A few drops of the liquid, a shocking pink and bubbling merrily, was all that was needed. The door swung open at the slightest provocation and revealed a room belonging to those with bad manners where cleanliness was concerned. Within seconds she had located the boys' stash of butterbeer; hidden foolishly in the farthest most wardrobe behind several pair of socks.

To her knowledge, which was extensive where these boys were concerned, Alexander pulled out the bottles only after an exam or a double Herbology class with Venomous Tentacula. The latter of which having occurred that very morning.

Quickly Molly uncapped each and distributed even amounts of the potion. Just as she was sealing the first bottle, the door swung open behind her with a loud creak.

"Molly?"

The bottle fell back into the drawer with a dull thud.

She turned and plastered on a surprised smile. "Alexander, hi."

With styled blond hair and mesmerizing blue eyes, it was a wonder how girls couldn't fall for him. "What are you doing?"

The answer was swift, prepared. "Just fetching something for Arthur, you know?" Her words oozed falsity, stiff and dishonest.

The speculative gaze fixated on her then made her feel almost criminal. "All right then."

Molly skittered out of the way. Just as she made it back to the door, Alexander said, "You won't tell anyone about this, will you?"

Molly stumbled over her words. "Uhh... uh—what?" He held up two butterbeers. Her heart stopped. "Oh. Oh right. No, I won't tell anyone," she assured him.

"Great." He nodded slowly. "Okay, uh, I need to change now. Got plant goo all over me, in some places I don't want to disclose."

Molly nodded and refrained from peeking behibd her as she exited the dormitory.

.,.,.

If there was one thing Arthur had learned from all his years knowing Molly, it was that she was never late. Not that it took an expert to see something is wrong when someone doesn't show up for something they enjoy. Like lunch.

Tearing his eyes away from the great bronze doors at the far end of the hall, Arthur took a pitcher full of orange juice sat next to the muffin basket and filled his goblet with the liquid. Before setting the pitcher back at its original position his gaze flickered back to the doors. At that second, they opened and revealed a beaming young girl with red hair spilling past her shoulders down to the small of her back. His grip on the pitcher handle lessened.

Three seconds, a gasp, and a crash later, Arthur was staring at soggy blueberry muffins and a livid Ramona Kirk. Arthur had backed away and fallen over the bench before she could screech, "Weasley!" Though several feet seperated them the undiluted anger that practically radiated from her terrified him.

Molly merely plopped down next to her and looked at the commented, "I think I'll pass on the blueberry and orange juice muffins this time."

Within seconds Ramona had turned her fiery glare onto Molly. Arthur felt relief at the fact that the intimidating blue orbs removed their focus from him, but at the same time worried for Molly. She had a wicked temper to boot but even so, Arthur couldn't help not to intervene.

"I'm so sorry about the orange juice, let me just, um..."

With a wave of his wand and a hurried whisper the mess disappeared. Unfortunately, Ramona still stood soaked to the bone from the waist down. The glare she directed at Arthur was so fierce it seemed as if her hair had been ignited by her fury.

At a stroke of luck, Alexander sauntered over to them then. He directed an odd look at Molly, but sidled down next to her nonetheless.

Looking as though he were straining not to laugh, he told Ramona in a stern tone of voice, "Sit down Mo, you look ridiculous."

Ramona seethed. "Just because mum likes you better doesn't mean you can talk to me like that," she snapped at him.

Alexander sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. "O you want some butterbeer or what?"

She looked at him in confusion. Arthur's gaze held a hint of amusement. Molly's expression nearly mirrored his, the only difference the anxiety in the depths of her brown orbs. Arthur sat back down in his seat carefully, not eager to provoke her anger further.

"What?" she questioned, eyebrow cockedbrow.

"Butterbeer. You know, the drink? Whatever," he gave up and turned to Arthur. "You want some after that double Herbology class, right?"

Arthur nodded. "Yeah," he confirmed sheepishly.

Alexander dove into his bag and pulled out two bottles. With a cheeky grin he handed a bottle to him. With her gaze fixated on the sloshing liquid, Molly suddenly snapped back into reality.

She practically screamed, "NO!"

Arthur and Alexander stared at her as if she had sprouted a second head. Ramona looked at her as if she had given her one. An uneasy silence ensued.

Alexander chuckled uncomfortably to break the palpable tension. "I only brought two butterbeers. I would give you one if I could, promise."

"Yeah, Molls, don't be so dramatic," Arthur teased while he poured some of the butterbeer into a goblet.

He took a drink from the goblet and Molly saw the horrors of the day to come.

.,.,.

They were limping down the corridor. Molly had Arthur's arm around her shoulders as she tried to get him to walk straight. Arthur resisted her attempts to help, giggling stupidly and fondling a few strands of her hair.

"Your eyes are so beautiful," he whispered.

Molly nearly tripped over her own feet. "Merlin, would you shut up?"

"And your hair... like a waterfall of fire," he breathed, running a hand through it.

Molly slapped it away. "Real poetic," she muttered. "Once we get you to the hospital wing you'll be back to normal again." It sounded like she was assuring herself more than Arthur.

This time he managed to escape her hold. He back away down the corridor until bumping into a wall. In the dim light of the moon streaming through the paned windows, she saw the hurt in his eyes, which appeared less dazed. He stood slightly straighter and held his arms limply at his sides.

"What... what if I don't want to go back to normal?" His voice sounded hoarse and nothing like it usually did. Like he was about to cry.

Molly lost her words for a moment, struggling to comprehend what that meant. "But... you mean..."

Arthur stared at her seriously, locking his steely gaze with her own feeble one. "Molly, I love you."

"No you don't. It's just the potion."

"The potion doesn't create love, only amplifies any existing feelings and induce extreme obsession, depending on the skill of the potioneer and the strength of the potion." Though his words were slurred they echoed those of Professor Slughorn.

Molly rushed forward and looked him straight in the eyes. Arthur took the opportunity to twist her hair in his hand. "Like a waterfall of fire," she repeated.

Even though he was under the influence of a potion, and he didn't truly love her (right?), and Molly most definitely did not harbor any feelings for Arthur Weasley, she leaned forward and kissed him. The kiss was soft and gentle, not needy and rough like other teenage kisses, not expecting or demanding. Just lingering and meaningful, like Arthur.

At the end of the day, Molly had brewed more than just a love potion.