A/N: Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Come on, we all know who owns what here.

Hermione was running, she needed to get out, she needed to escape. She couldn't see anything but her own two feet hitting the stone floors as she pushed through a crowded hallway. She couldn't hear anything other than her panting breaths. She needed air, she was suffocating! Finally she simply fell to her knees in an empty corridor and wrapped one arm around her middle, the other raising to her heaving chest. She could vaguely hear someone speaking. Obviously the hall hadn't been as empty as she had thought. Hermione could only shake her head, feeling the tears run down her cheeks. Suddenly, a face appeared in her vision. It appeared to be an older student. He was asking her something, she had no idea what. Everything was turning dark around her, the sides of her vision darkening by the second. Pushing the boy's hands away from her, Hermione yelled.

"I can't breathe!" She claimed, landing on her hands with the loss of the boy's support.

Attempting to crawl forward, she stumbled, her face crashing to the floor. As she turned around to look up at the ceiling the world turned around her just before she passed out.

Hermione groaned, rubbing sleep from her eyes. The moment she opened her eyes she knew where she was. She quickly sat up, only to gasp in surprise when she noticed both the Dumbledore men at the foot of her bed.

"What happened?" Hermione enquired.

"You passed out," Albus explained. "A fifth year Hufflepuff came across you. He said you were having some sort of panic attack."

"Oh, right," Hermione mumbled and with that everything came back to her, including the reason for the panic attack.

Her breathing started coming in short gasps just at the memory but Aberforth reacted before the situation could escalate and forced a calming draught down her throat. Albus seemed to want to reproach his brother for his forceful approach but Hermione stopped him before he could even open his mouth.

"Thank you, Aberforth," Hermione said, gratefully.

"Can you tell us what was wrong? Professor McGonagall said you ran out of her classroom when the Care of Magical Creatures professor intervened with the exceptional lesson."

"It was just so unexpected. I was taking notes, as asked but then-" Hermione started to reply but paused when a thought took over her brain.

Her gaze fell on Dumbledore and guilt twisted her stomach when she realized how little she trusted him. She shook her head and sighed. "Could I talk to Aberforth alone, please?"

Dumbledore seemed to hesitate, looking from Hermione to his brother. "I suppose I have no choice. I could hardly insist you to speak in my presence."

The pair watched him leave and Abe took it upon himself to set up the privacy spells, knowing that Hermione would do it if he didn't. "So what exactly are you wanting to hide from my brother?"

When Hermione remained silent, Aberforth spoke again. "I'm guessing it has something to do with your breakdown?"

Finally Hermione nodded. "I don't know what's happening to me."

"Perhaps if you explained what happened I could help?"

"Yes, of course. In class, everything was fine... but then, the snake... the snake spoke to me."

The older man's eyebrows rose and he leaned back in his seat with a heavy sigh. He examined Hermione closely as he rubbed his chin. "Are you telling me, that you are a parselmouth?"

"I think so... I left before I could hear anything more than a 'Hello' from the snake."

"And you didn't know you had this ability? You never even suspected that...?"

"No, definitely not because I wasn't one before! I came across a large amount of snakes in my previous life and I never could understand them. Harry could, obviously, but that was only because he was linked to the Dark Lord."

"How exactly was he linked?"

"I can't say," Hermione replied, knowing she couldn't mention the fact that Harry was a Horcrux.

"Alright. Can you tell me if there is a possibility that you could be linked to the Dark Lord in the same way?"

Hermione bit her lip and closed her eyes, trying to recall every detail of what she went through. No matter how hard she thought about it, she could not find a single moment when she was face to face with Voldemort long enough to become a Horcrux.

She shook her head. "No."

Aberforth hummed thoughtfully. "This could have something to do with your Time-Travel."

Hermione tensed. "Do you really think so?"

Aberforth nodded his head slowly, lost in thought. "Hermione, my next question is of the utmost important. It is vital that you try to recall anything you went through during your Time-Travel. Every detail could be important: a sound, a feeling, anything!" Aberforth sounded urgent.

"Well," Hermione squinted, struggling to remember the events correctly. "I was fighting against Death Eaters at Hogwarts. My spells were failing. That is to say, they passed through people without effect but when they hit a wall or were aimed at rocks, debris, they worked flawlessly. Malfoy joined me briefly at one point. I sent him away when I spotted his mother. I knew if he stayed we would both be in a bad way. He left, thankfully. I tried to keep on fighting, but to no avail, all I could do was destroy walls and move stones."

