Unofficial Portkey Archive

Prince of The Dark Triangle

Details, descriptions, items and characters of the Harry Potter series are the sole property of J.K.Rowling, et al and used only within the context of this story and my not be otherwise reprinted, sold, or used for any other purpose. Original characters and plot are mine and my not be used in any other {for profit} form without permission…

Chapter 8

The following evening came and Hermione found herself getting dolled up to go out for a night on the town…well, not exactly, she'd be working but she felt she had to present herself to be as fetching as she could manage.

After some very thorough recon work by her next in charge he had discovered the Muggle had requested a transfer from his assigned day shift post to the Morrison Hotel on the midnight shift.

Tobias told her the Morrison Hotel was a rather swanky place so her usual men's white dress shirt and khakis she usually wore to work were out. She was going to have to doll up and part of her - the woman - kind of looked forward to it. She didn't get to play dress up very often. Funerals didn't count and there had been enough of those to last her several lifetimes.

They were going to try and catch them a Muggle and being male she felt she at least possessed enough of the right bait to get a glance or two…at least.

The truth was, she turned heads wherever she went but since she never really went anywhere any more that didn't help her self-confidence much.

After doing her long curly hair just so she decided to let it hang long and unfettered down her back. Most blokes liked long silky hair and Hermione's was a waterfall of spiraling shiny ringlets of pure light golden brown with touches of lighter color highlights. Gone was the constant frizzy untamed mess of her youth.

She applied just a hint of make up to bring out her deep amber eyes and shine up her lips a little. A few shots of her favorite perfume, some lacy under things she then slipped into what she jokingly referred to as her secret weapon and every self-respecting girl's absolute wardrobe necessity…the clingy little black dress.

Hermione's was a backless spaghetti-strapped number that came up to about mid thigh. With most her summers spent in the South of France on vacation with her parents it had left her skin a bit more tanned than most. Many a summer spent in the San Tropez sun had given her a rather permanent golden glow.

Capping off her look with a pair of stylish black 4-inch heels, a sparkly black clutch and a black silk wrap to keep the night chill off her bare shoulders, she felt she was ready to go.

When the Director of the Special Operations Unit stepped out of her living quarters Tobias was standing at the end of the hall where all the living spaces and apartments joined the kitchen and recreation areas having a quiet conversation with Rychart Listell.

She noticed Tobias was wearing a stylish modern black sport coat with a collarless white shirt, a thin black tie, black trousers and some highly polished wingtips. He had on a pair of black sunglasses as well for some reason. She thought that kind of odd.

When the two men turned to see her they both froze solid like mannequins. Rychart almost swallowed his tongue but Tobias only gave her his signature roguish grin. He nodded his head slightly chuckling under his breath.

"Is that…?" Rychart asked. The lad was starting to hyperventilate.

"Easy lad," Tobias patted his companion on the back lightly, "It most certainly is so I highly recommend you mind your manners!"

After Tobias sent a completely confunded Rychart off in the direction of his quarters he held out his arm to his boss. Hermione glanced at him rather sheepishly. In her heels she was about two inches taller than he was.

"How do I look," she asked, "Passable I hope?"

Edible is more like it… He thought…

She wasn't fishing for a compliment she just wanted confirmation she didn't look like a total trashy little floozy, of course, when she thought about it, she realized most men were attracted to the trashy little floozies but even working under cover she had her standards.

He stopped and turned to look at her pulling his sunglasses off.

"Ms. Granger," he said grinning slightly, "I know I'm probably going to be out of line saying this but I'm going to say it anyway."

He paused for the dramatic effect.

"Tonight I am, without question, one of the luckiest blokes in all of Great Briton. Does that tell you what you need to know?"

Hermione couldn't help but blush. She didn't want to but there was no stopping it so she tried to draw a line she wasn't sure she needed to draw but for her own piece of mind it was necessary.

"Thank you Tobias," she whispered placing a hand gently on his arm, "but let's remember why we're doing this ok. This isn't a date. We're working."

