POTENTIAL ROMANTIC PAIRINGS

By Penny Linsenmayer

Many members of our group have enjoyed pairing off our favorite characters in romances. While these characters are still teenagers and arguably may not find their life partner during their school days at Hogwarts, the speculation and debates have been fun for many people.

While there are certainly plenty of "no-shippers" (fans who profess to not care whether or with whom the main characters pair off romantically), the interested fans are deeply divided on this issue. The two most popular "ships" are Harry/Hermione ("H/H") and Ron/Hermione ("R/H"). Less popular (but no less obsessive) "ships" include Draco/Hermione ("D/H"), Draco/Ginny ("D/G"), Harry/Ginny ("H/G") and Harry/Cho ("H/C"). Slash pairing shippers also frequent the Harry Potter slash lists and chat groups (slash shippers are welcome to post to HPforGrownups, but there doesn't seem to be as much interest in these topics as in the main heterosexual romance pairings).

Interestingly enough, the H/H and R/H "ships" have both accused the other "ship" of ignoring Hermione's feelings. The H/H shippers have insisted that the R/H types assume that the couple will get together just because of Ron's obvious romantic interest in her. The R/H shippers have countered that they see no evidence that Hermione likes Harry and so the Hero Gets The Girl is an unfair, contrived ending. The "ships" have reached something of a compromise in agreeing that while they may disagree as to which boy (if any) she cares for, it is clear that her feelings are ambiguous and subject to varying interpretations. Most of the shippers also agree that Hermione is not a "prize to be won," and that she should be free to choose her romantic partner (or to not have one at all).

One list member has posited that personality type plays a role into which "shipper" camp an individual prefers, as well as his/her interpretation of various other aspects of the "canon" (the HP books themselves, as opposed to fan fiction offerings).

POPULAR THEORIES

"FARMER IN THE DELL" THEORY

Several members believe that the later books in the series may contain a romantic triangle of sorts, dubbed the "Farmer in the Dell" ("FITD") theory. These members believe that:

1. Ron has romantic interest in Hermione;

2. Hermione has romantic interest in Harry; and

3. Harry has (or will have) romantic interest in someone outside the Trio or in no one.

"ONE BIG HAPPY WEASLEY FAMILY" THEORY

Proponents of this theory remain hopeful that, at the end of the HP series, Harry will be paired with Ginny Weasley and Hermione will be paired with Ron Weasley. The result: one big happy Weasley family ("OBHWF"). Critics contend that this type of ending is far too sappy and cliché. They also point out that the characters are likely to be too young (particularly Ginny Weasley) to be set up with their life partners at the end of the series (the OBHWF theorists counter that Rowling might well write an epilogue that accomplishes this result).

One member voiced objections to this theory: OBHWF "may be smile-inducing, but it does nothing to raise the stakes." She also noted that it seems unlikely that Rowling will write romance into the plot for the sake of romance and that any romance in the later books will be tied in some way to the overall plot. Conflict is a necessary component of any good plot, and FITD (or a H/H pairing) could supply the necessary conflict.[1]

"HERO GETS THE GIRL" THEORY

Opponents of a H/H pairing have stated that it would be contrived and unlike JK Rowling to pair off the Hero (Harry) with the female protagonist (Hermione). Many in the H/H camp contend that a H/H pairing is not necessarily Hero Gets the Girl ("HGTG").

POTENTIAL PAIRINGS

RON & HERMIONE

Arguments in Favor

1. Attraction of Opposites JK Rowling has arguably set these two up to be a classic "Spencer Tracy & Katherine Hepburn" pairing. Their bickering and sparring in the first 3 books of the series had many readers convinced that they both had a potential romantic interest in each other. Ron's feelings became overtly clear to all readers in GoF. Hermione also exhibited some irritation at Ron's crush on Fleur Delacour in GoF (although some have pointed out that her irritation may not necessarily be personal but rather a general annoyance with males who focus on beauty and/or against Fleur as a person).

