WARNING: this might be a little too much for some people. Not much is said, but with reading chapter 7 you will understand what she went through.

I hope you enjoy this chapter.

CHAPTER 8

THINGS SHALL NOT BE MENTIONED

Returning home, Severus kept smiling as Katrina took quick glimpses of him. They were both reading, or at least Severus had bee. Katrina could not get it out of her head what he had told the death eater's earlier that evening. Did he really mean to say that? She was afraid to ask, and she did not wish to be crushed if he told her it was never going to happen.

After watching Katrina for some time, Severus finally rested his book on the table beside his chair. "Katrina, why is it you keep glancing at me every few minutes?"

She answered quickly. "It feels like you are always glancing at me!"

"Tell me…what is the book about you're reading?"

"Why are you giving me the fifth degree for? I'm trying to read The Tales of Beetle the Bard!"

He stood, and cautiously walked over to her. As he snatched the book from her grasp, he had an intriguing look on his face. "And, might another of your talents be, being able to read your book up-side-down?" Closing the book, placing it down on the nearest table, he had gotten down on one knee. With her hands folded on her lap, and her head down, he asked. "Sweetheart…" He touched her cheek, though she still did not look at him. "…what is on your beautiful mind?"

"It is nothing important." She finally looked up at him, giving him a slight smile.

The moment she looked at him, he knew. "Well, I'm not completely prepared at the moment, but, Katrina- would you do me the honor…"

"The honor?"

"Would you please let me finish?" She covered her mouth with both hands and nodded for him to continue. He let out a light chuckle, but continued. "Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

She sat there for a moment, then removed her hands from her mouth. Placing them on the arm of her chair, she stood up and walked away. "You don't mean that." She whispered as she stopped at the stairs. "You read my thoughts. You only used that…"

"Katrina, sweetheart…" He tried to say more.

"Don't Katrina, sweetheart me!" Her chest was rising and falling rapidly as she was becoming angry. "You-read-my-thoughts! I would have thought you would ask me without getting in my head!" She stormed up the stairs, into their bedroom.

She started to disrobe, but before putting on her nightie, she felt hands gently being placed on her arms. "Please do not be angry with me, Katrina." His voice was soft and loving as he whispered in her ear. "One more year. Alright. Just one very short hear, and I will make you-force you even, to marry me." Katrina did not say a word, standing there in nothing. "Sweetheart, I love you." He turned her around to face him. "I will be gone for a short time tomorrow morning. Just so you know."

"First off, I'm not angry that you asked me. But, then again, yes I am, since you read my thoughts. I don't want to go around here, having to feel as if you have read my thoughts in order to give me what I want." He nodded, wiping the tears she had shed. "Why are you leaving tomorrow?"

"Nothing of major importance." He did not look at her when he spoke.

She knew he was lying immediately. "You know, I might not be able to read your thoughts, but I do know when you're not telling me the truth."

He looked up at her. "I'm glad you can tell me that." He looked deeply into her eyes. "Do you remember a few days ago, when I received an owl?" She nodded. "There is something I had ordered months ago, and it had finally arrived for me to pick up."

She sighed, "Why can't we go pick it up when I get my owl for next years books?"

"It is needed before you receive your owl, sweetheart." He smiled down at her. "Get ready for bed. I will lock up and turn out the lights. I will return to you shortly."

Severus kissed her forehead and left to do his duties before returning to their room. Upon returning, he found Katrina in her robe, staring into the fire. He noticed that there had been no one speaking through the floo network, but she was speaking to someone, or something. "Why are you doing this to me after so long?" She asked whom ever it was she was speaking to. "Just…NO! No, no, no, no, no!"

"Katrina?" Severus started to worry about her sanity at this point.

"Help me flames. Help me to estimate when this will happen."

"Sweetheart." He walked beside her as she never looked away from the fire. "What is going on? Who are you talking too?"

"No one, Severus." She reached her hand out to him. "Unfortunately, I can see things that will happen in a few days time."

"What do you see that has you so upset?" He stood in front of her, blocking her view. "What has you so upset, Katrina?"

