This is dedicated to my best friend in the whole wide world, Laura Covell. Happy Birthday Lozza. Can't believe you've made it this far, but I hope I'm there with you for the whole journey (although I'm driving!).

Ode to Best Friends

(A Dedication In Under 800 Words)

"I can't do this! I can't! I'm not ready!" bemoaned Lavender, as she sat in the ante room, nervously chewing on one of her nails. She reached back to remove the clip from her hair, which would ruin all her hairdresser's hard work, but found her hand slapped away by her best friend.

"Oh stop it! You are ready! You've been ready ever since Christmas of 6th year when you first started dating him." Parvati replied, grinning and starting to apply the cosmetics that would emphasize all her best features.

"I'm not joking! I really can't do this. I think I'm gonna throw up! I'm too young. I…"

"You are going to be fine." Parvati put the cosmetics down on the sideboard and took her friends hands into her own. "Listen, you can and will do this. Everything is ready. We've had it planned for months, what with Hermione doing the organizing. The bridesmaids are ready, the best man is ready, the Groom is ready. All that's left to do is get you dressed and down the aisle to meet him, and that's a job left solely up to me.

"You love him Lav, and he loves you. That's all that matters. Nothing else. That you and him are gonna be together forever. You're gonna be married, Lav! Married! Can you believe it? I remember when we'd just started at Hogwarts, and now look where we are."

"But what about us?" Tears were falling down the blonde's cheeks in a steady stream, smudging all of Parvati's mascara wand work.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, this is it. The end. We're never gonna be Lavender and Parvati again, will we? It'll be Lavender and Parvati and their husbands. Not you and me, out on the town until three in the morning, like we used to. Everything's gonna change and we're never gonna see each other."

"What?!" Parvati exclaimed outraged. "Of course we are! You're not getting rid of me that easily. We promised in fourth year, and I'll promise it again. Friends forever. Till the end. You're gonna be there at my wedding, just like I will be in a few hours time."

"But it's not gonna be the same." Lavender moaned tearfully.

"No Lav, it's not. But we knew that was gonna happen. It will be different. But it will still be you and me. The two ditzy diviners of Gryffindor tower. We're not gonna change Lav. You'll always be my best friend."

"Oh Parvati!" Lavender cried as she flung her arms around the small Asian. Parvati rubbed her back soothingly and started to reapply the makeup in record time.

"Come on, we need to get you downstairs and married quickly. Or else he might start thinking that you've jilted him for me."

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Ding ding! Ding ding!

The clang of the glass caught everyone's attention and they turned their heads to see Parvati stand up at her place on the head table, right next to the happy newly-weds. She raised her hands to quiet the crowd, then began to speak.

"Now I know it's not traditional for the Maid of Honor to speak. I was gonna leave it to the best man, but knowing Neville, he'd probably just forget it." Neville from his seat the other side of the bride and groom laughed in admittance.

"However there are some things I feel the need to say. Lavender and I met on the Hogwarts express over 12 years ago. We've been best friends ever since. I'm not going to begin to list all the things we've done together, because quite frankly there isn't enough time in the day. We've shared makeup, clothes, and secrets. But now I'm gonna have to share her with someone else.

"Today she and Justin Finch-Fletchley were joined together in holy matrimony. That means that we won't see each other as much. It doesn't mean that she won't be my best friend. Friends are there with you through thick and thin, come hell or high water. Well, we haven't had a potions lesson in many years, and April is just finished. But I'm gonna be here anyway, no matter what.

"So I'd like to propose a toast." Parvati raised her glass high in the air. "To friendship, new beginnings and the happy couple." The crowd echoed her toast, and the clink of glasses could be heard echoing across the room.

"Oh and one last thing!" Parvati cried. "Justin, Lavender is brilliant, and she deserves the best. If you make her cry, I'll make you cry." The laughter that came out of Parvati's mouth didn't betray the glint in her eyes that told the groom that she wasn't joking. Justin sat there, very scared, as his new bride hugged her best friend happily...

Fin