Rabidity

Severus found that morning came at an incredibly slow rate. Adrienne had seemed to doze off, probably from pure exhaustion. However she had done that several times during the night, and she would awake moments later. The poor girls head must be riddled with nightmares.

Severus took the opportunity to free his hand, that she had held all night long, and escape momentarily. An obvious trip to the lavatories was necessary, as well as finding some breakfast, for the both of them. The Malfoy’s had a new house elf, one that wasn’t quite on it’s toes just yet, so Severus settled for summoning some tea. He didn’t think he could stomach much more – and he doubted Adrienne could either.

He returned with a warm pot, and white cups. As he set them on the table he notice the personal lavatory light was on. He strained his neck, he could obviously see Adrienne was still dozing off, and he wasn’t sure who it was until he saw Narcissa walking out of the bathroom. She put her hand to her heart, “Severus!” she said, “You startled me.” She rolled her eyes and returned to Adrienne’s side. She was dragging a wet cloth across Adrienne’s face.

“You’re protecting her aren’t you?” Narcissa’s accusation came from out of nowhere. Severus poured himself the welcoming cup of tea that he wanted and said nothing. “You don’t have to answer, but I can tell – she’s no different that Draco to you. Last night you were so… you… you know what he did, you know he raped that poor girl.” Severus’ fists tightened, he yanked on Narcissa’s arm and pulled her away from the bed. His anger was obvious.

Narcissa and Severus now stood in the doorway to her room, Severus wanted to cast some sort of silencing charm to protect their conversation, as he knew Adrienne may stir at any moment. –But he never got the chance.

“Don’t tell me you feel for that girl. Wait - No don’t tell me - I don’t want to know. We’re risking our heads as it is.”

“Risking your bloody heads? By doing what? Jumping everytime the Dark Lord barks at you? If you’re really thinking of leaving then you should just do it now. Get it over with, give him some distraction.”

“Is… is that what you were thinking last night Severus? Malfoy was babbling about what you said, leaving, hiding… You really do care about this girl don’t you?”

“I’ve made the unbreakable vow to protect your son, as I would protect any of my students.”

“Except Potter, you freely gave out information about him the other night.”

“Keep your place witch. I will do as I see fit, and obviously,” he said showing her his scarred hand, “keep my promises. Let’s not forget who finished the job for Draco.”

“Yes, and I am forever in your debt,” Narcissa told him, “Which… is why I won’t tell him.”

“Tell who what?”

“How you feel about her.”

“I don’t have ‘feelings’ for her.”

“Then why were you so eager to risk your own neck then?”

“It’s my duty, as a teacher.”

“You didn’t make that unbreakable vow because you are a teacher – you care about him, and I don’t have a doubt in my mind that you do the same for her.” Narcissa had a look upon her face that was obviously coy. She slipped out the door without making a sound. And Severus was once again contemplating his feelings.

He hated Narcissa assumptions about his feelings. Like she knew him, they merely worked in proximity to each other, his loyalties lay with no one but himself. But who was he kidding, night after night spending the little free time he had with a girl he barely knew – but admired?

Like always Severus began to ignore the gnawing thoughts in the back of his mind. While the silence around him calmed him, he still felt a flame of insecurity as he looked upon the resting girl.

She was awake now, obviously curious as to what was going on in her doorway. She lifted her head from the soft down pillow and cringed at the soreness that she found throughout her entire body. Severus unstoppered a vial and handed it to her.

“I thought I’m not supposed to have anything else?” she stated before placing the vial to her lips.

“Well what you keep locked in your head, he won’t know. And if there is any way I can hinder his plans for an heir, then I’ll take it.”

Adrienne smiled at the comment, “Thank you.”

Severus couldn’t read the mind of this young girl – she had learned well from him, although Severus had to admit he was quite nervous without her taking a subsission potion if she’d be able to keep her thoughts safe, but it seemed this girl had an unnatural talent for that type of magic. She could influence nearly anyone, hide her thoughts, and turn into a menacing creature at the drop of a hat. But Severus was caught off guard at the innocence of her next question:

“Did he love her professor?”

“Did who- love?“ he was confused.

“Daygona, did he love Daygona?”

“Oh well…” Severus tensed his mind once again. “In complete honesty, he couldn’t have.”

Adrienne added puzzlement to one of the many looks upon her face. “What do you mean?”

“I know little about the Dark Lord Ms. Knox, but what I do know… is like many wizards he came from a broken sort of family. The long ongoing issues of purebloods and halfbloods. He was abnormally conceived, one of the rare instances where a wizard is born from the outcome of a love potion. Rendering him incapable of love.”

“A love potion can have that effect on the child?”

“If there’s one thing I know well in this world, it’s potions. They are dangerous just as they are life saving.”

“I just… I just thought he had to have felt something for her. Or he wouldn’t care if it were me.”

“Well there are other factors. I believe his affiliation with Daygona was merely another way of showing he was capable of anything. Conquering the most beautiful girl in school would obviously bring him status like any other dim-witted school boy.”

“So she was just a conquest, he never loved her?”

“He couldn’t have.”

“Well I’m beginning to feel bad for this girl more and more each day.”