What Harry will miss the most/Liking Hermione

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 38749

Amy wrote:

> No, what made me want to scream like Penny (because (a) I identify 
> strongly with Hermione and (b) I want to see the Trio as a 
perfectly 
> balanced friendship) was the exact phrasing of that line:
> 
> "There was much less laughter, and a lot more hanging around in 
the 
> library when Hermione was your best friend."
> 
> What a peculiar way to put it:  "...when Hermione was your best 
> friend."  

Oh, I had never read it quite that way, but that is a very good way 
to read it.  Good observation, Amy.

When I step back and view things from a bit of a distance, I'm also 
left with the impression that Ron is The Best Friend for another 
reason: the emotional impact on Harry when he has conflict with Ron 
vs. Hermione.  In PoA, Harry's estrangement with Hermione just sort 
of happens and, as I mentioned earlier, Hagrid has to call Harry's 
attention to Hermione's (um, what's the word?) suffering.  

In GoF, *Harry* suffers tremendously when he is estranged from Ron.  
For instance, what is the *very first thing* Harry thinks about when 
he wakes up the morning after his name comes out of the Goblet?  
That he will be embarrassed or killed in the Tournament?  That he 
can't understand how this all happened?  No.  It is that Ron doesn't 
believe him.  And when Harry and Ron reconcile, Hermione is right 
there, but JKR has Hermione *exit the scene.*  The fight with Ron in 
GoF is much Bigger than the fight with Hermione in PoA in terms of 
the impact on Harry -- suggesting to me that Ron is a more 
significant influence, i.e. Best Friend, than Hermione.

Amy:

> It's upsetting, and it's out of keeping with various references to 
his 
> "two best friends" and the apparent equity between them in most 
> places, but it is the way I heard that line when I first read it 
and 
> on every reading since.  

But . . . but . . . why is it upsetting?  I mean, it doesn't bother 
me at all if Ron is the Best Friend and Hermione is . . . something 
else.  Why is it so important that Hermione rate with Ron on this 
issue so that the Trio is perfectly in balance?

Maybe I have trouble seeing this because I like Ron *so* much more 
as a character than Hermione.  I mean, Ron has *Edge*, or, at least, 
I think he does.  He's always interesting.  His dialogue is much 
more witty and snappy.  He's unpredictable.  He might even be Tough 
(he hasn't wept yet, IIRC).  I'd guess that most readers feel that 
way based on JKR's statement that everyone begs her not to kill Ron, 
but few fans plead with her to spare Hermione.

So that's the question:  Why work so hard to award Hermione Best 
Friend status?

Cindy (who has wondered from time to time if Hermione is Tough, but 
isn't sure she wants to know the answer)