Memories are bolded and italicized.


The rain pelted against the glass of the windows, providing a soothing reminder that the outside world was as dreary and miserable as Hermione.

She and Harry had returned as dawn broke over the castle, and had gone immediately to Madam Pomfrey with a story about an early-morning practice duel that had gotten out of hand.

"We need to make sure that we're as ready as possible now that Voldemort's back," Harry had insisted when Madam Pomfrey seemed ready to lecture them about the dangers of unsupervised dueling. Naturally, she had no response to that, and the two teenagers were able to remain silent for the rest of their time in the Hospital Wing.

Now, a morose Hermione sat in the Library. She had collected a few books about Time-Travel, but they sat unopened on the desk before her as she stared through the window at the grey school grounds.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Her lips quirked into an almost-smile at the sound of her friend's voice. "Hello, Harry."

He plopped into the chair next to hers, and stared at the circles beneath her eyes. "Did you sleep at all?" He nodded towards the tower of books in front of her. "You know what they say, a restful brain is a ready brain. Or something like that."

She shook her head, and kept her gaze on the lake. "I couldn't," she sighed after a moment of silence, "I have too much to figure out." Of course, she did not add that trying to figure things out had given her a pounding headache.

Her hand came up to absentmindedly stroke the cover of the nearest book. "Shouldn't you be trying to get Slughorn's memory right now?" she asked in a feeble attempt to change the subject.

Harry shifted uncomfortably, "I'm still working on it," he murmured.

"Harry…" she started, but the attempt was half-hearted, and she ended up merely shaking her head at him.

An awkward silence passed, in which Hermione plucked an imaginary piece of lint from her robes. She pretended not to notice the worried look on his face.

"Well," Harry cleared his throat, "It's almost time for dinner. Why don't you join me? I think you could use a little distraction."

Hermione opened her mouth to retort that nothing could distract her, but the earnest expression in his eyes stopped her.

"Ginny asked about you at Breakfast," he said, clearly noticing the fact that she had not refused immediately. "I think she's worried about you."

When she remained silent he switched tactics, "Sooner or later someone's going to think that you're up to something. "

They both knew that no one would think any differently of her behavior. Still, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of affection for Harry's attempt to distract her.

"Fine," she sighed.

He waited for her to pack up her things, and then accompanied her to the Great Hall.

Dinner was a depressing affair. Harry sat on one side of her, and spent the meal alternating between staring at Ginny and asking Hermione if she would be alright. He kept giving her little encouraging smiles when no one else was looking.

Across the table Lavender was busily planning out every minute of her and Ron's future together. She had already described her wedding in mind-numbing detail, and had moved on to the subject of children.

"We'll have two, of course," she told an annoyed-looking Pavarti, "One boy and a girl. Of course, who knows what will happen once Won-Won has been promoted to the Wizengamot. We might decide to try for anoth-"

"The evening Prophet just arrived," chirped Pavarti in relief. She quickly excused herself and made her way towards the Ravenclaw table where her sister was taking the paper from an owl.

For a moment Lavender's face soured, then she turned her attention to Hermione. "Don't you have a subscription?" she asked curiously with a nod towards where Neville was unfolding his own copy of the Prophet.

"I cancelled my subscription," Hermione responded flatly. She poked at the peas Harry had piled on her plate.

"What for?" Ron asked, shoveling a heap of potatoes into his mouth. He looked anything but a future member of the Wizengamot.

Hermione resisted the urge to sigh. "Well, after all everything the Prophet wrote about Harry last year I've come to realize that nothing in the Prophet is reliable. So there's really no point-"

Ron opened his mouth in protest, revealing a grotesque amount of partially-chewed potato, but his reply was cut off by Lavender.

"Well, I suppose you don't really need it, do you?" She asked, "After all, your parents are Muggles. It's not as if anyone you care about will be in the Prophet."

Hermione met Lavenders gaze as coolly as she could. She could not admit that the reason she had cancelled her subscription was in fact because she was tired of seeing an article about Bellatrix and her numerous misdeeds every other day. Instead she forced a mirthless smile, "I suppose I don't."

She felt Harry's foot press against hers underneath the table, and her appreciation for him grew when he abruptly groaned "I forgot to write that essay for Snape!"

There was a clang as Ron dropped his fork in surprise. "There was an essay?"


Hermione was certain that she had now visited the Forbidden Forest more times than any other student.

