Harry felt heavy all over. He knew he had been hurt, he'd also locked himself in his room in the tower to die. He wondered why he was feeling anything because he should be dead. He opened eyes to a dimly lit medical room. He was so used to waking up in the infirmary at Hogwarts, he had to get his bearings and remember where he was. He was in New York, but not a hospital room. Harry figured he must be in the Stark Tower medical floor. So he was alive, yet again. He wasn't in pain, just really, really tired.

"Well you're awake. Finally, that's nice. Do you want to explain just why the hell you locked the door to your room and almost bled to death?" Hermione asked him.

Harry knew she was really pissed. She was so calm about the way she asked her question. Hermione was the same way when they were in school, a force of nature.

"I really don't know 'Mione. I'm just tired, really tired. It was a moment of weakness and I just couldn't handle it. I really don't know what to tell you."

"Well, that's the last time for a long while, that you'll go out playing hero. You need rest and relaxation. You need to talk to someone about your feelings, nightmares, and why you wanted to just die, and leave me here alone." Hermione said, beginning to cry.

Merlin's balls. Now he felt horrible. The last thing he wanted way for Hermione to be sad and upset. She had given up so much to get them where they were today. Harry sat up and pulled her into his arms, letting her cry.

"Come on Hermione. You need to rest and relax too. Find a bunch of good books to read." Harry said, hearing her chuckle. "Did you even find out who that man was casting the strange spells?"

Harry watched her whole demeanor change. She lit up like she did when she'd found some particularly juicy tidbit in a book in the restricted section in the library at Hogwarts. He would definitely have to encourage this interest and possible romantic development Hermione apparently had.

"His name is Dr. Stephen Strange. Apparently, he was an actual muggle surgeon, until he had a horrific car accident, in which he lost the use of his hands in surgery. He then went looking for a cure, and found Eastern mysticism, which led him to become Sorcerer Supreme of earth. He even has his own tower of sorts, here in New York. He calls it the Sanctum Sanctorum." Hermione explained.

"How did you find out all of this?" Harry asked.

"If I may interrupt Master Harry, Miss Hermione asked me about him. I am able to give all information regarding The Avengers, you both have been given classified clearance as of today." Friday stated.

"Wow. Well I guess I'm glad they trust us." Hermione said.

"Could you give a rundown of all of the Avengers for us?" Harry asked.

"Of course." Friday said.

Harry and Hermione listened for several minutes as Friday told them about all of the Avengers. Most of them had pasts as messed up as he did. Bucky and Steve seem to have the most issues with Steve being frozen for 70 years and Bucky being brainwashed into becoming the Winter Soldier. He went through literal torture for decades, along with being frozen and unfrozen all those years. They had all been split, forced to take sides until a year ago, when they all came back together to begin fighting Thanos, who suspiciously sounded a lot like a space alien version of Voldemort to him. Bucky, Steve, and Tony had also recovered from a brutal fight between the three when Tony found out that Bucky, or rather the Winter Soldier, had been the one to kill his parents, and Steve had known about it. He could see all sides in that fight. But Bucky had not been in control of his actions, Steve loved Bucky, and Tony was hurt from his parents murder. Thankfully, they'd all mended those fences, and compromised by agreeing to an amended Sokovia Accords agreement. Loki had joined them around that time as well. Now Tony and Loki were married. They'd even made Spiderman and Deadpool part of the Avengers. Deadpool was another tortured soul. Peter Parker had lost his parents at a young age, then his uncle in a robbery, leaving his Aunt May as his only family. Wade Wilson was used in an experiment, flaunting his need for a cure for his cancer to trap him. Apparently, he and Peter were now romantically involved.

"Are you sure you should be giving us their secret identity information Friday?" Harry asked.

"Why not? You fought for us today. That's about as trustworthy as you can get." Tony said as he came into the room, Loki in his wake.

"Darling they trust me and I used to be an enemy." Loki drawled.

"I guess you have a point." Harry replied.

"You should be resting." Bruce added, rushing into the room.

"How long was I out?" Harry asked, laying back against the pillows and the very much not a hospital looking bed. It was much bigger than even his one at Hogwarts.

"You were out for a week. We were beginning to worry." Bruce said, with Hermione agreeing. "You physical wound healed within a day, but I think you were so mentally tired you needed a rest, and your magic agreed."

"Sorry to be so much trouble. It seems to follow me around." Harry whispered.

"Well then, you're definitely in the right place. The Avengers seem to be drawn trouble where ever we are." Tony said. "You know that Phil has set you both up with some counseling, right? She is SHIELD approved and you'll be able to discuss anything with her."

"I don't think..." Harry started.

"Yes, that's right you don't Harry. You and I both need to talk to someone unbiased about what we've been through." Hermione said.

"All of us have been through it Harry. Most of us have a different severity of PTSD. No one here will judge you." Tony finished.

It was strange. No one had ever offered him any help.

"Sure, ok. What could it hurt?" Harry said.

Steve and Bucky didn't come to visit him that day or any other day after that. He had only seen glimpses of them since he shared the same floor, for the last two weeks. He'd begun therapy with Dr. Cho, and he was doing better. His nightmares had lessened and he was getting to know all of the Avengers. Harry knew he'd probably ruined his chances at friendship or even something else with the two super soldiers. It upset him more than he thought it would. He couldn't blame them, after all he was pretty screwed up, and it was probably better this way.

