Sorta SHIP: Inherent conflict in R/H (was Re: Ginny & Molly Quality Time...)

[caliburncy]

No: HPFGUIDX 32898

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Penny & Bryce <pennylin at s...> wrote:
> If the romance angle is to be just a humorous subplot (and it 
> might well be), then R/H & even H/G makes some sense.  If the
> romance angle is going to at all affect the bigger events, then
> there must be conflict.  R/H will be good for some laughs perhaps,
> but there is no inherent conflict there.

While I continue to steadfastly take no official shipping stance, I 
would like to comment on this.  I agree very much with the view that 
JKR's intended purpose for the romance (humorous subplot vs. source 
of conflict vs. point of resolution) bears heavily upon which ships 
best serve that purpose.  However, I disagree that R/H could not be a 
possible point of conflict if JKR so wished.  I seem to recall that 
we here at one point speculated (rather briefly) on what 
circumstances could alienate Harry from both Ron and Hermione, since 
thus far there has never been a circumstance where Harry has been 
alienated from both simultaneously, and thus he has never been 
totally alone.  A relationship between Ron and Hermione could easily 
lend itself to this sort of alienation of Harry, and that certainly 
seems like a source of conflict to me.  I'm not saying R/H is 
superior to H/H or FITD or any other ships in its ability to create 
conflict (it's almost surely not--I see FITD as the greatest source 
of conflict, if conflict is what JKR is looking for in the 
relationship element, which of course we don't know for sure), but I 
am saying R/H is worthy of similar consideration in this regard as 
other ships.

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