Love found in malice

Chapter 9: Abraxous M.

"I'm going to head back to the room and maybe get in a nap" says Clare as we walk. We finally make it to the moving staircases when I speak. 

"Okay, I'm going to catch up on my studies, I'll be in the library if you need me". 

"See you later" she says stepping onto the staircase before it moves. I wait for the change over then start walking up the next flight of stairs that leads to the library. I've always loved the concept of the moving staircases. Rowena Ravenclaw was the founder who invented the concept and administered it into Hogwarts. 

There are hundreds of portraits littering the walls of the tower. Some portraits lead to secret passages in the castle while others to common rooms such as the Gryffindor one. I wonder if the Fat Lady is still in charge of letting them in. 

A person can only become a moving portrait after death. I wonder is she has died yet. As I'm distracted I forget about the sinking steps that were planted to trick students and manage to step in one. 

"This is just great" I say exasperated. I try prying my left leg from the step but fail miserably. How could I have been so stupid to forget. When I first arrived at Hogwarts my first year I was the only one aware of these sinking steps. Ron had gotten stuck on several occasions where Harry had to pry him off. Neville was the one who got stuck the most. He would tell his Gran about it in his letters. She finally ended up sending Neville a Remembrall which contains smoke that turns red when you forget something. 

Neville carried it with him everywhere he went, until he lost it at the end of first year. To this day I still believe Draco Malfoy stole it as he had tried once during flying lessons. Harry of course got it back for Neville and also earned himself a spot on the Quidditch team. He caught the Remembrall after Draco threw it across the field during flying lessons. 

"Looks like you got yourself in a sticky situation" a charming voice says, knocking me out of my thoughts. I peer up to see Abraxous standing a step below me smiling. 

"I wasn't aware the steps had traps in them" I say lying. 

"A lot of the steps do, thats why the first years travel in packs. The only way to get unstuck is from another person pulling you out" he says. I had remembered this minor detail but was hoping someone else would have found me. 

"Well can you give me a hand?" 

"Depends, where are you off to?" he says

"Not that it's really your business, I'm heading to the library to study and do homework" I say annoyed. 

"Sounds extremely boring" he says while inspecting his finger nails. "I'll help you out on one condition". 

"What do you want" I say irritated 

"I want to accompany you to the Library" he says smiling "Oh, I also want you to help me research that animal thing mentioned in Defense Against the Dark Arts class". 

"I promise going to the library with me is no fun. My friends back at my old school never tagged along. I stay there hours usually" I say, remembering all the times Ron and Harry refused to come to the library with me. 

"Well its a good thing I'm not your friend then" he smirks. I'm a bit taken aback by his statement but respond none the less. 

"Fine, just help me get my foot unstuck" 

"It would be my pleasure" he says outstretching his hand for me to latch onto. With one good yank he pries me free. My other foot catches and I fall back. But I don't make it all the way to the ground before I hit Abraxous's chest with my back. His arms are now wrapped around me holding me steady. I can smell cedar wood which must be his cologne. I wouldn't of expected him to have an earthy scent at all. Just then his muscles tense under my back.