SHIP: Please don't kill me

[absinthe at mad.scientist.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 13933

 schmiksue at y... wrote:
> I have been lurking for quite a while, and I can't seem to not get 
> caught up in shipper debates.
> 
> I am a proud R/He and Ha/G shipper.  I had a few different views on 
> the subject that I have not seen yet, so I thought I'd throw them 
out. 
>  I have a bad feeling I'm going to get mangled here, but please 
don't 
> kill me:) It's all in fun.
> 
> One thing that seems to bug me about H/H is that most of the fans 
say 
> basically that, "they make a good couple."  I think people in 
general 
> make this statement a lot without considering the actual feelings of 
> the couple.  Now, I know I'm taking into consideration that Hermione 
> does not have any romantic feelings towards Harry, and vice versa.  
> But what if, even though they would make a good couple, Harry and 
> Hermione simply do not feel anything above friendship for each 
other?
> 
> I've had a very simular situation happen to me.  In highschool, a 
boy 
> that I got along with very well asked me out.  However, I had no 
> feelings for him whatsoever.  Oh the tourture my classmates put on 
me 
> to simply go to prom with him.  They just could not understand why I 
> would not go with him, and I heard day after day what a perfect 
couple 
> we would make.
> 
> As time went on, we became really good friends.  I have never 
> regretted the fact that I would not go out with him.  Why should I? 
 I 
> cannot see him as a romantic interest.  He feels the same way.  Just 
> the other day he was saying that he was glad I didn't go out with 
him. 
>  He got to know me, and he sees me as me.  He values my friendship, 
> but he honestly can't see me as anything more.
> 
> And why can't a boy and a girl have a strictly platonic 
relationship?  
> 
> I also feel like I should defend H/G a little.  I was a Ginny in 
high 
> school.  I could not talk to anyone unless they were my close 
friend.  
> Simply saying "hi" was a major feat for me.  I remember saying time 
> and time again to my friends, "if only they took the time to know 
the 
> real me."  I was actually screaming out for attention, but all the 
> attractive guys were too busy playing sports, or hanging out with 
> their friends to notice.  I never did get them to notice, but 
> something inside of me just screams out to poor Ginny.  I guess 
since 
> I never got noticed, deep down inside I hope she will.  Does that 
make 
> any sense?  Seriously, I'm not even sure if it makes sence to me:)
> 
> So, I don't know if I made my views clear at all, or if I just made 
a 
> bunch of people sit there, staring at my post thinking, "what the 
hell 
> is she on?"  Just to answer the question:  It's strictly caffine, I 
> swear:)
> 

Note: the following is purely my opinion.

First of all, I'm not a "shipper" in anyway...okay, well, maybe me and 
Sirius <g> so I really don't have any vested interest in R/He or He/Ha 
whatever.

This is what I think about Hermione and the Yule Ball thingy. Hermione 
is 14 years old. She doesn't seem like typical "girly-girl", who piles 
on make-up, giggles inanely about boys, fusses with her hair etc. She 
hangs around two boys, who treat her like "one of the guys". While 
studying in the library she notices that a celebrity is constantly 
surrounded by other girls, most likely girls who are the 
anti-Hermione in terms of appearance and attitude. This 18 year old 
celebrity asks her out to a Ball. That's really an ego-booster! 
Imagine an older and popular guy asking her out...over those other 
girls who probably fuss over their looks and are probably older. It's 
sort of a wake-up call to Hermione about her (dare I say) sexuality? 
To this older popular boy, she's not "ordinary" Hermione: she's 
attractive Hermione. I don't think she went with Krum to make Harry or 
Ron jealous. I think she went with Krum to show them that she's not to 
be taken for granted in anyway.

Secondly, there is nothing absolutely concrete in the canon that says 
Hermione has a crush on Harry or a crush on Ron. The whole kiss on the 
cheek good-bye at the train station can interpreted many ways. But 
look at the entire situation. Voldemort is back at full strength and 
will most likely try to kill Harry. Harry witnessed Cedric's death. 
Harry knew retrospectively that the Cup was meant to transport *him* 
to Voldemort, not him and Cedric. Furthermore, Cedric was killed for 
being a "spare". Harry's went through ALOT! Then he has to go homw to 
the Dursleys, as if that isn't a punishment! The kiss on the cheek 
could be interpreted as romantic or it could be interpreted as 
supportive. If Hermione had given him a full on the lips kiss, I would 
wholeheartedly agree with the romantic interpretation. (And I do think 
Hermione has become more assertive throughout the series and it 
wouldn't be inconceivable for her to do so. Hermione doesn't play 
games: she's straight forward with her friends.) 

As for Ginny, we don't know too much about her, but what we do know is 
she is shy. She has a crush on Harry (from the earlier books) but she 
gave up on him asking her out too when she accepted Neville's 
invitation. Harry might be her heart's desire but surely that Ball 
might make her re-think her feelings about Harry and about herself.

As for Ron and Harry, they may behave relatively more mature in other 
aspects of their lives but I think they are behaving like *boys* in 
terms of romantic relationships. With any luck they will presumably 
grow out of this tendency when they reach age 40 or at least by the 
time the series finishes <g>. 

:-)Milz