Kate ran her fingers along the spines of the shelved books, the leather soft under her fingers. Severus had wandered off into the bookstore, Kate sure that their night would be spent with Severus hunched over a new reading at the dinner table, leaving her to browse as he shopped. She had assumed that the several thick texts he had ordered would satisfy him for some time, but she had come to realize that his thirst could never be quenched. She couldn't pretend as if she didn't enjoy finding him upright in bed when she would stir in the late hours of the night, his eyes locked on his book, Kate resting her head in his lap as he read and combed his fingers through her hair, Kate drifting off to the soothing motion and sound of pages turning. The last time she had been in Flourish and Blotts, she had been purchasing her books for the school year. She remembered compiling that stack of textbooks, Meredith buzzing beside her, her peers darting in and out of the bookshop as they simultaneously prepared for the impending school year. She had always loved the atmosphere of bookshops; the peaceful tranquility that oozed from it, the quiet call of each bound adventure waiting to be told, drawing in a new reader to fall in love with printed word, the smell of leather and paper heavy and fragrant in the air. She understood how Severus could lose himself in the shelves, drawn into the quiet comfort. She never anticipated the previous summer that she would be accompanying one of her professors to the shop the following summer. She considered looking for him, sure she would find him somewhere reading about potions and plants from countries she couldn't pronounce.

She pulled a book from the shelf, running her fingers along the cover, opening carefully the title page; Teaching Magical Children: Instructional Methods and Pedagogy. Kate thumbed through the pages, glancing over the text and photographs. She stopped when she reached a compilation of lesson plans, reading over the lesson title of one; Introduction to Magical Creatures. She shifted her weight onto her hip, leaning against the shelf as she read over the learning objectives.

"Kate?"

She looked up, cringing at the sound of his brogue, annoyance buzzing through her body when she identified the source of the voice calling her name. Angus stood far too close to her, smiling shyly, his hands stuffed into the pocket of his smock. Kate noticed the shop's crest embellished on the front of the smock. He had cut his hair, his dark locks now cropped short, a hint of a beard on his cheeks. K ate turned her attention back to the books, scanning over the instructions of the lesson, "Hello, Angus," she said flatly.

Angus cleared his throat, Kate looking up once more from the book, "How are you?"

Kate closed the book, holding it in front of her and smoothing the front of her dress, the boy making it obvious he was not going to leave her alone. "I'm fine," she stated.

Angus nodded, "Good, that's good," he said softly. The two stood there in silence, Kate waiting for him to leave. She found herself wishing that Severus wasn't such an absolute brainiac geek devoted to his career so they could have left twenty minutes ago and she could have been spared this loathsome interaction. Angus removed a hand from the pocket, rubbing the back of his neck, pointing at Kate, "You were going to apply an internship at St. Mungo's," Angus said, "Did you get it?"

"I decided to follow a different path." She said, eyes rolling over the smock, "And last I heard you were pursuing a career with the Ministry."

Angus looked down, chuckling nervously, "Oh, yes, well," he was obviously embarrassed by Kate's comment, Kate finding herself regretting her snark. Although he was an utter ass for the way he had treated her, she wondered why she had hung to the past for so long, allowing bitterness to overcome her. "I didn't score high enough on my OWLs for the Department of International Magical Cooperation, so I'm here for the time being."

Kate nodded, drumming her fingers against the cover of the book, glancing around for Severus, "I'm sorry to hear that," Merlin's Beard, where the hell was he, she wondered, "Well then, I must be going."

Kate turned, taking a few steps away, deciding that she would find Severus instead of waiting for him. Angus followed after her, "I didn't see Meredith!" he called.

Kate stopped, rolling her eyes, turning to face him, "Pardon?"

"I didn't see Meredith," he repeated, "I heard that you were living with her and her family."

Kate wondered when Angus MacElfrish suddenly became so knowing of her life. He had paid little attention to her during their time together, Kate wondering why he had such an interest in her now. "No," she said, "My plans changed."

