The Penthouse
"Mr. Potter!"
Harry and Hermione stopped from walking towards the stage as they prepared for their speech.
They both turned as the Minister walked towards them with the other officials.
The prince nevertheless was right behind them with his guards.
"We have yet to formally introduce you to our guest tonight."
He gestured to the tall man in elegant robes with a long shoulder past length ebony hair.
"It is a pleasure to meet the both of you."
The prince had introduced himself with a glimmer in his eyes as he set them at Harry and then at Hermione.
"Mr. Potter." prince Loki had gently greeted reaching them. "I've heard so much about you."
They quickly both fell silent, letting one another go.
He stared at them and offered his hand to Harry first then towards Hermione.
Harry gently shook it back but when he moved to Hermione and offered his hand, Hermione just stared at him.
She was gaping at him as if he was some wild animal who landed before them.
"Is she alright?" he asked in a mild voice. "Miss Granger?"
They were all staring at Hermione who stood quietly.
He kept his hand up, offering it to her and refusing to put it down until she shook it.
Harry quickly nudged Hermione back to her senses
"Hey." Harry whispered pinching her slightly at the back.
"Ow." Hermione reacted, standing straighter and taking Loki's hand. "Granger, yes. Please to meet you."
He smiled victoriously at her before taking her hand and grasping it longer than he did Harry's.
"Hermione, is it not?" he asked advancing a step to move closer towards her. "Did you know that your name origins from Princess Hermes - a messenger of the gods?"
Whether it was meant to be trivia, a compliment, something to be amused about, or whatnot, neither Harry nor Hermione found it relevant or interesting.
"I am aware." Hermione snapped at him as she quickly withdrew her hand from him with slight force. "Just like Loki. God of Mischief, eh?"
He looked back at her momentarily, his curiosity of her rising.
Loki stared back at her as if he's never seen anything quite like her.
Hermione stared back at the man unblinking and completely not intimidated by his presence like the rest of the people in the room.
"A god, nevertheless." Loki returned with a boastful smile at her.
Hermione's brow raised at his words.
If she had been mesmerized by the man the first time he stepped into the hall, all those thoughts were gone by now.
Hermione opened her mouth to say something but Harry was quick knowing it wasn't going to be something nice at all.
"I best hope you enjoy your time tonight, Mr. Loki." Harry said with a mannered smile at him.
"Your grace." one of his guards quickly corrected Harry.
They all looked at him then back at Loki who only gave an amused laughed at them.
"Now, now. Let them be." he said. "Sometimes it takes time for the society to accept what is in front of them."
Hermione shot him a glare.
"And what exactly is in front of us?" Hermione asked him.
He opened his mouth to answer but Kingsley quickly laughed and the other soon followed to ease the tension of the conversation.
Kingsley laughed reluctantly and the others soon followed to ease the tension in the conversation.
"So when are you leaving?" Hermione asked unable to stop herself right then and there.
Loki's eyes moved back towards her.
An ice-cold stare from but Hermione didn't look intimidated like the rest of the people around them.
Everyone was staring at her knowing that she was not only being rude but somewhat irrational.
"You know, now you've asked," Loki softly said with a grin over his face. "I've certainly just decided to stay longer than I've intended."
And without another word, his guards led him off and they began to walk away from them and to their table leaving Harry and Hermione staring in awe after them.
"Thank you. Do enjoy the evening." Harry ended his speech with the room applauding him for his short speech which was lead by Hermione's well-spoken and well-written one.
"You went out of your dialogue." Hermione pointed out the moment he stepped off the stage and Kingsley took the attention back to him.
Harry rolled his eyes at her, handing her a small parchment where she had written his speech for tonight.
"Completely forgot everything in it," Harry mumbled at her annoyed expression. "Just had to say what I had to say."
"You looked so awkward up there," Hermione whispered as she and Harry settled back down to their table.
"Why is he looking at us?"
She felt eyes on them as Harry held her hand as they walked back.
They passed tables and she was well aware that the prince was staring in their direction.
"Can't he look?" Harry mocked her as they sat back down.
"I'm not comfortable."
"You don't need to be comfortable," Harry said clapping as Kingsley called up a Hogwarts governor to make a speech for the night. "You won't be seeing him after tonight. He's just here for the auction."
Hermione nodded and stared up across the room.
The prince was no longer looking in their direction but was quite attentive every time there was a speaker in the middle of the room.
"How about let's ask Miss Granger and Mr. Potter for their opinions?"
They both looked up and saw one of the Hogwarts governors along with two Ministry officials greeting them as they passed by their table.
"Opinions on what?" Harry asked them as he stood up again to shake hands with them while Hermione was smiled upon and was asked to no longer stand to greet them.
Hermione smiled reluctantly at them.
She knew that they were Purebloods and had been one of those who opposed MuggleBorns to work for the Ministry of Magic.
But she was not only working in the Ministry, but had also established a name after all the work she has done in the short period she started there.
"Funny your school friend is not here tonight. We were expecting to mingle more of the pure ones." said the Hogwarts governor. "Heard from Young Malfoy?"
Hermione's face immediately turned sour at the racial comment.
