Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and Katya. Wouldn't mind owning a mustang convertible just in case anyone wants to donate!
Madame Moony: Don't worry! No patient/nurse going on (Snape and Madame Pomfrey? Ew!) J/K. But in all seriousness, don't worry. I don't enjoy those kind of stories either!
xue rui chi: thank you so much for your review. I rather enjoyed that comment myself.
A/N: if you read chap. 10 when it was an author's note and just skipped ahead to this chap. I'd suggest going back to chap. 10. It's no longer an a/n.
~ That was then; This is Now ~
"What happened Professor Poiston?" Dumbledore asked as he approached Severus's bed.
"I- I dunno," Katya stammered, "I was just looking out my window when I saw something move outside and went outside to investigate. I found him unconscious near the gate."
Dumbledore nodded sadly, "Why don't you go back to bed? I still need you to teach your classes tomorrow."
"What about his?" she asked motioning towards the motionless body on the bed.
"Potions will be canceled until he is feeling better. I'm sure he will be completely recovered in no time at all.
Katya doubted it, but she didn't say so. She merely looked down at Severus's still figure, stood up without looking at the headmaster, and silently left the hospital wing.
* * *
The next morning the Great Hall was alive with students' voices as they talked over breakfast. Katya didn't feel that this was appropriate considering what had happened the night before. She expected everyone to feel as badly as she did, to not sleep at night as she had been unable to fall asleep again after leaving Snape. But how can I expect them to feel bad when they don't even know about Severus yet? As if reading her thoughts, Dumbledore decided to stand just then and address the students.
"May I have your attention please?" the hall immediately fell silent, "I'd like to inform you all that Professor Snape has fallen extremely ill and there won't be any potions lessons for the remainder of this week. Thank you, you may now return to stuffing your faces," he added with a glint of humor in his eye. Everyone was silent for a moment before bursting into excited chatter.
"No potions?! No Snape?! This is too good to be true!" She overheard a Hufflepuff say to his friend as they left the Great Hall. Katya quickly restrained the urge to curse the student and instead settled with a deadly glare aimed at the Hufflepuff's back. If only looks could kill, she silently wished. Stop it Kat! Get a hold of yourself, these are your students you want to kill! Don't worry, I'm sure if they knew the circumstances. I'm sure if they saw Severus's stagnant body lying on the cold, hard ground they would feel just as badly as you would. Feeling tears at the backs of her eyes Katya hastily stood up and went to prepare for her first class.
* * *
"Did you hear about Snape? Apparently he got too close to the Whomping Willow," one student whispered.
"Maybe it'll have knocked some friendliness into him," his friend replied.
"Na, ol' Snapey'll never be friendly to anyone."
Katya had overheard conversations like this for the past three days and each time she stifled the urge to scream at the students. But she contained herself and continued to walk resolutely to the hospital wing. She had just been informed by Dumbledore that Severus had woken up that morning. It was all she could do to keep herself from running to the hospital wing, but somehow she managed it and entered the hospital wing looking completely composed.
"Hello Katya!" Madame Pomfrey greeted, "How are you?"
"Just fine thank you," she replied trying to look around Poppy and into the room that held Severus. "And how's the patient?" she asked not trying to keep the anxiety out of her voice.
"Awake," Poppy informed her. Then, with a twinkle in her eyes, she added, "He's been asking about you."
Katya blushed, "Has he now."
Poppy nodded. "I'll tell him you're here," she said as she went into the room.
"Severus," she heard the nurse say, "there's someone here to see you."
"I don't want to see anyone," Severus's cold voice muttered.
"Aw, but she'll be so disappointed if ya deny her a visit."
"She?" now his voice sounded interested.
"Yes, she'll be so disappointed. Not to mention that's no way to be treatin' the person who found you half-alive out of doors in the middle of the night.
"Well, I suppose I could do with a short visit," his voice conceded. Katya could detect his excitement through the reluctance however.
"Katya, you may come in now," Poppy said as she left the room and went to her office, which was conveniently out of hearing distance. Taking a deep breath Katya walked in and found Severus lying in bed staring transfixed at his fingers.
"I wasn't aware you had such a fascination with the phalanges, Severus," she teased.
He looked at her and smiled, "So we're back on a first name basis I see."
Katya replied with a smile and slowly approached the bed. He tried to sit up as she came nearer. She watched worriedly as his face paled and he began to sweat at the effort.
"Don't," she said reaching out to him, "Lie back down before you go unconscious again."
Severus obeyed and laid back down. "So I understand you saved my life last night."
"More like gave in to my curiosity and went outside where I panicked when I saw you unconscious," she replied.
He laughed a deep, rumbling laugh that was much different from the occasional cackle his students had heard.
"It's not funny!" she exclaimed, "I thought you were dead!"
"And would you have minded that much if I had been?" he asked instantly serious.
"Of course I would have," she replied equally serious, "Why would you think I wouldn't care?"
"Because last time we talked I got the distinct impression that you didn't enjoy my company."
Katya lowered her head and stared at the ground, "That was then. This is now."
"Your sentiments have changed? You want to be friends again?"
"I always wanted to be friends, I just got so hot and bothered when you kept putting yourself down."
"Oh yes, I remember that conversation. Hmmm, what was it you called me? An old man?"
Katya blushed, "You remember that?"