She did not look at him. "They will come when you are not here."

"Who, sweetheart?" He was beyond worried now.

She shook her head, looking up at him, smiling. "it is nothing. Everything is fine." She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him. "I have you, and everything will be fine."

They lay in bed, Severus holding her close. Katrina is holding onto him for dear life. "Sweetheart, something is deeply troubling you."

"No, nothing is wrong, my love." She whispered into his chest. "I was spooked by the flames. It was nothing."

He lifted her chin for her to look at him. "Would you tell me what that was all about then?"

She sighed, gathering her thoughts of how to explain this to him. "I had been taught how t o read the flames before I came here. It is almost like divination, only I didn't have a batty woman teaching me. Nor did I have…" she yawned, ""to read tea leaves, or look into a crystal ball. All that is nothing but a bunch of hocus pocus if you ask me."

He kissed her forehead. "Sleep, my sweet love."

Morning came, both getting up, preparing themselves for the day. Katrina quietly had been making breakfast until Severus walked down in a bit of a hurry. "You're not going to eat?" Katrina asked after he gave her a goodbye kiss.

"I will get something, sweetheart." He smiled. "I will be back by noon, if not before."

"I wish you would stay and eat something, Severus. I do not much like knowing that you are leaving hungry."

"Do not worry, love." He chuckled. "I will eat some time today." He had kissed her again. "Then upon my return, I will come and take care of you." His lips lingered on hers. "I love you very much, Katrina."

Severus disaperated shortly after his goodbye to Katrina. She sat at the kitchen table eating alone, until she heard someone knocking on the door. "Hello, Narcissa, Bellatrix." They stood outside, Katrina watching them. "Severus is not here at the moment. Is there something I can do for you?"

Bellatrix was the one to answer. "Why yes, yes you can, you sweet girl." Katrina looked at her as Bellatrix smiled a wicked smile. Katrina was not paying attention to Narcissa, as she jinxed Katrina from behind. Together, they disaperated with Katrina to an undisclosed location.

Meanwhile, Severus had returned in mid afternoon. Finding the door opened, he rushed inside, looking for his love in every room. His mind racing, he quickly left to Hogwarts to inform Professor Dumbledore. As he stormed into the office, Severus spoke in panic. "Katrina is gone, Headmaster! I feel as if she has been kidnapped by the death eater's and taken to an undisclosed location I have not been informed of." He started pacing back and forth worrying about her.

"Calm down, Severus." Dumbledore stood form his chair, starting to pace himself. "They know that you cannot find her. Did anything happen at the dinner?"

"No." Severus answered stopping at the fireplace. He placed his arms on it, resting his head on his arms. "They wanted to…" He could not finish his thought. Finally, he came to a conclusion. "They are breaking her." It barely came out as a whisper.

"Since we do not know her were-a-bouts, we have to wait for her patiently as we can, until she returns." Dumbledore looked out his window. "Return home, Severus. That will more than likely be the place of her return."

Returning home, Severus paced on the rug that Katrina had made and place in the spot he was pacing. His mind was racing, full of worry for the girl that had stolen his heart.

Evening arrived, with no sign of Katrina. Severus continued to worry. He had heard nothing until the front door flew opened with a bang. He rushed to the door, looking outside for any intruder, his wand in hand. He had seen something laying a short way away from him. Rushing to her, he seen the lifeless body of the woman he loved. Quickly, he picked her up, rushing into the house and up to their bedroom. Once on the bed, he checked her over, noticing her night gown torn. He grew angry, thinking o f the things that were done to her.

As he touched her forehead, he whispered. "Katrina. Wake, sweetheart." He placed his head down on the bed beside her. "I do not know what they had done to you, but I do know they will pay for harming the woman I love." He only left her side once, contacting the Headmaster and Saint Mungo's-the Wizarding hospital. Orderlies had come, taking her to the hospital to be checked by their healers.

As the night progressed, Severus held her hand, refusing to leave her side. He had dozed off in the early morning hours, but sometime during that time, he had been awoken to terrified screaming. As he focused his eyes, he had seen Katrina sitting up doing the screaming.

