A/N: Written in response to Incognito's challenge on the DG Forum :)
Pumpkins
'Arthur!'
'Arthur!'
'ARTHUR!'
Molly Weasley was in no mood to exercise tolerance, patience or any of the virtues that people generally manage to acquire and exercise during their early teenage. It was autumn, but this time around she was pregnant. And she was not just two or three months into her pregnancy, at that comfortable morning-sickness-yet-pleasant-afternoons-and-comfy-evenings stage - she was nearing her ninth month and felt like the whole world was currently conspiring against her.
She was also desperately craving for some pumpkin pie, but it seemed like her husband was too busy to make some for her. And If pregnancy weren't bad enough, she also had her other children to take care of – six of them. With Ronald being a mere year old and the twins not all that grown up either (but possessing minds like the devil), Molly was currently seeing red.
'You called for me, sweetheart?'
Molly looked at her husband who had just entered the house, shooting him death glares from where she sat on the sofa.
'I'm carrying our child, Arthur. The baby did not come from nowhere, so you could cooperate with me, which sounds much more appealing than tinkering around with useless muggle-objects in our musty old garage.'
The calm in her voice did not fool Arthur.
'I am so sorry honey – you see, I was hypothesizing on a muggle-inspired idea for night-lights that can be attached to Percy's bed, but magically modified to…'
He trailed off pathetically when she opened her mouth to speak.
'Where are my pumpkins, Arthur? Last time I checked, they still required picking.'
'Oh, I was getting round to that, see…'
'I. Need. My. Pumpkin. Pie.' She spat the words out like they were burning a hole through her tongue.
'Molly, sweetheart-'
'NOW!'
It was autumn, the season that held cherished memories of Molly's and Arthur's days at Hogwarts and even the days after. Arthur was suddenly thrown back to the days of his youth. He remembered the day he had been dared to admit to his crush for her – he was tipsy on exceptionally strong apple cider and had made an absolute idiot of himself in front of her.
He remembered when Molly and he used to cuddle up in the common room with a roaring fire that smelt of fragrant spices unique to the season. The enchanted ceiling would reflect skies that would glow a pale golden in the mornings, mature to a blinding blue in the afternoons and give in to night with a splash of pinks, purples, oranges and reds; everything was simply perfect.
He was brought back into jarring reality with a feral scream.
'Molly! What happened?'
He rushed to her side and engulfed her into a hug, only to find her shivering.
'The baby is coming, Arthur! It's early!'
She couldn't breathe properly anymore and was fast approaching labour. Autumn was welcoming the baby to the world, and it was eager to embrace the crazy place it would call home.
The bed was surrounded by what looked like half the wizarding community, and gifts were scattered throughout the spacious room. The exhausted yet glowing mother smiled joyously from the hospital bed, being thoroughly spoilt (and deserving it, too) by her husband and friends.
Arthur lovingly fed her the pumpkin pie she had so craved for and as Molly savoured each tantalising bit, she was once again filled with an intense feeling of satisfaction that left her giddy and blissful.
She smiled at the cooing, gurgling bundle in her arms, her ultimate autumn present – the most adorable baby girl to complete the family, their first daughter; a touch of delicacy and beauty to perfectly balance her rowdy brothers.
They named her Ginevra.
Word Count: 635.
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