whew!  I'm glad they're moving toward each other again instead of away.

Oh no.  I must keep reading.  It has to get better eventually!  AGG.

Ooh, that Malfoy makes me so angry!  AGG.  Poor Hermione, she's in trouble now.  Snape, yet again, is his own worst enemy.  So frustrating.  Great story, though!

Oh and lovely smut it is, too. 

Bertram was just a little too nice and pleasant to be true, I think.

Excellent story.

It's hard to imagine that Severus is there to betray Hermione. Perhaps he is spying, and didn't want her to know in case she wanted to get involved. I guess the next chapter will help reveal things a bit more, since this chapter can keep you guessing.

No No No!!! Surely he is doing some inside investigation?  Yes Yes thats it.. please tell me it is. Terrible cliffie!!

Ohh, quite an evil cliff-hanger! :o

wow.  excellent.  That Bertram is a nasty piece of work!  I KNEW something wasn't quite right with him.  Eww, he's gross.  LOL.  Such a good story I'm totally caught up in it and I've attempted to get up and leave the story a couple of times and just keep saying, "Oh one more chapter".

gets better all the time!  I can't stop reading and really do need to get some SLEEP!

oh not nice.  Excellent story, tho!!!

ooh... can't wait to see what happens next... 

I really hope he is being a double agent again. It's so easy to think the worst of someone when they are in what we feel is a bad situation.  I know if I was Hermione I would be upset as well.

Let's hope that Severus really does care about Hermione and is helping her and not hindering her.

Oh no!

uh ohs...Sev is in biiiiiig troubles now, mister!

Ack!  I can't believe you ended the chapter here! I love this story, and the suspense just builds and builds... by the way, I loved your blog entry about 9/11.  It was more meaningful than any of the other things I've seen written; usually I try avoid stuff about 9/11 because it tends to be sanctimonious and annoying.  You, however, really strike a chord.  Thank you.

Dear Lord no, say it isn't so.

I know it looks bad right now, but I know there must be a logical explanation.  Although at this point no matter what Severus has to say she isn't going to be able to trust it. 

All that speculation about whether he may have already obliviated her memories due to her suspicions was a very scary senario.
Poor Hermione.

Oh My! That's a nasty twist at the end! It 'sounds' bad, but ... I have always had faith in Severus, not stopping now.  [Love your little Pitty.]

Another great chapter! I loved the conversation between Hermione and her mother, and how she points out that not pretending to be in love with someone doesn't mean that in time those feelings canot develop. And I specially liked the sentence “Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve been having an affaire with a prince, as well. Sure, he’s only a half-blood, but happily-ever-after doesn’t come without a bit of sacrifice.” It's great!

Hermione's parents seem really nice people, and I hope nothing bad happens to them...

well i do hope we get more information on what, exactly, happened to Hermione at her former place of employment!

I can't wait for Snape to make his appearance.

Very good story so far.  Intriguing.

New updates! I must confess that I couldn't wait and have read until chapter 25, but I'll try to review as if I hadn't :)

I have enjoyed the conversation between the minister, Severus and Hermione, and how Severus and Hermione try to get him to do something about Lucius. Ustinov doesn't seem to like Hermione very much... And I loved the interaction between Millie and Severus, it reminded me of James Bond and Moneypenny!

ohh, very very intriguing.  I shall continue!

I guess Serverus are playing double agent again, but for who? Let us assume that he is on the rigth side, meaning what we consider the rigth side, the question in my mind is then: What price would be to high to pay for Severus? Does he have a sole rigth to tell everyone (read Hermione) what must be done to reach the goal he sets? Have he during the years sold so many parts of his soul that he no longer sees a price to high to get the trill of being a double agent. Does he crave to balancing between good and evil to find meaning with life?
If he really is on Lucius side, I want both of their heads on a platter, after they have been publicly exposed and humiliated. If he is working to take Lucius down, Hermione should carefully ask herself what kind of man she wants to spend her life with. Does she wants one who lies and badmouth her, in many ways betrays her, when her back is turned so he can reach whatever means he deems worth the price? Does she want to have children with a man who quite likely will use them the same way if he finds it necessary? Hermione has to find the answears to this questions herself, Severus will obviously not give honest answears, the best she can hope for is to be called immature and dimbwitted, unable to see the importance in what he is doing.
I do hope that she will grow some spine before this story ends, otherwise she will continue to be the mudblood, gryffindor, know-it-all, Severus, Lucius and their likes will walk all over like they have done so far.
I am no fan of this storys Severus, I honestly think he has played the game to far and is to willing to sacriface whatever price there is to pay to play the game. It is brilliantly written though, and I don't have to love all characters to state that the plot is magnificient. And, as hard as it is for me to appriciate him, you write one hell of a Severus, making us all doubt what side he is really on, even if I think he has gone to far no matter what side he is on.

Oh I got quite a chill running down my spine and up my arms at the end there.  I'm glad Snape won't be spending more than one chapter unconscious!  Very good so far.

And now Severus' loyalties come into question again. I can't imagine Severus truly going along with Lucius' nefarious plans to eliminate all Muggleborns, but still... with the seriousness of the situation and Severus' longstanding friendship with Lucius, Hermione just has to wonder, 'What if?'

BTW, what a horrible, awful, deadly, EVIL CLIFFIE!!!