A/N: Thank you all again for the feedback! Sorry to those whose review I didn't reply to, just know I loved every word.

Schmidt claimed to be Erskine's greatest achievement, even after showing off his deformity: his red, fleshless skull was a sight for nightmares. They were, however, evenly matched in strength and speed. They threw punches at each other in the narrow space, all but destroying the metal walkway with each blow, until Schmidt took the coward's way out and fled when the walkway retreated, leaving him on the other side with Bucky.

"Go get her!" Bucky snapped when he glanced back at him, reluctant to leave him alone.

Steve nodded, then ran and lunged for the other side, catching up with them just when the pudgy man was about to lower Hermione into a small plane on Schmidt's lap. Steve grabbed the small man's collar and pulled him back with such force, he flew through the air, but Hermione tumbled away from the plane too. Safe. Another louder explosion made the tower they were in shake on its foundations and Schmidt's plane suddenly took off, a coward through and through.

Steve hurried over to Hermione, ignoring the small man who scrambled to his feet and ran off with his tail between his legs. He only had time to check she was still breathing before he ran back to Bucky who cheered at the sight of Hermione in his arms. Steve actioned the lever to the bridgeway, but it got stuck halfway due to the damage. He crossed it as far as he dared but there was still a large gap to the other side.

"I'm going to throw her to you. Ready?"

"No!" Bucky shouted. "Are you out of your fuckin' mind?"

They didn't have time for this. Bucky would serve as a cushion if nothing else. He lobbed her over and she seemed to hover gracefully in the air for an instant, her curls golden as they fanned out around her and reflected the flames from below. Bucky had his arms up, his mouth a perfect O of dismay, but he caught her and fell back, curled protectively around her.

We protect one another.

If she only knew how right she was. Steve leaped over the gap, then hefted Hermione up in one arm while giving Bucky a hand up. He had them. Both of them.

"Let's go meet up with the others," he said.

Steve hoped they had waited for him. They were still about thirty miles behind enemy lines and it would be an easier trek back if they had a whole platoon with them.

"So… Bucky said when they had found their way out of the Hydra factory and en route to the meeting point. "Are we gonna talk about how you turned into a giant or are we just gonna ignore that little detail?"

"If I ask you to ignore it, will you?"

"Fucking hell, no, Stevey. What the fuck happened to you?"

"Science experiment. Turned out okay."

Bucky snorted.

"Is it permanent?"

"As far as I know."

"Hermione doesn't know?"

Steve looked down at his girl in his arms. She looked so tiny, it was ridiculous. He couldn't wrap his mind around the fact he had been about her size and even lighter weight than she was. She seemed so fragile and he worried yet again about what she had gone through. He shook his head at Bucky's question.

"Ha! Please let me be there when you tell her."

Ten minutes down the road, they found the other men, weighed down with Hydra's strange weapons. They had even hijacked a couple of tanks. Phillips and Stark were going to be over the moon with all those new toys. Steve took out the transponder, but it had been smashed at some point. He couldn't quite figure out when, but he'd bet it was when he had sparred with Schmidt because the indent left in the metal box looked suspiciously like a fist. He put it back in his pocket in case Stark wanted it back, even in its sorry state, and waved at the guys waiting for them. They would just have to get back on foot.

Applause and cheers greeted them, and Steve ducked his head at all the attention. He should be used to it with his shows as Captain America, but those never felt this sincere and heart-warming. They were polite applause for a dancing monkey pulling off a clever trick. This was acknowledgement. He was one of theirs, a brother in arms. He received grins, pats on his back and words of gratitude, more than he thought he deserved since they had fought their own way out. He'd just given them a key.

"Want me to help you with that?" the large man with the bowler hat asked, nodding down at Hermione.

Steve tightened his grip on her, reluctant to be parted, but they were in enemy territory and she would be far safer on one of the tanks.

"Help me get her up there?" he asked, jutting his chin at the first tank.

A head popped out from the top.

"Par ici," the man it belonged to said.

French. Damnit. Steve's French was spotty at best, but he understood his intent well enough with his hand gestures and they managed to settle Hermione in a nest of blankets up top with a couple of other wounded soldiers. The Frenchman mimed he would keep an eye on her.

Steve took the lead at the front of the column with Bucky. He'd rather Buck rested too after what he had gone through, but he was adamant to stay at his side, needling him for details of what he'd done since they had parted ways in New York, and predictably laughing at him for being the dancing Captain America he'd seen on posters around camp before he left for the raid on Azzano. Captain Tightpants was apparently what the boys called him. Great. He was never wearing them again.

