~A lonely flame~ HOGWARTS X READER

~1~

The train rattled softly under me and I could hear the loud incomprehensible chatter of students just outside my carriage door. The cold glass windowpane fogged slightly with the heat of my steady breath and I watched as the trees passed with brilliant autumn colours. 

"Cmon... it's the only one left..."

A soft voice brought me out of my trance-like state and I turned my attention from the scenery to the trio crowding around the door leading to the almost empty train compartment. The group looked at me expectantly before quickly glancing at the only other person in the carriage. A middle-aged man, draped in a large black cloak, who had been under the influence of sleep since I had boarded.

"Sorry... The rest of the train is full. Can we join you?"

The girl who had spoken originally looked at me, playing with her thumbs awkwardly. I adjusted myself in my seat before quickly nodding and gesturing for them to sit beside and across from me. The girl sat next to me and gave me a soft smile while she adjusted herself to be more comfortable, putting her bag under her seat. One boy sat next to her, a long haired ginger with brilliant matching freckles that stood out against his pale skin. The other boy, brunette and rather grubby sat across from the girl, seemingly uncomfortable sitting next to the sleeping man. 

"I'm Hermione. Hermione Granger,"

The girl spoke up and offered me a firm handshake which I quickly returned.

"This is Ronald Weasly, and that's Harry Potter."

She finished, gesturing first to the boy beside her and then to the boy across from us. 

"Ron."

The ginger offered me the nickname quickly after his introduction and gave me a lopsided grin as he quickly bit off a piece of some kind of gummy candy. Harry smiled softly at me with a hint of confusion in his eyes. 

"Oh.. sorry..."

I stammered awkwardly, my face heating up and my eyes growing wide with the awkward silence in the car.

"I'm Y/N. Y/N Y/L/N."

I said switching my eye contact between the three. 

"Are you new here?"

Harry asked carefully, his eyes scanning my face.

"How could you tell?"

I asked with a soft chuckle. I was met with Ron talking with a full mouth.

"Your accent. And you look about our age but we don't recognize you. Oh, and also you didn't bat an eye when Hermione told you that's Harry Potter."

I bit my lip slightly and picked at the hangnail on my thumb before responding.

"Yea, I'm from Canada. This is my first year and I don't know much about magical culture so I didn't know that Harry was someone to be surprised by."

I said simply. Ron nodded before continuing to munch on whatever gummy he was inhaling and Harry only inspected me further. I lowered my eyes quickly and could feel the blood rush to my face.

"Who do you think that is?"

Ron broke the silence by asking me my prior companion's identity to which I only responded with a curt shrug.

"Professor R.J Lupin."

Hermione responded quickly, not even glancing in Ron's direction.

"Do you know EVERYTHING? How is it she knows everything?"

Ron asked Harry while fiddling with the dirty rat in his hands. Harry lent forward on his elbows, meaning to move closer to Ron, but only ending up with his head closer to me. So close I could smell the pine from his hair and feel his breath on my hand that was rested on my knee.