The second youngest Weasley is all grown up, as actor Rupert Grint – famously known for playing Harry Potter’s best friend and bromantic partner, Ron Weasley – turns 27 today (August 24).

We thought the most fitting way to pay tribute to Grint on his special day would be to give Ron Weasley the spotlight for once (something Ron himself would undoubtedly appreciate) and look back on the many times we fell in love with him, both in the movies and the books.

When he looked into the Mirror of Erised.

As anyone that grows up in a large family can attest, standing out of the crowd can be a difficult task – especially when you have successful siblings like Bill and Charlie Weasley and have worn hand-me-downs your entire life. That’s why our hearts melted a little bit for Ron when Harry showed him the Mirror of Erised – a mirror that showed the viewer with their innermost desire – and Ron saw himself as Head Boy and recipient of the Quidditch Cup, the center of attention.

Every time he protected/defended Scabbers.

Sure, Scabbers turned out to be Peter Pettigrew, the ultimate personification of betrayal and scum in J.K. Rowling’s universe, but Ron’s unparalleled affection for his pet rat was one of his most attractive qualities. His insistence that Scabbers was a good pet – even when he himself would complain about his uselessness – was a great attribute, and a surefire indication that Ron would be a considerate and attentive friend and romantic partner.

When he almost blew their cover while using polyjuice potion.

One of Ron’s most endearing qualities is, of course, his epic ginger mane. With such a distinctive feature – one that his whole family shares, no less – it was no surprise that Ron almost blew their cover when he and Harry were undercover in Slytherin House as Crabbe and Goyle and Ron’s true colors started to show. Our affections for Ron only grew when we watched him struggle not to muck things up, be it a top-secret mission or just his O.W.L.s.

Whenever he turned into an overprotective big brother.

Ron’s a pretty easy going dude, but every so often, he turns flips the big brother switch. Perhaps it’s that Ginny Weasley is the only sister in the family or perhaps it’s that she’s the only Weasley sibling younger than Ron, but when he starts questioning her choice in romantic companions (even Harry!), our feelings for him were only exacerbated. Who doesn’t love an overprotective brother? Well, except for Ginny, of course.

When he realized he was in love with Hermione and wouldn’t admit it.

Once Ron hit 14, he began showing signs that he was madly in love with Hermione Granger even if he himself couldn’t recognize the signs. As readers/viewers, it was clear as day, but watching Ron work so, so hard to avoid his feelings made us love him even more. Poor guy.

When he said he hated being poor.

We know that the Weasleys are richer with love than they are with money. And usually, Ron is pretty content, even with Draco Malfoy constantly rubbing his wealth in Ron’s face. But there’s one moment in "Goblet of Fire" that Ron really opens up about his economic status, after a particularly difficult day and mutters “I hate being poor.” It’s pretty heartbreaking, especially considering how well off his best friend Harry is. Ron’s sensitivity in moments like this was one of his best qualities.

When he wore those dress robes.

Oh, Ron. Ron, Ron, Ron. Those dress robes provided by Mrs. Weasley for the Yule Ball were truly embarrassing and emblematic of Ron’s perpetual hand-me-down trauma, but damn if he wasn’t adorable in those ancient things.

When he was the thing Harry would miss most.

There are many bromances throughout the "Harry Potter" series, but the one front and center – and most important – is that of Harry and Ron. Never was it clearer than when Ron was taken away as the thing Harry would miss the most for the second challenge of the Triwizard Tournament, despite having spent the first portion of "Goblet of Fire" at odds with his best friend. It shows that Ron is fiercely loyal, and well, who wouldn’t fall in love with that?

When he became a prefect.

Just as we loved him when he looked into the Mirror of Erised and saw himself as a success, we loved him even more when those dreams started to come true. His selection as a prefect –following in the footsteps of Weasley black sheep Percy – was a triumph in Ron’s academic career. If we’re being honest, triumphs in academia were few and far between for our beloved Ron Weasley, so we savored every one of them.

When "Weasley is Our King" ruined his Quidditch performance.

"Weasley is our King" was a mocking song that the Slytherins came up with to taunt Ron when he joined the Gryffindor Quidditch team as Keeper. Unfortunately, Ron was a delicate little flower and let the chorus of Slytherins get to him, affecting his performance on the Quidditch pitch. It’s hard not to fall for someone that feels so deeply. Thankfully, by the end of "Order of the Phoenix," Ron proves himself worthy of being Keeper and the Gryffindors co-opt “Wealey is Our King” as their own.

When he relied on "Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches."

Despite his intense love for Hermione throughout the series, Ron suffers from a severe lack of knowledge about the opposite sex. Thankfully, then, Fred and George gift their little bro with "Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches." While it’s doubtful that any of the tips and tricks in this how-to guide actually helped Ron mack it with Hermione, it did at least give him the confidence to pursue her.