18 February 2030 – Birthday
"Victoire."
"The second of May."
"James."
"The fourth of December."
"Er…Teddy."
"The fourth of April."
"Hermione."
"The nineteenth of September. Really, Arthur—"
"Rose."
"The twenty-first of June. Arthur, this is pitiful."
"I'll stump you. Harry."
"Thirty-first of July—come on, I've been planning his birthday almost as long as any of the children!"
"Me."
Molly paused, putting on an expression of deep thought for a moment before she finally said, "I have no idea."
"Got you." Arthur beamed, making a face at her.
"Yes, you did, Mr. Weasley," she chuckled, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. "Now turn out the lights. I'm exhausted." She took off her glasses and set them on the bedside table.
"I've heard that playing games like that—remembering dates and things—that they're good for your mind. Stops you going senile," Arthur said earnestly, flicking his wand and removing his spectacles.
"You'll never see me forget a birthday," Molly told him, cuddling close. "But it's a pity you didn't know about all this ten years ago, you barmy old man."
Arthur laughed, kissing Molly's white hair and patting her back. "Well, it's you that has to look after me."
"I don't mind in the slightest," she told him, kissing his cheek and settling down to sleep.
Arthur sighed happily, and they were both quiet for quite a while. He looked down at Molly, whose lined face was peaceful as she fell asleep in his arms. "I have another one for you," he whispered.
The wrinkles that gently creased her forehead deepened for a moment. "Who?" she murmured, without opening her eyes.
"The fourth of November," he said, smiling.
Molly's eyes popped open. "Don't trick me."
"I'm not," he said. "Honestly."
Molly frowned. "Our only November birthday is Bill. No anniversaries. No grandchildren."
"Well, you're right about the last two," Arthur said. "It's not an anniversary, and it's not one of the grandkids, but Bill is not our only November birthday."
She frowned even more deeply. "Well, what—oh, my—Arthur!" He laughed as Molly sat up immediately, seizing her wand and flicking the lights on. "Arthur! Are you telling me the truth?"
"There's a baby coming," Arthur said, smiling mischievously. "I had a visitor while you were out today to tell me the good news—with instructions to make you guess who."
Molly looked utterly beside herself. "Don't you dare make me guess!"
"I was told that you must guess, and the responsible parties will present themselves to you tomorrow afternoon for tea and congratulations, only after you have done so," Arthur said solemnly, as Molly's smile continued to widen.
She gave a squeak of happiness and bit her lip for a moment. "Is it…a red-haired someone?"
"Yes," Arthur said.
"Oh—that's only five out," said Molly.
"Five? I'd say four," he said.
"Victoire, Louis, Roxanne, Fred, Dominique," she counted off. "Five."
"Dominique is a redhead in the right light," he told her.
"It's Dominique?" Molly cried.
"I didn't say that!"
"Oh, for heaven's sake, Arthur."
"Just play the game, Molly," he insisted.
She closed her eyes. "I'll guess….a female somebody?"
"That's not even a question," he snorted. "Of course there's a female involved!"
Molly smacked his shoulder. "You know what I mean. Is it a granddaughter?"
"There you go," he replied. "Yes. It is."
Molly clapped her hands over her mouth, giving an excited laugh. "So—it could be Dominique—or Rosie…er….Molly's not married yet…Lucy's just had the baby….Lily…" she closed her eyes. "Dominique, Rose, or Lily."
"I like flowers," Arthur said absently, and Molly rolled her eyes.
"Do you?" she asked. "Fine, then. Rose…or Lily…" She looked at him. "All right. Another clue?"
"Well…what if I said…there's more than one baby coming?" he asked.
Molly blinked, looking momentarily stunned. "Pardon me?"
"Perhaps this one person…is having two babies," he said wryly.
"T-twins," Molly said. "Twins?"
Arthur nodded once. "Twins usually happen if, say, your grandmother had twins for siblings…or, maybe if your mother had twins for siblings…or if your husband is a twin…don't you think?"
Molly's eyes went wide. "Lily…Lily's having twins?" she said breathlessly, her hand moving almost on its own to cover her heart. "Our Lily is having twins?"
Arthur beamed. "I guess you'll find out at teatime tomorrow, won't you?" He turned away and reached into the drawer on his bedside table, rummaging around. He faced her again and placed a bronze Knut in her hand.
Molly burst into tears. "I can't believe it!" she cried. "Great-grandparents! Arthur—great-grandparents, we're—we're going to be great-grandparents again!" She sobbed and hugged him tightly, throwing her arms around his neck. Arthur laughed, feeling a few tears prick his own eyes, and hugged Molly back. She sniffled into his shoulder. "We've got a wonderful family, Arthur."
He pulled back and smiled at her. "They're something, aren't they?"