SHIP: Why Harry and Hermione aren't Frodo and Sam

[Jim Ferer <jferer@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 50256

Pippin:I think some Shippers see in H/H a potential superbeing: 
Harry's power and courage united with Hermione's passion and 
intellect. I can understand the appeal of the concept: it's like 
Frodo and Samantha as Jim said."

I don't think superbeing for Harry and Hermione, and I wouldn't want 
to take the "Frodo and Samantha" analogy too seriously, either; but 
the power/courage/passion/intellect combination is a strong one.  
(How the Frodo/Sam relationship is a commentary on the class system 
is a topic for another time and place.)

Pippin:"In a like way H/H could symbolize the merging of different 
parts of a single psyche. But real life pairings don't work like 
that,IMO. While your partner's qualities may complement your own, you 
can't really absorb them."

Agreed.  A partner's best qualities can be a positive influence, but 
not absorbed. Guess they just have to stay together, then :-)

Pippin:"I think H/H would be a very high maintenance relationship, 
and I think that if  Hermione has other goals to pursue in life, she 
might not be willing to give it the time and effort it would need to 
work.

"I don't think Harry could ever be comfortable with Hermione's 
passionate side."

Your opinion is just as good as mine, but history so far is more 
optimistic.  For Hermione's part, what activity has she ever 
approached that she didn't give 100%?  If she commits to a 
relationship with Harry (or anybody else), and it's important to her, 
she'll work at it.

On Harry's side, he's stood next to the Hermione furnace for four 
years now, and he seems to deal with it well.  Does he occasionally 
think she's going around the bend?  Sure he does; sometimes he's 
right, sometimes wrong.  He can live with it.

I don't know how on point this is, but it came to me and I couldn't 
resist, so apologies in advance:
+++++++++++++
Lily touched Harry's arm.  "Daddy, I have a Transfiguration essay to 
finish before we go back to school.  Will you take a look at this 
part?"

Harry looked up after reading it.  "I'm not sure about this last bit, 
honey.  Your Mum's the one who wrote the textbook, you know. Let's 
show it to her. She'll set you right."

Lily whispered fiercely in Harry's ear.  "Daddy, if you tell Mum and 
I have to stay up 'till midnight reading the entire library and 
conducting experiments, I am going to lay such a hex on you..."

Harry couldn't hold back the smile.  "Anytime you want to try me, 
dear... okay, let's go look it up."
++++++++++++++

His ability to have some detachment could be seen as a plus here. He 
can let Hermione be Hermione and give her the space to pursue her 
goals.  He has goals, too, although he hasn't had the chance to sort 
them out.  Keeping his heart beating is a big enough goal right now.

Pippin:"I think this [Harry's mistrust of power} might  lead to 
conflict with Harry once there are no longer any age restrictions 
governing Harry's use of his power.   If she were in his place, 
Hermione would be mastering every spell she could think of, while 
Harry only learns the ones he thinks he'll need. (Voldemort's 
strategy in forcing Harry into the tournament was *really* 
counterproductive--Harry wouldn't know half the magic he does now if 
he hadn't been forced to learn it for the Cup.)"

It's possible,but she also might accept that Harry's approach works, 
and she also might have developed enough insight into Harry to 
understand this about him.

Pippin:"In all her adventures with Harry, she's never encountered the 
most mystical Potterverse creatures. The phoenix and the unicorn 
remain outside her experience--we don't even see her with the baby 
ones in Hagrid's class. This is an area where Ron might be able to 
contribute something to Harry's support that she can't--once he gets 
over his fear."

Agreed, and Ron still has insights into the wizard world that someone 
not born into couldn't have.

Jim, thumbing through Ron's back issues of Playwizard magazine