Chapter 20: Let's Give Them Something to Talk About*
* Something To Talk About, Luck of the Draw, (1991). Shirley Eikhard
Severus stayed with Maya for the remaining two weeks of the holiday, monitoring healing potions and helping her to exercise her damaged leg. He was not scheduled to return to Hogwarts until the day before the spring term began and suspicions would be raised if Poppy continued to leave her post.
By the end of the first week, Maya no longer needed his assistance to the loo, much to Severus' surprised disappointment. By the end of the second week she was confident in her ability to duel though she was perhaps not quite up to her previous speed. However, she was caught out of bed by Poppy and her wand was hidden until it was deemed she was healthy, "or until you're found to be grown up enough to listen to your healer's advice," Poppy said, storming out of the room, Maya's wand securely in her hand.
Severus snickered at the look of incredulity on Maya's face.
"Shut it, you. What am I, a first year? I know when I'm fit enough to get out bed," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Aren't you? I half expected you to stick your tongue out at her back as she left. Stay put and stop being so difficult," he scolded.
During her convalescence, Maya had regular visits from Tonks, Remus, and Sirius. They tried to keep her busy with games of chess, news and gossip from The Prophet, and gallons of Fortescue's ice cream. However, it was her time with Severus that she looked forward to and made her confinement bearable. They would sometimes play chess at night after dinner and bicker about news and events going on outside of headquarters, but mostly he would sit and read while she rested. Maya enjoyed his acerbic wit and dry humor.
She knew that Severus and Sirius had argued since they had returned form America, mostly because Sirius blamed Severus for her returning injured, and Severus blamed himself for the spell and for not being able to intercede before she was hit. To her surprise however, neither wizard brought up the quarrel to her. She found out from Tonks, who had been in the next room when most of the shouting had taken place. Thankfully no wands were drawn.
On some of her more restless nights, the side effects of the curse would bring a return of the nightmares. Maya would wake on these nights to find Severus sleeping next to her on the bed, properly above the covers of course, or in the armchair next to her bed. Maya felt a sense of peacefulness and safety when he slept near her.
Her confinement to bed became almost unbearable as the second week crawled by. Much to her relief, Dumbledore called an Order meeting to notify members of her injury and to report on their mission. Against Poppy and Severus's emphatic demands, Maya refused to stay upstairs, insisting she be present to assist in the report to the rest of the Order.
Sirius and Severus were each protective of her in their own way, with Sirius practically carrying her to the kitchen and Severus trying to use his acid tongue and snide sarcasm to keep her from overexertion. When she finally made her way into the kitchen and sat next to Tonks, Severus had abandoned his normal place in the shadows to sit next to her, something that wasn't lost on the rest of the Order as well.
Stares and murmuring moved through the room. As the meeting went on Maya and Severus gave an account of their mission, failed as it was, including the knowledge that the fringe groups in America were organizing and growing at an alarming rate. Severus estimated the American Death Eaters would be reaching out to Voldemort at any time. They also provided information on Connell's involvement and the ways that Death Eaters were using muggle importing to smuggle information and antiquities without the Ministry's knowledge.
Shacklebolt, who had arrived late to the meeting, spoke up for the first time. "We've had new information come through the wire directly from the American Ministry," he said, eyeing Maya before looking at Dumbledore. "American Magical Law Enforcement confirmed that Nathaniel Sturbridge, thought to be dead for the last twelve years, was found dead in a warehouse in Boston two weeks ago. They don't suspect an Unforgivable was used, but there were similarities leading them to believe it was the work of the Black Dragon. The vigilante had been wanted by MLE for questioning and had been active in the area until last fall."
Maya could feel eyes on her and the silence was deafening. She felt numb; the Ministry was going to try to pin Nathaniel's death on her? Her instincts were at war with each other: should she defend herself or bolt and flee? Maya felt Severus' steading hand on her leg. No more running! When Maya didn't deny the accusation, all eyes in the room went to Dumbledore.
"Thank you, Kingsley," Dumbledore said calmly. "That is indeed valuable information. Maya, my dear, it looks like we must be even more diligent with keeping your identity secret. As many of you have guessed, Ms. Ladon is the witch that has been named the Black Dragon by the press and Ministry. I had full knowledge of her past when she joined us last fall, and it was my wish that her identity be kept confidential. I ask you all to please honor that request and do not let this information leave this room."
