Part I
The Anatomy of True Friendship
Chapter 2 of 5
arynwyIn which Severus renews an old acquaintance.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Wish they were.
Part I
It was mid-August, and as he strode through the new administrative wing of the redesigned Ministry of Magic, Severus smiled to himself while observing people almost instinctively rush to get out of his way. A great portion of them had attended Hogwarts during his seventeen-year tenure, so it wasn't all that surprising. Still, it had been ten years since he'd "retired". A few of them should have developed a backbone by now. Smirking, Severus turned and flung open the double doors to the amphitheatre that today's certification occupied and openly grinned as they smacked the door stops, causing several other attendees to flinch in response. His grin turned back into his classic smirk when all of the chatter ground to a halt as he swiftly made his way towards the upper gallery. Playing with public perceptions was always entertaining and these particular idiots were more susceptible than most.
Satisfied that his little performance had discouraged anyone from speaking to him, he paused slightly in order to scan a specific section of the gallery. He had a particular seat in mind that he always used. It was located at the very top, in the far left corner in the last row, second in from the wall. Sitting there guaranteed that no one would sit next to him on either side or in the chairs occupying the row just in front of him, effectively giving him the privacy needed to work on his latest crossword puzzle magazine. It only took a moment to confirm that it, along with all the others around it were empty. A few minutes later, Severus was happily situated and working on his puzzles, secure in the fact that no one in their right mind would bother him until it was time to sit the equally mindless exam given at the end of the seminar.
There were certain events that Severus could use to literally mark the steady passage of time: the annual Malfoy Yule Gala, the annual Victory Ball, and his monthly stipend as a recipient of the Order of Merlin. Most of these events he could ignore ... they happened with or without his presence or input. Unfortunately, this was one bi-annual event that did require his personal attention as well as his attendance: the Ministry's mandatory Cross-Cultural Magical Beings Tolerance seminar. Each time he received the notice, he made a promise to himself ... when his current Ministry of Magic contracts expired, he wouldn't renew them. Then, he could stop wasting his time attending the bi-annual brainwashing attempts.
The problem was, every time he made the decision, yet another of his associates picked up a contract with the Ministry, rendering his own desires moot. You couldn't do business with other entities that held MoM contracts unless you also had current CCMBT certification. If he had to sit through the mindless social retraining love-fest in order to do business in general, he might as well hang onto the increasingly lucrative contracts in recompense. Or so his current mental justifications went. Besides, attending also served as somewhat of a guide of who he actually had to consider speaking with in the course of his own employment.
Shrugging to himself mentally, Severus refocused on the clue for 40 across ... Sorrowful plant? Three letters? . . . R U E ... only to be disrupted. How bloody appropriate.
"Oh, good! You are here, just like Harry said you would be. Pretend I'm not. I'm just going to take that inside seat, excuse me by the way, and I won't speak another bloody word to you."
Severus looked up in consternation as Hermione Granger suited action to words and occupied the seat, promptly ignoring him as she pulled out a copy of what appeared to be some type of word search magazine along with a fountain pen. She took a quick moment to charm the cover to match the approved CCMBT workbook that he hadn't bothered with since the first seminar, before starting one of the puzzles. When several minutes went by in silence, he nodded to himself and went back to his own entertainment. Severus was still reasonably certain that no one would brave dealing with him in order to reach her. Which seemed to be rather the point? Which moved Granger from the category of minor annoyance to mildly interesting.
Fortunately for all involved, his estimates held. Plenty of people looked up in their direction, but that was the extent of it. The nearest foolhardy or brave soul in the room, depending on your outlook, sat two rows below at the opposite end of the gallery. All the remaining seats from that point forward were occupied.
Eventually, the appointed Ministry drone minced her way up to the podium to start her lecture. She was a squat older witch with absolutely no fashion sense whatsoever. Her high-pitched, falsely cheerful voice grated on Severus' last nerve.
"Good lord, where did they find her? All she needs is an Alice band and a pink cardi," he heard Granger mutter under her breath before she turned her attention back to her magazine.
He casually glanced over at Granger and his estimation of her went up another notch. Little Miss Granger was apparently all grown up now and not quite as quick to blindly respect authority, which wasn't surprising in the least, considering the fact that Dumbledore had handily put paid to that paradigm. Still, he had seen her a few times after the end of the war as she physically recovered from the damage of her year spent on the run. She hadn't been all that much to look at back then, but neither had most of her peers who'd managed to survive. He surreptitiously took another glance at her neat profile. She was definitely something to look at now.
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic's Cross-Cultural Magical Beings Tolerance Seminar," the Umbridge lookalike announced flamboyantly, interrupting his current train of thought. "For most of you, this is a refresher, but for those that are new, the Cross-Cultural Magical Beings Tolerance training is ..."
"Too much of a mouthful to swallow and you'd think that after ten years, someone could have found a name that makes a decent acronym," Granger groused before flipping a page in her magazine to start a new puzzle.
It was against his better judgement, but he really couldn't let that comment pass. "You honestly think that the Ministry, the same organization that helped produce three Dark Lords in two consecutive generations with its hypocritical policies, is capable of administering a program that will actually promote positive change, let alone naming it?" he muttered back as he leaned forward to stretch a kink in his back.
"Three?" she whispered back.
He snorted in response. "Please tell me that you don't actually want to argue the fact that Dumbledore ..."
"Oh, no, you'll get no argument from me. It's just that I'd relegated him to the "failed Dark Lord" column, which leaves him a rather dull shade of grey in practice," she replied primly and returned her attention back to her magazine.
He waited for her to continue, but she really was keeping to her word and staying quiet. Mostly. He selectively blocked out the voice of the presenter and returned to his observation of the young woman sitting next to him. She wasn't what most would consider beautiful; however, he found her appealing all the same. Her figure was womanly, but not too lush. Her face was pretty, but it was her personality that gave it extra life and character. And the memorable mane of hair was currently tamed into a modern French Twist that showed off a lovely expanse of neck.
"The Mythology of Stereotypes. Really? Does that woman even understand how they come about?" she huffed quietly.
He blinked in consternation. They were more than halfway done with the lecture portion of the program, and he'd managed to ignore most of it, along with his beloved crossword puzzles, in favour of checking out Granger. Extraordinary. Looking at her again, he had to admire the delicate study of contradictions she portrayed. Her Muggle suit was understated, but tailored to showcase her lovely silhouette. The skirt was business length, but rode up when she crossed her legs to show off a nice bit of knee. One would think she wore the stylish over-robe as an afterthought, but he knew better. The pen that she idly tapped against her lips in concentration was a . . .
"Granger."
"Hmm?"
"Is that a Conway Stewart Duro Silver?"
