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
- 8
- 9
- 10
Author's Notes:
I'm back!
Sorry it took a while. Work and writer's block had hit me and I barely had time and head enough to be put together to make a chapter.
Hope everyone else is well. Halfway through the week and I hope to make another chapter up soon.
All my stories are now available at:
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FANFIC.NET
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see you there!!!
comments are most welcome
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Chapter VIII
The Bifrost Project

For the past hour, Hermione sat as still and as quiet as she could possibly be in her seat along the long conference table as the meeting took place.
Harry sat next to her, conversing and sharing his own opinions and ideas about the day’s meeting while he continued to ignore her change of attitude at the meeting.

Usually, Hermione was one of the most active person at the table with so much ideas, opinions and corrections to share over the table. And today, she was acting like she was some newbie secretary of Harry Potter who had barely said a word since the doors closed for the meeting.
Breakfast and coffee were laid out and she had barely touched her own serving and had kept her face hidden behind her long locks and the copy of the itinerary and coverage of the meeting today as if she was trying to memorize each word.
Harry wouldn’t say a word about it but he was so sure that it was because of the handsome man at the table before them who was proposing some sort of business for the Ministry and the society for which the heads of departments and the Minister of Magic himself found as a good idea.
Harry listened and stared respectively at the man who shared his own ideas at the table with such confidence and formality for the people around him.
He spoke like a leader and the excitement in his tone told Harry that he seemed to be sure that their government would be accepting his proposal at some sort of business idea for which the lower class of their share of the world would be able to be put into good use.
Harry asked several questions and placed out his opinion for which this Mr. Loki Laufeyson seemed very much prepared to answer with such confidence in his tone.

Hermione sat quietly next to Harry, pretending to read what was in her hands but all the while sinking in her own thoughts on what the man was doing there and was wondering if she was to be embarrassed incase he tells them of their little ‘on going party’ the other night.
She was the only girl at the table by now as the other two elder women who were heads of different departments left by the first half hour out of a meeting they had to attend to – but Hermione had a hunch that they were just going to get some croissant and pasta at the café across the building.
She was the only woman left then at the table whose opinion seemed not to matter as usual until it was Loki himself who called up her attention to seek her opinion.

“Miss Granger?” the Minister’s voice echoed for the nth time somewhere in the room.
“I’m sorry.” Hermione quickly said putting the folder down the table as Harry kicked her under the table and gave her a look.
Everyone was staring back at her as if she was some oddball with a dirt over her face and that one that didn’t belong there at all.
She tried her best to look and remain composed and tried not to look at Loki but he had called her again and sat straighter over his chair, leaning closer the table to gain her attention.
“Mr. Laufeyson just asked you a question, Miss Granger.” The Minister had said clearly and with a hint of ‘if you can’t be here today miss granger please leave’ kind of tone.
“Yes, I’m sorry.” Hermione said forcing out a smile and forcing her head to momentarily turn at the man’s direction without having to look so nervous nor conscious at the same time. “I was reading something. I didn’t mean to-“
“So what do you think?” Loki asked her with a gleam of smile over his face as he moved closer the table leaning over both his arms to get a closer view of her. “About the proposal?”
Hermione bit her lower lip and kept the smile over her face wanting to ask again what the proposal was because she had absolutely not been paying attention at all.

“Proposal..” Hermione slowly said with the same painful smile now as she lowered her elbows over the table looking around for someone to hint her on what was being talked about.
“Mr. Laufeyson proposes an ideal business in regards of putting up a business for women that will help the lower classes, Hermione.” Harry slowly said in a tone that wouldn’t embarrass her or let them know that she wasn’t paying attention at all. “The Bifrost Project – one that will open very soon.”

Hermione gave Harry a grateful look and stared down at the small poster flyer he handed her.
It showed of nothing but what looked like a winter photograph and then jewelries or rather expensive looking diamonds over the picture.
How was this exactly going to help?
Hermione opened her mouth to ask it as she looked up at Loki but he seemed to have read her mind.
“My family owns a diamond mine.” he proudly said as if it was the best thing in the world that you can have. “A certain amount may be donated to start up business for women in your government.”
“I’m sorry.” Hermione said getting her senses back. “Diamonds? This is luxury. I don’t think women of the lower class society can afford this.”
“Not afford, Miss Granger.” Loki corrected her. “Half would be donated as business deals and half would be transfigured as amount already in finance to put up businesses and establishments for the lower class. In that way, two sides of the society can earn and progress. As a woman of your class and society, we ask your opinion.”

