“Now, you know the bitterness of doing what is right. Only fools believe the right thing will always feel good and satisfying. Sometimes making the right choice is not as clear and easy to recognize. You must have an ability to step back and see the sum of all the parts, working together in harmony. ..."What Augusta is telling Hermione is exactly what Snape has to do.  But you knew that, didn't you!I had to laugh at Hermione's attempt to close her mind to thoughts of Snape.  That's like an open invitation to think about him.  The declaration itself causes an echoing of 'I'm not going to think about ...' bouncing all through your head.  Hermione is certainly narrowing down the amount of the world that she can live in on the merest hint that she might bump into Snape.  And I imagine that Snape has thought about the girl-with-the-bag-over-her-head a great deal!  But not in some poor lost romantic way that Hermione has been spinning 'the other woman' bit.  When will she realize she has had a long-standing 'crush' on him?  That's the obvious reason she would romanticize what happened that night and not consider that the 'other woman' might have been raped, too.  Only Luna mentions that the other woman was 'willing'.  Maybe that point could be clarified at some point when Snape returns to the story?As ever - looking forward to what happens next! 

I can't help but wonder from Hermione's questions if perhpas she found him attractive before the night of her rape. Otherwise, she wouldn't care what others thought or that he went to have sex with someone else. If she had found him repulsive from the start, she would have only felt relief when he withdrew and retreated from her. If the circumstances had been different, would she really have wanted him to be the one to take away her virginity?I also can't help but wonder if the Death Eaters were taunting her with a fiction; that Snape actually left quite disgusted with himself that night, and in actuality, he didn't even touch another woman.

I'm glad you updated and hope you have recuperated after your surgery.This story definitely becomes more and more intriguing. I wonder if the title refers to Hermiones hunt for rare potion ingredients, which would mean she will indeed pursuit this career path. And I do understand her wish to be acknowledged by Snape, partly because he is someone she knows and partly maybe because she has always respected him. Now she realizes that she is wondering how he is doing after the war she is compelled to find out, I suppose. It would be very OC for her not to research something she is curious about.You have made me curious as well, so I hope you'll update soon..

Hey, good job, as a mom of three little girls i can not imagine what it would cost me to give one of my little ones  up, because i could never ever do it. I would rather die then to give one of them away. But in your story it is understandable because of the rape and the deatheater-thing, and they are right it would throw a bad light on the parents and thereafter on the little girl. People are cruel and children in school and kindergarten sometimes, too.Anyway, i wanted to say, great stuff, very emotional, please more, soon. Thank you for sharing this with us.LG Yvonne

This was worth the wait.  Very good job and bring Hermione's emotions to life.  I can't wait until the next chapter.  Hope you are feeling better.

Nice. Had to read 3 and 4 this evening. You have a way with discriptors that is quite vivid. And I agree with you about Karelia. She is a genius when it comes to correcting bad grammar. ^_^

Awww.. this chapter's ending was so sad! Please please please post the next chapter soon!

You never cease to amaze me with what your write.  Another wonderful beginning, and I am eagerly awaiting more.

Livvy, this story has me teary from the getgo.  You're getting better (worse?) at this all the time.  I shall have to start sending you a bill to reimburse me for excessive tissue use.  Hermione's speech to Alice was so sweet and so sad.  Is it bad that against Hermione's wishes, I hope the baby comes out looking clearly like her father?  It would save me the grief of having to wait eleven years for some drama :)  Looking very forward to more!

Wow this is a really interesting story and I can't wait until you post some more. It will be exciting to see how it turns out!

interesting idea, i'll look forward to reading your work.thanks for all your hard work and dedication, i know it's time consuming, but I appreciate it

I apologize for not giving stars with my first review, I'm on my new iPad and I'm still learning how things work.

