Hermione

[Simon]

No: HPFGUIDX 6913

John wrote(?): <However (and here's the clincher), "Krum was...accompanied
by a pretty girl in blue robes Harry didn't know." <snip> And so, in a
sudden rainstorm of similes, Harry realises that the pretty girl is
Hermione:
<snip> She was also smiling -- rather nervously, it was true -- but the
reduction in the size of her front teeth was more noticeable than ever;
Harry couldn't understand how he hadn't spotted it before.">
Penny replied: "I maintain from the above passage that Harry was just as
floored by Hermione's appearance at the Ball as Ron.  <g>"

The real question is was Harry floored with Hermione's appearance or with
the fact that a close friend of his, someone that he has never really
connected with being a girl (she is his friend - it has never mattered
before as to whether she is a boy or a girl), could make such an impression
and look so feminine.


Penny wrote: "I don't see that there's anything to fault Hermione for
changing her appearance so dramatically for that one night -- lots of people
do (or try to do) that for special occasions.  As she told Harry the next
day, the changes she made to her hair would take far more trouble than she
was willing to do for everyday.  Although one does wonder if there couldn't
be some 1 minute charm that could "fix" her unruly hair everyday."

It was the first occasion in their time at Hogwarts that they have had a
chance to 'dress up'. A guess this is something that the girlies really
enjoy and leaves the blokes as nervous wrecks. Nowadays I just try to avoid
going to anything that involves me wearing such smart clothing - there is a
limited number of times that you can put up with 'black tie' - even if all
the females flock over to check that you have a real one instead of  fake
(bow tie).


So we have a character [Hermione] that is very clever - the best witch in
her year and probably one of the most intelligent people ever to go to
Hogwarts.
With a bit of effort (mainly only has to do something to the hair) she can
transform herself into one of the most attractive people in the whole
school.
People are convinced that most of the main male characters, if not all, are
attracted to her and will, if they have not already realised it, want to
date her.
She is the author's character in the story.

I could go on further - but have chosen not too (have to go and do some FAQ
work - have been avoiding it all day).
Can I get away with accusing Jo or Mary Sue?
Or the real question is: Is Hermione an example of Mary Sue?

Go read this for more amusement:
http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=139773

Simon (who was quite amused when he thought of this!)