OOP: Boys & Girls in the Potter World

[iana_abadi]

No: HPFGUIDX 67626

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Sue Wartell <suewartell at n...> 
wrote:
> Jenny said:
> 
> ... Hermione - I adore Hermione but I couldn't relate to her then 
and 
> can't relate to her so much now. ... Most of my friends worked 
extremely hard
>  at school but often struggled with boys, worrying far more than 
Hermione 
> seems to.  Teen girls can sit and analyze *every single* movement 
made by 
> the cute boy.  I know I did  that endlessly, but Hermione seems not 
to be 
> too bothered by what the boys think of her.  If she is bothered, 
she puts 
> on the best act I've  ever seen.  ...
> 
> Sue:
> 
> This is something I _can_ relate to, much better than I could to 
Cho.  I 
> recognized Cho - I knew lots of girls who behaved that way, in high 
> school and in college.  I was the odd one.  I just couldn't find 
> anything interesting in the discussions of who smiled at whom, or 
who 
> said what about which.  It just wasn't anything I cared about.  I 
had 
> male friends, but no boyfriend, throughout my teens, and most of 
the 
> time it just did not bother me - not an act, I simply didn't care. 
> There were lots more interesting things to think and talk about. 
> -- As I said, I was odd.  :-)
> 
> (snip) 
> Sue


As an 18 year old girl who just graduated from high school, I clearly 
remember, and (unfortunately) still experience the adolescent angst 
described in the book, and I must say that JKR writes it well.  As 
for Hermione, well, I relate to her.  I was and am like that about 
boys - the giggly girls who travel in packs (GoF) at my school were 
about as airheaded as they come, and I did not want to be a part of 
that.  I feel for Hermione, having really only guy friends.  It's 
hard not to have girlfriends to bear your soul with - I know that my 
friends are like me (and Hermione) and we marvel at how the other 
kinds of girls exist.  Often.  It must be hard for her, not to have 
anyone to talk to late at night in her dormitory.  I'm glad she has 
Ginny to talk to over the summer.
OTOH, having guy friends is great . . . it sucks that she's always 
accused of trysts with Harry . . .

I fully admit being an R/H and H/G shipper - I like OBHWF . . . I'm a 
nerd

"Iana"