I own nothing.

Authors Note: I refuse to acknowledge the fact that Tony gets rid of his arch reactor It makes no sense, and brakes all the logic how he is staying alive. Alas, he is keeping the reactor in my story and any other story he happens to be in.

Chapter 4: Hermione

26. September 1996 London

Diana was cradling the little bundle in her arms whilst Tony looked over her shoulder pulling faces at the newborn in his best friend's arms. "You know she can't see that right?" Rhodey, who had come to visits the newborn almost immediately, looked amused by his best friend's antics. Diana turned around to catch her best friend pulling a rather goofy expression with a scrounged up nose, tongue sticking out and with his hand, he was pushing his ears forward. Raising her eyebrow at him he froze.

"Oh thanks, Sauer Patch," Tony huffed as she slapped him round the head. To the other two's surprise, instead of whining (which was the billionaire's usual response) he leant forward to cup the baby girl's head. "Watch it, Slappy. Precious cargo you're holding there." A little smile graced the young billionaires face as he looked over the baby. His best friends shared a look of disbelieve as they watch him wiggle his finger in front of Hermione who didn't seem at all impressed with the antics as she let out a little yawn.

"I think she finds you boring," Diana said chuckling a little. She sounded exhausted as she leant back. Insulted, Tony jumped to his feet looking defiantly at his friends.

"Impossible!" He exclaimed, "I, Tony Stark, am an awesome genius! No woman or girl could find me boring!"

Feeling the teasing coming on, Rhodey rolled his eyes and held out his arms, "Come on, then let Uncle Rhodey have a hold. Before you to start who's more awesome fight. Little ears don't need to hear so much ego in one room."

"We do not have egos!" The two yelled as Rhodey left the room, Hermione securely placed in his arms. They could do with the break.

…

Falling to her knees, Hermione looked around the destroyed Great Hall. Groups of students and teachers had been sitting around on the few benches that weren't reduced to anything more than splinters. The way they sat in huddled groups, holding each other crying and laughing in relief made it sink in.

"It's over. It's actually over." She let out a hysterical laughed. Running her hands over her face, she relished in her thoughts. She was free. Ron, the Weasleys were free. Harry was… Hermione snapped up straight. "Where is Harry?!"

The Great Hall was growing darker as a shadow filled the room. People started screaming in horror as they looked behind her. Slowly, Hermione turned round. Her breath hitched. A wall of water was building up behind her. Like the one, she and Ron had faced only hours ago in the Chamber of Secrets. Before Hermione could even attempt to get to her feet, the wall came crashing down and engulfed her completely.

…

The sound of the door being closed caused Hermione to jump straight out of bed lunging for the wand she had placed on the nightstand. Flinching inwardly as she knew it wasn't her wand. Training the weapon on the intruder, Hermione cowered amongst her pillows back straight against the headboard. Her hand was shaking as she tried to orientate herself.

"Where are Harry and Ron?" she thought to herself. When she tried to remember what had happened and why she had been sleeping on such a comfortable bed. Her eyes slowly focused on her target who now stood frozen in the doorway, blue eyes blown wide, a plate of pancakes in her left hand. Still shaking, Hermione looked at Pepper dropping the wand as she let out a little sob.

Pepper, who looked at the girl with wide eyes, approached her with caution. The CEO knew the girl well and she knew not to startle her. She was very much like Tony in that way. You didn't rush up to the billionaire the day after a battle, not when the line between reality and nightmare was still fuzzy. Hermione was the same. Pepper blamed those big brains of theirs. It's hard to try and forget something when your mind was built to save any and all information that they could get their hand on (Unless it was appointments or names of important investors. Damn it, Tony!). That included all the pain.

The little sob that came from the teenager who was cowering at the head of her bed caught Peppers attention. Hermione had dropped her wand and was now violently shaking. The reality was setting in and Pepper kicked into action. Placing the pancakes on the night stand, Pepper sat on the other side pulling the sobbing girl into her arms.

