A few readers expressed confusion about the Avengers learning Hermione wasn't the only witch. It was subtle, but she spoke because of a panic attack. None of them actually picked up on the admission. This chapter explores a more severe panic attack that is common with PTSD survivors.

Chapter 10

Realizing that Loki needed an energy source, powerful enough to sustain a portal spurned Stark into summoning his suit and taking off without so much as a "by your leave," to the rest of them.

"Where has the Man of Iron fled?" Thor asked concerned at the development as Clint and Natasha shared glances.

"Stark Tower is unveiling their new power source today," Steve said. "He's been bragging about it being entirely self-sufficient." The group started suiting up and preparing to follow Tony to New York. As each Avenger's attention was diverted, Lavender slipped Hermione an international portkey, while reporting to Fury. Hermione was impressed at the skillful drop amongst enhanced humans.

"I'll race you there," Hermione said cheerfully to the other Avengers.

"You would jest on the eve of battle?" Thor demanded appalled, which earned an eye roll from the witch.

"After as many near death experiences as I have, you develop a sense of humor," Hermione answered before activating the portkey and disappearing from their sight.

She landed nimbly inside of, what was clearly, Tony's extravagant penthouse. Finding one of Tony's armchairs, Hermione cast a disillusionment charm on herself and sat down. Loki and Tony entered, nearly seconds later, from opposite ends of the penthouse. Both men were already posturing as they meandered towards each other. Loki's cape billowed around him as stepped forward, while Tony strutted in his careless elegance.

"Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity," Loki said gazing up to where Stark stood. Hermione couldn't withhold her grin at the anticipation of hearing Tony's response. He really did have the greatest one liners.

"Actually, I was planning on threatening you," Tony answered in a dismissive tone as he walked down the ramp.

"You should have left your armor on for that," Loki said bemused as he gestured towards Stark with his scepter.

"Yeah, well it's seen a bit of mileage and you've got the Glow Stick of Destiny," he answered. Hermione had to smother a giggle as Loki looked at said scepter as though he found Tony amusing. "Drink?"

"Stalling me won't change anything," Loki said benignly, as Tony glanced over his shoulder before locating a glass and turning around.

"No, no. Threatening," Tony corrected. "No drink? You sure? I'm going to have one." While Tony was busy pouring himself, what appeared to be a very expensive whiskey, Hermione couldn't help, but wonder if they were aware of how flirtatious the entire conversation sounded. Tony, she knew flirted with anything that moved, however, she was positive both men would be horrified if she announced it to them.

The Chitauri are coming," Loki warned before studying the horizon out the window, clearly anticipating their arrival. "Nothing will change that. What have I to fear?"

"The Avengers," Tony answered, earning a confused look from the Norse God. That's what we call ourselves, sort of like a team. 'Earth's mightiest heroes' type of thing."

"Yes I've met them."

"Yeah, takes us a while to get any traction, I'll give you that one," Tony said with a slight grimace, "but let's do a headcount. Your brother, the demi god, although if he keeps angering Glinda, I don't know how much longer he'll be alive." Hermione was surprised to see a look of what was clearly pride on Loki's face.

"Glinda, by the way, a Sorceress who's magic is superior to yours. A super soldier living legend, who kinda lives up to the legend. A man with breathtaking anger management issues, a couple of master assassins, and you, big fella, you've managed to piss of every single one of them," Tony said before taking a drink.

"That was the plan," Loki said moving closer to Stark. "I'll admit I was surprised by your Sorceress."

"Not a great plan. When they come, and they will. They'll come for you."

"I have an army," Loki pointed out.

"We have a hulk."

"I thought the beast had wandered off."

"You're missing the point," Tony said. "There's no throne, there is no version of this, where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes, and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Because, if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damned well sure we'll avenge it." Both men were standing closer than they had previously, each standing menacingly. Hermione wondered why Tony was allowing Loki to continue advancing, and considered conjuring a shield between them.

"How will your friends have time for me, when they're so busy fighting you?" Loki asked menacingly as he raised the scepter to Tony's' chest. Hermione watched, knowing that the real scepter was safely in her wand holster, which allowed her to enjoy the comedic scene playing out in front of her. A loud metal clink rang out, causing both Tony and Loki to look at the scepter equally confused before Loki attempted it again.

"This usually works," Loki said disappointedly after a moment.

"Well, performance issues, you know?" Tony quipped, as Hermione laughed. Neither man seemed to hear her peal of laughter as Loki had angrily grabbed Stark by the throat and threw him across the room. As the Norse God began walking towards Tony's prone body, Hermione dropped her disillusionment charm.

"Magical items are ever so fickle," Hermione said, capturing Loki's attention as he spun around with an unnatural elegance. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"Witchling," Loki said reverlantly, with a demure nod towards her that had her raising an eyebrow at him.

"Glinda," Tony added as he slowly rose to his feet. "Would you like a drink?" She grinned at him and shook her head.

"Perhaps later," she answered as she focused on Loki. "I'd hate to overindulge and miss a skirmish. Speaking of which, where exactly is this Chitauri army you keep mentioning? Is your portal even open?"

"It is surrounded by an energy bubble," Tony pointed out as Loki studied the scepter and then Hermione. "I'm sure he's got a back up plan."

"You've altered it," Loki said accusingly as he ignored Stark's comment.

"Have I?" Hermione asked innocently with a slight shrug, as she relaxed in the chair. Her posture seemed to throw him off kilter, and she watched Loki stiffin. "Perhaps you've simply lost its allegiance."

"Your mind games fail Witchling. The scepter is not sentient," Loki said as Tony quietly inched closer to him.

