The students were not in the Great Hall yet, as it was still early for breakfast but the teachers were already there, and they could not help but wonder if you were fine. It worried them to see you walking out of the hall, looking glum, when you used to look so happy.

Severus was there too, but he distanced himself from hearing them talking about you, when he knew he was the reason you stormed out of the Great Hall last night. He never expected you to leave, and he pondered if he said too much, but that did not mean he regretted his words.

"Severus, what did you do to Y/N?"

He rolled his eyes when Minerva came to him, a frown was plastered on her face. He knew she would ask him out of all people, and he was not planning to be blamed for your vulnerability.

"I didn't do anything."

He responded, his monotone voice could deceive other people but not Minerva when she could see the hidden guilt in his eyes.

"You're feeling guilty, Severus."

She pointed out, her frown turned into a smirk when she saw colours drained from Snape's face, but he was quick to look away from her to compose himself.

"I'm not guilty of anything, Minerva."

He retorted, and he noticed Minerva was smiling at him, and he could see something in her eyes, as if she felt for him, and he hated it when she did that. She always tried to look out for him, and yet, he wanted her to ignore his feelings just once, especially when it came to you.

"You don't have to mask your feelings with your heartless actions and words, because we both know you have a heart, Severus."

Her words silenced him, and he opened his mouth to say something but he could not think of anything as Minerva tore her gaze from him, letting him to think of his own doing towards you.

But then his attention was diverted towards the door when you walked in, a smile was painted on your face and there was a spring in your steps, as if nothing happened during dinner yesterday, like you never walked out of the Great Hall with a heavy heart after what he said to you, and it bewildered him.

"Y/N, are you alright?"

Your eyes widen when the teachers bombarded you with questions, asking if you were fine. You calmed them down and nodded, assuring them you were alright. Perhaps they were concerned when you walked out last night, but you were not lying when you said you were doing fine. You woke up this morning with a smile, and you did not want to change anything about it.

"There's nothing wrong with me, Minerva. I promise you."

You had to assure her a few times when the older witch looked so worried. Your heart was warmed at the thought of the teachers caring about you so much, and your fire to start the day was ignited right away, forgetting about Severus' harsh words.

Of course, it pained you to hear him think of you so lowly, but then you managed to comfort yourself like you always did, wiping your own tears and walking into a new day with a smile. Severus' words stung, but you did not let them linger in your head for long before they disappeared from your mind for good. There was no use of letting his words hung over your head, when you believed in yourself more than you believed in him.

Sitting down next to Severus, he knitted his eyebrows together when he realised there are other empty seats but you chose to sit beside him. You always sighed in frustration when you had to sit there, but now as he looked at you, you were smiling and there was not a hint of annoyance in your eyes.

"You're finally here, Professor L/N. I thought you would want to sulk in your room and think about what I said to you last night. I meant every word."

He said, and you knew it was coming from him. It seemed like he could not live a day without talking down about you. However, instead of replying his words, you just rolled your eyes and started to talk with the other professors.

Severus squinted his eyes when you did not respond to him, as if you were numb to his caustic words by now. Everything he said was not affecting you that morning, and something stirred inside of him to see you smile when he was hoping to see you scowling at him instead.

It baffled him to see you ignoring him, and his heart was aching to see you being so ignorant towards him when all he did was hurting you. He scoffed at his own thought, and anger rose in his chest when you continued to give him the cold shoulder.

Ironically, he did not mind it if he was the one who was giving you the silent treatment, but when you did the same towards him, it felt like a blade was stabbed deep within his heart, and you plunged it even deeper when you did not even glance at him as he stood up from his chair to leave.

It was foolish but he wanted to hurt your feelings, and seeing you being so oblivious was making him irritated, and his poor students had to face en extra grumpy Professor Snape that day since you did not talk to him.

- - - -

"It's an honor to finally meet you, Professor Flitwick."

You smiled, glad to see him after a few months replacing his position at Hogwarts. The retired professor decided to come and visit you, wanting to see your progress and helped you with anything you needed for the subject you were teaching.

"Likewise, Professor L/N. Did you enjoy your teaching so far?"

You found yourself talking to the professor about your experience at the school, and it was easy to tell him everything when he listened attentively, giving you feedback with every single thing to help you improve your classes.

He was very kind, and if he was your professor, you were sure he would be your favourite. You talked to him about school for almost an hour and you did not realise how long the conversation had been going on until he glanced at his watch, sighing as he realised he had to go.

