Sad, Beautiful, Tragic ~ f.g.w

𝟐𝟐. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡.

"Okay, so then what? You just went home? That was it?!" Astoria grunted, face-palming.

"Yes! Merlin- I just went home! I'm so stupid!" Maia slumped in her seat, gazing out of the train window.

"Oh girl- and you called him a friend?! That's like the worst thing you can do-"

"I know, Tori, I know!" Maia groaned, frustrated with herself.

Maia hadn't stopped thinking about her visit to the Weasleys. Mostly about the fact that she called Fred Weasley her friend. The boy she had kissed twice. The boy she hadn't stopped writing all summer. The boy who saved her life less than 2 weeks ago. She knew that wasn't "Just a friend" behavior, but she just didn't want to admit she liked him.

"Why don't you just go talk to him?" Astoria suggested.

Maia sighed, "I could but- what if he just never wants to talk to me ever again!"

"Okay, well, now you're just being dramatic," Astoria rolled her eyes at her friend. "It's Fred we're talking about. He cares about you, I'm pretty sure we've established this. It's just communication. Communication is important. Especially if you want this to go somewhere."

Maia perked up at Astoria's words, "That's- actually really good advice, Tori. Thanks!"

Astoria smiled lovingly. "And this is why you don't ever doubt me!"

Maia laughed with her. The two continued talking, just about their summers, and things they're excited for this year. All until their compartment door opened, and there stood the very subject of most of their words.

"Ladies!" Fred nodded, sitting down next to Maia, George walking in after him.

Maia froze up, her words jumbling before they even left her mouth. "I- eh- Ahem- What do you want, Weasley?"

"Back to last name basis, ay, M?" Fred chuckled, putting an arm around her shoulder. "Pretty sure that's not how you address people you made out with in a library-"

"Merlin's beard! Shut up!" she slapped a hand over his mouth. "I'm sorry. Fred." she removed the hand as she finished her sentence.

"That's better." he nodded, proud of himself.

"There was no point in stopping him, everyone in here already knows." George shrugged. "Hey, can I have one of those?" he pointed towards the acid pops next to Astoria.

"He's right." Astoria answered, handing an acid pop to George, "Enjoy!"

Maia smacked Fred's arm. "You told your brother about- that!? About us doing- In the-!? What!?"

Fred rubbed his arm, as George popped the acid pop out of his mouth, "Mm- I don't think there's anything he hasn't told me."

"Yeah, no he's right, I tell him everything." Fred stated, bracing for impact.

"So you have to tell him about your-" she brought her voice to a whisper, "intimate moments with a girl?!"

"No, she's got a point, that's a tad weird." Astoria shrugged, cheersing her acid pop with George's.

"What? It's not like I gave him a play by play." Fred laughed.

George finished the statement, "Yeah- we get enough of that from Lee. Being quidditch commentator gets to his head sometimes."

There was a laugh, and then silence. Awkward silence. Astoria looked over at Maia, jerking her head towards where Fred sat. Maia gave her a look, reading "not now!" Astoria cleared her throat.

"I'm gonna go- find the loo-" she stood up, "Ah! George! Why don't you come help me?"

George looked puzzled, "Find the loo-?" he was cut off by Astoria pulling him up. "Oh.. right.." he nodded, following Astoria out of the compartment, leaving Maia and Fred alone.