It was the middle of April and Severus, after a long and tiring day, was sitting in his office, writing. His quill was sliding over the parchment without stopping. To an outsider it could seem as if he was correcting some essays, but that was not the case. He was writing a letter.

Dear Hermione,

surely you are wondering why I'm writing you a letter when only a few floors separate us. The reason is quite simple: I'm not as brave as you believe me to be. Yes, I fought in two wars, and yes, I have worked as a spy for nearly half of my life, but I did all that because after two years I couldn't stand seeing all those innocent people being tortured and then killed. And if I think that at first I loved seeing them suffer, beg for death...

But that's not why I decided to write you. It's just that I don't know how to tell you. Well, let's try again.

You know that my childhood was not really happy, you know that I had never truly felt loved. My parents always argued. You know that my father was a Muggle who hated magic and everything related to it. He was a drunk and he hit me repeatedly and my mother was too weak to defend me, but when she did, that bastard focused his rage on her.

So I spent as much time as possible in the park. That's where I first met Lily. She was the only one who cared about me, who wanted to become my friend. We went to school together but, regrettably, she was put in Gryffindor, while I joined the Slytherin table. I thought our friendship would finish then, but that didn't happen and she stuck with me through those years. But after a while I started feeling her slip away from me and into the arms of that imbecile Potter. However I thought that perhaps if I tried to spend more time with her, she would forget about him. I was really obsessed, but at that time I thought it was love. But then it happened: I called her a Mudblood in a moment of anger and she never forgave me for that. Completely heartbroken (or so I thought) I turned to the Dark Arts and closed myself behind those walls that you, my dear, managed to break.

I don't know why, but for some strange reason you care for me enough to become my friend, and for that I thank you. Your friendship is the best thing that has ever happened in my life. Maybe I don't show it enough, but I love spending my free time with you.

You know everything about my past, but the same cannot be said for my present. There's something I've just realized that I want to tell you. Don't worry, it's not something bad.

You see, there's this young woman who has captured my attention. Well, that's not completely true: I am madly in love with her. Every time I see her I just want to run to her and kiss her until we both remain breathless; whenever she walks into a room my heart skip a beat and whenever she smiles I remain breathless and find myself smiling back to her. She truly is the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. I really want her to know how I feel because she deserves to know that there's someone in this world who thinks she's wonderful.

So here I am, writing you this letter to tell you that every time I see you I want to hug you and kiss you, that whenever you walk into a room I feel my heart beating furiously, that I love your smile more than anything. I'm writing you to tell you that I am completely in love with you.

I just hope that you'll forgive me if you don't feel the same, but I had to take this weight from me. I needed you to know. Don't let our friendship be broken because of me, I need you in my life, even if you're going to be just a friend. I swear that I won't force myself or my feelings on you and I will never mention this letter, if that is what you want.

Just know that, whatever you think of me, my feelings for you will never change and I will love until the day I die.

With all my love,

Severus

The Potions Master had just finished writing the letter when professor McGonagall came storming into his office. Severus quickly hid it between the ungraded students' essays he had on his desk.

"Is something wrong, Minerva?" he asked standing up and getting nearer to the panting witch.

"We need your help.. Now... Poppy has run out of Blood-Replenishing Potion and Mr Creevey has Splinched himself"

Snape quickly went in his laboratory to retrieve what was needed and, with Minerva, immediately flooed to the Infirmary.

Ten minutes later a black owl came into the teacher's office bringing a Potions Journal to which Severus was subscribed. However, the animal decided that it would be a good idea to land on the students' homework pile, scattering them on the floor. Scared he left the journal on the desk and quickly flew away. Then Dobby appeared into the Potions Master's office, as he usually did at that hour, to bring to the teacher some tea. When he saw the mess on the floor he moved to tidy it up, but his eyes were caught by a piece of parchment in particular: it was the letter which Severus had written before. Thinking of making one of his "masters" happy, he took it and disappeared yo bring it to the receiver.

Meanwhile, in the Infirmary, Severus, Minerva and Poppy were looking at the boy who had just fallen asleep.

"Thank you, Severus. Luckily you had everything we needed" said the mediwitch sighing. "I don't know why I didn't check my stocks this week"

"No problem, Poppy. I'll send you what I already have, while I prepare a new batch of them"

"Thank you, Severus"

The Potions Master nodded his head in her direction and, after doing the same with the Headmistress, he left the Hospital Wing. The only thought which was in his mind at that moment was that he had to put the letter in a secure place, with the others. But when he opened the door he froze.

"What the hell..."

He then saw the journal on his desk.

"Stupid owl" he growled, while marching towards his desk to pick up the essays. When everything was at its place he started looking for the letter, but when he didn't find it he started to panic. Where the hell was that letter?

'What if someone found it? I'm going to be the laughing stock of the school!' he groaned.

Then he noticed the cup of tea on his desk.

Maybe...

"Dobby!" he cried.

The House Elf appeared immediately.

"Does professor Snape, sir, need Dobby?" he asked.

"Where is the letter that was on my desk, Dobby?"

"There was no letter on your desk, Professor sir" answered the Elf. The teacher looked at him confused. "But there was a letter for Miss Hermione on the floor" he added.

"And?" asked Snape, wanting nothing more than to hide that piece of parchment.

"And Dobby delivered it" finished the creature, looking proud of himself.

"- YOU WHAT?!" cried Severus looking as if he was about to faint.

"D...Dobby d...delivered it, professor sir. Shouldn't Dobby have done it?" asked the House Elf fearfully. "Should Dobby punish himself?"

The professor looked at the small creature and sighed.

"No, no. there's no need to punish yourself. You can leave"

"Does professor Snape need anything?"

"No, just leave" said Snape sitting at his desk with his head in his hands. A pop was heard and Dobby wasn't there anymore.