The German accent is not only hard to write, but it also can throw off the tone of the story. So I've been reediting the strong accent some of these characters have and making them less blinding. Meaning, if the accent is not exactly consistent throughout the rest of the story (and If you went to the beginning and reread things) , I apologize, but I HAD to do something.

Also, I had to take away scenes because it didn't really work for the plot here, but if you guys want I can made little mini stories from them if you'd like? The one I had to cut from this chapter was when Steve and Bucky both get sick and Hermione nurses them back to health? So, let me know.

UP NEXT: Bucky Barnes is the best wing man.

April 1942

Time passed quickly for Hermione.

Steve and Bucky both contracted pneumonia sometime after Christmas, and Hermione helped to nurse the pair back to health through the New Year.

In late March, reports from spies overseas revealed that Johann Schmidt had found a powerful weapon deep in the heart of Norway. There were no confirmed records of what he had actually found, but there were rumors of a gift that only 'the old gods' could have left. What that meant baffled Hermione, but Johann had then immediately constructed several new bases across Poland, Austria, and Slovakia for scientific research and weapons manufacturing.

Dread settled at the bottom of Hermione's stomach after she was briefed of his newest development. She could still remember the glisten of his blood red skin and his screams of horror reverberating off Castle Kaufmann's walls after he had threatened Abraham, and then condemned her as a prisoner for his purposes.

Her nightmares could still recall the look in his eyes after the serum had failed, and his absolute hate still sliced through her dreams that jerked her awake at night. It terrified her to think of whatever he had found as some kind of weapon, and what a man like him could do with it.

"The serum not only enhances the body and mind," Howard had said once, making a rare appearance from his own workshop somewhere in Brooklyn to look over Abraham's notes, "but the personality and emotional traits too, morphing into amplified versions of the roots."

Peggy fingered the discarded photos of the soldiers that Abraham had denied at Christmas next to Howard. "So, that's the reason why he needs 'a good man' ?" she asked.

Hermione nodded. "He says that because Johann was bad before he took the serum, it transformed him from what he already was and made it worse."

Howard grimaced. "Super strong, super powered, Super Nazi."

Hermione pushed the stack of photos from Abraham's denied applications off her desk and into the bin. "Which is why he's being so careful about this all. He wants to find someone who knows the value of strength. Of compassion. Who will know how to respect the stamina of body and know when to use the power of will."

The crossed out faces stared up at Hermione from the other junk in the bin. "To always make the right choice with the strength he'll receive to ignore it," she continued, shrugging. "He says that will be the marking of a good man."

Howard put down the papers he'd been shuffling through and breathed out sharply. "Or the coming of Jesus."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "We have plenty of time to find the right candidate. To make absolutely sure we're not creating another Johann." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the wood of her desk. "Besides, the serum won't be ready for human testing for another year, at the very least. We're still primarily experimenting with mice, and only with specific independent variables."

"A year?" Howard repeated with raised brows and huffed a laugh. "I bet the Colonel loved that news."

Hermione fought the urge to shrug again. "It's necessary. Johann injected himself with an unstable version of the serum, and Merlin only knows what he's had to do to himself since then to maintain the homeostasis within his own body. I would never purposefully do that to another human being. Especially if it's the volunteer Abraham eventually approves."

Howard crossed his arms across his chest and eyed her. "Maybe you ought to start thinking about putting yourself in the volunteer seat."

Hermione choked on an incredulous laugh and raised her eyebrows. "Now that is something the Colonel would love."

Howard grinned thinly and folded his hands in front of himself. "Well, since we've got the time then, you can help me with my new project."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "I thought your projects were making weapons, reverse engineering the German's, and creating the Vita-ray chamber for Project Rebirth."

"No doll, that's how I get a paycheck," he dismissed as he stood tall away from her desk. "I was thinking of the future."

Hermione and Peggy exchanged a glance. "What about the future?" Hermione asked cautiously.

Howard played with the cuffs of his suit and flattened out the invisible wrinkles. "Technology," he answered. "I don't want to always build just weapons. Hopefully there'll be a day where it's not the first thing I do in the morning, and the last thing I think about when I go to sleep."

Peggy's eyebrows lifted and her lips parted.

"What kind of technology do you want to create?" Hermione asked before the agent could comment.

