Author's Notes: Thank you to Sea Isle Witch for beta reading and Brit picking. This story was originally submitted to the Amortentia and Chocolate Challenge at the Live Journal community, Romancing the Wizard.

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Arthur had taken the day off from his job as a Junior Assistant in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office to spend the day with his Molly, who had just left Hogwarts. They’d Apparated to a spot on the banks of the Otter River for the afternoon. He’d brought lunch with him, but they hadn’t gotten to that yet.

They’d been seeing each other since the February before Arthur had left Hogwarts—a year and a half ago. It was long enough. Looking down at Molly’s face, Arthur felt it in his very bones: he was meant to have her, and he was certain that his plan for today would work…if he could just quell the butterflies in his stomach.

Molly’s soft red curls were spread out on the grass where they lay under the ancient oak tree. Her eyes were dark with passionate hunger, and her mouth was reddened from his kisses. It still surprised him that he, Arthur Weasley, was the wizard who evoked the fierce need in this spitfire of a witch. The thought made him slightly jittery.

Though he very much looked forward to finding out whether he would be capable of matching Molly’s prowess when that time finally did come, Arthur reasoned that this, perhaps, was not it. Leaning up on his elbow, he kissed her fingertips. Ever the gentlemen, he tried to restrain his passion by making a suggestion. "Molly, let’s go for a walk, shall we? We, er, wouldn’t want to get too carried away, now would we, luv?”

“Oh, Arthur! No, let’s stay for a bit yet!” Molly sighed as she pulled him onto her, bringing his mouth onto hers as she ran her fingers through his hair, which was already beginning to become sparse.

He was lost.

As Molly curled one of her legs around his, Arthur ground against her, losing his own argument. Her skin was impossibly silky as he slipped a hand beneath her blouse and her satin lingerie to caress her breast.

“Arthur! Please, let’s not wait any longer!” Molly gasped as he trailed kisses down her neck. “I’ve brought a potion with me!”

“What?” Arthur stopped cold, his nervousness returning. He pulled away slightly to look at her with wonder. Oh, it was too tempting! How many times had they’d come so close? And now…perhaps….

Wriggling away, Molly reached for her bag. “It’s in here—Contraceptive Potion.” Her cheeks grew pink as she admitted, “I purchased it last week from Fawcett’s Apothecary. I thought that…well, I wanted to—” She sat up and lowered her eyes.

Arthur knelt in front of her, raising his hand to stroke her cheek. He kissed her gently and fully, moving his mouth over hers, tasting her lips. Leaning his forehead against her, he sighed. “Oh, Molly! I do love you so.”

“And I love you, Arthur! That’s why—“

In spite of her words, Arthur stood up, holding a hand out to her.

Confused, Molly’s brow furrowed. “Don’t you want to?”

Pulling her up, he hugged her, reassuring her. “Of course I do.”

“But—“

“Shhh. Come with me.”

He led her away from the river to a gravelled road. Putting his arm around her shoulders, Arthur pulled her close and said, “There’s something I want you to see.” All that was heard was the sound of their shoes crunching on the lane. Molly was quiet, and Arthur knew she was mystified. Momentarily hurt, perhaps, Arthur thought, but soon she’ll understand.

A short distance down the road, Arthur led her through a dense thicket. The earthy odour of mouldering leaves enveloped them as Arthur pushed the branches aside for Molly. As they finally entered a clearing, the sun could be seen beginning its nightly descent over the hills. There, in front of them, was a ramshackle, tumble-down cottage.

“What is this place?” Molly asked, regarding the grounds dubiously. Overgrown vines covered the barnyard, and one corner of the guinea hutch had crumbled in.

“It’s a house, of course, which I just purchased.” Arthur pushed a hand into his pocket, feeling around.

“You bought….this house?” Molly looked as though she were trying to understand his motivation.

“Yes, I did.” Arthur tipped her chin up. “For us, Mollywobbles.”

“Us?”

As his heart fluttered, Arthur ran a hand through his hair. He paced in a circle as he spoke quickly. “Yes, listen, I know that there aren’t very many wizarding neighbors nearby which is a bit frightening given the times in which we live. You might think that that this place doesn’t offer us much protection, but you see, I’ve fortified it with protective spells. I’ve even installed a potent Muggle-repelling charm so we shan’t be bothered by the villagers. I dare say that even the postman won’t realise we’re here!” Arthur stopped his pacing and turned to her, holding his hands out her. Softly, he explained, “Molly, I know it doesn’t look like much, but it’s all I can afford at the moment. We can add on if we need to, you know, should children come along.”

“Children?” Molly’s eyes shone as she smiled in understanding.

“Yes…children.” Arthur dropped to one knee. “Molly Prewett, you would do me the greatest honour if you would agree to become my wife.” From his coat pocket, he pulled out a small box of Honeydukes chocolates and opened it. In the centre, where the dark chocolate-covered pumpkin cream would normally be, was an antique diamond ring. The stone glinted in the setting sun.

Molly drew a shaking hand to her mouth. Large tears slid down her cheeks. “Oh, Arthur!”

Arthur took the ring out and placed the box carefully on the ground. “It was my grandmother’s, Molly. Will you accept it?”

He slid the ring on her finger, and Molly flung her arms around Arthur’s neck, pulling his face into her breasts. “Yes, Arthur! Oh, yes! You know I’ve wanted this for so long!” Then, she too, dropped to her knees and kissed him.

Several minutes later, Arthur held her hand and led her to the house. As he fumbled with the key to unlock the front door, Molly sighed. “Our own house, Arthur!”

As the door swung open, he turned and picked Molly up, carrying her into the front room. Though the paint was peeling in places, the room had a snug, homey feel to it. Arthur put Molly down and then tapped the wall with his wand. “Dissendium!” A crack in the wall’s plaster yawned open to reveal a descending staircase. “I’ve constructed a set of underground passageways should we ever need protection or to escape—this one leads to the barn.”

“Darling, you’ve thought of everything!” Molly said proudly, squeezing his hand. “It’s a cosy, secure house. It puts me in the mind of a rabbit’s burrow! That’s it! We’ll call it ‘The Burrow!’”

“I like the sound of that!” Arthur remarked. Then, slyly, he asked, “What else shall we do like rabbits, luv?”

Molly blushed and whispered in his ear, “You’ll see.” She squeezed his bum, then turned to wander into the kitchen where a large fireplace dominated one side of the room.

Reaching up to the mantelpiece, Molly picked up a small book. “Look, darling! The former tenant left a cookbook behind.” She read the title aloud. “Fleetly Fill Your Flock: Kitchen Spells and Charms for Large Families by Madame Fecundity.”

Arthur walked to the hearth, looking over her shoulder to note, “Not quite sure we’re ready for those recipes!”

Putting down the book, Molly slid her arms around his neck. “Give me some time, Arthur.” Standing tiptoe, she kissed him. As she smoothed her hands over his chest, she said, “As for that potion, darling, I was thinking that I’d just toss it. You know, we could probably restrain ourselves a bit longer. But only a bit—let’s set a date tonight, shall we, Arthur?”

Arthur grinned, “Of course, luv, anything you want.”

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