She was quite worked up for a simple answer to a problem, he surmised with the instant he caught her wringing her hands. Whatever she had on her mind, would not the simplest of arithmancy formulas, that much was for certain. Wondering what other advice she could be asking for, his face paled when the realization struck him right in between the eyes.

Relationship advice. Oh, Merlin, I'm going to be sick.

"It's nothing, really. Or not much of anything. Though, well, just promise to hear me out and not reject my request right out. I simply have no one else I can ask this of and, well,"

What about Anjali? Or even, even Grady? What merit did he have in offering her any sort of perspective on interpersonal communications? Wasn't the complain constantly lauded at him that he interacted too little with others voluntarily? He was cringing already when she went on to speak.

"Julian, I need to learn how to kiss. I mean, really kiss. A kiss that will curl the toes of the bloke I'm kissing. One that will make him not forget me and, more importantly, will make him want no one but me."

Relieved beyond compare she wasn't asking him to define the male psyche for her, Julian gave an amiable smile as he reached over and patted her shoulder. Standing, he remarked with ease, "I think the thing to do would be to find someone you can practice with. Practice is the key, you know. There'll be plenty of wizards who'd be up to the task, no doubt."

Turning and yawning as he headed for the staircase to retrieve his clothes so he could head to the Prefect's Bath, he said without turning around, "Good night, Sapphira."