Angus nodded, "So where are you now? Are you living with your mum?"

Kate bit back the sarcasm that begged to slip off her lounge. Severus was beginning to rub off on her. "I'm not," she said, chewing over her next words carefully, "I'm actually… living with someone."

Angus's eyebrows raised, nodding in realization at the underlying meaning of her words, "Oh, well," he said softly, "How long have you been together?"

"Since Christmas," give or take a heartbreak and a reconciliation or two. But, she found it unnecessary to include a timeline.

"Wow," he gestured towards her again, "Well, that's fantastic. Congratulations. Who is he? Someone we went to school with?"

"I assume you could say that," she stated. Angus's eyes widened, his gaze shifting from her to beyond her. Relief overwhelmed her when she felt his warm hand press against her lower back, turning to look up at him. Several books were tucked in his arm, proving Kate's suspicions correct. Angus looked upon the couple, eyes wide with shock. "I was wondering where you wandered off to," Kate said, Severus rolling his eyes, "Did you find everything?"

"I do not wander, Katherine," he said, "Yes, I believe this along with the research I have ordered will suffice. Are you ready to return home?"

Severus glanced over at Angus, nodding in acknowledgement, "Mr. MacElfrish,"

"Professor Snape," Angus choked out, obviously in disbelief of the pairing in front of him.

Severus nodded once more, turning his attention back to her, "Shall we be going then?"

Kate nodded, "Yes, dear," she turned to Angus, bewilderment leaving him silent, "Nice to see you, Angus."

Angus raised a hand, waving goodbye to his former classmate and professor. The couple moved towards the exit, Severus keeping his hand on her back as they stepped into the bustling street, Diagon Alley alive as people darted from store front to store front, voices and laughter bouncing off the walls. The two maneuvered through the foot traffic, Kate bumping shoulders with passing pedestrians. "Took you long enough to come looking for me," she said, taking the arm Severus offered to her.

"What do you mean? It seemed like you were having a lovely conversation."

Kate looked up, Severus holding back a smirk as he looked upon her, "You are absolutely loathsome. You do understand that, do you?"

Severus chuckled, "I believe you may have told me before," Kate stifling a giggle as they walked, Severus falling quiet once more. She glanced around, scanning over the window fronts and perusing the displays, reflecting on the rather awkward encounter, "I always thought he was a prick." Severus stated, Kate erupting into laughter.

"So have I," she said, patting his arm.

"Explain to me again the necessity to buy flowers when you have plenty here, Katherine," Severus inquired, staring down at the bouquet of sunflowers she had insisted upon tucked into one of the bags of groceries he held.

Kate set the bag she carried onto the counter, removing the flowers as Severus set the bags down, "Again, Severus, they're a lovely color and I thought they would look nice," she said pointedly, calling for Tilly. The house elf appeared with a pop, Kate instructing her to start dinner as she filled a vase with water. Severus rolled his eyes, leaning forward to press a kiss to her cheek, reaching to remove a book from the stack of the day's purchases on the kitchen table and preparing to retire to his study for the evening. He had found one especially intriguing; a compiled research of the multiple uses of phoenix feathers in potion making for resuscitation and other medical purposes. He sorted through the books, locating the target of his search. He noticed the thick envelope beside the stack. He scanned over the elegant handwriting; Miss Kathy Jean. He squinted at the unfamiliar name, puzzled, Kate setting the water filled vessel onto the counter, "What is it?"

"You never told me that your middle name is Jean," he said, holding it out to her.

She wiped her hands on the front of her dress, taking the envelope from him, pulling the letter from inside of it, "The reason being I absolutely loathe my middle name," she stated.

Severus settled into one of the creaky kitchen chairs, leaning over his now open book. He glanced up at her, noticing her face falling as she read, sadness washing over her. Concern came over him, Severus closing the book, "Who is it from, Kathy Jean?" he smirked cheekily. His face fell when she noticed the solemn expression that shadowed her.

