Plotting Brother

Harry and Hermione sat together in an old oak tree in the center of the courtyard. He had just been walking by when he'd spotted her sitting way up in the branches. "Hermione," He started hesitantly, having settled a few branches below her, "Have you any siblings at home?" It was the begining of their seventh year now, and the dark haired seeker had just recently come to realize he'd never asked.

Hermione sighed and tugged at her unruly hair. "No. My parent's couldn't have any more after I was born." She wasn't particularly insulted over his tactless questions, the way she used to be. "Did you ever wish you did?" His voice was deep and troubled, and she had a feeling this was about to turn around into one of his self pity moments.

Draco Malfoy, while by no means a snoop, couldn't help being curious. He was perched behind a nearby bush, where he'd been lounging in hiding, listening to his rival and the mudblood converse.

"I always wanted a brother." She said, trying to keep her tone flat and even.

Harry felt his lips twitch into a smile. He was glad she had answered. "I always wanted a sister." He mumbled, flashing a hopeful look up at the brunette. At some point in the last year he'd realized he'd grown protective over her in a way similar to how Ron was with Ginny. His shoulder twitched slightly as his brain dragged up a picture of his on-again, off-again best friend.

Hermione was caught off guard by his confession, although admittedly she should have guessed something like this was coming. As his words sank in fully she frowned. He'd said sister. Was that only because Ron was being a total complete prat? "I'd have thought you'd want a brother." She quipped.

Draco was rather glad he'd been hiding in the bush today. He couldn't believe his luck. He'd been trying to figure out where exactly the Potter-Granger relationship sat for five years. He'd almost given up last year when Hermione and Ron had wound up dating, writting her off as out of bounds. He did, rather misfortunately, owe Harry and Ron his life, twice over. If she was with one of them, he couldn't very well steal her away. They'd murder him in his sleep.

But ever since the previous year he'd suspected Harry might have known something of his feelings for her.

Harry rolled his eyes. "No thanks. I grew up with Dudley, remember? We may be cousin's, but I have a nasty feeling that's how it'd be with a brother." That made her chuckle. She had always wondered... "Did you ever, even once, think of him as a brother?"

Harry, stood up carefully, keeping perfect balance on the branch he'd been sitting on, so that he could look her in the eyes. "I did. When I was little, I pretended we were twins. I pretended Vernon and Petunia were my parents." He made an elaborate gesture with his hand, as if saying you-know-how-it-goes. "I kept it to myself of course. Until one day I slipped up and called Petunia 'mommy'."

The slytherin snickered from his placed behind the bush. Imagine that. Potty called his muggle aunt 'mommy'. Bet they just loved that, doted on him like the sun shone out his ass.

Hermione winced and patted her friend on the head. "Lemme guess, that's about when they crammed you under the stairs?"

Draco stopped snickering at once.

"Yep. You remember how I told you she completely hated my mom right? For being a witch." He smiled sourly, "Well hell hath no fury like a close minded muggle who was called 'mommy' by a bastard wizard child."

Hermione chuckled at his witty tone. "No, I suppose not. Sorta like I would expect Malfoy to do if a muggle kid tried to call him 'daddy'."

The blond frowned. Ah yes, that's right. Harry knew he wasn't so bad, but Hermione thought he was a nasty muggle hater.

"Nah."Harry said dismissively, dropping back down onto his branch. "Malfoy's not that bad, 'mione." He swung himself so he was hanging upside down, his arms crossed over his chest. Hermione snorted and looked down at him, "I never thought I'd see the day. You're sticking up for Malfoy. For MALFOY. Are you sure you're really Harry? You're not someone who's take polyjuice potion are you?" There was a teasing edge in her voice that made Harry laugh until he fell out of the tree. "Don't be ridiculous 'mione. Who else would know about my aunt and uncle and cousin?"

He sat up and brushed the drit from his robes, suddenly recalling his original question for her.

Draco was too bothered by Hermione's outright distaste to laugh as his rival fell out of the tree.

"Do you still want a brother?" Harry's question made Hermione lean over the edge of her branch and raise an eyebrow at him. "Harry, my parent's couldn't have a baby now. It's not like I can just say I want one, and have him hand delivered to me."

"I could be your brother." He said plainly.

She vaulted herself out of the tree and gave him an apraising look. "Well, I dunno. That would make us twins." She seemed amused as she placed a hand to her chin. "I suppose we could be fraternal." She circled him, pretending to size him up. Harry chuckled and ruffled her hair as she got too close.

"However," She stated, trying to fix the mess he'd made of her hair, "I guess that means I'd have to get your approval on the boy I want to date, brother?" She watched his casual shrug. "I don't care who you date, 'mione, just as long as it's Malfoy, because if you don't pick him, he'll stalk you forever."

Draco felt his stomach do a jig as Harry directed her attention to the bush he was hiding in. "Damnit Potter!" He hissed, tring to find a way to sneak off before she could come investigate.

Hermione blushed deeply, "Did you read my diary?" She was mortified as Harry smirked at her and pulled it out of his pocket. "Awe, c'mon, sis. I was just trying to figure out why you kept doodling snakes on everything." He flipped it open and pretended to read a random page.

Hermione lunged at Harry, but he ducked out of the way, and she flew face first into a rather solid bush. It took her several moments to realize she had crashed into Malfoy.

Draco felt pretty damned smug as she blushed, their faces within inches of each other. "W-what are you doing here?" She stammered, trying to scramble off of the Slytherin, but his arms shot around her waist, keeping her firmly planted on him.

"I... how did Potty put it, ah yes...stalked you out here." He drawled out, his face and voice not betraying the hammering of his heart in his chest.

Harry smirked and stuck his head through the bush, not the least bit upset about the rather intimate position the two were in. "Now 'mione, I've got to go meet Ginny. Play nice with Draco, cause as your brother, I won't approve anyone else."

Ginny watched in amusement from her room. She'd thought Harry had been crazy at first, when he'd asked if she'd noticed the way Malfoy stared at Hermione in the halls too. But they sure looked cozy behind their bush.

This is meant to be a fluffy, first attempt at a Draco/Hermione story.