If Howard noticed Peggy's reaction, he didn't say anything. He grinned widely. "No idea. Something no one's ever seen before."

"Like what? " Peggy asked, confusion plain over her face as she looked over Howard. "What would you do other than designing weapons? Build oil heaters? Light bulbs? Flying cars? "

Howard winked at her and put his hands in his pockets. "Well that's a grand idea Peggy. A flying car." He grinned at Hermione. "I bet I could finish something like that by this time next year."

"By next year?" Hermione's eyebrows climbed to match Peggy's. "You want to make a flying car?"

"No, I want to build an exhibition that shows the world more than people killin' each other."

"I didn't realize you were such a humanitarian," Peggy said, eyeing Stark with a new look that Hermione couldn't decipher.

Stark apparently couldn't either, and he cleared his throat anxiously. "Well, it's obviously for the company too. Stark Industries needs to dip its fingers in more pies than just the governments. I'd be a lousy business man if I didn't know that." He smiled then. "Maybe start with a good headline: Stark Shows All. I don't know, something snazzy."

"The Stark Showcase?" Hermione volunteered.

He narrowed his eyes in thought. "Close I think, but it doesn't have the right umf."

"World Exposition? Has a ring to it, don't you think?"

"How about building the flying car before you name your exhibition?" Peggy suggested.

Howard shook his head. "Too long. Can you imagine putting that in lights?" he pretended to shudder and Peggy rolled her eyes.

"Well," Hermione said smiling between the two, "what about The Stark Expo? Short for something grand like, The Stark World Exposition of Tomorrow, where all brilliant minds come together for the future."

Howard paused. "Stark Expo," he felt it out on his tongue, and then nodded. "'Exposition of Tomorrow.' I like it." He clapped his hands together once and rubbed them together. "I like it a lot." He smiled at Hermione. "See! This is why you're the brains of the operation. Stark Expo it is."

Hermione grinned. And clapped her hands together as Howard had. "Great. And I want 18 percent."

Howard choked. "I'm sorry, you want what ?"

Peggy looked astonished too.

"Well I came up with the name didn't I?" Hermione asked. "And aren't you the one always saying I need to look out for my financial chances? Well here I am! 18 percent."

Howard traded astounded looks with Peggy. "To hell with that! I'll give you- two hundred dollars, tops. And that's only because you're a friend! Well, at least I thought you were, before you tried robbing me blind."

Hermione laughed while thinking of the offer she had made mostly in jest, but then he had gone along and counter offered with two hundred dollars. Not an amount of money anyone would turn down at this point in history, especially herself. Her military paycheck was scarce as not only in the 1940's but as a woman too. Besides, he really had told her to look out for investments.

"Alright fine, 15 percent."

"Wha-" he choked again. "You-" he blinked, and stepped forwards with a tipped head, vaguely threatening. "5 percent."

"Twelve."

"Seven."

Hermione fought back the urge to laugh. "Howard. Didn't you just say I was the 'brains of the operation'?"

Peggy made an unlady like snort, and Hermione's grin stretched wider.

Howard's eyes seemed like they'd pop out of his head, he was so focused on Hermione. His lips formed the beginning of several retorts before he breathed out sharply and narrowed his eyes. "Ten."

Hermione stretched out her hand. "Deal."

Howard scoffed and shook her hand. "I can't believe goody-two-shoes-you just extorted me. Wait till I tell your fella. Hell, wait till I tell Jarvis."

"It was a pleasure doing business Howard," Hermione said in a haughty tone that she borrowed from the late Mr. Malfoy.

Peggy looked between the two of them. "Your skills of negotiation need work Howard."

Howard pointed at Hermione. "You try negotiating with her next time. Then come laughing."

Hermione sniffed. "You should ask for a percentage too Peggy. The flying car was your idea after all."

Howard choked.

June 1942

The rest of 1942 seemed to fly by to Hermione.

Colonel Phillips asked Hermione to draw up a very general timeline of important events for the remaining year while she worked tirelessly with Abraham to finish the Super Soldier Serum. She did try to warn the general several times of upcoming wars, or disturbing news that only she could know, but Colonel Phillips would always stare her down with a look of adamantium before she could utter a word.