"He's not our school friend." Hermione was quick to correct with a smile at them. "But I've heard-"
"I'm sorry, Miss Granger?"
They stared at her with a bitter smile over their faces.
"Hermione-" Harry tried to stop her but she ignored him.
"We've heard he's in some beach or cruise, sir." Hermione said standing up unable to control herself. "Perhaps enjoying life as a bachelor? After all, what else would he be doing with his freedom and money?"
"He's been heard to be traveling across Europe. Other than, we really don't know where Mr. Malfoy is as we are not of close associates." Harry said standing straighter and taking their attention away from Hermione before things escalate.
"We expected him to be here tonight." one of them had said with a curt nod at Harry. "After all, he has invested a lot of money here and to some other charities incase you are unaware of."
His eyes settled at Hermione before smiling at her then back at Harry.
"We're aware," Harry said a little louder than he intended. "Of Mr. Malfoy's generous giving to the society. Keeping up to his family's standards and traditions. We would never forget or overlook that."
"Well, we would be looking forward to the next event where he would be present. We do miss to mingle along - our kind - in such events. Have a good evening to the both of you."
Without another word, they both walked away with a cold stare at Hermione.
"Hermione - you know better to ignore their comments on you - everyone else thinks of nothing but how brilliant you are-"
"We are not and were never friends with him," Hermione said sitting back down and frowning at him. "Never was. Never will be."
In about an hour, a grand dinner was served at each of the tables and the string quartet continued to play their music.
After a sumptuous dinner, special drinks and cocktails with platters of cheese, chocolates, and fruits were served.
The prince seemed amused with the night's entertainment and was fully enjoying the drinks that were being served more than the main dinner.
"I'm thinking of getting another plate of desserts."
Hermione rolled her eyes at him.
"So I went with you tonight because I knew I wouldn't see Malfoy."
"And he's not even here," Harry said straightening up himself to go to the buffet table.
"Then why do I look at him feeling I'm staring at Malfoy?"
Harry looked up at Hermione from across their table.
"Are you ever going to stop staring at him?" Harry mocked her.
She was staring across the room where the so-called 'Prince of Asgard, Loki Odinson' was seated like a VIP amongst the minister himself and other high-ranking ministry officials.
"He's not Malfoy." Harry told her, reaching for her hand and removing it from under her chin. "Come on, cheer up. Smile. We're at a party."
"I really don't remember seeing him on these kinds of occasions," Hermione commented looking at Harry then back at the prince who was seemingly amusing the governors of Hogwarts at his other side with some story.
"Is it really important for you to figure that out?" Harry asked finishing his drink over the table. "Come on, let's just dance."
"I don't want to dance," Hermione said eyeing the prince up from their table.
He was seated comfortably between the highest-ranking officials of the wizarding government.
He seemed like he was very used to occasions like this; but more so, it looked as if he was trained specifically for socializing with such people.
He was good-looking and tall, dressed very well and his movements were somewhat gentle and attractive. He seemed to have charmed everyone in the room by now.
"I wanna know what they're talking about," Hermione told Harry leaning closer to him across the table. "I'm interested to know how he managed to buy that stone."
"Hermione, first of all, he's a prince," Harry said gesturing to the tall-looking men who came with the prince. "I think he can afford that necklace and more."
But Hermione didn't look convinced.
"Prince, like a real prince?" Hermione said rolling her eyes. "That's a new one. We've only read that in books. And his name - Loki was it? Loki? Did he really come from Asgard? Like the Asgard? Only an idiot will buy that-"
"So what if his name is Loki?" Harry reasoned with her. "It's not like everyone-"
"A prince named Loki from a place called Asgard?" Hermione stared at Harry as if wondering how he graduated from Hogwarts. "You've not been reading other books in the library, right? You don't understand what this all means?"
"What this all means is that-"
But Harry stopped in mid-sentence as they watch two of the prince's guards momentarily passed by and showed the prince the glass case they were wrapping up with the Desiderata to be taken away.
He looked at them and nodded gently, gesturing for them to be removed from the room and be kept away.
And at that very moment, as he looked up from the jeweled necklace, his eyes settled right across the room - straight at Hermione.
It took Hermione a while to realize that the prince was really staring at her across the room.
His beautiful eyes focused upon her, a smile around his thin and handsome face was forming as he raised his glass in her direction.
She quickly looked away from him.
"He seems like a gentleman." Harry quipped. "He seems like a decent man to me."
Hermione looked back but the prince was already occupied with another set of people from the room.
She continued to look suspiciously across the room towards him.
She's never seen him nor heard of him and yet he was talking with the rest of the ministry officials as if they had been chums for years.
"All I'm saying is that-" Hermione began. "Kingsley didn't even mention him before this event. He just came out of-" she stopped as Harry suddenly stood up.
"One dance." Harry offered his hand to her. "One dance and then let's go home if you're really feeling bad about being here tonight."
Hermione looked up at Harry who was smiling expectantly at her.
She rolled her eyes at him.
"Bloody hell." Hermione said taking his hand. "One. Just one."
