She didn't resist, nor did she make an attempt to pull away, Benedict felt her soft skin in his hand and allowed his grip to remain. It felt totally alien but also strangely natural to share this connection. Of course, if anyone asked, he was just guiding the girl through the dark corridors in case she misstepped and took a fall.

"I mean it you know, you spend so much time thinking like someone who isn't good enough. You shouldn't." he reiterated his point, looking across at her. Maybe it was time to stop saying things like that; she didn't look entirely comfortable; he couldn't see for certain in the dim light, but he suspected she was hiding a blush. He needed to change the subject. "I've been talking to my dad more about the future, what I might do once I get my NEWTS. He never got his you know?" it was small talk, just idle chatter while he walked hand in hand with his friend. "I've been considering more and more a career in magizoology."

They came to a corner and Benedict could have sworn he saw one of the paintings muttering something about the pair of prefects going about their innocent business. "We'll be back on to the main corridor in a few minutes; where do you think your partner has gotten to by now? Maybe the library monster got her?"