"I'm sorry Hermione." He paused backing away from her. "I'm choosing, Pepper."
The tears leaked from Hermione eyes and she turned walking away from the man she loved; that didn't love her. Her hand turned the knob as his voice stopped her once more. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
"Well you did." Hermione said giving him on last glance over her shoulder before she walked out of the door.
Hermione set at the shop reading her book not paying attention to anything around her; until someone set in the other seat across from her. Glancing up Hermione found Agent Maria hill sitting in front of her.
"We need your help, Hermione."
Scanning the area around her looking to see if they were being watched.
"Guessing a walk is in order?" Maria nodded standing from the table with Hermione walking down the street. "What's going on?"
"Running into magic we don't understand." She replied simply.
"Again?" Hermione questioned earning a glare from the woman beside her. "Sorry, when do we leave?"
"The Jet is waiting for us." She informed her as she stop by a car opening the door. "He is waiting for you."
Sometime later Hermione found herself waiting at a small farm with Nick fury.
"Welcome back Granger."
"Fury, What have you gotten yourself into this time?" Hermione asked sitting down in front of him.
"We have found a witch able to control minds." fury said taking a deep breath. "She messed with the minds of the avengers."
Her mouth became pinched as she realized when this was headed. "You need me to check their minds don't you."
"Yes."
Hermione stood from the chair walking across the room, seeing the jet land in the yard. "I told you I would help you but I never want to be associated with the avengers."
"Well The world needs them checked to make sure she doesn't have any other hold over them." Nick grumbled leaning back in the chair.
She watched the jet shut down as the people come out the back of the jet. Her eyes instantly locked on to the form of Tony Stark walking down the ramp. "You hate me in some way don't you?"
"No." Fury replied as he walked up behind her. "But i need the best people working on this."
"Let me know when you ready." Hermione said taking a seat in the room they were standing in. She heard fury make his way out in the large side of the barn. The door opened, she glanced up seeing Tony entering the barn.
"Hello dear." Tony spoke walking over to the tractor in the middle of the barn. "Tell me everything what ails you."
"Do me a favor try not to bring it to life." Nick spoke drawing Tony's attention. They continued speak as she quietly moved closer to the door of the room.
"I am just a man who cares very much for you."
"And I'm the man who killed the Avengers." Tony replied sharply. Hermione's nose crinkled at his words; they all just walked out of a jet. So she knew he was speaking metaphorically. "Or that's what I saw. I couldn't tell the team. How could I? I saw them all dead, Nick. Felt it. The whole world too. It's because of me. I wasn't ready, didn't do all I could."
"Maximoff girl, She's working you, Stark." Fury said simply. "Playing on your fears."
"I wasn't tricked I was shown." Tony replied sharply. "It wasn't a nightmare. It was my legacy. The end of the path I started us on."
"You come up with some pretty impressive inventions tony. War isn't one of them."
"I watch my friends die; you think that would be as bad as it gets," Tony snorted wiping his hands. "It wasn't even the worst part."
"The worst part, was that you didn't?" Nick questioned walking out of the barn.
Tony's head dropped into his hands, before for looking up at the parts laying before him. Hermione could see the tears forming in his eyes. He quickly grabbed the tractor part throwing it, it crashed in to the wall causing Hermione to jump; making her foot kick a bucket.
"Shit." Hermione hissed.
"Who's in there. Come out now." Tony barked.
Giving a sigh Hermione stepped into the door way, seeing Tony's shocked expression. "Hello Tony."
"Hermione?" Tony asked as if not believing his eyes. "what are you doing here?"
"Fury needed my help. I came." Hermione shrugged.
"Help with what?" Tony asked walking over to her.
"The witch that had messed with all of you. He asked me to check and make sure there's now residual magic lingering inside your minds." Hermione explained crossing her arm. While Hermione didn't move away from him, she did close herself off.
"I haven't seen you since-."
That last time I was at your home, Tony." Hermione glared at him. "Let's not reminisce the past, shall we?" Hermione turned walking to the door until she felt Tony grab he hand. Hermione couldn't help the warm feeling that grew over her body. He was her weak spot, even if she was fight the fact; She stilled loved him.