Steve and Bucky knew they were both cowards. They hadn't spoken to Harry since he was hurt in battle and had chosen to let himself die. They'd talked about it and thought that he would be better off if Harry didn't have to put up with their screwed up lives on top of trying to get better. They were currently sitting in the common room watching some cartoon that neither of them could understand. Uncle Grandpa wasn't anything a child should ever be allowed to sit through.

"You two assholes done with the brooding and pouting routine?" Tony asked them.

"Um Tony have you been drinking again? What do you mean?" Steve asked back.

"Nice deflection Cap, but I'm not falling for it. You know what I mean. Neither of you idiots has talked or even looked at Harry for two weeks now. What give?" Tony said, clearly upset.

"He needs to heal Tony. He sure doesn't need the two of us fucked up individuals bringing him down." Bucky said. Steve nodded in agreement.

"Jesus, climb off the cross already. You do realize that the Avengers is made up of the most screwed up people on the planet right?" Tony told them. "We all need fucking therapy. Loki, Bruce, and I have enough daddy issues to keep therapists busy for decades. Don't even get me started on Peter and Wade. Hell Tasha, Clint, and Phil have so much shit to deal with, I don't think we know the half of it. You two need to get your shit together. He and Hermione are here to stay." Tony finished and headed down to his lab.

Harry had been hiding under his invisibility cloak watching the super soldiers watch tv. It was pathetic, but he wanted to see them. Then Tony walked in and he heard everything. They didn't think they were good enough for him, to even be around him. It wasn't because he was too much trouble, it was because they were worried about hurting him. He'd never had anyone worry about him getting hurt. Sure the Weasley's were a surrogate family to him and he had a few friends, they all cared for him, but this was different.

"Oh god, he's right. We're just ignoring him Stevie. There's no telling what Harry thinks about us. I hope we can fix this." Bucky said, putting his head in his hands.

"We really screwed this up. Pushing him away seemed to be the right thing to do. He has enough to deal with, without our issues. But even though I loathe to admit it, Tony's right. We need to be his friends, even if nothing else comes of it." Steve said.

Harry held his breath. 'Even if nothing else comes of it.' They were actually interested in him. He was blown away. He needed to think, and plan. He was due down in the gym where he was finally allowed to use his magic again. He and Hermione were going to duel, something they hadn't done in a long time. Not since he trained Dumbledore's Army.

Harry eased out of the room without the two noticing him. He had to be extra careful due to their enhanced hearing and eyesight he was sure they had. He made his way to the stairs and eased through the door. As soon as he was sure they hadn't seen him he took the cloak off and ran up two floors to his room. He changed into his suit and headed to the elevator and went down to the gym. Hermione was waiting and so was most of the team. She'd also decided to wear the suit he had made her. It would offer the best protection.

"Thought you had chickened out Potter." Hermione teased.

"You wish Granger." Harry said, smiling to his best friend. Harry didn't miss the fact that Strange was standing fairly close to Hermione, extremely interested in what was about to happen. He also didn't miss the two super soldiers enter the room, and stand in the back.

"Dueling rules apply, except for we're using the unforgivables, except for the killing curse of course." Hermione said.

The team looked a little worried, but Harry and Hermione weren't scared of those curses like they used to be. The world was a rotten place and they would never be left defenseless again.

Both brought their wands up and bowed to each other, then turned and took ten steps away from each other. Both turned Harry firing a blasting spell and Hermione blocking it and throwing a stunner. Harry flew back as Hermione advanced and he hit her with a blasting spell throwing her across the room.

"Oh so that's how were doing it?" Hermione chucked, throwing a succession of stunners at Harry, which he blocked all but one.

He fell down momentarily unable to move, as Hermione advanced on him. He pointed the wand, "Crucio." Hermione fell to the ground screaming. Harry finally was able to get up, noticing how terrified and worried everyone was. Hermione stunned him three times before she got off the ground. He leveled a blasting spell at her and she blocked it.

"Crucio." She said and he fell to the ground in agony.

"Augmentia." He said, water shooting from his wand. Hermione was pushed back by the water.

"Draw, it's a draw." Hermione said choking on the water.

"We're both out of shape 'Mione." Harry said, still feeling the effects of the cruciatus curse.

Both of them looked at the the group that had been watching. Wanda, Loki, and Strange started clapping enthusiastically.

"Why are you clapping? That was crazy." Tony said.

"That was a wonderful example of their magic darling." Loki said.

"That was awesome. It was also scary, and I've seen some scary shit in the past five years." Tony said.

"That's only half of what we can do. I think you saw the spells we were casting in the battle. We're just out of practice and out of shape." Harry assured them. He noticed that Steve and Bucky had gotten closer to the group.

"That was some nice fightin skills doll." Bucky told him. Steve just nodded in agreement.

Harry was certain that was flirting. He'd called him doll. Why did that sound so hot?

Hermione was grinning like a loon, and left to talk to Dr. Strange. He would tease her mercilessly later.

"Your suit seems to protect you pretty well." Steve said.

"I can make some enhancements if you'd like for you and Hermione?" Tony asked, his fingers moving nervously.

"That would be great Tony." Harry said, noticing the man was dying to get hold of their suits to trick them out.

"He wants to enhance everything he possibly can." Steve said.

"Stevie and I can teach you guys some hand to hand fighting if you want." Bucky told him.

"Yes most definitely Sgt. Barnes." Harry replied.

"Oh doll, remember first names." Bucky said.

"Right James and Steven. Got it." Harry said, noticing how both of their demeanor's changed when he said their given names. Hmm, first names turn them on, but only when I say them. He would use that to his advantage. Hopefully, they wouldn't withdraw from him anymore. He would make sure he was with them every day if needed.