The next day saw Hermione waking to a mouthful of fur and two beady eyes staring down at her, Crookshanks on re-acquainting himself with the familiarity of his first home/ castle. He decided to wake his favorite servant as he was hungry and she was making him wait.

Cracking open a tired eye she looked at him sleepily as he settled on her chest and contented himself to staring her out in a bid to get her up.

She took him up on his contest for a few minutes before lifting her hand and running it through his fur. He arched his back at the touch before patting her chest with his paw telling her what he wanted, as she pushed herself up and leant back against the headboard. She smiled when he moved closer and butted her chin with his head.

"Alright fatty" She muttered holding him close to her, "Something you want?"

He turned to look pointedly at her making her smile again before he leapt to the floor and made his way over to his food bowl which, had been placed at the side of her bed. As he came to a stop and settled himself down in front of it whilst he did all of that she had followed him and was now looking down to where he was and grinned when he saw her looking and meowed.

"…Still can't see it." She laughed when Crookshanks offered a half hiss before deciding to give him what he was after and stood up, she moved over to where she kept his food before snatching the biscuits from the shelf and picked up his dish. Once the first tripping over his body as he weaved between, her legs followed by the curse that came with it she left him to his eating as she moved off to the side to start getting ready for the day.

Now that she didn't have to wear her school robes over her clothes she could, choose something less, formal and something that didn't involve skirts. She had grumbled at the girl's attire for the academic year, and pulled out one, of her more favored pairs that she was only, able to wear during the weekend's and a loose, fitting shirt before leaving Crookshanks to his food.

Wandering down the halls she moved throughout the manor coming to a stop in the kitchen. She saw patches who was holding a bundle of magazines and papers in her arms as she moved about; she looked up to see the younger girl and smiled before clicking her fingers banishing the pile in her hands away before looking back up.

"Hello little miss" Came the familiar squeak from the always happy elf as Hermione moved further into the room and sat by the table. She smiled back at the always smiling tiny creature that was now going about making her a cup of tea.

"Hello Patches."

They spent the rest of the hour talking, Hermione telling her all about the school year, with the elf being a good audience; smiling when she came out on top of her classes and gasping when she told her about the less, than stellar side of the year, about the attacks and how eventually they came to realize just what it was that had caused them. She watched as the small elf shivered a little upon hearing about the Basilisk before asking,

"So what has happened to the snake now?" As she placed the cup in front of her Hermione paused for a moment to gather her thoughts, what could, she say? Could she tell the elf the truth? That she had made Harry spare the snake's life, that it still resided under the castle drawing breath or would the small elf, as a family elf and though answered to both overall, it would, be the older woman she listened to more tell her Mother the secret.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Patches on a whole. The number of people she could, say she did trust amounted to at least four people. Her Mother, Harry, Dumbledore and herself, she liked Ron but not enough to entrust her life and death secrets to him but could, she really add the family elf to that hand.

Looking down to see the smiling face looking up at her waiting patiently for her answer she decided that no, no she couldn't as much as she loved the small elf who had been there her entire life. She just couldn't bring herself to reveal something as big as this, especially living in such close proximity of the older woman.

"Aye – Harry killed it with the sword of Godric Gryffindor"

Hearing the awed little gasp coming from the tiny mouth once more she settled back in her chair with her tea and told herself she made the right choice. Footsteps from out in the hall had both looking as Minerva emerged and entered the room. She smiled at the two before eyeing the younger girl with slight surprise as she came to sit next to her at the table.

After having her morning tea and being a lot more alert, Hermione saw the look she was gifted with and turned to her.

"What?"

Minerva said nothing merely shrugged her head and thanked the elf, who placed her own cup in front of her, she could tell Hermione was still staring and so she took a sip of her drink before facing her once more.

"No seriously, what?"

Letting out a small chuckle the older woman sits back in her chair getting comfy before replying. "It's just – it's the holidays and yet here you are up trying to beat the sunrise."

Hermione waited before a scowl formed on her face at the reminder that she was up at the start of what would, have been endless lie in's and doing nothing, but loiter around the house but thanks to a certain ball of very impatient fur, her plan for that day had been scuppered. Seeing the small scowl cross her face Minerva couldn't help but chuckle again.

"Well I can blame Crook's for that… hungry fat thing… wanting breakfast." She mumbled under her breath before stopping to rest and drank some of her tea all the while keeping Minerva amused. Like they always did when returning home from the school they had the first day back to themselves. Doing what they felt like be it from reading to walking out in the wilderness that they called the back garden before they, decided on what to do for the rest of the free time they, had.