He didn't want to know too much information Hermione understood, or it might cost more lives than already lost, but it still hurt her to know she was effectively useless. She was not the type of person ever labeled as such, and it occasionally urked her when a headline in the papers reported yet another horrible event in the War she wasn't able to really do anything about.

November 1942

By the end of November 1942, Hermione and Abraham were within months of finishing the Super Soldier Serum, and Colonel Phillips dismissed the rest of the research crew that had assembled over the life of the project. He stood tall before them with both hands behind his back, overlooking the empty research lab Hermione had spent countless hours working out of for nearly the past two years.

"From here," Colonel Phillips said, "we go to D.C. There's been an assembly of qualified individuals I want you to take a look at tomorrow morning before we move into the final stages of this project. We leave in four hours."

Hermione would be skipping dinner with Steve and Bucky tonight. "And our return estimation?" she asked.

"When we find the right candidate," Colonel Phillips replied shortly.

Hermione waylaid all of her future thoughts and plans. "That could be-" Hermione looked to her teacher, her friend, and peer. Abraham stared straight at Colonel Phillips with his hands crossed before him neatly. "-but sir, that could take months."

"We have a deadline of June. The same as the serum," His eyes flickered between Hermione and Abraham. "The Strategic Scientific Reserve and its' Allied effort, and that does include you Miss Granger, make up of the best minds in the free world. In seven months, we will have the completed serum, the best man to volunteer, and then the best army this world has ever seen."

Hermione swallowed. "Yes Sir."

"And as agreed Dr. Erskine, you will have the power to make the final choice in your volunteer for Project Rebirth, but it is on a deadline, do not be mistaken."

"Seven months will be more than enough time Colonel, for zhe serum."

Colonel Phillips breathed out heavily. "Which is why if we do not find someone tomorrow morning in D.C., you will start traveling to bases across the US for further evaluation."

Abraham nodded shortly. "Ja."

Hermione breathed easier. "We'll go get our bags together then Sir."

Colonel Phillips nodded. "Clear out your apartments. When you find your volunteer, you'll be under placement at Camp Lehigh in New Jersey to oversee the military training and evaluation with Agent Carter."

Hermione nodded. "Yes sir."

"Good," Colonel Phillips pressed his hands over his uniform before sweeping his eyes over the empty lab. "Then you're dismissed. Dr. Erskine, if you could walk with me." He made it less a question, and more a demand, and Hermione and Abraham shared a brief look before Abraham followed the Colonel into a separate room down the deserted hallway.

Hermione swept her eyes over her old workplace as well, wishing she had a camera to capture the first place that had felt like home to her since she'd arrived in the 1940's.

Instead, she pulled on her winter coat and placed the strap of her purse over her shoulder, before walking out of the room. She reached the front of the office with Susan, the receptionist sitting on hand, and she placed a piece of paper on her desk. "I need a telegram delivered tonight. A Western Union Messenger is fine, but it must be tonight. Have the funds taken from my account."

Susan lifted the letter and read the neat script to type up. "Yes Miss. Granger right away, but, the sending address?"

Hermione nearly cursed under her breath, but knew the other woman would hear at such a distance. She scrawled Steve and Bucky's address quickly and put on her winter hat. She smiled politely as the receptionist took the note back. "Good night Mrs. Campbell, if I don't see you again, you have been quite enjoyable."

Susan smiled the kind of dimpled expression that Hermione would never hope to accomplish and nodded politely back. "You as well Miss. Granger, have a wonderful evening."

March 2nd 1943

Dear Hermione,

I received your postcard from Texas last week, and it sure does look beautiful! We did landscapes at the University that same day, and I tried for the likeness of the rolling plains you described. Maybe I'll send you a sketch next letter?

I know it's been months, but New York hasn't been the same without you. I'm not sure what I'll do when Ebbet's Field opens up again next month and you're not there to help me cheer on our Dodgers. First game will be on April 22 at 2pm. Any chance you'll be back in town by then? I'll hold a ticket for you just in case.

With everything happening on with the War, I gotta just say I hope you're safe out there. I know you're not out on the front, but it can't be easy doing what you're doing. For what it's worth, I hope you know I'm still in your corner. Bucky too.

Yours,

Steve

P.S. Bucky's just told me. They've pull his number. He's gonna be shipping out next week for basic.

