Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Across the Universe	By : Marionne25 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 5055 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and Marvel and am not making any money from this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Author's Notes:
Greetings!!!!
Due to lagging phases and all that, I've decided to repost this.
Anyone interested into becoming a BETA into my first crossover fic Hermione/Loki pairing, kindly comment or send me a dm!!!
Other than, please do enjoy this.
This story is also found at adult-fanfic.org and would soon be at fanfic.net as soon as I understand how things work there.
Lots of love
xx

I
The Desiderata

Six months earlier….

“Coffee or freshly made juice?” Harry asked as Hermione entered the kitchen in his long black sleeping shirt.
“Juice.” Hermione yawned entering the kitchen in her barefoot and pulling a chair up for herself.
She inhaled the smell of melting cheese in the waffles that Harry was making.
“Hungry?” Harry asked as she reached over the table for the paper that the owl had just dropped in.
“Quite.” Hermione replied with another yawn and then her eyes widened right at him. “Wait.”
Harry looked up at her.
“What?” he asked her.
“Excuse me, I thought you already left lastnight?”
“I slept over.”
“Obviously.”
“Hey. I like your apartment.” Harry said halfway finishing the breakfast for them both.
“Have you seen my red mug?” she asked looking over the kitchen.
“Top shelf. Third drawer. Farthest row.” Harry said without looking up from his cooking.
“Thaaaanks.” Hermione said with narrowed eyes and calculating glare at him. “You’re creepy. How did you know that?”
“I basically live here.” Harry replied with a smile. “And ofcourse, I keep this house clean and all.”
“I beg your pardon?” Hermione asked with a disgusted and funny look over her face. “I keep your household clean and all.” Hermione pointed out grabbing a bacon from the platter Harry was still preparing.
“Then you should try sleeping over at my place some time.” Harry said with a sheepish grin as he laid a platter of fresh scrambled eggs, bacon and waffle before her.
“Nice try, Harry Potter.” Hermione replied as Harry turned away from the table to pour some juice for her. “You should try going home to your own place. That is something nice, try it sometime you know, really.”
“Are you kicking me out?” Harry asked with a grin.
“I’m only saying that you have a home you can always go back to.”
“I like your place.” Harry said winking at her. “Very homey and all.”
“You have a far more luxurious loft Harry.” Hermione said rolling her eyes out. “And it needs to be cleaned very soon.”
“It’s only been days.” Harry reasoned.
“One week, one day and eleven hours to be exact.” Hermione pointed out with a sheepish grin.
“Know It All.”
“Chosen One.”
“I am the Chosen One.” Harry smirked at her with a proud smile as Hermione threw over the spare apron back at him.

He watched her eyes slowly narrow as she read through the newspaper head line across the table.
“What’s up?” he asked in a mouthful of waffles and bacon.
“Have you seen this?” Hermione asked placing the paper over the table so Harry could read too. “Billionaire Bachelor About to Miss the Biggest Fund-Raising Event of The Year.”
Harry looked over at the title Hermione had just read.
It was Draco Malfoy over the headlines – a gallant and proud looking picture and one where he was lone in the picture with a grim look over his face.
“Biggest fund raising event of his company for the year?” Harry asked as Hermione mouthed and read the article. “You mean the bidding ball?”
“Yes.” Hermione answered moving her fingers sentence per sentence over the paper as she read through. “It doesn’t say here why he’s missing it – not written if he’s off to vacation or somewhere else or something – or anything. It just states that he wouldn’t be attending the fundraising event he had planned out and prepared for months.”
She looked up at Harry with a morose look over her face.
“What’s wrong?” Harry asked her. “It’s not like he’s the type to attend those. He prefers social gatherings to find the next woman he can fuck.”
Hermione looked up at him momentarily and gave him ‘that look’.
“Sorry.” Harry quickly said biting his lower lip. “Habits.”
“Habits or because it is Malfoy?” Hermione muttered under her breathe as she resumed reading the paper.
Harry didn’t say anything as he went on preparing their breakfast.
“He’s been attending these things.” Hermione said. “All of it. It’s the first time he’s about to miss one and it’s the biggest one his company is hosting and all.”
“Are you stalking Malfoy?”
“He has been funding the department at the Ministry that cares for the welfare of all creatures alike – including house elves.”
“And?”
“He’s been doing it since after the war. Never missed any.”
“Never missed any?” Harry incredulously repeated. “What? He’s trying to win Bachelor of the Year?”
“He’s trying to win hearts of people so he will remain unscathed and unharmed down the streets of London for getting away for all the crimes of his family.”
“Mrs. Malfoy paid as witness and her lie to the Dark Lord about my death already paved way to ensure that she and Draco evades Azkaban and have only Lucius Malfoy be in Azkaban.”
“But that won’t stop people from trying to hurt him down the streets, would it?” Hermione asked with a knowing smile.
“Makes sense.” Harry said as he filled a large pitcher with fresh juice.
“Why would he miss his biggest one for the year?” Hermione asked as she continue dreading the paper and articles.
“Would the house-elves be missing a galleon in their fund if he doesn’t appear on it?” Harry asked moving away from the paper.
Hermione’s eyes narrowed at him as she straightened up over her chair.
“That wasn’t my point.” Hermione asked. “The Ministry has been monitoring his activities – anything funny, they’re all ears and eyes on him.”
“So you’re really stalking him?” Harry asked again as he took another waffle from the platter. “Is that why you’re always down at the Human Resources floor? Getting gossips and news about him?”
“I’m not stalking him.” Hermione indignantly said. “I’m wondering why he’d abandon a large project – a project as large as that. It’s good for his name.”
“As long as the galleons are rolling, ‘Mione, the community wouldn’t mind if he appears or disappears in his parties.”