Since they had gone to Greece last time for the holiday's Minerva had decided to wait a little longer before going back. She couldn't guarantee that Albus wouldn't need her for something or another, though it had been less, and less each passing year he still had called on her and poached what little free time she had away from the place she lived in nine months out of the year

"So what are the plans for today" She asked bringing her cup to her lips as Hermione shrugged. She actually hadn't thought about it since her early wake up and so had to ponder on the day's events,

"Not sure just yet, was hoping to have at least two more of these before trying to think." She replied holding up her cup as Minerva smiled.

"Normally wouldn't even be up now to think of anything" She mused pursing her lips and looking down to her cup, Minerva could see the younger girls mind working steadily as she tried to think and rolled her eyes, as organized and punctual she may be even she knew when to take a rest, rare as that was, and so she placed her hand over Hermione's

"Don't think to hard dear, you might strain yourself"

The look she received was a mixture of scathing and affronted causing the sides of her lip to upturn as she sat back in her chair. Hermione kept up her glare until Patches returned to them offering more tea to which she dropped her intended scowl and smiled pushing her cup over to the little elf leaving Minerva to finish her first cup glare free. They sat in silence for a little while longer before Hermione decided to return to her room.

She smiled once more at the small elf that was busy around the kitchen before leaving the table and running from the room just as Minerva reached for the morning's daily prophet. Patches watched the younger girl go before casting a glance at the older woman who remained sitting.

"Give it a moment"

Saying nothing Patches got back to her chores just as thundering from above and on the stairs had Hermione come running back in she ran back to the table where Minerva was as the older woman lowered the paper to her lap just as Hermione got closer, she turned her head and smiled when the younger girl leaned in and gave her the standard morning kiss and throwing her arms around her in a joining hug before rushing back off up the stairs leaving the other woman once more to her paper.

Making it back to her room she shut the door and back over to her bed where Crookshanks had taken over the space and was making use of it by sleeping. Grinning a little and spying the chance for revenge she moved to the edge and jumped, coming down heavily on the mattress. The sudden extra weight forced the bed to dip slightly unsettling the snoozing cat who mewed his harsh wake up, and dug his claws in to stop his fall from the side.

She giggled at seeing him cling to the cover and had to move to avoid the paw that came her way as he moved to set himself right once more and turned the other way in a show of his displeasure. She rolled her eyes at the showing of his kingliness before moving over to the other side. She knew that as it was the first day of the holidays that it would be too early to start writing any letters to her friends, especially when she knew that Ron at best would, not reply, and if he did it would be a minimum of maybe one, or two sentences.

Harry might be more talkative. Seeing as he was basically stuck in a prison with limited choices on what he was able to do and would likely welcome the interaction, but even he wouldn't have much to say after only one day. So, she crossed him off her list to, at least for the time being.

After a while of thinking she decided to make a start on learning the spells she had her eye on for some time; so, she pulled on her boots. Outside was the perfect place to practise and it would also give her a chance to go and see Addie. She moved to her bag and pulled out the notes she had made kept hidden in the secret part. Having two people, such as Fred and George Weasley, who were as serious about their pranks as Ron was about his food, might have been good if you were looking for a laugh. But when it came to their spell books and essays, they were as lax as Neville was in just about everything he did and so, it wasn't hard for her to steal their books and copy down the entire fourth year curriculum.

Her only regret about it all was that it came from these two, she would, have liked, to have taken it from someone with more brains, like Percy Weasley, possibly the only one of the red-headed clan to have aspiring goals that didn't involve jokes or food, but the older boy was seemingly very fond of making sure he knew were his possessions where at all times and took great lengths at guarding it.

Whilst it was annoying, she had to see the reasoning behind it. Living in a place with four other siblings' two of whom, nefarious jokers would be enough to make anyone weary of their items being left unattended. And so, wasn't all that put out about having to rely on the lesser of the brains in that family as she stuffed them under her jacket and left her room.

After all she liked a challenge and made it so, that next year she would have obtained his precious work.

Thinking about the Weasley's, they had to be the largest family she knew by far. It astounded her at just how many of them seem to pop out from the woodwork. She also had to commend Mrs Weasley on having so many. Whilst children were something so far off her list it wasn't even a possibility in any of her plans, she didn't go as far as to hate them… just not really wanting to be around them at all, for any such reason.

But she couldn't imagine living in such cramped conditions with so many other people. If what Harry told her was true from his time spent at Weasley chateau. Having to juggle day-to-day life moving around, trying not to trip on anyone's feet or get to close to their personal space, if they had any to spare that was.

