Written for #OffTheBeatenPath18 in Hermione's Haven FB group

Prompt: Hermione travels to America for an independent research project, but ends up having an unexpected adventure instead.

Written for ANGSWIN - Thank you for this amazing Prompt! Enjoy!

Hermione looked around her office. She could get lost in the stacks of books and scrolls that covered every surface. Her werewolf project might be getting a little out of hand. She was still searching for origins of werewolves. She needed to know where they came from before the Healers at St. Mungo's could help their latest victims. Seeing what Bill and Lavender had been through since the war had made her search for answers more important. She was running out of resources at the Ministry. She need to do research where native cultures had references to wolves or incorporated wolves into their culture. It was time to take a trip to the American West.

Steve woke up in a cold sweat, screaming. He was having nightmares again. It was always the same thing. They were trying to hang on to the train and Bucky loses his grip before Steve can get to him. He sees Bucky falling into the abyss and all he can do is scream. The nightmares returned after the last reported sighting of the Winter Soldier. Something in the way he moved reminded him of Bucky. But, it couldn't be Bucky. He had died falling off that train. There was no way he was walking around the Rocky Mountains, growling at tourist and chasing wolves.

Hermione clutched her beaded bag to her chest and looked around the crowded lobby. She still had issues with crowds in new places and she had never expected to see this many people in the middle of nowhere. Percy had recommended the Old Faithful Inn. She should have researched it a little better before she picked up her portkey this morning. The lobby felt bigger than the Ministry. The clerk at the desk had given her a key and directed her to the far side of the lobby, across a sea of people. Not a path she wanted to walk but, she needed to get to her room so she could get settled.

She had come here because Percy had arranged for her to meet with some local shamans. She wanted to talk to them about the connections they felt to the wolves of Yellowstone. She also wanted to see if they had any legends of men turning into wolves. She had also come her to investigate the rumors of a man wandering with the wolves in Yellowstone. There had to be some clues here, a place where people were not surprised by the rumors of a man living among the wolves.

"Pardon me," said and Hermione looked up from her mobile as she bumped into the gentleman in front of her.

"No problem, ma'am," Steve replied and smiled at the distracted woman who had bumped into him. "Could you tell me how to find the front desk. The lobby is harder to navigate than the subway in New York."

"See that big staircase over there?" She pointed across the room. "Head in that direction and you'll find it. I'm trying to find my way to my room but I'm going to get a breath of fresh air before I try to cross that sea of people again."

"Thank you for your help." Steve lifted his hand to shake hers. "Steve Rogers, nice to meet you."

Hermione stared at the hand extended to her. Juggling her bag and mobile, she freed a hand to extend to him. "Hermione Granger, nice to meet you, too."

"Well, I'd better get checked in. Enjoy your fresh air." Steve backed toward the staircase and the check in desk. There was something about her that drew his attention. He felt like he shouldn't let her out of his sight.

"Thanks. Enjoy your visit." Hermione turned towards the front door. There was something in his manner that reminded her of a different time. She had other things to worry about right now, like not having a panic attack when she finally decided to find her room.

Steve had come here to investigate the rumors that there was a man with a metal arm living amonst the wolves of Yellowstone. Nick Fury had sent him grainy photos of a long haired man running along the ridges near the Old Faithful Inn. A man running along the ridgeline was not unusual but the glint of metal down his right arm was. Steve had two questions to answer - Who was the man running on the ridge and, if it was the Winter Soldier, was he really Bucky?

These mountains were hiding something. Hermione was more sure of that fact after meeting with the shamans today. She had arranged for a guide to take her on a wildlife watching tour tomorrow at dawn and the day after at dusk. The time in between was going to be spent going over all the notes she had taken while she was talking to the shamans. Each of the four tribe's cultures had a strong tie to the land and the wolves were a part of their mythology. But, so far, no evidence of men turning into wolves. She had a week to figure out why the tabloids were reporting a man amongst the wolves.

