Written for the Decisions, Decisions Competition.

Pairing - Bill/Remus

Prompts - Whisper / "Do you mean it?" / Tempting

Word Count - 808

All That Matters

It started so innocently. He was someone to talk to, someone to understand the feelings of confusion and anger you were suffering. He was helpful and he listened. He knew exactly what you were going through, and at the time, you felt like you had nobody. You don't know when the feeling's began to change, you don't know when you stopped seeing him as a confidant and started seeing him as something more. You don't know, and you don't care. All you know is that you love him. For you, that's enough.

xxxx

He started to drop by in the evenings after Fleur left. At first, you thought he felt sorry for you, you thought he pitied you, and it made you angry. You lashed out at him, and the picture of hurt on his face has never left you. You never want to make him feel that way again. You apologised of course, and he came around more often again. It was like heaven to you, but you knew you couldn't tell him how he made you feel. You knew you couldn't tell him how tempting he looked, sitting in front of the fire with you, a glass of whiskey in his hand and a gentle smile on his face.

xxxx

When you look in the mirror, you see a monster, no matter how many times he has told you that you aren't. You can't find it inside yourself to believe him. You wish you could. When he asks you if you see him as a monster, you tell him not to be so stupid, and he raises an eyebrow in your direction. You understand his point, really you do, but you still can't apply the same reasoning to yourself. You think that's why you will never make a move on him. You know he's being kind, and you know he's your friend, but you also know that he could never see you in anyway other than a platonic one. No one could. That's why Fleur left you.

xxxx

You see him at Hogwarts, on that fateful night that changed the world forever. You know you must tell him how you feel, just in case one of you doesn't make it. The odds are against you, and you know the chance of survival is low. He;s about to leave the hall when you tell him, you just blurt it out, probably making yourself look like an idiot. He looks shocked, but you can't tell if it's a good thing or a bad thing, and you have to leave before you can find out. "I love you," will be the last thing he hears from you, if anything happens to either of you. You smile at the thought. Whether you looked like an idiot or not, you're glad you told him.

xxxx

The battle ends with Harry, the reluctant hero. You look around the hall, but you can't see the only person you want to. Tear's well in your eyes at the thought of him dying. You can't even process the thought that he could never answer you, could never repeat the words back to you. Before the tears can fall, a hand on your shoulder has you spinning around. He's there, and you can breath easily again. You tell yourself that even if he doesn't love you back, it's still okay, because he's alive.

xxxx

He stares at you for a moment, before you feel his lips crash to yours. The kiss is full of desperation and need, it's angry and it's passionate, and you've never felt anything so good. As he releases you, you raise your hand to your lips, full of wonder.

"I love you too," he whispers, and your heart stops.

"Do you mean it?" you whisper back, unsure of why you are whispering but doing so anyway. The smile that lights up his face is breathtakingly beautiful and you know you could stare at it for the rest of your life and die happy.

"With everything I am," he assures you, as he draws you to him, squeezing you tightly. You know he's proving to himself that you are alive, and you do the same. You've never felt so conflicted in your life, so happy and yet so sad. Lives have been lost, and here you are, engaging in public displays of affection like a lovesick teenager.

When he draws away, you can see in his eyes that he feels the same. With a sad smile, he promises to see you in a few days, when things have calmed down and you can sit and have a real talk. You agree, because while you know it's necessary, you also know that the fight has already been won.

He loves you, as you love him, and in the end, that's all that really matters.