Severus was in shock. This child, no this woman, after just losing her family to the hands of death eaters, people she knew he once was, was clinging to him and using him as a source of comfort. He idly thought this was the first time in years he willingly held a woman in his arms. ' she'll realize soon that I was there, and saw what was done, then she will want nothing to do with me." he rationalized, and was greatly surprised when he felt a pang of dread and sadness in his frozen heart. Nevertheless, he wrapped his arms around the distraught student and let her sob on his shoulder, at the same time trying to support and keep her warm, as he realized the sun was leaving the sky and it was getting cold, and she wore only shorts and a t shirt.
" Miss O'Brien..." no answer.
"Miss o'Brien?" no answer, just the muffled sobs from the woman in his arms.
" Evelyn..?" he asked tentavely. There was a silence, other than the soft hiccups from the worn out girl. Her face red and tearstained, she looked up in awe.
"Did you just use my first name?" she asked incredulously.
Severus wanted to laugh. At a time like this, she was shocked that he used her given name. But laughter would hurt evelyn further, and he didnt need that at the moment.
"Yes, yes I did. We need to head to hogwarts, its getting late and you'll catch a cold." he answered sternly.
She looked down at her feet. "I wouldn't care... I don't think I can care about anything anymore..." she whispered.
Darkness was sweeping in, and at anytime the wreckage of evelyns home would be discovered, snape knew they had to get out of there quick, and that wouldnt happen if she broke down again. There would be plenty of time for that in the safety of hogwarts. He thought of something fast.
" Sure you'll be able to care again. Just think of when you get older and find the right man, you'll marry, and have children, and you will certainly love and care again." severus stated firmly, hoping to lift her spirits, no matter how awkward he felt talking about some womans future love life.
Evelyn gasped, "m-my cousin sariah was getting married this October... a-and my cousin cara was g-going to have a b-baby! Oh god! Why!"
Evelyn collapsed, and severus, with his quick reflexes, caught her with ease, and she proceded to sob onto his chest, her arms encirling his waist, holding onto him for dear life.
Severus looked down at the woman in his arms and mentally sighed, irked and very guilty for what the people he once called friends did to this innocent girl. He looked around, and realized that they were out in the open, making it extremly dangerous to apparate. He saw that they needed to get back to the cottages, to be hidden from sight. Then he could safely transport them to hogwarts.
"Evelyn, we need to get moving, do you think you can walk?" Snape asked to the girl he held up in his arms.
"I can try" she replied timidly. She held onto his arm and took tentative steps towards the ocean. In no time, her knees buckled, she was obviously worn out and weak from all she saw. Severus who was reluctant to let go in case this happened caught her before she hit the sand.
"Im sorry..." she whispered, teary eyed. She whimpered helplessly.
" its quite alright miss O'Brien. Now could you kindly place your arms around my neck? Thank you. Now try and relax, ill take you away from all of this." severus said calmly.
He lifted her into his arms, greatly over estimating her weight. Relived she wouldn't be a struggle for him he started to walk towards the cottages.
" why are we going this way?" Evelyn asked in a panic. Snape looked down at the frightened girl.
"We are going to find an alleyway out of sight so that I can apparate you to hogwarts without being seen. We are not going to your house unless you wish to do so." he assured her.
"No... I don't think I can manage right now... not again." Evelyn sighed shakily, her voice breaking.
"That is quite alright, but you know you will have to go back sometime soon, to gather belongings."
"I know... just not right now..."
Snape carried on in silence, searching for the best location to apparate from. Evelyn sighed shakily, and buried her head into his shoulder, closing her eyes for a bit. She felt so safe, so secure in this frightening mans arms. His words were ringing in her ears " I'll take you away from all of this" it meant so much to her, for someone to shield her from the evils of death. She smiled slightly, for the first time in a while, and drifted to sleep.
Snape stopped in an alley way, looking around for any muggles straying around, seeing none, he relaxed.
"Alright, miss O'Brien, its time we went back to hogwarts, are you sure you don't want me to get you anything from your house?... miss O'Brien?" he looked down at the girl in his arms, and realized she was sleeping peacefully. Relived she found some source of comfort, he smiled, a very rare thing for him to do. he then apparated, taking her home.