Kate inhaled sharply; her eyes still clenched shut as she stirred in the unfamiliar bed. Headache rumbled in her temple as she sat up and opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings. The Potion Master's private quarters had disappeared from around her, replaced by a dark, what she assumed to be, master bedroom. The Victorian papered walls were faded and dismal, lined with bookshelves full of thick dusty volumes. The flannel sheets she lay under were heavy, worn wool soft and warm under her fingertips as she traced the cabling of the blankets delicately placed over her body. She drew the blankets back from her bare legs, still dressed in the shirt the professor had given her the night before. She threw her legs over the side of the bed, wincing as she used the columns of the poster bed to pull herself to her feet. Her head throbbed, the feeling of her stepfather's knuckles still pressing into her skin. The potions had soothed and healed the bruises and cuts, but not the pain that throbbed in her mind as she recalled the events of the night before.

Thrown over the back of a chair in the corner of the room was a thick black robe, Kate seizing it and carefully pulling it around her. She held it tight to her, turning slowly and taking in the unknown room. Yellowing photographs of the same man and woman hung framed on the walls, their expressions gaunt and flat. The woman looked familiar, Kate stepping forward to further inspect the photograph. As she stepped forward, the sound of small footsteps approached the doorway, Kate jumping when the doorway creaked open, letting out an audible gasp.

"The lady is awake," a small, squeaky voice stated.

Kate pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart pound as she stared at the house elf in the doorway. "Hello," she said, her voice so hoarse that she didn't recognize it, "Please, could you tell me where I am?"

Before the house elf could respond, heavy footsteps neared the doorway in which she stood. Kate pinched her eyes shut and held her hand tight against her chest, half expecting to see her stepfather's ugly mug. "That shall be all, Tilly," a low voice drawled out, Kate allowing the breath she held to escape her lips. Severus was dressed casually in a simple black shirt and pants, his hair drawn back. Katherine noted the deep purple circles that blossomed under his eyes, accentuated by his pale face. He looked as if he were up all night. He offered Katherine a nod, "How are you feeling?"

Katherine looked down at her feet, not meeting Severus's gaze as she drew the robe closer to her body, hiding the bruises that had faded from her body. "Better," she lied, her head still spinning, "Where am I?"

"Cokeworth," he said, stepping into the bedroom, "McGonagall came to my quarters last night and I feared the repercussions of her discovering you asleep in my bed, so I brought you to my private home while you slept."

Katherine nodded, holding onto the column of the bed as she lowered herself onto the mattress. Severus stood uncomfortably in the doorway, his eyes unfocused. "You haven't slept," she said, "You look exhausted, Severus."

He leaned against the doorframe, rubbing his eyes, "Don't worry about me."

"Severus, you have to rest."

"Katherine," he said, voice firm and laced with exhaustion, "Please. My lack of rest is nothing compared to what you have endured in the past 24 hours."

Katherine kept her eyes on him, absorbing his statement. "Thank you," she whispered, "For everything you have done. Really, you didn't have to care for me like this."

"I offered my assistance to you, if you have forgotten. There is no need to thank me."

"There is," she said, Severus meeting her eye. He crossed his arms and fought back a yawn, "I can find other arrangements. You didn't have to bring me to your home."

"No," Severus was taken aback by the desperation of his voice, "No, you may stay here as long as you need. You will not return to that house."

"It's alright, Severus. He had been drinking. It was my fault… If I had just obeyed and given him what he wanted…" her voice trailed off as she chewed her lip, staring at her feet and blinking back the tears that threatened to fall.