They encountered little resistance on the way back, and none of them Hydra. "Regular" Nazis, in other words. A lot easier to deal with, especially when they didn't expect to be attacked by a large ally force coming from their rear. They had opened up wide this whole territory and only had ten more miles to go. The Colonel would probably move camp soon after they returned, especially since they had destroyed the nearby Hydra base.

"Capitaine!"

Steve looked up at the tank. The Frenchman, Dernier, was waving frantically at him and the tank stopped. Alarmed, Steve jumped up.

"Quelque chose ne va pas," Dernier babbled, pointing at Hermione.

Steve approached and could feel what he meant. There was a pressure building around her, invisible but strong and increasing, like a miniature storm. He'd never seen her do that before, unconscious or not, but he suspected it to be her magic, because what else could it be?

"Get everyone down!" he ordered and the men scampered off the tank, helping those who were injured.

"Hermione!" he called. "Hermione, you're safe now. Wake up please, love."

She didn't and the pressure grew to the point she was starting to levitate and his hand couldn't even touch her, as if she had an invisible shield around her. A trickle of fear ran down his spine.

"Steve!" Bucky called from the side of the tank.

He was going to yell at Buck to stay back when Steve was suddenly flung off the tank with such force, he flew across the road and into a tree which cracked under the strain. He bounced right back on his feet though, and ran towards the tank again.

"What the hell is going on?" Bucky asked. "Is Hermione alright?"

"That was Hermione."

Steve glanced at the other men, but they were waiting further away in a large circle.

"Hermione threw you off the tank? Is it because of your face?"

"What's wrong with my face?" Steve asked as he peeked over the edge of the tank.

His face was the part of him that had undergone the least change, even if he had to admit it had filled out and taken on a healthy tint that had never been there before.

"You have a stupid face and you know it," Bucky said, peeking over the edge next to him. "All clear?"

"Looks like it."

Steve heaved himself to the top and gave Bucky a hand up. Hermione sat there in a tangle of blankets, blinking up at them as if she'd just woken up from a nap.

"Bucky?"

"Hi, babe," Bucky said with a grin.

Her eyes slid over to him, then to Bucky, and back at him again. Her eyes widened.

"Steve?"

Steve smiled, relieved she had recognised him. For a moment there, he feared she wouldn't.

"What the bloody hell happened to you? You look… you're…" she waved her hands in the air.

"Oh yeah, I'm glad I stayed for this," Bucky chortled next to him.

"Gigantic!" she finished.

Deciding there was no more danger of her exploding, they kneeled at her side. Steve couldn't stop grinning. Hermione couldn't stop staring.

"This is too weird, even for me," she muttered, shaking her head.

"Look at the bright side, doll. No more asthma attack."

"Bucky!" she admonished, her cheeks turning a bright red as she looked away. "Where are we?"

Steve hesitated. They couldn't stop their march forward for too long, so he glanced at Bucky who nodded.

"I'll tell the guys to get moving. We'll leave you this tank for a bit of privacy."

Bucky waggled his eyebrows and jumped off the side. Soon, they were moving again and Steve caught her up to speed. They touched each other tentatively, but their hands did not fit like they once had. If it was strange for him, it had to be even worse for her. He hadn't thought this through, what his transformation might change between them. He was about to ask her about how she had ended up in Hydra's compound when a few shots rang out.

"Stay here," he told her.

"Like hell I will." She patted her vest down and cursed. "Give me a gun."

Steve gave her a sheepish look she knew only too well.

"You attacked a Hydra base without a gun?"

"Didn't need one."

He wasn't about to admit to her he hadn't even thought of bringing one along, and he jumped down before she could scold him further.

"Stay there!" he repeated and ran towards the ambush on the road ahead.

Their tanks were out of ammo, unfortunately, so they had to do with what little ammunition they had left. Bucky was an amazing sniper and was taking them out patiently, one after another. It would have been easy if they hadn't been attacked on their flank too. A couple of men went down before they realized what was happening, then Dum Dum struck them down with the butt if his empty rifle. Steve was coming to his help when he saw another nazi aiming his gun right in Dum Dum's face… and then suddenly shooting up into the sky like a rocket, with a high-pitched scream and flailing limbs. Everyone froze, not comprehending what had happened, and after a few seconds, the nazy fell back down with a terrified cry, face first into the dirt. Then several more nazis attacking their flank also flew up into the air before being released and falling to their probable death or mortal wounds.

Steve knew. He glanced around to find Hermione still atop the tank with her arms raised up in the air. Dum Dum followed his gaze and tipped his bowler hat off at her, which made her giggle.

Bucky's shots up ahead had come to a stop and he raised an all clear signal. It took them a while to gather weapons off the dead nazis before the convoy continued onwards, the men chatting excitedly about what had happened.

