Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Across the Universe	By : Marionne25 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 5057 -:- 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
- 5
- 6
- 7
Chapter V
Mr Laufeyson

It took all the possible energy and effort from every part and bit of her body to remain still and keep her eyes and hands from moving around the extremely large library before her.
The double doors had opened for them and the moment this happened, the waft and smell of old and new books lured and grabbed her insides.
Her eyes ran up and down the tall aisles of books and by this alone, she could already tell that the owner of the place wasn’t only very rich but a very learned and well-read person.
“Mr. Laufeyson shall be following here soon enough to meet you, my lady.” said one of the girls offering her to seat over one of the large armchairs.
But she wanted to badly to sit on a carpeted floor and read a book by the gigantic fireplace.
“Mr. Laufeyson?” she asked to one of the servants. “Who is he?”
The servants smiled and bowed at her.
“He owns the place.” said one of them. “He lives here.”
“He’s the one who saved your life.” answered another.
Her eyes shot up at her.
She has forgotten completely what has happened and just couldn’t wait to meet this man who could possibly tell her where she was and what has happened really.
“He is just tending over something but has asked us to bring you here for you to wait for him.”
“Oh, I see.” Hermione said trying to keep her eyes from gawking at the shelves around her.
She could already guess and tell how knowledgeable he could be by the books he owned.
She smiled at the thought of meeting someone as wise as the old headmaster, Dumbledore.
“How old is he?” she asked them. “This Mr. Laufeyson?”
They all only smiled at her and Hermione could swear that before bowing out of the room, they were snickering at her questions.
“Well, that’s nice.” Hermione said as the double doors closed and she was left alone, standing still at the midst of the high-ceiling library with all the books she could only imagine.
She stood alone for quite some time, foot tapping, fingers fidgeting at the end of her small black dress and eyes roaming all over the place.
She was just dying to grab even just one book but knew that she couldn’t.
She didn’t know who owned the place and she definitely didn’t want to meddle over something she didn’t own.
Perhaps once she’s met the old man, he would allow her to read even just a book or two – or maybe three – he had bothered to save her life after all.
And then again, she wasn’t exactly forbidden to walk around the vast library and observe her surroundings, was she?
Excited as every bit of her body, Hermione slowly turned around and looked curiously around the room.
The carpet and tapestry told her that this man had enough elegance in him to the point of royalty in his taste.
Moving her fingers around the mahogany chairs and a few of the long tables to read on, she could tell that the materials were no just London made but probably custom made and bought from another country or so.
The gigantic drapes that hung were also in elegant velvet finish and the chandelier that hung at the very middle of the room told her that there seemed to be some sort of magic suspending what looked like candles or stars or rather diamonds all over and around it.

Everything around her was as elegant, orderly and one that reminded her of Hogwarts.
He must be a wizard, perhaps?
Hermione’s will to not touch anything or rather not take any book from any shelf falters and weakens the more she walked around the room and have a good look of things around her.
She turned and one particular shelf of books caught her attention – Advance Magic of the Nine Realms.
Nine Realms?
She walked forward it and before she knew it, she was already taking the book out from its place and was engulfed through the pages.
She had been too excited, too preoccupied and consumed already that she barely noticed the person standing right next to her, leaning against the bookshelves with arms crossed and dark eyes staring at her in an amused way.

