Germander had been on the way back to the common room from the owlry - the two were virtually equal in height but he still had to descend to go from one to the other. It was a straightforward trip, he made it often, sending off letters to his brother. Today, something was different. Out of one of the staircases was acting funky - it wasn't following its normal pattern. He could double back but then it would take far longer, so when it swung back around he risked it, darting forwards to get onto the stairs. He could hear footsteps behind him, but he didn't bother to check, assuming that it would hopefully swing back around - only for it to dead stop with neither side attached to a platform with no movement.

He sighed, leaning against the rail, annoyed. It was the middle of the day on a Sunday - it wasn't like he had curfew to worry about, but it was still annoying.

"And Miss Scrimegour, we are stuck."

  

Holly didn't mind being stuck with Mr. Macnair; she would be stuck with him for the rest of her life come the time her father decided it was time for her to marry. She expected to go through finishing school, at least, which was good; she had no desire to be having children and being that one's wife at the age of eighteen!

"Well, since you're the prefect, you're going to have to figure out how to fix it," she responded absentmindedly, peeking over the railing to see how high up they really were. Very.

  

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— set by MJ <3 —

"A perfects duties do not include learning the mechanisms behind the spells the control the stairs," he snorted - slightly grateful that it wasn't. "I presume that lies with Professor Black or Professor Darrow - if anyone even knows at this point. Neither of which are bound to be coming through here soon."

With that statement, he shifted to seem Holly better, just in time to catch her peer over the rail. "I am not going to have to deal with you freaking out over the height of the stairs am I? Speaking of heights, what are you even doing up here? The Slytherin dorm is down."

  

Ugh, he spoke like a robot. How was she ever going to manage him forever?

She cast him an unpleasant glance, peeking over the rails once more. "I'll have you know that I have absolutely no fear-" Then the stairs creaked, causing the first year to stumble forward and almost onto the Ravenclaw. "The stairs are demonic and if they don't stop, I'll-" She stopped herself from speaking this time, knowing that speaking in such a manner wasn't wholly appropriate. Speaking calmly and carefully was the etiquette matter she needed most training on.

She let out a huff.

"I have the right to wander the corridors at this hour, and what I was doing was none of your business."

  

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— set by MJ <3 —

Forever was a bit much. He was to graduate in all but two years time and then the two would see each other little for at least the next five years, except for possible diners or anything of the such she was invited to. And even then, while they were wizards and had abnormally long life spans, they would still die eventually. Forever was an exaggeration.

"Very well, Miss Scrimgeour, you ha-," he broke off as she launched towards him and the stairs creaked, shooting one hand to the railing to stabilize himself and the other forwards to catch her. As she righted herself, he laughed. No fear indeed. "The stairs are not demonic, it is likely Peeves trying to mess with whatever unsuspecting student he could find. I'd feel he would know the mechanisms of the spells even if Professor Black did not." He noted the fact she cut of her statement - likely some kind of threat to the stairs as to her plans for them if they continued to move, and likely something she ought not think let alone say as a lady of her status. He didn't comment on it though, a slight mercy on her part.

"Very well. You are correct, I have no right to know such now unless it be something that would affect me. Though I doubt you are up to anything."

  

Well, at least he wasn't going to argue with her on that matter.

"The fact that you'd believe for a moment that I was 'up to something' shows how very little you think of me," she jabbed in response, sending a light glare over her shoulder as she hung onto the railing. The stairs needed to start working; being stuck here with Mr. Macnair for any longer could lead to the complete ruining of her nonexistent marriage in a mere five minutes!

  

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— set by MJ <3 —

"You've given me no reason to think better. I've spoken to you twice before now. Once when you were dolled up for my mother, the other in witch you were making a scene in public by yelling at a mudblood in the library," he stated with a shrug and a tone that he viewed his words as no more that a fact. She knew what to do with herself, she had proven that, but also that she didn't always do such. As it stood, her rate stood at fifty fifty and he meant no risk he couldn't calculate. "At least I ended with the fact I doubt you did. I doubt you'd wish to embarrass your family - or yourself for that matter. I am going to assume you had proper lessons for public behavior, even with your past slip."

He didn't care that she yelled at the mudblood. Those scum could disappear and the world would be better off. It was rather her slip of control and where. Hogwarts was the one place that purebloods were forced to work with the mudblood, not that he liked it. "Now I'd rather discuss this no further if I am to be stuck here with you. What would you rather discuss? I've notice you are a fan of talking."

  

"Says the boy who doesn't know how to keep his opinions to himself. Do you tell everyone how you feel about them?" she retorted with a glare. At least she'd tried to work with Miss De Loony or whatever her name had been. Mr. Macnair was here being far too blunt with her than she'd imagined a boy of his upbringing would be!

"And for someone who doesn't want to discuss it, you're awfully intent on getting the last word." Ugh, why were all boys such nightmares?

  

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— set by MJ <3 —

"No," he stated, eyes drifting away from the first year now. "You are simply easy to rouse - and its quite amusing." By admitting such, he would likely loose any sort of grip he had on getting her angry already but it didn't bother him to much. Something told him a lot of things made this girl angry. And frankly her responses weren't that creative. Seeing the same response all the time was getting old and dull. He was unsure as to why Seneca tolerated the temperamental girl, there seemed other, far less annoying options.

"If it bothers you that much, I can stop. All you have to do is ask me too."

  

Straightening herself up at his reply, Holly offered nothing more than a hmph for a moment. While he no longer proved completely infuriating, it was quite embarrassing (not that she showed it) to know that Mr. Macnair found her temper amusing. She was not funny; she was terrifying, and Mr. Macnair should have recognized that!

"I have no idea why I allowed my father to pair me with you," she mumbled under her breath, but it was by no means directed towards him. Not that she doubted she could really find her way out of the betrothal if she so desired; she was daddy's little girl, and he would obviously never wish such an insufferable man upon her!

At his final words, Holly turned and poked him in the torso with her wand.

"I doubt you could shut up if you wanted, but let's see if you can at least try," she dared with raised brows.

  

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— set by MJ <3 —

It was quite hard for the fifth year to find a girl four years younger than him, a first year, and a foot shorter than him terrifying. As she was, she barely registered amusing. Maybe annoying, but terrifying wasn't on the radar and wouldn't be for years if she ever even made it that far. She'd likely stay in his head as this small little girl who seemed to think her britches were bigger than they actually were. He would give her important, but only due to her breeding, nothing on her own part.

As she poked him with her wand, he raised his eyebrows, still amused. She didn't think he could manage something as mundane as keeping his mouth shut? If that was the case, she knew little of him, which kind of surprised him for the type of person she was. Holly seemed like the type who would dig up every little detail about someone. He normally was fairly quite of a person. The only reason he talked much around her was because she was amusing to annoy.

  

Much to her (surprising) disappointment, he did shut up. Not wanting to put her foot in her mouth, Holly too remained silent until the stairs managed to correct themselves. When it was possible for them to leave, Holly looked up at him with one last disdainful, haughty glance and stomped off int he opposite direction.

Good riddance, Mr. Macnair.

  

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— set by MJ <3 —