Yes, he does -- I am glad that comes through here. There's still more of Severus' Jekyll/Hyde routine as romantic/wretch ahead of us. :-) Thank you for reading!

Yes, he does -- I am glad that comes through here. There's still more of Severus' Jekyll/Hyde routine as romantic/wretch ahead of us. :-) Thank you for reading!

Oh, honey. *hugs* I hope I haven't put you too off the story. I do appreciate getting your take on things -- you're very observant and pick up on quite a bit that others miss.

Put me off the story? Not even close. I like present!Hermione who is taking the time to explain everything to her daughter. Its past!Hermione and past!Snape that I don't care for their behavior much. I expect it is "just a stage" they are both going through. Time has tempered Hermione, one can only wonder what it has done for Severus. I am looking forward to the next chapter as always.

Oh, honey. *hugs* I hope I haven't put you too off the story. I do appreciate getting your take on things -- you're very observant and pick up on quite a bit that others miss.

Put me off the story? Not even close. I like present!Hermione who is taking the time to explain everything to her daughter. Its past!Hermione and past!Snape that I don't care for their behavior much. I expect it is "just a stage" they are both going through. Time has tempered Hermione, one can only wonder what it has done for Severus. I am looking forward to the next chapter as always.

Thank you for continuing to read and review! Rest assured, I'm working on chapter sixteen.

Thank you for continuing to read and review! Rest assured, I'm working on chapter sixteen.

Now, my dear, in spite of my great appreciation of your dedication to reading and reviewing, you know I can't really tell you that. :-) *comforts you* *offers you beverage of choice* '

Okay how about a triple shot blended mint mocha?

*offers you triple shot blended mint mocha*That sounds fabulous, darl. Enjoy! :-) *hugs*

Now, my dear, in spite of my great appreciation of your dedication to reading and reviewing, you know I can't really tell you that. :-) *comforts you* *offers you beverage of choice* '

Okay how about a triple shot blended mint mocha?

*offers you triple shot blended mint mocha*That sounds fabulous, darl. Enjoy! :-) *hugs*

I can promise you that I'm hard at work on chapter sixteen. And thank you for the beautiful compliment - I'm so glad that they come off the page... er, screen... well. :-) Thank you!

I can promise you that I'm hard at work on chapter sixteen. And thank you for the beautiful compliment - I'm so glad that they come off the page... er, screen... well. :-) Thank you!

Thank you! I'm so glad you keep reading (and reviewing :D) - it's edifying to know that people are enjoying the story.

Thank you! I'm so glad you keep reading (and reviewing :D) - it's edifying to know that people are enjoying the story.

Thank you, dear! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

Thank you, dear! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

Very true. Thank you for reading & reviewing!

Very true. Thank you for reading & reviewing!

Thank you!I'm glad you liked Harry's letter.The trips away certainly don't help, you are right.Chapter fifteen is completed and will be posted on my LJ tomorrow -- be sure to check it out!

Thank you!I'm glad you liked Harry's letter.The trips away certainly don't help, you are right.Chapter fifteen is completed and will be posted on my LJ tomorrow -- be sure to check it out!

Good to see you! Yes, I'll be updating more often. I just finished the first draft of chapter fifteen, actually! *happy dance* Thank you for continuing to read and review - I appreciate it more than you know. Best wishes, and check back soon for an update!

Good to see you! Yes, I'll be updating more often. I just finished the first draft of chapter fifteen, actually! *happy dance* Thank you for continuing to read and review - I appreciate it more than you know. Best wishes, and check back soon for an update!

Hi, honey! I most assuredly do not think less of you. You sound very tired! *hugs you* Eileen Prince was Severus' mother; Rose is on the family tree, though. The boundaries and expectations for the Hr/S relationship are, I think, consistently in flux for them both- I am hard pressed to get a straight answer out of either one of them most of the time. I apologize if it being all over the place, ill worded is confusing; I don't mean it to be. Thank you for the well wishes, and I wish you a happy summer as well! :-)

Hi, honey! I most assuredly do not think less of you. You sound very tired! *hugs you* Eileen Prince was Severus' mother; Rose is on the family tree, though. The boundaries and expectations for the Hr/S relationship are, I think, consistently in flux for them both- I am hard pressed to get a straight answer out of either one of them most of the time. I apologize if it being all over the place, ill worded is confusing; I don't mean it to be. Thank you for the well wishes, and I wish you a happy summer as well! :-)

There are still 2+ years left on the "past" timeline, so nothing is going to happen... right now. Thank you, as always, for reading & reviewing.

There are still 2+ years left on the "past" timeline, so nothing is going to happen... right now. Thank you, as always, for reading & reviewing.

Thank you for reading, dear. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Thank you for reading, dear. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Several people have said "the beginning of the end," and I would caution against saying that too prematurely... there are definite problems surfacing, but there are a solid two years+ left in the "past" timeline. There's some space to work with yet. And thank you for the compliment - I am so pleased that you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks, as always, for reading and reviewing. :-)

Several people have said "the beginning of the end," and I would caution against saying that too prematurely... there are definite problems surfacing, but there are a solid two years+ left in the "past" timeline. There's some space to work with yet. And thank you for the compliment - I am so pleased that you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks, as always, for reading and reviewing. :-)

More is comin', not to worry. :-) Thanks for reading!

More is comin', not to worry. :-) Thanks for reading!