These mountains held their secrets better than Fort Knox. The rangers that he had talked to had seen no signs of illegal campsites and he couldn't place the ridgelines from what he could see on from the ground. He was going to have to take a different approach. He needed to clear his head. The front desk had recommend the sunrise nature tour for tomorrow. Maybe some time in the woods without worrying about finding someone would help. He always seemed to find his keys when he quit looking, so he was going to quit looking for this mystery man for a few days and see what happened.

She was done with tours and shaman and questions without answers. Hermione had seen the wolves last night and something wasn't right. They had been restless and the few howls that she heard were nothing like the wolfsong she had researched and was expecting. It was a good thing she had borrowed Harry's cloak for this trip. It was easier to find things if people could not see you looking for them.

Hermione waited for the Inn to get quiet before she slipped the Invisibility cloak around her shoulders, pulled her wand out of her bag, and opened her door. She was going back to the ridge where she had seen the wolves last night. She had fought in a war and survived. She was going to find out what answers the night held.

He had reached his limit with fuzzy pictures, nosey rangers, and answers that did not make sense. Steve had seen boot prints in the soft ground near one of the stops on the tour last night. The prints did not look like any hiking boot he had ever seen. They looked more like the boot prints he had seen every place the Winter Soldier had appeared. But, he was not going to get any closer to an answer if he waited on the rangers to take him into the backcountry. He had packed his suit and shield as a precaution and now he was going to use them. Thanks to Tony, his suit had communications capabilities, if he needed them.

Settling his shield on to his back, Steve stepped out of his room. It would be late enough that no one would notice him leaving the Inn. He did not have time to answer questions. He was going to figure out who had made those boot prints.

Under the light of the full moon, Hermione searched the ridge for signs of the wolves. She knew that if she was going to see a transformation, tonight would be the night. All werewolves had trouble around the full moon. Even those that had been bitten but not turned had trouble. That was why she was here. Gripping her wand tightly, she cast Inveneit Lupus. She watched a silver spark leave the end of her wand and slip through the tree. The spell was meant to find the wolves. She was hoping it lead to more than just wolves.

Tugging her borrowed cloak around her tighter, Hermione rushed to follow the spark through the forest. She needed to find this pack of wolves and find out why they were so different from any other pack she had studied. "Ouch!" she hissed, feeling something hit her from behind.

Steve had been running through the forest when he stumbled over air. He had been paying attention to the tracks he was following and was surprised to find himself with a sore shoulder and sitting on something soft and grumpy. But could not see anything. It looked like he was sitting on air. "Get off me, you hulking lummox," hissed something from under his backside. Steve fell off whatever he was sitting on when a curly head appeared in the air beside him and continued to scold him in a quiet hiss. "Honestly, does no one pay attention to what they are doing or where they are going anymore? I'm going to have to recast that spell now because I've lost its trail."

Steve looked at the floating head beside him. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I didn't see you there and I am tracking whoever made those prints you are destroying," Steve whispered. "I hate to ask but do you mind becoming more than a floating head. I know Wanda can do some interesting things, but I have never seen her cast a spell that does that." Steve continued to gesture at Hermione's floating head.

"Oh, sorry." Hermione took the cloak off her shoulders and folded over her arm. "I almost forgot how well this thing works. What are you doing out here? I thought you were here for the sights and relaxation?"

"Well, I am supposed to be here for that. But things are not always as they seem." Steve pointed at her cloak and wand. "Care to explain what those are and why you are out here?"

"I can see we both have secrets we are keeping." Hermione looked over his shoulder at his shield. "Care to introduce yourself again?"

Steve ran his hands through his hair and took a deep breath. Fury was going to lay him out for this but what else could he do. "Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America. I work with the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D.. I'm here to investigate reports of the Winter Soldier hiding here. And you are?"

