Disclaimer- I do not own anything except the Ocs that appears in this fic.

Author Note: Merry Christmas! It had been a long time since I updated but I will try to update this fic as fast as I can but no promises. This may be one of the shortest chapters that I have ever written but I do hope that all of you will enjoy this chapter. I also want to thank everyone that had reviewed and added this to their follows and favorites.

There are times when Nico wonder why he was friends with Chris, the boy never consider his feelings about certain matters. There was that time that the son of Hermes had dragged him on a double date, when he and Emily had decided that they were no longer together. Then there was that time in Camp when he had said that he would help repair the Demeter cabin's pipes.

Then there was that time…

Well you got the point.

The point is that the bastard didn't even bother to ask him about whether he wanted to go to the museum with him and Hermione. Nico kicked the chair. This earned surprise looks from Chris and the pedestrians. He glares at the pedestrian while crossing his arms as he waited for the brunette girl to come.

"You seem quite angry today."

Nico leaned against the tree and angrily said. "Of course I am, you dragged me into this, bastard!"

"Did you have any plans for today? If so then I apologize."

"No." The son of Hades answered reluctantly.

"I thought so." Chris said, grinning wildly at his best friend.

"I don't want to go to the museum with you and that girl!" Nico said, throwing his arms in the air as he glared at his friend. "I just wanted a normal day for once in my life! You know a day without any trouble? A day without some girl bossing me around."

The brown-haired boy arched his eyebrows at this and lazily said. "If you didn't want a girl bossing you than why are you dating Emily then? She is always bossing you around and quite rude."

"Christopher!"

"What? Don't deny that it isn't true." Chris said, slyly smiling at him. "She's quite the flirt isn't she? Flirting with boys even when you are around. Always jealous when you are talking to a girl."

"Chris."

"Yes?"

"Shut up." Nico said, scowling at him.

The boy sighed at him and slumped against his seat while Nico decided to take a seat beside him, picking up a fallen newspaper. He started to skim through the papers, ignoring the longing looks from the females. The looks from them were making him quite uncomfortable through it wasn't unwanted, Emily always flirted with other boys despite the fact that they were dating.

Nico didn't mind but it was annoying at times.

All right, all the time.

The black-haired boy closed the newspaper and looked at Chris, who was looking at the pedestrians with interest and hope. The grin made him wonder what was so special about Hermione. The girl wasn't beautiful. Pretty yes but not beautiful and her manners were appalling.

In honesty, the girl different from Chris preferred females, who had good manners and were beautiful.

"Why do you like her, Chris? She isn't like any of the girls that you had a crush on." Nico asked, looking at his friend in curiosity. In all honesty, it just didn't make sense on how the boy would like a girl like Hermione.

Chris flushed a deep shade of red. "I don't like Hermione like that." he denied. "But, she had been there through all my bad times and she's a really kind girl."

"Kind my ass." Nico muttered, remembering her behavior towards him yesterday. "She called me an asshole and a bastard because I said that I didn't want to hear her pathetic sorrowful story."

The brown-haired boy crossed his arms at his friend and glared. "I don't blame Hermione for calling you a bastard, you were acting like a bastard." He said. "You shouldn't say these things to anyone."

"But it is true."

"That doesn't mean you have to be rude." Chris said, giving his friend a pointed look. The brown-haired boy sighed and slumped against the bench. "She's my friend, Nico and I need you to get along with her…the very least tolerate her."

"She called me an asshole."

Chris opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. Nico frowned and followed his eyes to the direction of his best-friend's stare. Shaking his head at his best friend, Nico decided that he should take the time to look at other females. Of all the girls that his friend had to have a crush on, it had to be on that brunette girl.

He stared at the brown-haired girl, who was giving Chris an apologetic smile. At least, the girl had given them an apologetic smile for being late.

"Sorry, I'm late Chris but Aunt Susan held me up." Hermione explained. "I would have called you but you never gave me your phone number."

Chris smiled brightly at the girl, waving off her apology. He slung his arm around her and said. "It's alright. You are still unpacking your stuff and besides, I don't have phone so I wouldn't have known."

"Why don't you have a phone?"

Nico tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Chris to dodge that question. He stared at the pedestrian, smiling flirty at some of the girls. The teenage girls will smile and blush before giving him a small wink. He sighed and returned his attention to Chris and Hermione. The two of them seemed to be very engrossed with their conversation, making him feel like he is a third wheel.

