Chapter Ten

A/N: Sorry for the delay in updates. This chapter's a little dark and angsty, but the next will be more lighthearted. Enjoy, and please review!

For a moment, Katherine was as unsure of her surroundings as a newborn child must be upon first entering the world. A black darkness enveloped her like a veil, obscuring her vision and clouding her senses. The last thing she could remember was apparating, hoping silently that the Dark Lord had summoned them somewhere warm. The autumn air had a biting chill to it, and she hadn't dressed well for the occasion. Her heart dropped when she found herself in the damp chilly darkness, reaching her hands out in front of her. She didn't dare reach for her wand, the Dark Lord could be watching. Even the simplest movement could have hidden implications, and Katherine was no fool.

The sound of heavy echoing footsteps made her jump, and she drew her arms back around her chest.

"Severus?" She whispered and the footsteps drew closer. "Is that you?"

A familiar haughty laugh resounded in her ears, and Katherine let her hands fall rigid to her sides.

"You." She whispered.

"Me."

Katherine could feel his hot breath on her neck. It sent strange shivers of both fear and pleasure up her spine.

"What have you done with him Lucius?"

Katherine stepped away. She had to show him she was not that foolish young girl anymore. She would not be brought so easily under his spell.

"Our Lord wishes to speak to Severus in private. He will deal with you later."

Ah, but that voice was intoxicating. Katherine could feel her heart begin to race. Seduction was such a beautiful game.

"I have done nothing wrong. My mission has barely even started."

Lucius roughly pulled back her hair, and then passionately kissed her neck.

"No, no." Katherine pulled away. "I told you I don't want to see you again...ever."

Lucius laughed, and pulled her body close against his. For a moment, only the sound of her frantic breathing filled the darkness.

"Then why did you help to break me out of Azkaban?"

Katherine went limp in his arms, and Lucius lifted her hair to kiss the nape of her neck.

"I had no choice."

She pulled away, but Lucius pulled her back. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and breathed in the scent of her hair.

"Even your hair smells like him." Lucius sneered before pushing her away roughly. "Have you been sleeping in his bed?"

"Yes...alone." Katherine could feel her cheeks begin to flush, and was thankful for the cover of darkness.

"Why would I have thought any different?" Lucius rubbed his heel into the stone floor. "You are the ideal servant."

"But I am not your servant Lucius, not anymore." Katherine began to walk slowly backwards. "I serve only our Dark Lord, and the noble mission he has set out for me. That is where my loyalties lay, and that is where my loyalties end."

"Azkaban does strange things to men, Katherine. Yet the whole time I was there, I dreamed only of you."

Katherine flinched as her hands came in contact with the wet slimly stone behind her. She began to inch along the wall, trying to get away from the spot where she guessed Lucius was standing.

"Are you trying to escape?" Lucius laughed. "You are more than welcome to leave."

A small circle of light suddenly flooded out from his wand. In the soft light Lucius looked much older, and very tired. But Katherine knew the lighting did not do him justice. He was as handsome as he was cruel.

"Where are we Lucius?" Katherine still could not see beyond the small glow of light his wand provided.

"My wine cellar. I thought you might remember it."

"But I have never been here"

Lucius laughed, and Katherine shook her head in confusion.

"You don't remember?" Lucius smiled widely. "Oh yes, the memory charm...I had almost forgotten."

"I'm leaving Lucius."

"Not without a kiss."

Lucius lunged forwards, and harshly pulled Katherine into a rough embrace. She did not resist as he his lips met hers, as his tongue invaded her mouth, as he greedily bit her lip until she could taste blood.

"You're sick." She whimpered.

"You're weak." Lucius murmured between frantic kisses.

"Not anymore."

Katherine brought her leg up as a wedge between them, and drew herself away from her seductor. Once there was a suitable distance between them she drew her wand up, and with a soft pop she disappeared.

Lucius laughed, and ran his hands through his long blond hair.

"Nothing changes, and yet everything changes." He mused.

Even the thin air where she had once stood suggested something of her presence.

