Theme 10: Reconciliation
February 6, 1966

Astronomy was Arthur Weasley's least favorite subject at school. It bored him to death, and since the class was at night, he nearly always fell asleep, leaving his star charts unfinished. Not to mention the freezing temperature. He was surprised that they could see the stars at all through all of the steam from their breath.

Climbing the stairs to the Astronomy Tower was the last thing Arthur wanted to be doing on his birthday. Moodily, he wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck and went out onto the observation platform. He made to sit by his friend Ted, who was sitting in the nearest the door. He thought that was odd, as they usually took a spot in the far corner.

Looking towards that spot, Arthur caught sight of Molly. She was leaning over her telescope, fiddling with one of the knobs. He walked towards her. Through the cold he could smell her flowery perfume. She was humming.

"That's a pretty song," Arthur said. "What is it?" Molly looked up at him and smiled.

"It's a Celestina Warbeck song. I love her music. My dad was going to take me to see her sing over the holiday, but the show was sold out."

"I think Cornelia likes her too," Arthur said. He started to put his bag on the chair beside her, but then thought twice about it. Molly must have seen him hesitate.

"I was hoping you'd want to sit by me," she told him. "That's why I stole Ted's seat."

"Yeah," Arthur said softly. Molly started shuffling around some of her belongings around to make space for him, and her elbow knocked over her ink jar. They both reached for it at the same time, their gloved hands brushing each other. Molly pulled her hand away and just watched him right the jar.

"None spilled?" she asked, surprised.

"Probably frozen," Arthur said bitterly.

"You don't like this lovely weather?" Molly asked, an hint of sarcasm in her voice. "It's just the perfect temperature for stargazing. The air is so cold that it hurts to inhale, and when we get a good breeze the moisture in your eyes start to freeze. It's simply beautiful."

"It's my favorite weather," Arthur said, and they both laughed as the professor began to give them instructions.

It felt good to be talking and joking like they had before their fight, but Arthur could sense that things were still not quite normal. A little bit later, as they were plotting the path of Mercury, he looked over his star chart at Molly. "I'm sorry," he said.

"What?" Molly asked, glancing up at him.

"I'm sorry about what I said in September. I was being stupid," he said.

"I was too, a little," Molly confessed. "If it makes you feel any better, I wish I was in Muggle Studies with you. My Auntie Muriel is the one who really wanted me to change my classes. She's my dad's only family, and she's kind of the Prewett monarch. He does whatever she says, and since she thought I'd be better off in Arithmancy, that's what I'm taking."

"I wish I'd thought to ask you about it, instead of arguing," Arthur told her.

"I wish I'd thought to tell you," she said. "I've missed you. Let's promise not to fight over stupid little things any more." Molly stuck out her gloved hand.

"Agreed," Arthur said, shaking her hand. "Bil and I spit-shake when we make a promise."

"That is not going to happen," Molly said. Shaking her head just a little, she turned back to her star chart. Arthur saw the professor nearing their table, and peered into his telescope, pretending to be hard at work. When she'd passed, he looked back up at Molly.

"So how was your Christmas?" he asked her.

"Quiet, as always. How was yours?"

"Loud, as always. Cornelia wasn't there, but we boys went to a Quidditch game, and then half the family came to our house," Arthur said. "We call it Weasley Chaos."

Molly chuckled. "Percival told me that your sister is going to be married."

"Yes, next summer. She already told me that you're invited. She likes you, and she wanted me to have someone to sit with."

"I'd like that," Molly said. "I've never been to a wedding before."

"When your family is as large as mine, weddings, funerals, and big holiday celebrations are inevitable," he told her. "It gets old."

"Well it sounds grand," she said. A little while later, the lesson was over. Arthur gleefully gathered up his things, ready to return to the warmth of Gryffindor Tower.

"I'm off to the common room, to sit in front of the fireplace until I start to roast," he told Molly.

"Before you go, I got you something," she said, handing him a box with a bright blue bow on it.

Arthur pulled the lid off the box to reveal a photograph of the two of them. It was from the summer beach trip that they'd been on together. They were standing in front of a massive sand castle, waving. Every so often a gull flew across the sky, or a crab scooted over the sand. The picture was in a fancy frame, and Molly had written across the bottom of it.

I'm glad we're friends again. Love, Molly

Suddenly, Arthur was not in such a rush to get to the common room. A warmth was spreading through his chest. He looked up at Molly. "Thank you."

AN: I have been enjoying being a beta member of Pottermore. If anyone is on there and wants to be friends, feel free to add me (Maybe PM me here so I know who you are there). My username there is HeartNiffler150, and I am in Hufflepuff. We have the most members, and the least points. Can't wait until dueling is working again so we can catch up. If you're not a member yet, I hope to see you there when the site opens in October.