The Kiss

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 7346

Hi --

Ebony wrote:

> As a layman and an enthusiastic H/H shipper, I say it's worthless to
> our argument.  I was H/H subconsciously before GoF, and was R/H for
> six weeks until I found PoU and this list.  I pecked my guy friends
> on the cheek during highly emotional moments in high school and in
> college... big deal.  I think JKR's throwing a red herring out there.

Umm.... I wouldn't say it's *worthless* to the H/H arguments.  Hey, any
argument counts.  It's certainly not the *best* or strongest argument by
any means.  But, as I said back in July: H/H shippers have one kiss; R/H
shippers have zero!   :--)

I think Scott is right that when we discussed it this past summer, most
people figured that JKR would not view it as all that significant.  It
might be a red herring, it might be "baiting" the H/H shippers or it
might just be an insignificant detail that she threw in with no thought
whatsoever.  Of course, she did *emphasize* it -- "Hermione did
something she'd never done before."

I think JKR's pretty darn good at getting in the minds of our adolescent
heroes (and heroines), and I do agree with your students Ebony that 14
yr old girls don't often kiss a male friend lightly.  High school &
college is a bit different; there's a bit more maturation there.  14 is
roughly 8th grade over here, right?  I don't know -- call me crazy but I
think it does show some level of feelings on Hermione's part.  I know
she might have just been thinking, "oh, poor Harry, he's been through so
much in the last few weeks," and just kissed him spontaneously, without
any real romantic interest.  But .... it could also indicate there are
underlying feelings for him too.  Especially when you think about the
way JKR emphasized it as an ending detail.

Then again ... it's been a long time since I was 14, so maybe I'm just
not remembering it all that well.  I wouldn't have thought twice about
kissing my guy buddies on the cheek at age 17 or 21 ... but 14?  I don't
think so.

Penny



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