Disclaimer: JK Rowling, Stephanie Meyer and Rick Riordan own all rights to their amazing works. It's their worlds, I am just playing inside it. I am making no money on this, it's just for fun.

Chapter 12:

Harry walks into the Great Hall for dinner, floating is more like it, having been with Ginny the whole afternoon. He can't remember why he is suddenly attracted to the fourth year, it's strange. She is pretty in her own way but not the type that Harry usually goes for. Where he likes brunettes, she has the Weasley red hair. Her boyish figure is a 180⁰ from the hourglass figure that catches his eye normally, namely the figure of his best friend's. One that he has been dreaming of since third year. Now that he is thinking of Hermione, all attraction to Ginny flies out the window. He takes a breath, sits down and looks between his two best friends.

"What now guys, you were both fine this afternoon."

"That was before I caught Malfoy staring at Hermione ever since we walked in here. So what's going on between the two of you, 'Mione?" Ron sneers in the Gryffindor Princess' direction.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Ronald. I have not said a word to him, though I am willing to give him another chance." The girl quietly tells the angry red head, while buttering a roll for Harry.

"WHAT!" Ron explodes, standing up. "Harry did you hear that?"

"Yes, I did, Ron. Thank you Hermione." Harry growls at the boy for yelling at his mate. Whoa boy, where did that come from. Come to think of it, it explains a lot. Harry is liking this, the more he thinks about it.

"Ron, I have my reasons. Professor K told us to be nice to each other. If Draco-"

"Oh its Draco now, is it?" He sneers.

"If Draco is trying, then I will too. He and Harry are brothers after all." Hermione finishes her thought, patting Harry's hand.

"Thanks 'Mi." He whispers, using his nickname for her. Ron gives a sour look. 'She hates it when I call her anything but Hermione, though he gets away with it.' "Do you really believe they are brothers? I mean, they look nothing alike. All my siblings and I resemble each other. Percy looks more like Harry's brother than Malfoy." He queries as he turns to his food.

Nico is sitting with him, when Draco notices the red-headed menaces, otherwise known as Ron and Ginny Weasley making life hard for his brother and his mate. Even if the pair haven't figured it out yet, he could sense the bond between them. Ron blows up at Hermione at least once a meal, this time it's over her trying to be more cordial to him. Draco kept his face smooth, but inside he was jumping around. His brother's mate, who he tormented since they met, was willing to try and accept him.

"Ron, turn around, you bloody git." Fred and George chime together. They point in the direction of Draco and Nico at the Slytherin table. "Yeah, so what am I looking for?" He asks. "They are trying to show you the other brother. Take a good look; he's a split of Harry and Draco." Hermione retorts. The boy in question turns and smiles over to the Lion's table.

"Some friend you are Ronald, giving up on Harry and Hermione because of Draco. What about Harry and Blaise?" Fred scolds his little brother.

"Zabini and Harry could be twins, if not for the eyes." Hermione reasons, again catching Draco's gaze on her. She blushes and returns to her meal. 'What am I thinking, it's Malfoy. He's probably trying to come up with a new taunt. Mudblood is getting old.' She muses as she packs her bag and leaves, heading for the library.

Draco understood that it confused Hermione, him staring at her all the time. He had only one reason for the action. He wanted to apologize for his horrid behavior. Orion had told him just that morning that he had found his mate. Leave it to Orion to end up with a Ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood specifically.

Nico laughs as his brother hurried to pack up in hopes of catching up with the curly haired witch. Draco had been trying to catch her eye and sniffing the air for few minutes. 'Ah, so she's one of my future sisters in law. I wonder if Harry realizes that red head he's been hanging with is after his vaults.' Nico muses to himself.

On the other side of Nico, Daphne Greengrass sat and watched Ginny Weasley grin with malice, when Hermione packs up and leaves the Great Hall. Daphne knew that her friend was in love with her best friend. In turn, Hermione knew about Daphne's huge crush on Draco Malfoy. She hoped that if all the fates aligned, they would be sisters.

"Excuse me; I couldn't help noticing that you look a little down. Is there anything I can do for you?" Nico asks her. She sadly shakes her head. "Thank you, but no. If he doesn't see she is trying to trap him then I cannot do a thing to stop it. I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself, and my name is Daphne Greengrass. "

"You might not be able to do something about this but I can. Mr. Potter is my little brother, well only by three minutes but yeah. I will get him away from her. Might not be overnight but it will be soon. May I ask why you are so concerned with him?" Nico inquires. Daphne shakes her head.

"I would really like him and I to become friends. We barely know each other but I am drawn to him. I could care less if he had all the money in the world or the title of Lord Gryffindor. We both come from the ancient families. I am good friends with his best friend Hermione, whereas Miss Weasley is always going behind her back. I think Hermione is more suited to him and she is hopelessly in love with him. "

"I get it. She is trying to isolate him from his friends. I see that the younger redhead is also trying to do that with Miss Granger. I can tell that she has no use for him though. I need to bail my brother out now. Nice meeting you Miss Greengrass."

