text version
Title: May the Best Man Win
Author: Emma Grace and Devin
Email: mwpp_mauraders@yahoo.com and
franny122004@gmail.com
Website: http://dancing-through-life.com/
Rating: G
Category: SAR
Keywords: H/G, N/G, some other ships mentioned
briefly but not really important to the story
Spoilers: You should have a general knowledge of
the books but nothing specific.
Summary: So one day we said, "May the best man
win."
Disclaimer: All characters and settings belong to
JKR; we had nothing to do with their creation. The
song "The Best Man" is by Gary Lewis and the
Playboys.
Devin's Author Note: Woo hoo I'm so happy, my
first co-write ever. Thanks Emma for letting me
take part in this. This is a companion piece to a
fic that Emma's working on and it's a must read so
go and read it! Also, thanks to our beta, you
rock!
Emma's Author Note: This little bunny had been
bouncing around in my head for ages. Thanks to Dev
for helping me flesh it out. As Dev said, this is
a companion piece to Big Deal. You don't have to
read it in order to understand this, but I would
love it if you read and reviewed both pieces!
~~~
At first it was just a game with us
You and I and my best friend
~~~
It's Ginny Weasley's wedding day. For reasons that
several of her friends and soon-to-be-husband
couldn't understand, they had decided to have a
Muggle ceremony. Her dad was thrilled. Ron teased
her that she just wanted an excuse to get the
dress.
Harry Potter watched as Mr. Weasley walked her
down the aisle. The long white candles floating on
each side of the aisle illuminated off father and
daughter giving them an otherworldly glow.
When they reached the end Mr. Weasley kissed his
only daughter's cheek and handed her over to the
man waiting for her with an outstretched hand.
Neville Longbottom.
Harry was struck, not for the first time, by the
irony of the three of them standing together like
this. Neville the groom and Harry the Best Man
wasn't quite how Harry had always pictured it.
Harry, The Boy Who Lived, the hero of the
wizarding world, and the defeater of Lord
Voldemort had not gotten the girl. He'd competed
with Neville and lost.
~~~
You were the girl we most admired
We both desired
~~~
Harry walked into his dormitory to get his
broomstick and saw Neville sitting on his bed
looking apprehensive and lost in thought.
"Neville? You okay?"
Neville looked up shocked and, when he saw who it
was, like he had in first year when Hermione had
put him in a body bind.
"Neville?"
"A-actually Harry, there's something I have to
talk to you about."
"Is it important? I'm running late for practice."
Neville seemed like he wanted to tell him to just
go on to practice, that they would talk about it
later but he knew that he couldn't put it off
anymore. Finding Harry alone was next to
impossible. It seemed the boy was always with
someone ...usually Ginny. Although Harry wasn't
with Ginny all that much, it seemed like the two
were always together to Neville. "It's important."
"Okay," Harry answered, unsure of where this was
heading.
A rush of words started to leave Neville's mouth
and Harry had to strain to understand them. "I
know you and Ginny are kind of dating but you've
always said that she's not technically your
girlfriend... that it's not that serious..."
"Neville? Do you fancy Ginny?"
Neville looked down at his sloppily tied shoelaces
and nodded.
"Are you going to ask her out?
Neville, looking worried, didn't know how to
answer that question. "I... well... I don't
know..."
"Look, if you fancy her, you should ask her to go
to the next Hogsmeade weekend with you."
"You're sure you don't mind?"
"If Gin doesn't then why should I?" He paused then
continued. "Look, good luck and everything but I
really have to go to practice."
~~~
So one day we said, "May the best man win"
Next when we knew that you must be
The girl that we'd been searching for
~~~
At first things ran rather smoothly. Ginny was
dating both of them and seemed to be juggling them
both expertly. Occasionally she would be with one
boy in the library or the common room and the
other would walk in. There would be an awkward
moment and then the boy she was with would laugh
and say, "Oh no, the competition is here!" The
other two would laugh and the situation was
dissolved.
This worked for short while until the tension
between the three became harder and harder to
alleviate.
