AN: I don't own Harry Potter. I think we've established that.

Thanks for the reviews, follows, and faves. Really. I must admit I've been a busy bee tonight. My second story update in just a few hours. Might just be a record for me.

If your stepfather was up for a job and his opponent was the man who'd been a father figure to you for years, one would think you'd be stuck in the middle. Even if you had a vote, who would you choose? Quite the pickle, isn't it?

On with the story! Enjoy!

Hermione sat on the sofa, glasses perched on her face and her laptop on her knees, with Nicholas fast asleep in his bassinet in the corner, going over what she and Severus had gotten written of his biography so far. She had done exactly what he had asked, and she had promised - just the truth, the facts. No embellishments to anything. Just the pure, sometimes not so simple, truth.

"Hermione? You home?" she heard from the floo.

Standing with a quiet groan as she straightened her legs, she made her way over to the fireplace, hoping Nicholas stayed asleep. "Hey, Harry." she said, kneeling. "What's up?"

"Well...nothing, really." he said. "I was just wondering if I could come over for a bit?"

"Oh! Sure. Just give me a minute to get out of the way." she said, standing and moving to the side. "Anytime, Harry." she said.

Instantly, Harry came falling out of her fireplace, making her giggle. Even after all this time, her friend still hadn't gotten the hang of successful floo travel.

"Oh, son of a..." he groaned, standing. "Every time. You'd think I'd get the hang of it by now."

Hermione giggled again, covering her mouth. "Oh, Harry. Why don't you just give it up? It's been 15 years, and you're still no better at floo travel than I am at flying a broom."

"Yeah, yeah." he said, rolling his eyes. "Anyway...when'd you start wearing glasses?" he asked, tilting his head in confusion as he looked at her.

Hermione pushed her glasses up to the top of her head, suddenly self conscious about them. "For about five years now, I think." she said. "Well, why don't we go in the kitchen and I'll fix you a cuppa?"

"Sure." he nodded, still staring at her glasses. "Hey, where's little Nicky?" he asked, following her to the kitchen.

"Over there asleep in his bassinet." she said, pointing to the corner of the living room. "And please don't call my son little Nicky." she groaned.

"Why not? I think it's a good nickname for the kid." Harry said, sitting at the table.

Hermione groaned again, setting the kettle to boil. "Just...don't let Severus catch you calling him Nicky, alright?" she said, getting two cups out of the cupboard.

"Uh, yeah..." he said, looking around, "speaking of, where is the old bat?" he asked, making Hermione glare at him.

"Harry..." she growled.

"What? It's said with something like affection." Harry said in his best innocent voice.

"Uh-huh." Hermione said. "And he's in Manchester for the night."

"Why's he up there?"

"He's trying to expand his supply company, so he's meeting with a couple of apothecary owners." she said, setting a cup of tea down in front of him.

"Thanks, Mione." he said, wrapping his hands around the cup.

"So...what's up, Harry?" she asked. "I mean, it's not often you come around here."

Harry shrugged. "Nothing. I just needed to get away from Grimmauld for now." he said. "Sirius has a new girl, and apparently neither of them know how to cast silencing charms." he said with a shiver.

"Oh, right." she nodded. "What's her name again? Cathy? Candy?"

"Cindy. And it's not her. It's another new one." he said. "This one's called Precious."

Hermione snorted. "Good gods. That's almost as bad as Duchess."

"What?" Harry asked, frowning in confusion.

Hermione realized Harry had still been away when Sirius dated that particular woman. "Of course you don't know. Uh...about a year before you came back, and right before Sirius went on his extended holiday, he met this woman whose legal name was Duchess Pineapple." she said.

"Really?" Harry asked with a chuckle.

Again, Hermione nodded. "Yeah. The two of them dated for about a month or so, I think. I also think Sirius really liked her, because not long after she called it off, he took off."

Harry raised his eyebrows at that. He hadn't known about that, and Sirius had told him everything from the time he returned to the land of the living until they were reunited at Christmas.

Nicholas began crying from the other room, and Hermione stood. "If you want, you can take your tea into the living room. No doubt Nicholas will be hungry, and I'll need to take him upstairs to feed him." she said.

"Oh...well, why don't you let me feed him? You sit and enjoy your tea." he said, also standing.

Hermione shook her head. "Sorry, but I haven't expressed lately, so..."

"Oh!" Harry said, flushing. "Well, I'll just wait in the living room." he said, grabbing his tea and following her into the living room.

Hermione picked Nicholas up from his bassinet, cooing at him. "Hello, mummy's little boy. Did you have a nice nap?" she asked, cradling him. "Say hi to Harry." she said, turning around to face Harry, who was standing beside the sofa.

"Hey, Nicky." he said, waving at the baby.

"Make yourself comfortable, Harry." Hermione said over her shoulder as she walked upstairs.

"You know," Harry started as Hermione sat down once she came back downstairs, "I haven't seen your mum in a while. How is she?" he asked.

Hermione set the baby monitor down on the table beside her, making sure the volume was up high. "She's good. She's started a new diet, though."

"Why? Your mum's already thin." he asked. When it came to women and diets, that was one area that always confused Harry.

"I know that. She knows that. But she put herself on one in support of Lucius. Mum said he's started to 'pack on the pounds', I think is how she put it." Hermione said, tilting her head.

"Oh? And how is the potential Minister?" he asked.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. I've been staying away from him and Arthur lately." she said.

"Why?" Harry asked again, beginning to feel like the quizmaster.

Hermione sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I went to visit Molly the other day, and mentioned that Severus and I had dinner with mum and Lucius the night before, and she actually accused me of siding with Lucius. Then, when I visited mum, I started a sentence with the phrase, 'I was at the Burrow yesterday,' and Lucius popped up behind me, accusing me of siding with the Weasley's." she said. "So, I decided until the decision is in, I'm not speaking to either side."

"Well, that's just nuts. I mean, of course you're going to side with Lucius and hope he gets the post. He's your stepfather." Harry said.

"That's the thing, Harry. I'm not siding with anyone. If Lucius gets it, great. If Arthur gets it, that's great, too. But, I can't choose. Both men mean a lot to me, and if you ask me, both would be great Ministers." she said, eyes welling up.

Harry saw the tears before they started, and didn't want to see his friend cry. "Hey, hey, hey." he said, moving to sit beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Don't cry, Mione."

Hermione gave him a watery smile, waving her hand. "Don't mind me. I still get a little emotional from time to time." she said. "It's like the bookstore incident all over again."

Harry huffed a little laugh, smiling. He remembered when Arthur and Lucius got into a fight in Flourish and Blott's the summer before their second year. Molly was horrified, but he and Ron were silently cheering Arthur on. He wanted to say something to comfort Hermione, but had no idea what that would be. Just as he came up with something that he thought would help, the sound of someone apparating into the room sounded, making them both look up.

"WE WON!"

Review please.

Who's it gonna be? Lucius or Arthur?

Til next time!

XOXO - Onyx Obsidian