Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and its characters.

Harry Potter watched his two best friends enjoy their wedding day. He glanced across the table at Ron and Hermione, both grinning, sheer merriment evident in their eyes. So far, Harry had only caught them nagging each other twice, but he was sure he would tally up more bickering before the end of the reception. He and Ginny had made it an amusing drinking game.

"Hermione, you look amazing. I mean really beautiful," Ron complimented, his eyes locked on the bride. Hermione, with her brown hair unusually sleek and pulled back into a neat up-do, was wearing, in Ginny-terms, a simple and elegant white Muggle gown.

As a thank you, Hermione grabbed Ron's tie to pull him in for a kiss.

Harry noticed Ron whisper into Hermione's ear and smirk. Hermione's face glowed with amusement for a split second before she resorted to scolding her new husband. Typical. Harry chuckled to himself.

"Hey, Gin. Drink up," Harry nudged his wife, beautiful herself in a surprisingly flattering bridesmaid's dress, with his elbow. "I caught them this time."

"Yeah, yeah." Ginny downed her glass of fire whiskey. "But I still have one on you."

Harry leaned over to give Ginny a light kiss. "Don't get your hopes up."

Ginny smiled and opened her mouth to retort, but Ron interrupted.

"Great sirloin, dontchya think?" Ron said in between chewing, little pieces of steak visible in his mouth. "Doesn't measure up to Mum's of course, but these Muggle caterers really know what they're doing." Hermione had refused to have house elves cook their wedding meal.

Laughing, Hermione said, "Yes, Ron. Muggles are capable of making decent food." Harry and Ginny glanced at each other, each throwing back another glass of fire whiskey.

"You know, Ron, those dress robes really suit you. A huge step up from those ghastly things at the Yule Ball," Ginny teased her older brother.

"Oh, yes. But he was still a stunner. Even under those frills," Hermione added, while Ron wrinkled his nose.

"Really, Hermione? A stunner? I seem to remember 4th year as my awkward stage."

Sniggering, Ginny said, "I'm afraid you never grew out of your awkward stage, Ron." They all laughed.

"Be more generous, Ginny. He has nothing else but his looks going for him," Harry joked.

"Well I think he's perfect in everyway," Hermione declared, gazing a bit drunkenly into Ron's eyes and caressing his arm.

Ron began to kiss Hermione's neck feverishly, while she giggled.

Ginny smiled to herself and rolled her eyes. Leaning down close to her ear, Harry whispered, "I think it's time for the speech.

Ginny nodded and said, "Better do it now before they drink themselves into oblivion. You want them to remember it."

Harry stole a kiss under Ginny's ear and stood up, rather unsteadily, with a glass of champagne in hand. "Excuse me, everyone." He clinked his fork to the glass.

"Oi! The Chosen One is making a public appearance!" George hooted, and the already loud crowd grew noisier with laughter. "Everyone listen up to the best man's speech!"

"Thanks, George. I want to congratulate my best friends." Harry waited until the last guest stopped speaking before going on. "Now, I'm not sure all of you know the tale of Ron and Hermione's blundering love story. I feel it's my duty, as a first hand witness, to share it with you. I apologize in advance to my best friends; my judgment isn't it's best at the moment, and I might embarrass you." Harry caught the eyes of Ron and Hermione; he surely had their full attention.

"When Ron and Hermione first met at school, they did not like each other. Didn't get along at all. So, the three of us plowed through first year with some insults between them here and there, but they handled it."

"Second year, I'd definitely say that they were friends. Still not the nicest to each other at times, but friends."

"Now, third year really gets interesting: the first of many big rows," Harry said, while he heard a few giggles. "Ron and Hermione completely went wild. I think this is where we start to notice the crushes, but I don't think either of them had any idea yet," Harry said. "After screaming at each other for weeks about their pets and bothering the bloody hell out of the kids in the Common Room, they wouldn't even talk to each other. Now this put me in an awkward situation. Which of my best friends was I supposed to side with? Thankfully, I didn't have to decide because, in the end, they yet again pulled through."

Harry, continuing to reminisce, said, "Fourth year confirmed all of my suspicions of their budding love when a certain Bulgarian athlete showed some interest in Hermione. Ron was simply furious, and dare I say, jealous when he didn't get to go to the ball with Hermione. The poor bloke didn't know how to express his feelings in any other way than by yelling at her, who by nature, simply had to scream back," Harry said, laughing with crowd. "Obviously their tension was building rapidly."

"Fifth year was relatively calm as their arguing goes, but that was also when you really started to see the lust in their eyes," Harry commented, but then after catching the disappproving eye of Mrs. Weasley, "Er, I mean, love, in their eyes. Of course there were many moments when I caught Ron looking at Hermione's backside or Hermione gazing longingly at Ron, but there is one thing that sticks out." He paused. "Hermione gave Ron's cheek a good-luck kiss." Several crowd members chuckled. "Ron was utterly smitten, possessed looking. Afterward, he just glided along, eyes staring into space, his hand resting on his cheek. The two were love struck, but they could never admit it."