"The two of them start out by irritating each other to the point of exasperation. They get on each other's nerves. They may even hate each other at times. Which means that they are Doomed, according to Hollywood and classic romantic tradition, to Fall In Love."[2]

2. Ron's Feelings: It's very clear by the end of GoF that Ron has a crush on Hermione. The signs have been there since CoS (he got in the fight with Malfoy which resulted in his belching slugs because Malfoy called Hermione a "mudblood," he was very affected by her being petrified, and he squelched his hatred of spiders in hopes of helping her). His feelings became more pronounced and obvious to many readers in PoA and certainly by GoF.

3. Hermione's Potential Interest: The R/H shippers insist that Hermione clearly returns Ron's romantic interest. They cite her annoyance at his interactions with Fleur, the Ron & Hermione fight after the Yule Ball, her lack of response to the Harry/Hermione Skeeter articles, her blushes when Ron questions her about Krum, and the couple's bickering as evidence that Hermione does have romantic feelings for Ron. The H/H shippers insist that this evidence is subject to alternate interpretations and that Hermione remains the "wild card."

4. "Consolation Prize": Under this theory, Harry has fame, money and Quidditch skills; therefore, Ron should by all rights "get the girl" in the end. Critics of this argument have pointed out that it is dismissive of the feelings of both Ron and Hermione. It has also been noted that while Harry would trade his fame and wealth in an instant for a family like Ron's, Ron really wouldn't probably trade his family for the things that Harry has. So, in a sense, Ron really has it all anyway.

Arguments Against

1. No Long-Term Potential: Many members believe that while Ron and Hermione have the potential to have a romantic relationship, it probably wouldn't withstand the test of time. Their constant bickering and sparring, if it continued into their adult years, has the potential to become tiresome. The friendly squabbling they engage in could in later years turn into more serious arguments. "The sparks that fly in quarreling may lead to a very hot affair but surely a tedious marriage," commented one member.[3]

2. Imbalance: This argument suggests that any romantic relationship between Ron and Hermione would be fundamentally unbalanced. Ron would be overshadowed by Hermione's success (not only her intellect but also her seemingly greater level of latent magical talents). Since Ron has been overshadowed by his brothers all his life, he would be particularly resentful of Hermione's successes. Similarly, Hermione would, in the end, want more from her romantic partner.

Cf. Those who favor the Ron and Hermione pairing have countered this argument by postulating that Hermione's success as a witch is almost entirely attributable to her hard work and diligence ("book smarts" rather than natural abilities), and that if Ron applied himself, his efforts would correct any imbalance in their relationship. They also argue that Hermione may be the one person who can help Ron gain self-confidence: she sees him for who he is (not "second-best").

3. Possible Lack of Romantic Interest by Hermione It can be argued that there is as yet no solid evidence that Hermione returns Ron's feelings. The fight scene between Ron and Hermione after the Yule Ball in GoF is frequently cited as evidence that they like each other romantically. However, the H/H shippers are quick to point out that the reader has no idea what Ron said to Hermione before Harry stepped into the Gryffindor common room. Her response ("Well, if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you? . . . . Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!") takes on a different meaning, depending on what Ron said to her just before Harry stepped in. If Ron repeated what he'd said earlier during the Ball ("By going with Krum, you're betraying Hogwarts and Harry in particular"), then her response takes on a different meaning than if Ron said something more personal ("Why did you go with Krum when I asked you?"). One member has argued that the dialogue that Harry overhears doesn't make much sense if one assumes that Ron made a personal remark to her (rather than just continuing to fling the "consorting with the enemy" argument at her).

Her reactions to Fleur are similarly touted as solid evidence that she likes Ron. Most R/H types will argue vehemently the great "Semi-Colon" position. "Fleur smiled at him [Ron]; Hermione scowled." The H/H shippers counter that Hermione has shown disdain for Fleur from the very beginning and that her feelings are not necessarily personal.

Their bickering and arguments don't necessarily indicate that Hermione has feelings for Ron. Sometimes a young adolescent girl may engage in this sort of behavior with a boy on whom she has a crush, but just as often as not, she may have no feelings for that particular boy and have her eye on someone else entirely. Some members also argue that if you believe that "bickering" (and glaring, arguing, etc.) is indicative of underlying romantic tension, then a Draco/Hermione pairing makes as much sense as a Ron/Hermione pairing. Others counter that this is an "unfair" argument, that the Draco/Hermione enmity is a far different context than the Ron & Hermione bickering.