"Of course I do! That was when I decided my suspicions about your going out with me must have been correct! After all, I am only 37 and you called me an old man! Am I really that ugly? Do I really look like an old man?"
"For Merlin's sake, Severus, it was a figure of speech! I didn't mean it."
"Relax tiger! I was only teasing. You don't have to answer."
Katya stopped. Had he just called her tiger? What's gotten into him? And since when did he tease?
"You don't have to remain silent either," his voice butted into her thoughts, "Katya?"
"huh, what?"
"Are you alright?"
"I should be asking you that question."
Severus rolled his eyes. "I'm not the one standing there with my mouth hanging open like a fish."
"No, you're the one lying in a hospital bed unable to even sit up," she shot back.
Severus smiled at her. He thoroughly enjoying the light banter. His smile faltered as an unwelcome thought rolled across his mind, Would she be this friendly if she knew the reason I'm in this bed?
"Oh curses!" Katya exclaimed, "I need to go, Sev. I have to do detention with a couple students tonight. I'll come see you tomorrow."
"Alright, goodbye"
"See ya," she called as she darted out the door.
Snape sighed happily as he laid back. All seemed right with the world. Not only did he not have to work for the rest of the week, but Katya was talking to him again. And this time he was determined to keep it that way.
* * *
The next day Katya went to visit Severus again. This time he was sitting up in bed reading.
"Hey Sev," she said as she bounced into the room, "What are you reading?"
"Oh, hello, um, nothing," he stammered as he quickly shut the book and put it safely under his pillow.
Katya raised an eyebrow, "Nothing? Well that can't be a very interesting book."
Severus smiled. "How was detention?" he asked in an attempt to change the subject.
Katya shrugged, she'd let him win this one, "It was interesting. It was Draco and Ginny. Apparently they got in trouble for PDA. Now who would give them detention for a reason like that?" Severus remained silent so she continued, "Hmmmm, possibly a certain, ornery potions professor?"
"Well you would have given them detention too if you had to watch that when you were already in a foul mood."
"You're right, instead I got to watch them make eyes at each other as they cleaned desks. I was afraid to leave them for one moment for fear that they might start snogging!"
"Looks like I got sick just in time," Severus laughingly replied.
Katya suddenly turned serious, "That reminds me. Are you ever going to tell me what you were doing outside in the middle of the night? Unconscious, no less?"
Snape's smile instantly turned into a scowl, "Katya, I'd rather not talk about it."
Katya simply nodded. He inwardly groaned, she had the same hurt look on her face as that night in the Diggorys' gardens.
"It's just that . . ." he began.
"No, Sev, don't worry about it. It's fine, it doesn't matter now. All that matters is that you are going to be fine," she took a deep breath and gave a small nod of her head as though trying to convince herself that this was really how she felt. "Well, um, I have to go. It's nearly suppertime. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Good night," he said.
"Right," was her reply as she left the room.
Not again! Damn it Severus! Why didn't you just make up a story? It would have been so easy! But he knew this was incorrect, he could keep things from Katya, but he would never be able to out and out lie to her.
* * *
Dear Journal,
Well, he's doing it again! He's pushing me away. He won't tell me how he got hurt. He won't even tell me what book he's reading! It's utterly ridiculous! Merlin, the man drives me insane! Yesterday he was teasing me and enjoying himself. Today he's keeping things from me! It makes me want to scream! Okay, I just need to calm myself down. It's okay Katya. I'm not going to get upset over this, I nearly lost him once I don't want to risk it again. Besides maybe he'll tell me eventually. Maybe, just maybe.
Katya
* * *
Two more days went by before Madame Pomfrey was completely satisfied with Severus's condition and released him. He immediately set out to find Katya. Despite her promise she hadn't visited since the day he had refused to tell her what had happened.
Spotting an elderly witch down the corridor he called out, "Minerva! Have you seen Katya?"
"Yes Professor Snape," Professor McGonagall answered, "She went to Hogsmeade to do some Christmas shopping."
"Why on earth would she be doing that?"
"Did you lose your sense of time from that blow to the head Severus?"
Snape was confused for a second. What blow to the head? Then he remembered Madame Pomfrey telling him that the students and staff had been told that he had had an encounter with the Whomping Willow. While the falsehood did a little damage to his ego it kept him undetected as a deatheater.
"It's two weeks until Christmas holiday, Severus," McGonagall's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Two weeks! Surely you're joking."
"Afraid not Severus. I'm guessing by your reaction that you have yet to get your Christmas shopping done?"
"You know as well as I do, Minerva, that I never buy presents for anybody," he replied while trying to decide what he should get Katya.
"Aw, but that was before, this is now. And now I think there may be a certain brunette witch you'll be buying for."
Severus blushed (yes the almighty Snape blushed), "I suppose I should get something for Katya. After all she did save my life."
"Severus you don't need to play games. We all know you are smitten with the girl, all we have to do is look at your face when you're with her. I don't know why you don't just tell her. It's obvious she feels the same way." Turning Minerva left him to his thoughts.
Yes, but I shouldn't be smitten with her, not when it's so dangerous for me. And I can't have a relationship with me. All it would bring is a world of hurt to the both of us.
A/N: Okay, sorry it took a few days to update. I was experiencing writer's block as you can see by how dull this chappy is. Sorry, I promise to try and do better in the next one. Please review!!!
