The pants of a child filled the room. Undoubtedly, they sounded like that of an animal; an overworked beast, but instead they came from the blood-ridden lips of Lilith Lovell. She coughed. The little girl quivered. Towering above her was a man. Glossy, swept-back hair fell a few inches below his broad shoulders. He was intimidating to say the least, especially to an eleven-year-old as small as Lilith.

His eyes were stormy, and it proved displeasing to Lilith that his gaze was so similar to that of her friend. The man stared down at her, eager to please his lord.

"Well, well, Miss Lovell," Lucius Malfoy said in a breathy voice, "What do you have to show me?"

His words were slowly pronounced, but he didn't slur. His cane lifted back a strand of Lilith's caramel hair. She retreated quickly. In a fashion similar to when she first visited Dumbledore's office, she slid her body into the corner of the room. Only this time, Lilith's head came into contact with the brick wall with a sickening crack.

"Your powers exceed that of the legendary Harry Potter," Lucius continued, wandering over to Lilith with pride. His cane shot out to block her escape. "You must show me immediately."

The brunette was about to lift her hand to fling Draco's father into the air when the son's voice carried its way throughout the house and to the ears of the pair. He called out, "Father?"

Lucius stepped back slightly. Lilith took this as her best opportunity to escape. Without another moment to waste, she began to slowly raise herself back into a standing position before launching herself as quickly as she could towards the door. She had no idea were she was, but Draco's calling was consistent, so she followed the sound of his voice. She wiped her mouth as she went, not wanting Draco to see the shades of crimson that dripped down her chin.

"No!" Lucius cried out as he'd realised the girl was missing. His cane could be heard throughout the Malfoy Manor as it bashed against the floor with such force. Lilith continued to run. Draco's voice was gradually getting louder and louder, and she had started to recognise the rooms.

Draco appeared from around a corner and Lilith threw herself at him. His arms shot out to catch her as she almost slipped to the floor. "Lilith?" he asked.

She nodded as he clutched her. Draco lifted her away from his body and put her on her feet as an infuriated Lucius whirled around the corner of the hallway.

"You," he growled, not noticing his son at first. After realising he was there, a small smile blessed his furrowed face. "Ah, Draco. You called me?"

"Why were you chasing her?" Draco interrogated him forthwith, rendering his father speechless for a few moments. Lucius did not blink for at least ten seconds. Eventually, he came to his wits and grinned again.

"I wished to speak with her but she seemed rather unwilling," Lucius lied, subtly taking breaths to recover from rushing through the house in search of the girl. Lilith frowned.

"He's lying."

Lilith even surprised herself - her eyebrows shot up a notch as she spoke. She had come to the Malfoy Manor with intentions of treating Draco's parents with kindness and politeness. This deteriorated instantly as Lucius put one foot forward, lowering himself to his son's friend's level.

"I suggest you keep your mouth shut, Miss Lovell, or else your stay here will be short-lived," he hissed, like the snake that adorned his cane. He began to walk away, holding his last inch of pride, before his son spoke.

Draco said, "She's my guest, father."

"Excuse me, Draco?"

"She's my guest," he repeated nonchalantly. 

Draco's father cleared his throat, and remained facing the opposite end of the hall. "I recall inviting her here, Draco."

"And she is staying with me," Draco replied.

Draco's arm was clasped tightly by his father, who pulled him into a nearby room. The door slammed and the noise ricocheted off the walls. Although it was clear Lucius Malfoy did not want Lilith to hear their conversation, his voice still boomed throughout the halls of the mansion. 

"Draco, what is going on with you?"

The boy did not reply.

"Before you started attending Hogwarts, you would have never acted in such a disgraceful manner."

"Nor you, father."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I want her to stay here," Draco told him, but his voice was void of emotion.

Lilith wandered into Draco's room after his words. She felt far too intrusive saying and almost eavesdropping on their chat. Moving steadily towards the window seat, she took refuge there, out of the way of the man she'd thought was so welcoming and generous. It felt like an eternity until the door creaked open and Draco stepped inside. He rushed towards her.

Although, his reaction wasn't quite what she had been expecting. She was thrust into the air as his fingertips clawed at her collar. As he got a hold of it, he held her face close to his. Draco snarled, "I did it because you have nowhere else to stay, Lovell."

"So you don't care at all?"

"No, I don't."

"I refuse to believe you on that, Draco," Lilith commented as she finally decided to pull herself from his hands and sit back down. She readjusted her shirt and pressed her hand to her neck to help relieve the strain. "You wouldn't have done it if you didn't care - it would've been easier for you to get rid of me."

"You can leave, then."

"No."

"No?"

"I'm not leaving," Lilith affirmed. 

Draco's features clouded with distress. "It's my house."

"I have nowhere else to go, Draco."

"That's exactly why I stood up for you in the bloody first place!" Draco shouted, flinging his upper limbs further upwards in defeat. "I don't know what you want from me, Lovell."

"It's Lilith."

"Lovell."

"Lilith."

"Fine, Lilith."

"Don't make me leave," Lilith almost begged. She added, almost silently, "Please."

"I won't."

"You won't?"

Lilith's sniffles bounced around the room as Draco stood in front of her, awkwardly; he considered holding out a hand to pat her shoulders, but instead he took a seat beside her and rested his entire arm around her. "I won't."