Compilation of Hinny Works

by LegendDairy

I've got too many Hinny one-shots, and there are more coming. So they are all going to be posted here instead of individual stories. And Harry/Ginny pairings only, no others. Will be updated sporadically.

103. Character Traits of a Werewolf

For Dawnmichellem, who requested something with a werewolf Harry.

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Character Traits of a Werewolf

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His breathing had returned to normal by the time he'd gotten home but there was still this clenching in his stomach at the thought of her, he could still feel his blood racing, his desire to go back and get closer to her.

Fighting his instincts had never been so difficult before.

The key slid into the lock with more force than he usually used and it was sheer luck that it didn't break in half with how quickly he turned it.

Once inside the dark entryway he rested his back against the door, his head lolling back as well, and he let out a slow breath.

It didn't help.

Coming home and being in such familiar surroundings, he had hoped that it would ease his desire to turn back. Instead, the longing was still there.

"Harry?" Remus called out from the sitting room.

"Just a sec," he managed to get out.

Remus didn't give him 'just a sec' though, Harry could hear him rising from his chair and crossing the room. He could feel his uncle's presence in front of him, even with his eyes closed.

"You saw her again, didn't you?" It wasn't an accusation, and it wasn't quite pity either. It was understanding, and clearly bringing back the memory to his uncle of when he had found himself in this very predicament. Remus had his own 'her' that he'd been doing everything he could to avoid since they'd returned to England three years ago.

"Why can't I fight this?" Harry growled.

Remus rested his hand on Harry's shoulder. "We all have that one person. It's the side effect of our affliction."

"Over six billion people on the planet, what are the odds that I'd run into that person? And so often as well?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Considering where you work and how close that is to Diagon Alley, it isn't hard for you to catch her scent. I've been avoiding the Ministry like the plague and still I've picked up the scent of my own 'her' after I've been to the shops or in the pub. I know it feels like you're going mad, but you can fight this Harry. We both can."

Harry looked up at his uncle's tired face and wondered if he would have all the same markings when he grew to be just over forty as well, looking exhausted and like the world had forgotten him.

"Have I told you lately how grateful I am for you?"

Remus smiled softly at him then, his eyes turning adoring. "And you know how grateful I am for you as well. I don't know what my life would have turned out like had I not got you out of there when I did."

What he was talking about was the night that Harry's parent's were killed by Fenrir Greyback, along with Harry's godfather. Harry himself had only been about a year and a half old by that point, and Remus had burst into the house just in time to save him, but not before Harry had been bitten.

Having Fenrir Greyback as their pack leader, it had been painful for both of them.

Remus had been on Wolfsbane Potion that night, something Harry's mother had helped create, which had made her a target. He'd fought off Greyback and gotten Harry out of there, carrying him by the back of his onsie pyjamas. The next day he'd scrounged up what he could of his finances and ran off to America where they hid in Virginia for the next fifteen years until Harry was of age and Greyback was killed.

Remus had done what he could to find a steady job and childcare, always using the reasoning of taking Harry to visit his grandparents on the full moon as an excuse for their absences. Once Harry was old enough, he had been homeschooled and gotten a paper route, then mowed lawns, then bagged groceries, anything he could do to help with the house finances.

They were both wizards and Remus had provided him with the best tutoring in all his subjects, but there was no way he was going to be able to go to Ilvermory or Hogwarts. The exception for Remus to go to Hogwarts as a werewolf had been dangerous enough, but with Greyback still out there and looking for power, wanting to hunt down all of the people he'd turned and either have them join his war effort or kill them, it was safer to stay hidden.

Harry had been exhilarated and nervous about their move back to England. He had been given access to his family vaults and properties when he turned seventeen and now he and Remus were living in absolute comfort. Remus was working at a Muggle library and Harry found a job at a Muggle fitness center.

Things had been going swimmingly.

Then Remus had caught a whiff of an Auror while they were in the lift at the Ministry. She was short and athletic with purple hair. Thankfully Harry had been standing beside him and saw how wide his uncles eyes had gone, how rigid his stance was. By the time they got off the lift Remus had been breaking out in a sweat trying to restrain himself.

"She's the one," Remus had gasped at him once they were out of sight of anyone. He had been bent over with his hands on his knees for support. Harry had needed to physically restrain him a moment later to stop him from dashing for the stairs and tracking her down.

'The one'.

They'd both talked about it, wondered what it would be like if they ever came across their 'one', wondered if there really was such a thing since neither of them had had the overwhelming urge to stalk and claim any woman, or man for that matter, ever before.

Now they both knew it was real.

Remus' mate was an Auror named Nymphadora Tonks who knew nothing of his existence because he'd never gone back to the Ministry after that day. And Harry's was a feisty ginger that worked at her twin brothers joke shop near the end of Diagon Alley. Her name is Ginny Weasley, she still lives at home with her parents while she's saving money for a flat, which is why she is out so often; because her mum is at home and pressuring her to find a husband, so, instead, she finds any excuse to spend time with her friends elsewhere. She has the most intoxicating aroma Harry's ever come across, her smile is mesmerizing, she has honey brown eyes that he could easily lose himself in and there is this one cluster of freckles on her neck that Harry has jabbed himself in the thigh many times now in an effort to stop him from simply going over to her and licking it.

He knows all this because he does not have nearly as much restraint as his uncle does when it comes to keeping away from their mates.

"How about some dinner?" Harry asked Remus now. "I need to distract myself with something."

"Sounds like a plan."

()()()

"Five bloody pounds for a simple coffee," Ginny grumbled under her breath. She didn't understand why Hermione loved this coffee shop so much. The prices were outrageous! They could have simply gone to Hermione's flat and sat on her couch to talk about the wedding, but no, Hermione insisted on coming to this café every time they met up. As if being a Maid of Honour wasn't expensive enough, now she had to lose five quid every time they met up too.

And the coffee wasn't even that great.

The café was nice and all, and it was close to Diagon Alley, but still.

"Alright?" Hermione asked, all smiles.

"Yep," Ginny nodded and forced her own smile as she added some kind of crystalized sugar and then cinnamon flavouring to her drink. "What did you want to go over today?"

Really, she was asking 'what haven't we already gone over'.

When it came time for her own wedding she wanted to go small and simple. Maybe even potluck.

Or just get her mum to plan the whole thing and tell her when and where to show up.

So far Hermione had 'needed' her input on table cloths, Save the Date cards, invitations, caterers, colour schemes, locations, registries for her Muggle guests, the list went on and on.

And apparently Ron wasn't allowed to give his opinion on any of this.

Ten minutes later, her coffee was cold and Hermione was still going on about her approved bridal shower and bachelorette activities. Then he walked in and suddenly Ginny wasn't paying attention to a single word her soon-to-be sister-in-law was saying.

She had no idea who this guy was, but he was everywhere. She'd seen him at least five times in the last two weeks; always keeping his distance, always with this intense look on his face like he was partly in pain and partly in a dream. She didn't know if he was stalking her or if they just happened to wind up in the same places at the same time. Sometimes she swore she could feel his eyes on her, but when she looked over he wasn't looking in her direction.

He must have worked somewhere around here, that was the only explanation, and it was what she was choosing to go with.

He was not unattractive; slightly taller than her, messy dark hair, dark eyes she hadn't gotten close enough to see the colour of, she had once caught sight of a scar on his forehead. He looked like he took care of himself as well; her notice of him wasn't simply limited to his facial features.

She also knew he wasn't a Muggle, which was interesting because she didn't recognize him from school and he appeared to be about her age.

Not that she'd known everyone at Hogwarts but she'd been pretty social with a lot of the other students above and below her year.

And she would have remembered him.

"Oh, bugger, is that the time?" Hermione's voice snapped Ginny back into reality. "I've got to get back to the Ministry. Did you want to walk with me?"

"Sure," she replied brightly, happy to be getting this meeting over with. It would be easier for her to arrange the Bridal Shower with Fleur and keep that event to Hermione's standards, the bachelorette party night though, Hermione had no say in that and Ginny had plans to map that night out with Luna.

They gathered up their things and Ginny led the way out, making a point to go past her mystery man.

He looked up at them as they passed and she locked eyes with him.

Green, his eyes were a very vibrant green.

And his shirt had a small logo on it that promoted a fitness center close by.

She wanted to give him a smile, maybe even a flirty wink, but once she'd locked eyes with him she didn't find herself able to manage it. The way he was looking at her was so intense, possessive even. It gave her chills, the good kind, and brought a flush to her face.

The sensation and mental image of his eyes on her stayed with her as she walked with Hermione towards the Muggle entrance of the Ministry and hugged her farewell at the phone booth. Ginny smiled to herself as she went for a walk along the Thames. It had been a long time since she'd been this excited, nervous and giddy over someone looking at her like that.

She'd been on a few dates since Hogwarts, several of them with the same person, but nothing had stuck. It was always chalked up to the lack of foundation at a time when she was so busy trying to figure out what she was doing with her life.

It might be nice to start something with someone new.

The fitness center logo belonged to a business that she'd walked past a few times, there was a chance that he worked there.

Not knowing what her end goal was going to be, she turned in the direction of the business and started walking towards it. She was just going to see if he worked there, or maybe just worked out there.

