My Brother's Girl

The First Encounter

It was September 1st 1991 and Hermione Granger's first year at Hogwarts. Hermione had bushy brown hair, brown eyes, and rather large front teeth. She had already changed into her Hogwarts robes, despite the fact the train had barely pulled out of the station. She felt as giddy then as she had the first time someone had told her she was a witch. 

She was pacing the carriage when a boy opened the door, looking rather panicked. He had blond hair that fell in front of his eyes, a chubby round face, and had a bucktooth similar to Hermione's own. "Have you seen a toad??" he whined. 

Hermione shook her head. "I'm afraid not. I can help you look if you like? I'm Hermione. Hermione Granger." She offered her hand. She had always been taught manners were the most important part of any introduction.

"Neville Longbottom. Yes please," The boy now named Neville responded,  shaking her hand. Hermione noted how sweaty his palm was and subtly wiped her own hand against her robes.

Leaving her carriage, Hermione knocked on the first door she saw. Entering without waiting for a response, she said "Excuse me have any of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost one."

Her voice sounded very bossy for someone who was only eleven.  As Hermione stood in the doorway, with her hands on her hips, a stern look on her face she looked like a very young Professor McGonagall.  

Fred Weasley sat with his identical twin George and best friend Lee Jordan. Running a hand through his flaming red hair, Fred Weasley shook his head. "Can't say I have. Sorry." Nodding in response, Hermione looked across the carriage at the other boys, but when they shook their heads as well, she slid the door across and continued walking the train.

And with that the two barely spoke for the rest of the year - even after Hermione became best friends with Ron Weasley; Fred's younger brother, they never really spoke. It wasn't because they hated each other - in fact, they both thought the other was a nice enough person. It just always seemed as one was arriving the other was leaving. Besides, Fred was always busy coming up with new pranks and Hermione was doing her best to keep Harry and Ron alive.

Until one day...