Labyrinth of Illusion

Severus loathed snow. It was just so damn white and the flakes always seemed attracted to his raven hair and robes.

Wrapping his scarf tightly around his throat, Severus trudged up to the house just outside Hogsmeade. It wasn't anything fantastic. It had fallen into disrepair after a decade and a half of neglect. It was small, maybe big enough for three people to live comfortably.

It currently housed only one person.

Severus rapped hard on the door. It creaked open. "Severus?" Gwendolyn was standing in the doorway. She leaned against it. "What are you doing here?"

Severus blinked. "I... I don't actually know. I just felt like... Coming." He pushed passed her. "How have you been?"

"Lonely." She shut the door, turning to face Severus. "It's amazing how quickly every single person you care about can disappear."

"Now Gwendolyn..." Severus brought his hands up to cup her face. "You disappeared first." He gave her a twisted grin. "Don't put the blame on everyone else."

"What do you want, Severus?" Gwendolyn pulled away roughly. "Just wanted to come here to bitch and moan?"

He thrust a small box into her hands. "There. That's why I'm here. Happy Christmas."

Gwendolyn blinked, staring down at the small green box with the silver ribbon. "You... Bought me a gift?"

"There's an old Muggle saying about not looking gift horses in the mouth."

"Thank you," she sighed, putting a hand to her temple. "Would you like a cup of tea, Severus?"

"N--" Severus looked at Gwendolyn. "Fine. Fine." He took off his outer robes, going into the sitting room. "This place looks different."

Gwendolyn went to the kitchen. "Good different?"

"Dilapidated." Severus replied as he sat on the sofa.

Coming out of the kitchen carrying a tray with a small teapot and two cups, Gwendolyn narrowed her gaze on Severus. "Well, we can't all live in the dungeons."

"Funny, I don't remember your biting wit," Severus replied, rolling his eyes. "Well, open your gift."

Gwendolyn picked the box off the tray, turning it in her hands. "Why would you give this to me?"

"I honestly do not know. Something just told me to." Wringing his hands together, Severus could not bring his gaze to meet Gwendolyn's. "The sentiment of the great Severus Snape. So poetic." Gwendolyn slid the ribbon off the box. She gasped, wrapping her fingers around the glittering chain. She picked up the silver eagle amulet. She set it in her palm, turning it over. "Severus..."

Severus brought his hand to his face, rubbing his temples. "Do you like it?"

Gwendolyn turned the amulet in her palm, cocking her head to look at it from different angles. "It's... It's beautiful, Severus."

Head snapping up, Severus stared at Gwendolyn. He raised an eyebrow. "You really like--"

He was cut off as the soft lips connected with his. His eyes fluttered shut, abandoning himself to the warm contact. Slowly, his mind came back to him. He jerked away. "What was that?"

"I was showing my thanks," Gwendolyn murmured, moving closer. "Mind putting it on for me?"

Snatching the amulet, Severus put it around Gwendolyn's neck. He ran the pads of his fingers over her flesh. He curled her unruly hair idly as he let the necklace rest on her bosom. "There you go." His voice trembled.

"Severus, are you nervous?" Gwendolyn laughed softly.

"It's been," Severus licked his lips, raking his eyes over Gwendolyn's form, "A long time since I've been close to a woman."

"Really?" Gwendolyn thrust her fingers into Severus' hair, brushing her lips against his.

"Well, I've never been a real heartthrob..." He pulled away. "I think it should be a little longer. I need to leave."

"Oh?" Gwendolyn quirked an eyebrow. "Why?"

"If I don't leave now, I'm going to do something that I'll regret." He stood up, steeling his expression. "Lament isn't flattering on me."

Gwendolyn slipped up, sliding her hands over Severus' chest. She began to unbutton his shirt. "Why would you regret it? You can't tell me you don't miss it."

"While physical pleasure is always enjoyable, it's not necessary." Severus pulled Gwendolyn's hands away. "I have gone many years without. I can go much longer."

"Why do you resist me? You still love me."

"I have a special place for our time together, Gwendolyn." Severus ran his hand over her cheek, keeping the cold look in his eyes. "I just don't trust you farther than I could spit."

"No one said you had to." Gwendolyn laughed, pulling him close. "A good shag would do you a world of good."

"I am leaving." He grabbed his outer robes. He pointed a long finger at her. "You have no shame."

Undoing the clasp of her robes, she let the clothing fall, pooling at her ankles. "Isn't that what you love about me?"

Resolve broken, Severus shoved Gwendolyn against the wall. He growled, "You tease." He kissed her fiercely, pinning her hands down.

"What about regret?"

Severus shrugged. "I brood so much, it's time I had a reason."

**

Gwendolyn smirked as she snuggled against the Severus. Her fingers slid up Severus' naked chest. She laughed softly. "That was interesting. It's been much too long since I got a good snack."

Severus sat up, pushing Gwendolyn away. "What did you say?"

She blinked innocently, "I said it had been a while since I had a good shag. What did you think I said?" She slipped closer, pressing her mouth to against his neck. "Did you not enjoy it?"

He shoved her away, standing up. He dressed quickly. "You put the whores in Knockturn Alley to shame."

Gwendolyn rose, sheet wrapped around herself. She glided towards Severus, smiled coyly. "One, how do you know that and two, why are you getting dressed then?"

" I don't know who or what you are." Severus' lip curled in a snarl as he grabbed Gwendolyn's neck. He shoved her against the wall. "But Gwendolyn never moved like that."

Gwendolyn's eyes turned gold as she shoved Severus away. "You just don't want to admit your little girlfriend's grown up. And she's gotten mean."

Severus let go suddenly, falling to his knees. He grabbed his chest. "I feel..."

"Weak?" She laughed.

"What did you do? Put a love potion in the tea? Imperius?" Severus reached into his robes, feeling the smooth, polish wand in his sleeve. "That little romp was not by my own volition. Neither was coming here."

"I have no need for petty potions. I've actually never been too good at making them. You were so easy to manipulate. Snapped my fingers and you were right where I wanted you."

"How could you do this?" Severus demanded, pulling out his wand. He gasped for air. "To me?"

"This coming from the man with the Dark Mark." Gwendolyn kicked Severus. "The man who obliviated his lover time and time again to keep his little secret. The man who used her as a cover story so the good guys would believe he had mended his ways... Do you really want to know why I did it?"

"That's why I asked you." Severus strugged to stand up.

"I did it," Gwendolyn smiled, "To watch you squirm. To stir up all of those feelings of self-loathing and guilt you've for years. Admit it, the feelings began to bubble inside you again. It was driving you crazy. You just needed to have me."

"Only because you did something to me."

"Guilty as charged." Gwendolyn laughed heartily. "Doesn't make it any less real, does it? Your punishment for your abandoning your Lord is not losing the only woman stupid enough to have you..." She grabbed Snape by the collar. "Your punishment is to re-live it. No matter how much your affection fades, I'll bring it back to a boiling point. You could loathe me for centuries and the moment I snap my fingers, you'd be begging at my feet."

"If this is about me, why did you bring Potter into it?"

"Wrong again," Gwendolyn hissed. She raised her hand, her fingers glowing. "This was never about Harry. Or you. It was about me." She shoved Severus hard. The white wall opened up, swallowing him. It closed around him, returning to normal. She smiled. "You and Harry... That was just for fun."

"Thanks for the present. I just love pretty little things so much. I needed something new." Gwendolyn idly played with the eagle amulet around her neck. She licked her lips, her eyes glowing. "Show time."