It was a truly Muggle thing to go into a building to exercise. The only equivalent she knew of it the Wizarding world was the gym at the Ministry that the Auror's used. There was the outdoors if one wanted to go cycling, there were trails and parks if someone wanted to go walking or running, so why would they want to do that inside? She just didn't understand it.

It took a few minutes to catch sight of the big neon sign on the outside of the business, but then she was there, looking through the giant windows at all the Muggle's biking and running in place. None of them was him, and neither were the people at the desk near the front that wore the same shirt he had.

What would she say to him if they did see each other?

It had to mean something, them winding up in the same places; pubs, Diagon Alley shops, the café. Not one of the times she'd seen him had he come up to her and said 'hello'. Maybe he was shy? Intense and shy; kind of like strong and silent.

Tall, dark, handsome, strong and silent.

Ginny gave a shake of her head. She shouldn't be delving into this fantasy, what if they did meet properly and he was nothing like Mr. Darcy or Heathcliff from those romance books Hermione had leant her? It wouldn't be fair of her to put expectations on his personality. She'd had that done to her several times before and felt obligated to play a part; like with her mother wanting her to be interested in dolls and such, or her first boyfriend expecting her to simply be silent beside him and fawning over him, which she'd done for the first few weeks simply because it was exciting then that she had a boyfriend. The façade never lasted though.

She pried her eyes away from the fitness place and she found a new determination in her gait. There were things she should be prioritizing right now and orchestrating another run in with her mystery guy was not supposed to be on the top of her list; she needed to see about getting a second job, plan these parties for Hermione and keep looking for a flat or room to let that wasn't exorbitantly expensive.

The only affordable places she'd found so far had been far away from London and in Muggle buildings, which wasn't going to work at all because her current full-time job was in London at the twins shop. The commute was going to be something that would need explaining on a lease application and she didn't want to put herself in that situation.

Maybe she should waitress at a pub. A Muggle pub. The currency conversion was pretty good.

Oh, no, that wouldn't work, she would need and NIN for that and they were expensive to get. It would be a few months wages at a pub before she would break even.

She was two side streets away from Diagon Alley when she saw him. He was walking towards her.

He looked right at her for a moment, then pointedly looked away; the way a person does when they're on a sidewalk and trying not to look like they are staring at someone oncoming.

It couldn't hurt to just say 'hello', could it?

Their constant bumping into each other was getting ridiculous.

The distance started closing between them and he was poised to pass her with a reasonable spacing so they wouldn't bump elbows.

At the last second though, she side stepped into his path, unable to help the grin on her face that she'd worked up the nerve to do it.

He gave a start, stopping immediately and staring at her with wide eyes.

"Hello," Ginny started.

He said nothing, he just kept staring at her.

"Do you think the café's coffee is ridiculously overpriced as well?" she prompted.

Still, he said nothing.

Maybe he didn't speak English?

Her grin began slipping off her face. This had been a terrible mistake.

He gave a swallow and adjusted his shoulders. "Hello."

"There now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" The weight that she hadn't noticed that had settled on her chest slipped away.

"What wasn't?"

"Saying 'hello'. Since we seem to regular all the same places I figured being at the point where we could at least say hello to each other might be nice."

He was still standing very stiffly, like this conversation was painful and uncomfortable, but his lip did twitch with humor.

"Am I bothering you?" she asked outright.

He shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving her own.

"Are you sure?" He certainly looked like he would rather be someplace else.

"No, all fine."

"Fine as in, if I tell you my name, you'll tell me yours? Then maybe participate in a conversation?"

"Conversation about what?" he asked with a hint of worry.

"I understand it is a faux pas to bring up politics or religion, so anything other than that," she joked.

His stance relaxed slightly. "Harry," he offered.

"Ginny."

"The coffee is ridiculously overpriced. You would expect that if they charge that much it would at least taste better than the stuff at the off-license around the corner."

He was properly talking now!

"That might be a fun excursion, try some of the cheapest joints that London has to offer and see who can make what item the best for the lowest price," she mused. "Off-license coffee is better than café coffee and four times less the price; think there is anywhere around here that makes cheaper spaghetti bolognaise than the Spaghetti Factory?"

He shook his head at the suggestion, "I like pasta, but I don't understand this countries obsession with spaghetti bolognaise. It's just meat sauce and spaghetti; the cheapest place to get it would be in your own kitchen."

"Is that an offer?" she asked boldly. "Because I think it's too soon for you to be suggesting I come home with you."

He appeared to be dumbfounded by her flirting.

"Too forward?"

"No… just… surprising. To be clear, are you paving the way for me to ask you out?"

"Kind of. I see you everywhere and it's piqued my curiosity. I don't recognize you, and I'm sure I would if we'd gone to school together. I'm curious and," she blushed now, "a bit interested."

He hesitated.

He hesitated for too long.

"You know what, never mind," she shook her head. "Forget I said anything." She stepped out of his path then and started walking backwards towards Diagon Alley. "It's likely we'll see each other around, so, for now, bye Harry." She then turned around and picked up her pace, wanting to distance herself as far from that awkward situation as possible.

()()()

If he hadn't been working at his job for as long as he had then there would have been no way he would have been of any use to any of his colleagues this afternoon. He was on complete auto-pilot as he restocked and cleaned the changerooms and sanitized the machines. On his break he simply ran on the treadmill to try and get rid of this pent-up energy he had from seeing her again.

Not just seeing her, talking to her. And she had been the one to start up a conversation with him.

It had taken all of his will power to stand still, say a few words back and fight the urge to wrap his arms around her and snog the living daylights out of her. Unfortunately, that body language had translated into him being uninterested in seeing her again in a more private setting; a planned interlude.

When he'd gotten home that evening he relayed what had happened to Remus, who wisely suggested that he stop intentionally putting himself in her path.

So, he did.

He stopped going to the coffee shop, he started doing his potions shopping at the store in Hogsmeade instead of Diagon Alley. In fact, he avoided Diagon Alley all together.

He still longed to see her though.

Ginny, with the bright smile and balls out confidence that he was sorely lacking.

She was perfect.

He went to sleep thinking of her, he did a double take every time he saw a redhead walking down the street, he had dreams of their conversation and what might have happened if he'd said yes and brought her back to his for dinner, he'd played that fantasy out in his head many a time and it always ended with them in his bed or his shower.

It couldn't happen though. He would wind up being too rough with her, she would find out that he was a werewolf, and in the worst case scenario, he would accidentally turn her.

Weeks went by and he suffered through the longing. It was four days after the full moon and he had come home from a full day at the gym and joined Remus in the study after dinner.

"I've gotten another request again," Remus announced to him, holding up a folded piece of parchment. "She is quite adamant. Claims she is determined to show the world that we aren't all dangerous, seems to think there are two different kinds of werewolves, has a theory the constellations and their placement at the time we are turned is responsible for deciding if one is going to be the aggressive kind of werewolf."

"What?" Harry almost laughed at that. "Nothing to do with our personality, it's all about the stars? Like how our horoscope is supposed to tell us what type of person we are?"

"Precisely."

"That would make me a mix of Leo and Scorpio, wonder what that's supposed to mean."

"I think she may be putting this in the letters with the hopes that I'll agree to do an interview with her just to put her right."

"That kind of makes her a genius," Harry admitted.

Remus pursed his lips and gave him a look, "I'm not falling for that."

"Will it remain anonymous? Does she guarantee that?"

"She says she will change the names and dates for the article, the only part that will stay the same is my story and the fact that it was Greyback that turned me."

"And she doesn't know about me?"

"No one does."

Harry nodded in thought. "It could help with the stigma. Greyback is responsible for taking a lot of our freedom. There's no reason that you or I shouldn't be able to work in the Wizarding World, but we're shunned from it because of this."

"You could work in the Wizarding World," Remus said scoldingly. "You choose not to try to."

"Someone would realize eventually."

"And by that time you would have established yourself as reliable and a hard worker. You are capable, Harry, you are only working in the Muggle world because of me. And you are only at that job of yours because it keeps you busy. You don't have to work at all."

"You didn't raise me to be a lay about," Harry countered.

He saw a momentary flash of pride in his uncle's eyes then. Remus tapped the folded letter on the arm of his chair a few times. "I think I'm inclined to agree to her request this time."

"Good. We've read her other articles, the one's that aren't about made up creatures read well, she's not pressing her own opinion on the reader."

"Alright, I'll owl her back and request a time and place."

"And I'm coming with you."

()()()

She'd been looking forward to this night! They were out on the town in Brighton with light up necklaces, matching tops and Hermione was wearing a tacky veil.

The Bridal Shower had been really stuffy, like a high tea with her Auntie Muriel. This event though, they were all going to get smashed and dance the night away. They'd started with drinks in midafternoon, then found a slew of food trucks and each ate their fill of their preferred meals, then they drank some more.

Hermione had been all protests to begin with, now she was smiling and glassy-eyed as she walked ahead of Ginny, arms linked with Susan and waving at every group of blokes they passed them on the boardwalk.

"Oh, it's been ages since I tied one on like this!" Tonks grinned and linked her own arm with Ginny's.

