SHIPS: Ron, Hermione, Harry and conflict.

[Karl Haakonsen]

No: HPFGUIDX 32928

Penny & Bryce <pennylin at swbell.net> said:

<<Yeah, exactly.  <g>  Conflict drives the plot; that's what we've been
saying.  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.  Hermione having feelings for Harry though:
that creates conflict potentially between Ron and Hermione, Ron and
Harry, Harry and Hermione and Hermione & Ginny.  Conflict all around,
eh?  Thickens the plot quite alot as Tabouli said.  I also liked (and
agree with) Ebony's analysis that so far there's been no real
Harry-Hermione conflict.  There are a number of scenarios that might
result in H/H conflict, but romantic feelings on one or both sides would
surely introduce a whole lot of conflict into the mix.

Megan said in a later message:

> I guess I've never wanted to have Hermione to have a "crush" because
> it just sounds so shallow and petty for so great a character.  But, as
> teenagers, that's just something that almost everyone that age goes
> through--like a coming of age test of sorts.

They'll all have crushes; it would be virtually impossible to survive
adolesence without one.  What's so bad about crushes?  We've all had
them; all lived through it.  I presume a "crush" encompasses all
romantic feelings: sometimes in ends up unrequited, other times it
results in a relationship that is either lasting or not.  That's part of
life.>>
(Finally posting after lurking for a while).

Thank you Penny. While most people acknowledge that Ron has feelings for
Hermione, it seemed obvious to me that Hermione has feelings for Harry
(though it seems that not many people share my view on this). If I doubted
that Hermione had a crush on Harry, rereading GoF erased any doubt in my
mind. Not only the kiss at the end, but Krum's exasperation at the fact that
"all she ever talks about is Harry." Her reaction to the Rita Skeeter
article about herself... she could care less about Skeeter's comments about
her appearance, or even the implication that she and Harry are a couple, but
what sets her off is the insinuation that she broke Harry's heart. Due to
her general level-headedness, she's not about to go off giggling and
blushing like Ginny... that's way out of character for her. But I agree with
those who say she's "all girl" (with the implication here that her
affectational orientation is toward boys).... and that nobody would grab her
attention besides Harry. I can't picture Hermione having a crush on anybody
else.

It is unclear whether Harry can muster feelings for Hermione in the near
future (other than platonic) because he's presently infatuated with Cho.
This, to me, is entirely realistic and is a large part of the reason why
every teenager isn't part of a romantic couple. When I was a teenager, my
single-mindedness in my crushes blinded me to the possibility that another
girl might actually like me. My self-esteem was dependent on what my one
crush-object thought about me regardless of whether the entire female
population of the school dropped hints at me that they were interested (not
that they all did, but I'm trying to make a point). It also adds a touch of
humor in that "Love Stinks" kind of way... quoting the J.Geils Band: "You
love her, but she loves him. And he loves somebody else, you just can't
win."

It could also be fertile ground for a H/H/R conflict... Harry has everything
Ron wants, including his girl. It would be in character for Harry to be
receiving the attentions of Hermione, but not really wanting them (or, given
Hermione's tendency to be subtle about it, without even knowing he's
receiving them), while at the same time pissing off Ron, because of Ron's
tendency to be that way. If Ron is really into Hermione, he'd pick up on the
energy of Hermione's interest in Harry, even if Harry doesn't. For all the
Hermione fans out there who gag at Hermione stooping to swooning over Harry
with unrequited advances, I don't see that quite happening either... If
there's to be a pairing up, I see it being H/H, because Hermione will get
what she wants in the end. :-)

Karl in Boston