Fire.

[maia rivas]

Maia flung off her cloak, and sat herself down in front of the fire. On the current day, it had been particularly freezing, and so she relished the warmth of the common room now, closing her eyes and letting it take her over completely.

She hadn't bothered to take a look around - to see who sat around her now, to see if she was, in fact, blocking someone's view of the flames. She didn't much care actually, and so she continued to sit, oblivious to the rest of the room, in her happy place by the fire.

[graham pritchard]

Graham had already been sitting in the common room letting the flames pull him into a trance, watching as they danced, entwined with one another in both the most intricate and simple ways. This, of course, was interrupted by a girl plopping herself down carelessly in his way.

Leaning back in his seat, Graham blinked to get the spots to dissipate enough for him to get a clear picture of who the girl was. "Evening Maia." Graham said once he noticed who it was. He wasn't all that upset about her blocking his view. It was probably best that way.

[maia rivas]

Maia recognized the voice immediately, and a smile crept over her face. Still, she did not turn her head or even open her eyes in the slightest. "Good evening, Graham," she greeted, before asking coolly: "Am I in your way?" Although she asked, she'd no intention to move. He could always come join her anyway - there was, after all, a much better view over here.

[graham pritchard]

"Not at all. I've just simply traded one beauty for another." The fire and her being the beauties mentioned of course. Maia was a beautiful girl after all so he saw no reason that he shouldn't let her know he thought so. Still, he did get up and move to sit on the couch next to her. "How are you?"

[maia rivas]

Maia quite liked compliments, and so her smile widened ever so slightly. "Very well, thank you, now that I'm back indoors," she answered, opening her eyes finally, and settling them onto the other Slytherin. "And yourself?"

[graham pritchard]

Graham liked to see girls smile, which could have been why he was as kind as he was to them. He held them at a double standard, as chauvinistic as it was, thought them delicate beauties and thus were to be treated as such. "No complaints as of yet. What held your interest outside?"

[maia rivas]

"Nothing in particular," Maia answered him, with a shrug. "Just felt I needed to get away from the castle for a short while for some peace and quiet."

[graham pritchard]

"I hope you found it." Graham sat back on the couch relaxing once more.

[maia rivas]

"I did," Maia smiled, having rather enjoyed her evening. "Of course, I almost froze to death in the process, but it was well worth it." She looked off into the flames once more, before returning her eyes to the other Slytherin. "No plans for this evening, then?"

[graham pritchard]

It was a good thing Maia was sitting in front of the fire then, Graham noted silently. He wasn't much for making plans at night. For the most part, as strange as it might have seemed to others, he liked to relax, unwind from the day just hanging around in either the common room or his dorm. "No, just a little bit of chill time." Graham might do things on the weekends or sneak out nights if the mood struck but the latter didn't happen too often.

[maia rivas]

"Chill time is good too. Helps you recharge," Maia said, leaning back on her palms. She tilted her head back, letting her hair fall behind her, and further allowing the warmth to soak her up. "Mmm. Like this. I think I could take over the world after this."

[graham pritchard]

As Maia resituated herself Graham couldn't help but look her over. She was very exotic in his opinion, and in a beautiful way at that. Her long glossy black hair seemed to reflect the glow from the fire, which Graham appreciated. But what bothered him about Maia was that she flaunted this beauty, not that confidence was a problem, but vanity was. "And what would you do once you took over the world?"

[maia rivas]

Maia thought carefully about her answer. She always spoke about taking over the world, and on multiple occasions even tried to work together some sort of plan, but never had she once thought about what she'd do if she actually achieved world domination. Not caring to share, even if she did know, she shrugged, casually. "Hm, whatever I felt like at the time." Which could be absolutely anything, of course. "And I wouldn't do anything nasty to you. Perhaps, I'd make you my slave."

[graham pritchard]

Graham was humble enough to play along with Maia's delusions, though he had no intention or desire to be anyone's slave, imagine that. "That would be much appreciated." Of course he was only referring to Maia not doing anything nasty to him.

[maia rivas]

Maia turned away from the fire now, her attention elsewhere. She couldn't help the laughter that threatened to escape her. Returning his earlier question, out of curiosity, she asked, "And what would you do if you were king of the world?"