love and redemption

The Snatchers push Harry forward. His face is swollen from the Stinging Hex, barely recognizable. Lucius Malfoy paces impatiently, eager to hand over Harry to Voldemort. Narcissa stands nearby, her eyes flicking between Draco and Harry, sensing the weight of the decision ahead.

Lucius Malfoy: impatiently "Well, Draco? Is it him? Is it Potter?"

Draco steps forward slowly, his face pale but his eyes unreadable. He hesitates, staring at the disfigured Harry, his heart pounding. He knows the truth, but saying it aloud... there's so much more at stake.

Harry's vision is still blurred from the effects of the hex, his face stinging painfully, and his heart pounding in his chest. He can barely make out Draco's figure approaching. His mind races—he's at Draco's mercy now. Will he turn him in?

Draco: His breath catches as he stands in front of Harry, his gaze locked on Harry's swollen face. He knows exactly who it is—there's no mistaking those green eyes, even through the swelling.

Draco glances nervously at his parents, feeling their pressure like a weight on his chest. His throat tightens, but his voice comes out cool and measured.

"I... I'm not sure. He's too disfigured."

He avoids Harry's eyes, his mind swirling with conflicting emotions. He's supposed to hate Potter, isn't he? But then why does he feel like the walls are closing in, suffocating him with the choice he's about to make?

Lucius: snapping "Not sure? Draco, look closely! Is it or isn't it Potter?"

Draco's hands clench at his sides. His eyes dart to Harry's for just a split second

Harry: Through the stinging pain and disorientation, Harry blinks slowly, trying to focus his vision. His heart skips a beat as Draco hesitates, confusion washing over him. Why isn't Draco immediately turning him in?

His mind races, trying to understand the situation. He locks eyes with Draco for a brief moment, searching for any sign of what the Slytherin might do next. There's something in Draco's expression—something more than just indifference. But Harry can't figure it out.

Draco: Draco's pulse quickens as Harry blinks at him, confusion clear in those green eyes. For a brief moment, they're just two boys, trapped in this twisted war, with everything pressing down on them. He feels the weight of his father's gaze and the looming shadow of Voldemort.

"I don't know," Draco says again, more quietly this time, his voice strained.

He steps back, his chest tight with an unspoken fear. This hesitation could cost him everything—but giving Harry up feels like a betrayal he can't quite bring himself to commit. He clenches his jaw, torn between survival and something else he can't quite name.

Lucius: growing more impatient "This is ridiculous. Give him to the Dark Lord now!"

Draco glances at Harry again, something almost like guilt flickering in his eyes.

Harry: Harry feels the crushing weight of the moment. He locks eyes with Draco again, the pain and fear swirling inside him now tinged with something else—sadness. Slowly, he shakes his head, not daring to speak, but pleading silently with his eyes. "No," he says without words, hoping Draco will understand. There's a desperation in the silent exchange—Harry knows this could be his end, but maybe, just maybe, Draco could save him.

Draco: Draco's breath hitches as Harry's eyes silently beg him, the word "no" clear without a sound. The sadness in Harry's gaze cuts through him like a knife, sending a tremor through the cold wall he's built around himself. How did things come to this?