Age of Shippers; Ginny as Harry's "fate"; and other SHIP thoughts

[Penny & Bryce]

No: HPFGUIDX 33056

Hi --

pippin_999 wrote:

>   We've noticed that younger people tend to be more persuaded
> by the H/H evidence than the older listmembers. My fifteen year
> old is convinced, so are Ebony's classes. What if this is
> intentional?  What if the situation that's being set up is that Harry
> is going to *think* Hermione has a crush on him? I can see
> plenty of potential for conflict in that.

I don't know that the generalities really hold in terms of the age of 
the various shipper factions.  It seemed to me that many of the 14/15 yr 
olds do think that Hermione likes Harry, but then, I don't think the H/H 
ship is confined strictly to the younger set.  <g>

But, yes, there's certainly potential for conflict if Harry even 
*thinks* that Hermione likes him.  There's even more potential for 
conflict if *Ron* is the one with the wrong idea.  Yes?

So, we're all agreed at least that there's some potential for general 
conflict in the shipping arena, even if there's certainly no consensus 
as to the nature of such conflict.  :--)

>   But I still hold for H/G as the ultimate resolution...that cameo at
> the beginning of SS/PS is otherwise inexplicable. She's not in
> the book to be the villain, like Quirrel, she's not there to give Harry
> something like Ollivander, she's not a member of the Old Crowd
> or a clue like Flamel. She's just the first eligible female Harry
> sees...

Is she?  Didn't Harry pass through a Platform 9 3/4 that was crowded 
with students, presumably 50% of whom were female?  <g>  Presumably 
Harry takes in her contributions to the dialogue *before* he gets on the 
Platform (although I can't resist noting that he doesn't even register 
her appearance in the movie).  But, as far as the first eligible female 
in the wizarding world that he really notices & interacts with, it's 
Hermione.  <g>

I can think of lots of reasons for Ginny's appearance in that scene; 
none of which involve her being his fated True Love.  (1) The Weasleys 
could hardly afford a child-minder for that shortish trek to King's 
Cross; Ginny would necessarily be with her mum.  She'd also want to see 
her brothers off; (2) it needs to be established that Ron is not the 
youngest Weasley; and (3) she needed to be introduced since she would 
otherwise be a late addition as the victim of Tom Riddle if she'd not 
been mentioned until CoS.  I know you commented on regressive behavior 
earlier this week, Pippin, but I still say that 10 yr olds don't act 
*that* young on average.  Age 10 is a dim memory for me ... but I don't 
recall that I would willingly have held my mother's hand in public for 
one thing.  <g>  I just re-read that scene to compose this message, and 
I just shudder at the characterization (now that I know she's 9/10).

Kimberly asked:

> Isn't one of the biggest
> reasons that many people dislike the idea of R/H because of their
> *conflict* issues, or, as I've seen it referred to most
> often, "constant bickering".

Welcome back, Kimberly!  You'll be relieved to hear that we have not 
been having constant shipping discussions the entire time you've been 
gone.  It's been very quiet on the shipping front as a matter of fact. 
Anyway ... I wasn't really addressing the constant bickering factor.  I 
just was noting that if Hermione likes Ron back, they will eventually 
get together without too much conflict.  If they both like each other & 
neither of them suspects the other of liking someone else that is.  Make 
sense?  I presume they will continue to bicker & squabble incessantly 
either way, which is why *I* think they would make a terrible couple but 
... that's a personal thing.  Maybe they'll get together but squabble 
their way into a breakup before OoP even ends?  We can hope.  :--)

Eileen said:

> Ginny's 11 year old crush on Harry was typical, but it didn't have the
> same sort of emotional content as Viktor's crush on Hermione (ugghh).
> Now, that she is older, she still has feelings for Harry, but what she
> has is more like real adult love than before.

I'm with Red on this one.  Isn't Ginny 13/14?  I don't think she or 
*any* of the characters has experienced real adult love yet.  I don't 
think they should either really.  Not until post-Hogwarts when they will 
actually be adults.


Penny