Hi again!  I can’t tell you how amazingly, radiantly, glowy-like, cheerfully, burstingly happy I am ^-^ - I kinda just sit and stare for long periods of time at this pic... it’s just so... *squeals and hugs you and throws muffins and cookies and all manner of sweet things at you... in a gentle, grateful kinda way ^^*

Oh, and yeah, I found it ^^ - I love it so freakin’ much!!! – how can you not be 500% happy with it!  I’m ecstatic for one ^^ - and I was so hyped up I couldn’t help squealing really loudly (you know, before the incessant, high-pitched giggling started... hasn’t stopped yet ^^) and my mum, who only vaguely knows what a fanfic is heard me and I showed her how wonderful the people who take the time to read my fics are and even she was really amazed by it – she loved it and I love it and it’s so awesome!!! *glomps u* ^^

I hope you don’t mind but I’d LOVE to use it as my banner-thingy in my fic notes (if you know what I mean ^^... and as soon as I figure out how to ^^) – it’s so incredibly wonderful... I’m still riding the high from it *sighs happily*... and I had to reread your review to see what you liked best (which really came in handy ^^) and I noticed you seemed to like Sev carrying Harry so I wrote an extra little bit from Harry’s POV to prolong the carrying moment and I also tried to write you a fic but it turned into something so long and convoluted and so not what I was aiming for that I can only hope to try again and get it right but in the meantime you get early what will be at the beginning of next chapter (it’s such a small thank you, but everytime I say thank you (and there will be many more ^^) is heartfelt and giggly and ecstatic and I totally think you spend your time at work wisely ^-^)

~

Floating.  He was floating.  The world moving in rippling waves, swimming before his barely open eyes before the effort became too much and they closed again with a tickle of lashes against his prickling cheeks.  The warmth and comfort were still there, though the heaviness was gone and he was just... floating.  Floating with strange swaying, jerking movements.  Floating... in such a strange position.  Hadn’t he been lying flat a minute ago?  On his stomach?  He could dimly feel his body and how he was, in fact, floating on his back in a sort of upwards-facing foetal position.  Oh, he was being carried.  Well, that was good too.  Being held.  It had been so long since he’d been held, and he didn’t think he ever had been held quite like this.  He would have lifted his head if it were possible but it seemed to be made of lead and was throbbing like an open wound so he left it hanging limply where it was, neck braced on something warm and sturdy and face open to the cool air and the night sky.  He was comfortable so there wasn’t much point in trying to move.  Somehow, he just knew he was safe.  He trusted in that safety the way he was trusting his weight to the arms of whoever was now carrying him; not entirely consciously but implicitly regardless.  He didn’t need to get away from this, he was safe and warm and comfortable and he really didn’t want to be anywhere else.

He missed that hand that had held his though.  His own felt so cold without it, in stark contrast to the rest of his body, as though it lay outside the warmth of a blanket that had him enveloped.  Something inside him thought that maybe he’d always missed that hand on his, and he always would, but the ache for it wasn’t going anywhere and was so familiar it felt like a part of him, so he didn’t fuss over its loss.  He was content enough here.  He was being held... and rocked.  Just slightly.  His eyes were closed and his breathing was slowing and he was melting into those arms that had him safely ensconced and he was being rocked and swayed.  Where the wind blows the cradle will rock... Yes, he could happily stay here forever.  As long as he was warm.  So very warm.

~

Anyway, like I said, not much of a thank you but I hope it tides you over a bit ‘til I update ^^ (and I had to ask how that nursery rhyme went ‘cause I had music playing and couldn’t think of it and mum instantly thought I was writing something creepy... should I be offended or flattered? ^^ oh, and maybe... I dunno... 50 points?  What do you reckon...?

Thank you! (THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!) - oh, and hope you had a happy easter ^^

Oh, thank you so much for reading them all, that’s so sweet! *muffins and points and harry hugs for you ^^* - and I definitely know what you mean, probably why I reread so many fics – there are just too many great writers out there ^^

Thank you so much, that’s such a kind thing to say... *have more muffins* ^^

Everything you said is just so kind and I’ve felt the same sort of thing when I’ve read a fic I really like so I’m feeling incredibly, giddily happy right now, thank you ^-^  I’m so glad I was able to make you feel so much and that you find this original, this fic became bigger than it was going to be because I couldn’t find many Umbridge fics (not that I like her, she just never quite finds her comeuppance and I’d love to throw her uppance in her face... and I know that makes absolutely no sense but oh well ^^)

Thanks and happy reading ^^

Thank you! Hmm, depressing is probably being kind but yeah Harry's not gonna be having fun for a bit.

Oh, there's always light at the end of the tunnel!  It's just, um, a bit small right now...

Hehehe rocky, another wonderfully misleading word... yes, the ride will be rocky, a bit.  (and this week is a tad warm too ^^)

Thanks for continuing to read despite it though, hope you wont be too... umm, traumatised, by the end ^-^

Thank you ^^, unfortunately the reassurance is necessary but luckily for me I have at least one very kind reviewer ^-^,

have fun x

Thanks so much! ^^

hehe and dont worry, you're not alone at all in that ^^ glad my Umbridge causes such a strong reaction... I think ^^, I am getting a lot of requests to really let her have it later on so I must be doing a good job of making her hate-able ^^

thanks ^^

have fun x