Disclaimer: I don't own Severus Snape or any other characters from the Harry Potter universe. They all belong to JK Rowling. I'm not making any money off this story, just weaving my own tale for one of her brilliant characters. The only person I own is Amelie.



A/N: I know, there must be one of these every chapter. I have messages for my readers, so sue me. ANYWAY! I really am trying to stay as canon as I can here, but if Lucius comes off as being more of fanon than canon, please forgive me. I've been influenced by the fanon!Lucius. :)



Chapter Four



Severus could feel the winter sun warming his face, and he rolled over, away from the window. His eyes slowly opened and, though you wouldn't know it, his pupils dilated as they adjusted to the light. A tingling sensation crept up his back, and he lurched upright, staring at the unoccupied bed-space next to him.

He knew he had fallen asleep beside her. He had been inhaling the soft clover-like scent of columbine in her hair all night long. And now there wasn't a trace of her in the room except for a dent in the pillow where her head had laid.

He leapt up, searching desperately for her. She wasn't in the bathroom, and her clothes had been gathered from their place on the floor. Maybe she was downstairs, waiting for him? Snape began to pull his own clothes back on, though rather rushed, when he looked out the window. Walking at a rather quick pace was a tall figure clad in a blue traveling cloak.

His onyx eyes widened as he realized who it was, and jerked his shirt over his head before grabbing his own cloak and rushing down the creaky wooden stairs and out the door, shouting her name.

"Amelie! Wait!" he called, chasing after her.

She stopped, but did not turn around. He wrapped a hand around her arm as he came around to face her, and saw that her beautifully freckled face was streaked red with tears.

"Amelie, what's wrong? Why…why are you leaving?" he asked as he caught his breath.

She screwed her face up as if forcing her tears to stop their flow. "It's…I can't explain it, Severus……I have to go."

She turned to leave, but he held tight to her arm. "Why? Did you not feel anything between us? Was it just empty passion? Is there even such a thing?"

Amelie sobbed and whispered, "No, Severus……I did feel something. It wasn't empty passion. I just……we can't be together, Severus. The danger…I can't explain it, I must go." She made another attempt to escape, but to no avail.

"Will I ever see you again?" Snape asked as he pulled her into him.

"Perhaps one day our paths will cross again," she answered, and placed a frigid hand on his cheek. "I want you to know that I loved you……that I still love you……just as much as she did. Maybe more."

Snape nodded knowingly at her, and brought his lips down on hers, holding her tight and wishing that they could stay trapped in that moment forever. Alas, it was not to be; she pulled out of his embrace and stepped away from him, and with a small pop! she Disapparated.

He stared at the spot where she had been standing, savoring the feeling of her lips on his, before turning back to the pub. Depressed, he made his way back inside and ordered a strong cup of tea from Tom, who seemed only too happy to oblige.

Why was it that everything he loved had to leave him? His parents, Lily, now Amelie……it seemed that nobody was ever going to care about him to try hard enough, to make an effort to break through his steely exterior and meet the man within.

Why would she ever stay with him? It was a logical question; he wasn't exactly what most of the world would call "boyfriend material". He wasn't kind and gentle; he wasn't likely to make a very good husband or father. His patience had been worn to the nub by Potter and his gang and his pride was always getting in the way.

And he never trusted anyone.

And yet, you felt you could trust her, Severus, a critical voice echoed in his head. You poured your heart out to her; you leapt at the opportunity to take her as your own.

He did not want to think on it. Shrinking back into the shadows of the very same corner table he had been sitting at the previous night, he watched as several witches and wizards made their way in and out of the inn, some stopping for a drink, and others just passing through on their way to Diagon Alley. Snape's gaze was on the floor when he heard a drawling, satirical, and horribly familiar voice echo from above him.

"Why, if it isn't my dear friend Severus Snape," the voice said, and a strong hand clapped itself on the young man's shoulder.

"Hello, Lucius," Snape muttered as he raised his head, black strands of hair veiling his gaunt face.

A tall, blonde, arrogant figure stood before him, dressed in some of the finest robes made. His cold, critical eyes were intensely widened and his smile was laced with malice.

Only in a Malfoy, Snape thought as Lucius drew up a chair and delicately pushed his hair out of his face.

"My, what a surprise, seeing you here," Lucius said in fascination. "Never in all my life would I expect to see you return to the Leaky Cauldron after you had escaped that dastardly place this country calls a school." He casually flicked a piece of lint off his pristine cloak.

"The same could be said of you," Snape hissed, glaring at the egotistical bastard sitting across from him.

Lucius smirked. "But whatever is the matter, dear boy?" he asked as if he cared. "You seem downtrodden. Come now, tell me what's happened this time."

Snape could feel his blood boiling. He didn't need to deal with this; he didn't have to put up with it. He wasn't in school anymore, he was a man, and he could just get up and leave Malfoy sitting there by himself. He could do whatever he wanted.

But he had no strength, which he hated himself for as he whispered, "She was beautiful, and she left. She was the only one that seemed to understand, that seemed to care…"

"Who, Severus? Who is this woman you speak of?" Lucius asked, egging Snape on.

He tried so hard not to answer. He pursed his lips and cursed himself a thousand times over as her name escaped his mouth: "Amelie."

"Oh, so you've met Miss Gregory, have you?"

Snape looked sharply at Lucius, who merely smiled. "What?"

Lucius nodded and kept his horrid smile fixed on his face as he explained, "Yes, she did tell us rather a lot about how much you were suffering...Come now, did you not know?"

Snape furrowed his brow as he asked, "Know what?" He sensed this was going to be bad. He knew in his heart of hearts he did not want to know whatever it was Malfoy was about to tell him.

"Why, my dear boy, did you not realize that it was Death Eater you bedded last night?" His stare became even more intense and his grin was pure evil as he wallowed in Snape's shock.

Snape felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach, and he felt drained of all blood. It was a lie; Lucius was pulling his leg. It was just a cruel joke, it would make sense; after all, Lucius was still an ass. Nothing could change that.

"You're lying," Snape spat as he glared again at the older man across the table.

"You yourself saw the bandage wrapped around her arm. The Dark Lord had only just burned the Mark into her skin, when he sent her on her first mission," Lucius explained, nonchalant.

Snape was going to scream. Her mission? What exactly had that been, to conquer him? To find out as much information as she could about him, as to recruit him to the side of Darkness? No! It couldn't be; he refused to believe it.

Just when you thought you had someone to trust…

"And now I must complete the task, for she has done her job," Lucius said, rising from the table and peering down his pointed nose at Snape. "The Dark Lord has requested your presence at our next meeting, to be held in a fortnight. We are all looking forward to your appearance." He nodded his head and turned on his heel.

Snape stared blankly into the crackling fire. It had all been a lie. Had one word of truth escaped from her soft, beautiful lips? Or had all her words been laced with deceit and shadow? What they had shared that night…that fervor, that emotion, it could not have been mustered simply because she needed him to believe her. That passion had come from her heart, just as it had come from his own. She had fallen asleep beside him, and he had heard her whisper that she loved him, even though he pretended to ignore it.

He could see her eyes, glowing with such ardent fire, in the embers of the hearth, and he buried his face in his hands.

It's over, Severus. You are completely lost. Join him…perhaps you will see her again.

Lucius had said the meeting was in a fortnight. Snape had made up his mind as he collected himself and stood to leave. He returned one last time to the room, packed his things, and made his way back into the wizarding world, changed. If one could see the man's heart, one would see the black sinews of betrayal and denial wrapping around the fragile organ. Severus Snape would never be the same man again.



THE END.