Betrayal and loss
"Peter? What are you doing here? You're supposed to be out with the others aren't you?" Molly Weasley had little patience for the Marauders. They were no good lazy layabouts who had no time for anything important. But she was respectful to everyone; it was a personal rule of hers to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. And it was because of this that she ventured into the room with Peter Pettigrew that day.
"Molly? I thought you were taking Bill and Charlie to the park." He said, looking slightly panicked as he turned round. Immediately Molly's motherly instincts kicked in.
"Are you quite alright dear? You look rather flushed," she moved forwards, trying to press a palm to his head to feel his temperature as she often did for Bill or Charlie. His reaction alarmed her. He moved backwards, flinching away from her touch.
"No, Molly, I'm perfectly fine. No need to worry about me. I'm just a little…tired. That's it, I'm tired." He stammered.
"Are you sure?" she asked again. He nodded. The fear in his eyes was very apparent to her, "Is this something to do with James going into hiding? I know you Marauders are close," Peter looked at her, his face unreadable, before finally nodding.
"He'll be ok, and Lily too and that baby of theirs, the little monster that he is. And you'll be able to see them any time you want. Sirius'll tell you where they live as soon as the spell's done. And there's nothing stronger than the Fidelius Charm to keep things safe,"
Peter was looking more uncomfortable by the second. He wrung his hands in front of his and refused to meet Molly's eye. She moved closer to him, peering intently at his face. There were huge circles under his eyes and his face was flushed and sweaty.
"Peter, dear, have you been sleeping properly? When was the last time you had a decent meal? Is there nobody at that wretched house of yours that can cook a dinner properly?"
"Molly, I'm fine." He said angrily, stepping away from her as he said it.
"But, you're not are you." She took another step forward, taking his hand to try and feel his bones, "You're as thin as rail and frozen solid. Have you not been feeding yourself?"
"Leave me alone Molly," It was whispered, it seemed he had neither the will not the ability to throw off her questions.
"What's going on Peter? You need to look after yourself," she held his chin, rotating it to force him to look into her eyes.
"You don't understand Molly. It's hard."
"What's hard?"
"Everything. Living is hard Molly. The war is hard. I don't know if I can cope. And that scares me." She lifted the hand that had been holding his chin to cup his cheek, taking a step closer to him as she did.
"It is hard. But that's why we have to remember the good things, remember what's worth fighting for. Like family, and friendship, and love…"
Afterwards neither could remember who initiated it, all they knew was that the next minute their lips were touching in such a passionate kiss that both looked back on it for years to come and their cheeks heated with a blush of remembered passion, rage on the part of one, and shame on the part of the other. And yet neither spoke of the moment ever again, to anyone, not even one another.
And so the world turned on its axis and a spark of passion that once could have been was extinguished by betrayal.
XxXxXx
A/N- Have you ever mistaken the MWPP era on a fic to mean Molly Wealey/Peter Pettigrew? This is what comes of it when you do. Apologies. Reviews are appreciated.