A/N: I still don't own anything. Though, I wish I did….
Chapter 11—The One With an Unexpected Invitation
Maya's mother had sent a present for her birthday the next morning. She had given Maya a pair of diamond earrings that had once belonged to her. Maya thought it was the perfect gift and sent a note thanking her mother straight away. Her father did not even bother to send her a card. She was hurt, but refused to speak about it, or to even act as though she was upset.
A month later, she got a letter from her dad. It was an invitation to his wedding to Christine. Maya refused to answer the letter and burned it in the fire that night. Maggie had decided to go as she had planned to be staying with their father in the week leading up to the wedding. Maya did not want to think about whether she would have to go there for half of the summer. "You're always welcome at the Burrow, love," Charlie promised.
"Thanks, Maya replied.
During the second Care of Magical Creatures field trip, which occurred in April, the class was asked to discuss their summer plans. "I'm going to be at home," Maya stated, simply. "And I may go to visit Charlie." Charlie was working on trying to convince Maya to go to her father's wedding, but she was resisting, still angry that he hadn't sent her a birthday present.
"You didn't say anything about your Dad's wedding," Charlie accused when they reached the castle on Sunday morning.
"That's because I'm not going," Maya replied. "And before you start, unless you want to have an epic fight in the Great Hall, don't go there."
Charlie kept his mouth shut. He preferred to have their fights in private where no one else could see or hear them. Of course, most of their fights occurred in his dorm or the common room, so most of Gryffindor House knew when they were fighting. He brought up the subject when they were back in his dorm and Maya stormed out, going straight to the girls' dormitories so that Charlie couldn't follow.
By the end of term, Charlie had been nagging Maya to the point that she refused to talk to him, or do anything else with him. Charlie was so frustrated that on the last night of term, he cornered her at the Gryffindor party. "I'm sorry I've been a prat," he said. "I just want you to be happy."
"I'm fine, Charlie," Maya promised.
"I've missed you," he said. "It's quite cold in my bed when I'm alone."
"I highly doubt that," Maya teased. "Your bed is tiny, but I'll join you there later." Charlie smiled and kissed her forehead before going to fetch them drinks. They left the party half an hour later to the confines of Charlie's dorm.
Charlie kissed Maya fully on the mouth when they reached the top step into the dorm. His roommates saw them leave and were waiting in the common room. Charlie backed Maya up to his bed, his lips never leaving hers. Maya was running her hands through Charlie's hair and tugging on his shirt. He lay her down on his bed and removed his shirt before joining her. His hands found their way under her shirt and started fondling her breasts beneath the fabric of her bra. He felt her nipples harden under his palm and he groaned into her mouth. He grabbed his wand and cast a contraceptive charm.
Maya could feel Charlie's length pressing against her thigh and straining against his trousers. She felt a familiar flutter in her belly as she let Charlie continue kneading her breasts. "Take my shirt off," she ordered. Charlie did as requested and removed her shirt, then her bra. He kissed her bare breasts and took each one into his mouth, sucking lightly on them. Then, he kissed her belly and removed her pants, tossing them aside.
Next, Charlie slid Maya's knickers off and tossed them onto the pile of their clothes. He kissed her folds, darting his tongue into her center. Maya nearly exploded at the new sensations. "Merlin, Charlie," she groaned. She grasped the sheets and held them tightly in her hand as she felt herself nearing the edge of ecstasy. "Charlie," she breathed, "I need you inside me. Now."
"As you wish, love," Charlie said. It took him no time to remove his own trousers and boxers. He positioned himself over Maya and plunged into her. She arched her body to meet his thrusts as their passion for each other grew. Minutes later, Charlie was on the verge and Maya was begging him to finish. Exhausted, panting, and sweaty, they fell asleep before Charlie's roommates returned to the dorm.
The next day, they returned home on the train. They were alone in their compartment, Charlie whispered to Maya, "I'm going to miss you. Will you write?"
"Yeah," Maya promised. "I'll write. And I'll try to find a time to come and visit you. You're welcome at Mum's house, you know."
"I'll send an owl," Charlie promised. They sat quietly for a long while until Charlie said, "Are you still planning to go to conservatory school?"
"That or drama school," Maya answered. "I'm auditioning over the summer. It's sort of what Mum and Dad always wanted me to do and I sort of like it. Plus, I'm good at it. Are you still planning on the dragons?"
"It's the only thing I've ever wanted to do," Charlie said, sadly. They both seemed to sense that their romance would end when they graduated as Maya wanted to stay in London for school and Charlie was planning to move out of the country to study dragons. They were quiet until the train reached Kings Cross.
Maya left with her mother and waved to Charlie as he met his parents and brothers. "How was your term?" Grace asked Maya.
"Fine, Mum," Maya answered as they went to the car. "I got Dad's invitation. Am I going to be expected to do the alternate week thing this summer?"
"Only if you choose to, dear," Grace answered. "I've spoken to your father and since you're of age now, you will be permitted to decide on whether you want to go. Maggie will split the summer." Maggie was fine with this arrangement as she rather enjoyed spending time with both of her parents and didn't mind Christine or Chloe as much as Maya. Maya still didn't want to go to her Dad's.
A week after they arrived home, Maggie went to stay with their dad and Maya stayed with their mum. "Why are you so sad, Maya?" Grace asked, one afternoon.
"Charlie's moving to Romania next year," Maya answered. "He wants to study dragons and he can't do that in England. I'm hoping to go to conservatory school or drama school."
"You still want to study music or acting?" Grace asked. Maya nodded. "You have an audition next week and the following week is your Dad's wedding."