“I take it back that you like books.” said the deep voice that startled Hermione making her yelped up. “I take it now that you love books.”
Hermione nearly dropped the book but his reflexes was just as fast – he caught her before she tripped over herself and the large book in her hands.
Hermione looked up, finding him holding the book in his right hand and the other, gently holding her arm to keep her balanced and in place.
Their eyes met.
Hermione’s brown ones observed and narrowed in recall.
“You..?” she whispered unable to stop herself from gaping.
“Me?” he asked back, straightening up and help her to fully stand as well.
Hermione watched him slowly return the book back into its place with her eyes wide in shock and throat stuck with her words.
“Aren’t you-“ Hermione began not knowing what to say as she followed him with her gaze. “Are you – we’ve met before, yes?”
“Met before?” he slowly repeated turning back to her with a knowing smile over his pale face.
“Yes.” Hermione said nodding vigorously as she was sure this time around that she’s met him and that he’s the man at the café.
He looked back at her, observing her and Hermione felt slightly annoyed at his reluctance to admit that they’ve met, thus making her sound crazy and assuming.
“Yes, we’ve met.” Hermione said and this time her tone was slightly firmer and colder.
She stared back at him, arms folded and staring at his tall physique.
“Yes.” he finally answered after a while. “Yes, my lady, we’ve met and it is in my honor to meet you again.”
Hermione’s mouth fell open at the way he smiled at her.
She didn’t know why but she wasn’t usually the one at loss for words or anything to say towards someone and right now, she doesn’t know where her voice was.
He stood tall, in a nice black suit, short hair grazed and messily pushed back.
At closer inspection, he did have green-blue eyes that made her wonder about him as it added a bit more of mystery in his aura.
He had a pale colour about his skin that matched his black hair that really reminded him of a younger Severus Snape for Hermione.
But he was smiling and Snape never smiles.
And his smile was killing her.
“You’re – you’re Mr. Laufeyson?” she asked giving him a suspicious look as her eyes moved up and down at his figure.
She blushed as he smile back realizing that she had seemingly been eyeing his body closely.
“Please.” he said as he advanced towards her and offered his hand to her. “Call me, Loki.”
Her brown eyes moved to his gentle hand with long fingers.
It looked quite soft to touch despite that his built told her that he looked some warrior of some sort.
“Her-Hermione.” she replied taking his hand. “Hermione Granger.”
“Ah the name that houses wisdom.” Loki warmly said with a smile.
Hermione’s mind was no longer working at this point that she didn’t catch what he had said.
It took all of Hermione’s energy to not close her eyes and sigh as the moment their hands touched, there felt like an electrifying sensation that moved right at the ends of her toes and fingers.
Despite the sensation, his hand was quite warm, gentle and soft.
It felt like nothing short of a caress.

Now she definitely felt stupid.
He was nowhere the ‘’grandpa” image she had been imagining him to be for the past few minutes in her wonder.
He could be intellectual and young at the same time – how stupid of her to quickly judge and think of him as somewhat at par with Dumbledore or so just because he owned a library that was a match for the headmaster’s office.
“Welcome to my abode, Miss Granger.” Loki said as he moved forward another step and without taking his eyes off her, he brought her hand into his lips and gently kissed the back of it.
Hermione furiously blushed, eyes locked with his gaze and her throat stuck with the words.
He held her in place at that way for another moment or so until Hermione realized that the moment of introduction should have expired by now.
Hermione came back to her senses and she quickly withdrew her hand from his lips and hand.
She turned away from him, coughing out and trying to look for words to break the consuming silence.
She had been too occupied berating herself that she didn’t notice that he had been closely following her that when she turned back to him, he was only a few inches away from her, body half leaning against the bookshelf and was staring at her with eyes that were seemingly undressing her already.
“I –“ Hermione began not really knowing what to tell his smiling face at her. “I was – well, I am actually-“
“Did you like it?” he asked her suddenly, closing the gap between them and standing tall before her.
“Like – like –“ Hermione stuttered not really knowing where to move from him because he had placed his long arm over her head and his body was leaned slightly so that it felt like he was blocking her from moving away at all.
“Like this place?” he asked eyes moving slowly around before returning to her. “The library?”
Hermione’s brains seemed to lag by the fact that they were so close.
Or perhaps, her brains were only lagging because she couldn’t concentrate and focus again because he was too handsome and too distracting.
He said his name was Loki Laufeyson and if by any chance he was a god, Hermione thought that it wasn’t impossible.
“Oh.. yes.. yes.. the library.. books.. and all..” Hermione stuttered again trying to keep her cool.
“Yes.” he said eyes slowly narrowing at her with a gleeful smile from his lips. “Books. Library.”
And before Hermione could faint by their proximity as her ovaries that felt like they were screaming at the moment, he moved away from her.
She wasn’t sure if she was disappointed or happy for his realization that their personal space had been crossed.
She watched his back, tall physique and muscular shape beneath his black suit.
She could only imagine what lay beneath those dark clothes.
“Oh get a grip on yourself.” Hermione muttered rolling her eyes and biting her lower lip.
“Get a what?” he slowly asked her turning to her again.
Hermione quickly shook her head.
“Nothing.” Hermione quickly said. “Sorry.”
He nodded at her and walked around what Hermione supposed was his library.
She watched him closely, yes he was the man at the café but could he be the same man at the auction?
She was doubtful back at the café but seeing the grandeur of his place, it could not be impossible that it wasn’t him.
“Have you eaten?” he asked her as he walked towards the middle of the room towards the long reading table.
Hermione only stared at him.