Hermione stared at him unsure of what her opinion could be.
She had never met anyone who was willing to donate diamonds for businesses for the progress of another class, let alone the lower class.
She wasn’t sure what to make out of this person and was unsure what his intentions really were because it were all bizarre and unbelievable.
Hermione opened her mouth to ask him if this was part of what the will and testament of his mother was but held herself last minute because questions would be asked on where she got the idea and they would know that she already previously went out with this man.
“Well?” Loki voiced out interrupting her thoughts again. “What is your opinion?”
Hermione stared at him and despite that he wore a poker face in front of everyone, she knew that behind that smile was the thought that he was very amused to see her right now.
“Well, I don’t think this is a good idea.” Hermione clearly said gathering herself altogether.
“I’m sorry?” Loki asked her with a clear hint of irritation in his voice but it didn’t show in his face and he quickly regained himself. “Can you clarify your statement?”
“Clarify my statement?” Hermione repeated with sarcasm in her tone as she looked back at him while she started to feel annoyed by the man.
“Yes.” Loki replied sitting straighter. “You seem not to understand what was being talked about here, Miss Granger. Do you want me to repeat my proposal whereas you can now fully pay attention to it?”
“I’m sorry?” Hermione loudly asked him with a raised brow and curling her hands into fists over the table. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It’s not supposed to mean anything.” Loki replied with a smile. “I’m only proposing I repeat everything I told you because you don’t seem interested enough or rather, gathered enough senses this morning to pay attention to it.”

She stared wordlessly back at him in silence and she knew that everyone’s avidly staring at her and Harry next to her was trying to gain her attention by reaching over her arm gently under the table.
“Hermione-“ she felt him clasped her gently around the arm, pressing his fingers lightly pressing.
Loki sat opposite her, staring quietly at her with all attention focused only on her and wearing an expression that told her that he needed to know his place around the room.
“No, Harry.” Hermione said shoving his hand away and now pulling her chair closer the table that her abdomen tightly already rested at the edge of the table. “First of all, you listen to me – I was paying attention.”

The temperature around the room felt heating up and the heads of the departments were staring at Hermione as if she had lost her mind.
Loki stared at her, clearly amused as he leaned away from the table and crossed his arms over his chest and looking up at her without a blink.
“Not because I got distracted meant I wasn’t clearly paying attention to you.” Hermione said in a clear and loud tone enough for the whole room to hear her out. “You can have my opinion without having to say any side comments about me or how I work or listen to guests around here.”
“Pray tell then.” Loki answered her gently raising and lifting a hand at his side where a Ministry head seemed to want to interrupt to cool down the tension. “Let’s hear it out then, Miss Granger.”
There was challenge both in his tone and in his gaze.

But if there was anything Hermione was good at, it was at multitasking and despite that she wasn’t clearly paying a full attention, she did hear everything he had said out of her habit of listening closely to someone else while she focused onto something else back at school – a good example was in her Potions Class where she would be brewing a potion and paying very close attention into all the details all the while Snape talked and tattled all the hours in the dungeons as they all progressed.

“I think it’s not a good idea.” Hermione stated clearly now without a halt on her opinion over their guest. “Why would you put up a business that is all about luxury and glory? This isn’t even a necessity and you expect the society to buy it and help the lower class? How is that going to be? It’s not something people would need in their daily lives-“
“Exactly.” Loki interrupted her with a gleam of smile as if she was getting his point. “But there are more than one or two luxurious person in any government and society who could buy one jewelry and match up or even surpass one business that will help one individual. Why go help one individual the usual way when I can gather and help ten or more of them in just one purchase?”