At the conclusion of the meeting Severus kept his seat next to Maya at the end of the long wooden table. As they ate and talked through dinner they drew stares from Vance and Jones sitting farther down the table. Severus sent a scowl in their direction and the two witches quickly dropped their eyes to their bowls. Maya stood and crossed the kitchen on her way to the pantry to get another round of Butter Beer. She could hear the wave of whispering as she neared the pantry where a huddle of Order members stood mingling. She bristled when they hushed as she neared, perfectly aware that she had been the topic of their gossip. The revelation of her identity as the notorious Black Dragon left her feeling exposed and vulnerable.
By the end of the night, Maya was beginning to find the looks and hushed whispers irritating. "Don't they have anything else to whisper about," she hissed to Tonks, who was scarlet haired for dinner to match the exact shade of the tomato soup Molly had prepared. "There is a war starting after all, don't they have better things to talk about."
"Like the fact that you're a Death Eater killing vigilante," Tonks said, straight faced.
"Not helping, Tonks," Maya said exasperatedly.
"Don't mind them. They'll find something else to wag their tongues about soon enough," Tonks answered. "Just ignore them. It'll pass and if not? We'll give them all Ton Tongue Toffee so they can't gossip," she added with a straight face, though her eyes shifted from deep brown to a golden amber color.
Maya snorted at the thought of half the Order of the Phoenix running around the kitchen with four foot swollen tongues wagging behind them. She raised her head just in time to see the smirk her undignified behavior elicited from the potions master. "I saw that look," she laughed back at him.
As the tensions with Umbridge at Hogwarts went from bad to worse, and from worse to excruciating, Dumbledore began to call Order meetings on a more regular basis, sometimes as often as once a week. By the next Order meeting a week later, Maya was back to full strength and Severus had returned to Hogwarts to finish out the remainder of term.
On the evening of the meeting, Snape arrived early to bring her the final vile of her healing potion and her wand from Madam Pomfrey. The mutterings and stares flew across the room as she entered the basement kitchen. The buzz came alive again when Severus arrived and found his seat waiting for him by her side.
When Hestia Jones and Emmeline Vance both suggested that Maya ask Dumbledore to reassign her to guard duty with them, Maya had the dawning realization that the whisperings and stares might have more to do with her relationship with Severus then her identity as the Dragon. The fascination with her involvement with Snape seemed to make everyone forget about her potential danger as a killer.
"You know, Maya, my nephew works with Arthur at the Ministry. He's handsome and very amiable. A right sight more pleasant than – well I'm sure he would be delighted to show you around London," Hestia suggested, frowning disapprovingly in Snape's direction.
Maya looked up and caught Severus scowling at Hestia's comment. "Right, I'll keep that in mind."
"He's such an unpleasant sort of man and such a questionable past. I have no idea why Dumbledore trusts him." Hestia nudged her friend Emmeline. "Come on Emmeline, let's go find our seats." The two witches huffed off to sit on the other side of the room.
When the night of the next meeting arrived Maya decided to go all out for her audience and wanted them to each have a front row seat, so that this time they could have plenty to gossip about. She had rummaged through her trunk until she found a pair of leather slacks that snugged her hips and showed off her slender legs. The midnight blue top made her eyes stand out and sparkle. The dragon and Serpent pendant hung at her collarbone elegantly displayed by the neckline of her shirt. The sound of her high-heeled black boots on the stone floor of the kitchen announced her arrival.
"I assume this lovely ensemble was not for my benefit," Sirius said as she moved towards the table.
"Sorry, no," Maya said, eyeing the room around her.
"Pity," said Sirius, bending down to place a kiss at her cheek before moving to find a seat next to Remus. Maya smiled at his charm before scanning the room for Tonks.
"If you were looking for a reaction, I think you've got it," Tonks whispered to her as Maya sat next to her. "I think Shacklebolt and Bidleman are actually drooling!" she snickered.