Both boys were starting to get frustrated that is
they wanted to spend time with the girl they were
dating they had to get to her first. What made it
even worse was that both of their feelings were
growing for her.
Realizing that it wasn't working, Harry and
Neville both decided that they were going to have
to ask Ginny to choose. Stopping Neville just
before they left to find her, Harry stuck out his
hand and shook Neville's. "Hey, may the best man
win, huh?"
Neville gave a small, nervous smile and nodded.
~~~
That was the day you had to choose
So win or lose
We said once again "May the best man win"
~~~
Ginny looked back and forth between Neville and
Harry and Harry didn't think he'd ever seen her
look so scared. He knew she must have known this
day was coming, though she was probably hoping for
later rather than sooner. "You want me to
choose?"
"We need you to, Gin."
"It's not working anymore," Neville agreed.
She looked sadly down at her hands and all that
Harry could think was 'May the best man win.'
~~~
Now, here I stand
The best man, but only at your wedding
~~~
"Repeat after me."
Harry's head shot up and back into the present as
the minister reached the vows part of the
ceremony.
Neville went first. He repeated the minister
perfectly and didn't falter once. They looked so
happy. When it was Ginny's turn he couldn't help
but hope that she would look up and catch his eye
as she repeated her vows. He felt terrible for
wanting it to happen but he couldn't squash the
petulant child in the back of his mind that was
screaming 'It should have been me'.
She didn't look up.
~~~
To slip the ring on your finger tonight
Then I'll slip away and out of your life
~~~
"Do you have the rings?"
Harry barely registered the question but handed
the rings over nevertheless to the man who blessed
them and then handed one each to the couple in
front of him.
As Neville slipped the ring on to Ginny's finger
he saw his own hand reaching out with the ring but
the illusion was broken when Ginny slipped the
ring onto Neville's finger and he didn't feel the
cold metal against his ring finger.
~~~
At first it was just a game with us
You and I and my best friend
~~~
He knew he'd blown it before Neville even entered
the picture. He'd acted like she was a golden
snitch that all he had to do with was reach out
and grab her at the last moment and he would win.
~~~
Now, here I stand
Just the best man
~~~
They kissed and then to a hall filled with music
and applause as they ran down the aisle together,
as man and wife.
Ron was sitting in the front pew on the bride's
side between his mother and his girlfriend
Lavender, who seemed to be trying to get Ron's
attention without much success. As Harry walked
to the middle of the alter to meet Ginny's Maid of
Honour he met Ron's eyes. His best mate knew what
this was costing him and gave him a sympathetic
look.
Harry rolled his eyes in an 'I'm fine' way, smiled
at the Hermione, and escorted her down the aisle.
~~~
Now, here I stand
The best man
But only at your wedding
~~~
Harry was on the dance floor with some distant
cousin of Ginny's who had cajoled him out there
with her and had been making him laugh ever since.
He felt a tap on his shoulder and when he turned
around he met Neville's eyes.
Not letting go of his dance partner he turned
around to address his friend. He shook Neville's
hand, clapped him on the shoulder and said, "Good
show mate. Without a hitch, too. Most impressive."
Neville laughed wholeheartedly. "Ginny wants a
dance with you before we leave." Neville took
Ginny's cousin's hand and began to dance with her
while Harry went in search of Ginny.
~~~
To slip the ring on your finger tonight
Then I'll slip away and out of your life
~~~
"You don't think Ron's planning on embarrassing us
too much in his speech do you?"
"One of your brothers? Embarrass you? Perish the
though Gin," Harry said, trying to look innocent.
"I will get him back when he gets married. As his
best mate you would do well to warn him."
"I suppose I could, or I could just let you
surprise him."
They laughed and took a couple more turns around
the floor.
The MC took over the mike from the band and
enthusiastically shouted. "It's time to hear from
the best man!"
Harry smiled at Ginny and escorted her back to her
husband.
~~~
At first it was just a game with us
You and I and my best friend
Now, here I stand
Just the best man
~~~
The End
