Hermione and The Winter's Tale

[Judy M. Ellis]

No: HPFGUIDX 44479

Jessica wrote:
> 
> In the Winter's Tale Leontes has invited his *best
> friend* from school/youth, Polixenes, to come visit
> his kingdom and -- more importantly, to Leontes --
> meet Leontes' beloved wife, Hermione. Polixenes does
> visit and the three (L-H-P) get along famously. When
> Poli prepares to go, Leo does everything he can to
> persuade him to stay. It is Hermione, under the wishes
> of Leo, who finally convinces Poli to extend his stay.
> For some reason, Leo misconstrues this as an
> indication that Poli and Hermione are having an
> affair. It's a completely irrational assumption, but
> he gets his knickers all in a twist and loses it,
> prosecuting his wife for adultery.
> 
> This fits perfectly with the plotlines left hanging
> after GoF. Obviously, Ron and Hermione have developed
> feelings for one another. Once Ron realizes he's
> smitten with Hermione, it's not too much of a stretch
> to assume he'll be very possessive of her. For Ron,
> Hermione will be, in a sense, his prize -- the one
> thing/person that's his and his alone, the person who
> gives him the attention he feels he deserves.
> 
> Now in GoF, we know Hermione lavishes a great deal of
> attention and admiration on Harry. So much so that
> Krum suspects there's something going on between Harry
> and Hermione, which isn't true. We all ready know Ron
> has a predisposition of jealousy and spite toward
> Harry, who, like his brothers, always casts a shadow
> over Ron. In fact, Ron, like Leo, has a tendency
> toward irrationality -- running with an unproved
> notion to the point of explosion. I think Ron will, at
> some point, misinterpret Harry and Hermione's
> relationship the same way Krum does. 
> 
> Ron will see this perceived affair as the final straw
> in his frustrations with Harry. They'll have a
> terrible fight and quit speaking again. 
> 
> *Enter Voldemort*
> 
> Ron will be at his most vulnerable at this point,
> making him an ideal victim of Voldie's evil schemes.
> The fact that he's HP's best friend will make him all
> the more appealing to Voldie. He'll strike Ron with
> the Cruciatus Curse (as so clearly foreshadowed in
> GoF) and use him to lure HP in to Voldie's hands. HP
> and Hermione will figure out why Ron's behavior has
> suddenly become so strange and and rescue Ron from
> Voldie's grasp.
> 
> Ron will rejoin Harry and Hermione in the fight
> against Voldie. His brush with death will knock some
> sense into Ron and he'll begin to realize how his lack
> of self-esteem (and the envy that results from it) is
> dangerous to both himself and his loved ones.
> 
> That's when we'll REALLY see Ron potential as a -- I
> think -- very powerful wizard.


    This is a carefully thought out and intelligent observation.  "A 
Winter's Tale" inspires speculation.   I found this hypothetical 
plotline intriguing but had to take exception to it, because, in 
order to work, it would have to contradict Rowling's established 
plotting patterns.  Her plot clues are never blatant.  She's much 
too clever for that.  But then, that is why she captivates us so, 
isn't it?
    It may well be that Ron ends up with Hermione, but I cannot see 
Rowling foreshadowing this paring with such cliche, old Hollywood 
scenes as spats and rows that turn into romance.  There is ample 
evidence (much more subtle, but more in Rowling's style) for any of 
several eventual romantic pairings between the major characters.  
(See FAQ-Romance): 
http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/faq/romance.html

    Finally, there is the very real fact that the character of 
Hermione herself, as developed through four books, best contradicts 
this possible storyline. She is nothing like the Queen of Sicilia.  
Do you really see Hermione allowing anyone, even one of her best 
friends, to treat her as a prize to be won or lost or fought over?  
Could you see her with anyone who flew into jealous rages over her 
long-standing friendship with another boy?  Whomever Hermione ends 
up with will have to be mature and in control.  Our dear Ron still 
has a lot of growing up to do to fill that bill.
--Judy