Anger burned in Severus's chest as her words trailed off. She had no reason to blame herself, and her need to make justifications for that vile man's actions brought his blood to a boil and made her heart sink all at once. His father had been that way; abusive and cruel. The wave of emotions confused him as he crossed the room, his back stiff as he sat beside the girl, leaving a space between them. She kept her eyes on the floor. "Katherine," his voice was so soft that she hardly recognized it as his own. The past months, he had been so cold and icy towards her. She didn't recognize the warmth that she had grown so fond of in the past months. "Kate, look at me." She hesitated, looking up at the dark haired potions master. "What he did to you is not your fault. You must understand that." She nodded, eyes darting away from his own. "Kate," he reached forward, his own body confusing him with its actions. Kate stiffened when Severus's fingers touched her face, taking her face in his hands. She had forgotten how warm and familiar his touch felt. "He cannot hurt you any longer, I promise you that. He will never touch you again. I'll never let him hurt you again. I promise you that, Katherine. He will never touch you again. As long as I am breathing. Do you understand me?"

She nodded, eyes locked on his own. The potions had done well to heal her wounds but Severus could not push the image of her bloody face from his mind. How someone so kind could have such horrors done upon her baffled him. She lurched forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. Severus stiffened at her embrace, Katherine pinching her eyes shut and tucking her face into his neck. She let out a long shaky breath, Severus wrapping his arms around her in return. "Thank you," she whispered, Severus unsure of how to respond. "What time is it?" she asked, pulling away from him.

"It's about 2:30 in the afternoon," he said, rubbing his eyes, "I assumed it would be best to let you sleep. I recommend that you take another potion for your pain. It will cause you to sleep for a few hours, however."

Kate had stood, Severus watching her as she walked towards the window, drawing back the heavy drapes and looking out upon the gray snow-heavy skies. She could hear children laughing down the street, pressing her forehead to the glass as she craned her neck to see them through the snow. A small group of children bundled up in warm hats and jackets stood out against the monochromatic landscape, throwing snowballs and running around. "Severus," she said, turning to look at him. He had laid down on the unmade bed, an arm thrown over her face, one knee bent and the other leg stretched out over the blankets.

"Yes?" he mused, his voice heavy with sleep.

"It's Christmas Eve," she said, sitting back on the edge of the bed, "We have to celebrate."

The potion master's breathing was even and slow, "Perhaps tonight, Katherine. I'm not one for festivities."

Kate reached across the bed, tugging on the laces of Severus's boots. He moved his arm from his face, watching as she undid his laces and slipped off his shoes, unsure of her actions. "It's Christmas, Severus," she said, "You can't not celebrate."

"I must say, Miss Blakewood, you're never ending amount of cheer and energy never fails to astound and annoy me," he said, a hint of a smirk shadowing his lips.

She tried to hid her smile, "You should sleep, Severus,"

"What is it that you believe I am trying to accomplish?"

She rolled her eyes, standing to close the curtains once more, the room darkening. "I'll go make myself a cup of tea while you rest. Certainly I can find a way to entertain myself for a few hours while you sleep."

Severus rolled onto his side, looking up at her from the bed. Her hair was matted from the pillow, his robe swallowing her small frame. There was something comforting about her presence, although it inappropriate. He refused to admit it, but he had missed her while she had been away. She looked down at him, Severus taking in the sight of her in her most natural state. He didn't understand why, but he rather liked the way she looked in his clothing. "You need to sleep, Katherine,"

"I've slept long enough," she argued, sitting back down on the bed. She brushed his hair from his eyes, pulling the blankets up over him. "You've done so much for me in the past day. It's time that you do something for yourself."

Severus relaxed at her touch, startled by how calming the gentle caress of his fingers on his cheek was. He had never been one for physical touch, never going as far to allow Lily to hug him. His mother had never been much of an affectionate woman as he grew up, and the only touch he had received from his father was that of his fist. He avoided contact with other both of the physical and social type, keeping to himself for so many years. But with Kate, he didn't feel the want to be alone, and nor did he ever want her to go alone.

"You sleep here," he said, his voice quiet, "I'll sleep downstairs in the library."

"No," she whispered, Severus unable to keep his eyes open any longer as she stroked his cheek. "You stay here."

"Stay here with me."

