As if the day couldn't get any better, someone had come up to him. He had jumped when he first heard someone talk, initial reaction shock quickly followed by self-disgust. Why did he jump? Had he really been that out of it? He hadn't even been studying but simply staring at the words of his book as he bit his lower lip unknowingly. No valid excuse had entered his mind yet, and he blamed that fact for the growing headache that was becoming more and more distracting every second.
Looking at her, Julian recognized her as one of the "eighth year" Slytherins. Broccoli-hurts or something was her name. He had never spoken to her before and had never paid her much attention; what her name was had never mattered to him. She was more a snake in the grass than a snake in the open. He hoped she didn't have much bite to her or got too inquisitive.
"Free period," he lied easily, looking back to the book and turning the page casually as if he had been reading all along. Had to keep up with appearances, after all. Even if right now he really wanted to retreat to the Slytherin dorms, or maybe that nice room that was filled with soft surfaces to lay on. The one behind the picture of fruit. Maybe he'd go there after this. He wouldn't be bothered there.
Realizing she had yet to leave (though of course she wouldn't. To Julian, it felt like minutes, but in reality it had only been a few seconds), he looked up again. Looking at her through his fringe, he rose a hand to brush away the hair and asked, "Can I help you with something?"
Not that he really wanted to. But perhaps she would be one of those prideful girls that got appalled at the very idea of a male offering to help, and would quickly take her flustered leave.