I'm never going to get used to this, she thought as she jumped at yet another sound. While she knew it was perfectly normal for a forest to be full of rustling leaves and cracking twigs she could not help but remember all of the bloodthirsty creatures that were said to live in the forest.

She also could not shake the feeling that she was being watched. Several times she thought she saw the glimmer of eyes staring back at her, but they were always gone in the blink of an eye. Her eyes were constantly scanning the areas around her as she crept through the trees.

The only thing that kept her from running back to the castle was the knowledge that Bellatrix was waiting for her. So she forced herself to put all thought of danger out of her mind as she braved her way through the treacherous underbrush.

There had not been time to discuss where exactly they would meet, so she headed towards the only place that she could think of. It took the better part of an hour, but finally she arrived, panting, on the edge of the clearing where she and Bellatrix had once captured a Kelpie.

It looks exactly the same, she noticed as she scanned the area.

She had no way of knowing when Bellatrix would arrive, so she found a comfortable spot beneath a towering scots pine tree. With a few flicks of her wand she set up a few charms that would protect her from the rain, and then she set about drying her robes.

There was no sign of Bellatrix by the time Hermione had completed drying her clothes. With a sigh she leaned against the trunk of the tree and kept her eyes trained on the clearing. To pass the time she recited various potion ingredients and their uses.

Finally, the dark witch appeared on the opposite side of the clearing.

"Stay there, I'll come to you," she commanded when Hermione moved to greet her. The rain was still crashing from the clouds above them. "Did you know there are Acromatulas in the forest?" Bellatrix hollered as she crossed the grassy clearing. "Nasty beasts."

"Are you hurt?" asked Hermione anxiously. The older witch did not appear to be harmed.

"No," Bellatrix grinned wolfishly as she joined Hermione beneath the pine. "Now, where's my hello?"

Hermione threw herself at the older witch, "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten," she murmured against the unruly dark curls.

Bellatrix's arms wrapped securely around her, "Never," she whispered, "I had a small issue that I needed to take care of first."

"What was it?" Hermione frowned in worry, and started to pull back to look into the dark witch's eyes. Bellatrix, however, refused to loosen her hold, and clasped Hermione tighter to her chest.

A gentle hand traced the curve of Hermione's cheeks as Bellatrix ignored the question. "You're injured," she commented, concern lacing her words.

She must have noticed the small scratches that adorned Hermione's face and arms. A small smile quirked Hermione's lips. "It's nearly impossible to enter the forest and leave unscathed," she said, nuzzling into the crook of Bellatrix's neck. She barely noticed the metallic undertones as she breathed in Bellatrix's scent. Her eyes closed as a feeling of safety passed over her.

"What happened after I left last night?"

Bellatrix's tone was gentle, but Hermione could not contain the sob that wrenched forth at the question.

"Mione?" she felt Bellatrix's hand in her hair, stroking soothingly, "What's wrong, love? Are you hurt? Did something happen to-"

"I'm fine," Hermione cried, swiping anxiously at her eyes so that she could see Bellatrix's concerned gaze. The dark witch allowed her to pull back a little bit so that they could look at each other, but still did not completely release the younger brunette. "Only, the potion-" another sob burst forth, "Bella, the potion-" she couldn't do it. Her throat refused to allow the words to come out, and she stood there opening and closing her mouth for what felt like eternity.

"It wasn't there." Bellatrix finished.

Hermione shook her head, "I'm sorry! I think someone must have- an enemy of Gryffindor's perhaps- It was already destroyed by the time we got there."

"I know."

The words took a moment to sink in as Hermione continued to cry. "What?" She asked finally, lifting her head to stare incomprehensively at Bellatrix, "What did you say?"

Bellatrix's voice was suddenly void of emotion, "I know that the potion was not there."

"But-" Hermione wiped her mouth on the back of her sleeve, "But how?"

Bellatrix's twirled a strand of Hermione's hair through her fingers. "I did everything I could to ensure that we could be together again. I spent my Seventh year looking through every book in the castle. When I found out about the potion I thought I had solved our problem. I could bide my time until you were old enough and then-" she snapped her fingers, "reverse my age so that we could be together."

Hermione sighed, "It was already destroyed by the time you found it?"

"No."

"No?" Hermione's brow furrowed. "It was there? You found it?"

