Why Do I Love Ron/Hermione?

I've said it over and over again: Ron and Hermione are my ultimate OTP. No one will ever top them.

I've also written before that I think fiction is the reason I don't believe in soul mates. Well, that isn't the only way I think fiction has influenced my outlook on relationships. When you consume as many stories as I do (and I think most people do) they're naturally going to affect how you look at relationships. Even if your OTP didn't help shape your view of relationships, they probably reflect those views. Ron/Hermione definitely do for me. Here are three things I love about Ron/Hermione:

Why would you not want to be friends first?

Okay, okay. Ron and Hermione might not even be the biggest reason why I feel this way. I'm sure my personality has a lot to do with this, but the idea of becoming friends and then the relationship developing into something romantic is much more appealing to me than meeting and immediately dating. The idea of awkward conversations on first dates just puts me off. Maybe some people find that enjoyable, but I'm going to say that developing romantic feelings for someone you already know well is far easier.

It also has the potential to become complicated, ruin the friendship, etc., but everything has its downsides.

Keeping your last name

Hermione kept her last name when she married Ron. I will forever celebrate that fact. While it's an increasingly popular decision that women make, it's not that common in literature, so seeing it, even if it was in Cursed Child, is something to celebrate. The fact that a big deal isn't made of this is also fantastic.

Gender roles

This goes back to the last one, admittedly, but it's worth discussing too. (I know this is something else that's far more prominent in Cursed Child, but I still need to celebrate these things.) The fact that Hermione is the Minister for Magic while Ron is more devoted to his family (and running a joke shop) is so wonderful. I love it so much. If there was one part of Cursed Child to celebrate, it was probably that.

What are some ways you think that your OTP has influenced (or reflects) how you view relationships?