Hermione blinked tears gathering in her eyes. "So many people were dying around me. I was panicking. I was becoming so entirely useless. When my friend Ron died, I knew I would follow soon. I mean, throwing boulders at Death Eaters who were throwing the Killing Curse at me could only get me so far. That was when everything started to move in slow-motion. I had more than enough time to step out of the way of a Killing Curse sent at me. I couldn't understand what was happening. At first I thought it was some sort of new spell. But then Malfoy was back by my side fighting. For a second I thought he had come back to help me, as odd as that sounds. Only, I quickly realized things were moving by quickly, and Malfoy was gone again and that's when I knew what was happening. I had Time-Travelled enough times to recognize when it was happening to me.

"I saw the battle disappear, the castle was back in its normal state. People moved by me in blurs, until time was moving backwards too quickly for me to make out anything other than the castle which stayed the same through it all. Finally it all stopped, I saw Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster staring at me. Then everything went black. I remember being calm in the darkness of my mind. Serene."

"And then you woke up? Is that all?"

Hermione was about to nod but paused, a niggling in the bak of her mind telling her there was something more. Something important she should remember. "No, there's something else. Something that happened in the darkness."

Everything was silent in the hospital wing, the only sound that of Hermione and Aberforth's breathing and yet Hermione would swear she could hear whispering voices in the back of her mind. They were so low she couldn't make out what they were saying.

"Louder, louder," Hermione muttered through gritted teeth. Her eyes were scrunched up tight as she tried to hear the voices better. She had heard them before, that she knew.

"For you, Hermione Granger..." Hermione whispered.

"What are you saying?"

"I heard those words in my head, when I was unconscious... And something else..." She murmured. There had been other words. She was sure of it. Something about Merlin. "A Magical Core and Merlin. Argh, I can't remember clearly."

"A Magical Core? Interesting."

"Do you think that has something to do with my new ability?"

Abe pressed his lips together before answering. "It's highly unlikely... Impossible, even... But you mention Merlin, and if there exists one wizard who could achieve the impossible, it would have been him. I would need more knowledge on Magical Cores and Merlin himself in order to help you further."

"Merlin wasn't a Parselmouth, that much I know, so how could it have anything to do with him?"

"Even if he has nothing to do with it I believe that it could lead us in the right direction," Aberforth said as he stood to leave. "I will keep you informed with any progress I might make on the subject."

Both Hermione's hands were clutching the blanket that was covering her as she sat, watching Aberforth leave. He stopped just as he arrived at the door and turned back towards her. "You did right to keep this from my brother. He would deny it, but life has made him wary of Parselmouths."

Hermione smiled at him, glad he thought she had made the right decision.

The next day, when Hermione finally got the courage to go back to class, she could feel the eyes on her. Everyone in her year and over had heard of her condition the previous day. Hermione knew she no doubt had to thank her classmates and the fifth year Hufflepuff for the story spreading. Hermione had had a restless sleep and dark bags could be seen under her eyes. Before she could reach her usual seat at the Ravenclaw table, an older boy came over to her with a sheepish smile.

"Hello, you probably don't remember, but I was the one who found you the other day. Dirk Cresswell," he held out his hand for her to shake.

"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for helping me out yesterday. I'm sorry for any problems it may have caused you," Hermione blushed, taking his hand.

"Nonsense, even though you interrupted my Gobbledegook practise," he shook his head. "I'm just glad to see you're okay! You really scared me for a moment there."

"Yes, well, I'm not entirely sure what happened yesterday, I'm just glad it's over," she was about to turn away when his words finally sunk in. "Wait a minute, did you say you were practising Gobbledegook? As in you're trying to learn it?" She questioned in surprise.

It was Dirk's turn to blush and he rubbed the back of his neck as he nodded. "Yeah, I've been learning for a while now... Lots of people have told me to give up, that it's not worth the time seeing as almost all Gobblins are fluent in English, but I figure, since I plan on working with them one day, it's only polite I learn their mother tongue."

Hermione's mouth had fallen open while he spoke. "Wow! That's amazing!"

"Hehe, well, you'd be one of the first to say that," he mumbled.

"Do the teachers know?"

"Nah."

"So you're getting no help at all?" He shrugged. "Incredible!"

