Chapter 3: Deatheaters Worth Saving

The assistant, William, left somewhat reluctantly. Severus thought that this pathetic boy should give up hope completely. He was scrawny and awkward in behavior and appearance. He mustn't have been much older than the healer, but he was already starting to bald. The healer, Rose, look as though she could easily have any man she wanted. Though her hair was a mess, it was artfully so. She had a sweet face with warm brown eyes and naturally pink lips and cheeks. Her figure was hidden beneath her purple healer's robes but based on the fantastical image displayed in William's mind, Severus knew enough to know that there was no chance for the assistant.

Once the assistant was out of sight, Severus expected the woman to make some angry remark about him entering her thoughts. However, she remained silent, but the look she gave Severus clearly said, 'if you try that again, I will hex you!'

Rose approached Severus. Again, she got closer than a person should get to a stranger. Severus had to remind himself that, based on her memories, she had become extremely comfortable touching his unconscious body.

Rose surveyed Severus carefully. "What's your pain level like?" she asked in her most professional voice.

"Like I just had my throat ripped out by a giant snake," Severus replied weakly.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Rose said back, amusement playing on her face. "That happened a whole week ago."

Rose was pleased to see a smile flash behind the professor's cold eyes, or maybe she imagined it.

"Can you drink more potion?" she asked. "And maybe take something to eat. I have been feeding you intravenously for days. Your stomach probably burns with emptiness."

"I can't lift my hand to my mouth," Severus pointed out with annoyance.

"I would feed you," She said simply.

Severus scowled at her words.

"You will regain use of your limbs and everything, especially now that you can be properly nourished and drink potions." Then without asking, she rolled up the covers above Severus's knees and placed her hand on his legs. "Can you feel my touch?"

"Yes," Severus said, chewing the word.

"Good," Rose responded. "Can you raise your legs up?"

Severus tried to lift his legs, it was a delayed response and the effort was underwhelming. The healer looked unperturbed by this.

"Progress," she sang. Then she threw Severus a pointed look, "Most men want to be reassured that 'All' their limbs will regain full function."

Severus bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep his face from turning red. His scowl deepened. That was not on his list of immediate concerns.

"The venom from the snake paralyzes its victims by damaging the nerves and muscles. The fact that you have feeling tells me that the treatment is effective. Later, I will give you more injections into your muscles to help speed up the healing process."

"Your methods seem primitive," Severus commended.

Rose rolled her eyes at him. "You are very snarky, aren't you?" she remarked. "My primitive methods are what saved your life." She paused. "The No Mag have many good ideas, but most pure blood wizards don't agree."

"I'm not a pure blood wizard," Severus signed.

"Never would have guessed based on your uninformed comment."

Severus looked away angrily. "Are you expecting me to thank you for saving me?"

"It would be the polite thing to do?" Rose said.

Severus focused his gaze on her again. His eyes were cold and cruel. Rose felt herself shutter slightly. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you." His tone suggested that he was not sorry at all.

Rose crossed her arms across her chest.

"Of course," Severus continued, "no one walks away from being a deatheater. It is only a matter of time before someone does me in. It's not like I could possibly defend myself."

Rose flinched slightly. What bothered her most about the professor's cold words was that he sounded so indifferent to the fine line between living and dying. "It's going to be different now," she returned, trying to sound strong, yet her statement still came out like a bit of a question. "Harry Potter has been working to clear your name."

Severus's eyes flashed. "What has Potter possibly- he has no right to say…" Rose watched Professor Snape fume before he directed his attention back at her. "And you," Severus hissed. "Why is it that you are the soul healer here?" he raised his dark brows at her. "No one else would agree to heal a deatheater."

Rose pressed her lips into a thin line. "I'm here because you needed the best and I am the best."

"But no one else would come," Severus told her bitterly. "Has it ever crossed your brilliant little mind that there may be a reason for that?" He gave her a moment to process his words. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe I was not worth saving?"

Rose glared at Professor Snape but soon her eyes flooded with sadness. "You are not the first deatheater worth saving," she told him. "And this time, I'm going to do it," she said more to herself.

Severus watched her through narrowed eyes, "I will be dead in a week," he assured her.

"I would not let that happen," Rose said firmly. "Besides, you are far too stubborn to die." On a side note she added, "Harry Potter would not let that happen."

"I don't need Potter's protection," Severus said, "nor do I want it."

"He is concerned about you," Rose told the professor. "He sends me owls every other day to be updated on your health."

"What do you tell him?" Severs asked at once.

Rose thought this was a ridiculous thing to become angry over. "Not much," she told him honestly. "Just that you're alive and improving- healer/patient confidentiality, you know. But now that you're awake, I can confidently write to Harry and tell him that you are a pain in the ass."

Something different than anger flashed behind the professor's black eyes and a small sneer spread across his face. "Do you talk to all your patients that way?" he asked.

"You are not like all of my patients," Rose said, a smile returning to her face. It faded quickly though. Their little discussion seemed to drain all the energy the professor had. He sunk deep into his pillows.

Rose signed and walked over to the professor. "You are going to be well again," she told him firmly, "but you are going to have to trust me."

Severus look up at her. His eyes told her that gaining his trust would not be easy or possible, but she would try anyway.

"You should probably eat something," she said.

"I can't raise a spoon to my mouth," Severus snapped.

"I can help you," Rose said somewhat desperately.

Severus frowned and ignored her.

Rose took his lack of comment as a que to start cooking. "Do you like oatmeal?" she asked.

No reply.

She took his silence as a 'yes.'

Soon she was putting a tray over Professor Snape's lap with a bowl of hot cereal and a warm mug of nourishment potion.

Severus looked down at the food like it had personally insulted him. Rose couldn't help but smile to herself.

"Here," she raised the mug to his lips. Severus swallowed the potion without making eye contact with Rose. She gave him a spoonful of oatmeal. Despite the humiliation of being fed like an infant, it felt good to fill his stomach. Severus hated the feeling of hunger; it reminded him too much of being at child at Spinner's End with barely enough to eat.

Rose brought another spoonful of oatmeal to his mouth. Severus dared a glance up at her. Her face was not pitying or unkind. She was just looking at him with her warm caring eyes.

Severus had to look away again, but continued to let her feed him his whole meal.

"That wasn't so horrible was it?" Rose asked as she dabbed at the corners of his mouth with a napkin.

Severus just ignored her.