“I asked my servants to bring you something to eat.” Loki said gesturing his hands.
Hermione raised an eyebrow as she walked towards him.
“I prefer the term handmaid.” Hermione said with a tone that Loki didn’t miss. “And yes, thank you and I have eaten.”
“Did I just sense some hostility at the term?” he asked her slowly as he took one of the books from the pile over the long table and opened it. “Or some issue in regards with the lower class?”
“I just prefer to call and treat them with equality.” Hermione answered again with a tone as she folded her arms and stared at his direction.
Loki didn’t miss any of it.
But instead of getting intimidated, he seemed amused by her beliefs and stand.
“What’s funny?” Hermione asked suddenly feeling that his handsomeness was slowly fading away by his attitude.
“There is nothing funny.” Loki said with a look over his face while his long fingers lifted through page after another from the book he had opened. “You just remind me of my brother’s – American friend. He was also all about terms and labels, of honor and patriotism and all that.”
“Your brother then might have different or rather higher order of beliefs to hang around with certain people who share such beliefs.” Hermione coldly pointed out with a smirk.
BAM.
Hermione gasped as he shut the bound book over the table with a loud and hard snap.
Hermione took one step backward as he slowly looked up at her with dark eyes.

The look of amusement completely vanished from his face.
All the smile over his face had gone and the kindness had vanished as well.
What was left was a cold look and a dark aura in his facial features that matched his clenching fists.
Hermione was already more than sure that she has said the wrong thing.
For a moment, he kept his eyes over the book as if reminiscing something painful, recalling something completely different that he had forgotten of her presence there.
“My brother…” Loki slowly began standing up straight again. “Has beliefs and standards that are both ordinary and unlikely in its own way.”
“And yours?” Hermione asked him gaining a little back of her confidence. “What are yours?”
His eyes moved back to her as if he was transcended back into her presence in the room.
His smile was slowly returning this time and a look of being proud came about his face.
“I believe in many things.” Loki replied as a cold smile started spreading along his face. “But a handful would be that enough intellect will save your life at the right time and right moment that no amount of brawns and bravery nor patriotism can match it.”
Hermione stared at him.
That picked her brains.
He wasn’t just rich, he was obviously insightful and wasn’t just someone who mocked the lesser mortals.
He was obviously well-read and has very interesting thoughts.
Hermione decided to relax once more and not jump into any assumptions about the lad in front of her.
She looked up at him, considering his possible knowledge in things that was seemingly not appropriate his age.
If she would take a closer look, he seemed a few years younger than Lupin and a few years older than Bill Weasley – so somewhere there in between.

