Harry finds he can no longer talk to snakes...in an unfortunate way.

Character(s): Golden Trio

Notes: Cutting it close today!

"Ah Bugger!" Harry hissed recoiling his hand to his chest as pain shot all the way up to his elbow.

Hermione and Ron came sprinting from their tent both crying out Harry's name.

"What is it?! What is it!?" They both cried out, Hermione running to Harry, while Ron scanned the horizon looking for any sign of wizards or witches that might have found them. His chest was puffed out, ready to throw a protective barrier between whoever may be around and his two best friends.

The three had been on a vacation of sorts. They were travelling the British country side, not in dire search of horcruxes, but just in leisurely enjoyment at getting to play anonymous from every witch and wizard that wanted an interview from Harry Potter and his "two sidekicks." A rather pompous wizard had referred to Hermione and Ron as such, and continued to say that Harry must have appreciated their companionship as if Ron and Hermione hadn't suffered in the least on their perilous journey. The look he'd given Hermione and Ron, like they were too simpering dolts that followed after Harry had been infuriating.

"It must have been extra work keeping your two friends alive, eh lad?" The wizard had said to Harry in a sympathetic tone.

Harry had punched the wizard square in the nose, and would have done more if he hadn't been stopped.

"I don't see anyone..." Ron muttered, before looking back to Harry whose face was scrunched in pain.

"A snake bit me!" Harry hissed as Hermione was trying to uncurl his bloodied fingers.

"Bloody hell! What it look like?" Ron rasped, eyes dropping to the ground in search of any loose snakes, "Was it poisonous?"

"No! No...Shit! It was just a grass snake!" Harry growled, wincing as Hermione continued to pull at his hand.

The witch blew a lock of hair out of her line of sight, eyes glancing over at the river bank Harry had been sitting by, "I see it. He's still there in the water. You're right Harry, that is a grass snake-Now! Uh! Now really, uncurl your hand so I can fix this!"

Harry muttered an oath and finally obeyed, Hermione examining Harry's hand.

Ron stepped close to the two and quietly watched as the two worked. Squinting, Ron chewed on his lower lip, and finally asked, "Hey...so...why did the snake bite you?"

Harry looked to Ron, and shrugged, "Well I..." Harry frowned for a moment, "I don't know. I said hello to it, and then reached out to touch him-"

"And he bit you?" Hermione asked, touching the tip of her wand to Harry's fingers.

Harry shuttered as something seemed to flow into his hand and soothe his ache. In another moment the pain was gone, and his wound closed. Harry flexed his fingers letting out a relieved sigh.

"Yeah...Yeah he did. The snake didn't say anything back though," Harry said looking back to the snake that coiled in the water.

Hermione's mind seemed to be working over this fact, "Try saying something to it again."

Harry looked at Hermione, and then to Ron. Ron shrugged his shoulders not sure what Hermione expected either. Harry sighed, and turned to the snake frowning at the small creature, "Hello you rude little sod."

Ron laughed, and even Hermione had a chuckle.

"Try seriously Harry!" Hermione tutted, even as the corners of her mouth curled upwards.

"That was serious!" Harry laughed, feigning hurt at her disapproval.

"We could understand that, mate. It didn't sound like any snake hissing to me!" Ron said over his chortled.

Harry frowned again, and looked back to the snake. He really had been intending to speak to the snake. Carefully the took in a breath, and then tried it again, "Hello?"

"Still speaking English," Ron said.

"I'm trying," Harry shot back, with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

Hermione however, was smiling, "I don't think you can speak parseltongue anymore Harry."

"What?" Harry and Ron both echoed looking to Hermione.

"How'd you make that one out Hermione?" Ron questioned further.

Hermione smiled, folding her arms and looking like she'd just aced all her N.E.W.T.s in world record time. Looking at Ron and Harry's perplexed faces she began to explain, "Well...the ability to speak parseltongue was always something left over from Voldemort wasn't it? He's gone now...all fragments of him are gone...maybe your ability as a parselmouth has gone as well."

"Do you think so?" Ron asked looking at Hermione, and then to Harry.

"I...I don't know," Harry suddenly answered, an odd grin taking over him. The odd ability to speak to snakes had never really bothered him unless scrutinized by classmates and those who would see it as a way to compare Voldemort and Harry. Other than the ties speaking parseltongue gave Harry to Voldemort, Harry had almost thought of this ability with fondness. He would often remember that snake he had freed from the zoo, and entrapping his awful cousin with fondness. But if the ability to speak pasreltongue was gone, and was gone because Voldemort was gone forever... well that thought made Harry giddy.

"Well...you could always keep trying to to talk to snakes," Hermione suggested.

Harry slapped Ron heartily on the back, "Yeah mate! Give 'em a good hissin'!"

Harry and Hermione broke out in grins, and Ron waggled his eyebrows at his two friends, "But keep your hands to yourself next time huh?"

End