"Same! I'm hoping we can get a few guys to buy us drinks at the bar," she said and tugged down her top so her cleavage would show some more. "Think this'll help?" she asked and struck a pose.

"I think we can definitely get some blokes to buy us drinks," Tonks winked at her and suddenly she was two cup sizes bigger.

"Awe, no fair!" Ginny complained. "I'd have to find something laying around on the beach in order to stuff my bra and all you have to do is wiggle your nose!"

They got to the next night club and Ginny walked right up to the bouncer so they could pass the line of people waiting. She'd found out about this package deal that would get all of their names on the list at three different night clubs that night and felt powerful each of the two times she'd done it so far.

An hour later and Tonks had managed to secure four guys to buy each of them, plus Luna and Hermione, two drinks. The lights in the club were low and the music was very loud. It was growing very warm and she was getting ready to find a seat when Luna came over and said she was going to pop out for a minute. Ginny thought nothing of it until twenty minutes later the rest of the group was ready to move on to the last club.

Ginny checked the bathrooms and looked up and down the beach when they got outside, she couldn't find Luna anywhere.

"What's wrong?" Tonks asked her, the rest of the girls were doing some kind of ballroom dance moves as they made their way down the beach, all completely smashed.

Ginny was on her way to being smashed also, but still completely invigorated.

"I don't know where Luna got to," she worried.

"Well, don't panic, it's Luna. She might be dipping her toes in the sea, or found an ice cream place."

"Oh! I bet there's a fish and chips place near here! She loves greasy food when she's drunk."

"She wasn't that drunk though. I've only seen her with two alcoholic drinks all night."

"What?" Ginny was sure Tonks had miscounted. They'd all been drinking for hours, Luna included.

"Yeah, she was drinking fizzy drinks or juice most of the time. Had me wondering if she might be knocked up until she finally had a cocktail at the first club, then another at this one," she thumbed at the club they had just come out of.

"Are you guys coming?!" Susan yelled back at them.

"We need to find Luna," Ginny yelled back. "You go on ahead, we'll catch up."

"That diner is open," Tonks pointed out, it was three shops down from the club. "Let's check there."

"Hold up." Ginny pulled off her shoes and let out a groan. "That is so much better." She wiggled her toes and went with Tonks to look through the diner window.

And there was Luna, at a table with two men. And she looked to be taking notes.

"What. The. Fuck," Ginny gaped. "She helped me organize this night, and she's in there doing an interview right now?!"

"Oh," Tonks purred, "who's the sexy professor?"

Ginny didn't recognize the one man that they could see. He was much too old for her, but he was only about ten years older than Tonks, and she liked the older men.

"I wonder if he's got one of those jackets with the elbow patches?" Tonks wondered excitedly and stuck her tongue out a bit through her teeth as she smiled. "Should we go in and have her introduce us?"

Tonks started forwards but Ginny held her back by her elbow. "You know how Luna is about her work. I don't want to interrupt her." Although, Ginny thought, Luna was interrupting their night of fun by stopping in the middle of it for a story. "How about we get these necklaces lit up again and make a bit of a scene out here?" she grinned. "That might get their attention."

"I'm game for that!" Tonks then held out her hand as though she was asking Ginny for a dance. "My lady."

"Oh, why you are much too kind. I'd be flattered," she giggled.

They got a few claps and whistles from passers by as they stumbled through a few dances to the music that was playing softly from the speakers outside the diner. Then Tonks attempted to get her to swing dance and they both wound up falling down and laughing.

"Imagine how much worse it would have been with my heels on!" Ginny laughed. She looked over at the diner and saw that the man Luna was interviewing had seen them. "Oh, there's your future lover! We've got his attention."

Tonks jumped up then and gave him a big grin and a bow before doing a flirtatious wave. "Er, I don't think he's quite as receptive to me as I am to him," she noted. "He's doing this intense staring thing at me. Is there something on my face?"

"Not that I can see," Ginny assured her. "Maybe he does like you, he is just powerless against your super fly moves and knows he can't compare."

Tonks snorted out a laugh.

Then Luna saw Remus staring out the window and followed his eyeline to see them there. Both she and Tonks put their hands on their hips and looked and gave a stern expression that didn't last long before they were giggling again.

Ginny's giggles stopped short when the third person at the table finally turned around and she saw who it was. "Oh, Holy fuck!" She turned around immediately and stood in front of Tonks then. "That other guy in there, his name is Harry and I met him about a month ago."

Tonks smirked at her, "I take it things went well then?"

"No! Obviously not. I'd been running into him everywhere and then essentially asked him out and he was completely not interested."

"What? Who wouldn't be interested in this face?" Tonks cupped her cheeks and looked at her adoringly.

"No, seriously! I thought he was half stalking me and then basically invited myself back to his place for spaghetti bolognaise and I haven't seen him since."

Tonks started laughing. "You scared off your own stalker?!"

"Shut up!" Ginny whined. "I'm too drunk to stop myself from saying something stupid in front of him again." Tonks had started tapping her on the shoulder. "I'd probably just wind up not saying anything at all and somehow wind up with my tongue in his mouth. And you don't seem to think that your Sexy Professor looking guy is interested in you, so let's just head on to the next club and I can down another shot and start being fun-stupid instead of stupid-stupid, and- why are you hitting me?!"

Tonks glared at her, "we are no longer alone."

Ginny's eyes went wide. "Oh, fuck," she whispered, then turned around and saw that the three of them had left the diner and were now certainly close enough to have heard her little diatribe. She moved to stand beside Tonks again and locked elbows with her in a united front. "How much of that did they hear?" she asked out of the corner of her mouth.

"He definitely got the 'sexy professor' bit you mentioned," Tonks growled.

"I now owe you a drink."

Harry looked good. Like, really good. Except, he was still doing that intense staring thing that he did, and directly at her.

"Hope I didn't keep you two waiting long," Luna told them as she walked over. "I had hoped you wouldn't notice I was missing. Is it time for the next place?"

"Yep," was all Tonks said in response.

This would have been the time for Ginny to ask Luna to introduce them, and she opened her mouth to do just that, instead, something else came out, directed right at Harry. "Would you stop staring at me like that? It's giving me mixed messages and that's not fair, because I'm too drunk to interpret it."

Harry's eyebrow rose. "We'll be on our way then. Have a fun night… Ginny."

Chills went down her spine when he said her name.

Gods, why couldn't she have run into him in the club? Then they wouldn't need to talk, they could just snog the night away while they ground up on each other a bit. Or a lot.

Harry and the other man started walking away and she found the will power to look away from them and turn to Tonks and Luna. "Alright, new objective on tonight's agenda; I need a snog. At the very least a snog. It has been way too long and I'm clearly going insane."

From behind her she heard someone calling out 'Harry, wait', then the next thing she knew she'd been turned around abruptly, and then Harry's lips were on hers. She could have sworn her heart had stopped in that moment. She was conscious of his arms around her, his weight against her chest, his lips on hers, but she couldn't breathe. It was like he was doing the breathing for her.

Then her body jolted into action and her arms wrapped around his neck, she became a very willing participant in this activity. She could feel the way his lips moved against hers now and smell the intoxicating musk that was him. Merlin, he was good at this.

Her legs actually became weak as she kissed him back.

In the background of her mind she acknowledged that someone had let out a wolf-whistle and someone else was exasperatedly saying Harry's name.

Eventually Harry pulled away, his arms still stayed where they were though, which was good because otherwise she would have fallen straight to the ground like a limp noodle.

"That's what that look meant I wanted to do," he whispered to her, it sounded primal, like a low growl.

She could only blink at him in response.

()()()

Meeting at Brighton beach late on a Saturday would not have been what they would have suggested, but since Luna did, and they didn't see the harm in it, that was when they met up with her… and realized that she had been taking a break in the middle of a hen party.

She was strange; the way she talked, her childlike expression of wonder, the light up necklace she wore that had penis shapes on it.

There was something so inherently trustworthy about her though; she got Remus talking, and in turn she wound up getting Harry talking as well.

Harry didn't know if it was just in his mind or not, but there was this scent on her that for just a moment made him wonder if he could find himself attracted to her. He didn't have a strong reaction to her like he did to Ginny, it was just the scent that had him studying her with that kind of interest.

Then he saw Remus looking out the window and how his eyes went wide, his pupils dark. Harry recognized the expression his uncles face finally settled into and it made the hairs on the back of Harry's neck stand up.

Luna was next to look out the window, then Harry followed their gaze and felt his stomach drop out.

"It look's like they have noticed my absence," Luna said as she gave her friends a wave. "I think I have everything I need for now. Would you be alright with me reaching out again if I have any more questions."

Harry couldn't respond, he could only stare at Ginny's back as she spun around to stand in front of her friend and face away from him.

"That's Nymphadora," Remus said incredibly softly so Luna wouldn't be able to hear him.

A few common characteristics of a werewolf were perfect eyesight and excellent hearing, even between full moons, so Harry heard him perfectly and balked.

"That's Ginny!" he told his uncle in response.

How were they both supposed to resist the temptation when their mates were standing together. They needed each other's support to get away from their mates!

At least this explained why he was entertaining ideas of liking Luna; he wasn't smelling her, he was smelling Ginny on her.