He sighed, looked at the floor for a moment then slipped his glasses back on as he turned and recaptured her arm.

"I won't forget boss. I promise."

"I'm sorry Tobias but I really needed to say that," she said softly, "If I don't keep things in perspective I'll probably go loopy. Please don't take it personal."

Tobias had no idea what the hell she meant by that but he just shrugged it off. He would be a perfect gentleman. He entertained no illusions and no intentions of doing otherwise. He just nodded in response.

He could almost feel the loneliness radiating off this women on his arm and he didn't like it at all. Her life should be filled with light and laughter and happiness and a whole army of blokes just dying to make her every wish come true…not filled with darkness, pain, loss and death.

Why is the world so goddamned unfair sometimes?

"What's with the sunglasses by the way?" She asked as they made their way to the apparition point.

"Oh," he smiled, "it's for undercover detection, you know, so I can look around without anyone knowing what I'm looking at."

"Erm…I hate to be the one to break this to you but it's eleven o' clock…at night!" She retorted.

Tobias just shrugged.

"No worries. No-one's going to paying me any attention anyway, trust me!"

She chuckled as they apparated to a pre-selected secluded location about a half-block from the front entrance to the Morrison.

They wasted no time in making the entrance but Tobias was taking no chances. He put up several misdirection charms as well as protecting them with an industrial strength glamour until they got inside.

When they entered the bar almost every head turned to see one of the loveliest young women on the planet being escorted by a rather dashing young gentleman to a secluded table off to the left side of the room.

When a white tunic-clad waiter slipped silently up to the table with a pleasant smile (eyes only for the smokin' hot doll in the sexiest dress he'd ever seen in his young life) he bent slightly at the waist, hands clasped behind his back.

When his gaze fell upon Tobias in his dark shades his smile dimmed only slightly but it had dimmed.

"What may I get for the lady…" he paused nodding at her slightly, "and her gentleman escort this evening?"

The guy was oozing honey from every orifice. It set Tobias' teeth on edge but he swallowed his annoyance. He would play nice…or Hermione would throttle him.

"I would like Maker's Mark on the rocks with just a sprits of soda if you please," Hermione requested.

"Excellent," the waiter smiled a huge Cheshire grin, "and you sir?"

It took the waiter a moment or twelve to tear his irises off of Hermione's cleavage but he finally turned to smile at Tobias.

"Martini," he quipped, "Shaken…not stirred," he held up two fingers looking at the waiter with a shite-eating grin, "Two olives if you please. I feel like living dangerously tonight. There's a good lad."

The plaster of Paris smile on the waiter's face slipped ever so slightly further but the eyes told Tobias the guy wanted to call him a complete wanker for perpetuating one of the dumbest and most well worn clichés overused in almost every bar around the world.

The waiter turned and slipped off without another word.

Hermione couldn't help but chuckle after the guy left. Tobias leaned forward and pointed a finger at her.

"I'm going to check you for finger prints later young lady."

Hermione blanched and almost choked on her own spit laughing.

"What did I do?" she asked emphatically, "and I'm two years your senior by the way."

"Nothing yet but the night is still young and it's not the age my dear…it's the mileage." He quipped.

"If that's the case then my odometer is due to turn over any time now. Shaken not stirred," she chuckled, "Merlin's y-fronts, that's so horribly gouache!"

"Just having a bit of a lark," Tobias grinned.

There was no denying her Number One was a very good looking man.

"You know," he shifted draping one leg over another and letting one arm hang over the back of his chair looking very relaxed and at ease, "it's what some people call fun." He tipped his glasses down and peered at her for a moment.

"Is that what they do when they're not working Mr. Fox?" She quipped smirking.

"Spoil sport," he grumbled under his breath.

Just then the waiter returned with their drinks and when Hermione went to reach for her small clutch she suddenly remembered she didn't bring any Muggle money. She never really needed it. She flushed with embarrassment but as she was struggling with her terrible lack of forethought Tobias had pulled a Muggle credit card from the inside pocket of his jacket and flipped it onto the waiter's tray.

