Pay for the Dry Cleaning

The Great Hall was alive with the chatter of students relieved to be done with their lessons for the day. It was not the tired mumble of breakfast, or the mild excitment of lunch muted by the daunting prospect of the continuation of class, but the complete roar of thosands of students feeling a taste of freedom.

No matter how fraudulent it might have been, for the coming morning would only repeat the cycle all over again.

And something about that roar was grating on the Hufflepuff's nerves. There was a pounding in between her ears that she could not fight, that the mass voices was not helping. The pounding had been present - on and off - for two days now. It would have been getting worrying, if it didn't seem to deprive Juliet of all other thoughts.

Silence appeared to be the only solution. The pounding taking precidence over her grumbling stomach, the girl pushed herself away from her table, ignoring the few looks her dining mates were giving her, and made a beeline for the exit.

The only problem with that, was the usual problem when J.J. (For she'd always feel like J. J. when her feet gave up on her) rushed for anything appeared.

Catching her foot on a leg of something (Chair, table, pet or human she had no idea) the girl found herself tripping, stumbling forward. Her attempt to catch herself on the table only succeeded in tipping the dinner of a student onto herself, and the person who's lap she landed in.

Closing her eyes she muttered a string of curses under her breath. She didn't even have a particlar care to see who she was sitting on, or what was presently oozing down her leg.

"Would I get away with an 'Oops'?"

Eileen had gorged herself today. Lessons were done and there was nothing on the agenda all day. Well, nothing except eating; and that's what she did. She ate a whole plate of ham and decided a couple of potatoes wouldn't hurt either. Once finished with her fare Eileen perused the Great Hall. Students all around her were jovial and full of energy today; except for one. Sitting on the very end of the Hufflepuff table, Eileen pushed her plate near the edge, careful not to push it all the way over, and placed her elbows on the table, looking in the direction of the girl who was now running her way. Looking to her lap abruptly, Eileen was surprised that one second she was calmly spying on a jumpy fellow Hufflepuff and the very next she had a plate of chicken bones, potato skins and cherry sauce on her front! Not to mention she was ambushed by the girl too.
Eileen let out a little squeal, felt angry, then chuckled sarcastically to herself. "I guess that's what I get for picking the cherry sauce!" Eileen continued chuckling awkwardly as she stood and started brushing the mess onto the table. "No, no It's just fine!" She offered the girl a napkin to wipe herself off when her face became intrinsic. "Are, uh...are you ok? Don't think me strange but I've seen you the last few days and...you've seemed....ill?"

The girls sarcastic tone brought her back to some of her sense and Juliet pried herself off her the girls lap, and watched with disinterest as the other girl got up.

"Right then," she nodded her head, grimacing at the red goop dripping down her leg. She supposed she should clean that off, but she didn't feel like putting in the effort. Still when she was offered a napkin, she took it, holding it limply in her hands. "Well, I'm sorry for crushing you anyways."

She felt oddly suspicous when the girl said she had noticed her the past few days. She couldn't say she had noticed her housemate at all. A frown crossed her face, but she pushed past her defenses. What was she getting all hung up about anyways? She was just a girl.

"Its not a problem. Thank you for your concern, but I'll be fine," her tone was slightly clipped despite her effor to soften it, and once the statment was uttered Juliet attempted to continue on her way, pushing past the girl.

Eileen felt a little uncomfortable about the girl not cleaning herself up. She considered bending down to clean her up but decided it would only make things worse.
Her eyes were concerned a bit. I mean, what was with this girl? She seemed like a wreck. But who was Eileen to judge? It was never who she was. But she often thought that she pushed herself to help people too often. Better to help then stand back and laugh like a drone, she often thought. And now was no exception.
Before she could properly introduce herself the girl was brushing past her.
Turning and watching her walk a few paces, Eileen caught up quickly.
"I'm sorry, I don' want to be a nuisance," She started "but I'm still a little concerned. Don't think me strange. Please..." Eileen smiled very slightly at the girl, in hopes she would offer at least a bit of friendship and not see her as the weird girl like everyone else.

Juliet sighed. All she really wanted to do was go back to her room, and just lay in the dark.

But apparently, the world didn't seem to have that in mind for her. Leanding down she whipped the mess off her leg, and then crumpled the soiled napkin in her hand.

"Honestly, you don't need to worry about me," rolling her shoulders the girl managed a rather convincing smile. "Just a slight headache; nothing more than a nuisance as you would put it. Thank you for your concern none the less."

She hesitanted a moment, before figuring she might as well continue attempting to be polite.

"I'm Juliet."

Eileen eyed the girl calmly with a kind look on her face. "My name is Eileen." She smiled and looked down in contemplation. "Hm..." Eileen mumbled to herself. "I wonder...Juliet, I have a few herbs in my satchel that might help your head, if you'd like to try." She grabbed her bag with both hands and held it to her chest, waiting to see if the girl would accept the favor. It would give Eileen a chance to use some of the mint she picked in the summer.

"No, no - I'll be fine thank you," she nodded her head, her tone a little rushed. "Thats very kind of you, but really. Its a passing thing."

She looked at the way the girl clutched the bag to her chest. She seemed very hopeful that she would except, but even with magic, Juliet never quite got use to trusting people feeding her odd concotions.