A./N.: Long and with a twist. I hope you like it. Please read and review. Ilane

Timeless (XXI)

After their passionate kiss, Molly lay on the cot by Arthur's side, stroking his arm and whispering sweet names in his ear. Arthur smiled softly. He had noticed that their children had rolled their eyes and left, going back to Harry and Hermione. Arthur had to smile again because of the thoughtfulness of his offspring. Molly felt almost too good in his arms. He wanted to cup her face and draw her in for another intoxicating kiss when a faint cough announced the presence of an intruder.

Healer John Smythesson came bustling through the door. With him were two other healers and a nurse. Arthur sighed heavily and parted reluctantly from his wife. Molly got up but made no move to leave the room. Instead she turned to Smythesson.

"If you don't mind I would like to stay in the room and hear your diagnosis", she said, standing up to her full height and looking the healers in the eyes.

"Mr. Weasley, do you mind?" asked Smythesson his patient.

Molly didn't turn around to face her husband too. She remembered his earlier discomfort and she prepared herself to be send out. Her shoulders drooped a little and she bowed her head. White knuckles showed as she clutched her purse tightly to suppress her tears. Arthur's eyes her fixed on his wife's back. He was thinking frantically. It would be most unfair to send her out but what would her reaction be should she see his wound from the operation. But then again at some point in the future she would see the scar for sure. Again he sighed heavily and nodded.

"I want my wife to be present", he said aloud.

Molly's look, when she turned around, was priceless. It was a mixture of joy, apprehension and relief with a lot of love in it for good measure. He smiled shyly at her and hesitantly extended a hand to hold hers. She rushed to his side, taking his hand and bringing it to her lips. With a tender expression in her soft brown eyes, she placed a loving kiss in the palm of his hand, brushing her cheek against it.

At the last moment the door opened again and another healer came in. Molly's eyes widened to the size of saucers upon seeing him. Arthur looked to and fro between his wife and the newcomer., trying in vain to hold back the grin spreading across his features.

"Hello, Healer MacDonald", he greeted congenially.

"Mr. Weasley, so nice to see you again, even under so dour circumstances. Mrs. Weasley, I'm very happy to see you", the healer replied, causing Molly to blush.

Colin Mac Donald had been Molly's professor in college when she had trained as a healer herself. As a young, just out of school and impressionable woman she had developed a crush on her handsome professor, giving Arthur all the ammunition he needed to tease her mercilessly. Now MacDonald was in his 60s but still lean, with lines and grey hair only emphasizing his handsomeness.

"So are you taking over from now on?" asked Arthur, taking pity on his embarrassed wife who seemed unable to return the healer's greeting.

"No, I'm the chief healer and just checking if my underlings work to my satisfaction", said MacDonald dryly. Then he turned back to Molly. "Mrs. Weasley, are you feeling well? You seem flustered."

Molly's complexion turned an impossible shade of red and she nodded feebly. Arthur chuckled at that and earned himself a light slap on his arm from Molly and an intense glare from behind her bangs.

"Well, then let us proceed", John Smythesson interrupted Molly's torture.

First the healers checked the machinery surrounding Arthur. What they saw in the jagged lines and flashing figures seemed to satisfy them for they turned back to Arthur and began to prod him and ask all kinds of questions.

"Do you experience pain in your chest?"

"No, it's absolutely normal for me to be cut open from throat to di …"

"Arthur!"

"Yes, I have", sighed Arthur, "but the pills are helping some."

"Would you like a higher dose?"

"Are there side effects to it?"

"Yes."

"Then no."

"Do you have problems breathing?"

"No, not really."

"Speech seems good. What about soreness of the throat?"

"Yes, constantly and dryness."

"It's because of the tube. It will go away soon."

"I figured", mumbled Arthur rebelliously.

"Arthur!"

"I would like to listen to your heart to be sure your body accepted the bypass. I need you to sit up. Do you feel up to it?"

