Chapter 2

The soft voices of two women were the first thing Severus registered yet to his utter frustration he could not make out a single word. They had come and gone over how long he was not sure. But they seemed clearer now as he tried to open his eyes only to find he could not. Trying to move proved equally pointless. Then he recalled what had happened and felt his heart start to race.

Voldermort… The Elder Wand… Nagini and then pain… oh so much pain! Then there was that woman in the rafters, Potter and… wait… who was that woman? And why the bloody hell was she up in the rafters?

He absently wondered then remembered her wretched sobs and the feel of warm tears upon his face as he felt so trapped in his body, much like he was now. Again he tried to open his eyes but to no avail. Yet he was grateful of one thing. He was no longer in pain.

"It will pass, Severus I promise."

Lily?

Immediately, he dashed the silly thought away as he slowly recalled the other words spoken soothingly to him.

"Just listen to the sound of my voice. The Elder Wand will now fail him because you're still alive… you're alive and that is all that matters."

"No!" The same voice barked out suddenly then fell into a harsh and menacing whisper, "Do you honestly think he would even consider that idea for one second Minerva! It's laughable! Oh but I doubt he would find it in the remotest way amusing!"

Severus tried one more time to open his eyes. Slowly they cracked open and proceeded to water even in the dim candle and firelight. Vaguely he next realized he was in his bed at Hogwarts and two women were standing at the foot of it. The blurry one in green he was certain had to be Professor McGonagall but the other he guessed was the woman from the boat house. Both appeared to have not noticed that he was awake yet and were too busy arguing with one another. A part of him just wanted to go back to sleep and hope they would stop before he got a headache. But curiosity got the better of him.

"Who… who the hell are you?" He muttered out and hated how weak it sounded.

The two blobs jumped and the black fuzzy one he could make out was tilting her head and stated, "He's awake."

"Obviously," he groaned out and found he could move, although not without some serious effort. Everything seemed stiff if not sore from his head to his toes. He winced but started with moving the ladder before trying to rotating his ankles.

As she drew closer and became slightly less hazy he made out her infuriating calm smile before she cheekily answered, "Figures you don't remember. But don't worry, I'm not going to take it personally given the circumstances, Professor Snape or may I call you Severus?"

When she sat down on the bed he stared at her face for a long time. Pale ice blue eyes stared back in an equally pale face. It was the kind that was of no great or regal beauty but of the pretty and innocent sort that always seemed to age well. A face who when its owner revealed her age it always surprised people greatly. It also was disturbingly familiar yet the naivety was long gone. She looked at him guardedly despite the slowly warming smile.

"Sev-"

"Professor Snape will do, now who are you?"

Everything was still indistinct but he did not miss the flash of disappointment before it was shoved behind a slowly tightening tone, "Ah… that is fine and all but I was hoping for the latter now given how you're still breathing and-"

"Your name Ms…?"

"It's Lash but you maybe remember me as…" She trailed off, her smile vanishing completely and offered reluctantly, "Mallard."

He thought hard for a long moment before narrowing his eyes and asking slowly, "Duckie… as in Mallard Duck?"

The roll of her eyes answered the question even before the once painfully shy Hufflepuff opened her mouth. "You promised to never call me that once… but then after you called me… well… why am I not surprised?"

To that his brows knitted as he brooded to himself.

Apparently, she is still sore over that little misunderstanding nor care for the nicknames from our Hogwart's days. But then if I remember correctly, she really never cared for her first name either.

Severus pushed the thought aside, squinted and continued, "Mil-mildred L. Mallard? Is that really-"

"Lauren," she stressed her middle name through clenched teeth. "And since you insist upon being so formal Professor Snape, stick to Ms. Lash."

He had almost made the same mistake with her name as he did that horrible night long ago. Severus frowned at her but internally winced.

Leave it to Milly-correction Lauren to hold such a bloody grudge. At least she's not so meek and flighty anymore it seems.

"Finally settled upon a name you don't despise… how nice," he grunted aloud but too late he realized the sardonicism in it. He tried to ignore how it made her only bristle more towards him and concentrated instead upon the task of sitting up.