She pulled back and looked at the sparkling red and sterling silver fountain pen fondly. "Yes, it is. I treated myself to it when I sold my first patent. What I really wanted was the Limited Cromwell, but I couldn't justify the expense." With a sad smile, she returned to her puzzles as if he didn't exist. Just in time for the lecturer to announce the short break before the exam that they were required to take in order to leave this small bit of Hell on earth.
He stood and stretched before turning his attention back to the human puzzle that sat before him.
"Granger."
"Yes?"
"You use a pen that cost more than six hundred quid to do word search puzzles?"
"Yes," she bit off as he continued to stare at her with his arms crossed, waiting for her to continue. She finally placed the cap on the pen in question and carefully attached it to the cover of her magazine before crossing her arms with a sigh. "What do you want? I'd have thought a silent version of me would have pleased you."
"It might have in the past, but as you've chosen to use me as a barrier to the masses, I believe I'm entitled to a little more of you than that," he replied easily, leaning past his chair to rest a shoulder against the wall directly behind it.
"I'm sure I don't know what gave you that impression. You're barely a passing acquaintance as far as I'm concerned, even if I did choose to use you as a shield from the rest of the idiots in attendance."
"A passing acquaintance? You must be joking. After six years of dealing with you as a student ..."
"You know nothing about me that isn't public domain, and the same can be said for me where you are concerned," she snapped as she stood and gingerly stretched and paced up and down the row a bit to work out her stiffness before retaking her seat. She continued to ignore him while putting away her magazine and wrapping the pen in its leather case in preparation for the quill and exam booklets they would be issued when the break was over.
"Is there a reason that you've continued to stare at me, Mr Snape?"
He pushed himself upright and settled into his own chair before answering. "Yes. I find this version of you rather intriguing." Leaning closer, he smiled. "When we're done with this nonsense of test taking, I'll continue to play human shield and get you out of here if you would be so kind as to join me for lunch."
"Why would I want to do that?" she replied with a smile of her own.
"You could help redeem my rather lamentable reputation."
"I no longer tilt at windmills or champion lost causes," Granger stated flatly.
"Then let's call it a working lunch. You are currently working on a problem that involves me."
"I don't see how," she retorted.
"You are the Arithmancer of choice for the Coulson project, and I am the Dark Arts, Potions specialist and Spellcraftre for the same," he stated smugly as he watched her look of incredulity turn to wariness.
"Well, I suppose that moves you up from passing acquaintance to almost colleague on my personal friendship scale."
Severus chuckled. "That isn't much of an accomplishment, as I was nothing to you before."
"That's not true," she responded. "At Hogwarts, we had an association by way of proximity, with you in a position of power, leaving me at a disadvantage. Now, I could almost call you a colleague, which is a step above the casual acquaintance in my books. Although, seeing as our break is over and I have questions for you, it's more like hated colleague at the moment."
"I will happily satisfy your curiosity when you accompany me to lunch afterward," he said, smirking with satisfaction.
"You don't have to be so smug about it," she muttered under her breath as one of the proctors arrived to issue the Anti-cheating quills along with the exam booklets.
Oh, yes I do, he thought to himself as he took his supplies from the short man in front of him.
oOO0OOo
It took him exactly twenty minutes to complete the multiple choice questions in the twenty page booklet. He looked up from it and noticed that Granger had finished hers as well, which didn't surprise him ... the test hadn't changed in ten years, not even the order of the questions. Nodding toward the front, he stood and made his way to the proctor at the opposite end of their row to turn in his exam, knowing that she would follow him without further discussion. There were two or three others that had finished and were also making their way to the exit. None of them seemed interested in doing more than clearing out themselves, which made things easier for the both of them. At least until they'd made it to the main hallway and started towards the Diagon Alley exit.
They were accosted by a reasonably attractive young man who bravely ignored Severus' presence.
"Miss Granger, did you get the owl I sent you yesterday? I know you've been busy, but I really would like to ..."
"Bollinger," she snapped, cutting him off. "I'm sure you've noticed that I'm with Master Snape at the moment." Severus nodded silently to add weight to the statement while taking note of her suddenly frosty demeanour. "We have business to conduct and his time is rather limited. As for your invitation, the answer is still no ... which is the same as you received with the morning post."
Severus watched as Bollinger woodenly stepped aside and allowed them to pass. He noticed the way she calmly acknowledged a few greetings that were directed her way while rolling her shoulders in annoyance as she ignored others. Also of interest was the fact that men consistently fell into the latter category.
"I don't know the history between the two of you, but I don't think Bollinger will be contacting you any time in the near future," he remarked as he stepped forward and held the door that led to the outside.
"Thank you. Don't feel sorry for him. He only wants to be seen with me in order to raise his standing within his department. He's not interested in me at all. I went out with him once and he spent the entire date showing me off to his fellows like I was a prize poodle or some such," she huffed as she went through the door.
"You'll want to head down the Alley past Ollivander's," he instructed. "We'll have lunch at the Spellcraftres' Guild, as we do need a bit of privacy for our discussion."
"Right. I was about to beg off. I'm really not in the mood to deal with all of the opportunists that think now is the perfect time to make a move on me, since it's now quite obvious that I'm available."
"And you don't think I'm attempting the same?" he asked.
"Even if you currently are ... this is more of a quid pro quo situation. I sought you out to my benefit and now, I am spending the time you've requested in exchange."
"I'm not at all certain I like all of the changes in your personality," he responded seriously. "You sound like members of my old House."
Granger snorted in response. "By now you should have realised that Slytherin doesn't have a corner on the market when it comes to cold practicality."
oOO0OOo
They continued to walk in silence. Severus didn't attempt to start up the conversation again until they'd reached their destination and their order had been served.
"You know, I was rather impressed with the way you and your compatriots outmanoeuvred the press and Molly Weasley the other day. Word has it that Creevey received a rather generous bonus along with an extended leave for his exclusive."
"Word is true. The Prophet wanted the exclusive, but that meant Dennis would have to lay low for a while to prevent his fellow journalists from killing him since he's an independent. Ron came up with the strategy, I just handled logistics while Harry handled the spin and retreat." She shrugged as she took a bite of her grilled salmon. "Mmm, this is lovely. Thank you for inviting me here."
"You can repay me by satisfying my curiosity. Just what exactly is your friendship scale and why does it exist?"
She gave him a curious look before responding. "See that man over there?"
"Everley?"
"Yes. I dated him for a bit after Ron and I broke up the first time. He was very attentive and pretended that he actually wanted to get to know me instead of believing all of the media tripe."
Severus raised a questioning eyebrow in response.
"It took me a bit, but I came to realise that all he wanted was to be the one that recruited me to the Spellcraftres, along with a bit of slap and tickle on the side. When he understood that I wouldn't leave the Arithmancers, he didn't have the time of day for me."
