To Wash Away a Sin

Chapter 4: Detention - Part 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter. If I did, Percy would be bisexual.

Chapter 4: Detention - Part 1

Draco couldn't sleep. And while this wasn't all that uncommon fit for him, it was still unsettling Usually the feeling was more of an over active mind, but today it seemed that it was his body that did not want to rest.

He was ready for this day to be over. He had gotten into a fight (a physical fight with a Hufflepuff no less!), loss said fight (lets make this clear, to a Hufflepuff!), had gotten detention with McGonagall, and threatened and fussed over by Snape. He had no opinion on what part was the worst. They were all equally horrible.

So in an effort to relax, he got out of bed intending to wander the the halls until he tired himself out. In the next moment, he found himself at the lake.

He stared blankly at the dark waters that were so much like the dark sea-green eyes of the Hufflepuff. He could still see them, glowing with power and authority, swirling with emotion, and burning with a passion he had never before seen in anyone else. His brow furrowed in confusion to his own line of thoughts.

What was so special about this girl to leave such a lasting impression?

Maybe it was the way that she held no judgement of him. They had never met before but he was sure she had to have heard something about him. You don't go to Hogwarts without it. The fact that she held no contempt or disgust toward him instead give him the benefit of the doubt, was nothing short of a miracle.

But maybe it was the way that, despite the power and authority in her glare, het eyes seemed almost broken. Like shattered glass that was to stubborn to break. She was bruised and scarred but not broken. And Draco wanted to know why. Not for a maleficent reason like usually, but to maybe understand her. And maybe be understood as well.

It was then, sitting on the edge of the dock with his bare feet hanging in the water, that he saw glowing blue-green eyes staring at him from just under the water and a face framed by inky black hair.

He jumped back, startled, when the head surfaced, completely dry.

It was then that he meet a girl (spirit?) who held the most cryptic answers he had ever heard (and this coming from someone who had to put up with Luna's insanity for years now).

For the rest of the short night and into the next day his thoughts were solely on the lake spirit and the girl she replicated so flawlessly in appearance. He paid no attention to his leasons, his mind to farway trying to unravel the enigma that was the spirit.

That was how he was found at the end of class, staring into nothing and mumbling to himself, looking for all its worth like he's finally lost his marbles.

It wasn't until the professor tapped him that he was broken from his trance-like state only to be alone in the room with professor snape looking staring down at him, almost into his soul. He hastily apologized while gathering his stuff, swiftly making his way out of the room. Sadly before he could make his speedy escape to the great hall, the potions master called him back to remind him of his detention.

That's where Draco Malfoy found himself now. Stuck in detention with a bunch of delinquents and rowdy Gryffindors, staring at the green-eyed Hufflepuff in front of him.

'They just look so alike...'

His mind wandered back to last night's scene on the lake.

They had gone through some very awkward introductions and while he was still skeptical, he was too curious to back out now. He sat at the end of the pier, the lake spirit sitting beside him in a surprisingly comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts. The silence was broken when a question hit him.

"Why do you look like that?"

The spirit just looked confused, maybe a little hurt though he didn't understand why, to his question. He quickly back tracked, his face warm with embarrassment.

"No; not like its - never mind. You just look exactly like someone in school. I wanted to know why."

He tried to keep his face neutral but failed to stop himself from biting the corner of his bottom lip. He'd rather not offend the spirit while so close to the water. In retrospect, he really had nothing to worry about. She had only lifted a dark brow, unimpressed, but the small smile and the amusement that sparkled in her green eyes spoke differently. That is before she shifted her gaze to her lake, expression now thoughtful.

"Its kind of hard to explain."

"Can you try?" he urged.

She let out a frustrated puff of air (or was it annoyance) before beginning.

"Well, I can look like many things..."

He continued staring at her, silently urging her on. She was stalling, he knew it, but he didn't know why.

Her eyes, then, seemed to spark with...something. She had her answer.

"...but I naturally look like the person its easiest for you to talk to."

That had confused him. Its not like he knew her, hell he didn't even catch her name!

He explained this but his only answer was a shrug, a cryptic smile, and...

"Sometimes its easier to talk to strangers than your loved ones."

It was then that the sound of feet slamming down on the ground, quickly making their way toward the pier was heard. They both turned to look but when Draco looked back, the spirit was gone without a trace or a name to remember her by.

Not that he really needed one. The spirit had left quite the impression on him. He's theory as to why had to do with circumstances sure (I mean who gets to meet a fiery Hufflepuff and a lake spirit in one day, not many I'd bet) but he had to believe it had to do more with their eyes than anything.

'...yet they're so different.'

The spirit's eyes were sad and lonely, yet kind and friendly and open. She seemed to be a gentle soul, one who had been abandoned and isolated for too long and only wanted friendship.

The Hufflepuff however had eyes that were hardened to diamonds: beautiful, sharp, and deadly. They held a fire that the spirit lacked and while the spirit's eyes where sad, the Hufflepuff's eyes where burdened with sorrow, a hidden fury, and secrets that were to be guarded with her soul.

The lady of the lake, probably centuries old, seemed younger than the Hufflepuff, not physically - no they looked exactly the same - but, again, their eyes.

Those sea-green orbs that never ceased to swirl with emotion. How could those same eyes be described in such extreme opposites?

Those sea-green eyes that were staring right at him.

That snapped him out of it faster than Snap's glare ever could.

He quickly looked down at the open textbook page they were to read as punishment, trying to look as casual as possible. He could have sworn that she was asleep. He looked up, still facing the book on his desk to take a peek at the noirette only to see her still looking at him. Her dark brows drawn together in confusion as her eyes swirled with nothing but irritation. Cherry red lips were pursed together with traces of a smirk.

He dropped his eyes again as his face warmed from the pure embarrassment of being caught staring - not once be twice now - all the while mentally cursing.

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Hey Infinity here! So sorry (not sorry) for the cliffy that was chapter 3 and the long wait for chapter 4. I hope this makes up for it! The long wait was because a) APs are next week - not that I really studied all that much but hopefully that's a valid excuse - and b) I couldn't decide whether to add more to the chapter, make it longer and stuff, or the cut it here and make a part 2 to this chapter (hopefully you've figured out my final decision). So yeah, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and see you on the other side (of this sign off! Not...well, you know...whatever.)
Live fast, burn bright, Infinity.
Ps. Hi again! Aren't I just perfectly annoying? Don't answer that. Anywho, I have a new line break! Whatcha think? Cool? Weird? Unnecessary? Tell me in the comments!