The Kitchens

"Should I even ask how Billy met Myrtle in the first place?" Molly laughs, because having never been in the Prefects' bathroom she doesn't really know that Myrtle goes anywhere but her own bathroom. "And hey! You, like, totally started it with the not-letting-go-of-my-hand," she says playfully. "But you know, if you're really sure your hand wouldn't rather be anywhere else or anything..." she chatters, not really realising that anybody as dirty-minded as Mya could take her words in a far less innocent way than she intends them.

"I don't know how Billy met Myrtle. Knowing him, he probably hid out in Myrtle's bathroom once and decided she was fun to talk to," Arthur says, laughing at his brother. Billy could make friends with a block of wood given the chance, and Arthur is fairly sure Myrtle had a crush on Billy. If only she knew he was gay... Teresa's mind also comes to a dirty conclusion about Molly's comment. Arthur's mind strays slightly as well, though that is primarily due to the fact he is a teenage boy. He blushes slightly as these thoughts, for he doesn't think Molly wants his hand anyway near any of those places any time soon.

"Billy must be, like, the most tolerant guy ever," Molly comments, nose wrinkled, because she long ago decided that if her options were to visit Myrtle's bathroom, or risk peeing her pants, she'd take her chances with peeing her pants. She tilts her head to the side, watching curiously as a little blush spreads over Arthur's cheeks and wondering what is causing it because she doesn't remember anything remarkable about the last few moments.

Arthur is glad that Molly does not know the reason for his blush; it makes him feel immature for immediately jumping to the dirty conclusion. Arthur doesn't think he would mind Myrtle's bathroom; she seems to like boys more than girls, so he feels he would be safe. "Billy just likes to talk to everyone. He probably was flattered by Myrtle's flirting. After all, she's probably the only girl that ever hit on him. He tends to be blantantly out," Arthur says with a laugh. Well, pink cheetah print wallpaper tends to set off most people's gaydars.

Molly shakes her head, letting the blush go because she's probably never going to figure it out. And if she did... well, who knows what she would do. She's not the most patient of people in the world, and Prewetts aren't exactly known for taking it slow so she might find herself saying a little more than she should in front of a nice guy like Arthur, whom she wants to think well of her. "I don't think Myrtle takes things like gay or straight or not interested or edging away slowly into consideration anyway," she shrugs. "I guess she must be, like, really lonely. I wonder how long she's been here for, you know?"

Well, Arthur wouldn't think less of Molly, if that's her worry... But he does, at most times, want to take things slowly with Molly. She istoo special for that. "I don't know," Arthur says, scratching his head in confusion. "I think it was around the same time the Chamber of Secret was opened; she supposedly a victim of the heir of Slytherin. Though I don't know if I believe those rumors." If only Arthur knew his future with the heir of Slytherin and his monster... "It must be awful, being a ghost." Arthur thinks that he would be very lonely as a ghost, especially if the rest of your family moved on.

Molly doesn't always think before she acts (or speaks, as we all well know) but when she looked back later, she would be upset with herself for charging in and not taking the time to get it all right with Arthur. "Oh, that! That was, like, ages ago! I think it was even, like, just a couple of years after my Mum left Hogwarts - Daddy was a few years before her. "It would be kind of sad if that was true because that's a long time to be stuck as a ghost already... I wonder if they can ever, like, go on, or if they're always always stuck."

"Yeah, my parents were at the school then too, though they don't talk about it a lot. Apparently, the school almost closed because of it," Arthur says. "I don't know if they ever move on. I think some of the ghosts here are around 1000 years old, though I think there are some that at least 3000 in some parts of Egypt. I'd have to ask Nick or something." Arthur is on friendly terms with the Gryffindor ghost, who always had a fondness for the Weasley family; if anyone would know, Nearly Headless Nick would.

"Pfft, as if Hogwarts would ever close," Molly dismisses, unable to fathom the concept of Hogwarts closing. Hogwarts is forever. It has always been around, and it will always be around, and Molly can't see it any other way. Oh Molly, you've got so much growing up to do! "OhmyGod, can you imagine? Like, hundreds and thousands of years of just floating around and talking and not being able to, like, touch anything or do anything and no hugs and just... ugh. Maybe that's why the Bloody Baron is so creepy and depressed..."

Part of Arthur will always be the child who sees Hogwarts as the impregnable safe haven where nothing bad happens and no one gets hurt, even as he see things that contradict this vision. He could see Hogwarts temporarily closing, but like Molly, he always imagines it reopening after a short while. "Maybe. Every ghost I know seems to have had a sad life or death. I wonder why he's so bloody though...ghosts aren't normally covered in blood." Arthur assumes the Bloody Baron is literally bloody; he hasn't gotten close enough to the ghost to confirm or deny that, though.

Molly, bless her innocent little heart, is a bit blinded to the darker side of Hogwarts. She knows that there are some evil and creepy people here, but somehow she never manages to make the connection that they could actually do real damage. "Oh, yeah. He is all gross and bloody and stuff," she recalls, then looks over her shoulder to make sure there's no ghosts floating around behind her at the moment. "It's weird and I would, like, totally ask him and all, but there's that whole thing where he's not much of a talker, so whatever. Maybe Nearly Headless Nick knows that, too!" she says after a moment, brightening at the thought.