The three of them walked out of the diner just in time for Ginny's tirade about how she would wind up sticking her tongue in his mouth and he was barely able to restrain himself from pulling her to him so she could do just that.

How he managed to say those few words to her in farewell, it was only because of Remus' presence. His uncle was in a panic, he could tell. When they started walking away from the three ladies he could sense Remus was nearly shaking.

But, then he heard Ginny saying she needed a snog and his whole world shrunk down to his singular sense of possession he had over her.

She wasn't going to snog some random bloke that evening! Those lips of hers belonged to HIM, no one else was allowed to enjoy them.

Remus' protests were lost on him, it was too late, he was a wolf on a mission.

It had seemed like he'd only needed a single step and then he was there at her side, spinning her around to face him and taking what was his. Her lips belonged to him, her tongue, her hands, her breasts, her scent; no other man was going to appreciate her the way she deserved, only him.

When her arms wrapped around his neck he felt an overwhelming sense of relief, something indescribably good. She was kissing him back! He nearly laughed with joy against her lips, the odd thought of watching the Grinch's heart growing to twice it's size popped into his head; that was what he pictured was going on in his own chest right now.

They needed air, she had tasted so good and felt so right that he'd forgotten to breath properly.

He pulled back and looked down at her dazed expression and puckered lips. "That's what that look meant I wanted to do," he assured her.

Until then he'd been terrified that he might not be able to stop himself once he got started showing his attraction and affection for her; he'd been picturing himself losing all control and taking her savagely while she protested.

He couldn't ever hurt her though, how could he have ever thought he would hurt her?

Yes, he was incredibly aroused right now, but the urge to mark her wasn't as strong as it had been a moment ago.

He just needed some form of contact with her, he realized. A physical response that she wanted him too.

He wanted to make her spaghetti bolognaise in his kitchen.

"Yes," he blurted out.

She had simply been looking up at him, her arms still wrapped around his neck, at a loss for words. "Yes? Yes, what?"

"Spaghetti," he grinned. "I want to make you dinner."

She gapped at him and blinked a few times. "Right now?"

Harry laughed. "No, not right now. You're in the middle of a hen night."

"Oh! Right!" Ginny looked around at Luna and Nymphadora who both appeared very interested in what was going on. "Erm, when?"

"Tomorrow?"

She grinned at him. "Pick me up at Three W's at six?"

His chest constricted with joy again. She was going to be at his house, in his kitchen, and he was going to make her the most delicious spaghetti she'd ever had. He leaned down and kissed her again, this time she met him half way and he could hear Nymphadora clapping with approval. "Was this sufficient enough snogging to know you aren't going insane?" he asked as he pulled away.

"I think that'll do until tomorrow," she teased.

"That mean we get our girl back?" Nymphadora asked, grinning widely.

"I'd say I'm sorry for the interruption, but I'm not," he cheeked at her. Then, he didn't want to, but he tugged at Ginny's hands so she would release them from around his neck and gave the back of her hand a kiss. "Tomorrow," he promised.

"Tomorrow."

She looked so incredibly pleased that she was nearly glowing, and that made him deliriously happy.

"Hey," Nymphadora cut in, taking Ginny's hand to start leading her away. "Tell your sexy professor type friend there, if he ever wants to suck my face off like that, all he has to do is sack up. I like the broody and silent types."

At mention of Remus, Harry turned around to look for him, but couldn't see him anywhere.

"I'll do that," he assured her.

Then they went off in the other direction, Ginny looking over her shoulder a few times and grinning at him. He headed back towards the Apparation spot once they had gotten a fair way down the beach and went home; where he found Remus in the sitting room with a scotch already in hand.

"Ginny's coming over for dinner tomorrow," he announced and threw himself down on the couch.

"Is that the best idea?"

"It is. In fact, it's the most amazing idea there's ever been. I can't even begin to describe how good that felt. I was worried that I'd wind up hauling her off to a darkened alley or something, but the urge to do that wasn't there at all." He sat up, still grinning and dumbfounded. "She kissed me back. A few times, too. I mean, I still want her, you know, want her, but the need isn't screaming inside my head. I don't know if it's because the prospect of it is now in the works or what, but-" he cut himself off at his uncle's expression. "Don't," he warned. "Don't try and ruin this for me. Let me be happy."

"It could end so badly. What is going to happen if you do wind up claiming her as a mate, then what? She'll find out what you are, what we are, and run off scared. You'll be devastated!"

"At least I'll have tried! And she's friends with Luna, who wasn't at all scared off by the fact you're a werewolf, maybe she'd be understanding about it! And maybe Nymphadora would be too if you gave her a chance."

"Stop that."

"She called you a sexy professor type," Harry told him, finding himself smiling as he relayed it.

"What?"

"You heard Ginny. That wasn't her calling you sexy professor, that was Nymphadora's name for you. In fact, she said that if you ever wanted to snog her like I did with Ginny, that all you'd have to do is sack up."

Remus scowled at him. "I will not be ruining her life by giving in."

Harry frowned at him. "Do you think you ruined my life?"

"I wasn't the one that turned you! There was no one else that could have raised you. Fighting off Greyback and getting you out of that house was necessary. And, who better to have raised you than me? We both suffer from this."

"Suffering together for the rest of our lives, that's a cheery way to put it."

"We're both doing what we can to make the most of our lives," he drawled.

"No. I'm now doing what I can to make the most of my life. Ginny is coming over tomorrow. This might wind up being a terrible idea, but it makes me happy right now and I've been miserable without her since I first caught whiff of her scent. You can be a stubborn old man if you want to, I'm doing this and we'll just see what happens."

Remus said nothing more, he simply glowered into his scotch glass. Harry lay down on the couch again and let his thoughts return to Ginny and the kiss they'd shared.

He was going to pick her up from work tomorrow and bring her back to his for dinner, and then who knows what might happen.

()()()

Ginny woke up feeling extremely hung over the next morning. She also felt a bit trapped and suffocated, both by the heavy blanket that was on top of her and the arm and leg from the person spooning her that were keeping her locked into place.

She swatted at the hand that likely belonged to either Hermione or Tonks, but it was to no avail. A whimper escaped her as she put more energy behind freeing herself. "Gerroff!" she whispered, but it sounded more like a dull roar to her pounding headache. Still there was no movement from whomever was behind her, so she simply rolled onto her front and managed to slink to the floor, then noticed that she was in Luna's bedroom and it had been she who had snuggled into her.

Ginny smacked her mouth apart a few times and squinted around the room.

She was still wearing her clothes and one of her shoes, she then kicked it off and crawled on all fours towards Luna's bathroom.

They had planned for this and all participants of last night had been given a hangover potion, which Ginny found beside the sink and downed in one go, then lay back down on the bathroom mat and waited for the pain to go away.

The memories of the previous night were a little fuzzy after she, Tonks and Luna had got to the third club. She'd asked Luna about why she'd met up with Harry but Luna was tight lipped about it, and Ginny found she didn't care too much, because Harry had snogged the daylights out of her and she now had a date lined up.

She was grinning as she lay on her back on the bathmat and relived the kiss.

He said he'd been trying to stop himself from snogging her like that the last time they'd talked, and she didn't understand why. Well, perhaps it would have been a little presumptuous of him to simply launch himself at her then like he had last night. But now she knew she wasn't simply reading into his looks he'd been giving her.

Harry. Tall, dark, handsome, green-eyed Harry.

It was going to be hard to keep a smile off of her face today.

As she started to feel a bit better she managed to get herself into the bathtub by slinking over the side, still not feeling quite well enough to stand up, and turned on the water, gasping at the shock of cold before it turned warm. It had the effect she was looking for; she was properly awake now.

And still fully clothed.

Nine hours later she kept looking towards the door of Triple W. It was nearing closing time and Harry had said he would pick her up from work. The twins had taken off already after bugging her for details about what she and the girls had gotten up to last night all day long.

The shop hadn't been very busy today since most kids were still at Hogwarts and it was usually just parents looking for birthday gifts at this time of the year. That or Owl Orders, but those got taken care of during the week.

She chewed her lip as she front-faced all the shelves, trying desperately not to look at the front door. Then the clock chimed six p.m. and she frowned. He hadn't shown up. Maybe he was trying to play it cool and be a few minutes late.

She walked to the door and flipped over the sign so it read closed, then looked up and saw Harry was standing there on the other side of the glass.

"You like to be punctual, don't you?" she grinned as she let him in.

"I was doing everything I could not to be too early, actually."

She locked the door and switched off the main lights. "Does that mean that you were standing around the corner for ten minutes in an attempt not to look eager?"

"No," he said slowly. "Only five."

"You could have just come in," she laughed.

"I didn't want to risk being interrogated by your brothers."

That was a response she wasn't prepared for. "Well now, it seems you know more about me and my family than I know about you. And so you're aware, the only things I know is that your name is Harry, you work at a Muggle fitness center, and for whatever reason you have insight into something my friend is doing a story on. Oh, and you're an excellent snog."

"Can't tell you how glad I am that you know that last one."

"I'm pretty glad about it too." They stared at each other for a moment as they stood in the dark of the entryway. She could see that intense look in his eye again, but she couldn't let him know he was welcome to snog her all the time and let him think she was easy. "Come on, I've got to close down the rest of the place and we'll leave through the back."

