Severus stood up from his chair abruptly, a kaleidoscope of feelings swarmed his heart in a swift motion, dragging him into a space that he had never been before. He felt things that he had never felt, overwhelming him, and reminding him that you were lying in the hospital bed because of him.

He had learned that everyone around him would get hurt, and yet, he was careless enough to let you into his life, letting you fall in love with him when he knew very well that it would not end up in the way he wanted it to be. He should have had treated you like any other student, hence you would not be coughing up murderous flower petals because of him, but it happened, and the blame was on him.

Rage pulsed through his veins when he shoved his things from his table, watching as they scattered on the floor, making a visible mess in his usually neat and tidy office. A fresh swell of anger rose in his chest, and Severus had never felt so angry before in his life. He was so angry at himself for not noticing the signs earlier, that you were giving your heart to him, and devoting your precious love for him. He was also enraged to know that he had left you alone in your tears, just because he was too afraid to see how in love you were with him.

"I'm sorry, Y/N..."

His anger slowly subsided when his eyes landed on your chair, empty, and somehow he hoped you were sitting there, smiling at him like he was the only man in the whole world that was worthy of your love.

Did he love you?

"It's just a dance lesson, Professor. Can you please help me?"

You looked up at him with your luminous eyes, reflecting himself who was smirking at you, and somehow from the reflection of your eyes, he felt better about himself, like he was meant for more than this, like he was finally meant to be happy.

"And why should I help you?"

He could not help but smirked as you crossed your arms against your chest, pouting slightly at his question. You looked so annoyed, but still trying to ask for his sympathy as well when your pout turned into a bright smile.

"You should help me because if you don't, I would embarrass myself during the ball and you wouldn't want that."

Severus rolled his eyes dramatically, but nevertheless, he nodded, making you squealed in excitement, sending a warm feeling wrapped around his cold heart. He made you promise not to step on his foot, but your promise was long forgotten once the dance lesson started as your clumsy feet kept stepping on him.

Severus slumped into his chair, realising that there was something in his heart every time you were around, but he was too stubborn to let it in, and he was stuck in his past, not being able to comprehend that he was actually letting his future slip through his fingers. He put his head in his hands, breathing heavily, as he pondered what he really felt for you.

His eyes moved towards the floor, spotting the shattered glasses that came from the broken picture frame. His heart beat increased as he realised it was the picture that you gave him, and he stood up almost immediately, kneeling down on the floor to grab the picture, careful not to pierce his fingers with the glasses.

It was a picture of you and him, you were beaming while he scowled at you, clearly unhappy with the fact that you were taking a picture together with him. Perhaps to others, the picture was far from perfect, with his bitter expression and your enchanting smile, but you held it dearly to your heart and decided to frame it, and gave it to him as a gift. Severus could not remember the last time he got a proper gift from anyone, but you always managed to surprise him.

"What is this?"

He raised his iconic eyebrow, pointing at the picture frame that was now on his working table, and he was sure he never put it there. You sent him a smile, shrugging your shoulders, looking as innocent as ever, but Severus knew it was your doing.

"I just thought your office needs some decoration."

You reasoned, proud that you succeeded to sneak the picture into his office and put it on his table, so that it would always stay there with him. Severus huffed and tore his gaze from you, glancing at the picture of you and him.

"You call that as a decoration?"

"Don't be mean, Professor. The picture would be better if you smiled but you didn't!"

You joked, knowing that it would not easy to see Professor Snape with a smile. He surely smiled around you, but you knew it was something that he treasured to be keep as a secret between you and him.

"I already see your face every day, Miss L/N. If I have to see your picture here, I could throw up."

Severus was merely teasing you, but it seemed to offend you as you walked over to his table and grabbed the picture frame and held it against your chest protectively, dropping your gaze on the floor.

"What are you doing, Y/N?"

"I'm taking it back."

You said, almost questioning him, as he looked so confused when you wanted to take it back. Severus held back his smile and shook his head, humoured to know that his words were affecting you. You must be really excited to give him the picture, thus you thought that he really despised your gift when he teased you about it.

"You said it is a gift for me, Y/N.

You chewed on your bottom lip, nodding weakly at the professor.

"Not anymore since you don't want it."

Snape scoffed and extended his hand towards you, gesturing you to give the frame back to him. You hesitantly handed the picture frame to him, your lips curled into a smile once he took it back from you, and he put it back on his table.

"Thank you for the gift, Y/N."