Kate folded the letter quickly, tucking it into the envelope, "My aunt," she said, her voice almost a sigh, her heart heavy, "Next week is the anniversary of my father's passing. My family is getting together to celebrate his life and she would like me to return to Ireland to attend." The words made her feel ill. How wrong it felt to reduce him to an anniversary; her father now just a date on the calendar that would come to pass every year. He was more than that. Her father had been more than the day he died. He deserved more than that. She longed to write to him, to speak with him, to have a few more moments with him; not to let him become a day of the week. Missing him had become a pastime, longing aching in her bones as the memories flooded her mind as she lay awake at night. She thought of him constantly, finding herself wondering what her father would think of her current position; would she be back in Ireland? She would wonder what her father would think of her sudden shift in career, what he would think of the man she slept beside. She wondered if he would be proud of her.

Severus nodded, Kate setting the letter on the counter and turning away from him, submerging the stems of the flowers into the vase. "Thank you, Tilly," she said quietly, "I can take it from here." She took the house elf's place at the counter, slicing carrots mechanically, instructing Tilly to find a place for the vase on the mantle. Severus watched her, a tense silence falling over the small room. She had gone rigid, her movements stiff and deliberate. Even with her back turned to him Severus knew that her face was creased in concentration, teeth gnashing at the inside of her cheek, Severus recognizing the nervous habit. He had never done well with women in distress, let alone people in distress, and Kate was of no exception to his incapability to the spectrum of human emotion. He sat uncomfortably, eyes fixed on her back as she moved, the occasional sniffle breaking the heavy silence. Severus stood, crossing the short distance to her. He hesitated, Kat seeing his reflection in the window pane as he stepped behind her, slowly wrapping his arms around her, unsure if his physical comfort would be welcomed or appreciated. She paused when he pulled her against his chest, placing the knife f the point of his chin resting on her shoulder. This was all still so new to him, the sweetness of the gesture surprising Kate as she wrapped her fingers around his bicep, giving it a light squeeze, "I'll come get you when dinner is ready," she said softly.

"I can stay if you'd like," he argued.

She patted his arm once more, looking up at him, sadness clouding her eyes, glassy and wet with tears, "I'll come get you," she repeated, her voice a shaky whisper.

Severus nodded, pressing a soft kiss to her head as she broke away from his embrace, her sudden change in mood leaving him with a heaviness over him. Seeing her in pain left him with an ache that ate at him, and unlike the months in which he had watched her suffer from afar, he was now in a position to ease her pain and he still felt utterly useless as she sent him away. He had spent so many years alone and without someone to care for him, leaving him unsure of how to care for her. He retrieved the book from the table, turning to leave the kitchen, Kate returning to dinner preparations. He paused when he reached the doorway, the sound of rustling paper as Kate unfolded the letter stopping his exit. He continued into the other room, Kate allowing the soft cries to escape her mouth once he was out of her sight, but he remained within ear shot.

Severus yawned, joints popping as he stretched behind his desk. He closed the heavy volume, adding it to the stack that had grown steadily on his work space since his return home. The wind that had come in earlier in the week blew steadily beyond the streaky glass of the windows, the inky black night now several hours old. Kate had slipped into the study hours ago, placing a hot cup of coffee in front of him, Severus's still head hung over the text when she leaned across the desk to press a kiss to his forehead before retiring to bed. He assumed that she must be sprawled out across his side of the bed by now, one arm tucked under her pillow and the other tossed over where his body would rest, awaiting the moment Severus would move her to her side and find his place beside her. He straightened his things, readying himself to creep up the stairs and into bed without disturbing her. Papers and books littered his desk as Severus stepped from behind it, taking his wand from the tabletop, his notes rustling and organizing with a quick flick of his wand, the books clapping shut and stacking neatly.

