Author's Note: I really really really love the Weasleys, Arthur and Molly in particular. I just think that the're the best couple and the best parents. They're the perfect family. So I was inspired to write this one-shot. Enjoy, and please review with your thoughts; I'd love to hear what you all have to say.
The Burrow
Molly Weasley was utterly, completely, totally, without a doubt exhausted. It was nearly midnight, and it was the first time all day that she had sat down. She had given dinner to her two young sons, Bill and Charlie. Then she had cleared the dishes, put a warming charm on her husband's plate for when he got home, and given the boys their baths. Strange, how every night they had to take their baths, brush their teeth, and put on their pajamas, but every night they protested. Finally, they had gotten into their beds in the room they shared and had fallen asleep after their mother told them one of Beedle the Bard's stories. Molly was washing up the tiny kitchen of their flat when Charlie had come out, telling her he couldn't sleep. She put him back to bed and sang to him softly. Bill had been awoken by the singing and wouldn't go back to sleep until he got a song too. And now, the boys were asleep, and Molly collapsed into an armchair.
The daily strain was getting to her. Bill was five now, Charlie three. Both were sweet as can be, but had far too much energy for their four month pregnant mother. It didn't help that the four Weasleys lived in a small two-room flat in London. They had no backyard to run about in. To top it off, Arthur was working almost all the time, including the weekends. Sadly, he had to in order for them to save up to buy a larger home.
When Arthur and Molly first got married, they had gotten the flat as a temporary condition, as it was all they could afford at the time. Bill and Charlie were already crowded in their bedroom, and Molly worried what would happen when the new baby came. Unfortunately, Molly was too busy taking care of the children and Arthur was too busy at work to look for a new place.
Molly heard Arthur's key in the front door and pushed herself up off the chair to greet him.
"Molly, love, I'm home," he announced. He looked tired. His ginger hair was standing in all directions and there were bags under his eyes. At only twenty-five years old, Arthur Weasley was aging quickly.
Molly stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. "I'm glad you're home, Arthur. The boys are finally in bed, and your dinner is waiting in the kitchen."
Arthur kissed her again and placed his hand on her pregnant belly lovingly. "You're wonderful. Thank you."
Molly put away his cloak and briefcase and sat with him as he ate. "Anything exciting at the Ministry today?"
"Nothing to speak of, unfortunately. Lots of paperwork. But I do have something exciting for you and the boys," he said between bites, smiling widely at this last remark.
"Oh?" Molly smiled back.
"Yes, but it's a surprise. I want you to take the boys to the park after breakfast tomorrow morning and I'll meet you there. I'm taking the day off of work, but I have some things I need to prepare here and you all can't be here while I do it."
Molly was skeptical. She didn't like the idea of Arthur being alone in the house. She loved him dearly, but had a very destructive side and tended to get either distracted or very carried away. Or both. She sighed, "If you say so. I trust you. If you're finished, I'll wash up. Get to bed, Arthur. You're exhausted."
"I'll wait for you here. You're just as tired as I am, I'd bet. Besides, we don't spend enough time together. So how can I help?" Arthur stood by the sink, hoping to do something to aide his dear wife in her housework.
"Nonsense. You've been working all day. No need for you to come home and work as well. This will only take a moment. But I'd be very glad for your company, if you'd like to stay."
"Of course, Mollywobbles." He snaked his arms around her waist as she did the dishes.
Molly giggled. "Stop it, Arthur. We'll never get to sleep, at this rate."
"Who needs sleep when I've got a beautiful wife whom I love and adore?" He began kissing up and down her neck and jaw line.
Molly finished the washing, distracted as she was, and took her husband into their bedroom. After placing various locking and silencing charms on the door, they stayed up well past one in the morning falling in love all over again.
The next day, Molly, still tired but much happier, took Bill and Charlie to the park down the street, leaving Arthur to do whatever it was that he needed to do. The boys were ecstatic that their father would be spending the day at home, and just as excited to be going to the park.
Two hours later, the boys were still having a marvelous time on the muggle swings. Molly watched her little angels with a smile. Arthur walked up to his happy little family with a large carpetbag in his hand. Bill and Charlie ran at their father, attempting to tackle him down, but being so small, they only succeeded in throwing him slightly off balance. Molly scolded them for their roughness and they, like the good boys they were raised to be, apologized for their ill behavior.
Molly turned to Arthur. "So what is this surprise you have for us?"
"We're going to see Auntie Muriel!"
