Severus sunk back into the armchair, gripping the worn fabric of the arms. Rain tapped against the window pain behind him; dreary weather had returned to Spinner's End since their return home, the summer storm leaving them forced to the confines of their home during their final days of summer. He would be returning to Hogwarts in six days time for the beginning of the term, the presence of his trunk open at the foot of the bed a looming reminder. For the first time in Severus's recent memory, he did not feel the same excitement and longing to return to Hogwarts. In his boyhood, he spent the entire summer counting down the days until he could leave the confines of his tumultuous home, to the safety and reprieve of the school. Memories of summers spent at Spinner's End were clouded with his mother's tears, his father's drunken shouting, and the stench of stale alcohol. That same dark haze had hung over the previous summers of his adulthood. However, the warm glow of the summer of now replaced the darkness of his memory; memories of hate and fear replaced with that of days spent tangled in each other, leaving him to lament the looming date.

The bite of her nails in the flesh of his thighs pulled him from his thoughts. He sucked in a sharp breath between his teeth, looking down at the pretty view of her curls bobbing rhythmically in his lap. Her eyes were pinched shut, lashes resting on her cheeks as he fucked her mouth. She gripped his thighs, steadying herself between his knees.

"Look at me," he groaned, voice low as he knotted his fingers in her hair, tilting her head back until she was looking up at him from under her lashes, lips still wrapped around him. He looked down upon the sight at his feet; her blouse disheveled and unbuttoned, her flushed breasts exposed and protruding from her braiserrie, swollen and nipples still erect from his lips. Her skirt was gathered around her waist, panties discarded somewhere in the room, her knees red and raw. Fuck, she was lovely like this. "Good girl," he smirked, stroking her cheek with his thumb, "You look so beautiful with my cock in your mouth. Just exquisite. My beautiful Katherine."

The corners of her mouth turned up in a smile, letting out a giggle around him. She took the length of him into her mouth, Severus throwing his head back with a moan. Katherine let his cock escape her mouth with a wet pop, wiping strands of saliva from her lips with the back of one hand and stroking her lover's cock with the other. Severus reached down, gently taking her face in his hand. Katherine kept his eyes as she licked the finger that he traced her lips with, Severus chuckling when she took his fingers into her mouth. "Such a greedy little thing, aren't you?" He laughed. She had been insatiable since their return home, and he had struggled to keep himself away from her as well. The foreboding date of Severus's return to Hogwarts left then both feeling a sense of urgency, desperate for as much of the other as they could get.

Katherine stood, gathering the pinky fabric of her skirt as she settled onto his lap in the old chair. His hands ran up her thighs, settling on her hips as she steadied herself over him. Severus sucked in a breath when her slick warmth brushed against him, his cock twitching in anticipation for her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, "I'm only trying to get my fill of you before you leave is all. It's rather cruel of you to leave me here, really" She teased.

"Oh? Is that so?" He smirked, slipping a hand under her skirt, long fingers toying with her swollen bud. She squirmed, hips bucking against his hand. He pressed his lips to her collarbone, her fingers knotting in his hair. Her head fell back, a moan leaving her lips as his fingertips pressed against her, swirling in the slow, firm circles that he knew would bring her to a peak.

"Mhm," she breathed, "I could come with you, you know. No one would need to know. I could spend my days in Hogsmeade, or in your quarters. Wait for you to return to your office and fuck me over your desk."

His quickening pace had begun to elicit her whimpers, her back arching against him as she rocked herself against his fingers as he slipped between her folds, a gasp escaping her lips. He loved seeing her like this, undone and begging for him. "I am beginning to believe that your focus was elsewhere during my classes, Miss Blakewood. Perhaps all of that time in detention taught you nothing."

"Oh, shut up and fuck me already."

"As you wish, my love."

Katherine's lips crashed against his, her hands knotted in his hair. He leaned forward, grabbing at her hips once again to position her over him. He guided himself into her, both moaning as he filled her. Katherine rocked her hips, resting her forehead against his, the sounds of their quickening breaths and the groans of the stressed springs of the chair intermingled with the wet spatters of rain against the window pane. Severus quickened his pace, knowing from the way her hips bucked and her sweet whimpers that she was close. He grasped at her neck, his thumb pressed against her throat and pointer finger holding her chin, keeping her eyes on him. She moaned, Severus responding with a satisfied smirk and pressing his lips to her neck.

She let out an annoyed gasp as the kettle whistled in the kitchen, turning toward the kitchen. Severus leaned forward,wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him again, dragging her teeth along her earlobe, trailing his lips down her neck. "Ignore it."

