“I fell in love with you first,” he insisted.
“No, you didn’t. I can prove it.”
“Prove it, then.”
*****
I was reading Little Women. I remember because my mother had warned me when she gave it to me that it was sad in the middle, but I thought that was silly: everyone knows books are sad at the end, not the middle.
I used my sleeve to wipe away my tears as I read about Beth getting weaker and sicker and caught sight of my watch. Lunchtime was over, and I needed to get to Transfiguration. I read and cried as I walked toward class. Poor Beth. Poor Jo, losing her favorite sister and best friend. It was just so deliciously tragic.
I didn’t even notice that I was walking too close to the suit of armor, and was very surprised when I was jerked violently backwards. My book bag had caught on the pointy part at the end of the axe. I took a step back to try to untangle myself but the suit of armor, in a sudden fit of helpfulness, pulled back its axe, freeing my bag by ripping it in two. With a sigh of resignation, I knelt down to gather up my spilled books and quills and parchment.
“Here, let me help you.” I jumped and let out a squeak, surprised by the seventh year boy suddenly beside me. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I just didn’t know you were there,” I mumbled, mortified. Of course I knew who he was: Remus Lupin, one of the circle of seventh year boys the older girls all swooned over. I hadn’t yet reached the age where I swooned over anyone.
“Are you all right? You look like you’ve been crying.” He repaired my bag with a quick spell and helped me put my things back into it.
“I was just reading a sad book. I’m fine, thanks.” I could feel my cheeks burning as I blushed. I couldn’t look at him as we both started to stand. This was a mistake; I lost my balance and hit my head sharply on the arm of the suit of armor behind me. I saw stars as I abruptly sat down on the corridor floor.
“Are you still fine?” he asked, concern and amusement fighting for control of his expression. I noticed that he had the nicest smile I’d ever seen, and felt a weird sort of soaring feeling in my stomach.
“Yeah,” I managed, appalled to realize that I had just reached swooning age. How had I never noticed before how cute he was when his forehead crinkled as he smiled? And how could I not have known to look for it in the first place?
“Are you sure? Maybe you should go see Madame Pomfrey.”
“No, I’m fine,” I assured him as he helped me up from the floor. “I need to get to class. Professor McGonagall is going to kill me.”
“Well, beware suits of armor. You never know when they’ll attack.” He winked at me and set off down the corridor to wherever he had been headed before he had stopped to help me.
I sighed and stared after him as he turned a corner out of sight. So, this is what it was like to be in love.
“Miss Vector. Are you planning on joining the rest of the class?” Professor McGonagall stood in the doorway of her classroom.
“Yes, Professor,” I rushed inside to take my seat, but I didn’t pay attention to a bit of the lesson.
I didn’t pay attention to a lot of things after that, especially if I was in the Gryffindor common room or the Great Hall, and one Remus Lupin was anywhere nearby. Then I would just watch him, and wait for him to smile, and wonder if he would ever smile at me again.
*****
“Now, of course, you smile at me all the time,” I finished.
“Are you sure that really happened?” he asked, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. “I don’t remember it at all.”
“Of course you don’t remember it,” I said reasonably. “I was just a little girl, and you were all grown up, a big important seventh year prefect.”
“You make it sound so pervy that I’m with you now,” he said, laughing.
“No, the difference between twelve and seventeen is much bigger than the difference between thirty one and thirty six.” I stretched out beside him, resting my head on his bare chest. I loved to feel his heartbeat under my cheek, loved having him naked in my bed. Loved him. “You were my first crush, and also my last and greatest love.”
“You are so dramatic,” he said, sounding as though he was trying to hide a smile. “I can’t believe anyone had a crush on me, though.”
“Are you joking? Lots of girls liked you. Not even just odd little bookish ones like I was.” I kissed his neck and nibbled at an earlobe. “You’re all mine now.”
“Indeed,” he murmured, running a hand though my hair. “I wasn’t the first one to love you, though. Silly me, not noticing a pretty girl who was mad about me.”
“Yes, silly you.” I shivered at his light touch. “Imagine. You could have had me all those years ago.”
“No, you were too young,” he chuckled. “So was I.”
“We’re just the right age now, though, aren’t we?” I very nearly purred when he ran his fingernails lightly down my spine. “Oh, that’s nice.”
“I love you, my odd, bookish little schoolgirl.”
“Schoolteacher,” I corrected, kissing his chest. “Unless, of course, you want to be pervy that way. I prefer you pervy in different ways, though.”
“Oh? What sort of pervyness do you like?”
“Guess.” I reveled in the taste of his skin as I ran my tongue up along his throat and over his chin to his mouth.