Hermione didn’t say anything as Harry moved away from the table, humming to himself as he started making coffee for himself.
She didn’t know why, but something was quite bothersome at that news.
But then again, Harry was right.
Nobody would bat an eye for as long money was rolling in for the good of others or more accurately, for as long as it was rolling in.
“Is there any article about The Desiderata?” Harry asked her as he gobbled down bacon after another.
“The what?” Hermione asked as Harry looked over the paper and shuffled through the pages.
“Oh, there it is.” Harry said pointing over a page.
Hermione quickly opened it up as a full page article and image was plastered for ‘The Desiderata’.
Her eyes widened.
An image of a spectacular, rare and expensive looking jewel was plastered large at the page and a small text was at the end of the page describing what it was.
It was made out of a very rare jewel that legend says is not of this world.
Despite of the picture lacking colour, it was describe to be in element and colour of emerald and the necklace it hang from was made out of studded diamonds.
It was a very beautiful picture and it says in the article that it was going to be the jewel for the night of the bidding – the most expensive and sought-after item for the bidding on the night.
“It says that the first bid wouldn’t go below a thousand galleons.” Hermione read through at the short interview from the Minister of Magic itself. “But they didn’t say where it was found.”
“They didn’t.” Harry said pointing over the picture. “My team and I went there at the Department of Mysteries where they are keeping it at the moment – the Minister asked my team to put up Protection Spells of sorts at where they kept it until the bidding night. I didn’t get much information about it as it seems they don’t even have much information about it.”
“Is it a Dark artifact?” Hermione asked.
“We couldn’t tell.” Harry replied. “We tried spells of sorts to open it up or anything – but boy, the emerald stone is extremely hard. Nothing ever found on this earth, I tell you.”
“Nothing ever found?” Hermione asked. “You saying it’s not from this planet?”
“We’re still under research and we’ve taken enough data from it to farther our research even if it sold at the night.”
“But if it is unknown to be good or dark – isn’t it dangerous to be sold out?”
“It will give a lot of money- thus, it will help more than one charity – it will bloody help a lot of people especially the families that were affected after the war.” Harry said. “And the Minister is banking that whoever has that loads of money would have good intentions for it.”
“Last time I checked, the richest man on the land is currently sitting in Azkaban.”
“Draco Malfoy wouldn’t be able to attend the ball himself and he’s not allowed to buy anything off the auction as he’s the one actually putting up some of the items.”
“Still not convinced that the richest man out there is a good guy.”
“You’re overthinking, ‘Mione.” Harry said with a smile as he moved away from the paper. “And if I had all the money in the world, I’d buy you that.”
Hermione looked up and Harry winked at her.

“It’s not funny. I’m serious.” Hermione said throwing him looks.
“I am also very much serious.” Harry pointed out.
Hermione rolled her eyes at him.
“Still, I can’t believe they’re putting this one out of auction even if they haven’t completely checked what’s in it – they just found it, found it has great monetary value and poof – they’re selling it off.”
“It has good value and we’ve completely checked it out Hermione – every bit and side of it.”
“And?”
“And there’s nothing. It’s been sitting with them for months – or maybe years – who knows? But they’ve just decided to bring it out onto the world and sell it – given the many financial aids that the Ministry of Magic has to cover after all the damages after the war.”
Hermione sighed heavily and stared back at the image of the very beautiful necklace with emerald stone for a pendant and couldn’t help but wonder who would possibly bid the highest for a mere necklace of no really known origin and magical properties.
“It’s been more than a year, Harry.” Hermione reasoned closing the paper and placing it aside to have her breakfast. “Almost two years, Harry.”
Harry looked up at her with a slight worry in his eyes.
“I know.” Harry said with a saddened look over his face. “But it will take more than a year or two to help these families to completely recover.”

The war had come and gone and it has been about a year and a half since the fall of the Dark Lord.
Hogwarts had been rebuilt out of all the resources of teachers, students, the government, families of the survivors of the war and some other outside of country resources.
Over all, it wasn’t just rebuilding Hogwarts but the whole of the Wizarding World.
The qualms between governments and countries where the magical community secretly resides were all forgotten and laid aside for the moment as they all helped and worked together to complete rebuilding their nation that had come from bad to worse.
A small intention and helping hand had come viral and so bringing back things in order weren’t as much as a problem as Harry and the Aurors thought it would be.
Those who were guilty and had lived through the war were taken to the rightful councils and jailed in prison for good awaiting their own sentences.
The government were also re-instating leaders and positions to rightful individuals.
It was an overall good way of clearing out the bad and improving the whole Wizarding World system as they had come to know.
It was the age of recovery as many would call it.

