Wow, I got lots of reviews, thank you all! This is going to be the longest author's note yet, but here goes.

Super-quick reviewer award goes to: Hippiechick! Yay! GISingerJayne (last chapter's super-quick reviewer) asked if you get cookies…the answer is: yes, as soon as I can afford the ingredients to bake them. Which would involve me writing less and panhandling more.

Lil: Hermione's not torturing herself about the list of the dead, she's just accepting responsibility for decisions she made. She had no choice but to do what she did, but she realizes that it doesn't absolve her from the consequences of those actions. If she were torturing herself, there'd be much more agonizing—she doesn't feel guilty, just sadly resigned to an inevitable outcome.

Ed: I'm like the Tooth Fairy of Updates. I come while you're sleeping and plant new chapters on your computer.

Ruby Malfoy, Hand3, Jayne: Thank you for wishing me well on my vacation! I decided to post this after driving for six hours just to show my appreciation.

Deus-ex-maria: I try to be several chapters in when I start posting so that I can get it up quickly. I hate waiting months for new chapters, personally. And my trick to avoid as many mistakes as possible without employing a beta-reader is to re-read each chapter twice before the final post…works fairly well, I think. Actually, author's notes are the last thing I add so they're most likely to have typos.

Terrylove: Thank you for your lovely list, it made my day! Seriously, it made me so happy. Your review was what got me writing, to link up Normal and Potholes and give some closure to the (somewhat abruptly ended) Potholes. You want to know the real reason why Snape and Hermione didn't seem as close in Normal? It's because Hermione's living with Snape's regret in life. He was okay with being her father figure, but being her father figure and confronting his ex-lover every time he saw her? I know I couldn't do it! So Hermione grew up and apart from Snape a little bit, the way kids do, but I tried to make it apparent that they still cared very much about one another. Maybe I wasn't quite as successful at that as I could have been, but in my defense I wrote Normal first, so I didn't know how close they'd end up being in Potholes.

Joots: I loved your inverse reviewing. Chapter 14 then 12 then 13. It made me smile wondering in what order you actually read those chapters.

To everyone: I'm working on that other story of mine, changing the pairing (which is testing my not-so-considerable writing skills; Snape just doesn't want to leave).

Okay, so, long author's note, short chapter. Sorry, but sixteen's a monster if it makes you feel better.

--Aimes of the Road-Trip-Budgeting-Skills

Hermione awoke groggily, fighting the lingering effects of the myriad potions she'd ingested. I hate that fuzzy feeling…but Snape's potions are fabulous. Her body felt relaxed and vaguely energized and her aching muscles…didn't ache anymore. Love the lovely potions. She sighed drowsily and burrowed deeper under the covers, inhaling a very nice musky scent. Love evergreen smells, too. Remus growled deep in his throat and shifted onto his side to face her. Hermione vaguely noticed that they'd moved closer during the afternoon and her hands were now intertwined with his. She snapped into wakefulness. Could be worse. You could be on top of him. No, no, no, stop thinking that immediately! Hermione groaned and stretched, giving up on sleep as the potions began to wear off more quickly. Really fabulous potions.

Remus opened his eyes slowly and sighed contentedly. "You smell like lavender," he rumbled. What the hell? I was just thinking about the way he smells…okay, maybe not so weird; we are in close quarters, after all.

Hermione grinned. "I use lavender lotion."

"Mmm. I like it."

"Glad you approve. I would've stopped wearing it if you hadn't," she replied sarcastically.

"Damn right," he replied laughingly, making no move to get out of bed. "Are you hungry? I can order some pizza."

"That sounds good." And no, I'm not wondering how you're so familiar with Muggle things.

"What do you want on it?" He rolled out of bed with lupine grace and stretched, lengthening his spine, reaching for the ceiling. Hermione watched him for a moment before snapping out of it and responding.

"Pepperoni?"

"Sounds fine," he shrugged. "I'll go call," he added, as he left the bedroom. Didn't volunteer any information about his ability to do things like order pizza, either. Not that ordering pizza's rocket science, but it is Muggle. And you're harping on this because you're trying to avoid the real issure here, Mya.

Hermione took a moment to collect her thoughts.

Let's focus: What do you want, Mya? You want him, obviously. What do you need? You need some time away to grow a little. To discover who you are without chaos and disorder. Get away from it all for a bit. It was cool living with Callah for that middle month, when it was usually just the two of you. There was that scary moment with Lucius and Voldemort, but that's a completely different issue…of course Remus visited the cottage regularly didn't he?

So what's it gonna be, smarty pants?

Hermione sighed, preparing herself for the imminent Talk. After a moment she gave up and threw herself back onto the bed with an annoyed grunt, stretching once more before sitting up.

Remus reentered the room a moment later and sat on the bed, Indian-style, mimicking her. They watched each other.

"Hey," Hermione said after a moment.

"Hey yourself," he replied.

"We need to talk," she said flatly. Ooh. Graceful. You could be a verbal ballerina with gems like that.

"You mentioned that earlier. Which one of us should start?"

"I guess I'll go first."

"Okay." He waited.

"I've got feelings for you," she said finally, forcing herself to look him in the eyes. "But I've been very conflicted. Those feelings developed during a very difficult time in my life so I question their validity. I want…I want to be with you, but I don't want to go through life wondering whether what I was feeling was real even though I think it is." Alright. That was only the hardest thing you've ever done.

He was silent for several minutes. "I have feelings for you too, Hermione," he took her hand and played with it absently, not looking at her. "I've denied them, but they're there. I worry, though. I worry that you haven't experienced enough of your life outside of Hogwarts, I worry that you only bonded with me because of what happened to you, I worry that I'm not what you really want or need."

But Hermione had shut down the minute he'd touched her. Desire fired through her almost violently.

"Hermione?" What?

She looked up at him and processed what he'd said. "Remus." She took a deep breath. Finish what you started, Miss Granger. And then wonder why Snape is in your head. There's probably a procedure to remove him…but maybe you should finish your statement first. "I'm going to live with Callah in Italy for a little while. You and I will meet again. And when we do, we'll know."

"Okay," he looked pained but tried to be supportive. "I'm glad you're exploring life on your own for a bit. I'm behind you."

"Remus," she said again, more softly. Now that the hardest part is out of the way, speak your mind. You already decided you were going to do this; don't be a pussy. Okay, don't be more of a pussy. And perhaps consider exploring medications for your obvious ADD. Remus was watching her.

"Before I leave, in a few days, when I'm stronger…" she faltered. "I want one night," she whispered, trying not to turn red. He blushed for her and she smiled. "It's your decision," she assured him, feeling better that he was as nervous as she.

Before he could answer, the doorbell rang.

He was off the bed like a shot, sprinting for the door like he was on the last stretch of a marathon. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows, wondering how he could get that much speed out of such an uncomfortable pretzel-like position.

Maybe he's really flexible, like Callah. Oh Lord, Callah. Snape. Handcuffs. Hermione was after Remus with impressive speed considering her eariler musings, trying to think about pizza, wine, and anything else that didn't involve Severus Snape naked with handcuffs and pretzel-related activities.