Epics - Part II
So you say you have nothing to read this summer? You've definitely come to the right place. We have twelve more SSHG stories of epic proportions. You ask how we expect you to identify one brief passage from tales of over 200,000 words each? Well, just keep in mind that all's well that ends well.
Now get reading! We'll be expecting your "What I Read on my Summer Vacation" reports in September.
This week's quiz was chosen by klschmidt1309. Apparently she has a lot of free time.
Would you like to choose next week's quiz? Simply play the quiz by commenting on this post with your answers at any time over the weekend. All comments with answers will be screened until the answer sheet is posted on Monday morning EDT. On Monday, all quizzlings with the correct answers will be entered into the winner's drawing and one lucky fangirl will win the right to choose next Friday's quiz. Ready? Set? Play!
Match the quotes to the story titles while avoiding the red herring titles:
In Annulo by ladyofthemasque (37 chapters - 364,830 words)
An Ever-Fixed Mark by SimplyScribbling aka simplyscrib WIP/Abandoned? ( 38 chapters - 301,002 words)
Death's Dominion by mmadfan (34 chapters - 294,002 words)
Daddy Dearest by ms_figg (115 chapters - 290,841 words)
The Apprentice and the Necromancer by juno_magic (251 chapters - 280,707 words)
The Plight-Trothed Bride by beaweasley2 WIP (40 chapters - 274,699 words)
Pet Project by Caeria WIP (42 chapters - 274,062 words)
Luring the Enchantress by southernwitch69 (42 chapters - 255,193 words)
You Can't Have One Without The Other by RachelW (31 chapters - 247,503 words)
Bride of the Potions Professor by SevyLu aka severely_lupine WIP (38 chapters - 241,744 words)
Second Life by Lariope aka lariopefic (48 chapters - 240,642 words)
Dances With Witches by pearle9240 WIP (46 chapters - 237,812 words)
1. Feeling much stronger than he had the night before, he tossed aside his nightshirt before moving to lower his head to her throat and begin his slow seduction, hoping to stir her from sleep.
“Mmmm,” she moaned in a playful, sleepy haze. “What do you think you are doing?”
“I am going to make love to you, my little enchantress,” he said decisively.
“Enchantress, eh?”
“Indeed.” Their lips met in a single kiss. He pulled back to eye her, seeing things in a different light. “And all this time I thought that I was luring you to me… enticing you to be to mine.…”
“Instead, I, being the enchantress, was the one that was doing the luring.”
He did not reply, as his lips were traveling down to her breasts, patiently nipping at her skin until each button of her nightshirt was loosened from its imprisoning hole.
She sighed contently. This was what she’d been dreaming of for a long time-having him back and with her. “Or… maybe you did lure me in.”
2. He could see the world she spun in the air, as ethereal and strange as the tree that stood in the corner of the room, and he wondered if he dared to reach for it. It seemed to him that they would have to begin the beginning, that he would have to find it in himself to try again, and he felt flush with fear at what it might cost him, at the chance that he might try and fail.
He looked into her earnest face and pictured her as she had been outside a tent on a different snowy December evening, unbroken. He watched his hand as it moved tentatively to touch her, and the familiar burn of their flesh meeting was terrifying in its power. For a moment his heart quailed, and he nearly drew his fingers back, and then her hand covered his, in silent acceptance of his invitation. Terror and desire mingled in his bloodstream as he reached for her, and he was comforted by the fact that she trembled, too, as he folded her into his arms.
The shadows on the walls changed and morphed, soft reds and greens and golds. Snape could feel Hermione’s shuddering breaths against his chest. He stroked a hand over her hair, and she tipped her head back to look at him. His eyes closed as he exhaled the last of his resistance and lowered his mouth to hers. For her, for this, he would try.
3. Their eyes met and both gave a dramatic shudder. The moment seemed to release some of the tension that Harry was carrying as he plopped back down into his chair. "Snape?"
Ron shrugged. "Really, I'd rather not think about it, but if you do think about, it makes a weird kind of sense."
Harry shook his head. "I always thought Hermione might end up with you."
Reaching up, Ron rubbed at the back of his neck. "Thought that myself a time or two. But, something changed, or maybe Hermione changed. Not exactly sure."
