It was caught in his throat already, lodged there, he didn’t know how he was going to get it out. And of course she was worried already – worried about him – but this was so much worse than she’d expect and he didn’t know how to say it and...
Elsie was coming over, and he put his hands on her arms to hold her there by him, his thumb brushing gently just below her shoulder in some premature attempt at comfort. He was probably the one who was finding any comfort in this, though, because all she would be feeling right now was dread. But that was it: telling her wasn’t any release from that. Fear of the unknown was less, much less, than the total sum of grief.
He had seen that kind of grief on her once before, years ago – had seen it at its heartbreaking start in the Gryffindor Common Room that morning. Bentley. Elsie had been sobbing; they’d hugged; he’d walked with her through the corridors and felt next to useless then.
She’d lost one brother already. How was it fair that it had happened again? “I’m –” he stammered, shaking his head to say fine, it’s not about me. “It’s –” His throat closed up again, and came back in a whisper. “Maybe you should sit.”
Elsie was coming over, and he put his hands on her arms to hold her there by him, his thumb brushing gently just below her shoulder in some premature attempt at comfort. He was probably the one who was finding any comfort in this, though, because all she would be feeling right now was dread. But that was it: telling her wasn’t any release from that. Fear of the unknown was less, much less, than the total sum of grief.
He had seen that kind of grief on her once before, years ago – had seen it at its heartbreaking start in the Gryffindor Common Room that morning. Bentley. Elsie had been sobbing; they’d hugged; he’d walked with her through the corridors and felt next to useless then.
She’d lost one brother already. How was it fair that it had happened again? “I’m –” he stammered, shaking his head to say fine, it’s not about me. “It’s –” His throat closed up again, and came back in a whisper. “Maybe you should sit.”