A stark look on Hermione’s face told the room that she was going to find a loophole over this plan of his and won’t have him have the last word.
“Really?” Hermione said. “I don’t think so. I think there are other businesses that could possibly do that as well – as I’ve said, it’s not a necessity –“
“If you would excuse me, Miss Granger.” Loki answered her. “But not because it’s not a necessity for you would also mean it isn’t for other women or other people of your society-“
“Excuse me?” Hermione asked as she now stood up over the table with arms folded and staring back down at Loki in a dueling stance. “And what is that now supposed to mean?”
Harry was trying to pull her back down over her chair as everyone else stared at Hermione as if she had grown extra heads.
Hermione was barely ever mad at anyone but Harry knew that when she was annoyed and mad or moreso – corrected over her own opinion – one would see her worst side.
“It’s not meant to mean anything.” Loki said. “I’m clearly stating that not everyone would have shared this opinion of yours that the Bifrost Project is merely some luxurious penance for some-“

“Listen to me.” Hermione said in a demanding tone. “Not because you’ve been raised with a golden spoon shoved down your throat would mean that everyone else can be entitled to the same thing and have the same ideals as you have. Your Bifrost Project proposes nothing but inequality and raising more luxury to the entitled and less or nothing for those who are not privileged enough to afford all these jewelry that you want to bring and sell in my government. ”

“I think as a leader of our own government, I do know and understand that opinion of yours-“
“Oh yeah?” Hermione sarcastically asked him with a raised brow as she folded her arms over her chest again. “Looks to me like you’ve just been spoiled by your parents and now you’ve been given enough to sell out what is yours to be expanded for your sake and not anyone elses’s-“
“I think you’re stepping out of the line, Miss Granger. I am proposing a business here that will give –“
“No, you wanna know what I think?” Hermione asked him with complete irritation in her tone. “I think that you’re just some brat who had been shoved with royalty all your life thinking you know the life of the people out there when you actually don’t. So I suggest you pay close attention to what your brother may be teaching you-“
That was it.

Hermione had hit home based and Loki now obviously looked furious than anything else that she has ever said to him since the argument began.
She had triggered something in that last sentence and now all composure and formality faded from Loki’s physique.
He moved closer the table and stared at her as if ready to strike her.
“Listen to me – you mere mortal – my brother-“
“Oh please, I’m all ears to you – I’m here paying very close attention to-“
“ENOUGH!” the Minister of Magic had stood up from the head table and was staring down at Hermione with disbelieving eyes.
Loki stood straight, pulling his clothes down straight but keeping his eyes over at Hermione.
“I think Mr. Potter you should escort and excuse Miss Granger from this room.” the Minister clearly said. “She may be feeling slightly unwell this morning. We can resume this topic and meeting some other time when Miss Granger is feeling better.”
"But I wasn't-"
"I think Mr. Potter that Miss Grange needs some fresh air or maybe another croissant at the cafe downstairs-"

A smile appeared over Loki’s eyes and Hermione knew that she would be dealt with later by the Minister.
She stared back at him with hatred in her eyes as she felt Harry move by her side, pushing his chair out from the table and grabbing both their cloaks and her scarf from her chair as he tried to reach out for her hand.

“I don’t see any charity from this Bifrost Project you’re proposing.”
“It’s not charity, Miss Granger.” Loki explained to her with a gesture of his hand. “I never said it’s something for charity. I am proposing a business where classes may progress together – by teaching and helping them with a better work and ethics area-“
“I don’t think my people are lazy-“
“Your people aren’t lazy.” Loki corrected her with a smile. “I never said they were. But they can be more – each individual can be more if you teach them to use their full potential no matter the class they are under in the society-“
“I’m telling you-“
And then Loki pulled out a thin stack of documents from the table and threw it gently across the table towards her.
Hermione’s eyes moved to it and then she stared back at her.
“If you would pay attention to my proposal you would understand that this argument is invalid and worth neither of our time.”

