Harry watches from one of the large chairs in the Gryffindor common room as Ginny and Ron once again argue about which professional Quidditch team was the best. Smiling to himself at the antics of the two siblings, he turns his head and notices Hermione sitting on the couch by the fire. Frowning at her curled up figure, he walks over to her and plops down on the couch.

"Hey there," he addresses her.

"Hello Harry," she replies.

"You alright?"

"Yeah."

"Really?"

Shifting slightly to face Harry she says, "Ok, maybe not."

Smiling at her Harry says, "I told you, I know you too well. You can't get one past me." He pauses and notices her watching Ron and Ginny. "What are you thinking about?"

Sighing, she replies, "Something silly."

Looking at her seriously, Harry says, "Hermione. I know you. Nothing you think about can possibly be considered silly."

Smiling gently at Harry she says, "I was just looking at Ron and Ginny arguing and it got me thinking."

Looking over to where the brother and sister were quarrelling he asks, "About what?"

"About siblings. And families." She pauses before continuing, "I just feel like I'm missing out on something."

Looking back at Hermione's face Harry sees the longing within her eyes. "I know what you mean. I mean, I love the Weasleys, but sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have my own sibling." Thinking aloud about what having a sibling would be like Harry continues, "Would we have our own inside jokes?"

"Would we stay up and talk about everything?" Hermione wonders.

"Would we both have awful eyesight?" Harry says laughing.

Joining in with his laughter Hermione asks, "Or crazy hair?"

Harry looks Hermione in the eyes and says, "Would she stand by me no matter what?"

Meeting his eyes she says, "Would he know me so well that he could see through my lies?"

The two friends look at each other, smiling slightly.

"I think maybe we were wrong. I don't think we're really missing out on anything."

"I think you're right," agrees Hermione.

"But…"

"But?"

"But, I think we need to make if official. Give me your hand." Harry holds out his hand, palm up, waiting for Hermione to present her hand.

"Why?" she begins to ask when she suddenly pauses. "Oh."

She watches as Harry takes out his wand and makes a small slice across the palm of his hand. He looks up at her, waiting. Hermione places her hand in front of Harry and lets him make a similar gash on her palm. Harry takes her bloodied hand and grasps it with his. Once he is satisfied that the blood has mixed properly, he heals both palms. "There." Looking up at Hermione he sees tears well up in her eyes as a smile breaks out across her face. Harry knows he is smiling just as big as Hermione.

Getting up from the couch, Harry stands in front of the still smiling Hermione. Putting his hand out to help her up off of the couch, Harry says, "C'mon sis. Let's get back to Ron and Ginny before they hex one another."

Walking over to their friends, their hands still holding onto one another, a brother and sister finally find what they had been looking for.