melting into nothing
Severus had not taken the time to watch the snow fall in years. It was true that he was busy and did not often have time to stare at flakes of white drifting downward. And it was true he didn't find it a particularly interesting phenomenon - it was winter, and snow fell. It was nothing out of the ordinary.
There was also the fact that no matter what he did, when it snowed, Severus always thought of Lily. He thought about how they had gone out into the powder and played together in their first year. Severus still remembered how the snowballs Lily threw had stung his cheek, and how wondrous and carefree their lives had been then.
Severus hadn't felt like that in a long time.
It wasn't just the fact that he had grown up since then, and had no time for entertainment like that anymore. It was bigger than that.
Because the memory also reminded Severus of what still haunted him. Lily hadn't felt like that in a long time either, and it had nothing to do with preoccupation. Lily was dead, and no matter what Severus was told, no matter what he told himself, it was all his fault.
It had been years since Severus had last taken a moment to watch the snow fall, and as he stood by the window watching the small crystals hit the glass and softly melt into nothing, he remembered once again those happy days romping in the snow, and all the reasons why they were no more.