Chapter Three – Hogwarts, Year Seven
History was about to be made. Molly was about to go to King's Station to catch the Hogwart's Express by herself. Her youngest brother, Malcolm had graduated Hogwarts last school year. This was the first year she had no sibling to accompany her.
Her mother, in typical mum fashion, decided that since Molly had done the trip six times before, she no longer needed her hand held. "Mum?" Molly asked. "I'm going to leave now!" It was ten-thirty and Molly wanted to make sure she had plenty of time to find a good compartment on the train.
Her mother walked down a few flights of stairs and looked at Molly. "Dear, I'm only saying this only for your own good. If you're ever going to get a boyfriend, you really need to lose ten pounds."
Molly flushed. Since she was the only child left at home, her mother decided to spend all her time making Molly more presentable. And one of her mother's complaints was that Molly weighed too much. The truth was Molly was a healthy weight, just not the tooth pick her mother wanted. No sweets had been allowed in the house all summer. Her mother insisted that Molly start exercising everyday.
These rules had done some good; Molly's skirts had a little more room in them. But everyday Molly felt like she had failed her mother. "Don't order anything off of the trolley, and make sure you don't eat a lot at the feast tonight," her mother warned.
"Yes, Mum," Molly answered dutifully. The first thing she planned on doing on the train was buying a chocolate frog.
"Well, be off. I suppose we might see you at Christmas, unless you stay with your brother again. If we don't, have a good year, and we'll see you at graduation."
Molly hadn't been back at Christmas in two years. She planned on staying with Maddox, Marlene, Betsy and baby that would be arriving any day now. Her brothers were certainly getting married and starting families right away. Molly was now the proud aunt of two nieces and two nephews with three more on the way.
Molly picked up a handful of floo powder and scattered it among the flames, "Good-bye, Mum," she said without looking at her mother. "King's Cross Station!"
A moment later, the station appeared. Molly fell to the ground, having tried to hard to balance her trunk. "Molly, are you okay?" she heard Arthur ask.
Molly laughed, "Only thing hurt is my pride!" She took a look at her friend. Arthur had changed over the summer. He was maybe four inches taller and broader in the shoulders as well. His acne, which always was a problem for him, seemed to be clearing up nicely. He reached out his hand to help her up.
When she placed her hand in his, she felt a strange tingling sensation. "And up we go," he laughed. Molly was on her feet in a moment, but then tripped, right into Arthur's arms. He quickly put his arms around her waist to keep her from falling.
"Thank you," she whispered, looking up at him. Neither of them moved.
"It's really good to see you again, Molly," Arthur said.
Molly blushed. "Same here. Let's go find the gang," she said too cheerfully. They ran through the bricks onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Aelecia was standing right by the entrance. Molly looked at her robe, and no surprise there, Aelecia had been named Head Girl.
Molly gave her a quick hug, "I knew it would be you," she told her friend. "I expect the normal privileges that come with being the best friend of the Head Girl," she teased.
"Thanks," Aelecia said, pleased. "I'll try to find you all near the end of the journey," she said as she ran off to the train.
Molly and Arthur left their luggage near the train and went to find a compartment. Molly looked around at all of the students. "The first years look so small!" she proclaimed. "We were never that tiny, were we?"
Arthur laughed, "I know I was!" Molly giggled, remembering the small boy who became her good friend.
They settled themselves in a compartment near the front. Within minutes, Emma and Michael joined them. "Sorry lot we are, not being prefects or Head Boy or Girl," Michael joked.
Emma swatted Michael on the arm. "You're dating the Head Girl, that means you're golden."
Arthur and Molly laughed. In a move that surprised them all, Michael and Aelecia announced near the end of the last school year that they were a couple. In retrospect, it was a good match. Michael made Aelecia take life a little less seriously, and Aelecia actually made Michael strive to be something more than just a class clown.
The gang enjoyed their last trip to Hogwarts. Molly held the promise to herself and had not only one, but two chocolate frogs. "God, I love chocolate," she sighed contentedly.
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"Happy Birthday!" everyone in the Gryffindor common room cried.
Molly looked around in amazement. The common room was decorated with flashing ribbons and balloons. There was a large banner that she could tell Arthur drew that said, "Happy Birthday Molly!" In the center was a large chocolate birthday cake.
Emma ran up and gave Molly a hug, "Are you surprised? We worked so hard to keep this a secret."
Molly laughed, "I had no idea! I always say I don't want a fuss."
"Thank Arthur for this, it was all his idea," Michael said.
Molly looked at Arthur and smiled. "Thank you very much," she told him.
Arthur blushed, causing his cheeks to almost match his hair. "You're welcome. Let's cut the cake!"
