My One and Only

Chapter 6 - Year 1

MAIA DIDN'T TALK TO HARRY the next morning at breakfast. In fact, she sat as far from him as possible, settling herself between Fred and George, across from Hermione, who was perfectly content ignoring the boys as well. The Weasley twins noticed their new friends icy attitude, but knew from experience with their sister not to press a girl's buttons when she was angry, so they decided to distract her with jokes and prank ideas instead.

"We're planning on getting itching powder from Zonkos next time we go to Hogsmeade." George said. "Give Percy something to screw his face up over other than his stinking pride."

"What's Hogsmeade?" Maia asked, resisting the urge to turn to her brother, whose stare she could feel burning a hole into the side of her head. She rolled her shoulders back and turned so that her hair would cover her face from his view.

"The wizarding village right outside campus." Fred said, a piece of bacon hanging out of the corner of his mouth. "It's the only entirely wizarding village in Britain."

"And we get to go there?" Maia asked, her eyes wide with intrigue, and Fred chuckled.

"Not until your third year." He said, winking at her. Maia sighed, but shrugged her disappointment off. She didn't need trips to a wizarding village when she was surrounded by magic in the castle. One month in Hogwarts and she was beginning to grow greedy. With a shake of her head, she focused on the porridge in front of her. She wasn't hungry, but she knew she'd regret not eating after a morning spent in the dungeons with the Slytherins.

Hoots filled the room as owls swooped in carrying that morning's post. Six screech owls teetered through the air towards Maia, a long package gripped in their talons. She barely had enough time to move her bowl before they dropped it onto the table. George wasn't as quick, and was covered in pumpkin juice.

"Ugh." He groaned, shaking his hair out, and Maia laughed at him, raising her wand and flicking it, muttering an enchantment Hermione had taught her. "Thanks."

Maia smiled in response, but her attention was locked on the partially damp parcel in front of her. She chanced a glance at her brother, who was holding an identical package, but looked away quickly before he could notice. Fred had snatched the letter attached to the package and was reading it, his jaw dropped.

"McGonagall gave you a Nimbus 2000!" he hissed so quietly Maia almost didn't hear him.

"What?" George cried, with much less control over his voice, and snatched the letter away, completely oblivious to the eyes that had locked on the group.

"What's a Nimbus 2000?" Hermione asked, her voice uncharacteristically shy as she peered up at the older twins.

"Only the best broom in the world!" George exclaimed, thankfully lowering his voice so only the three around him could hear. "Its loads better than our Cleansweeps." He added, somewhat ruefully, and Fred pursed his lips. Maia patted his shoulder, feeling somewhat awkward, and forced a smile.

"If you're nice, I'll let you take this broom for a spin."

George's face glowed as he threw his arms around the small girl and practically smothered her. "You're the best!" he exclaimed, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. Maia's hair turned a light pink color and she pressed her hands to her face in embarrassment. Fred shot his brother a sour look over her head, but he quickly wiped it away as she uncovered her face and grinned up at him.

"You can have a turn too, Freddie." She said, grinning childishly up at him and he couldn't help but grin back. Her smile dropped, however, as she noticed a flash of white blonde over his head. Malfoy was heading towards Harry and Ron, Crabbe and Goyle on his heels. Her anger at her brother vanished, overcome by her protective nature, and she hopped off of the bench, making it to Harry just as Malfoy did. He snatched Harry's broom away and bounced it in his palm, his eyes wide.