Severus sat as his desk in the study, scrolls of parchment scattered about in front of him. The rain had remained present after Dumbledore's visit, falling heavy against the old home. He rather enjoyed the rain; the cool temperatures, the melodic soothing sound on raindrops on window panes and the soft roar of the wind. It was comforting and simple. The small fireplace crackled, Severus dragging his fingers through his hair, eyes scanning over the 5th years' essays. He always regretted assigning a four-thousand-word essay before the holidays when he had to sit down and grade them. He set down his quill, pressing the heels on his palms into his eyes, sniffling heavily. He sighed, pushing up the sleeves of the thick black sweater he wore before picking up the quill once more. He continued his grading, rather enjoying the sounds of his quill scraping against parchment mixed with the crackling of the fireplace, her strange muggle music floating down the hallway. His parents' home had always been so quiet and dull, but her annoying habits brought a new life to the dim hallways. He had never been one for visitors, but he didn't necessarily mind her company. Two days had passed since the old wizard's ultimatum had been delivered, the bustling traffic of pedestrians and vehicles outside announcing that the holiday had come. Only hours remained until the imminent end of their holiday and her stay at his home and much to his dismay, tomorrow they would return to Hogwarts and his deadline would come up.

He looked up when she knocked on the doorway, pulling down his sleeves. She leaned against the doorway, a cup of tea in her hands, another cup and a steaming pot floating beside her, "Would you like some help, Professor?" she asked, lifting her cup to her lips, the pot tipping into the cup before floating back towards the kitchen, and the cup towards his desk. Katherine crossed the room, stepping behind his desk and slipping onto his lap, picking up the essay laid out in front of him. When she first arrived, he would have stiffened, resisting the urge to shove her off him. She was insufferably affectionate, like a kitten that clung to the legs of its master, causing him to trip. But instead he relaxed under her, instead resting his pointed chin on her shoulder, reading over her shoulder. Her music continued to play, Katherine humming along with the strange melody. She compiled a stack of essays, pressing a kiss to his cheek before taking her half to the armchair beside the fireplace, curling up like a kitten in its warmth. His mother used to sit in that chair, reading quietly or working on her needlepoints. He would sit in front of the fireplace as a boy, listening to her read, the words allowing him to escape from the gloomy confines of Spinner's End. But, as he sat and watched the firelight dance across her face, she brought a warmth to he once dismal space.

He had grown accustom to her warmth over the past several days they had shared in his home; Severus holding her close to him as she slept, stroking her hair as he laid awake. He would fight sleep for as long as he could, watching her as she slept, afraid that if he were to close her eyes that she would disappear; just another pleasant dream that would fade into nothingness once he woke, leaving him cold and alone come morning. Good things did not stay in his life; he pushed them away. He strayed away from the touch of others, spitting out unkind words, isolating himself from any chance of friendship. After her, after Lily, he deemed himself unlovable; incapable of kindness after she decided he was no longer worth hers after he spat that terrible word at her. But he didn't want to push Kate away, and nor did she pull away from him. He wanted to continue to dream that beautiful dream and not fear the day that she would fade out as well. Yet, these good things were being forced from him and she had no idea what was coming.

But, in the hours remaining, he tried not to focus on the end to come. But her packed trunk at the foot of the bed served as a somber reminder.

She sighed as she leaned back, bringing her glass to her lips. She couldn't remember how many glasses she had already finished, her body tingling happily and the taste of cheap chardonnay lingering on her lips. The bath water was already turning lukewarm, Kate sinking down into what remained of the bubbles. Severus was downstairs, no doubt still hunched over the same book she had left him with an hour prior. He had suggested retiring to bed earlier in the night, met with her childlike protests and demands that they stayed awake to ring in the new year. He had rolled his eyes at her, mock annoyance playing at his face before kissing her and sending her upstairs, promising to join her. He had changed over the past week. It confused her, how he went from being so cold to the way he had become. It was as if he had become an entirely different person than the boy she had seen roam the halls of the castle so many years before and the stoic professor she had known him as. But she rather enjoyed this new Severus. This Severus that no one knew but her. Her Severus.

