A/N: Usual disclaimer…I own nothing…

Chapter 17—The One with a Break-up

Maya's outburst at breakfast had its consequences. First, the Slytherin table was next to the Gryffindor table. Every Slytherin had heard her and spread the rumors through the entire school by lunch that day. Maya didn't really care.

The other consequence was more difficult for Maya and Charlie. Their friends started treating her differently and were angry that neither she nor Charlie had told them what was going on. Ivy and Jenna, in particular, were hard on Maya. So much, that Maya had taken to simply sleeping in the common room or in Charlie's dorm with him. The boys were much more forgiving.

By the time the Easter holidays arrived, Maya was considering simply dropping out and going back to London. Charlie convinced her to stay at school for the week rather than going home. During their free days, they would go flying together or venture out to Hogsmeade. In the evenings, they would most often be in the common room playing cards with the boys in their year or reading.

On Friday night of that week, Ivy and Jenna decided to throw a party in the common room. Charlie and Maya volunteered to go to Hogsmeade for the booze while the others set up the party. While they were alone, Charlie asked Maya, "What are we going to do after graduation?"

"I just assumed that you were still going to Romania and I'm staying in London," Maya replied. "What were you thinking?"

"The same thing," Charlie lied, blushing. Maya let it go, as they had just arrived back at the castle.

During the party, both Maya and Charlie got completely pissed drunk. They challenged each other to a drinking contest. Charlie was so drunk, he handed Fred and George each a beer and let them drink. They also started a fight. The music was loud and Maya got up and started dancing. She stood on the table, gyrating to the rhythm. Charlie tried to get her down, but she shouted at him. "Bugger off, Charlie!"

"Come on, Maya. You're drunk and you could hurt yourself," he pled.

"It's funny," Maya sneered. "You don't look like my mother, but you sound remarkably like her."

"Get off the table, Maya," Charlie ordered.

"And if I don't?" she challenged.

"I'll dock points and put you in detention," Charlie threatened.

"And then, we'll break up," she countered. She continued to refuse to get off the table, so Charlie hoisted her over his shoulder and removed her from the table. He carried her to his dorm and set her down on the bed. She screamed and kicked at him until he dropped her.

"What the fuck was that for?" Maya snarled when she was back on the ground.

"It was time for you to get down before you made a bigger fool of yourself," Charlie stated plainly.

"So, now I'm a fool?" Maya demanded.

"No," Charlie said, calmly. "You were just acting like a fool. And I'm docking 10 points from Gryffindor and giving you a detention."

"I hate you right now," Maya growled.

"I love you anyway," Charlie answered.

"Fuck off," Maya cried. She got up from his bed to storm out, but the alcohol revolted against her system. She ran into the toilet and vomited spectacularly. Charlie had followed and held her hair back while she vomited. When she finished, she sat on the floor and said, "Why do you care about me?"

"I've cared about you since I met you, love," Charlie replied.

"I'm not your love," Maya slurred. "We have to break up."

"I know," Charlie sighed. "Do we have to do it now?"

"I think so," Maya answered. She had started to cry and leaned her head on Charlie's shoulder.

"I'll always love you," Charlie promised. He laced his fingers with hers and cried with her on the bathroom floor.

"You'll always be my first…everything," Maya promised. They stayed on the bathroom floor for several minutes. They only left when the other boys came in and needed to use the toilet. Charlie walked Maya back to the common room, which was deserted. They sat on the sofa, again, still crying, and still holding hands. Eventually they fell asleep like that and were awakened when people started getting up for breakfast.

When they did finally rouse from their slumber, Charlie looked at Maya, kissed her forehead and said, "Still best friends?"

"Forever," Maya promised. "I'm going to love you forever." Charlie gave her a small smile and went off to the boys dormitories to get dressed. Maya trudged up the stairs to shower and change.

"We wanted to talk to you," said Ivy when she entered the dormitories. "We wanted to apologize for being horrible to you. How are you doing?"

"I was doing alright until last night," Maya said, sniffing.

"What happened?" Jenna asked.

"Charlie and I broke up when he lugged me up to his dormitories," Maya explained. "We've known it was inevitable for a long time, but we finally just let it go."

"I'm sorry," Ivy said.

For the rest of the term, Charlie and Maya avoided being alone together frequently. At graduation, they sat next to each other, but barely spoke. After the ceremony, Charlie invited Maya to the Burrow for a few days that summer. "I'm leaving for Romania in August," he explained.

"I'll try," Maya promised. She hugged Charlie tightly and added, "Forever."

"Always," Charlie replied, trying not to cry.

Charlie sent Maya an owl a few weeks into the summer break. He invited her to a farewell dinner, stating that she was the only friend he really wanted to have there. Maya owled back that she would attend. Then, she and her mother went to find her a place to live while she was at school.

The next night, Maya apparated to the Burrow. Charlie met her at the end of the lane and hugged her tightly. "I was really hoping you'd come," he said. "I didn't want to leave without seeing you."

"When do you leave?" Maya asked.

"On Tuesday," he replied. He led her into the house where Molly was fussing over a large dinner. Maya helped Molly finish dinner and set the table.

After dinner, Maya and Charlie went to the dock and sat together under the fading summer sun. "Are you nervous?" Maya asked.

"Truth?" he said. She nodded. "I'm terrified. What if I don't like it? What if I don't make any friends? What if I get hurt?"

"I'm sure you'll like it fine," Maya promised. "You'll make lots of friends and if you don't like it or if you get hurt, you'll come home. And you'll come and visit at some point."

"I'm going to really miss you," he said after a long silence.

"Me too," Maya replied. "It's getting late. I should get home; Mum's expecting me."

"Will you come and see me off on Tuesday?" he asked as they stood to walk down the lane.

"I will," Maya promised. They hugged once more and Maya apparated home.

The following Tuesday, Maya met Charlie in London at the Ministry of Magic. He was going to catch a portkey to Romania, to a dragon reserve in the mountains there. "You'll write?" he asked.

"Of course," Maya promised. "And you'll come home soon and we'll see each other then."

Charlie nodded and kissed Maya's cheek. Then, he collected his belongings, kissed his mother and went to catch his portkey. After he left, Maya went to move into her new flat in London. She would be attending a school for music and drama and would be starting orientation two days later.

Charlie and Maya did write to each other, somewhat frequently, for the first year Charlie was away. At some point, though, they started exchanging letters less frequently. Maya went out with a couple of different boys from school and Charlie went out with a few girls. Neither was willing to tell the other about their dating lives.

Charlie didn't return home at all during that first year. Maya had the opportunity during the summer to travel with the London Symphony Orchestra, playing violin. She agreed, but the group did not travel anywhere near where Charlie was.

So, for nearly 3 years, Maya and Charlie didn't see each other. During those years, however, Maya frequently visited with Mrs. Weasley. She often offered her tickets to performances when Maya was involved with a show. Mrs. Weasley occasionally took those tickets. And that is how Charlie and Maya finally saw each other again…