This Chapter is dedicated to Nerys, whose long, inspirational review gave me many ideas and put me in the mood to write it! So here you go, the longest chapter yet!

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Hermione slanted her head to the side as she watched Crookshanks scuttle into the bushes, followed by giggles.

What the…

Peering around the corner she saw the Gryffindor first years that had been throwing things at one another during her sorting ceremony.

Oh Merlin.

Hermione resisted the urge to hex them, however chose to give into the desire to yell.

"What in MERLINS name do you think you are doing?! Get the bloody hell out of here right now before I hex you so much that you will no longer be able to reproduce!"

The youngsters scampered and Hermione yelled after them, "This WILL be getting back to Dumbledore!"

Hermione leaned down towards the tree, pulling her cat Crookshanks away from the poor creature.

Gently she bent down slowly towards the small reptile.

Whoever said only Slytherins could be cruel?

A small snake had been tied around the sharp branch, and then the kids had used her own cat to torment it.

"Bad Crookshanks!"

Hermione found it immensely difficult to untie the tiny critter, it spent its time hissing at her, the small forked tongue jutting in and out as it attempted to bite.

She softly cooed to it as she managed to hold its head gently enough, but with enough force to move its tail without getting bitten.

The snake seemed to realise her attempts and calmed as it finally found itself free from its trap.

Hermione let the snake slither over her hand, contemplating letting it go.

No they might find it again.

"Ahh who do you belong to?"

As she expected, the snake did not answer her. Figures. At a time like this Harry would be good right now.

Tucking the now calm snake into her pocket she headed towards her dorm.

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Four hours had passed and Hermione had finally finished putting up posters on the noticeboard outside the nurses and Dumbledores office, obviously the snake would most likely not belong to Gryffindor the way that the boys were tormenting it.

So now, she was standing by the great hall, contemplating whether or not to go over and ask if anybody had recognised the snake.

Her confidence left her as she headed back towards the Ravenclaw table instead, sitting down, before feeding herself and sneaking the snake tiny bits of food. The snake devoured the food without hesitation, Hermione shuddered as a huge lump of bread could be seen moving down its throat... if it had a throat? The snake just seemed to smirk at her if that was even possible. Once again, Hermione came to the conclusion she was mad, loony, mental, and once again she banged her head on the table earning strange looks from her fellow house mates, and a few from Hufflepuff. She realised why as she felt the throbbing in her head.

Heading towards the Ravenclaw commonroom with the small snake in her hand she was headed off by Melissa.

"Hermione! You cannot have that here… Snakes are disgusting."

Hermione rolled her eyes at the blonde girls nagging. How she got into Ravenclaw she had no idea.

"There is no way that is coming into our dormitory."

Sighing Hermione headed out onto the steps in front of Hogwarts, the snake coiled in her hand.

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Tom had searched his entire room for Nebraska. He had taken her in two years before after he had found her stuck in a poor maintained drainage system in Hogsmede. It had been then Tom had realised that the Basilisk was not the only snake he could speak to.

She never ventured outside during the day, she knew to avoid other students, Merlin knows he had lectured her long enough about it. And now she was gone. Hoping no one had spotted her he ventured down towards the Slytherin common room to search. Nebraska was supposed to have grown to at least half a metre by now, but instead she had stayed the length of his middle finger, obviously she had been a runt. Anyone could just… stand on her.

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Hermione woke up startled; she had fallen asleep against the pillar, great.

Walking through the dark she attempted to feel her way back in the door.

Aha! The handle!

Moving through the dark proved more difficult then she had thought, determined not to light her wand in case it gave her away.

Perhaps she could just sneak into the dorm with the snake and say she had found the owner?

And what to do with Crookshanks? She shouldn't be mad she supposed. It was nature. But those boys... Ugh.

Footsteps.

Oh Merlin.

She was either going to be caught, or murdered. Brilliant.

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Tom was aggravated. Nebraska was still missing, and Dumbledore had chosen this night to give him extra patrolling duties. Brilliant.

Kicking a stone against the wall it echoed in the silence of the hall.

Ah… footsteps, slowly Tom stalked them, hoping to find an outlet for his anger.

They had definitely heard him and quickened their pace.

Slowly he chose to slip through a portrait hoping to come out in front of them in the other corridor.

Excellent.

Reaching his arm out he grabbed the offending person by the arm stopping them in their tracks.

"And what do you think you are doing?"

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Hermione gasped in fright, attempting to pull her wrist back.

"Exactly what you are! Walking!" She growled frustrated.

Instead the voice had just repeated the question

"And what house does the points come off, shall we see?" He lifted his wand to her face.

"Fine! Make my day worse! I mean its not like I've had a run in with a blonde MALFOY ferret again, had to SAVE a innocent creature from horrid boys probably like yourself! And then CAN'T even sleep in my dormitory because the ditz's are AFRAID of the poor thing, since of course, its going to devour them in their bimbo dreaming sleep!" She continued on her rant.

Tom froze glaring.

How dare she talk like that? She was going to get it alright!...

Wait a minute… Afraid of a small creature? Nebraska!

"Where is this animal?"

"With me! You think I'm letting it in anyone else's hands after the last group!"

This girl had a temper, had it been another time…

"Well, you see, you will give it to me, as that small 'creature' is a snake and is also known as Nebraska and she is mine."

Hermione stalled mid rant.

Ah.

"Who are you?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes! I am not giving this poor thing to a random! It's hurt and if it is yours! Look after it better!"

"Tom Riddle."

Hermiones eyes widened.

"Ah okay well, here it is, Nebraska go to your owner now, good girl."

Hermione backed away

"And what house are you from?"

Tom lit up the tip of his wand finally.

"Ravenclaw."

"This time, I will not take house points, but your Head of house will be informed."

Hermione nodded backing away as the light reached her face just before she walked through the Ravenclaw portrait.

Tom stood in silence.

Hermione?

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Review!!! Oh and also, to clear up any confusion, my Livejournal name is Vanillacocktail. :)