May the Best Man Win

~~~
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 next to 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
~~~