Oops - you said they would need much time, didn't you? Seems as if they were rather rushing in here...

Well that is a good start to help both of them heal. They are finally telling each other what they want ,not just sex but to really want each other and that comes with knowing each other not as student and teacher but as a women and a man. Great chapter as per your usual outstanding writing

Wow, this was ... intense. Wow. I'm speechless. And you are a genius!

Oh No!  I almost started crying while I was reading this chapter on my lunch break at work!  Theres so much sadness and sometimes it feels like they're just going to keep going in this same cycle and things just aren't going to get better and she's just going to end up killing herself because he's beinga dumb-ass.  But I have your assurances that they'll eventually work through it.  But damn this is heartwrenching.  Congratulations on such an amazingly emotional story dear.  I know I may sound like I'm complaining, I'm sorry, you see I'm a very emotional person so when I read something like this I end up getting very invested and kinda sucked in.  Anyways I'm going to stop rambling and I'll just wait patiently for Chapter 10.  Much Love ~ Karen

(I'm sorry I'm so late with this review)  OMG I was so shocked when I read this chapter.  It was totally amazing but very unexpected which is awesome.  I read alot of stories and sometimes I can see something coming but this totally blindsided me!  Good Job!  Anyways, lots of great stuff going on here and I loved what Ginny had to say to Severus at the end of this chapter.  Seriously I love his character to death but sometimes he needs a kick in the pants!  Keep Up the Amazing Work!  ~Brena

I'm so sorry for Hermione here, as sorry I was when I nearly did something as stupid.  You think you can't get any lower and then, when you do. . .   idiot moments happen.  Me I scratched at a vein, didn't get very far, but it was enough.  Good thing finger nails aren't as sharp as they can be. As for Ginny. . ..   talk about getting mixed signals and then having to live with the consequences that you didn't know you would have to.

Great chapter once again. I think the white light gang has missed the point. Yes, Hermione is hurting but she is not the only one. Harry is a fine one to point his wand at Severus, but he was also blind to his best friend's pain. Grrr, it's a maddening situation. Ok, everything will work out, of course it will. Can't wait for the next chapter.

I'm still not a big fan of this 'everything is Severus' fault' idea. I still think it's Hermione who needs to help Hermione via some sort of therapy. But the story is exceptionally well written and I'm also still enjoying it very much, even though I'm struggling with your theme of Hermione's victimization and it's preceived perpetrator. I'll be keeping my eye out for the update. :)

My poor Severus.  he already lost one person he loved and now he may lose Hermione.  how horribly tragic.  Voldy is a pig.  He needs to die.  Ginny is an idiot for even continuing to write in that diary in the first place... hello, the first sign of madness is talking to a diary that talks back... in the words of the guy from Mind of Mencia "De de de"  anyways, i can't wait to read more, this story has me hooked.

I appreciate the stance that Severus did not need to be so cruel, but I can't say that I agree that it is in fact his fault Hermione became a cutter. Harsh reality (that people are too polite to admit): the only people who make themselves victims of their own devices are the people who have the luxury of doing so. Sorry but that's the fact of it. I know someone who went into a stress center and the reality is this: if she hadn't had the option of dropping everything in her life to pad around in slippers for a few months; the option of allowing someone else to take care of bills, children, etc; the luxury of putting everything in her life to the responsibilty of someone else, then she couldn't have actually taken that time to go into a stress center. It's almost comical, the only people that can go into stress centers are those with so few stresses they can actually  take the time out of life to go to such a place. I see it the same way for all such activities against one's own person. A cutter can only be a cutter because someone will be there to eventually pick them up. You won't see a homeless person cutting themselves - they don't have that luxury. Just like you won't see someone who has actually known hunger having an eating disorder - only someone who has the luxury of pushing away food. Etc... etc... etc... I hope Hermione gets help because no matter what Severus does to change his ways, Hermione is both victim AND perpetraitor of the acts against herself. No one else can change to make her stop being the "attacker". She's the attacker, she has to change, she is the only one who can 'help' the situation.

I'm glad Severus was confronted with what his words have done to Hermione. Now I jsut hope that Hermione can see that although he may stirred those intense and negative feelings, it was her actions alone that did this to herself - her power over herself that needs to be dealt with. I hope Severus does not become the 'bad guy'. I mean, I know he did wrong, but I also know that it was only HErmione who held those blades to her skin and no one 'made her do it' no matter how cruel they were to her.

In chapter one I figured maybe SEverus had feelings for her. Now I wonder if it isn't jsut lust, but I'm hoping that's not the case. I'm really squicked that she is now carving actual wrods into her flesh. Not that it wasn't squicky all along, but somehow whole words seem even worse than the random slashes across her legs (and elsewhere when they become too cut up to use). Looking forward to reading the next.

AGain after reading your A/Ns I find myself wanting to comment on them. :) I can see why you've meade Hermione a cutter, and I can accept it for this story, however (and I didn't read the reveiws you were addressing) I can also see, with HErmione being sucha strong personality in canon that she may be a little too strong to succumb to this 'mental illness'. Still, I like this different take on Hermione that is not all perfection and strength. I would prefer she wasn't a cutter, but since that's what she is in this story, that's what I'll accept and see her as. I just hope Severus figures it out soon!

ooh, gawd... I love seeing Hermione's self-devastating inner thoughts but to see her become a 'cutter' - ugh! I read ahead to each of the chapter summaries so I'm not sure if it's the next one or the one after that states Severus beginning to see what his words have done, but I am looking forward to reading what he thinks of it all. Spectacular writing. You can truly feel her self-loathing and it doesn't seem forced. Her idea that Snape is right - always right - was solidified in the first chapter with just a few words, and having it carry over into this chapter and Hermione's phsyche just reaffirms her belief in that 'fact'. You've done an excellent job of making that point about her mental state - Snape is always right, thus, everything he says is truth. This is such a psychological thriller. LOL