He followed her through the store and she turned off lights and cast anti-theft spells as she went, then they were in the back alley. "So, you going to Side-Along me, or are you in walking distance?"

"Was planning on Side-Along. There's one small matter to attend to first."

"Oh? What's that?"

He took a step closer to her and slowly put his arm around her waist, giving her time to stop him. "I can't quite concentrate just yet."

This guy was going to be trouble, she just knew it. And she didn't really care just then; she met his lips halfway.

There was something about him that just felt so right. He was essentially a stranger, she didn't even know his surname, yet the pull she felt to lose herself in him was intense. And that intensity had her back against the side of the building with her legs locked around his waist, panting with desire not five minutes later as he'd worked his way down the nape of her neck with his lips, and the sensation of it was marvelous. She was growing dizzy with desire and wanted to skip dinner altogether and just fall into bed, any bed, they could transfigure a bed.

No! No, this was much too quick to give away the farm.

"Harry, wait!" she gasped just after he'd given her collar a nice hard suck.

He pulled back immediately and quickly lowered her legs to the ground, stepping three steps back and breathing hard. "Sorry."

"Don't be," she breathed out, trying to catch her own breath. "I liked it. It's just… we're in an alley," she swallowed, "we were supposed to, you know, chat, have dinner. Not, you know, start with dessert."

Oh fuck, had she essentially just told him she was going to shag him before the night was out?

From the lustful look in his eyes and the step towards her he took, that was exactly what he'd heard.

He took a step back again though and turned around. "Just, ahem, give me a minute."

"Yeah, yeah a minute. Sounds like a good idea." Getting him all riled up like that, she felt proud. She let the silence linger between them as he continued to stand with his back to her. A minute later and she thought he should have been calm enough now. "Perhaps we should take a slow walk to the next Apparation point?"

"Okay."

He started off ahead of her and she chuckled and caught up, choosing not to say anything saucy, or anything at all, as they walked.

By the time they had gotten up the street where they were headed, he seemed to have collected himself. He said nothing before wrapping his arm around her waist again, pointedly not looking down at her, and they swirled off into the darkness.

Once she found her footing, she saw it was a lovely cottage in the country that he lived in. "Oh, it's beautiful. Do you live here alone?"

"My uncle lives with me, but he's made himself scarce tonight."

"Was that the man you were with last night?"

He took her hand and led her down the footpath to the front door. "Yes, Remus, he raised me. I inherited this place from my parents when I came of age, so we both moved in."

"Oh, you lost your parents? I'm so sorry."

He unlocked the door with a spell and gave her a humoring smile, like he was used to that response, then opened the door. "It was a long time ago. Most of what I remember of them is from the stories my uncle has told me."

She looked around the entrance and took in the cozy interior. There were pictures on the wall of family and friends, one of which was undoubtedly of baby Harry and his parents. "Oh! Look at those chubby thighs you had," she cooed.

"I knew I should have brought you somewhere else," he joked.

"Oh, come on now. I just told you that you know much more about me than I do about you, this is only fair."

"You come from one of the most prolific families in the Wizarding World, it isn't hard to recognize a Weasley, and several of your brothers, and your father, have been mentioned in the papers from time to time."

"Yeah," she sighed. "They're all doing something with their lives." She unnecessarily straightened a picture frame as she said this.

"Hey." His hand came under her chin and he brought it to face him, "you've got dreams of your own, haven't you? What's the hurry?"

"You trying to say you know of my dreams as well?" she challenged playfully.

"Quidditch."

Her jaw dropped. "How-"

Harry put his hands up. "You aren't exactly quiet about it. I happened to have overheard you chatting about it with a friend one of those times we were at the coffee shop at the same time."

"Now this is really not fair." She crossed her arms in protest.

"Then follow me into the kitchen and you can start asking me questions while I get your dinner prepared."

He led the way to a small kitchen at the back of the house. It was only just big enough for someone to prepare and clean up after meals, it did not allow space to entertain.

"Take a seat," he pointed to a single stool, "I'll get you a glass of wine if you're interested."

"Thank you. It'll probably be my one and only drink tonight. My liver is still recovering from last night." He nodded and opened a bottle. "Then you can start to explain your accent."

As Harry cooked he told her about how after his parents were killed, he and his uncle, who was not blood, fled to America, how his mum had helped develop Wolfsbane and how Greyback had been a potential threat to his life until the Auror's had finally killed the werewolf in the Last Battle that took place in Hogsmeade three years ago. She was surprised to learn that he was a Potter, who were an influential family that had been very present in the Wizengamut until about twenty years ago.

Harry explained about how because he and Remus had been in hiding, he hadn't had access to his family vaults and they had been scrimping and surviving off of not much for most of his upbringing.

"Bad as it sounds to say it, I do think it's a good idea for affluent persons to know what it's like growing up not having much," she commented.

"It has given me a great appreciation for not needing to double check my wallet before paying for groceries," he nodded.

"I grew up on a hobby farm with only my dad working. He didn't make much, so my mum had to get really creative about clothing and feeding all of us kids. I'm glad she and my dad were so determined to keep going until they finally got a daughter, but seriously, seven kids is a lot."

"I'm pretty glad they kept going too," he grinned.

Merlin, he had such a nice smile. And it looked even better with two bowls of spaghetti in his hands.

He led the way to the dinner table, setting the bowls down and hastily clearing off some of the clutter that hadn't been tidied away on the table.

"So then, why a Muggle fitness center for your work?" she finally asked him as she twirled her fork.

"I'm a big fan of exercise and it's a straightforward job. There's not much expected of me. I'll likely get bored of it eventually, but for right now, I dunno what else I'd do. I haven't got a passion for much else besides being outside."

"There's nothing in our world that could provide the same mundane employment?"

"I'm sure there is, but the best thing about knowing about both worlds is that you don't have to commit to one or the other. What difference does it make if I work in the Muggle world or the Wizarding one," he shrugged.

"Fair point. And at least you've got the hang of all the Muggle whats-its and do-dads. My father works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department at the Ministry and he still gets a lot of things wrong."

The conversation flowed easily between them as they did their best not to make a mess of themselves while eating one of the messiest meals known to mankind, then she started helping him with the clean up.

"I really like this little cottage," she told him as she looked around. "The kitchen is a bit small, but it's all very quaint for a small family. Where are we exactly?"

"Godric's Hollow."

"Oh, so you really are immersed in both worlds." Godric's Hollow was one of only a few half-Wizarding communities in the UK.

She wandered into the front room and felt his presence behind her coming closer and closer. "So, how do you feel the date is going so far?"

"Well, I'm certainly glad I know more about you." She turned around and cupped his cheek, her ring finger trailing down the scar near his ear. "And that you've turned out to be more than just a pretty face."

"You think I've got a pretty face?"

"Pretty might be the wrong word, but it's attractive enough that you caught my attention."

"Now I just have to work on keeping it." He came closer.

"So far so good."

Then he was kissing her again and she leaned into him. Merlin, how was he so good at this? They wound up laying down on the couch and hands began wandering. It felt so good to have a man on top of her again, having his hands groping at her breast and her legs wrapped around him.

They were moving incredibly quick, but she didn't care in this moment. His hands might have been going quick, but his mouth was going slow. Her head fell back as far as the cushion would allow and he started kissing his way down her neck again. Minutes passed by and his lips and the passion they were igniting finally pushed her over the edge and she cried out.

All at once she felt incredibly relaxed, embarrassed and also ready for a proper go 'round.

He pulled his lips off of her then and she looked up at him and saw that burning lustful look again.

"Take me upstairs," she commanded.

Quick as a flash she found herself thrown over his shoulder as he hauled her out of the room and up the stairs, then tossed her on his bed. She made quick work of getting her top and bottoms off, then sat up to help him with his belt. She gaped for a moment at the sight of the impressive tent he had going on under his trousers as they hit the floor, there wasn't much time to stare though, he wrapped his arm around her waist again as he crawled on the bed with her and dragged her up to lay with him properly.

She was lost in more waves of pleasure as his mouth did amazing things on her flesh. He unhooked her bra and tossed it to the floor, next went her knickers, and his mouth kept moving south. He got as far down as her thigh before he gave a kind of primal growl and came right back up and spread her legs wide enough to accept him between them.

Her nails dug into his back as he eased himself inside her. She had to brace herself at the intrusion, it seemed like he just kept going deeper and deeper and it had been so long since she'd had a partner that she was basically revirginized.

Harry let out a string of expletives that she herself would have said if she could have found the words first.

He started out slow, thoughtfully letting her get accustomed to it, but then she wanted more, and faster.

She wasn't craving for him to make slow passionate love to her, she had an overwhelming desire to be 'taken' by him. She wanted rough, she wanted him to own her. Finding the headboard above her she pushed back against him and he quickly caught up to her pace. Walking bowlegged in the morning was going to be a given, but she didn't care. He was still sucking on her neck with one hand grasping her bum as he took her.

She slid quickly into an orgasm and wasn't quiet about letting him know he'd gotten her there. As he kept on, her blissful sensation continued until he too let go with a loud groan followed by a soft 'yes', that made her grin.

"Dessert was lovely," she sighed.

