SHIP: Muddying the pool

[cassandraclaire73]

No: HPFGUIDX 31390

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Shannon Compton <srae at m...> wrote:
> At 04:52 AM 12/12/2001 -0000, Cassandra wrote:
> The first could be easily explained by the fact that, outside of 
Hermione and Ron, Harry has no other *close* friends at Hogwarts.  
Ron has, at the least, Fred and George.  If Hermione spent her time 
with Harry during that period, it was probably because she is a kind 
hearted girl and knew that  not only was Harry scared and possibly in 
danger, but that he was in much more desperate need of a friend at 
that moment.  And it's also fairly obvious that she spends time with 
Ron as well, as she ocassionaly mentions him to Harry."


One would assume that she spends *some* time with Ron, but 
considering that she eats all her meals with Harry, walks around the 
lake with Harry in between classes, and apparently sits with Harry in 
class, I don't think it was very *much* time. I also agree that this 
is because Hermione intuitively understands that Ron, with his 
brothers and their friends at school with him, will not be so alone 
and bereft during a fight as Harry will, and so chooses to be there 
to support Harry. I was using this less as a ship argument than as an 
attempt to dismiss the suggestion that Ron and Hermione are 
somehow "more close" than Harry and Hermione as friends, or that they 
have an exclusive relationship that does not include Harry at all. 
Much has been made of the "assumed" amount of time she also spends 
with Ron during this period. Again, no agreement has usually been 
arrived at. I am of the opinion that if she did spend time with Ron, 
it was precious little time, and much of it was probably spent 
saying, "Won't you PLEASE stop being mad at Harry?"


"As for the Three Broomsticks...I can't recall just why Harry was 
using his  cloak"

Precisely because he does not want Ron to know that he is in 
Hogsmeade.


" but Ron does know about the cloak and probably knows Hermione
> wouldn't be sitting there alone."

Why? He knows that Hermione has been spending much of her time with 
Harry; it is not my impression that Hermione has many other close 
friends besides Harry and Ron. She could easily have decided to go to 
Hogsmeade on her own. It is simply an assumption that Ron would know 
she was there with Harry, not a certainty, and frankly I still think 
it was rude behavior on his part.

"Another thing to consider is that everything is told from Harry's
 perspective, more or less.  We're bound to see the two of them alone
 together more than we see (or hear about) Ron and Hermione, simply 
because if Ron and Hermione are alone together, Harry's not there!"

Yes, but again, given that we are told how much time Hermione is 
spending with Harry during the fight, there simply isn't that much 
*time* available for her to spend with Ron. Also, assuming some "off-
the-page" interactions between Ron and Hermione is fine, but still no 
more than hopeful extrapolation, just like those of us who hope that 
Draco, off the page, is better-behaved than he is on the page.

"I see Hermione with one day, it's Ron. (she seems as displeased with 
his obsession with Fleur as he is with her date with Viktor, after 
all)."

*As* displeased? Surely not. Hermione does not throw a spectacular 
tantrum when Ron asks Fleur to the ball, or just goggles at her as is 
his wont. She may be somewhat displeased, but she is surely not *as* 
displeased by any means. (You may argue that she is internaslly 
tormented and just not showing it, but that way lies madness. :D)Then 
there's the whole business about how it's Harry she pulls back into 
his seat when the boys are drawn to the veela at the Quidditch World 
Cup, not Ron...no, running out of time here. :D

Cassie