"We'd like to run a tab if you please," he added.

"Certainly sir," the waiter bowed and turned, taking another long look at Hermione before disappearing again.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" Hermione glared at him slightly, "There's no reason to run a tab!"

"While we may be working my dear Director," Tobias said as he sipped his dry Martini, "I'm doing this off the clock, so to speak, so I'm going to enjoy myself. I was hoping you would do the same."

"Yes, well," Hermione replied a bit glumly looking down into her glass, "I'm not much of a drinker and even if I were I want to keep my wits about me thank you very much."

Suddenly and without any warning Tobias slowly sat up straight, his glass stopping just before it touched his lips.

"Don't turn around," he said quietly, "but I think are target just arrived."

Hermione sat sipping her drink letting her gaze drift over some of the other tables. There were Muggles of all types, shapes and sizes in the bar but not very many. Being a Sunday night it probably wasn't one of their busiest nights. That was good because she felt what she had planned would work better with less people. She would stand out more.

What she simply didn't realize due to her own depreciated self-image was that she would stand out in a crowd of a million similarly dressed women anywhere in the world. She was just that beautiful and unique.

"What's his position?" she asked slipping her hair behind her right ear the way she always did when she was a bit nervous.

"He's moved to your right just inside the door. He's just standing there at the moment watching the bar. Routine patrol I suspect."

With that Hermione placed her glass on the table and slowly rose to her feet. She knew the ladies room was on the far right wall of the bar. It was the reason she wanted to sit on the left side. She would have to cross the entire floor of the bar to get to the loo so she would have a long time to get a look at their target.

"Be right back," she said winking at Tobias with a slight smirk. He just lifted his glass as she turned and started toward the far side of the room.

"Don't break a leg," he chuckled, "or I'll have to put you out of your misery like a well used polo pony."

She glanced at him eyes wide with affected insult.

>^..^<

As Byron Humbolt stood in the bar surveying the room he realized the crowd was light tonight and even though he had only been at the Morrison for less than a week he already recognized some familiar faces of a few of the regulars.

It was when he was watching one of the waiters taking an order from an older couple he caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his peripheral vision off to his left.

When he turned to look his eyes landed on one of the most indescribably beautiful creatures he had ever seen in his life.

Time seemed to slow down as he watched her move with grace and purpose across the bar floor. She was so visibly stunning it was taking his breath away. He was finding it a bit harder to breath.

When she turned her head slightly their eyes met, hers peering at him out of the corner of hers with such a seductive look on her lovely face Byron thought he could burst into flames right then and there and burn to a smoldering pile of ashes.

He suddenly realized he must look like a complete fool standing there gawking at her but he just couldn't seem to take his eyes off her even for a second. He couldn't blink. He was afraid she would disappear in a puff of smoke like a dream.

When her eyes slid away from his she turned slightly and her beautiful silky hair covered her face then and she slid out of sight behind a pillar near the restrooms

It was almost like someone had turned half the lights off in the place.

Byron suddenly felt dizzy and strange, like he was going to pass out. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead and across his upper lip.

This is absolutely insane!

He'd seen beautiful women but he'd never had a reaction to one like that before…of course he'd never had one who looked at him quite like that before either.

He closed his eyes and tried desperately to get a hold of himself. He found himself moving subconsciously toward the restrooms. Before he realized what he was doing he looked up to find himself moving along that wall.

What are you doing?

He suddenly had a strong desire to talk to her, if nothing else just nod and say hello.

What! Have you gone completely barking mad?

He kept moving being propelled by a force beyond his apparent ability to control. When he was about ten feet from the entrance to the restrooms he saw her reappear. This time he was looking at her from the front and she was moving right toward him.

When she looked up their eyes locked again and Byron froze like a deer caught in the bright lights of a speeding truck…

>^..^<

As Hermione moved across the bar she let her eyes wander over to where the target was standing. When they finally landed on his a sudden and very strange feeling rippled through her and she had no idea what was causing it but she couldn't seem to pull her gaze away.

