Prologue

April 15, 1995

The small brunette smiled as her mother tucked her into bed. The day had been nice, and she was happy for it. The night would be nice too, or so she thought. The brunette had no reason to think that just outside her window was someone who she would spend the rest of her childhood with and the rest

of her life respecting. She had no reason to believe that it was the night her life would change forever.

The black-haired man outside her window stood in a tree, cloaked in an illusion. He was merely watching, waiting, for mischief. The man was not human, even though he appeared to be. He had not planned on watching this girl, but he sensed magic and wanted to know why a little human girl was capable of magic. After all, he had no way of knowing that she would forever change him and the course of his life.

Five figures approached the door. They opened it, and the screams made it plain that they did not mean well. The brunette heard the screams and sat straight up in bed. Further frightened, she called for her mum and dad. She only got screams of pain before they were cut off. Silence followed.

The man was intrigued. He did not know why he was so easily worried by the sound of fear in the girl's voice; she was just a mortal, right? Still, he knew for a fact he did not want her to die. But why did he not want her dead? He didn't know. But he made his choice before he knew it.

The brunette's door swung open, and five cloaked people walked in calmly. One raised some sort of stick at her and began saying something. They didn't finish. A dagger appeared in the person's throat, and they dropped, dead. The killer appeared in front of her, holding two daggers. It was a man with collar-length black hair and a green cape, but that was all she could see.

He jumped into battle. His enemies were seidhr, so they too could use magic. The only way to keep the girl safe for certain was to stay in front of her, so they could not reach her. Why he wanted her alive, he didn't know. But he did. Using his daggers, he impaled one of the attackers. He cut off the hand of another, and they fell. He turned around and found that the last one had confronted the girl.

She was scared. Not of the man who helped her, but of the one attacking her. They had lost their stick and were frustrated. After a mere moment, they took a knife and managed to slash her arm open before the man who had saved her threw a dagger, which embedded itself in the attacker's back, and they slumped to the floor. The brunette collapsed, shaking from shock.

He raced over, getting rid of the dagger still in his hand. The girl would die from her wound if he didn't do something. But he was not a Healer; he had always been rubbish at the art. No, he would have to get someone else to do it. Decisions to make. Ugh. Why did he not want her to die? He still wasn't sure. He dismissed it as being due to having watched her all day and enjoying it.

The brunette girl moaned. The man who had helped her sat beside her. She blinked at him. Who was he? What was he doing here? She was grateful, but why did he help her? Questions ran through her head. She would find out.

He finally decided. It wouldn't help his reputation, her being mortal, but he didn't think her Healers would get it done soon enough. No, he had to take her to Asgard. There, she could properly be taken care of. Her parents had been killed, so it would not cause problems.

She blinked as he man scooped her up and took her downstairs. She screamed when she saw the dead bodies of her parents, and the man seemed to be avoiding her seeing them. What was going on? Who had attacked her? Why were her parents dead? She looked at the man carrying her. "Who are you?"

He looked at the girl. She wanted to know who he was. After a moment, he answered her. "My name is Loki."

She was satisfied with that answer. At least Loki had given her a name. "I'm Hermione," she told him.

Loki smiled. Hermione was a nice name. They were outside now. "Stay quiet," he told Hermione before turning his gaze to the sky. He truly hated using the Bifrost, but no other way. "Heimdall, if you can hear me, I need to return to Asgard. I know you're going to ask about Hermione. She's injured, I thought it over."

Hermione sucked in a breath as, a moment later, a rainbow light rained down and landed right where they were, and they were sucked up it. Like a bridge. Hermione wondered why her arm didn't hurt as much as it ought to. It hurt, but it was a duller fire than she expected. Her thoughts were yanked back to the world around her as her journey with Loki on the bridge ended and they were in a dome-like room.

Loki inwardly sighed in relief as Heimdall only nodded at him. He took her around him, and at this point she insisted upon walking. He relented, since it was her arm that was hurt, although any fool with a single eye and very few brains could tell there was something wrong with the wound. It was definitely deeper than he'd anticipated, and there was definitely something in that wound that shouldn't be.

