Three is a Magic Number

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Chapter 2- The New Kid
Potions was becoming unbearable. If Harry wasn’t hard by the end of the lesson, it was because some thought not of a prurient nature not involving Draco crossed his mind at some time. Snape was in his prime with his criticisms, but Harry only noticed the way Draco reacted to them, the way Draco’s eyebrows furrowed when he was thinking, focused entirely on the task at hand, and the way he looked at Pansy Parkinson. That was only right, as they were dating, but Harry couldn’t help but think, imagine, fantasize, even hope that one day, Draco would look at HIM like that. Pansy must have noticed, because Draco shot a venomous look towards Harry one time near the end of class. Harry’s arm had been cramped all through Quidditch practice the next day, and well into the morning after that, after that look from Draco. The thing that drove what little Harry had of a reasonable mind left mad was that it made no sense. It really doesn’t make any sense, but I’m crazy about him. The reasonable part of his mind had answered Yes. Of course it doesn’t make sense, you twit! He’s your sworn enemy! He’d hit you soon as look at you. The other part, the crazy part, said Wish he would.

Meanwhile, in the dungeons . . . ~It makes no sense. He goes all soft all of a sudden, like he’s got a- IMPOSSIBLE! Im-bloody-possible. The Boy Who Lived (-but-we-all-wished-would-have-died-like-a-normal-person) have a crush on his sworn blood enemy Draco hex-you-soon-as-look-at-you Malfoy? Improbable, highly unlikely, impossible and inconceivable!~ Draco Malfoy was so buried in thought that he ran smack into something. Something irritable.
“Mr. Malfoy. I do hope you’ve a good excuse for not paying attention?” Black eyes met silver and Draco quickly thought of an excuse to give the head of his house.
“I am truly sorry, sir. I was focused on that essay you assigned on Undetectable Poisons and wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“Quite.” Snape glided off, muttering to himself. If it isn’t enough that boy has been ogling Potter, now he becomes obsessed with essays assigned at the beginning of term? I shall have to look into this. Contrary to popular belief, Snape saw everything that went on in his classes. If he’d gotten the impulse and followed it, he could have mapped the average Hogwarts student’s mind. But Draco Malfoy had given him something new to study. He’d never come across a person to whom duplicity came so naturally. From the hidden crush on Granger in fourth year to this more obvious one on Potter in, good lord, his seventh year, the boy could pull off the double agent thing almost as well as Snape could. It is indeed something to ponder, Snape cogitated, something to . . . probosculate upon.

~Fan-bloody-tastic! I’m thinking and I run smack into my head of house. Who’s next, Granger?~ It wasn’t Granger. It was, however a girl of the feminine persuasion. “Sorry,” he muttered. Had the girl not been new to the school, as was apparent by her dress: a t-shirt, jeans, and well worn flip-flops, she would probably have keeled over from shock. As this was not the case, she went on one of her tears:
“Well, that’s all right! You know, if I felt really bad about it, I would have hit you or something, but you look like you’re thinking about something, so I’ll let this one slide.” She winked at him, with an eye as blue as the ocean in winter. She’s an American! “I know what you’re thinking. . .” she said in a singsong voice. “She’s a yank! Whatever are we going to do! Call out the army!!” She laughed and continued “I’m Casi, by the way, who’re you?”
“Draco Malfoy.”
“Well isn’t that a serendipity doo-dah for you!” Draco decided that he should handle this with the same cool and intelligent disdain he applied to everything.
“Huh?” UNfortunately, his mouth didn’t agree.
“We’re both named after constellations. Actually, the same one. But everyone calls me by my middle name, Casi or Cassiopeia. It’s a family name.”
“Um. . . yeah.”She’s mental.
“I’m here to live with my cousin in case you’re wondering.”
“Really? Who’s your cousin?”
“Severus Snape. He’s really my second cousin, but let’s not nitpick, family’s family.”
“Wait a moment. You’re my head of house’s cousin?”
“You are correct, sir. Johnny, tell him what he’s won!” She put on a sportscaster type voice. “Well, Pat, He’s won a first-class one-way ticket to Azkaban! That’s right, sunny beaches and dementors catering to your every whim, Azkaban!” She reverted to her normal voice. “Ooh, he’s gotta be happy with that one Johnny! Well, Draco, you can keep your prize or go with what’s behind curtain number one!” Not knowing what else to do, Draco responded.
“Curtain.” What the hell?
“Ooh!” She squealed. “It’s a full grown male ostrich! I’m sure you two will be very happy. Mazel tov.” She glanced at something over Draco’s shoulder. “It’s been swell, but the swelling’s gone down, so . . .I’ll see you tonight at dinner, okay Draco?” She walked toward whatever was behind him.
“Okay.” He said more to himself than that . . . weird . . . girl.
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YES, it's the entrance of the OFC.