He stared at Hermione, who was laughing at Chris joke. The brunette girl's eyes were twinkling with mirth and a small smile was playing on her lips. His friend also had a huge smile, grinning at the doe-eyed girl. Nico hadn't seen his friend had a smile like that in a year. Not after that girlfriend of his had cheated on him.

It seemed like he had no choice but to tolerate the girl.

"So are you ready to go to the museum, Hermione?"

The brunette girl nodded and said. "I am really interested in looking at the American Wing. Remember the time when I was seven years old and I thought that our history teacher was trying to kill us."

Nico was alarmed at this and looked at Chris, who seemed to look uneasy at this reminder. He was panicking and he knew from experience that his friend would try to find some excuse to get out of there. The son of Hermes smiled and told them that he was going to get a hotdog from the hotdog stand. Before Nico could protest, Chris had run off to get some hotdogs. He sighed and glazed at Hermione. The girl stare right back at him, arching her eyebrow at him, causing him to give her a charming smile. She rolled her eyes at him.

"I should say sorry to you about yesterday." Hermione said. "I was acting very rude to you but to be honest, you made me angry."

The son of Hades pursed his lips at her. The childish part of him wanted to snap at her and tell her she wasn't forgiven. The adult part of him knew that the girl was going through a tough time. He knew what it was like to lose someone you cared about. He will definitely be a douchebag if he snapped at the girl.

"It is…forgiven."

Hermione smiled brightly at him and took his hand, causing him to furrow his eyebrows at her. She chuckled. "I think we should start over." She explained. "Chris is my friend and knowing him, he wouldn't like it if we fight. I don't want him to feel like that he will need to pick a side so I really am keen that we should at least tolerate each other."

"You really care for him."

"He's my friend. Of course I care for him." She answered, staring at their friend as he got his hotdog. "I don't know how the two of you became friends and I don't really care. All I know for certain that the two of you are close."

"You are right, we are close. It is funny because he's my complete opposite, you know." Nico said to the girl. He waited for the girl to say something before continuing. "He's so cheerful, always grinning and acting like nothing can bring him down. I am different from him. It had been a while since I had a genuine smile and I can't even act to save my own life."

"I don't know you that well so I am just basing this from what I can see…" Hermione sighed and stared at her shoes before looking at him. Smiling, the brunette girl continued. "…But from what I can see, it is because you are opposites that you are best-friends. Of course, this might be me just suspecting this."

"You are right, he is my best friend." Nico sighed. "He has always been there for me and I have always been there for him. Even through he acts like a complete idiot at times…I wouldn't trade him for anything."

"You are not a bad guy, Di Angelo." Hermione said. "And I am glad to see that Chris has a friend like you but don't think that I like you. I am only getting along with you for the sake of my friend."

"I wouldn't expect anything less."

"Jerk." Hermione said as a small smile lit up her face.

"Bossy." Nico said, giving her a smirk.

And with that, the two teens waited for their friend. Both of them knowing that they will need to put their differences aside to make their friend happy even if it pains them to get along.

Susan was washing the dishes when she felt a presence behind her. She grabbed the knife and swirled around. Her throat became dry and her hand started to shake, slowly she put the knife on the table. She closed her eyes and groaned. Of all people to be here, it had to be him.

"Why are you here, Eric?" Susan asked shakily.

She hadn't expected this to happen. Of all the things she had expected to happen, this was definitely not on her mind. It was painful to be in his presence. He reminded her that their relationship had never been normal and could never go the normal route of having marriage, kids. Damn that man for this.

"I can't come and visit you?" He asked. "I haven't seen you for a while now."

The woman rolled her eyes and stared angrily t her ex-lover's sea green eyes. He gave her the charming smile that used to always catch her breath. However, that was when she had been young and naïve. Now, the smile only reminded her of what she had lost and what she had given up.

"Of all times, you decide to visit me. You decide to visit me when I have finally got my priority straight." She said bitterly. "It has been nearly sixteen years since I last seen you and now you decide to see me? Honestly, I expected better from you."

"Does she know?" Her ex-lover asked, getting straight to the point of why he's here.

Susan shook her head and twisted the ring on her finger. "I never got the chance to tell her." She answered. "Her parents had died…I doubt that it will be good idea for me to admit the truth just yet."

"She deserves to know the truth."

"I know she does!" Susan said, raising her voice at him. "But she still a kid! Not even sixteen years old and you want me to tell her that her father is a god! Sorry but I don't think Hermione is ready to know the truth."