"I have to go now, but before that I need to talk to you about something."

You fiddled with your fingers nervously as you could tell what he was going to talk about. Surely, gossips spread extremely fast around Hogwarts and you had learned it by now.

"I heard about you and Severus."

He started, and as if it was on cue, you let out a wistful sigh, being right when you were thinking he wanted to talk about your soulmate. Perhaps everyone knew now that your soulmate did not want you, and you had to work alongside him every day in the same building, when he wanted nothing to do with you.

It was such a tragic demise for you, but you were sure Professor Flitwick was concerned about your focus on your job when you had your soulmate there with you. Fortunately, or unfortunately, whichever fit in the situation of you and Severus, you would have no problem focusing on your job when your soulmate just looked at you in contempt.

"If you're worried about my commitment to my classes, you don't have to worry about it. Severus and I barely talk to each other so my focus is entirely on my job."

You responded, but you frowned when he chuckled under his breath, shaking his head at your assurance.

"That is what I'm worried about, Professor L/N."

"What do you mean?"

You were not very fond to talk about your soulmate, needing to get Severus out of your head, but you knew the professor must had a good reason to bring him up in your conversation with him.

"You and Severus barely talk to each other. It's none of my business, Y/N, but we both know that's not how soulmates are supposed to be."

You chewed on your bottom lip and nodded, agreeing with him but there was nothing you could do to change your relationship with Severus. It would be rare to see you and Severus talked to each other, and if you did, it would only turn into a whole argument which Severus would be happy to initiate.

"Soulmates can be friends too, Y/N. It is not necessary for you and him to be in love with each other."

He advised, and once again, you knew he was right. But it was impossible for you to be friends with Severus, as you could never see yourself being so close to a person who was hostile towards you.

You wanted to be friends with him, pushing aside your love when you knew he would never love you back, but he kept showing you that he wanted you out of his life. And there was no way he would want you to be his friend, when his heart was cold and there was no space for you in it.

"It's not that easy, Professor. He doesn't want me."

You blurted out, realising that there was no point of hiding the truth from anyone, when it was as clear as the sky that Snape was not interested in you, and he would rather have someone else as his soulmate.

When Flitwick heard you, his heart broke. You looked so content on the outside, but once you opened up, all of your sorrows were pouring out, and he cursed Severus for not realising how bad he was wrecking his own life and yours at the same time. You could see it on his face that he felt sorry for you, and that was the last thing you needed.

"Please do not pity me. It's totally fine."

Actually it's not fine, but you only screamed it in your head as no one would truly understand how painful it was to pretend as if your soulmate meant nothing to you, when you waited for him patiently, harbouring your feelings when you did not even meet him yet.

"I do not pity you, Y/N."

He genuinely cared about you, and it sent a smile upon your face, waiting for his next words as you realised he had known Severus longer that you did, and perhaps he would have a different view on the Potions Master's behaviours.

"I pity Severus."

You raised your eyebrows when he said it, and he chuckled at your reaction.

"Did you know that I teach him when he was a student? Well, he had been waiting for you to come since he was very young. If there was one student of mine who really believed in soulmates, it would be him."

He told you, a smile was plastered on his face when he remembered about young Severus. You shook your head, it was hard to think that Severus believed in soulmates, when all he did since you came was making fun of you and your dreams in meeting your soulmate.

"Time changes, and sadly he changes too. It's a pity that now when you are here for him, he decides to push you away."

You breathed in sharply and tried to get everything right in your mind. You tried to put yourself in his shoes, but you ended up getting hurt every time you tried to get closer to him, and you were starting to think that there was no chance for you and him. But having Flitwick telling you about Severus, you embraced yourself and decided to ask him more about your soulmate.

"Why is he pushing me away?"

You asked, and Flitwick tensed at your question, and you could tell he was contemplating to answer you or leave you hanging, which would be cruel and unfair towards you.

"Fear of love."

He simply said, well aware that Severus would never admitted it himself, but his teachers could see right through him, and while others would want you to find it out by yourself, Flitwick had no heart to leave you without an answer when you were desperate for one.

Your face dropped at his words, and suddenly you lost your words. Severus was scared of being love? But you really thought he was in love with another, but then it hit you hard, that no one has ever said Lily loved him back.

That was because she never did.

She never loved him back.

For a moment, you had forgotten about how hurt you were, when half of your soul was destined with his, and all you could think was for Severus. Professor Flitwick's shattered your heart when he let you know that;

"Severus doesn't know what it feels like to be loved, Y/N."