"Not to make an excuse for the man, but he's a Guild recruiter and that is one of their known tactics," he interjected.
"Oh, I know that now, but nine years ago, it hurt. Then, there were all of the self-important slime that just wanted to bed me ... another notch on the post, as it were. At first, it was a bit flattering ...some of them were celebrities themselves and no one had ever accused me of being desirable before. Then, Rita and her ilk started after me. Ron and Harry could sleep with the world and not a thing was said, but I was a glory-seeking, man-eating slag. A rather vicious double-standard, yes? But I won't bore you with that."
I'm not finding this conversation boring in the least, he mused, nodding thoughtfully.
"After that I was deep into my studies and starting my career. I no longer had the desire for anything that involved more than a date here and there. After dealing with so many people who wanted to make use of me, it became habitual ... I started categorising the types of folk who wanted to be "friends" and developed my personal friendship scale. I won't let people abuse my goodwill anymore. Harry and Ron are my best friends, but when we were growing up, I allowed them to abuse our friendship in ways that they wouldn't dare try now."
He leaned forward ... here was the crux of the matter. "Why?"
She gave him a hard look. "You should be able to answer that one from personal experience, Snape."
"The point goes to you, Granger. Go on, tell me about the scale."
She sighed. "There are the Passing Acquaintances ... the ones that you know from school, work and other activities. You know their faces and occasionally their names, but nothing that really matters. These types tend to be name-droppers and social climbers ... they have no right to claim many of the supposed friendships in their circles."
He didn't disagree. "Continue."
"Then we have the actual Acquaintances who are colleagues and associates from daily interactions. We actually know a bit about one another ... their lives, that they are intelligent or not, a few of their likes and dislikes. We have a shallow knowledge of who they are and the same can be said of them. We don't travel in the same circles often and we don't go out of our way to do one another favours."
"If that is the case, I should have rated Acquaintance from the start," he stated indignantly.
"Oh, no. You were a special case. You never let us into your head ... we only knew what you wanted the whole world to see. Even in the end, what you gave Harry was a calculated risk, and you gave that bit of yourself to him, not me." She looked at him, daring him to refute her.
Instead he asked, "So, what comes after Acquaintance?
"Associate and Colleague. You interact with these people more intimately and actually get to know them a bit on a deeper level. A few of their dreams and fears. What makes them laugh. You allow them to use you on occasion and you do the same to them, but it's socially acceptable. You actually socialise with these types for the pleasure of it. You may or may not forgive this type a trespass."
"So, now I almost rate amongst these rare types," he mused.
"Almost. You have a way to go yet," she said, giving him a look he couldn't read. "Then we have the Casual Friend. We support one another, we know so much about each other, but we don't know the deepest desires, fears or dreams. They aren't the ones we go to for the most important things, but we share more of ourselves with them than most people. You are more willing to forgive their mistakes, but that won't stop you from cutting them off."
"You trust them, but only to a certain point," he stated.
"Yes, exactly. And that is the level where most of my friendships exist," she said, answering before he could ask.
"So, where does that leave Potter and Weasley? You have trusted them with your life and then some."
"They are True Friends and yes, that sounds sentimental, but there is truth to it. No matter what happens, we are still there for one another. I love them and they love me. We trust as implicitly as it is possible to do so. We know each other as well as we know ourselves." She looked at him for a moment more before pushing her empty plate aside and starting on her custard in silence.
Severus drank his glass of Firewhisky and contemplated the information the woman seated across from him had shared. She obviously valued his grudging assistance highly, because she'd given him a very intimate look into her psyche. Still, her explanation seemed incomplete ... it didn't explain the situation with Weasley. Sitting his glass down, he leaned forward.
"Would you care to tell me about your relationship with Weasley? You two have been on and off again for almost ten years. Even I was surprised that you didn't finally end up together."
She laughed. "Ron and I haven't been a couple since the second time we split eight years ago."
"And yet you two were perceived as such by almost everyone," he countered.
"Well almost everyone's perception was wrong. We had an open-ended, friends-with-benefits agreement."
He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Taking a calming breath, he tried again. "What did you just say?"
"Oh, please! There is nothing wrong with your hearing," she snapped. "Good lord, I hope you're not another judgmental prude."
"Hardly," he replied, with recovered equanimity. "I prefer no-strings-attached alliances. So, exactly how did your arrangement work?"
She gave him a saucy grin. "All these questions, Mr Snape. Are you interested in giving me a go?"
Yes, he thought. However, Severus treated her to a blank stare and waited.
Her smile dimmed a bit, but she continued. "We lived separately, dated whomever we wanted and played escort to one another for public and family functions, but we only ever slept with each other. It kept things simple."
"And it kept you, in particular, from being exploited or hurt," he stated as he watched her bristle in response to his summation.
"It wasn't just about me. Even Ron finally got tired of the gold diggers and bogus paternity suits, so the situation was mutually beneficial. Now, did you invite me here to dissect my life or are we actually going to discuss the project?" she asked as the waiter returned to clear the table and set out the ever-refilling pot of coffee along with two cups and an assortment of biscuits and pastries.
"I believe I've succeeded in discomfiting you enough in recompense for my services." He wandlessly cast a privacy ward before continuing. "So, tell me, which additional parameters will you need to tighten up the estimate on the spell sequence I sent over?" he asked.
The next hour flew by as they easily traded information and became even more familiar with one another's thought processes.
Severus was actually a bit dismayed when he realised that he would have to end their discussion, but he did have other obligations to tend to. "I'd like to send you my revised sequence in the next day or so. Will it need to go via the clearing house or can I send it direct?"
"Send it direct ... I'll authorise it when I get back to the office," she replied as she gathered her things in preparation to leave. Looking at him, she tilted her head at an angle and chuckled. "You know, I really had a decent time this afternoon. I hadn't expected to. I'm looking forward to working with you directly."
He looked up from the bill he was signing and nodded. "I've found the time enjoyable as well. Just wait a moment and I will escort you to an Apparition point." Looking back at the parchment, he finished signing with a flourish before tapping it with his wand to send it to the Guild business office. Placing a gratuity on the table, he stood and escorted Granger out of the club.
As they exited, Granger motioned him nearer. "I don't mean to be difficult, but I'd rather head over to the Arithmancers' and Floo from there ... it's just a few doors down and the members know better than to bother me."
"I don't find you difficult. Your request makes my job easier. Lead on."
Granger nodded and led him to a building that reminded him of a Victorian-styled Exchequer's establishment. She spoke with the doorman before handing Severus a stylised coin. "This is a guest-chit. It's good until I tell them otherwise. It will only work for you. Come on through ... you can use the Floo here if you'd like."
They walked through a warm, wood-panelled entryway and turned down the first corridor on the right where three active Floo stations were located. They paused beside the nearest one.