"She's my daughter."

"She's my daughter as well!" She yelled. "I have every right to tell her the truth! I haven't even told her that I am her mother!"

The god kept quiet at this declaration, gently patting the young woman's back as she cried her heart out. "I should tell her that I am her mother." She whispered. "But I am afraid to admit it. What if Hermione hates me for not telling her this? Or not raising her?"

"She will understand if you tell her the truth."

"But still…"

"Listen to me, Susan, she will hate you even more if you don't tell her the truth." He pointed out to her. "If she is anything like you then she will be furious and hurt that you didn't tell her the truth."

"I almost told her the truth, Eric." She said quietly. To her, god or not, he will always be seen as Eric. "The urge was so strong. And I only wanted to do it because she invited her friend Chris and his friend Nico to dinner last night. You know I would never think that Chris Armstrong would grow to be such a cute boy."

"His friend Nico, what was his last name?"

"Nico Di Angelo." Susan said, smiling wearily at him. "The two of them didn't seem normal, both of them seemed to be hiding something. I am not sure what it is but something tells me that they aren't normal. You know I think the two of them are half-bloods."

"They are." The god said. "Nico Di Angelo is the son of Hades while Chris is a son of Hermes."

"Are they good kids? I don't want Hermione to get hurt." She began to babble. "I know Chris when he was kid but he changed and I know it was a bad idea to allow her to go to the museum with them…but I want her to have some friends here. You know I am afraid to see her hurt. I still remember that time when I saw…"

"Susan, you're babbling again." Eric said, smiling softly at her.

The brown-haired woman smiled nervously and twirled her hair, glazing at the picture of Hermione with her adoptive parents. Tears started building up behind her eyes as she remembered the night that she gave away her daughter. Her throat became dry as she remembered how her brother had convinced her to give her little girl up.

She was barely nineteen years old when she had given birth to Hermione. The whole pregnancy had been surreal in general and when the time came to give birth, it only dawn to her that she was going to give birth. She was nineteen years old and wasn't married. She didn't have a job and the father of her child couldn't be there for her. It had been a messed up situation. Susan burrowed her head on her hands, smiling bitterly as she remembered the reactions of her mother and brother.

Tom had been furious and had called her all sort of horrible names, telling her how she dishonored their family for having a child out-of-wedlock. That bastard of a brother of hers even accused her for even wanting a child without being married. Her mother didn't help, nearly disinheriting her from the family and sprouting quotes from the bible. If it hadn't been for her father then Susan had no doubts that she would have been living in the streets.

None of this would have happened if she hadn't met that blasted god in front of her.

"What are you thinking about, Susan?"

"How you changed my life." She answered quietly, glazing at the picture with sorrow. "You changed me to become a better person for Hermione but you ruined the relationship between my family and me."

Eric hesitantly put his hand on her shoulder and carefully tilted her face to look at him. His sea-green eyes held guilt and sadness, causing the young woman to give him a tight smile.

"But you gave me the best gift of all…Hermione." The young woman admitted. "I may not have raise her but she is still my daughter and I have decided to change my attitude for her."

"You were reckless and impulsive." The god said in amusement. His green eyes gleam and Susan knew that he was remembering how they met. "Only you would insult a god and not apologize."

"I didn't even know that you were god."

"So are you saying that you feel guilty?"

"No, you were being an asshole to me."

Eric laughed at this and Susan giggled however, her hazel eyes were now shining in sadness. "I will tell her the truth, Eric." She said quietly. "I will do it when she comes back from her trip to the museum."

"I do hope for her sake that you will tell her the whole truth."

Susan closed her eyes as the blinding light enveloped her ex-lover, knowing the dangers of opening her eyes to the light. Hermione deserves to know the truth and it will kill her to admit this to the girl but he was right. Her daughter deserves the right to know everything.

She deserves to know that she was also a half-blood but was it so bad for her to wish that Hermione would have a normal life? All the young woman wanted her daughter was to have her best chance in life.

The young woman hoped that Hermione would not hate her for these secrets.

"Hey Chris doesn't that remind you of Mrs. Wilson?"

Chris raised his eyebrows at her as she pointed to one of the statue. Hermione gave him a mischievous smile as he thoughtfully tilted his head at the statue. Nico pursed his lips at her, looking unamused at her comment. She stuck out her tongue at him, causing him to scowl.

