Easier To Run

A/N : Happy Easter all. The holiday celebrating the day that Jesus came back from the grave to hide colored eggs. : ) But one thing : No laptop = no typing while annoying relatives visit. Pray for me. : )

Not really much to gab about. This chapter is going to be mostly, if not all, Snape and Katie. Haven't decided yet. I'll write out all I want to write and if it's a full chapter, than so be it! : )

Onward!

****

Katie found herself wise awake by seven in the morning the next day. After waking up in a cold sweat at about five, she stayed up thinking thoroughly about what Percy had said.

"A Death Eater," she mumbled, running a hand through her tangled hair.

She had always had her suspicions about the man, as did everyone at the school. But it had never come to that level of extreme. For Katie at least. She was sure that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had some embellished theories. And seeing as Severus seemed to despise Harry, she couldn't really blame them.

'But he had gone to the Light in the war's darkest hour. Risking his own life in the process,' her mind reminded her, 'That has to count for something.'

Her mind was set. She was too confused to dwell on it much longer. But as she showered and dressed, she thought about how to approach the subject. She decided, after fooling with her hair for fifteen minutes, to be blunt and to the point. She wanted to know about her parents and about Severus' past. She knew her boundaries. Everyone had secrets, and he was entitled to his. But she wanted to know as much as he was willing to tell.

She walked down to breakfast, confident but nervous as hell. Twice she turned around in the halls, fully intending to go right back to Gryffindor Tower. But her tiny inner-Gryffindor forced her to enter the Great Hall. She engaged in small talk with Dumbledore and Hagrid, seeing as McGonagall had left again. She couldn't make herself even look at Severus. She screamed at herself internally. She was being weak. How was she supposed to ask him about her parents when she couldn't even look him the eye?

As soon as breakfast, she made a inconspicuous mad dash (if such a thing exists) out onto the grounds and over to her rock. She had to gather her thoughts. Plan out what she was going to say. She had to be nice about it and undemanding or he wouldn't tell her a damn thing. After about a half hour out on her rock, she climbed down and began her walk back to the castle. Trying to keep her nerves, and consequentially her breakfast, down, she took deep breaths as she entered the castle. To her surprise, Severus was standing in the entrance hall, looking at her curiously as she entered.

"You were acting rather peculiarly at breakfast. Are you feeling alright?" he asked kindly.

Katie felt guilt flick at her heart. She was going to make him relive, possibly, terrible memories and he was worried about her. Looking up from the floor, Katie leveled her gaze at him.

"I've got some things on my mind. Things I wanted to ask you about. I had to think over what I was going to say," she said, pointing her thumb over her shoulder at the doors.

Severus' face remained neutral as he surveyed Katie. "I see," he said calmly, "And what things would you want to ask me about? I seem to remember you telling me you'd never come running to me for anything," he said smirking at her.

"You're the only person who knows what I want to know," Katie said, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Very well. Follow me, Miss. Bell," Severus said walking toward the dungeons.

Katie had to jog to catch up with his long strides. He led her down into the Potions classroom, but back into the room she had seen him exit from a few times. Inside, was what looked to be a large study. Book shelves lined three of the walls. On the remaining wall, was a fireplace and the door they had walked in. The furniture reminded Katie of how Remus' quarters had been set up. There was a couch, an arm chair and a small table before the couch. The only difference was that Severus' furniture was made of leather. He motioned for Katie to sit in the arm chair, as he sat on the couch.

"Please tell me. What could I possibly tell you that you need to know?" Severus said coolly.

"I want to know what you know about my parents and how you met," Katie said, mentally checking off the first question on her list of hundreds.

Severus looked taken aback by the question for a moment, but quickly recovered. "Well, I knew your father from school. We were, uh, in the same house," he stated uncomfortably.

"What House?" Katie asked quickly, mentally checking off another one of her questions.

Severus looked at her curiously. "You honestly don't know?" he asked and upon seeing Katie shake her head 'no', took a deep breath and spoke his next word, "Slytherin."

Katie's eyes widened slightly. Her father was in Slytherin? Her father? She didn't want to believe it, but she could tell that Severus was telling the truth.

"Do you want me to go on?" he asked kindly.

Katie nodded numbly.

"Alright. I didn't know your father that well. He was a year or so ahead of me," he said tapping his foot in a nervous fashion, "Well, for the story to continue in the way I'd like to tell it, there is a piece of information that needs to be said about me."