"Obviously," she threw his word back at him.

"Enough, you two."

Minerva sighed then moved to help him sit up but Lauren made none. Instead she rose without a word, crossed her arms and leaned against the right post at the foot of his bed. He ignored her scorching glare. It would take more than that to break his concentration.

. . .

After completing his education at Hogwarts, years later he had met her in passing at large and insufferable dinner parties in Malfoy Manner. But no matter how wonderful the furnishings were, how delectable the food and how charming the host and hostess were it did not change the fact that everyone invited was a Death Eater or at least associated with one. At them she did all she could to avoid him and ignore his warnings when he managed a few times to catch her alone.

Then as Voldermort's attentions turned to Lilly and her son, Severus had to push all further thoughts of Lauren aside. It was not till many years later when there were whispers of the Dark Lord returning and Theodor's suicide did she cross his mind again.

Among the Death Eaters there were plenty of rumors surrounding the reason why her, "cowardly husband" had committed suicide. Some of them joked she had done her own husband in, deeming him too weak and therefor an embarrassment to be taken care of before Voldermort's return.

He recalled how Dumbledore had even dragged him to the man's funeral. Claiming it was because his widow was one of many of his favorite former students. There the headmaster offered her his condolences and a small gift. The latter caused her to give a confused look before quickly excusing herself.

To most it was odd that at her husband's funeral she did not shed one single tear. Yet Severus could see the strain in her eyes from holding them back as well as keeping her head high. Again from the Death Eaters over the years he had heard there was little love between Mr. and Mrs Lash. Given that information was indeed true because she had been forced to join Voldermort's ranks, he found her reaction quite normal. But as that day slowly passed, he listened as others who were in attendance and not in the know, so understanding.

"What an utterly frigid woman!" One busy-body sniffed rather loudly to her friend when they reached the graveside and the ceremony proceeded.

Severus looked over the yet to be lowered casket where the widow stood and watched her blanch slightly. She had heard them but struggled to keep her face calm and eyes respectfully upon where her husband would be laid to rest as the Minister droned on. The corners of his lips quirked, he admired her reaction. Hell he understood it completely.

"I know heartless… completely heartless not to cry. This is her husband's funeral after all!"

Severus sighed, lifted his eyes skyward as the other agreed and tisked. Dropping his eyes back to the Earth he found that latest comment made the widow's eyes water as they met his through her veil. Lowering them she swallowed hard and started to blush.

He cleared his throat loudly but they kept whispering. Turning around, he next glared at them into silence. Offering sheepish and nervous smiles they quickly did and thankfully said not one word more, at least for the rest of the service. Looking back to Mrs. Lash, he watched her until she looked up. When he risked another peek at her minutes later, he caught her staring at him as well. Yet there was no more anger there in her eyes for him, she just seemed lost.

After the casket had been lowered and people started to leave the women behind him could no longer hold their waggling tongues and started up again.

"I wonder if she has already moved on."

"Hah! I wonder when she started to stray."

"Who could blame her… he was a rumored death eater and her-"

"Enough!" Severus growled out turning fully around at them and watched with great satisfaction as they scurried off. Starting to turn back he gave a small start finding the widow standing beside him smiling wanly after them as well. When she lifted her veil then offered a hand, he took it in both of his and gave a nod over it. "Mrs Lash, I do hope I haven't offended your," he paused and glanced back at the retreating women before adding dryly, "friends."

To his surprise she got his humor and gave a soft laugh. "I'm sure you have offended them terribly… but fortunate for you, I shall not miss them at all, Professor Snape."

He felt his small smile growing as his thoughts started to slip back to their school days. How her kindness to him never wavered till she thought he had called her Lilly.

Milly... I had said Milly but what a kind of dunderheaded moron was I... Calling her Milly when-

Dumbledore at that moment cleared his throat and Severus realized with an uncommon blush he was still holding her hand. After letting it gently go, he cleared his throat and regrettably only half listened as the two politely chatted. He strolled a few steps away, keeping his eyes open for trouble around them. They were at the funeral of a former death eater after all.