“I’m sorry.” his voice drawled out, interrupting her thoughts. “I don’t want to give you a wrong impression over things. Let’s begin again.. May I?” he asked pulling out a chair for her from the long table.
Hermione sighed and nodded and slowly sat down, not leaving her eyes unaware of his movements around her.
He took a few books from the table and one from the shelf.
“Can I delight you with certain selections?” he asked her placing the handful of books in front of her.
Hermione looked up and read the tiles.
She looked up at him.
“I would be assuming these are your taste?” he asked motioning to the books.
Hermione’s eyes slightly widened and she then recalled these were selections at par to what she was reading back at the café when they met.
She smiled and nodded at him.
“I do have certain tastes.” Hermione replied, nodding towards the pile of books he had placed before her. “And you?”
He stared at her, seemingly reading her thoughts as he kept their eye contact.
Despite his formality in his stance, he smiled and sat at the edge of the table, closing in the gap of their personal space once more.
“My tastes… are…” he spoke quite slowly, alluring and almost sensual in a way. “..rather… complicated.”
Hermione shifted uncomfortably after she realized that she wasn’t just gawking at him but was actually literally leaning towards very bit and word he was speaking.
He stared down at her with that knowing smile over his face again.
Hermione looked away, shifting uncomfortably over the chair.
He moved away from her sensing her nervousness.
“Why are you tensed?” he asked her, backing away and leaning backwards over the shelf nearest the long table.
“I’m not tensed.” Hermione said looking away and turning red. “Why would I be?”
“Yes, why would you be..” he whispered at her moving forward again.
Hermione tried to look at everything but his beautiful eyes and handsome physique.
“You mean I don’t make you feel nervous?” he asked her suddenly moving forward and placing each hand on either side of the chair to completely block her and catch her off-guard.
Hermione felt stuck in her position with her voice stuck in her throat as well.
“Do I?”
“Do you – do you what?” she stuttered. .
“Do I make you feel nervous?” he repeated slowly.
He slowly moved his finger to gently move her face to look up at him.
Their eyes met once more and the same tingling sensation crept all over her again.
“Miss Granger?” he called her name softly. “Do I make you feel uncomfortable?”
Her eyes moved to him, wondering what kind of answer he wanted because he obviously knew the answer already.
“I’m not nervous.” Hermione said gaining herself again. “Neither do I feel uncomfortable. But I would appreciate a little distance, Mr. Laufeyson.”
And suddenly, she moved herself away from him and stood up, facing herself away from his direction and placing both her hands across her chest.
She could tell that he was just feeling even more amused over this reaction.
“Is there anything else you would require Miss Granger to feel a bit more comfortable?” he slowly asked her taking a book from the table and reading it through.
“Comfortable?” Hermione asked turning back at him.
“When I found you, you were seemingly.. lost in your own thoughts..” Loki explained to her in a slow and low tone. “You were quite preoccupied to notice the falling debris.”
Hermione listened to his words and then her eyes suddenly widened.
Now she slowly and then completely remembered.
“It was you.” Hermione said taking a few steps forward him. “It was you.. you did.. you were…”
“Yes, it was me.” Loki replied losing the book and leaning back against the table and still making no difference to how taller he was compared to her.
Hermione gaped at him, wondering why he was like this.
He didn’t seem like gloating but he neither seemed humble in her opinion.
“Well I should thank you.” Hermione said. “For saving me.. I was.. it was a rough day.”
“I see.” Loki said. “But are you not too young to be feeling this tired?”
“I’m sorry?”
“You’re beautiful and young.” Loki answered her as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And I wouldn’t doubt that you’re intellectual as well. So why or rather what would be tiring and exhausting all that energy from you?”

She looked up at him, thinking of what to say.
What does tire her out in the daily life she was living?
Well, she has work and then there goes dealing with people and this goes every day.
There was no Dark Lord to be vanquished nor Horcruxes to be searched for so that was off the list.
What was really stressing her out?
Life.
The life she was living in an everyday routine was the thing that stresses her out.
Her eyebrows quirked and when she looked up at him again, he was looking at her with a knowing expression.
It was as if he knew the answer, it was as if he was just waiting for her to admit the answer they both knew.
“Nothing.” Hermione replied completely turning away from him. “Look, thank you for all of these, but I need to go home.”
“I see.” Loki said nodding at her. “May I delight you for a little tour of the gardens?”

“No.” Hermione quickly replied before her whole body screams yes to his offer. “I just really want to go home.”
He looked at her and the look of disappointment wasn’t hidden over his face.
“I’m sorry.” Hermione quickly said, regretting how rude she may look like. “I just.. I just didn’t tell.. Someone’s waiting for me at home.”
His eyes quickly moved to her and there was a look that passed his eyes that told her that he didn’t like what she had just said.
But she was worried and was thinking of how worried Harry may be already.
“I see then.” Loki quietly said straightening up from the table and nodding at her. “I apologize for assuming certain things. Very lucky lad he must be.”
“Oh no!” Hermione quickly said raising her hand towards him. “He’s not – I mean-“
She bit her lower lip not really knowing why she had to say that and why she had to sound so apologetic to him about it.
He looked back at her, obviously confused.
“I’m not following.” Loki honestly said but he was obviously waiting for her to elaborate further.
“Someone’s waiting – a friend of mine – he’s name is Harry.” Hermione began not really knowing why she was explaining to him. “He’s my bestfriend and he knows I don’t just – don’t just disappear out of thin air so I’m sure he’s worried that.. well.. you know.”
He looked at her, studying her and analyzing her words.
He must have come to a certain agreement in his head about her story that he only nodded at her and gave her a smile.
“Then perhaps nobody would mind if I bring you back?” he asked her. “I take it you’re just from town?”
“Ah.. yes.. I can actually just.. “ she paused unsure if she was even at the right place to divulge that she was a witch. “Wait.. where are we exactly?”
“Hampstead Heath, London.” he replied with a gleeful smile.
Hermione’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open.
They were at another side of London and at one of the most luxurious streets.
She has only ever been there once when she accompanied Fleur and her other to shop when she visited the couple a few months ago.
“We’re at – did you just say- how did we-“
“We can take a ride?” he offered her with a smile. “Or do you prefer your way of traveling?”
Her eyes quirked back at him.
Did he know she was a witch?
“My way..of traveling?” she slowly asked him trying to sound innocent of the query.
“Yes.” Loki replied as he began to walk to the door with Hermione at his heel. “Your way of traveling.”
“I’m not sure I understand.” Hermione lied at him, gnawing at the tip of her tongue to ask if he was a wizard.
She had not seen a wand and no portrait told her that he was a wizard.
And focusing back over the books, they were more elaborate stories and studies of the stars, planets and universe – but nothing in precise definition of magic except for the first book she’s seen.
But ofcourse, unless there was precise and actual magic done there, she couldn’t just ask and assume that he was a wizard.
“Mr. Laufeyson-“
“Loki, please.” he said turning to her as he held the door for her. “Call me in my name.”
He gently reached for her hand and before Hermione could do anything, he lowered his lips over her hand and kissed it again.
She blushed furiously.

