My One and Only

Chapter 25 - Year 3

MAIA SPENT THE NEXT HOUR SEATED BY THE BLACK LAKE under her favorite tree. It was chilly, but she didn't mind so much. The fresh air calmed her and the peacefulness of the still water helped her forget about her disappoint over missing the Hogsmeade trip.

"Can I join you?" Fred grinned lopsidedly as he plopped down beside Maia, nudging her over so he could press his back to the tree as well.

"Why aren't you in Hogsmeade?" she asked, her eyebrows raised in surprise, and Fred shrugged.

"Eh, you seen once, you seen it a million times."

"But I thought you needed new joke supplies?"

"I got them. Oh, and that reminds me." Fred reached into his pocket and pulled out a large bag. Something clinked inside and he reached in, pulling two bottles out. "Don't want these breaking." He muttered, setting them on the ground. He smiled brightly and held the bag out to Maia, who stared at it in confusion.

"What is it?" she asked, hesitantly taking the bag.

"Well." Fred began, his ears pink. "I figured since you couldn't go to Hogsmeade, I'd bring Hogsmeade to you."

Inside the bag was a plethora of sweets, some she'd had on the Hogwarts Express, and some she'd never even heard of. She popped a peppermint toad into her mouth and closed her eyes as she sudden urge to cry overwhelmed her.

"What did I do to deserve you?" she asked, smiling happily up at Fred, her eyes shining. He smiled softly back, an unreadable warmth in his eyes, and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"I ask myself that question every day."

Maia's heart skipped a beat and her hair flushed pink, along with her cheeks. She stuffed another peppermint toad into her mouth and turned away, her stomach tumbling in knots.

"Thank you." She said. She held the bag out to him andhe shook his head.

"No, those are for you."

Maia rolled her eyes and pulled a chocolate frog out, as she knew they were his favorite. "Here." She placed it in his hand. He started to protest, but she cut him off. "They're my sweets, and I get to decide what to do with them."

Fred grinned and opened the box, expertly catching the frog with one hand as it tried to hop away. He bit the head off and glanced in the box for the collectable card.

"Who'd you get?"

Fred shrugged and tossed the box to the side. "Dumbledore."

Maia snorted and ate another peppermint toad. Dumbledore was the most common card to find in chocolate frog boxes, so no one ever kept them. Something lurched in her stomach and she startled forward, her eyes wide. Fred began to laugh.

"I probably should've warned you." He said around his laughter. "Peppermint toads hop around in your stomach."

Maia glared playfully at him and pushed the toads aside, reaching instead for a jelly slug.

"What's that?" Maia asked, nodding to the bottles sitting at Fred's side. He grinned excitedly and grabbed them, offering one to the small girl.

"The best drink in the wizarding world." He said, popping the cap off his. "Butterbeer."

Maia opened her bottle and took a sip while Fred watched her eagerly. The drink was sweet and tasted like butterscotch, a flavor she'd never liked before, but somehow it worked here. She took another swing and sighed happily. Fred grinned.

"It's best served hot, but the bottles only come cold." He explained and Maia smiled.

"It's the best drink I've ever tasted." She said, taking another sip to prove her point. Fred smiled and lifted his bottle to his lips, not noticing as Maia leaned closer. She brushed her lips over his cheek and lingered for a moment, before pulling away and fiddling with her bottle. "Thank you." She said, glancing at Fred. "For cheering me up."