Why must they be equal? (Was:Re: Equal (?) best friends redux )

[prefectmarcus]

No: HPFGUIDX 39584

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Amy Z" <aiz24 at h...> wrote:
> Oh dear.  I really did hope we could leave this sordid little 
incident 
> behind us <g>.  But I feel compelled to speak.
> Amy Z

Why is it important to establish which is the best friend or if they 
are equal?  (This question is asked to all, not just Amy.)  

I would say that Ron is closer to Harry than Hermione is.  What else 
would be expected?  They are just starting to hit the hormones.  
Before that happens, guys tend to hang out with guys and gals tend to 
hang out with gals.  It's a fact of life.  Hermione, no matter how 
close she is to Harry and Ron, is still a girl.  It is to be expected 
that Harry will hang out more with Ron than Hermione for a few 
years.  

There is also the matter of Harry sharing a room with Ron.  There are 
just some conversations that are reserved for the bedroom where you 
let you hair completely down; and like it or not, they can't be done 
yet between Hermione and the boys.  Not unless JKR lets the series 
get a whole lot racier, that is.  It is interesting that Hermione 
invades the boys' dorm in CoS and PoA over Christmas but Ron or Harry 
have never seen her dorm.

Now if you are feeling sorry for Hermione, don't be.  She is getting 
her share of private girl chat.  Ginny knew all about Krum, but Harry 
and Ron -- her two "best" friends -- didn't.  This is to be 
expected.  People generally confide about the opposite sex with 
members of their own gender, especially in the teenage years when 
they are trying to figure out the rules.

So Hermione has two best friends she hangs out with and at least one 
female friend she confides with about girl things.  Harry and Ron 
both have two best friends they hang out with, one of which is a male 
friend to confide with about boy things.  

Marcus