Hibs will feel aggrieved not to have had a first-half penalty, but a draw was the fair result.
Hearts were always going to struggle to contain the Hibs' front three, and so it proved with only two minutes gone. Derek Riordan's clever back-heel found Colin Nish, who crossed for Steven Fletcher to finish from close range.
The visitors were almost level only minutes later, but Christophe Berra's header from Laryea Kingston's cross came back off the crossbar.
It was a very open start to what is usually a tight match, and Riordan was next to threaten Marian Kello's goal. Some fine control at the back post gave him space to shoot, but his effort hit the side-netting from a tight angle.
The last chance of a frenetic opening ten minutes fell to Christian Nade. The big striker never looked confident of scoring when clean through, and Kingston lacked composure by blasting the rebound over.
After 25 minutes, the home side had a huge penalty appeal turned away by referee Eddie Smith. A terrible clearance from Kello fell to Riordan who was upended by Eggert Jonsson, only for the referee to inexplicably wave play on.
Bruno Aguiar wasted a great chance on 38 minutes, but was not to be denied for long, as he grabbed an equaliser just before the interval.
Eddie Smith blew for a soft foul just outside the area and Aguiar, playing his first game in 18 months, fired the resulting free-kick past a suspect Hibs wall.
Janos Balogh came on for the suspect Kello at half-time and was called into action almost immediately, turning a Riordan header away.
Fletcher had gone close before Kingston spurned another glorious chance, 20 minutes into the second half. Nade did well to get the ball back to the Ghanaian, but Lewis Stevenson was able to block his shot, with Yves Makaba-Makalambay stranded.
Riordan showed why he is so highly rated at Easter Road with a marvellous effort with 15 minutes left. He brought the ball down on the corner of the box and flashed in a left-foot volley, which Balogh did well to touch past the post.
Into the last ten minutes and there were great chances for both sides. Fletcher and Aguiar both should have done better at either end before even better opportunities fell to each side.
Firstly Riordan was set up by a terrible back-pass from Marius Zaliukas, but Balogh did well to smother the ball as Riordan attempted to round him. At the other end Nade capped a terrible personal display by scooping a shot over from just six yards out.