Severus stepped into Granger's personal space, leaning over her with one hand propping him up against the wall. "I know I didn't answer you earlier, but I do find both you and your philosophy very attractive," he murmured.
She looked back at him with a wistful expression and sighed. "That pleases me more than you know, but there's one small problem. I will only ever sleep with a real friend. I think you, of all people, would understand why."
He did ... for her, it was all about trust, and that was something that she no longer gave lightly. It was something that he hardly ever gave at all. He placed his other hand on the wall and leaned in further. "Well, I managed to go from nothing to almost colleague in one afternoon."
She smiled a bit in response. "I'm thinking that you've managed to firmly advance to colleague at this point."
"Colleague won't get me very far, according to your rules," he whispered.
"But it is a fair start," she answered with a grin as she ducked under his arm and tossed a handful of powder into the Floo. Giving him a happy shrug, she called out her destination and whirled off to wherever.
Shaking his head, Severus pushed off the wall and reached into his cloak for his powder supply. It wasn't all that unusual for him to find himself sexually attracted to a female that he'd only spent a limited amount of time with. Normally, he wouldn't put much effort into what would amount to nothing more than a pleasurable dalliance, but Granger was truly interesting as an adult. He had written off the idea of friendships in the past, but currently, pursuing one with her seemed worth the effort. With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed the powder down and headed to his office to work on the sequence they'd discussed. The sooner she had it in hand, the sooner he would have an excuse to meet with her again.
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Latest 25 Reviews for The Anatomy of True Friendship
52 Reviews | 6.92/10 Average
Loved it and hated it. 
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
LOL! Yes, that's a pretty universal response. You are not alone. Thank you for reading. If I write these two again, I promise they will have a more satisfying ending.
Wonderful story with not quite the ending I was expecting, but satisfying nonetheless. That SS is content and expresses so at the close makes me very happy indeed.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Thank you for giving the story a try and for taking the time to review. I'm glad you found it satisfying, especially with the atypical ending for these characters.
The story didn't start out as a character study in its conception, but it kind of went that way as it went along, so it was important to me that Severus found some personal happiness/contentment when all was said and done. Thank you, again.
That was beautifully written! Intelligent, adult and just wonderful! Not the ending I hoped for but it is the ending that makes this so brilliant. Wonderful. Thankyou.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Thank you so very much! I am especially pleased that the ending worked for you despite all expectations. I had lots of fun writing this for absolute_tash. Also, thank you for the rating - that put a smile on my face.
The format of this story impresses me; you must have known when writing it that readers would expect it to work out differently. It makes an interesting ending, and was very well crafted.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Thank you! And yes, the typical SSHG shipper does expect a HEA or at least the possibility of one. I'm not all that different - we read this ship for escapism.
When I started researching this type of relationship, I had no idea what I was getting into. The one thing that I found was that realistically, there are very few of these that end happily, unless both parties are ready for something more and acknowledge it. My Exchange giftee wanted realism, so I bit the bullet and went the admittedly unpopular outcome.
If the story timeline had been more extended, there might have been a chance for Severus to grow even more, but I'm a new writer and the spand of a tale like that is out of my reach. I was happy to have completed something this large as it is.
Thank you again for your kind words - it's always a pleasant surprise.
Huh. Good story but you misled us. It's generally known that a fanfic marked 'romance' means the two protagonists will end up together. And there wasn't really any 'angst' here either.
Coulson is ultimately a wet blanket for not asking Hermione to stop sleeping with her fuck buddy, once Coulson was serious about her. But I can't figure out - was she, or wasn't she sleeping with Coulson before the engagement? Doesn't make sense if she wasn't.
Anyway, good story. But this last chapter had a different vibe from the amazing flow and eneergy of the early chapters.
Interesting that Ginny hasn’t forgiven Severus, but it seems that Ron and Harry have. But I suppose it makes sense, she was under him when he was headmaster.
Astoria was a hoot – but I really admired how Hermione handled her—that was brilliant and so subtle.
And everyone thinks Harry has a hero complex – Move over Harry – Severus to the rescue and slyly enough that Hermione couldn’t really pin it on him. I loved the conversation between Severus and Ron. And the make-up between Severus and Hermione was nicely written.
But if they are such good friends now, and considering that Hermione knew he had issues with Lupin/werewolf – why was she so hurt that he couldn’t watch the test subjects. I mean, Black tried to use a transformed Lupin to kill Severus! (or did Harry keep that memory to himself?) And I don’t think she has figured it out yet at all.
It was nice that he could see the memories in a Pensieve, but even them she didn’t show any compassion for the guy. I was impressed that Harry gave an emotion free observation. And not surprised that Erik has a flash of longing? Lust? a romantic flush…
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Harry and Ron were on the short end of Severus' temper on a regular basis from what we see via the Harry Filter in canon. I get the impression that Ginny never was. The boys have grown up enough to understand exactly how they made life difficult for Snape and the risks the man took to help them - especially by delivering the Sword.
On the other hand, the first time Ginny really dealt with Severus' more volatile nature was during the DE occupation of Hogwarts. Her attitude would have been uniquely polarized by what happened to herself and the other students on his watch - she will always feel that he should have done more. She wasn't a part of the Horcrux hunt and subjected to just how handicapped Dumbles left his pawns, so she has no fellow feeling with Severus and his plight. She lost a brother along with good friends and she needs someone to be angry with, so Snape is IT and he's perfectly fine with that.
As for Hermione's situation - part of that is a communication issue. First, she had to drag it out of Severus that he still did have issues with werewolf transformation - he's managed to overcome so many of his other issues and he IS working on this project, so it didn't occur to her that it still signified until Severus obliquely made his point. Which is why she arranged for others to help her capture the records of the trials and made certain he had a viable reason to not participate.
What set her off was his refusal to let her "help" him when he later reviewed the memories. She knew that viewing them would be traumatic for him and she just wanted to be there, to do something. She has no way of knowing that he's sought professional help for this because he hasn't told her. We know that he's gone as far as he's able because we are privy to his mental dialogue, but she doesn't because he never communicated this fact to her. In her mind, here she was, willing to be an emotional harbor for him and he just shut her out summarily and completely instead, and woudn't speak or share the pain he felt, allowing her to shoulder some of it. If you'll recall, she got her feelings hurt in canon during Harry's CAPSLOCK period in OotP when she wanted to help Harry with Occlumency, so this is a canon Hermione response. She understands that she's out of line in regard to said response, but she can't help it - it's just the way she is. Which is why she asked for time to deal with her own issues. We are so used to a super-forgiving Hermione that always pushes aside her own hurt to be there for others - this Hermione is a bit more human.