She allowed her head to roll to one side, heavy with intoxication. She brought the glass to her lips once more, draining it of its contents and reaching for the bottle that sat beside the tub. The neck clumsily clinked against the mouth of the class, Kate emptying the small amount of wine that remained in the bottle, tossing it back quickly. Her eyebrows wrinkled in displeasure. She considered calling for Tilly to bring another bottle. Severus must have bought a second bottle. Or third? Was this her second bottle? She had lost count. She let her arm dangle over the side of the tub, her eyelids heavy. Maybe she could just rest her eyes for a few moments…

"What happened to seeing in the new year?"

She opened her eyes, Severus smirking at her from the doorway. She smiled, reaching her hand out to him, "It is still my intention. I was simply-,"

"Resting your eyes?" he chuckled, lowering himself onto the closed seat of the toilet and taking her hand in his own, "You act as if you haven't tried to sell me that lie before, darling."

Darling. She loved that. How sweet it sounded floating from his lips. "And you act as if you haven't bought it." Her words slurred heavily, Severus noticing the empty bottle next to the clawfoot tub. It had been her second since dinner, excluding the few glasses he had out of the first with dinner. For a small woman, she surely could outdrink him. "I though you were going to come join me?"

"I had planned to," he said, "But I found a few more essays left to grade. And I would much rather finish it tonight than try to find time for it tomorrow."

She giggled, followed by a hiccup, "You work too hard."

He chucked again, "I suppose."

"It's not too late," she said, looking up at him, her eyes glassy, "The water is still warm."

He leaned over, pressing a kiss to his horny, drunken lover's forehead, "I believe it is time for you to go to bed. You have a long train ride back to Hogwarts ahead of you come morning."

She stuck her lip out in a pout, like a child who didn't get their way, "Oh, Severus, it's still early. We still have plenty of time to rest."

"Katherine," his voice low and quiet, but stern, "It's time for bed, sweetheart. Towel off and go get in bed. I'll straighten up in here and join you in a moment."

He took her kiss as her agreement, helping her stand up. It took her a moment to gain her balance, erupting into a fit of giggles when she wobbled. Severus stared at her, taking in what could be on of their last happy moments; her drunk and naked, rivulets of soapy bath water dripping down her stomach and gathering between her legs. There asn't anything in the world more magnificent. He wondered if he should tell her now, the words he had spoken to Dumbledore in the kitchen days before. Would she remember them come morning? Would she even reciprocate those feelings? He remembered the pain he carried for year when Lily didn't. He watched her stumble to the door, still dripping wet and gripping the doorframe for support, hiccupping once more. Severus' words caught in his throat, the right words fighting on his tongue, "Kate," he said, her brown eyes fixing on him. Now is your chance, he thought, swallowing hard, "I hope you know," he said quietly, "That I do deeply care for you."

Idiot.

Kate smiled, nodding. She kept his gaze, her keeps turning pink and Severus wasn't sure if it was from the alcohol. "I know," she stated simply. Severus wondered if she could hear his heart pounding in the dark bathroom. There was a pause as Kate searched for how she wanted to respond. "Don't be long."

Severus watched as she disappeared from the doorway, her footsteps loud and heavy as she stumbled one door over. The heavy door creaked open, Severus hearing the bedsprings groan under her as she curled up on the left side of his bed for what she didn't know to be the last time. Severus rolled up his sleeve, reaching into the now chilled water to pull the plug, the sound of water roaring down the drain filling the otherwise quiet room. He gathered the empty bottle and glass, setting it o the vanity and deciding to get to it in the morning. He caught his own reflection in the vanity mirror, the raised pink flesh left exposed by his rolled sleeve staring back at him. He sighed, running his fingers over the ghastly mark. He wondered if she truly did know.

Please review.

-DCAGP xo