~Catherine POV~

I awoke in a strange place, with no idea how I had gotten there. My rescuer probably took me somewhere, although this doesn't look like a hospital. A man in black clothes was sitting by the fire. The flickering flames cast shadows against his pale skin. His hair looked as dark as his clothes. He must be the one who rescued me. As I looked more closely at him, I realized that he was familiar, very familiar.

"Severus," I croaked, my voice hoarse, "Is that really you?"

He started at the sound of my voice, pulled out of his thoughts. "Catherine, you're finally awake," he said, relief clear in his voice.

"How long was I unconscious?" I asked, sitting up slowly, expecting pain from that simple action. Instead, I realized that I felt perfectly fine, and had none of the injuries that were present before I passed out.

"You've been unconscious for around four hours. I healed you, about two hours ago, after I finished feeding Aria and putting her to sleep. Are you hungry Catherine?"

I love how he says my name, how his silky voice caresses each syllable. Breaking away from that thought, I answered, "Yes, a little."

He disappeared towards the kitchen, re-appearing a moment later carrying a plate of food and a cup of tea. As I took a sip of tea, I looked at Aria, sleeping peacefully in her crib and smiled. He took care of her, I thought happily, but unsurprisedly. Severus has always had a good heart. He just keeps it hidden.

"What happened Sev? One minute I'm surrounded by Death Eaters, the next I am in your living room. What happened? Did you make them let me go?

~Snape POV~

Typical Catherine, I thought wryly. Nearly killed and still insanely curious. "I stunned them and them wiped their minds. They should have woke up a few hours ago with no memory of what happened."

She looked relieved. "Good. I didn't want them to find out you are a spy."

I smiled at her concern. Catherine is one of the few people who can make me smile. She is also the only one, besides Albus, who knows that I changed sides. When we met up a year ago, I told her everything, not wanting her to hate me. She was upset that I had joined, but happy that I had switched sides, regardless of why the change occurred.

As she finished eating, I sent the plates to the kitchen to be washed, before looking at the woman before me again.

"Catherine," I said, as gently as I could, "Why have you come to Spinner's End?"

She looked at me, and I melted at the love in her eyes.

"To see you Sev," she whispered, blushing. "My gram is better, and that was the only reason I stayed in the States. I...I missed you Sev."

"I missed you too Catherine, very much. I got your letters, but I see you kept something from me."

She looked up, slightly apprehensive. "I wanted to tell you in person. By the time I found out I was pregnant, I was in America, and you were at Hogwarts. She's yours Sev."

I moved over to the couch. As I sat beside her, she wrapped her arms around my waist, burying her face in my shoulder. I hugged her back, burying my face in her hair.

"Do you still love me Catherine, even now?" I had to know, before I asked her the question I have been wanting to ask for two years.

She pulled her head back, her blue eyes finding my black ones. She looked at me like I was crazy. "Of course I still love you Sev. I have loved you since I first met you, on the Hogwarts Express back home in our 7th year."

"Will you marry me? I love you, even more than I loved Lily, and I have been wanting to ask you for two years, ever since we were reunited. Will you marry me, Catherine Belleza?"

I could see the love in her eyes, as she replied, "Yes, Severus, I will marry you."