Another Post-HBP drabble
As the subject said ... another drabble. This one was written after reading a comment on dancingrain's journal.
Thestral
“What’s that?” Draco stumbled backwards, just stopping himself from falling to the leaf-covered forest floor. The skeletal creature looked at him from staring white eyes as it rustled giant leathery wings.
“That, Draco,” Severus’ hands rested gently on the boy’s shoulders, “is a Thestral.”
“Oh.” Draco swallowed, his voice cracking. “Then...then he’s really...really dead.”
“Yes, Dumbledore is dead.”
Draco slumped against the older man, his knees sagging a little. Strong arms reached around him, holding him up.
“It’s time to leave.”
“Leave?” He looked back towards Hogwarts, just able to see the lighted windows. “But...I... I don’t want to go.”
Thestral
“What’s that?” Draco stumbled backwards, just stopping himself from falling to the leaf-covered forest floor. The skeletal creature looked at him from staring white eyes as it rustled giant leathery wings.
“That, Draco,” Severus’ hands rested gently on the boy’s shoulders, “is a Thestral.”
“Oh.” Draco swallowed, his voice cracking. “Then...then he’s really...really dead.”
“Yes, Dumbledore is dead.”
Draco slumped against the older man, his knees sagging a little. Strong arms reached around him, holding him up.
“It’s time to leave.”
“Leave?” He looked back towards Hogwarts, just able to see the lighted windows. “But...I... I don’t want to go.”