This one's another favorite...heehee. Li'l Weasleys.
12 May 1985 – Breakfast
"Fred, George, for heaven's sake, leave Ron alone!" Molly called, as the twins chased Ron up the spiral staircase. "You have five minutes to be in your pajamas, teeth brushed, and ready for bed, or I'm going to put a Leg-Locker Curse on all three of you, and then we'll see how much you like roughhousing!" She heard shrieks of laughter from upstairs.
"Mum? D'you want me to help?" Percy's bespectacled face appeared over an upper landing; he had been in his and Ron's room for hours, reading quietly.
"You're an angel, Percy, darling, thank you!" she called. "Make sure Ronnie's got his right pajamas, please, not the ones that are too small!"
"Okay."
"Mumma?"
Molly looked around. Ginny, who looked terribly confused and upset, stood at the foot of the stairs, dressed in her bright violet footed pajamas, but—
"Oh, sweetheart," said Molly, hurrying over and kneeling down before her. "How did you get into this upside down?"
Ginny shrugged, her face crinkled with a frown. "Can't do the zippy, Mumma," she said, trying to point at it.
"Well, yes, that'll be because you've got your hands in the feet, darling," Molly replied, trying to right her daughter. "Er—"
"Hello?"
"Daddy!" Ginny shrieked, almost scrambling away from Molly's arms and running straight for the fireplace. Molly swung her up and carried her over to the fire, smiling exhaustedly at Arthur's head, floating in the flames. "Daddy!" Ginny yelled again jubilantly, as Molly held her in her lap, still trying to fix the pajamas.
"Hi, sweet pea!" he said happily. Molly appreciated his energy for Ginny; he looked tired out as well.
"When you gonna be home?" she demanded, dangling upside down from Molly's lap so that her red hair brushed the floor. "When?"
"Really soon, I promise," he said. He smiled at Molly, who didn't see. She had finally gotten Ginny sorted out, and zipped up her pajamas. Immediately, Ginny crawled happily into her lap and smiled at her father's head in the fireplace.
"Half-eleven, wasn't it?" Molly asked, wiping her brow and smiling at him.
He looked a little nervous. "I think it'll be a bit later than that, Molly. They've got us doing some extra damage control around here, I don't know what time we'll be done."
"How many Muggles saw it?" Molly asked.
"The apothecary blew up half the street," he replied. "Fortunately no one was hurt, but these people were operating it without a magical permit, so they're well into a Muggle neighborhood. A lot of them saw."
Molly shook her head. "Well, that's just—oh, how foolish!" she snapped.
"When you coming home, Daddy?" Ginny asked, sliding out of Molly's lap and kneeling on the ground. "Miss you!"
"Oh, I miss you too, sweet pea," he replied. "I'll be home tomorrow afternoon, at the very latest," he promised.
"Tomorrow afternoon!" Molly repeated. "Oh, Arthur…" As if to punctuate how much she desperately needed him to come home, she heard shrieking and laughter from upstairs, as well as some of Percy's shouting.
He winced, looking very apologetic. "I know it's Mother's Day, Molly, but—"
"Mother's Day?" she repeated. "Is it really?" She had forgotten entirely, having been too busy with the children. Even with Bill and Charlie at Hogwarts, the Burrow was loud and hectic.
Arthur looked even guiltier. "I'm so, so sorry. This couldn't have come at a worse time—"
From upstairs, there came more laughter and a very worrisome, very loud BANG. Molly looked up anxiously, but saw nothing that looked like smoke and still heard laughter. The boys hadn't wounded each other yet. Ginny immediately went bounding for the stairs.
"Hey!" she shouted. "Hey! Alla you, shh! Mumma says shh!"
Arthur smiled slightly. "She's deputized herself, I see."
"I should say so," Molly replied. "I'd better make sure all their limbs are still on."
"I'll let you go," he agreed. "Happy Mother's Day. Can I make you dinner tomorrow night, to make up for it?"
"Oh, I'll think about it," she teased tiredly. "I love you."
"Love you."
It was half an hour before Percy, Ron, Fred, and George were finally all in their beds and drifting off to sleep. Molly did one last sweep of the house. She set a massive load of laundry to washing itself and then went on her rounds, ensuring that the doors were locked, that all hands on the clock were where they ought to be, and that the children were all comfortable in their beds. She had to take off Percy's glasses; he had fallen asleep reading again. Ron was snoring impressively, so Molly turned him over onto his side and kissed him. At last, she checked on Fred and George's room, where she was unsurprised to find Ginny in Fred's bed. She often sneaked off after Molly had tucked her in to go and sleep next to one of the twins; before she could walk, Fred and George would simply take her out of her crib to their room. Molly scooped Ginny up and carried her into the little broom cupboard that Arthur was working on expanding for her bedroom, tucking her in again.
"Mumma," she murmured sleepily. She didn't want to release Molly's neck.
Molly smiled and pried her off, kissing her little hands. "Go back to sleep, Ginny, darling," she told her gently.
"Stay wit me?" Ginny asked. "Monstuhs…'n daggons."
Molly sighed and smiled. "All right," she whispered, settling down on the floor beside the little bed. "I'm right here. No dragons, I promise." Ginny nodded, still holding her hand, and started to fall asleep. It was well after midnight that Molly, having finished the laundry, dishes, and all the sweeping and dusting that she hadn't had time for during the day, finally collapsed in bed. She set her alarm clock for very early in the morning and then fell totally asleep.
"Mumma?"
She felt as though she had only just closed her eyes, but Molly forced them open. It was already morning. Sunlight streamed through the room, and Ginny sat cross-legged on the bed directly next to her, her enormous brown eyes inches from Molly's face.
"G'morning!" she said triumphantly, throwing her arms up straight in the air when she saw that Molly had opened her eyes. "Happy Mumma's Day!"
Molly chuckled, pulling herself up and leaning against the headboard for a moment to wake up more fully. "Thank you, sweetheart…you're up very early. How did you know it was Mother's Day?"
"Daddy," said Ginny matter-of-factly.
"Oh, you were listening to Daddy last night," said Molly, nodding. She smiled. "Clever girl." She pulled Ginny into her arms and gave her a kiss. "Shall we get some breakfast for you and your brothers?" Then she caught sight of the clock and yelped. It was after ten o'clock. She had slept straight through her alarm. "Oh, no—oh, no, no, no!"
"Happy Mother's Day!"
All at once, the bedroom door banged open, admitting a miniature parade led by Ron, Fred, George, and Percy, who was carrying a pot of tea very carefully. And after him came—
"Arthur!" Molly cried.
"Surprise," he said, beaming at her. "I may have exaggerated a bit last night. I turned off the alarm. Hope you don't mind." He carried a massive tray full of breakfast food, a stack of homemade cards, a small wrapped gift, and a bouquet of wildflowers. "Happy Mother's Day." He set the tray over her lap and kissed her. "To my favorite Mum."
"Got you, Mumma," Ginny giggled, cuddling close to Molly's side as the rest of the boys piled on the bed as well.
"Yes, you did," Molly laughed.