Loki sighed, relieved. The Healers had agreed to help her, and that was a miracle. Odin had wanted to send her back to Midgard, but Loki had pointed out how bad it was, Frigga had sensed the girl's magic, Thor thought she may as well be treated first, and the Healers pointed out that it was their duty to heal; it didn't matter she was mortal. She was injured, and at the very least Odin could wait for her to get well.

"Loki?"

Loki turned around to see his mother Frigga approach. She seemed pleased. As she neared him, he turned back to look over Asgard. "Will she recover, Mother?"

"She will. Her name is Hermione?" At Loki's nod, she continued. "The Allfather is not happy about a mortal being on Asgard, but he will deal with it long enough for her to recover. From the wound and the shock."

"How long will that take?" Loki asked.

"About a month," Frigga told him. "Why do you care so much about her, Loki? You met her yesterday, and yet you are willing to defy the Allfather to get her healing. Why?"

Loki shook his head. "I don't know. But I watched her all day, so I think it's that."

Frigga smiled. "Well, she said that her parents were killed. Did you do that, Loki?"

"No, Mother. They were killed by the mortals who attacked Hermione."

"That's terrible." Silence reigned for a few more moments before Frigga continued. "Your father wants to see you in the throne room. He's sending a guard to tell you."

Loki smiled. "Thank you." He turned and left, heading to the throne room. It was unnecessarily shimmery, and while Loki had nothing against gold, he rather thought that for the look Odin was going for, a bit of well-placed silver would help.

"Loki!" Odin was on his throne. "Loki, why have you brought a mortal girl into Asgard?"

Loki chuckled. He knew the 'I don't know' approach would fail here. Evasions. "What, miss me?"

"Answer, Loki!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear a question unanswered," Loki retorted.

"Stop the word games. Why have you brought a mortal into Asgard?"

Loki was annoyed now. "What word games? I'm not playing any."

"If you will not answer, you will listen. That girl is five years old. Mortals come of age at the age of eighteen. As soon as she is recovered, you and her must return to Midgard. You shall remain there until she is of age. If you return to Asgard before then, you will be punished."

Thirteen years on Midgard? Fine. Odin had never cared for him anyways. Frigga had, to an extent, and Thor just ignore him and didn't care. Still, it seemed a bit much for taking a mortal into their realm. Loki shrugged and dismissed himself.

Hermione was still aching when Frigga visited her the next morning.

"Hey," the older woman said.

Hermione looked up. "Hi, Frigga."

"Who told you my name?" Frigga asked. She was not unkind, but seemingly surprised that Hermione knew her name.

"I heard the doctors call you Frigga," Hermione told her.

"Doctor? Oh, the Midguardian word for Healer. We call them Healers here."

"Oh," Hermione said. She paused. "Frigga?"

"Yes?"

"Why did Loki save me?"

"I don't know. I asked him, he's not sure either. You've stumped him, which is saying something. But..." Frigga's voice trailed off.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"I'll let Loki explain."

Loki entered the Healer's Hall the evening after he left Hermione there. Walking quickly, he approached her bed. The Healers would be done with her in about a month, and then the two of them would be sent back to Midgard – Hermione never to return and Loki exiled for thirteen years. Loki rather thought she should know what he was thinking about, and what Odin had decided.

Hermione sat up as he approached her. She turned to sit on the edge of the bed, and Loki sat down beside her. He opened his mouth, but she beat him to it.

"Thank you."

Stunned, Loki turned to look at her. Did she just thank him? "For what?" he asked.

"For saving me. I was sure I was gonna die," she told him.

Loki was shocked. No-one had ever thought to thank him like that. He tried and failed thrice to speak before succeeding on the fourth try. "It's nothing. But you parents...were killed. You know that, right?"

Hermione nodded. "Yeah."

"I'm in deep waters with the Allfather. As punishment, the two of us are going back to Midgard – your world – as soon as you recover. I cannot return until you are of age," he explained.

