The Dark Mark

Help Wanted

The end of summer only meant one thing. It was time to go back to Uni. Hermione was walking down the street arm in arm with her best friend, Ginny.

"I can't believe it's already time to go back." Ginny said pulling Hermione over to the store window to look at the puppies. "Let's get one?!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and pulled Ginny along. "You know the apartment manager would throw us out the minute he found out there was an animal in our flat. Besides, with me entering my s research thesis and your football starting back up, who would have time to spend with a puppy? We can't leave it at home all day."

Ginny sighed loudly. "God why are you always so right?"

"Just my nature I suppose." Hermione said bumping her hip into Ginny's playfully.

Hermione was entering her third and final year of grad school. She had to start her research project on criminal psychology this semester and while she was excited, she knew there would be loads of library time. Her best friend was only starting her first year in grad school. Ginny didn't particularly want to continue her education but when she found out she could extend her football career, she of course jumped on it. She hoped to be scouted to the Premier league before she graduated. Any chance to end school early, Ginny would take it.

The girls were spending the afternoon looking for a part time job for Hermione. Ginny worked at the local Aldi for the past four years. Now that the girls were no longer living on campus, Hermione needed to bring in some sort of wage to earn her place in the flat. She refused to accept rent money from her parents. They were already paying for Uni.

"Come on 'Mione. We've been up and down these streets five times. I haven't seen any help wanted signs. Have you?"

"No. I have not."

"You can always come work at Aldi with us." Ginny said looking hopeful.

"No offense but spending unnecessary time with your brother seems like more work than work would be. It doesn't seem worth the 10 pounds per hour." Hermione laughed.

"Understood. Oh look here." Ginny said stopping outside of a store at the end of a small street. "Hermione look. Help wanted."

"Ginny. Did you see the type of shop this is?" Hermione said pointing to the neon sign in the window.

"The Dark Mark Tattoo Parlor. Seems like a good prospect." Ginny said shrugging one shoulder.

"Ginny, look at me." Ginny looked her best friend up and down. Hermione was wearing a pair of khaki pants, a white scoop neck T-shirt and a burgundy light weight cardigan. She wore her hair down and had little make up on. "Do I look like the type of person who frequents tattoo shops? I don't know the first thing about tattoos."

"That's not entirely true. You know you have a thing for tattooed women." Ginny said smirking at Hermione.

"That doesn't mean I know anything about tattooing or tattoo shops." Hermione said trying to tame her blush. Ginny wasn't wrong though. Hermione did have a thing for bad girls.

"It doesn't say they are looking for an artist. It just says 'help wanted: ask for Bella'. Help could be anything like answering phones, running stencils, cleaning the loo, giving Bella neck massages while she's tattooing."

"Ginny stop." Hermione squeaked out turning red again.

"Come on. Let's just go in and see. What's the worst that could happen?" Ginny said pulling her friend into the shop.

They stepped into the empty and very clean tattoo shop. There was a blonde woman sitting behind the desk browsing the internet on the computer.

"How can I help you ladies?" The blonde woman said looking up from the computer.