[HPforGrownups] Hermione SHIP question

[Kathryn Cawte]

No: HPFGUIDX 79545


 Joj

 

Hermione is either dating Krum or letting Ron think she is. Why would she do
that if she likes Ron? 
 

Me -

Because Viktor makes her feel like a girl. Harry and Ron treat her like a
library book on legs or like part of the furniture. Originally (in GoF) I
think she went out with Viktor because she was flattered (and I think
genuinely liked him, I don't think she's in love though). He's famous, a
sports star and popular and he was attracted to *her*. After all he's only
going to be around till the end of the tournament so he's a safe guy to
spend time with without the worry that it's going to get serious and she can
feel feminine for once instead of like 'one of the boys'.

In OoP I think she genuinely feels friendship for Viktor, but nothing more.
I think a lot of the way she is letting Ron think she 'likes' Viktor is
because about the only time Ron has ever treated her like a girl rather than
taking her for granted is when she went to the Ball with Viktor. Therefore
she thinks that if she continues to bring his name up all the time and makes
sure Ron knows she's still in contact with him then if he likes her he might
actually *do* something about it.

For all Hermione's ability to see where Harry and Cho are going wrong, her
learning is all book learning. She's not very good at all this emotional and
romantic stuff. She had trouble making friends in PS and I think she is
basically insecure, especially when it come to dealing with people rather
than academic problems. Maybe it's because she's a muggleborn and she feels
she has something to prove, maybe it's because she's one of the youngest in
her year, maybe that's just a facet of her personality and has nothing to do
with anything, but there is no way Hermione is going to outright *ask* Ron
if he likes her or tell him her own feelings, unless she already knows the
answer beforehand. Of course there's the added fact that Ron and Harry are
her only close friends (although Ginny might be getting there too) and if
she and Ron did get together and then broke up or if one was interested and
the other wasn't then the dynamic might be irreparably damaged and I doubt
Hermione would want to risk that. So she's going to be sure before she does
anything - and since Ron (like most teenage boys, don't take this as a
criticism of Ron, I love him, honest) has the emotional maturity of a
cabbage when it comes to dealing with girls she could be waiting a long
time!

K