Arthur sighed, lunchtime, not that Aurors get a designated lunchtime, especially in these tension filled days. It wasn't easy being an Auror in the midst of a war but Arthur was doing well even with three small children at home. "Going to lunch?" a woman's voice interrupted Arthur's thoughts about the war and he turned around.
Amelia Bones stood there in all her glory. It was just the last year or so that Amelia told him, they could be friends and had started to speak to him regularly again. Arthur knew he had broken the witch's heart their seventh year of Hogwarts and that was something he regretted everyday.
Amelia thought he left her for Molly, and Arthur couldn't tell his childhood love the truth without revealing Molly's secret. Arthur smiled at Amelia and nodded, "Of course, want to join me?" his heart gave a little jump when she nodded but he squashed it down.
Molly was the one he chose and even if it killed him, he would stay true to his best friend. Speaking of killing, he might just do that to Molly if she didn't lay off Bill. The little boy was locked in his room, and had been for the two weeks that had passed since he got back from his summer with Jane and Arthur thought Molly was being a little excessive. This wasn't really about Bill talking back to her; it was more about what Bill had back talked her about.
"Lost in your thoughts?" Amelia brought him back to reality as they took their seats at the little muggle café they taken a liking to lately for their lunches.
"A bit," he ran his hand through his hair nervously, "Molly has grounded Bill, and I'm not sure it's for a good reason." He admitted, normally Molly and Bill were a minefield for a conversation with Amelia but today he was just so frustrated by the situation that he found himself talking about it.
"Ahh, trouble in paradise?" Arthur looked up at Amelia sharply but her face was a mask of neutrality. Amelia had never like Molly, she had always thought the Gryffindor girl was too brash and then later her own personal (almost) home-wrecker.
"Never mind." Arthur muttered as their usual meal was served.
"No, really tell me. I'll be nice." Amelia said softly.
"I shouldn't make you hear about my home life." Arthur said spearing a piece of meat with his fork.
"If you can't talk about Molly and the kids we shouldn't be meeting like this." Amelia's voice sounded strained.
Arthur looked up and met her eyes, "Should we?" he asked as he watched her play with her hair, twirling it around her finger like she use to do in school when she was nervous.
"I don't know," She sighed and dropped her hands back into her lap, "My brother got married, and all I could think about was how much I missed you and how I should've already been married. It's wrong though, you have Molly and three kids, and I really thought I had moved on."
Arthur sat there for a moment and silence descended on them. Arthur thought about all the things happening at home. He thought about Molly's treatment of Bill, her constant rebuffs of Arthur's attempts to be the boy's father even though that's what he'd given up Amelia to do and her total rejection of her cousin Jane because the girl had friends that may or may not be Deatheaters.
"I wouldn't be any kind of man you'd want to be around if I didn't say we have to stop going to lunch now." He said gently knowing deep down that; this was the right thing to do.
Amelia nodded and sniffled trying not to cry, "Am I ever going to get over you?" she joked despairingly.
Arthur laughed and winked at her, "I'm just that great don't you know?"
Amelia looked at him and smiled sadly, "Yeah, you are. I'll bet you're a great Dad to those boys."
Arthur shifted uncomfortably as he signaled for the check. He thought about telling her how great he thought she wasgreat too but knew that he should not, it would only be rubbing salt in a festering wound. "I'll get lunch, my treat." He said instead.
That night when Arthur got home, he told Molly in no uncertain terms, that Bill's punishment was over. As he went through his nightly routine, Arthur watched Molly and thought over the last few days. With a sinking feeling that he was not sure that originated from seeing Amelia again or Molly's actions, Arthur began to wonder not for the first time if Molly had lied to him. How could Molly be so sure Lucius Malfoy was a Deatheater and why would she be rejecting Jane for just being friends with him?
Had Bill's father truly rejected the boy or the woman or was there something much deeper being played there?
Lying in bed in the darkness Arthur couldn't help but think, if he had done the right thing by protecting his friend and marrying her and again today by telling Amelia they couldn't see each other any more. Why did he feel so bloody guilty about it?