The Minister was not going to be happy with her, but Hermione could take all the help she could get. She reached out her free hand towards Steve. "Hermione Granger. I'm with Magical Law Enforcement, a department of the Ministry of Magic in the UK. I'm here to investigate the sighting of a man living amongst the wolves. I'm researching lycanthrope, it causes, and possible cures."

Steve raised an eyebrow as he shook her hand. "Since we are both out here in the dark, maybe we can help each other."

"I suppose so." Hermione began to stuff the cloak back into he beaded bag. "How are you at tracking?"

"I can follow a boot print as good as the next man." Steve watched her pull a dark hoodie out of her small bag. "What else to you have in there?"

"Just a few things." Hermione closed her bag and threw the straps over her shoulder. "Inveneit Lupus. I have a feeling my tracking and your tracking are going to lead to the same place."

"Ladies first." Steve watched her follow the silver spark that had left the tip of her wand. "I have a feeling we may not like what we find at the end of this trail."

They continued to follow Hermione's spark through the forest. Steve used the quiet and the moonlight to study the witch that walked in front of him. He could not shake the feeling that there was more to this than either of them though. As long as the boot prints kept coming across the trail they were taking, he was willing to follow along.

Hermione could feel him behind her. She usually did not like people behind her, it made her feel unguarded. She did not feel that way with Steve. She felt almost fearless knowing he was behind her. She had not had that feeling in a long time. She need to pay attention to where the spark in front of her was leading, not the one behind her.

Hermione felt Steve's hand on her shoulder. "Something doesn't feel right," he whispered in her ear. "The spark should still be moving and I don't see boot prints. Wait here while I check what is ahead of us."

Hermione nodded and reached for her bag. "I'm going to use the cloak again. I'll leave my bag outside the cloak so you can find me," she whispered as she watched him remove his shield and move towards the spark. "Watch yourself."

Steve could not shake the feeling of being watched. Eyes seemed to glow at him from the trees. He was far enough away from Hermione that he could keep all of the attention on himself. When he heard a branch snap, Steve turned towards it. "Dobriy vyecher, Kaptian. What brings you to my brothers?"

"Looking for you, my friend." Steve lowered his shield as he looked at the figure who had emerged from the trees, snarling wolf at his side. His dark hair hung around his face, hiding his features. "There are a lot of people looking for you, Bohn"

"But my brothers do not wish for me to be found." the soldier lowered his hand to the back of the wolf. "What reason should I give them to let you leave?"

"I'm not leaving without you. I have questions." Steve changed his grip on his shield, watching the wolf. "Questions that can be answered, soldier to soldier."

"No time for questions or answers, Kaptian. I have no answers that you want." Steve watched the wolf beside the soldier slide back into the forest. "My brothers tell me it is time to go."

"I can't let you leave." Steve began to walk towards the dark soldier. "Too much depends on you. Too many people need you."

Hermione screamed as she watched the dark soldier leap towards Steve. She had followed him. Her instincts agreed with his bad feeling, but not with his solution. She had her wand and her wits and she was going to use them to get to the bottom of their mysteries. She dropped the cloak and drew her wand. There had to be a way to help without getting everyone hurt. The glowing eyes of wolves were moving to form a tight circle around the two men wrestling on the ground. Steve had dropped his shield and was struggling to keep the soldiers metal arm from reaching his throat. She had two different enemies to worry about, the one circling the fight and the one in the middle of the fight.

Umbra Murus. The shadow wall spell should keep the wolves out and leave only one person for Steve to fight. It would also keep her out. She need to figure out how she was going to defend herself against a whole pack of wolves with only her cape and a wand. The wolves seemed more interested in getting to the soldiers than getting to her.

Circling through the trees, Hermione tried to find a better view of the fight. She did not like what she was seeing. Steve was on his back struggling to keep the other soldier's metal covered hand from his neck. There had to be something she could do to help, other than keep the wolves away.