It made her glad that it was just the two of them here. At one time she may have questioned why they lived in such a sprawling manor when it was just them, but having heard at how rare privacy was with the other family, made her change her ideals on that quickly.

She also couldn't see herself having that many siblings. She had never bothered to ask why it was she was an only child; the thought hadn't crossed her mind if she was honest. Sure it may, have been lonely at one time when it had been just her and Patches. She may, have adored the little elf but she really was no substitute for another human being.

But after a while, she reached a decision that she liked it being just her. She had as much freedom around the manor as she wanted. Could do anything she wanted, within reason. She had a friend in the form of Addie who was great to talk to. No matter how dry and acerbic he may be, for all intents he was a good listener. Patches was around to tend to anything she needed, though she really didn't like having the smaller elf do so much for her no matter how much she insisted she liked it.

And best of all, she had her Mother all to herself. Being an only child had both a good and bad side; the bad being that there was no one to pass the blame onto if she got into trouble… that sucked, she also had a lot more cleaning to do if she made a mess and she couldn't get the elf to help her, that sucked more.

She wasn't spoiled like many other only children were. She had known Draco to be an only child and more than once she had seen him with countless parcels and other items of obscenity being sent to him by those dimwits he called parents, who had nothing better to do then to comply with his brattish tendencies

It made her scoff at just how vulgar he became when he got such stuff and would, walk around with the biggest of smirks as he rubbed it in people's faces, mainly those of lesser wealth; example Ron.

Didn't they realize the more they pandered to him the more nightmarish he got? She guessed not. If having more money than brains was something of a commodity those days, she was glad that the older woman didn't allow her the key to her vault just yet; Merlin only knew what would have become of her intellect if that happened.

There was a reason he came second to her after all.

But one of the advantages was that she didn't have to compete for her Mothers affections with anyone, that was where she sympathized with Ron, may have been the only thing really but she saw how much he had to contend with. Having three older brothers still in school and one, girl who, if what she saw in Diagon alley was anything to go much more doted upon then he was.

She wasn't a jealous person. She didn't have anything around her that garnered such a feeling; she had no care if other kids got everything they wanted. She saw no reason to have every materialistic item necessary to show just how much she was loved. She knew she was loved, and had all she needed in the form of the library, both at home and the school. She also didn't have to fight for attention from her Mother like, the youngest Weasley boy did, she got enough of that and sometimes more than what she liked.

But overall she found she could; live with it being just her and the older woman. Anything else and it would have ruined her balanced dynamic of what she grown used to, anyone else and that would, have been a problem.

Making her way downstairs she retrieved her coat before slipping out the door. If she was needed then Patches would know where to find her shutting the door she turned and was immediately greeted with a wave of bitterly old air that could, only have come from living where they did, she shivered and pulled her coat further, up before making her way to the bottom. No matter how long she had lived there it always was a bit of an adjustment change from school.

Perhaps it was due because they lived further, North than, the school the wind was stronger coming from the sea. Harry had once asked her where about she lived and hadn't a clue when she told him, but she didn't hold it against him.

Lairg was a bit of a secluded place. She had looked it up when she was younger and bored one day, only about nine hundred people, lived there and out of that she could confess to have spoken to maybe…Four.

It wasn't that she was ignorant, but she most likely wouldn't have started a conversation. Their house a little further outwards than that of the village a few miles up the Loch Shin, away from prying eyes and given them the peace of the highlands. And they only, ever went into town if she wanted a book like they had done for her birthday and had to speak to the shop owners, anything else and they went to London for that.

It was probably why out of the three of them she could, withstand the cold wind the longest. Not something she could, honestly say she was happy about but what could she do. Coming to a stop at the bottom she eyed the small part of the garden she had deemed her own before looking to the grassy area.

'Addie'

She waited for the familiar sound of rustling grass that signaled her reptile friend but frowned after five minutes when he hadn't come.

'Addie'

Still nothing which, had her worrying, had something happened to him? Moving she started down a little further. Had something tried to attack him, had he been injured? He was only one snake after all, so if something bigger came along would he have been able to fend it off, but then again he was rather on the large side as it was, not having known how big he was but knowing he was over two feet. Could anything around here actually attack him?

Sometime later around the other end of the small pond, she decided to sit down. She had searched for some time now and she couldn't find him anywhere her worry was now mixing in with sadness as her image of something happening to her friend becoming very, real. She was silent for a little while staring at the still water so much so, that she didn't hear or notice the rustle of the long reed's by an old log moving.

It wasn't until she felt something land on her thigh did she look down to find the snake she had searching for resting his head on her, all at once her crestfallen expression vanished into one of a smile, as she turned a little as he stared at her.

