You Have Been Warned

One Unbearably Hot Summer's Day

Molly was standing in the middle of her living room at the Burrow and trying to cool off. It was unbearably hot this summer and she was heavily pregnant, adding to her discomfort. She was sweaty and tired and extremely uncomfortable. Her mind was swimming from the heat and she felt very dizzy.

She had made a decision months ago. A decision she yet had to share with her children and her husband. Molly was sick and tired of this stupid side-stepping she and Arthur had been forced to indulge. Of course she understood her two eldest sons and their protectiveness but this was Arthur they were talking about. Yes, he could show a particular streak of viciousness or anger but he was NOT Lucius Malfoy and would never hurt her.

Months had gone by since they had found out that she was carrying Lucius' child. Arthur had been true to his word. He stayed with her and acted around her as he had done in her earlier pregnancies. Now she just wanted to make up with and return to some semblance of normality.

----

Arthur sighed, shoved the pile of papers in front of him away and ran his hands distractedly through his thinning hair. He hadn't been alone with his wife in five months and the constant observation from their children was starting to wear on him. They had been married for twenty-six years and two weeks, and yet he hadn't been allowed to spend some time with his wife and try to convince her that now he knew why he had come back. Suddenly, in uncharacteristic petulance, he up-ended his desk and cursed loudly, papers scattering across the room. He sat down in his chair, trying to stop himself from chucking it across the room like a four-year-old in a temper tantrum, when a voice sounded from the doorway.

"Somebody's being naughty."

Arthur froze instantly, and looked up to see his wife, covered with a light sheen of sweat, wearing loose breeches and a light shirt.

"And who will clean this up again?" she asked with a grin, closing the door behind her. "I walk into my husband's office after months of almost separation … since our children are so very protective of me … and find him in the middle of a tantrum." She slid her swollen feet out of her shoes and wriggled her toes, trying to get more comfortable. "Now he appears completely beyond words or action, which is as uncharacteristic as the earlier tantrum." Her hands reached for the neckline of her blouse and pulled it away from her sweaty skin as she continued her slow slink towards Arthur's chair. "Happy to see me?" she purred as she kissed him on the neck.

Arthur put a hand on each side of her head and looked at her. "You're really here. I didn't just doze off over these boring reports that I've been reading."

Molly smiled slyly and slipped her arms around his shoudlers, squeezing gently.

"Does it matter?" she asked huskily.

"Yes," he answered. He pushed her hair out of her face. "I'm tired of waking up from dreams and finding you've disappeared, and worse you were never really there."

She smiled sadly and wrapped her arms tight around him, burying her face in his neck.

"I missed you too."

He hugged her just as tight and kissed her shoulder. She felt his lips spread against her neck in a smile.

"What?" she asked softly.

"Now I know you're really here. In my dreams I can't touch you and," Arthur said, his smile widening.

He turned, smothering her protests with a passionate kiss. It was pure bliss to have her in his arms again without multiple sets of eyes following his every move. He knew they still had a long way to go but the first step had been made a few days ago.

----

Arthur couldn't sleep. With a groan of frustration he stood up and slowly made his way up the slightly squeaking stairs to the bedroom he usually shared with his Molly. Arthur saw a figure come slowly out of the bathroom one night and saw it walk towards his bedroom.

"Molly?"

The figure whirled, with a small yelp of fright.

"It's me", he said and saw the dark blotch of her hand press against the white of her nightgown, over her heart.

"What's the matter with you, sneaking up on me like that?" she demanded furiously but in hushed tones so she wouldn't wake the children.

"I want to talk to you."

She didn't answer, but whipped round and made off down the corridor.

"I said, I want to talk to you", he repeated more loudly, following her.

Her step slowed when she heard him approach. Then she slowly turned around again and faced him.

"You shouldn't be up walking that late at night. You have work tomorrow", she said. "I think you should go back to bed."

"All right", he said and moved solidly into the centre of the corridor in front of her. "Where?"

"Where?"

She froze, but made no pretence of not understanding.

"Down there?" He jerked his thumb down, indicating the living room. "Or here?"

"I – ah …"

"You said you'd seen a marriage of obligation and one of love. And does the one exclude the other? Look – I spent months in that godforsaken, cold camping bed, thinking. And by God, I thought. I thought of staying and I thought of going. And I stayed."

"So far. You don't know what you are getting yourself into."

"I do! And even if I did not, I know bloody well what I'd be giving up by going."

He gripped her shoulder, the light gauze of her shift coarse under his hand. She was very warm.

"I could not go and live with myself, knowing I'd left behind my wife and her … no, OUR child." His voice dropped a little. "I could not go and live without you."

She hesitated, drawing back, trying to escape his hand.