"No. It wasn't there. I fought my way into that damned castle only to find that Gryffindor had stored every potion in that cursed storeroom except for the one I was looking for." She shrugged, "I lost my temper, and well, you saw the result."

Hermione pressed her eyes shut for a moment and repressed the urge to react to that statement. She could lament the loss of hundreds of priceless artifacts later. Then, another thought hit her. "Bella!" She opened her eyes and grinned at her lover, "The potion must still be out there somewhere! There's still a chance-"

"No." Bellatrix said firmly, cutting off Hermione's sentence. "I've looked everywhere. It hasn't been placed anywhere that a witch could find it."

"Then we'll find another way." Hermione said. "We'll find something else-"

"There isn't time."

Hermione frowned again, "What do you mean there isn't time? Of course there is."

Bellatrix shook her head, and released the younger witch.

Shivering at the loss of warmth, Hermione regarded the other witch carefully. "Bella, what's going on?"

There was a glint in Bellatrix's eye, something desperate and stubborn that made Hermione's stomach twist in anticipation.

"The Dark Lord has asked me to kill you."

Fear struck through Hermione's core. "You-you're not going to-"

"Of course not!" Bellatrix snapped. "How could you ask such a thing? I would sooner rip my heart from my chest than harm you."

"I'm sorry," Hermione said quickly. "It's just, I know how important he is to you."

Bellatrix moved quickly, reaching to cup Hermione's face in her hands, and closing the space between them. "I love you," she said, pressing a chaste kiss to Hermione's lips, "You are the light of my life, and the only good thing that has ever happened to me. If there is any humanity left inside me, it is because of you."

"Of course there's humanity left inside of you," Hermione searched Bellatrix's dark orbs, "You are not a lost cause."

There was a harsh laugh, "Oh, but I am," Bellatrix whispered, shaking her head fiercely. "I have been lost ever since you left. I hurt innocent people. I have hurt so many people that it no longer feels like I am doing anything wrong. Their screams," her eyes bore into Hermione's, "don't bother me anymore. Their blood does not make my stomach churn. They plead for mercy, and I laugh."

Tears were once again coursing down Hermione's cheeks, and the sight of them seemed to satisfy the dark witch. She continued- "I will never be the same. I cannot be. I spend my days plagued by hallucinations. The only relief I find is in your presence. Or when I serve the Dark Lord."

"Then stay with me." Hermione tried, taking Bellatrix's hand when the older witch looked ready to protest, "The Order will protect you."

"And what will protect them from me?"

"They won't need protection, Bella. Maybe you could stay with Andromeda, I'm sure she would-"

"You do not understand me." Bellatrix spoke each word carefully, "I have been a Death Eater for decades. It is who I am, and I cannot change that."

Hermione's eyes grew wide, and she withdrew her hand. "But you said that Vol- he wants you to kill me. If you refuse…" she crossed her arms over her chest protectively as the possibilities swam through her mind. "Bellatrix, he'll kill you! You have to let the Order hide you! At least talk to Dumbledore. I'm sure he'll be able to find a solution."

For a long moment Bellatrix stood quietly watching the brunette. Her eyes glittered in the light of their wands. Then she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Hermione's waist.

"I love you more than anything," she said, "I could never do what I have been asked." She pressed a kiss to Hermione's temple, and the brunette waited silently for her to continue.

"But I will not betray my lord."

Hermione's heart sunk. She felt as if she had been tossed into a frozen river. "I don't understand." She whispered hoarsely.

Bellatrix moved so that she could make eye contact once more. "I can't kill you," she said, speaking as if she had rehearsed the words a thousand times, "but nor can I turn my back on the Dark Lord. As you pointed out, if I return to him and fight at his side against your friends, eventually you and I-" she swallowed, "you and I will meet in battle. And he will notice when I fail again and again to duel with you. He is intelligent, he will learn of my feelings for you-" a shadow passed over her face, "and he will use you to punish me."

"There's only one solution," Bellatrix continued, "You need to kill me."

Hermione stepped back to stare disbelievingly at the other witch. The rain pattered down around them, filling the silence that stretched between them.

"Bella, I'm..." Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat, "I'm not going to kill you. We'll find another way."

"There is no other way," Bellatrix hissed, "I don't want another way."

"You can't ask me to do… that!" Hermione spat back, the thought was absolutely horrifying to her, and it took all of her willpower not to dissolve into hysterics right then and there.