Katherine did as she was told, turning back to him. However the whistling intensified, a loud, high scream calling from the kitchen. Severu clumsily grasped for his wand on the side table, cursing when his fingertips pushed it just out of his reach. Katherine chuckled, pressing a kiss to his cheek and rising from his lap, despite his protests. Severus watched as she closed the short distance to the kitchen, straightening her skirt and smoothing her blouse. Severus groaned, the discomfort of unfound release heavy. "I can't focus with it screeching like that," she called behind her, "I can't imagine that you can, either."

"I can't say that I even noticed it over the racket you were making," he said, standing and tucking his still stiff member back into his trousers with a dissatisfied groan.

"Surely, you aren't complaining," she called from the kitchen, Severus settling behind his desk, muttering a spell and the fireplace instantaneously crackling, casting a glow across the otherwise dim room.

"Certainly in this situation, I have a reason for complaint, Katherine."

Katherine scoffed, sticking her tongue out at him, which he rolled his eyes at. She turned, an amused smile on her face as she clattered through the cabinets, "Tea, my love?"

"Yes, darling."

She returned from the kitchen, balancing steaming mugs as she crossed the room back to him, a copy of the Daily Prophet under her arm. He took his, Katherine perching herself on the arm of the chair next to him as he thumbed through the Prophet, reading over his shoulder. They sat in silence, the sound of the rain and crackling of the fire filling the room. She shifted herself, lowering her head to rest on his shoulder. Severus pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head, a now automatic response. He had come to quite enjoy these pockets of quiet comfort. He knew that he would long for them come his return to Hogwarts; for the weight of her head on his shoulder, the tickle of her hair, the smell of her shampoo, her warmth and laughter.

He sighed, setting the paper down in his lap. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. She gladly obliged, tucking her head into his neck and draping her legs over his. She sighed happily and pressed a kiss to his neck. "I hope you don't expect me to sit and pine for you once you are gone," she said, running her hand across his chest, Severus closing his hand over her own, "because I most certainly won't."

Severus chuckled softly, "I will miss you as well, my love."

"Only 17 weeks until you come home for Christmas."

"Obviously, you aren't going to long for me at all."

She smiled, pressing a kiss to his cheek as she stood and gathered their mugs. He watched her cross the room and disappear back into the kitchen. Dishes clinked in the sink, the mumbled rush of the faucet and dull thuds of cupboards being opened and closed signaling that Katherine had resumed the chores she had abandoned when he had come into the kitchen earlier to press against her as she washed dishes, nibbling her neck and slipping a wandering hand under her blouse. The mail that she had called him into the kitchen to collect was still scattered next to the table, discarded from where she had placed it on the table before he had swiped it off to lay her on her back and dip his head between her legs, enjoying his first meal of the day with a great enthusiasm. She knelt down, gathering the envelopes and replacing them to their place on the table after sorting through the letters. She had received a letter from Meredith, Kate opening the rosy envelope and scanning over the creamy parchment. "Meredith is on holiday in Paris," she called out, reading over the details of her friend's travels, "She says it's quite romantic during the summer,"

The creak of Severus shifting in his desk chair signaled to her that he had returned to his desk, undoubtedly returning to his planning for the upcoming term, "How nice it must be to flit around on an inflated Ministry salary."

Katherine rolled her eyes, stuffing the letter back into the envelope and turning her attention back to the rest of the mail, "Ah, your books are in at Flourish and Blotts. We will need to go collect them before you leave."

Severus nodded in agreement, returning his focus back to the Prophet. The home returned to a comfortable silence, Katherine taking to the chores that had been left forgotten in the morning's escapades. She swished her wand at the broom in the corner, the utensil snapping up straight before sweeping across the room in large strokes. It caught a heavy parchment envelope, tossing it on the linoleum until it landed at Katherine's feet. She immediately recognized her former Head of House's uniform script. Katherine leaned against the doorway, Severus lifting his eyes from the book he had began to thumb through. She removed the contents of the envelope, scanning over the parchment as she crossed the room and holding out the last of the mail to him. "The agenda for your first faculty meeting arrived."

Severus took the envelope, reading over the enclosed parchment, Katherine returning to the kitchen. All fairly mainstreamed from the previous year: Minerva's well wishes, Albus's hopes for the year, a long winded description of each dull action item on the agenda. He rubbed his eyes, sighing as he thought about the impending return date and various tasks he had yet to complete before then, long fingers tugging open the desk drawer to discard the agenda with an unceremonious toss. Before he could shove the drawer shut and return to his reading, the glint of polished silver caught his eye. Severus gingerly plucked the ring from its spot in his drawer, turning it over in his fingers. He brushed his thumb over the ornate engravings, looking up to where she stood in front of the sink.