"But he hates us. Hates her."
"Does he? They were . . . talking last year. This year, too. And you saw what he did to Moody. Not to mention, the Headmaster gets this queer look on his face every time he sees them together. Like he knows something, but is pretending he doesn't."
"But . . ."
"You can't butt in, Harry."
Harry's expression went mulish. "He'll do something horrible to her."
Ron sighed. "Probably."
4. “I thought . . . when I thanked you for your friendship, I thought that was the end of it, the last time I would sit with you. I said good-bye.”
“And I still had hope you would live and we would be able to become better friends, out in the daylight and not shut up in the library.”
Severus looked away from her warm gaze. “Sometimes I wish I . . . I hope you understand, but sometimes I wish I hadn’t lived,” he whispered. He remembered lying with his head in her lap, delirious, certain he was dying. “I am not ungrateful to you. I simply don’t know how to live. And I remember too much. For other people, it all ended with Potter’s victory. It won’t ever end for me. I remember everything I’ve done. And some of it . . . I want to forget it. I don’t want to be that person. But I don’t know how to be anyone at all.”
“You’re my friend Severus,” Hermione said quietly, giving his hand a squeeze. “Start there with that. Then owl the Headmistress and give her your decision. And just go from there.”
She stood. “Let’s walk back. Dinner will be ready in a little while. And after dinner, we can have a glass of wine together out in the garden.” She tugged on his hand as he got to his feet. “It will be like I promised you.”
Together, they walked back to the house. Hermione led him through the front door, and when she looked up at him, met his eyes, and smiled, Severus found himself smiling back down at her. He and Hermione were friends. That was a good place to begin his new life. He felt Hermione’s hand in his. A very good place, indeed.
5. "Ginny sent new pictures of James-Hermes. And Harry threatens to err…" Hermione blushed.
"Hex my bollocks off and serve them to me for lunch if we don't attend the very same occasion next Sunday?" Severus supplied with a snort.
Hermione laughed. "Something like that."
"All right. We'll be there. Now, where are those ridiculous plants that you absolutely have to show me?"
"Here." Hermione pointed at a meadow overflowing with blooming daffodils. "Look how many of them there are! Do you remember what that means?"
Of course he did. He would never forget their wedding day. "Joy and happiness," he replied, his voice very soft.
"One day," Hermione said, her eyes filled with quiet determination, "maybe not tomorrow or next week …"
How Severus regretted the lines in her young face. How he mourned the lack of sparkle in her eyes. The absence of the shrill lilt of enthusiasm in her voice.
"… maybe not even next year." She offered him a wry smile.
But she reached for him. Her almost spidery thin, always cold fingers curled around his hand. Her smile turned wistful. It was too bitter yet to be called hopeful, but there was a new hint of sweetness to it that had been missing since her rescue.
Hermione stepped into Severus' embrace, her face turned up, her eyes never leaving his. "But I do believe that one day, one day, we'll be fine."
She drew his hand up to her lips and kissed his fingers.
"Just fine."
6. Hermione turned to Severus as soon as he’d closed the door to the shop, and asked, “When would we go? Or is this another surprise?”
He placed his hand on her lower back to guide her to the next shop. “I thought to make it a surprise, Hermione. Or don’t you like surprises?” he asked again with a smirk. He spotted Harry and Cho talking to Reginald and wondered what about.
“It will be nice to spend some time with Harry and Ronald,” Luna stated wistfully.
“So, how about lunch and a butterbeer?” Ginevra suggested, looping her arm with Hermione’s. “Before Severus here absconds with you to the bookshop?” Hermione stared at Ginevra. “Oh, c’mon, you know you want to go - it’s a bookshop! Besides, I now have permission to spend my evening with Harry at the castle!”
He rolled his eyes heavenward and followed the girls to the Three Broomsticks. Severus paid for her friends’ drinks and leaned back in his chair, holding his ale as they talked. At least he had the bookshop to look forward to.
7. Maybe my 'trim' isn't fresh enough for you after all these years," Hermione said in a temper. She tried to climb over the wizard and leave the bed.
"Oh no you don't witch," he said, grabbing Hermione and pulling her on top of him. He tried to kiss her but she kept turning her head away. Severus scowled.