Why on the bloody earth was she feeling this way as his eyes met hers?
“Call me Hermione then.” she said unable to stop herself from giving in to the look he was sending her way. “It was really a pleasure to meet you.”
“Pleasure’s all mine, my lady.” Loki replied to her letting her hand go as slowly as he could possibly do so.
The term lightened up a thought inside her head but she wasn’t sure what to ask really.
Why was his place so grand, why was it that his servants dressed differently, was the library his or his father’s or – she had so many questions and now she was about to leave because she was so rude and stubborn.
“I wish I could ask you to stay further.” Loki suddenly said as if reading her thoughts. “But if you must really go, may I ask if you would allow that we meet once more?”
“Allow we –“ Hermione’s brains lagged again. “Us? To meet?”
“Yes.” Loki said with a brilliant smile. “What is it they call it these days? Ah.. Would you like to have some coffee with me?”
“Coffee?”
“Oh, am I wrong?” Loki asked concernedly. “Is it not called coffee-“
“It is.” Hermione quickly said nodding at him. “It’s called coffee.”
She was smiling up at him, gaping was more like it.
And he looked back at her as if he himself was having a good time having her there.
“This is nice. Really.” Hermione finally said and Loki could tell the honesty in her tone. “I mean.. I just really have to go.”
“I understand that, ofcourse.” Loki said smiling at her. “We would see one another again.”
“How will I-“
“I will find you.” Loki said opening the doors to lead her out.
“Find me?” Hermione asked with a slight chuckle as she stepped out of the doors. “But I-“
“I have my ways, Hermione.” Loki said with that same mischievous smile again. “Trust me when I tell you that I’ll find you.”

“Wait, can you hold on right there and just stop there.”
“Stop where?” Hermione breathlessly asked him, completely distracted from the trail of her story.
“To the part where this Mr. Leyfu-“
“Laufy-“
“Lafy-guy-“
“Laufeyson-“
“Yes him.” Harry said with a devastated sigh at him. “Yes. Him. Stop there.”
“What about it?” Hermione asked with a raised brow. “That was the beginning of my story, Harry.”
He looked back at her annoyed expression and knew that she was feeling bad for being disrupted with her words.
Harry looked back at her as he stirred his coffee and then moved back to her over the countertop and placed it before her.
“Yes. Him. I’d like to know more of him.”
“More of him?”
“Yes. What does he do?”
“He.. I’m not quite sure.” Hermione admitted knowing they didn’t talk as much to have enough time to go to that area.
She looked up at Harry and knew that look he was giving her.
Now she knew that she didn’t only look but also sounded stupid.
“So you just met him?” Harry slowly repeated the facts back to her. “And you’re already planning to have coffee with him?”
“Well, if he confirms-“
“And he said he will find you?” Harry said with an unmistakable smirk over his face.
Hermione looked annoyed.
“Oh, forget it.” Hermione said turning away and shoving her hand up in the air. “Why am I even bothering on telling you these things?”
Harry smiled at her and shook his head.
“Ofcourse I just want to know what’s happened to you.” Harry said with a smile.
“You’re making fun of what happened to me.”
“I’m not making fun of what happened to you.” Harry protested. “You know how bloody worried I was?! You just freaking vanished and then you just come out of nowhere after like what twelve hours or so – you could already be declared a missing person-“
“I’m still at London. I’m not missing.” Hermione said with a raished brow. “And for your information, you can only report a missing person if that person vanishes out of thin air, without a trace within 24 hours.”
“It has been almost 24 hours.”
“It’s different.”
“It’s the same.” Harry argued with finality in his tone.
He looked back at her from the other side of the table.
And then Hermione’s facial expression softened.
“I’m sorry.” Hermione said reaching out for his hand and taking it into hers. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. I wanted to get back as soon as I realized the hours that passed.”
Harry stared back at her.
The more she stared, the further Harry’s fury ebbed away.
Harry’s crossed facial features slowly vanished and softened as well.
He heavily sighed at her and nodded and Hermione knew that she’s already won him back.