"Shhh, it's okay," she whispered into the girl's ear, "You're safe now. You're home." Rocking back and forth, Pepper took note of how her shoulder seemed to stick into her chest, painfully and sharp. Familiar panic began building in the redhead's chest. The one she used to get when she had to leave Tony alone for longer than planned and Rhodey wasn't able to make sure he eat. Now she could rely on two assassins, a super soldier, a god and one scientist with anger management issues to bully him into eating. Hermione had never been as bad as Tony, her mother made sure of that but it didn't mean that the girl didn't have the tendency to forget or outright refuse to eat.

Pepper recalled an incident in her third year where Professor McGonagall had written to Diana concerned about the fact that Hermione wasn't eating. What had followed was probably the most hypocritical speech she had ever heard the billionaire spout. Rhodey and she had to sit there holding in their laughter, as Diana (who had been visiting) and Tony both talked to Hermione.

Hermione shivered in Pepper's arms attempting to squash her sobs that were fighting their way out. She hated this. She hated everything about this. Hermione hated the weakness she was showing, even if it was only Pepper. She never used to be so hard on herself when it came to it, but over the years with Harry. She couldn't afford to be weak.

Pepper stopped her cradling motion. She recognised the loaded silence and the CEO wouldn't take this. "Don't you dare," she warned her, "I know what you're thinking and I'm telling you to stop!"

Hermione wanted to argue that she wasn't thinking anything, but she was too exhausted to argue. Besides no one ever won an argument with the infamous Pepper Potts. Well...unless your name was Tony Stark and you were having a really good day.

Knowing that she had won, the CEO pulled the plate of pancakes of the night stand. "Eat, bath and then get dressed. Rhodey said Kingsley's coming to debrief us at three," Pepper said in her no-nonsense, business voice. It made Hermione smile as she remembered the way she the redhead use that voice; when she was younger and up to mischief. It relaxed her and the prospect of getting clean was something the girl could hardly resist.

So she shuffled down the pancakes to appeal Pepper and grabbed the clothes Pepper had handed her as she took her plate.

"The bath was ready," Pepper assured her. Giving her a wicked smile as Hermione was about to enter the bathroom, Pepper added, "I think we're going to have to go shopping. You seem to be low on clothes," The red head let out a laugh as the teenage girl gave her a dirty look, before entering the bathroom.

Hermione was greeted by a wall of steam. It was rather pleasant considering she had been spending the best part of the year in a cold, damp tent. Once she locked the door Hermione braced herself before dropped the glamour charms. Taking a deep breath, she turned to the mirror.

The face that looked back wasn't hers. It belonged to a starved girl who's check bones stuck out just that tiniest bit too much for it to be natural, her eyes were so wide and full of terror that she looked almost crazed and the dirt, dust and blood painted their own horrific picture. This wasn't her. It couldn't be.

Turning away, Hermione's eyes fell on the bath filled with water.

…

She couldn't breathe. Water was filling her lungs Ron wasn't there anymore. He had swum up once the water had hit. Hermione was stuck. Her hand glued to the cup keeping her under water. Desperately trying to tear her hand away, she let out a scream in fear. Water filled her mouth in response. Slowly Hermione felt herself drift as darkness filled her sight.

…

"Maybe I should just use the cloth," She muttered to herself.

Wincing, Hermione peeled herself out of her destroyed jeans and less-than-fresh shirt. She didn't even try to look at the mirror now. Reaching for the washcloth, she held her side cursing underneath her breath. Every muscle in her body was aching as she sat herself down on the edge of the bath, her back resting on the cold black tiles. The cold was soothing on the bruises that were throbbing on her back. Scowling she dipped the cloth in the warm water and began to scrub the dried blood and dirt off her skin.

