Katarina sat in potions, she breathed in and out trying to calm herself but she couldn't stop shaking, she blinked as she attempted to focus on the instructions on the board. It was a simple potion she would be alright even if she couldn't concentrate properly. She sat and waited for Professor Slughorn to arrive hoping that he would be so wrapped up in his own little life that he would ignore her shaking.

"Are you alright Katarina?" a fellow Slytherin asked.

"Yes thanks just a little cold that's all" she said smiling as she dug her fingernails into her palm hoping that would stop the shaking. The door banged open and a familiar cloak swished past.

"Professor Slughorn is currently unavailable to teach your class, so I shall be covering, there will be no questions, no wand waving and no talking. The instructions are on the board if you cannot follow them I suggest you leave immediately." Katarina lowered her eyes to her desk, 'could my day get any worse'.

"Miss Travain the instructions are on the board not on the desk, I suggest you use your eyes and read them carefully" Severus barked at her making her jump. She carefully read through them even though she knew them off by heart. The words slightly blurring.

"Miss Travain, that is enough reading, stand up and start making the potion" he knew he shouldn't be shouting at her but he was so angry that he couldn't do anything to help her. He watched as she slowly got up and made her way to the store cupboard taking out the ingredients. He knew she knew how to make the potion it was easy she had learned it last year. He watched as she started to cut up the roots and stir them in. Her hands were shaking as she held the knife he was afraid she was going to accidently cut herself. Her face was pale against the darkness of the dungeons, he studied it, and she was definitely paler than usual. She looked like she was concentrating hard on the potion, but he could tell by the way she was breathing deeply and biting her lower lip she was fighting faintness. Severus decided to take a walk around the classroom, hoping to blow off some steam by pointing out each tiny mistake. He stalked round barking and hissing at each student's potion. He stopped beside Katarina's work bench, she was almost finished and the potion was the perfect sea green it was supposed to be. He studied her, her left hand was gripping the edge of the bench, her eyes were closed and he could hear her taking in deep breaths and slowly exhaling. She was biting her lower lip so hard it was bleeding. He leant in closer to her making it seem he was taking a closer look at the potion.

"Katarina, you may sit down if you need to" his voice was gently and barely a louder than a whisper.

"I'm fine professor" she said through gritted teeth. She slowly let go of her grip on the table and opened her eyes before smiling at him her perfect smile. He nodded and returned to his desk. His eyes on her as she put the last ingredients in and started to stir.

Xxxxxxxxx

Katarina's heart was thumping, she could barely see her vision was covered in black dots, she had barely heard the professors words he had sounded so far away. She kept her breathing steady trying to calm herself. Her hands were shaking and she felt as though she was drifting off.

"Katarina, let go" she heard a girls voice.

"Is it time" she thought to herself.

"Almost, let the darkness consume you, let go of the light" Katarina smiled she was almost there. She stopped concentrating on the potion and let the black fill her vision and envelop her. Severus watched as Katarina stopped stirring her potion. She smiled to herself, she looked genuinely happy. Her knees crumbled beneath her and he watched her eyes roll back as she collapsed to the floor.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

No-one had ever seen the professor move so fast. He practically flew to Katarina's side

. "Miss Travain, Can you hear me?" Severus knelt down next to the girl. The class was silent.

"Everyone out right now" he said his voice was low and it had a 'don't question me' tone to it. Everyone left whispering as they went trying to work out why their fellow classmate had just collapsed during their morning potions lesson. After the students had left, Severus tried again except this time his tone was gentler

"Katarina, can you hear me?" he checked her pulse it was faint, it probably wasn't helping that she was lying on a cold dungeon floor. He carefully lifted her into his arms and swiftly made his way through the back door into his private quarters. Severus gently laid her on his bed and tucked the duvet around her; she looked like a sleeping stone angel, her white skin shining against his black sheets. He quickly conjured his patronus and sent it to both Poppy and Dumbledore. He sat in the chair next to the bed and took his students hand feeling for a pulse again. He sat back and sighed, as he waited for them to arrive his thoughts flicked back to the past six months and all that had happened to both himself and the girl lying in his bed. His thoughts were broken by Poppy bursting through the door.

"Oh God Severus is she dead"

"Not yet" he muttered. The mediwitch bustled around the bed, scanning the girl with her wand.

"It's a miracle she's not dead already" Poppy looked over at Severus who was watching from the doorway.

"Can you save her?" he asked in a voice Poppy had never heard come out of his mouth.

"I can try Severus but even if I do bring her out of unconsciousness it's going to be a battle to actually get her healthy. The damage she has done to herself…"

"I don't care about the aftermath just make her open her eyes" he sounded like a child, desperate for his broken toy to be fixed.

"Severus it's not a case of just making her open her eyes, you could have done that. Your no use standing there, go to the infirmary and collect the medication she needs" Severus nodded he took one last look at the sleeping girl and left. He passed Albus on the way. He looked worried.

"How is she Severus" he asked as they passed in the corridor. All he heard back was a grunt.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Hours passed and Severus once again found himself pacing up and down outside his own room. They hadn't moved her from the bed. He just wanted to shake her awake tell her how special she was and how sorry he was. Severus had never felt this emotional in his whole life, he hated it he wanted to punch someone, shout and smash things, but he kept his composure and just paced, taking his anger out on the concrete. If Katarina was a muggle she would be dead but the magic coursing through her veins was what was keeping her on the edge of death. He knew that Poppy would be trying to get the magic to spread out through her entire body and make it heal itself. Severus knew he could be sitting there doing it but he didn't trust himself. He would give his life to that girl if it meant she would be okay.

"Severus" he heard Albus call. He slowly opened the door.

"She should come round in a few hours" Poppy said making room for him at the bedside.

"Be gentle with her Severus". He had no reply just sat there his hand in hers listening to the pulse.

"When she comes round she will have to eat, I can't keep making her magic flow to keep her alive"

"We can transfer her to St Mungo's as soon as she wakes" Albus said as he preferred to leave.

"No"

"Severus it's the best solution"

"Do you think she is going to get better in a hospital, if anything it will make her worse She doesn't need strangers forcing her to do things she doesn't want to do. Although of course that's not really your concern is it. You just want her off the premises so she doesn't cause a stir."

"Severus my dear boy"

"Don't you dare 'dear boy' me you old fool"

"Well then what do you suggest Severus" Poppy asked.

"She will stay here under my care because…"

"Severus I've already told you this in not your fault" Poppy cut in.

"Because I am experienced in the matter. I had a sister who I failed, I will not fail Katarina" There was silence as the two of them locked eyes.

"as you wish Severus but I will be checking on her daily if I do not think she is making progress fast enough I shall move her" Poppy said as she looked into his eyes and saw every inch of his soul bared to her.

"Thank you"

"Severus be ready, this will not be an easy ride"

"Poppy I lie to the Dark Lord everyday I think I shall cope" She nodded and left the chamber. Albus gave him a long stare before leaving. Severus hadn't let go of her hand throughout the whole exchange.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He knew he had a few hours before she would come round so he went for a shower, he let the warm water calm him down and collect his thoughts. His mind wandered to his younger sister. Evangeline Snape. He and his elder sister never spoke about the death of their younger sibling or the guilt they both shared about knowing the truth but never speaking it. After he had relaxed a little he dried himeseld before changing into a black jeans and t-shirt and then returned to Katarina's bedside and waited.