she is so right about ron's brief flashes of maturity.  wonderful story so far.  thanks and mucho smoochies

This is a fun response to that particular challenge. Nice work, mystery author. Minor pick: You use the term Occulmency (hiding her thoughts/feelings) in this chapter and I believe what you really wanted was Leglimency (reading her thoughts/feelings) instead.

So she followed her heart after all, and found exactly what she desired: an intelligent man who wants her for herself. Sigh. Now I just want to see how far Ron's maturity goes when she tells him its over!

Very satisfying chapter!  He's my favorite baritone after all!!!  Can't wait to see how things come together.:D

Yum-o. What a dream!  And what a dream fulfillment!  And she's finally made a decision.  Now to tell  Ron.  Hmmm...

Very good, wonderful idea looking forward to more.

So Hermione's dream lover is Severus Snape. Excellent. And it sounds like they both realize they're truly meant for each other and have a lovely future planned together.

Which means that now it's time for Hermione to tell Ron the engagement is off. I have a feeling Ron thinks that his little display of "maturity" would get Hermione to come back... somehow I doubt Ron's going to take Hermione's decision well. Especially if he suspects there's another man involved. And if he finds out the other man is Snape... ohhhh boy.

Yay, she found him! :)

YES! Finally she found him and even better, she knew straigth away what choices she should make. I absolutely loved this chapter, very well written and your Severus was wonderful:-))

Ron could never compete with Snape.  Ever.  I don't feel sorry for him, though.

So how did he know she was the one? Neat rrick with the dreams.

Hermione seemed to be very trusting in this chapter. All was well, but really, entering an obviously enchanted cottage just like that? *tsk*

I'm rather sad that the dreams are over so soon. I would have loved to read more of those wonderful dream sequences - but who knows what the mystery author has in stock for us, maybe Hermione's reality will surpass her dreams?

Rich baritone, really? *shivers* and she hasn't already guessed who he is. That girl is helpless. *sigh* Of course she has no obsessions going over him. At least, not yet. *wink*. Anyway, excellent first chapter and very promising. I'm looking forward to more.

Interesting beginning. Ron is being his usual selfish self, not considering what Hermione needs at all. I hope she figures out who her dream lover is before its too late.

How long is this going to be? Do you know already?
Because this chapter left me puzzled. On one hand, the story started as a novel, or at least a novella. On the other hand, the dream lover pushed forward so forcefully in the end, that it seems like three chapters should cover the issues here.

I hope it isn't too ugly a breakup with Ron, but it really does need to happen.

The ocurrences of her dream are as interesting as the identity of her dream lover.
Good start - I hope to read more soon!

I'm having to smile at all the reviews here; come on, ladies, surely there can only be one wizard who fits the bill for this ghostly lover?!  I know I'd recognise that voice & seductive tone for sure! Hermione is perhaps not quite 'the brightest witch of her age' if she has not yet worked it out! But, then again, she may not have realised that she had a need to search her heart before the jigsaw pieces fall into place ...

(Please don't tell me it's going to be Filch or Hagrid or someone now, after I've convinced myself it's a certain Potions master - please!!!)

Whatever the outcome though, this is a really good start - mysterious, romantic and sexy - a great combination in my opinion!  Can't wait for more now! :-)

Very intriguing indeed!  Since I'm an incurable SS/HG shipper, I hope Severus is the mystery man in Hermione's dream...but if this story is DH-compliant, that seems very unlikely (unless he's calling to her from beyond the grave).  I really can't imagine who it could be if it's not him -- but I hope for Hermione's sake that she's not just chasing a will o' the wisp and that this is more than just a dream.

Oh, I loved that 'Search your heart and you will know' part! 

I also loved that he came each time things with Ron had been questionable.  Even if she never finds him, which I hope she does, he's given her some food for thought.  Obviously she's not as 'in love' with Ron as she thought if she's willing to entertain this ghost lover.

Very exciting mystery.  I for one would be highly disappointed if Hermione's dream lover weren't Severus.  But how to bring him to life, dear author, if that were your pursuit?  It is, isn't it?  *begs for happy ending with appropriately mature build up*

Interesting start. :)

Hm... my first thought was Harry, especially since Harry seems to have matured a great deal and really cares about Hermione. But if he's stuck on Ginny, it can't be him. Unless Harry and Ginny are having issues that Hermione's not aware of yet.

The baritone voice made me think Snape, and the "exotic" description brought Blaise Zabini to mind, but I see the characters include "Other Canon Wizard/Witch", so... I have no idea!

OK, I'm definitely intrigued!

oh I know who my dream lover would be....could Hermione have the same one????

I love this, even the second time around. The mystery lover-phantom-thing is so sexy.