4. Too "Obvious" or "Cliché": Many members who oppose this pairing believe that Rowling has made it entirely too "obvious" (given her propensity for plot twists and the unexpected). Kids teasing each other and then falling in love is too cliché according to some members; it doesn't "raise the stakes." They also argue that if Rowling intended all along for Ron and Hermione to end up together romantically, then why did she cloak Hermione's feelings (creating ambiguity that Hermione might like Harry rather than Ron)? Even if she eventually takes the storyline to be a R/H pairing, some members believe she should address the tension/ambiguity she's created in the first four books regarding Hermione's feelings.

5. Friends/Siblings -- Some of the H/H members believe that Ron and Hermione have a more sibling-like relationship than Harry and Hermione.

HARRY & HERMIONE

Arguments in Favor

1. Balance -- Proponents of this theory argue that Harry and Hermione are more balanced as a couple than Ron and Hermione. Harry's bravery and standout magical abilities are balanced by Hermione's intellect and natural magical abilities; therefore, neither party would be the dominant partner in a romantic relationship. She's a strong enough person to "hold her own" and be a realistic love interest of the hero. In addition, she has strengths that Harry needs. Harry seems to have a considerable (though largely untapped) reservoir of latent magical talent. Although she appears to be something short of Harry's talent level, Hermione has considerably more natural magical talent than Ron.

Example: See Chapter 26 of GoF -- Ron is sending cushions everywhere but the target. Hermione is banishing cushions exactly on target, with apparent ease. Harry was surprised when his second banished cushion landed neatly on top of Hermione's last cushion (he was not concentrating when his first effort failed).

Example: In GoF, Professor Moody (Crouch-as-Moody) told both Harry and Hermione that they'd make good aurors but declined to extend Ron the same compliment or advice. This seems to reinforce the notion that Ron is already falling a bit behind his two best friends.

2. JKR's Favorite Characters One member has created some strong arguments that Harry is JKR's favorite character in the series and that because he is the story's hero, he is in effect her hero as well. Hermione is indisputably JKR's "surrogate" in the books. JKR has admitted that Hermione reflects many aspects of her own personality. This observation adds support for those who see a strong Harry/Hermione (H/H) subtext within the books.

3. Hermione's Interest It can be argued that Hermione has shown more interest in Harry than in Ron. She bought him an expensive broomstick servicing kit for his birthday in PoA (indicating that she gave the matter enough thought to buy him a present he'd enjoy rather than what he expected her to buy, a book). At the Quidditch World Cup in GoF, it's Harry that she pulls back into his seat when the boys are all entranced by the veela.

When Harry and Ron are fighting during GoF, she chose to spend a considerable portion of her time with Harry rather than Ron. We the readers are left with the impression that Harry and Hermione go to classes together, sit together in classes, leave class together, eat all their meals together, spend all their time in the common room together and take several long walks together. While we have the impression that Hermione believes both Harry and Ron are being stubborn, she's taken sides to some extent by spending so much of her time with Harry during this time period. When they go to Hogsmeade and Harry is in his invisibility cloak, Hermione was, from the viewpoint of the other students, alone. Ron didn't make any attempt to invite her to join him and his group or even approach her.

Hermione can't pay the smallest bit of attention to Krum after he "saved" her in the 2nd Task. She's too busy cheering for Harry and talking to Harry.

It's Harry who is the recipient of Krum's jealousy rather than Ron. Krum says that Hermione talks about Harry "very often." He does not cite the Skeeter articles as the basis for his concerns; rather, he mentions that Hermione talks about Harry all the time. She apparently does not talk about Ron all the time. Although he might have had the same conversation with Ron, it is implied that he doesn't regard Ron as a rival for her affections.

She kisses Harry at the end of GoF. We don't know if she also kissed Ron and/or Krum, but the fact that she kissed Harry is subtly emphasized (and might or might not be significant).

4. Subtle Subtext Most readers who favor this pairing argue that the subtext for a romantic relationship between these two is subtly apparent in the books. While Ron's attraction to Hermione is apparent to even the most obtuse of readers, one needs to look a bit below the surface to see the Harry/Hermione subtext. Additionally, the books are written from Harry's point of view, and he is clearly aware of Ron's feelings for Hermione.

