrists again, wanting her to see he was not going to harm her, that he was willing to submit to her. The others were talking to her, but she wasn't listening, and neither was he.

"Hermione, love." She flinched at that, so he tried again. "Please, you need to listen. This was all part of a plan. Draco asked me to do this. He knew he was a werewolf. He wanted—."

"Shut up!" She screamed, throwing another spell at him, and this time he was forced to use his magic to deflect it. The spell exploded off the barrier behind him, making him flinch. "He wouldn't want to die! He just wouldn't!"

"He didn't, but he knew sacrificing himself was the only way we could fatally wound Fenrir!" He breathed heavily, his chest heaving as he awaited her response. Silent tears still poured from her brown eyes, but she seemed to be assessing what he'd told her.

"But then why didn't you come to me? Any of us?" She indicated those outside the barrier, and his chest ached even more as he felt the betrayal she was experiencing.

"He asked me not to. He made me promise."

"You're lying."

"I'm not." Shaking his head, Loki sighed. "He knew you would stop him…stop me."

"You could have stunned him! You didn't have to—to kill him!"

"I tried!" Loki yelled, finally getting angry. Why wasn't she listening to him? Why couldn't she see and sense the remorse he felt at killing the human she so clearly loved? "You saw what happened! You were here! He was going to slaughter you! I couldn't allow that to happen! HE made me promise that I would protect you at all costs! We knew Fenrir was going to send him after you, and we were prepared for the worst-case scenario."

"You should have let me die! Draco has a family! A wife! A son!" Screaming, Hermione sent spell after spell at him forcing him to deflect each and every one. She continued her attack, not giving up despite his protests. He blocked every single spell, and in the process, Hermione grew more and more livid until her rage was burning through their connection like fire consuming a forest. "Why won't you fight back!?"

"I don't want to hurt you!"

"You already have you—you—!"

And that's when he ultimately broke, because through their connection, he knew what she wanted to call him, and she was right. She was one million percent correct in her diagnosis of his character. At long last, she finally realized who he truly was. What he truly was. Both angry and hurt, Loki finally stopped trying to deflect her magic. Instead, he shot a spell back at her, watching as it landed by her feet. Her eyes went wide at the realization that he was finally fighting back, and she sent another spell at him, the red light barely missing his face as he ducked. Reaching out, he summoned his scepter from where he'd dropped it earlier, the cool metal warming to his touch. His power surged through him and into the Rime Diamond at the top and he used it as Hermione was using her wand, to focus his magical core and aim. He had no plans of causing her harm, but she needed to be stopped before she hurt him, or worse, herself.

Circling one another, their eyes connected, sending shivers down his spine. He knew how this was going to end. He knew that after this fight, this battle, she would leave him forever, as she should have done from the very beginning. As the wind picked up, his hair blew out of his face, and he inhaled the air, relishing the way it made his chest ache. Sneering, he lifted his scepter, a challenge on his face. She held her ground, pointing her wand level with his chest; her stare unwavering. Outside of the barrier, the others were shouting, begging them to stop and listen to reason, but the time for that was over now. This was between the two of them—they needed to work this out on their own.

"Put down your wand, Hermione. I don't want you to get hurt. This has gone far enough."

"Draco's death needs to be avenged."

"Then stop this nonsense." He kept his voice calm, side stepping to keep her in front of him. "We must seek out Fenrir. He is weak now. If we hurry, we can find and kill him. It is his fault, after all, that I had to do what I did."

"No, Loki! It's your fault!" With a surge of power Loki was not expecting, Hermione sent a spell barreling at him, the red sparks lighting up the night. Without hesitation, he pushed his magic out through his scepter, his green spell hitting hers in the middle of the clearing and sending out a blast so strong he was sure it could be heard throughout the universe. He was surprised by the sheer strength and power behind her attack, not knowing where exactly her sudden improvement in magic came from, but there was no time to question it now. He was still stronger, if just barely, and he used this to his advantage. Putting all his strength behind his magic, he began walking forward, his green magic slowly eating away at her red until he was standing right in front of her. With one final pulse, he's knocked her backwards, wand flinging to the side and causing her to tumble to her knees. Not waiting for her to catch her breath, he brought the bottom of his scepter down, holding her in place with it between her shoulder blades as she knelt at his feet. Breathing raggedly, he pushed down, causing her to whimper.

"Look at me, Hermione," he demanded, needing her to look into his eyes as he spoke his next words. Tentatively, her tearful gaze met his, so he continued.

"Look at me! Really look at me! Do you finally see who I truly am? I'm a monster. I've been a monster all along. I've spilled the blood of innocents. I have tortured people—innocent people! I've even conspired against my so-called family. Despite all of that—despite my misgivings—I would do anything, anything to ensure that you stay with me forever, and if that means killing someone you love, then so be it. So go ahead, my pet, go ahead and call me a monster. I know you're dying to."

"Loki!" Thor called out, his voice breaking through the silence that'd descended upon the two of them. "Let her go! Stop this madness! End it now!"

"Only she can end this. Only she can stop me." Still glaring down at Hermione, he awaited her response. He needed to hear her say it—needed to hear her call him out for what he truly was. A monster. He watched as a single tear slid from her eye. He felt the push on his scepter as she took a deep breath, preparing to speak, and as she met his eyes, he knew, he knew she was about to break his heart. "Say it," he hissed, spittle flying from his mouth. Instead of anger, a deep sadness overcame Hermione, and it flooded through their connection like a river after a downpour.

"Troll."

Astonishment resonated through his chest at the word she'd spoken. He did not ask her to repeat it, because he knew what she meant. He was hurting her, hurting her in a way she did not revel in, and he needed to stop. He needed to end it. Relinquishing his hold on his scepter, he dropped it to his right, staggering backwards and falling to his knees. Inside, his heart was breaking, just like he predicted, but not because she thought he was a monster—it was because he'd hurt her enough to use her safe word. Vaguely, he recalled her telling him she'd only ever had to use it once before. He said nothing as the magical barrier dissolved and the others swarmed in, some going for Draco's dead body, and others, specifically Harry and Ron, grabbing for Hermione where she still knelt in the mud across from him, tears pouring down her face. As Thor and Wanda jerked him to his feet, he remained silent, not even caring that his brother ripped his shoulder out of its socket as he bound his wrists in Asgardian handcuffs. When Wanda's face appeared in front of him, blocking his view of Hermione, he didn't even argue when she placed her hands at his temples, and his world faded to black.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

End Notes: I warned you about the feels. I hope you can forgive me, and I really will try to have the next chapter done soon. I plan on finishing Teardrops & Teacups within the next week if you're following along with that. Please leave a review! Until next time… xxDustNight