The celebration lasted for hours. Students from every year wanted to be included in the fun. Well after midnight, only Arthur and Molly were left in the common room, sitting at a table.
Molly couldn't stop grinning, "This was the best birthday I ever had," she proclaimed. Molly looked at the fire, while Arthur was drawing. When the party started winding down, he ran up to his room and grabbed his notebook and started drawing.
"I think I'm ready for bed," she announced and quickly stood up, knocking over Arthur's notebook. Papers scattered everywhere. "Oh Arthur, I'm so sorry!"
Molly bent over and started picking up as many drawings as she could. "Molly, don't worry, I'll get them," Arthur cried. Molly wouldn't hear of it, and grabbed more than half. Sitting down, she started looking through the drawings. These were pictures she had never seen. Molly was puzzled; she thought Arthur showed her all of his work.
"Molly…" Arthur started to say, and then stopped. Molly continued to look through the pictures, realizing that every single drawing was of her. There was a picture of Molly laughing by the lake. Another showed her concentrating, holding a vial in the potions dungeon. The last picture showed Molly sitting in her favorite chair in the common room, looking happily into the fire.
Molly looked up at Arthur, surprised. "These are beautiful," she whispered, standing up. Arthur stood up as well. She looked up at him, when had he gotten more than a head taller than her?
"Molly…" Arthur said again, not sure of what to say.
Impulsively, she put her arms around Arthur and gave him a hug. She felt his arms wrap around her, and didn't let go. Before she realized what was happening, Molly raised her head and felt Arthur press his lips against hers. Never having been kissed before, Molly worried about what to do next. Quickly, she learned that the best thing was not to think too much.
A few minutes later, Arthur took her hand and they went to sit on a couch in front of the fire. "Molly…" he said yet again.
Molly laughed and stroked his cheek, "I know that's my name, Arthur."
Arthur took a deep breath, "Molly, I think I've loved you since I first saw you on the Hogwarts Express," he said nervously.
Molly smiled, realizing that she loved him too, just never knew it. "I love you too," Molly said shyly.
"Really?" he asked eagerly.
Molly nodded. "I do!" she said, leaning in for another kiss.
During their kiss, Molly broke into a laugh. "I am doing this wrong?" Arthur asked nervously.
"Oh no!" Molly cried, then blushed. "That was wonderful. I just realized that now, now this is the best birthday I ever had."
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The next day when Molly and Arthur told their friends there was no surprise among them. "We knew it would happen sooner or later," Emma said matter of factly.
"It's about time, mate," Michael said, slapping Arthur on the back.
"Just don't let this cut into your studying time too much," Aelecia said. "After all, this is the N.E.W.T year."
Molly and Arthur looked at each other and grinned. They knew they could accomplish anything they wanted, just as long as they were together.
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Molly never realized how close one could become to a person. Everyday, Arthur and she would talk for hours, either walking through the hallways or in the common room. Arthur's timidness and Molly's so-called bossiness was a good match. They complimented each other perfectly.
They shared many secrets. Molly learned that money in the Weasley family was very tight. His mother refused to work, and his father was unemployed a great deal of the time. Molly wasn't ready to share her secret, about the curse on the women in her family. She knew would have to eventually.
Molly was enjoying her last visit to Hogsmeade as a student. She and Arthur casually walked through the stores, holding hands and laughing. Near the end, they met up with Aelecia, Michael, Emma and Emma's new boyfriend Clarke. Everyone decided to have a shot of fire whisky to celebrate, being that they all were of age.
Nervously, Molly took her shot glass and held it up in a toast. "To us, for actually making it through seven years!"
"To us!" everyone cried. Molly gulped down the firewhiskey, feeling the liquor burn her throat. Shaking her head, she said, "That was good!"
The group started laughing. Busy talking, they barely noticed that the sixth years and younger were being rounded up. On the last trip to Hogsmeade each year, all seventh years were allowed to stay until ten o'clock at night.
"Shall we have another?" Michael asked. Molly looked at Arthur, who was quickly counting the money in his pocket. She could tell there wasn't enough for another drink.
"Yes, we shall," Molly said. "And this round is on me!"
A few hours later, the seventh years were escorted back to Hogwarts. Molly hated to admit it, but she was very tipsy. After she bought a round, Michael insisted on buying another. Followed by Emma. Then they all knew they had to stop.
As she and Arthur walked hand in hand back towards the school, Molly decided she didn't want to go inside yet. "Arthur," she whispered in his ear. "Let's go to the lagoon."
Arthur's eyes widened. "Should we? We shouldn't break any rules," he said, almost tripping over his feet.
Molly kissed his neck. "Maybe I'm feeling naughty," she giggled.
