Harry's "Best" Friend

[Amber ?]

No: HPFGUIDX 38772


Hey there, coming out of lurk-mode because something caught my attention...

>From: "plinsenmayer" <pennylin at swbell.net>
>Cindy:
> >
> > 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?
>
>:::boggles::::  Well, I can't recall where Cindy stands on this
>particular issue, but there are certainly plenty of no-shippers and
>others who've opined that the friendships within the Trio should
>remain romance-free, because the overwhelming appeal of the series
>is tied to The Trio and the inviolable friendships within the Trio.
>I don't agree with that so much (obviously), nor do I think it's
>realistic.  But, I do think JKR has gone out of her way to
>demonstrate that Harry has *two best friends.*

*shrug* I'm a non-shipper and I truly think that at this stage in the game, 
Ron matters more to Harry than Hermione. What's more, I like Hermione more 
than Ron and it doesn't bother me that Ron matters more.

It's the way life is. You can't love your friends equally or at the exact 
same amounts. Or at least, I don't believe you can't. I have friends who I 
love to varying degrees. There are some that I prefer to spend my time with 
more than the others. It's shocking and maybe disgust some people but it's 
the utter truth. The people who you empathize with best, have most in 
common, you want to spend the most time with. And right now, for Harry, it's 
Ron in my opinion.

That's to say that this won't change. Life is flux, it's bound to change at 
some point. And that doesn't bother me either. It always changes as people 
drift in and out. In the next book, we might see strong evidence that Harry 
might empathize with Hermione more. Fine, bravo!

"Best Friend", in my opinion, means only one person. I have several friends 
but only one best friend. Why? Because they are BEST. I can't award Friend A 
and Friend B both that status because if I were to get down to truth, the 
honest truth, I would love one of them more. Does this make me a bad person? 
Well, I guess that depends on your perspective. I don't think it does. It 
simply makes me human.

>I think Hermione is Tough.  I think she is *alot* Tougher than Ron,
>even if she does weep from time to time.  Characters who are in
>touch with their emotions are typically considerably stronger
>individuals.  When push comes to shove, Hermione has the Stuff.  And
>I think we'll see that more & more & more....

Surely, Hermione has the stuff. She's a powerhouse of will. I love her to 
death because I wish *I* were as strong in character as she is. The fact 
that she's willing to stand against her friends for what she believes is 
right (irregardless of whether she's correct in what's right *grin*) is 
truly fantastic.

~Amber

********
http://www.the-tabula-rasa.com

I am moved by fancies that are curled
Around these images, and cling:
The notion of some infinitely gentle
Infinitely suffering thing.
- excerpt from "Preludes" by T.S. Eliot



_________________________________________________________________
Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com