My Hero, My Friend, My Love

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except the plot.

Warning! This chapter contains sexual situations. If that bothers you, don't read. It is done as tastefully as possible, with emphasis on the fact that two people love each other.

Chapter Fifteen: Everything

"So what's the plan, Ginny?" asked Shaine.

Ginny smiled at her friend's wife. "Well, Sirius is taking Remus out for drink with Harry, Ron and Draco after work. Then they'll bring Remus home and we'll be there with dinner ready."

Shaine giggled. "That's brilliant!"

"Yes, but we're going to have to hurry. They'll be there in an hour," Ginny replied.

Shaine shrieked and they all hurriedly apparated to Remus' flat to get started.

Almost exactly an hour later, the door opened and the men entered the flat. Remus stared at the large "Happy Birthday" banner draped across the far wall of his apartment and the two smiling ladies in front of him. He looked at Sirius, who was half-drunk.

"Happy birthday, Moony," he slurred, putting his arm around the other man's shoulders.

Ginny rolled her eyes. She went over and took Remus' hand. "We wanted to do something special for you, so the men distracted you, while Shaine and I made dinner."

"I'm speechless," he said, incredulously. Everyone laughed and went into the dining room for dinner.

When everyone was finished and the chatter had died down, Sirius stood up, wine glass in hand.

"I'd like to propose a toast," he began and everyone picked up their glasses. "To Remus Lupin, the best man in any room, including this one. Happy birthday, mate."

"Happy birthday!" the others chorused before drinking to their friend.

Everyone began to gather their things to leave. While the others were saying their farewells, Sirius pulled Ginny aside. "Tell him as soon as we leave. Don't let him argue with you. Just do it," he said encouragingly. She nodded and he hugged her. "Good luck," he whispered. Ginny was suddenly nervous.

Sirius went over to Remus as the others said good-bye to Ginny. "Padfoot, you got me this time. I had no idea," Remus said to his friend.

"Well, I'm glad. You deserve a fuss made over you every now and then," Sirius replied. He gestured towards Ginny. "I also think it's time you got the girl, for once."

Remus looked at him, confused. Sirius just grinned. "Bye," he said to the other man.

Remus and Ginny looked at each other for a while before he spoke. "Why didn't you leave with the others?" he asked.

She smiled slowly. "I haven't given you my present yet."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "And what present would that be?"

She walked towards him slowly and took his hands in hers, but leaving them down at their sides. She looked up into his eyes.

"Me."

Remus could hardly breathe. She was so close to him, their faces only inches apart, and her fingers were intertwined with his. He couldn't think straight. "What?" he asked.

"Me," she repeated. "I'm your present. I want to be yours."

"I don't understand," he said hoarsely.

She led him over to the sofa and sat down next to him. "Remus, look at me." He looked into her warm brown eyes. "I'm saying that I want to give myself to you for your birthday," she said calmly.

"But why?" he asked in disbelief.

"Because I love you, Remus John Lupin."

He had no words to respond, so he did the only natural thing. He kissed her.

As soon as she felt his lips on hers, one hand went to stroke his cheek and the other she placed on his knee. His hands were tangled in her hair, and he gently turned her head to deepen their kiss. After letting each taste the other's mouth for a while, he pulled back. "I love you too, Ginny," he said while stroking her face with his hand. "I love you more than you'll ever know."

She smiled back at him. "Good," she said confidently.

"But I still don't understand," he said slowly. This was all happening too fast for the now thirty-nine-year-old wizard.

She giggled at him. "I know," she said. "I'll explain." She cleared her throat before continuing. "Remember at my birthday party we talked about the idea of marriage?" He nodded, and she plunged on. "You said that the other woman you loved could never love you completely. Well, I do love you completely. You're the first person that knows everything about me. I have no secrets from you. I don't want to have secrets from you."

"But how can you love me completely?" he asked. "I'm a-"

"Werewolf?" she finished for him. "Yes, I know," she continued gently. "But see, the thing is, the wolf inside you is part of the man that you are, part of the man I love. How can I love the man without loving the wolf? I can't. I have to love both of you. And I do." She brought his fingers to her lips and kissed them. "I love everything about you, even the things that you don't like about yourself."