He moaned softly when I released him from a long and scorching kiss. “You’re the pervy one, I think. Getting off by teasing a werewolf.”
“I think you’re the one getting off, darling,” I murmured, slipping my hand down to rub the evidence of his arousal.
He grabbed my hand and pulled it away. “No, you don’t,” he growled softly. “Not yet.”
“I have two hands, Remus,” I teased as I gently ran a finger along his very firm erection.
“As do I,” he said wryly, seizing my other hand and holding them both slightly away from my sides.
“Well, now what are we going to do?” I taunted. “We seem to be all out of hands.”
“Quite a predicament, isn’t it?” He grinned as I slung one leg across both of his to rest on my knees above him. “You are so delicious,” he murmured, lifting himself up so he could take my breast in his mouth.
I sat back on his legs and rested my cheek against his hair, sighing with contentment. “This isn’t at all pervy, but nice all the same.”
His laugh was deep and husky with desire. “You fancy a little pervyness then?”
“Yes, please. I’m a pervy werewolf fancier tonight.”
“Does that mean you fancy a pervy werewolf or that you are pervy for fancying a werewolf?” He kissed my nose and grinned mischievously.
I thought about it while I kissed him long and hard. “Both,” I decided, grinning back at him.
Still holding my hands tightly, he pushed me backwards and held me down. “One pervy werewolf coming up.”
“So I see.”
“Funny girl,” he said dryly.
“Do funny and pervy go together?”
“Yes, definitely.” He teased me for a moment with his tongue and his teeth. “I’ll prove it. Don’t you move,” he warned as he released my hands and reached over to the night table for his wand.
“Will you punish me if I do?” I asked playfully.
“Do you want me to punish you?” He looked at me speculatively, wand in his hand. “I don’t think you do, because you’re being very still.”
I smiled and wriggled deliberately beneath him.
“You’re funny and naughty. That’s rather sexy.” He brushed his lips tantalizingly across mine. “There’s your punishment. No kiss.”
I pouted. “That’s not nice.”
“But is it pervy?”
“Not very,” I chuckled. “I think you have something better planned, don’t you?”
“Indeed I do.” He slowly drew his wand along the inside of my right arm, forcing it up above my head. When the tip of the wand reached my wrist, a silky bit of fabric wrapped itself around me and bound my arm to the headboard. He repeated his actions until my other hand was also fastened to the bed. “Pervy enough for you?”
“It’s a start.”
He murmured a spell I didn’t quite catch and then began to trace the tip of his wand along my body. I squealed and squirmed as soft feathers seemed to tickle me wherever he touched. “How’s that, then?” he asked.
“Tickles too much,” I gasped, laughing. “I hate being tickled.”
He broke contact between the wand and my skin. “Do you really hate it or are you just saying that so I’ll do it more?”
“I really hate it.” I was breathless from laughing so hard. “At least, I don’t really like the feathers. I like your hands on me.”
He brushed his wand across me, tickling me once more before returning it to the bedside table. “I prefer to have my hands on you, too.”
“It’s nice we’re so compatible,” I managed to say as I tried to catch my breath. It wasn’t easy, as Remus was lightly running his fingers in circles over my breasts and stomach.
“Indeed,” he murmured, lowering his head to tease me with the tip of his tongue. His fingers were soon tracing their little circles on my thighs as I whimpered and writhed with delirious pleasure. “Be still,” he commanded.
“I can’t,” I gasped. “Don’t stop.”
“Who’s in charge here?” he growled softly.
“Er, you are?” I hadn’t realized that the game had changed a bit.
“That’s right. I am.” He kissed me roughly. “Be still.”
“I’ll try,” I promised. “But what if I fail.” I had to ask; his gently stroking fingers were already making me twitch almost imperceptibly.
“I’ll have to punish you, won’t I?” He kissed my knee. “Hmm, how to punish you for disobedience?”
“Well, we’ve already established that I don’t like to be tickled.”
“Right. Don’t make me get out the feathers.” He slowly drew his tongue from my bent knee down along the inside of my thigh. “But if you’re good, I’ll give you more of this.”
“Oh, I like this,” I breathed, resolutely holding myself very still. “But aren’t I always good?”
“The best I’ve ever had.” His voice was muffled as he did his best to make me squirm.
I tried to distract myself from what he was doing to me. I wanted to please him by staying still, as he had asked. “I don’t-don’t want to know about anyone else you’ve had.” I took a deep breath and clutched the bindings around my hands tightly. “But am I really the- really the best?”
“Oh, yes.” His mouth traveled up to my belly. “You taste the best.” He dipped his tongue into my navel. “Feel the best.” He licked the underside of one breast before sucking on it hard. “Are the best.” His teeth nipped at my throat and chin and lower lip, leading to an all-consuming kiss. “You can move now,” he said, briefly releasing me before crushing me under another fierce kiss.