"They think the army is breeding all sorts of super human weapons," Bucky told him.

Steve grimaced. He didn't like being called a weapon, although he could understand what they meant. At least they weren't afraid of Hermione.

"Is she still angry?"Steve asked, knowing Bucky had been catching up with her too.

"That you chose to be a lab rat, didn't bring a gun to attack a Hydra base on your lonesome, or left her on a tank during a battle like a princess in her tower?"

"It was for her own safety," he muttered mullishly, having already had this discussion with her.

"She'll come around," Bucky said with certainty, clapping hvmim on the shoulder.

"Come around to what?" Hermione chirped from behind them.

"How did you get down?" Steve asked, but glimpsed Jones and Dernier slink off out of view, giving him a pretty good idea.

"I'm a sergeant. I pulled rank. You're the one who told me to own it. Although I guess that does mean you get to give me orders now, Captain."

Bucky snickered and Steve blushed, making Hermione roll her eyes.

"Get your minds out if the gutter, boys. Is this it?"

She pointed ahead at the thinning trees and the guard towers barely visible from there. Steve relaxed. He'd been afraid of another ambush after the last. They could count on their fingers the amount of ammo they had left.

The camp started to come alive at their approach, everyone gathering around to greet them. The rest of the one-oh-seventh mingling with their friends and welcoming them back as heroes. It was beautiful.

But… he guessed he'd better report to Colonel Philips for disciplinary sanctions.

"Why?" Bucky and Hermione asked in unison.

"You didn't think my one-man mission was sanctioned, did you? I'd better go report to him before he finds me. Might soften the blow."

Steve looked down at Hermione. She huffed and pulled down on the front of his coat until they were at eye level and kissed him. A few men catcalled and laughed, but it was with a much lighter heart that he walked to the command tent. He caught Colonel Phillips just as he was exiting with Peggy on his heels.

"I'd like to surrender myself for disciplinary action, sir," he said in all seriousness.

Phillips looked as annoyed and gruff as ever, so Steve didn't know what to expect.
"That won't be necessary. Go get some rest and report back later."

Steve grinned and Peggy gave him a thumbs up while the Colonel had his back turned. Phillips muttered something at her before leaving with purpose towards the new arrivals, leaving them alone.

"You're late," she said, raising a brow.

Steve pulled out the broken transponder from his pocket.

"It doesn't work. Not sure why."

Peggy looked at it and chuckled.

"I'll get it back to Howard. Maybe he can find a way to make them more resistant against… did you use it to break a rock or something?"

Steve shrugged.

"So… did you find him? Your friend?" she asked carefully.

"Yeah, I found him." He grinned even wider. "I found Hermione, too."

"What? How? I thought she was in Norway?"

"I don't have the full story yet. Schmidt wanted her for something. But come and meet her. I'm sure she's getting sick and tired of all the male company."

"I can understand that," she agreed and followed him back to the gathered crowd.

They found her sitting at a table, looking tiny between Bucky and Dum Dum who both kept pushing food and drink her way. She laughed at something Morita said, then noticed him arriving, and her whole face lit up. She wiggled out of her seat to join him

"Hermione, I'd like you to meet Agent Peggy Carter. Peggy, this is Hermione."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Peggy said as they shook hands. "I'm so glad Steve found you. He was worried sick."

"Likewise. Steve can't shake off the habit of saving me, it seems."

Peggy's eyebrows shot up.

"You're British?"

"Erm, sort of. I think the U.S Army made me American when I wasn't paying attention."

"Bloody Yankees. They would too, stealing all the brains they can."

Hermione laughed.

"Oh! I don't suppose you have some real tea around? I haven't had any in forever."

"I have a secret stash in my tent. Care to join me?"

Steve watched them go arm in arm, wondering if it had been a good idea to introduce them to one another.

"Got your girl stolen away already?" Dum Dum teased.

"Peggy has tea. I can't compete against that."

"Is tea like catnip for ladies?" Jones asked.

"British women, maybe," Steve conceded.

The conversation rapidly devolved to what treat women from other countries prefered while they ate whatever grub the cooks had managed to put together for over two hundred starving last minute guests. That done, he excused himself to get his report to Phillips over and done with, because super-serum aside, he couldn't wait to go crash in his bunk.

The Colonel looked over the map where Steve had placed all the Hydra bases he had glimpsed in an empty room while searching for Bucky. He was glad for the photographic memory as it was serving him real well.

"And Bucky- I mean Sergeant Barnes told me all the weapons had been shipped off to another base that's not on this map."

"Their main base of operation, then? Carter, get in contact with MI6. I want every eye in Europe looking for this place. Any large troop movements, shipments, convoys..."

