Three days later found Maya still out cold, unmoving except for the slow rise and fall on her chest that was the only indication that she was even alive. He hated it, she had fought so hard to get away, she had fought to protect him, and now here she was, a cruel version of sleeping beauty. No way in hell was he going to kiss her to wake her up, instead he spent his time at her side, several books had been brought up by Draco the first morning to tell him that the two had been confined to the room. Though Maya couldn't make an argument right now, he knew as soon as she woke up she would be ranting raving, and probably trying to break the door down, she didn't deal with confinement well. When he wasn't reading he was trying to rest. His wounds had been healed by the combined efforts of Mrs. Weasley and Lupin but he still felt sore and he was tired, Lupin had agreed that he could stay with her, Severus wasn't entirely sure why, but he had the oddest feeling that it was Tonks who had convinced the werewolf that he wasn't plotting to kill Harry's watcher. Who knows what she saw, but she had given him the strangest smile and then lead Remus out of the room the night they had arrived so that Severus could rest.
The second day Severus had a lot of visitors, his first set was Lupin, Tonks, Mrs. Weasley, Moody, and a few other Order members who had been their the first night, and Draco who insisted he had every right to know since he was the one who was there when they arrived.
'We gave you a day to rest, but we need to know what happened and why you came here.' Lupin said evenly Severus nodded glancing at Maya, he couldn't afforded to have them kicked out because he refused to speak, he wasn't sure were else they could go, and the Dark Lord probably had people looking for them. Lupin watched him expectantly, Tonks had been right, the way the ex-potions master looked at the woman, he might have very well cared for her, but he was unsure exactly what it was that was behind the odd gaze he gave to woman.
'After I had sent Draco to you, I went back to the Dark Lord, I had to try and redeem myself, Dumbledore's orders were to stay spy as long as possible even if I had the order working against me because of my actions.' He stopped; he couldn't actually say he had killed the man, his mentor, the only person who treated him like a man and not some dark wizard waiting to happen.
'I was taken to an abbey in a rather remote area and beaten, and left for dead, the plan the leader of the beating had was to allow me to die slowly and painfully then collect my body in the morning. I was blacking out when something large and dark showed up that's all I remember, after that I woke in her room. She had saved me apparently and told me she was Harry's 'watcher in the shadows' She said the order knew of her?' Molly and Remus nodded
'Our house is rather small and Dumbledore told me, the first time Harry had come to our house, to make sure there was room in a dark corner for a special form of protection. He didn't explain but introduced me to Maya a week after Harry left for Hogwarts, at a time he was sure that Harry would be ok.' she explained
'She as aiding a few people she knew, who were against Voldemort but feared joining the order, She kept the contact between them and Dumbledore open I saw them conversing quite a few times.' Severus looked at him confused, never once had he ever seen the dark haired woman speaking with Dumbledore, when he mentioned this Remus had nodded
'As far as we know, you weren't supposed to know of her, in case Voldemort ever got wind of her existence through your mind. It would have put quit a damper on her work had she been found out.' Remus explained Severus frowned, did Voldemort know now of what she was? That was almost certain.
'What happened when she rescued you?' Draco asked, the others nodded and he continued telling of how a few days later she had left, leaving him a letter and a copy of the Prophet he explained how she thought that the attacks on the animagus were her fault how she had been planning to send him to them if she hadn't returned in three days times, and when he mentioned the attack on the death eaters Molly had gasped
'I read about that, I think we all did your saying that was her?' Molly asked Severus nodded his dark eyes flicking to the motionless woman
'I realized it when I looked at the photo, there where bloody paw prints, they had been made by a big cat." he then went on to explain her injured return and the plan to go to a different safe house. A death eater attack had been launched on her house and how she had fought them
'I don't know the exact details; we had little time to talk. she went to someone else's home, friends she had mentioned to me before who were hiding in London, after we...' he paused, he hadn't mentioned the dreams yet and he had no desire to now what would they say if they knew he was sharing dreams with Maya. Remus looked at him expectantly but when he realized Severus had decided against continuing the train of thought he nodded for the man to go on.