"I see I am going to have to use other tactics to calm you witch," he said to her silkily, pushing her off of him then quickly rolling on top of her, hiking up her nightie.
"No need to be jealous, Hermione. I have no designs on any other witch out here. Your 'trim' still has plenty of snap," he purred. "Besides, I love you."
Hermione sighed. He'd done it to her again. Melted her like butter.
Severus lowered the front of his boxers and quickly thrust inside Hermione, smirking at the familiar shriek he loved so much when he entered her hard like this.
The Potions Master started to move, his black eyes smoldering down at his wife. Yes, he did love Hermione, with all fire and passion that raged in his dark, tainted soul. There was no other witch for him. Ever.
"Now witch," he breathed, "Let me feel you snap."
8. Harry clapped him on the back. “Good job, Ron.”
Ron shrugged Harry off, dropped the sword, and walked out the door.
Hermione was crying when Harry looked at her. “He’ll calm down,” he told her. “Horcruxes can really mess you around. At least... that’s what Ginny says.”
She nodded, hoping he was right. It had been terrible, what the cup had shown them. True but not true. She didn’t know what she could say to Ron to make him forget it.
“He just needs some time-” Harry started, then fell to the floor with a cry of pain.
“Harry!” Hermione flew to his side. What now?
He clapped his hand to his head-his scar. For several long seconds, he cried out and writhed, and Hermione hadn’t a clue what to do.
Then, he stopped and sat up, panting. “The cup!” he gasped. “Wormtail! The Horcruxes!”
“What about them, Harry? You’re not making any sense.”
Harry’s green eyes locked with hers. “He knows.”
9. “He’ll be all right. I think he’s had some revelations he wasn’t prepared to see. It’s something of a… well, personal growth phase that he’ll recover from.” Hermione thought Treva was being optimistically vague. “I’m keeping an eye on him. Things are difficult now, and he has to make a good clean transition. For you, too, it’s best to just get on with your life now.”
“If it would help for me to talk to him…”
“No, no… it would only cause complications and drama neither of you need right now. I’m helping him out, and checking on him. Give him a few years and maybe you can discuss it without it being so… emotional.”
“Yes. Yes, true. Thank you, Treva.” Hermione swallowed and refocused herself on her mental checklists.
“Well, then. I’ll file these in the appropriate department, and you’re free to go.” Treva tucked the package under her arm. “Speaking of which, what are your plans for the summer?”
“Oh… I always thought I’d travel the world once I was out of school. I’m going on a long vacation around the globe. I want to climb the Cliff of the Goblin instead of just reading about it in A History of Wizarding Wonders of the World. There is so much out there to see and reading about it isn’t the same as actually doing it.”
“Sounds like fun. Send pictures, won’t you?” Treva looked sincerely happy for her.
“Definitely.” Hermione winked and opened her bag, running a quick scan of the contents, assuring herself she was well-prepared for a trip around the world. A deep breath as she looked around the Atrium, then at Treva. “I don’t think I’m coming back here for a long time.” She smiled, closed her eyes, and Disapparated.
10. “I have been selected to be your new Headmaster; for the new students who may not know me, I am Professor Severus Snape. Professor Draco Malfoy will be taking over my duties this year as your Potions Master, and Madam Hermione Snape shall be my Deputy Headmistress. The Forbidden Forest is forbidden, just as its name implies, and visits to Hogsmeade are restricted to third-years and older, presuming your parents or guardians have signed your permission slips.
“If you have any questions…this is a feast, not an interview. Save them for tomorrow, when my office will be open every week-day for the two hours between the end of your last class of the day, and half an hour before the start of supper.”
A pause as he let his dark eyes rake over the crowd, his demeanor just stern enough to quell fidgeting bodies from becoming unruly. Hermione smiled indulgently. After nearly twenty-six years of marriage, he was still intimidating from a distance, and had been a positive dictator in his class, though he had softened outside of class-time. And it never hurt to have the students just a little bit fearful of him, to ensure that they respected and heeded his authority.
Still, it was a relief to see his mouth curving in the same indulgent smile he had once reserved for their children, and now usually gave to their grandchildren. He had every right to be happy, and proud of his standing as a husband, a hero, a father, and the second-ever--and frankly, far more popular than the previous--Slytherin Headmaster.