Hermione Granger, alongside many others who wanted to finish their schooling back at Hogwarts were given a chance to do so.
And so the school reopened within the same year but only a month and a half delayed having the term officially began by the end of October.
Classes, work and assignments were doubled given the time they lost, the school’s system would really need to catch up.
Hermione had no trouble dealing with it and seems the rest of the school as well – it was a good way to distract each of them for the losses and the devastation of the war.
Ron had decided not to return to school but instead had accepted an offer to train, play and tour as a professional Quidditch Player.
Harry and Hermione had been sad at the thought that he would be leaving them but he was quite devastated enough at the loss of Fred that it looked like it was the only thing that could actually and literally bring back the life and light in his eyes.
They bid him goodbye at the train station that would lead him into another country and another kind of life and had gone back to London.
It had taken Hermione a few weeks before she found her parents again and had restored their memories as soon as she did.
While she helped at the rebuilding of the castle and its system, she would come back home every day for a few months until it was time to return to school.
It had taken her a lot of thinking in the last year she has spent at the school to tell them that after graduating, she would take a job and a post at the Ministry of Magic.
And as always, her parents supported all her decisions and only reminded her that she was always welcome to come home at any point of her life that she would like her mother’s hot chocolate and her bedroom would remain as it was.
Hermione took her luggage with her to Hogwarts and took it back out the same way at the last day of her stay there.
It was almost an uneventful year – only filled with school work – and other necessary academic bearings to go through for a full year.
The Slytherins had mostly stayed to themselves and the bullying had all died down given their position at the society for what most of them and their families had contributed at the dark side.
The bunches that had been associated with the war had either left school completely or had returned to endure a year-long of scathing looks from others just to ensure their academic future and fulfillment.
Draco Malfoy had been no different from these individuals – he had returned to school to most of the surprise of the people there, including Hermione.
But he had become different.
Even from the Slytherin crowd, he had kept away and had kept mostly to himself.
He would usually come to class as the earliest and would leave the first the moment it finishes.
Hermione would usually find him at the farthest corner of the library that he seemed to have marked his spot – or rather nobody would come near him or make friends with him.
He worked mostly only with himself.
Once or twice, Hermione had tried to help him out with a book in the library he was looking for – but apparently, not even the good out of the war could help Draco be a little warm to his fellow students at the least.
He only took the books at both occasion and had not said a word at Hermione.
In might have been spite or might have been the shame he was bearing all over himself with the Dark Mark forever burned in his left hand – but Hermione had generally then stopped trying to reach out for the boy when there obviously was no point to it given the messages he was obviously throwing out at her.
Hermione could get a message the moment it was sent up into the air.
She had stopped trying eventually and Draco had then become a complete outcast into the school’s community.
Neville, Ginny and Luna had returned to finish their schooling and to find themselves ready for a couple of job offers right out of school.
Hermione didn’t have a hard time either.
Given her contribution at the war and her academic excellence and proof from teachers, jobs ran after her and not the other way around.
But she wanted to work at the Ministry of Magic to the departments that tackled the issues of the society and how to make life better to those who were at the lowest part of the social class.
Right out of graduation, everybody went to their own lives and with the good and respective jobs they’ve all learned.
Harry Potter never went back to school.

A few months after the war, he had been offer a position at the Auror’s Department.
He would be lead into a series of training and honing his skills and advance classes he would be taking at the Ministry of Magic himself by both retired and leading Aurors of the time.
Harry had jumped into the opportunity and had given his decisions to headmistress McGonagall personally at his visit at Hogwarts as he oversee the improvement and rebuilding of the school.
The headmistress was slightly saddened not to have her best Quidditch player back but she was glad that Harry had immediately found what he wanted to do with his life and would be trained under a better government and array of people.
She had also said that he was welcome any time to take a visit at school and to write to her would he need any kind of advice at all – may it be academic or for life in general.
Harry then spent the rest of the time helping rebuild the school and its system and soon, had received the letter letting him know that training begins once the system was all back up and raining at the Ministry of Magic – which had been a month ahead before Hogwarts reopened.
Harry then whisked his luggage from the school that has been housing him since after the war and had found himself in a small apartment building where Aurors in training had stayed until they were officially conducted as Aurors.
Right before Ron had left, the Golden Trio had met up for a final dinner together.
Hermione was tearful upon seeing her bestfriends after the days and weeks they weren’t together and only corresponded through letters.

