Shadows of Redemption

Chapter 4: Unexpected Allies

Harriet's POV

It didn't take long for me to realize that being a Kneazle in Malfoy Manor was as tedious as it was dangerous. Draco had done his best to settle me into the guest room, but with my usual sense of adventure and curiosity, I was already feeling restless. Despite knowing the peril of exploring this house, the itch to move, to see, to learn, gnawed at me.

But there was little I could do. I was a Kneazle, and though my mind was still my own, I had to remind myself not to behave too much like Harriet Potter. It would only draw attention. I couldn't afford that, especially here, where every shadow seemed alive with secrets and danger.

Draco came to check on me the next morning, knocking softly before he entered the room. I was curled up on the windowsill, watching the sunlight pour in through the glass. He paused in the doorway, looking oddly hesitant.

"Morning," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I brought you some breakfast."

He held out a plate of scrambled eggs and toast, and I blinked at him. It wasn't Kneazle food, but then, I wasn't really a Kneazle. The thought that he remembered made a strange warmth bloom in my chest, and I hated it. I wasn't supposed to feel gratitude toward Draco Malfoy, of all people.

Draco set the plate down on the table and gestured for me to come over. I jumped down from the windowsill and approached cautiously. He watched me with a mixture of curiosity and something else-something I couldn't quite place.

"Are you... okay?" he asked, his voice softer than I'd ever heard it. "I mean, I know you can't talk, but you don't seem as angry as you should be. Not that I'm complaining."

I tilted my head at him, my ears flicking. Was he genuinely worried about me? That made no sense. Malfoy never cared about anyone but himself and, maybe, his family. This wasn't the Draco Malfoy I knew from school. He seemed... different. Older, somehow, like he'd seen things that had changed him.

With a sigh, he sank into the chair by the table, resting his elbows on his knees. "You must be hating this," he murmured, almost to himself. "Being stuck here, of all places, with me."

I hopped up onto the table, eyeing the food. Hunger gnawed at me, and I decided that pride wasn't worth starving over. I nosed at the eggs, my stomach growling, and Draco chuckled.

"Well, at least your appetite's still there," he said, a hint of a smile crossing his lips. It made him look softer, less intimidating. I chewed on a piece of toast, trying not to let his presence unnerve me. The way he looked at me, like I was some puzzle he was desperate to solve, made me feel vulnerable. But it also made me wonder if he was beginning to understand me, even a little.

I finished eating and hopped down from the table, padding over to him. He looked surprised when I jumped onto his lap, but I needed to get his attention. I placed a paw on his arm and looked up at him, willing him to understand. We had to come up with a plan. Staying hidden and eating eggs for breakfast every day wasn't going to cut it.

Draco swallowed, his gaze meeting mine. "You really are trying to tell me something, aren't you?" he asked. His voice was strained, as if the weight of everything around us was pressing down on him. "I'll do my best, Potter. I promise. But until we get back to Hogwarts, there's only so much I can do."

He reached out, hesitated, and then gently scratched behind my ears. I wanted to hiss at him, to remind him that I was still the same Harriet who would have never tolerated this closeness before. But it felt... nice. Even in this form, the touch was soothing, and I found myself leaning into it, purring despite myself.

He froze, his eyes wide. "Did you just... purr?"

I snapped out of it and pulled back, horrified at myself. Draco burst into laughter, a sound so unexpected and genuine that I couldn't help but stare at him. He seemed to catch himself, and the laughter died away, leaving him looking more human than I'd ever seen him.

"Sorry," he said, wiping at his eyes. "It's just... you, purring. Merlin, if anyone knew."

I glared at him, my ears flattening, and he raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright," he said. "No need to get all ferocious."

Draco's POV

I never thought I'd find myself laughing in Malfoy Manor, least of all because of Harriet Potter. Yet there I was, amused beyond belief at the sight of her, or rather, her Kneazle form, acting so much like a normal cat one moment and then glaring at me with those fierce green eyes the next.

It was jarring, this whole situation. But her presence had become a peculiar comfort, a distraction from the constant weight pressing down on my shoulders. I didn't want to think about the war, about the expectations heaped on me, about the future I wasn't sure I wanted.

Potter-Harriet-had managed to become an unexpected ally. Even if she didn't realize it.

I watched her as she prowled around the room, inspecting the corners with wary curiosity. She seemed more like herself when she was focused, determined. It was almost easy to forget that she was stuck like this, that she couldn't speak or fight back the way she used to.

"Draco!"

The voice of my mother, Narcissa, cut through the silence, and I tensed immediately. Harriet's fur bristled, and she darted under the bed, vanishing from sight. I swallowed hard and stood, my heart thudding in my chest as my mother entered the room.

She was as elegant as ever, her expression composed, but her eyes were searching, sharp. "Who were you talking to?" she asked, her voice calm but curious.

I forced a smile, hoping she wouldn't hear the pounding of my heart. "Just... myself, Mother," I said. "Trying to sort through my thoughts."

Her eyes flicked around the room, and I held my breath, praying she wouldn't notice the plate of eggs or the small signs of Harriet's presence. But after a moment, she nodded, though her gaze lingered.

"Very well," she said. "Just remember, Draco, your father expects you to be prepared for our guests tonight. No distractions."

I inclined my head. "Of course, Mother."

As she left, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. Harriet peeked out from under the bed, her eyes wide, and I knew that we'd barely escaped that one.

"This summer," I murmured to her, "is going to be far more dangerous than either of us expected."