Arguments Against

1. Hermione's Personality Some have argued that Hermione's "bossy" nature is an indication of her deep insecurity and need for approval. Her personality would be ill-suited to take a back-seat to Harry's successes and heroics. If he applied himself properly to his magical studies, he would quickly surpass Hermione, and she would be unable to cope with being in his shadow.

2. Harry will Meet his Partner Later: Many believe that Harry will not meet his life partner at Hogwarts (or even have a serious romance), thereby removing Hermione from contention. Similarly, he might have a romance with a new character, one we haven't met yet.

3. Too Platonic & Lack of "Sparks" It has been argued that Harry and Hermione don't have "fun" together in the same way that Ron and Hermione do. It could be said that Ron has the personality type to force Hermione to "lighten up" and look at life outside of books but that Harry's personality wouldn't force Hermione to leave her comfort zone. It is argued that their relationship lacks necessary "sparks." Some members are convinced that Harry and Hermione have a "sibling" relationship.

Many in the H/H camp counter that "sparks" often lead to fights more than passion in the long run. They argue that Harry and Hermione are better-suited for one another in a long-term relationship (and that Harry and Hermione have just as much "fun" as Ron and Hermione).

4. Ron's Lack of Jealousy -- Ron doesn't show the least bit of jealousy regarding the Rita Skeeter articles that insinuate a romantic relationship between Harry and Hermione. If there were possible feelings between the two of them (even if just on Hermione's side), some members argue that Ron would have picked up on this and reacted with some jealousy.

VIKTOR KRUM & HERMIONE

Arguments in Favor

The only real arguments advanced for this pairing so far involve Krum's seemingly genuine and serious interest in Hermione. Viktor is obviously serious about Hermione: she was the person he most values in the world (Task 2), more than his hypothetical sibling(s), his parents (who both came to see him at Task 3), his hypothetical childhood friend and his not-shown-but-must-exist Quidditch coach. He ignored scores of other girls who were eager to date him at Hogwarts in favor of bookish and outspoken Hermione. But, his interest level may not be enough to sustain this pairing into Book 5.

Arguments Against

1. Age Gap; No Real Interest from Hermione: Their age difference could be significant, particularly from Hermione's point of view. Since Krum will no longer be a student at Hogwarts, continuing their relationship would be difficult, and a 15 year old girl might not have much interest in carrying on a long-distance affair (for very long).

Although Hermione seems flattered by Krum's attentions, some readers have the impression that she was not interested in as serious a relationship as he seemed to have in mind.

2. "Mr. Wrong" JK Rowling said prior to the release of GoF (in more than one interview) that each of the 3 main characters would fall for or date the "wrong" person. Krum would be an obvious candidate to be Hermione's "Mr. Wrong."

HARRY & GINNY

Arguments in Favor

1. Ginny's Steadfastness & Loyalty: If Ginny continues to quietly bide her time and continues to grow as a person in the coming books, she may prove to be the best-suited romantic partner for our hero (if he chooses to notice). Although her character is not depicted much in Book 3 or Book 4, she has matured. The girl who says "I'm not telling you, it's her business" when questioned about Hermione's date to the Yule Ball has come a long way from the whiny little girl who wanted to board the Hogwarts Express just to gawk at Harry.

2. One Big Happy Weasley Family: A romantic pairing between Ginny and Harry would only solidify his ties to his "adopted" family. One can only imagine how ecstatic Mrs. Weasley would be for the two to date. Perhaps Harry's similarities to his father will eventually include a fondness for redheads.

Arguments Against

1. Ginny's Character Some have argued that Ginny is not developed as a character at all in the first four books and that it will be difficult for her to suddenly be painted as a strong enough personality to be the love interest of the hero. In the view of some members (certainly not all -- Ginny has many fans despite her small amount of "screen time" thus far), her character is a whiny little girl in SS, a naïve victim in CoS and has very few lines in either PoA or GoF. The Trio does not include Ginny in their secrets or even in their day-to-day lives. In one instance in GoF, Ginny is eating breakfast with Hermione. Harry waits until they're finished and then drags Hermione (not both girls) off for a long walk around the lake.