"She does remind me a little bit of that wretched teacher." Chris admitted, grinning at her. "Through, it is slightly more prettier than Mrs. Wilson but to be fair anyone was more pretty that teacher."

The brunette witch smiled at the memory and looked at the statue. Her parents would have loved that statue despite the fact that it wasn't pretty; they had loved any form of art. Slowly, her smile started to disappear and a frown replaces it. What will they say about her behavior to the two boys? Probably warn her about getting too close to them.

They always warned her about getting into a relationship with a boy. You must not date until you finish school or go to college and if you do, young lady then there will be consequence. Those were her father words to her when he had learnt of her relationship with Krum. To say they were angry was an understatement.

They had been so furious with her.

Never had Hermione seen her father looked so red or her mother seem so disappointed in her. We don't want you to throw your future for some guy. They never said it but they didn't want to see her dishonor them. Till now, it still hurt to see that they thought so low of her. The disappointment and anger did not help in resolving the issue that she had.

Hermione shook her head at the memory and concentrated on Chris and Nico, who seemed to be glaring at their friend.

"Oh come on, Nico, you still can't be furious that I brought you to a museum?"

"Of course not, I am not angry with you because you took me to a museum! I am angry with you because you took me to an amusement park." The older boy said sarcastically to him. "Seriously Chris a museum? Next time, I am deciding where we are going."

Hermione smiled and a soft giggle escapes from her mouth. The two boys stare at her, looking confused at what seem so funny. She shrugged her shoulders and grinned at them, causing Chris' eyes to soften at her. Nico simply stare at her, which caused her to feel self-conscious.

"What's so funny?" He growled.

The brown-eyed girl grinned and answered. "I could tell you but that will be no fun and besides…" she paused dramatically. "You wouldn't get the idea of the joke."

"Now that's the Hermione I used to know." Chris said, grinning at her.

Hermione beamed at this but her eyes narrowed when she notice that a guard was staring at them. He looked like your typical guard. Just your average Joe with a security uniform but the stare that he was giving them, filled her with dread. He appeared hungry, licking his lips in anticipation and for a moment, she thought she saw his eye.

An eye, not two eyes. This man had only one eye like a Cyclops and there had been no sign that he used to have two eyes. Hermione rubbed her eyes and saw that the man still had the same look except he had two eyes. She shrugged and mentally frowned at this.

There is something awfully familiar about this situation. Hermione thought as she tried to recall a familiar situation but nothing came to mind. It was like it was blocked but why would that be? This was so strange. She frowned and started to feel worried as well as frustrated.

What the hell would cause her memories to be blocked?

Her frustration must have been noticed because Nico was raising his eyebrows at her, asking her a silent question. She gave him a fake smile, hoping that he wouldn't question her. His dark eyes narrowed at her smile before shaking his head at her.

Chris was staring at her and than to the man, trying his best not to tell her about his panic but he couldn't fool her. After all these years, his habit of furrowing his eyebrows when he was worried was still there.

"I think that we should go to the next exhibit."

"Why?" Hermione asked. "Is something the matter?"

"I just find this exhibit to be boring."

The brunette witch didn't look convince but didn't question him. She stared at the security guard, who was eyeing them, and nodded. The guard was giving her the creeps and there was nothing, she would like to do but to leave this place.

"I am going to the bathroom." Nico said to Chris. "Don't bother to wait up for me."

"Alright but don't take too long." Chris said. "I don't want to go searching for you, only to found out that you ditch us."

The young witch didn't miss the secret looks between them nor the way Nico would stare at her. She wanted to ask them about what was happening but a part of her was frightened to ask them. Frightened that she would not like the answer that they will give.

Chris tugged her hand and dragged her to the next exhibit while Nico went to the bathroom. She glanced at the guard and frowned. The security guard was now following the black-haired boy. A sense of dread filled her, worrying that the boy might get hurt.

"You sure it is good idea to leave him by himself?"

"He will be fine." Chris answered, smiling at her. "He is just going to bathroom and he can take care of himself."

"I just have a bad feeling." Hermione explained. "That security guard is following him and…"

"And…?" Chris prompted, trying to get her to answer his question.

"It is just plain old silliness on my part." Hermione said. "I mean it isn't possible for a guy to only have one eye."

The brown-haired boy laughed uneasily at this, causing her to look at him in suspicious. There was something that he wasn't telling her that much was for certain but why? When they were younger, they would tell each other everything but now he was keeping secrets from her. Through to be fair, she was hiding a secret from him.

