Disclaimer: I do not own any of the harry Potter characters (obviously)
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Molly Weasley smiled as she watched her precious family chatter amongst themselves sharing laughs and hugs whenever possible. Watching her children gave her endless amounts of joy. Every day she rejoiced in just seeing them alive and well. But tonight she had eyes for one person only; Arthur.
Today had been a happy day, after all it was Arthurs first day back from the hospital since his incident at the ministry and Molly couldn't keep her eyes off of him. Still plagued by fears concerning his health Molly watched his every move meticulously to make sure he wasn't in any pain. Sure on the outside he looked alright, laughing, telling jokes, and becoming absorbed in Harry's description of a "screwdriver." It was all the little things that screamed out to Molly, that all was not yet well. The way he moved when he was exhausted, the lines in the corners of his mouth when he was tense, and the amount of food he actually ate once it was on his fork all seemed so vibrantly clear to her that she wondered why no one else seemed as concerned.
Yes, it was a happy day, but some unknown weight still seemed to be pushing down on Molly's chest. Still she smiled, she ate and she talked with her family as though nothing was wrong and when they were done she stayed to clean up the dishes.
Once alone in the kitchen Molly flopped down into one of the rickety chairs and rested her head in her hands. Arthur had of course offered to help clean up but Molly had refused point blank (much to his obvious relief) so he headed up to bed with the promise of Molly right behind him. However, she could not make herself stand up.
Staring at the dishes that were lazily washing themselves the familiar scene played itself once more behind her eyes.
The bright fluorescent lights that beat down mercilessly on her eyes as she awaited word from the doctor.
The young mousy looking nurse who came to tell her that nothing was certain.
The dread feeling of emptiness creeping up from behind, threatening to swallow her whole as the doctor proclaimed that Arthur still might yet pass.
The anguish upon first looking at her love as he lay upon the cot, the blood on him creating a startling contrast to the sheets.
The hotness of her tears as they poured unbidden down her face and into his cold hand as it lay limp in hers.
His ragged breathing, His pale face, His prone form, His blood, and her love crowded into the same room while the doctors rushed past.
A great snake
A man unawares
Sharp fangs
Deadly venom
And her love
Her love
Her love
Alone
Molly's head snapped up and she tried to shake the images away. "Being silly…" she would mutter from time to time as she slowly got to her feet and finished the kitchen.
The words were no comfort however, and when Molly finally reached the door to her room she was feeling worse than before. "Just need some sleep," she tried to reason "I've simply been awake for far too long."
Upon walking into the room she found Arthur asleep in bed breathing slowly and steadily. She stopped for just a moment to savor the sound, and then changed quickly and silently into her nightgown. Slipping into bed next to Arthur for the first time in about a month was the best feeling that Molly had ever experienced.
Snuggling close to his warm body she buried her face in his chest and inhaled his familiar scent. Caught up as she was in the intense feelings of the moment it took a while before Molly realized that she was crying.
Seeing Arthur stir in his sleep made her clap a hand over her mouth to muffle her sobs.
He shifted a little towards her, his head searching blindly for the sound, and he murmured sleepily, "Molly? Sweetheart are you ok?"
"Yes, she replied softly, "just promise you will never leave me ok?"
Arthur who was fighting a losing battle with his exhaustion simply got out a soft, "Leave you? Now why would I do that? I love y-….. before sleep again took him.
Molly found herself smiling by the time he was asleep again. "I know, she whispered gently stroking his hair, "I just needed to hear you say it again." For the second time that night Molly Weasley was crying, but these were a different kind of tears. Snuggling up against her husband once more, she let out a sigh of contentment and lost herself to the first dreamless night in a long while.