When Maya took her seat, she made sure to pull up an extra chair next to her on the end. "Thanks, I think your boots were the perfect addition to the plan. If they're going to talk anyway, I've decided to give them something to talk about, and I want them all to get a good look," Maya said, noticing Emmeline Vance heading their way.
"You're joking?" Tonks answered with raised blonde eyebrows.
"Deadly serious in fact," Maya said, as Vance's eyes went to the exposed throat and neckline that set off the pendant. Maya could tell that the Slytherin symbolism was not lost on the witch.
"Nice to see you're well, Maya," Emmeline said, moving to sit in the extra seat next to Maya.
"Sorry love, this seat's taken. Oh Sev! There you are, I was beginning to think Umbridge would keep you all night," Maya said, smiling with false apology at Emmeline.
"Oh sorry, I…I didn't realize," Emmeline sputtered as she saw Snape approach still in teaching robes. Snape, accustomed to slipping in and out of meetings unnoticed, frowned at her calling attention on his presence. Emmeline moved on to find a seat near Hestia and Dedalus Diggle and the three put their heads together, buzzing like a swarm of bees.
Snape took the opportunity to appraise Maya's appearance. "And what, may I ask, is the occasion?"
"Oh but we are the occasion, my crafty Slytherin," she whispered back to him.
"What are you on about, you daft woman?" He did not look pleased at her words.
"What I'm talking about is all of the whispering and sticking of noses into other witch's business! Doesn't all of this staring and gossiping drive you mental?"
"I rarely take notice of what others choose to waste their time with and I've long since stop caring about childish things such as gossip." His cool tone and ridged shoulders told her he was as displeased with the situation as she was.
"How would you like to beat them at their own game? Frankly, I've had my fill of it. If they want something to talk about, I say we give it to them!" Her cheeks flushed with indignation.
"What kind of crazy plot have you hatched in that scatty mind of yours?" he snapped back, not at all sure he liked where her train of thought might be going.
"Scatty, huh? We'll see about scatty the next time we duel," she said, giving him a coy smirk as Minerva called the meeting to order. "Just follow my lead tonight." Her mischievous grin widened.
He gave her a short nod and showed his acquiescence by tucking a loose curl behind her ear. 'What in Merlin's name have I got myself into?' he thought. It was starting to feel unusually warm in the basement kitchen. He shed his teaching robes and wished his frock coat wasn't quite so warm.
The meeting stretched on endlessly. Maya frequently, leaned over to whisper a comment on the report being given and he would reply with a sarcastic comment. Leaning in until he was almost touching her ear. While at school Severus had always wondered at the likes of Black and Potter who would beguile giggling witches for everyone to observe. He had to admit to himself, it had its appeal when the witch in question was Maya and so willing to receive his attention.
Maya snickered and smirked back at him, sometimes placing her hand on his thigh or arm in flirtation. However, by midway through the meeting the game of revenge was having just as much effect on them as it was on their audience. Maya could feel the magical energy crackle between them each time he spoke in her ear and could feel him tense when she touched him.
Dumbledore had been correct. They had definitely formed a bond, a trust of sorts that Severus didn't quite understand. If anything the incident at the warehouse and her injury only seemed to strengthen the bond between them. Snape fought to maintain his composure and impassive face. He didn't understand what was happening between them but he refused to use the word relationships, 'I don't do relationships,' he thought darkly. He hadn't truly cared for a woman since - but he would not think about her now. The point was, he did not do romantic attachments; brief encounters yes but never anything that moved beyond the physical.
Ladon's hand had been distracting him all evening, casually traveling along his thigh. And then there were the grapes. 'Bloody Molly Weasley' had put out the healthy snacks along with plates of cheese and bread. The merciless woman next to him had been eating the things during the whole meeting. 'I'll never be able to look at this innocuous fruit again without picturing this moment,' he groaned internally. She picked the specific one she wanted, holding it to her mouth and pausing before slowly biting it in half. She was driving him mad!
Minerva called the meeting to a close and Severus could hear the klutzy Auror speak into Maya's other ear, "I think you two succeeded. Half the room appears to be cnnfunded. You've certainly got their attention now."
"You know, I'm just getting started," Maya said with an evil smirk to rival Snape's. He couldn't help but be impressed with her, even if his face revealed nothing. He stood and offered her his hand, which she took with a smile.
