The writing in this is so beautiful and elegant. The way you've captured that in-betweenness of Draco, and bottled Hagrid's overpowering gentleness leaves me breathless. Severus' portrayal here is so keenly realized that I have a lump in my throat all over again for his horrible death. And this bit: watching paint sliding over canvas in a mimicry of life might be one of the most apt descriptors I've ever read. I've always thought how horrible it must be, how creepy even, to see and speak with dead loved ones in such a manner.