“…Let the Welcoming Feast begin!”
Now get reading! We'll be expecting your "What I Read on my Summer Vacation" reports in September.
This week's quiz was chosen by klschmidt1309. Apparently she has a lot of free time.
Would you like to choose next week's quiz? Simply play the quiz by commenting on this post with your answers at any time over the weekend. All comments with answers will be screened until the answer sheet is posted on Monday morning EDT. On Monday, all quizzlings with the correct answers will be entered into the winner's drawing and one lucky fangirl will win the right to choose next Friday's quiz. Ready? Set? Play!
Match the quotes to the story titles while avoiding the red herring titles:
In Annulo by ladyofthemasque (37 chapters - 364,830 words)
An Ever-Fixed Mark by SimplyScribbling aka simplyscrib WIP/Abandoned? ( 38 chapters - 301,002 words)
Death's Dominion by mmadfan (34 chapters - 294,002 words)
Daddy Dearest by ms_figg (115 chapters - 290,841 words)
The Apprentice and the Necromancer by juno_magic (251 chapters - 280,707 words)
The Plight-Trothed Bride by beaweasley2 WIP (40 chapters - 274,699 words)
Pet Project by Caeria WIP (42 chapters - 274,062 words)
Luring the Enchantress by southernwitch69 (42 chapters - 255,193 words)
You Can't Have One Without The Other by RachelW (31 chapters - 247,503 words)
Bride of the Potions Professor by SevyLu aka severely_lupine WIP (38 chapters - 241,744 words)
Second Life by Lariope aka lariopefic (48 chapters - 240,642 words)
Dances With Witches by pearle9240 WIP (46 chapters - 237,812 words)
1. Feeling much stronger than he had the night before, he tossed aside his nightshirt before moving to lower his head to her throat and begin his slow seduction, hoping to stir her from sleep.
“Mmmm,” she moaned in a playful, sleepy haze. “What do you think you are doing?”
“I am going to make love to you, my little enchantress,” he said decisively.
“Enchantress, eh?”
“Indeed.” Their lips met in a single kiss. He pulled back to eye her, seeing things in a different light. “And all this time I thought that I was luring you to me… enticing you to be to mine.…”
“Instead, I, being the enchantress, was the one that was doing the luring.”
He did not reply, as his lips were traveling down to her breasts, patiently nipping at her skin until each button of her nightshirt was loosened from its imprisoning hole.
She sighed contently. This was what she’d been dreaming of for a long time-having him back and with her. “Or… maybe you did lure me in.”
2. He could see the world she spun in the air, as ethereal and strange as the tree that stood in the corner of the room, and he wondered if he dared to reach for it. It seemed to him that they would have to begin the beginning, that he would have to find it in himself to try again, and he felt flush with fear at what it might cost him, at the chance that he might try and fail.
He looked into her earnest face and pictured her as she had been outside a tent on a different snowy December evening, unbroken. He watched his hand as it moved tentatively to touch her, and the familiar burn of their flesh meeting was terrifying in its power. For a moment his heart quailed, and he nearly drew his fingers back, and then her hand covered his, in silent acceptance of his invitation. Terror and desire mingled in his bloodstream as he reached for her, and he was comforted by the fact that she trembled, too, as he folded her into his arms.
The shadows on the walls changed and morphed, soft reds and greens and golds. Snape could feel Hermione’s shuddering breaths against his chest. He stroked a hand over her hair, and she tipped her head back to look at him. His eyes closed as he exhaled the last of his resistance and lowered his mouth to hers. For her, for this, he would try.
3. Their eyes met and both gave a dramatic shudder. The moment seemed to release some of the tension that Harry was carrying as he plopped back down into his chair. "Snape?"
Ron shrugged. "Really, I'd rather not think about it, but if you do think about, it makes a weird kind of sense."
Harry shook his head. "I always thought Hermione might end up with you."
Reaching up, Ron rubbed at the back of his neck. "Thought that myself a time or two. But, something changed, or maybe Hermione changed. Not exactly sure."
"But he hates us. Hates her."
