SHIP: Hermione & the Boys - Stouffer

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 15341

Kathy, aka Elanor Gamgee, wrote:

>(remembers the Great Semicolon Debate and shudders).

Okay, will someone please give a message # on The Great Semicolon 
Debate?  I've searched the archives for "semicolon" and turned up 
only a post from CMC about how JKR's sentences are nicely complex.  I 
agree, but it wasn't what I was looking for.  I have taken to reading 
through the canon in search of sentences that contain semicolons and 
can be, however remotely, imagined as being SHIP-related.  Save me!

> 
> JKR's answer also makes me think of one of Peg Kerr's excellent 
posts from way 
> back on secrets--on how respecting others' secrets is a vital part 
of being a 
> "good guy".  <snip>
> 
> Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that I see JKR sort 
of "protecting" 
> the characters' secrets too, when she gives ambiguous answers like 
that (and I 
> am referring to more than just shipper-type questions here, though 
obviously 
> some strong emotions are involved there).

Yeah!  This even fits in with the post I just put up (the one 
directly before Kathy's, "New elements")--I mostly listed things and 
creatures, but there are lots of unfolding character "secrets" and as-
yet-unknowns, too, e.g. Neville's family tragedy, the whole Sirius 
story, the whole Snape story, the details of what a nightmare Aunt 
Marge is, Ron's crush, etc.

> I don't want to get into the whole KISS debate again, because we've 
been 
> through it all before, but I just want to say 2 things on this:
> 
> a) I was under the impression that most H/H-ers felt that THE KISS 
was fairly 
> weak as H/H evidence.  But perhaps I am wrong.

I think most do.  But most subtext evidence can be shot down easily 
if you do it one piece at a time.  The Kiss might be significant, *in 
conjunction with* other evidence.  I don't think so, personally, but 
it's not fair to pull it out of context.  

Actually--diversion alert--by the same token, we can't shoot down 
Stouffer just because she includes ridiculous things like a Great 
Hall and wooden doors.  Of course these are so common as to be 
meaningless as evidence, but enough meaningless evidence would add up 
to meaningful.  E.g. what if there were a character named Ron in both 
books?  Ron's a common name, doesn't mean anything.  What if there 
were an old, wise, bearded professor in both books?  They're a dime a 
dozen, doesn't mean anything.  What if there were a magical car in 
both books?  There are lots of magical cars--look at Chitty Chitty 
Bang Bang. . . . okay, after awhile, even though each individual item 
isn't odd, together they add up to more than coincidence.  So if we 
are going to knock down Stouffer's argument, we have to take her 
examples in toto.  (And they are still ludicrous, even compiled.)
> 
> OK, if I were 14 and had some guy just declare his feelings to me 
after a VERY 
> public display of his affection, and I was unsure how I felt about 
him and was 
> feeling really uncomfortable, I would find someone else to talk to 
quickly 
> too.  And I might busy myself cheering for my best friend as an 
excuse to 
> avoid talking to lover-boy too.  But maybe that's just me.

Bingo!  Thank you for articulating this--that's exactly how I feel.  
Also remember that the last time Hermione saw Harry, he had only a 
few hours to go with no clue how to breathe underwater--she then went 
to McGonagall's office with her other best friend (and true love <g>) 
and learned that he was going to have to be rescued by said clueless 
Harry.  Yeah, she knew they wouldn't let Ron die, but still, it 
must've been scary.  So she is totally thrilled to hear the story 
from Harry.

> And I still think the fact that Ron shows no obvious jealousy over 
the 
> articles linking Harry and Hermione indicates the lack of romantic 
H/H tension 
> (the Ron in my story notwithstanding <g>).

And Harry shows remarkably little embarrassment about them.  He would 
be much more embarrassed if they touched a nerve.


> Also, in all the books, I think that Ron and Hermione spend a lot 
more time 
> together than we see.  Pretty much every time Harry is by himself, 
Ron and 
> Hermione are together.  Whenever Harry comes back from Quidditch 
practice, or 
> Dementor-defense lessons, or whatever, Hermione and Ron are in the 
common room 
> together.'

Looking a little sweaty and disheveled.  <--JOKE!  Pure and 
completely unsupported speculation!

>Maybe 
> Hermione will run off to Bulgaria with Viktor Krum after all, and 
Penny and I 
> can have a suicide pact. <g>

LOL!  I think we better make a contract with these two before OoP 
comes out . . . I'm worried about them.

Amy Z