I shuddered and wrapped my legs tightly around him. He was hard and hot pressed against me, but I wanted more than that. “Remus,” I moaned, pulling away from his kiss.
“I’m not finished kissing you yet,” he growled, gripping my hair and pulling my face back to his roughly. The insistent pressure of his lips would leave mine feeling bruised for days. “You were being so good, but now I might have to punish you for being too demanding. I’m in charge, remember?”
“Yes, you’re in charge,” I panted. “But I want-“
“You want me.” He pulled my hair, forcing my head back and baring my throat. “I can smell it.” He kissed me gently just where my throat met my collarbone. “I love the scent of your desire.”
I was suddenly intensely aware that I was very much at his mercy, and that it was very close to the full moon. He could hurt me if he wanted to. I knew he probably wouldn’t (he would feel awful about if he did hurt me), but the possibility was there.
I had never been so aroused in my life.
“What do you want, Remus?” I asked, my voice cracking slightly. “Tell me, and I’ll give it to you.”
He pulled away from me and skimmed trembling hands along my body. “I want to turn you over and fuck you from behind while I bite into your shoulders and the back of your neck. Because that’s how animals do it.” He looked away from me, ashamed. “I’ll untie you.”
“No, don’t,” I said softly. “You can fuck me any way you want to.”
He looked back at me, surprised. “Are you sure?” I nodded. “I don’t really want to bite you,” he said, his hand gentle on my shoulder. “You have such lovely skin. It would be a shame to mark it.”
“You’ve already marked me, Remus. Inside, where it matters. I’m yours.” I twisted myself around so that my back was to him. “I’m yours to do with as you please.”
He moaned deep in his throat. “Why are you tempting me this way? Tempting me to hurt you?”
“You always give me what I want, the way that I want it. Can’t I do the same for you?”
A forceful growl tore from his mouth as he pushed me over onto my stomach. My arms, still bound to the headboard, crossed over my head as my face pressed into a pillow. “Get on your knees,” he ordered, his voice low and a little bit harsh.
I lifted myself up, supporting myself on my knees and with my hands on the slats of the headboard. “Is this how you want me?”
“Just like this.” His hands were between my legs, spreading me apart, then they were moving up along my body until he was cupping my breasts, moving his fingers lightly over my nipples until I moaned. “Are you sure you don’t want me to untie you?” he whispered into my ear. “So you can get away if you want to?”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to get away.” He kissed the spot between my shoulder blades gently as he slowly entered me. Finally.
He moved inside me, more quickly with each stroke. I heard my own voice urging him on: Faster. Harder. Yes. There. More. Yes. Again. Don’t stop. That’s- Remus- Yes. Yes. Please-
I noticed his teeth graze my shoulder before he slid one hand down to rub me where we were joined together. He had me from both sides and there was nothing I could do but cry out in satisfaction. He continued thrusting and rubbing until he brought me to climax again. I didn’t hear myself this time, only Remus’ harsh groan as he buried himself deeply within me one more time, letting himself go completely.
I slowly lowered myself down onto the bed. Remus undid the bonds fastening me to the headboard and then slumped, exhausted, atop me. I lie still, loving the feeling of him still inside me as he idly continued to fondle me. I was utterly content until I opened my eyes and saw blood on the pillowcase.
“Remus, what happened?” I wasn’t hurt, as far as I could tell, and so was immediately concerned about him.
“Nothing,” he said quickly, pulling away from me.
“It can’t be nothing. You’re bleeding.” I grabbed his arm before he could escape. A perfect human bite mark was imprinted on the back of his hand. “You bit yourself?”
“I couldn’t bite you,” he said, not meeting my eyes.
“Oh, Remus,” I breathed, wrapping the bed sheet around his hand. “I can’t honestly say that I wanted to be bitten, but don’t hurt yourself. I can’t bear you being hurt.”
“I’ll be all right.” He brushed my hair away from my face with his uninjured hand. “Don’t cry. I thought we were being pervy tonight?” He gave a valiant attempt at a roguish grin.
It was a bit of a struggle, but I managed to smile back at him. No one else in the world could break my heart like he could. “I did enjoy the pervyness.”
“Yes, I could tell. Tomorrow night, you get to pick the perversion.”
“Oh, good. I’m thinking perhaps something in leather. And… chocolate?”
“I won’t be able to think of anything tomorrow except you covered in chocolate.”
“And you’ll eat your way through it?”
“Good lord woman, are you trying to kill me?” He grinned.
I merely kissed him and hoped that my stomach would always do the funny soaring thing it had done every single time he had ever smiled at me.