"The Death Eater thing," Katie offered.

"Yes, precisely. How did you know?"

"Oh, uh, Percy told me," Katie said nervously.

"Did he tell you anything else?"

"He said that you turned spy for Dumbledore a year before the Potter's were killed," Katie said, looking up at him guiltily.

Severus nodded solemnly. "Well, I may continue now. After graduation, I joined the Death Eaters. I didn't think I'd hear from Andrew Bell again. But for some reason, he sent me a letter when you were born," he said a slight smile on his face, "So, I obliged him and visited him, Carolyn, and you. To my unexpected surprise, they asked me to be your godfather. I accepted, not even thinking of the consequences," he said, his smile disappearing, "News got around, and the Death Eaters found out about you. When I went to Albus to redeem myself, he asked me to be a spy. Pass information about Death Eater attacks to him. I thought I was only risking my own life. But Albus was quick to make mention of you," he said looking at Katie seriously, "If for some reason I would have been found out, they would have went after you to get back at me."

Katie sat there dumbfounded. She was in danger every second of her life, according to what Severus was telling her. Noticing her shock, Severus reached out and placed a hand on top of Katie's clasped ones. She looked up at him, terror and tears filling her eyes.

"They would have killed me?" she asked, not being able to control the shaking in her voice.

She found it odd that now, she was scared to die. When just months ago, she was prepared to die. She watched as Severus took one of her hands in his as he replied.

"Tortured you would have been more likely. They got sick pleasure out of that. I still get nauseous when I think of the many close calls. But I promise you, if it ever came to it, I wouldn't let them hurt you."

Katie nodded and a tear slipped down her cheek. She used the hand that Severus wasn't holding to wipe away the tear. She felt him squeeze her hand reassuringly. 'He really doesn't like seeing me cry,' Katie thought.

"I have to know," Katie began worriedly, "Did you ever kill anyone?"

Severus' dark eyes looked into Katie's light ones. "I know for a fact, that poisons, ones that I had made, had been used in some murders. But, I, myself, never killed anyone. I was merely a valuable asset, with my Potions Master title acquired while I was in His service."

Katie nodded again and looked down at her shoes. "I've never told anyone this, but it makes sense now," Katie said taking a deep breath before looking at Severus again, "The Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin."

Severus nodded as if he'd known that. "I can't say that I disagree. But I don't think you would have been happy there," he said, seemingly deep in thought, "You are cunning, and extremely ambitious. But you have an overwhelming courage that far outweighs either of those things. I suppose that's why it placed you in Gryffindor?"

Katie thought back to the day of her Sorting.

*Flashback*

"Bell, Kathleen!" Professor McGonagall called.

Katie walked up and took her seat on the stool, nervously, before pulling the Sorting Hat down on her head.

"Ah, lets see. My, my. Ambition, cunning, and a reserved character. Excellent for Slytherin. But loyalty I see also. Perhaps Hufflepuff? No, far too intelligent. Perhaps Ravenclaw then? Maybe. Slytherin seems to fit you best. But just to be sure, let me take a peek at what is to come for you," the Sorting Hat's voice said echoing in her head, "Oh, my. Bravery and courage I see. Impending troubles that are unavoidable. You're going to need that courage in abundance! Perhaps- Yes, very sure of this one, I am. Gryffindor!" it finally announced to the Great Hall.

Katie stood, and shakily placed the Sorting Hat back on the stool for the next student and walked over to the Gryffindor Table. She saw Charlie Weasley, who was in his final year at Hogwarts, waving enthusiastically to her from about the middle of the table. She smiled slightly and waved back.

"Congratulations, Katie!" Percy Weasley, who had just entered his third year, said hugging her tightly before she sat down.

"Thanks, Percy," she said, noticing that her hands were still shaking.

Blushing, she hid them on her lap and watched the rest of the Sorting with interest.

*End Flashback*

"It had to look at my future," Katie said, lost in her memory, "It said, 'Impending troubles that are unavoidable', and that I would need a lot of courage."

Severus just nodded. He knew al too well about confusing the Sorting Hat. He glanced at Katie who seemed to be elsewhere, lost in thought.

"I wouldn't dwell on that, Miss. Bell. The Sorting Hat has never been wrong," he said, snapping Katie back to reality, "Is there anything else you wish to know?"

Katie nodded. "What do you know about my parents?"

