Magnificent. 10+++++

 'Master's best Secret'  may  give him broth , and tender care, and all the humanity he 's been longing for...he also has a bit of the petulant child about him, .. that fits with her deep, womanly, motherly  heart, delighting in taking care of  the one she trusts.

God, they fit  together as well as tongue- in- groove woodwork.

His crabbiness made me laugh  with delighted relief.

Thank you, authoress, all that pain and suspense had me in tears.

 No. You had  me in tears.

I hate Laboratory tests on living beings. Hate them.

and the pain and fear in Severus' eyes, no. it breaks my heart.

There is one fanfic, in which HG is Livid, that the Order of the Ph. hasn't even thought about an attack strategy to stop V, H.G and HP. demand they rethink their old habits of passivity , and  thereby give SS a chance to stop going back to V.  -S. relief is palpable, and I, as a reader was profoundly  grateful for his salvation.

It is just too sadistic to send one man , strong, cleve,r or no,t back into that degradation.  God. Use intelligence and think outside the box .

Hee hee hee! I've never thought of him as "soooo good". Quite a manipulator, actually. But I like this side of the old buzzard. And a father would be totally grossed out if not livid. Voyeuristic Albus is fun. What would our dear Severus say if he knew? LOL! Dumbledore and Minerva are about to experience a Renaissance of erotic adventure. They better keep the pepper up potion handy if they are going to keep up with the youngsters.

Yey!! Each lemon it's own chapter! You've managed to turn a thoroughly crappy assed night into "pretty damn tolerable". So much better than going to bed and throwing a pillow over my head so I can run down the dungeon stairs in my mind, twisting and turning through narrow winding stair cases until I reach the darkest deepest room under that magical castle where I can be safe from everyone, where no one can find me, except Severus of course.

So so lemony!!!!

I suppose it's just as well that he is being noble in thinking he should leave her alone. When he is straight up about wanting her it seems to piss her off. Is it just me being biased because I feel so much affection for Severus, or is she being a little too touchy? What set her off? Can't she tell when he is teasing her? It's his way of flirting. I guess I forget that she is still young and hasn't come to grips with the reality that guys are stupid and it isn't completely their fault. It's just the nature of the beast. At firs it's disappointing, but then you come to the conclusion that you can take them or leave them, but you can't make them women and you wouldn't really want to if you could. It's like being angry at a 3 year old for playing too loud and running in the house. I suppose I was about 26 when I accepted that this was as good as it gets and love is not a fairy tale; so you may as well learn to find humor in the foibles and weaknesses of the male species. And I had been married since I was 18. That was a long time to have so much bitterness and disappointment. It's a wonder the man stuck around. I was a real bitch while I tried to make him into the man I wanted. It's been 33 years and he's still just as lame as he ever was but I'm rather fond of him. Anyway, he still loved me very much even after I got fat in my 40's. What are ya gonna do? May as well grab his face and give him a smackaroo on the mouth. Embrace his Snapeness, Hermione! It's what you've loved about him all along! Get over yourself! You too Severus!

His desire for death is his salvation... At least The Dark Lord isn't a total idiot and can see Severus cares not for his own life. It should convince him that Severus also has no desire for power or to usurp him, I hope. I wonder if he ever puzzles over why Severus continues to answer his summons. Does he think that Severus comes back time and again hoping he will not survive this time? As Severus obviously does not fear him, that Severus comes back expecting to be tortured, Voldie Ass must wonder what Severus' motives are. Perhaps he is delusional enough to think that Severus truly does love his Master and only desires to serve him? BTW: I did read the ending. You know what one of my most hated movies of all time is? Rob Roy. I hate it because of the way the Foppy Fuck Head in the movie dies instantly, slashed through the heart, without knowing and without having to look Rob Roy in the eye and realize with his last breath that he has been utterly destroyed by his most hated enemy. I've been pissed off for 20 years.

Well now she feels like hell. Even when he pours his heart out to her she can't stay angry because she most certainly feels guilty for accusing him of practically raping her or using her. He did however, manipulate her. But that is who he is and she knows it. She has always known it. She knows she can't who he is if she thinks about it for even one minute. If she wants him she must take him that way. On the other hand, he is an adult and he can control himself when he wants to. He could be less manipulative probably, if he put his mind to it. It's his nature and wouldn't be entirely removed but he could follow "guidelines" if they made an agreement to certain issues. But, he would hold her to it exactingly so that she would wish she hadn't made him promise such things. Complicated bastard! Now she has to convince him that he is worthy of her. And now he only needs to admit to himself that he loves her. That doesn't make him less the powerful dark wizard and, snarky assed Slytherin Death Eater Spy Extraordinaire. He is capable of love, but to admit it would give her some power over him. It would be a chink in his armor. This ultimate control freak stays alive because he is just that. Best wait until Voldemort is destroyed. His anger is his strength. It's his armor. Hopefully, Hermione in her striving for perfection, will see that he needs his armor to stay as fearless and fey as necessary to complete this horrid task.

It was everything I anticipated and hoped it would be, *g*. I wonder, has she learned her lesson not to make him wait so long again? It was a wild ride.

What a man! We knew he was noble and a man of honor, but to be able to use these virtues for such Slytherine purposes is absolutely brilliant! Bless Hermione. She just got her fondest wish. To have the respect of the greatest Potions Master and unsung hero in the Wizarding world. What a great day for Hogwarts brightest witch! Of course, I'm sure there will be a price for this approbatory largesse on Severus' part. However, nothing he wouldn't do himself. Now they are even a better match! Passionate, exceedingly intelligent, antisocial, generous, heroically sacrificial and servants of the great Albus Dumbledore. True soul mates. You are such an artist my dearest Ms_Figg!

I know you'll explain, but what's her problem? I guess it's that we know his secret and she doesn't? Why not shag him? It doesn't look so far like she's taken. What does she have to lose if she shags him every night? How can she not remember how she sung her praises last time? He admitted he thought she is beautiful and a host of other wonderful things. He had asked her to leave him alone, but now she knows he didn't mean it. She also knows he's too proud to come begging. I'm hoping you plan to have them figure out that they fell in love that night.

Thanks for posting your story. I'm enjoying your hard work. I've read some of your other stories on other sites and this one is also very well written.