"Aren't you two going to stay for dinner?" Molly called from across the room as Maya stood. "I've made Sheppard's Pie."
"No, 'fraid not Molly," Maya answered loud enough to be heard across the room, earning her yet another raised eyebrow from Severus. "Severus and I have so much work to do, you know. We're just going to head back to Hogwarts and grab a bite there. In fact, I may not be back tonight Tonks, so don't wait up." Tonks just grinned back at her friend conspiratorially; shaking her head, while Sirius and Lupin stared slack jawed at Maya's boldness.
"Be careful you two. Don't be seen. We don't want Umbridge having any reason to remove another teacher," Minerva said sternly but with hint of a smile.
"I'll go fetch our cloaks then," Severus said, feeling uncomfortable.
"Thanks, love." Maya kissed him lightly on the cheek.
He paused for a moment catching her eye and moving only when he was confident she was being sincere. 'Enough is enough,' he thought, 'she's driving me insane on purpose now.' Severus returned moments later wearing his own black traveling cloak. He held hers out for her to slip on. As they left the kitchen and climbed the stairs leading to the main hall, he whispered, "Enough playing, Maya! You've had your revenge."
"Who said anything about playing?" Maya whispered back, turning to face him in the hall. The darkened hall was not private and Order members passed in groups and pairs to leave the house. "I didn't do anything tonight that I wouldn't have done anyway."
An unusual mixture of emotions overtook Snape at that moment. He was again impressed with her boldness and a part of him hoped that he was correct in his discernment of her feelings, but there was also doubt - doubt, which always seemed to persevere within him in the end.
It was one thing to kiss him behind closed doors and something completely different to be here in full view of the entire Order. He kissed her harshly, anticipating her furry. Instead she matched his intensity and began to deepen the kiss.
He closed one hand around the nape of her neck and grabbed her waist with the other, drawing her closer. The feel of her body pressed so firmly against him sent his blood rushing through his body. They both became oblivious to anything beyond the connection between them, the approaching footsteps in the hall momentarily forgotten.
Maya's heart raced as his fingers wound in her hair. Maya sensed that his kiss was a challenge; he was testing her. "I am not afraid of you, or your past,' she thought. The heady scent of his aftershave and the feel of his hand on the curve of her hip left her craving more of his touch. She lost herself to the feeling of caressing hands and lips on her skin.
A small flicker of reason rose in the back of Severus' mind, reminding him they were not alone. He pulled away, breaking the kiss. As he opened his eyes, he was sure he would see shock and anger on Maya's face for his brazenness. Instead, her blue eyes looked up at him, bright with excitement and desire, her face flushed and lips swollen from kissing.
"I'm famished. I only ate those grapes to torture you. I need dinner," she said, smiling wider. As he moved to open the door he saw Vance, Jones and McGonagall making their way down the hall and allowed a small smirk to cross his lips.
When the two reached the grassy square across from Grimauld Place, Severus took her waist and spun them on the spot apparating them both to the boundaries of the school grounds. "Always the flare for the dramatic with you, isn't it?" Maya said breathily when she could feel solid earth under her feet again.
He ignored her comment and made for the direction of the hidden entrance into the dungeons. Maya followed close behind him after whispering the incantation transfiguring her chocolate curls into a long sleek black mane, her pale skin into a bronzed luster and her eyes steely silver.
As they rounded a large cluster of Juniper trees they heard voices. "Oh, tell me you are not that idiotic," Severus muttered. Silently Maya moved in behind him to peer around his shoulder, being too short to see over it. There was a lanky boy of about fifteen with platinum hair and a pointed face flanked by two dark and dim looking youths the size of boulders, all sporting Hogwarts robes and green and silver neckties.
"Two of your little snakes then?" she whispered up to him. He responded with a silent nod and motioned for her to stay hidden in the tree line as he strode out to make his presence known.
"Quite late to be out of bounds, Mr. Malfoy," he called to the boys in a stern but not imposing tone. "I'd hate to have to take points from my own house."
"We're not out of bounds sir," the platinum haired boy answered back to his head of house as he approached. "We're on rounds, part of our inquisitorial squad duties. You know, looking for any Gryffindors or Hufflepuffs out past curfew."
