A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites and follows! As always, you can follow me on tumblr (nauticalparamour) where I post sneak peeks, story updates and answer questions. If you are interested in a spooky, Halloween story, you might check out my short multi-chapter called Black Dog. It's a Sirimione and there will be a new chapter every Tuesday through Halloween.

Please let me know what you thought of chapter twelve and be on the lookout for chapter thirteen soon!


As the summer months waned, the hot, humid weather of New Orleans tempered down to a more reasonable temperature. Tom welcomed the autumn months, as it meant he could be much more comfortable. He always wore a full suit when he was out in public, despite the oppressive feet, because he'd learned the importance of appearance early on in his life. Figures of authority took well-mannered, well dressed little boys much more seriously than a raggedy orphan with dirt smudged on his face.

He did lament that he would have less of an excuse to roll up his sleeves in the warehouse. He hadn't been blind to the lingering looks that he got from Hermione when he revealed a bit of forearm. But, all thoughts of Hermione had to be put from his mind for the moment.

Tom pulled a hankerchief from his pocket, using it to wipe off his bloody knuckles, not satisfied until all traces of his fight were gone. He had brought Evan down to the docks with him to help sort out a captain who had unfortunately lost a large quantity of goods for his gang, which had in turn lost a large amount of money. If there was something that Tom couldn't abide by, it was sloppy business, and the captain and his bruised face and broken ribs could attest to that. Tom would give him one more chance before taking more drastic measures.

"I don't see why we didn't just kill him and dump him in the delta." Evan said from Tom's side, his arms crossed like a petulant child.

Tom bristled, having his decisions questions. Evan Rosier had become an increasing thorn in Tom's side, always having something negative to say, despite the fact that their buisness was thriving. He knew that it had all started when they brought Hermione on board, but even Evan was finding less and less to complain about her. Still, Tom knew that Evan would let the girl go in heartbeat if he were in charge of the decisions.

Rounding on his associate, Tom did little to hide his disappointment. "The crew has always been reliable. I won't punish them for one mistake. If he fucks it up again, I will reevaluate." Evan was by no means an integral part of the gang, and Tom wondered if he'd made a mistake bringing him in all those years ago. Evan had been a bit of a conman, prior to joining Riddle's gang, working his way through the wealthy families in the south and making plenty of enemies along the way. Tom had seen his potential and helped him out with some legal fees, but he was wondering if the pay back had been worth it.

Their conversation was interrupted when a well-dressed, good looking young man bowled into Evan, before apologising profusely. "Oh, I am so sorry sir." The man said, before shuffling along, his eyes wide and hands buried in his pocket.

Evan was annoyed, but Tom could only smirk, his blue eyes following the steps of the boy. Cocking his head to the side, he wondered if the boy was much older than Hermione was. Evan wanted to head home, but Tom waved him off, subtly pointing to the boy. "Watch him work." He instructed.

The boy bumped into another person, a woman this time. The youth pressed one hand on the woman's upper arm, excused as helping to steady her. While she was too busy battling her eyelashes at good looks and a charming smile, it was easy to see that his other hand was slipping into her purse and pulling out some money.

Beside him, Tom could see Evan snarling, his own hands patting his pockets, only to find them suspiciously empty. "Oi! That blighter took my wallet!" Evan cried, loud enough to attract the attention of others in the crowd, including the woman's beau.

Tom watched in annoyance as the pickpocket's arm was grabbed by the husband, not allowing him to flee. Of course Evan would have to go and ruin someone else's con just because he was too thick to realize his wallet had been lifted. Still, the boy had potential, potential Tom could definitely use to his advantage.

But, to further complicate matters, Evan's outburst had also attracted the attention of a nearby police officer. Tom was delighted to see that it was just a young policeman. They were always the easiest to crack.

Pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, Tom made his way over to the group, leaving Evan behind gaping at him. The young man was already in handcuffs by the time Tom got there, patting his hand on the officer's back. "Now, officer, surely this young man here doesn't need to go to jail. He's just a boy." Tom used his most saccharine voice, hoping to win over the woman at least.

To his surprise, the man just sneered at him. "What, is he one of yours, Riddle?"

"No." Tom responded calmly, unsurprised that he recognized him. "I am sure that this young man just made a terrible mistake, and I am sure he doesn't need to go to jail to learn his lesson." He was annoyed that the officer had a bit of lip, but Tom was determined to get this settled. This would leave the boy in his debt. "Surely there is something that I can do to help smooth things over, Officer...Thomas." His eyes searched the other man's face, looking for the name on the badge, so the officer would be sure to know that he wouldn't be forgotten.

"No, Riddle. I am afraid that there is nothing that you can do for me." Officer Thomas said pointedly, catching Tom completely off guard. There was nothing that a little money couldn't get accomplished in this City, but apparently this worthless little beat cop had a different idea. Turning on his heel, Tom returned to Evan's side. This was something that he was going to have to deal with.