"Are you so sure about that?" She asked him tilting her head slightly. "Positive that you know everything about this particular artifact? After all, it used to work for you, and now it doesn't." The glance was almost imperceptible, but she still saw it. Before she could feel triumphant, Loki seized Tony by the throat once again. Tony was gripping the Asgardian's wrist while struggling to pronounce the word "deploy."

"You will all fall before me," Loki hissed as he turned to look at Hermione. "Even you sorceress, though perhaps differently than the rest." He threw Tony threw the glass windows as Hermione stood and rushed forward in a blind panic, nearly missing Tony successfully yell the word deploy as she screamed his name.

"Who will save you now?" Loki asked, capturing her attention from the window where she now stood. The far wall erupted, forcing Loki and Hermione to hit the floor, as a giant red case flew outward after Tony.

"Do you honestly think I am unable to defend myself?" She asked climbing back to her feet and willing her wand into her hand.

"Are all Asgardian's so small minded that you cannot see women as anything other than helpless?" She was surprised that Loki started laughing.

"I see my brother has foolishly angered you," he said. "Thor has always fallen prey to the illusion that brute force is always the most efficient tool."

"You're trying to flatter me," Hermione said glaring at him. "It won't work. Your scepter has failed you, perhaps you should be prudent and surrender. You're in luck, I accept."

"You are a delightful creature," Loki said ignoring her offer. "Tell me, where is the true scepter?"

"Beyond your reach," Hermione answered, knowing that Loki would never accept any lie. She cast a silent petrificus totalus, at him. He dodged the bright light nimbly and responded in kind. She found herself suddenly surrounded with many copies of Loki. She briefly noted that these were unlike the copies in the Magical World. They were life-like and solid.

"Neat trick," she muttered before casting another disillusionment charm over herself. She was surprised when each image of him began clapping at her response. It was unnerving to impress him, and it made her afraid to move. She sent an expulso towards the kitchen, and when the island exploded distracting all of the Loki's, Hermione dove towards the left, away from where the original Asgardian Prince had stood. Just before she passed the copies of him, Tony's voice distracted her and she turned, relieved to see him hovering in midair.

"There's one other person you pissed off, Phil," Tony said just before shooting an energy beam at the Loki that was centered in the room. Loki was blasted backwards, but the blast of energy also threw Hermione back, and when she hit the ground her disillusionment charm broke. The room spun around her as she laid flat on her back amongst debris. Her wand was not in her hand. It was that thought that motivated her to roll onto her stomach despite still trying to reorient herself with her surroundings.

She was on all fours attempting to locate her wand and force the room to stop spinning when she was pulled upright by her hair. In that instant, the brightly lit room darkened until Hermione was back in a ballroom with a broken chandelier. She swayed on her feet, trying to avoid Bellatrix's knife, while remaining upright. In her desperate attempt, her body leaned itself back against the wall of flesh.

"Witchling, you are trying my patience." The words did not match the voice she heard. Dimly, far away in her mind, she somehow knew those words were spoken with a beautiful grace near enough to fondness rather than the psychotic screech of Bellatrix Lestrange's voice.

"Perhaps a change in scenery is in order." Hearing that suggestion sparked a burst of energy that Hermione hadn't previously had and she started violently thrashing to break free. She could hear Greyback pacing in anticipation. She would not be given to him, and so she started taunting the Death Eater in hopes that Bellatrix would kill her in a rage..

"You stupid inbred twit! Killing mudbloods won't prevent yourself from breeding out of existence," Hermione snarled, knowing she sounded like a dying animal. Triumph surged through her broken body when Bellatrix forcibly spun her around. Hermione was sure that death was imminent and spit in the woman's face in a final act of defiance.

Having Bellatrix seize the sides of her face and force her to meet the woman's gaze was terrifying. Her mental defenses had already been broken through torture. Hermione futility pushed against the woman's torso in a last ditch attempt to prevent the mental invasion.

Watching Bellatrix fade away to reveal Loki Odinson turned Hermione's terror into confusion. He still held her face, his eyes searching hers for answers. The young witch frantically tried to figure out what was real. Her blood froze when she heard the screaming.

"It's not real! I swear it's a fake."

"You can't be here," she whispered staring at Loki absolutely terrified. She started pushing his chest, as though she could rid him from her mind that way. "Get out. Get out now!" Her body started sagging from exhaustion and panic, yet she still tried to push him out of her mind.

"Still yourself Witchling," Loki said soothingly. "I mastered mind magics several millennia ago. Your shields were broken from within, and you will only bring yourself harm."

"You cannot be here!" Hermione insisted fearfully as the screams continued growing louder. She couldn't bring herself to turn and face her body on the floor. Shamefully she noted that she felt gratitude for the man holding her weight.

"Rest," Loki said as he lowered her to the floor of her mind. She hated that he was right and that her eyes were heavy. Hermione abhorred herself for taking comfort in his arms while he viewed her darkest moment.

"Who is this mortal?" Loki snarled as he watched Bellatrix carve into her arm. She felt him turn her arm over and touch the red angry words. "Death is too swift for her."

"Too late," Hermione mumbled. "She's already dead." Loki remained silent at her response and did not stir until Bellatrix ordered everyone to stop moving.

"So this was the trigger," he said. Hermione looked up to see the Bellatrix's back, her hand twisted in Hermione's bloody and tangled hair. Blinking, she found herself falling towards the floor in Tony's destroyed penthouse. Loki caught her up before she hit the ground. She noticed, helplessly, that he lifted her up into his arms, just before her sight went black.