Blackberry Jam (A Drarry FanFiction)

Chapter Three

   Harry turned looked between them. "I'm sorry we're not siblings," he said nervously.

Mrs Figg laughed though and ruffled his hair. "Don't you mind now, young man," she said fondly. "Harry is it? And Draco? Well how about you take those tags off now and we'll head home. I've got a beef stew in the pot."

"That sounds wonderful," Harry cried genuinely, tugging at the string around his button until it came loose as they began to wander down the corridor and out into the evening air. "I had sandwiches packed, but we all ate them as soon as we got on the train, and that was hours ago."

Mrs Figg chuckled, but Draco was still quiet, staring at the ground as they walked. "Why did you want brothers?" he asked.

Harry hadn't really thought about that, so he looked to Mrs Figg for an answer. She was too busy waving for a bus though that had just trundled up the road, waving her handbag animatedly so it would stop.

"It's alright," she panted as the doors swung open. "I've got your fairs, it's only a few stops. You'll be able to walk it when you come to school, it's just a bit much on my old knees."

The bus driver tipped his hat at the three of them, and they found seats near the back where Harry and Draco would have enough room to stash their cases.

"Why did you want brothers?" Draco asked again, this time a little louder and with a glance up at Mrs Figg's face. He quickly looked back down at his hands though.

The old lady sighed. "It's not that much of a bother I suppose, seeing as you two are friends, but there's only the one bed you see. I've only got a small cottage, but there's a nice little attic room I thought would be spot on for a pair of siblings who were used to sharing. I hope that'll be okay for you boys?"

Harry felt his ears go pink. He and Draco were going to have to sleep in the same bed? That's what mothers and father did, or brothers when there was too many of them to fit in a house. Ron's family were always swapping beds and sharing with each other, it was normal for them. But Harry had always had his own bed, and the thought of now sharing one with Draco was quite terrifying. How long were they going to have to stay there, surely one of them could move to somewhere where they didn't have to share!

He looked up and immediately felt ashamed. Mrs Figg's face had fallen and she looked upset. Harry remembered his vow to solider on, no matter what (there was a war on after all, he chastised himself) and cleared his throat.

"It'll be jolly good fun!" he said, hoping to get a smile from both her and Draco. "We'll just pretend we're brothers, I've always wanted one after all."

He really wanted Draco to agree and say he'd always fancied a brother too, but he just nodded and said "Okay."

Mrs Figg seemed reassured by his declaration though. "Good boy," she said, pleased with him. "That's the spirit. In war, we all have to do what we must."

Harry felt like telling Draco he was sure another family were sure to become available soon, and maybe one of them could move out. But that seemed rude to Mrs Figg, so he said no such thing. Instead he listened as she told him about making their stew for most of the day, and about how she grew the carrots and beans herself in her back garden.

"You grow them?" Harry asked, stunned. "In the ground, in the dirt?"

"Where else do you think they could come from?" she chuckled as the bus came to a halt and they all hopped off.

Harry scoffed and looked to Draco for encouragement. He was surprised to see a hint of a smile on the other boy's face, so he bullied on. "Why in London Mrs Figg, carrots come in tins."

That really made her laugh, and they ambled up the garden path to the sound of her mirth. Her cottage was indeed small, but it was lovely. Harry liked the many different flowers he could see growing all around the edge of her front garden, and the grass was cut very neatly. The front door was a deep red that made him think of the telephone boxes back home, and he felt it was a good omen, like they'd brought a little of Victoria with them.

"I'll have to get you both keys cut," she said as she unlocked the door. "But for now I'm sure we can share. Now come in, come in."