'You're ok'

He nodded and lifted his body so that he was half laying over her legs and stuck his tongue out in proper snaky form,

'Why wouldn't I be ok?'

She bit the inside, of her mouth would, he laugh? He seemed obtuse and acrimonious at the best of times. And as he has said before he was a creature of simple things so emotions might, not have been high on his list, if she admitted that she was worried about him would, he laugh at her?

He watched her face as the passing of expressions told him she was conflicted and having guessed at what it was considering, he had heard her slightly worried tone on calling him, he spoke.

'I'm fine little one. I merely moved from my old hole because it was getting to small for me.'

She stopped her internal pondering to look at him. How had he known what he was thinking? Again knowing what it was she was thinking he flicked his tongue out and added.

'When you think it shows on your face' seeing she was about to protest he cut in 'Not saying that it is a bad thing, but to me it is easy, to see.'

Taking in the frown that had appeared he held his tongue to stop what would, have been a snaky laugh. 'It's not so hard, having spent years talking to you; you don't think I wouldn't have been able to tell your emotions from your expressions?'

Her silence was telling and that he did laugh at before moving to coil himself up entirely on her legs and faced her.

'So tell me, little one. What brings you out here?'

He made himself comfortable and listened as she began to tell him all that had happened that year during school, he sat there and never once spoke or made any kind of sound as she went on apart from the odd blinking slightly of his eyes you would have thought that he was merely a stuffed toy.

The only time he did react was when she mentioned the Basilisk. He gave a little hiss at that which prompted her to stop talking as she looked down at him. He was staring back with an unknown flicker of something in his eye she couldn't put her finger on, but nonetheless asked.

'What is it?'

He didn't reply for a minute just looked up at her. 'I never thought it truly possible to know such a creature existed, but here you are telling me that you have met with one'

His statement had her confused. Surely with him being a snake he must have known that other, larger snakes where around to but before she could ask why, he carried on.

'Don't get me wrong. I know that far more snake live out there. Ones that are both bigger and more volatile than I, but the Basilisk are something of a myth… if snakes can have those.

'But how can, you know about the biggest snake to exist…If you don't?'

'Go anywhere other than, the bottom of the garden' he put in helpfully as she nodded giving him a weak smile

'Think of it as a genetic all snakes know as it has and is referred, to ask the king of serpents' she nodded having read that part and knew all too well just why. Addie looked back to her, a slight gleam in his black beady eyes.

'So do you know its name?' she had to pause once more. In the midst of what was a hectic struggle to rid themselves of the soul sucking riddle, it never occurred to her to ask the large snake its name.

'No…I didn't, but I could always ask when I go back' she offered wondering why he was so anxious to know. He had laughed he idea of having another snake living in his home when she told him of the other, the one which unintentionally let her secret out in front of the school he had again laughed at that much to her displeasure.

He nodded at her as she moved on to tell him that in spite of what the rest of the school, headmaster and her Mother thought. The snake still lived, that it remained under the school with only three people knowing about it, she felt that it hadn't done anything wrong, and so didn't deserve to die. He nodded again at that.

She also told him about what happened after, how they explained just who it was causing the attacks and that on mentioning Tom's name the other woman nearly went as white as paper, he flicked his tongue out once before speaking.

'So you think she is keeping something from you?'

Hermione shrugged not really knowing what that could have meant. She was in two minds about it either being something she didn't know or it could have just been at how close they had been to a mirage of the dark lord. It was confusing her, and she had vowed not to think on it until she went back. There she could get her answers from the only thing that might, have been able to help.

In the middle of them talking she didn't hear the tell-tale sound of a popping, in which Patches appeared. The small elf looked around at having searched the entirety of the house only, to come up empty and so knew that she was outside. Shuffling, she moved around still keeping up her search of the younger girl until it brought her around to near the small pond

As she neared the small elf stopped, her ear's sticking up with alarm as she listened to what she could clearly hear were the sounds of hissing. Ears waggling she mistakenly took the sound to be that of little mistress in some sort of pain and so, was all ready for rushing to her aid as she rounded the tree and stopped in shock.

Little miss was indeed hissing, but it wasn't in pain as she spied the younger girl lying down on the grassy back near the water with what could only, have been the biggest snake Patches had ever seen, sitting neatly in her lap, she eyed, with alarm. The size of the snake and saw that it was clearly bigger than her which alone made her nervous, but it seemed to have little miss trapped and so, for her family she would help.

