Quick Dip {Lucinda}

[Katherine Finnigan]

The afternoon sun was warm against Kat's bare arms and legs but she had this nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. Tightening her ponytail, she glanced around the grounds apprehensively just in case someone, anyone, might wander out and catch her. Sure, there was no real reason for her to feel so awkward about running around in shorts and a tanktop but she couldn't help it. Sliding down into the cool water of the black lake, she checked the grounds again. Was she paranoid? Absolutely! It wasn't about being caught swimming in the black lake...because that wasn't entirely against the rules. No. It was more that she didn't want anyone to see her in shorts.

Being that it was a lazy Saturday, most of the school was probably just barely waking up and wandering down to the Great Hall for brunch but Kat was used to waking up at the crack of dawn. Even on holidays and weekends, she'd be up with the sun and in bed by ten...unless something came up to keep her out late. Today was no exception. Kat had already eaten breakfast, jogged around the castle, worked on her homework for Monday and now she was just out to take a quick dip before heading back inside to see if any of her friends had gotten up yet. Surely there'd be no harm in a quick swim...just as long as she made it back to her common room without being caught. Then again, if the need arose, she could always use a summoning charm to get a pair of pants...right?

[Skye Caine]

Lucinda was wearing a pair of short shorts, a black tube top, a pair of knee high red and black striped socks and converse sneakers. Her blonde hair was up in a pony tail. She was never shy about her body or shy around people. She headed across the grounds to the lake and seen a Hufflepuff seventh year. She smiled and sat on some rocks and said, "Hi."

[Katherine Finnigan]

The surface of the water was warm from the heat of the sun hitting it all morning but under was much cooler. It actually felt quite lovely to be swimming around after a particularly hard jog. If felt so wonderful, in fact, that Katherine had been completely absorbed in the cool water against her body and actually closed her eyes for a brief moment. She was completely relaxed. Hence, when an unfamiliar voice greeted her, Katherine nearly jumped out of her skin. Hurridly she turned to see just whom had addressed her. It wasn't someone she knew personally but she did recognize the girl as a Slytherin. Not just any Slytherin though. Kat knew that she was a Malfoy but she didn't recall exactly which year the girl was in.

Trying to mask herself in the dark water of the lake, she forced a weak smile and lifted her hand up through the rippling surface to give the girl a tiny wave. Her voice was soft and hesitant as she greeted, "Hello there." Katherine was still mortified at being outside in little more than shorts and a tanktop but she tried her best not to let this little fact show.

[Skye Caine]

"I'm Lucinda, who are you?" Lucinda asked kidly noticing the girl startled when she greeted her. She smiled and said, "Also sorry for startling you." She continued to smile sweetly. She thought the girl would retaliate rudly being she was a hufflepuff and Lucinda was a Slytherin. She crossed her legs and proped her head on her hand which was supported by the elbow that she had placed on her knee.

[Katherine Finnigan]

Oddly enough, and much to the surprise of Kat, the Slytherin girl actually introducted herself and apologized. Though Katherine had never been one for prejudging people, she hadn't exactly had the best experiences with many Slytherins. This one, though, seemed very different and that was extremely reassuring. Wading a little closer toward the shore, Kat tried to at least keep most of herself completely disguised by the water. It was another habit of hers to offer her hand for a shake upon any introduction and now, even with her paranoia, was going to be no exception.

Sticking her hand out toward the Slytherin, she replied, "I'm Katherine Finnigan but you can call me Kat for short if it's easier to remember. It's a pleasure to meet you. Oh...and no need to apologize. I guess I should have been paying more attention rather than letting myself fade off like that. It's a nasty little habit I have when I'm relaxing...relaxing or reading a really good book."

[Skye Caine]

"Don't worry. It happens to alot of us." Lucinda said as she shook the girls hand. "I figured no one would be up this early. Everyone was still in bed with the Slytherin house and no one was in the great hall." She smiled and said, "So your a hufflepuff correct?"

[Katherine Finnigan]

"Oye! All of my friends were still in bed too but I'm an early riser as my dad says," Kat replied with a very friendly smile. She couldn't help thinking that this was the perfect opportunity to make a new friend. After all, Lucinda seemed like a really nice girl and she hadn't simply ignored her for being a Hufflepuff yet either. Just that little fact made Katherine smile just a little more.

