Severus frowned as Maya paced restlessly across the hearth her hands clasped each step was more of a cat like push, her toes touching the floor and then pushing off in a quick step but her heel didn't make any contact with the floor. As she walked her feet curled in an elegant though feline like arch and her movements had become decidedly feline. Three days she had been awake now, each time she rested she stretched and curled up in the upper right corner of the larger bed a soft purring escaping the back of her throat showing she was relaxed and comfortable. She was still unable to resume her panther form, when Severus had asked her about it she offered that it was most likely caused by her (Begrudgingly admitted) weakened state. Another thing he was noticing was that she was still flinching when people tried to come in contact with her. The granger girl, overjoyed that the woman was ok had attempted to hug her only to have Maya sidestep quickly and insist on introductions before such contact was made, even then she tricked the young woman in to not hugging her with a carefully constructed lie about possible internal damage that she had yet a chance to check for, the Gryffindor fell for it hook line and sinker.
"If you keep pacing like that you're going to were a hole in the carpet." He commented wearily and she halted mid step keeping her balance on her toes she turned her head slightly to study him out of the corner of her eye.
"How can you sit there so calmly, Why can you stand this! Locking me up like this, I need to get out!" she said loudly, he frowned and closed his book and then met her eyes with a harsh glare she turned to him fully and stepped back a few steps out of surprise. He stood and she stepped back more, as he approached she kept going till her back met the wall, even through this she stayed on her toes. Slamming his palms against the wall on either side of her she flinched and tried to shrink away from him
"You think I like being confined like this, and for the first five days, alone?! You were there but you weren't moving, hardly breathing, I hated it! I almost hated you, going against the Dark Lord, saying those things! Acting like you care about me! ME! If it weren't for you I would be comfortably dead and you'd still have you job as Harry's watcher!" He yelled and she shrank away more and he frowned but as he let his arms fall to his side, looking at her, what was causing her to be this way, so timid and frightened? His thoughts were lost as she pushed off the wall and slammed her shoulder into his stomach sending them both to the floor. With a bit of a scuffle on the hearth she managed to pin him for a moment.
"You idiot! Why do you think I said those things? Why do you think I put my life and duties at risk to save you! God damn it can't you see it! You claim intelligence and yet you can't see the one thing that I'm disgusted to admit! I allowed for something a beast must never have, that is forbidden!" she yelled her hands grasping his shoulders tightly as he rolled to his side quickly and they scuffled on the floor for a second time until, she rolled them and held him to the floor sitting squarely on his stomach
"Damn it..." she said harshly hanging her head he watched her, his obsidian gaze directed to were he assumed her eyes were, a curtain of inky hair hid her face from his view. Reaching up he frowned brushing the hair away from her face, her golden eyes looked confused, so unsure of what she was doing.
"I wasn't supposed to; I made so many promises that I wouldn't allow it." She said her shoulders slumping and she fell forward resting her forehead on his chest
"Damn you! For being a savior, and a man, and so god damn kind." She muttered he could feel the warmth of her breath seeping through the fabric of his shirt and warming his shoulder he suppressed a sudden and alarming urge to wrap his arms around her.
"what have you allowed... what could be so terrible that you feel it is disgusting that you have had it happen?" he asked finally unsure of what else to say, she had fallen silent and he didn't like how he was slowly reacting to a woman just laying on top on him, her breath warming her neck now as well
"You fool, you call me an idiot woman and yet you can't see that I've..." she trailed off, could she say it? As true as it was, though she didn't wish to admit that such a thing had happened, could she say it to him?
"I humph lifings orf oh..." she said in to his shoulder and he froze
"I... I didn't catch that..." he said his voice wavering as he prayed she had not just said what he thought she just said. She pulled away and looked at him her golden eyes meeting his black ones, the seriousness of her gaze told him that what he thought she had said was true and he was in deep trouble
"I... have feelings for you ... I LIKE YOU DAMN IT!" she yelled suddenly her face was bright red, with a sudden movement she was standing and stomping to the door probably forgetting the ward keeping it locked she tried the handle but when it didn't respond kicked it violently. Only to have the door swing open, her fall forward in a heap, and Tonks looking very surprised. Shoving herself up she used the opportunity and was down the hall before either of the two shocked people could utter a word. Tonks smiled turning to Severus who was still on the ground trying to figure out exactly what just happened
"Well... congratulations, she likes you back." she said with a grin her eyes glittering with what he assumed to be mirth. His face colored slightly at the flamboyant woman's words, like him back, that would entail that he liked her at all, that was not possible!
