The Christmas holidays rolled around the corner much quicker than Lilith had anticipated. Nervousness had begun to churn in the bottom of her stomach as she envisioned all the things that could go wrong whilst she stayed at Hogwarts, which was sure to be barren of students. 

Draco pursued Lilith. She was clad in a thick and woolly jumper, seated on the very end of the Slytherin table in the Great Hall. In front of her was a book, of course, this time about snakes.

He greeted her almost silently as he sat down beside her. His arm came into contact with her shoulder as he lowered his body to her level. "I sent an owl to my parents. They asked about you. They've heard about you."

"Why would they have?" Lilith asked, continuing to read her book. Her eyes scanned across the page.

"I'm unsure."

"So, why are you telling me this?"

"They want you to come and stay for Christmas."

Lilith finally tore her attention away from her volume, as much as she didn't want to. She turned to Draco and asked, "Why?"

"I told them that you'll stay here alone," Draco admitted, shyly. He moved his shoes back and forth on the floor.

"As much as I'd enjoy the pleasure of declining your offer, Draco, I think I have to accept," Lilith informed him with a smile.

"Pack up, tonight."

After their conversation ended, Lilith went to grab the suitcase she'd left packed on the end of her bed. Millicent was there, so she gave her a quick goodbye before heading down to the Slytherin common room where Draco was waiting. 

They arrived at the Malfoy Manor about an hour and fifteen minutes later. Narcissa Malfoy stood at the end of the extensive dirt path leading to the entrance of the mighty house. Draco traipsed in front of Lilith; she stayed a few inches behind, nervous to meet Draco's family. She didn't know too much of them, only that they were extremely high up, so she was to treat them with utmost respect.

She greeted Narcissa with the kindest smile as she could muster and a polite hello. Draco's mother received her generously, welcoming her into the house. To a tiny girl like Lilith, it all seemed oversized - the grand chairs, the towering fireplace, the dangling chandeliers. 

"Hello, Miss Lovell," Lucius Malfoy called out from the end of a long, dark table as they entered another room. He interrupted Narcissa's humble tour of her home, but she didn't mind. She stood beside her husband and placed a finely-jewelled hand on his broad shoulder. 

"Hello, Mr Malfoy," Lilith replied with a shy curtsy. The man chuckled.

"There, there, Lilith. I don't mean to be intimating. Any friend of Draco's is welcome here," Lucius informed the little girl who was still hiding behind Draco's much taller form. She stepped out lightly.

"Thank you, sir," she responded with a slight nod of the head. Narcissa and Lucius both looked at the pair with borderline judging eyes, but Narcissa's next words brought relief to Lilith's pounding heart.

"You two can go on upstairs," she told them. Draco took the initiative and gripped Lilith's forearm.

He led her upstairs, ensuring that he wasn't holding his friend too hard, and took her straight to his room. In there was a gigantic four poster bed. Its design was tricky and intricate, and to follow the curves confused even Lilith. The frame of it was black, perfectly matching Draco himself. It was adorned with seaweed-coloured bedding and three sets of considerable pillows, an even darker shade of green, and as plush as anything Lilith had ever seen.

On each side of the bed, on a small, ornate table, was an ebony lamp accompanied by a thousand fireflies, or so it seemed. The glow filled the room, bouncing off the walls and reflecting onto the dark flooring. The curtains were of the same colour as Draco's bedding. 

Above his bed, located just above the cushions, was a set of family photos - Lilith was just as surprised as this as anyone who only saw Draco's cold exterior would be. In the centre was Draco as a young boy, sporting a Slytherin green tie and resting in Narcissa's arm; Lucius was beside her with a proud expression. On the left, there was Draco on what seemed like his first day at Hogwarts only a few months ago. Finally, on the right, there was a photograph of just his parents, embracing. All the photos moved to reveal even wider smiles, and a mixture of poses.

Lilith couldn't help but giggle. The blond beside her gave her a questioning eye, asking, "What?"

"You're more sentimental than I could've imagined," Lilith insisted as she wandered over to a collection of books on a cabinet opposite to his uncanny bed. She analysed the spines, and upon realising they mostly consisted of Potions books, she continued to say, "You're also more interested in Potions than I had realised."

"I'm not, particularly."

"Draco, you have about eight books about Potions, and that's only here. I dread to think about what's back at Hogwarts."

The pale boy blew a piece of hair out of his face, combining his action with a sigh. "I only do it for Snape."

"For Snape?"

"I've got to be in his good books."

"I see," Lilith confirmed with intrigue, staring up at Draco's white ceiling - it was about the lightest thing in his room.

"You can take the bed," Draco said out of nowhere.

"But where will you sleep?"

"Over there, I guess," he told her, pointing towards the window seat which was coated in pillows and blankets.

"I feel bad."

"Ah, don't. It's alright," whispered Draco. He didn't want to speak any further, so he went and took refuge in the warmth of the window seat against his chilly skin. Lilith watched his eyes as they reflected the dull sunlight, tinting themselves an odd colour similar to parchment. His silver globes moved slowly towards the girl watching him, making her cheeks tinge a soft rose colour. 

She shook her head and flung her body onto Draco's bed. Lilith almost sunk into it, relishing the cushy comfort of the mattress. They continued to talk in hushed tones until they were welcomed by sleep, with moonlight oozing into the room.