"Of age?" Hermione seemed confused.

"Eighteen. Thirteen years from now. So, not long at all."

"I don't understand. Why?"

"Because I brought you here," he explained. "Bringing a mortal into Asgard is not a very good idea, but I wanted to make sure you got well. So, as punishment for taking you here, I am supposed to look after you for the next thirteen years."

"Oh."

Loki nodded, but then the Healer assigned to Hermione shooed him away, saying that they would have plenty of time later. He complied and headed to his own chambers, sighing. He knew he would enjoy the next thirteen years, but it would be humiliating. But with all that was happening, Loki was beginning to wonder if that would be such a bad fate after all.

A month or so later, Hermione was healed, and Loki's exile was due to begin. Frigga, Thor, Odin, and Heimdall were gathered at the Bifrost to see the two off. Heimdall was ready to open the Bifrost. Thor, who had spoken with Hermione endless times, now gave her a hug goodbye. Frigga did the same for Loki as Odin and Heimdall waited.

Finally, Loki and Hermione were ready to leave. Odin was not planning on stripping Loki of his magic so he could teach Hermione, since the girl had magical talent. Loki was thankful for this, since he could stand for being exiled to Midgard with the use of his magic, but without it he had no real purpose. Until now, since Odin had essentially ordered him to look after Hermione.

That was not bad. He didn't really mind that. Raising Hermione was not going to be bad; he could feel it. But, for sure he would be forgotten. Still, purpose. This gave him purpose.

Finally, Odin began.

"Loki, you have committed a grave crime in bringing a mortal to Asgard, however bad the circumstances were. You are exiled to Midgard of the Nine Realms until such a time as Hermione becomes of age. It is your duty to ensure that the rest of her childhood goes well. I bid you leave, and may you not return for the next thirteen years," Odin told him.

Heimdall planted his sword into the Bifrost, and the bridge extended far into the stars, all the way to Midgard. Loki and Hermione took one last look at the Asgardians before stepping onto the bridge.

The rainbow lights of the Bifrost filled their eyes, interrupted only by seeing the other, for several seconds before the two found themselves in a white sand desert. A small town was about a mile away. Loki sighed. So this is the place chosen for thirteen years of exile.

December 25, 1996

Thor walked into the small town and looked around. He was looking for his brother and the little girl, Hermione. Twice a year, he was allowed to visit. He had selected a time that was an important holiday in this part of Midgard. It was a merry time, and he thought it was perfect for a small reunion. It had been more than a year and a half since Thor had seen his brother. Having been exiled, Loki did not have much contact with Asgard; the only contact he was allowed to have was the occasional visitor.

Finally, he found a part of the small town set aside for residences. It was not long after that before he spotted Hermione playing. Loki, he could see, was watching from inside. Hermione spotted Thor and raced over, stopping at the edge of the street. Thor jogged over to her and hugged her. Hermione tugged him towards the door, where Loki met him.

Loki looked behind Thor, as if checking for people doing something they shouldn't, then opened the door wider. "Come in."

The house was indeed a merry atmosphere. Looking around, Thor could see Christmas spirit everywhere. Hermione half-dragged Thor to the common room, and there the three of them sat down. Loki seemed almost happy, definitely in a better mood than normal times on Asgard. Hermione seemed happy.

"So, how are you two?" Thor asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Good," Loki said. "Normal place, cheery atmosphere. At first, a bit intolerable, but not so anymore."

"It's Christmas!" Hermione near-shouted. "Happy Christmas!"

"Hermione, it's 'Merry Christmas' here," Loki said merrily as though he were reminding her.

"Merry Christmas!" Hermione shouted as though she had never gotten it wrong.

Thor raised an eyebrow at their exchange. Loki had seemed to not be annoyed at having to remind Hermione. They were getting along well. Very well.

"How are things on Asgard?" Loki asked.

"Normal, mostly," Thor told him. "Mother and Father are arguing a bit more, a few more battles than normal, but otherwise normal."