Severus read between the lines. "Your father would follow whomever to where ever. He has no backbone. Your mother. Well, I still don't see why she consented to having a child. She's utterly selfish and not fit to be a mother. Now that I think back, I'm sure that's why I accepted being your godfather. You deserved anything better than them. Even if it had to be me," he said seriously, "But life has a way of making things miserable for two people and then forcing them to be with one another," he said smirking.

Katie laughed lightly. "Well, if it was a choice between this or an orphanage, I'd pick this."

"Well, Miss. Bell, it is still early in the day, and I'm sure you don't want to spend all of it in the dungeons."

Katie smirked at him. "The dungeons aren't as bad as I thought they were."

Severus, once again reading between the lines, merely smiled and dismissed her. Katie made her way out onto the grounds and decided to head over to the Quidditch pitch. As she made her way over, she could make out the figure of someone standing on the pitch. She took out her wand, arming herself just in case. As she got closer, she sighed and put her wand away. The person was looking up at the sky, and then back down at his feet. Katie picked up her pace and made her way over to him. When she was right behind him, she spoke, startling him.

"What are you doing out here?"

He jumped slightly, a hand over his heart. "Merlin, Kate, give a guy a little warning?"

Katie put her hands on her hips, but couldn't help smiling. "Well? What are you doing here, Oliver? You could get in big trouble, sneaking onto the grounds like this."

"I sent you an owl," he said perplexed, "Didn't you get it?"

Katie furrowed her brow. "No, I was talking with Snape," she said avoiding the slip this time, "Its probably in my dormitory."

Oliver began to pace. "Well, I asked you something in the letter, but if you didn't get it-"

Katie placed a hand on his arm. "I'll run back to the castle and get it if you want," she said, not understanding what could be so important.

"No," he said, looking at her seriously, "I'll just ask you now. It was a lot easier on paper though," he said grinning nervously.

Katie's stomach plummeted. "Ok, what is it?"

Katie could only think of two things that Oliver could possibly want to ask her. 'Can we see other people?', and Katie reckoned that was the right one. Because Oliver couldn't possibly want to ask her to marry him. They hadn't been dating half a year yet. But Oliver was smiling at her and taking her hand. 'What the hell is going on?' Katie's mind screamed.

"Katie, I love you. And I know you love me, so I figured things were good enough between us that I could ask you this," Oliver said, still smiling at her.

Katie closed her eyes and fought back tears. 'Here it comes,' she thought, opening her eyes.

"I bought this," he said reaching into his robe pockets and pulling out a ring box, "And it would mean the world to me if you would wear it."

He opened the box and Katie's eyes fell on the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. A simple silver band, with a Princess-cut, London Blue Sapphire in its setting. Two small diamonds sat on either side, accenting it. Katie couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. No one had ever bought her something so beautiful. So expensive. She couldn't even begin to imagine how much that ring had cost Oliver.

"Kate? Are you still with me?" Oliver said, grinning mischievously.

Katie looked up from the ring box and into Oliver's eyes. "What is this?"

"I saw it and I thought of you," he said, noticing her concern, "Don't worry about the cost, Kate. They're paying me good money right now."

Katie looked down at the ring again. "It's very pretty," she said in a small voice.

She wasn't sure she could even wear something like that. So simple, yet so extravagant. Oliver tilted her chin up and then removed the ring from the box. He slipped it onto her right ring finger and then took her hands in his.

"Wear it on that hand, so no one pesters you about whether we're engaged or not," he said, "I told the lady at the jewelry store about you. And she said I should use it as a promise ring until you graduate," he said letting go of her right hand and moving it to her cheek, "So that's what it is. A promise, that one day, I am going to replace it with an engagement ring."

Katie closed her eyes and lowered her head as the tears came. Oliver pulled her to him.

"You don't have to wear it if you don't want to," he said soothingly, running a hand over her back.

Katie let out a shaky laugh. "No, I'll wear it," she said looking up at him, "I just can't believe it."

Oliver leaned down and kissed her passionately. Katie threw her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. When he pulled back, he kissed her forehead lightly.

"Thank you, Katie."

Katie stood on her tip-toes and pressed a light kiss to his lips. "I should be thanking you," she said looking at the ring, "This ring is beautiful, Oliver."

"I'm glad you like it," he said, kissing the top of her head.

"Hey, Oliver?" she said looking up at him, "Practice with me."

Oliver smiled and caressed her cheek. "Ok, come on, Bell."

"Right behind you, Wood," she said, checking out her boyfriend as he walked by.