It was obvious to Maya that this young man considered himself above his fellow students and likely above most staff as well.
"Perhaps, but I would hate to have to explain to your father that your Potions grade was suffering due to all of your extracurricular responsibilities. If I remember correctly, you have an essay due in the morning," he sneered down at the blonde boy, who seemed unfazed. "As you can see this area is more than adequately supervised. May I suggest that you refocus your attention to more time sensitive matters?"
Maya could see that the young man was starting to reconsider the amount of favor he carried with his head of house. "Your right sir, I could use some time for revising my essay. Crab, Goyle, let's head back inside," he drawled, but as he made his way back around the grove of trees towards the castle's main gates, Maya could see him give one final puzzling look in their direction.
Once Malfoy, Crabb and Goyle were out of sight, Maya came out from behind the grove of trees to stand beside Severus. "What is that toad of a woman playing at, letting students patrol at night?" Maya hissed angrily. "She's going to get someone killed!"
"Let's just get inside before we encounter another patrolling party."
They moved through the hidden entrance into the dungeons through the short corridor that led to his study. Severus led the way through the dark passageway with Maya close behind him. As he crossed into his private chambers, a nagging thought at the edge of his consciousness came to him in full force. 'This is a horribly bad idea! What the hell am I doing?' He had a good idea what he was doing, and he was an absolute fool if he didn't put a stop to it now!
As they entered the sitting room, he shrugged off his traveling cloak, tossing it to an armchair. 'This is absolutely without a doubt the worst idea –,' "Oof!" The full force of someone colliding with him took his breath away. Before his mind could work out what had happened, he was aware of her soft inviting lips on his, and he lost the ability for conscious thought all together. His senses were flooded with the herbal and perfumed scent of her hair all around him. As his hands found her waist and the silkiness of her hair, he could feel her smaller ones move to the buttons of his coat. His heart pounded in his ears as he trailed his lips down her jaw and found the lovely expanse of her neck. She nimbly made quick work of his last coat button and pushed it off his shoulders.
"This is a horrible idea," he murmured as he found a sensitive area at her collarbone and felt her tremble beneath his touch.
"Absolutely wretched." She arched her neck to give him better access. His long fingers finished with the buttons on her blouse and found the soft skin of her waist and back. Maya gave a soft moan against him.
That small sound only made him hungrier for the feel of her lips. He wanted to feel more of her soft skin and hair against him. "Change back," he said against her skin and moved away only far enough to see her eyes. "I want to see your face, your eyes."
"My what? Oh, right." She mentally shook herself enough to manage the spell nonverbally. The moment she felt herself return to her natural appearance his lips captured hers again in a bruising kiss. She pulled back just enough to work through the buttons of his white shirt. The feel of his hands on her back was driving her mad with distraction, but she managed to work his vest up and over his head. She spread her small hands across his bare chest loving the feel of his warm skin beneath her hands. She felt the growl low in his throat as she tasted his skin there.
Maya pulled her lips away from him just enough to speak. "Severus, what's say we skip the meal and move this to -?" Her words were muffled by his hungry kiss as he maneuvered them toward the bedroom.
The dying embers in the fireplace gave a muted orange glow off the black sheets as Severus watched Maya doze peacefully next to him, head resting on his shoulder, while he traced lazy patterns on the warm skin of her back. The view of her pale skin with her long chocolate curls fanned out on his pillow reminded him of the memories he witnessed of her and Sturbridge through legilimency. Her pale skin looked like porcelain against the darkness of the sheets. There was something more appealing about her now though. Whether it was her enhanced beauty with age or the simple fact that she was in his bed with their combined scents still lingering in the air he didn't know.
Not being completely asleep, Maya stretched, basking in the quiet hum running through her body. As she stretched a surprising thought struck her, for the first time in years, she had no intention of leaving a man's bed before morning. Nathaniel had not been the last man she went to bed with but he had been the last one she had woken up with. 'What exactly does that mean?' she wondered, her brain too fuzzy at the moment to sort out all of the details.
She felt his dark eyes on her and opened her own slowly. He was watching her with intelligent and inquisitive eyes, and she wondered what he would have been like as a teenager. "Hello."
