[HPforGrownups] Re: Ron in Cos (was Ron and the Trouble with Veela)

[Laura Ingalls Huntley]

No: HPFGUIDX 50680

Sigh..I go away for a day or so and get hopelessly behind the
times...anyway, this post made me think of something.

> golden faile:
> I was wondering, where in COS do we see evidence of
> Ron having an interest
> in Hermione?
>
> Rebecca:
> I always felt that Rons taking up for Hermione when
> Malfoy called her a
> Mudblood in CoS was indicative of his true feelings
> for her.
>
> Laila:
> Could be... but let me ask you this. If someone
> insults one of your best friends wouldn't you come
> to their rescue?
>
> Rebecca:
> But this wasn't just one incident.  When Hermione was
> petrified and Malfoy made the comment about wishing
> she'd been killed and the bet the next one would be
> (pg 267 paperback US ed) he said he was going to kill
> Draco with his bare hands.  And, although Harry is
> probably upset, the text gives no indication of that.
> And Ron kept trying to get loose from Harry and Dean
> for a while.
>
> Harry didn't come to the rescue of one of his best
> friends.  Actually, I take that back; he came to the
> rescue of Ron.  Who knows what Snape would've done to
> him.
>
> But Ron's action wasn't in defense of anyone.  It
> couldn't help Hermione.  It was just an emotional
> reaction.
>
> Taryn:
> Because Ron is extremely temperamental, whereas Harry is /not/. Ron
>has to be held back MULTIPLE times. But Harry is one who has lived a
>lifetime of bottling up emotions and holding his temper. We don't see it
>break nearly so much as Ron's.

So, this brought to mind an instance when Harry's temper *did* break, in
regards to an attack on Hermione.  I am referring to, of course, the course
of event that began with Draco's reflected curse hitting Hermione and
Snape's reaction to it ("I see no difference.").

Normally, when looking at this scene, I am so struck by the downright
evilness of Snape, that I don't really focus on anything else...but, look at
the way Harry reacts to it.

"It was lucky, perhaps, that both Harry and Ron started shouting at Snape at
the same time; lucky their voices echoed so much in the stone corridor, for
in he confused din, it was impossible for him to hear exactly what they were
calling him."

For once, we have Harry's temper and general *sense* flying to pieces right
along with Ron's (possibly because his characteristic slowness to anger has
been stretched too far with the recent stress he's endured).  And the text
goes on...

"Harry's ears were ringing.  The injustice of it made him want to curse
Snape into a thousand slimy pieces.  He passed Snape, walked with Ron to the
back of the dungeon, and slammed his bag down onto the table.  Ron was
shaking with anger too [...]"

Again, behavior that is consistent with Ron's temperament, not Harry's.  I
am not citing this as support of Harry ----> Hermione (esp. as I don't
believe that exists except in a *very* latent form right now), I am just
pointing out that if Ron's emotional outbursts in defense of Hermione (when
emotional outbursts are pretty much his general style anyway) are indicative
of his crush on Hermione, then Harry's very atypical show of rage in this
scene can certainly be similarly explained.

I mean...his anger is almost *scary*.

"Harry sat there staring at Snape as the lesson began, picturing horrific
things happening to him....If only he knew how to do the Cruciatus
Curse...he'd have Snape flat on his back like that spider, twitching and
jerking."

All I am going to say is: eep!

"Harry imagined picking up his cauldron, and sprinting to the front of the
class, and bringing it down on Snape's greasy head"

I understand that this is a very emotional time for Harry in general (he is
on the outs with Ron and most of the school), but still.  This sort of rage
from any character would be disturbing -- but from Harry, who isn't prone to
such things -- it's damn near terrifying.  I mean, the Cruciatus Curse.
Really.

Again, I'm not really trying to give an shipping argument here, just
pointing that Ron isn't always the only one who goes mad when Hermione is
insulted/injured.  And, as they are both best friends with her, this is
hardly surprising.

Laura