The boys looked at one another. This was not their idea of a good surprise. Auntie Muriel was old and mean and smelled funny. Molly was similarly disappointed. "That's all?" she asked.
Arthur grinned. "Certainly not! What kind of man do you take me for? But that's what we're doing for lunch. We're going to floo from the Longbottoms since Mummy can't apparate."
"Why can't we floo from home, Arthur?" Molly asked. He had something up his sleeve, and she didn't like being kept in the dark.
"The Longbottoms live just across the road, and I want to get to Muriel's as soon as possible. Please don't make things difficult, Molly, dear."
Molly narrowed her eyes at him but didn't respond. She really didn't like surprises that were this involved. She herded the boys across the park to Frank and Alice Longbottom's home. Frank and Alice, it seemed, were in on the game and just smiled brightly at the Weasleys as the ginger-haired family floo-ed away.
Muriel was waiting for them, just as sour as ever. "You took long enough, didn't you? I'm nearly 100. You shouldn't keep an old lady waiting like that, Arthur, you silly fool."
Molly snapped back, "Auntie Muriel, my husband is not a fool! And I'll thank you not to call him such."
Muriel muttered something unintelligible and walked away to prepare the luncheon. The boys ran about the house, getting yelled at by both of their parents and their aunt. After that, they behaved perfectly well, and everyone had a suitable meal.
When lunch was over, Arthur thanked Muriel for the meal, saying that they'd be back to visit sometime soon. He then escorted his family out of the house. "Weasleys, we're going for a walk!" he announced. He still had the carpetbag in hand, about which Molly was growing increasingly curious.
Arthur frolicked up and down various hills with his two sons. Molly watched them happily but kept her pace much slower than theirs. Arthur noticed she was falling behind and ran back to fetch her. "Alright, dear?"
"Yes, Arthur, I'm just fine. But I am pregnant, so I can't run about like you can."
"Oh that's right. Boys!" he shouted, "Boys! Come walk back here with your mother! She's getting lonely."
Bill and Charlie scampered back to be with their parents. Bill's curiosity finally got the better of him. "Dad? What's in that bag?"
Arthur smiled. He wondered when someone would ask him. "The whole world, Billy, the whole world."
Charlie's eyes widened, and he and Bill began furiously discussing what amazing things could be in the bag. They were young, and to them, magic had no limits.
Molly, of course, didn't accept her husband's answer, but she kept her skepticism to herself. The boys were having far to great a time for her to ruin it.
At last, they reached one last hill. At the top, Arthur stopped them. "See that?" He pointed down in the small valley where a large, oddly-shaped house stood. It had a garden and an orchard and a shed nearby. The whole thing was encircled by a shabby low fence with a swinging gate. "That's The Burrow. It's our new home!"
Bill and Charlie broke into huge smiles and raced down the hill to explore. Molly gaped at Arthur. "Home?"
Arthur put down his bag and took her into his arms. "Yes, Molly. I signed the papers yesterday. Everything we own has been shrunk and packed into this bag. I know it's not much, but there's lots of space for the little ones and any more that might come along. Is it alright?"
Tears fell down Molly's face. She couldn't believe it. "Yes, Arthur, it's perfect. Thank you!" She kissed her husband enthusiastically and they both went down the hill to join their sons.
That evening, when almost everything had been unpacked, Charlie came to his mother with a funny look on his face. "Mummy, I don't want to be alone."
"You aren't alone, sweetheart. Mummy and Daddy are just upstairs, and Bill is down the hall from you."
"But Bill scares away the monsters. No one is in my room to scare away the monsters."
Bill overheard his brother's worries. He had tried to be a big boy and be excited about having his own room, but he was sad to be without Charlie as well. "Mum, I can share my room."
Molly brought Bill over to her. "Billy, you don't need to share your room anymore, we've got lots of space here."
"I know, but I don't want Charlie to get scared. I don't mind, really."
Molly kissed her eldest son on the forehead. "You're a good boy, Bill. Go tell your father and he can move Charlie's things into your room. Thank you for being such a good brother. Charlie, what do you say to Bill?"
Charlie gave his brother a hug. "Thank you for being a good brother."
Late that night, once the boys were finally asleep in their new room, Arthur and Molly sat by the fire in their large sitting room. They didn't speak, they simply sat in each other's arms, enjoying the peace and quiet of the countryside. Molly fell asleep on the sofa. Arthur, careful not to wake her, carried her into their new room. The Weasleys had a new home, and they couldn't be happier. After all, they had each other, and it didn't really matter where they were. But as long as they had to live somewhere, The Burrow seemed to be the best place for them.