"She's right, you know...we did let Ron stay home by himself at thirteen."
"Oh, I know that, but it's different! Ron's a boy."
Arthur chuckled, handing Molly the comb as he turned her around to face him. "Molly, darling, Ginny's a smart young lady. I think we can trust her with this." She grimaced, then sighed.
"I know we can, Arthur, I just feel so uneasy about the whole thing...ahh, no matter. Are you finished packing?" She turned towards the bed, pulling a pair of socks out of the dresser drawer and cramming it into the already over-stuffed bag.
"Yeah." He paused, then handed another pair of socks for her to pack. "Well, wait add these..." She did so silently, a worried look still on her face. Gently he gripped her by the shoulders. "Molly, listen. Ron'll be at Black's house with Harry, perfectly safe now that he's been cleared. Fred and George are fine working at that silly joke shop; you know they won't be home for a week yet! Percy's with Penelope, out on their own and, if you'll remember, expecting your first grandchild in the spring..." A tinge of pleasure tinted her cheeks as he reminded her. "Bill's safe in Egypt working for Gringotts and we're going to visit Charlie! All Weasley children accounted for!"
"But Ginny!" she protested anyway. "The youngest! The only girl! Home alone for a weekend!"
"She'll be fine, Molly!" Arthur insisted, releasing her shoulders and leaning in to kiss her gently. "I promise. Now, come on, grab your bag, Charlie's waiting."
With a frown settled firmly upon her features, she picked up her bag and followed her husband downstairs, carefully scrutinizing the clock in the living room.
MOLLY and ARTHUR pointed steadily towards HOME, though if she squinted a little she could imagine it swerved towards TRAVELING. RON was TRAVELING, GINNY was HOME (in the garden, Molly supposed), and BILL, CHARLIE, FRED, GEORGE, and PERCY were all directly on WORK. All safe; not a one even approaching MORTAL PERIL.
Molly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ginny, dear!" she called, setting down her bag and bustling to the door. "We're leaving. Come kiss your parents good bye!"
And there was Ginny, reading contentedly under a tree. She looked up, gave a huge grin, and leaped to her feet, scurrying inside and into her mother's waiting arms, hugging her tightly. "Bye, Mum--have a good time! Tell Charlie I love him!"
"Oh, I will, sweetie," she replied, returning the hug and kissing her daughter's cheek. "Have fun, Ginny, and be good. Don't disappoint us. Absolutely no one spends the night...if you need anyone, you know you can go to Percy's, or Ar- Mrs. Figg's, if things get bad. You know where I keep the pots and pans--oh, dear, be careful!" And she swept Ginny into her arms again, hugging her as if for the last time.
Arthur tapped Molly's shoulder. "Give me time to say goodbye to our brave pioneer!" he called, laughing, and swinging his giggling little girl into his arms. She kissed his cheek and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him as well.
"Have a good time, Daddy!" she giggled, then slid down to the ground and ran to pick up her book, taking up exactly where she left off. Molly watched her almost tearfully for a moment, then turned and returned inside, Arthur close behind.
"Sure grow up fast, don't they?" he verbalized her thoughts, picking up his wife's small bag and his own medium sized. "At least she's still our little girl--loves her Daddy and Mumsy and isn't afraid to show it." Gruffly he approached the fireplace. "You first, Molly..."
She nodded absently, stepping closer and taking a handful of Floo powder, throwing it into the fireplace and reciting clearly, "Dragon's Sanctuary, Romania!" and stepping in.
Her husband followed a few moments later, while their daughter read in the front yard, on her own for the first time, if only for a weekend...