-----

Severus sighed deeply as he dragged his aching and weary body up the hill to Hogwarts. The Dark Lord had planned an attack on a small Muggle village, and it would have all gone to plan if it had not been for that bumbling Wormtail. But at least it saved Severus the job of trying to sabotage it himself. Voldemort didn't usually call on Severus for such attacks, afraid to loose his supposed spy if they were caught most likely. But then again, nothing about tonight had been normal. First Katherine had disappeared somewhere en route to Voldemort's meeting place. No seemed to be concerned by this at all. Then when Lucius and Bellatrix failed to show, the Dark Lord didn't even raise an eyebrow.

Yes, very strange indeed.

Then of course, they had all been punished for Wormtails mistake, even though he insisted he hadn't meant to warn the Muggles of their attack by clumsily apparating with a thunderous clap. Having some sense, the Muggles ran, even though they had no clue what they were running from. Stupid Muggles...

Severus paused at the side of the path and began to retch.

'Lovely.' He thought, as he sank down to his knees.

At the moment there wasn't a part of his body that didn't hurt. Stupid Riddle...

"Are you alright?"

Severus wearily lifted his head and glanced up the path to the spot where Katherine was standing.

"Why do you care?" He hissed, clutching at his stomach.

"It's almost dawn, we should get you inside."

"Get away from me." Severus gripped a handful of dirt and tossed it at her.

"What was that for?" Katherine kicked a clump of dirt back at him.

"Where the hell were you? You just disappeared."

"Our master had other plans for me."

Katherine decided that this wasn't really a lie, because Voldemort must have known that she would end up alone with Lucius. He must have approved, or else she and Lucius would be feeling his wrath at the very moment.

"Well, it seems awfully convenient that you missed tonight's fiasco." Severus snorted.

"Nothing in my life is convenient!" Katherine nearly shouted. "Now will you let me help you? Preferably before the turn of the next century."

Severus scowled, and pushed away the outstretched hand that she offered to him. With great difficultly he managed to pull himself to his feet, and took a few stumbling steps before collapsing back onto the dirt path.

"For the love of Merlin!" Katherine bent down and pulled Severus to his feet. "Stop fighting me, and just walk."

Leaning on Katherine for support, Severus managed to get his aching body up the hill, into the school, and down into his bedroom. Panting and sweating from the effort, Katherine helped him onto the unmade bed.

"Next time, I should just use magic." She commented.

Severus grunted at her, but was too tired and weak to manage much more.

"Go to sleep." Katherine whispered, and Severus obediently closed his eyes.

"I think I like you much better this way." She whispered. "Maybe I should tape your mouth shut. It might improve our relationship a great deal."

Severus did not rouse from his sleep, and Katherine smiled. If he were awake, he would have most definitely had something to say about that.

In the dim light of the washroom, Katherine peeled her off her sweaty robes, catching the rich scent to Lucius's perfume as she drew them up over her head. She crinkled her nose, and discarded her robes with disgust. Her hair smelled of him as well. Katherine decided to forgo sleep and take a bath. As the water ran she sat on the edge of the tub, twisting a stray curl around her fingers. She had been strong, she had resisted Lucius. But why then, did she suddenly feel so guilty. Why had she lied to Severus...not that it was any of this business. But still...

Katherine climbed into the tub, the water was so hot that it was almost painful. She watched the steam rise up off of the water as she slowly lowered her body into the soapy water. As she leaned her head against the back of the tub, she was struck with a familiar memory.

Hiding in the broom closet. An enraged Narcissa searching through the house.

"How could you bring her into my house. I know she's here. I'll find her and kill her"

The door flew open, and Narcissa dragged her out. Narcissa beating her with her fists, the taste of blood strong in her mouth.

The house elf pulling her towards the door.

The look of guilt so obvious on Lucius's face.

The look of guilt...

"I am not a guilty wife!" Katherine insisted to the thin air. "I am not even his wife. I have done nothing wrong."

The marks that Lucius's passionate kisses left on her neck stung, and so did the tears that flowed freely down her cheeks. If only she could turn back time and listen to reason. She would not be here now, in a virtual strangers bathtub, feeling sorry for crimes that she had not even committed.

"Merlin help me." Katherine thought, as she sunk under the hot water. Under here it was easy to forget past mistakes, and maybe even present ones. She stayed under water until her lungs ached.

'Drowning must be the hardest way to die.' She thought, her body floating. 'Knowing that the sweet temptation of air waits just above the water, but is still unreachable.'

She floated under water a few seconds longer, and then with a gasping breath broke through to the surface.