Nodding shortly, she replied, "Yes, you're quite correct. I'm in Hufflepuff house. I'd ask whether you were in Slytherin but I'm quite positive I recall seeing you sorted into that house during my third year. But, please, correct me if I'm wrong." For some reason, Kat felt as though she was babbling on or rambling. Perhaps it was just nerves over meeting a new person but she did mentally chastize herself for it and vowed to try not to babble.

[Skye Caine]

"Yes I am a Slytherin. I was almost put into Gryffindor. But with the way my family is I pleaded for the hat to put me in Slytherin." Lucinda said. She sighed, "I hate being a Malfoy. People hate me for it and I am no ordinary Malfoy. I am completely different."

[Katherine Finnigan]

Katherine felt bad that so many people prejudged or hated Lucinda just because she was a Malfoy. That wasn't fair at all and she was going to make sure that the Slytherin girl knew that she, at least, wasn't going to be like those people. "That really is horrible but I guess I can relate considering Hufflepuff house doesn't have the kindest relations with a majority of the others...us being stereotyped as the weak and easily frightened sort," Kat said

Reaching over to the shoreline, she grabbed her wand out of the sock she'd left beside her shoes and used it to summon a towel and some dry clothing to put on. Surely she could have just as easily just dried what she was wearing but the whole shorts thing prevented her from doing that. Trying to make the transaction as quick as she could, mostly using magic, Kat fixed it so that she had her pants on and then the towel draped over her shoulders so that she could sit down by Lucinda. In a friendly tone, she assured, "No worries though. I can tell that you're different and...if you don't mind, I'd really like to maybe be friends."

[Skye Caine]

"Sure." Lucinda said, "I'd Like to be friends." She smiled and said, "Yeah me and my little sister are different. Our Brother Scorpius is the one like a true Malfoy." She ran her hand through her hair and sighed, "Of coarse he's the one who got brainwashed with all our parents non scense."

[Katherine Finnigan]

Katherine was extremely happy the very instant that Lucinda actually agreed to being friends. It wasn't as though she was desperate to make friends but she really did enjoy getting to actually know new people and becoming friends with them if the chance arose. As things stood, Lucinda would actually be one of her only Slytherin friends so that made this even more special. It wasn't every day that a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin were actually on friendly terms.

"It's wonderful that you and your sister were able to see passed the teachings of your parents. I know how tough it can be to actually go against what your ancestors and parents believe so that really is a pretty big feat," complimented Katherine sincerely, "It's a shame, though, that your little brother has been caught up in it all."

[Skye Caine]

"Oh he's not my little brother. he's a year older than me. I'm the middle child. my sister Rosalynn, she's the baby in the family." Lucinda said with a small laugh, "I get to play monkey in the middle all the time."

[Katherine Finnigan]

Kat giggled and blushed a little at her own mistake. She had always thought that Lucinda was older than Scorpius. It was probably because she seemed far more mature than her brother was. Unfortunately, that meant that Katherine was very guilty of making assumptions...and wrongly so. She, of course, felt horrible about doing it too.

"I'm terribly sorry for thinking you were older than him. I suppose that it's just how much more mature you seem...and I mean that in the most polite way possible," she reassured with a hopeful expression on her face. It was still bothering her that she'd made such a big mistake. Kat just hoped that Lucinda hadn't taken it negatively.

[Skye Caine]

"Don't appologize I understand. He's a attention seeking whiny baby so I know I am more mature." Lucinda said, "Lots of people who know the Malfoy's know that. I'm just the one that get's pranked by Potter all the time." Lucinda sighed, "It never ends and I have no choice but to retaliate back because I have a short temper. And I guess Malfoy's and Potter's are destined to hate each other."

[Katherine Finnigan]

Feeling a bit of relief wash over her, Katherine smiled again. It was very reassuring to know that she wasn't going to lose her new friend over the little mistake. It would have made her exceedingly sad to think that something like a wrong assumption. At least it all worked out well enough. Leaning back on her elbows, she looked up at the sunny sky and wondered how today had worked out so well when she'd been so horribly paranoid about it not.

Tilting her head off to the side in confusion, Kat asked, "Which Potter? Aren't there more than just one attending school here currently?" Katherine had always heard her mum and dad talk about the Potters and Weasleys when they reminisced about their school days but she didn't exactly have the same sort of friendship with the children of those families as her father evidently had. Then again, she was pretty shy and hadn't taken it upon herself to formally introduce herself either. Just the thought made her nervous.