As for Harry's observations, this version of Harry worked pretty hard to prove himself as more than the "Saviour" and did a bit of reinventing/remaking of himself as well. He now understands that there is a time and place for emotions and for him, when he's working, that is no longer the time. Losing Sirius really hit him hard and he understands that if he'd had a better handle on his emotional response, he would possibly have thought of the mirror instead of dashing off to the rescue. He is perfectly aware of the fact that the Horcrux played a part in his instability, but he also acknowledged the fact that he managed to overcome part of that issue during the Horcrux hunt where he had the internal Horcrux as well as the locket to deal with, so ultimately, it was up to him to reel his emotions in and use the intelligence he'd been gifted with. This Harry is much more mature and very much up to taking Hermione to task logically when she is out of line.
I had fun letting Severus play hero and I really wanted to show that Ron had also made significant changes in how he dealt with life, that he's reached his potential, so I'm glad you enjoyed his conversation with Severus. I've written a book here... thank you for your review and the questions!
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Harry and Ron were on the short end of Severus' temper on a regular basis from what we see via the Harry Filter in canon. I get the impression that Ginny never was. The boys have grown up enough to understand exactly how they made life difficult for Snape and the risks the man took to help them - especially by delivering the Sword.
On the other hand, the first time Ginny really dealt with Severus' more volatile nature was during the DE occupation of Hogwarts. Her attitude would have been uniquely polarized by what happened to herself and the other students on his watch - she will always feel that he should have done more. She wasn't a part of the Horcrux hunt and subjected to just how handicapped Dumbles left his pawns, so she has no fellow feeling with Severus and his plight. She lost a brother along with good friends and she needs someone to be angry with, so Snape is IT and he's perfectly fine with that.
As for Hermione's situation - part of that is a communication issue. First, she had to drag it out of Severus that he still did have issues with werewolf transformation - he's managed to overcome so many of his other issues and he IS working on this project, so it didn't occur to her that it still signified until Severus obliquely made his point. Which is why she arranged for others to help her capture the records of the trials and made certain he had a viable reason to not participate.
What set her off was his refusal to let her "help" him when he later reviewed the memories. She knew that viewing them would be traumatic for him and she just wanted to be there, to do something. She has no way of knowing that he's sought professional help for this because he hasn't told her. We know that he's gone as far as he's able because we are privy to his mental dialogue, but she doesn't because he never communicated this fact to her. In her mind, here she was, willing to be an emotional harbor for him and he just shut her out summarily and completely instead, and woudn't speak or share the pain he felt, allowing her to shoulder some of it. If you'll recall, she got her feelings hurt in canon during Harry's CAPSLOCK period in OotP when she wanted to help Harry with Occlumency, so this is a canon Hermione response. She understands that she's out of line in regard to said response, but she can't help it - it's just the way she is. Which is why she asked for time to deal with her own issues. We are so used to a super-forgiving Hermione that always pushes aside her own hurt to be there for others - this Hermione is a bit more human.
As for Harry's observations, this version of Harry worked pretty hard to prove himself as more than the "Saviour" and did a bit of reinventing/remaking of himself as well. He now understands that there is a time and place for emotions and for him, when he's working, that is no longer the time. Losing Sirius really hit him hard and he understands that if he'd had a better handle on his emotional response, he would possibly have thought of the mirror instead of dashing off to the rescue. He is perfectly aware of the fact that the Horcrux played a part in his instability, but he also acknowledged the fact that he managed to overcome part of that issue during the Horcrux hunt where he had the internal Horcrux as well as the locket to deal with, so ultimately, it was up to him to reel his emotions in and use the intelligence he'd been gifted with. This Harry is much more mature and very much up to taking Hermione to task logically when she is out of line.
I had fun letting Severus play hero and I really wanted to show that Ron had also made significant changes in how he dealt with life, that he's reached his potential, so I'm glad you enjoyed his conversation with Severus. I've written a book here... thank you for your review and the questions!
Interesting how the relation is preogressing. I miss the snarky Snape, but this seems more in line with how he'd be with colegues on equal footings. It's enjoyable story so far.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
We've got several occurences of role reversal in this tale. Hermione tended to be the snarky one and Severus was firmly set on introspection. He's re-made himself and although he is still capable of cutting wit and dialogue, it's not all that he is or wants to be.
And yes, he does see her as a colleague - he's been working with her information and corresponding with her in the blind for some time now before seeing her face-to-face for the first time in years. The adult Hermione is rapidly replacing all thoughts of child Hermione in his mind.
I'm glad you are enjoying this thus far. It's not as fleshed out as your own stories, but I wanted to make certain I made the deadline for the Exchange, especially as a first-time participant. Hope that you enjoy the rest as well. Cheers!
Response from beaweasley2 (Reviewer)
ooops, this was supposed to be for chapter 3! How did it get here on chapter 2? Sorry about that. I told you I'm bad with reviews.I have always thought that in the books we are clouded by a Harry-filter. We see Severus through a boy's eyes who, let's be honest, doesn't exaclty have respect for his elders (the Dursley's, Aunt Marge, or Mrs. Figg) or teachers, especially if they are mean to him as Severus is. Fact is if you examin any of Severus' interactions with the other professors (Luip is the exception, well and Lockhart, and Sybill, and He wasn't exaclty fond/friendly with Umbridge...) He's a cordial, intelligent and respectful individual. Well, he's respectful to Hagrid, Minerva and Dumbledore... He even was cordial and polite to Lucius, especially to Bellatrix and Narcissa. Okay, he was rude to Pettigrew - but who woudn't be?)Sweetie - it's wondrfully fleshed out! What do you mean it isn't? For an exchange story, and believe me I know, it's really hard to get a full story out under a dealine, and you did extrememly well. Don't sell your self short - it's got detail, great dialogue, good descriptions and isn't bogged down in what I call - wrong viewpoint detail (Like Severus, a thypical red-blooded male, noticing which brand of shoes she's wearing or what the fabric of her dress robes... He's a guy)
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
"He's a guy." Good lord, that made me laugh. Yes! Which is why he casually noted what she wore and how she wore it, but focused in on the fountain pen, LOL! Men do appreciate a fine writing insrument.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
We've got several occurences of role reversal in this tale. Hermione tended to be the snarky one and Severus was firmly set on introspection. He's re-made himself and although he is still capable of cutting wit and dialogue, it's not all that he is or wants to be.
And yes, he does see her as a colleague - he's been working with her information and corresponding with her in the blind for some time now before seeing her face-to-face for the first time in years. The adult Hermione is rapidly replacing all thoughts of child Hermione in his mind.
I'm glad you are enjoying this thus far. It's not as fleshed out as your own stories, but I wanted to make certain I made the deadline for the Exchange, especially as a first-time participant. Hope that you enjoy the rest as well. Cheers!