June 14th 1943

Hermione put the finishing touches on Howard's bow tie and stepped back. His dark suit and slicked back hair shone against the dressing room mirror behind him and he smiled rakishly at her. "Like what you see doll?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You'll do. Now, budge over, I've lipstick to apply too." He smirked and moved away while Hermione reapplied the red over her lips masterfully. She leaned closer to the mirror and checked the panes of her face for any cakey residue left behind by her earlier powdering session.

"You look gorgeous doll," Howard said from behind.

Hermione met his eyes in the mirror and stepped back while replacing her lipstick back into her bag. She studied her reflection again and ran her hands down the front of her deep blue dress. "I haven't felt this dressed up since the last time I was in New York, over seven months ago.

"Your fella know you're back?"

"I didn't know I was going to be here today until this morning. I haven't had time to send a telegram, and Steve doesn't have a telephone. He's not my anything Howard. We're very good friends, that's all."

"Sure you are," he dismissed with a wave of his hand. "Sure, but are we gonna do this or what? Today's the day."

She smiled. "Today is the day. I can't wait to see Peggy's face when she sees it."

Howard smirked and opened the dressing room. "You'll have to photograph it for me while I'm on stage." He held out his arm. "You coming as far as the chorus girls?"

Hermione let Howard take her arm and lead her down the brightly lit hallway towards the back end of the stage. "No, I'm meeting Peggy at the viewing box across from the band so we can get a good view." She winked at him.

He huffed a laugh. "Anything for the only pair of shareholders in Stark Industries," he joked.

His comment set off ideas in Hermione's mind. "Have you thought about taking the company public?" she asked.

Howard accepted a drink from a passing waiter heading outside to the crowd, and swished the drink in his mouth for a moment. "No, not yet. After the war maybe." He gave her a knowing look. "Why? Going to buy me out when I do?"

Hermione accepted a drink as well, letting the waiter move on, and smiled. "You know I like you too much to do that to you just yet," she said. She grinned and raised her glass.

Howard brought his glass against her for a small clink and laughed before taking a drink. "Hermione, I've missed you more than any dame I've ever met, and damn if I'm glad you're back. Let that 10% be a good show tonight."

She sipped her drink and laughed with Howard at the edge of the back stage. "I'll meet you after, yes? We'll have a drink before I head to New Jersey tomorrow."

He nodded. "Will do doll, don't forget that photograph!" he said as he met up with the chorus girls in their pin up matching Stark Expo uniforms.

Hermione sipped her drink as she exited the backstage and made her way towards the sheltered viewing stations on the sidelines of the stage. She held up her badge at the security guards in front of their roped off area and sat down in a comfy chair besides her dark haired friend.

"How was he?" Peggy asked, her eyes scanning the forming crowds around Corona Park, and taking in the various exhibitions of the Stark Expo's future technology.

"Good, a little nervous," Hermione answered.

Peggy crossed her legs to the other direction, facing Hermione. "And how was the west coast? I heard Washington still rains this time of year."

"Fort Worden was miserable. Abraham didn't find what he was looking for."

"So then, you have all of your final volunteers?"

"All of them Colonel Phillip's picks. Abraham didn't choose even one."

Peggy frowned. "That worries me."

Hermione sighed. "Me as well." She turned in her chair to scan their little room. "Where is he?"

"Where do you think?" Peggy gave her a look.

"Welcome to the Modern Marvels Paviliion and the World of Tomorrow. A greater world. A better world," a male announcer said throughout the park. Hermione smirked and motioned for a photographer she'd hired specifically for this moment to be ready.

On stage, just in front of Peggy and Hermione's viewing station, a brunette haired chorus girl stepped on stage with four other girls in a practiced line, and lifted a microphone close to her lips. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark!"

Music swelled, the chorus girls took turn in lifting a hand in welcome to the rhythm of the music, and Hermione's favorite weapons manufacturer appeared on stage with a stunning smile to the adoring audience. Howard took off his hat and the announcing chorus girl accepted it, as well as the passionate kiss that Howard Laid on her lips, before taking the microphone and using a handkerchief to dab at the lipstick on his lips.

Somewhere amongst the crowd, a woman yelled to the stage, "I love you Howard!"

