SHIP: What did Hermione Know and When did she Know It?

[serenadust <jmmears@comcast.net>]

No: HPFGUIDX 52037

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "SHolden" <sholden at f...> wrote:
> 
> Angua said:
> So... a little stubborness, a little revenge, a little "make him
> jealous," and a little typical Hermione secrecy, all wrapped up
> together.  I think the Ron/Hermione subplot still has a LONG way to
> go.


Sara:
> 
> Secondly..........."make him jealous" 
type...............Hermione?  This, I
> just don't see.  Hermione, to me at the very least, isn't that 
way.  She's
> smart enough to think of other ways to get a boys attention without
> resorting to jealousy.  She's always helping out Neville & 
worrying about
> Harry.  Heck, everything takes a backseat where Harry is 
concerned.  School
> and grades are Hermione's most important things, yet when Harry 
*needs* her,
> she sets them aside.


Now me:

Except for the part (in GoF) when she flatly refuses to "skive off 
Arithmancy" (even though Harry wants her to) in order to help him 
practice the Summoning Charm.  But no big deal there, right?  The 
Summoning Charm is his only hope when he risks his life against the 
dragon the following day, and he's far from having mastered it at 
this point.  Clearly, her interest at Arithmancy trumps Harry's 
needs at this point.

Also, when Harry needs to practice his Stunning Spell, who 
volunteers to be the target?  Hermione?  Not bloody likely ;--).
It's Ron (now who's got loyalty issues?).  In fact, when Hermione 
criticises Ron for missing the cushions she's so thoughtfully laid 
out for him to land on after he's been stunned, he suggests that she 
take a turn since he's "aching all over."  Does she gladly take 
over?  No, she decides that "Harry's got it now, anyway."  She's 
obviously not willing to suffer any discomfort for Harry's benefit 
in this case.

I think that these examples plainly show that while Hermione is 
usually willing to help Harry out, there are definite limits to what 
she's willing to do for him.

As for wanting to make Ron jealous, I think that it's perfectly 
clear that Hermione isn't above being manipulative to achieve her 
goals.  In CoS she scams Lockhart into signing a note for the 
library by flattering him, playing on his vanity, and lying to him 
about the book she wants from the Restricted Section.  And at this 
point in the story, she *really* likes Lockhart.  Since "resorting 
to jealousy" is just another form of manipulative behaviour, it 
wouldn't be at all OOC for Hermione to use it to her advantage.  
After all, she's a smart girl and it's clearly working ;-).


Jo Serenadust