The mirror of Erised. The mirror of desire.

He wished he'd told her how he felt before it was too late, but he never did. He'd foolishly believed that he had an unlimited amount of time, that she would still be there waiting; just like he'd been doing. An unlimited amount of time to breathe her, to live her, to love her with everything- no matter how minute, that he had.

He would always have his visits to the mirror... So easy to become entrapped in, the mirror was his sanctuary. The only place he let down his guard, It was the only thing that could ever hurt him, the only thing he would ever again let himself want or need.

He hated her. He hated her smile, her voice, her hair and her smell. He hated her, them, because he loved her so passionately, because she hated him. She was always so kind, so forgiving- He thought she would forgive him. He deserved to be forgiven.

He would have found it funny if it were somebody else, if it were Potter, he'd like to say that he was just a misunderstood boy at the time; that he never meant it. However that would be a lie, one more terrible than the truth. He had meant it, even worse he'd believed it. He allowed them to pollute his mind and he would forever pay for it.

The Dark Mark burned harshly against his arm, as Severus Snape stared desolately into the depths of The Mirror of Erised. He took his last look at the green eyes, red hair, and fabricated expression of love that made up Lily Evans- his downfall. His mudblood. He walked away from the mirror that had eluded him for 5 years. He wouldn't come back.