[HPforGrownups] The Harry Problem?

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 10606

Hi --

Kathleen Kelly MacMillan wrote:

> Cass wrote:
> > *raises eyebrow* Why? I've seen it termed "The Harry Problem" when
> >talking about R/H fic. Either way one member of the trio is going to
> >feel left out. Obviously Ron would have bigger issues than Harry, but
> >the issues remain nonetheless.
>
> Really?  I have never seen once seen that term.  Can anyone say more about
> this?  I'm curious as to what people think the issues are with Harry, other
> than that he would feel left out if Ron and Hermione were to sneak around
> behind his back.  I agree that the issues are there either way, and that's
> actually why I think the whole shipper debate is interesting enough to suck up
> hours of my time. <g>

That's it exactly -- it causes issues regardless which 2 of the 3 end up
romantically involved (even R/Ha right??).  It may not have been articulated per
se as the "Harry Problem" (whereas H/H writers have specifically labelled Ron as
the "Ron Problem"), but I'm sure R/H writers have encountered it & given it some
thought.  The few R/H fics that I've read seem to deal with it by shunting Harry
to the side, which is *exactly* what the R/H types bemoan about H/H fics.  It's a
problem either way though, isn't it?  I think that's Cassie's main point.

While I don't think Ron figured much in Cassie's DD, I think she's doing a really
phenomenal job of addressing these issues more & more as DS has progressed.  In
DD, she did say that R & H dated for a short while in 5th year but it was
awkward.  DS, on the other hand, really shows Ron & Hermione interacting despite
her dating relationship with Harry.  It shows the depth of their continued
friendship (as well as the abiding friendship between Harry and Ron).

I think the whole issue of how it really would affect the Trio deserves even more
exploration in fanfic, and the good news is that we should all have plenty of time
to create more & more fanfics since Book 5 is not coming out this calendar year!

> Cass again:
> ><eg> I just have to say for my own self, and I think I speak for most
> >H/H'ers here, if Ron and Hermione do wind up 'together', it won't
> >diminish my enjoyment of the books at all. I'll just file it away
> >with the house elves under "distasteful subplots that I really could
> >do without, but will just ignore instead." And I'll still love the
> >books.

I'll second that.  :--)

> And that's exactly how I would feel if it came out H/H.  I would be
> disappointed if it went that way, because the whole hero-gets-the-girl thing
> kinda makes my skin crawl, and because, as we all know, I *love* Ron, but as
> Ebony said, if JKR makes it plausible, I'll go along with it.  But it won't
> stop my from writing my own version of events either!

Ahem ... attention Susan: the H/H crowd is *not* alone in saying that they will
just turn to fanfic to create their own ideal scenarios if JKR doesn't write it
the way they'd like it to turn out!!!!  Straight from the mouth of the Captain of
the Good Ship R/H: JKR's ending might be ignored by the R/H crowd too if they
don't like it.  <g>

Penny