The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition- Season 2 Round 2

Team: Falmouth Falcons

Author: MaryRoyale

Position: Beater #2

Prompts Used: "Hatred knows no bounds, huh.", breezy

Chosen HP Character & Action: Molly cooking

Title: The Home-maker
Official Disclaimer: The original characters of this story are the property of the J.K. Rowling. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. It is my contention that this work of fan fiction is fair use under copyright law. No monies were received for receipt of this work.

Pairing: Molly/Arthur

Rating: T
Word Count: approx. 1900

A/N: Love has been held responsible for a great many things. Love makes a house a home. Good food is always cooked with love. When I found out (through a little HP wiki searching) that the Burrow had started out life as a pig pen I had a weird little moment where all of that kind of coalesced in my head. And you lot got this story. Sorry about that…

/\/\/\/\

"A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness."
― Elsa Schiaparelli

/\/\/\/\

Ottery St. Catchpole, Spring 1969

The fact that Lucius Malfoy had an undeclared feud with Arthur was something that Molly had accepted during their years at Hogwarts. She had, perhaps foolishly, assumed that once he graduated and married Narcissa Black that he let go of his childhood rivalry and move on. Obviously she had been too optimistic.

"It's a pig pen." Molly had hoped that if she said it out loud that it would seem more real, but it hadn't worked.

Arthur flushed and scuffed the toe of his boot on the ground. He looked unbearably young in that moment, and Molly had to remind herself that they had both graduated Hogwarts last summer.

"Malfoy managed to block every house I tried to buy. I don't know how he did it, but every house I bid on either went up in price or got mysteriously yanked off the market." Arthur put his hands in his pockets and turned to look at the property.

"Hatred knows no bounds, huh." As soon as the words slipped from her mouth Molly wished she could pull them back — anything to take the crushed look off of Arthur's face.

"I'm sorry, Molly," Arthur whispered and he turned even redder.

Immediately Molly moved closer to her fiancé and slid her arm through his. The solid stone structure had probably been standing for longer than the ruins of the Tudor house that it adjoined. It had a look of survival about it. Molly nodded to herself. If Malfoy wanted to reduce them to a pig pen, fine. He couldn't make them ashamed of where they lived. Only they could do that, and Molly wouldn't let that happen.

"I love it," she declared with a firm nod. "It's got a good, solid stone foundation. Mum always says that a good foundation is important. We can make whatever we'll need."

The eager, hopeful look on Arthur's face made Molly's chest ache.

"Mollywobbles."

It was so soft she almost didn't hear it and she could feel her face heat up.

"Arthur." She looked around to make sure that no one was nearby before she pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

/\/\/\/\

Ottery St. Catchpole, Winter 1970

"There." Molly put her hands on her hips and looked around.

A few transfiguration spells, some charms, and enchantments and you couldn't even tell that it had been a pig pen. It just looked like home. Joy swelled in Molly's chest. Their wedding had been a small, quiet affair with just family attending; now she was officially Molly Weasley. A shiver went down her spine as she whispered the words to herself.

Even though their wedding had been the day before Arthur was at the Ministry bright and early in the morning. He was too young and too new in his position to be able to take any time off of work. He had apologized over and over to Molly, but she wouldn't hear any of it. This gave her the perfect opportunity to surprise him by completing all the changes he had wanted to do, but hadn't had a chance to finish.

"I don't know if having us help was any use, sis." Fabian Prewett was eyeing her house with a frown.

Gideon chuckled. "It looks more like a burrow than a house."

"Don't you dare say anything bad about my house," Molly growled at her brothers.

Fabian and Gideon held up their hands and grinned at her. "Wouldn't dream of it love."

Molly glared at them. "Why don't you lot go home. Mum's probably expecting you."

"All right, all right." Gideon laughed at her again.

Fabian sniffed with an injured air. "We can tell when we're not wanted. Can't we Gideon?"

"'Course we can," Gideon agreed.

"Wait!" Fabian was fumbling with his pockets.

Gideon grinned. "Right!" He pulled out his wand and muttered a quick Engorgio when Fabian finally held up a small paper-wrapped package.

"Oh," Molly breathed and then flushed with pleasure. Her brothers could be a right pain when they wanted to be, but they could just as easily be the most wonderful, thoughtful men alive… next to Arthur, of course.

"Well go on, open it," Fabian urged her.

It was a clock. Molly stared at it for a moment until she realized that on the two hands it read "Molly" and "Arthur", and instead of times the "Arthur" hand was pointed at "work" and the "Molly" hand was pointed at "home". The clock blurred as her eyes filled with tears. She blinked rapidly and set the clock down so that she could pull a kerchief out of her robe pocket.

"Fabian," she managed at last. "Gideon."

"Aw, she knows who we are! Bless her, it only took nineteen years," Gideon teased.

Fabian gave her a swift hug and she felt the firm press of his lips in her hair. "Still looks like a burrow," he whispered in her ear.

"Oh!" Molly smacked her brother on the shoulder and glared at the both of them while they laughed at her.

Molly fumed helplessly as her brothers teased her a bit more before they grabbed their brooms and headed home.