"Anytime," he panted back. "And I mean that."

()()()

Waking up with his nose buried in her hair, their bare flesh pressed together like it was, it was nirvana.

It was still hard to believe that this was reality.

She had really come to his for dinner and they'd wound up in bed together. She hadn't objected to how he'd pawed at her on the couch or when he'd caveman-style carried her up the stairs. There had been no move she'd made to stop him later last night after she'd come back from the bathroom and he'd taken her again against the wall, and there was nothing but appreciation he'd heard when he went down on her in the middle of last night either.

Sufficed to say, they hadn't gotten much sleep. Yet, he felt entirely rested.

Even if he never wound up getting the opportunity to mark her, or if she found out what he was and went running, screaming in the other direction, the memory of this night might be able to carry him out of the pool of self-pity he would fall into.

Ginny must have felt he was awake because she made a small noise and started to give a stretch, pressing herself back against him as she arched her back like a cat.

"Sleep well?" he asked, giving a kiss to her shoulder.

"Hmm, I don't think I slept much, but what I did get was pretty great."

"Do you have to go anywhere today? Can I make you breakfast?"

"Breakfast sounds good, but then I should be getting home and thinking up an excuse for my mum about why I haven't been home. I may be in my twenties now, but she'll call me a scarlet woman if I tell her the truth."

"That you were busy being ravaged all night?"

"By a man that I had just properly met, no less!"

"Regrets?"

"No, it was completely worth it."

He grinned at her again and she scooted over a bit so that she could roll onto her back and gave a wince.

"Although, it might have to be a bit before we do anymore ravishing. I'm a tad sore."

"I could try to kiss it better."

Ginny laughed. "I believe I recall waking up to you 'kissing it better' in the middle of last night. You are insatiable, aren't you?"

"I don't know when the next time is that we'll be able to spend the night together, I had to take full advantage of the opportunity."

And he was right about that. After that night, days and weeks went by with them only being able to go out for short dates, which usually involved them saying farewell by snogging passionately in shadowed corners, twice he'd come to pick her up from work and they'd started the date off with some carnal activity, but a full night together, that would involve him requesting Remus to leave for the night.

Remus had been tight lipped about the relationship ever since he'd come home after that first night and noticed Ginny's trainers were still in the entryway. He'd come to say a hello to her at least before he went upstairs and undoubtedly caught the scent in the air of their coupling; Harry was glad though that scent had lingered in his bedroom.

He had officially been christened Ginny's boyfriend when he met her friends and one of her brothers at a pub. She'd been about to introduce him to them and started with the whole 'Guys, this is Harry, he's my-' then she paused and stared at him a moment, like she needed his permission to say the next word.

If it wouldn't cause any confusion, he would have said 'life-partner' or 'soulmate', but he was fine with 'boyfriend' right now.

He'd been with her through two full moon cycles now and he'd still been able to resist the urge to mark her as his own, even when he was feeling the strongest impulse to.

Even if it wasn't for the werewolf inside of him telling him that she was it, he thought he would have figured that out on his own; she just made everything so much brighter. And she actually had a plan for her future; a goal that she was working towards. Ginny wanted to be a Quidditch Player and try out for one of the professional teams. It sounded like when she wasn't at work or with him she was practicing different maneuvers in her yard or playing a game of pick up with some of her old school teammates.

He admitted to her that he'd never played before, which resulted in him getting dragged over to her parent's house and joining her.

That also meant that he'd now been introduced to her parents, who were both very nice, but they had a lot of questions for him that he wasn't very comfortable about answering; things about how and where he grew up.

Regardless, he must have made a decent enough impression because he was invited back by her mother to join them for a family dinner.

Now that they had been officially a couple for so long, he wondered when it might be that Luna would spill the beans about Remus. The article had come out, with Remus' name changed of course, but Ginny hadn't brought it up.

Now, after three months of them being together and not getting a repeat of that first night together, he was growing antsy. It was one week before the full moon when he realized that there was a very obvious option for them to take and he'd been a complete idiot not to think of it.

A hotel room.

Ginny had been ecstatic about the idea and leapt into his arms in excitement.

Sufficed to say, they made up for lost time and opportunity that night.

And Remus had still given him a look of concern when he'd gotten home after dropping Ginny off.

"Is it that you want me to be miserable?" Harry cornered him in the kitchen.

"Harry, I would never-"

"No, don't give me that. You don't agree with me seeing Ginny, when we both know that she's it for me. You chose to shun yourself and I had been following your lead because you are who I learned everything from. I'd been trying to control myself, then Ginny was the one to step into my path and turn my life upside down. I like living in this upside-down world. It's bloody incredible."

"I only do what I can to protect you!"

"And I'm eternally grateful for that, but I'm a man now and I see how the other half lives!" he argued. "And don't tell me that if Tonks showed up at our door and got in your face that you wouldn't snog the daylights out of her."

"She's Tonks to you now, is she?" he asked jealously.

"Yeah, she is. You could even say that we're friends now. I've had dinner with her and Ginny twice, but I didn't tell you about it because I knew you would just give me that scowl. Yeah," he pointed at his uncle's face, "that's the one. And you know what? Every time I see her, she gives me a pout and say's 'awe, no sexy professor here to keep me company?'"

Remus' eye's flashed dangerously. "She doesn't know what she's talking about," he growled.

"But I do, and let me tell you, I spent a hell of a lot of time last night and this morning making sure Ginny was very happy she ever stepped into my path. She may have even thanked a deity for it a few times as well."

"I don't want your heart to be broken!" Remus yelled at him. "Twice I've been rejected by a woman I thought I loved because they found out what I was, I don't want you feeling that pain. How hard is this for you to understand?!"

"It's my heart, and at least I'm bloody using it!" Harry yelled back before stomping away and up the stairs.

He paced his room in fury for several minutes, then realized that his room was an absolute mess and set about aggressively cleaning it up.

Leave it up to Remus to dampen his otherwise wonderful day, Harry thought as he nearly ripped his pillow in half as he yanked it out of its case. Even if Ginny did find out what he was, he had it under control. He'd never missed a dose of the Wolfsbane potion, and he never would. He would never hurt her or anyone else.

She would realize that right away if she found out.

… maybe.

()()()

Harry was hiding something from her.

It was now months that they'd been together and they were seeing each other regularly; he had an open invitation to stop by The Burrow and he came by the shop regularly enough, but she'd never been into his work. Of course, that was because of her, she was worried she'd say something wrong to the Muggle's that he worked with. But also, they'd only been to his place a handful of times.

She wasn't sure that his uncle liked her, and that stung. Remus had been pleasant enough with his greetings, but it always looked like he would rather be anywhere else, and he never stayed in the same room with her long enough to have a chat.

It always looked like Harry knew exactly why Remus wouldn't stick around, but he always told her to simply not mind him.

And then there was the basement thing.

She'd been over at Harry's and made a mess in the kitchen that required a broom to clean up. She had her wand on her, but after going through her entire childhood with her mother making her clean everything up the Muggle way, some things were just instinct. The instinct that day had made her reach for the door closest to the kitchen, thinking it might be where he kept the brooms. And it was, but it was also the door that led to the basement she didn't know existed.

Harry came down the stairs and found her peering down the stairs and was quick, and slightly aggressive, about pulling her off the landing and closing the door. He made up some story about rickety steps and how it was just storage and such down there that she didn't buy for a second, but she didn't press, she just told him she still needed a broom.

He hadn't invited her back to his place since then.

This weird secret of his was the chink in their otherwise lovely relationship.

Well, that and Remus' dislike of her.

And it nagged at her. Why didn't Remus like her? Why were they hiding something at their house in the basement? And if there was something horrible or embarrassing going on in their basement, how could they possibly be comfortable with her having come over the previous times she had.

Each time she saw Harry after that she was bursting to ask him about it, but she didn't.

It was making her second guess whether she and Harry should be together for much longer.

If her parents had an issue with Harry then she would be taking their feelings into account. One or many of her brothers had a reason for not liking her previous boyfriends and that had always wound up being on of the reasons they'd called it quits.

Ginny finally got to the point where she needed to get this all off of her chest, and who better a person could one rant out their jumble of feelings to than Luna?

Luna's response had been that maybe the basement secret wasn't Harry's to tell and she should just talk to Remus about it.

And that wasn't a bad idea, it would just be an awkward one.

As she now stood in front of the cottage, full well knowing that Harry was at work, she reminded herself that she really liked Harry, maybe even loved, so this awkward conversation she was about to embark upon with Remus would be worth it.

She hadn't managed to walk all the way to the door before it opened and Remus was standing there waiting for her with an understandably quizzical expression.

"Harry is at work right now."

"I know. I came here to talk to you."

That gave him pause and the corners of his mouth drooped un further confusion, but he took a step back and let her in the house. She toed off her shoes and followed him into the sitting room.

"Not about to ask me for his hand, are you?" Remus joked.

That threw her for a moment. She'd never heard him joke before.

"Why don't you like me?" The question burst out of her.

"Excuse me?"

They were both still standing in the middle of the room, now divided by the coffee table.

"Harry and I have been together for months now and every time you see us together it's like you can't get away from me fast enough. Did I say something to offend you? Do you just hate gingers? Do you think I'm corrupting Harry somehow? What is it?"