"Sixth year was the year I got fed up. They had plans to go to a Christmas dinner together as dates and I thought that they would start something. But Ron blew it. Hermione was pretty broken, watching Ron snog another girl, sloppily, I might add." Harry paused, thinking. "It had been years! I don't know why they couldn't just get together already!" Harry got pretty worked up, while the crowd tittered.

Enthusiastically, Harry said, "Next year, they were actually nice to each other! Comforting, holding hands… but no kiss yet." Harry chuckled and said, "There were so many moments where the sexual tension between them was so intense, that the whole room would be on the verge of explosion!" The crowd burst into hysterics at this, and Harry watched Ron and Hermione blush severely. "So I would just uncomfortably back into a corner, hopeful that they would get things going, but also wishing that they wouldn't try anything in front of me."

Harry cleared his throat, and then announced: "Finally, at the worst possible time, they kissed. In the middle of a battle, Hermione threw herself at Ron, kissing him with all of her strength; both of them were reluctant to stop. It was like the entire world sighed, because all of that tension, seven years strong, was released," Harry smiled, as the crowd roared with glee.

"Completely in love, Ron and Hermione's personalities contrast madly, and yet they are the perfect match. Every time I'm with them, I can tell that they're unconditionally happy, even when they're arguing. If they got through the mess of their school years, I am confident that they can get through anything that their marriage throws at them. Good luck, you two. I love you both."

Harry's audience cheered loudly as he went to hug his two best friends. As Harry sat down, tears flooded down Hermione's face, as Ron, with an expanding smile, shook his head at Hermione and mouthed to Harry: "barking mad".

As the music started once again, the newly weds held each other tightly and swayed slowly to the beat. Soaking his tie with tears, Hermione received a kiss from Ron, and started to laugh from something he told her out of Harry's earshot.

Harry pulled Ginny up to the dance floor after Ron and Hermione. They rocked back and forth, engaging in little snippets of conversation. Harry kissed her head and caught a whiff of the irresistible flowery scent. At this moment, Fleur came speeding over and clasped Ginny's arm.

In her strong French accent, Fleur said, "Ginny, Aunt Muriel is demanding to speak to you. Quick, before she apparates 'ome."

Ginny gave Harry an apologizing look before rushing off with Fleur. Abandoned, Harry's green eyes peered around the dance floor until he spotted Ron and Hermione again.

Tapping Ron on the shoulder, he asked, "Mind if I cut in for a bit?"

"Not at all," Ron responded.

As they joined in dance, Hermione cried, "Oh, the speech was so sweet!" Twirling under Harry's arm, she asked, "Was it really that horrid for you to put up with us?"

"At times," Harry answered. He caught a glance at Ron who was being mauled by his hysterical mother.

"Harry, I just want to say thank you," Hermione sighed, smiling. "I don't think Ron and I would have made it without you."

When they song ended, Ron and Hermione cut the cake made by Mrs. Weasley. Back at the table, Harry asked Ginny, "What did Muriel want?"

"She lectured me about life in the bedroom," Ginny said, and Harry laughed, a bit nervously, at this. Ginny continued, "Said she'd like some kin from Harry Potter."

Harry nearly choked on his piece of cake, coughing ferociously.

"Slow down with the cake, mate. Jeez, there'll be left-overs," Ron said, sitting down, and slapping Harry on the back. After Harry's coughing fit subsided, Ron turned away to speak to Hermione.

Getting over her round of laughter, Ginny asked Harry, "So what do you think?"

"About Muriel? Well she's a bit intrusive. About kids?" Harry thought for a moment before he said, "I'm for it."

Ginny smiled, and said, "Good."

Ron muttered, mouth full of cake, to Harry, "Can this party speed up a bit? I want to get out of here and shag my wife."

Harry shuddered, bombarded with awkward, haunting memories of walking in on his friends. "It looks like it's coming to end."

So, Ron and Hermione stood up and said their goodbyes. Ron said aloud so that all could hear: "Thanks for coming everyone; I hope you enjoyed yourselves. But now, if I could ask you to please excuse Hermione and me so that we can go and have –"

Hermione cleared her throat, scowling at Ron, and said, "Fun. We're going to have more fun. That's what Ron was trying to say."

And with that, Harry and Ginny gulped back their last glasses of fire whiskey.

"I think I won that game, naturally," Ginny told her husband.

"Well, what'll your prize be, Mrs. Potter?"

"Oh, I think just a lot of fun." Harry and Ginny both smirked at this.

Thinking that the prize was more than fair, Harry took Ginny's hand, leading her home.