SHIP: Various Stuff

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 13951

Hi --

I'm just going to reply to various things that have been raised today by
different folks.

yyhgnumberonejgn at aol.com wrote:

> Naama asked: <<I've tried to search but can't find the reference to
> the chat where JKR made the famous (and contentious) statement about
> there being "something between Ron and Hermione". Could someone kindly
> direct me to it?>>
>
> It was a Barnes & Noble.com chat. Here is a transcript, although it
> has no date on it. www.hpnetwork.f2s.com/jkrowling/jkrbnchat.html
> It says:
> Question: Is it just me, or was something going on between Ron and
> Hermione during the last half of Goblet of Fire? I love your books, by
> the way, and two of them I've read straight through cover to cover in
> under 24 hours.
> JKR: Well done on the reading speed! Yes, something's "going on," but
> Ron doesn't realize it yet. Typical boy.

If this is an accurate transcript, then the whole debate over the
meaning of the word "between" was rather pointless, wasn't it?  <g>

I searched the official bn site, and they haven't posted the chat from
last October (amazingly!).

Heather wrote:

> People on this list are arguing over shipping. I don't think we are
> ever going to convince one another, and the debates are ever more
> repetitive and convoluted. People who won't discuss again the gleam
> in Dumbledore's eye - and are sometimes a bit rude to newbies who
> ask "the same old questions" - will repeat their interpretation of a
> peck on the cheek umpteen times. That's a bit contradictory, isn't it?
>
I remain hopeful that the FAQs will reduce the need for rehashing a
number of subjects, including the gleam in Dumbledore's eye, the wand
order "mistake," and "what is FITD?"

However, I will point out that a number of us on different ships do
enjoy the debates, and if there are folks out there who want to rehash
this stuff every single day, I don't know why it should be objectionable
to those who wish to avoid it.  95% of the shipping posts in the last
2.5 days have subject headings with the acronym "SHIP" so .... I guess
I'm just bewildered why anyone would care whether we continue the
discussions or not.

I might not have jumped into this latest round of discussions myself but
for the fact that Firoza's initial post on the topic (a) contained
erroneous assumptions about the position of the H/H shippers and so had
flawed logical reasoning, and (b) contained a reference to my name.

Thanks to Bbennett for her sane, reasoned comments -- as always.  :--)
Each side has valid points to make, and it's nice when we can
respectfully listen to one another.  She said:

> To emphasize a point, however, I've seen posters deliberately misquote or not-so-subtly suggest
> other posters lack intelligence because they overlook obvious" material. This makes the original poster feel angry
> and foolish and the responding poster look like they can't defend
> their theories without resorting to nastiness. Re-read before you hit
> send.
>
This is excellent advice!  I would also add: please don't personalize
your comments.  I'll be honest that I'm really really tired of seeing my
name pop up in less than complimentary ways in some shipping posts.  I'm
reasonably thick-skinned, but it sometimes has hurt my feelings to be
honest.  Try putting yourself in the other person's shoes before you
make personal jabs.  It's a matter of netiquette and just good manners.

On a more light-hearted note:

> Sue said: > I also feel like I should defend H/G a little.  I was a Ginny in
> high  school...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:)
>
> Cassie replied: That seems like a defense of Ginny but...I'm not sure how it's a
> defense of H/G. My argument against H/G has always been that Ginny
> isn't a very developed character. If Jo develops her in an
> interesting way, than I'd be open to H/G. (And that would clear up
> Hermione for Draco. Whee! And Ron can have the giant squid.)
>
LOL about Ron & the giant squid Cassie!  :--)  I too would be open to
H/G *if* Ginny were at all developed as a character.  Prior to GoF, lots
of us said that JKR pretty much needed to develop her much more fully in
GoF if she was to be a valid love interest for the hero.  That didn't
happen at all.  Now, I suppose it's possible that she could *still* do
that in Book 5, but I can't help wondering if there will still be people
saying, "Well, as long as she develops Ginny more fully early enough in
Book 7, there could still be H/G."  <vbg>  I *love* fanon Ginny.  I
think her character has lots of potential, and if JKR chooses to flesh
her out more, then I could maybe get behind it.  Possibly.  Nah.  I'd
probably always favor H/H ... but I wouldn't *hate* H/G if Ginny had a
personality.  Right now though -- she's too blah for my taste.

On the glares thing -- switching gears.

I agree with Amy Z that not all glares are created equal.  *But,* I
don't think that it's valid to dismiss the possibilities that her sparks
with Draco might not be just as indicative of possible romance as her
fights with Ron.  Maybe I'm just influenced by Heidi's excellent
back-story "Surfeit of Curses."  Oh well.  Ruined by fanfic I am I
suppose.

Naama wrote:

> Draco and Hermione seem to you like the typical bickering
> romantic comedy couple?! I'm sorry, but I haven't seen many romantic
> comedies where the couple are a Ku-Klux-Klan man and a black woman!
> Which is essentialy what a Draco-Hermione romance would be. That kind
> of stuff does not easily lend itself either to comedy or to romance
> (well, maybe very heavy tragedy). Draco and Hermione are *real*
> enemies in a good vs. evil fight. What they have between them is real
> bad blood, not "sparks".
>
I'm not a movie buff by any means.  But, I'm confident that there must
be a number of "enemies" turning into lovers type movies out there.  The
only one that comes readily to mind is "You've Got Mail."  I realize
that your point is that business enemies like depicted in "You've Got
Mail" present quite a different scenario than something more
fundamentally insidious.

I realize it's anathema to many R/H types to have the R/H bickering
compared with the D/He bickering.  But, a number of people can make
strong cases for the comparison.  Since I don't really see bickering &
fighting as a sound basis for any romantic relationship, I'm probably
not the best person to defend that case.  But, I do see the inherent
logic there.

If you're not one of the anti-fanfic types and you haven't read it, give
Heidi's "Surfeit of Curses" a whirl.  It's a really really interesting
interpretation of a possible D/He relationship of sorts (not necessarily
romantic as yet).

Penny






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