Remus took a seat then and Ginny followed his lead.

Then another thought occurred to her. "You aren't a religious fanatic or something and against, er, pre-marital, um, relations, are you?"

He cracked a small smile then. "No, nothing like that."

"Then what? Has Harry said something about me or our relationship that makes you think you shouldn't even bother getting to know me?" It hurt just to say those words.

"No," he stated emphatically.

"Well, I just don't get it then! My parents have met Harry and done the whole embarrassing bit of showing baby pictures and telling stories of embarrassing things I've done. He's had dinner with them and most of my brothers. He's suffered through the bloody twins and their gimmicks, and let me tell you, being able to suffer those fools essentially makes him an honorary Weasley. Meanwhile," she gestured aggressively between the two of them, "it's been months and several opportunities and nothing."

There was a sad look in his eyes that overtook his surprise.

"I didn't realize it would mean so much to you to get to know me."

"Well, I know coming over here uninvited and pandering for your attention doesn't shine the best light on me, but that's just how much it bothers me. I've been Harry's girlfriend for a while now and I thought that at some point you'd want to get to know me too."

He gave a sigh. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I've nothing against you. I just don't know what I'm supposed to do when you come here with him. James and Lily would have known what to do, but I am not them. I see the two of you in the kitchen or dining room and my first instinct is to make myself scarce, not to sit down and start telling you about an incident at the park when Harry was three and summoned a toy from another child, or how many times I had to run clean clothes over to the primary school because he'd wet himself through two pairs of trousers in one morning."

A loud laugh burst out of her and she quickly covered her mouth. "He had issues with toilet training?"

Remus grinned, "he was always too wrapped up in what he was doing to realize he had to go. There was one time he realized before wetting himself and managed to make it to a potted plant."

Her jaw dropped. "No! Right in the classroom?"

He nodded. "Unfortunately, it was a plastic one as well."

"It must have been difficult raising him by yourself, and in a new country also."

"It was, but he was also my whole world and what kept me sane. It's hard to let go of the fact that he's responsible for his own decisions now. And it is also very hard to see that the way I raised him has left a lasting impression on his ability to make choices."

"You mean you don't think he's making the right choices?" she frowned, hurt by the insinuation.

"No," he assured her. "No, I mean that, had it not been me that raised him, he likely would have approached you sooner, not waited for you to take charge of the introductions."

"Excuse me?" she blinked at him.

"Ginny, we fled to America, and were essentially in hiding until Greyback was killed. From the time Harry could start understanding words I had been telling him to keep his head down and stay under anyone's notice. He never had the option to join any recreational teams or make close friends. His parents and my best friends had been murdered by Greyback and I was sure that if he found out where Lily Potter's child had wound up, that he would come find us and finish the job.

"What I am finding it hard to come to terms with is seeing the way he could have been spending his life had it not been for me."

"But, it sounds to me like he might not have had a life if it weren't for you."

"He might have," Remus inclined his head.

"Yeah, he might have, but it likely would have involved Greyback turning him and then raising him with an entirely different set of morals and making him hate wizard-kind and want to kill or turn the lot of us. Who knows how many children he did that with, and it's really terrible how many of them were killed in the last battle because they simply didn't know any other way but the one they'd had shoved down their throats. Greyback had been stealing and turning children for ages to build his army."

He regarded her curiously then, "you feel sympathy for the werewolves that were in Greyback's army?"

"Of course!" she was shocked that he would question it. "And I think the Ministry is doing a terrible job of changing people's views on it as well. Continuing to shun them from our world over something they have no control over is just prejudice, and it makes it even harder for those who want it to procure the Wolfsbane potion."

"It is nice to hear that you and I have the same views on that subject."

"You sound shocked, yet you know I'm good friends with Luna Lovegood. She did a great article on-"

Then it clicked; the meeting that Luna had taken with him and the story that she'd printed, along with what Ginny now knew of Harry's upbringing.

"You're a werewolf!" she gaped at him.

He didn't deny it.

That was a surprise, and it explained a few things as well, like the basement; that must have been where he went to transform. It was the reason that he and Harry had stayed so well hidden for so long.

But, then how had he managed to raise Harry all on his own when the full moon came around? Did he just cast a sleeping charm on him and then slip away for the night?

She leaned back properly against the couch when another piece of the puzzle locked into place as well. Greyback turned children, Harry had been a very young child when his parents had been killed, and it was after that when Remus and he fled.

"Harry's a werewolf too, isn't he?"

Again, Remus didn't deny it.

"Holy shit."

From where she was sitting she could see the door to the basement and couldn't stop herself from staring at it.

"Ginny," Remus said her name very delicately after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah?"

"Please be very gentle with him," he pleaded.

She looked away from the door then and at Remus. "Gentle with him… about what? Telling him that I know?"

"I remember the heartbreak like it was yesterday when twice the women I've loved ran off when they found out."

"Ran… what? I'm not leaving him because of this!" Her voice had raised to a very girlish shrill at the accusation. "It clearly wasn't his fault he got bitten! I don't imagine it was yours either. What kind of hypocrite do you think I am? I've just told you I felt bad for Greyback's army. Harry and I have been together for months! It's pretty obvious he's got his full-moon routine down so he isn't out wreaking havoc on villages." In the middle of her tirade she'd stood up and was looking down at him, having the higher ground on him felt incredibly justified considering his very low expectations of her. "Is this really why you couldn't be bothered getting to know me? Because you thought I'd just go running or turn him in when I found out?"

They were locked in a staring match for what felt like a minute, Ginny determined not to give in and force him to answer.

"Yes," Remus admitted finally.

"Have you been warning Harry repeatedly that it was likely to happen that I'd run off if he told me?" she pressed.

It was obvious from the movement of his cheeks that he was now clenching his jaw. "Yes," he told her through his teeth.

Ginny shook her head and glared at him.

"Are you swearing to me that nothing about it bothers you?" he asked her.

"Yes, that's what I'm saying."

"You don't hold any prejudice whatsoever? Especially considering what happened during the last war?"

"No! If I'm going to choose to dislike someone it will be based on who they are, not what they are. For Merlin's sake, Remus, have you never had any friends?"

"Yes, I have," he stood up from his chair and told her loudly. "And now they're dead!"

"Not because YOU killed them though!"

"I may as well have!" he shouted back at her.

Ginny was shocked and confused by that.

"Lily was only working so hard on perfecting the Wolfsbane potion because of me, James and Sirius were there that night trying to help her, also because of me. If they hadn't known me then they would have all been alright and Harry wouldn't be a werewolf right now; he'd be a whimsical, happy, brilliant person, just like his parents. He'd be taking over a seat on the Wizengamut or traversing the world at his leisure. I'm the reason he was orphaned.

"And I know he's been happy since you came into his life properly, but you should have seen him while he was still stalking you and trying not to get too close. He would come home visibly shaking from having to restrain himself. Since you've been together he's been a whole new person, and that's great, but I'll have to be here to pick up the pieces if it all falls apart. So, no, I didn't bother getting to know you, because I didn't want to like you."

Remus collapsed into his seat then and glared in the direction of the hearth.

Ginny was shocked to say the least. For nearly twenty years this man had been blaming himself for his friends murders? And it sounded like this was the first time he'd said it out loud.

Despite him having just yelled at her, she wanted to ease his conscience. "That whimsical, happy and brilliant person you wonder if Harry would be if his parents were still around? He is that person. He's been that person with me nearly the whole time we've been together." She took her seat again on the couch. "If you would spend time with us, I think you'd see that."

Remus' gaze returned to her, his eyes told a tale of remorse.

"Really," she nodded slowly. "My twin brothers have a joke shop and you wouldn't believe the kinds of pranks they pulled on him when we first started going out. They only stopped because he started retaliating. Harry's always laughing and full of conversation when we go out with friends, and even when it's just the two of us. He is happy, and whimsical, and brilliant."

"I'm sorry I've missed that." His words were barely audible, but she caught them.

"Well, how about you try making an effort from now on?" she challenged. "Because I'm not going anywhere."

He must have found humor in her bossing him around like this, because the corners of his mouth ticked up. "I think I can do that."

"Good." She leaned back against the couch then and crossed her arms in front of her. They'd made huge progress since she walked through that door. Granted, she hadn't expected to come here and find out that her boyfriend was a werewolf, and had been the entire time she'd known him, but that really didn't bother her; Perhaps it was from Hermione and Luna's influence that she didn't let any of that prejudice people had sway her opinion. Hagrid was a half-giant after all, and he was the biggest softie, his affinity for finding the most dangerous creatures and teaching them how to do tricks like a house pet notwithstanding.

To her mind, she was dating Harry, and he just happened to be a werewolf.

In fact, she was right at the point of wanting to admit to him that she was in love with him. This new information didn't change that. She'd been attracted to him since she'd first seen him.

Hang on.

"Did you just say he stalked me?"

Remus looked like he'd been caught sticking his hand in the cookie jar, then slumped down in his chair and cast a hand down his face. "Oh fuck. I'm letting out all manner of secrets today, aren't I?"

