Great update, I absolutely loved the mirror:-))

Ahhhh, but the source of his melancholy has nothing to do with the anniversary of Lily's death, and everything to do with protecting his heart from breaking once she no longer wants to have anything to do with him.  I hope Hermione will hold true to the path she has chosen, to making Severus Snape know and understand that she absolutely does not want to drop her friendship with him.  In fact, she is coming to see him just as he sees her.  Perhaps between her stubborn Gryffindor bravery and his family heirloom mirror, he can be made to accept that someone loves him.I love the mirror and hope we see much more of it.  Somehow I think the mirror can get away with saying things that might get Hermione tossed out on her ear now.  Maybe later she can say these things, but for now I imagine letting the mirror be her advocate will do very well.Thank you for a great, great chapter!Beth

Hermione's quite reluctant to let go of her pet theory, isn't she? Great dialogue, and a wonderful invention with the talking mirror. This story continues to delight!

Yay!  This is so good to see the next chapter up on here aswell - I don't care how many times I read it, it is still BRILLIANT!!As someone has already said, the mirror deserves it's own chapter, if not it's own fic!  And as for your Snape - he really must be the Snapeyist Snape ever! Congrats are in order all round really :-)

Quite enlightening. I believe that mirror has quite a few more secrets that he could reveal, if she bothered to ask just the right questions. Somehow, I doubt that Lily is the source of his sorrow any longer.

The dialogue with the mirror is priceless. Give the mirror its own chapter! I am dying to know what Snape's reaction is going to be when he wakes up from his drunken binge to find her there - he is not going to be pleased. Please let them go to the ball together,I think they would make the perfect Prince Charming and Cinderella! More very soon please!

Ah, Sev should have known better than to try to out-bluff a Gryffindor!  And he did pass out!    Loved the conversation with the cabinet mirror...hopefully Hermione won't be too determined to force clues into her Lily theory no matter how unsuited they are for it.  I'm also glad she cared enough despite his...er...invitation to find some Hangover Potion for him in the morning.An invitation to the Ministry Ball...hmm.  I think they should both go together, and each face their misgivings with the other "at their back", so to speak.  Besides, it's a proven fact that Ministry Balls are responsible for more Snape-nookie than any other occurence, including Death Eater revels--he should go.Looking forward to seeing the events of the morning after, when snarky hungover Severus discovers that Hermione still hasn't left his house...heh heh.

Your writing is blossoming! I love the description of the million tiny arrows in the rain, and Snape walking around Hermione like a piece of furniture. These are wonderfully striking visuals. So, Hermione is making an assumption that Snape was holed up grieving for Lily... Interesting...  Keep up the good work, and don't duck the praise ;) 

Oh my lord!  I cannot believe Snape just asked Hermione to give him a blow job!  Wait a minute, this is Snape.  And this Snape is drunk on his arse.  LOL!  Yes, I guess I can believe he did just that.  However, that does not mean that she HAS to give him what he wants... she could always... completely decline (which I think she should do) or offer him a compromise of a hand job (which I think she shouldn't do, not yet.  *rolls eyes at self*)You really turned the tables.  She comes into Snape's home full of righteous indignation and now finds herself completely floored by his suggestive suggestion.  Hell, I'm floored by it, too.  And I am so looking forward to finding out what happens next!  *snicker*Very well done!BethPS- Five stars are not nearly enough for this chapter.

I hope Severus will change his mind and meet Hermione in the park.  Please let his need to be in her company become greater than his decision to not allow himself to grow close to anyone.It would break my heart to see her waiting for the entire afternoon for him only to find that she must leave without seeing him.  That would be so cruel.I'm off to the next chapter!Beth

I'm hoping that this is not what it appears to be. Somehow I think he would not ask her for a blow job, even as drunk as he is. And she did say "within reason."But if it's not that, I can't imagine what it is!Love your writing style. I can hardly wait for more.

OH MY LOL

Hi I just read all three of your chapters - I'm new to TPP, so I have a lot of reading to get through - LOL! I just wanted to say how much I am enjoying your take on post-war Severus and Hermione. I agree that she would feel some responsibility had Severus lived. I'm not sure whether she is right to feel it, but she would feel it all the same. Your writing style is wonderful and your Snape is so Snape. Well done!

Enjoying your story very much and am looking forward to more, Brava! 

Oh, that's fabulous!  Hermione storming in like a righteous valkyrie, demanding her allotted time, calling him out on his "wallowing", and just being the mulish Gryffindor that he so desperately needs.  I can't wait to see how this plays out!  She should demand that he get on his knees before her, instead, as an apology (although half a bottle of Firewhisky probably wouldn't help his technique much)... Either way, he'll probably pass out at some point--if she's very kind, she may even let him have a hangover relief potion afterward!

No way! You can't leave it there! What a dilemma! She's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't. I hope she doesn't play the demure yes woman and give in to his every demand just because she thinks she owes him. Come on Hermione have some balls (you're own, not Snape's). What am I saying! I should be cheering her on. I love your writing style, really fresh and vibrant - I hope the next chapter is along soon. This is a fantastic read.

Oh, I hope he caves and goes to the park anyway!  Severus needs to take a chance on himself for once, now that he has the freedom to do so.  I should say more to make this a juicier review, but I'm too impatient to run on to the next chapter!  Sorry...*scurries off to read more*

What a brilliant beginning!  I really really like this...and I think Severus is going to try to get Hermione to figure out what he discovered himself years ago--that forgiveness cannot be magically obtained by doing something good.  How many good deeds equal the worth of a life?  How do you figure that number out?  Can you?I must quickly go to the next chapter and keep reading!

Great story! Thank you!

Truly and inspiringly beautiful, thank you!

The scene in the carriage at Hogwarts was excellent, touching upon all the potential pitfalls of their budding relationship with new-found honesty and respect. I would have been more than satisfied if the story had ended there, with the remainder of the flashback sequence to complete the story's arc. That being said, I would've missed out on the sole present under Hermione's Christmas tree, harking back to a lovely similie in a previous chapter. This was a nice touch. And I've always thought that mobile phones beat owls and Patronuses hands down (even if I still can't use the camera on my phone, hehe!) Congratulatons on completing your first longer-length story; may it be the first of many, in or outside of the fandom.

This chapter is beautifully written, with insightful, emotional intensity. I was intrigued by the notion that feelings become more powerful when placed at a distance from the person who provoked them. This certainly seems to be true for some people, and especially for Snape. And I felt satisfied when they took their respective leaps of faith to confess all. It was about time Snape tapped into his reserves of courage and bravery!

The opening paragraph to this chapter is simply stunning; the description of Hermione's dress is graceful and evocative. I also enjoyed the comparison of Lily Evans to the Lady of Shallot. You've written some fabulous banter between the pair of them, and I especially liked Snape's inability to reply to Hermione's explanation of what she saw in her escort. Ending this chapter with a swoop of jealousy was a nice touch, too.

This is by far my favorite story to date. The characterizations were spot on, the banter witty and sharp and relentlessly hilarious, and the writing style so original and raw. You are so incredibly gifted, thank you for this wonderful story!

Oh. My. God. When he told her she was the only thing that exists, I had to wait several moments before my eyes were satisfactorily dry enough to continue reading.