This is really interesting, and quite different. I like seeing this awkward, dark side of Snape that struggles to get Hermione's attention. It keeps me on edge as to whether he's going to mess up and say something wrong, or whether he'll do something that Hermione will like!

I didn't quite understand the spell he used on her, though. Get rid of paradise? Was it to make Hermione lose her innocence with regards to Snape? And why did it make an apple appear in her throat?

This is as a brilliant a look into the mind of Severus Snape as I have ever read. I always wondered what went on underneath all that pent up agression and iron-clad control. Very good.

Blessings,

Elizabeth

Beautiful.. tragic... repulsive (the murder)... update again!

I really like this story alot. Can you please write some more chapters?

alright, really good, but i got confused in the end there. an apple? is this a fairy tale? that'd be cool! anyway, i hope it's explained in the next bit.

wow. your word choice is amazing. sorry- it was a great chapter, but i'm caught up in the shakespearian of it all. yay for will!

Ask a prying question, get a nasty answer.

However, I don't think we'll find that canon Young!Snape did anything so bad as that. It's notable that in a year of exploring the HBP's invented spells, Harry found only one that would have interested Riddle at any age (he who, at 16, was researching how to unleash a basilisk on fellow-students and how to turn deaths into his own immortality) and it was marked "for enemies". Riddle would have labelled it "for everyone".

It's a pity you don't update more often, this story is really fascinating. I like very much the way you portray Severus.

Oh lovely! I'm eally enjoying this. Snape is still for want of better words a rather snarky unpleasant git - but there's such a feeling of melancholy beneath it and after all, why wouldn't he be drawn to someone he considers his polar opposite?
I liked your depiction of Hermione too; compassionate but by no means a push over. I look forward to more : )

Woah, wait. Is this Snape/Hermione?!

Yay, a new chapter! I know that you know that I was aware of it several days ago (wow, that was a mouthful) but I've been reading it in small increments ever since. I read over the whole thing again today, though, so I could attempt a cohesive review.

You know, I usually avoid fics written in the first person like the plague. I can't even explain why, but they're a major turn-off for me, almost from word one. But this one sucked me in from the get go, and no it's not just because it's you, lol, but the quality of the writing is just absolutely superb! I would compliment *any* author who wrote this well.

Hey, speaking of the plague, did you there were actually *two* forms of it? There was bubonic, the widely known form that caused horrific sores to erupt all over one's body- roughly 40 percent of infected people survived that form- but there was also the much less well-known pneumonic, which attacked the lungs and had a zero percent survival rate. Interesting, huh? I just read about it in this great book called "Saurum", which I'll give you when I'm done with it. It's something like a hefty thousand pages long, so you can really sink your teeth into it. Anyway, moving on-

Let's see... there are so many things that I want to touch on in this chapter. I will try to go in order.

1. Red wine- you are SO right, I never thought about it before, but Hermione would SO be a red wine drinker!

2. Heh heh, he threw the bottle! :-)

3. I have to say, I like the hangover. And the Neville interaction. Neville's characterization is spot-on.

4. Poor teenaged inferius :(

5. Scrimgeour's in character too- arrogant, nosy bastard. I always admire what you do with the minor characters.

6. The "friendship"- so bittersweet! I wonder who this "other man" is... I don't believe you've ever privileged me with that information ;) I loved the way Hermione first came in, so hesitant, lingering in the doorway, eyes cast down, almost like a student again who'd been summoned to detention. I liked their interaction and his fierce jealosy in the coffee shop. I was pleasantly surprised that she agreed so easily to meet him again so soon. His internal debate over how formal a restaurant he should take her to and whether or not "friends" booked tables for one another was uncharacteristically sweet... don't tell *him* I said that though, or he'd probably hex me into next week! ;)

Overall, looking forward greatly to seeing their "dinner date" and whatever follows. I sternly expect an update by Christmas, no excuses! :P

Wow. Horns...?
That was surprising. But funny. Nice story; keep going.

no friendship hermy! love him!

Very well written fic! Looking forward to reading more :)

Wow. This is a very good story. At first I wasn't sure about Snape sharing all of his feelings about everything with Hermione -- where's the tension? I asked myself -- but this is working well so far. I am amazed by the eloquence of Snape's romantic thoughts about Hermione. We all know he is an eloquent person, but I was not sure if that extended into his softer thoughts. Well done. Writing in the present tense lends a fluid, stark quality to the story that I am enjoying. I hope you update soon.