A/N: Thanks for reading/reviewing/adding this story to your alerts or favorites. I still don't own Harry Potter or anything in his world, but if wishing made it so….
Chapter 19—The One With the Quidditch World Cup
After Charlie left, Maya showered and got dressed. Then, she went to her mother's, having been summoned. "Ludo's got us tickets for the cup," Grace said. "We'll be in the top box with the Minister of Magic and other dignitaries." Her mother had started dating Ludo Bagman, who had once been a very good Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps, but was now the Head of Magical Games and Sports for the Ministry of Magic.
"Great," Maya sneered, rolling her eyes. She didn't mind Ludo, but she was convinced that her mother could do much better. "Will I be expected to get him a ticket for the show?"
"He won't be able to join us," Grace answered. "He'll be working for a special event at Hogwarts this year."
"Lovely," Maya replied. "When do we leave for the cup?"
"Tomorrow morning," Grace answered. "Ludo would like us there early, so you might want to plan on staying here on tonight."
"What if I had plans for tonight?" Maya asked. "Charlie is home for the World Cup. He and Molly have invited me for dinner."
"You got together with Charlie last night," Grace said.
"And I haven't seen him in 3 years," Maya replied. "We've got a lot of catching up to do."
Grace gave Maya a knowing look. "Fine, but come home after dinner," Grace said. Maya nodded and made an excuse that she had to get to the theater for rehearsals. She left her mother's house and apparated to the Burrow to see Charlie again. He met her on the dock.
"What's going on?" he asked when they sat down and dangled their feet into the water.
"Mum's annoying me," Maya replied. "I told her I had to go to rehearsal so that I could get out for a while. She seems to know that you spent the night last night."
"My Mum is sure we were up to something they wouldn't approve of, too," Charlie said. "They seem to think that we're still randy teenagers."
"You behaved like a randy teenager last night," Maya teased. "I'm not complaining, but you were rather randy."
"If I recall correctly, you made the first move," Charlie joked. They laughed together for a few more minutes before Maya had to leave for rehearsal. "I'll see you later?"
"I can't stay over, but yes, I'll be here for dinner," Maya promised. Charlie nodded and kissed her cheek before she apparated back to London.
Later that afternoon, Maya apparated to the Burrow for dinner with the Weasley family. She arrived just after Arthur had returned with Ron's friend, Harry Potter. Maya was introduced as "Charlie's best mate." She smiled broadly. The dinner was lively, with lots of laughter, especially when the twins recounted giving a trick candy to Harry's cousin. After dinner, Charlie saw Maya to the gate, snogging her fully before she left. Ron and Harry had seen the exchange. "Ron, you're my best mate, but please don't ever kiss me like that," Harry joked.
"Shut it," Charlie ordered. Ron later explained to Harry that Charlie and Maya had dated while at school.
Maya had arranged to be free from rehearsal for the next 2 days, even though opening night was Friday. On Monday morning, she apparated at the very early hour of 7:00 A.M. to the camp site that had been reserved for the Quidditch World Cup finals. She, her mother, and Maggie, would be entertaining the wives of the Bulgarian and Irish coaches before the match. Maya hated pretending to be nice to people who she really didn't care about, but she did it for her mother.
By the time they left for the match, Maya was almost ready to smack people. She, Maggie, and Grace went up to the top box and took their seats. When they arrived, the Weasleys were already in the box with the Minister of Magic and some other people that Maya didn't know. She snuck up behind Charlie and covered his eyes with her hands. "'Ello, gorgeous," she cheeked.
"Professor McGonagall, is that you, kitten?" Charlie joked. She playfully smacked him on the arm. He hugged her and greeted her mother and Maggie.
When the game had ended, Maya and Charlie left together. "Come back to our camp?" he offered. Maya told her mother that she was going to spend some time with Charlie and the Weasley family and followed him to their campsite.
Everyone had taken seats around the fire while Arthur made hot chocolates. Maya sat on Charlie's lap. Eventually, she fell asleep on his shoulder. He carried her into the girls' tent and put her on one of the beds and then conjured an extra bed for Ginny. She was woken a few short hours later by Charlie shaking her. Some people dressed as Death Eaters started bothering the muggles for sport.
"I'm going to help," he said. "Get back to your mother so she doesn't worry and get out of here as soon as you can." Maya nodded and apparated back to her mother's tent. The grounds there were still quiet, but she woke her mother and Maggie up.
"We've got to get out of here," she said urgently. "Some Death Eaters are raising a ruckus. We've got to go."
Grace and Maggie jumped out of bed and grabbed their jackets. They followed the crowds into the woods to wait until the ruckus was over. Once things had settled, they went to bed for a few more hours before leaving.
When they got up, they quickly tore down their tent and went to catch a portkey back to London. They got home and Maya apparated back to her flat. Charlie knocked on the door an hour later. "I thought I'd come and see how you're doing," he said when she opened the door.