The darkened home was quiet, his footsteps echoing throughout the hallway as he neared the stairway, wand clutched in his hand. Severus started up the stairs, pausing when he noticed the candle she had left lit in the kitchen. He sighed, shaking his head as he retraced his steps back down the stairs and into the kitchen to button up the things she had left forgotten. A wine glass sat alone on the countertop, Severus emptying its now warm contents into the drain, placing the glass into the sink before leaning over the counter to blow out the sickeningly sweet-smelling candle on the window sill. He turned to escape to the warmth of his bed and his lover's arms once more, letting out an exasperated groan when he spotted the darkened silhouette of the wine bottle on the table. He lifted his wand, "Lumos," a soft light washing over the darkened room. He corked the bottle, his urgency ceasing once he noticed the photograph beside the bottle. He held the tip of his wand to the photograph, illuminating the round face of a young Kate. He picked up the photograph, examining the image; she had probably only been 7 or 8 years old when the picture had been taken. Her hair was still the wild cloud of curls that he had grown accustom to pushing out of his face every night, her wide brown eyes gazing forward, her front toothless grin caught in a silent laugh. Her tiny hands were wrapped around the handle of a training broomstick, Severus smiling as he thought of her days spent above a quidditch pitch. His eyes focused on the redheaded man in the background; tall and broad, a handsome smile beaming from under an unruly, yet impressive, beard. Kate sat on his knee, Murphy's arm around his daughter in what Severus was sure to be a fond memory immortalized. So, this was Murphy Blakewood, his Katherine's idol. Severus thought of the photographs of his own father, tucked away in a box in the attic never to be gazed upon again. He wondered what it must be like to miss a father so dearly, Tobias Snape's name never leaving Severus's mouth after the heart attack that had ended the brutish man's life. He envied her in a way, wondering what it must have been like to know a father's love and to love him in return. All he had known was his father's fists and taste for alcohol, remembering the harsh words and unkindness he had spat at his son.

He set the photograph back onto the table, her aunt's letter laid out beside the bottle. Intrigued, Severus slip it to him, wondering what had been said to upset Kate earlier that night. She had been quiet since their return home, Severus finding the silence her lack of chatter left behind to be worrisome. He looked over the delicate cursive, reading over her aunt's words;

Kathy Dear,

Congratulations on your graduation from Hogwarts. We are so sorry that we couldn't have been there to support you, but we know your father was watching over you and that he is very proud of you as well. I hope all is well. I was going through a few things the other day and came across this picture of you and your Da. Uncle Connor took this on your 7th birthday. You were absolutely delighted to have your own broom. I thought that you would like to have it.

As next week approaches, I am reminded every day of your father and I know that your thoughts are with him as well. We all miss him dearly. The family will be gathering on Thursday to celebrate your father at the pub. We would love if you would join us. We love and miss you and would be delighted to see you.

All of my love,

Auntie Annabelle

Severus sighed as he placed the parchment back onto the table, now with a dull ache in his chest for the woman in his bed. He left the kitchen, headed up the stairs for the second time that night. The light of his wand cast shadows against the walls as he pushed the bedroom door open, Kate laid out on the bed, the sheets tossed over her small frame. He cut the light out as he neared the bed, sitting beside her. Her eyes were ringed with puffy dark circles from crying, her breathing soft and even as she slept, the smell of wine heavy on her breath. Severus stroked her hair, looking upon the peaceful, innocent face of the child from the photograph, now with a brokenness about her. He kicked off his trousers, removing his shirt as he laid down beside her, sighing as he settled into his pillow, closing his eyes and listening to the sounds of her breathing and the wind, the old tree tapping against the window. He heard the sheets rustle beside him, her warm hand running across his chest, arm draping across his waist, lips pressing against his cheek, "Took you long enough," she whispered, sleep heavy on her voice, eyes still pinched shut.

She rolled to her side, Severus following and wrapping his arms around her as he kissed her neck. Silence fell over the room again, Severus coming to enjoy ending his days in this way. Kate intertwined her fingers with his, pulling his hand to her chest, Severus felling her heart beat under his fingertips, her chest rising and falling gently. He gave her hand a soft squeeze, speaking out into the dark, "We should go to Ireland."

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xo DCAGP