Response from beaweasley2 (Reviewer)
ooops, this was supposed to be for chapter 3! How did it get here on chapter 2? Sorry about that. I told you I'm bad with reviews.I have always thought that in the books we are clouded by a Harry-filter. We see Severus through a boy's eyes who, let's be honest, doesn't exaclty have respect for his elders (the Dursley's, Aunt Marge, or Mrs. Figg) or teachers, especially if they are mean to him as Severus is. Fact is if you examin any of Severus' interactions with the other professors (Luip is the exception, well and Lockhart, and Sybill, and He wasn't exaclty fond/friendly with Umbridge...) He's a cordial, intelligent and respectful individual. Well, he's respectful to Hagrid, Minerva and Dumbledore... He even was cordial and polite to Lucius, especially to Bellatrix and Narcissa. Okay, he was rude to Pettigrew - but who woudn't be?)Sweetie - it's wondrfully fleshed out! What do you mean it isn't? For an exchange story, and believe me I know, it's really hard to get a full story out under a dealine, and you did extrememly well. Don't sell your self short - it's got detail, great dialogue, good descriptions and isn't bogged down in what I call - wrong viewpoint detail (Like Severus, a thypical red-blooded male, noticing which brand of shoes she's wearing or what the fabric of her dress robes... He's a guy)
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
"He's a guy." Good lord, that made me laugh. Yes! Which is why he casually noted what she wore and how she wore it, but focused in on the fountain pen, LOL! Men do appreciate a fine writing insrument.
I liked her realtionship scale idea, it's not too off from how I feel, but she's organized and catigorized it. lol So she's intrigued him, and he's going to pursue her - nice twist. I"m glad that this mature Hermine is still so very much in character.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
When I was trying to assess exactly what makes a friendship, I started making Hermione-like lists, lol. It wasn't too long before I found myself reading blogs and studies that only seemed to verify the conclusions I was starting to reach. With a fair bit of cynicism on my part, I then filtered all of that through Hermione's mindset and presto, we have a friendship scale!
Now, all I have to do is avoid applying it RL on a regular basis...
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
When I was trying to assess exactly what makes a friendship, I started making Hermione-like lists, lol. It wasn't too long before I found myself reading blogs and studies that only seemed to verify the conclusions I was starting to reach. With a fair bit of cynicism on my part, I then filtered all of that through Hermione's mindset and presto, we have a friendship scale!
Now, all I have to do is avoid applying it RL on a regular basis...
I like the relationship between Ron and Hermione. Marissa is a Muggle? or a Muggle-born? But I can truly appreciate the fact that she has a hard time with the celebrity thing, although, poeple in England are far better behaved about celebs than they are in the US.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
You're reading my story! ::twirls:: Marissa is Muggle-born and just doesn't care for unnecessary attention as she sees it. She tends to take everything in stride, but likes her privacy. Ron has outgrown his need for celebrity, so this her outlook suits him as well.
I'm glad you like the relationship between Ron and Hermione - I wanted them to have matured enough to really understand each other and truly be the type of friend to each other that canon implies.
Response from beaweasley2 (Reviewer)
Of course I'm reading your story - you recommented it by your descriptions and I was intrigued. I do love a good fanfic story and I am enjoying this one. (I'm usually a poor reviewer though, sorry) Keep writing. You're good.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
You're reading my story! ::twirls:: Marissa is Muggle-born and just doesn't care for unnecessary attention as she sees it. She tends to take everything in stride, but likes her privacy. Ron has outgrown his need for celebrity, so this her outlook suits him as well.
I'm glad you like the relationship between Ron and Hermione - I wanted them to have matured enough to really understand each other and truly be the type of friend to each other that canon implies.
Response from beaweasley2 (Reviewer)
Of course I'm reading your story - you recommented it by your descriptions and I was intrigued. I do love a good fanfic story and I am enjoying this one. (I'm usually a poor reviewer though, sorry) Keep writing. You're good.
I sooo loving this story I found it today and read all 4 chapters..
brilliant my dear
hugs and chocolate!!!!
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
That's quite a chunk to read in one go. Glad you've enjoyed it. Thank you!
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
That's quite a chunk to read in one go. Glad you've enjoyed it. Thank you!
Amazing. I'm so enjoying this story. Their personalities are all believable, they way they would have developed (all of them - HG, SS, HP, RW).
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
I really had a lot of fun deciding which parts of their canon personalities I wanted to focus. I finally chose all of the best of them because I could, lol! Glad you're enjoying this thus far.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
I really had a lot of fun deciding which parts of their canon personalities I wanted to focus. I finally chose all of the best of them because I could, lol! Glad you're enjoying this thus far.
Very insightful chapter, I am enjoying this story immensely.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
I like the term insightful. I'm going to borrow it and apply it to you as a reader. 
Thank you! Writing this story caused me to do quite a bit of thinking about canon and these characters roles in it. Rowling really did provide us fanfic authors plenty of meta to play with, which is very cool!
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
I like the term insightful. I'm going to borrow it and apply it to you as a reader. Thank you! Writing this story caused me to do quite a bit of thinking about canon and these characters roles in it. Rowling really did provide us fanfic authors plenty of meta to play with, which is very cool!
Well done, again you kept me mezmerized. They are truly getting to know one another and creating a bond that can never be broken. Witch ever way this relationship goes they will always be their for each other. I hope it grows into a lasting love for all time.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Yes, these two are creating a truly strong bond that should stand the test of time. As for love? Well, there is love and then there is love...
Thank you for reviewing.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Yes, these two are creating a truly strong bond that should stand the test of time. As for love? Well, there is love and then there is love...
Thank you for reviewing.
This is believable and extremely enjoyable. Will be following this one eagerly!
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Glad to hear it! Thank you.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Glad to hear it! Thank you.
This is believable and enjoyable. Will be following this one eagerly!
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Believable is what I was aiming for. Enjoyable is even better. Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy the rest of the tale.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Believable is what I was aiming for. Enjoyable is even better. Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy the rest of the tale.
I read this while going through a hard time hoping that love would prevail even in hard situations and it made things worse. Ah wish I knew it was Hermione and other beforehand. Great story and it was beautifully written. It just didn't go where I needed it especially right now in my life
Thank you for a refreshing and different story. What caught me from the prologue was the sense of maturity in which this was written. Moving into the chapters, I enjoyed the imagination needed to establish the life of a research project from start to finish. I have no problem with the ending - this story does explore a relationship between Snape and Granger and recognizes that for adults its not all about lust-filled-rosey-eyed love. Sometimes the most sustaining relationships we have are with true friends.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
It sure isn't all about lust-filled-rosy-eyed love, but it can't hurt when it is, LOL! I think the theme of friendship is ever so much more important in the aftermath of what is happening in the US at the moment. Friendships are being tested and tried. Here's hoping that most will get over this latest hurdle.