A burrow! Really, those two would be lucky if she didn't hex them with donkey ears. She moved into the kitchen and started banging pots and pans around. Fabian and Gideon were just too much. She scowled at the contents of her icebox and glared at the insides of her cupboards. Arthur had tried to stock their little home with everything he thought they would need, but apparently he had forgotten food. Molly sighed and closed the cupboard doors. There was nothing for it but that she would have to go to Diagon Alley and fetch a few things.

/\/\/\

The air in Diagon Alley was breezy and bitterly cold that morning and Molly tugged her cloak tightly around her as she made her way to Gringott's. Years of practice took her to the small school vault that her parents had set up for her when she was eleven. She grabbed enough to buy groceries and tucked it into her bag. On her way out of Gringott's she bumped into Lucius Malfoy.

"Well, well, well," he sneered disdainfully. "If it isn't the new Mrs. Weasley. I heard all that your husband was able to provide for you was a pig pen. You should have turned him down when you had the chance."

A red haze of rage filled Molly's vision and the electrical crackle of magic snapped around her. "Arthur is ten times the man you are." She drew herself up and glared at Malfoy. "And that pi — that burrow is ten times better than any house you might provide poor Narcissa Black."

Lucius' grey eyes narrowed on her and his lips twisted with distaste. "Things are changing Mrs. Weasley. Your new husband needs to think long and hard about his family's future."

With a brief nod Lucius stalked off leaving Molly alone and shaking. She took several deep breaths and then marched off to do her shopping. She tried to shove conversation with Malfoy to the back of her mind, but it kept niggling at the back of her mind. Things are changing. What had he meant? Was he threatening Arthur? Molly twisted her cloak in her fingers nervously before shaking her head and heading to the grocer's.

Shopping for food was always soothing to Molly. She would examine the ingredients, look for what was on sale, and talk to the grocer about the quality of this or that item. Malfoy was pushed to the back of her mind as she prodded potatoes and peered at onions.

"Good afternoon Miss Prewett," the butcher said cheerfully.

Molly blushed. "It's Mrs. Weasley now," she informed him with a shy smile.

He grinned at her. "That's brilliant news Mrs. Weasley!"

The butcher insisted that she take a small roast "as a wedding present". He wouldn't take no for an answer and when she tried to argue he added a pound of beef bones for soup. Molly blushed and stuttered, but she ended up leaving the shop with a leg of lamb and soup bones. A brief trip to Ottery St. Catchpole dairy to begin milk service and Molly was back at her pig pen.

Molly's lips curved into a happy smile as she bustled about her new kitchen. Fine, Fabian and Gideon won. Her burrow. It felt snug and safe like a burrow so she supposed that it worked.

Being in the kitchen had always made Molly happy. Making food for other people — giving a part of herself to those she loved — nothing else made her as contented as cooking. This meal was even more special than any other she had ever made because it was for Arthur and it was their first meal in their new home. She turned on the wizard wireless and began to sing along with Celestina Warbeck as she peeled potatoes and quartered onions.

The afternoon passed quickly once Molly began cooking and soon the Burrow was filled with the delicious scent of rosemary and roasting lamb. The thick muscles of her arms stood out in sharp relief as she kneaded dough. Some would become rolls for tonight's dinner, but a stasis spell on the rest would make fresh bread tomorrow morning.

In the spring she would plant fruit-bearing trees that she could use to make jams and pies. She had also scouted out a spot for a kitchen garden to help keep grocery costs down. Molly knew the value of a galleon and her mother and grandmother had raised her to be resourceful.

/\/\/\/\

Arthur was late. Molly frowned worriedly and eyed the new clock that Fabian and Gideon had given her. The 'Arthur' hand was still firmly fixed on 'work'. The sturdy table that Fabian had transfigured was covered with a linen tablecloth that was a present from Aunt Muriel. Molly had carefully set out the china that she had inherited from her Grandmother Prewett. The silver from Arthur's Grandmother Weasley had been polished until it gleamed in the soft candlelight. The fruits of Molly's afternoon of cooking were on the table under a carefully set stasis charm.

When Molly glanced at her new clock again she squeaked. The 'Arthur' hand had moved to 'Traveling'. She was still wearing the flour bespeckled apron and robes from earlier. She changed quickly and hurried back downstairs. The 'Arthur' hand shifted to 'home' and the Floo turned green as he stepped through.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Arthur said as soon as he was clear of the grate. He paused and blinked slowly. "What's that smell?"

Molly blushed. "Dinner. Are you hungry?"

"Starving." Arthur pulled off his cloak and hung it in the closet. He stopped in the doorway. "Molly… this is amazing."

"You like it?" Molly's blush turned even darker.

"If it tastes even half as good as it looks it will be incredible." Arthur rolled his sleeves up and dispelled the stasis charm. With the first forkful he moaned indecently. "Mollywobbles."

Molly knew her face was fire-engine red. She dispelled the stasis charm on her own meal and began to eat. It had turned out quite well. Everything was done to perfection.

"Marry me?" Arthur teased her.

Molly smacked him on the arm. "Prat," she murmured fondly.