Nico swaggers into the Lion's den. 'Just call me Daniel' he chuckles to himself. From observing for the last few weeks, Nico has noticed that both of the younger Weasleys try to pen Harry as often as they can so, he can only talk to them. Right now, there is a hole where Hermione sat. Nico drops into it before the ginger boy can slide over. The older set of brothers nod at him and the Stoll twins welcome him before returning to their conversation with the Weasley twins. He doesn't miss the glare that the sister lays on him. Smirking at her, he turns to his brother and kindly asks Harry to come with him. The boy smiles at the thought of his slightly older brother wanting to spend time with him.

"Sure, I'm free right now."

Nico grins and they leave before the others could intrude on their time. "Harry, I thought that you could use some air. I've been watching you for a while now. It seems to me that other than that set of twins, Mr. Longbottom, Miss Lovegood and Hermione, you have mostly hangers on. The younger Weasleys are greedy and manipulative. I'm sorry if I have angered you. I just wanted you to have an outsider's view. I did overhear the conversation. The reason that you and Percy look similar is because we are all related. Percy's dad and our grandfather are brothers. "

The fog was finally lifting, "Thank you, some of the same thoughts were running through my head as well. I am going to watch myself around them. I noticed you were talking to Daphne Greengrass."

Nico laughs, "Yes, she has shed some light on a few details that I had not thought about. I think her, your Hermione and my Thalia would get along nicely."

"I would like it if she was my Hermione." Harry says glumly. Nico shakes his head at his brother. "Harry, I am willing to bet my whole Mythomagic collection, that she has always been yours. I have it on good authority that she is madly in love with you." The boy's head perks up. "Really?" Nico nods and hugs his brother.

"Hermione, wait up. I would like to speak with you if I may." Draco calls out to the girl. She stops to wait for him, half a corridor away. When he finally gets to her, she raises an eyebrow.

"You're heading to the library right? How about we talk there. This will take a while." Draco suggests.

They find a table in the back and sit down. "OK Draco, as out of character this is for you. I will give you the benefit of the doubt. What do you want to talk about?"

"I want to apologize to you. Mind you, I am not making excuses, I was raised to believe that anyone of non-magical blood was underneath me. Again I want to apologize. I had that ingrained into me and then you have outscored me on every assignment, test and even in practical assessments. The only thing that I have beaten you at is flying.

I am trying to turn over a new leaf. I humbly ask for your forgiveness and will attempt with all my might to refrain from all out harassing you. I do have to say that I admire that you always gave as well as you got. Please can we bury the hatchet and be friends. I would like to know the Hermione that my brother knows. Hell, I would like to know the Harry that everyone else knows."

"Thank you Draco. It means a lot to hear that from you. I understand that we grew up differently. I would like to be friends also. Harry is interested in forming a relationship with you as well. We are all only children. I think that has given you and I a shade of being selfish. Meaning, we like things to go our way. Harry was raised very differently than we were. Where we had parents who cared for us, he had a set of minders that have used and will continue to use him worse than most of this world uses house elves. I think they may even beat him. He has never told me outright but he moves in certain ways to suggest it sometimes. Harry has a need of real family. I am going to admit to you that and I am aware that it is probably obvious to you, I have been in love with Harry since the first day of school. I don't mean this year. I know I'm not what he needs to marry but I wish it would happen anyway." By this point, tears were beginning to fall down her cheeks.

Draco wiped the tears away. "I know about as much as the Ministry about how the Four Families marry. The Potter line has never put a blood stipulation on the heirs. The only requirement is marriage. Lady Lily was a muggle born and Lord James retained the title. Don't let the snobs get you down. I have your back now, so does the scions of the other three houses. Think about it Hermione. Who are your best friends?"

"Daphne, Susan, Harry, Neville and Luna. I have a feeling that I will make some tight friends with this new group also."

"OK, so Greengrass, Bones, and Potter are the scions of the First Families. Harry is the scion for both of the Potter and Black Houses, being blood adopted at birth by both his parents and godfather. Longbottom is in the next rung down as am I. If cousin Sirius had not assigned it to Harry, I would be heir to Black, my being the only male descendant born in this generation. Lovegood is an old family but not ancient or noble. Add in Pansy, she needs to have more female friends. Parkinson is a powerful name also. For being a muggle born, all your friends are the powerbrokers of the next era." The blonde smiles at her and then nods to his brother behind her. Draco stands, "Harry, your girl here has been crying, not from anything I did but from a misplaced notion of her worth to a special someone in her life. We have made up and become friends. Will you accept my apologies for being an arse these last four years. I would like to become as close as we would have been if this had never happened." He holds out his hand, like he did the first day of school many years ago. This time Harry shakes it and pulls the slimmer man into a hug. "I agree brother." He turns to Hermione. "I don't know the bloke but, I happen to think that any man in this school stupid enough to pass you up is in need of a brain transplant." I wouldn't let you go for anything. He takes her into his arms.

They are in love with each other and don't know about the other. Draco shakes his head as he walks away.