I'm glad you've enjoyed what became for me, a deep look into character motivation and what friendship means on multiple levels. It was quite the journey. The HP series revolves around the concept of friendship and so many lives and decisions were affected by it. It made me take a step back and is responsible for that sense of maturity you detected.
Thank you for reading and letting me know what you enjoyed most.
How interesting that you gush over positive reviews and completely ignore those that give genuine constructive feedback. And I see you still have 'Romance' as one of the categories on this story even though there's no romance at all between HG/SS when this is archived under Potions Under Duress. This fandom has veered rightt off course.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
You are not aware of two things - A: an Admin helped me when I posted because I didn't know how to categorize this, so please take it up with them if you feel it is inappropriately tagged and misleading. If the Admins decide that it shouldn't be listed as a Angst/Romance or under Potions Under Duress, then I'm good with that, they can change it. And, B: I tend to hold dialogue with those that have constructive things to say outside the reviewing process because that is where I feel it belongs, which means that the other readers of reviews won't see that discourse. I am making an exception for you. I do not slavishly check reviews either, so if I missed something, I apologize - I do not always receive notifications via email.
To answer your original questions - Hermione never slept with Coulson before the engagement. That is why Severus had it out with her - she was using Severus because she was afraid to commit fully to what was happening between her and Coulson. Hermione grew faster and further emotionally than this Severus was capable of and he knew it, so he let her go. She may have wanted more from him, but he wasn't healed enough to give it - he'd just got the hang of friendship - it would have taken a much longer tale to believably evolve him past that point, and believable was one of the prompt's requirements. Coulson was just a writing device that the prompt required and I'm not an experienced enough writer to have made more of him during three and a half month deadline I wrote to after receiving my prompt. This was a first go for me and I am more than certain that years from now, I will be able to deal with the nuances that I was unable to on a first time out the gate. However, that is water under the bridge and this whole writing thing was an experience in and of itself. I admire the authors that write this and other ships from prompts for festivals with deadlines on a regular basis. I am more than certain that someone else could have told the story better - I did the best I could in the short time I had.
This was a gift to someone else, it was written to please them and their desires and not fandom at large. I am fully aware that the theme and the way I addressed it is not popular, so yes - I do give a greater response to those that find something they enjoy about it. That is only human and natural to do, especially when one is new. Also, I was invited and encouraged to post this here by the archive. I was leery because of the fact that this story doesn't follow the formula of what the average reader of this ship expects and wants. You are living up to one of the concerns I voiced.
What I find interesting is the fact that you felt the need to come back almost a year to the date of your original post to complain about the same thing you complained about the first time you reviewed - the category tags. Honestly, this story isn't that important in the scheme of things, considering how much has been published out there in this genre. I just bothered to check my review log and I missed responding to you and one other person...everyone else received something from me whether they liked the tale or not. You make it sound as if I'd ignored or given short shrift to multiple reviews that weren't glowing. I believe you now have the longest response I've written to date.
I hope that I have answered your questions. Thank you for having taken the time to read.
This is gorgeous and masterfully written. I believed every moment; the interactions were so real. I felt the pain of hurting a true friend and the rightness of the ending, even if it hurt. Also, the scientific aspect of the story was fascinating! Thanks for a really wonderful story!
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Thank you so very much for your kind words and the rating. I'm thrilled that this rang true for you and very happy that you were able to enjoy my techno-babble as well, lol! It was quite a job to write these two as 'real' - so I'm pleased that the interactions came across that way. ::dances::
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Thank you so very much for your kind words and the rating. I'm thrilled that this rang true for you and very happy that you were able to enjoy my techno-babble as well, lol! It was quite a job to write these two as 'real' - so I'm pleased that the interactions came across that way. ::dances::
Thank you, Arynwy, for finishing this story, even if it did not end as I had hoped. I guess this story is another example of the crucial importance of timing in relationsips. Hermione and Severus did not have the timing that was needed for them to have a primary relationship with each other. First Severus had to learn how to make friends. If you're inclined to write another with a female OC for Severus, I would enjoy reading it. I enjoyed your OCs very much.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
When I interviewed people to get a better handle on what I was writing about, that was a major factor that came up over and over again. I didn't think it would be an issue when I laid out the bones of my tale, but it became one as I wrote. Severus and Hermione were far too far apart in their development and healing processes.
I'm pleased that you like my OC's - they made very short appearances, so I'm glad I put enough into them to bring them to life for you.
If I ever get the bug to write again, I will definitely write a HEA for Severus, be it with Hermione or a Female OC. I'm totally jazzed that so many people like my storytelling style, so I want to write at least one tale that leaves all of us satisfied, lol! Thank you!
Response from joan_glover (Reviewer)
Please let me encourage you to write again. I think your storytelling style is too good to let it go after one story!
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
When I interviewed people to get a better handle on what I was writing about, that was a major factor that came up over and over again. I didn't think it would be an issue when I laid out the bones of my tale, but it became one as I wrote. Severus and Hermione were far too far apart in their development and healing processes.
I'm pleased that you like my OC's - they made very short appearances, so I'm glad I put enough into them to bring them to life for you.
If I ever get the bug to write again, I will definitely write a HEA for Severus, be it with Hermione or a Female OC. I'm totally jazzed that so many people like my storytelling style, so I want to write at least one tale that leaves all of us satisfied, lol! Thank you!
Response from joan_glover (Reviewer)
Please let me encourage you to write again. I think your storytelling style is too good to let it go after one story!
You did a wonderful job with the challenge. It was mature and complex. My personal bias toward Severus makes me heavy hearted, but I guess he couldn't give her what she needed. She deserved what she needed. I dislike Coulson for no good reason except that he got in Severus' face. Hermione is a grown woman and if Coulson couldn't keep her off of Severus Snape that's his problem. Severus never threatened him, nor their relationship. Hermione was the weak link in that chain. I admire Severus for not being sarcastic to Coulson when he told him that Hermione was his "in every way". Hermione was a measly little coward for not telling Severus herself that he was right and they could no longer be sexual partners. As a real friend, he deserved so much better from her. I hope in her heart she is very thankful to her true friend for not hexing Coulson into a first hand understanding of exactly who he was speaking to for his insulting, cock strutting behavior. I know Severus is above such things now, but I would have liked to see Coulson as afraid of Severus as he should be. Severus Snape should be treated with respect. He deserves respect. Coulson had an easy life as a "hero" compared to Severus Snape. Otherwise, Severus would have gotten the girl.With regard to respecting Severus Snape, I am reminded of a book I once read about choosing the right breed of dog for you. They had generously detailed pages of advice and the virtues of a long list of K-9 breeds. There was a comparatively short chapter of advice for those who might wish to know the joys of adding a mastiff to their family pack. They ended the one paragraph chapter on training your mastiff with, "Never hit your mastiff".
