SHIP: Comments on Various Shipping Posts

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 15428

Hi --

I don't have time for my usual in-depth analysis of everyone's posts &
positions & arguments.  I'm having a baby in 2-3 weeks and .... I have
*alot* to do before she arrives.  I will leave the in-depth responses to
my very able shipmates .... in fact I see that Cassie & Heidi have both
already plunged in with lots of great points.  :--)

First, a friendly ADMIN reminder is in order.  If your shipping post
doesn't use examples from canon or draw on canon to make conclusions or
mention the canon in some way, it belongs in OT-Chatter.  :--)  [Most
everyone's posts in the last couple of days are fine -- but I saw a
handful of exceptions -- namely the "Welcome to the H/G ship" type
posts]

GINNY: I still stand by my assertion that she's the least developed
Weasley character.  Amy Z made some good points, but I do feel I know
more about Bill than Ginny.  I also do not agree that there's strong
evidence of a Hermione/Ginny friendship.  As I mentioned yesterday, the
fact that Hermione confided the identity of her date to Ginny may not
have anything to do with close friendship.  It's plausible that she felt
compelled to do so because Neville told Ginny that she (Ginny) was his
second choice.

I disagree with the notion that Hermione & Ginny hang out at the Burrow
& the World Cup.  They share a room/tent.  That's about it.  The Trio
does not include her in their private conversations at the Burrow, and
in fact, it's Hermione who makes a point of being sure they don't say
too much about things in front of her.  They don't invite her to come
along when they walk around the campgrounds all day.  She's apparently
back at the tent with her father & Percy or perhaps with kids from her
own year.

I agree with every single word of Cassie's post about Ginny and why H/G
doesn't make any sense at this point.  Harry needs a strong partner; not
a wimpy simpering little motherly romantic partner.  He doesn't need
mothering; he needs a help-mate, an equal.  Ginny may *be* that person,
but if she is, we don't know about it yet.  I also agree that one cannot
extrapolate Ginny will be a strong woman just because she's Molly
Weasley's daughter.  The mother-daughter dynamic is extremely complex.
I'm not against H/G *if* Ginny turns out to be a strong person, worthy
of being our hero's equal partner.  But right now, she ain't there.
IMO.

THE KISS: Yes, Kathy, many H/H types don't feel as strongly about the
Kiss as I do.  We don't know if JKR considered how teenage readers would
react to that kiss.  Many of the teenage readers on both sides of the
pond (though not unanimous by any means) seem to interpret the Kiss as
evidence that Hermione likes Harry.  JKR, OTOH, may have thrown that in
as a detail that is nothing more than how the R/H types interpret: a
show of concern & nothing more.  But, she does a pretty fair job of
accurately portraying teenagers in other respects, so it's also possible
that she did consider this to be significant.  She did highlight it
textually ("something she'd never done before").  Whatever.

HERMIONE SPENDING TIME WITH BOTH BOYS DURING THE "FIGHT": Other than
that one sentence that indicates she tried to mediate the dispute, what
other evidence is there that she spent much time with Ron?  If she *did*
spend time with Ron, I don't know *when* she did this since she's
described as being with Harry all the time.

> Kathy: Pretty much every time Harry is by himself, Ron and Hermione are together.
>
Uh .... *huge* unsupported assumption, don't 'cha think?  <g> Sure,
Harry finds them in the Common Room from time to time, but it's very
presumptive in my mind to say that *every time* Harry is by himself, Ron
is with Hermione.  Heidi, for example, thinks that Hermione is with
Draco during these time periods, and she might well be.  I'm more
convinced of that than she's with Ron constantly.  :--)

SEMI-COLON DEBATE: Thanks to ship-mate Heidi for making a new &
insightful point.  We don't know that Hermione wasn't already scowling
when Harry notices this.  Excellent point!

HARRY/HERMIONE -- There still seems to be some mis-impressions.  Most
H/H types (probably all) will tell you: yes, it's clear!  Harry does not
show a smidgeon of interest in Hermione!"  But, he also doesn't show a
smidgeon of interest in Ginny & that doesn't stop the H/G shippers.
:--)

Seriously, the real point of FITD is that *if* Hermione likes Harry and
not Ron, then she's not going to get together with Ron, is she?  Maybe.
Maybe his interest would eventually win her over.  Then again, maybe her
interest in Harry might eventually win him over (it's the same argument
that the H/G types make after all).  Most H/H types see it as something
that happens post-Hogwarts.  Many of us believe Harry won't have time
for canon romance.

There *are* people out there who read the books through, aren't obsessed
& haven't read a lick of fanfic & *still* come to the H/H conclusion.
My sister is one of those types.  I asked her over Christmas what her
intepretation of the Kiss was.  She shrugged & said, "Hermione likes
Harry."  I explained the R/H position in brief.  She looked at me
incredulously and said, "There are *really* people who think Ron &
Hermione are going to get together?  Pshaw!  Hermione likes Harry; it's
as clear as day."

CATHERINE'S QUESTIONS: Catherine raises some issues about the Yule Ball
scene that have already been covered.  Normally, I might re-hash the H/H
interpretation of that scene.  But, I simply don't have time so ...
you'll just have to wait & see the Romance Pairings FAQ.  It covers our
ship's arguments on that score, and yes, we do have valid
(straight-face) arguments to make.  :--)

Penny






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