“Molly Prewitt, that was the best meal I’ve had since…well, since the one you cooked for me last Sunday.  You are as blessed with cooking prowess as you are with beauty.  Further, I am utterly amazed with both your parents’ generosity and their unsurpassed patience at having you invite me into your home as often as you do.”  

“Arthur Weasley, if you were ever to think of our home as anything but yours as well, I would have to cut off your supply of moonberry pie!” Molly told him with mock severity in her voice.  It was as much to cover her embarrassed pleasure at the teen’s compliments as it was a mischievous need to tease him.

“You wouldn’t?!  You cruel, cruel girl!”  It was Arthur’s turn to pretend, this time with exaggerated horror.  Almost immediately, however, it turned into a soft smile with a world of affection in his eyes for his red-haired classmate.  “Molly…I love you.”

“You love my roast beast, garlic mashed potatoes, pumpkin tarts, dragon-cress salad and hasty pudding with caramel sauce…”

“Molly Prewitt, I love you,” Arthur repeated, slowly emphasizing each word.  “I am in love with you.  I think I have been since maybe…oh, five minutes after we met.  No, it wasn’t because of the wonderful smoked ham sandwiches that you brought to the house picnic.  I fell in love with your beautiful freckles, and your fiery temper and…  Hmm, those sandwiches were excellent though, now that I think about it.”

The small plate Molly had been holding slipped from the grasp and fell to the kitchen floor.  She didn’t seem to notice.  All the girl could do was stand there staring at her boyfriend with wide-eyed amazement.  He had said it to her aloud!  He had finally said it to her!  The tears came then, but so did the smile.

“Well don’t just stand there, kiss her you big idiot,” Molly’s brother Fabian advised before taking up a piece of pie and slipping out of the kitchen, allowing the couple to do just that.

This is how I envision the first time Arthur Weasley said those three little words to Ginny’s mother.  How and when did Harry say them to Ginny?  Was it when they were trapped in a yellow submarine at the bottom of the lake?  Was it at the Halloween feast just after Seamus’ jack-o-lantern blew up all over them?  Maybe it was when they were curled up all alone one evening in front of the Common Room’s fire.  You decide.  The possibilities and potential mischief are endless.