Summary: Remus, George and Ginny play a game of "Truth or Dare."
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my sick imagination.
"You have a completely twisted sense of humor, you know that?" Remus asked the redhead before him.
"And you're my sister's best friend, so you have to put up with me," George replied, smirking. "Besides, you're avoiding the subject."
"Fine," Remus grumbled in return. "I'll take the dare."
Ginny grinned and giggled. George eyed her carefully while in thought, stealing glances back at Remus.
Remus, Ginny and her brothers had been playing a game of Truth or Dare to pass the time at Ginny's flat on the hot summer's night. Most everybody had gone home for the night, exhausted from the day, but Ginny was well-rested after a nap that afternoon upon returning from Puddlemere's Quidditch practice.
Remus looked uncertainly at the wizard before him. Ever since he and Ginny had spent four hours trapped at the World Series together, they'd become quite good friends. Consequently, he'd spent a number of hours around the Weasleys, and he knew whenever one of the twins had that devious look on his face, he should be afraid…very afraid.
"I've got it!" George finally announced.
"What?" Remus asked warily. Ginny's eyes were wide with excitement. Embarrassing her good friend was one of her favorite pastimes.
"You have to do a stripping dance," George said casually.
"WHAT?" Remus bellowed.
"To music," George added.
Ginny gasped loudly.
"No way, George," Remus said, shaking his head. "Absolutely not."
"Okay then, Truth it is," the redheaded wizard concluded. "Do you fancy anyone?" George grinned as he watched the werewolf sit before him like a caged animal. "And remember, I've Charmed the game so you can't lie," he reminded the elder wizard.
Remus appeared to think seriously about his options for several moments before he sighed resolutely.
"Can I pick my own music?" he mumbled.
Ginny sputtered with laughter until George said with a cheeky grin, "I'll let my sister pick."
The twenty-year-old witch grew alarmingly silent as she pondered her choices, while her older brother grinned at his own brilliance.
"Aerosmith," Ginny stated finally.
"Who?" George asked, his voice cracking.
"Muggle band," she answered. "Remus and I heard them in Boston at the baseball match. Hermione got me one of their albums."
She left the room to retrieve it and returned quickly, putting it into the Wireless.
"Bloody hell, Ginny," Remus complained. "What song?"
"Sweet Emotion," she replied, and Remus groaned.
George chuckled to himself. "You'd better get started," he said as the music began to play.
Ginny eyed her brother carefully. "George, did you dare him to do this because you want to see Remus starkers?" she asked.
Remus, who'd started to stand, promptly fell over, and George laughed loudly.
"Er, no, Ginny," he answered. "Just because I'm the token poofter in the family doesn't mean that I fancy every bloke around. Besides, tall, lanky and, more importantly, straight werewolves aren't my type."
"Thank the gods," Remus muttered, getting to his feet. He looked at the two Weasleys seated before him on the sofa. "Do I have to look at you?" he asked.
"I suppose not," George replied. He watched as the elder man began to unbutton his shirt. Ginny giggled next to him.
"Come on, Remus," she called. "Move that body!"
Remus glared at her, but George said, "She's right; a dare's a dare. You have to dance."
Begrudgingly, Remus began to swing his hips back and forth as he finished unbuttoning his shirt. As Ginny catcalled him, he felt a little more confident. He seductively pulled his shirt off before he reached for his belt buckle.
Ginny giggled even more next to George, something she did when she was nervous, and he smiled in satisfaction. Remus had gotten his belt unbuckled and pulled it from his trousers.
He looped it around Ginny's neck and winked at her, causing her to giggle even more. Remus undid the button of his trousers and let down the zip. Just as he was about to pull them down, he turned around and shook his posterior.
"Shake that arse!" Ginny cried through her laughter.
Remus danced backwards, moving his bum closer to Ginny. When it was right in front of her, she slapped it playfully.
"Ginny!" Remus exclaimed, turning his bright, red face to her.
"Sorry," she said sheepishly. "Keep going."
Remus turned back around to face them and wiggled his hips as he pulled his trousers down. Ginny started to blush as she caught a glimpse of Remus' blue plaid boxers underneath. She lowered her eyes as his pants slid down his long legs.
As soon as he stepped out of them, George stood.
"Well, I think I'll call it a night," he said, stretching broadly.
Remus looked at him, bewildered and relieved, but Ginny groaned.
"Upset that he didn't get to the good part?" George teased his sister.
Remus looked inquisitively at Ginny, as she flushed furiously. George took their moment of distraction to gather Remus' clothes from the floor before he turned to them and said, "I'm sure you two know what to do from here." He laughed loudly as he quickly Disapparated.
Remus' eyes went wide at the realization that he no longer had any clothes, and Ginny paled, instead of blushed.
"What did he mean, we'd 'know what to do?'" Ginny asked.
"How the hell should I know?" Remus asked irritably. "He took my ruddy clothes."
"I can transfigure you some new ones," Ginny replied huffily. She started off towards her bedroom but stopped suddenly and turned back to face him. "Why wouldn't you answer his question?"
"What question?" Remus answered, nervously shifting his weight from one leg to the other.
"His Truth question," she replied. "Do you fancy anyone?"
"Oh, that," he said stiffly. "Well, I don't know. I just didn't feel like answering it." A deep blush crept up his chest, to his neck, and finally to his face.
Ginny giggled and walked towards him. "You're blushing."
"Am not," Remus replied indignantly.
"Yes, you are," she replied firmly. She placed her hand on his chest where the blush had started. "And your heart is racing. Are you alright?"
"Your heart would race too, if you were half-naked in front of a beautiful woman," Remus immediately retorted.
Two pairs of eyes widened at each other at his words. Through his chest, Ginny could feel his heart's pulse accelerate.
Remus cleared his throat, but Ginny nervously traced patterns on his skin and bit her lower lip.
"Remus," she said slowly, "do you fancy someone?"
"Yes," he whispered. He couldn't resist being honest with her as she looked up into his eyes from beneath her dark lashes.
"Do you…fancy me?" she asked again, not lowering her gaze.
Remus lowered his eyes, carefully avoiding looking at Ginny's hand still lazily and absently drawing on his chest.
"Yes," he mumbled.
Ginny shifted her hand from his chest and brought his chin up to look directly at him.
"Really?" she asked.
Remus sighed, defeated. For almost a year, he'd managed to avoid his feelings for the young witch. Ever since their day at the World Series, he'd wanted more from their friendship, but he didn't think she would reciprocate his feelings. So he never said anything.
"Yes," he said again, more clearly. "I can't help it. You're beautiful and funny and wonderful…and young. And I'm just an old man. You couldn't possibly care for me."
Ginny bit her lip again. "Don't move," she said softly, her eyes gleaming with mischief. She darted off to her bedroom and returned moments later with something clutched in her hand. She held it out to him.
"Remember this?" she asked.
"It's the Cracker Jack ring I gave you," he said, awe evident in his voice. "You still have it?"
She nodded. "Of all the gifts you've given me, that one is my favorite," she answered. "Every time I see it, I think of you and that day when I knew I didn't want to be just your friend anymore."
"Ginny…" he breathed before leaning down to wrap his arms around her and kiss her softly.
Just as Ginny began to deepen the kiss, Remus pulled away abruptly.
"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.
"Nothing," he said, blushing again. "I just realized I'm still in my skivvies."
They laughed together before he kissed her again. As his hands tangled in her hair, Ginny began shedding her clothes.
"What're you doing?" he murmured.
"Catching up," she replied saucily. "George said we'd know what to do…"