She pulled him into a standing position next to her. She kissed him again. He kissed her back passionately. She wrapped her arms around his neck to deepen the kiss. Remus broke away from her mouth and trailed light kisses up her jaw and down her neck. He kissed the joint of her neck to her shoulder and she gasped. Remus smiled to himself and continued his work there in earnest, alternating between light kisses and sucking softly. Ginny ran her fingers through his hair, barely able to contain herself. He revisited her lips with his, letting her tongue explore his mouth.

He finally pulled away from her, and they looked at each other breathlessly. "We have to stop before this goes any further," he said, as he gasped for air.

She cocked her eyebrow at him. "No, actually we don't," she said playfully.

"Yes, we do," he replied solemnly. "I desire too much from you right now. We don't have to do this. Not tonight."

"Remus," she said, as she softly stroked his arms. "I want to. I want to be with you."

"I love you, Ginny," he said burying his head in her hair and inhaling her vanilla scent.

"Then show me," she whispered. "Show me how much you love me, Remus."

He didn't need any further encouragement. He led her by the hand down the hallway to his bedroom. They entered the room, not breaking eye contact and he kicked the door closed with his foot. He drew her next to him. He looked into her eyes and asked, "Are you sure?"

Instead of answering his question, she began to slowly unbutton his black button down shirt. She looked up at him and he slowly brought his face down to hers and kissed her intensely. They became wrapped up in the kiss, but she soon remembered the unfinished business of his shirt. She finished with the buttons and pushed it down off his shoulders. Her hands lightly grazed his bare torso, and he closed his eyes, enjoying the touch of her hands on his body. She noticed a large scar on his chest, but decided to ignore it for now. She leaned into his chest and kissed across his collarbones slowly. He put a hand under her chin to bring her gaze back up to his face.

He kissed her again. "You're so beautiful," he breathed against her lips. Remus was suddenly nervous, as he had not been naked in front of a female in many years.

His trembling hands caught hers as she was about to unbuckle his belt. "I haven't done this in a very long time," he said blushing.

She gently squeezed his hands. "I've never done this before," she replied softly. She looked down at the floor. "You'll be my first."

He, again, brought her face up to look at him. "And you'll be my last, my darling."

Through fervent kisses and fumbling hands, they soon found themselves lying naked in his bed.

"I don't want to hurt you," he murmured.

"You could never hurt me, love," she said before pulling him into another kiss.

Using the kiss as a distraction, he quickly severed the only thing that separated her from becoming his. Ginny never felt more alive in her life than when they began to move together as one.

Remus felt like he was twenty years old again. Ginny's passion made him feel unbelievably energetic, and he tried as hard as he could to make this experience last as long as possible.

After several minutes, Ginny couldn't contain herself any more. An explosion rocked through her body and as she cried out in ecstasy, it pushed Remus over the edge. He moaned her name loudly as his own climax showered over him.

He lay down gently on top of her, both of them trying to catch their breath. He slowly rolled next to her and cuddled her close to him. She leaned against his chest and wrapped her arm around his waist. She kissed his chest and looked up at him, a silly smile on his face.

"Remus Lupin," she said grinning at him, "That was..." Her voice trailed off, as she had no words to describe the beautiful experience they'd just shared.

"Amazing, fantastic, earth shattering?" he suggested, stroking her cheek.

"Yes, and so much more," she replied, closing her eyes and leaning into his touch. "I love you so much, and I don't ever want this feeling to end."

He looked at her tenderly. "It doesn't ever have to. I love you too, my darling."

She giggled to herself as a realization hit. He looked at her quizzically.

"Me loving you is humorous?" he asked.

"No, I just realized that you're the only person who calls me 'darling,'" she said.

"Good, I don't want anyone else to call you that," he said.

She giggled at him and kissed his nose. "Happy birthday, Remus."

"Indeed it is," he said before rolling her onto her back and climbing atop her again.