An eerie grin slid over Bellatrix's features. "It isn't that difficult, you know. I could do it in my sleep. All you have to do is point your wand and…" she made a violent gesture, laughing as she did so.

"If it's so easy, then why do you want me to do it?" Hermione asked, unable to keep the hurt from her voice. She backed up a little and wrapped her arms around herself, "Do you know how that makes me feel? Can you even imagine what it's like?"

"Oh, believe me, I would if I could," Bellatrix said in a bitter tone, "Unfortunately, I failed enough times that my mother decided to take matters into her own hands." She scratched furiously at her throat, irritating the skin there.

"What do you mean?"

A mirthless grin twisted Bellatrix's lips, "Potter isn't the only one who has survived due to the power of maternal love," she made a disgusted face, "My mother decided to transfer a curse that I cast upon myself to her own body, and by doing so ensured that I could never willingly cause fatal harm to myself again."

"Good," Hermione blurted, feeling an intense surge of gratitude towards the woman.

"Good?" Bellatrix returned in a mocking voice, "If it weren't for my dear mother I might have found peace decades ago! Instead I live in constant torment. I had happiness, I had a future! I had everything I ever wanted in you!" The dark witch's eyes blazed, "And then you were gone, and I had nothing."

"If it was so painful," Hermione said in a small voice, "then why did you create the spell to send me back?"

Bellatrix gave a dark chuckle, and shook her head/ "Do you really need to ask? Before you I had nothing. I was nothing. That's why you were so special. You were the only thing that gave me happiness and peace from myself. Without you I was nothing." Her eyes softened slightly, "And although I have had a wretched existence I can safely say that I have done everything in my power to keep you safe from my lord."

"Do the spell again!" begged Hermione, "Send me back again."

"I can't do that," Bellatrix shook her head, "The spell could only be performed once. I had to create a new wand, a special wand, and there were so many factors that cannot be replicated…"

"We can try," Hermione tried, "we can keep looking. I'm sure that together we can-"

"You are not going to change my mind." Bellatrix cut her off. "I wanted you to be the one to-"

"Don't say it!"

Bellatrix sighed, "If you don't, then someone will. I'm sure that if I decide to engage the Aurors that one of them can do the job. Perhaps my dear, estranged sister might do me the favor. Or if all else fails I could simply turn myself over to the Dementors- though I'm not keen to know what would happen to my body afterwards-"

"Bella," gasped Hermione, "please stop." She was shaking with silent tears.

There was a rustle as Bellatrix moved to pull Hermione back into her arms. "Please, my love," she breathed, "I can't live like this. If you knew what was in my mind, if you heard the whispers that come to me at night. If you felt the sinking blackness that weighs me down…"

It seemed to Hermione that for a moment, she could feel it. She had never felt so heavy in her life. Her cheek rested against Bellatrix's shoulder and she could hear the steady thump of her heartbeat. How does she expect me to live without her? Hermione thought, clinging to the material of Bellatrix's robes. She could not do it, she would not.

Then, Bellatrix's lips brushed against her forehead as she spoke; "Do you remember our first adventure in the forest?"

"Of course," Hermione whispered, and for a moment she allowed herself to remember that night.

Adrenaline was still coursing through Hermione's veins. Everything was so vivid! She had never realized how beautiful the Forbidden Forest was. She paused beside a large boulder and waited for Bellatrix to climb up to her.

As she stood there, catching her breath, she heard a low, throaty growl. Every muscle tensed in her body as her eyes pinpointed the source. Two yellow eyes glared out from in front her, where a tree had fallen against the boulder, creating a shelter of sorts. A wolf's shaggy head slowly emerged, its nose wrinkled in a furious growl as it snapped its glistening teeth at Hermione.

On shaky legs the wolf jerked out of the shelter, pushing forwards its eyes intent on Hermione. She reached into her sleeve, looking for her wand, and mentally berated herself when she realized that she had stored it in her bag. She reached her arm around, hoping to slowly ease it into the bag without further enraging the wolf. The wolf, seeing the movement, drew back its lips even further and leapt forwards.

Two slim arms wrapped around Hermione's waist and pulled her backwards. In her panic she had forgotten about Bellatrix, who now held on to her for dear life as they lost balance and went tumbling and sliding down the trail.

