Hermione's Choice [was] Ginny (SHIP)

[ms_petra_pan]

No: HPFGUIDX 37693

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Penny Linsenmayer <pennylin at s...> wrote:
>> Incidentally though, back to character development (or lack 
thereof), I guess I'd note that it seems to me that if Rowling's 
intent was simply to use the romance line as a minor "mood lightener" 
in an otherwise dark period in the series, I wonder why she would 
leave Hermione's romantic feelings so ambiguous.  I mean: why make 
Ron's interest so horribly obvious & leave Hermione's feelings such a 
wildcard?  Might it be conflict?  <g>  I'm sure there are lots of 
other reasons (and I'll get told there are), but I'm fairly convinced 
that if R/H was meant to be a foregone conclusion, we readers wouldn't 
be in too much doubt about it at this juncture.  I note that many 
fervent R/H shippers are willing to concede that Hermione's feelings 
are not clear-cut at this stage.  So, if all the romance is to do is 
lighten the mood, what would be JKR's motivation in hiding/clouding 
Hermione's interest level in Ron?  Why not depict it so that all the 
readers are thinking "Aww...isn't that *sweet* ...they both like each 
other but they're typical adolescents & don't know it yet"?  I mean, 
if it's *just* a mood-lightening subplot, why make it complicated, 
right?  <<

Why?  Because cliffhangers keep you coming back...and JKR is very 
adept at keeping us in suspense.

Who here isn't dying for books 5, 6, and 7 because we are not sure how 
things are going to develop and can't wait to find out?  If people 
aren't just dying to read what will happen next, would there be so 
many of us (myself included) here obsessing away?  :)  We are living 
proof that JKR's a master tale-spinner.

[ Is there someone saying that s/he isn't obsessing and that s/he is 
just here to research a paper?!?  Umm, did you read the first 4?  Come 
to think of it, any student would be foolish to lift any posts here 
verbatim.  If you haven't read the books, good luck as you sort our 
favorite wild theories and fanon from the canon.  :)  Imagine a lit 
professor or English teacher 

reading a paper on romance in Harry 
Potter books, wondering "Who the h*ll is Mary Sue?"  Anyhoo...I 
digress. ]

The vague end of GoF leaves us in the fog as to Hermione's true 
romantic inclinations, but not so in the rest of the book.  As I read 
each instance of Hermione's jealous reaction to Ron goggling at other 
girls / women / veelas, I thought "Aww...isn't that sweet...they both 
like each other but they're typical adolescents and don't know it 
yet."  Only after discovering the extent to which 
Viktor likes her, 
had Hermione's feelings become much less clear.  GoF ends as Hermione 
continues to sort through her feelings for the guys in her life and 
the paradigm shift to being the object of male affection (from more 
than one male, no less) - this is something she has yet to learn from 
a book.

Throughout all four of the books, Hermione doesn't pay the same kind 
of attention to the other boys, not Harry nor for that matter Viktor.  
Hermione has also never warmed to Ron's many objects of teenage 
passion but had no jealousy about Harry's sole crush, Cho.  She did 
however find Viktor's stalkers annoying but not because she saw them 
as competition for Viktor's attention.

Having said all that...  

If Ron and Hermione ever do get together, our experience of the sizzle 
/ dramatic tension between them would change.  Chances are, much of it 
would be out of Harry's POV...and there are three more books to go in 
which comic relief would be sorely needed!  As a subplot, this one is 
much like her other ones: complicated enough to be the main plot for a 
book all by itself.

BTW, since I identify at one point or another in the books with every 
potential girlfriend for Harry that this list has nominated, I will be 
happy with whatever JKR commits to paper.  Just as long as she does 
so...sooner than later.  As to Ginny, I'd like to see her reach her 
potential for her OWN sake...and not merely to provide someone with a 
worthy love interest.

With lifesaver in hand, dipping my toe (