Howard smiled back. "Ladies and Gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all?"

Peggy's eyebrows climbed. "He didn't."

Hermione held back her laughter and watched as the chorus girls helped take the wheels off of the car that sat just behind Howard.

He glanced at the control station sitting on wheels in front of him. "With Stark Robotic Reversion Technology," he smiled again, the stage lights twinkling off his eyes, "-you'll be able to do just that." He turned a knob, lifted a switch, and the miraculous happened.

Hermione heard the music swell again, and watched as the red Cadillac Coupe slowly began to rise off the floor of the stage. Hermione's own jaw dropped at the sight, and from the corner of her eye, she saw Peggy's drop too. A photograph flashed and Hermione faintly thought that the image would have her awed face in it as well from the angle.

She had never seen something like this before. Not in her own reality, especially not in the early 1940's. No muggle she had ever heard of or met before had ever done something so revolutionary. She heard awed mutterings from the crowd that reciprocated her own wonder.

The car lifted about a foot off the ground, and leveled off for a couple of moments.

"Good God," Peggy said.

A spark in the front wheel flashed, and then a domino effect of flashing electric sparks plummeted the car to the ground. A loud CRASH echoed off the stage, and the Stark Robotic Reversion equipment under the car exploded under lights of electric outages.

A smattering of gasps and applause came from the crowd and Howard laughed lightly. "I did say a few years didn't I?" The clapping got louder and the music turned to something mellow and lethargic. People at the back end of the crowd began to disperse.

He lifted a hand to the crowd. "Thank you, and good night. I'll see you all again next year!" He smiled once more for the audience and left to the side of the stage with the chorus girls following after him.

Peggy stood from her chair and Hermione followed. Her friend gave her a pointed look. "I'll see you tomorrow in New Jersey?"

Hermione gathered her things and nodded. "I've a flight out late tonight."

"Good, I've got your uniform ready for you in your cabin when you arrive and your new papers. Congratulations are in order, you've been promoted to Agent."

"Agent?" Hermione asked. Uncertainty and pride mixing together in her stomach.

"You've earned it," Peggy smiled warmly. "And it'll help you when we cross back to the front lines after Project Rebirth. Our mission will change once in Europe."

Hermione nodded. "I'll hand in my papers first thing in the morning."

Peggy gathered her own things and they parted ways with a smile.

Hermione's drink with Howard was cut short a little later when Mandy, the girl Howard had kissed on stage, came to say hello again to Howard.

"Well, I know when I'm unwanted," Hermione laughed as Mandy introduced herself. "I'll see myself out. Howard, congratulations on your first Expo, I'll see you later."

Hermione was walking around the Exhibitions of Stark Expo, not quite ready to go back to her hotel room, when a familiar voice called out to her. "Hermione?"

She turned her head to the voice, and was pleasantly surprised to see Bucky standing off to the side with two women clearly waiting on him from behind. He was wearing his uniform, Sergeants patch clearly located on his sleeves, and her heart ached at the sight of it. "Bucky?" she asked, taking in the view. "Wha- What are you doing here?"

"Visiting the future," he said, and smiled with a tipped head forwards. He walked closer to her and Hermione reached out to envelope him in her arms.

When he released her from the hug, Hermione looked up into his gaze. "You look well," she started, and ran her eyes over the uniform again. "Have you got your orders?"

He gave her a small salute. "The 107th. Sergeant James Barnes. Shipping out for England first thing tomorrow."

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed. "So soon?"

"Well, there's a War on you see," he said. Hermione rolled her eyes at the deflection. "Last I heard you were still over in Washington."

Hermione nodded. "I only just arrived this morning. I had a meeting with Howard for- well for work, and thought I'd pop in for the Expo as well. I had meant to send you and Steve a telegram, but I'll be leaving for New Jersey later tonight."

"Howard Stark?" Bucky asked, and Hermione nodded. He put his hands into his uniform pockets. "Didn't know you knew each other."

Hermione frowned at Bucky's answer and was blatantly reminded of Howard's reputation with women, even if the night's earlier performance hadn't. "Well he does manufacture a large portion of America's weapons into the War. You know I can't say much more than that, right?"