"Does he? They were . . . talking last year. This year, too. And you saw what he did to Moody. Not to mention, the Headmaster gets this queer look on his face every time he sees them together. Like he knows something, but is pretending he doesn't."
"But . . ."
"You can't butt in, Harry."
Harry's expression went mulish. "He'll do something horrible to her."
Ron sighed. "Probably."
4. “I thought . . . when I thanked you for your friendship, I thought that was the end of it, the last time I would sit with you. I said good-bye.”
“And I still had hope you would live and we would be able to become better friends, out in the daylight and not shut up in the library.”
Severus looked away from her warm gaze. “Sometimes I wish I . . . I hope you understand, but sometimes I wish I hadn’t lived,” he whispered. He remembered lying with his head in her lap, delirious, certain he was dying. “I am not ungrateful to you. I simply don’t know how to live. And I remember too much. For other people, it all ended with Potter’s victory. It won’t ever end for me. I remember everything I’ve done. And some of it . . . I want to forget it. I don’t want to be that person. But I don’t know how to be anyone at all.”
“You’re my friend Severus,” Hermione said quietly, giving his hand a squeeze. “Start there with that. Then owl the Headmistress and give her your decision. And just go from there.”
She stood. “Let’s walk back. Dinner will be ready in a little while. And after dinner, we can have a glass of wine together out in the garden.” She tugged on his hand as he got to his feet. “It will be like I promised you.”
Together, they walked back to the house. Hermione led him through the front door, and when she looked up at him, met his eyes, and smiled, Severus found himself smiling back down at her. He and Hermione were friends. That was a good place to begin his new life. He felt Hermione’s hand in his. A very good place, indeed.
5. "Ginny sent new pictures of James-Hermes. And Harry threatens to err…" Hermione blushed.
"Hex my bollocks off and serve them to me for lunch if we don't attend the very same occasion next Sunday?" Severus supplied with a snort.
Hermione laughed. "Something like that."
"All right. We'll be there. Now, where are those ridiculous plants that you absolutely have to show me?"
"Here." Hermione pointed at a meadow overflowing with blooming daffodils. "Look how many of them there are! Do you remember what that means?"
Of course he did. He would never forget their wedding day. "Joy and happiness," he replied, his voice very soft.
"One day," Hermione said, her eyes filled with quiet determination, "maybe not tomorrow or next week …"
How Severus regretted the lines in her young face. How he mourned the lack of sparkle in her eyes. The absence of the shrill lilt of enthusiasm in her voice.
"… maybe not even next year." She offered him a wry smile.
But she reached for him. Her almost spidery thin, always cold fingers curled around his hand. Her smile turned wistful. It was too bitter yet to be called hopeful, but there was a new hint of sweetness to it that had been missing since her rescue.
Hermione stepped into Severus' embrace, her face turned up, her eyes never leaving his. "But I do believe that one day, one day, we'll be fine."
She drew his hand up to her lips and kissed his fingers.
"Just fine."
6. Hermione turned to Severus as soon as he’d closed the door to the shop, and asked, “When would we go? Or is this another surprise?”
He placed his hand on her lower back to guide her to the next shop. “I thought to make it a surprise, Hermione. Or don’t you like surprises?” he asked again with a smirk. He spotted Harry and Cho talking to Reginald and wondered what about.
“It will be nice to spend some time with Harry and Ronald,” Luna stated wistfully.
“So, how about lunch and a butterbeer?” Ginevra suggested, looping her arm with Hermione’s. “Before Severus here absconds with you to the bookshop?” Hermione stared at Ginevra. “Oh, c’mon, you know you want to go - it’s a bookshop! Besides, I now have permission to spend my evening with Harry at the castle!”
He rolled his eyes heavenward and followed the girls to the Three Broomsticks. Severus paid for her friends’ drinks and leaned back in his chair, holding his ale as they talked. At least he had the bookshop to look forward to.
7. Maybe my 'trim' isn't fresh enough for you after all these years," Hermione said in a temper. She tried to climb over the wizard and leave the bed.
"Oh no you don't witch," he said, grabbing Hermione and pulling her on top of him. He tried to kiss her but she kept turning her head away. Severus scowled.
"I see I am going to have to use other tactics to calm you witch," he said to her silkily, pushing her off of him then quickly rolling on top of her, hiking up her nightie.