They finally stopped rolling a few seconds before they would have hit the steepest part of the trail. Bellatrix sat up immediately and leaned over Hermione. "Are you badly hurt?" She asked, smoothing her hands over Hermione's head to feel for any obvious injuries.

Hermione shook her head. "Bumps and bruises, I don't think I'll be pain free for a month, but I don't think anything's broken. You?"

Bellatrix shook her head, "Bumps and bruises."

In that moment, with Bellatrix looking at her with worried eyes, her hands resting gently on either side of Hermione's head, any nervousness or doubt she had about Bellatrix Black melted away. She sat up quickly and threw her arms around a surprised Bellatrix.

"Did you hit your head?" Bellatrix asked seriously.

Hermione laughed and shook her head. "Thank you."

Bellatrix reached up a hand and awkwardly patted Hermione's back. "You're welcome."

A growl alerted them to the fact that they still had a problem they needed to deal with. The wolf was descending the hill in his jerky manner. Hermione quickly fished out her wand and vowed to get a wand holder that attached to her arm the way Bellatrix's did. She quickly stood and stunned it, wincing as it tumbled down the hill, landing a few feet away.

"What are we going to do about him?" She turned to ask Bellatrix, who had already withdrawn her wand and was walking up to where the wolf lay, still jerking, though with his eyes closed.

"He's mad." She said quietly, and Hermione recognized the look that grew in her eyes. Had they been in the castle, Bellatrix would have quickly disappeared to do whatever it is she did when she was alone. Hermione noticed that Bellatrix had begun to tremble.

Bellatrix pointed her wand to the wolf's head and whispered "Somnus Semper". There was a flash of purple, and the wolf lay still.

"What did you do?" Hermione asked, her eyes trained on the wolf.

"When I was a child my Father took me to see the old Black Mansion." Bellatrix began in a hollow voice. "The grounds were overgrown and run down, but still beautiful, so we took a walk as my Father gave me the family history."

"Eventually, we came across a doe that had been hurt. She couldn't walk anymore, so my Father used this spell to put her to sleep, so that when whoever was hunting her found her, she wouldn't be in pain."

Bellatrix's mouth twisted into a mirthless smile. "Once it's used, the victim will never wake up, unless the person who cast the spell takes it off." She gave Hermione a look, "It's not an unforgivable, but it isn't taught anymore because people used to use it on each other. In a few cases this ended tragically. I think there's a Muggle story about it, with a different ending, of course."

Hermione swallowed, "So he's just going to sleep in the forest forever?"

Bellatrix slowly shook her head. "When the snows come, he'll freeze. But he won't feel it."

"So we're killing him?"

"No. We're doing what's right. What if he gets out of the forest and attacks a first year? Besides," She secured her wand inside of her sleeve, not looking at Hermione, "He shouldn't have to live like this."

"I'm like the mad wolf," Bellatrix murmured, pulling Hermione from the memory.

Understanding filled Hermione, causing her to shiver even more violently. "I can't. Bella, you're a person, not an animal."

"I'm no better than that wolf. Please," she dropped suddenly to her knees and buried her face against Hermione's stomach. "Please help me. Don't make me continue living like this. I can't, I can't!"

She looked up, and Hermione's heart ached to see that Bellatrix was crying. "I can't," the brunette whispered.

The tree that they were standing under burst into flames. It was a magnificent and terrible sight as every inch of bark disappeared behind the fire. The inferno climbed high in the night sky, sending a shower of sparks onto the witches below.

"Bella!" Hermione hurried to pull the other witch away from the blaze.

"He'll make me hurt you," came Bellatrix's ragged whisper, as she allowed herself to be dragged to the center of the clearing, "He'll make me, and I will. Please don't make me do that. I can't bear the thought!"

"I can't!"

Another tree went up in flames, and Hermione silently thanked whoever might be listening that the rain prevented the entire forest from turning into one giant conflagration. The flames seemed to be contained to the two trees.

The brunette crouched down beside the distraught witch, who immediately pulled Hermione closer.

"Please, please," she sobbed.

This time Hermione did not answer. Her eyes were fixed on the flames. She could feel Bellatrix trembling against her, and she heard the repeated sobs of "please." Her mind was a wretched mess as she battled against herself.

She's miserable, she thought.

That's not a reason to end her life. She countered immediately.

She said herself that she would continue to hurt people, she'd hurt me.