Hermione stared at him with shaking fists and down at the folders he threw at her direction.
She stared back up at him and knew that she had reached his patience or its edge at the least.
“The Bifrost Project proposes it sells out its luxury to the higher class of the society – but the man power and the team that would lead onto this wouldn’t be somewhere from this class but somewhere lower but are able to work – half the earnings would go to certain charitable departments and causes that your Minister here has kindly enlisted and proposed –“
“And the mining?” Hermione asked him with a flustered look growing in her face. “This calls for that sort of manpower. Don’t tell me that you’ve got it all stocked and stashed in your little palace-“
“But ofcourse, they are.” Loki casually answered her as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “All these that I am about to donate in proposal of my business have been well-thought of. If you were paying attention at the beginning, you would have heard me explain that all the diamonds and gems have come from a fare share that has been exclusively and securely kept for long and ready to be put into good use.”

Hermione opened her mouth but no words came out.
She then remembered what he told her earlier on about the business and wealth his mother wanted to donate as part of her will.

Could this be part of it?

Hermione blinked and stared at him as he smiled back at her.
Everyone was staring at the both of them and she could just feel them judging only her.
Loki leaned over the table and moved the folder at her side of the table with a curt nod over his head.

“Again, if you would read this and pay close attention into it, you would understand in full detail what I’m trying to tell you and this whole table for the past two hours.”
Hermione was fuming in anger by this point and Harry was sure that they had to leave by now or Loki would most likely be left injured later if Hermione decides to hex him.
Still as she was, Hermione remained standing and staring.
Loki knew that he already got her full attention to him and that she was unlikely to forget or ignore him now.
He smiled at her and gestured his hand towards the folder and back at her.
“Should you have any question, you can easily have me found.” Loki said with a gleeful smile as if he had just won some game. “You can ask me or we can have it discussed over drinks or something? What do you think?”
Hermione stared back at him eyes wide at his smile and at what he had just told her.
He was obviously trying her out, testing her patience and mocking her for what has previously happened between the two of them.

“No, thanks.” Hermione angrily said with eyes narrowed and unblinking towards his direction as she began grabbing the folder from the table and her scarf from Harry’s had. “I don’t drink.”
And with that, she angrily stalked out of the conference room with Harry unknowing what to do right behind her.

Footsteps echoed and the door was banged shut and Loki stared over the table and before the people with a smile still on his face.
“No.” Loki amusedly said turning to Harry who was halfway at the door. “She’s not the drinking type, is she?”
Harry looked back at her, not really knowing what to tell him.
He was as stunned as everyone else in the room for Hermione’s actions towards a guest in a meeting but at the same time, he wasn’t sure anymore what to think of this very man that he knew only because of all the stories that Hermione had been telling him.

“Have you completely lost your mind?” Harry asked her for the nth time as they settled in a restaurant two hours later after Hermione’s little dramatic exit.
“No.” Hermione stubbornly replied. “I’m not going to apologize to that douchebag.”
“Hermione, he’s a guest in our place and he is about to donate money to charities you so care about.”
Hermione gave him a look.
“That gives him a right to step on people?”
“He’s not stepping on anyone.”
“Didn’t you hear what he just said at the table?”
“He had a good proposal.” Harry reasoned with her. “He only stepped on your ego.”
Hermione opened her mouth to say something but Harry raised his brow.

She knew that he was right.
But she wasn’t going to let him with it.
“I don’t care.” Hermione simply spat at him as she took her cup and took a sip from the hot chocolate. “I told you he’s not a nice man.”
“He doesn’t have to be nice.” Harry pointed out. “You only need to be respective enough for him so we can gain what he has to offer.”
“He doesn’t differ from Malfoy!” Hermione angrily answered him with a vicious glare.
Harry stared at her knowing that it wasn’t right for her to say.
The man may be boastful and had an air about him but he didn’t think he was anywhere like the Malfoys.

“I think you need a time out.” Harry gently told her sitting back over his chair.
“You’re telling me I need to take a vacation?”
“I’m telling you that you shouldn’t go to work for a day or two.” Harry told her. “Just to cool things down at the Ministry. I don’t think Kingsley will be kind to you if you return too soon-“
“Are you telling me that it’s my fault?” Hermione asked him straight out with a flare over her nose. “Are you telling me that-“
“He’s telling you that you need to cool down.” a low and smooth voice came.
They both looked up at the table and Loki stood there with a smile over his face.
He gently placed a thin black book over the table and nodded towards it.
“My full proposal and itinerary of my stay here, Miss Granger.”
“I don’t need that.” Hermione snapped at him now without any restrain of attitude since they weren’t in the government premises. “Why are you here?”
“I would like to show you that I mean well in my business in your society.”
“We are doing well, thanks very much.” Hermione snottily said as she crossed her arms over her chest.
She stared up at him while he glared down at her with a proud look over his face.