“Just don’t do that again.” Harry warningly said. “Please, Hermione. These days are… we’ve just survived the war. I can’t exactly accept if you’re just going to die for some random reason.”
“I won’t die.” Hermione said quickly getting herself around him and embracing him from behind. “Oh Harry. What will I do without you?”
“You’re right.” Harry said. “You’re prolly going to die without the Chosen One by your side.” Harry said with a smirk, leaning forward to kiss her but Hermione quickly pulled her hand away from his waist and moved away, chuckling.
Hermione let him go but Harry’s hand held her and let her go as slowly as he could possibly do so until eventually, only their hands held.
He looked at her and Hermione knew what he was thinking at that moment.
“We’ve already talked about this.” Hermione whispered with an obvious regret in her tone. “You already know my stand upon this.”
“I’m not in a hurry, Hermione.” Harry said with a smile on his face as he pressed her hand into his. “Please just.. “
“I will just break your heart.” Hermione said with a smile as she caressed his face.
Harry closed his eyes at the sensation and feel of her soft hand against his cheek.
He opened his green eyes to find her staring back at him with her sweet brown ones.
“I will be here for you and you know that.” Hermione said. “And I will always love you…just not in the way..”
Her words trailed off as Harry pulled her to him and locked her within his grasp and tightly held her over his chest before burying his face in her long and thick tresses.
He close his eyes as he inhaled her scent.
“Give it time.” Harry whispered to her. “Give it enough time.”

Several more days had passed and though Hermione would not admit it to herself, she had come back to the café the whole week to check if Mr. Loki Laufeyson had returned.
She would never let her know that he was looking for him if by chance they meet.
But she would neither admit it to herself that she wanted to see him again and have a chat.
Despite his seemingly cool and blunt demeanor, she would have to admit that there was seemingly something interesting about him that she just couldn’t put a finger on.
She was obviously curious about the man she barely knew.
According to the hour patterns she’s tried, he didn’t seem to be there again nor did it seem like he was ever coming back.
Her usual spot had always been empty and only ever occupied once by an old man but nothing more.
Recalling he had a sort of different accent, Hermione then realized that he could have been a mere tourist.
A tourist?
A tourist who obviously had enough money to have a grand place at that side of the country.
His library was so big and grand and she wondered if she will never see it again.
She bit her lip and berated herself every time the thought of jaunting down at his street would come across her mind.
There was no way she was going down there to look for a man who was obviously out of her league.