It took an hour to get the residue of the battle off her skin and when she was done her skin was raw and red and tingling. Now free from grime, she turned her attention to the clothes Pepper had handed her. A pair of soft jeans, which were defiantly Peppers and far too big. The CEO was a head taller than her and therefore her legs were a lot longer than hers. For a moment Hermione played with the idea of shrinking them. But the idea of using her wand made her stomach feel like it was filled with lead.

Scanning the t-shirt Pepper had handed her, she couldn't help but smile when she recognised warn AC/DC logo on the grey shirt. Feeling the soft fabric fall on her shoulders Hermione relished in the familiar smell that was embedded in it. It smelt familiar, sea air, expensive aftershave and a hint of peppermint toothpaste. It smelt of safety. It smelt like home.

Hermione smirked at the last item of clothing in the pile. A red Stark Industries hoody, she had gotten at the last Expo she went to. She would usually wear it if she was in need of comfort, and Hermione was in real need of some right now. Pulling the jacket over her shoulders taking a deep breath, Hermione let her mask slip into place and walked out of the bathroom.

For a second, Pepper froze when Hermione re-enter the room but just as quickly she brought back her bright smile. Hermione hadn't fooled her, but that was okay. Pepper knew she wasn't the person Hermione wanted to keep out. So she decided not to push. Not now. Not when the CEO had to come up with an action plan to keep Tony and Rhodey calm. Which was quite the feat when she took in Hermione's bruises. Sometimes, she hated her own no secret rule.

She turned to the digital clock on the nightstand. 12:30. Tony should be finished with his story by now. Pepper sighed. He was not going to be in a good mood. Nor was Hermione by the judging from the mask she held a little too well in her opinion. "Feel better?"

"A lot." A bright smile crossed the girl's face. Hermione pulled out a beaded bag she had ben clutching since she had arrived and pulled out a necklace Pepper knew so well. As soon as the familiar pendant was back in its rightful place, Hermione began fidgeting with it. "Let's get this show on the road."

"You want to go downstairs now?"

Hermione shrugged. "Why not? No time like the present. Right?"

"Hermione," Pepper began in the same tone of the voice she used on Tony when he rushed off to the lab after a nightmare. "Don't you want to rest for just a little bit longer? Kingsley won't be here for at least another two hours."

Still fidgeting with the slim chain, Hermione sighed.

"Trust me," She smirked slightly. "Kingsley will be here early. If only to avoid Molly's wrath."

Pepper raised an eyebrow but conceded. "Don't push her. Don't push her. At least not yet.", she thought to herself. "Wait for Tony to initiate…"

Hermione wiped the wand Pepper knew wasn't hers and the glamour charms masked her once again as she walked out.

"I'm going to be waiting for a long time."

….

The avengers froze when they looked at Pepper and Hermione. Now that they saw it, it was almost imposable to un-see. Steve was probably struggling with it the most. She looked so much like Peggy it hurt. Her face was the same soft cheeks and sharp angles. Hermione's nose unlike her mother's was Peggy's, her height as well. She was petite just like her. The girl would have stood taller than his younger self, but about a foot shorter than him now. Despite the fact her hair was wilder, it was the same shade of brown as her grandmothers. He almost thought that he was looking at a teenage Peggy Carter.

But she wasn't Peggy. Steve had to remember that. There were little things that were prodding his mind reminding him of that. Her skin had a natural tan, a dusting of freckles on her nose. The smile she wore was lopsided and had a knowing element in it. It was all so familiar and then he met her eyes. Golden brown, bright with curiosity as she took in the Avengers in front of her, but at the same time they were cold and guarded. He knew those eyes he had seen them. First in a friend and then in his son who then became his friend, be it a bit begrudgingly and know he saw them in his granddaughter.

Howard's granddaughter.

They all saw it. The way she stood. The way she dressed. Covering herself like Tony did when he had been scraped up and had to go to a press meeting or didn't want to Pepper to worry. And if that didn't prove it, the pendant that Clint had spied around her neck certainly did.

The familiar blue glow of an arc reactor drew his eyes. It was tiny but unmistakable.

Tony Stark's daughter.