They had shared the night away with good food and drinks that had all been paid for by the restaurant they stayed in lieu and grace of having the opportunity to have the Golden Trio in his place.
It had been a privilege like no other the owner had said.
And after that, they had returned to their lives – Ron had packed up to his travel, Harry had gone back to London to begin his Auror training while Hermione had been whisked back to Hogwarts for a year to finish her academe.
A year later then, Hermione had found herself a small apartment unit at a high-rise just a few blocks away from where Harry had been staying in his own one at a little more luxurious place.
Hermione had mostly wanted to keep things simple and had wanted to live off as a minimalist.
While Harry was the same, a lot of things and opportunities were given to him after everything that he had done for the world.
He didn’t have trouble sorting out which he’d need or would want or would savor graciously – and he had shared all this with Hermione Grange all the same as she was the only family had had after everything.
Sirius had gone and despite that Remus Lupin survived the battle, he had been away with his son Teddy traveling since the war had been over out of his devastation at the loss of his beloved wife.
Harry and Hermione had been living that way – Hermione had begun her work at the Ministry of Magic round the clock – living off from takeouts and meals and coffee with Harry while Harry had advanced to the Auror Department himself after his year of training and was mostly the point of jokes that he would soon become the Head Auror in a year where voting of positions would be placed.
They were both living well and with enough of what they both wanted in their lives, or at the least that was what Harry believed they were doing.
Despite and inspite it all, he had not seen a growing emptiness in Hermione that even she herself had not foreseen.

Hermione Granger lined up at the long line across the Ministry of Magic by the lunch hour.
It usually took her an hour to grab herself a cup of coffee and a pastry or sandwich or so and get back to her office just as work hour resumes – she doesn’t mind.
Hermione always preferred to finish everything she has to do before anything else, even meal times.
“Hermione?” called out a small voice.
Hermione looked up ahead of her where five people down stood Neville who was nearing the register.
“Neville!” Hermione excitedly squealed gaining gazes at her direction. “Sorry.”
Neville smiled right back at her and had pointed at a corner where he managed to save a small table out of the very packed café.
“Yes, sure, I will!” Hermione said checking her small watch knowing that after taking her coffee, she would have to go back to the office.

But the office could wait – it was very rare that she would ever see Neville.
Summer had just began and Neville was surely out with his feet enjoying the summer break.
The moment he graduated from school, he had been offered the post for Herbology as professor Spout had claimed that she was too old and too tired from the war to work any further.
Despite of his shy nature, Neville had no qualms from rejecting the position over to him – he had loved and was best at the subject for as long as he could remember and professor Sprout was the first one to recommend him for the position.
Taking his things and kissing his grandmother goodbye two weeks before school term began, Neville packed his way back to Hogwarts – but this time, as a professor.
And today, Hermione just couldn’t wait to hear from him all the changes he has made at the school and the experience of being a teacher and not as a student.
“Everything has just been – I don’t know – amazing, is that the word?” Neville asked as he took a sip from his large coffee and resumed eating his large breakfast plate.
Hermione stared and saw the glow of passion and life in his eyes.
Neville was truly enjoying his life at that very phase of his life.
“I’m sure.” Hermione said raising her cup to cheer up.

Neville smiled at him and continued with his stories of the school and how life was being at him at the moment.
McGonagall had given him a dormitory of his own now that he was a professor and had been advising him into handling his students.
Professor Sprout, despite her retirement, had continued to live within the school grounds and was continuously helping Neville and Hagrid take good care of the plants of sorts that were growing all over the school.
“She’s writing a book?” Hermione excitedly asked Neville.
“Yes.” Neville replied smiling at him. “I haven’ t officially really helped her but she’s like still mentoring me and teaching me stuff so I’ve offered to help her in her further research into writing her book – not much of a work, really. I’d only come to the greenhouses and bring in and out the plants she would need then I’m off to check the papers of students. Blimey Hermione, kids these days – smarter, more determined and kinder in a sense. They do love my subject.”
“Ofcourse they would.” Hermione said with a smile. “What’s not to love? And you are a good teacher, you will make a good bunch of students, Neville.”
Neville blushed at her and went back onto his meal as he asked her then what she has been doing and how Harry had been doing.
“So you’re not dating Harry Potter?” he asked with a coy smile. “Never?”
“Not never, really.” Hermione thoughtfully said. “It’s just.. I don’t know. I haven’t found us in that way and I tell you, he’s more excited with his training and Quidditch books.”
“So he’s not interested in you?”
Neville was too busy with his food to notice her blush.
Nope, that wasn’t the case.