“Miss Granger?” came a voice and a knock over her door.
Hermione shook her head and looked up from her untouched desk work for three hours now.
“Come in.” Hermione said quickly sitting straight and tying her hair back with the loose band Harry had given her a few weeks ago.
The door opened and Hermione finished up with her hair and was pretending to be busy and not daydreaming for the past hours.
Her assistant smiled at her and slowly entered.
“Yes?” she asked as she gave Hermione a reluctant look over her face.
“Uhm.. well.. you have delivery.” the assistant said walking forward her desk and handing her a form to sign.
“Oh. What is it?” Hermione asked reaching for it and grabbing a quill from the pile of work over her desk.
“Uh… flowers?” her assistant said watching her sign her name over the parchment.
“Yes.” her assistant replied taking the parchment from her. “Flowers. Downstairs. And they’re… well, they’re still downstairs trying to bring them up to our floor.”
“Bring them up?” Hermione asked with a tone. “It’s just a bouquet. Couldn’t they just-“
“I don’t think they’re just a bouquet Miss Granger.”
“What?” Hermione asked her unable to comprehend what she had just said. “What do you-“
“Hermione? Do you know what’s going on?” Harry asked as he burst into the room.
The other two looked up at a harassed looking Harry.
“What?”
“All six lifts can’t be used.” Harry said. “I have a meeting in a few minutes and I can’t get up at the Auror’s conference room.” Harry said looking up at her with an irritated look over his face. “They said all lifts are being used and the freaking stairs are beginning to crowd.”
Hermione quickly stood up and stared at her assistant.
He looked at her then at the assistant and back at her. “What’s going on?” he asked. “Did I interrupt something? Do you know what’s going on out there?”
“Uh… that’s what I was trying to say, Miss Granger.” the assistant replied.
Harry opened his mouth to ask about it but Hermione dived out of her desk and quickly pulled him with her to check what was going on.
They paced fast towards the main corridor that led to the main lobby for where the lifts were.
A lot of witches and wizards were waiting for the lifts to open to take their ride but they were all occupied from the ground and unmoving.
“What’s going on?” Harry asked a few bystanders staring at the crowd that was beginning by the lobby that was caused by the elevators that were stuck at the ground floor.
“Loading some delivery.” one witch replied. “I think they are all stuck at the ground floor.”
“All of the elevators are being used?” Hermione asked with a look of worry over her face especially at the idea that it may be because of some delivery for her.
“All lifts.” another wizard replied. “All bloody six of them.”
Hermione and Harry stared at one another before grabbing one another’s hand to squeeze their way through the thickening crowd to get nearer onto one of the lifts.
But before they could even really reach the front, there came the sounds of the lifts reaching the floor and simultaneously opening altogether.
One man from one of the lifts got out and looked around and quickly walked towards the ministry guard he found.
He walked up to him with a parchment in his hand.
“I would like to ask where the office of Miss Hermione Jean Granger is?” he asked with a tone loud enough for a few people at front to hear and pass around the crowd.
Harry quickly turned to Hermione who had a horrified look over her face.
She sank behind Harry trying to hide herself from the crowd that was now murmuring in wonder while passing her name around.
Her face was burning red now as they saw the guard gesture towards the corridor that led to her office.
“Thank you.” the man said and he turned back to the lifts and loud enough for the lobby to hear. “Down two corridors and left and straight ahead to Miss Granger’s office.”
And before Harry and Hermione could comprehend the whole situation or stop it from even happening, each lift unloaded atleast seven men all carrying extremely large bouquets of flowers with the rarest shade of lavender and blue that Harry and Hermione has ever seen.

They all marched up in an organized manner, carrying the roses with the rare shade that Harry has never seen in his life before.
Whispers grew louder as they all lined up and marched like soldiers towards the direction that were given to them to bring the roses.
“What flower is that?” Harry muttered as they moved within the crowd hiding Hermione from sight while making sure they could see all the deliveries being unloaded from the lifts.
“They definitely don’t grow that here.” Hermione said with a sharp tone while she sank behind Harry watching the rest of the men carry the endless bouquet of flowers in sight.
“From abroad then?” Harry asked whispered as they backed farther from the crowd. “Not from London?”
“More like not from this planet.” Hermione muttered back at him with her brains trying to figure out who the hell sent the roses.
“What do you mean not from this planet?” Harry asked back a little louder than he had meant to. .
“We’ve only read of this at professor Sprout’s class.”
“Read of it?” Harry asked in a tone that assured Hermione that he never truly paid attention in his class with the old woman nor did he ever open any book about it.
“Oh, forget about it.” Hermione said rolling her eyes at him. “Legend says it grows in another planet and is a plant of the royal family and is symbol for certain things.”
“Legend?” Harry asked her. “Plants of royal family? Are you sure we went to the same school, ‘Mione?” he asked her with a smirk as the last of the men left the elevators and disappeared from the corridor.
Before Hermione could give a retort however, one of the witches recognized Hermione from the thinning crowd and pointed at her direction.
Some heads turned at their direction and pointed.

