Chapter 2—The One With Snogging and a Fight
The first Quidditch match of the season was between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. As it happened, Tom Wilkins was the Ravenclaw seeker. Charlie was determined to win the game just to irritate him. As they flew around the pitch, Charlie started jeering at Wilkins. They watched as Maya streaked up the pitch with the quaffle to score for Gryffindor, who were leading 40-20; suddenly, Charlie started zooming around the pitch. Wilkins observed and followed as Charlie dove towards the ground. Charlie pulled up just before he hit the ground, but Wilkins wasn't as good a flyer and fell face first. Charlie's plan had worked and while Wilkins was trying to recover, Charlie caught the snitch, winning the game for Gryffindor, 190-20.
After the game, there was a huge party in the common room, with music and food. The party lasted well into the night and by 2:30 AM, only a few people, including Charlie and Maya, were left awake. Bill gave Charlie a warning before heading off to bed. Charlie and Maya sat by the dying fire, reliving the game. "Why did you feint Wilkins?" Maya asked.
"Truth?" Charlie replied. Maya nodded. "He was getting cheeky about you. And, it helped us win the game."
"You know, Charlie," Maya said, "you don't have to fight my battles for me. I can fight for myself."
"He's a wanker," Charlie argued. "And he got less than what he deserved. Now, it's late and I'm tired. Good night, princess." Charlie winked at Maya and patted her on the head as he strode to the stairway to his dormitory. Maya sighed and got up to go to the girls dormitories.
For Christmas, Charlie invited Maya to the Burrow. She wasn't able to go. Instead, she went home to London. On the return train, Maya met up with a Hufflepuff boy called Derrick Pryce-Jones. He invited her to Hogsmeade for the next weekend and she accepted. Maya really liked Derrick and thought he was very cute. Maya was really happy until she told Charlie, who became instantly irritable.
By the time they reached Hogwarts, Charlie and Maya were barely speaking. Maya's best girlfriend, Ivy James, told her that Charlie had a crush on her and was insanely jealous of anyone that went out with her. Maya was unconvinced, but Ivy and Jenna (their other best girl friend) were both certain. The other 2 girls in their year, Bridgette Malone and Gillian Andrews, had started to listen in on the conversation. While Bridgette had dated around a lot, Gillian had not and she had a huge crush on Charlie.
"So, Maya," Bridgette started, "since you're not going out with Weasley anymore, do you mind if Gilli here has a go?"
"I've never was going out with Weasley," Maya answered, defensively. "He's just my mate. I don't care who he goes out with." This, of course, was completely untrue. Maya would have been fine if anyone other than Bridgette or Gillian wanted to go out with Charlie, but she thought that neither girl was good enough for him.
Soon, the Hogsmeade trip arrived and Maya met Derrick in the entrance hall. As they were walking out of the school and down the lane to the town, Maya looked up to see Charlie and Gillian walking together towards town. "So, where do you want to go first?" Derrick asked.
"We could go to the Three Broomsticks," Maya suggested. Derrick smiled, took her hand, and led the way. At the Three Broomsticks, Derrick ordered them each a butterbeer and carried them to the table where Maya was sitting.
"So, you lot had a really good game against Ravenclaw," Derrick said. He was one of the Beaters on the Hufflepuff quidditch team.
"Almost as good as your game against Slytherin," Maya commented. "Your seeker is really good."
"Tonks is great," Derrick replied. "She's over there with her friends." He motioned across the bar to where several Hufflepuff girls were sitting together, giggling loudly. Tonks was changing her face to amuse them. "She's a metamorphmagus."
"That's a really cool talent," Maya replied.
After they finished their butterbeers, Derrick led Maya back into the street and to Honeydukes. He bought her a bag full of candy, including several chocolate frogs and a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Next, they made their way back towards the castle. Once inside, Derrick walked Maya back to Gryffindor tower, where he kissed her… with tongue. For Maya, it was her first experience with French kissing and it scared her a little. She let him keep kissing her until they were interrupted by Charlie.
When Charlie saw Maya kissing Derrick, he nearly lost it. He shouted at them to get a room and then stormed into the Gryffindor common room. "I'm sorry," Maya said. "I should probably go. Thank you for a lovely day."
"Anytime, ducky," said Derrick, kissing Maya's hand as he left.
In the common room, Maya found Charlie sulking by the window. "You know, Charlie," she spat. "You can be a bloody wanker."
"And what is that supposed to mean, Maya?" Charlie argued, narrowing his eyes at her.
"Why did you interrupt us?" Maya demanded.
"Because, you were slobbering all over each other in the corridor," Charlie yelled. "And you were in my way. And you shouldn't be kissing him."
"Bugger off, Charlie!" Maya shouted. "I'll kiss whoever I want to and wherever I want to." Tears were running down Maya's face. Charlie muttered something unintelligible, but Maya didn't want to hear it. She stormed into the girls' dormitories, still crying.
Bill had just come back from Hogsmeade and saw Maya storm up the stairs. Charlie spat into the fire and Bill approached. "Trouble in paradise, Charlie?" he asked, cheekily.
"Shut it, Bill," Charlie ordered. Bill didn't let it go, so Charlie punched him and strode off into the boys' dormitories. Bill followed and punched Charlie for punching him.
The next morning, Maya was eating breakfast, alone, when Charlie came over to her. "Come to insult me some more?" she demanded.
"No," Charlie said quietly. "I came to apologize for yesterday. I'm sorry if I hurt you."
"What happened to your eye?" Maya asked. Charlie was nursing a black eye thanks to Bill.
"I cheeked Bill," Charlie answered. "And then I punched him. And then, he punched me."
"Why did you fight Bill?" Maya continued.
"Because I was angry and being a prat," Charlie answered. "Could we maybe take a walk?"
"I guess," Maya replied. They got up from the table and set off through the castle. "Where are we going?"
"Secret passage," Charlie answered as he pulled back a tapestry. Maya followed him inside. Charlie turned to her and said, "I really am sorry for being a prat yesterday. I shouldn't have interrupted you and Derrick. So, how was your date?"
Maya smiled. "Thank you, for the apology," she said. "And the date was nice. He bought me Every Flavor Beans, though. I didn't have the heart to tell him I hate them."
Charlie led Maya through the secret passage and back to Gryffindor tower. They did their homework together and were only interrupted when Derrick stopped by to see Maya. He invited her for a walk before dinner, which she accepted. Charlie handed her a sweater as she climbed through the portrait hole and into the hallway. "Did you and Weasley make up?" he asked.
"You do know that he's just my friend," Maya said. "He's always been just my friend."
"I heard you kissed him during second year," Derrick accused.
"It was really just an experiment," Maya replied, blushing. "We were just trying to figure out how it worked."
"Relax, Maya," Derrick teased. "I was only joking."
The weeks passed quickly until the Hufflepuff-Gryffindor quidditch game. During the game, Maya scored 3 times, but was nearly knocked from her broom by a bludger from Derrick. Charlie would have stolen a beater's bat from one of the Gryffindor beaters, but he also saw the snitch. He took after the snitch and caught it, ending the game.
As the players landed, Charlie strode over towards Derrick, but stopped when Maya grabbed his arm. "Don't sink, Charlie," she ordered. "It's not worth it and I won't get to hit him myself."
Charlie was taken aback. He did a double take as he watched Maya stride over to Derrick, call him a cheap hack, and slap him across the face. He was about to start a fight with her when Charlie also punched him. Madam Hooch stunned both Charlie and Maya as Professor McGonagall strode onto the pitch. "Detention! Both of you!" she ordered.