More is coming. :-) Thanks for reading!

More is coming. :-) Thanks for reading!

Hello, dear! I'm so glad to see you and am positively tickled that Sage has moved up on your WIP list! I take it you've decided to pace yourself - you have more patience than I when starting WIPs, I see. I am so pleased that you've enjoyed the characters thus far, and your compliments are making me smile from ear to ear. Thank you for taking the time to read and review. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on future chapters.

Hello, dear! I'm so glad to see you and am positively tickled that Sage has moved up on your WIP list! I take it you've decided to pace yourself - you have more patience than I when starting WIPs, I see. I am so pleased that you've enjoyed the characters thus far, and your compliments are making me smile from ear to ear. Thank you for taking the time to read and review. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on future chapters.

It says that you have good taste. It's one of my favorites, as well. I did think it spoke to Severus' character, though, if in a darker way than the rest of us. Don't be afraid! I'll hold your hand through it. :-) Also, take comfort in that there's still more than two years to go in the "past" timeline - there is both good and bad ahead. Thank you, as always, for reading and reviewing.

It says that you have good taste. It's one of my favorites, as well. I did think it spoke to Severus' character, though, if in a darker way than the rest of us. Don't be afraid! I'll hold your hand through it. :-) Also, take comfort in that there's still more than two years to go in the "past" timeline - there is both good and bad ahead. Thank you, as always, for reading and reviewing.

Hello, m'dear. Thank you for reading, as always. I hesitate to give readers too much detail as to interpretation, but I would like to assuage your concern. Severus is not just interested in Hermione for sex - his comment was meant tongue-in-cheek, and I felt that his reaction to her statements about Britain, his concern for her diet, and then giving her the keys to the cottage spoke as to his deep care for her. I am comfortable saying that he very much cares for her, but he is an intensely private person, and there's a very strong but indistinct boundary between his private self and what he shares with others. As to Hermione and Ron - that is my upcoming challenge, to show how she ended up with Ron. I appreciate your attention to detail - having readers genuinely care about the story is so edifying for a writer. Thank you.

Hello, m'dear. Thank you for reading, as always. I hesitate to give readers too much detail as to interpretation, but I would like to assuage your concern. Severus is not just interested in Hermione for sex - his comment was meant tongue-in-cheek, and I felt that his reaction to her statements about Britain, his concern for her diet, and then giving her the keys to the cottage spoke as to his deep care for her. I am comfortable saying that he very much cares for her, but he is an intensely private person, and there's a very strong but indistinct boundary between his private self and what he shares with others. As to Hermione and Ron - that is my upcoming challenge, to show how she ended up with Ron. I appreciate your attention to detail - having readers genuinely care about the story is so edifying for a writer. Thank you.

Hello, m'dear! Thank you so much for continuing to read and review - it warms my heart, let me tell you. (And thank you for being very positive about the updates.) I will assure you that Hermione doesn't get in trouble for finding the book. :-) As for what pushes them apart - well, it's a human relationship and Hypnobarb once commented that Severus' baggage won't even fit in the room, or something like that, so it's a very complex, difficult relationship. As you said - he's Severus. :-) Your enthusiasm puts a smile on my face - thank you.

Hello, m'dear! Thank you so much for continuing to read and review - it warms my heart, let me tell you. (And thank you for being very positive about the updates.) I will assure you that Hermione doesn't get in trouble for finding the book. :-) As for what pushes them apart - well, it's a human relationship and Hypnobarb once commented that Severus' baggage won't even fit in the room, or something like that, so it's a very complex, difficult relationship. As you said - he's Severus. :-) Your enthusiasm puts a smile on my face - thank you.

Yes it did. *sighs with you* Thank you, as always, for reading and reviewing.

Yes it did. *sighs with you* Thank you, as always, for reading and reviewing.

In a way it is the "beginning of the end," certainly, as it raises some major issues, but at the same time there are over two years left in the "past" timeline of their relationship, so there is quite a bit more to come. Rest assured, I am working on chapter fifteen! (I've given myself daily word quotas and everything.) Hermione and Severus are misbehaving right now, but hopefully they'll iron themselves out tonight so I can finish the chapter this weekend. Thank you for continuing to read the story and for leaving a review- I appreciate it more than you know.

In a way it is the "beginning of the end," certainly, as it raises some major issues, but at the same time there are over two years left in the "past" timeline of their relationship, so there is quite a bit more to come. Rest assured, I am working on chapter fifteen! (I've given myself daily word quotas and everything.) Hermione and Severus are misbehaving right now, but hopefully they'll iron themselves out tonight so I can finish the chapter this weekend. Thank you for continuing to read the story and for leaving a review- I appreciate it more than you know.

Thank you for continuing to read, m'dear. It's good to see you. :-) And words cannot describe how pleased I am that you are still enjoying the story. Thank you for your kind words.

Thank you for continuing to read, m'dear. It's good to see you. :-) And words cannot describe how pleased I am that you are still enjoying the story. Thank you for your kind words.

Hello, m'dear! Good to see you. I'm glad you had a lovely vacation, and I'm very happy that you enjoyed the chapter. And don't fret about the coming apart... that won't be for a while yet. :-) Thanks for reviewing!

Thank you! I am so pleased that you enjoyed it. And take your time - I'm so pleased that you see this as a story to savor. It's quite the compliment. Best wishes.