Also written for the Four Elements Challenge (Earth: Children, Winter, Midnight, Shooting Stars)

Using the prompt 'shooting star'

MollyiiRoxanne

A warmth encompassed Molly as little Roxanne snuggled into her against the freezing night air. Why she had been allowed to stay up so late, Molly would never know, but the poor girl was falling asleep where she sat.

A quick glance around told her that no one else was bothered by the little girl's exhaustion. Her five-year-old brother was the complete opposite, bounding around, being forced to sit down by James.

Rose was huddled with Lucy, while Albus, Lily and Hugo sat slightly to the left, looking up into the dark sky.

The adults had left the older ones in charge of the younger ones, bundling them all outside with coats and hats. The clock was nearing midnight, and before long, they'd all be in bed. But not soon enough, Molly reasoned, looking down at Roxanne.

"Why are we looking out here again, Molly?" the child asked, unable to supress a yawn.

Molly put her arms around the girl, keeping her warm. "To see the shooting stars at midnight," she explained.

Roxanne yawned again. "It's taking forever."

"I know."

"Will you sit down?"

Molly turned her attention to where James was struggling with Fred. It seemed he wanted to find a better spot to sit than in the backyard of the Burrow – such as the roof. Molly laughed as she watched her cousin struggle with the younger boy.

"Freddie is being very silly," Roxanne commented, shuffling even closer to the teenager. "Mummy always says he's too much like Daddy."

"He is rather silly, Roxy," Molly agreed. "Though, you are sometimes, too."

"Not as silly as Freddie," Roxanne argued. She shivered despite looking like an eskimo.

"I would not have agreed thirty minutes ago." Molly vividly remembered how she and James (the two eldest there) had been made to run around the backyard chasing after the two youngest cousins. They were sweet when they were by themselves, but together, they caused so much havoc.

Fred had decided a tree would give him a better view, while Roxanne had tried to follow. Fred, however, had not wanted his sister to join him and had kicked out at her. Roxanne had cried and Molly could just imagine all the adults sitting inside with their cups of tea, laughing at their children's struggles.

"I'm not silly." Roxanne yawned again, resting her head against Molly's chest.

"If you go to sleep now you will miss the shooting stars," Molly whispered into the girl's ear.

Roxanne jumped awake. "I won't sleep!" she exclaimed.

Molly laughed. "I know you won't," she lied.

"Fred, for the love of Merlin, sit down before I hex you into doing it!" James practically shouted at the boy. "Or, I'll send you inside to your mum and dad."

"I want to sit on the roof!" Fred demanded.

"Well, you can't, unless you want to fall off, hit your head and die."

The others were stunned into silence at James' blunt statement. Fred merely sat down without speaking again. After a moment he mumbled something to James, which Molly took for informing James he didn't want to die.

James laughed, ruffling up the boy's hair.

"If Fred goes on the roof he won't die, will he?" Roxanne looked up with wide, fearful eyes, and then eyes her brother with concern.

Molly chose her words carefully. "He might, if he went up there," she said. "But that's why we're not letting him up there. It's too unsafe for him."

Roxanne nodded knowingly. "I know that," she said. "I say that all the time, but he never listens."

"I doubt he does," Molly agreed.

They sat for a while longer, James returning with his troubles with Fred, who had now decided the tree (again) would be the best place to view the shooting stars. Everyone was distracted that they didn't even notice three other people join them. Victoire, Dominique and Louis came to sit on the grass, the two girls on either side of Molly and Roxanne, and Louis with Lucy and Rose.

"Vicky!" Roxanne exclaimed, throwing her arms around the much older woman. "Where have you been?"

Victoire laughed. "Rather busy, Roxy," she explained. "I had to work."

"How boring."

Everyone laughed. For an almost four-year-old, she was rather intuitive and bright – a trait Angelina insisted was not inherited from either of her parents.

"I'm sure you'll have to do it one day," Molly said.

Roxanne scrunched up her face in disgust. "I'm going to help Daddy run his shop!"

"You'd do a fine job, too," Molly observed, and Victoire and Dominique nodded in agreement. When she wanted to be, Roxanne was sneakier than her brother could ever manage.

Victoire disappeared to say hello to everyone else, finally settling next to Rose, Louis and Lucy. They had just started a conversation about how school was going when Roxanne squealed.

"Look!" she shouted, pointing to the sky. "Look, it's magic in the sky!"

Everyone looked up, noticing the first shooting star which was coming across the open sky of the Burrow. Roxanne squealed again, jumping to her feet.

"Freddie!" she shouted. "Freddie, it's magic!"

"It's a shooting star, Roxy," Fred informed her matter-of-factly.

"Oh." The child looked on in awe as another flew across, and then another. After only a few moments of watching it was like a shower, but of stars (as Roxanne explained to them all). Even the older cousins were looking on at the spectacular show nature was giving.

"I'll watch it from the tree," Fred said.

"No you won't," James responded, jumping to grab the boy's arm before he could run off.

Molly was certain it was midnight by now, and they'd never find him if he got away. Roxanne giggled as she watched James grab her brother's sweater sleeve.

"He's so silly," she whispered to Molly.

Molly patted her hair, smiling, but didn't speak. She had not realised how much she enjoyed everyone's company when they were all together. She never had been fond of Rose, nor had they ever gotten along in a social situation. But out here, in the middle of winter in the freezing cold, spending time with her family was all that mattered. She could even tolerate Rose if they continued to keep their distance.

The star shower only lasted a few minutes, and when it had finished, Roxanne yawned.

"How about we get you inside and into bed?" Molly suggested.

Over the excitement of the night, Roxanne nodded and held out her arms. Molly picked the small girl up, who immediately rested her head on Molly's shoulder.

"Nigh nigh," Roxanne said through another yawn.

Molly smiled, holding her littlest cousin close. "Goodnight, Roxy," she said, placing her lips into her dark hair. "Thanks for spending the night with me."

Roxanne didn't respond, already asleep; and with everyone else, Molly began to make her way back indoors, ready to go to bed herself.

I haven't written really kid-y fluff in a very long time, and it made me happy to do so again. I hoped you enjoyed reading this one!