"Yeah, anyway, I have to get going, I'm going to be late for Care of Magical Creatures. I just wanted to say I was glad you were okay. See you around," he said, picking his bag from the floor and walking away with a few other students in his class.

Hermione sat down at her table, deciding to only have a slice of toast with butter before class. Now that she had no one to talk to to distract her from her thoughts, she lost herself in them, trying to figure out how it was possible she was a Parselmouth. It was as she was finishing her toast that she came to the conclusion that the best way to learn more about it was to talk to the first snake that had ever spoken to her. Veru Mortiferum. She had to go see it as soon as possible.

Hermione was fidgety for the whole day of lessons and failed to raise her hand, something that did not go unnoticed by a number of her classmates, mainly Adrian, Pandora and the Marauders. While the first two and Remus were worried, the other three Marauders were curious, they suspected she had something planned. And she did have something planned, they were right about that, but that something did not concern them. So when the bell announcing the last hour of class had finished, the Marauders tried their hardest to follow Hermione who had immediately raced out of the room. Unfortunately, they were dragged away by the throng of students while Hermione carefully slipped through them and raced to the Care fo Magical Creatures Professor's office.

"What can I help you with?" Mrs Rumblehorn asked kindly when she opened the door to the flushed and panting Hermione.

"I was wondering if I could see the snake again? Just to observe it?"

"Oh, well, you come just in time. Special Ministry officials are coming to pick it up and bring it back to its homeland in a few hours. You're welcome to come in, but remember, don't get too close to the cage."

Hermione nodded, striding confidently past the teacher. However, as soon as she saw the snake, her steps faltered, coming to a complete stop when the snake opened its eyes. The Professor said something about being just in the next room and Hermione found herself alone.

Hello. It hissed. Sssnake ssspeaker.

"Hello," Hermione replied, figuring it was best to be polite, but having no clue if she was talking English or not.

I did not think I would sssee you again. The snake tilted its head and shifting its body closer to the cage bars.

"Nor did I... but I couldn't stay away... I have... questions," Hermione spoke slowly, as if she was questioning her own actions.

I will anssswer. It stated calmly, its tongue peeking out of its mouth.

"Oh, okay," Hermione looked around, as if surprised the snake had simply agreed to answer her. She found an empty crate and sat down on it. "How did you know I was a Parselmouth?"

Becaussse I could tell.

"No, you have to be more precise!" Hermione muttered frustrated. "I need to understand! I wasn't a Parselmouth until a few days ago, tell me how you knew even though I had no idea!"

I can feel it within you. All sssnakesss can recognizzze a sssnake ssspeaker. They are rare. We mussst be able to recognizzze them in order to protect them.

"Protect them?"

If we did not recognizzze them, sssnakesss like myssself might attack them by missstake. Sssnakesss do not harm sssnake ssspeakersss.

"Why not?"

For the sssame reassson, we protect them, they protect usss. They are powerful.

"Have you met any other Parselmouths?" Hermione wanted to know.

Not I, no. I had only heard of them, until I met you.

"Alright... But do you know if others exist?"

I have heard of one. In thisss land asss well. He isss sssaid to have eyesss asss blue asss a blue racccer sssnake'sss ssscalesss. He befriended many in hisss youth.

"Tom."

I do not know hisss name.

"Have you perhaps heard of any other snake speakers?"

No. That isss not possssible. Being able to ssspeak with sssnakesss, for your kind, isss not common. In fact it isss close to nonexissstent. Only one family line hasss ever been known to have sssnake ssspeakersss.

Horror started to seep through Hermione's being. "Slytherin."

Yesss.

"But I am no Slytherin, in house nor in blood," Hermione argued, firmly without a doubt.

You may be a sssnake ssspeaker, but you are not the sssmartessst.

"What do you mean?"

You are a witch. Hermione nodded in confirmation, though the snake was not waiting for one. Then you ssshould know there are other waysss to be part of a wizzzarding line.

Before the words even had time to sink in, there was a knock on the door as it was pushed open. "Sorry, the Professor said I could join you."

"No problem," Hermione replied, frowning at the snake as she tried to understand what it meant.

Hermione moved over on the crate, leaving room for the boy to join her if he wished to. He glanced at her blue tie, and knowing that Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were less prejudiced against Slytherins, took the place she was offering.

"You came to see the snake before it left?" The boy questioned, staring at the snake Hermione had yet to look away from.

"Yes, I was fascinated by it."