"Sweetheart, everything is alright now." Severus consoled her as he sat on the bed. He touched her face, his heart shattering at the scared look she was giving him. "I am so very sorry, Katrina. I would never have left you if I'd known." He went to hug her, though she didn't, leaving her hands at her side. As he pulled away, looking into her eyes, he saw nothingness.

"She is in a deep state of shock." A healer had told Severus as he stood at the doorway. "It will take some time for her, depending on the form of torture she had been put through. There is really nothing we can do for her, except keep a lose eye on her."

"Then I will take her home." Severus told the man in a harsh tone. "I will care for her myself."

"Yes, sir." the healer said. "Familiar settings sometimes help. If you wish to sleep for a few more hours, I will have papers ready for you by then." The healer left shortly after.

Severus pushed Katrina back down on the bed. "NO!" Katrina screamed as Severus gently touched her. Tears were streaming down her face as she coward away from him.

"Katrina, I do not wish to scare you." As Severus looked into her eyes, he had seen no trace of the woman she once was.

Another healer had rushed in, sedating her, keeping her from harming herself, or anyone else. "Leave me alone." She cried as the healer gently laid her back in bed. "Just…leave me. Don't touch me."

"Everything will be alright, Miss." The healer softly told her. "You are in safe hands now."

Groggily, she said. "No where is safe. Not even home." She turned to her side, never closing her eyes.

Later that morning, Katrina was released into Severus' care. Unwillingly, at first, she refused to touch him. He had been patient the entire time, reassuring her that he would not harm her. Finally, she let him wrap his arms around her, disaperating home. She walked up the stairs, into the bedroom with Severus behind her. She did not speak to him, climbing in bed. Severus cautiously walked up to her, covering her with the blankets. "Get some sleep, sweetheart. I will check on you though out the day." He stood at the side of the bed, watching for some sort of reaction. "If you need anything, call and I will be right here." She did not move or say anything. He leaned down, kissing her forehead, when he noticed she stiffened. "I love you, Katrina. I would never in a million years harm you." He brushed a stray hair from her face. "I will be down stairs if you need me."

Through out the next few weeks, the Headmaster , along with the Professors from the school paid both Severus and Katrina visits. Professor McGonagall sat in the room with her one sunny day, talking to her about anything she could think of. She was about ready to leave when Katrina spoke. "I cannot go back."

McGonagall sat down on the bed. "Go back where, child?"

Katrina looked right into her eyes. The first time she had done this since the incident. "Anywhere." She hissed. Severus arrived at the doorway, with a tray in his hands. He stopped at the threshold, when he heard her speak.

McGonagall spike again, holding Katrina's hand in hers. "We will help you get through this, Katrina. You are in the safest hands there is. Albus has spoken to the Minister of Magic about placing Aurors around the house…"

Katrina shook her head. "I want no Aurors. They cannot protect me." They had seen the tears streaming down her cheeks. "No one can protect me. Not even me."

Severus walked in, he felt defeated that he could not help her get through this. He placed the tray down on the bedside table, kneeling in front of her. "Katrina, I brought you some soup." She turned away, staring away from them both."

McGonagall stood, Severus taking her place on the bed. "I must be leaving now. Katrina…" She did not bother to look at McGonagall. "I will check up on you in a few days." She hesitated, touched Severus shoulders, reassuring him that she would help him in any way, then departed.

Severus placed the tray on his lap, preparing to feed Katrina. "It is time to eat, sweetheart." Katrina did not move, nor accept the spoon of soup Severus placed at her lips. "You must eat something, my love. "She did not reply. "Katrina-sweetheart, I wish you would tell me what happened to you." Suddenly, tears started pouring from her eyes. "I am going to wrap my arms around you now. I am not going to hurt you." He put the tray on the floor, touching her shoulders pulling her to him. "I will find out what happened and take care of whom ever did this to you. I will not let this go unpunished." He held her in his arms, trying his best to calm her. Nestling his face into her neck, he whispered, "I love you more than life itself, sweetheart. You deserve to be loved as only I can love you. I want you to marry me. As soon as you turn seventeen." He pulled away from her slightly, reaching into his pocket. "This is what I went to fetch the day that you were taken. He pulled out a small box, placing it in her hands. "Open it, sweetheart." She did nothing, just stared at the closed box in front of her. Severus touched her gently, and opened it after a few minutes. "With your permission, I would like to place it on your finger."

