Shadows of Redemption

Chapter 7: Plans and Pacts

Harriet's POV

Draco Malfoy looked utterly defeated as he sat there on the floor, his head buried in his hands. His entire body seemed to tremble, and I found myself at a loss. There was a time when seeing him like this would have made me feel triumphant, even smug, but now it only made my heart ache.

I never thought I'd feel pity-or maybe even a strange, reluctant sense of empathy-for Draco Malfoy. Yet here I was, offering silent comfort as best I could, pressing my Kneazle form against his leg.

He raised his head slightly, his gray eyes bloodshot and full of a vulnerability I hadn't seen before. "You're the last person I ever thought I'd be confessing to," he murmured. "But I don't think I have anyone else left."

I tilted my head and flicked my ears forward, encouraging him to continue. Somehow, we had become a team. Unlikely and unwilling, perhaps, but a team nonetheless.

Draco's voice dropped to a whisper. "They're planning something big, Potter. Something that involves taking control of Hogwarts. I'm supposed to... to assist them. Make sure everything goes according to plan." He paused, a tremor running through his voice. "But I don't want to."

The admission seemed to cost him, and I saw how deeply conflicted he was. His entire life had been shaped by expectations, by the twisted ideals of his family. I couldn't imagine the weight of that, and suddenly, I wished I could tell him that he wasn't alone, that we could find a way out of this together.

Instead, I settled for placing a paw on his hand, my touch light but deliberate. His eyes met mine, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of hope. It was faint, but it was there.

"What would you do?" he asked, his voice rough. "If you were in my place?"

It took every ounce of self-control I had not to lash out in frustration. If I could speak, I would have told him exactly what I thought: that he had a choice, even if it didn't feel that way. But I couldn't speak, so I had to find another way to get through to him.

I tapped his hand again and then pointed my nose at the window. Draco followed my gaze, his brow furrowing. "What? Escape?" he asked. "Run away from all of this?"

I nodded, as much as a Kneazle could nod, and he let out a humorless laugh. "Easier said than done," he muttered. "Even if I wanted to run, they'd find me. They'd find both of us, and then we'd be even worse off."

I understood his fear, but I also knew that sometimes, doing the right thing meant taking risks. I stepped back and sat down, staring at him with an intensity that I hoped conveyed my determination. We couldn't give up. We had to find a way to fight back, even if it meant biding our time.

Draco rubbed his temples. "Maybe... maybe we can come up with something. If we're careful, if we're smart." His gaze softened as he looked at me. "I never thought I'd be making plans with you, Potter. But here we are."

He reached out hesitantly, his fingers brushing the fur on my head. I didn't pull away. If this was our truce, our silent pact, then so be it.

Draco's POV

Harriet Potter had always been a thorn in my side, a rival I could never quite defeat, a force of nature I'd tried and failed to contain. Yet now, she was my confidant, the only one I could trust in this suffocating web of lies and expectations.

The fact that she was a Kneazle made it all the more surreal.

I ran my fingers through her soft fur, feeling an odd sense of calm in her presence. For so long, I had been at war with her, but now she was my only ally. It was a bitter irony, but one I was beginning to accept.

"We'll have to be careful," I said, thinking out loud. "If we're going to come up with a plan, we need to do it when no one else is around. And we need to act like nothing's changed." My voice wavered. "Can you do that?"

She blinked up at me, her green eyes steady, and I took that as her answer. I stood up, my knees feeling weak, and looked down at her. "We'll get through this," I promised, though I wasn't sure if I believed it. "Somehow."

A loud bang from downstairs made both of us jump. Harriet's fur stood on end, and my heart leapt into my throat. Heavy footsteps echoed through the Manor, and I knew that the house was full of Death Eaters now. Whatever happened next would be crucial.

I reached down and lifted Harriet gently, cradling her in my arms. She let out a low, uncertain growl but didn't struggle. "We have to go," I whispered. "I'll hide you in my room. It's safer there."

I carried her through the halls, moving as quietly as I could. My hands shook, but I forced myself to stay calm. If anyone saw us, it would be over. We slipped into my bedroom, and I closed the door, locking it behind us. Harriet leapt from my arms onto the bed, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of danger.

I sank onto the edge of the bed, the weight of everything pressing down on me. "If they find out," I whispered, "we're both dead."

Harriet's eyes softened, and she padded over to me, resting her head on my knee. The gesture was so simple, so unexpected, that I felt my throat tighten. In this moment, we were just two people-two allies in a battle we hadn't asked for.

And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to get us through.