In fact, Hermione just then recalled the time they came from a party very, very drunk indeed and had found themselves in Harry’s apartment making out until dawn but nothing further than that.
The following day, they both decided never to talk about it and had gone off the next hour laughing about it while Harry taught her how to play a wizard’s chest.
“I think it’s both not our priorities.” Hermione then replied with a smile as she stirred her cup of coffee.
“So you don’t like Harry.” Neville concluded with a smile.
Hermione giggled.
“Not that I don’t and it’s not like there’s nothing to like.” Hermione had said unsure why she was revealing as much to Neville.
But looking back, they had gone through so much that even if they didn’t really hang out much at school years before, he had been like a brother to her and she as a sister to him.
“So what is it?” Neville curiously asked. “Some papers had noted you two are dating. You could be seen leaving his apartment and him leaving yours at the latest of hours or never leaving at all.”
Hermione sort of alarmed Neville as she chuckled out the serious look over his face.
“Neville, we live off a very few blocks from one another.” Hermione stated. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. It’s all these papers making a fuzz.”
Hermione’s eyes then narrowed after recalling the memory that Rita Skeeter, after spending a few months in and out of Azkaban for writing lies and accusations about others, still was able to put up a small printing company of her own and continued to write down lies of sorts.
“She’s just for entertainment.” Hermione said realizing that Neville must have read something about them from an article by the woman. “But here’s the real scoop - Harry and I are friends – we’ve dated yes, but at the moment that isn’t a priority. It’s not that he likes me not or I like him not, it’s just – it’s just-“
“You haven’t found a spark in him that will just make you say yes to him.” Neville finished off as he halfway finished his meal.
“Neville!” Hermione said almost coughing over her coffee.
“It’s true.” Neville said raising his cup of coffee to his lips. “It’s not like we boys don’t know. Harry always liked you – love you perhaps through the years – but you were always.. I don’t know.. It’s not a way to offend you or what – but well, you were always seemingly looking, searching for something or someone else out there.”
“Oh, I’m not.” Hermione quickly said feeling the denial run through her blood.
“Yes you do.” Neville said with a smile over his face. “You can’t always do that.”
“Can’t do what?”
“Wait for the universe to conspire to give you your prince charming.” Neville said. “You actually got to be out there – meeting people, loving life and everything else in between. And Harry, he worries at you at times. He says he doesn’t say anything but he could sense it.”
“Sense what?”
“That you’re far off at times.” Neville said as he finished his breakfast. “It’s like you’re always waiting for the universe to throw someone right at you. You can’t do that. The war is over, Hermione. You’ve got to live it the way everyone else is doing. You also need some time off from your books and all that, you know.”
Hermione only smiled back at her friend.
Despite everything that he has said, she didn’t feel uncomfortable at all as he did make sense.
After all, it came from some school boy he used to know who had always been bullied and today – he hardly looked that part – he looked physically better, hair tamed well, slightly thinner and wearing a respectable set of robes that completely acted out the part of his profession.
“Cheers to you, Neville.” Hermione said raising her cup again. “I am proud of you.”
“Thanks ‘Mione.” Neville replied blushing. “It’s all thanks to you and Harry’s friendship I ever really survived everything.”

There was a crisp of cold air even though it was summer as he entered the large place.
It was probably one of the largest kind of structure in one floor he’s ventured into.
It had been a week now and the adjustment period wasn’t that easy at all – what with the things he had to quickly learn and catch up into, the meetings and arrangements he had to make to smoothen every part of his plan out and the littlest and utter things he had to come across and endure in order for his plans to go as he required it all to.
If he would take a closer look there were small bits of flaws in his plans but all of that could be easily mended if the rest of his plans would come accordingly.
He had just endured phase one – the next phase was slightly and a little bit harder than he’d thought it would be, but nothing could go wrong for as long as he was patient enough with all of it.
He moved forward in his elegantly booted feet towards the large pane of glass of the window where the whole city of London could be overlooked.
The Penthouse wasn’t bad but it took him a while to acquire it completely – not that the owner wasn’t willing – but it were the people, the documents and the condition of the mother of the owner that made it all difficult.

No matter, he was there now and he completely owned the place.
And in all honesty, the whole place didn’t need much of a decoration in his honest opinion – everything was elegant and in dark hues – just the way he would want it.
It was as if the previous owner of the flat had been his alter ego of some sort.
“Yeah, I’m sure.” he muttered shaking his head in mock at the insult of that thought.
Ofcourse he was nowhere the same as the man who used to own the place – he may be the top of his social class, but he was absolutely nowhere like him.
He was a Prince from where he had come from, a god even.
He closed his eyes, inhaled and basked in his own power that was surging through him.
A light glowed and his robes, cape and boots had quickly vanished and was replaced by a beautiful set of elegant suit.

Top-class, elite and most handsome at that state – exactly the way he would want to blend into the crowd he would then want to pursue.
He walked back to the middle of the room where a work table was set at another room.
An elegant card was placed at the top of the table.
It was already an open invitation about the upcoming ball and fundraising event.
He picked it up and read the name of the owner of the penthouse and with the slight glow from the staff that appeared in his hand, the name immediately had changed into what he would be using into that world until his plans were all set and he could introduce himself into the world he was about to take over.
He smiled at himself as the new name appeared and he pocketed it at the left jacket-pocket of his suit and turned, slowly humming and striding his way out of the door and into the night.

“Just an hour or two, Hermione.” Harry said as he struggled by the elevators with his itching suit. “I told you I hate going to these things.”
“You look very handsome.” Hermione said as she moved to face him and helped him out and straightened out his attire.
He looked back at her.
“You owe me one.” Harry said with a smile.
“Add it up to the list, Mr. Potter.” Hermione had said. “Come on, this is for the house-elves.”
“Yes, I know.” Harry said pinching her cheeks lightly. “It always has been for some sort of charity department you’re handling. This by the way, is the eleventh I’ve attended.”
“So you’re keeping track?”
“I’m telling you I don’t want to be a frequent on this. I don’t want to be marked as some party animal.”
“And you’re not.” Hermione pointed out. “Besides, you only attended the fund-raising ones and sorts. Come on, we will raise money for the department if they see war-hero Harry-“
“Yes, yes, I already know that.” Harry said making her turn around to tighten the zip of her elegant black cocktail dress with emerald lining that matched her large pair of emerald stone earrings.
“Do I look okay?” she nervously asked him as they nearly reach their floor.
“You look a lot like a Slytherin tonight.” Harry said with stern and narrowed eyes.
Worry passed her eyes.
“I forgot to do some laundry and this was the only thing that was suitable for the occasion-“
“Well, it’s Malfoy’s occasion so I’m quite sure he wouldn’t mind seeing you in the papers tomorrow morning supporting his house and all-“
“I’m not joking – do I look-“
“You look perfect.” Harry said as he moved closer her as if to kiss her.

