oooh.... i like it...poor harry,,, hey vernon really crossed the line this time...he almost killed harry....i want him arrested!!! and so is dudley...i want him jailed...they're not nice....its good hermione and ron is there for harry...specially mione...aaaaw

A good start, see no reason why you decided to take it off instead of leaving it. After all, it is always good to see the Dursley's suffering. Keep it up.

Just read this now and wanted to say how much I loved the part about the dragon stuffed animal. That was truly touching on so many levels. Very well written.

Wow! I really loved your work! It was pretty touching story, I quickly found myself dying to know what happens next. Thanks for sharing!!

“Lupin,” Bill said back in quite a normal voice, his eyes on Tonks. “He wants to help out, same as the rest of us. He’s hated having to get you out of there before himself; it’ll be nice for him to see you shut of them.”

Tonks brightened before Harry’s eyes. Visibly. Her expression remained the same, perhaps even a shade quieter, but everything else seemed almost to shimmer. Her skin glowed; her hair took on the most interesting highlights.

“Oh hell,” she said after a moment, noticing them staring at her, even Mrs. Figg. “I’m doing it again, aren’t I?”

Bill nodded, grinning. If Harry wasn’t imagining things, Ron’s dad just blushed.

“That’s right, lets all play tease the Metamorphmagus,” she said, and sighed gustily.

“He really is coming, any minute now,” Bill told her. “And you should just tell him…”

-----------------

Talk about being in love making you glow...heh. I wonder what happens when she has that morning after glow. Oh, please please please have that show up somewhere in "Here with Me"

I know it would be a hella long distance in terms of chapters apart and totally unnescessary and I don't even know if you plan on having lupin and tonks in the story much less in flagrento delicto but really, it would be a nice interlude in-between all the death and drama and lovey doviness

I've been waiting until Here With Me was finished before I start reading it, but thought I'd sneak a peak at this first. Nice little tale, although I wonder if the H/Hr romance could have been developed just a *little* more slowly? A couple of chapters of neutral friendship and reflection on Hermione's sterling qualities before the "Holy bloody hell" epiphany of chapter 2?

Still, there's been no vows of love from either side yet, Hermione hasn't shown any signs of falling for him at all, so it's a gentle start really I guess.

From an incidental glance at Here With Me I gather Draco and Ginny get together (ugh; I hope you develop sufficient reasons for me to *believe* in a redeemed Draco, worthy of Ginny). I enjoyed the teasers in chapter 3 here; thought the 'froze like a trapped rabbit' was a great little phrase/image.

Top marks for Hermione's insight at the end of chapter 2; her perception at how Harry and Ginny are exact opposites in love ("she's been adored all her life" - spot on, excellent sentence that really brings home the contrast to Harry; very clever observation) and in particular how Hermione doesn't "recognise" Ginny's filtered perception of Harry. Very nicely done, that, although could you have mixed in the 'Boy Who Lived' label and Basilisk slayer hero worship as part of the mixture that blinds Ginny to the real Harry, just a sentence that bolstered up that portrayal? Maybe you did; I'm typing this up a day after I read the story.

Anyway, that was some excellent analysis by Hermione, and certainly stamps a dirty big NO HARRY/GINNY IN THIS STORY, PLEASE MOVE ALONG sign on this tale from that point on ("that's the end of it for me" - can't make it clearer than that!) and leaves the field clear for a certain best friend. Half your work already done!

Nice little story, plenty in it to enjoy, good writing style, I felt quite satisfied at the end and wanted more. Which I hope I'll get when I read Here With Me!

I love this. I really, really and truly adore this. Thank you so, so, so, (and so again) much for posting this prequel. It fits the story following it brilliantly.

I am very glad that you posted this. I loved the background that you laid out with obvious care and attention to detail. You are a wonderful author and I appreciate you sharing you gift with us.

Very Nice! I love to see the way things can develop for those two. Ginny really is like a little gnat. I can't imagine doing the things she was doing to Harry. Of course the girl does have a stiff backbone, I guess she thinks she can do anything. Oh well, atleast it doesn't work. Great chapter! I am off to read the next.

Great chapter. Ginny is more than a little bit irritating. Some people just don't catch a hint I guess.

Great chapter. Bill is better than me because I probably would have tried something a little bit more painful on Vernon. Good job.

YAAAY! You finished this. I agree that it stands alone, and it's a terrific lead-in to Here With Me (which I need to start reading again now that you're updating it again). BTW the H/Hr stuff with the hammock was very sweet and believable; at least your Harry isn't totally clueless about Hermione's charms

Oh no, I was anxiously awaiting these three chapters. I would read about some parts in the rest of the story & wonder exactly what brought such things on. I do hope you will tell us if something happens to the Dursleys....*G* I would love to see the looks on their faces if some DE's show up.

Lisa

i adore the last sentence. red eyed sickkick? thats clever. keep it up

ilikethis. its very decriptive. u manage to be vivid without being graphic. thats hard 2 find and i can appreciate it. keep it up. happy writing