"No need to be jealous, Hermione. I have no designs on any other witch out here. Your 'trim' still has plenty of snap," he purred. "Besides, I love you."
Hermione sighed. He'd done it to her again. Melted her like butter.
Severus lowered the front of his boxers and quickly thrust inside Hermione, smirking at the familiar shriek he loved so much when he entered her hard like this.
The Potions Master started to move, his black eyes smoldering down at his wife. Yes, he did love Hermione, with all fire and passion that raged in his dark, tainted soul. There was no other witch for him. Ever.
"Now witch," he breathed, "Let me feel you snap."
8. Harry clapped him on the back. “Good job, Ron.”
Ron shrugged Harry off, dropped the sword, and walked out the door.
Hermione was crying when Harry looked at her. “He’ll calm down,” he told her. “Horcruxes can really mess you around. At least... that’s what Ginny says.”
She nodded, hoping he was right. It had been terrible, what the cup had shown them. True but not true. She didn’t know what she could say to Ron to make him forget it.
“He just needs some time-” Harry started, then fell to the floor with a cry of pain.
“Harry!” Hermione flew to his side. What now?
He clapped his hand to his head-his scar. For several long seconds, he cried out and writhed, and Hermione hadn’t a clue what to do.
Then, he stopped and sat up, panting. “The cup!” he gasped. “Wormtail! The Horcruxes!”
“What about them, Harry? You’re not making any sense.”
Harry’s green eyes locked with hers. “He knows.”
9. “He’ll be all right. I think he’s had some revelations he wasn’t prepared to see. It’s something of a… well, personal growth phase that he’ll recover from.” Hermione thought Treva was being optimistically vague. “I’m keeping an eye on him. Things are difficult now, and he has to make a good clean transition. For you, too, it’s best to just get on with your life now.”
“If it would help for me to talk to him…”
“No, no… it would only cause complications and drama neither of you need right now. I’m helping him out, and checking on him. Give him a few years and maybe you can discuss it without it being so… emotional.”
“Yes. Yes, true. Thank you, Treva.” Hermione swallowed and refocused herself on her mental checklists.
“Well, then. I’ll file these in the appropriate department, and you’re free to go.” Treva tucked the package under her arm. “Speaking of which, what are your plans for the summer?”
“Oh… I always thought I’d travel the world once I was out of school. I’m going on a long vacation around the globe. I want to climb the Cliff of the Goblin instead of just reading about it in A History of Wizarding Wonders of the World. There is so much out there to see and reading about it isn’t the same as actually doing it.”
“Sounds like fun. Send pictures, won’t you?” Treva looked sincerely happy for her.
“Definitely.” Hermione winked and opened her bag, running a quick scan of the contents, assuring herself she was well-prepared for a trip around the world. A deep breath as she looked around the Atrium, then at Treva. “I don’t think I’m coming back here for a long time.” She smiled, closed her eyes, and Disapparated.
10. “I have been selected to be your new Headmaster; for the new students who may not know me, I am Professor Severus Snape. Professor Draco Malfoy will be taking over my duties this year as your Potions Master, and Madam Hermione Snape shall be my Deputy Headmistress. The Forbidden Forest is forbidden, just as its name implies, and visits to Hogsmeade are restricted to third-years and older, presuming your parents or guardians have signed your permission slips.
“If you have any questions…this is a feast, not an interview. Save them for tomorrow, when my office will be open every week-day for the two hours between the end of your last class of the day, and half an hour before the start of supper.”
A pause as he let his dark eyes rake over the crowd, his demeanor just stern enough to quell fidgeting bodies from becoming unruly. Hermione smiled indulgently. After nearly twenty-six years of marriage, he was still intimidating from a distance, and had been a positive dictator in his class, though he had softened outside of class-time. And it never hurt to have the students just a little bit fearful of him, to ensure that they respected and heeded his authority.
Still, it was a relief to see his mouth curving in the same indulgent smile he had once reserved for their children, and now usually gave to their grandchildren. He had every right to be happy, and proud of his standing as a husband, a hero, a father, and the second-ever--and frankly, far more popular than the previous--Slytherin Headmaster.
“…Let the Welcoming Feast begin!”