His words shocked both himself and Katherine. Her hand moved away, Severus opening his eyes once more. Her hand hovered over his face, confusion and something a little softer in her eyes. She looked down at him, chewing over his words. After the months of his icy behavior, after the kiss, after her fall and now after the night before, she never thought that she would hear such a request from him. But the way he asked, the quiet yet begging way in which he spoke, pulled at something in her that she had never felt before. Her hand found his way back to his cheek, Severus's own fingers curling around her wrist. She nodded, pulling her hand away to undo the sash of the robe. He watched as she discarded the robe next to the bed, slipping under the blankets next to him. The presence of her body in his bed was so incredibly foreign, leaving him unsure of what to do. They both stared up at the ceiling, tense and a little skeptical of one another. Neither had shared a bed with another before, leaving the pair with an uneasy curiosity. Severus tried to hide the emotion that rippled through him, lifting shaky hands under the blankets to untuck his shirt from his trousers. Severus hoped that she couldn't hear his heart pounding in the dark bedroom. A soft rustling broke the silence as Kate rolled onto her side, her back to him, a soft sigh escaping her lips as her breathing evened. She fell asleep quickly, much to his surprise.

He made quick work of the buttons of his shirt, slipping it off as quickly as he could without disturbing her, tossing it on the hardwood beside him, slipping off his trousers. He felt ridiculous; nearly naked in his bed with a student. An exasperated sigh escaped his lips. He wouldn't entertain this any longer, he thought, he would sleep downstairs in the library. If the Headmaster were to catch wind of the position he were currently in, he would surely be removed from the castle at once. He reached across himself, snatching the edge of the blankets. Before he could throw them from himself, the sheets rustled once more as Katherine rolled over again, her head resting upon his chest and one warm hand running across his stomach, her fingers curling around his waist. He froze, unsure as to whether or not he should push her off of him. Her curls fell over her face, the peacefulness that fell over her reminiscent of the night he had visited her in the hospital wing. He had visited her every night, actually. He wondered if she had known he was there, sitting at her bedside. He had stared at her hand, so small lying by her side, trying to summon the courage to reach out and take it in his own. He hadn't wanted her to be alone.

He lowered his arm carefully, his fingers resting against her arm. She was warm, the weight of her body on his own oddly comforting. Warmth blossomed in his stomach as she moved beside him, her small body squeezing his frame gently. Lily had never made him feel this way; he would cringe at her touch when she would fall asleep on his shoulder on the Hogwarts Express. He would sit stiffly or pull away, the closeness making him uncomfortable. But with her, as he pushed her curls out of her eyes, the discomfort melted away. He ran his fingers up and down her arm, drawing little circles on the fabric of the shirt she wore. Hesitantly, he pressed his lips to her head, her hair tickling his nose. "Sleep well, Katherine," he whispered, resting his cheek against her head and closing his eyes.

"Sleep well, Severus."

"Thank you, Tilly," she said to the house elf, folding Severus shirt and placing it on top the pile of clothing in the trunk the elf had retrieved from her dormitory. Severus had slept for longer than she had expected, causing her to explore the small home when she woke. She assumed that he wouldn't want her sneaking back into Hogwarts, sending Tilly instead to fetch her things so she would no longer have to wear his shirt. She quite liked it, though, finding the fabric comfortable. It smelled of him too; like parchment and breakfast tea and something a little muskier. The little elf nodded, bouncing off into the house. Katherine straightened, glancing over her shoulder at the kettle she had put on the stove, now whistling.

"Would you get that damned thing, Katherine," Severus hissed, buttoning the cuff of his shirt as he stormed down the stairs. Even with her back turned to him, she could see the attitude that had followed him down the stairs. She rolled her eyes, lifting the kettle from the stove top. Severus stepped into the small kitchen, Katherine turning to face him, holding out one of the simple porcelain tea cups that she had found in the cupboard to him. She had changed since she had left his bedroom, a cream colored sweater now hanging on her small frame. Her wild hair had been pulled up into a crown of a thick braid. He took the cup from her, nodding his appreciation.

"You know, Severus," she said, toying with the string of her teabag, "You're quite the snorer. It's quite horrific really."

"I do not snore,"

"You do," she said, dropping sugar cubes into her cup.

