I grabbed the present quickly and followed behind the Potions Master as he walked back to his classroom. Once he closed the door after us, he gave me a serious look. "You must understand how this appears, Miss Adams." Severus circled me. "A student comes in to see her much older Potions professor and gives him a birthday gift. The Headmaster would not approve."

"It's only a gesture to thank you for the tutoring I've received from you, nothing more." I protested.

Snape sighed. "Very well, hand it over..."

I handed him the gift, which he tore open to reveal a box inside. The box was not an indication to the mystery of the gift. It was a velvet box beneath the wrapping paper. Severus opened the box and took out an almost shattered snow globe of the Slytherin house crest. He turned to me quickly, unsure of what to say. "I had the best intentions, sir."

"It was very kind...of you to think of me, Miss Adams. However, I must ask. Are you certain this is just as you have insisted, an act of gratitude?" Severus asked, an unreadable expression on his face.

I nodded.

The Potions Master sighed again. "You are lying, Miss Adams."

My face turned bright red. "How would you know?"

He continued circling me. "A master Legilimens would know."

"I have to go." I told him. "Remember, you have those students to plan for."

"I do." Severus agreed. "But I would rather get to the bottom of this. Now tell me the truth, Miss Adams. Are you or are you not infatuated with me?"

"No." I told him.

Severus sighed in defeat. The next second was like moving through a different dimension. Before I knew it we were both watching something like a movie of my thoughts. Every time I looked at him in class, every whisper I made to my friends, every dream of him I ever had, every time I thought he wasn't watching me at dinner...it seemed to go on forever and ever.

Finally the force of whatever this was threw me to the ground. Severus was turned away from me toward the storage room. "Why couldn't you just tell me?"

"It's not fair for you to know everything." I hissed. "How are you so wonderful?"

Severus faced me. "You know there is no future with me, Miss Adams. I'm too old for you."

"And you have a line for everything." I said angrily. "You know nothing about how it feels."

He sighed dramatically. "In any case, Miss Adams I am deeply flattered by the sentiment. Although, I am not an emotional man myself."

"No, you're a heartless man." I spat, getting to my feet and running out of his classroom. I never wanted to see him again.

Once alone, the Professor sighed deeply and sat at his desk. He needed to think about what to do about me.