Uninvited, he pulled up a chair for him to sit down and Harry only gently gestured at Hermione.
He wanted to say that they very much needed what the man had to offer because god knows that some of the departments and charities needed funding especially the infrastructures that needed funding after all the damage from the war.
“I mean well, Miss Granger if you would just let me and give me a chance to help you out.” Loki insistently said as he stared from her then at Harry and then back.
Harry stared at him with silence but with certain attention into detail at the way the man talked and moved before them.

By far, he had no reason to draw his wand out at the man as he proposed no alarming action towards or against them.
Hermione stared at him at his offer then at the folder by the table.
“I don’t need your help.” Hermione said grabbing it over. “But I’ll look into this. I don’t want you filtering wrong things into my own government just cause you couldn’t do it on your own.”
He smiled then and then he laughed – a hoarse and high kind of laugh that drew a bit of attention from the other tables.
He looked at her as if he had never seen anyone with such defiance before.

“I’m very reasonable, Miss Granger.” Loki said and he nodded at Harry. “If I invite you into a dinner or so would you be ever so kind to give me a chance to explain things to you?”
“And so to give you another chance to be rude to me?” Hermione lashed at him. “No, thanks.”
“Hermione.” Harry warningly said knowing that Hermione wasn’t being reasonable this time. “Maybe we can listen to what he has to say.”
“Now there’s a good lad.” Loki happily said with an accent to his word. “What say you, Miss Granger?”

He looked at her, an inviting and challenging glare from his eyes.
She could tell that this was more than dinner and that he was goading her into something else.
And out of spite or just being proud, Hermione knew that sooner or later she’d accept it.
And she wasn’t sure if she doesn’t want to anymore.

Loki moved closer the table and gestured her hand invitingly across them both.
“Bring Mr. Potter – yes?” he asked remembering Harry’s name from the meeting. “You two can have dinner with me. Where do you want so I can make the arrangements needed for it.”
Hermione looked at Harry across the table whose ‘yes’ was already written across his face.
“How about we owl you?” Harry proposed at him.
He looked at her in a peculiar way and Harry had to correct and clarify himself.
“We’ll send you a message.” Harry quickly said. “I’m sure it would reach you. Once we are ready to sit-down talk with you on this one.”

Loki stared at him, willing to take the offer than nothing.
He looked back at Hermione who was still staring at him with all the disgust in her veins.
He could just read her mind and a name of some sort keep appearing inside her mind’s eyes.
His eyes gleamed as he stared back at her and then he nodded.
“I hope you give me this chance, Miss Granger.” Loki invitingly told him as he prepared to leave. “I’m not sure what you’re really thinking of but I tell you that I am by far different from all the other elitist that brilliant mind of yours is tinkering with.”
“I’m not –“
“Yes, you are.” Loki interrupted her with a knowing smile. “I’m not some sort of proud, spoiled heir as you would think of me or you are being reminded of.”
Hermione’s eyes narrowed.

How did he know that she was thinking of Draco Malfoy?

He gently moved out of his chair and nodded at them both.
“If there’s anything I have to say I’m proud of is that I may have grown up in a place that seemed so gallant and royal, yet I grew up all those years living every single day of my life working my mind and body day and out to prove that I am worth something. Please don’t easily judge me for what my name brings or where you think I am from.”
Hermione swallowed hard because she could tell that he was telling the truth and all that was holier than thou gentleman act was gone by now.

She had definitely hit a nerve right there earlier today.
“I didn’t say-“
“No, you didn’t.” Loki said standing up and straightening his black suit as he gestured nod and a gentle smile at them both. “But I pay very close attention and you were thinking it. Good day to you both.”
And with that, he turned and left them both leaving Hermione feeling worse than she had after the hangover she had just gone through that morning.
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Across the Universe