Years after the end of The Vampire Diaries, fans still can't seem to get over Damon. Dubbed as the "bad-b0y" that can make any girl weak in her knees, there's more to Damon than just that. He is an extremely complex character, with various layers, and kudos to Ian Somerhalder for bringing that out amazingly on the screen.
Since he was an anti-hero, Damon has made many enemies throughout the show. However, the few friendships he had, he deeply cared about them and they brought out his human side more. Some of those friendships fizzled out or Damon betrayed them but some stayed strong until the end.
Andie
Andie was a friend of Elena's aunt, Jenna, who appeared in the show in its second season. Andie was smitten by Damon, but Damon mostly used her to forget Rose's death and satiate his hunger for blood and sex.
She used to be constantly under his compulsion until Damon felt guilty and pushed her away. She was killed by Stefan in the season 3 premiere, but Damon hardly mourned her death. Thus, Damon didn't care for her and she was only a coping mechanism for everything going on in his life.
Lexi
Lexi, a vampire was the best friend and the guardian angel of Stefan, but she and Damon bonded due to their mutual affection towards Stefan. However, later their relationship turned salty until Damon staked her in the heart in season 1.
Later, viewers learned that Damon and Lexi had a one-night stand in the late 1970s and Damon led Lexi to believe that he had feelings for her. Then Damon left her on a rooftop without a ring to protect her. It can be said that Damon mostly used her as a way to wind up Stefan. Damon regrets his treatment of her and their relationship can be described more as 'frenemies'.
Rose
Rose may have been on the Vampire Diaries for a short time, but she showed fans that Damon can be kind too. Rose helped the Salvatore brothers learn about the Originals as she was sent by Klaus to deliver Elena to him.
Rose and Damon had an affair when they both were trying to get over other people. They understood this and helped each other in getting their minds off of people they loved. Thus, their affair was more like a friends-with-benefits situation. When Rose died, Damon helped in easing her death, portraying that even though Damon has his vile qualities, he cares about his friends.
Caroline
In the early seasons, Damon was outright cruel to Caroline. He used her to gain entries to town events and meddle in Elena's life by dating her. Caroline also used him to flaunt their relationship to Elena and Stefan because she had a crush on Stefan. Damon even tried to kill her once.
However, by the end of the series, they became close friends. This happened because Damon became much kinder towards her as Caroline and Stefan became a couple and the brothers' no longer tried to hurt each other. They had a beautiful moment after Stefan's death when they both mourned their loss and comforted each other.
Enzo
Enzo is one of the closest friends Damon has ever had, but circumstances turned their relationship bitter. They shared a lot of years in captivity when they were test subjects for the Augustine society. However, Damon left him to die and escaped himself, which is one of the worst things Damon has ever done.
Even though Damon left him, it wasn't easy for him. He had to turn off his humanity to not feel the remorse and grief for betraying his friend. This proves that Enzo and his friendship meant a lot to Damon and it was one of the hardest things he ever had to do in his long life.
Elizabeth Forbes
What makes Damon so interesting is that he tends to find friendships in the unlikeliest places. Caroline's mother, Liz Forbes is one of them. They have been helping each other out since the beginning of the show since Liz was the sheriff of Mystic Falls.
Their friendship started with lies and deception actually, because she didn't know he was a vampire. When she learns the truth, their friendship gets strained for some time. But they can get past that and Liz called Damon one of her best friends on her deathbed. However, one can argue that she wouldn't be so affectionate towards him if she knew how he treated her daughter.
Alaric
Just like Liz, Alaric and Damon weren't supposed to become friends since Alaric was a vampire-hunter so, his job was to hunt Damon. However, this is what makes their unlikely friendship so interesting and endearing. In the early seasons of the show, Alaric became Damon's best friend and they often allied with each other to fight enemies.
Apart from fighting alongside, they also shared moments where they just sat in each other's company and drank. When Alaric died in Damon's arms at the end of season 3, Damon broke down and mourned his death, signifying how much Alaric meant to him. They had one of the best friendships in The Vampire Diaries. However, in the later seasons, fans noticed that their friendship kind of fizzled out since both became busy with their personal lives.
Elena
Damon and Elena, also known as Delena, are one of the most popular pairings in the history of television but it is important to note that the foundation of their relationship was friendship. Damon developed feelings for Elena while she was in a relationship with his brother, Stefan. However, they became good friends who looked out for each other.
Elena was the one who made Damon aware of his goodness and she made him a better person. Since they turned from good friends to lovers, their relationship is so strong and they truly understand each other.
Stefan
Stefan and Damon might be brothers, but they have hardly ever seen eye to eye. The series started with their feud and even though, deep down they always loved each other, they have made each other's lives miserable plenty of times.
However, as the series progressed and both brothers matured, they started appreciating each other more and more. By the time the CW drama ended, they were not only brothers but also really close friends. In the season finale, Stefan even saved Damon's life and sacrificed his own. One of the best scenes The Vampire Diaries fans love to rewatch is seeing the two brothers reunite in the afterlife.
Bonnie
Another friendship that no one saw coming but became one of the best friendships of the entire show is of Damon and Bonnie. The two were forced to spend a lot of time in close quarters in the Prison World and this is what turned frenemies into life-long friends. Fans loved to see two people who are so different share such a unique and endearing bond.
Damon even chose Bonnie over Elena, which goes to show how much he had started caring for her. From a fantasy show that had a lot of romance drama, Damon and Bonnie's friendship is certainly one of the best things to come out of it.