"Come in," she offered, moving aside to allow him access to the flat. They sat on her sofa for a while, discussing the Quidditch Cup and anything else they could think of. After an hour, Charlie announced that he had to return to the Burrow.
"I promised my Mum that I would be home for breakfast," he explained. "And I'll see you tomorrow night, like we promised. Also, Mum's letting me use the extra ticket for the show, so I'll see you Friday as well."
Maya smiled and leapt into Charlie's arms, hugging him tightly. "Thank you for coming to see me," she said. "Forever."
"Always, princess," he answered, hugging her once more before leaving to return home.
Maya and Charlie met, again, for dinner the following night. And again, Charlie stayed over. On opening night, Maya was back stage, getting into her costume and make-up when Drew arrived with a large bouquet of lilies. "Thank you, Drew," Maya said hugging her friend.
"Don't thank me, love," he chimed. "Thank that handsome ginger boy you're so fond of. He brought them for you. He and his Mum are sitting front row, center."
"Cheers, Drew," Maya answered. She smirked. Charlie remembered that lilies were her favorite flower. Ten minutes later, she was called for curtain.
At the end of the show, Molly and Charlie waited for Maya by the stage door. She exited the stage just as soon as she could, knowing they would be waiting. She found them as soon as the door opened. Molly pulled her into a bone crushing hug. "That was wonderful, dear," she said.
"Thank you, Molly," Maya answered. "I'm glad you enjoyed it." She turned to Charlie, and added, "And thank you for the flowers. They're beautiful."
"Not as beautiful as you are, princess," he said, winking. Then, he pulled her into a hug, lifting her off the ground.
He set her down as her friends were leaving the stage door. "Are you coming out, Maya?" asked Kevin. "It is tradition."
"I'll catch up later," she said, staring at Charlie. Molly made her excuses and went to apparate home. She did not really expect to see Charlie before the morning. Maya and Charlie barely noticed anyone else around them. She moved closer to him and was sure her heart would beat right out of her chest. Suddenly, she realized that he was leaving to return to Romania within a couple of days.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
"Yet again, we're at different places," she answered. "We have terrible timing."
"Do you want me to leave?" he continued.
"No," she said. "Let's go and meet the others. We'll make the most of the time you have left here."
"You should come and visit when you finish school," he suggested. "You might like it. And I will be back in town sooner than you think. I'm coming for a special event at Hogwarts. I'll owl the dates when I know them." She gave him a small smile and led him to the karaoke bar where her friends were waiting for them.
"What is this?" he asked when they entered.
"Karaoke," Maya said. "It's a muggle thing and can be wildly entertaining. We won't stay long. I have plans that can't be dealt with in public."
"I'm beginning to like the sound of that," Charlie joked. He winked and pulled her chair out for her. Drew and Jamie noticed.
"Why don't you ever do that for me?" Jamie asked Drew.
"I could ask you the same question," Drew countered.
"Boys," Maya teased. "Have your lovers spat at home. Charlie was raised to be a gentleman by his most wonderful parents."
An hour later, Maya and Charlie were again, in her flat, shedding clothes and hopping into bed. When they finished, she curled up into him, tracing her fingers along his chest. "This scar is new," she said. "How did you get it?"
"I got it from a nasty Swedish Short Snout," he said. "She was furious with me for collecting her eggs to take to the hatchery."
"Is your job dangerous?" she asked.
"Sometimes," he answered, truthfully. "Sometimes it's scary, and sometimes, it's just dull. What about the theater? And are Drew and Jamie a couple?"
Maya chuckled. "Yeah," she answered. "They've been going out for almost a year. Most of the boys I know from school are gay. The 2 that I managed to date were straight, obviously, but they were pit musicians, not actors. And the worst that happens in the theater is that I get a bad review."
"What happens next Friday?" Charlie asked after a long silence.
"You go back to Romania and I stay here," Maya answered. "The show runs until early October. Then, I have to do a concert before I graduate in December. After graduation, I audition for real productions and orchestras."
"You could audition in Romania," Charlie suggested.
"My life is here, Charlie," Maya reasoned. "Just like your life is in Romania right now."
"I don't want this to end again," he pled. "This week has been so amazing, it's like the last 3 years didn't even happen."
"I know, but they did," Maya said. Both were fighting tears. "And we'll start writing again. And after I graduate, I promise to come and visit you in Romania if I can."
Charlie got out of bed and kissed Maya's forehead before apparating back to the Burrow. They saw each other again several times before Charlie had to leave. Maya even spent an afternoon at the Burrow playing Quidditch with Charlie and the other Weasleys.
The next week, Maya again met Charlie at the Ministry of Magic so that he could catch his portkey back to Romania. They, again, kissed each other on the cheek and hugged each other before promising to write and to see each other again the next time Charlie was in England or the next time Maya was in Romania.
A/N: I do have a plan for where I'm going with this. I promise.