SHIP: That ol' H/H argument

[David <dfrankiswork@netscape.net>]

No: HPFGUIDX 49731

Penny wrote, on Christmas Eve:

> As for Harry and Hermione, I like them as a pair based on 
reasonable extrapolations of their future selves (not that I 
wouldn't cheer for a canon-based H/H relationship ..... but again, 
it would make it that much less likely to be the "real thing").  

then, yesterday:

> More importantly, I think the fact that Krum is bothered enough by 
Hermione's involvement with Harry to question Harry about their 
relationship (she talks about Harry "all the time" around Krum) to 
be perhaps the most telling piece of evidence that it's Harry she 
likes, rather than Ron.

So that's a bad thing for H/H, right? ;-)

Seriously, I think the H/H case *is* at its strongest with the 
extrapolation argument above.   Resolutely put aside all school-
based romance, except as evidence of *character*, not attraction, 
project the characters forward to adulthood, and make a judgement 
based on compatibility, life goals, etc, as you imagine them then to 
be.  Don't muddy the pool with evidence of current attraction.   
That leaves you free to torpedo all R/H arguments based on current 
attraction either way.

But if you *do* want to make it happen within (expected future) 
canon, then I feel that the strongest evidence ought not to be from 
Krum but the interactions of the leading characters themselves, 
however ambiguous they may be.

Krum's H/H evidence seems strong, but I think it is weaker than it 
looks.

There are just so many uncertainties.  If Hermione talked as much 
about Ron as Harry, would Krum mention this?  He seeks from Harry 
the reassurance that Harry is able to give: no good mentioning Ron.  
If Hermione favours one of the boys, which one would she talk about 
more?  If Krum is aware of Harry as a rival through the Triwizard 
Tournament as well as his flying, would that bias his ability to 
note who Hermione most talks about?  Given that Hermione and Ron's 
extracurricular lives revolve to a large extent around Harry anyway, 
how do we factor that in?

The crucial thing is that we know that Krum has to an extent got it 
wrong, in that he suspects an active relationship, when at most 
Hermione has feelings for Harry.  So we are reduced to 
reconstructing what would have been his thought processes and what 
led to them.  That he approaches Harry shows his reserve and felt 
incomprehension in dealing with Hermione - a telling observation 
which ultimately leads us back to the conclusion that they are all a 
bit young for us to deduce anything much.

David