Sorrry! I suppose it has been awhile.  Nope still at it. Thank you so much for following along and the review.

I'm so glad that you enjoyed the chapter. I'm glad that this chapter answered questions for you. Kreacher was fun in this one, still calling her Mudblood, but in a nice way, helpful and still crabby. Yep, the DA is active and under Comander-in-cheif Harry and Ron is like a general. I really liked being able to have Ron grow up a bit and his strategic mind to good use. lol I'm really glad you liked all the added bits too. It wasn't too redundant? I was worried about that.  Yes, he did say that to get Draco t do what he wanted him to do.. and it worked!  Thank you so much for reading and for the review. Hope tomorrow goes well for you. Hugs.

Yep, passing each other in the night. sorry, bad pun. Thank you for reading and for the review.

Welcome back. I am busily working on the next chapter. I was quite flattered to be on the quiz, sill amazed that they chose me.  Thank you very much for the kind compliments, I'm really touched that you think so.Thank you so much for the review. Hugs~

And congrats on the quiz at Wicked Companion.  

Thank you for followig along. the note - Oh! Well, since it won't come up for a long time yet - initials are S.T. with another warning... Harry and Ron will make another appearance, but no one in the castle knows what they are up to. I'm going to fix that soon enough.Thank you very much. I was quite surprised when I was told about the quiz, very flattered actually, and stunned. Thank you so much for the review.

I'm very glad that I was finally able to get this chapter in. I have to get Hermione to get Occlumency in order for him to open up to her. Yes, they are geting comfortable with each other.  Hermione is already registered, Voldemort knows just where she is. Thank you for the review.

Yep, rather a biggie, I know.  Thankyou very much, I tried.   That was my goal and I'm glad that it worked or you. I'm glad that it wasn't too redundant -  was it? I hope not. I'm delighted that it drew you in.   Yep, she's hooked up with Harry and the DA. I wanted you to see what the boys were up to. lol I also wanted to pullout Ron's strategic mind and his skills, as well as let him grow up a bit. I know that having the others there is not how JKR envisioned, but without Hermione, Harry needed help. (and Ron needed food)  I'm delighted that you liked it.Thank you so much for reading and for the review.

I'm so glad that you liked the additons of the others in Harry's and Ron's camp. The Creevey's as a 'outdoors type of family' was a fun idea, and does go back to my own camping with him family. Yes, someone makes magical tents - otherwise where did all those tents form GoF come from. lol And I'm glad that you liked Kreacher in this. He was fun to play with. Thank you for reading and for the review.

Thank you very much.   The jewlery helps protect against offensive-to-harm spells. Not totally blocking them, but absorbs some of the impact so she's not hurt as bad as she'd be without them. They also prevent her from Apparition (if he activates the spell) to keep her from leaving him. (But he didn't think she'd need the protection and the anti-apprition spells at a DE party) Plus its a symbol of 'enslavement' to the other DE's.   Belinda's spell is focused on the head, and she had to reinforce it a few times to make it stick - because of the Skrewt jewelry.   Nope, not Herm-a-mini bits, Severus hadn't activated the spells.  CoMWT is up in queue. It should, hopefully sooner than later, be up for you. It's been taking a while.  I do have a PLight ready to go and then I'll submit a Parchment chapter up... just hang in there and I will do my best to keep them coming.   Thank you for reading, sticking with me and for the review.

It's the beta/admin process that is taking awhile to post these chapters. sorry about the wait, but I can't push too hard. I'll do the best I can, but all I can ask is a bit of patience. I'll be submitting another chapter soon, probably Plight, though, and CoMWT will update soon. I'm trying. Thnak you for the support and for the review.

I'm glad.....Yep, wasn't he, lol.....Yep, they've hooked up, but he's not happy is he?.... You are most welcome. Thank you so much for the review.

Thank you.....Yep....Yep, agian....You're welcome.

Thank you for the kind compliment. My betas already have the next chapter - so it's being cleaned up and polished.I'm glad you liked teh gowns, red was chosen for a reason... hehehe and Yes, Severus' actions regarding Hermione have little to do with is concern that the Dark Lord would be mad - it is more personal.

Cmwinters, sorry but - no. The only significance I implied was that they were not really FULL PRICE... possibly, since they were technically supopsed to be for another wedding. One brides loss is Hermione's gain. Having dress robes that are - or would have been - more $$ than Narcissa WOULD have paid for them. It's implied, but a situation a friend of mine had when she and I went to buy her wedding dress. I'm afraid that only my friend will get the implication I threw in, but it was a jest or inside-joke. Sorry.