That was all the encouragement Arthur needed. Checking to make sure no teachers were watching, the pair snuck out of line and ran towards the lagoon. Molly had never seen the lagoon this late at night, it was beautiful.
She flopped down on her back and looked at the stars. Arthur lay down next to her, but instead of looking up, he laid on his side and looked at her. For almost ten minutes, the pair lay in silence.
"Only two more weeks," Arthur whispered.
Molly smiled. She was excited about leaving Hogwarts, and the challenges ahead. She had her game plan set. Maddox was being very generous and letting her move in with his family in London until she found a job. The only problem was that Arthur would be far away in Manchester.
"We'll still see each other lots, won't we Arthur?" Molly asked, suddenly worried.
He smiled at her. "Don't worry, Molly. I'm going to try to find a job in London. Then we'll be in the same town, and can see each other every day."
"I'd like that," Molly whispered. For the next hour, the two stopped talking, enjoying the privacy being at the lagoon this late offered. Only when Arthur slipped his hand underneath her shirt, did Molly pull away.
"Please, I'm not ready for that Arthur. I'm sorry," Molly pleaded, confused, because she did want to be with him that way, yet she knew she wanted to wait as well.
Arthur brought her back into his arms and stroked her hair. "Shh…don't worry. We have all the time in the world for that."
"We will get married someday, won't we Arthur?"
"Are you asking me to marry you, Molly MacKenzie?" Arthur asked.
Molly sat up and took his hand, "Well, I guess I am," she laughed.
Arthur sat up next to her and put his arm around her, "I accept your proposal of matrimony," he teased, kissing her on the nose, then bringing her in for a kiss more appropriate for a couple that was engaged.
The pair lost all track of time, laughing, talking, and planning their future together. Suddenly, hearing footsteps, they broke from their embrace. "I hear students out of bed!" called Apollyon Pringle, the school's caretaker.
Quickly, Molly and Arthur stood up and started running towards the school, hand in hand. "We're in so much trouble," Molly whispered. Molly felt something pulling her down, Arthur had tripped.
"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.
"I think I hurt my ankle," Arthur said in a strained voice. "Molly, go back to school, I don't want you caught."
Molly wasn't sure of what to do, not wanting to leave Arthur by himself. "Molly, go!" Arthur said more forcibly.
"I love you!" she said, as she started to run.
Ten minutes later, she found herself in front of the Gryffindor Common room. The Fat Lady was standing there, with her arms crossed. "Do you have any idea what time it is, young lady?" she bellowed.
"Please, please be quiet," Molly pleaded. "A teacher might hear you!"
Apparently not listening to Molly, she continued, "It is four o'clock in the morning! What ever possessed you to be out of bed this late! Do you realize how much trouble you could have gotten into?"
Molly decided to beg, "I was with Arthur, we're getting married, please don't be upset! Please!"
The Fat Lady's face softened. "Married? I knew you two would end up together, I knew it!"
Molly smiled, thinking that someday Arthur would become her husband. "Now what's the password, dear?"
"Chocolate Frog."
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Molly visited Arthur in the hospital wing the next morning. The school nurse, Madam Candide had fixed his ankle in a heartbeat. "Then why are you here, Arthur?" Molly asked.
Arthur rolled over to his side and lifted up his shirt. There were some marks on his back. "Pringle's punishment for being out of bed," he laughed. "Don't worry, Molly, I'll be out this afternoon."
News of Molly's and Arthur's engagement passed through the school quickly. Emma came up to Molly in a huff. "I have to find out you're engaged from a painting?" she asked. "Why couldn't you have told me?"
Molly was surprised, she hadn't told anyone but… "Oh Emma, I'm sorry. I told the Fat Lady, she must have spread it to other paintings." She hugged her friend. "You'll be a bridesmaid, won't you?"
Emma brightened. "Of course I will!"
The next two weeks passed very quickly, and before Molly knew it, graduation day was upon her. The ceremony was brief, but the party afterward lasted all night. Molly's entire family was there. She knew Maddox had to pull some strings to make sure all her brothers, along with their wives were there. It was no small feat, considering Molly now had seven nieces and nephews with one on the way.
She was nervous meeting her future mother-in-law, but felt she made a decent impression. Arthur's father was a very nice man, Molly was sad that such misfortune had fallen upon him.
Molly watched in awe as Arthur took her father to the side to have a chat. She knew the conversation went well when it ended in a hearty handshake and a slap on the back.
Molly looked around at her family with a joy she never knew possible. Yes, she might not be very close with them, but she knew her family would never let her down. And soon, she and Arthur would be adding to that family, with their own children.
Molly sighed as she felt Arthur slip his arms around her waist. He whispered in her ear, "Let's tell our families the good news."