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Written for the Houses Compatition:

House: Ravenclaw

Theme: Letters

Prompts: "The first time we met, you were younger" (speech); Family wedding ring (object)

Word count: 1036

And the QLFC season 5 round 8:

Team: Tutshill Tornados

Position: Chaser 3

Prompt: [Beater 2, ChocoFrogs, Wasps]-[Arthur and Molly Weasley always competed with each other in Hogwarts, and after graduating, crossed paths and eventually married each other.]

Optional Prompts:

4. (Food) Bagel

5. (image) hellobaby. deviantart art /Running-away-from-blue-171028854

10. (quote) This is not a normal day. – Raymond Gaines, San Andreas

Dear Molly,

When we first met, you were younger. Then again, so was I. You're probably wondering why I'm writing you at work, instead of simply waiting until you got home to talk to you. It's just that, it's been a long time since I've written you a letter. True, we've been married for thirty-two years and have grown children, but still; I loved writing letters while we were still dating.

Do you remember when we first met, on the train to Hogwarts in our first year? I was convinced that we had to face a boggart. Oh how wrong I was, although I can't say I was disappointed when it turned out to be a hat. You were so happy when you were sorted into Hufflepuff. That's when we started competing, first year. Remember learning the wand lighting charm? We were the last people in our class to master it; I think we were trying so hard to beat each other that we weren't focusing enough.

And then in third year, we got into an argument about the best way to eat a bagel. Do you remember how you asked everyone you talked to in the hall how they ate them so that you could prove me wrong? Well, I suppose I never told you why more people agreed with me. It was because I asked them to. It was a ridiculous thing, how to eat a bagel! But I suppose I was still humiliated from when you beat me in a duel the week before.

Then there was Yule in fifth year when we had a present contest. I bought you those green earrings and necklace, the ones you wore to Bill and Fleur's wedding, and you got me that painting of a little girl running from blue flowers. I still have that painting you know; it's hanging here in my office. It makes me think about you whenever I look at it.

You were always so brave, although you never wanted a fight. Do you remember in seventh year when we were caught out past curfew by Mr. Pringle? I still remember your rant the next morning about how wrong corporal punishment is. You were determined never to use such harsh punishments yourself, and you never have. That was when I really fell in love with you. Although that didn't stop me from trying to one-up you. Do you remember how I used to keep score of who won each little competition? I still have that parchment. One-thousand to one-thousand and fifteen. You won.

Do you remember when we met in Diagon Alley and had ice cream at Florean Fortescue's? That was our first real date. A bright splotch of happiness in the growing chaos. Remember how much you scolded me when I stole some of your ice cream? A 'complete thief' you called me, and then you proceeded to steal twice as much of my ice cream.

This is not a normal day. It's our thirty-second anniversary. I still remember when we eloped. You were so beautiful. Even in the middle of a growing war, you still made everything beautiful. It was, and still is, the happiest day of my life. Everything seemed perfect, even our makeshift wedding rings. Do you remember when we told your parents? They were so happy. I still clearly remember the look on your face when they gave us your grandparents' wedding rings. You were simply beaming with happiness.

You're still just as beautiful now as you were then.

I love you, Molly.

Arthur

Molly set down the letter. "When we first met, you were younger," she laughed endearingly, "yes, we were certainly younger." She looked back down at the letter and read over it again. She smiled at all the happy memories that it brought back.

Still smiling softly, Molly turned and walked up the first flight of stairs in the Burrow. She entered their bedroom and grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill. Heading back down to the dining room table, Molly began to think of all the good times she and Arthur had spent together. Sitting down, she began to write.

Dear Arthur,

Do you remember in fourth year when you tried to race me in Potions and ended up in the hospital wing because your potion boiled over onto your hand? We were quite the pair in our school days. We would get into all sorts of trouble together. Like when we both tried to prank each other, but you accidentally pranked the Head Girl. I think that my prank only succeeded because Fabian and Gideon helped me plan it.

And remember in seventh year, when I convinced you to compete with me on who could take better notes in our classes? After that, we would always share our notes with each other. It was quite the clever idea of mine; it got you to stop asking to use my notes.

Or in second year when we took turns trying to guess what each other's favourite things were. You never did guess what my favourite season is, did you? We had so much fun in school, always trying to beat each other. I think I fell in love with you long before seventh year. We should get ice cream again sometime. Or perhaps go to a Muggle museum, you'd like that.

It seems like only yesterday that Bill was born. He was so tiny. Now he has a growing family of his own. They grow up so fast, don't they? Can you believe it's only been thirty-three years since we graduated? It seems like such a short time, but a lot of things have happened since then. Voldemort was defeated for good, our children all went to Hogwarts, and have begun having their own children. But I suppose that's just how time works, isn't it? It goes fast when you want it to go slow, and it goes slow when you want it to go fast.

Well, either way, I'd never trade any of it for anything. Especially not any of the time spent with you and the children. I love you, Arthur, I love you very much.

Love,

Molly