A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters
This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Assignment #3 Veterinary Sciences Task #10: Ferret - write about a person or group of people sneaking around for some reason. Alt.write about someone discovering someone else's secret.
Word Count: 753
Molly Prewett smirked as she peeked around the corner. So far, no one had caught her out of bed. So far, no one had noticed her gone. Both were good things at the moment. Molly usually wasn't such a rule breaker, but tonight was different.
She'd gotten a letter from home, managed to misbrew a potion, and on top of everything, stupid Mcnair in Slytherin had made fun of her again. She clenched her fists just thinking about the big bully. Now she was sneaking around the castle at midnight. She'd chosen to wear her fuzzy slippers, figuring they'd make less nose on the stone floor. She wasn't confident enough in her abilities at casting the silencing charm yet.
"Where are you sneaking off to?"
The voice startled Molly from her thoughts. For a moment she nearly panicked but then she saw the boy standing in front of her, leaning against the wall. He was wearing his pyjamas and she could see a book sticking out of his pocket. Apparently he'd sneaked out to go to the library.
She smiled shyly. Arthur Weasley was a year ahead of her, also in Gryffindor. He was also her current crush. She quickly signed an answer, wondering if he actually knew sign language. No one else seemed to have made much of an effort to learn it.
The kitchen, she signed. Molly had been born mute, something most pure-blood families would have considered a defect. However, the Prewetts were more civilized in that aspect. Instead, they had managed to get Molly the best tutors to help her learn to communicate with the world around her.
Arthur nodded.
"Bit late for dinner, isn't it?"
I was going to get a cup of hot cocoa, it's been a day.
"I know what you mean. My idiot brothers managed to set me up and now everyone thinks I'm an idiot."
I don't. Molly signed, her face flushing nearly as red as her hair. She couldn't believe it. Arthur knew sign language, he could understand her! She felt her heart soar slightly. He was most certainly not an idiot, despite what his brothers might think. Molly knew a thing or two about annoying brothers, having two of them herself.
"That's good, you know, I wouldn't mind a cup of cocoa myself, want to walk with me?" Arthur asked, looking at Molly.
I'd love to! Hot cocoa is so much better when you're sharing it with someone. Do you like marshmallows in yours? I like the mini ones, but not the big ones.
Molly watched Arthur laugh as she signed rapidly. He held up his hands as if to surrrender.
"Sorry, I'm still not fluent, and you're speaking a bit fast?"
Sorry, she signed, moving a bit slower as she asked Arthur about marshmallows. They'd reached the kitchens. Arthur tickled the pear in the painting, stepping aside to let Molly enter first.
"I'm not a huge fan of marshmallows, but a few are alright. Too many and it kind of overpowers things," he answered.
I love them. I love watching them float and dissolve.
They found two seats and sat down using a counter top as a table as a pair of house elves scampered making them each a cup of hot cocoa. The mugs didn't match. Molly's was baby blue and Arthur's was a deep wine color with a rooster painted on it.
"You know who makes the best hot cocoa?"
No, who? Molly asked.
"There's this little place, in Hogsmeade, called the Chocolate Canary. They have all kinds of odd and fun flavors. There's even one that's kind of like fire whiskey and causes you to shoot smoke from your ears. Would you try something like that?"
I would. If someone, you know, say invited me to drink with them. It really is better sharing it.
"You've got a point there. I know! Next Hogsmeade weekend, would you like to go with me, grab some cocoa?" Arthur asked. Molly smiled brightly. She'd never dreamed in a million years he'd ask her anywhere, even it it might only be as friends for now. Friends could always become more.
I'd love to, she signed happily, taking a sip of her cocoa, glad she'd run into Arthur. Maybe things weren't so bad after all, all the bad things that had happened had led to this moment.
"Great! It's going to be fun, I promise," Arthur stated, taking a drink of his cocoa and adding a few more marshmallows, much to Molly's delight.