But still…what was he hiding from her? Surely, it couldn't be that dangerous that he couldn't tell her or was he doing something illegal? No, Chris was never the person to do something as idiotic as doing something illegal. Her friend was the type to protect people even if he got hurt in the process.

Like the time, he didn't tell her that the bullies had beaten him up just because they had been planning to hurt her. Still, couldn't he trust her with this secret of his? And why does this boy Nico know it? She was being petty. Of course, Nico would know. The two of them had known each other longer. She had only talk to Chris through letters after they moved; even then she hid secrets from him.

Looking at her smiling friend, she wonders if it would be all right if she just followed Nico and find out the truth or just ignore it. He might have a good reason for hiding the secret from her.

Should she ignore this or should she just satisfy her curiosity?

She glanced at the toilet and made her decision.

Nico stared at the cold eye of the Cyclops. Its cold black eye stared at him for a moment before lunging at him. He rolled over, avoiding the attack. Jumping on the Cyclops' back, the raven-haired teen grabbed the hilt of his sword and was ready to plunge it on his backside when the Cyclops started jerking around. This caused Nico to drop his sword as he tried to hold on for his life.

He cursed under his breath as he tried to figure out a back-up plan. Summoning some skeletons seemed to be a pretty good idea now but it would take so much energy from him. The only thing that he can do now was to jump off its back and tried to reach for his sword.

"What the bloody hell is going on here!?"

Nico twisted his head to find the source of the voice and groaned at the sight of a shell-shocked Hermione standing in front of the doorway. Of all the people to be here, it had to be her. It would have been nice if it had been Chris. At least his friend can help him with this problem, unlike her. She had no idea about the world around her or the fact that it was dangerous.

"What does it look like, woman!" Nico yelled, glaring at her as he held on the Cyclops for dear life.

She opened her mouth to reply but closed it when the Cyclops had turned its attention on her. The brunette girl gulped and looked around, no doubt searching for a way out of here. He hoped so because that was the only smart thing to do.

The Cyclops pounced at her and Nico tighten his grip on the monster's neck, hoping that it would slow it down its attack on Hermione. He wanted to smack his head when he saw that Hermione was making no attempt in running away. This girl was insane! Doesn't she know the danger she was in? No, maybe she was truly a mortal and not some half-blood? Or maybe she was one of those half-bloods that the mist still played tricks on.

The brunette girl jumped back at the last second, narrowing missing the attack.

"Why aren't you running you fool? Don't you see what's happening? Go and get Chris, he will know what to do!" Nico yelled. For a second, he felt like Percy when he yelled at her. Only Percy would do something as impulsive as this or even assume that the girl knew what the monster is! Maybe, it is time that he spent less time with him.

"This can't be happening." Hermione muttered to herself as she started to burrow her hand through her jean's pocket. "I must be imagining…there's no way that it is a Cyclops! It just can't be. I can believe in giants and dragons but not this."

He groaned at her words. "Well, you better believe it darling!" he yelled. "Now don't stand there like a fool and help me defeat this thing!"

The brunette girl blinked her eyes and glared at him. He furrowed his eyebrows at the sight of a stick in her hands. How in Hades will a stick help them? That blasted stick can only buy them sometime, not kill the monster. Then again, he did need time to kill the monster so who was he to complain.

But still how can a stick help them?

"Stupefy!" Hermione yelled, pointing the stick at the monster as red sparks came out of the stick.

What happened next surprise him.

The monster was knock out as soon as the red sparks came to contact to it. Luckily, he jumped off its back before it even reached the floor. Scanning the room for his sword, Nico wonder what the hell had just happened and where his sword was.

He licked his lips when he spotted that his sword was just beside the Cyclops. Quickly and swiftly as he could, the son of Hades run over for his weapon and he just prayed that the Cyclops will not wake up from its slumber. Grabbing his sword, Nico thrust his sword on the monster's stomach and watched in satisfaction as he saw the monster's essence gets sucked into the blade, knowing that it will now be in Tartarus.

"Now that you defeated the monster, can you please explain to me about what the hell is happening? And why did it attack you? And why was it trying to attack me?"

Nico closed his eyes and groaned, realizing that he now had to do something so troublesome and tiring:

Explaining to Hermione about what she just saw.

The gods truly hate him, didn't they?

Author Note: Please review and also please tell me about what you like about this chapter how I may improve it.