The golden trio formed the foundation of the Harry Potter books and movies, and actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint reached dizzying pinnacles of fame in their characters. Ron and Hermione's romance was a polarizing plot point, so much so that Grint and Watson also felt the pressure of carrying their story forward.
RELATED: 10 Things To Know About Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe & Rupert Grint's Friendship
In reality, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have maintained their relationship from the sets through today, and their mutual affection and admiration for each other was hugely evident in the recently released Return To Hogwarts. This is how friendship is for the real-life Ron and Hermione.
Rupert Loves Emma And Thinks Of Her As Family
Many fans agree that Hermione and Ron were clearly soulmates, but Emma and Rupert also found everlasting love in each other, albeit platonic. In Return To Hogwarts, Rupert very emphatically said "I love you" to his longtime co-star, and then both clarified that they meant that as friends only.
They clearly had a profound impact on each other after almost a decade of growing up together, and it really showed in the special. Grint also confessed "We’ve watched each other grow up. We grew up together. We’re family. We don’t need to see each — Oh, my God,” he paused as he got teary eyed. Watson called him a pillar in her life, too.
Emma Was Surprised To Hear This
Although Emma Watson may have starred in many other movies apart from Potter, the franchise, and Grint, are very close to her heart still. She revealed to Vogue that listening to Rupert Grint talk about his feelings was the most emotional moment for her in the reunion.
She was surprised to hear his words: "When Rupert says things, he really means them. I was taken aback by how vulnerable and kind he was deciding to be so publicly." The two of them really are family.
Emma Beat Rupert At Ping Pong During Filming
In all the various behind-the-scenes drama on Harry Potter, Rupert Grint decided to bring a ping pong table to set during the filming of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. He and Daniel were promptly crushed by Emma at the game which they didn't love!
They got good at ping pong, but Emma was too good at it. Rupert complained, "We rarely play her now because it gets quite embarrassing.” Just another thing that Emma is great at.
The Kiss Was "Horrifying" And They Thought They Wouldn't Be Able To Do It
Some of the funniest quotes from the Return To Hogwarts special were about what a terrible experience it was for Rupert and Emma to kiss after years of being friends on the set. Emma, now infamously, called it "horrifying" despite being prepped and made comfortable by director David Yates.
"I was really scared we were never going to get it because we just couldn’t take it seriously,” she said because the two just could not stop laughing. Rupert followed up saying that he "blacked out" when he had to do it.
They Are Like Siblings
One of the reasons why the hotly anticipated Ron and Hermione kiss was so difficult was because they share a sibling-like relationship, which was why it felt like kissing a brother. Watson confessed in the special "Kissing Rupert is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. It just felt wrong. So wrong on every level because Dan, Rupert, and I are so much like siblings.”
RELATED: 10 Harry Potter Memes That Are Too Funny, According To Reddit
Emma was also aware that Rupert wouldn't take the first step, which was why she went for it to complete the scene. Rupert could only "remember your face getting closer and closer to mine,” but then also said it wasn't as bad as a horror show, which is what it sounded like.
Rupert Did Say Emma Was "Pretty" And Popular With The Cast, Indicating A Crush
They may think of each other as brother and sister, but Rupert revealed in an interview with FHM in 2009, ahead of the fifth film's release, that both he and Daniel had a crush on her. He said cheekily "Have Daniel or I ever hit on Emma? Well, she’s quite popular with the cast. As for who has the worst crush on her – me or Radcliffe – I’d rather not say."
This was before he and Emma were supposed to kiss, so he said that he wasn't dreading it because "Emma’s a pretty girl." The reality turned out to be a lot different than what he had hoped!
Both Of Them Considered Quitting Potter
There was a serious possibility of Emma Watson quitting the films, which had done the rounds on set during the movie production. Rupert discussed this with Emma during the reunion, saying "I've never really spoken to you about that."
RELATED: 10 Harry Potter Relationships As Taylor Swift Songs
Watson said that she felt the gravity of her fame, and when it hit home, she got scared. "I don't know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, 'This is kind of forever now," she said. Grint also said that he thought of quitting through every movie too, "contemplating what life would be like if I called it a day." They both felt similarly but stayed on.
Emma Was Reluctant To Hug Rupert In The Chamber Of Secrets
In the original screenplay of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Emma Watson was supposed to run through the hall and hug both Harry and Ron, but she felt shy hugging either of them. She said "How could he make me run through the Great Hall and throw my arms around a boy in front of everyone? I thought it was so embarrassing."
To make it better, Columbus settled on a hug with Daniel Radcliffe and an awkward handshake with Rupert Grint. Even her hug with Radcliffe was momentary: "I hugged him for such a short period of time my arms barely touched around his neck, and then I let go immediately. Chris had to freeze-frame the hug so that the moment lasted long enough for it to be anything,” she said.
They Don't Like Whatsapp So There Isn't Much Texting
In her Vogue interview, Emma Watson also let fans know how active the three of them are on Whatsapp. Rupert, her, and Dan don't like devices and stay off of them, which is why there isn't much daily correspondence. "We aren't on a group chat but we speak individually," she said.
So while there is no Hogwarts group chat, Rupert and Emma do try to meet each other one-on-one whenever they can make time in their busy schedules.
… But Rupert Sends Emma Photos Of His Daughter
No matter how anti-electronic-device Rupert and Emma may be, they still use it, and often to adorable ends. The Ron Weasley actor recently became a father, and he doesn't hesitate to share pictures of her with his first co-star.
In the same interview, Emma gushed about the little one. "Rupert sends me pictures of [his daughter] Wednesday and I die," she said. It looks like the two like to keep each other in the loop about life's many milestones.
NEXT: Why These 10 Harry Potter Actors Were Perfectly Cast
