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A hard body slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. Before she could think of a spell -- a nasty one -- one of the NCIS agents was right there, kicking the attacker away from her.
By the time Hermione rolled out of the way and onto her feet, the fight was over.
From where he was handcuffing someone further in the room, McGee gave her an encouraging smile. "You'll get the hang of it."
"Not before she gets one of us killed," Ziva David growled, wedging her booted foot under Hermione's unconscious attacker and turned him over so she could handcuff him. "We can't keep rescuing her."
That pricked Hermione's pride. She survived a war. She could keep herself safe.
Ziva's dark eyes swept over her, looking for any sign of injury. "I would suggest letting someone else enter first next time."
A mild rebuke, but the heat simmering under the surface of the blandly spoken words told a far different story. Ziva was angry, and as McGee kindly told her upon her arrival three weeks ago, when Ziva was angry, it was best to duck your head and stay as low as possible.
Hermione knew the former Mossad agent hated being assigned as her babysitter for the duration of her loan from the Ministry to NCIS. A witch was a handicap in the Muggle world, especially one who had no physical training.
Three weeks ago, she had tried to arrange it so she would be in the office more than she would be in the field. After all, she was in the law side of law enforcement in England, so it would make sense if she worked in a more legal capacity while in America.
Gibbs, Director Vance, and the Secretary of Defense had a different opinion.
She hated violence, had had enough of it during the War.
But this was different. Ziva was right. She could get someone killed by her inexperience.
When in Rome, she told herself, mentally bracing for Ziva's bad reaction. She met Ziva's dark eyes. "If it's not too much trouble, I would like to learn how to fight."
"I could teach you," DiNozzo volunteered from the other room.
Hermione turned. DiNozzo wasn't bad, just a horrible flirt.
He popped his head around the corner, a bright grin on his handsome face. "It'll be fun. And afterwards, we can go out for Italian and watch The Karate Kid."
Alarms blared in her mind. Danger, danger, Will Robinson.
A weathered hand smacked the back of DiNozzo's head.
DiNozzo winced. "Right. Rule #12. Won't happen again, boss."
"Better not, DiNozzo," Gibbs growled, "or I'll let Ziva drive for the next month."
McGee paled.
"Very well," Ziva said. Hermione looked back at the Israeli woman to see an anticipatory light in Ziva's eyes. That...can't be good. "We'll start tonight."
Suddenly, DiNozzo's offer sounded wonderful.