ripped at every edge (but you're a masterpiece) (Hp x Mcu) by Lissy

Chapter 4: a moment that's held in your arms

Summary:

Hari and Tony meet at the gala.

Chapter title:
I'm Still Here - John Rzeznik

Notes:

Timeline:
[x] (2012) The Avengers
[x] (2013) Iron Man 3
[x] (2013) We are here
[ ] (2013) Thor: The Dark World
[ ] (2014) Captain America: The Winter Soldier; Guardians of the Galaxy; Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2
[ ] (2015) Avengers: Age of Ultron; Ant-Man
[ ] (2016) Captain America: Civil War; Spider-Man: Homecoming
[ ] (2017) Doctor Strange; Black Panther; Thor: Ragnarok
[ ] (2018) Avengers: Infinity War

Hari just wants to get on with her life. She's done the whole saving the world bit, got the award for it, and now she just wants to do whatever catches her fancy. But Death's warning rings loud and clear in her head, and she rubs her aching, throbbing temples.

"Thanos is coming. And if you value life on Earth, you will find my Merchant. Only together will survival be a possibility."

And, of course, Death can't tell her who the Merchant is. Because of course, Death already said too much. Oh, no, that would make things too easy.

Hari is pulled out of her thoughts when her mobile rings. It's coming from a pile on top of her desk, and she curses, tossing papers off to search for it. She picks it up just before the ringing stops.

"Hello?"

"Hari, you okay? You sound out of breath."

It's Dudley. When they were children, she never thought they would be able to salvage any kind of relationship. He was her primary tormentor, the reason why she couldn't make any friends and was absolutely miserable at school.

They're older now, with children of their own, and she understands why he behaved the way he did. It was up to his parents to curb his behavior, to teach him right from wrong, and they didn't. Uncle Vernon hated everything he deemed freakish and abnormal, and Aunt Petunia was too blinded by the unfinished business between her and her sister.

It was Dudley that made the effort to mend the relationship that he had gleefully denied when they were younger. Not wanting to disappoint his parents, or rather following their poor example, he tormented her, pushed her around, knocked things out of her hand and blamed her for his misdeeds.

There was a point in time when she thought she hated him. He had everything she wanted, loving parents, clothes that fit, friends, and yet he appreciated none of it. He loved to get her in trouble as if her life wasn't miserable enough without his help.

But then she saved his life.

It wasn't something she had to think about, something so engrained in her nature. Her saving people thing, as Hermione calls it. Putting herself between him and the dementor was as easy as breathing. Regardless of the bad blood between them, Hari wouldn't have left him to die. It was not and will never be in her nature.

She went on with her life, didn't even think about it beyond that travesty of a court trial.

Dudley, though, pondered it over. Her actions not only saved his life, but also shook his world up. Hari suddenly wasn't the heavy burden his parents had been forced to take in. These revelations followed him to Smeltings, and it was his boxing coach that helped put things into perspective.

Dudley struggled with coming to terms with his parents' horrible treatment of Hari, and how to make amends. He kept putting it off and off until Hari informed them of the magical war that broke out again, how she was in the middle of it, how they would be targeted simply because of their shared blood.