Severus sighed, watching her pour milk into her tea. She did things so delicately that he worries that someday she'd break as easily as the porcelain she held. "Can you explain to me what is so important that you had to wake me?"

"It's Christmas Eve, Severus,"

"You're oddly festive considering the circumstances."

Severus watched her sip her tea, eyes focused on the window above the sink. Her eyes were unfocused as she stared out at the frozen remnants of his terrace. His mother had slaves every spring to bring it to life, but after her passing, Severus just became too busy to keep up with it. She had gone tense, eyes fixed on one spot. "Katherine," he said, yet his voice seemed to go unheard. "Kate," he said softly, touching her arm.

She jumped, pulling away from his touch, her eyes finally snapping away from the window. She set her cup on the counter, crossing her arms and looking at the floor. "Sorry, I," she stuttered, smoothing her sweater, "Your garden. It must be beautiful in the spring. It certainly needs some pruning, but that isn't all that difficult."

He nodded, Katherine's hands shaking vigorously. "Why don't you show me why you woke me up," he said, a little softer this time. She nodded, offering a smile which he returned. He was handsome when he smiled. She preferred it over the scowl that normally twisted his face. He was kind outside of the classroom, sarcastic and crass, but kind. She led him into the library, Severus following close behind. "I see you've made yourself well acquainted with my home."

"I showed myself around while you were snoring."

"I do not snore."

"Sure."

She sat beside the window, crossing her legs like a child. She patted the floor across from her, Severus rolling his eyes as he sat down across from her. "What's the meaning of this, Katherine?"

She took a candle that she must have found somewhere within his home off the windowsill, holding it out in front of her, "Every Christmas Eve in Ireland, we light a candle in the window. I've done it every year since I was a child, and if you'd be so inclined, I would like to continue that tradition."

Severus found it to be quite silly, nut gestured for her to do so anyway, "And what exactly is that supposed to represent?"

She set the tall white candle on the sill, a wide smile stretched across her face as she tapped her wand to the wick, muttering a simple spell and the small flame beginning to burn, "During the time of the Penal Laws, the candle would represent a safe place to perform Christmas Mass. But most importantly, it symbolizes a welcome place for Mary and Joseph as they traveled looking for shelter."

"Who?"

Her eyes widened in shock as she turned to look at Severus, "Joseph and Mary? The Christmas Story? Surely you must know it, Severus."

He shook his head, "If you have forgotten I did not have the same luxuries of your upbringing. What is this story?"

She smiled, folding her hands in her lap, "I've only ever told it to my cousins, so the Sunday School version will have to do," she straightened, clearing her throat like her father had done every year before reciting the story, "Long ago, when King Herod ruled Judea, God sent the angel Gabriel to a young woman who lived in the northern town of Nazareth. The girl's name was Mary and she was engaged to marry Joseph,"

Severus listened as she told the story of how a divine power had impregnated the young woman, an emperor forcing them from their home and causing them to travel to Bethlehem. The candle light flickered across her face as she spoke, her hands moving enthusiastically. Severus was awed by her passion as she told the story, absorbing every word she said. The muggles certainly believed some strange things, but the way she told the story was rather lovely. He wasn't quite following along, nodding occasionally at the mention of angels and kings and a baby, instead picturing her surrounded by children, all gathered to hear her divine story telling.

Her story came to a close, Katherine smiling as her gaze turned back towards the candle. "That was lovely," he said.

She nodded, eyes fixed between the flicker of the single flame and the snow falling outside. She turned back towards him, brushing the hairs that had escaped from her braid behind her ears. "My da would usually tell it every year. It's strange not to hear it this year. He was an incredible storyteller; the life of the party really."

"I think you tell it quite well,"

She laughed, Severus trying to hold back a smile. Her laugh was so melodic and contagious. He stood, brushing off his trousers. He held out his hand for her, Kate raising her eyebrows at his gesture. "Come along now, Katherine," he said.

"What's this about?"

"It's Christmas Eve, Katherine. Surely we must celebrate."