Bucky licked his lips, and opened his mouth before shutting it. He cleared his throat and tried again slowly. "And is it a consulting business with Howard? Or-"

"Bucky," Hermione said, putting a hand to her chest and staring at him with wide eyes. "I know that he's not the most popular with-"

"I'd say he's plenty popular doll," Bucky said lowly, and Hermione gasped.

"Well yes, with others, but I would never- I can't believe you'd even suggest-" Heat filled her cheeks and and she drew herself up to her tallest height, swallowing hard. "As if it's even your business-"

Bucky placed both hands over the sides of her arms softly and looked down at her with a regretful frown. "I'm sorry doll, I've no right, I know, and no I don't think that you are. I just- I know the kind of man that Stark is and-"

"Really?" Hermione said, hurt and anger still rolling under her skin, but allowing his hands to stay in place. She pointedly looked over his shoulder at the two women that were following after him. "And just what kind of man is he then, Sergeant Barnes?"

He followed her eyes and sighed. "It's not like that- I just- one of them was here for Steve," he tried explaining.

Her anger fell away with the surprise that filled her. "Steve's here?" she asked.

He swallowed and pulled his hands away. "That's why I- I didn't mean to suggest something Hermione-"

"Yes you did."

"-I just wanted to know if Steve still had his shot."

Hermione's eyes found their way back to the two women. "Clearly it doesn't matter either way. We're both grown adults-"

She tried to not let the hurt reach her face, as she had no right to feel that way. Steve and Hermione had never been on a 'date', not really. They traded letters, and telegrams, and saw each other when they could to see a film, or a baseball game or- but it had never gone farther than that, no matter what Hermione had thought she'd been reading into. It had been over seven months since she'd last seen him anyways. It would make sense that he had other options.

Bucky reached out again and held her shoulders. "It's not like that Hermione. I brought the other girl, it was my idea."

"Which he was open to-" Hermione started and crossed her arms over herself. "-which is fine, of course, because we're very good friends, and-"

"Doll, he's been holdin a torch for you since he met ya over a year ago. It's not fine, and I put my foot in it this time."

Hermione's retort whooshed out of her lungs, and her hurt was replaced with a small, dazzling spark of hope. It surprised Hermione just how strong that new pull was. "Did he say that?" she asked quietly.

Bucky frowned. "What? That he's been head over- Look, he's never been the kind that's just makes a pass at a dame, or doll dizzy Hermione. He's only ever been after one for over two years now. That's you."

Hermione felt the breath leave her body, and she had to look away. Her shoulders slumped and she tried to squash her new found feelings. "it doesn't- " She tried to say, but Bucky cut her off.

"Don't start that with me now, I just saw it in your eyes. Don't lie to me."

She looked back to him and bit the inside of her lip.

"Sarge? We still going dancin?" one of the women from behind him asked with her arm looped around the other.

Bucky looked behind him and smiled. "Course we are, I'll be there in a jiffy!" he said and turned back to Hermione.

"I know I shouldn't get the way I did because we're not going steady, but I don't want to hurt him Bucky," Hermione said, uncrossing her arms. "I don't want to start something- something more if I'm not going to be around to finish it."

Bucky frowned. "I thought you said you didn't have a place to go back to?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not in England, no, but I'm being reassigned after next week." She swallowed and held her hands together. "I'll be in Europe right after you, and I don't know what that future is going to hold. A lot can happen overseas. I don't know if I'll ever even come back."

"You're being deployed?" he asked, stepping closer and holding her shoulders again. His eyes were wide and looking frantically over her face as if he couldn't believe her words.

She sighed. "I don't want him waiting on a dream," she confessed.

"Don't you think that's his choice too?"

Hermione caught the women whispering to each other and she took a step back from Bucky's arms. "Yes, of course, but-"

"You should go find him and tell him," he interrupted.

She bit on the inside of her lip again, before gathering her Gryffindor courage and coming to the same conclusion. "Alright, " she said and breathed out heavily, "but before I go, you be safe out there. I mean it, I haven't the friends to lose Bucky Barnes, so you keep your head down and come home when it's all over."

Bucky saluted her with a small smile and they traded a easy hug. "You tell him I said he's a jerk won't you?"

She smiled. "Do you know where he went?"

His smile turned hard. "Where else? The Recruiting Station."

Hermione felt her smile slip away. "Alright then. Goodbye Bucky."

