Arthur and Molly
"Yours, in Secret"
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas
Is you
- Mariah Carey
December 23, 1965; Gryffindor Common Room
One of the more overused proverbs during Christmas Time is that "it's not the gift, but the thought that counts." Or so seventeen-year old Arthur Weasley has been told, as he sits nervously amongst the rowdy circle of Gryffindors, clutching the small, gift-wrapped package in his hands.
It's two days 'till Christmas and the remaining sixth year Gryffindor boys and girls have decided to play a traditional and festive game called "Secret Santa". It was of Muggle origin; however, many possessed the knowledge of the game, and being the spirited and adventurous Gryffindors that they were, the Lions then decided to have a bit of fun. Their assignments had been given two weeks before December 23rd, which meant everybody had to have a gift ready by tonight. The Gryffindors then decided they'd gather everybody who took part of the game around, and they each have to reveal themselves to their assignments and present their gifts with a brief explanation of the reasons behind that gift. The idea had immediately excited everyone, most especially the girls, but safe to say that even from the beginning Arthur Weasley was not excited about Secret Santa. Firstly, he was as shy as a beaver, and he did not like being thrust into situations that involved a lot of talking and camaraderie. He was the type who preferred to sit only with a bunch of his friends, or completely alone. Arthur believes his shyness stemmed from physical insecurity: he was tall and gangly and freckled with bright orange hair, and everything about him just seemed to scream gawky and awkward. Because of this, talking in front of a bunch of people didn't also become his forte, and he mostly remained silent during conversations with people he didn't know. It was always a mystery to him, why the Sorting Hat had chosen him to be a Gryffindor when, given his introverted personality, he would've been better off a Hufflepuff.
Then again, all this was nothing compared to the ultimate reason why he didn't want to join the Secret Santa game. He was afraid of who he'd get. If he had gotten somebody whom he barely knew, getting that person a gift would be extremely hard, and he'd be forced to ask around about the likes and dislikes of his assignment. Of course, Arthur had been prepared two weeks ago to tell his friends that he had no interest in joining such a childish and time-consuming game, but something had definitely changed his mind and forced him to join a game or two of Secret Santa.
Two beautiful and exhilarating words: Molly Prewett.
Ah yes, despite Arthur's gawky and misanthropic behavior, he was secretly and hopelessly in love with one Molly Prewett. A petite young woman with bright red hair, a round face, and warm chocolate brown eyes, Arthur has had his eyes on her ever since the beginning of the year, when she had given her a small pat in the back for when his mother died. The gesture was warm and affectionate, and Arthur remembers appreciating her kindness and even coloring as she expresses her condolences. Something was different about her compared to the previous years, and from then on he began to notice things about her that he didn't seem to notice before, like the way she chews on her nails when she's nervous or the way her mouth is sometimes partly open when she listens attentively in class. He had always wanted to chat her up but has never found the courage to, and so Arthur felt that the sidelines was were he belongs. Plus, Molly was popular among the Gryffindor girls, and she attracted a lot of guys even from the other houses. When she went on a Hogsmeade date with the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain Marcus King, Arthur had then decided that she was completely and utterly out of his league. Still, sometimes he can't help but think about her, and wonder whether she'd ever get to notice somebody like him.
So when Arthur heard from his friend, Ainsley Thomas, that Molly was going to be part of the Secret Santa game, he couldn't help but feel obliged to join in too.
And so that's how Arthur finds himself sitting in between Thomas and Jackie Finch, nervously waiting for when it was his turn to reveal himself to his assignment. Because ironically enough, he had gotten that one person who initially convinced him to join the ruddy game at the start.
Molly Prewett.
Arthur reddens even as he thinks of her name, and his eyes immediately seek her mane of red hair. He sees her sitting with her friends Olivia and Hestia, and when she catches his eyes she gives her a small wave. He turns an even deeper shade of red and instead turns to focus his eyes on his socks instead. Oh, how he dreads for his turn to come! He had gotten her something simple yet unique, although maybe just a tad bit Muggle-y for her taste. When he had seen the toy perched innocently and beautifully on top of the Muggle display counter he had immediately felt that that was what he would like to give her; a piece of his world all wrapped and compressed into one delicate and silver toy plane.
The question though is whether or not Molly would like it, and if she'd even want a piece of his dreadfully boring world.
He inwardly slaps himself for being so foolish and in love, and even entertains the idea of letting everybody know that he'd have to give Molly her gift tomorrow because he left it when...
"Weasley! You're up next!"
Arthur freezes, and stares horrified at Jackie Finch, who grins and nudges him with her sharp elbow. "Go on and get your butt off the floor, Arthur! Tell us your Secret Santa!" she laughs evilly, and Arthur gives her a glare. He stands up and looks around the room, seeing many familiar faces of friends and classmates he has grown accustomed to over the years. He gulps.
"Erm, h-hullo there," he starts awkwardly, making it a point to stare at his housemates' foreheads and not at their eyes. "So, Secret Santa huh? I guess I now have to reveal who I'd gotten?"
"Yeah mate," Thomas says, grinning. "And while you're at it, you give that person your gift and tell us why you'd chosen it."
"And hurry along too, a lot of us also want to get this over with!"
Arthur turns as red as a tomato and gives a shaky nod. He takes a deep breath and tells himself to be a man, before he heads towards the direction of Molly Prewett, eyes determinedly staring at the wall above her.
"Hi M-Molly. I, erm, I didn't get you a really fancy gift for Christmas... it's all quite simple actually. But erm, I hope you like it, and I hope you don't get offended by it in any, er, way." He hands the parcel over to her and Molly says a small 'thank you' before ripping the wrappings off. In it was a medium-sized box, around the size of a crayon box, and inside the box is one of the prettiest things she has ever since in her life.
The toy airplane was made out of silver, and engraved on its surface were the letters of her name. The plane itself was small, only as big as her palm, but they were heavier than she expected them to be. She brings it close to her face, examining the intricate details and patters when all of a sudden the blades situated on top of the plane began to whiz and whir, and suddenly the plane was flying, hovering itself a few inches away from her face.
"It's beautiful," she breathes, and Arthur feels his body and head feel lighter. All of a sudden his nervousness vanished, and he can barely contain his happiness. "Where did you get it?"
"In a Muggle toy shop my parents used to bring me to. I bought the plane there and I, er, did the rest. I just thought you might like it, s'all. Do you like it?" He looks at her, shyly.
"Of course I do!" she says happily, and she gives him a huge grin. She gives him a one-arm hug, and Arthur feels as if his insides might explode with joy. "Thank you so much, Arthur! I never knew you enjoyed Muggle artifacts. That's nice to know." Her eyes gleam brightly as she says this and he turns an even deeper shade of red. Seeing that he doesn't need to stay in her area any longer, he goes back to his seat beside Thomas and Finch, who both give him a clap in the back. "Nicely done, Weasley," Jackie Finch tells him, and she gives him a wink. But he doesn't pay attention anymore, even as the game around him continues on. Even as they all go up to bed that night, Arthur still couldn't stop smiling and thinking about the way the evening has turned out. Snuggly tucked in his duvet he turns his head and stares at the moon from his dormitory window. He gives a content smile.
"Merry Christmas, Molly," he whispers softly. He then closes the curtains around his four-poster bed, where the darkness continues to hide his burning cheeks.