'Sometime during the night I awoke and was capture by the same death eater who had been in charge of my torture. This man apparently had Maya's house elf, under his control, the elf had betrayed her. I was tortured but left to live until Maya was captured as well... we were tortured again, I'm not sure how long were where there but counting each time she fell asleep after a session I had a month and three weeks.' Remus nodded it had been a while since the story in the prophet. His story matched the facts given; now he just had to hope that Mayas story matched Severus or there would be a problem. Severus had deliberately avoided mention that the man who had put them through the torture was Maya's brother, he had no place to tell them that, he wasn't even sure if they knew, but somehow he doubted they did. His next set of visitors surprised him, Harry and Hermione stood before him Harry watching him cautiously before holding out a hand
'Draco told us everything, we also know that you where following orders when you killed Dumbledore. A lot of people aren't going to forgive you, and I'm letting you know now that I don't either... but you saved Draco, and this woman so for now... we have agreed that we'll keep you guys safe.' Hermione said evenly Harry stood slightly as Severus nodded taking the hand the dark haired boy had offered and gripping it for a moment
'So she's been watching me since I was sent to my uncle's house?' he asked looking at the woman Severus nodded and Harry smiled
'That's kind of cool, a little annoying but I guess too much security is better then to little.' Severus shook his head
'There is no such thing as to much security and if you knew what this woman was like, I doubt you'd still think it was cool.' he said Harry looked at him confused
'What do you mean?' he asked frowning slightly
'She is clinically mental, she is so devoted to strength she hides every little pain as if it is an affront to nature, she refuses to let any one help her till she at the point that the only reason she can't protest is because she's half dead.' he said frowning each word he spoke about her he felt his anger at her rise, why did she insist on hurting herself, she claimed she wanted to protect him but letting herself get hurt only made him worry, and he hated it. Hermione giggled and Harry and Severus both looked at her confused
'She'll be ok though, she's still breathing, she wants to stay so obviously there is a method to her madness... maybe she wants to stay for someone.' she said a subtle hint that she had picked up on his emotions he eyed her questioningly, he would never admit it to her face but she was bright and the fact that she was picking up on something he was trying his best to hide (with out realizing he was so obvious) that just made her seem like a danger but she merely nodded slightly as if assuring him she wasn't going to tell, and then looked at her green eyed friend. Harry ever oblivious to these sorts of things shrugged his shoulders a universal indication of ignorance to what he didn't understand
"You think she's married? She looks old enough to be, maybe she wants to stay alive for her husband or something." He said simply and touched her hand holding it for a moment Severus wanted to rip the boy's hand of but the urge died as soon as he felt it, he was not just jealous of the stupid Potter boy, it was not possible.
"Thanks for looking out for me." Harry said simply. It seemed that the boy was maturing learning the horrific things that had happened to Malfoy and Severus had caused him to mature a little as he realized the risk that Severus had been running playing spy for Dumbledore. Severus said nothing and the Harry had left soon after Hermione only staying long enough to mention that Draco would be bringing food up for him and to just call if Maya woke up.
"Three days ago, why won't you wake up?" Severus muttered, she didn't move, and he sighed returning to his book. Each time he looked at her he felt like he was being stabbed, she was in the state she was in because she was helping him. she had shirked from her duties to look after Harry so that he would be safe... the woman infuriated him, but also pulled on something deep with in him that at that point he wished he didn't have... then he wouldn't have to worry about the pain of seeing her laying there motionless, only shallow breaths providing the peace of mind that she was alive at all.
It was as if she hard him, shifting slightly her brow furrowed and she whimpered softly, she was laying on her back, the movement must have hurt it. Moving quickly he pulled the blanket way and rolled her over on to her front her face relaxed as the pain obviously went away, he turned her head towards the chair, he wanted to know the exact moment she woke boy was she going to get an ear full, she could have told him she was winding down. He sat back in the chair grumbling about her being so foolish when the door opened and Hermione stepped inside
"What do you want Miss Granger?" he asked bluntly she only smiled and sat next to the fire watching him for a moment
"You know, your not our professor any more, my name is Hermione." She said simply he grumbled something else about annoying Gryffindor's and posed his question again, she ignored him and he sighed
"What is it you need Hermione..." he bit out the last of her name, why was he putting up with the brat? She smiled looking at Maya Standing she stepped over seeing that the woman was now on her stomach her face turned to face Severus.
"You moved her or did she move on her own?" she asked Severus closed his book and eyed the young woman with loathing
"I moved her, her injuries were causing her discomfort." He said simply Hermione nodded again her eyes falling on Mayas back, this time registering the red and angry mark along her flesh, when she gasped Severus noticed he had left the woman exposed and swore moving quickly he covered it up and Hermione looked at him
"D-did you..." Her eyes were wide with fear and he looked at her as if she had just slapped him how dare she think he would do that
"Of course not! The one who tortured us did it... she wouldn't shut up, she kept goading him to attack her so that I wouldn't get hurt." Hermione looked from Severus to the woman then back to Severus
"She protected you?" she asked almost surprised he shook his head and slumped in a chair one hand reaching up to rub his forehead, he was tired, all of the frustration of not understanding exactly what it was he felt for this woman (he could no longer pretend she was merely a person who had saved him)was beginning to get on his nerves he didn't pretend he was a man who had a wide variety of feelings, most of them he had hoped to have completely shut down so that he wouldn't have to hurt.