"Hello," he answered, and Maya was thrilled to find no hint of his usual snideness or cynicism in his voice, just the rich baritone that rumbled through her when he was close. She could feel his long fingers splayed across her belly as he leaned on one elbow to study her face. Her whole body warmed from his touch.
She reached up with one delicate hand, tracing his brows and length of his nose. At this, he pulled back slightly, until she caught his eye. Her eyes mesmerized him and he was finding more and more that he could not look away from them.
She sensed that he was going to say something and brought two fingers to his mouth. "Shush, you have classes in the morning, we have until then." She took his face in her hands as he bent down to meet her lips. She felt his hand go to her hip and graze the mark that they both knew was burned there. She ran her hands across the hard planes of his shoulders, bringing her hips up to meet his as she delighted in the friction she found there. She followed him as he pulled her with him, rolling to his back. She could not explain the safety or peace she found when she was in his arms, but it was quickly becoming the only place she wanted to be. Their first time had been frenzied and hungry, as most first times are; this time they moved together in a slow rhythm with the understanding that they had the rest of the night.
Severus was awoken by the rustle of the duvet. As he opened one dark eye, he was greeted with the pleasant view of a pale foot waving and an even paler yet much more appealing bottom as the owner of said foot, leg, and bottom leaned over the edge of the bed. "What on earth are you doing? Not that I mind the view of course, but I could have used another hour's sleep," he said.
At the sound of his voice, a disheveled mass of brown curls popped up and joined the rest of its body on the bed. "If you must know, I'm looking for my knickers. The last thing I need is for some helpful house elf to go around and find them. I'd like to leave with them." The head disappeared again over the side of the bed, "Oh… here we go," she said, rising again and tossing the small piece of fabric to the bedside chair to be easily retrieved later. As she rose back over the side of the bed, a large hand snaked out, catching her wrist and pulling her back. He sat up, back against the headboard and she landed soundly in his lap.
"Come back to bed," his velvety baritone rumbled through her as he placed soft kisses on the nape of her neck and across her shoulders.
"Um, lovely idea, but don't you have to be upstairs soon?" she asked, turning in his lap to face him.
"Not for an hour." He moved his hands to her bare sides, taking in the look of her, lit from behind by the fire, perched on his lap, the sheets pooled around her hips. She was breath taking. He moved his hands to her hips and pulled her closer for a kiss.
As she drank in his languid kiss, his hands roamed over her body sending goosebumps rippling down her spine. She was hypnotized by his touch. The morning stubble on his face rasped against her cheek and she brought her hand to his face to feel its roughness against her palm. After several moments they broke apart and she sighed contentedly, resting her head on his shoulder as he continued to rub her back and arms.
"I should be getting back myself," she said, eyes still closed. "And Umbridge will be suspicious if you don't turn up for breakfast."
"True." He gave no indication of releasing her. "I had a message from Albus for you last night. I was going to tell you after the meeting, but things got somewhat side tracked."
"From Dumbledore, what message?" Her eyes were open now, all business.
'It's a shame,' he thought. He rather liked the look of her relaxed, eyes half-open, body against his. "It seems the house elves told your Grandmother of your visit and when you didn't contact her within a few days of their arrival with your belongings she sent an owl to Dumbledore. You're to go to her as soon as possible to assure her of your safety, and I'm to accompany for added security."
"Oh Merlin, Gran. She must be in a panic. We don't see each other much, especially since she's gotten too frail for apparition, but with Voldemort on the move she'll be restless for news." Maya moved away from him, ready to leave at once for her grandmother's estate.
Severus held fast to her waist and brought her back to his lap. "I'm serious, Maya. You're barely healed from your injury. Wait until I can go with you." He could see the argument in her eyes. "Tomorrow is Friday and I can get out of duties in the evening. I have items I need from the apothecary in London, and it will serve well as an excuse to get away from the castle."
"Severus," she signed sadly. "I am no angel. I can take care of myself. You've seen for yourself the things I've -," It was his turn to silence her with a finger to her lips.
"You are my Angel," he said so softly she felt it more than heard it. He ran the backs of his fingers across her cheek and down her spine, placing light kisses to her forehead, tip of her nose, and lips. Neither of them would make breakfast after all.