Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder were the Hollywood couple who made watching Vampire Diaries a bit sweeter. Throughout their highly publicized relationship, a lot of good things, bad things, and secrets made news all around the globe, before the two finally cut the chord.

Altogether, these two gave real-life love a run for its money in their three-year-long relationship, one which seemed full of love and happiness. This was especially so, given that their Vampire Diaries characters were also fictional sweethearts.

But moving into the mortal realm, what have we learned about their relationship so far? And why didn't the two get married? Though rare, it's been seen before;  True Blood sweethearts Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin tied the knot.

This post will dig on that. So read on.

15 Nina Had To Make Sure That Ian Was A Happy Person Before They Started Dating

Yes, it's hard to date a partner whose heart is not open to love and happiness. And for Nina Dobrev, she had to make sure Ian Somerhalder was happy before the two could become sweethearts. Speaking to Hollywood Life, she revealed that she believes people need to date partners who make them smile.

14 Nina Had Stated In The Past That She Did Not Want To Date Co-Stars

Before Ian swept her off her feet, Nina had sworn never to date co-stars. However, Ian Somerhalder had more charm than his fictional character Damon, and Nina broke her rule set, thus the two became a couple. However, she still had bitter moments with other co-stars, Paul Wesley being the hardest hit.

13 After Their Break Up, Nina Kept Their Cat Moke

Nina and Ian have been ardent cat lovers, with Ian reportedly having three cats of his own. However, he co-parented their cat, Moke, with Nina. And after their split, wetpaint.com reports that Nina retained custody of the cat. However, the brown feline fell ill soon after and had to be rushed to the vet.

12 Their Relationship Was Affirmed To The Public After The Pair's Trip In 2012

The duo did a fantastic job keeping their relationship under the rags. However, when the two boarded a plane and headed out to France, the love in the air was too much for them to bear. Pop Sugar reports that photos of them showing PDA in Paris filled the internet, and their fans pieced two and two together.

11 Nina Played Midwife To Ian’s Dog After They Broke Up

Apart from taking care of their cat Moke, Nina also played midwife to Ian's dog, Nietzche. E! Online reports that when the dog went into labor, Nina quickly played midwife and helped her deliver eight cute puppies.

10 Both Their Mothers Met On The Paris Trip

Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder didn't go to France just to cuddle up. That was an opportunity for both parents to meet, indicating that their relationship was at a more mature stage than we thought. Novinite.com reports that later on, after taking the PDA filled pictures, the group dined at a local bar.

9 Nina And Ian’s Wife Are Very Close Friends

Sadly, our Vampire Diaries couple had to call it quits. However, despite such a flamed relationship, and what people expected to be a bitter split, Nina retained the old friendship in Ian Somerhalder and found new friends in his wife Nikki Reed. Speaking to Cheat Sheet, Nina stated that she doesn't feel it's a big deal being friends with the two.

8 They Were Awarded “Best Chemistry” After Their Breakup

The split between Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev hit Hollywood hard. So hard, in fact, that at the People's Choice Awards, Nina and Ian joked about it in what was an awkward exchange of words, heavily laden with Vampire Diaries references, on the podium. E! Online reports that they had won the coveted "Best Chemistry" award.

Related: 15 Forgotten Facts About Nina Dobrev And Ian Somerhalder’s Relationship

7 They Managed To Hide Their Relationship From The Public For A Year

Before the Paris reveal, these two had been at it for one year. Celebritydirtylaundry.com reports that the two had managed to keep everything under wraps for a whole year, despite their fictional characters still giving us hot soap opera action on the vampire diaries set.

6 Nina Quit “Vampire Diaries” Prior To Ian’s Engagement To His Fiancé

Was it because of the bad blood between them? Not really. Whatever the case was, Nina called it quits from the Vampire Diaries series, after six amazing seasons impressing fans across the globe. She told E! Online that unlike what was speculated, her decision was not influenced by her break-up with the co-star.

5 Nina Was Not Ready For Marriage When She Was Dating Ian

While Ian was head over heels with this lass, she wasn't ready to take the step further and be his wife. Nicki Swift reports that the huge 10-year age gap between Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev meant the two were at very different points in their lives. While Ian was hoping to settle down quickly, Nina still felt she had a long life ahead of her.

4 Ian Attributed Their Break Up To 'People Change And Forget To Tell Each Other’

Well, at the end of a lovely relationship, an explanation, albeit bitter, has to be offered. In what was interpreted as a "cryptic tweet", Daily Mail reports that Ian took to Twitter to offer an "explanation" of how the two co-stars ended up apart. He tweeted: "People change and forget to tell each other".

Related: 15 Fun Facts About Nina Dobrev’s Time On The Vampire Diaries

3 They Both Agree That They Work Better As Friends Than Lovers

Despite such a heartbreaking split that some Vampire Diaries fans have struggled to come to terms with to date, Nina and Ian Somerhalder have vowed to still remain friends. And, they still are. LA Times reports that during their break up, Nina and Ian vowed to still maintain their friendship and professional relationship, which was their foundation as a couple.

2 Nina Has Stated On Numerous Occasions That Ian’s Wife Is An Amazing Person

As hurtful as it might seem to have your friend date your ex, Nina thinks Ian's wife, Nikki Reed, who's also a Vampire Diaries co-star and Nina's friend, is an amazing person. People TV reports that Nina Dobrev believes Nikki Reed is not only an amazing person but also a great fit for Ian.

1 They Are The Ultimate Couple Goal

Nina and Ian Somerhalder were the true sweethearts of Hollywood, not because they were co-stars who were a couple both on and offset, but because they carried their relationship with impeccable love and respect for each other. So much that, even after three years of being together, their split wasn't clouded with the common wrangles and scandals of a regular Hollywood break up, but a rather longer-lasting friendship that we rarely see.

Source: People, Mirror, E! Online, Nicki Swift, Daily Mail

Next: 18 Facts About Nina Dobrev And Her Vampire Diaries Costars BTS