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Can I hug you for that last line? It might not have seemed like it, but Erik did get that message at the end of their conversation.
Thank you for sticking with this. It's not very often that Hermione is the weak link in this ship. I wanted to try something a bit different with all of the characters, so I gave them roles a bit opposite to what we normally see. It's ususally Severus that's blown it and has to patch things up. I wanted to write him as the one not at fault this time.
Yes, Hermione should have been brave enough to come clean without the confrontation, but I handicapped her pretty well with the history I'd given her. It was actually a bit cathartic to allow Severus to be the forgiving one this time. Canon!Snape held a grudge until the cows came home and then some, and truthfully, no one really ever forgave him his trespasses. I wanted to create a Severus that fought to grow past that ingrained response to the world to become who he wanted to be. He was in a position to forgive and he chose friendship over pettiness. It was a big step for him.
As for Severus getting the girl, if he'd wanted Hermione, he'd have had her, Coulson or no Coulson. The thing was, he wasn't ready for that next step - just as Hermione deserved what she needed, so did Severus. This particular Severus needed more time to live in the new world that had opened up for him with the help of his relationship with Hermione. He wanted to gain a more solid footing in his own life, which meant he didn't have enough to share other than his obvious friendship.
I could probably write another three chapters on all of the character study work I did for this, along with the interviewing and research that took place. :)
Thank you for the lovely stars and thank you so much for taking the time to discuss your feelings with me. This is the type of feedback a new writer lives for.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Can I hug you for that last line? It might not have seemed like it, but Erik did get that message at the end of their conversation.
Thank you for sticking with this. It's not very often that Hermione is the weak link in this ship. I wanted to try something a bit different with all of the characters, so I gave them roles a bit opposite to what we normally see. It's ususally Severus that's blown it and has to patch things up. I wanted to write him as the one not at fault this time.
Yes, Hermione should have been brave enough to come clean without the confrontation, but I handicapped her pretty well with the history I'd given her. It was actually a bit cathartic to allow Severus to be the forgiving one this time. Canon!Snape held a grudge until the cows came home and then some, and truthfully, no one really ever forgave him his trespasses. I wanted to create a Severus that fought to grow past that ingrained response to the world to become who he wanted to be. He was in a position to forgive and he chose friendship over pettiness. It was a big step for him.
As for Severus getting the girl, if he'd wanted Hermione, he'd have had her, Coulson or no Coulson. The thing was, he wasn't ready for that next step - just as Hermione deserved what she needed, so did Severus. This particular Severus needed more time to live in the new world that had opened up for him with the help of his relationship with Hermione. He wanted to gain a more solid footing in his own life, which meant he didn't have enough to share other than his obvious friendship.
I could probably write another three chapters on all of the character study work I did for this, along with the interviewing and research that took place. :)
Thank you for the lovely stars and thank you so much for taking the time to discuss your feelings with me. This is the type of feedback a new writer lives for.
You're scaring me... Dennis sounds extremely muggle. Marissa sound pretty muggle too. Hmmm... I hope I'm not saying poor Severus by the end. I love my SS/HG ship. I'm extremely intrigued but afraid to continue.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Um - Dennis is a canon character. He's Colin Creevey's younger brother who was also in Gryffindor. Marissa is a witch as well as an OFC - I didn't like any of the remaining female canon personalities for what is basically a walk-on oart for Ron's wife. ::smiles::
I don't like to discourage readers, but if you are the type that will be devestated for days if these two don't work out, please stop. We all read for different reasons, but mostly it's recreational, so I don't want to have you upset. I can say that Severus is in a good place for himself at the end of all of this.
If you do choose to soldier on, I hope that you will be entertained regardless of the results. Thank you!
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
Um - Dennis is a canon character. He's Colin Creevey's younger brother who was also in Gryffindor. Marissa is a witch as well as an OFC - I didn't like any of the remaining female canon personalities for what is basically a walk-on oart for Ron's wife. ::smiles::
I don't like to discourage readers, but if you are the type that will be devestated for days if these two don't work out, please stop. We all read for different reasons, but mostly it's recreational, so I don't want to have you upset. I can say that Severus is in a good place for himself at the end of all of this.
If you do choose to soldier on, I hope that you will be entertained regardless of the results. Thank you!
A fine, well written tale that perhaps doesn't so much appeal to the inner romantic but comes all the more alive with its true reality check. Brava!
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
First off - Thank you, thank you for helping me clean this up for posting to the archive. I truly value the time you took and hopefully, I'll actually relearn some of those grammar rules for the any additional stories I write.
With that said, I'm glad you were able to enjoy the story for what it is, despite its lack of the type of romance we all crave as readers. To hear you call this fine and well-written inspires me. I promise that if I write these two again, they will get it right or else, lol!
::hugs::
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
First off - Thank you, thank you for helping me clean this up for posting to the archive. I truly value the time you took and hopefully, I'll actually relearn some of those grammar rules for the any additional stories I write.
With that said, I'm glad you were able to enjoy the story for what it is, despite its lack of the type of romance we all crave as readers. To hear you call this fine and well-written inspires me. I promise that if I write these two again, they will get it right or else, lol!
::hugs::
Nice resolution, with hope for the future for Severus despite not getting the girl. :)
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
It wasn't so much him not getting the girl as it was Severus not being ready for Hermione or any other girl at this point in his life. He's still got a bit of growing to do and he plainly let me know it during the writing of all of this. :)
He really does have hope and a future. And who knows? Things do happen, as Mundungus42 pointed out during the Exchange. I'll have to ask her how Erik dies, lol!
Thank you for the insightful comments and the ratings.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
It wasn't so much him not getting the girl as it was Severus not being ready for Hermione or any other girl at this point in his life. He's still got a bit of growing to do and he plainly let me know it during the writing of all of this. :)
He really does have hope and a future. And who knows? Things do happen, as Mundungus42 pointed out during the Exchange. I'll have to ask her how Erik dies, lol!
Thank you for the insightful comments and the ratings.
Hints of a future relationship for Hermione with Erik in there, and Snape doesn't seem too concerned. Mind you, he was somewhat distracted at the time. :)
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
I like you! You're noticing all the flags I tried to wave. Because I chose to write this from Severus' POV, much of what Hermione does and feels is off camera. Severus is very introspective and he has his own distractions as you've put it. If he doesn't make note of it, we don't see it either.
Response from arynwy (Author of The Anatomy of True Friendship)
I like you! You're noticing all the flags I tried to wave. Because I chose to write this from Severus' POV, much of what Hermione does and feels is off camera. Severus is very introspective and he has his own distractions as you've put it. If he doesn't make note of it, we don't see it either.