"Don't be ridicules! She doesn't mean anything to me; she is merely a stupid woman who keeps getting hurt for the sake of this war." He said bluntly as he stood, Tonks crossed her arms as he brushed a bit of ash off his shirt. He was lying and she knew it, after the way he had acted the time that she had been out cold it was obvious that he liked her, it was impossible to not have any feeling for a person when going through what they had.
"You're lying and you know it, you like her it's obvious every one can tell, apart from a few less then observant boys, who would do better not knowing any way." She said and his attention snapped to her right away, people had noticed? No there was nothing to notice she was merely a woman... one who drove him to such despair when she hadn't woken up, who caused him to worry for her... why did this happen, she insisted beasts were not allowed, and if she was not, then he certainly was not allowed to love, so how did it happen, that he had fallen for the protective and stubborn woman who had just confessed her feelings to him in such a way? He turned away from the pink haired woman sure if he kept facing her she would know his train of though, he watched as the fire crackled in the hearth the flames dancing to the tune only it knew. Maybe it wasn't forbidden... why else would it have happened?
"You know, when the girl runs off like that, you're supposed to chase after her." Another voice said and Severus rounded his obsidian eye narrowing to chips as sharp as the volcanic glass they looked like. Golden eyes glittered with a knowing twinkle and he resisted the urge to walk right over and beat the twinkle out of the man, see what he thought then!
"I do not need advice from a love struck werewolf!" he snapped harshly, it was true, Tonks and Remus had ended up together but he hardly needed advice from his former rival. Remus frowned
"She just told you she liked you and your just going to let her run off like that?" he asked raising a confused brow, the man was a mystery that was for sure, if he was going to prevent to man from hurting not only himself but Maya as well then he had to think of something fast.
"Are you sure that's wise? There are rooms in this house that are probably still dangerous this is a house filled with dark magic after all." He said absently, Severus froze, Remus, bastard that he was, was right, this house, was not a place where you wanted to be alone unless you were in a safe room. He let out a low growl the man had just given him the perfect excuse to go after the girl... was he planning this? Striding past them he murmured something and Remus smirked Tonks didn't hear but looked between them confused as the darker man dashed down the hall. Turning to Remus Tonks frowned rising an eyebrow
"What was that?" she asked Remus shrugged a slight smile on his face
"Some people need a push when going after what they want most." He said grabbing Tonks hand
"Come on we should distract Harry, Maya was headed for Buckbeacks room." He said evenly Tonks nodded, though the boy had grown a matured he still had a tendency to snap at the most inopportune times, at least he wasn't rushing in head first, when he had learned what had happened to the two, instead of trying to rush out head first he had calmly asked Severus if there was a way into the mansion. Unfortunately they hadn't been looking for ways in to the house during their escape, so their was nothing to tell, Harry took the depressing news well, considering.
Severus was walking quickly he was not worried, he was not worried, ok, maybe he was a little worried, he knew first hand just how bad the dark arts could be and dark artifacts were no better, something caught his attention and he picked up the pace. Finding a stair case he took the stairs two at a time as a voice drew closer
"H-hey don't do that... Ah! S-stop it..." her words were broken and he dashed down the hall, listening closely as her voice got closer, a sudden shrike filled the air and he ran full tilt bursting open the door he found two pairs of golden eyes turned to him in confusion. Maya was lying on her back while Buckbeak pulled at a lock of her hair letting go of the hair he backed farther in to the room obviously not agreeing with the new comer. Maya sat up a flush crossing her cheeks she turned away from him and stood brushing straw and feathers off her robes
"Se-Severus... what are you doing here..." she said, he guessed she was either embarrassed to be found getting beaten by a hippogriff or she was still distressed over what she had admitted to him... he knew he should try and say something, his reaction had been less then kind...
