Purchase,what purchase?Can't wait for next chappy! Well written well done.

Oh, please let it be a jewelry shop!  Great chapter with the promise of more goodness to come.  I can't wait to read more. 

Once again you've outdone yourself.  The tenderness Severus felt for Hermione, and his thoughts warring with each other as he contemplated what Hermione was coming to mean to him were beautifully written.When she wakes to the white rose on her pillow and recalls the night they spent together, I wonder what thoughts will be going through her mind.  I hope the fact that Severus is searching for a very special shop is an indication that he has decided that being with Hermione on a permanent basis is what he has in mind.  I absolutely love this story!  Beth

I very much like this story -- especially the way in which you'd used songs by The Beatles as chapter titles!  I for one am inclined to suspect that the shop which Severus is in search of is a bakery or some such place where he can purchase some breakfast which he can then bring back and share with (or even lovingly feed to) Hermione...but I somehow doubt that Hermione will interpret his absence as benign, white rose or no.  Perhaps he should have left a lavender one instead, which if memory serves means "you have enchanted me" -- although white roses supposedly mean "I miss you" as well as symbolizing innocence. Maybe she'll be matter-of-fact about the fact that he's gone (or try to be) instead of being upset...she did go into this with her eyes open and assumed that all she would probably have with him is this one night.

Yay - waking to a single white rose on the pillow next to you; the man's capacity for romance knows no bounds ...!

I can only hope that the kind of shop Severus has now gone looking for may be the type that sells nice sparkling things that look good on ladies fingers, hmmm?  (Shall I keep my thoughts to myself?!) 

'Tenderness had never before struck him as arousing' is an excellent line and one many men would do well to remember!  I personally love your Severus as he is very much the way I see him.  I had wondered if you would ever use the title 'Twist & Shout' (one of my favourite Beatles tracks!) and I think you should get extra points for incorporating it in this story in such an appropriate way! I repeat once again that I just LOVE this fic! :-)

hmmm that's sort of bittersweet isn't it? i wonder what mione's going to think in the morning...

No squick, dear. Nicely done. :D

You go, girl! :)

I loved Lucius' comparison of Hermione to Ron's "skank-ho."  “I assure you, I recognize quality when I see it. You have it—she does not.” 

While I was sorry that Harry's interruption of Severus and Hermione's talk meant that they didn't get a chance to dance, I was glad that her exchange with Harry reminded her that she was a grown woman and that she had no intention of letting Snape slip through her fingers without even trying.  After all, hadn't Lucius told her that one of the reasons he wanted to make peace with her was because he saw how happy Severus had become since he had started seeing her?  Yes!

I'm looking forward to the next chapter.  I hope the wagging tongues they left behind at the ball have a good time trying to figure out just what has been going on with Hermione, Severus, the Malfoys, and Harry.  And I hope Ron is suitably embarrassed by Ginny and Molly for bringing "that woman" to the ball.

Great chapter!

Beth

Oh God how could you stop there? Your evil.can't wait for more.

~leans over to mione and whispers conspiratorially~ victoria's secret has some pretty nighties for sale...lol and those angel wings too! (which sadly, are never sold...though i tried to ask once...nearly got booted out of there haha)

Okay, that was just mean to end it there!!!  I want to see the seduction ... NOW!!! 

Ahem ... er, nice chapter.  I can't wait to read more.

Lovely set up. Please don't leave us hanging long. And PLEASE no mix-ups - i.e. straight forward progression to the good stuff. THANKS!!!

uh oh. Hermione's plotting.

I knew he couldn't resist her. And if she manage to go back home alone at the end of the night, I pity Severus' poor hands

*squee* she did it. And I pity poor Severus. With e determined Hermione on his arm, there is no way he can resist her.

Clever girl. And lucky. Always get what she wants. I'm jealous.

Wow!  This promises to be a very good evening.  Can't wait for the next chapter to see how this all turns out.  I'll bet when they get to the ball that Lavender and her friends will stare open-mouthed when they see Hermione looking so beautiful and on the arm of this dashing, handsome wizard.  Woo hoo!Very nice!Beth

I can't believe she learned to fly in a single lesson.  I think Severus was a tad disappointed that it had happend so quickly, and I wish they had a reason to see each other before the ninetheenth, but at least they will go to the ball together.Now she has to find the perfect little black dress.Beth

OMG!  She did it!  Only she did just the opposite of what she was supposed to do.  Well, good for her.  She is the brightest witch of her age... And she found a way to get what she wanted.  I love it!Beth

Yes!  Yes!  Yes!!  The real lessons have begun, and I'll wager that both of them will learn more than they could ever have imagined!Beth

Whew!  I'm glad that Hermione hadn't Apparated away, and that they had a chance to talk about what each wanted.  Hopefully Severus will take the "time to weigh the pros and cons, the benefits and the drawbacks” and will decide that he actually does want to pursue her further.  It's time he thought about settling down.This has been another wonderful chapter. Beth

Whew!  I'm glad that Hermione hadn't Apparated away, and that they had a chance to talk about what each wanted.  Hopefully Severus will take the "time to weigh the pros and cons, the benefits and the drawbacks” and will decide that he actually does want to pursue her further.  It's time he thought about settling down.This has been another wonderful chapter. Beth

There is nothing I can say except that his is HAWT!!!There is nothing like getting "into" the spirit of the moment, and they certainly did that in spades.  Darned innkeeper.Keep up the great work!Beth

Ticket to Ride is one of my favorite Beatles songs, and now it has a new meaning.  I'd like to know where to buy a ticket to ride the Severus Express.Very well done!Beth