Sailing, Sailing....and arguing 'bout the SHIPS

[hermione1956]

No: HPFGUIDX 31468

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "jenbe_me" <jenbea at s...> wrote:
> 
>   As much fun as it is to nitpick and debate every little detail of 
> the interactions between H/R/H, and what these interactions mean in 
> regards to romance and future relationships, I think it's important 
> to keep in mind that regardless of the evidence we've seen so far 
> it's completely possible for Hermione to link up with Ron or Harry 
in 
> the future, or possibly neither, or, (and here's a shocker) 
possibly 
> both, not at the same time of course, but during different time 
> periods.
> 
>   Here's something to consider: she may be attracted to Harry in 
some 
> ways and Ron in others. Who knows? There is no guarantee of 
> exclusivity; just because you like someone doesn't automatically 
mean 
> you can't like someone else at the same time. 
> 
>   >   As Dumbledore said that our actions and choices shape who we 
are, I 
> think that likewise our actions and choices determine who we will 
be 
> with romantically. >   So I don't see that either Harry or Ron is 
either destined to end 
> up with Hermione, (although I personally see Ron's traits suiting 
her 
> personality better) but I feel that Harry is much more mature and 
> therefore a better fit for her, right now.  Ron needs to grow up 
more 
> before he'll understand where Hermione's at mentally. But it all 
> depends on whether or not Ron takes initiative to try and 
understand 
> where Hermione's coming from. 
> 
> jenbea

Here's my proffer on the shipping debate.  I agree with jenbea, but 
tried to lay out where they are right now based on canon.  I'm not 
sure I've really added anything new, but I wrote it, so I'll go ahead 
and post it.

Ron -- JKR has spent 4 books carefully setting up Ron's attraction to 
Hermione, and it does not seem like a temporary infatuation.  But I 
doubt a R/H relationship will develop anytime soon.  First, Ron is 
very confused right now and his entire outlook on life is colored by 
jealousy -- of Harry, his brothers, Krum, etc.  He doesn't have a 
grip on his feelings, he lacks self-identity, which manifests in his 
lackadaisical outlook on life.  To be ready for a relationship with 
an intellectual like Hermione, he needs to do some self-evaluation, 
recognize and develop his talents better, and generally realize how 
fortunate he is vis-a-vis Harry.  (He seems still not to have fully 
realized that Harry would trade all his Gringotts gold for a loving 
family like Ron's.)  I suspect that in Book Five and maybe beyond, 
Ron will be forced to make serious choices and that if he does the 
easy thing, as we know he has a tendency to do, he (and maybe the 
trio) will be in serious trouble -- not just SHIP problems.

Harry -- Right now he's not interested in Hermione other than as a 
friend. She doesn't offer what he appears to need -- a break from 
constantly focusing on the special burdens he carries -- instead, she 
makes him focus on them more.  Note his comment that when Hermione 
was his best friend he spent too much time in the library.  Rather, 
Hermione constantly increases his focus on these problems as she 
tries to help solve them.  Right now, certainly from Harry's 
perspective, this relationship seems like a professional partnership 
in which Hermione acts as a loyal behind-the-scenes researcher, 
analyst, moral supporter and friend.  What's next for Harry?  Aside 
from the fact that his crush on Cho likely died with Cedric, and that 
Voldemort will be a greater threat than ever, we don't know.  There 
are a lot of students at Hogwarts besides Hermione.  Maybe one of 
them will replace Cho.  Maybe he'll be too busy with Voldemort to 
focus on relationships.  Or maybe he and Ron will come to conflict 
over Hermione.  And maybe it all depends on . . .

Hermione -- this is the wild card, because we don't know her 
feelings.  Reading between the lines, IMHO it seems likely that she 
wanted Ron to ask her to the Yule Ball, but we don't know the 
reason.  Maybe she just wanted to go with her two best friends, and 
Harry was not an option as a date because that would only have 
provided grist for the Rita Skeeter gossip mill.  There's probably 
more canonical evidence to support a romantic interest in Ron than 
Harry, but none is clear-cut.  Each offers her something different -- 
Harry is the intellectual choice, but she really does need help in 
lightening up, and Harry can't do that for her.  But if she is 
conflicted, she will have trouble making the right choice, or perhaps 
any choice, accustomed as she is to relying on her books, which are 
useless here.  This could definitely cause some conflict in Book 
Five.  And if there's going to be a fight over Hermione, Harry and 
Ron aren't the only candidates.  There's Krum (though I think he will 
go away as she doesn't show enough interest), and there are lots of 
other students.  Who knows? We might even find that Draco's mudblood 
taunts are hiding deep feelings for her (please, JKR, save us from 
this scenario).

So, what's the answer to the shipping debate?  I don't think any of 
the three are ready for either of the ships, and I'm hoping to get 
through at least Book Five without any such thing among the trio.  
Each of H/R/H will have many choices to make in the next 3 years that 
will influence, not just their romantic lives, but all aspects of 
their relationships.  This is just one of several areas in which 
their choices, not their destinies, will determine the outcomes.  We 
cannot predict, except to say that unlike the rest of the issues, the 
only plot twists that directly affect the romantic outcome will be 
the influences inside the characters' own minds and hearts affecting 
their own actions.  (Unless, of course, one of the trio gets killed 
off, in which case I will burn all the books and read no more.)

djd