About to yell and charge for the snake to leave, she stood up straight and run only, to stop once more as she watched in horror as Hermione lifted her hand and ran it along the top of the snakes head, Patches gasped in fear, disbelief and still horror when the snake reared up to the level of her hand, the fear slowly turned into disbelief and then confusion as instead of attacking. The snake merely flicked its tongue out and butted her hand away.

The little elf could, only, watch in stunned silence as Hermione laughed before dropping her hand back to the side as the reptile then moved up to face level before it slithered around her shoulders, its head resting along the top with Hermione doing nothing, but smile.

Not quite believing what she was seeing, she returned to the house and to the study of where Minerva was; as the older woman lowered the paper in her hand to see the panicky elf.

"Patches, what is it?"

The diminutive creature looked up to her mistress with wide, scared eyes and all, but shouted. "Little miss is outside with a snake!"

Silence reigned as Minerva did nothing but stare at the little elf who was clearly working herself up into frenzy as she replied. "Say that again please?"

"Little miss wasn't in the house. So, I went out to find her outside as I know she likes to go out and Patches was right, she is at the bottom mistress. She is trapped by a snake!"

Minerva had to soothe the elf before it could, go and hurt itself as she let out a small sigh. The smaller creature stopped its panic as she looked up to the older woman.

"Mistress"

Minerva didn't respond, she was in her own thoughts allowing the family elf to take a closer look at her, she watched the facial expressions as they differed from one, to the next. The emotion behind each clear; first there was fear, like she had then came trepidation and finally after a few others, came the last which shocked her to see was weary resignation.

She returned her attention to the small elf that had been waiting and gave her a small smile. "I know, Patches, and I can assure you that she is in no harm." God she hated saying the words as they were not her own and therefore has no certainty behind them. They came from Hermione herself who had been adamant that Addie was no danger to her; she could see the small elf gaping with scepticism and smiled.

"If Patches may, ask, what does mistress mean? Surely the snake will harm little miss." She stopped on seeing her shake her head and waited again for the explanation. Minerva let out a tired sigh, this was not what she wanted to talk about as talking about it meant she had to think on where it came from and she had been in the process of trying to forget about that.

"It seems that Hermione – has a little gift of-" She closed her eyes wishing that Patches hadn't of gone into the garden, or that Hermione had gone out

"It seems Hermione has a little gift which, allows her to be able to communicate with certain creatures of a – reptilian nature." She replied looking the elf firmly in the eye like she wasn't above wanting to cry on thinking about the horrid ability.

Patches stared at her dubiously, not knowing what to say. Since when had this come about? She had known the small girl since babyhood, how had it that she had been able to do something like that, and she not know about it.

Minerva smiled sadly on seeing the conflicted signs on the small elf's face. "Don't think it your fault in anyway"

Patches looked back up to see her mistress return a small gesture of comfort. "She had been told to keep it a secret from everybody" The tiny elf nodded but then realized what it was she had said and looked back to her to see the older woman staring back.

"Even-"

With tight motions Minerva nodded her head, it was still something at irked her, having been kept in the dark for so long, but then her logical side kicked in that said did she really want to know about it, and that she was glad in some way that it had taken so long for something pertaining to the Slytherin side of her coming to the surface. Plus it wasn't her, it was the snake that suggested it when Hermione told her she might fear it; she kinda had, and so, thanked the snake once more for its odd words of wisdom.

"Yes, Patches, even me."

Once more the elf did nothing, but nod not knowing what to do with the new information. She could sense it was a source of great discomfort for the older woman and so, moved to pat her hand in a show of sympathy. The older woman gave her a small smile in return before she vanished and back to doing her chores leaving Minerva alone in her study. Sighing she turned to face the window and looked out over the large garden in front of her.

She spied to the bottom and around the pond area as she saw the little girl who had moved location and was now sitting by the rock facing the water. She cringed as for the first time since she had been told, looked upon the snake wrapped around her neck as her heart skipped a beat slightly, it looked so at ease lying draped over her shoulders like, the younger girl was completely relaxed at having it there as she smiled and talked.

Closing her eyes she resided over her thoughts and eventually had to concede at the fact this was going to be a permanent fixture now that she knew the truth. She just wished it weren't so, or that a snake had ever lived anywhere near her home. Turning from the sight of the two, she returned to her seat and picked up the letter she had been reading and cast her eyes over the written word's once more forcing any sinking thoughts she might, have had, out of her mind.

But not before sending up a quick prayer to whichever deity might have been listening that this 'snake ability' was the first and last of any traits she might have inherited.

If not, then the life she had worked hard to build was about to become a lot more of a struggle than she might have realized.