Hermione looked at Loki. "Are you going to tell him or not?"

"Now?" Loki shot back.

"Then I will!" Hermione said.

Loki was not going to allow that. "Alright, alright, Hermione. You can give him the letter."

Hermione squealed and ran into another room, reemerging moments later with an envelope. She handed it to Thor. "Look on the back!"

Thor had seen human envelopes before. He smiled at Hermione and turned it over. His jaw promptly hit the floor. "From: Hermione. To: Uncle Thor?" He looked at Loki. "You adopted her?"

Loki nodded. "Five months after we left."

Hermione took Thor's hand and half-dragged him over to where Loki was sitting, then attempted to hug both of them. Loki stiffened a little.

"Please tell me you'll tell Odin," he told Thor. There was a question in it.

"Of course," Thor said. "Oh, I almost forgot. Hermione, I have something for you. It is Christmas, after all." He handed her the bag he'd been carrying, then fished something out of it and threw the item to Loki, who caught it as Hermione withdrew her gift.

She gasped. It was a cornhusk doll he had dyed to resemble Lady Sif. Then her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Who is it?" she asked.

"Lady Sif. One of the greatest warriors in all of Asgard," Loki told her. He was studying the sharp dagger Thor had thrown him.

Hermione and Loki exchanged gifts with each other and with Thor. The two apparently had a liking for crafts, as Hermione's letter was her gift to him, and she had made a simple but kind gift of a woven sweet-grass heart, seemingly full of sand kept inside by the tightness of the weave, and Loki showed himself to have a talent for wood, as his gift to each of them was a wooden instrument. Hermione had a flute, and Thor, an odd rock-shaped instrument with twelve holes, which Loki said was an ocarina.

As Thor left, he smiled and wondered when he would be able to return.

Back on Asgard, he spoke with his Mother and Father about the visit.

"What?" Mother said when Thor told them about Loki having adopted Hermione.

"Indeed, five months after they arrived on Midgard," Thor confirmed. "Which, as Hermione pointed out in her letter, makes me her uncle."

Odin stayed silent.

Thor managed to find out how to play the ocarina Loki had given him. It was complicated, but he soon managed to sort out which hole made what sound. Thor smiled in his chambers a week after the visit. He could not wait until it was time to visit again.

July 4, 2000

A knock at the door informed Hermione that Uncle Thor was visiting. He preferred visiting during the holidays though he did a rather awful job of being inconspicuous. Father had taught her a lot about being inconspicuous. It meant blending in with the people around you so no-one really noticed your presence. Uncle Thor did a better job of it this time, though. He was wearing a plaid hoodie, with the hood down, over a gray shirt, and he had jeans. But it wasn't perfect. His hammer remained in plain sight. A plain outsider sign. He may as well have painted it on his face. Still, Uncle Thor visit.

She smiled. "Uncle Thor!" She opened the door wider and gestured. "Come in!"

It had been a quiet day at the Walkers residence, for no-one really thought that much of the musician and his daughter, and they were generally left alone. Ever since they had become known for their musical talent, Hermione because she grew up with Loki and Loki because he knew how to play them from a musical streak centuries ago having not left his mind.

Loki had heard Hermione talking to Thor, and had put down the guitar he had been playing to amuse himself. He smiled a wry smile when he saw Thor, and for once was in the mood for a brotherly hug. "Brother."

"Brother," Thor returned the greeting. A sweet tune interrupted them, and the two brothers turned to see Hermione playing her flute happily, raising a sweet and welcoming tune that made both the brothers itch to pick up and instrument and play along.

Hermione felt the song flowing through the flute, straight from her heart. It was a sweet and welcoming song, one she enjoyed playing. She took a moment to realize that there was not one, but two accompanists. She opened her eyes to see that Thor had joined in somewhat shakily and a touch off-tune with his ocarina, and Loki had resumed his guitar. The mix was surprisingly good, and Hermione was sad to let the music trail off. Less sad, however, when she saw the fireworks begin and remembered the festival that night.

