[HPforGrownups] Re: SHIP: Hermione, Ginny and Luna (and Tonks) Oh my!

[Helen R. Granberry]

No: HPFGUIDX 84887

I think Hermione, Ginny and Luna are all possibilities. I'll let other
people deal with the evidence there. I wouldn't be opposed to any of
those ships, though I admit a soft spot for Harry/Hermione (though I
would be equally happy with Ron/Hermione).  

What I would like to argue for is Harry/Tonks. Not as something I am in
any way certain about, but as something that is a possibility. I think a
lot of people dismiss it out of hand simply because of the age
difference, but I think it has merit. I'll admit some bias, because it
is a ship I sail (among a few others). 

First, the age difference... it's not that great. Tonks has been an
Auror for one year. Auror training takes three years. My impression from
the Career Advice chapter was that one is accepted into Auror training
straight out of Hogwarts. This would make Tonks 21-22, or 6-7 years
older than Harry. While that seems a stretch for their present ages,
Harry isn't a typical sixteen year old. He's faced Voldemort head on
four times, which is something not even the best of the Aurors had done
and lived to tell the tale. He has pretty much had to parent himself,
given the neglect from the Dursleys, and he's come out quite well and
mature beyond his years. As we've seen with Cho, the typical girls his
own age are simply not suited. Harry is light years ahead of the typical
sixteen year old in terms of maturity. A by product of his life
experiences -- he's an old soul. 

Tonks, while not childish or immature, has a very benevolent, 'young'
personality. JKR goes out of her way two or three times to point out how
YOUNG Tonks is. Harry describes her as very young looking at least
twice, and at one point describes her as looking like Ginny's older
sister (putting her in the same generation as Harry and Co.). While she
is an adult, an Auror and in the Order, it was Tonks who enabled the
kids to spy on the Order by telling Ginny how to tell if the door had a
special charm on it (forget what kind -- can't find my book). The two
girls (Hermione and Ginny) really take to Tonks, as evidenced at the
dinner the first night at Grimmauld Place and in the two scenes where
the kids are dropped off at school (Harry notices they spend time
hugging and saying their goodbyes). Older sister? Yes, maybe. But
definitely same generation. I think Tonks is somewhere between the kid
and adult world. She's an Auror and in the Order, but she's the youngest
and by her actions, I think perhaps identifies with the kids. Similarly,
Harry is between the kid and adult world by virtue of this role that has
been thrust upon him. Long story short... I don't think the age
difference really matters all that much. 

What evidence do we have that there is anything remotely romantic going
on? Not much, though I think there is some proto-tension there. What
really struck me about Tonks from the beginning, was unlike most of the
other adults, she really reaches out to him (yeah, I was sailing this
ship from Chapter 3). She offers to help him pack. She tries to make him
feel at ease (complimenting him on his room and joking about her own
shortcomings). She instantly recognizes that he doesn't like people
looking at his scar. The morning of Harry's trial, she's happy to see
him and offers him a chair (she does, of course, knock it over). When
Harry is down about not making Prefect, she is the first one to approach
him with reassurance and tell him she didn't make Prefect either. On the
way to St. Mungo's, she sits beside him and tries to engage him in
conversation about what happened. She's the only person aside from the
usual suspects (the Weasleys, Hermione Sirius/Remus, Hagrid) to get
Harry a Christmas gift -- a miniature Firebolt (she was admiring Harry's
Firebolt the first time they met). Not only does she reach out to Harry,
she pays attention! In almost every scene we see her in, she is reaching
out to Harry in some way. While I don't think she has Bad Place feelings
for Harry in OotP, I do think she genuinely likes him. 

For Harry's part, well... he's a bit preoccupied, but I get the
impression that he thinks she is pretty cool. She's an Auror (like he
wants to be). She's a Metamorphmagus (there is canon evidence he might
be the same). She has pink hair and listens to cool music. She's exactly
the sort of older girl teen boys crush on. He makes a point of
describing her appearance pretty much every time we see her. While he
doesn't say she is pretty (like with Cho), he describes her as having a
heart shaped face and dark, sparkling eyes (pretty features). We know
that Tonks will be checking up on Harry during the summer (along with
Lupin and Moody). There is opportunity for him to get to know her
better. 

They have some commonalities (the career thing, possibly the
Metamorphmagus thing, the half-blood thing, Sirius). There was some
quasi-innuendo when they first met (she liked his broom stick, 'Wand
still in your jeans?'). I think there may be something there.

Now... there was one thing I discovered the other day while surfing the
Perseus Project (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/)which I found very
interesting. The name Nymphadora has been analyzed to death since OotP
came out. However, I did find something I think is new/interesting.
While we know what 'nymphs' are in Greek mythology, the word in ancient
Greek actually means BRIDE. Nymphadora = gift of the bride = love = this
great big theme we know will be running through the rest of the series =
the thing Voldie knows not. 

I realize the ship isn't a popular one. I realize it may be a long shot
when compared to the H/Hr, H/G and H/L ships. However, I *do* think it
is a possibility and... quite frankly, I love it. Tonks is someone who
is young, yet with a great deal of responsibility as an Auror and a
member of the Order. Harry is also a young person with a great deal of
responsibility, but while Harry is full of angst, Tonks is someone who
is upbeat. She's no nonsense, not afraid to speak her mind (sassing
Moody) -- definitely not a hosepipe like Cho. I think she has ability to
handle Harry and his darker moods. I think if this ship does happen, it
will happen very near the end (although I would wager that for any Harry
ship). 

I do think it is a possibility that Harry will end up alone or dead, but
I think he deserves some happiness, no matter which girl 'wins'.



Helen