I'm curious, did you use the name Wendell for the book because of her parents, or did you catch that after the fact and roll with it?

The thing she does in the kitchen scene - oh the awkward! I kept thinking something like this would happen, but I totally wasn't expecting it here. And while a sweeping romantic moment is desirable, in reality I think he would freeze up and not know what to do.

I really like what you did with the note. With what you've done with them in this story, I really do think he would tell her the truth about Lily. He is feeling guilty about betraying her, but also with Dumbledore gone no one else knows, and I think he needs someone to know to keep it alive.

Holy shit. I knew this was coming all along, but still you did a fantastic job with it. I like how you used the vow to create a sense of urgency and have a reason for him to agree to what she wants. Again, you create such a close connection between them while keeping their characters and situation believable, like the when she hugs him, or the last exchange in the corridor.

Using Harry to let her see what happened is a really good idea. It makes sense she would worry she'd been fooled by Severus (she knows he has to have tricked either the dark lord or Dumbledore), but she knows him well enough to see in his face and actions what really happened.

It occurs to me that Draco had good reason not to trust Severus - he can't figure out which side he is on. I like that you addressed the unfairness of Harry's weak punishment, that always bugged me. It's funny, and accurate, that she really would prefer detention with Snape rather than watch the game. I think it's good you didn't shy away from his vindictiveness with Harry's detention task. I mean, sometimes he is just being a jerk, even if he has his reasons.

That moment at the end when he pulls her into the wards. You're killing me, you know that right?

I had to laugh at the awkward start to the order meeting. I had not thought about his vow meaning if things were worse in the bathroom duel Snape would have died. The focus is always on killing Dumbledore, not that he had to protect Draco.

The scene with with dropping his shields is excellent, you do such a good job of balancing story development with keeping them in character, like how she is worried about messing up the potion or how he tries to be snarky but there is no bite to it.

There's so much wonderful awkwardness as she realizes something of how she feels in this chapter. I particularly liked her describing his scent as "mortifyingly appealing." I was mortified for her when she realizes what the difference in his mind vs. Harry's and he is right there in front of her. I could just feel her not wanting him to see it. At the end of this, I was thinking the word paramore is a very Snape word in that it's both lofty and indirect.

The conversation outside with Dumbledore is so perfectly awkward. I think it's fitting that the old man would pick up on what's going on, even before Severus realizes. And then he brings up Lily, yikes.

You're doing an excellent job with the slow burn, they keep swinging back and forth on who wants and doesn't want to be around the other, always with good reasons.

I was wondering how you were going to have her get past his shields, and honestly afraid it would be a stretch considering he can fool the dark lord. This is a really good explanation, and something no one else would have thought of so I'm very happy with it. Also, I loved their conversation on the floor of his office - she made me laugh too.

I love reading stories that follow the book like this, it's fun to see how events happen from other characters' perspectives. Like Snape hanging on the edges at the party and then her watching him, or the scene between Draco and Severus.

This has been one of the most intense reading experiences in fanfiction I have ever had. I loved every bit of this story and couldn't put it down until I had finished it. It's the first SS/HG story I have ever readwhile the pairing has always intrigued me, I somehow wasn't sure if anybody could write it in a credible manner. But oh boy, was I wrong. My heart was thumping in my chest every time Serverus and Hermione got closer and I might have shed a tear or two at the end. Anyway, thank you for sharing this work here and for sticking with it for so many years. Stories like this are why I love fanfiction.

I like how you are including Ginny as the reason she goes with Cormac - Ginny seems a bit more conniving. Also when he can't help but notice the parallel of her sleeping in the hall to his own history - nice touch.

I would love it if she figured out about his textbook. You're doing a good job of creating a kind of closeness between them that is believable - not sacrificing either of their characters.

Their conversation by the lake is really good. He is open, but not too much, and I get the sense that he is just too tired to be defensive. I like how he picks up on the fact they there are in same predicament, and wants to make it better for her in as much as he can't for himself.

Him finding a woman reading Russian literature more erotic than her being naked is so perfectly Severus Snape.

Also him realizing from her memories she can actually be very assertive and he's like OH NO. You really write them both very well. A lot of people make her either too nice and confident and miss that she can be super anxious and aggressive and even violent at times.

You do a great job keeping the perspective with one person. For example, I was impressed when you wrote that he could feel his cheeks burning instead of that his face was red, since he can't see his own face that is better writing, but I think a lot of authors miss that.

I also thought his emotions at the end of this chapter were really well done. It's hard to pull off that kind of outburst with someone like him, but with his thoughts leading up to it you totally earned it.

I really like how she realizes why he is so hard on them in class. Also, the idea that Dumbledore keeps information close because it makes him the most useful and powerful person is a great explanation for some of the things he does.