"Come on!" she cried, making sure to grab her trusty flute. "Thor, you should keep your ocarina hidden. If you play with us, you'll never escape. This is a small town, so very few big events happen here; you'll never escape the crowds, what with there never really being anything going on."

So Thor removed the ocarina from around his neck and instead putting it in the pocket of his jeans. Then he followed Hermione and Loki outside.

The sight very nearly took his breath away. As the sun set, people gathered in the center of the town and began to party. Fireworks were set off, and people held what appeared to be sticks with little sparks on the end. Everyone had a good time. Hermione and Loki eventually started playing, and Thor went over to the only place that seemed to have drinks. A few tables were set up, and people were eating and drinking, both alcohol and not. He heard the music start up, and some people began to quiet. Being intrigued and having finished his drink, he walked over to where the town musicians were playing.

The song was good, a swinging tune that had some people dancing. It was a wordless song, but good. After that song, Hermione put her flute down and waited for a few moments. All dancing cut away as she began to sing to the tune.

"There's a point where it tips,

There's a point where it breaks,

There's a point where it bends,

And a point we just can't take!

Anymore!

There's a line that we'll cross,

And there's no return!

There's a time and a place,

No bridges left to burn!

Anymore!"

The song began to slow down as Hermione continued to sing.

"Are we made to live and die?

Sacrificed for one huge lie?

Are we a weapon

Pointed at the enemy?

So someone else

Can claim a victory?"

The song slowed more, then stopped. Thor left the music at that point and began to wander again,soon finding himself watching a girl seemingly in her early twenties stargazing at a quieter place in the festival.

"Jane, really," an older man said. "Let's go listen to music. The stars will be better after the festival."

"I suppose so, Eric," Jane said.

The two went over to the music, and Thor lost sight of them.

The party lasted all night, and while the children disappeared a few hours in, including Hermione, many of the adults remained. Hermione smiled as she went home. Father had sent her to get a good night's sleep, as she was still only ten. Sighing as she went to sleep, Hermione knew that this had been the best night of her life, pushing the thought of her deceased parents from her mind. Hermione did not like to grieve on the night of the festival.

Jane smiled as the stared at the stars. She had driven a good mile into the desert, far enough that the light from the town would not block out the stars but close enough to easily find her way back. Gazing at the stars she loved so much, Jane frowned as she saw a rainbow light slam down to earth, then retract back into the heavens. She furrowed her brow, wondering what that could be.

Loki returned home at around three o'clock in the morning. Most people were still partying. He was getting tired. Oh, he loved to play music, but it was tiring to do so for hours. He ended up stopping around midnight and wandering the festival for three hours before returning home. After all, it didn't do to not get any sleep. Loki cursed himself when he failed to fall asleep until five in the morning.

Back on Asgard, Thor waited until morning to tell his parents of the festival. It made Mother smile and Father look rather displeased. Thor smiled with his mother. Midguardians sure knew how to have a good time.

A/N: It's good to be back! I hope you like all this, but I have a few things to say.

First, you probably noticed the dates. Hermione is five the first time we see her, then she's seven, and lastly ten, despite the fact that the dates are ten years later then they should be. I've made all the events in Harry Potter happen ten years later. Basically, the time affects nothing but them having ten extra years of peace following Voldemort's first reign. Everything from there on happens ten years later. And no, Hermione will not attend Hogwarts, or any magical school, for that matter. No, Hermione does something different.

The song Hermione sings is actually two parts of a song I believe is called 'It's Time to Say Goodbye'. Some of the song is the theme song for RWBY, volume two. I decided to have Hermione sing part of it because I love that song.

Anyways, in the next chapter we'll get to see Hermione discovering her magical talent honed by a childhood of a particular talent. We'll get to see Thor. Lastly, I probably won't use dates again. I used them here to give a better sense of the passage of time. I just can't find the correct dates, and I'd be guessing. Sorry :(.

'Til next time,

HedwigFan101 ;)