"I'm going to the Burrow," Maya said. "I don't want to go to Dad's wedding. He hasn't bothered to call and he didn't send me a card for my birthday." Grace knew better than to try to get Maya to go. The following week, she went to her audition and was told that she would be notified during the fall of the results of the audition.
Three days later, she apparated to the Burrow to spend a week with the Weasleys. Charlie was waiting for her when she walked down the garden path to the house. He pulled her into a tight hug and took her bags. "You've got Bill's room this summer," he said. "Bill's working for Gringott's in Egypt now." They deposited her things in Bill's room and went back to the garden. "How has your summer been so far?"
"Fine," Maya replied. "I auditioned last week for a couple of schools and I'll hear during the fall about the results. Mum's going to send the letters with an owl when she gets them."
Over the next few days, Maya and Charlie played quidditch in the orchard and went swimming. Charlie even took her to the town one afternoon. On the fourth day of her visit (which was 3 days before her father's wedding), Charlie had a conversation with Maya that made her leave the Burrow. "You know he's getting married in 3 days," he said. "You could still go."
"I'm not going," Maya answered. "He hasn't bothered with me and I'm not going to bother with him."
"I know that this is hard, but, Maya, he's your father," Charlie argued.
"Fuck off, Charlie," Maya yelled. "You have no idea how hard this is on me. YOUR parents are still happily married. YOU wouldn't know what it's like to have to earn your father's affection. So don't stand there and tell me you know that this is hard!" Maya had tears streaming down her face, but Charlie kept going.
"You'll regret not going," he reasoned.
"NO!" Maya shouted. "I won't regret a fucking thing. Right now, though, I'm regretting coming here. I'm leaving." Maya started to storm into the house to collect her things. Charlie followed.
"You can't go right now," Charlie yelled. "You'll splinch yourself."
"Then I'll go home by floo," Maya raged. Charlie had caught up to her and grabbed her arm. "Let me go," she ordered. He held tight. She repeated herself and he still refused to let her go. He only let her go when she slapped him across the face. She entered Bill's room, locked the door, and started to put her things in her bag, only to slump to the floor in a fit of sobs.
Molly had heard them fighting, but stayed out of it and forced the other children to do the same. When she heard Maya slap Charlie across the face, she approached him in the hallway. "What's going on, Charlie?" she demanded.
"We're fighting," he answered. Molly urged him to continue and he added, "I want her to go to her Dad's wedding. She refuses and told me to butt out of it. And now, she's sobbing and packing her things." Charlie pushed past his mother and locked himself in his room.
Maya was still sobbing on the floor when Molly knocked. "Maya, dear, it's Mrs. Weasley," she said. "May I come in?" Maya didn't answer, but waved her wand and opened the door.
"I'm sorry I hit Charlie," she said. "I'm going home now."
"Dear, you don't have to apologize to me," Molly said. "And you don't have to leave if you don't want to."
"I need my mother now," Maya said. Molly nodded and left Maya alone to finish packing her bag. On her way out, she paused by Charlie's door and considered knocking, but she kept going.
When she returned home, Grace demanded to know what had happened. Maya explained her fight with Charlie to her mother. "He wasn't entirely wrong, Maya," Grace said. "You should at least consider going to his wedding."
"He doesn't really want me there," Maya said sadly. "I'm going to bed, Mum." Maya went to her room and locked the door. She sat down to write a letter to Charlie, but couldn't find the words. She gave up after an hour and went to bed.
On Saturday morning, she went for a run, trying to forget what the next day was. She returned and found an unexpected visitor in the sitting room with her mother. Neither of them heard Maya enter the house and she heard her mother saying, "She's cried herself to sleep for the last 2 nights."
"I shouldn't have pushed," Charlie said. "I don't know what else to say."
Maya couldn't bring herself to move, even when she heard her mother and Charlie moving towards her position in the hallway. When her mother opened the door, she forced Maya into the sitting room and left Maya and Charlie alone. "Hi," Maya said weakly.
"Hi," Charlie answered. "How've you been?"
"It's been 2 days since you've seen me," Maya said. "How are you? I'm sorry about the slap."
"I've had worse," Charlie assured her. "Will you talk to me?" Maya nodded. "I'm sorry about the other day. I shouldn't have pressured you. And you were right. I don't know what it's like for you, but you won't talk to me either."
"He cheated on us," Maya said, sitting on the sofa. "My whole life, I had this vision of who my dad was and it was shattered in a moment when he cheated on us. I thought my dad was an honorable and kind person. I didn't know him at all." Charlie sat next to her and put his arm around her. "I spent so much time wanting my family back, but I didn't know my family. I hid with you because you're the one person who never asks too many questions."
"You could have told me all of this before, Maya," Charlie said, quietly. "I'd have listened to anything you wanted to say." They sat quietly for a long while. Maya broke the silence.
"I hate Care of Magical Creatures," Maya confessed.
"What?" Charlie laughed.
"It's true," Maya said. "I hate that bloody class. I only kept taking it because you loved it and I love you. I thought it was confession time."
"Then drop the class," Charlie said, chuckling. "I'm not mad at you if you don't like the class. I thought you liked it or I wouldn't have pressured you to take it. I've only ever wanted you to be happy."
"Most of those creatures terrify me," Maya said. Charlie sat silently with Maya for a long moment before she said, "I'm really sorry for how I've behaved. I know you were only looking out for me."
"I'll always look out for you," Charlie promised.
"How long are you staying?" Maya asked.
"I have permission to stay until Tuesday," Charlie answered. "Then, Mum expects me back at the Burrow for Ginny's birthday."