The Potion Mistress & the Half-Blood Prince

Chapter 38: Given

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the people or places that belong to the wonderful world of Harry Potter, as they belong to J.K. Rowling. The OC (Katherine) is entirely my own.

"Come to watch the show Snape...Snape...Snape...."

"I'm only getting what I didn't get at Yule..."

"I've been waiting a long time for this..."

"NO!"

Severus' eyes snapped open quickly and his breathing was ragged. Every time he tried to sleep, the same images of flashed through his mind. He wanted so much to take a sleeping draught, but he knew that it would be unwise. If the Dark Lord should call, he had to be ready.

His eyes drifted over the sleeping witch that was laying to his right. Her face was relaxed, but there were still stains from where the tears had slid down her cheeks. The redness was gone, as well as the puffiness, but he feared most for her mental state.

Katherine stirred in her sleep under his gaze; the cloak and linen slipping off slightly, revealing the pale milky flesh of her shoulder. Severus watched as she slowly opened her eyes, blinking away the haze the clouded her vision.

"Good morning," Severus said quietly, as he watched her eyes for any hints of panic or distress.

"What's so good about it?" Katherine mumbled, pulling the linen back over her shoulder and hugged it closer to her body. Of course, he couldn't answer that. What was good about it, except for the fact that she would be okay, in time.

Her ice blue eyes held both anger and sadness within them. Anger at the betrayal of a friend, and sadness about the fact it had even happened. Severus knew he would have to ask her again about what had happened the night of the Yule Ball, and now also what happened just last night before he arrived.

"Katherine," Severus said calmly, as he tried to reach out for her hand, but she flinched away from him. "I need to know what happened on the night of the ball. You need to tell me."

"I can't," Katherine whispered, lowering her eyes away from him.

"Katherine please," Severus implored. "I need to know what happened between you and Lucius that night. I need to understand why this has happened."

"I can't Sev," Katherine stammered, the tears forming in her eyes again. "I just can't say it."

"Then show me," Severus pleaded. "Open your mind. Let me see the memories then." Katherine swallowed hard, before nodding her consent. Severus slowly reach out and raised her chin, forcing her to look at him once again.

"I'll try to be as gentle as possible," Severus told her, as he looked into her eyes again. "Legilimens."

Severus saw Katherine perched upon the ottoman in his room at Malfoy Manor. Her back was to the door and she was watching the fire intently. The door opened from the hallway, revealing Lucius, but Katherine had yet to turn around.

"Sev, could you help me with the zipper and the corset?" Katherine had asked, with a slight smirk on her face. "I hat flicking my wand at something I can't see." Severus watched as Lucius walked across the room and stopped just behind her.

He watched a frown form on Katherine's face, just before Lucius reached out and tugged at the back of the dress, unzipping it. His other hand came up and brushed across her bare shoulder.

Katherine flinched at the contact and quickly grabbed her wand. She stood hastily and turned towards the blond wizard, jabbing her wand into his chest. She held her dress with one hand, as the other continued to hold her wand to his person.