Harry quickly grabbed her hand and before they could be asked on what has just happened, he dragged her by the hand to one of the nearest lifts and Hermione drew out her wand to open it.
They both dived inside and Harry pulled out his wand to close and lock it and make it move floors down before anyone else could ride the elevators with them and ask them about it.
The two of them sank down on the floor of the lift, breathless and in complete confusion.
“What the bloody hell was that?” Harry asked her turning to face her.
“I have no idea.” Hermione replied pocketing her wand again and looking back at him with the same harassed expression.
“Well someone’s obviously persistent on something.” Harry said standing up with an unmistakable jealousy in his tone. “You’ve never mentioned someone’s courting you.”
“Because nobody is.” Hermione snapped back at him taking his hand anyway as he helped her back on her feet.
“Are you sure about it?” he asked her straightening up his Auror uniform.
“I’m quite sure about it.” Hermione replied straightening her skirt down. “You’re the first to know, don’t worry.”
Harry opened his mouth to say something but the lifts made a sound again and they reached the ground floor of the Ministry.
The doors slowly opened up and the moment Hermione stepped out, her eyes quickly saw Mr. Loki Laufeyson smiling and animatedly talking to the guards of the Ministry as they finished up checking his body for anything suspicious or dangerous that he may bring inside the building.
“Fuck.” Hermione muttered, bowing away and quickly pushing Harry back inside the elevator and closing the doors with her wand.
“What the hell is going on?” Harry worriedly asked her as the lift doors closed in again and began moving back up again.
“Do you have your Invisibility Cloak with you?” she asked as her brains moved around, thinking of a way out of the building without being seen.
“My cloak?” Harry asked her. “You do know that it won’t fit us both any longer, right?” Harry asked her.
“Yeah, I know.” Hermione said quickly folding her sleeves and the rest of her clothes that could consume too much space. “Hand it over.”
Harry looked down at her, bewildered.

“Oh, come on.” Hermione said as the lifts moved floor after another. “I know it’s with you.”
Harry stared at her and then he sighed in resignation and pulled it out from one of the magically made pockets of his uniform.
Hermione grabbed it from him while Harry watched her dawn on it, covering every possible part of her and then pointing her wand again to move the lift back to the ground floor.
“What are you doing?” Harry asked her. “Can you explain to me what the hell is going on?” Harry asked confused now as the elevators moved to a descending direction again .
“I’ll explain later. Am I not seen any longer?” Hermione asked pulling the cloak all over herself.
Harry sighed and made sure that it was in place.
“Yes.” Harry muttered feeling completely stupid talking to a wall. “I can’t see you anymore.”
“Great. When the lifts open, we exit and leave immediately.”
“I have a meeting.” Harry said knowing that was an impossible task anyway. “And you need to explain this to me.”

The elevator doors opened again and this time, even without speaking, Harry could tell that Hermione was shock at the sight before them.
The man, who had been by the guards a little earlier on was about to take the lift they were to leave.
He looked back at the opened door then back at Harry who was seemingly alone in the lift.
His beautiful eyes moved from Harry then back at the space where Harry was hiding under the cloak.
He stood there for a moment, a nice staff gleaming in his hand.
Harry stared back at him and noticed how his eyes moved around the elevator as if he knew that Harry wasn’t boarded alone in the lift.
Hermione held her breath under the cloak, making sure she wasn’t scene.
She had been looking for this man for days now and at that moment they came face to face, she was praying that he wouldn’t know she was there.
Harry nodded at Loki and slowly dismounted the lift, slowly walking outside to ensure that Hermione would have enough time to squeeze herself somewhere in between them under the cloak.
The man nodded back at him in a very short greeting with a straight face.
He kept his eyes behind Harry as if he knew, as if he felt that someone else was there.
Harry halted in his steps, feeling if Hermione had already left and was already right behind him.
He watched out of the corner of his eyes as the other man boarded the lift.
He sighed, closing his eyes as he felt Hermione brushed behind him with the utmost sound of her held breath.
The door started to move and then the man called back at him.
Hermione and Harry’s eyes widened and they both stood frozen a few inches from the lift he stopped from closing with his long staff.
They both couldn’t just move, unsure what they would see if they turn back.

It could be some part of Hermione floating in midair or her skirt or any part of her clothing stuck somewhere in the lift’s side that was now obvious in plain sight and out of the protection and magic of the cloak.
“Excuse me.” his thick and rich voice spoke behind them both. ”I think you dropped something.”
Hermione held her breath, trying not to move a muscle while Harry debated whether to look back down or not.
He had his wand in his hand so he was sure he didn’t drop anything but he wasn’t sure if Hermione had dropped hers in her haste to dawn over the cloak earlier on.
Harry’s green eyes slowly turned and widened as he had just realized that Hermione had dropped the white and rose pink designed loose band he had given her before that she uses for her dark tresses.
He looked back at Loki and before he could even move, he had moved himself with hands outstretched at the very spot where Hermione was standing and kept hidden to pick up the loose band.
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Across the Universe