The first thing she ascertained when she saw him was that he was not all that remarkably handsome. He had a pleasant face but unremarkable. He had short light brown hair and a rather permanent-looking five o' clock shadow. He was about the same height as Tobias, slender for the most part with rather fine features but she could tell through his uniform shirt he was rather well built.

It was his eyes that struck her as his most prominent feature. They were robin's egg blue and as clear as the most priceless sapphire she could imagine and his gaze…

The intensity in those baby blues was so strong she could almost feel them pulling on her physically. It was most disconcerting. She knew she had to look away or she just might loose herself in the depths of those sparking orbs completely.

As she let her gaze slide away form his she let her hair fall like a curtain between them.

Once inside the restroom she tried to analyze the strange feeling that had come over her when their eyes met. As she stood there checking herself in the mirror she suddenly and frightfully realized what it was…

Desire!

But it was even more than that. This was something much…what?

Deeper…almost…primal!

`Oh Merlin no…This is not the time or the place for this kind of nonsense Granger! Get a hold of yourself you idiot!'

She looked back up into the mirror.

"Snap out of it you moron!" she said to her reflection then made a silly face.

She then turned and made her way back out of the lavatory and decided to try and get as physically close to their target as she could so she could get some kind of read on his condition. She wasn't really sure how she was going to do that. It wasn't like she was some sort of walking, talking magic detector or something.

She was beginning to think this whole idea stupid and risky. When she pulled open the restroom door she turned right and entered the short hall that contained the restrooms and practically walked right into the very one she wanted to get rather up close and personal with.

When their eyes met for the second time her stomach did a tiny little flip and she instantly felt flushed all over. The fine hair on her arms and the back of her neck stood straight on end.

This man seemed to pulse with magical energy like it was coming off his body in waves. It was so strong it was giving her a slight coppery taste in her mouth.

She tried to gather her wits as she passed so close to him she could have reached out and touched his hand.

Trying to act as casual as she could muster she offered him another sultry smile as she passed.

He simply watched her pass pinning her with his laser-like gaze, nodded and said in a rather broken raspy whisper…

"G…good evening ma'am."

He swallowed hard after he had spoken.

Hermione kept walking trying to retain the same grace and poise she had when she was going the other way but she wasn't certain she was pulling it off. She felt so phony and shallow.

Playing stupid games…Ugh!

When Hermione sat beck down at the table Tobias leaned slightly forward smirking at her playfully.

"What in the world did you do to the bloke? He hasn't been able to take his eyes off you since you got up to go to the loo."

"I did nothing to him," Hermione replied indignantly. She knew that wasn't exactly true. She knew the sultry looks she gave the man had gone right to the part of his brain that controlled all his sensory functions and all sorts of bells and whistles starting going off in his head…and his trousers.

"Well?" Tobias asked looking at her over his shades chewing on the swizzle stick from his olives.

"There's no question in my mind he's a Latent," she said quietly, "I could feel the power radiating off him like a bloody electric heat register. He was practically vibrating!"

Tobias knew his boss was not prone to embellishment nor was she in the habit of exaggerating.

""Damn!" He whispered.

Hermione glanced quickly over her shoulder in time to see their target opening the door that lead back into the hotel for an older couple with a smile and a nod.

"I say we take him," she whispered, turning back toward her Number One, "As soon as possible. I'm no expert but from what we've learned about Latents from our friendly neighborhood Unspeakable, I think this one's about ready to go off."

Tobias gave Hermione a flat look from across the table. She knew what he was thinking.

"Look, Ms. Granger, far be it from me to second guess you about anything but this isn't really our cup of tea, is it? Don't you think we should turn this over to Kingsley's people? They're better equipped to handle this sort of thing anyway."

"Normally I'd agree but it would take time for Kingsley's people to put a team together and be briefed. We've got the resources already in place…besides, I don't want someone self-destructing on my watch, not when I'm in the position to stop it, even though we're becoming pretty adept at cleaning up our messes these days it seems."

