She watched as foliage blurred past the window, fauna caught in its midst from time to time. She watched as forests yielded at the hands of rivers, as rivers carved the shapes of cliffs, as cliffs melted into soft meadows, as meadows were overrun with villages, and then as villages disappeared back into forests. She watched it all but she really didn't see it, only paying attention when something bright stood out against the greens, greys and browns. She paid more attention to the music that echoed through her headphones, mouthing the lyrics and envisioning the songs come to life in fantastical ways.
"...?"
She nodded in response to the question she couldn't quite hear.
She'd noticed the boy walking past her room a few times, looking for one of his own. She'd noticed the way he looked at others, and how others looked at him. He hadn't looked lost but like he was hoping to become lost. She knew her room was probably the emptiest out of all the rest on the train.
She didn't look directly at him until he'd finished seating himself, keeping his bag at his side instead of placing it above his seat on the side of the room he'd taken. He sat as far away from her as he could get and as close to the door as he could. He stared out the glass panel in the door as if trying to find something to watch, but every time someone came by he would act like he was fussing with his bag.
She tried not to let her head tilt to the side while she made an observation. This boy obviously wanted to become a shadow, someone who blended in with all the background noise, not noticed and instantly forgotten.
She must of unintentionally started staring openly instead of just out of the corner of her eyes. As the next group passed the glass panel and his gaze diverted, their lines of sight crossed and she was caught. He had fiery blue eyes; eyes that burned coldly with a heavenly fire. When he found her grey eyes, he quickly went back to looking out the panel even though a group still passed by.
She diverted her own gaze to give him his comfort back. But soon she felt his gaze on her which rid her of her own. She shifted and his burn of his gaze left.
Their gazes stayed away from the other until a common object entered their domain: The Treat Trolley.
They both looked up as the Prefect pushed open their door and revealed the gilded treat cart. Stacks of plastic and foiled bites and glazed boxes and tins lined the gold and glass trolley.
"You guys want anything?" the Prefect asked between her songs. She recognized him as a Hufflepuff. He'd probably volunteered for the position. Not because it was stereotypical of a Hufflepuff to volunteer to push around a cart of goodies but she knew him. She just hoped he wouldn't acknowledge her in front of Blue Eyes.
Micheal stared at Blue Eyes for a moment until he looked away. It wasn't a pressing look but Micheal must of noticed him too. Micheal nodded toward her. She simply nodded once then turned to her bag on the floor in front of her. She put her feet down then dug around the bag for her wallet. Finding it she flipped a few glistening coins toward Micheal who caught them and then returned the gesture by tossing her a tin of Drops and a packet of Sugar Quills.
She caught them and put them on the seat next to her. As Micheal put the coins in their respectable tin, she pulled her headphones off but left them around her neck pushing a button on a side of the earpiece to prevent music from escaping.
"You want anything?" Micheal asked Blue Eyes.
Blue Eyes was staring at a box of chocolates. It was the plainest item on the cart and the least popular out of the items. It was only there to sympathize with Muggle borns who were still adjusting to the Magical World.
"They're a Sickle and Knut," Micheal said noticing his glance.
Another silver and bronze coin flew through the air. Micheal barely had time to catch them. Blue Eyes gave her a curious look as Micheal put the coins in the tin then handed him the box of chocolates. Blue eyes just stared at them even after Micheal waved her goodbye.
He was even staring at them when she opened her quills and stuck a sugary tip in her mouth, sucking on the sweet treat as she pulled out a novel and rested her back against the wall and feet upon the seat. She was almost through a chapter in her book when he finally spoke.
"Thank you," he said.
It almost startled her. She knew he was going to speak when she felt his eyes finally look up and turn to her. What she hadn't expected was how rich his voice was.
Micheal had a voice of silk, it was sweet with a tang from his accent. Blue Eye's accent wasn't heavy but the tone of his voice itself was like thick cream. Smooth and luxurious. It was also crisp.
"No problem," she said after holding his gaze for a minute. She watched the blue orbs grow wide at her accent. To her it was clean and clear, everyone else on the train had a muddled voice thick with foreign lits. But she guessed to him and everyone else she was the one that spoke in a different way.
She gave him a smile before turning back to her book. She tried to focus on the lines in front of her but after several minutes she realized that she'd read the same sentence about seven times.
The glow of his eyes still captivated her. Not the cold fire she'd first seen when their eyes met. But the wonder and sincerity when he'd thanked her and then the slight wonder and curiosity after she'd spoke. She hadn't felt his eyes linger very long after she'd smiled but his entire atmosphere had changed.
She glanced over at him. She didn't know when but he'd moved directly across from her, arm propped on the seal of the window and staring out at the foliage like she had earlier. He's entire composer was easier, more lax, as if her simple gesture and smile had removed some conformity he was contorting himself into.
She got caught again. Usually she wasn't this careless; usually she could sneak peaks and observe the world without anyone knowing. But for some reason this boy had caught her staring twice.
This time it was his turn to smile and turn away.