In the end, it wasn't so much a choice, it just was.
Everyone always assumed the squabbles and outright fights between them had been a form of unresolved tension and, for a brief moment, Hermione had almost allowed herself to be drawn into that utter nonsense. She and Ron were simply not a good match for one and other. It was as simple as that.
She knew people had similar expectations for Harry and Ginny, as they looked so much like his departed parents. But he had had confided that even he wasn't sure if the relationship was on anything real or if he had been swayed by the opinions of the masses. One thing he was certain of was the fact that Ginny saw him more as Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived and not as Harry.
Just Harry.
It was Harry whom she had hugged first year during the quest for the sorcerer's stone. Harry whom had blushed at her show of affection (later she would discover he could not recall ever being embraced like that before). When she had been petrified during their second year, it had been Harry who sat by her bed and held her hand. Harry had traveled through time with her to save Sirius and Buckbeak. Fourth year she'd kissed Harry on the cheek as they parted. Fifth year, it had been Harry who was befuddled by Cho, defied Umbridge and later mourned the loss of Sirius. Sixth year they'd both been an unpleasant mess of hormones and misdirected affections, all of which was compounded by the growing urgency of knowing a war for their way of life was immanent.
It was Harry with who she shared the tent and the hardships involved with hunting horcruxes after Ron stomped off. Even in this darkest of times, he tried to lighten her spirits and pulled her up into a silly dance. He cared that she was hurting and, in his awkward way, wanted to make it better for her.
Later, he told her that he appreciated her, that he didn't think he could have done this without her. Without Harry, Hermione knew she wouldn't have been a part of anything like this quest…knew she'd probably be out there with the other Muggle borns, hunted or in hiding.
So really, when people asked her how she chose between Ron and Harry, she wondered if they were willfully blind to how things really worked between the three of them or if they had all just bought in to the fiction of Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione. On paper, those parings might work (she doubted that), but reality was much different.
Her heart, her mind, her soul were all in agreement.
Harry was her perfect match and she was his. Neither could say when they realized this, only that it was the clearest thing in the world to them.
It was as simple as that.
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