Hermione's parents

[Lisa Armstrong <renitentraven@hotmail.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51215

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "GRACE701 <grace701 at y...>" 
<grace701 at y...> wrote:
> I would like to know more about Hermione's parents besides the fact 
> that they are Muggles and dentists.  Could it be because of them 
> Hermione is an over-achiever, over-studious; an eccentrist period?  
> (Mind you she's my favorite character.)  It would also be 
> interesting to have Harry and Ron visit her.  Ron can finally see 
> how Muggles live and we can see the disasters that may occur from 
> this.
 
 I've also wondered about Hermione's parents, and their serious lack 
of presence in conversation.
 I wonder if it's because Hermione herself is indifferent to them, or 
is retaliating in a like way to a percieved indifference for her.
 
 Hermione strikes me as incredibly self-sufficient, but insecure, and 
I think Mum and Dad may have had a big role to play in that.
 I've got this vision of Hermione being raised by a team of hired 
help whilst Mum and Dad were busy career wise.
 
 The only canon reference I've found to *really* give a clue 
regarding the Granger's concern for Hermione's welfare is in GOF, 
when Hermione, in a furious state about Rita Skeeter tells Harry and 
Ron her parents don't read the Daily Prophet.
 I felt quite sad for the girl when I realised that her parents had 
witnessed first-hand the attitude towards Muggles in COS, yet didn't 
even keep up with current events in the WW.
 
 Added to this they just hand over money for her birthday (which 
falls in the school term) rather than repeat a trip to Diagon Alley 
to maybe involve themselves in her 12/13th in a more meaningful way.
 
 Even the Dursleys have opposed,albeit for the wrong reasons, Harry's 
holidays at the Weasleys, but Hermione never mentions any debates 
regarding her time away from them at the Dursleys. Even when she is 
with her folks all her letters mention her having a great time 
because she's found 'such and such', and it's relevant to her 
homework.

  Like you I'd love to see the boys visit Hermione at home, I'm keen 
to see if they learn a bit more than how to use a 'felly-phone'. 

 Lisa
(who worries for Hermione daily)