However, in regards to 'Cillian's sister - you focused in on the wrong robes... hint hint. It's why Cillian knew the robes/recognized them - sort of. It took him a while to remember. Says something else about old Horrance, Belinda's husband, doesn't it?

Ah, oh yeah, 250 galleons sounded like an awful lot to me (being as it's roughly 5 pounds to the galleon and roughly two dollars to the pound).  Yes, I know Narcissa has more money than sense (although she seems a quite sensible woman), but yeah, I completely missed that they were cheaper than she was willing to fork over. :P

I got the bit about the Widower's Robes, though.  (At least I'm not a complete idiot!  haha)

Alluding to Twilfitt and Tattings as a high-end woman's shop, and comparing it to say one on Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills Ca, wedding gowns can range from $1,000 to $12,000+ US dollars currently. (my room mate works in such a shop)Especially designer or custom one of a kind gowns.

Using the Wizarding World Currence Converer on HP LExicon: 217 Galleons, 16 Shickles and 28 Knuts equates to 1089.99 UK pounds or 2195.24 US dollars or 1608.83 Euro. ;P just FYI

Oh, yeah, I was off by a whole decimal point there.  I was getting that at about $25K US.

I should probably not read fanfic when I'm so tired I can't see straight, hm?  Durh.  Please to excuse the idiot behind the keyboard.  x_x

Thank you. I actually took many of the meanings from different sources, such as what a red___ meant: rose, carnation, light, candle, crayon, and such... it was fun looking them all up...

I remembered in OoTP when Harry was unable to perform the curse and Bellatrix telling him ‘you have to mean it.’ In GoF, Hermione was uncomfortable with watching Barty Crouch Jr. as Moody perform the Unforgivables in class. I see her as a kind person – not weak. IF she’d meant them she’d have been able to, but I don’t see it in her character to be the kind to use the Unforgivables without deep regret. Not when there is anything else that would work. Besides, now Wormtail owes her a life debt!

Oh dear, that cnat be a good thing for Wormtail to owe her a debt as well as Harry. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

I remembered in OoTP when Harry was unable to perform the curse and Bellatrix telling him ‘you have to mean it.’ In GoF, Hermione was uncomfortable with watching Barty Crouch Jr. as Moody perform the Unforgivables in class. I see her as a kind person – not weak. IF she’d meant them she’d have been able to, but I don’t see it in her character to be the kind to use the Unforgivables without deep regret. Not when there is anything else that would work. Besides, now Wormtail owes her a life debt!

Oh dear, that cnat be a good thing for Wormtail to owe her a debt as well as Harry. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

I'm glad that this chapter was able to spark such rememberances for you. Thank you for the reveiw.

I'm glad that this chapter was able to spark such rememberances for you. Thank you for the reveiw.

Thank you very much. Yes, the relationship between Severus and Hermione is blooming. I wanted to make the Dark Lord scary, intense and unpredictable. He’s a megalomaniac in my book. I’m glad you like the story. I already sent my next chapter to my beta! I hope to update soon as well.

Thank you very much. Yes, the relationship between Severus and Hermione is blooming. I wanted to make the Dark Lord scary, intense and unpredictable. He’s a megalomaniac in my book. I’m glad you like the story. I already sent my next chapter to my beta! I hope to update soon as well.

Thank you very much. I appreciate the support.

Thank you very much. I appreciate the support.

Hi, Kittylefish, ramble at me anytime you want to. I love reading what readers think and appreciate their comments. Yes, Hermione is starting to trust Snape more – finally! I wanted to make Voldemort scary, creepy and unpredictable – a true megalomaniac in my book. He’s a true Slytherin, cunning, manipulative, ambitious, controlling and conniving. In regards to Wormtail, I didn’t want to kill him, and don’t forget, he now owes Hermione and Harry a life debt! That will certainly be a problem later!! I enjoyed writing the bit about the robes, and since I needed a sinister play from Belinda, they fit in nicely. It was a bit remiss of Draco not to leave a note, but Snape didn’t think to ask Peren where they Hermione had gone either. However, it all worked out well. I have already sent my chapter to my beta and I hope I’ll be able to post it soon as well. Thank you so much for the comments, I do really appreciate them.

Hi, Kittylefish, ramble at me anytime you want to. I love reading what readers think and appreciate their comments. Yes, Hermione is starting to trust Snape more – finally! I wanted to make Voldemort scary, creepy and unpredictable – a true megalomaniac in my book. He’s a true Slytherin, cunning, manipulative, ambitious, controlling and conniving. In regards to Wormtail, I didn’t want to kill him, and don’t forget, he now owes Hermione and Harry a life debt! That will certainly be a problem later!! I enjoyed writing the bit about the robes, and since I needed a sinister play from Belinda, they fit in nicely. It was a bit remiss of Draco not to leave a note, but Snape didn’t think to ask Peren where they Hermione had gone either. However, it all worked out well. I have already sent my chapter to my beta and I hope I’ll be able to post it soon as well. Thank you so much for the comments, I do really appreciate them.

