Ron & Hermione: Equal Best Friends or Not?

[Penny Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 38736

Hi --

The debate rages on ....<g>:

Catherine pointed out that the wording of the 2nd Task itself does not state that the thing the champion would miss "most" would be taken .... just something the Champion would sorely miss.  

Jo Serenadust responded:

<<<This particular nitpick strikes me as a technicality, more than a 
source of enlightenment.>>>>>

Well, I think focusing on Ron's being Harry's "hostage" and concluding that therefore Ron is the friend that Harry values more is ignoring the overall plot device; missing the forest for the trees so to speak.  It's obvious to me that Rowling wanted both Ron & Hermione at the bottom of the Lake.  So, she made Hermione into Krum's hostage.  Ron couldn't have been the hostage of any of the other Champions, unless she had made Fleur more interested in Ron.  But, once at the bottom of the Lake, Harry refuses to prioritize his two best friends.  Yes, he's the hero, so he naturally refused to leave *any* of the hostages, *but,* you're completely ignoring that Harry himself identifies Ron and Hermione as both being his friends and then points to Cho & Gabrielle and says "I don't want *them* to die either."  He sees 2 levels of hostages down there, not 3.  He doesn't see (1) Ron, (2) Hermione, and (3) Cho & Gabrielle.  He sees (1) Ron and Hermione, and (2) Cho & Gabrielle.  It's abundantly clear to me that this passage, taken together with the several instances in which Harry refers to Hermione as his "other best friend," support the argument that Harry has not prioritized his best friends.  

<<<In fact, one could legitimately wonder why Sirius wasn't 
at the bottom of the lake for Harry.>>>

Er.... because he's a wanted fugitive?  <g>  Would be a bit difficult for Sirius to wade out of the Lake after being rescued & wave "Ta, ta" to the MOM judges assembled on the shore.  

<<<I do believe they have a way 
of discerning the true feelings of each champion (although, if Ron 
were a champion, I'd give even odds on Hermione being his choice <g>)>>>>

But, aside from there being no canon evidence for this, why would they need to discern the true feelings of each Champion?  As Catherine pointed out, the Task was not about retrieving the thing that each Champion valued *most* in life.  It was about retrieving something the Champion would value (or someone as it turns out).  It wouldn't take much magic (or rocket science) for the Staff of each school to figure out who the Champion's friends were and choose one.  They didn't need to know which one might matter *the most.*  

<<<The point is that Hermione is in the trio because it is a trio.  The 
three of them are a great team, and she brings formidable assets to 
the trio.  They wouldn't be nearly as effective in their adventures 
without her valuable input.  However, in terms of pure friendship, 
Harry seems to value Ron just because he's...well, Ron.  He doesn't 
have to be good at chess, or Quidditch or classwork for Harry to 
value him; he just has to be the loyal friend that he is.>>>>>>

And so .... Hermione is only Harry's friend (and tolerated as part of the Trio) because of the assets she brings to the relationship?  Her friendship isn't enough?  Really?  Really??!  

Did you forget about this?:

"But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend.  There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them."

It doesn't say, "And from that moment on, Harry and Ron realized that Hermione was very smart and could bring them valuable knowledge which would help them in coming adventures and would nag them into getting things done and so they tolerated her presence."

<<<<I guess it all comes down to the question of how we evaluate our 
various friendships. Whom do we value most; the people who are "good 
for us" in terms of encouraging us to do our best work, or do we 
value the ones who bring us relaxation, fun, and an escape from the 
troubles in our lives? I've never doubted that Harry appreciates 
Hermione's strengths, but he seems to need and be drawn to Ron's 
companionship more (at least, so far).>>>>>>>

I don't think Hermione merely serves to encourage Harry & Ron to do their best work.  In any case, as I read your argument, it stands thus:

(1) Harry's hostage in the Lake was Ron; therefore, Ron is a more valued friend than Hermione.  I've already shown that this is a flawed argument, because the Task itself was not set to have the Champion retrieve the thing he would miss *most,* just something he would sorely miss.  And, as I pointed out, Harry himself equalizes Ron and Hermione in importance at the bottom of the Lake.

(2) Harry's thoughts that being cooped up in the Library with Hermione was far less fun than when he was also friends with Ron.  I think this is weak in support of the notion that he values Hermione's *friendship* less than he does Ron's friendship.  It only shows that he still prefers male companionship at this point in his life, and this seems perfectly natural.  But, when push comes to shove, at the bottom of the Lake, Harry refuses to choose and he affirmatively, unequivocally puts Hermione on the same level as Ron as his "friend" and then lumps Cho & Gabrielle together.

Also, whenever he is away from Hogwarts and thinking about his friends, this is what he says:

***   "more even than playing Quidditch, Harry missed his *best friends* (*plural*....*plural*), Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger" (CoS, Chapter 1) 

***   "Whatever you've heard about my greatness is a load of rubbish.  I'm not even top of my year at Hogwarts, that's Hermione, she --"  But he stopped quickly because thinking about Hermione was painful."  (CoS, Chapter 2)

***  "Harry's other best friend from Hogwarts, Hermione Granger, hadn't been in touch either.  Harry suspected that Ron had warned Hermione not to call, which was a pity, because Hermione, the cleverest witch in Harry's year, had Muggle parents, new perfectly well how to use a telephone, and would probably have had enough sense not to say that she went to Hogwarts" (PoA, Chapter 1)

***  "He looked hopelessly around his room, and his eyes paused on the cards his two best friends had sent him at the end of July. <snip>  ...And so he tried to imagine his other best friend Ron Weasley's reaction...."

It is a complete & utter mystery to me how JKR could be any more crystal clear that Ron and Hermione are equally valued and both *best friends.*  It's always plural.  They both get the adjective "best" used.  Even Ron gets billed as his "other best friend."  Ron isn't "Harry's best best friend."  <g>  For once, I'm quite grateful for those summarizing recaps at the beginning of each book.  Nicely serves to reinforce the notion that Harry has *two* *best* friends.  Period.  

Sorry, Cindy -- I see you've weighed in.  Even declaring yourself an H/H shipper doesn't win you any points on this one.  <g>

Penny

 


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