R/H,H/H and a couple of observations

[Cassandra Claire]

No: HPFGUIDX 7661

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, zsenya at y... wrote:
> I have noticed something very interesting in all of these shipper 
> posts.  Many people admit to either having been R/H or being R/H 
for  the canon, but that after reading POU, switched to H/H.  So, 
you're  basing your preference on a fan fiction to begin with!  I 
think PoU is  wonderful, and I love the way that Harry is portrayed 
(very sexy!).    As a R/H shipper, though, when I read it, I had a 
mindset of "Well,   it's a nice story, but its only happening because 
Ron is dead and that  won't happen" because I am convinced by JKR 
that Ron is a good guy and  not a  traitor.

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I an only speak for myself, but I know I was an H/H shipper long 
before I ever read PoU, which I actually got to quite late (long 
after I'd written my own story, which was, yes, H/H...although only 
just barely ;).) In terms of PoU, IIRC, Ron doesn't die 
because he's a traitor, but because he's a friend of Harry's. And I 
think half the reason Lori killed off Ron wasn't to clear the way for 
Harry and Hermione, but to provide an obstacle to explain why it took 
them so long to get together -- they had to deal with their guilt 
over Ron's death. Dead Ron probably provided a far bigger obstacle to 
their union than Living Ron would have.

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Zsenya wrote: "Of course, 90% of what I think about Ginny comes from 
fan fiction as  well, but I really think that JKR will develop her 
character further.   Also, doesn't anyone realize that Ginny is the 
only one, besides  Harry, to have been face to face with Voldemort?  
That's gotta mean  something."
*And*
"Ron with Hermione  and Harry with Ginny makes me happy,and gives 
free reign to Harry to  be part of a warm and loving family."

It might mean more if JKR had ever developed it at all. Like you 
said, it's far more developed an idea in fanfic than in the canon! 
(It's mentioned in ASA, I know.) Ginny remains woefully undeveloped 
and uninteresting, which is probably why I just don't see her for 
Harry. And I'm not in love with the argument that Harry should end 
up with Ginny so he'd be part of a big happy family, because that 
pretty much ignores what Ginny (whiney and undeveloped though she may 
be) needs. It smacks of the "consolation prize argument" that a lot 
of people use in saying that Ron should wind up with 
Hermione "because Harry has everything else, fame, glory, Quidditch 
skills, so Ron should get SOMETHING" -- it ignores what would be good 
for Hermione or what she might want and by extension makes Ron sound 
like a loser.
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"Another thought was - Harry really needs some sort of family and I 
> think that the Weasley's provide that for him.  Being with Hermione 
> does not give him a family life like the Weasleys, and actually 
makes  it awkward for him to remain part of their life."

I'm sure this has been said before, but I just don't see where Harry 
winding up with Hermione makes his relationship with the Weasleys 
awkward. Mrs. Weasley adores him *and* she adores Hermione, and the 
only time we've ever seen her react negatively to Hermione is when 
she thought that Hermione was Harry's girlfriend and wasn't treating 
him right! My impression is that she would have been perfectly 
delighted if Hermione and Harry had been going out, and only reacted 
negatively because she was afraid Hermione was doing him wrong (for 
lack of a better phrase.) I can't see Mrs. Weasley turning Harry and 
Hermione away simply because Hermione didn't end up marrying Ron (who 
might not care at that point anyway), and if she did, then I'd be 
pretty disappointed in her.

Fun as all this speculation is, a lot of it, I'd imagine, is based on 
subjective preference. Ron is not my favorite character by a long 
shot, I far prefer Harry, and therefore would rather Hermione ended 
up with him. Those who like Ron feel differently. Of course if I had 
my druthers Draco would reform himself and *he'd* end up with 
Hermione, but I know that will never happen. (Runs away from Penny, 
who is looking threatening.)

The canon, IMHO, at this point is just not conclusive either way.

Cassie