()()()

Harry was tired when he got home. He'd taken over a spin class today, his first and last, because one of the trainers had called in sick. He'd heard the class and all the motivational garbage he was supposed to spew several times before and thought he'd feel ridiculous, but he could do it. And he had, then it was time to get off the bike and he knew he would fall straight to the floor when he dismounted. He was a runner, not a cycler. He waited for the class to leave before attempting to stand up.

Now his thighs were burning and he wasn't walking quite right. He needed a bath, a hot one.

Stepping into the house he smelled a curry dish being cooked in the kitchen, and he also smelled Ginny.

Her trainers were by the door and he could hear her talking in the other room.

Did they have a date he'd forgotten about?

"Harry, come in here," Remus called out to him. "We've made dinner and it's almost ready."

'We've made dinner?' he thought. Remus had been avoiding Ginny for half a year, why the sudden change of heart?

He came into the kitchen and saw Ginny sitting on the stool with a glass of wine, smiling up at him, and Remus at the stove.

"I've been directing him," she told him and reached out so he'd step closer and greet her with a kiss.

He complied and pulled back to take in the scene one more time. "Did I forget about a date we have?"

"No. I came over earlier when I knew you'd be out so I could force Remus to spend time with me."

"You… what? Why?"

"Because, and to quote her, 'every time I see you two together I bugger off'," Remus answered. "I'm not allowed to do that anymore." He gave a smirk in Ginny's direction and shook his head.

"That's right. The only room I need him buggering off from if I'm in it is the loo. Or your room I suppose," she patted Harry on the chest. "But I doubt he's much reason to need into your room."

"Well, that's great that you're getting to know each other." It was still strange, but it would be nice to have his uncle come around to liking her, and it looked like he did like her now.

Although, the only reason Remus would come around is if he knew that Ginny was going to stay.

The only reason Remus would know that Ginny was going to stay is if he knew that she knew what their secret was and she was okay with it.

Harry kept glancing back and forth between them as they made light conversation.

Ginny's free hand came around his waist and she pulled him closer.

Remus wouldn't have told her, there was no way. Yet, her knowing what they were would be the only way that Remus would be behaving like this with her.

And Ginny was still hugging him to her side. Wouldn't she start bombarding him with questions as soon as he came through the door? She would at least want some time apart so she could come to terms with it.

"How long have you two been hanging out?" A time frame would help.

"I got here just before lunch," Ginny answered, then took another sip of her wine.

That was six hours they'd been together. Could that really be all she would have needed?

"And all you two have been doing is cooking and talking?"

Remus pulled some plates down from the cupboard and gave Ginny a look. "I'll have dinner served up in a moment." He was clearly going to be letting her answer this.

"Remus may have mentioned that you were slightly stalking me before we officially met."

Harry sputtered. "I- I wouldn't call it stalking."

"Oh? What would you call it?" she smirked. There were some times that her eyes held as much mischief as her twin brothers, and now was one of those times.

"I- I'd call it, I don't know, me just happening to wind up in a few places that you were. And… and taking notice."

"And this 'taking notice' would end with you coming home all worked up and telling your uncle about it?" Her arm around his hip was holding him to her with a bit more force. Clearly, she realized that he would have pulled away to try and distance himself from not just her, but from the truth.

Remus cleared his throat then. "I suppose dinner could take another five minutes," he muttered.

Harry took the wine glass out of her hand and took that now empty hand in his and pulled her up the stairs to his room, locking and silencing the door so they wouldn't be overheard. She still looked much too amused with this situation.

"Ginny, tell me what you know."

"You don't want to be the one to tell me the truth yourself? Because even when I asked Remus straight out, he didn't confirm it, he just didn't deny it."

"You don't know what you're saying." He started pacing the room, feeling like he needed more floorspace to work with.

"Yes, I do. Not all of it, but the main bit. And Harry, we've been together for months, I'm not scared of you."

"Well, you should be," he blurted out. "You've no idea the kind of restrain I've had to put on myself."

"Restrain? From what? Telling me?"

Finally, now she was starting to look concerned.

"Ginny, my being a werewolf doesn't just mean that I turn into a beast at the full moon, it means that I have these impulses, slightly heightened senses. I could smell that you were in the house when I got here."

"So?"

"So… Remus was right. I was stalking you. I would catch your scent when I was near a place that you were and I'd follow it. The first time we kissed, I couldn't control myself then. Yes, I managed to reel it in so I didn't just throw down and screw you on the beach, but I wanted to."

"And you're still having to reel it in? Even though we regularly spend, if not the night, but, you know, time together getting intimate?" she blushed.

The fact that she was blushing over that made it obvious that she had no idea the kinds of ways that he wanted to paw at her and take her like a brute.

"Yes," he answered through gritted teeth.

Her blush grew and he saw the goosebumps forming on her arms.

She wasn't embarrassed then, she was turned on at the suggestion!

Which meant she still didn't get it.

"Ginny, I don't want to hurt you, ever, but you need to know that accidents happen. You knowing what I am now, are you sure you want to be with me?"

"Harry," she sighed adoringly. "The only thing holding me back from telling you that I love you was the fact that I thought Remus didn't like me. Well, and how weird you were about your basement, but that's sorted out now, isn't it?"

Hope.

The feeling of hope sparked in his chest. It was like a match had been lit in his heart and it was causing warmer blood to course through his veins.

He wanted to rush to her and kiss her exactly has he had the first time they'd touched.

Harry gave a nervous lick of his lips before clamping his teeth down hard on his bottom one. He couldn't rush over to her just yet, he needed to know this one last detail. "In all this talking and bonding that you and Remus did, what exactly did he mention to you about the reason behind my… stalking."

"Erm… nothing? He didn't get into it." She looked a bit disappointed, and he understood that; she'd just admitted she loved him and he hadn't immediately said it back. "It isn't just that you liked the way I smelled?"

He tried to steady his breathing here. "Gin, there are… see, the thing is…"

"Just say it, Harry."

"Werewolves have mates," he spat out. "And I'm not talking about the British 'Oi, mate' kind of thing. There is one perfect person out there for us and when we meet them we can't control ourselves, we just, sort of, have to be with them. Supposedly the impulse to mark them as our own can't be fought."

"Mark them?"

"Bite them. In human form, not, you know, turn them into a werewolf." He shook his head. "It's supposed to be really rare that we find this person, but it does happen to a lucky few. Remus and I met a whole pack of werewolves in America and two of them had found their mate and they were inseparable."

Ginny took a step back towards the door. He thought she was going to simply turn tail and leave, but instead she just rested her back against the wall beside it. "And I suppose once you meet this mate no one else will matter to you as much anymore."

He found that an odd question. "Well, no. I mean, family and friends will still be important."

"But you wouldn't be able to help ditching your girlfriend," she stated bitterly.

His brow furrowed.

"Why do you look confused?" Ginny asked angrily. "You just told me that there was a chance someone else was going to come along and you wouldn't be able to resist casting me aside. I know there are never guarantees in a relationship but hearing that you know for sure that there is someone else out there that you're meant to be with isn't an easy potion to swallow."

"What?! No! Urgh, you've got this all wrong. Ginny, you're that person for me!"

Her eyes grew narrow with her incredulous confusion. "How can I be? You haven't bitten me; at most you've given me a hickey."

He let out a laugh then.

Now he knew why she looked so hurt.

"Ginny, I said 'supposedly' I wouldn't be able to fight the impulse. I have been fighting the impulse this whole time. Didn't you notice how much pain I seemed to be in when you first talked to me? Or when you caught us at the diner with Luna before I kissed you? You are my mate, Ginny. I just didn't think I could tell you that, or the fact that I'm a werewolf. It's a lot of pressure to put on a new relationship."

"I am?" she asked after a moment. "You have?... It would have been," she nodded, then gave an aggressive shake of her head. "So, wait, you're telling me that I'm your mate and you have an overwhelming desire to be with me, as in, forever?"

"Yes."

"But, it can't be that overwhelming, the urge to bite me, because I can't think of a time when you've even come close."

He felt himself warming up again as the memory of all the times that she had lain naked before him and his head was between her legs. The urge to bite her thigh had been so strong. He'd also resisted biting her breast, shoulder and bum a few times as well.

"Ginny, you've no idea." His voice came out very low then and he could see it had an effect on her.

She came forward and placed her hand on his chest, keeping her eyes on his. "What's stopping you from marking me right now?"

His fists clenched tight and the pain of his nails digging into his palm was what was keeping him from ripping her clothes off and marking her right now, that's what. But also, "because I love you too. And I don't want you to commit yourself to me without thinking about it properly first. In werewolf terms, it would mean we're married."

"Oh," she breathed out. She didn't look too against the idea though. "Maybe it is a bit soon for that."

He finally leaned down and kissed her, making it a nice and slow one.

"You're really okay with this?" he asked as he pulled back some time later.

"Mhmm," she replied in a soft hum. "And if Remus wasn't downstairs waiting for us right now, I'd show you just how okay with this I am."

"You can always show me later," he said happily.

"I just might have to." She turned around and headed for the door. "And Harry? I wouldn't mind if you needed to get a little more aggressive in bed."

Ginny waggled her eyebrows at him and then left the room.

He needed another moment to himself for composure before being able to follow her.

()()()