SHIP: R/He compared to D/He

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 13892

Hi --

naama_gat at hotmail.com wrote:

> As I understatnd it, you're maintaining that Hermione's feelings are a
> mystery (that is, we don't know how she's feeling towards Ron, or
> Harry). At the same time you claim that if Hermione ends up with Ron,
> JKR will have somehow disappointed some of her loyal fans, and, again
> if I understand correctly, the disappointment would be because that
> romance is too expected? How can it be expected if, according to your
> point of view, Hermione's feelings for Ron are unknown? You say that
> an interesting plot should not be obvious. Is R/H obvious then? And
> doesn't this admission seriously undermine the H/H position which does
> claim to
> see MORE textual evidence to Hermione liking Harry than to Hermione
> liking Ron?

I think (Ebony can correct me if I'm wrong) that Ebony is saying if
Hermione's feelings are not ambiguous & conflicted and in fact are for
Ron, that build-up of ambiguity & conflict will have been unwarranted
and "unfair."  If she was going to end up R/H *without any conflict,
soul-searching or problems*, then why cloak Hermione's feelings at all?
Why not make it as obvious that Hermione likes Ron (and leave off with
anything that could possibly be interpreted as Herm liking Harry)?  If
she put in subtext that could support Hermione liking Harry when she
never really intended to act on that or make anything of it *at all,*
then it's just disingenous.

I'm pretty sure that Ebony agrees with me that JKR is in fact setting up
a conflict within the Threesome: FITD.  If she is not and she's going to
open up Book 5 with Hermione declaring her love for Ron, then all the He
likes Ha subtext in the previous 4 books becomes problematic.  JKR will
have essentially been dishonest with some segment of her readers if she
doesn't set up some sort of conflict.  It can still *end up* being R/H
and not be a problem.  But, if it just segues right into R/H with no
conflict on Hermione's part, then JKR will (IMO) have been guilty of
unnecessarily raising the stakes so to speak.

> Ebony: OMG!  I haven't laughed so hard while reading a post in AGES!
> You see, Cassie's expressing the confusion of every H/Her I've ever
> > spoken to.  I know I think the *same thing* whenever the ship debate
>
> > rolls around.  I identify strongly with Hermione, I put myself in
> her
> > shoes... and the "I glare at him because I like him" argument is
> > unconvincing to me.  The first thing I think to myself is, "well,
> > Hermione glares at Draco as well, doesn't she?  So following your
> > rhetoric, this means that she likes Ron, and Draco, and everyone
> > who "gets under her skin"."
>
> Oh, but thats not fair! I claim a foul <g>. You know its not fair.
> Draco is Hermione's enemy and her glares at him do not call for any
> special attention. But Ron? He is one of her best friends, she
> obviously cares about him very much (as a friend), and it is in *this*
> context that the antagonism he so easily awakens in her seems
> indicative of underlying feelings Hermione has for him.

How is that a "foul"?  There are plenty of romantic comedies where the
two eventual romantic partners *hate* each other (are enemies) prior to
falling madly in love.  If you subscribe to the R/H theory on the
grounds that sparks = passion (in the fine tradition of romantic
comedies), it hardly seems unfair that you consider the D/He possibility
on the same grounds.  That is decidedly *not* unfair at all.  It's a
very appropriate and logical conclusion.

Of course, I have absolutely no understanding of this sort of
interaction being the basis for a lasting romantic relationship.  I had
lunch with a friend yesterday -- her husband's best friend is going
through marital woes.  Seems they are the classic "bickering, then
passion" couple who have bickered & fought their entire relationship
(since college).  They have now reached the point where they don't even
*like* being around one another & are only staying together "for the
kids."  Too bad my friend has never read HP at all ... since all I could
think was "Yep.  Classic R/H."  Just my opinion of course -- to each his
own.  But, I definitely don't understand it ... and it seems to me that
it is reasonably rare for the true "romantic comedy-esque bickering
couple" to actually have a solid relationship.


> Ebony: > On the other hand, who else has Hermione shown clear evidence
> of > being somewhat attracted to in canon?  She *was* attracted to
> > Lockheart (twelve year old girl's crush on a teacher--even Ron
> admits
> > to it)--how did she react while she was around him?  She may not
> have
> > been swept off her feet by Krum, but she liked him enough to go to
> > the Yule Ball with him--did she glare at him all the time, too?  Or
> > initially?
>
> 'Like' is not the same as 'attract'. It is quite obvious (to me) that
> she is not *at all* attracted to Krum. The "beetle in your hair scene"
> makes that abundantly clear, I believe.

Ah, yes.  The scene where she couldn't stop talking to Harry, cheering
for Harry.  That one?  <g>

Penny


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