"She's beautiful," the boy murmured.

The snake raised its head, meeting Hermione's gaze before slipping it over to the boy and hissing. Hermione couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips.

"I think she's pleased by the flattery," as she spoke she turned towards the boy and gasped. "Regulus!"

The boy tensed. "Do I know you?"

"No! It's just, I know your brother!"

"You do?" Regulus asked, shifting away from the girl carefully.

Hermione nodded. "He wouldn't be happy with you sitting next to me," she told him.

Regulus scoffed. "My brother is a bloody Gryffindor. I'm not sure he has the best judgement."

Hermione giggled at the way Regulus carelessly brushed off his brother's opinion even though they were still relatively close at this time.

"I don't think your brother is a bully because of the fact that he's a Gryffindor," Hermione commented.

Regulus shook his head. "No, he's a bully for survival," he paused, tilting his head to look at Hermione from the corner of his eyes. "Who are you exactly?"

"Hermione Delacour," Hermione introduced herself, sticking out her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you," Regulus replied with proper pureblood politeness, recognizing the name. "As you seem to already know, I'm Regulus Black."

Just as Hermione was going to speak the door opened, cutting off her train of thought. "I'm sorry children, but the Ministry officials are here for the snake."

Hermione and Regulus stood, moving to the side of the office in order to leave room for the people entering. Both the first year and second year students left the office after being told by the professor that dinner had just started and that they should head down. Walking together towards the Great Hall, Hermione tried to keep the conversation going.

"So you like snakes?"

"I find they're the only animal worth knowing anything about, especially if they are magical snakes, which the Veru Mortiferum is. One of the most powerful. With just a bite it can kill you in seconds."

"A protective and defensive mechanism, not something they abuse," Hermione commented.

"Sure, but still, to think if a Wizard could do such a thing."

Hermione resisted the urge to comment that a wizard could, if he felt capable of using the Killing Curse. However, the pair had arrived at the Great Hall so she stopped with Regulus in front of the tables and smiled at him.

"It was wonderful talking with you Regulus. I always enjoy talking with people who aren't complete dunderheads," she teased.

Regulus laughed. "You must be talking about Gryffindors!"

Hermione shook her head. "Not necessarily," sighing, she started to turn away as she spoke. "Perhaps we'll talk again. Have a nice evening."

It was as she was sitting down next to Adrian and Pandora that Hermione noticed Sirius glancing from her to his brother with an intense frown on his face.

"Why does she insist on befriending everyone close to me?!" Sirius ranted, later that evening in the confines of his room.

The Marauders were eyeing the boy as if he were a bomb waiting to explode. James was lying down on Remus' bed with the other boy who was currently munching on a chocolate bar. "Perhaps she's a social butterfly? And that those people don't reject her advances?" James tried, already bored by the subject.

Sirius shook his head. "She must be doing it on purpose just to annoy me!"

"This may shock you Sirius, but the world does not revolve around you. Much less her's. In fact I think she would be perfectly content if you weren't part of her world at all," Remus snapped, frustrated that his friend always insisted on complaining about the girl. "Though it wouldn't be farfetched to say your world revolves around her," Remus mumbled under his breath lightly.

James being the only one to hear him, snorted loudly in surprise clutching his stomach. "Wow, Remus, mate!" Was all he said.

"Think about it," Sirius continued as if his friends hadn't uttered a word. "She befriended Remus who knows when or how! And now my brother? How is she tricking them?!"

"Tricking them? Don't you think that may be harsh? She's not that bad, Sirius," James spoke quietly, wanting to get over this subject of discussion.

"Not that bad?! Oh Merlin, not you too James! Please tell me she didn't convert you too!" Sirius pleaded.

Rolling off of Remus' bed James snatched one of Remus' chocolate bars, ignoring his friend's indignant 'Hey!' of protest. "She didn't convert me, Sirius. She came over to the house for dinner with her brother this summer. Let's just say that when we were left alone, certain things were said and done. I got her out of my system. I don't like her but she doesn't bother me anymore."

"James!" Sirius exclaimed, eyes wide.

"I think you should just leave her alone, Sirius," James commented as he left the room. "She does't need to deal with your shit," he said with a discrete hard undertone, showing that, while he didn't want to fight with his best friend, he still meant what he said. He spoke with the echoes of the conversation he had overheard and the one he had shared with her resonating inside his mind.