Weeks had passed since he had retrieved the ring from his mother's jewelry box, yet it had remained hidden in the drawer, tucked between bottles of ink and covered by quills; camouflaged to her spying eyes. He had caught himself toying with it most nights, eyes fixed in her as she twittered around the house unknowingly. He felt immobilized by the thoughts that came with the ring; marriage- the title of a husband felt so alien to him. He had filled many a role in his short life; Death Eater, spy, professor but husband. Husband felt out of reach, unbecoming and undeserved by a man such as himself. He father had never been the gleaming image of a partner, a drunk and wife beater and lousy father. He had the slightest idea of how to be the husband she so deserved. Katherine, his Katherine; the kindest, most loving, patient woman he had ever known. She deserved more than he could ever offer her.

But, as she swayed to the records she played as she cleaned, as she droned on, not caring if he was listening or not, as the firelight cast shadows across her and he fought the urge to gather her in his arms; Merlin, he wanted to try to be that man.

"We will need to make a trip to Diagon Alley this week," she called, not recognizing that Severus had crept into the kitchen, pausing in the doorway. He listened as she droned on about errands and groceries and whatever other insufferable, nagging thought came to her beautiful, little head as she washed a mug. His Katherine; his beautiful, annoying, impossible, stubborn, incredible Katherine. He wanted to listen to each grating word for the rest of his moments; to live a lifetime filled with her voice and nasally laugh and terrible muggle music that she played much too loud and sang along to so poorly. To hold her in his arms every night and kiss her sweet lips. His Katherine; his darling love.

She chattered on, drying the mug with a rag. Severus crossed the kitchen, equivocating if he should stand or kneel. Ultimately, Severus dropped to one knee, heart racing as he fumbled to find the best way to hold the ring. Katherine continued to drone, Severus wondering when the woman would take a damn moment to breath before she passed out cold on the bloody linoleum. She reached to open the cupboard, popping up on her toes and making an annoyed sound as she struggled to place the mug on the top shelf. "Ugh, Sev, can you come help me," she called, turning to collect him from the office. He watched as her eyes fell on him, confusion quickly being replaced by shock. His heart pounded, Severus becoming aware of how his hands shook as he held out the silver band. "Katherine," he said softly, staring up at her.

Realization washed over her face, Katherine's hands flying to cover her mouth with a gasp, "Oh," she muttered, "Oh, Sev."

Severus struggled to force the words he had spent so many days preparing. He looked up at her, screaming at himself to spit it out. He was a man of science, a man of intellect. What was it about her that took the words from him and left him a puppet to his own emotions? Her hands had dropped to her chest, excited

giggles filling the silent room. He reached up, taking her hand, "Katherine," he cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably on the kitchen floor and collecting his thoughts, "Katherine, will you do me the honor of-."

He failed to finish his sentence, his words punctuated by Katherine's lips crashing against his own, her hands wrapped around his face. His fingers found the small of her neck, pulling her into his kiss gently. She pulled away, pressing her forehead to his and nodding vigorously. He chuckled, kissing her again, finding her interruption so very fitting. "Yes," she said breathlessly.

Severus stood quickly, gathering her into his arms and kissing her deeply. She threw her arms around his neck, giggling into his kiss. Severus held the ring out to her once more, chuckling at the girlish way she grasped his hand with both of her own and bounced on her toes excitedly. "It is not much," he said, slipping the band on to her finger when she held her hand out to him, "It belonged to my mother. Once I can afford to, I will buy whatever you like, I promise-."

Katherine stopped him, pressing her fingers to his lips, "It's perfect," she whispered, admiring the simple band. Severus pressed his lips to hers once more, both caught in overwhelm of the moment.

"I am aware of the unfortunate timing," he said, "I loathe that I will be leaving you in mere days, but I could not let another moment pass without asking you to be my wife. Unfortunately, this will leave you to plan our wedding during one of the periods I am on leave."

Katherine played with the band, her face still split into a bright smile. She waved her hand dismissively, "A wedding?" she scoffed, "Please, I don't need any of that. I would go down to the Ministry today if it meant I didn't have to spend another day not being your wife."

Severus smiled, looking down at her. His Katherine, his beautiful bride. "Well, I don't believe that we had plans today."

Hello, loves.

I have created a mood board on my Pinterest to help inspire me as I write. If interested, you can view that board on my Pinterest by following this link!: https/pin.it/785aCGH