Disclaimer: All recognized characters goes to J.K Rowling
Just a question I asked myself while reading the books. I never understood why they were such close friends... here's my explanation.
Epilogue friendly! :)
Many people thought they understood how their friendship worked. After all, how can they not be best friends after all the things they had gone through together?
Some say that Ronald Weasely was only friends with him because he was the boy-who-lived, he was famous and rich.
Some say that Hermione Granger was only friends with him because she was friendless and latched onto the first person that came along.
Of course over the years the friendship had evolved into a true friendship. But nonetheless, the start was still the start.
This may have been true and their friendship did not start off as… purely as it should have, it didn't matter to Harry.
It had never mattered.
Even before the end of their first year, Harry Potter knew that he had met the one… or rather he had met the two that are destined to be his best friends, his brother and sister in all but blood.
Harry accepted all of their flaws and mistakes; he forgave and took them back every single time, every single time.
How could he not?
They were his best friends, and they were going to stay his best friends for as long as he lived and loved.
Why exactly does Harry put so much trust in their friendship?
"What is that?" Harry asked as he studied the dessert in front of him.
He looked up and his body hummed with excitement at being here. In Hogwarts. Finally about to start his wizarding education.
"What?" Ron said around a mouthful of food.
Harry smiled weakly at his new friend, his first friend. He was still not used to asking questions and actually receiving an answer in return.
"That." Harry said as he pointed at the dessert once again.
Ron swallowed his food, "Oh that! It's a treacle tart; you've never tried it before?"
Harry shook his head.
The red haired boy frowned, "Mate, you're missing out. It's bloody brilliant! Here, try some." He said as he pushed the plate closer towards Harry.
Harry hesitated. He had never been allowed to eat desserts…
"C'mon mate! Live a little!"
His hand closed around the dessert.
That night, Harry fell asleep with those three words replaying over and over again in his head… "Live a little".
Before slipping into oblivion, he vowed to himself that he will live. From now on he will live.
Harry stood in the Gryffindor Common Room waiting for Ron to come down so they can head to the Great Hall for breakfast.
He looked up as Hermione came barreling into the room, her trunk in tow. The girl's intelligent brown eyes scanned the room before landing on Harry's small frame.
"Harry!" she exclaimed as she came bustling over.
"Hi Hermione." Harry said, "You ready to go back for the holidays?"
Hermione smiled at him, "Oh yes! Mum and Dad are taking me to France to celebrate Christmas!"
Harry returned her smile, "That's great! I hope you have fun."
The bushy haired witch laughed, "Oh I will! We're going to The Louvre!"
The two made small talk as they waited for the time to pass. Before long, the prefects started gathering the students that will be going home for the break.
Harry was surprised when he felt arms wrap around him. He awkwardly patted Hermione's back as she squeezed him tightly.
"Oh Harry, I'll miss you." She pulled back and gave him a watery smile before turning to follow after the trail of students leaving the Common Room.
Before stepping out of the portrait hole, she turned back and waved, "I love you." she mouthed with a large smile.
Harry was frozen at her words.
Three simple words.
Innocent and perfectly natural coming from Hermione who had heard it countless times. But it completely shattered Harry's world.
Harry paced back and forth as he ran his hand through his incredibly messy raven hair.
"Calm down mate." Ron said from where he was sprawled out on the sofa, "The worst she can say is no-OW!"
"Don't listen to him Harry. Of course she'll say yes." Hermione cut in as she shot her boyfriend a withering look.
Harry stopped his pacing and slumped against the wall opposite his two best friends, "I don't know…"
A snort had him glancing at Ron, "Mate. You've got to stop saying that. I mean I know that I haven't been exactly supportive in the beginning since you know… she is my sister. But… you need her. She's like your life or something okay? So just man up and do it. If you don't, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
"Harry… for once Ron is right. You will regret this if you don't do it." Hermione said soothingly, "She loves you Harry, and you love her."
Harry stared at them as he felt a sense of déjà vu.
"You're right. You're both right." Harry took a deep breath to calm his nerves. His right hand closed around the small black velvet box in his pant pocket, in there lays the first step to his future. "Okay, I'll do it. I'll do it as soon as she comes home." He slid his two friends an expectant look.
"Oh! Right, okay." Hermione said as she shot up from her seat, pulling Ron along with her, "Right. We'll be going now!"
"Good luck mate!" Ron called back before being dragged out of the door.
Harry placed his fork down as the crowd fell silent.
He took a deep breath and stood up from where he was sitting, directly to the right of the groom.
He flashed the hundreds of wedding goers a smile even as his heart skipped a few beats, "Now, I was told that because I'm best man, it's my duty to make a shinning speech about how wonderfully matched the newlyweds are. But here's the thing. Ronald Weasely and Hermione Granger have nothing in common, and they probably will never have anything in common."
He paused and mentally winced at the stony silence before him, "But... but if someone had told my first year self that Ronald Weasely and Hermione Granger will be getting married in around a decade, I would have hailed them as the greatest seer of all time." He paused again and couldn't help but let a small laugh escape him as he spotted more than a few confused faces in the crowd.
"Many people think they understand how our friendship works. But they don't. Hell, I don't even think Ron and Hermione actually understand how our friendship actually works." He waved Hermione off as she attempted to make a comment, "Believe it or not, our friendship isn't this tight because of all our failed adventures during our Hogwarts years. It isn't even about how they helped me defeat a certain psychotic murderer."
He felt a small twinge of irritation as a few people in audience shuddered at the mention of the dead dark lord, "No, our friendship wasn't based off of our many near death experiences, " a few snickers rippled through the crowd, "okay, so maybe it is, sort of. But anyway, our friendship, or at least tome, is based off of two things. These two things I had been missing for the first ten years of my life, and Ron and Hermione taught me these two things. Yes, Ron actually taught me something." The crowd laughed and Ron's cheeks turned slightly pink.
Harry picked up his champagne flute and held it out as he looked at his two best friends, "To Ronald Weasely and Hermione Weasely née Granger. One who taught me to live, the other who taught me to love. Even though they have nothing in common, what can be a better match than love and life?"
Harry drained his glass. The whole time, his eyes were focused on the bride and the groom.
Tears were streaming down Hermione's face and Ron's eyes blinked rapidly as he tried to dispel the tears that were threatening to fall.
A single loud clap broke the thick silence and suddenly the audience members were getting up from their seats like a large rippling wave. The clapping grew stronger and stronger; each clap was like the deafening sound of thunder.
Harry turned from his best friends and searched the audience, his eyes met warm hazel ones and Ginny Potter beamed at him with pride, a glisten of tears can be seen on her cheeks from this distance.
Ginny stopped clapping as one hand slid down and gently rubbed her heavily swollen stomach. Her eyes shinned and Harry felt his breath catch.
His heart swelled and threatened to burst. Yes, they really were the best friends you could ask for.
One taught him to live, the other taught him to love.
This is the re-edited version but there might still be mistakes.
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xoxlollipopxox
