Ron/Hermione from the viewpoint of a 14 yr. old

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 13763

Hi --

Alicia  --- please don't lurk anymore!  :--)

AliciaSpinnet at hotmail.com wrote:

> Although that particular excerpt
> from the book serves well to illustrate the reasoning behind Ron
> having feelings for Hermione, it does absolutely nothing to further
> the theory of Hermione liking Ron at all.  I believe that Hermione
> acted as any member of the Sisterhood would in such a situation: when
> faced with something she found to be degrading and irrational, she
> vociferously attacked the offender.

Exactly!  And, this is *exactly* how I interpret her reactions to Fleur
(the "Semi-colon Theory" be damned!).  I think she reacts to Fleur in a
very feminist way (and she did this from the *very beginning* -- even
before Ron first made googly eyes at Fleur).  She disliked Fleur from
the get-go, and Fleur's effect on one of her best friends was just icing
on the cake.  Doesn't mean she's jealous of Ron's attentions to Fleur;
it just means that Hermione has no respect for Fleur.

> <snip> He didn't ask her to the Ball in the first place; and for some
> warped reason, he percieved this to be *her* fault, almost.  Or at
> least, that is the way it came out.  He blatantly accused her of
> something that wasn't her fault; as she stated, if he wished to go to
> the Ball with her, he should have asked first.  Not Hermione's fault
> in the least, and Ron was a jackalope for even daring to take his
> frustration out on her.

Not only does she say that if he wanted to go with her, he should have
asked her first.  She's also not saying that she would accept if he did
ask.

> I also don't believe this reaction would have been limited solely to
> Ron; if Harry, Dean, Seamus, or any other male had been in his place
> and taken his actions, Hermione would have chided them in a similar
> manner.

I agree completely!  She is exasperated with both of them for their
reactions to the Veela at the Quidditch World Cup.  It just happens that
for most of the rest of the story (and particularly with respect to the
Yule Ball), Ron acts very churlish.  Harry does not.  If Harry had acted
in the same way that Ron did, he would have also been subjected to
Hermione's vociferous reaction (IMO).

> Although the age-group awkwardness must be taken into consideration,
> remember that Harry and Ron *are* her best friends, and *are* male.
> Hermione is most certainly *not* uncomfortable with the male species,
> and there would be no reason for her to have any qualms about
> blasting Ron's head off into oblivion for treating her in that
> manner.  Although some girls, the ones who have acquaintances that
> are primarily female, might say this out of some sort of romantic
> interest, I highly doubt that Hermione would.

That's what I think too.  I said earlier that I'm speaking from the
perspective of having been a 14 yr old girl myself.  At 14, I had
primarily male friends.  That's been true for me since about age 12 or
so (having more male friends than female friends).  The question was
raised eons ago as to whether it was *odd* for Hermione to have 2 male
best friends.  My answer then was a resounding "no!"  One of my friends
from age 14 was a reader at my wedding, and my best friend since I was
15 was a groomsman.  My male friends have been more consistently a part
of my life by far than my female friends.  I very much identify with
Hermione in that respect, and it's not the least bit strange to me to
think that she wouldn't hesitate to give Ron all holy hell for treating
her poorly.

> I agree with this, in a different sense.  *g*  I'd like to take this
> as, "If you wanted to go so badly with me, you should have asked
> first; and if you dare to blame this all on me next time, you'll be
> so sorry that you'll go groveling to Draco Malfoy for sympathy."

I can agree with this interpretation.  I'd add that it does not mean
that she'd go with Ron; she's just telling him to ask her first if
that's what he wants to do.  She'll consider it.  <g>

> The point is, just because someone feels something for someone doesn't
>
> necessarily mean that the object of the lavished affections feels the
> same, at all.

Well put, Alicia!  Again .... please stop lurking.  You're quite
articulate, and the H/H Cruiseliner needs you.  :--)

> For the sake of saving my fast-sinking shipmates and I, could you
> enlighten me?  Perhaps it comes about from my refusal to read
> anything into R/H and adamance in dissecting the events that could be
> interpreted as H/H, but I really don't see them as being very
> obvious.  On the contrary, I see the current situation as standing:
> Ron likes Hermione, Hermione likes Harry, Harry likes Cho/no one at
> this moment.

Yep.  I hope to be passing out the lyrics to Farmer in the Dell soon
after everyone finishes OoP.  <vbg>

Thanks also to ship-mate Celeste for speaking up (you didn't talk in
circles at all).

Penny


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