Still don't own Marvel or HP

I open the latch and squeeze my eyes shut, half expecting something to jump out an attack me, and keep them closed until Brooklyn squawks at me; calling out my foolishness.

Don't be an idiot Granger. It's just a watch.

Until I opened my eyes and it wasn't.

You're joking.

I can't force the words through my open mouth as I stare down at the ring nestled in its cushion, next to the photo of him and I at the dance hall.

He's mad. Absolutely, infuriatingly, charmingly mad.

I drop the case onto my desk as if it burned me and the ring gleams up at me innocently.

I think he'd want you to be wearing it when we bring them back.

Cap's words ring through my mind and I curse his foreshadowing.

The right prat. Of course he knew what was in there.

It was beautiful, and nothing like I've seen nowadays with its single square diamond on a gold bow band, and I couldn't take my eyes off of it but, I do and instead focus on the picture. I focus on James' shocked and smiling face and how I never felt happier than that night.

He knew from the very beginning.

Without a second though, I slide the ring onto my finger and let out at short laugh when it fits perfectly.

Who would have thought? James Buchannan Barnes, a true romantic?

If anyone would have told me in my sixth year at Hogwarts that I'd fall in love with a man after one night, I'd have probably hit them with a book and then told them to do their homework.

"Hermione we're… woah." Natasha pauses when she sees the ring on my hand, then she smiles warmly at me. "That's one hell of a confidence booster, huh? Food's here, want to come eat?"

I nod and clasp the watch around my neck once more before magically refilling Brook's food, water, and following Nat into the hallway. Quickly dashing back in and grabbing the contract and photo, sticking it in my bag.

"I haven't said thank you yet. For what you did on Vormir. I can't imagine what would have happened if it were just Clint and I."

I could but, I didn't want to.

"I'm just glad it worked." I say honestly. "How mad do you think Dementor Elmo was when he realized we duped the soul stone?"

"Dementor?" She asks with a raised brow.

"Ah a dark creature that feeds off happy memories and kills you with a kiss. We had them guarding our school my third year." I shudder at the memory of the attack on the train.

"So, you could control them?"

"What? No. Not at all." I clarify with a laugh, knowing how ridiculous this must sound. "In fact, they attacked my best friend twice. Though, they were looking for his Godfather. Then there was the werewolf."

Yeah, third year had been a hectic one. First time dealing with time magic. I still get some of my timelines from that year mixed up.

"And I thought my childhood was weird." She shakes her head with a smile.

My eyes keep glancing at the ring and, each time I do, a small smile grows before I get anxious.

"Okay, I have to ask. How did you meet Bucky? Did he try killing you too?" She teases and I can't help but snicker, vividly remembering James' recounting of how he met the infamous Black Widow.

"No, nothing like that. We met the night before he left for war. Ginny and I had ended up in the wrong year and the wrong Brooklyn while on a mission." I debated on whether or not to tell her about the nature of that mission. Shacklebolt had the same idea as Rhodey did with baby Thanos.

"We end up outside a cinema and, as we walk past an alley, we see two guys beating up this scrawny kid. These guys had to have at least on hundred pounds each on this guy, so Gin and I decide to step in. They went running after one hit. Turns out, that skinny kid? Steven Grant Rogers."

"What?! No. You saved Cap's ass?"

"Oh yes, feel free to make fun of him for it later." We share a laugh before I continue. "James showed up just as the guys ran and returned my shoes. I had thrown them somewhere before the fight."

"How chivalrous of him."

"Very." I agree jokingly. "Anyway, he invites us to a dance hall later that night and I didn't want to go but, Gin dragged me there and the rest was history. He went to war and I went back to my time. I had planned on either going back and staying there or just plucking him from his time and bringing him to ours but, he became a fixture in time when he fell off that train. I had no idea he was alive until I stepped off that jet and I don't think I ever thanked Ginny for dragging to that hall."

We go quiet and I fight down the lump that grows in my throat.

"We're going to get them back. We're getting everyone back. Then you and, I can't believe I'm saying this, Bucky are getting married and I'm going to be a bridesmaid and we're all going to live as happily ever after as we can." She sounds so sure that I can't help but believe her and, as we take our seats at the full dinner table, joking with the others, I find myself looking forwards to the future for the first time since Voldemort returned.

I catch Steve's eyes from across the table and shake my head at his smug look. He had seen the ring, hell, he probably helped James' pick it out. I mouth a Thank You towards him and he grins.

"It's gotta be me. You saw what those stones did to Thanos; they almost killed him. None of you could survive." Bruce states as he walks towards the gauntlet.

It was time.

"How do we know you will?" Tony dares to ask.

"We don't but, the radiation's mostly gamma. It's like." He pauses. "I was made for this."

I didn't like this. I didn't see what it had done to Thanos but, from what Nat described to me, it wasn't good. I set up shielding spells around the lab as Tony calls for a complete lockdown, shuttering all the windows and doors and casting an eerie darkness into the lab.

"Everyone comes home." I don't believe Bruce had meant to say it out loud and no one acknowledges his words. I cast a ward in front of Natasha and I, staying tensed.

The shockwave of energy pulses through me as soon as the gauntlet is on his hand and I had to physically restrain myself from casting it off of him when I see his arm burn.

"I'm okay." He assures through pain laden screams and I watch in shock and awe as he raises his hand. I look around the room at the similar expressions on everyone's face when my stomach drops.

Where was Nebula?

A crack echoes through the room and I cast the gauntlet off of Banner before kneeling next to him and loading his arm with healing spells.

"Did it work?" He groans as someone's phone goes off.

"Shh. We don't know yet. Calm down." I soothe, working with Tony to cool his arm before the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"Guys, I think it wor-"

"Something's wrong!" I barely have time to send Harry our location before the first rocket hits and everything goes black.