She did not answer, though she did look up at him. More tears escaped her eyes, losing all self control. "No one will ever want me."

Severus closed the box up, placing it on the table beside the bed. "I want you, Katrina. I love you, and only you." He wiped the tears from her face. "I want more than anything to see you smile. To lay beside you in bed, and just hold you close to me." He let out a deep sigh. "I want to make love to you every night for the rest of our lives, either making a child, or just pleasuring you. I will never hurt you, my love."

He did not know what she would do as she stretched out her hand toward his cheek. "Do not cry for me, Severus." Her tears kept falling. "I will never be anything to anyone. I cannot accept that ring-ever."

"Katrina, my heart only beats for you." He whispered. "Through out these past few weeks, I have longed to touch you, to kiss you as well. But, I did not want to scare you."

As he leaned in to her she whispered. "Severus, I am scared."

Instantly he stopped. His voice was thick, though it was still came out as a whisper. "I will earn your trust slowly, my love. All I ask for is one short kiss."

"One kiss." She whispered, their lips touching. His lips were gentle on hers as he softly touched them. After- he slowly pulled away. "Another, please." She whispered. He slowly closed the distance, kissing her tenderly once again. Pulling him closer, she opened her mouth, inviting him in. He slowly deepened it, knowing that if she felt frightened in the least, he would pull away quickly.

He gently lay her down on the bed, he himself laying beside her. He slowly pulled the covers down, only to touch her. She still never told him what happened. He pulled away slightly. "We should stop before this leads into something else." His hand roamed over her breasts as he longed to make love to her, but he would never force her. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Looking up at him, she whispered. "I think you already know." She sniffled, collecting herself. "I know you had no part in it. But, all I can remember is that each one of them concealed their identity as they-they…" She broke down again.

"I will punish them until they wished they were dead." he hissed. "I will make them regret what they had done to you."

Reaching up, she touched his face. "I love you, Severus."

"I love you as well, Katrina." She started unbuttoning his shirt. "Sweetheart?"

"I want to know you love me." She whispered, still unbuttoning his shirt. "I want you to get me pregnant."

He laid his head on her chest. "Katrina." He choked out. "As much as I want to make love to you…"

"I am not scared of you, if that's what you're thinking. I know you will be gentle with me." She whispered as he watched her closely. "I want to have your child growing inside me. I don't care if it's against the rules or not." She started tearing up again. "I want to show you how deep my love is for you."

He loved her so desperately. It was against his better judgment, but he climbed in bed beside her, giving her what she had wanted. Hovering over her, he watched for any sign of fear from her. "I want you to stop me the instant you get scared. Do you understand me?" She nodded. "I do not care when you stop me, whether it be when we start making love, or in the middle of it. When you cannot handle it any more, stop me."

"Just keep your eyes on me." He pushed himself in her. She gasped and shortly after tears came from her eyes. Instantly he stopped.

"What is it, sweetheart. Am I hurting you, or am I scaring you?" he started to pull out, but he stopped when she dug her nails into his arms. "What is it you want?"

For the first time in what seemed like forever, she smiled. "I want you, my lover." She reached up pulling his face down to hers, kissing him. She let out a small giggle. "I had just forgot."

He smiled at her lovingly. "What did you forget, my beautiful wife-to-be?"

They had been teasing one another with their lips and tongues. "I forgot how-how well endowed you are. There is no need for you to stop. Make love to me."

Please review and let me know what you think of this chapter. Just don't murder me! I know that things went quickly and it should have taken time for her to heal mentally, but it just had to happen. Just wait for the next chapter hehe! They might just get some sweet revenge!