Chapter two:

" But could not make it stay…"

It was two days before the return to Hogwarts, and Draco had already packed everything he needed. If it would have been possible he'd packed everything he owned and left for good, but it wasn't.

Night had fallen on and he lay on his bed looking out to the cold landscape. Oh how it reflected his inside. Closing his eyes he pulled the covers over his head and turned his back on the blue light of winter.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

He was walking through a dark hallway. The only source of light was the warm light of fall that shone in through the high arched windows.

He could somehow feel the cold stone floors under his feet, and a part of him wondered where the soft rugs of the Manor had gone. But another part of him remembered it, and followed the path without hesitation. Only this time there weren't any stops to look outside, and he knew it was fall. As he reached the door, he saw his own hand appear from underneath the invisibility cloak, and marvelled over how it shone in the darkness. It wasn't his pinkish pale tone, but more like silver. He had a feeling his hair would look like pale gold if there had been a mirror, but there was none, so he grabbed the cold brass handle and entered.

She stood there like before. With her back turned against the door, long curly hair that shone in an indecisive tone in the faint light. A thin white cigarette rested in her hand, and filled the air with the scent of burnt paper and tobacco. He could see her hips swaying gently along with the song that had lured him to her the first time. Hearing the words drift softer than the original singer he walked over to her.

"Laid me down, the lie will unfurl …"

The first time he herd her sing those words, he hadn't heard the last words, and the song had been a bit of an enigma to him. But now he knew them, from the time waited for his mother at Kings Cross. He knew the line and began singing the last words in a low, whispery voice which startled him as well..

"Laid me down to crawl…."

She turned around and looked at him. Her face was still shrouded in shadows, but it had now a pair of eyes shining to him. The closest thing he could come to describing their colour was by thinking of dark golden honey. She smiled at him, but still didn't say a word.

Like every dream, Draco found himself waking up just as he was about to kiss her. Sitting up he swore silently to himself and tried to calm his panting.

"Tsk, tsk... do you kiss your mother with that mouth Blondie?"

His head shot up and looked at the corner from where the voice had come from. It had been somewhere around the big leather chair by the French windows, but it was too dark to see.

"Whose there?" his voice wasn't frightened. He knew who it was, only not her name.

"My, don't you remember someone who saved your freezing bum with some nice hot coffee?" the soft voice was filled with mock hurt, which made him smile.

"Oh it's you…" he rubbed his head to get the last strands of sleep to vanish, but to keep those golden honey eyes in his mind.

"Yes. It's me," her voice was just as soft and friendly as before, and he could feel her smiling in the shadows. Glancing over to where she was supposed to be, he thought he could see faint electric blue spots of light where her eyes should be, and the glimmer of a smile. But brushed it off as his imagination.

They didn't speak too much. He sat there wondering how she had gotten inside, and why she were there. She just sat there.

"How did you get in here, and what are you doing in my bedroom?" his question was logic, as it always is when encountered in your private chambers with someone who shouldn't be there.

"I thought about cashing in on that coffee, but I just wanted to come by for a chat and a smoke."

"How did you know I smoke?" Draco sat straight up, suddenly suspicious.

A part of the shadow seemed to shrug,

"I didn't. I was referring to me. But hey; if you wish to join me, be my guest."

Staring in to the shadows, Draco could swear he had seen two points of blue flashing in the shadows for the second time. This time he was less certain to dismiss it as the product of a tired mind. Then he concluded that he probably needed the nicotine, and something to drink before he could go back to sleep.

"We could go in to the kitchen. The ventilation there is better, and it's warmer than going outside on to the balcony." He was about to stand up, as he noticed his near nakedness and felt a slight blush of embarrassment spread over his face. "Eh. Could you go outside and wait for me?"

He watched as one shadow detached itself from the rest and moved gracefully to the door. She had that same Gothic Vampire style; long flowing dress, tight bodice and a high collar.

But instead of walking out, she walked over to his wardrobe, and came out with a tee shirt, some comfy trousers he didn't know he had, and a dark green robe he'd never seen. She tossed them over to him and walked over to the window.

"Don't worry. I don't fancy you in a sexual way, Blondie. You're much too young for me.…" the statement made him start. She didn't look a day over twenty, "…. But if it would make you feel better, I'll be looking out. It's too dark for any reflection."

He looked at the window a moment, and he realized there was no reflection. But he did get dressed rather hurriedly.

"Where did you find these clothes anyhow?" He touched the soft cotton fabric of the trousers and the warm velvet of the robe. He could swear he'd never had clothes like that. But he liked them. Something he really could wear when ever, and where ever. Though not quite the "where ever" part. Smiling he envisioned himself coming to one of Lucious' posh parties dressed like he'd just gotten out of bed.