He held her by the arms and stared back at her as if she was the most precious thing the heavens had thrown down upon him.
Their eyes locked in just as the elevator sounded and the pair of doors slowly opened up.
They were immediately greeted by a flock of crowd and a band was just starting off the music.
They were an hour late at the ball because Harry had always wanted to come later for it was a lot quiet that way and it saves them from being formally introduced to the whole crowd.
“Come.” Harry had said quickly taking her hand and slipping her somewhere where they wouldn’t be seen by a lot of people. “I’m actually quite starving.”
The agenda was that their presence was there, meet a few people who were rich or powerful enough to fund their departments and charities, a few chat and drinks and leave the way they came in – quiet and unmonitored by the crowd.

“There are Daily Prophet people around.” Hermione had said pointing across the darkened party place where the dim lights had already been put up.
“They’re always around.” Harry had said. “I’ll grab us something to drink while I make my way to the Minister and his crowd.”
Hermione looked up and saw the Minister of Magic himself talking to some foreign witches and wizards.
“He doesn’t stay, does he?” Hermione asked.
“Nope.” Harry said. “He does what we do. I got the idea from him. Anyway, stay here, I’d be right back.”
Hermione nodded as Harry left her at a corner wall of the party.
Some people already saw them and they only shyly nodded and smiled back at those people.
Cocktails were being served everywhere as food were being graciously and abundantly given away.
Her sleepy brown eyes roamed around the room.
The day at the Ministry had been quite long and if only this event wasn’t for the house-elves, she wouldn’t be there dragging Harry along with her in the first place.
It was held at one of the most expensive event venues in London – ofcourse it was gallant and expensive, it was after all, headed by none other than Draco Malfoy.
But he wasn’t present at the event night.
God knows where he was at the moment this fund-raising ball was taking place.
Hermione had always known that his ‘goody side’ wasn’t going to last – that he was going to get tired pretending he like helping people out.
Then again, she couldn’t blame him.
He wasn’t exactly cursing everyone with his Dark Arts skill set but he still ofcourse would never be able to get away from the attitude he had always had in himself.
And after being casted away by the society, she could almost understand why he’d prefer not to attend the things he was doing for the sake of clearing his and his mother’s name in the community.
It took Harry about ten minutes to get back to her with a cocktail glass and a stick of seafood in his hand.
He had been talked with by the people he passed by and the crowd was garnering through dancing and the bid that were taking place.
The night had been quite as it always had been in the parties they’ve both attended – them having drinks and their conversations being cut off as one after another would chance upon and recognize them and talk to Harry.

He was a celebrity in no doubt.
But he as good at keeping himself down to the ground and that’s what why a lot more of people loved him.
“Do your thing, I’m fine here.” Hermione said sipping through her second glass of alcohol through the night. “And then get back here and get me another of that chocolate thingy.”
Harry chuckled and kissed her on the forehead after his fourth glass and nodded at her as he left her.
People ofcourse talked about them – the unlabeled couple they were, but a couple nevertheless.
The lights slowly changed and went a little bit darker than it already was.
People slowly stared up at the stage and the sounds slowly faded away.

The Minister of Magic welcomed the crown with a smile and a drink in his hands as a pair of wizards brought up the stage the last item to be sold for the evening’s bid.
“Feast your eyes ladies and gentlemen as we present to you tonight’s main event, ‘The Desiderata’”
Hermione moved two steps forward with the crowd in great awe as something large, shimmering and immensely beautiful was offered to the crowd’s eyes.
Hermione barely heard and understood the Minister’s Description of the jewelry as she was already too enticed by it.
It was a necklace – its lace was made out of beaded out diamonds and at the midst of it as the pendant, was a very large emerald stone – encrusted and shaped beautifully.
She was so enamored by it as if it was calling her name that she barely heard Harry call her name in actual and walked by her side.
He placed his hand gently around her arm and stared back at the jewelry.

“Where did they find this?” Hermione whispered to Harry. “It’s so beautiful – nothing like the photograph.”
“Long been kept away, I told you already.” Harry muttered. “Probably found upon the raids the Ministry has taken to the houses of those who were guilty or thought of as abusers of the old regime and times. That’s our guess.”
“So nobody owns it?” Hermione asked. “The days had passed before this event and you never really found anything else about it?”
“Nothing.” Harry said. “It was like some universe sent gift by the gods as they’d say at the office.”
Hermione looked back at him as they moved a little closer to view it better.
“Everything that’s place for bid here has either been donated to the government by rich individuals or the Ministry of Magic has found from raids without labeling who owned them since the origins would most probably be not the ones they got it from – their list of owners or to who sold it to who is a very long and messy one – trust me, you’re going to get nutters reading it.”
“It’s so beautiful.” Hermione whispered as the bidding had begun and ladies after another were raising out their money like it was the end of the world tonight.
Harry looked around as nudged at her, pointing across the room as the bids went higher.

