Hermione's attitudes, age, and SHIP/s...

[monicawitt at msn.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 29985

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., raolin1 at h... wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., monicawitt at m... wrote:
> > She's taking Ron not asking her to the Yule Ball as an insult, a 
> > slight, and it's a slight on her feminity to her, not their 
> > friendship, otherwise the "I'm a girl!" comment doesn't make any 
> > sense. She's angry that Ron has never "noticed" her. That's not 
the 
> > reaction of a person who wants to be considered strictly a buddy 
to 
> > someone...
> 
> 
> I think you're taking a little bit too much of a leap here, and 
> you've also ignored a couple of important points.  First of all, 
when 
> she says that line to Ron about him not noticing she's a girl, Ron 
> had just barely said "Hey, Hermione, Neville's right: you are a 
girl" 
> or something very close to that.  In that case, her saying what she 
> did is completely understandable without reading hidden love for 
Ron 
> in there.  Also, there's no evidence that because Ron didn't ask 
her 
> to the ball it's an insult: however, it is a bit insulting to hold 
a 
> grudge against her just because somebody else asked her first.  I 
> would get mad too if someone kept getting mad at me for something 
> that was their own durn fault in the first place.
> 
> Joshua Dyal

I don't think she has a "hidden love" for Ron, it's more that 
tentative, teenaged, putting out feelers sort of thing, where you 
feel a need for a romance, but aren't sure where it's coming from, so 
you look at everyone around you, seeking out possible objects of 
affection. When someone doesn't notice you "that way", it's an 
insult. I mean, here's this guy who's only just met her (Krum). He 
asks her to the Yule Ball after hanging out near her in the library 
for a few weeks. Here's Ron, who's been close to Hermione for years. 
He only asks her as a last resort it seems. Of course it's an insult. 

However, Ron's anger and jealousy over Krum/Hermione cast him in a 
different light, once it becomes apparent that's what's going on with 
him. It would start gears turning in a girl's head if she noticed 
behavior like that in a friend. It seems to me Hermione is waiting 
for Ron to get real and be honest about his feelings. 

Then there's Hermione giving Harry that peck on the cheek everyone 
talks about. I'd say it's more of a sisterly act than a romantic one, 
and also a little calculated, as if she's testing Ron. It doesn't 
mean the kiss isn't sincere, but it also doesn't mean that she likes 
Harry "that way". 

The thing is, we don't really know, because the argument that 
would've given us clues about R/H possibilities is only heard just as 
it ends. I think it's a teaser for a subplot of book 5, personally.