Still Delicate

A Time for Wine

Chapter 18 - A Time For Wine

She's kind and caring,
Loving and giving,
A devoted mother and grandmother,
A hard worker,
A brave colleague
A loyal friend -
Vote Hermione Weasley for Minister of Magic.

**

Hermione Weasley talks about family values -
Did you know her daughter got pregnant at sixteen?
Hermione Weasley talks about being a loyal wife -
Did you know she cheated on her husband?
Hermione Weasley talks about equality for House Elves -
Did you know she has five of them working for her?
Vote for Percy Weasley - the honest candidate.

"I don't believe this! Half of this crap isn't even true! I do not have five house elves working for me!"

"Honest candidate, my arse," Dad growls, casting a very dirty look at The Daily Prophet, "That woman is the devil. Come back Voldemort, all is forgiven!"

While I think that Mum's pitch was somewhat over the top, it seems Auntie Audrey has resorted to downright lying in Uncle Percy's campaign. Okay, so I did get pregnant at sixteen, and Mum may have kissed another man while she and Dad were engaged, but I'm fairly sure that there are no House Elves working here.

"Mum, I think it's time you started playing dirty," says Hugo, who has been playing with Aidan in the corner, "You know, spread some rumours, dig up some dirt."

"I don't think you'd have to do much digging," Dad chips in darkly.

Mum bustles over to the oven and turns it on for dinner. "I am not stooping to her level," she says, "And anyway, saying bad things about Audrey isn't going to get me very far. Are we forgetting that it's Percy running for minister?"

"I have dirt on him too," Dad tells her.

"And I have some on Molly," I add. Not many people know about her heavy-drinking marijuana-smoking phase that lasted all of a week, and if Audrey found out she'd throw a complete shit fit.

"Why don't they just take a bath?" Aidan asks. Sometimes I can't help but smile at his innocence. I hope it lasts forever. I hope in a couple of years he's not trying to dig up dirt on his family members. Because like Dad said, he wouldn't have to do much digging, especially where I'm concerned.

I suddenly get a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach when I remember the letter I got this morning from Scorpius. He couldn't even bare to ring me, he had to write. And he didn't write very much.

I'm coming over tonight at 7. We need to talk.
Scorpius.

I have potions class at eight, however, so he can't keep me too long. And Aidan is staying here with Mum and Dad tonight so at least I don't have to worry about him hearing us arguing again. Especially considering we are going to be arguing over him.

I haven't told anyone about Scorpius asking for a custody agreement. The one person I would consider telling is currently in New Zealand and not speaking to me. And the other two people I would consider telling are spending so much time together recently that I haven't seen either of them in days. Brian and Dom are the new Al and Jenny - where you see one, the other isn't far away. I've created a monster.

And as for Laura, I haven't heard from her since after the hen weekend. I don't know what she's been doing - or who for that matter - and whenever I try to ring her it goes straight to voicemail.

"Well you have to do something, Hermione," says Dad, "You can't just sit back and let her get away with this."

"What do you want me to do, egg their house?" Mum snaps.