He leaned closer her and went for her ear.
“I told you the rich will never run out of money.” Harry whispered as he took another soft sip from his glass.
“If I had the money, I’d buy it.” Hermione whispered without taking her eyes off the necklace as it shimmered at the middle of the room. “I’d help charities and I’d have something nice to wear walking out of this place.”
“Would you like me to buy it?” Harry asked smiling sheepishly at her.
Hermione was quickly distracted as she looked back at him.
“No.” she whispered at him firmly pressing his arm. “Don’t waste your money on it and I wouldn’t let you. And most importantly you don’t have the money for it.”
“You don’t think I could?” Harry said with a challenge in his gaze.
“It’s too expensive and I wouldn’t let you.” Hermione whispered back at him grasping his hand to stop him from raising it.
“I’d buy you the world, Hermione Granger.” Harry whispered right at her cheek and before Hermione could do anything, Harry had made a few steps forward and raised his hand up in the air.
“Three thousand galleons over here!” he called out.
Hermione angrily stepped on his foot and he only replied with a smile as the crowd cheered over at their direction upon seeing who made the bid.
“He’s joking, minister!” Hermione called out with a striking smile pulling Harry’s arm back down. “We don’t have money!”
The crowd laughed and cheered for them.

“Ladies and gentlemen, let’s welcome the presence tonight of our dearest Miss Hermione Granger and ofcourse, Mr. Harry Potter.”
There were louder welcome and cheers this time around.
“Three thousand five hundred if you please, Minister!” Harry called out as he raised his glass as gesture to the crowd.
The cheers became louder.
“Three thousand five hundred galleons from our beloved Mr. Harry Potter!” the Minister of Magic called out at the crowd. “Anyone wanting to take if off Mr. Potter’s hands?”
“Four thousand!” a girl from the crowd had cheered up with a large laugh. “And maybe I’d also buy off Mr. Harry Potter!”
There were laughter and cheers as they stared at the direction of the very old lady who raised her glass towards Harry and Hermione’s direction.
They quickly recognize her as one of the most active in charity events – a Pure-Blood and she owned a publishing book company and had given Hermione a generous amount of books after telling them that they had not only save lives that night at the war, but souls who wanted to be given a chance to repent the sins from the old ways.
“It’s Mrs. Dawson.” Hermione pointed out smiling at her and waving her hand at her in greeting.
Harry raised his glass back at the woman who sent over a flying kiss at their direction.

The old woman smiled back at them as the crowd resumed to its bidding.
“Four thousand five hundred!” a middle-aged businessman had called out from the crowd.
“Oh, come on.” Harry groaned finishing the last drops of alcohol from his glass. “Five thousand!”
“Harry, stop it!” Hermione laughed at him placing her arms around his neck to cover his mouth.

It had always been like that in bidding - Harry Potter would come and grace the event with his presence and would bid out his own money to tease the crowd - to tease them to raise their bid in order for the Ministry to gain more for the charities they had been helping recover since after the war.
And it had always been a very successful trick of trade for them.

Cheers and more drinks filled the air as bidder after another tried to buy off the most expensive, most beautiful and most sought after jewelry in the ranks of the items that were being sold out.
Harry and Hermione were laughing out, holding one another with their drinks and Hermione reminding him that he only had seven thousand galleons in his bank account and another three that was left from the savings his mother and father had left him years before.
Hermione also generously reminded him of the bills he had to pay for the coming months.
They were both drunk and happy enough that Hermione had let him kiss her over the cheek with an embrace as they listened to the crowd went louder and wilder as bidder after another came about, continuously battling for the crowned jewel.
The cheers grew louder from the excited crowd as the bid had gone up to nine thousand galleons.

However, every sound slowly faded into silence as was the crowd as a deep, and unfamiliar Brit-accented voice came from the midst of the room from someone who had bid twenty thousand galleons for the necklace.
Everyone stared at the direction of the voice and even Harry and Hermione who were both drunk enough to pass out for the night had slowly come back to their right senses.
The intensity of the silence in the room had consumed most of them that even the Minister couldn’t speak.
The amount of money that was spoken was beyond any has ever heard of for the past years.
The highest bidders who would go after the most expensive finds would stop at fifteen and Lucius Malfoy holds the record years ago for a dark artifact that mounted to twelve-thousand galleons.

“Twenty thousand galleons.” spoke the enigmatic voice as footsteps came from the grand staircase where he made his entrance.
Everyone stared up at his direction as he walked forward and had slowly raised his glass to the Minister of Magic.
All eyes were upon the man as he slowly walked forward the stage.
“I’ll make it thirty – paid in full tonight – if you let me take this beauty home in a nice package instead of it being delivered.”
The Minister’s eyes slowly ran towards the council of government at the side of the room who were all staring in awe the man in front of him.
They gave him a small nod despite they still weren’t able to function properly at hearing such a large sum and amount of money.