He cared so much for you, truly, he did. He had loved someone before and he knew how it felt, but this time it was much stronger than that, way too strong and he was too weak to have it. Severus found him asking himself again, did he ever love you?

He put the picture on his table, feeling as if it was hard for him to take his eyes off your alluring and contagious smile, unfolding a plethora of memories that he had created with you. You were so beautiful, and he only had time to see it now, his heart slowly melting at the thought of you.

Severus walked over to the huge window, opening the curtains like you did when you were there for the first time during your extra lesson, to see the sun finding its way in the skies, replacing the moon as day threw the shroud of the night. He noticed it would not be much longer before the potion would be here, and once you drink it, your love for him would be forgotten.

"Careful, Y/N."

He warned, as you walked before him, almost skipping in your steps. You were accompanying him to Hagrid's place, as he had some ingredients to be taken there, and there was several occasions that you would trip on the roots on the ground and he had to patch you up afterwards.

"I'm not a child, Professor."

You retorted, making him squint his eyes intimidatingly at you.

"Try to say that when you're hurt and need my help, Miss L/N."

He argued, and you could only laughed, as he walked by your side, making sure that you were not doing anything stupid that could get yourself hurt. Severus let out a sigh when you would not stop talking to him, and he just wanted to walk in a peaceful silence.

"Please stop talking."

"Why?"

"Just stop talking, Miss L/N."

You obliged, but after a moment, you started to hum a song under your breath, and while Severus had to admit it was beautiful, it did not mean that it was not irritating him.

"You can be insufferable sometimes."

He mumbled, and you grinned at him. There was something flickering in his heart as your heart glimmered in excitement, but he was not sure what it was, quickly shoving it away from his mind.

"You're gonna miss me when I'm gone, Professor."

He was rolling his eyes at your words, and decided to ignore you as both of you continued your journey to Hagrid's place.

Severus felt tears burned in his eyes as he realised all his good memories were with you, and his days would be dull and excruciating without you. His heart swelled at your memories, and something fluttered in his chest, making him realise that he was in love with you.

Severus loved you.

He tried to deny it, not wanting to ruin whatever he had with you, trying to think of his other memories, the ones that he always used to summon his patronus but he failed every single time as your memories were filling his mind, pushing away the others, discarding them as you were no longer just in his head, but you were also in his heart. You were the one in his heart.

"I love Y/N."

He whispered, a wave of realisation washed over him, and a smile was cracked on his lips. After so long, he could finally let his fear go, opening the door of his stone cold heart for you, and he loved you. He loved you so much, that he wanted to tell everyone about it, feeling so alive after so long living in misery.

Severus took his wand in his hand, summoning his patronus with your sweet memories, wanting to see if his heart was being true, and deep within his heart, he knew his love was genuine.

"Expecto patronum."

A gasp escaped his lips as he stared in awe at his new form of patronus, a snowy owl flew proudly across the room, resembling the same patronus as yours. Severus remembered vividly the form of your patronus because he was the one who taught you the spell, and he could still remember the gleam in your eyes as you were over the moon to see your snowy owl patronus, the look that you gave him brought a smile upon his face, and he smiled now, at the memories of you.

He was in love with you, and there was no denying it.

Severus would be doomed if you drink the potion and would not be able to love him any longer. Glancing at the clock, he was flabbergasted to see that he was late to the hospital wing. It was already time for you to take the potion, and he knew you would take it without wasting any time, wanting to mend your broken heart, after what he said to you last night.

Last night, his heart was spiralling in grief as he could remember your sad smile, tears in the corner of your eyes and the way your lips trembled, promising him that you would wait for him in another life, willing to love him once again, as he walked away, leaving you alone, as if you meant so little to him.

He rushed out of the door, and cursed the rules for him not being able to apparate within the school walls. Severus almost ran towards the hospital wing, hoping that he could be there just in time before you drink the potion. The journey towards the hospital wing seemed too far as your words from last night rang through his head, again and again, clawing on his heart and bursting flames in his chest.

"Why don't you save me?"

"Forgive me for being in love with you."

"Perhaps in another life, you would find it in your heart to love me."

Something was tugging on his heartstrings, nerves wrecked his soul that he was not going to make it, and his steps felt so much heavier as his heart raced at the thought, but he kept going, wishing that he would get to tell you how much he loved you. He needed you to know that he loved you.

You loved him too early, and Severus loved you too late.