Hermione (WasSHIP: JKR Interview (what she said and what she didn't say)

[Jim Ferer <jferer@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 52218

Jim (me):"As Penny has pointed out, the bossy and argumentative
Hermione is gone, replaced by a rapidly maturing young woman who has
shown us heart more than once. A lot of readers are stuck on
first-year Hermione without noticing how much she's grown."	

Jo:"I see absolutely *no* foundation for your contention that Hermione
is no longer bossy and argumentative. What on earth was SPEW all about
then? She browbeats Harry and Ron into joining,(which they only do to
shut her up), bullies Neville into buying a badge (to stop her
glowering at him), and argues with Fred, George, and Hagrid, all of
whom know far more about house-elves and the Wizarding World than she
does."

She is also caring, and maturing enough to get energized and
passionate over concern for others, but that's beside the point.  Is
Hermione's defining characteristic being "bossy and argumentative"
anymore?  Does that characteristic run her life or has she gotten some
measure of control over it? I believe she is no longer defined as a
busybody and she has some smarts about herself she didn't have in Year 1.

Jo:" Yes, she's maturing, but she has definitely not undergone a
personality change since first year...Why can't we love her as she
actually is instead of trying to idealize her so that she will be a
more compatible romantic partner? "

No, she hasn't. Who does? You take the hand God dealt you and make the
most of the good parts and try to get a handle on the lesser ones.
Hermione is doing that.  I'm not trying to paint Hermione as the new
Dalai Lama or something, but she is maturing - very well, IMO - and
she's progressed far from Year One Hermione. And we do love her for
the way she is.

All of the characters have warts. I could list them. Life is not tidy,
and no one is ideal. I like Hermione's mix, and like GoF Hermione much
more than PS/SS Hermione, and predict the trend will continue.

Jim with two daughters, who haven't changed their personalities since
birth.