Thank you for the nice review. Yep, the Wormtail is one lucky rat. However, now He owes Hermione a life debt!
Voldemort is simply trying to sway Hermione to comply with his plans, not really wanting her as a follower. He’s playing with her like a cat plays with a mouse before the cat kills the mouse. Except Hermione is much smarter than your average mouse!

Thank you for the nice review. Yep, the Wormtail is one lucky rat. However, now He owes Hermione a life debt!
Voldemort is simply trying to sway Hermione to comply with his plans, not really wanting her as a follower. He’s playing with her like a cat plays with a mouse before the cat kills the mouse. Except Hermione is much smarter than your average mouse!

Thank you for the review. I really thought that Severus would have friends, even if he didn’t have many as a child. Adults are more accepting of each other, and besides the other teachers, several of the Order members were respectful toward Severus and conversed with him. He was frequently in the staff room with the other professors as well. I know fan fic often depicts Severus as a cantankerous loner, even among the staff, but I see him as being social with his colleagues. I have the bit of how Severus and Cillian became friends later in the story, Hermione asks Cillian about it. But I’m three capers ahead of you… typing away.
In regards to your other concerns: Severus may or may not have sent a note to anyone about the splinching, assuming that Tonks and Lupin would tell everyone what happened. If he did send a note, it would be to (xxx). 2. Since Hermione doesn’t know what’s going on in the wizarding world except what Snape tells her, you’re in the dark too. Sorry about that. But as Hermione learns anything so will all of you! I can tell you that Minerva did know that Hermione was alive because she and Snape were still fussing with each other over Hermione’s living arrangements, and I’m sure she would have confronted him about her splinching, having heard about it from Tonks and Lupin. Tonks and Lupin would have told the Weasleys and other Order members, but Ron and Harry are missing. (Remember all that camping… and the days camping… 300 pages of camping?) I am still acknowledging that book 7 DH exists, and that the events happen, only that Hermione is not with Harry – Ron is and later Ginny… oops! Better stop typing before I give too much away.

Campingandcampingandcampingandcampingandcampingandcamping... Oh yes, I remember [yawn] the camping!

As for the rest, you have my word, I won't mention a thing about anything you might have given away;)

BWhahahahah Thank you!

Thank you very much for the compliment. I’m very flattered that you like this story. The Widower’s Robes were a nightmare I had once and I thought it would be a cruel thing for Belinda to do. I wanted show that Tom Riddle is a calculating, manipulative and cunning bastard, but he does know how to use and persuade others (such as in the scenes with Slughorn and Ms. Smith in HBP) and would use guile and 'sweetness' to get what he wants if that’s what was necessary. I just pulled what the Dark Lord would be like using the memories in HBP. It makes him even scarier, I think.In regards to Severus, he’s been aloof, cool and angry with Hermione and about his situation with her, but he’s been slowly coming around. He’s not a jerk, prick, dog… He’s actually a passionate, caring guy, who has been hardened by his choices in life, closed off and guarded by his the role as Death Eater and spy. He doesn’t show emotion well, keeps himself tightly controlled and calculates his every move, word and expression at all times. Only in the bedroom can he let his mask slip, and now he has Hermione in his sanctuary. He has to be careful even there, or the Dark Lord will see his weakness… that would be tough.
Anyway, that’s where I’m coming from and where my characterization is based. I hope you continue to enjoy this as the story unfolds and rolls along.

Thank you very much for the nice review. Hermione's good heart is only one factor that endears her to him, and yes, he isn't really a prick, just always on guard all the time. It’s not easy for him to let his guard down and be soft. As for the robes, don’t be too disappointed. He’s a bit stiff in the next chapter… but there is a reason I chose red robes. Christmas? You’ll see.

Stiff? Where? *pick up mind in the gutter*

Thank you very much. I want to show the Dark Lord as someone who is really good at manipulating, cunning, ambitious and cruel. We have to remember what he was like in the memories Dumbledore collected. However, yes, there was a real threat there.
In regards to Draco, I never really saw him as a ‘bad boy with no redeeming traits’ and yes, he is getting used to Hermione, and seeing her for a change – really seeing her. It’s going to greatly affect him in the long run. That and he is now going to see the Dark Lord through more than one set of glasses… but I say too much here. Sorry.