First, let me just say Wow!! I think I'm going to love this. What a wonderfully different way to tell the 'abducted Hermione' story. Second, when I read the description on the main page I thought 'well, okay... just get through that first chapter - the rape chapter - and then it will get better. Because actually I really like the 'abduction' stories because of the struggle and strife that the characters go through. I love the whole 'getting into their heads' aspect of it all in these darker tales. But that first chapter is always a hard one to stomach. But then... then I read your A/N's and I was totally and completely intrigued - 'He... wait what? ... He doesn't rape her??  and ... the fallout from not doing so?? OMGosh!!  I can't wait to read this!' LOLSo that was my thought pattern, in case you really wanted a detailed account. LOL And I'm skipping off to the next, completely excited to take this completely new journey that I personnally have never been on - the "Hermione was not tortured" journey. Can't wait to read this totally original (at least to me - no offense to anyone who may have written one before - as I have never read one like this) take on this 'age-old' tale. :)

Wonderful and sad. Poor, poor Hermione, this is so sad. At least now Severus has come around. That confession was beautiful and so heart-felt. I look forward to see his actions towards her when she wakes up.

Vindcation at last for Severus.  I didn't leave a review for the last chapter as I was disappointed with everyones response towards Severus and lack thereof towards Ginny. Yes, what he did was unseemly, but Ginny, Albus and anyone else who had knowledge of the events should share equally in the blame. As for Severus can you imagine finding out you have been walking hand in hand with death for weeks all because a silly girl thought she knew better? Haven't we hated Dumbledore since book seven because he hid so much? OK time to get down off my high horse.It looks like Poppy will have her hands full nurturing these two very fragile souls to wholeness.

I really liked this chapter Livvy you've done it once again.

Yikes!  So... I've read chapters 1-9 in one sitting.  And....wow.  I get super uncomfortable around the cutting bits because I've never really had to deal with it and I can't even imaging what would drive some one to do it to themselves.  However, I found I couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen, and just HAD to keep reading.  I really do like what you've done with the characters...and I'm interested to know what happens next!  :) I await the next installment! Until then, happy writing.

Wow!  Poor everybody!  Thankfully, Severus thought of something more useful for Ginny than exile.  Of course, Dumbly jumped on that, right?  Ugh, the man knew what he should have done and said to Hermione, yet he didn't.  And given her mental state, shouldn't he have seen this coming?  Even I, with my lack of ability in Legilimency, saw it coming.  But at least some good came of it.  He will now tell her what he should have told her months ago.  I can understand his actions.  They're so typically him, how can anyone even think he'd do anything else, right?  I'm hoping that the mighty change sticks finally.

Well, now Ginny's behavior has been figured out. I was wondering why she was acting like she was. Normally, that isn't Ginny. But with Voldemort's influence, no doubt that will make her more hostile.  I think Severus is such a coward for not comforting Hermione while in his lab. I hope she pulls through, because Severus has a lot to make up for. I think the best way would be for her to wake up while he's talking to her, that way she can hear everything without him knowing she's awake.

He stepped back from [Poppy] and said painfully, “It’s my fault. It’s all my fault. She loves me. She loves me, and I was so cruel to her, Poppy. I didn’t know I could hurt her so much—but I did. Please let me see her. If only I hadn’t been a coward and left her distraught and crying on my lab floor, she wouldn’t have done this!” Severus has confessed his sins to Poppy and Hermione, and, I think, in the future he is prepared to be a loving and supportive help mate to Hermione.  I hope it is not too late.  Our Hermione is in a very delicate situation, physically and mentally.I often seem to "march to the beat of a different drummer" when it comes time to post a review.  I know that there are many who think Severus is a first class prick.  And although I agree he has behaved like one, I know what it is like to have been so hurt that you resolve never to allow anyone to get close enough to hurt you again.  That being said, I also know what it takes to break down those self-imposed fences and make a decision to allow one's self to be vulnerable.  It is a very hard thing to do, and requires great resolve and no small amount of courage to welcome the world into your life again without reservation.  Severus has made a start, and for now, that is enough... a journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step...  and he will continue to put one foot in front of the other until his goal is won.This is an amazing chapter, livvy.  My hat is off to you!Beth

I hope Hermione hears him, because I think they are the answer to helping Ginny. Hopefully this will allow Severus to be able to help not only Hermione but himself as well. You have put so much creative writing into this story in just a few chapters it blows me away. I have never been disapointed by anything that I have read by you. so looking forward to the next chapter.

You're ripping my heart out here! This is so sad. The only lighter bit was Dumbledore's predictable "...for the Greater Good!" I had to smile, I knew it was coming. I do so hope that things start to look up a little in the future. I thought working together in the lab would be a turn for the better, but alas, it was not. Severus crying in the alcove was worse that Hermione in the lab.

this has to be the most powerful story i've read in a long time.  i think you've got the characters spot on and the sub-plot with ginny is inspired.  thanks so much for shaing your vision and talent.  i look forward to the next chapter.

I hope we have reached the bottom of the well and can now begin the journey out toward the light.  This has to be both Severus and Hermione's darkest hours.  I hope it is true that the voice of those we love can reach us in our unconscious minds and that Severus' words reach her where they are most needed to be heard her heart.I know Severus is suppossed to be the bastard here but, my heart breaks for him as much if not more than Hermione.  He is so damaged and needs the healing of her love as much as she needs the healing his love can provide.