He had to wait over the weekend to get the bail amount to get the young pickpocket out of jail. Since he was arrested on a Friday afternoon, no judge could see him until the following Monday morning, much to Tom's annoyance. While he was waiting, he spent most of his time finding out as much about him as possible.

The boy was called Regulus Black, and he'd only just turned twenty-one, making him about two years older than Hermione. He was from a well established family in Georgia. He had an older brother who had turned out to be somewhat of a fuckup, spending his time gambling, whoring and drinking - or in other words, Tom's perfect customer. Wanting to please his parents, he seemed that Regulus had headed to New Orleans to attend Tulane himself, with ambitions of getting a degree in political science.

As far as Tom could tell, Black had no run-ins with the law in the past. He could find no hint of an arrest record, which made his foray into pickpocketing even more interesting. Perhaps he had some kind of gambling debt that he was trying to repay? No matter what the case, Tom could recognize talent, and he had a feeling that he could use the talents that Regulus had. He'd always needed a lawyer, after all.

Regulus's bail was set at a measly five thousand dollars, the totality of which was hidden in Tom's breast pocket. He'd informed Evan that he was going to garnish it from his upcoming pay, because he was the whole reason that Tom was having to pay the gaoler anyway. Well, he wouldn't have to go down to the jail if Potter had just taken his fucking bribe, but Tom supposed he was paying one way or the other. He didn't really care who he paid, so long as he got what he wanted in the end.

"I'm off," Tom said, tipping his hit towards Antonin, who was busy pasting labels to their new bottles of whiskey. "Keep an eye on this one," he pointed in the direction of Evan, who was barely able to restrain his rage after being told off in front of all the others.

"I don't know why you are wasting your time with such naive children," Evan snarled. "They aren't little orphans that need to be loved. They are trouble - likely to crack at the first sign of trouble from the police, and I don't fancy doing a stint like Rab did."

Antonin snorted at that. "Seems that Hermione has done more around here in the last few months than you've ever done," Antonin retorted. "Maybe you should keep your mouth shut unless you have the money to back up the shit you're spewing."

Confident that Tony would be able to keep Evan in line while he was gone, Tom knew that he was going to have to think long and hard about what to do with the man. Heading out of the warehouse, Tom made his way across town to the jail, before paying the bail to get Regulus Black out of jail.

Regulus looked surprised to see him when he was finally let out of his cell. "You bailed me out?" he asked, surprise evident in his voice. "I thought my parents might have found out."

"I did bail you out, Regulus," Tom responded, pleased with the young man's reaction so far.

"You know who I am?" He asked curiously, his eyes a mercurial shade of grey.

"I did a bit of looking into you," Tom revealed. "I would love to chat about it with you on the way back to my warehouse. The way I see it, I bailed you out. You owe me that much at least." He pulled his cigarette case out of his pocket before offering Regulus one as well.

"But you're...you're Tom Riddle!" Regulus said, a bit of eagerness bleeding into his voice. "What could you possibly want to talk to me about?"

Tom was pleased - more than pleased - at the reaction he got. It was good to know that his name had clout even with the pretty rich boys in the Universities. Deciding that they were far enough away from the jail and looking around to make sure no one was listening in, Tom elaborated. "Well, Regulus, I was very impressed with your skill. You pinched a wallet off of one of my men, someone who has been with me for over five years, and he didn't even notice until I pointed it out to him. I could make use of some of your skills, show you the ropes and the like. You could go much farther than just stealing a woman's pocket change."

Regulus, apparently, didn't even need to think it over before he was wholeheartedly agreeing. "Yes, absolutely. I will do whatever you ask of me. I am sure that I have a lot to learn." His cheeks went a bit pink, and his age showed now more than ever.

"Yes you do," Tom agreed, not wanting him to think it was going to be easy. He didn't want Regulus to crumble when things weren't as easy as a rich kid like him was used to. He didn't want Evan to be proven right. "Tell me Regulus-"

"Call me Reggie." The other man offered with a grin.

"Reggie, why did you get into pick pocketing in the first place? Do you have some kind of gambling get to be paid off?" Tom questioned, wanting to be sure that he didn't have any skeletons in his closet that could eventually mess with Tom's business.

He ran his fingers through his long, wavy hair, a hint of a grin on his face. "Honestly, I was just a bit bored. Classes are...much easier than I expected. My professors are all slobbering all over me, trying to stay on my good side, because of my name. I wanted to see if I could do it at first, but it was much easier than I ever thought it could be. Once I was successful, well...I guess the rush just kind of takes over you, you know?"

Tom nodded knowingly. "I know exactly what you mean. You know, Reggie, I think this is going to end up being quite a good partnership, for both of us. Tell me, do you like whiskey?"


The morning after Hermione had woken up with the memory of Tom curled around her body, she knew that she needed some outside advice. The night still swam in her daydreams, and she swore that his scent still lingered in her blankets, keeping her safe at night. Her heart raced when she thought about how he'd pressed every inch of himself against her body.