"Earlier, thank you for your… thoughtful gift Headmaster Dumbledore."

"You're welcome my dear. I do hope it will come in handy."

"I'm sure it will," she said softly then turned her attention back upon Severus. She offered her hand again and when he took it he could not miss the tight squeeze she gave it as she looked up. Lowering her voice to a point he doubted Dumbledore would have heard she whispered, "Thank you Severus. Again, you've come to my rescue. Perhaps someday I can return the favor."

To those sweet and honest words he suddenly felt so very warm all over. A flutter started in his chest. It was something he had not felt since… he swallowed hard. When she let go and walked away, he finally looked to Dumbledore and found the older man's eyes narrowing between the both of them.

"What," he grumbled and crossed his arms.

"You two seem to have certainly hit it off perhaps in time-"

"No," Severus cut him off right then and there. And it was only a matter of months before Mrs. Lash much to his dismay only worked to get herself deeper into the Death Eater's fold, instead of just going through the motions and staying safely under the radar.

. . .

"Stop glaring at her, she's on our side Severus." Minerva scolded as she stuffed another pillow behind his back. "Lauren dear, has been working for Dumbledore since her husband died."

"But not as long as you," Lauren gave flatly. "Dumbledore never told me you were working for him… I guess he couldn't risk it. Just in case my occlumency wasn't up to snuff. All of this time, I thought you were the Dark Lord's most trusted follower and in truth you were even deeper in it than me." She then turned contritely away at the fire, still leaning on his bed post but her arms now crossed even tighter around herself.

"Believe me, you're not the only one surprised," Severus offered equally remorseful. Fussing with the covers asked, "How long have you known?"

Minerva straightened as Lauren quietly excused herself and left the room. He watched his friend's eyes follow the woman as the worried look usually in them grew only more intense.

"What's wrong?"

She said nothing at first then gave on a tired sigh, "That answer is a bit complicated. I had hoped she would at least stay while I filled you in about what has happened and what… will happen. But I imagine she's quite tired, given she hardly left your side in nearly a week."

He was startled to have been out for so long but more so a bit embarrassed by the idea of what Lauren had seen of him while he was dead to the world.

As if reading his mind Minerva chuckled, "Will you relax? She use to work as a healer at St. Mungo's before she came back. Cleansing charms do wonders, I swear she used them as anyone else in her profession."

Realizing he was holding his covers up to his chest, Severus dropped them, frowned at what she had said earlier. "Came… came back you say, from where?"

When Minerva explained not where but what time Lauren came from, Severus went cold. He really was dead to the world. The only people who knew he was still alive were Lauren, Hagrid and Minerva. To the latter he nearly shouted, "W-what do you mean I need to stay dead to everyone!"

"For starters so she, my other present self, will go back and save your stubborn arse," Lauren declared strolling back in with a tray he presumed was his lunch. Whatever it was it smelled heavenly and his stomach immediately started protesting. His mouth watered but was disappointed at what his eyes found.

"Broth? Just chicken broth at that. I'm starving and you… you silly witch don't even think to bring me at least a few crackers," He muttered as she set the breakfast in bed tray over his lap.

He caught the all to familar angry flash in Lauren's eyes before she forced a nearly frightening chipper smile which appeared to even grow in unnatural size. In an equally bright tone with of course a touch of sarcasm she cooed, "Why you are quite welcome Professor Snape."

As she breezed out again this time with a smirk he shouted after her, "Crackers! I want some-"

In almost a sing song voice Lauren called back, "Not a chance in hell. Because I'm not cleaning you and the bed up if your stomach decides it can't take them just yet."

Another laugh from Minerva had him digging into his broth sighing, "So what is the plan."

If he had not known her for so long he would have sworn she had timed it. Just as he took his first sip she declared calmly, "Well… you two are going to have to live together. Among the Muggles would be best until her other self goes back in time. Perhaps as husband and wife or at least cohabitating lovers."

To that Severus spit out and nearly spilled his entire sorry excuse for a meal into his lap.