Being a passerby in HP female protagonist fanfiction

"Then it would be best to go to Gryffindor!"

The shouts of the Sorting Hat electrified the entire Gryffindor, as everyone was excited and cheering for Harry Potter's arrival.

"We have Potter! We have Potter!" the Weasley twins shouted, never missing a moment of joy.

Harry was among them, enjoying a grand feast he had never seen before, with delicious food and friendly companions. His soul felt light and airy, detached yet immersed in a beautiful dream, with immense joy and apprehension about the future sweeping through his heart.

In unfamiliar surroundings, people subconsciously seek out familiar things. Ron was earnestly battling a chicken leg next to him, while Harry smiled shyly, his eyes unconsciously searching for the girl's figure.

It seems she was assigned to Hufflepuff.

Across the school table, Harry spotted her among the group of backs.

With her smooth black hair, shorter stature than her peers, and unconscious smile, she stood out even in the most crowded Hufflepuff neighborhood.

Lai Ming.

Harry saw her on Privet Drive.

A small woman walked down the road, her black hair fluttering slightly in the wind. Her rare and exquisite Eastern face attracted the attention of many people.

Such a rare child, who seemed to live in a good family, naturally attracted attention in the neighborhood.

When she first appeared on that road, people thought she was a tourist or a child visiting relatives. Later they found out that she was a child from a family that had just moved there.

The residents of Privet Road were talking about her, asking her from time to time where she came from. Although it seemed that a new family had arrived, no one could remember where the new family was.

Even the Dursleys family talked about her, telling Dudley at the dinner table not to get close to the girl, since they didn't know her background and she was Asian.

"Don't cause trouble," they added, giving Harry a stern warning.

Harry just listened quietly from the side.

Lai Ming often goes to the supermarket. The cashier there said her English wasn't very good, and she spoke a bit in a pedantic way, but she was very polite and cute.

"She's so young, where are her family?"

"Her pronunciation wasn't very standard, it was a bit strange."

"She always used honorifics in everything she said, and it only got better later."

"Like a little Shakespeare from the East." I don't know who said that first, and it was met with a good-natured laugh.

The toll collector even guessed her age—was she ten or eleven? She looked really young, but no one had ever seen her family or accompanied her out before.

She appeared suddenly, as if by magic, and then vanished without a trace.

There is very little information about her. After the initial period of curiosity, everyone has become accustomed to her appearances. Only curious children still look forward to seeing the foreigner.

"Harry! Harry!" Ron's call startled Harry, who turned his head slightly, feeling a little guilty, to stare in the opposite direction.

"Harry, what are you looking at?" Ron asked casually, but before he could answer, he quickly went back to eating.

"It's nothing," Harry said, his head down, but his heart was pounding.

He recognized her on the train; she stood behind Willotte Gaunt, watching Harry with curious eyes.

That's great, she really is a wizard.

In that instant, that was the only thought in Harry's mind.

For some reason, Harry was reluctant to show weakness in front of her, though the thought was fleeting. He stood facing Draco Malfoy until Willotte separated them, at which point he lowered his clenched fists, his palms sweating with tension.

Lai Ming.

Or rather, Claire, as the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students all called her.

They weren't in the same house, and Harry rarely saw her except during mealtimes; they didn't even attend classes together. Occasionally, Harry would think that if he could talk to her, he would definitely tell Claire he also lived on Privet Drive, and then, and then…

Maybe they can become good friends.

To be honest, Harry didn't know Claire at all; they didn't even know her. But there was always a tiny flame burning in his heart.

Maybe they'll become good friends.

Hermione and Claire had a very good relationship, something Harry only found out later.

Harry had heard Hermione mention Claire many times, specifically when she was teaching them how great Claire was, expressing her exasperation at how little they were learning.

“Claire would never be like you!” Hermione would say when she was angry. She was never stingy in helping them, but sometimes their words and actions would annoy Hermione.

Ron would secretly smirk at this, but Harry would always feel guilty—even though he didn't understand why he should feel guilty.

With Hermione by his side, he encountered Claire more often in the library, but they never spoke. Harry's courage suddenly seemed insufficient at these times.

After hearing Hermione call her Claire many times, Harry silently started calling her Claire in his heart as well.

Claire.

During the Quidditch match, as Harry rode his broomstick through the air, everything in his mind went blank: the trembling broom, the bright sunlight, the cheers of the audience… He paid no attention to anything except the Golden Snitch, and it was this selflessness that won him the victory.

But the next day, when Harry saw Claire sleeping under the tree, he felt inexplicably dizzy and a sense of detachment from his body due to his racing heart. The light of the sunset was soft, and the wind on the lawn was still—uncontrollable.

"If things continue like this, we definitely won't be able to catch the Golden Snitch," Harry suddenly thought.

All the courage I had before that I wanted to strike up a conversation seemed to have been pent up at this moment.

Harry moved closer to Claire and gently nudged her awake.

In his panic, he called out Claire's name, but... it would have been a little strange for two strangers.

So he changed it again, as if trying to cover it up.

He doesn't even quite remember what he said at the time, but it must have been stupid, something he doesn't want to recall.

"You're very capable," Claire said, a slight smile playing on her lips, her tone calm and convincing.

She saw Harry's performance in the Quidditch match.

She's praising me.

Harry thought.

Snape's unusual behavior, Hagrid's secret, and the joy of victory all briefly slipped from his mind as he began racking his brains for topics to discuss.

This was Harry's first close encounter with Claire.

Black hair, black eyes, she was really beautiful... Harry felt like his face was on fire.

"Goodbye, Potter." Harry stood there for a while, still in a daze, as Claire left.

After a long while, he finally snapped out of his daze.

What should I say to Claire next time I see her?

Harry thought.