And the plot thickens... I eagerly await the next chapter

Even using the Muggle convenience of a telephone is complicated.  Send an owl with a time and day to inform the recipient of the incoming phone call so they know when to leave the magical surroundings so they can receive their call!  I got a bit lost there, but finally figured out what you meant.Oh yes, Hermione's heart is going to be torn out when she has to leave her baby with Luna.  Things like that are easier to make plans about - until reality sets in.Augusta should wash Ron's mouth out with soap!!

More, soon, pleeeeeeeaaaaasssseeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

very good.  I want to read more.  I can't wait to see what happens when Snape finds out.I noticed one grammatical error I thought you might want to fix.  The sentence "Is Neville and Luna here, Mrs. Longbottom?" should be "Are Neville and Luna here, Mrs. Longbottom?"

I'm enjoying this.  I'd like to read more.I did notice there wasn't much explanation of Snape's role prior to what Augusta said of him toward the end.  I think it would help if it was made clear that he didn't want to violate anyone.  Perhaps Luna could have suggested that the reason Snape couldn't finish with a virginal girl was because he hated the thought of violating an innocent.  Something like that.  It makes sense he wouldn't want to.

I just found this little gem today and  my curiousity was peaked . Im glad Hermione is getting help from Neville, Luna and his grandmother. Im starting to wonder if this little plan will work but maybe it will who knows. Course if Severus finds out all heck is going to break loose. Look forward to another chapter.

This story is going to be amazing. Plus i know you always give a fantasic ending (i'm not wishing for the end already,I just can't wait for the ride lol!)

I'm glad Luna pointed out that the child won't be fooled for her whole life, and that she will find out who her parents are - eventually.  Luna's put the whole ordeal into perpective for Hermione, as she's only thinking of the here and now, not the future as a whole.  I'm of a mixed mind as to how I think Severus will take the news.  In some respect the time will distance the pain, but at the same time it will make it even harder.Looking forward to seeing where the story goes next!

I can’t tell you how relieved I was to find out that Neville and Luna felt that one day Alice Hermione would realize that she was not their biological child.  What astounded me was that Luna told her that this little girl would find her father first and then she would find Hermione.  Luna is one of those people who "sees" things that others don’t, and I think this situation is "one of those things."

I could feel the fear that welled up in Hermione when her friend told her what she thought, and if I had been Hermione I think I might have fainted right then and there.  But Luna’s calm reasoning seemed to rub off on her enough that she merely was “aghast.”  

When Ron and Harry came to visit I couldn’t help but laugh.  Ron has all the subtlety of a hippogryph in a china shop.  Good for Augusta for stepping in and putting the squash on any further outbursts from Ron.  But then the young men started quizzing them about Hermione and got their feelings hurt because she wasn’t owling them, and she had to step in again.  I am so glad that Gran has the reputation she does because they didn’t dare take that conversation any further. 

I wasn’t expecting Augusta’s reaction to overhearing what Hermione said to her baby.  Luna had told Hermione that she and Neville hadn’t said anything about the child finding out about her real parents, so when Gran had the same thoughts, I was surprised.  I shouldn’t have been surprised though because in the first chapter Augusta had had the presence to mind to point out to Hermione that Severus' life post-war would be difficult enough without having everyone think that he was a rapist:  "But he can be spared being branded a rapist. You can do that for him at least, for all the sufferings he endured for all of us?"  Augusta is a very wise woman, and she, Neville, and Luna are the best friends Hermione could have.

This chapter has opened up so many possibilities, and I can’t wait to find out where you take this story next!

Beth

Yea anohter wonderful chapter.  I really feel for Hermione and I agree with Luna, Hermione will miss her baby and want her.  And Severus, when he finds out will most likely  be a little over protective.

Wow.

Such a chapter. *grin* Exactly whose side is Augusta on, anyway? ^_^

What a great chapter. I really can't wait for the next. I feel sorry for both Severus and Hermione. I do wish she would keep the baby though, I hope this is going to be a long one because your fics are amazing. I notice on your responses you say chapter 3? Where's chapter 2 lol.