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Later that evening, the fire in the hearth dimmed to a few stray burning embers and the containers from the Muggle take-away Arthur had run out to for a replacement supper, Molly and Arthur cozied up on the sofa like they used to do in the early days of their marriage, she curled up against the arm, knees tucked underneath her and he lying flat, his head resting on her lap. He smiled up at her, glancing every so often at her stomach, thinking about the life she held within her. She stared off into space, absentmindedly playing with his thinning hair, softly sighing.

"How'd you figure out you were pregnant this time?" he asked suddenly, his fingers tracing soft circles on her abdomen. "I mean, it can't have been the first thing that went through your mind."

"That's for damn sure," she chuckled in reply. "Actually, I had a visit from Tonks today. She suspected that she might be pregnant as well."

Arthur glanced up, surprised. "Tonks? Pregnant? You're kidding."

"No, I'm not," Molly smiled down at him, "but you've got to keep it to yourself until she and Remus decide to tell people. I'm not certain many people know yet. That's what she came to see me about. She was nervous and wanted a bit of confirmation so she asked me to be her Healer."

"Really?"

"Don't sound so surprised, Arthur Weasley," she giggled. "I was going to be the most famous medi-witch in the wizarding world once upon a time. I've had seven children. I'm not exactly in foreign territory, am I?"

"Very true," he conceded. "Anyway, though, how did Tonks' pregnancy make you realize yours?"

"I got out one of my old medical books and with each of the examination questions I asked, it just sort of dawned on me. As soon as she left, I did the spells on myself and, bam, there you are. Five weeks along. Due around May, I suppose."

"I still can't believe it," Arthur sighed happily. "Another baby."

"Tell me about it when I'm the one with the swollen ankles and crippling back pain," Molly smirked in reply.

They laughed.

"Do you remember how you told me we were expecting Bill?" he asked.

Molly smiled. "How can I forget? You were trying to play footsie during our commencement exercises in the middle of Dumbledore's closing speech and I panicked. Just dashed it off with a whisper into your ear. I'd only found out that morning."

"Had you?"

"Well, I'd been sick every morning for a week and the night before graduation, I snuck into the library and nicked a book that had maternity spells in it."

Arthur laughed. "How'd you manage that?"

"Well," she replied primly, "as Head Girl, I had a perfect right to patrol the halls and rooms of the school for any, ahem, 'suspicious activity'."

"If I recall," Arthur replied cheekily, "it was your insistence of patrolling that may have led to our little bundle of joy in the first place."

Molly tried to look innocent, not succeeding very well. "I couldn't help it that I was assigned the seventh floor corridor that evening. I didn't even know the Room of Requirement existed before that night. I was merely pacing the hallway, bored out of my mind and thinking about how much I needed a good shag. Then I saw the door just appear out of nowhere. I went in, saw the bed and champagne and candlelight, and just had to Summon you."

"I had no idea up to that point that Accio could be used on a person," he smirked.

"I don't recall you protesting," she teased. "And our little rendezvous could have been kept a perfect secret until I started throwing up three weeks later. I was terrified."

"Not half as terrified as I was," he chuckled. "Thank Merlin we were to be married two weeks later anyway so no one seemed to notice that we…"

"'Slipped a quaffle past the Keeper'?" Molly supplied helpfully.

The laughed heartily.

"What do you think this one will be?" Molly asked. "Another boy?"

In her mind's eye, she imagined their future child. A little boy whisking around the yard on a toy broom playing quidditch with his brothers, a Chudley Cannons cap perched on his youthful curls. Tea parties and rag dolls and pet pygmy puffs with a giggling little girl in the back garden.

"Knowing our history, probably," Arthur chuckled. "A red-head is one thing we can be sure of, though."

"It'll be nice to have another little boy around the house again," Molly admitted. "If it is, I hope he looks like you."

"I wouldn't mind another little girl," murmured Arthur, "A little princess to spoil, with mahogany eyes and ginger hair to match her mother's."

Molly smiled, blushing at the compliment, continuing to daydream.

"I'm sorry I got so upset before, Arthur," she said quietly, after a few minutes. "It was just, you know, a shock. I was just scared—still am, actually. Between my age and everything that's going on out there—"

She gestured toward the window opposite.

"—there's a lot that can happen."

He sat up, turning to face her, and pressed a gentle palm against her cheek. "Molly, my Mollywobbles, I have known you since we were eleven years old. You've survived cruel teachers, closed-minded parents, war, and seven children with little money and even less help. I've seen you through duels, dances, diaper changes, seven kids with dragon pox, not to mention every prank and novelty Fred and George ever created. You will be just fine."

Molly smiled, placing her hand over his. "I just—I need you to know, that no matter what I might have said or how I seemed before, I am happy about this child, Arthur. The circumstances aren't the best, but I do want this baby. I just didn't know it until I got it."