"Um..." They started at the same time as Maya turned to him both looked up slight pink filling their cheeks as their eyes met
"Uh... y-you go first..." Maya said looking down digging at the floor with her toe
"No, you go first please..." he said, this was awkward, the woman was different, already being in the same room as her was making his heart pound, he couldn't keep lying, he did like her, she was something different, something exotic and strange Her golden eyes and graceful cat like movements, her protectiveness, and her willingness to help him no matter what... no it wasn't just that, all the time he had spent with her had opened something in him, they dueled as equals, despite her hate for his former allegiance she treated him evenly never acting as if he was beneath her. He watched as she shifted looking down at the floor, then she stopped and her could see the regular defiance filling her
"I'm not taking back what I said, what happened, happened, I guess you'll just have to live with it. I'm glad I confessed now I won't feel self-conscious or anything, you realize those days when were where in his hands, at my idiot brothers mercy all I worried about was you, I couldn't get you off my mind. When Mamiya lashed out at me I was glad because he was focused on me and not you... I'm sorry if you're offended by my feelings." She said finally, the dark haired man was stunned for a moment, that whole time, when he was worrying over her, she was attracting Solensen's attention for him, because she was scared for him? A light flush had crossed her face and she averted her eyes her chin up in a strong stance but she was chewing her bottom lip waiting.
"Maya, during the time your where lying in that bed... I couldn't stop thinking about you." He started softly, She froze turning her gaze to him with surprise, she had expected her feelings to be some one sided crush but before she could say anything he continued.
"I've been thinking, about you a lot to, the more I tried to deny even as I was denying it, I was thinking about you... Maya, something about you... I'm not..." he stopped he wasn't about to get tongue-tied in an attempt to tell a woman that he maybe, thought he possibly could think of liking her. She stepped forward her golden eyes seeking his which had been turned away
"Severus." Her voice was soft he looked up, she was close, almost startling him Her reached out grabbing his hand bringing it up she twisted her hand till she laced her fingers
"Maybe I'm not just a beast... I can't help but wonder... if there was more then fate that played a hand in this." She said her glittering golden eyes meeting his deep black ones they were so close he could feel her breaths blow gently across his skin. He reached up his other hand placing it gently on her cheek, she blinked then smiled leaning into it a little
"Am I being silly?" she asked, He shook his no as he ran his thumb along her lower lip, Leaning forward he kissed her softly, this was a real first kiss, not a kiss in a dream to wake her up, not a forced kiss to scare her away, but a kiss to convey what he couldn't put into words. Her eyes widened with surprise at the suddenness of the connection of their lips, The surprise washed away and she closed her eyes. This wasn't a dream... the soft kiss was real, gentle and kind, a shiver ran though he and he pulled away, She opened her eyes looking at him confused at his abrupt movement away from her
"I'm sorry, that was... I'm sorry." He said she shook her head
"Why? For giving me a first kiss?" she asked with a slight smirk he looked at her surprised
"Oh don't tell me you thought I've dated people before? To be honest I have never been interested in anybody before now..." she said with a shrug He paled slightly, those two other times.. the first one, had been forced...
"Hey, I can see your mind working." She said with a frown placing a hand on her hip and pocking his forehead roughly
"You did that because I said something stupid, and the second one was to help me out, those don't count, because I say so, but either way, you gave me my first kiss..." she smiled stepping back and blushing lightly
"I wouldn't have it any other way then to have my first kiss from the one I love." She said He flushed but nodded, he guessed that made sense his first kiss had been... less then enjoyable, but if this counted as his first kiss, with her, He knew he would never forget it.
"You think maybe we should go back to the room before we get yelled at." She asked pulling him from his thoughts, her right hand gripping his sleeves lightly, that's when he realized she was still in the transfigured green pajamas
"I want to get a chance to talk to Remus; maybe we can have permission to get new wands and some cloths." She said crossing her arms and nodding as she echoed his thoughts
"Let me guess more of those flowing robes of yours?" he asked with a slight smirk She grinned
"What can I say I like to fly." She said evenly stepping past him and looking back with a grin
"Race ya." She said with a childish gleam in her eye, now she had admitted that she liked him and knew that he liked her she wasn't afraid to let loose a little, that and the fact she just wanted to get rid of some of her pent up energy. He turned to her raising a skeptical brow had he just kissed a child? She laughed
"Oh come on, running is good for people anyway, I'm board, I'm not much of an emotion person, so the topic of how I'm feeling can only occupy me for so long." She said evenly He frowned stepping forward and grabbing her arm
"Really?" he asked, she nodded
"Yah, pretty much." She said He grinned tugging her back and running off ahead, she blinked a couple time trying to figure out what just happened before dashing off after him. She was glad that for now, they could pretend nothing was wrong.