The smile on Thor's face stiffened slightly.
He wasn't worried about anyone else. After all, Odin himself had placed the worthiness enchantment on the hammer, and only a handful of people in the universe qualified.
But this was Hermione, someone who always managed to turn common sense on its head.
Who knew what bizarre new tricks she had learned on her trip around the universe?
He felt a little uneasy, but in front of Tony and the others, especially after all his boasting about worthiness, he could hardly show fear.
"Of course." Thor forced himself to stay calm and gestured for Hermione to go ahead, putting on an air of indifference. "Give it a try."
"Then I'm really going to take it, okay?" Hermione asked to confirm.
"Go on, go on." Thor waved a hand, trying to appear more generous.
Hermione took two steps forward, stopped in front of the hammer, then glanced back at Thor, her eyes sparkling. "I really am going to take it, you know?"
"Oh, just take it already!" Her look made Thor feel a little nervous.
Hermione stopped teasing him and turned to face Mjolnir.
Rather than immediately reaching for the handle, she stepped back half a pace. Her wand appeared in her hand, and she gave it a gentle flick, murmuring, "Accio Mjolnir."
An invisible pulling force instantly acted on Mjolnir.
Yet the hammer didn't budge. Instead, the opposing force dragged Hermione off balance, nearly making her stumble.
"Pfft..." Tony couldn't help laughing, but quickly stifled it when Pepper shot him a glare.
The others were struggling not to laugh too. Apparently, even Hermione didn't have any special way of lifting it.
Thor secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and his smile became a little more genuine.
*See? I told you not just anyone