Hermione with fellow gals & feminine characteristics(was Ginny's Oomph)

[virtualworldofhp]

No: HPFGUIDX 32847

<lots of snipping>
Tabouli wrote:
> > In fact, now I think about it, I think I may have hit on a new and 
> > previously unexplored dimension of the shipping debates!   Will
wonders 
> > never cease??  Surely if 
> > Ginny and Hermione have become friends on a girly-bonding level, an 
> > absolutely mandatory topic of conversation is Which Boy They Like!! 

Unless...as evidenced so far in HP, Hermione tends to lean towards
less-feminine.  She also strikes me as a very private person.  I can
easily see her as keeping any sort of fancying completely to herself
until it's so strong she can't bear not to tell anyone.  Then, and
only then, she would tell the very, very select few people she knows
she can absolutely trust with this morsel of information (in this
case, I would assume Ginny).  I can speak of this from experience. 
More on this below.

> > Now the plot thickens.  Does Ginny know that Ron is interested in 
> > Hermione?  If she does (as well she might if she's kept her eyes and 
> > ears open), mightn't she have asked Hermione whether she has any 
> > interest in her brother?  No doubt she'd keep the answer to
herself if 
> > so, but all the same, the thought is intriguing.  If Hermione does
fancy 
> > Ron, Ginny, a trustworthy and good-hearted girl, would surely be
able to 
> > provide some discreet help in getting the two together.

Penny: 
> You would think so, wouldn't you?  Of course, as someone mentioned, it 
> wouldn't be surprising if Hermione were a bit confused about her 
> romantic feelings for any of the 3 boys we're discussing (Harry, Ron & 
> Krum).  She might have some level of interest in all 3 of them for all 
> we know.  But .. moving on ...
> 

As commented above, Hermione would definitely only share her feelings
with those she can absolutely trust *and* those which could
potentially help her situation.  She could also (as gross as Ginny
would find it) be asking Ginny for advice for approaching her brother,
but somehow I can't picture Hermione asking for advice.  Come to think
of it, I can't really picture Hermione fancying *ANY* one at this
point in HP.  I think JKR would have to establish some more female
aspects and dimensions to Hermione before we go to the crucial step of
those first /real/ stirrings of a first true, strong, deep like for
someone.

Hermione essentially makes a huge character jump (in this department)
during two chapters in GoF during the Yule Ball.  She has essentially
shown no signs of real mature feelings for a guy thus far.  I really
see Krum as more of still borderline fling.  She wanted to go to the
Yule Ball, another definite step for Hermione's character, and when
Krum starts paying attention to her she ups her friendly feelings (if
even those) to a more romantic touch to justify to herself going with
him.  I don't think she truly feels for him like a typical teenage
girl with that *true* crush (not just flighty fancy).

I can really understand with Ron's sudden enlightenment that Hermione
is a "girl", because we as readers have seen very little to attribute
to her feminimity.  A future relationship with Ginny would be a great
step to establishing a serious "crush" (if JKR chooses this path) for
Hermione in the future. 

>   OTOH, the plot 
> > is even *thicker* if Hermione fancies Harry!!  Hoo hoo hoo. 
Knowing of 
> > Ginny's infatuation, what would Hermione do?  I think her best bet in 
> > this case would be not to tell her, focus on the Krum situation and 
> > remain neutral and non-committal about Ron and Harry, "No, we're all 
> > just friends", rather than wrack poor Ginny with anguish and
jealousy by 
> > telling her that she wants Harry too (and gets to see him every day, 
> > etc.etc.).
> 
> Yeah, I can't see Hermione owning up to feelings for Harry.  She 
> wouldn't want to admit it to Ginny since Ginny so clearly does have 
> feelings for Harry & would feel disadvantaged (and perhaps alot less 
> likely to be friends with Hermione if she felt she was competing in the 
> romance field with her.  As Tabouli said so well, Hermione might well 
> need this female companionship that she hasn't been able to achieve
with 
> Parvarti, Lavender or seemingly any other girl at Hogwarts that we're 
> aware of).  She wouldn't want to jeopardize her seemingly only female 
> friendship .... I can see that.  That's one more reason that Hermione's 
> feelings are so ambiguous & open to more than one spin.  If she's 
> concerned about losing another female friend (maybe her *only* female 
> friend) AND both her other best friends (Harry & Ron), she'd for sure 
> keep her own counsel.

She may also be slightly embarrassed if she fancies Harry.  Since
Hermione has had little femal counsel and on outwards appearances
looks a little behind in that "department", she could feel guilty
about seeing one of her best friends as "something else".  This would
also causes her not to admit to anyone her true feelings.  From a
girl's perspective, admitting "crushes" and similar things outloud is
just some kind of weird, ultimate, and scarily final sort of
conviction--like once you actually admit to someone, it's permenant
and you get to the oh-so-scary part of "is it returned?".  I can't
really put it in words, but I know some females out there might know
what I'm saying.

-Megan (who doesn't like the idea of H/H but finds this discussion
interesting nonetheless)