Arthur nodded and braced his hands on the mattress, pushing his torso up. Half way up, though, he ran out of steam and plopped back onto the pillow. But if he was disheartened he didn't show and tried again. This time Molly snaked her arm under his shoulders and helped him to push upwards. She said nothing, knowing how embarrassed Arthur must feel about not being able to perform this little task without help.

Healer Smythesson nodded to Molly and bent over Arthur's chest, putting the stethoscope over his heart and lungs.

"It sounds much better than before the operation or right after it. Healer MacDonald, what would you say? I think his body fully accepted the bypass surgery."

The stethoscope switched healers and MacDonald leant in on Arthur's chest, listening to his heart. Molly sucked in her breath sharply. When Arthur looked at her, she turned again a bright shade of red. She was obviously contemplating what it would feel like to have his face so close to HER chest. Her breath hitched in her throat when she looked up and met Arthur's burning gaze. She cleared her throat and pried her gaze away from both men, only to snap it back when she heard Healer MacDonald's question.

"I agree. We can now proceed in healing Mr. Weasley's chest magically and by that take his pain away. Trainee Molly, would you like to show us that you haven't forgotten everything?"

He talked playfully with Molly, the impression only intensified by him calling her by her first name and the title she had long given up because of Bill.

Arthur glared at him. Something that went completely unnoticed by either MacDonald or Molly. What was that slimy git thinking hitting on his wife like that right in front of his nose?!? Molly nodded and, after finding her voice, replied:

"Of course. He's my husband."

But her voice sounded flirtatious and alluring. Her cheeks were faintly red and her eyes cast downward. She was a picture of innocence and promise at the same time, a mixture that had also drawn Arthur to her.

And then she focused her attention solely on her husband. Tentatively she put her fingers to the bandage around his upper torso. She opened the knot carefully, only lightly touching him for fear she might hurt him. Her hands didn't tremble, though, and she seemed to know what she was doing. 'Of course', thought Arthur wryly, 'When have you ever seen her not in control? She heals our little ones and they are always in perfect health.'

He smiled up at her, sweetly and lovingly. Both to reassure her and to show MacDonald that Molly was HIS wife and that he should butt out.

When Molly uncovered Arthur's chest, she automatically gasped at the sight of his wound. She wanted to say something to him but MacDonald cut across her remark before she could do more than open her mouth.

"Now what do you have to consider while healing the patient's wound?" asked MacDonald in a lecturing voice.

"I'm her husband, you idiot", rebelled Arthur almost inaudible.

Molly's eyes flashed to his and he saw surprise shining in their depths. She smiled warmly at him before replying to MacDonald.

"The healers had had trouble to heal my husband's wounds before due to the potion in his body."

"Correct", said MacDonald, beaming at Molly, and Arthur got the feeling that he was competing with him over Molly's attention.

Molly smiled and bent over Arthur's chest again. Her wand was drawn and she furrowed her brows in concentration.

"I've never seen anything like that", she whispered, carefully prodding his chest wound at the sides.

"And you a healer. Really, Molly, now I'm disappointed", joked Arthur feebly and earned himself another glare from his wife.

"Shut up", she chided softly without real vigour in it. "I need to concentrate now."

Swiftly she lifted her wand and cast a spell to heal open wounds. Arthur looked down expectantly but nothing happened. Again his wife cast the same spell and again nothing happened.

"Either I'm really rusty or it doesn't work", she mumbled.

"I hope it's the first", said Arthur carelessly and received a prod from her wand.

Molly's eyes closed briefly and when she opened them again triumph shone in them.

"I think this could work", she said and without further warning she swung her wand again.

Arthur looked at his chest again and was amazed to see the skin and the flesh underneath growing together and healing in fast motion. Molly smiled over his surprised face. Arthur, though, was very proud of his genius wife and kissed her full on the lips. Pain and discomfort were forgotten, he relished in the feel of his wife's lips under his.