"How's Pepper, Tony?" Hermione growled snatching her hand from him. She missed the look of pain that crossed his face.
"I;m sorry, but i am not sure how i feel about having someone going through my mind." Clint spoke sounding unsure. "No matter who it is. Sorry Hermione. I have had bad experience with people in my head."
"Understandable but trust me when I say his, Clint, the thought of being in your head scares me." Hermione smirked at the man leaning against the counter. She noticed Tony's face darken at the casual banter between the two.
"Fine. I'll go." Natasha spoke up coming forward she set down in the chair in front of her.
"You won't feel anything, just see memories." Hermione smiled removing her wand from the holster resting on her hip. "I am looking for lingering magic."
"Do what you have to do." Natasha nodded
Natasha's memories swirled before Hermione's vision, everyone of her worst memories played out as she franticly searched for any magic. Not long she found what she was looking, a fine mist pulsing. Locking on the magic she turned her wand pulling it away from Natasha's head as the red mist poured from her head.
"And this is why Fury called me." Hermione said as the room watched. Flicking her wand the mist disappeared. "Who's next?"
Working patiently between each team member, Hermione finished all of them except for Tony. Watching him walk from the other side of the room, he stopped in front of her sitting down in the chair before her; his blue eyes meet hers.
"Ready when you are." Tony stated leaning back in the chair. Hermione pressed her wand to his temple, his memories began rushing before her.
"I'm sleeping down stairs. Tinker with that." Pepper glared walking out of the room slamming the bedroom door. Tony sigh dropping his hand in his hands sweat rolled down his forehead.
Hermione frowned seeing the cruel look on Peppers face.
"I can't do this!" Pepper yelled grabbing her clothes from the dresser, slamming them into her suit case.
"Pepper, please, don't do this. Don't leave." Tony begged watching her empty her side of the closet.
"No, Tony. I have made up my mind." Pepper closed the cabinet, turning to look back at Tony. "The worst part about this is you love someone else."
"What are you talking about?" Tony demanded looking around the room. "I don't see anyone else in my house."
Pepper sigh placing her hands on her hips, " Hermione, Tony, You always say her name in your sleep. Every night I have to listen to you whisper her name. You love her."
Tony said nothing clench his jaw.
"You chose the wrong woman, Tony." Pepper walked over looking in his eyes. "Deep down you know it's true."
"I'm sorry Pepper." Tony replied.
"Don't be."
The red mist appear that Hermione had been looking for quickly pulling out of Tony's mind. She removed the magic, then looked back meeting Tony's eyes holding his gaze before looking away. She left him there walking out the back door.
"Tension." Clint mocked looking anywhere but Tony.
"Bite me Barton." Tony growled going after Hermione. The room glared at Clint as Tony went out the back door.
"Don't lie even the rest of you want to know what's going on with them." Clint stated.
Tony walked out on to the porch, letting his eyes adjust to the night. The moon and stars lit the yard, his eyes searched out Hermione's form, until he found her at the top of the steps leading out into the yard. Coming up behind her, her could hear her breathing funny. He could only guess she was crying, but trying to hide it.
"I won't be a second choice." Hermione sniffed.
"Hermione, Pepper left me over a year ago." Tony admitted quietly.
Hermione gave a laugh turning around, "And that's suppose to make it better? You knew-" Hermione paused wondering if she should continue talking. "Tony, you know I was in love with you. I didn't care anything about you money or anything like that. I love you for you. You are extremely intelligent and funny, sometime with a bad sense of humor but that's what I loved."
"You know you still love me." Tony replied coming forward he pushed her against the post, connecting his lips to hers.
Hermione didn't fight against him feeling his soft lips on hers; she melted. His large warm hands rested on her hips before pulling her tight against his body. Her arms slid around his neck, twisting her fingers into his hair.
Hermione pulled back looking into his eyes sadly, " But you don't love me, Tony."
"Yes, I do, Hermione." Tony replied not letting her move away from him. "It's why Pepper left. You saw that in the memory. I love you Hermione. I won't let you go."
"You better get ready to prove that stark." Hermione smirked as Tony leaned in again capturing her lips once again.
A/N: This is just a little something that has been playing in my head. Hope you like it. I will do more of this pairing in the future.