"The fool, she never considers that maybe some pains hurt more then being beaten... Why does she do it, she kept going on and on about how she was going to get me out of there, with out even realizing it was hurting me that she was getting hu- ah!" he looked up his eyes meeting warm chocolate brown he had just said the in front of a student... what had he done that for? Had he honestly forgotten she was there? She only smiled
"We thought so." She said a knock filled the air and Tonks let her self in
"Did he say it yet?" She asked and Severuses frown deepened, he had a feeling he was about to thrown into an even worse situation, this one with creatures more frightening then the Dark Lord... women. Tonks closed the door behind her and the two females plunked down on the hearth and watched him expectantly, like children waiting for their grandfather to start a story on Christmas Eve.
"What is it you want?!" he demanded standing Tonks waggled a finger
"It's not everyday the feared potions master has a crush now is it? We want to know how it happened." She said simply, Severus took a step back the left side of his upper lip twitched and her brought an arm up as if she had just thrown something at him
"What in gods name are you talking about?" he demanded looking at the two as if they had grown multiple heads Hermione smiled
"You like Maya, it's so obvious, and it's not what you just slip that made it so clear either." She smiled two soft patches of pink had formed on his cheeks had she not known what a snarky bastard he could be, she might have thought it cute.
"I do not have a crush on Miss Solensen." He said quickly Tonks and Hermione exchanged glances
"Oh so it's "Miss Solensen" now huh? Weren't you calling her Maya earlier?" Tonks said with a grin Severus swore and sighed
"If there was a relationship between me and Maya, And I said "If"" he said accentuating the word as Hermione made to speak
"If such a thing were to come about I certainly would not tell a couple of gossiping women who are acting like a couple of silly teenagers." She said sharply Hermione flushed and Tonks frowned
"Look it's not like it's a big secret, the way you kept looking at her when you were telling us what happened, the fact you went through the trouble of bringing her here even if it might have a danger to you, she got hurt saving you, it seems that the two of you have been through a lot together, are you honestly going to say that in all that time you haven't come to care for her in some dark moldy part of the hunk of rock you call a heart!" she demanded standing
"How dare y-" they all fell silent as a soft groan escaped the woman who was the subject of their fight
"Maya?" he sidestepped Tonks and walked over touching her hand but she said nothing her breathing was speeding up and she was grimacing
"She must be having a nightmare." Tonks said Hermione frowned standing up quickly and stepping over her eyes on the woman who was shifting one hand clutching the pillow her head was resting on for dear life
"S-stop it... Mamiya, stop it" Severus frowned
"Get out" he said firmly, if she let something slip the view the order had of her would twist, being a death eater was bad, being the relative of one was just as bad in the wizerding world.
"B-but..." Hermione's protest died on her lips as Severus turned and gave her a glare fit to kill
"OUT!" He roared the two of them scurried out faster the Doxy's when the light was turned on. He sat on the bed as she began to thrash about fighting something unseen
"Maya!" He swore as she swiped at him, what ever she was dreaming about was bad, transforming him in to a monster something trying to hurt her. He grabbed her shoulders tightly and pinned her down, not a good move, she had flipped on her back and pinning her had caused him to aggravate her back wounds, but she would have to live, it was better she not open them, she moaned and whimpered still attempting to free herself from him
"STOP IT! DON'T DO IT!" Her scream was loud her eyes closing tighter like she was trying to block out the image in her dream
"Maya, Maya! Wake up you foolish woman! It's just a dream wa-" he was cut of as one of her arms swung up and nailed him in the gut. He frowned as she calmed her eyelashes were glittering and a second later tears were falling down the side of her face
"What were you dreaming about... stupid woman, letting something as simple as a dream cause you to cry." He muttered wiping her face clean he frowned his eyes taking in every detail of her face, the scar that cut across her face was longer now, her brother had added to it and now it stretched from one ear to the other, she had a small scrape on her cheek probably from the brawl with the death eaters. Her lips were parted slightly and he caught himself looking at them just looking.
"Thinks she's safe with me." He muttered and stood walking over to the chair and turning his back on her just then the door was thrown open
"What did you do to Maya!" Severus had a second to look up when a wand was shoved in his chest...