It was a huge step in their relationship, but she'd still gotten no word from Tom that it was anything more than a business relationship. Complicating matters was the fact that Tom hadn't waited for her to wake up before leaving. Instead he'd left her a scrawled note, thanking her for her hospitality and a promise that he would see her again soon. She was nearly too embarrassed to admit it, but she pressed that note between the pages of her favorite book, not wanting to chance losing it.

She could at least now admit that she did want something more than a business relationship with Tom. Now that she knew what it was like to kiss him, she couldn't imagine wanting to do it with anyone else. But, she needed to figure out a way, a delicate way, to tease out what he thought of her. She didn't want to spook him after all.

Writing to Juniper seemed the obvious choice. She was obviously a woman who was well versed in social graces, she knew Tom well enough, and she had a sickeningly sweet marriage with Abraxas. Juniper had written back eagerly, agreeing to meet Hermione in the City. "I've heard lots of good things about a muffaletta that I have just been dying to try!"

When the day arrived, Hermione felt as if her stomach was all in knots, and she wondered just why she was so nervous about telling Juniper. Perhaps it was because she'd never had anyone to discuss her love life with, or perhaps it was the fact that she'd never had a love life prior to Tom. What if Juniper thought she was quite scandalous for allowing a man to stay overnight, and sleep in her bed? What if she ruined the one female friendship she had?

Hermione politely inquired after Juniper's family while they were waiting for their food to arrive, curious to know more about baby Lucius and her friend was only too happy to extrapolate. Apparently, he was busy working on taking his first steps and Abraxas was the epitome of doting father. Despite their rocky beginnings to their relationship, Hermione found herself tickled pink by the idea of Abraxas having such an active role in his child's life.

"So, Hermione, tell me. You told me that you were looking for a little bit of relationship advice in your letter, and I must admit that my interest is piqued," Juniper said with a curious look on her face.

She could already feel her cheeks heating up from what she was about to reveal, and she hadn't even said anything to Juniper yet. Tucking a bit of her hair behind her ear, Hermione looked up shyly at Juniper. "Well, you see, it's about Tom-"

"Oh! Juniper!" A familiar voice practically screeched from across the room.

Hermione turned to look up and was annoyed to see Bellatrix Lestrange. Striding over to the table, the third woman bent over at gave Juniper a tight hug that was barely returned. "Oh, fancy running into you, here, Juni," Bellatrix cooed, as though they were best friends. The look on Juniper's face at the use of the nickname lead Hermione to believe that they weren't. At all. Bellatrix turned to look at the other occupant of the table, pretending as if she had only just noticed her. "Oh, hello. Hermione, is it?"

Unable to hold back a snort of disgust, Hermione rolled her eyes at the pettiness of Rodolphus's wife. "Please don't act like you don't know who I am, Bellatrix," she said, disdainfully. "If I have the misfortune of having to see you, you will at least acknowledge me for who I am."

Bellatrix ignored Hermione's admonishment, instead choosing to find a chair to pull over to the table, not even asking if she could join the other two for lunch. She waved down a waiter and ordered, willfully ignoring the annoyed glares of Hermione and the polite disappointment of Juniper Malfoy.

Taking a sip of her tea, Juniper cautiously looked at Hermione. "So, Hermione, I believe that you were going to tell me something about Tom?" She broached cautiously.

Hermione gave her friend a nearly imperceptible shake of her head. There was no way that she was going to discuss her relationship - potential or otherwise - with Tom Riddle in front of Bellatrix. She knew that Rodolphus's wife had some kind of weird obsession with her boss, and likely fancied herself as Tom's favorite. If Hermione suggested that she had any kind of self-consciousness in her relationship with him, she knew that Bellatrix would pounce on the opportunity to drive a wedge between them.

"What could you possibly have to talk about Tom? You are just a chemist," Bellatrix sneered, looking Hermione up and down. "You are just an orphan that he pulled off the streets. You can't possibly comprehend the lifestyle that the rest of us come from. Isn't that right, Juniper?"

The said chemist bit the inside of her cheek hard, so that she didn't say anything truly horrid. She knew that she was from a vastly different social class than Juniper and Abraxas, and probably even Bellatrix and Rodolphus. But, Juniper had never once made her feel as if she didn't belong or that she didn't deserve her friendship. Further, Hermione hadn't forgotten the way that Tom had opened up to her, telling her all kinds of things from his past. He certainly hadn't had a privileged upbringing either.

Forcing a sweet smile on her face, Hermione turned to face Bellatrix. "Oh, well, Tommy was just so pleased with some work that I did for him the other week, and he told me that I could have anything I wanted." She knew it was a bit petty to rub this in Bellatrix's face, but she really couldn't help herself. The other woman was just so smug, and she needed to be knocked down off her high horse. "He suggested a trip to Havana, even, and I am thinking about taking him up on his offer. I know that Juniper and Abraxas went there not long ago, and I was just hoping to get some travel advice."

Bellatrix was left gaping like a fish, while Juniper waxed lyrical about how wonderful Cuba was, and how much Tom must appreciate her for sending her on such a luxurious trip. Getting one up on Bellatrix tasted sweet.