“And I would need your name, sir.” the Minister said barely able to speak as he forced out a smile.
The crowd stared as the man slowly turned around in gesture and smiled back at the Minister.
“Thirty-thousand galleons from the Prince of Asgaard if you please.” the man answered with a sheepish and proud grin over his handsome face. “Or you can call me your Majesty.”
Harry and Hermione were near enough the stage to see him but not close enough to clearly see his face as he was at the other side of the bidding podium.

The man had long dark hair that ran until the top of his shoulders, had pale skin and was wearing an elegant set of black suit.
He had a beautiful glimmer in his eyes but a smile that Harry didn’t exactly trust.
“He’s joking right?” Hermione whispered into Harry’s ears. “That’s not his name?”
“They can give any name they’d want.” Harry whispered back. “If they want to be anonymous donors.”
“I could hardly think this one could be kept anonymous from the paper tomorrow.” Hermione answered back.
She stared right out at the middle of the room as the man waited for the Minister’s answer with a smile.
Hermione craned her neck as she tried to see the face of the man who had bid the highest tonight.
She wasn’t really expecting it but out of the blue as he stepped down the stairs to greet the crowd, his eyes settled to her.

Whether it was on purpose or a mere accident that his eyes roamed the crowd and had settled on her, Hermione wasn’t sure.
A glimmer of blue – or was it green – passed his eyes and it quickly flickered away as he looked back to the rest of the crowd and the Minister as if waiting to be cheered on.
“Are you alright?” Harry asked noticing Hermione suddenly clutching her chest.
“I’m fine.” Hermione said unable to determine where the feeling across her chest had come from as it had passed as quickly as it had come.
She looked up at the man again who was staring back at the Minister and was giving some big smile as he raised his hand a little.
Hermione noticed he was holding a staff in his hand – the coin and symbol of money and power.
She looked up again at the man but he no longer stared back at her.
There was that connection at that very split moment that their gazes connected and some sort of chill came right up to her spine and an unknown excitement passed her senses.
The Minister raised his hand into the air for the crowd.
“Going once? Going twice?!” he called out with a forced smile over his face.
Nobody dared to top that one.
Not just of the money he had already laid out but at the surprise that someone like him existed – willing to pay a lot of money, that lot of money for a necklace – that amounted to the same amount of buying off an island off the coast.
“Going thrice?” the Minister said as he called out at the crowd.
His eyes caught Harry’s and Harry nodded at him in an understanding.

“SOLD!” the Minister officially announced to the whole room as he raised his hand from the jewelry to the man.
The cheers started to come up again as the man in front nodded gratefully and thankfully at him and at the crowd.
“Ladies and gentlemen, The Desiderata.” the Minister repeated once more. “Sold for thirty-thousand galleons to this gentleman, the Prince of Asgaard.”
A glimmer in his eyes and a knowing smile came from the face of the gentleman in the black suit as he nodded to the cheering crowd without any other word.

The music resumed as the normal dimly lights did and the crowd slowly settled but with their eyes and whispers still about the man who had just bought the most expensive jewel of the night with an amount of money that was rarely or never really heard of in a bidding event.
Harry and Hermione moved to the corner of the room and watched two wizards who brought out the jewelry to be cased protectively and to be handed to the man.
They watched as the Minister asked his assistant to quickly file out some documents for the man to sign.
Hermione’s eyes narrowed as he shook hands with the Minister with that glimmer of a smile over his face.
Something was daunting and hauntingly beautiful at the smile at the face of the man.

“Know him?” Hermione whispered as the party resumed to its normal course although some women were now whispering and deciding to go and talk to the possibly the richest individual in the room.
“No.” Harry said as he moved Hermione away from the crowd. “Malfoy probably does.”
“Yeah.” Hermione said as she continued looking across the room where the man was now making some short conversation with the Minister. “Looks like his age and crowd anyway.”
“He looks older.” Harry suggested as he took her by the arm. “Let’s go home?” he asked her.
Hermione wasn’t listening.
Her eyes were still at the man across the room who had just shaken the Minister’s hand and was preparing to leave the event with his beautiful jewel.
“He’s leaving?” Hermione whispered at Harry as she slowly pointed across.
“Maybe?” Harry asked slightly annoyed by Hermione’s attitude. “You want to stay, you want to leave?” he asked her.
“Sorry.” Hermione said realizing her attitude. “Come on, let’s go home. I’m quite sleepy and dizzy from all the drinking.”
“You look slightly unwell.”
“It’s the drink.” Hermione said. “It’s better and a really good idea we go home now.”
Harry gladly took her in his arms.

They both nodded at the Minister who was now talking to someone and had only looked up at their direction as Harry raised his hand letting him know that they were leaving already.
Hermione had been quite sleepy and dizzy from all the drinks that she had taken that night that she didn’t notice that Harry was quietly observing her gaze as they exited the party together – that very gaze that told him that she was wondering and looking for that man who had bid the highest tonight and had already disappeared from crowd and sight the moment the box of jewelry he had just bought in was handed to him.
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Across the Universe