Written for the Kenmare Kestrels round 6 seeker position. I chose to write about Molly Weasley. When I was younger I had imagined this whole story about Arthur and Lucius both falling for the same girl when they were kids, pre Narcissa and Molly, and that was one of the reasons they hate each other so much. This prompt made me think of that and got me to thinking about when Molly and Arthur were at Hogwarts.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of course
Sunset, that's what her hair reminded him of. Right when it disappears over the hills near his home. He doesn't know why he hasn't noticed it before, perhaps because it's the beginning of their sixth year and more of the other boys are starting to take notice as well. Maybe it's because he'd been blinded by their friendship to ever really notice her in a romantic manner.
But he notices now.
"Oy! Molly! Get over here and say hello to Arthur before he catches flies in his mouth staring atcha!" Liam Trickle yelled from beside him. He turns and glares at the ebony haired boy, before noticing that she's left her friend Marianne Boggs and was now walking their way.
"Liam, why do you always have to be embarrassing him like that?" she shakes her head and gives Arthur a sympathetic smile. "How was your summer, Arthur?"
Liam claps him on the back and runs away to join another group of guys that are walking towards the castle, "I'll see ya back up there, mate."
Arthur blushes and chuckles as he shakes his head, "Sorry about that, you know him. My summer was great, how about yours, Molly?"
She shrugs, "Mum spent all summer trying to teach me how to care for the home. Says I need to start learning now, if I want to make some wizard a good wife someday, little does she know I've already perfected all the spells and incantations I need to know."
They share a laugh and start walking their way back towards the castle as well. She gestures to his Honeydukes bag, "It's only our first trip out to Hogsmeade and you're already out of Treacle Fudge?"
He laughs and opens his bag so that she could see inside, "I'll have you know I actually got a Sugar Quill and some jelly slugs!"
Holding a hand out expectantly she motioned to the bag, "Ooh, jelly slugs are my favorite!"
Laughing, he reaches into the bag to get her one, the image of her just standing there expecting him to share his sweets with her making him feel warm and dizzy all at the same time.
"My, you got pretty this year," he slips as he hands her one.
The smile drops from her face and she freezes mid-bite to stare at him. He feels the blood rush to his face, "Did I just say that out loud?"
Suddenly he's being whipped by leftover jelly slug, "Just noticing this now, are you? I've only been waiting on you to notice the last two years!"
He looks at her in surprise, "Have you really?"
It's her turn to blush and look away as she resumes chewing her sweets with vigor. She starts walking again but is stopped when he suddenly grabs her hand, making her turn and look back at him in surprise.
"Join me for a walk around the lake after dinner?" he asks.
She gulps and slowly nods, "Okay."
She has never admitted it to anyone, but she's had a crush on Arthur Weasley since they started First Year together. He was always warm and friendly, and his fascination with Muggle items was quite cute. They'd always been on good terms with each other, she'd even go as far to say that they were quite close friends.
But now, everything was different. They were older, and she'd thought that her long standing crush had been one sided, but he'd asked her to go on his nightly after dinner walk and that to her was a big thing.
They'd been walking for only a short time, but they'd barely spoken a word to each other since the walk back from Hogsmeade. She looked at him sideways, and noticed he had a little smile on his face.
"You know, Arthur, I've always wondered what it was that you do out here on these walks every night."
He gave her a lopsided smile, "Usually I contemplate the workings of Muggle electronics, if I'm being completely honest."
She laughs, "Of course that's what you would be doing out here. Honestly, one day you're going to be Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office."
"That would be alright, I think. Tell me, Molly, what is it that you want to do after Hogwarts?"
"You know, I think I'd like to start a farm. I enjoy animals, and herbology, and I want a large family. It just seems like a good idea to me."
She's staring out over the lake at the setting sun and Arthur thinks it's the most beautiful sight he's ever seen. "I think a farm sounds lovely, on a large plot of land, big and open and not many trees around."
"So it would be easy to see the sunset," they both say at the same time. Looking at each other, they burst out laughing as he moves them towards a large rock under a tree near the waters edge.
He climbs up onto it and turns to help her up, but realizes she's already up on the other side. He smiles to himself and settles down beside her. "You know if we stay out here till the sun is completely gone it's going to be after curfew."
"Ol' Pringle doesn't scare me!" she nudges his arm. "Besides, I rather like spending time with you, like this." she continued softly.
They look at each other and it seems like hours pass as they slowly lean in. Just as their lips are about to touch however, they hear a loud splash and suddenly find themselves covered in water, the tentacles of the Giant Squid disappearing back below the water.
Laughing, Arthur casts a drying spell on both of them. Then without thinking, he reaches over and puts an arm around her. If she's surprised, she doesn't show it, and leans into him. Both content as the sun slowly descends.
Years later Arthur will tell their kids it was well worth the detention he received from Pringle.
Super hard for me to write considering it isn't centered around Hermione lol. So, I hope I did ok.