"Yes, sir."

"And you, Rogers. This is your map, how do you feel about wiping it clean of the Hydra stains?"

"I know a few guys up for cleaning duty, sir. And a gal."

Steve couldn't leave Hermione behind if she was at risk of being sent on another suicide mission, he'd rather she joined his suicide mission. At least he'd be there to protect her. The Colonel had Peggy as a second, so he wouldn't refuse just because she was a woman, but she was still an unknown to the suspicious man. Phillips stared at him with a grimace.

"I heard rumours about her. Are they true?"

"That would depend on the rumours, sir." Steve replied cautiously.

"Did she really toss nazis in the air with her will alone?"

With her will? Well… He had to admit it sounded a lot more believable than magic. Steve nodded.

"Yes. She has certain… talents."

"You knew."

"I've known her for a while."

"So those rumours are true as well. Listen…"

Ah, here it came. The speech about why you can't bring a dame to war.

"You're an icon. It would be best if you kept your dalliances under wraps. Don't want bad press for Captain America, right?"

Steve frowned. Not what he had been expecting, but okay. And how was it bad press that he loved his girl? Because they weren't married?

"They're selling your image, boy. The righteous and perfect soldier, a role model for men, eye candy for women. You bringing your girlfriend to war is not a selling point. On the other hand… Yeah. Using her as role a model for women and eye candy for men… Well, let's just say you'll have more or less free rein if you keep your nose clean. Your unit will be untouchable from the politics back home."

"So… We can't be seen together?"

Phillips smiled like a shark and nodded. Message received. They would just have to use discretion, which, honestly, wouldn't be that hard with the war raging around them. Knowing Hermione, she would agree. Before, when he had been sickly, their displays of affection had always been in private and not evolved much past hand holding and light kisses. Cuddling at most. His asthma had put a stop at any attempt to… sex. He felt his cheeks burn and excused himself.

Hermione and Bucky accosted him right outside the tent.

"Were you eavesdropping?" he hissed, walking briskly ahead.

"Of course," they replied in unison, for the second time that day.

"Stop doing that. It's creeping me out."

Bucky chuckled, but Hermione hurried ahead to stand in his way, forcing him to a stop.

"Are you dumping me?"

"No, of course not."

"That's not what we heard, buddy."

"We can't be seen together, there's a very important nuance there."

"So you're just hiding me?"

"In a way, I guess. I know it's not ideal, but if you want to join the team, it's the best deal we get."

She sighed, but nodded, and they continued walking.

"I'd rather we stay together," she agreed. "All three of us. That way, I can keep you two out of trouble."

"You've literally been in more trouble than either of us, Hermione," Steve said.

Hermione made a surprised noise in the back of her throat.

"Huh… that's actually true."

"Not to mention Schmidt will try to nab you again the first chance he gets, and he he has people everywhere. One of his Hydra agent was at my procedure-"

"Aww. Is that what we're calling it. I wanted to call it your growth spurt."

Steve rolled his eyes at Bucky, but Hermione laughed.

"And it sounds like you're using Hermione as bait," Bucky added.

"I don't mind," Hermione cut in before Steve could deny it. "Schmidt took something of mine and I need to get it back."

Steve narrowed his eyes at her.

"What? You haven't been very forthcoming about what happened to you."

"We didn't really get time to chat, and it's not something I want everyone to hear. I'll sneak into your tent tonight, alright? I'm supposed to share Peggy's, but she won't rat me out."

"And you'll tell me everything?"

"Everything I remember," she muttered, bringing down a heavy silence over them.

"Can I come too?" Bucky asked.

"It's your call, Hermione. It's your secret," Steve said and glanced at Bucky, hoping he'd understand why he hadn't told him before.

"Sure. it's more or less out in the open now, anyway."

"Well, not as such, no. Seems everyone thinks you use your will to send things flying up in the air."

"Oh. I suppose that makes more sense in this world. Everyone I met is much more logic driven."

"Wait, wait, wait…" Bucky said with a frown, grabbing Hermione's arm to make her stop walking and face him. "What do you mean by that?"

Hermione glanced around for eavesdroppers, then leaned into him to whisper in his ear.

"It's magic."

Bucky glanced at him so he nodded to confirm.

"And the other part, about this world being more logic?" Bucky asked, but he had lowered his voice this time. "What do you mean by this world?"

"I'm from… elsewhere. Same Earth, but different, like the reflection in the mirror."

Bucky opened his mouth a couple of times before giving up and scowling. He let go of her arm, but stared her straight in the eye.

"I want that full story tonight, too."

"Gonna be a long night then," Steve announced.

"Why? What're we doing?"

"Recruiting the rest of the guys."