Why does Hermione's age matter?

[catherine at cator-manor.demon.co.uk]

No: HPFGUIDX 29802

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Amy Z" <aiz24 at h...> wrote:
> Okay, we have a new crop of impassioned 1979- and 1980-advocates, 
so I'm 
> going to ask them:  what do you think it tells us about Hermione if 
she is 
> born in one year as opposed to the other?  L.O.O.N. that I am*, I 
can see 
> the attraction of picking at canon for clues, researching Scottish 
cutoff 
> dates, etc., but none of that explains the *meaning* of her age.  
Can 
> someone explain?
> 
> Amy Z


I don't understand it myself.  It seems to be the one topic above all 
(apart from SHIP-ing) which crops up again, and again - more and more 
frequently as well in recent weeks/months.

I did ascribe it to LOONiness, but I'm a LOON myself, and I've never 
really cared one way or another about this particular issue.  Perhaps 
it is because it isn't yet resolved.  Doesn't LOONiness really apply 
to things we actually know for certain?  The nitpicky little details 
that we know?

The only thing I can think of which makes it relevant is to do with 
Hermione's interaction with Harry and Ron and the rest of her peers, 
and relates to her maturity, or lack of.  If she is indeed very young 
for her year, then she is remarkably mature for her age, when 
compared to Lavender and Parvati in GoF.  She goes through her giggly 
stage two years before them.  Knowing that she is younger than the 
rest of her year may also have driven her to work so hard before 
going to Hogwarts, as she may have thought that she would be at a 
disadvantage.

On the other hand, if she is older it might explain why she does seem 
so much more mature than the rest of her year - and could also 
explain her tendency to teach (note, not boss - I'm a member of 
SCHABB) and mother those around her, such as (besides Harry and Ron) 
Neville and Hagrid.   

However, I don't agree with any of this, as it is Hermione's 
character, not her age, which makes her react in the way she does.

Therefore, I'm back to saying, along with Amy - why is this issue so 
important to so many people on this list?  Do you all see it as a 
logic puzzle?

Catherine