I'd die for her in a heartbeat!

I can't live without her.

"We can do it together," Hermione offered, her voice strangled.

Bellatrix flinched, but when she looked up her tone was firm. "Absolutely not," she gritted, "I am a lost cause, but you-" she continued despite Hermione's protests, "you are that Potter boy's only shot at defeating the Dark Lord. Promise me you'll help him."

Hermione stared helplessly back into Bellatrix's eyes, "Not without you."

"Without me. I'd kill the boy in a heartbeat if I didn't know how important he is to you."

Hermione felt her stomach lurch at the honesty in her lover's eyes.

"Promise me."

Hermione nodded. "I promise," she cried.

Bellatrix waved her wand, and the flames were snuffed out as suddenly as they had formed. "You know the spell?"

Hermione nodded, blinking the tears from her eyes. "How can I live without you?" She asked, hopelessness tainting her words.

Bellatrix reached to cup her chin, and smoothed her thumb over the brunette's cheek. "You'll find a way, 'Mione," she whispered tenderly, "You were always the stronger one."

Hermione shook her head, and threw herself into Bellatrix's embrace. "I can't, I can't," she cried. "Please help me find another way."

Instead of answering, Bellatrix pressed a kiss to Hermione's temple, then to her cheek, and finally she captured the brunette's lips. Their kiss was gentle, and short as Hermione's sobs forced them to part.

"I will always love you," Bellatrix murmured.

"And I w-will always l-l-love y-you!" Hermione promised, burying her face in Bellatrix's neck.

The older witch allowed her to stay like that for a while. Neither seemed to notice the rain that had soaked them to the bone, instead, the only thing they felt was each other as they remained locked in their embrace.

Finally, Bellatrix's rough voice broke the silence. "Do it now."

Hermione raised her eyes to meet Bellatrix's for the last time. "I love you," she whispered, then, before she could change her mind she gasped, "Somnus Semper!"

There was a flash of purple light, and then Bellatrix fell against the wet grass, eyes shut in eternal sleep.

For a moment all Hermione could do was stare down at the motionless form, her breaths coming in shallow gasps. She reached stiffly to pull the other witch to her, cradling Bellatrix's head against her chest.

An anguished scream wrenched from her chest as she clutched the older witch close and rocked back and forth. She no longer felt the cold rain that had penetrated her robes. All she felt was agony.

The brunette witch dissolved into hysterics, ripping at her robes with one hand while grasping the dark witch with her other, until at last she collapsed onto the wet grass, curling against Bellatrix's still form so that she could hear the dark witch's steady heartbeat.

"I can't live without you," she rasped to unhearing ears.

Too soon, the sky began to brighten, and Hermione knew that she needed to return to the castle before anyone noticed her absence. The thought of leaving Bellatrix exposed in the middle of the clearing was a terrible one, and without thinking she pointed her wand at the ground around Bellatrix.

There was no spell. It was as if the magic simply fed off of Hermione's emotions. She watched as a small stone structure grew formed around Bellatrix, creating a mausoleum. It was just big enough for the raised stone slab that grew beneath Bellatrix, making it appear as though the older witch had fallen asleep on a bed carved from limestone. Three walls and a roof protected the witch from the rain. There was just enough room for Hermione to move so that she could look into Bellatrix's face one last time.

Numbly, Hermione performed a drying spell on the witch. Bellatrix looked peaceful as she slept, and Hermione could not help but hope that she was no longer in pain. Her own tears slid silently down her cheeks as she pressed her lips quickly against Bellatrix's unresponsive ones.

"I'll never forget you." She promised.

The last thing she did before returning to the castle was transfigure a fourth wall so that no harm could come to Bellatrix as she lay there in her vulnerable state.

Then, with tears flowing unchecked, and the rain pouring even harder than before, she turned away from the little mausoleum, and headed towards the castle.


A/N: So this is the original ending of Time Heals All Wounds. Originally there was not going to be a sequel, but I loved this story and the characters so much that I decided to write one. It will be a three-shot story. I should have the first chapter out in a week or two (sorry saramyj, I was wrong about having that out at the same time) and I have most of it written, so it will update much faster than THAW.

Thank you so much for reading, and for all of your wonderful (and helpful!) reviews. I could not have made it this far without you guys!

And many thanks to Sunshine for both beta-ing my story and listening to me talk about this for two years. You're the best!