Arthur has always wondered how the same school could produce such wonderful people like Molly and his other friends, yet also be home to evil gits like Malfoy. He just figures it's the difference between the houses and the pureblood ideals. Not Arthur wasn't a pureblood...he was just a blood traitor. "I don't know if Nick knows that about the Bloody Baron," Arthur says, for he wouldn't want to ask his ghostly friend a question like that. Deciding that ghosts weren't the most romantic topic, Arthur decides to change the subject. "Did you have fun tonight?" Arthur asks nervously. "I know I did."

"Maybe not. I guess that just because they're both ghosts, doesn't mean they're all friends, right? Like, just because I'm a Gryffindor girl, and a redhead, doesn't mean I'm friends with Evans," Molly muses, shrugging it off. She greams brightly at Arthur's question, thrilled that he has had fun. "I had a totally awesome time! I'm glad you liked it," she says, almost bashfully, because she put everything she had into making Arthur the perfect meal and it makes her ridiculously happy to know it worked.

"How could I not like anything having to do with you?" Arthur says with a smile. Well, discounting her brother, but that was more fear than dislike. "Thank you for the amazing dinner; it was delicious, of course. And you look really beautiful tonight." For Molly does look beautiful; she seems especially radiant tonight, though it seems like she looks more and more beautiful every time Arthur sees her.

Molly smiles back, because it seems like she can't do anything but smile when she's with Arthur these days. "You're welcome. And thank you," she says, still smiling, and gives him a peck on the cheek. She squeezes his hand. "I guess we should get back to the common room. It must be getting close to curfew by now and Filch is, like, way too excited when he catches students in the corridors. It's creepy. I totally wanna avoid that!"

"Definitely," Arthur says, shivering at the thought of Filch's wrath. "I wish Filch wasn't here...it would make things so much easier. We wouldn't have to leave." Arthur slowly turns toward and begins to walk toward it. He's not ready to go back to the common room, even though he knows that there will be many more dates with Molly.

"I think everyone would have, like, a lot more fun if Filch wasn't around. I mean, what does he even do, anyway?" Molly wonders, dawdling towards the door with Arthur. "The House Elves do all the cleaning and stuff, right, and Hagrid takes care of things outside... and Prefects and Professors patrol the halls so, like, what do they keep him for? Huh, whatever," she shrugs, walking as slowly as she can to prolong the date a few more seconds.

"I don't know. Maybe Dumbledore feels bad for him?" Arthur says. When they finally reach the door, Arthur turns to face Molly as he opens the door. "Do you want me to walk you to the common room?" he asks quickly. "We're going to the same place, so why not go together?" That, and Arthur isn't ready to leave Molly yet.

"Maybe. Dumbledore is, like, super nice about things like that," Molly agrees. "Well, yeah!" she says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "We should totally walk together." She doesn't want to leave Arthur yet, either.

Arthur gently entwines his arm with Molly, gentlying slipping his fingers between the gaps in hers. "I mean, we are going to the same place. And even if we weren't, I'd still walk with you." He smiles happily at Molly. "Dumbledore is amazingly kind; when my grandfather died, he gave my brothers and me the whole week off from classes. He even complimented my pocketwatch when he first saw it."

Molly gives Arthur's fingers a gentle squeeze as they walk back to the common room. She appreciates the sentiment, knowing he would walk her wherever she wanted to go. "That was very kind of him. He's all -what's that word?- like, compassionate. To everyone. Sometimes it's like, how are you even real, you know? It's like he doesn't have a single flaw," she says, because she really believes there is no less-than-perfect side to Dumbledore. Ah Molly, so adorably sheltered from reality...

"It does seem like Professor Dumbledore is perfect," Arthur says. He too believes that Dumbledore can do no wrong, in the naviety that comes from having a role model. He gently squeezes Molly's hand back. "So what are your plans for the summer?" he asks, smiling at Mollly. He still can't believe he's this lucky; how did he ever end up with him.

Molly just nods along in agreement. She smiles brightly. "Well this summer there is this cute redhead whose brother is opening a bar so I'm going to, like, hang out with him a whole bunch," she tells Arthur with a playful look. The smile and lightness falters and falls into a little pout when she considers what else will be happening this summer. "Other than that, not much. Giddy is totally dead set on moving out when he graduates so I guess it's not like I'll spend that much time with him or whatever."

"Well, I was hoping you would say that," Arthur says excitedly when Molly mentions spending time with him. "I'm sorry about Gideon...I'm sure he'll make time for his wonderful sister. I would if I was him. When Billy first moved out, he said he'd rarely be at home. But with his terrible cooking skills, he was back at least three times a week for dinner. Gideon might be like that." He smiles reassuringly at Molly. "As for my summer, I'm going to build a clock with a beautiful girl with two brothers who want to kill me and spend time with a beautiful girl with the most gorgeous red hair."

Molly keeps a tight hold of Arthur's hand, loving the way he tries to make her feel better. Even just his voice comforts her. "Well, Gid's not that bad a cook. Totally better than the others, anyway, and stupid me taught him enough to keep himself alive," she grumbles, cursing her stupidity. Then, she brightens again; what's the point in being sad with Arthur around? "He did say I could come visit, and that I could set up his kitchen for him so at least that'll be done right! And I like your summer plans," she adds with a smile, "although you really don't have to worry about my brothers."