"My father …"

"Look, I'm not your bloody father! Give me credit for my own sins, at least!"

"You haven't committed any sins", she said, her voice sounding choked.

"No, and neither have you."

She looked up at him and he caught the gleam of her dark, slightly slanted eyes.

"If I hadn't …"she began.

"And if I hadn't", he interrupted roughly. "Drop it, ok? It doesn't matter what you've done – or I. I said I could love this child as my own. Take her as the child of my heart, knowing she is the blood of another man and one I have good reason to hate."

He took her again by the shoulders and gave her a little shake.

"I love you more than life. And love you enough to sacrifice my own pride."

Molly made a small, choked noise and a pang went through him at the sound but he would not release her. Slowly her head rose and her breath was warm on his face.

"We have time", he said softly and knew suddenly why it had been so important to talk to her now, here in the dark. He reached for her hand and clasped it flat against his breast.

"Do you feel it? Do you feel my heart beat?"

"Yes", she whispered and slowly brought their linked hands to her own breast, pressing his palm against the thin white gauze.

"This is our time", he said. "Until that shall stop – for one of us, for both – it is our time. Now. Will you waste it, Molly, because you are afraid?"

"No", she said and her voice was thick but clear. "I won't."

----

Arthur leaned down and kissed her forehead, smiling as he noticed the tears in her eyes. They were tears of joy now. He smiled at her and motioned for her to sit down on the couch and rest. Helping her to lift her feet up, he gently forced her to recline. Then he walked over to turn his desk right side up. He re-arranged his papers and was about to sit down when a loud thundering came at the door. He sighed, but quickly moved to the door, hoping to stop the person from disturbing Molly.

----

Lucius Malfoy was stealthily moving through the streets of London. He had cut his long hair and dyed it brown. Now he followed one of those insufferable Weasley brats around. He just had to find a way to get near Molly and kill Arthur.

----

Albus sat in the Hospital Wing on one of the beds. Suddenly he heard a frantic knock on the door. His alarms went off in his mind and he was immediately presented with a picture of Molly in pain or premature labour. Sure enough it was Arthur at the door, looking frantic.

"I need Poppy right now," Arthur said, trying to control his breathing.

"She just went into her office. She's getting some potions for me. Do you want me to get her?"

"Yes, it's Molly. Something's gone wrong with the pregnancy."

Albus' eyes widened.

"One second," he said, jumping up from the bed and running over to the door, yelling for Poppy.

"Poppy! Arthur's at the door. Something's wrong with Molly."

Poppy was instantly by his side and grabbed various bottles, vials, and pots of salve, shoving them into a bag and slinking it over her shoulder. Not bothering to put on her cloak, Poppy opened the door.

"Where is she?" she asked.

"In our room."

Poppy sprinted down the hall with Arthur close behind her.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. She's just getting terrible pains in her stomach. She's worried the baby's trying to come now."

The two burst into the room and found Molly sitting on the floor gripping Ginny's hand. Her face was pale and she was panting. Poppy kneeled down next to her and let her wand wander over her. Quickly, she used her magic to ease the contractions racking Molly's body. She saw an infection that she quickly burned away. As Molly relaxed, Poppy used her magic to look at the baby to make sure it was fine. She smiled at what she saw. When she was finished healing she said:

"Everything is going to be fine now. Molly, let's get you into bed. Slowly now, we don't want that to start again."

Ginny, Poppy and Arthur all supported Molly's weight helping her get into the bed.

"It looks like you got a small infection and that caused early labour. It's fine now. I got rid of the infection, stopped the labour and the baby is okay. However, Molly, you can't get out of bed till the baby's ready."

"What," screeched Molly. "I'm only six and half months along. That's two and a half months of sitting in bed doing nothing."

"I know," said Poppy with a grimace. "Believe me. I understand how much you dislike this, but any activity could trigger labour, and the baby wouldn't survive at this age."

"Don't worry, love. We'll find ways to keep you entertained," Arthur said, kissing her cheek.

"No love-making either," Poppy warned.

"That wasn't what I was sugg - what?! For two and a half months?" exclaimed Arthur.

Poppy narrowed her eyes.

"Excuse me, but this was already a rule. So quit your whining."

Arthur glared at her, but didn't say anything.

"We understand, Poppy", Molly said bravely and grabbed onto Arthur's hand.

Arthur smiled and put his arms around Molly, one hand resting on her belly. They both looked deeply into each other's eyes, Arthur trying to reassure the love of his life and Molly drawing on his inner strength to pull her through whatever crisis life threw at her. Albus was reassured that his wife's closest friend and her husband seemed to still love each other deeply and trusted that the child would not change that.