Darkening Depths PV Evelyn Moore Closed

After stumbling to regain his balance, Constantine sheepishly peered around, to see if anyone had spotted his trip. Luckily, most people were minding their own business. Or at least, everyone aside from a student that was content to observe, and not join in. It was odd, the hot weather made everyone melt, so why did she sit at the sidelines like that? Red crept to his cheeks, slightly embarrassed that he'd had an audience. The Hufflepuff spun on his heel, to face the lake, and not the girl. Constantine covered his eyes with a hand, shielding them from the sun. Maybe the girl didn't want to venture into the water because she was alone? It didn't seem very likely, as the humidity was enough to make any loner jump into the water within five seconds flat.

Perhaps she needed a push in the right direction? Deciding that he didn't want to get his robe wet, the Hufflepuff took it off. Crumpling it into a ball with little care, he tossed it to the riverbank. Most of it had reached the land, though the sleeve sunk beneath the water. He simply turned away with a shrug of his shoulders, before crouching low into the lake. It wouldn't hurt to be a little over the top, would it? Not thinking the decision through, Constantine decided to pretend as if he was being dragged into the water, stomach down and clawing at the pebbles on the lakebed. In actuality, the lake had been rather shallow - Constantine could stand in it fairly easily. The boy placed his face into the water, trying to hide his laughter.

Constantine got to his knees, water droplets cascading from his face. His plan had worked, albeit to the annoyance of the girl. The Hufflepuff looked at her sheepishly, wringing out the bottom of his shirt into the lake. "Oh, hello." The boy greeted in a friendly manner, as if he hadn't just faked being in imminent danger. He shook out his hair, picking a few stray bits of pondweed-like plant from his already messy uniform. "It's a nice day outside, isn't it?" Constantine pointed out, turning so that the sun would warm his face. She didn't seem convinced by his display, prompting him to laugh.

"Ah, I guess I should apologise, right?" Constantine chuckled, a humorous look in his eye. He hadn't meant to startle the girl, just lure her into the water so that she could cool off. In hindsight, it wasn't the greatest idea that he'd had, but it'd worked none the less. "No harm done, though." Constantine put his hands up in defence, cocking an eyebrow. He was expecting an angered remark, but a well deserved one at that. The boy sat patiently in the water, waiting for a response. Constantine swished his hands about in the water. It was a lot better than sitting out in the baking heat, that was certain.

"That's a shame." Constantine said, commenting on the fact she'd gotten out of the water as soon as she'd jumped in. The Hufflepuff continued to paddle around in the water for a bit, the girl by no means dampening his mood. He wasn't intending to be cruel, but his carefree attitude and impulsive actions weren't exactly the best combo. Once he'd decidedly had enough of lounging in the lake, he edged closer to the girl, but remained in the water. At least if the student got too mad, he could retreat back into the lake.

Giving his robe a sympathetic glance, he returned his attention back to the girl. "I had not!" Constantine objected, settling on his shins. He'd thought about doing it, sure, but not of the consequences that came as a result. "I'm not sure if you can scream while you're drowning, with your lungs filling with water and all that." The Hufflepuff contemplated, not denying that he hadn't pretended to be drowning. "I was only doing it so you'd come into the lake." Constantine added with a small pout.

The girl looked to be a little more startled than he was about the ordeal, though he was certain that his acting hadn't been that convincing. "Well, I thought there was no harm done at least. I think I'd know, too - I've already almost been squished by a giant tree." Constantine murmured, absentmindedly running over a small scar on his cheek.

"Well, it's a hot day outside. You might've gotten heatstroke - if there was a paramedic nearby, I wouldn't have done it." He argued, mirroring what the girl had said a couple seconds prior. In his defence, he did have the student's best interest in mind - was wanting someone to have fun such a bad thing?

Constantine's mouth turned into a frown, his voice grave, "That's not funny. I don't care what you say about me, but that large bowtruckle almost ended my friend's life." He warned seriously. That event was still a sore spot for Constantine, and he still harbored a lot of resentment for that tree. Not because he had been hurt, but because his friend had been. After a few moments, he returned to a more neutral expression.

"I don't get anything from it. You were alone, so I thought you might want some company. It wasn't the best method, I admit, but it was just the first thing that came to mind. I'm a Hufflepuff, not a Ravenclaw, you know." The boy answered sourly.

The stunts he pulled were usually well received, so he was willing to accept his loss on this one. "For what it's worth, sorry." Of course, he didn't think she'd accept it, but he wasn't one to not try.