"Just the one." Harry triumphantly said taking her from the table and gently leading her to the small spot at the corner of the ballroom where some people were dancing to a magical string quartet.
A grand clock made a sound at the top of the room signifying half an hour before midnight.
"I didn't think this would be the most boring ball of my life," Harry commented rolling his eyes at her.
Hermione playfully hit him over his shoulder.
"I'm dancing," she said but her eyes moved around the room as if she's looking for something or rather someone. "And it's not like you've been to many."
"We've been to many." Harry pointed out at her. "And every single time - ouch - you stepped on me - " "Sorry! Sorry!"
Hermione quickly moved herself a little away from Harry, dragging up her long gown to see where their feet were.
"Pay attention," Harry whispered to her as she accidentally stepped on him because her eyes were focused on the prince who was just talking to Kingsley as if bidding goodbye with his men.
"He's coming our way! He's coming our way!" Hermione whispered through gritted teeth as the prince saw them across the room and had started to walk forward in their direction.
"Relax," Harry said smiling across the room as the prince made his way towards them. "Just stay still - "
"He's coming, he's coming - " Hermione suddenly said almost stepping on him again. "Just act normal - just act-"
"I'm normal!" Harry said, amused at her attitude. "Hermione, you're the one -"
"Mr. Potter." Loki stopped in front of them, his guards a few feet from him. "Miss Granger."
They let one another go.
"I was wondering if I can take this dance with you before we leave?" he asked as the music had changed into a slower one, the lights dimmed a little.
He offered his hand to her with an expectant smile.
"No." Hermione firmly said staring at his offered hand.
The smile over Loki's face slightly faded.
"I beg your pardon?" he asked her with a questioning glare. "What do you mean-"
"I mean no." Hermione repeated looking up at his tall physique. "My answer is no. I wouldn't want to dance with you."
The prince just stared quietly at her as if not understanding what she had said.
"She's tired." Harry immediately said trying to save the situation. "That's what she meant. We were about to sit down. I apologize for this. She's just really tired tonight."
The prince stood there staring at her and if she was intimidated by now, she didn't show it.
Was he reading her mind?
Hermione could swear for a split moment that something like a sensation passed her but it had completely faded away when it reached her thoughts.
She blinked away.
He sighed before nodding curtly at her.
Loki nodded, his smile had returned and he took a few steps backward away from them, his guards following suit at the movement.
"It is unfortunate." he softly said, "But I understand, my lady." Loki simply said moving back to give space for her and Harry as he nodded respectfully at Harry. "May you have a good rest of the evening."
And without another word, he turned from them, his long elegant robes billowing behind him with his guards at his wake.
"Did you feel that?" Hermione quickly asked Harry once the prince had gone from the room.
"Feel what?" Harry asked her staring at the strange look over her face.
The view of the city of London atop the penthouse was truly majestic.
The air was cold even if it was summertime and the sky was clear of clouds giving a clear view of the stars.
It has been a few weeks since he had taken the penthouse and although the adjustment period to move and learn more about Midgard, his being quick-witted and smart amongst many other things, helped him in the first days of his arrival.
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 there were certain edges to be trimmed as he went through that phase.
No matter, he was there now and he completely owned the place.
And in all honesty, the whole place didn’t need much 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.
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 nowhere like him.
He was a Prince from where he had come from, a god even.
He closed his eyes, inhaled, and basked in the power that was surging through him.
His thoughts were interrupted however when he heard a sound coming from the other room.
"What now." he quietly thought standing up from his comfortable couch and walking to the other room.
A work table was set in the other room with the elegant card of tonight's fundraising event was set.
He picked up the invitation 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 in that world.
There was that sound again.
He looked up and stared at the large, life-size mirror at the corner of the room.
It was a beautiful mirror, specially made of Asgardian gold and glass.
He settled the invitation down and walked towards the elegant mirror.
The prince of Asgard halted in front of it with a glimmer in his eyes and a smile like no other.
He was staring straight at his handsome reflection.
But something was different about the mirror.
It turned pitch-black twice and at both times, something loud sounded like a fading echo, like something hitting through the glass trying to break free.
He reached out to the glass and with the tips of his long, thin fingers.
The green light came from him and like thin long branches, started enveloping the mirror.
He watched as the light slowly enveloped the mirror as it vibrated against his power.
It continued to vibrate for a while until it completely stopped.
He let it go.
The prince of Asgard stared quietly at the mirror as if waiting for it to make any sound or movement.
It did not.
He took a step back from it, staring at his own reflection.
Handsome as he was, donned in a set of Midgardian clothes from tonight's party.
It was the first of many.
With a blink of an eye, his appearance quickly changed as he dressed into his traditional royal dress robes for the night with a proud smile on his face.
What would his brother do if he finds out where he was now and how he had escaped them just when he was to be brought to Asgardian prison.
How ironic life was.
And not only was he a free man at Midgard but was also a respected royalty - a far cry from what he had imprisoned the moment he stepped foot in this country.
"I guess what was a good night." he had whispered thinking of nothing but the next phase of the plan he had in his mind before moving away from the mirror that had remained still as it was for the rest of the night.