She paused for a moment lost in her own head. She recalled the look in his eyes as he stared at her from across the room.

"There's just something about this one…" she whispered more to herself than to her subordinate.

"Wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the fact the bloke looks like he could bench press the Knight Bus now does it?" Tobias smirked leaning back in his chair.

To her credit her facial expression did not change at all. She just looked very coolly at Tobias across the table.

"Seems to me you're forgetting who you're talking to Mr. Fox," she said in her dangerously calm tone covered in liquid silk, "I am the coldest bitch of her age after all."

He held up his hands in surrender glancing over his left shoulder.

"I respectfully retract that statement boss requesting full pardon for my egregious foux-pas but everyone needs to let their hair down now and again, even you. It's part of what helps us stay sharp, yes?"

She just looked at him saying nothing for a moment. Her ire was starting to sizzle. She had no desire to talk about this.

"I need you to get into the Security office however you can and look at his schedule. We'll take him on his next shift. Just don't get caught alright?"

Tobias placed a finger to his chin and looked thoughtful.

"How does one cast a confundus charm again?"

"Go," Hermione scowled, "Just go before I forget how much I love you and need you and just kill you for practice!"

He mouthed the word `yikes' as he got to his feet.

"Seems someone I know really needs to get…"

"Finish that statement and die a slow, horrible and painful death young man, I promise!" she said through gritted teeth.

Tobias zipped his fingers across his lips, locked them and tossed the invisible key over his shoulder rolling his eyes as he turned to go.

Damn, that little fuck really knows which buttons to push!

She glanced up at their target who was still throwing clandestine glances at her. She studied him for a moment not even trying to hide the fact she was doing so. It didn't really matter. Maybe it would be nice to let some good looking bloke have his way with her for a while but it just wasn't something high on her ever over-flowing to do list.

She wasn't interested in finding love. That was out. She had no use for that emotional drivel. At least…that's what she kept telling herself constantly.

She had dedicated her life to finding the human excrement that killed Ron, Ginny…her parents and the prick behind it all. She was going to put them in a Grawp-sized hurt locker! For the puppet master pulling the strings…she was going to personally fuck his whole world up!

The target looked at her this time and their eyes locked once more. She felt a healthy shot of adrenaline course through her body. It was like getting caught in the act of doing something naughty…and she liked it, that tingly rush of excitement. It was a feeling she had not had in a very long time. She couldn't help but give him another smoldering coquettish smile.

Instead of smiling back he looked away like he was completely embarrassed.

Oh well…Guess he's not going to play. I suppose I should thank him for giving me a cheap thrill anyway.

She got up and headed to the exit feeling a bit more dejected than she had a right to. She would meet Tobias out front. As she made her way toward the door it suddenly dawned on her why he might have been embarrassed by the way she smiled at him. She had come in with another man…Dugh!

Merlin's beard, he must think you're a total skank! Ugh! Nice work brainchild! Cleverest witch of your age my arse!

She shook off her pointless musings and headed for the front entrance. When she stepped out onto the sidewalk in front of the swanky hotel Tobias was already waiting.

Show off!

She began walking to her right toward the corner and Tobias fell in step beside her, his head on a swivel.

"You know Kingsley would give birth to a full grown Hippogriff if he knew you were out without your entourage," he quipped under his breath, "I think we should make like the shepherd and get the flock out of here!"

"Watching old Muggle films again are we?"

"Lethal Weapon and Rush Hour," he quipped, "Two of my favorites! That Mel Gibson's a pip!"

"Mmm," she glanced at his sideways, "and he was so totally hot!"

Tobias grabbed the inside of his mouth with his finger like a fishhook rolling his eyes.

Hermione smirked. Her Tobias was a gem when he wasn't pushing her buttons like a rambunctious child in a bleeding elevator.

"What did you find out," brushing aside his concern for the moment?