Immobulus. Steve heard the word float through the dark as he felt the man above him freeze. Pushing the frozen man to the side, he looked closely at the face the moonlight had revealed. "Bucky? This is not possible. I saw you fall…" Steve watched the soldier's eyes for any sign of recognition.

"Not…who…you…think…Kaptian." the soldier struggled to speak against what ever had frozen his body. "What...have...you...done?"

Hermione's voice floated through the air. "The spell immobilizes him but still allows us to get answers to questions."

"What are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay back." Steve looked at Hermione through narrowed eyes.

"I don't follow directions well." Hermione shrugged and continued to watch the man beside him. "Why are you here among the wolves?"

"Not for you to know, vedma," their captive continued in a halting voice. "There are many things that you will want to know, but I cannot give you the answers."

"What is your name, soldier?" Steve asked as he scanned the man's face. "Why do you remind me of a long lost friend?"

"The wolves are my brothers, vedma." the soldier struggled to turn his head towards her. "I am more than your spell can hold. I am zima bohn. I am oborten."

Growling, the soldier looked up at Steve. "It is time to join my brothers. I will see you again."

Steve watched in horror as the soldier's features began to change. Slowly, a large white wolf with one silver leg, replaced the dark soldier that had laid before him. With a final howl, the wolf jumped the shadow wall spell and ran into the woods with the other wolves.

Hermione waved her wand to dissolve the shadow wall. "What was that?" Steve rubbed his eyes, not believing what he had seen.

"That was one of the most unusual werewolves I have ever seen. He knew I was a witch." Hermione sat on the ground beside Steve. "We won't find him here again. I have never seen one run with a pack of wild wolves."

"What did he mean by 'I am zima bohn'? Why does he look so much like Bucky?" Steve continued to stare out into the trees where the wolves had disappeared.

"Zima Bohn means Winter Soldier in Russian. I don't know what he means by that. " Hermione laid her head against his shoulder. "As to why he looks like your friend, I don't know. How long has it been since you saw him?"

"World War Two," Steve sighed and wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulders. "That is a story for another time. It is late and I am tired."

"At least we don't have to walk back." Hermione reached for Steve's hand. "I hope you don't get sick easy."

With a pop, Hermione apparated them to her hotel room. Steve dropped his shield and reached for his stomach, eyes searching the room. "Sorry about that. Apparating was faster than walking." Hermione shrugged and handed him the waste basket. "Give yourself a few minutes, your stomach should settle."

"Remind me to never do THAT again. I think I would rather walk." Steve laid back on her bed and closed his eyes. "I need to make some calls. Nick Fury has some questions to answer."

"And I have another trip to plan." Hermione sat on the bed beside him. "I have a feeling I am going to have to head to Russia. I have never seen or heard of a werewolf breaking out of that spell or transforming the way he did."

"Fury is not going to believe any of this," Steve continued to mumble to himself. "How do I explain a man with a metal arm or the fact that he turned into a solid white wolf with a silver leg or why he looks like a long lost friend … When he is not a wolf."

"Well, neither is the Minister, so we are both in the same boat." Hermione flopped back on the bed beside him. "I have so much research to do. It is a good thing I have a portkey set for tomorrow. I need to get back to the office."

"I need to get back, too. Fury will send transport as soon as I call." Steve laid his arm over his closed eyes. "I need sleep first, but I don't want to move."

"Then don't." Hermione touched his shoulder. "This bed is big enough for the two of us."

Hermione laid her head on Steve's shoulder and her hand over his heart. "Night, Steve."

"Night, Hermione. Sweet dreams."

A/N:

Translations:

Inveneit Lupus - find wolf (Latin)

Umbra Murus - shadow wall (Latin)

Immobulus - Freezing charm

Dobriy vyecher - Good evening (Russian

Bohn - soldier (Russian)

Vedma - witch (Russian)

Zima bohn - winter soldier (Russian)

Oborten - werewolf (Russian)