2. Just Schoolgirl Crush Ginny has a superficial crush on Harry, but because she's not included in the activities of the Trio, her crush might be just that, a crush that never develops into anything more for either party.

HARRY & CHO

Arguments in Favor

1. Cho's Personality Even though their contact thus far has been minimal, Cho is alternately his rival and his ally. She was clearly out to win in the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw in PoA. But, in GoF, she showed a genuine interest in friendship with Harry (stopping him to tell him that he'd dropped his quill, not wearing a "Support Cedric Diggory" button). She may become a more fully developed character in the later books, increasing the chance for a romance to blossom. But see "Too Much Tragedy" below.

2. Interest Level Harry was obviously quite smitten with Cho in GoF. Some members argue that Cho might have been disappointed to turn Harry down when he asked her to the Yule Ball.

Arguments Against

1. Too Much Tragedy Harry had a mild crush on Cho from afar in GoF, while Cho had a real romantic relationship with Cedric from all appearances. Cho seemed sorry to turn Harry down for the Yule Ball (but seemingly more sorry because she can see Harry's discomfort rather than sorry because she wished Harry had asked her before Cedric). Cedric's death (and Harry's role in it from his own perspective) will remain a barrier to any Harry & Cho romantic relationship. He would never feel right about pursuing her after what happened with Cedric.

2. Superficial At the moment, Harry has only spoken to Cho in the readers' hearing in a few cases. In each case, their conversation was brief and superficial. Harry thought she was quite pretty, but he has no idea if he'd enjoy spending time with her once he got to know her as a person.

3. Ms. Wrong Before the release of GoF, JK Rowling indicated that each of the three main characters would fall for (or date) the "wrong" people. Under that reasoning, Cho is Harry's "Ms. Wrong."

HERMIONE & DRACO

If the bickering between Ron and Hermione through the books is an indication of a "Spencer Tracy & Katherine Hepburn" style attraction of opposites, the slaps and curses Hermione has thrown at Draco Malfoy should be considered evidence that a relationship between Draco and Hermione follows the same rules of attraction. Obviously, if he ends the series as a Death Eater, the likelihood of any successful long-term relationship between the two is drastically reduced, but if he renounces evil (even if he never becomes “nice”), there may be potential for sparks to fly between the Muggle-born girl and the Malfoy heir.

This pairing (usually referred to as "D/H") is particularly popular among a certain segment of the fanfic community. Several well-written and popular fanfics have created a plausible union between these two implausible canon romance partners, as well as between the similarly canon-implausible characters of Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley (see below).

GINNY & DRACO

Although the canon character of Ginny Weasley has not interacted with Draco in the same spirited way that Hermione has, this pairing (referred to as "D/G") is also popular among a certain segment of fanfic fans. Again, for this pairing to be at all possible in the canon, Draco must renounce evil and Ginny must be a more developed and well-rounded character.

NOT SO TOUTED PAIRINGS

Ron & Fleur

Most people who have commented on this potential pairing have concluded that Fleur would be uninterested in Ron (primarily due to their age difference). She also seems to have at least a passing interest in Ron's eldest brother Bill.

Harry & Fleur

This pairing seems an unlikely choice for the same reasons that the Ron and Fleur pairing seems doomed. Fleur does show a special interest in Harry because he saved her sister in the Second Task (GoF), but her attention seems platonic to most readers.

Hermione & Percy

Although these two might have some common interests on the surface (and Hermione is less irritated by Percy than any of his siblings), most people seem to believe that there are too many strikes against this pairing. There is the age difference, with Percy working in the Ministry of Magic. In addition, one member noted that Percy slavishly and blindly follows rules and authorities, whereas Hermione is more questioning. In addition, Percy is seen as being studious primarily to promote his ambitious aims, while Hermione studies so hard because of a love of learning.

Ginny & Neville

They attended the Yule Ball in GoF together, and some readers have commented that these two quiet background kids might have a viable romantic pairing. Although Ginny only accepted Neville's invitation because she thought she might not otherwise go to the Ball and was clearly very disappointed that she couldn't go with Harry because she'd agreed to go with Neville, they might well have had a nice time together at the Ball.

