AN: This was another attempt to stir up my muse for my other stories. It's just a little drabble. Please let me know what you think.
How did he always end up in this room? Maybe the better question was why did he always go straight to this room? Whenever he found some downtime, or was having trouble sleeping, Severus Snape would find himself heading towards the abandoned classroom in the west part of the of the castle.
He hated how drawn he was to come here. But he couldn't help it. He always told himself that this would be the last time; he wouldn't come back after tonight. It was always a lie.
He knew he'd come back. He'd always come back.
He shut the door behind him and crossed the room, meeting his reflection on the far wall.
The Mirror of Erised had been moved to this room after Dumbledore used it to keep the Philosopher's Stone from Voldemort. Ever since then, Severus had found a need to witness the mirror's images.
He knew what he saw was nothing more than a fabricated view of his heart's desire, but he could help but look.
As he stared, two more images came into view. The first was a beautiful woman with dark red hair that fell to her shoulders and bright green eyes. Those eyes were the same eyes he saw every night in his dreams. They were the eyes that made him smile, and cry. Those were Lily Evans' eyes.
A smaller figure next to Lily came into view; a little girl with short, dark auburn hair. She had the same piercing green eyes as Lily. In fact, the little girl was practically a clone of the woman she stood next too. The only hint of difference was the slightest way her nose hooked at the end; barely noticeable, but still there.
Severus watch as the image of the little girl reached up and grabbed his reflections hand. His reflected self then turned, scooped the girl up, and held her in a tight embrace. Lily smiled as she stretched up to give his reflection a sweet kiss.
Severus felt a tightening in his chest. The same tightening that he felt every time he looked at this mirror. He longed for what he saw to be a reality.
But it never could be.
Lily was gone, and Severus knew that he had ruined his chances with her long before her death. He had been stupid.
He looked at the happy family in front of him that would never exist. He felt himself grow sad and angry as he did every night he was in this room.
He felt his hands form fists at his sides. He lifted them above his head and brought them down hard against the reflective glass. He fell to his knees, sobbing, as glass sprinkled around him.
After a couple of moments, when he had finally calmed down, he stood, whispered a charm and headed towards the door. With one glance back he looked back that the repaired mirror that he was sure he'd find himself in front of once again.