He kissed her, softly, gently, his other hand moving to her stomach, protecting the treasure it held. Molly shifted, turning her body to sit across her husband's lap to allow him better access, never breaking the kiss. He groaned appreciatively, and once again his hands began to roam. She giggled, feeling like a schoolgirl again, squirming under her husband's gentle caresses. Finally, out of air, she broke the kiss.

"Arthur," she murmured, eyes closed happily as he nuzzled into her neck. "Artiebear, as much fun as I think this is, I don't think this is the time or place, to, uh—"

"Hide the Hippogriff?" he supplied cheekily, pressing kisses into her collarbone. "I don't see why we can't. We're alone, we're in love, and my best girl just told me she was having my baby. I think that's a cause for celebration, don't you?"

"Under normal circumstances, yes," Molly giggled as his lips tickled her flesh, "but aren't you forgetting the twins are coming home tonight? They had some sort of product experiment go wrong and Aunt Muriel's furious. She kicked them out until all the repairs are finished. They've got to stay with us until it's fixed."

"Bloody kids," he growled lustily, capturing her lips in a searing kiss, which she happily returned, before suddenly pushing him away, a worried expression capturing her features.

"Oh, Arthur, I just thought if it," she said, biting her lip. "How are we going to tell the children?"

"Well, Charlie and Bill will be easy," Arthur replied. "They're two of the most easygoing people I've ever met. An owl for Charlie will do just fine, and we can tell Bill when he and Fleur come to dinner Sunday evening. They'll be thrilled, I know."

"There's no way to tell Ron," she admitted, her voice barely catching in her throat. "We've no way."

"He'll be back before you know it," reassured Arthur, who was reassuring himself just as much, it seemed.

"We'll have to think of a way to tell Ginny somehow," Molly sighed, "but we can't really send her regular owls in case they get intercepted."

Arthur nodded.

"And as for Percy…" he trailed off.

Molly sighed. The pain of their estrangement, though not new, still stung.

"I know things aren't the best right now," she said diplomatically, "but he is still our son and has a right to know about any future siblings he may have."

"Well…"

"Arthur, just stop by his office or send a memo or something. Please. Please do this for me," Molly asked, her eyes welling up.

He nodded begrudgingly.

Molly tightened the grip of her arms around his neck and kissed him again, happy at his acceptance of her request.

At that moment, Fred and George Apparated in with a pop, causing their mother to shriek and nearly fall from her place on Arthur's lap.

"Well, well, well," George started.

Fred picked right up. "What do we have here?"

"Mum and Dad in for an evening snog, eh?"

"Whatever will we do with you two lovebirds?"

Molly scrambled to climb off her husband's lap, losing her balance and falling hard on her rump in the process. Fred and George screamed with laughter.

"You boys!" she thundered as Arthur hastened to help her up.

"Darling," he called, alarmed, as he placed a protective hand over her stomach and one at the small of her back, aiding her in rising, "are you alright, Mollywobbles?"

"Mollywobbles," the twins imitated in unison, laughing some more.

"I'm fine," Molly replied calmly, patting him gently on the arm.

"Now, that's enough!" he shouted crossly at his still laughing sons. "You could have hurt your mother, scaring her like that!"

This only served as a bigger source of amusement to the twins.

"Oh, come off it, Dad," Fred chuckled. "Mum'll outlive all of us."

"We've been doing that to Mum since before we could walk," George added. "She's the toughest old girl we know."

"Oh, you think so, do you," Arthur continued, ignoring Molly as she tugged on his arm, attempting to relax him.

Fred and George glanced at each other, confused at their normally easy-going father's sudden outburst.

"Sorry," the mumbled together.

"We didn't mean anything by it," started Fred.

"We were just fooling," said George.

"You just watch yourselves," Arthur replied, still slightly cross. "No more tricks, no more pranks, no more scaring your mother half to death. It's not good for her, and it's not good for—"

"Arthur!" Molly hissed, digging her nails into his arm.

There was a moment of awkward silence.

"Not good for what, Dad?" George asked, concerned.

Molly sighed, looking annoyed at her husband.

"Not good for the baby," she said slowly, wringing her hands.

The twins laughed again.

George gave her a hug. "Now who's making jokes?"

Fred smiled. "Good one, Mum. I guess we get the humor from your side."

"She's serious," Arthur chimed in, calmer now. "We're having another baby."

"Wow," came the response, in unison.

Then, "Dad, you old dog."

"We didn't know you had it in you."

Molly sighed with relief, a small smile crossing her lips as she listened to the banter between the men in her life, glad her news was taken so well. Happily, she joined in the banter, discussing the new addition with her family, almost forgetting, for the moment, the uncertainties and dangers that lurked outside the walls of her little home.