Three is a Magic Number

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Meanwhile, in Gryffindor Common room, Hermione Granger was wondering what could possibly be going on with her friend, Harry Potter. It was so unlike him to not want to play chess with Ron, to be so quiet, to STUDY. Especially on a Hogsmeade Saturday. But that was what indeed was going on. He was studying for a Divination test, something he NEVER did. ~It’s really odd. I wonder if he’s ill or- of course! He has a crush! On who, I wonder? It’s not like I’ll die if I don’t know, but it is an interesting concept. Something to ponder on an idle Tuesday.~ Her train of thought was derailed by the entrance of a girl in muggle clothing who bore a passing resemblance to Professor Snape. She wore a t-shirt bearing the words “I only look sweet and innocent . . .” on the front. Other than that, her outfit wasn’t really odd, unless you count wearing flip-flops in a Scottish November.
“How do?” She said, her accent unalterably American, but a nice mix of Midwestern and Southern.
“Hello. What does the back of your shirt say?”
“‘(ellipse) until you see me smile.’ I’m Casi.”
“Hermione.” The girl was pretty, but in a sixteenth-century way. She was stocky, well-muscled, and her skin was nearly flawless, and nearly alabaster. Black hair made her blue-on-cloud-white eyes shockingly apparent. Hermione was just about to ask her what Casi was short for when Harry came down from the dormitories.
“Boy, that whole thing with adjacent angles is just killer . . . Hey ‘Mione.” He noticed a black-haired girl in muggle clothes standing not five feet from Hermione. “Oh. Hello.”
“Howdy! I’m Casi.” She held out a hand. Harry numbly took it, not sure what made him feel uneasy about this girl.
“What’s that short for?” Hermione asked her.
“Cassiopeia, my middle name.”
“Can you not mention stars?” Casi lifted an eyebrow. “Divination homework.”
“What’s your first name? Just out of curiosity.” Hermione cut in.
“It’s a guy’s name, but Draco.” Harry blinked. Hermione’s jaw dropped.
“As in . . .” Harry managed.
“Yeppers! I’m named after a constellation! Yee-haw.” There was a sarcasm in her tone that Harry found all too familiar.
“What’s your last name?”
“Used to be Snape, but my stepdad adopted me, so now it’s Snape-Montgomery.”
“Snape?” Harry sat down hard. That’s who she looked like. The hair wasn’t greasy, the nose wasn’t as aquiline, and the skin wasn’t as flesh-toned as her . . . what? Uncle? Cousin?
“Second cousin, if you’re wondering.”
“Oh.”
“I’ve gotten that reaction a lot. I gather he isn’t everyone’s favorite?”
“You could say that.” Hermione said, a bit subdued.
“Dumb question time. Seventh year girls sleep where?” Hermione shook herself out of her stupor long enough to point towards the stairs.. “Thanks!” Then, as quickly as she’d come, Casi disappeared up the stairs.

“Leaves you kind of breathless, doesn’t she?” Hermione asked Harry. He was rubbing his forehead with what was obviously a shock treatment.
“You could say that. Looks a lot like her cousin, doesn’t she?”
“Not unamendably so, but yes. I was thinking, she’s rather pretty, isn’t she?”
“‘Rather pretty?’ She’s a damn knockout. I think it’s the eyes clashing with the hair that does it.”
“I wonder who else in the school would fall under, as you put it, ‘damn knockout’.”
“Not telling.” Harry was suddenly suspicious. Hermione never talked about thort ort of thing around a guy. “Why are you so interested in my black book all of a sudden?”
“I’m just curious, Harry. No need to jump down my throat about it. It was more of a thought out loud than a question, in any case.”
“Right.”

Harry looked at the fire until he heard a noise on the stairs. Casi came down, wearing robes this time, and looking quite improved and more relaxed because of it. The resemblance between her and her cousin was now undeniably strong, and she was even more stunning. Her hair, which had just been hanging to below her shoulder blades, was now in a high, but loose, bun. All in all, Harry found himself forced to watch her eveove ove as she walked towards the fireplace.
“That’s better. I don’t mind normal clothes, but robes just seem to work better for me. Maybe it’s the fact that my body’s more used to this.” She pulled out her wand. It was made of a dark wood, ebony probably, and about sixteen inches long. She held the wand close to her face. “It’s good to see you again, old friend, good to see you.” She wheeled and faced Harry. “Ebony. Sixteen and a half inches.”
“Excuse me?”
“You were wondering what it was made of.” ~How did she-~ “I can read minds if I so choose. You just happened to be thinking at me, and I heard it.”
“Well, then.” said Hermione “What am I thinking at this very moment?” There was an ephemeral silence.
“No lady discusses such things.” Another thought entered Casi’s mind, one she never expected to hear. ~Draco, my Draco.~ A flash of platinum hair, a wave of passion, and she broke contact.
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