Hagrid & Minerva McGonagall

Prior to Goblet of Fire, some members of the list had engaged in some mild, mainly humorous, speculation about a possible romantic interest between Hagrid and Professor McGonagall. Hagrid's interest in Madame Maxime in Goblet seems to preclude this theory for the most part.

Minerva McGonagall & Madame Hooch

This is the pet romance pairing of one of our members. This member has argued very persuasively for this pairing, despite the lack of canon evidence.

Harry & Hedwig

This is the favored pairing for another member (who is careful to stress that this requires that Hedwig be an animagus)!

Various Slash Pairings

While a number of viable (and not-so-viable) slash (same-sex) pairings are the subject of fanfics and have a devoted fan base, the slash topics have not generated much discussion in the shipping debates on this list. Accordingly, the arguments for and against these pairings have not been included at this time. There are also Yahoogroups (and other listserves) devoted to the discussion of slash pairings.

Selected Messages of interest for the above potential pairings:

Yahoo Clubs Messages: 2130, 2131, 2132, 2134, 2142, 2151, 2677, 2776, 2817, 3426, 3896, 3901, 3918, 4693, 4820, 4826, 7101, 7109, 7114, 7116, 7130

Yahoogroups Messages: 1083, 1085, 1087, 1114, 1790, 1791, 1801, 1808, 2865, 7335, 7346, 7352, 7365, 7404, 7458, 7473, 7493, 7494, 7497, 7552, 7557, 7562, 7573, 7578, 7579, 7583, 7585, 7590, 7593, 7618, 7635, 7638, 7655, 7657, 7661, 7681, 7685, 7692, 7717, 7725, 7848, 7925, 7945, 7975, 8106, 8116, 8118, 8126, 8136, 8166, 8199, 8239, 9963, 9964, 9991, 10014, 10024, 10028, 10034, 10113, 10115, 10348, 10585, 10587, 10611, 10692, 10838, 10852, 10864, 10865, 10871, 10875, 10885, 10888, 10896, 10917, 10923, 10924, 10940, 10941, 10958, 10960, 10963, 10997, 11001, 11028, 11040, 11041, 11064, 11070, 11109, 11165, 11184, 11216, 11300, 11389, 11398, 11402, 11423, 11428, 11434, 11513, 11569, 11594, 11613, 11618, 11689, 11731, 11768, 11786, 11798, 11874, 11922, 11924, 11936, 12092, 12099, 12113, 12127, 12129, 12134, 12136, 12173, 12216, 12220, 12225, 13171, 13626, 13640, 13644, 13656, 13659, 13663, 13669, 13694, 13718, 13721, 13748, 13763, 13766, 13777, 13786, 13792, 13794, 13801, 13805, 13824, 13827, 13833, 13838, 13842, 13843, 13858, 13861, 13884, 13887, 13890, 13892, 13896, 13897, 13914, 13925, 13951, 13955, 15282, 15286, 15287, 15289, 15295, 15305, 15308, 15314, 15321, 15340, 15342, 15348, 15354, 15390, 15412, 15428, 15439, 15442, 15443, 15447, 15499, 15526, 15529, 15530, 15531, 15537, 16451

Yahoogroups (OT-Chatter) Messages: 1299, 1311, 1330, 1337, 1351, 1355, 1362, 1365

Paradigm of Uncertainty Yahoogroups Messages: 753, 756, 855, 857, 868, 870, 881, 884, 890, 895, 897, 900, 905, 1017, 2067, 2435, 2445, 2460, 2805, 2807, 3429, 3433, 3492

Harrypotteranonymous (Yahoogroups) Messages: 1422, 1431, 1433, 1811, 1831, 1908, 2925, 2950, 2952, 2955, 2967, 2983, 2989, 2994, 2995, 2997, 2998, 3000, 3001, 3002, 3067, 3086, 3087, 3088, 3094, 3227

Footnotes

1. Ebony Thomas, Yahoogroups Message 10997.

2. Danemead, Yahoo Clubs Message 2776.

3. Rita Winston, harrypotteranonymous@egroups.com, Message 2989.