"Bye doll," he answered, and Hermione slipped away through the crowd.

An hour and a half later, Hermione gave up her search.

She had gone through every examination room, every waiting area, every hallway and office, but she hadn't found Steve. She couldn't find Abraham for that matter either, and wondered if he had given up his search too before making his way back to the hotel.

Gathering her pride and ripped up confidence, Hermione returned to their hotel before her plane flight to New Jersey.

June 15th 1943

Hermione handed in her signed forms to the secretary under Colonel Phillips, and put her hands behind her back neatly as the other woman reviewed her packet. "The listed beneficiary of your Will?" she asked, flipping a page of the documents.

"Agent Peggy Carter of the SSR. She is also listed as notification of kin," Hermione answered.

The other woman nodded and stamped a section of the document. "Very well. Colonel Phillips is waiting in the back with Dr. Erskine with transportation to the volunteers."

"Wonderful, thank you ma'am," Hermione said and stepped through the appointed door to the outside.

Colonel Phillips and Abraham were already waiting in the green painted Jeep when she made her way towards them. Colonel Phillips eyed her new green felt uniform with approval before nodding to the seat directly besides him up front. "Agent Granger," he said with a nod.

Hermione sat herself besides Colonel Phillips and smiled at the pair of men. "Good morning to you both. Thank you for waiting."

Colonel Phillips started the vehicle and moved forwards. "Agent Carter is already ahead of us, explaining to the new men her operational status in this division."

"Very good," Hermione said, "and all nine have been accounted for?"

"We have ten this morning," Colonel Phillips answered with a good natured smile to the back seat. "Dr. Erskine picked himself up a volunteer last night at Stark's Expo."

"Oh?" Hermione asked, pushing down the urge to turn and look at her mentor. "We finally found one then?"

"Zhe perfect candidate," Dr. Erskine said confidently.

Well then. Seven months not wasted.

"We're all gonna meet him soon. Looks like Agent Carter is just getting to say hi," Colonel Phillips said.

The Jeep came to a stop before a row of soldiers in attention just as Peggy threw a punch at a familiar face from DC seven months ago. The smug smirk of Private Gilmore Hodge connected with Peggy's fist and he crumpled to the ground, his body swinging in a near 180 twist at the force of her contact.

"Agent Carter!" Colonel Phillips called, stepping out of the vehicle and moving towards the line of men.

Hermione hid her satisfaction at the form of Hodge as she removed herself from the vehicle and saw Peggy straightening up. "Colonel Phillips," she answered evenly with a salute.

Colonel Phillips walked past her to look at the downed form of his favored recruit. "I see you're breaking in the candidates. That's good!" he said.

Hermione stopped besides Peggy and they put both their hands behind their backs in attention as Colonel Phillips took another step towards Private Hodge. "Get your ass up out of that dirt and stand in that line at attention 'til somebody comes tells you what to do," he said flatly.

Hodge got to his feet quickly and tilted his head up to stop the stream of blood flowing from his nose. "Yes Sir," he called back, and Hermione nearly scoffed at the sight. To his credit, his eyes didn't waiver from Colonel Phillips after he'd had his ass handed to him by Peggy.

Colonel Phillips eyed the men at attention as he placed his hands behind his back. "General Patton has said that wars are fought with weapons but they are won by men" he started, walking down the line. Hermione followed his gaze. "Now, we are going to win this war because we have the best ... men…" he trailed off for a moment, and stood directly in front of Hermione, staring at a recruit she couldn't see. "And because they're gonna get better. Much better."

Colonel Phillips moved on down the line, and Hermione's eyes took note of the soldier he had stopped on. Her eyes grew wide.

Steven Rogers, dressed in an oversized uniform of the surrounding recruits, stood at attention with the rest of the men, staring directly at Hermione.

"The Strategic Scientific Reserve is an Allied effort made up of ..."

Hermione didn't hear the rest of Colonel Phillips speech as the entirety of her attention was focused on the man before her.

What in the name of Merlin was he doing here?

For those of you wondering, yes, Peggy got her 10% too.

And yes, I did take lines from the movie on this. No, it will not always reflect the conversations of the movie. Its a general outline for the start. Hermione is here to change some points moving forwards. Thank Merlin for Disney +