"Oh, they just lay there…" he had a feeling she was avoiding the answer, but it didn't matter. "Ready?"

He nodded and began walking with a half whispered "yeah".

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

How the walk to the kitchens had gone, was more or less gone to his mind. One moment they exited his room, and the second they sat by the kitchen table, and sharing a cup of cocoa with some nervous house elves.

"Now isn't this cosy?" The young woman said with a smile. Draco noticed how the otherwise timid house elves seemed to calm down and relax at the smile.

"'tis miss.." said one in a shy voice, while hiding behind a mug of cocoa. The one next to it stared at the bobbing marshmallow in his mug, and prodded it from time to time.

"Go on. I didn't put any poison or alcohol in to it. You won't get drunk of this one. Unless you tell your selves you are…" she took a long swig of her own mug as an example, but put it down with a face. The elves backed away from their mugs, except the one who was sniggering at his marshmallows as they came back up. "Oww…" she groaned, "I burnt my tongue…" putting the mug back down she frowned at it, "better let it cool off for a while."

"Excuse me, but I don't think we have introduced ourselves properly," Draco tried to suppress a smile, but he honestly had no idea what her name was, and it was rather annoying to keep a conversation with someone he didn't know. Looking up at him, she quirked an eyebrow and thought a bit.

"Well, I'll be continuing calling you "Blondie" no matter what your proper name is. You could call me what ever you like,"

He thought about that before extending his hand, and would have fallen off the chair laughing at the sight of her face.

"I'm Draco Malfoy," he grinned, "also known as 'Blondie'." She took his hand tentatively, "Please to meet you miss, who I find so mysterious I think I'll call Enigma…" his grin broadened as she smiled.

"Enigma? Am I that mysterious?" she smiled her slightly fanged smile, which upon reflection didn't make him uncomfortable, and let go of his hand.

"Yes you are," he took a sip and winched over the heat on his tongue.

"Oh really. And may I ask why?" he found himself staring at those animated eyes, and gave a laugh as she tried to look dead serious, or offended. He had no idea which one. But it was clear she thought the situation to be amusing.

"Well…" he dragged out the response, and pretended to be in deep thoughts, "I'm wondering on what you are. Your style of clothing inclines the wizarding world, but I doubt you have a drop of magic in you. You look like you are about twenty or so, but you act like you would have the same amount of life experience as my professor Snape," he didn't notice her quick smile and faint blush at the mention of his potions professors name, "But what I'm most keen on finding out is how on earth you got in to the Manor," he looked straight at her and saw the question "why" being written on her face.

"Firstly, you can't be a vampire, because they can't enter unless invited," he thought he heard her say "bollocks" under her breath, but ignored it. "Besides, there are ancient wards to protect this manor from them. You can't be a demon or anything like that; the wards apply for them as well. You can't be a witch, because there are alarm systems that would have alerted the whole house if someone had arrived uninvited. And of the three aforementioned, only the Demon can enter through the wall. So what are you, and how did you get inside?" he leaned back and warmed his hands on his mug, and took a sip now and then, careful not to burn his tongue.

She smiled warmly at him, and produced a cigarette, which was lit by the time it reached her mouth.

"You are correct in that neither vampires or any regular mortal can't enter this place without notification, or some form of displeasure. You are however wrong when it comes to Demons. They can't walk through walls; they can however squeeze themselves through the tiniest crack. But yes, the wards apply for them as well." Enigma smoked a bit of the odd smelling cigarette before continuing. "The thing is; I'm neither of the things. You might call me human, only I can perform magic. I'm really not twenty- something it only looks like that. How old I am, is unknown to me as well, but my aging process got slowed down when I became eight-teen. Doors aren't compulsory for me to enter a room, neither are windows," she took another break in the speech to take a sip of the cocoa. "I guess one might call me…" she paused again, in obvious thought of what to call herself, "Tell you what. I haven't a clue of what I am."

The room went silent, again with the exception of the sniggering elf who had begun developing hyperactive tendencies. Draco watched the swirling smoke as it drifted to the ceiling. He raised an eyebrow when Enigma rubbed the bud between her index finger and thumb, and almost slid off the chair as it vanished, leaving a faint scent of roses in its wake.

"I think it's time for you to go to sleep Draco," though friendly and mild, there was an edge to her voice, which made his eyes drop. Walking over to him, she guided him to his room, and tucked him in, "Good night Blondie. Sweet dreams," he was in the borderland between sleep and awake when she said those last words, he couldn't help thinking about how it would feel having a loving sister.

"'Night sis," the words were said unconsciously, but were received with a sad smile as she faded away in to the shadows….