"Next shift tomorrow night, he works third. In at eleven p.m. out at seven a.m. He usually comes in through the rear service entrance but normally leaves through the front after his shift is over. Have no idea why."

Hermione looked up at him in surprise.

"Got a quick peek at a few surveillance tapes while I was in there," he grinned with his playful boyish smile. He shrugged, "thought it might help."

Hermione just bet that roguish playful smile of his had been the undoing of more than one fair damsel. He could probably have a bird's knickers in a puddle around her ankles with just that look.

She loved Tobias very much but she had become immune to that boyish charm. His value to her as her Number One far outweighed anything else she may or may not have contemplated at one time of another.

"Well done Tobias," Hermione smiled, "Thank you."

"That's why I get paid the big bucks," he replied matter-of-factly.

"So what do you think," Hermione asked as they kept walking trying to remain inconspicuous.

It was two o'clock in the morning and they were walking down an open avenue in downtown Muggle London. With Hermione wearing a very skimpy little black dress ambiguity was not much of an option and she knew it. So did Tobias.

While he might not always act like he was serious when they were alone together there was one thing he would not compromise on for anything…the safety of the Director. He took her safety deadly serious and would kill anyone who tried to harm her. He also knew he would die for this woman if it came to that.

He wasn't the only one who thought that way. The whole team had such a profound respect and admiration for this woman it almost bordered on fanatical worship.

Almost everyone knew the only thing that stood between them and utter destruction of their world was this one extremely gifted, uber-intelligent, gutsy and utterly courageous Muggle-born witch.

Tobias turned to her and gave her a significant look. Through his sunglasses he took in her total presence. It was astounding to him that this gorgeous, slender and lovely creature with her fine elfin features could be so utterly powerful and so very dangerous but she was not invincible or curse-proof.

"I think we should get back to the compound before you really hurt some bloke with that dress," he looked at her over the top of his shades, "Please?"

"Ok," Hermione conceded, "You're absolutely right of course. No sense painting a bloody target on my arse while hoisting myself up a flag pole!"

"Erm…" Tobias just gave her a funny look then shook his head slightly. She clasped his hand and let him side-along back to the compound. He knew the way home.

Once back at the S.O.U. they walked together toward her office. She wanted to make some notes before turning in.

"So," she asked, "what do you think? How should we play this?"

Tobias replied without missing a beat.

"I think we should take him Tuesday morning after his shift. He's not on the schedule for Wednesday so… "

"So that means no-one will miss him for at least 48 hours before his next shift. Good thinking. Agent Hudson's report did state that he lived alone and didn't have many friends yes?"

"I believe it did Director," Tobias replied.

"Excellent," Hermione nodded as she moved off down the hall, "We'll brief the team tomorrow afternoon when everyone is here. Get some rest Tobias and good work tonight. Thanks for your help."

Tobias watched his boss walk away down the hall. That dress, that body, those heels and those legs were some sight to see. It was a treat he didn't get to see very often because it wasn't a side of her she let show much.

Why is it that a man always wants most the very thing he can never have? It's the bloody comic tragedy of life!

He'd had his share of fine ladies and had no regrets. He was never without the company of the fairer sex if he chose to have it but there was just something about this woman that defied logic.

He thought maybe it was her toughness or her kick ass and take names personality. Whatever it was drew men to her like mindless moths to her flame but for same reason very few had the guts to try and tame her. Maybe they knew they would never succeed.

What made him sad was that he knew she was lonely. Even though she put on that cast iron armor exterior he knew her well enough to know she wanted to be loved, needed, held just like any other human being but she also needed a man strong enough to survive it…strong enough to endure the hurricanes and tsunamis when they hit full force because Hermione Granger was, without a doubt, a force to be reckoned with.

She was a warrior, a soldier, a scrapper, she could eat a bucket full of nails and crap a barbed wire fence but underneath it all…she was just a woman, human, fragile, soft, warm and oh so sexy.

He also realized that a bloke who could handle her just may not exist and it hurt him to think it.

He sighed deeply as he himself turned and made his way to his apartment. He was tired.

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