Hermione SHIP question

[Jim Ferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 79624

Kathrun Cawte: "Can one of the Hermione/Harry SHIPpers out there
explain it to me? I don't see any clues towards it in the books at
all. I've always thought that it was 'obvious' that the Viktor thing
was a brief fling brought on because she was flattered at the way he
was paying her attention while Ron takes her for granted and that
eventually she and Ron will end up together. It seemed to me that that
ship was obvious and that there are *no* hints at all of Harry liking
Hermione as more than a friend or Hermione liking him."

Jim (me): I'll try.  I'm an H/H shipper, but I don't go around looking
for tiny clues – I don't care whose pillow lands on whose in Charms
class.  I see Harry and Hermione converging all the time. They've
changed each other and are more complete together than apart.
 
Never have two people been more suited to each other, perfect
soulmates. Hermione has been the person who has prepared him for his
challenges; while he is the greatest natural talent of his generation,
she is the exemplar of what hard work and application can do - a
perfect yin and yang. She understands him better than anyone else.

Hermione cares for him as much or more than anyone. When she asks
after Harry and Cho, what's going on there? Is she not interested in
Harry, or not aware of *how* she might care for him, or is she mature
enough to know his feelings for Cho have to be resolved, that the risk
must be run? I don't know, but I know that Harry and Hermione love
each other already. It may not be romantic love, but they are
incredibly close. Hermione with anybody else - even Ron - would be a
step backward in intimacy.

Hermione knows exactly what Harry needs. Her DA idea was brilliant,
giving him a purpose and a boost he badly needed at the same time
providing others with something they needed as well. She sees in Harry
his natural leadership qualities and the isolation that was hurting
him, and came up with just the right thing that helped him keep going.
It's not an accident that JKR tells us more than once how much the DA
means to Harry. Let's remember whose idea it was, and how she cared
for him at a time when Harry was just plain unlikable. (I was mad at
him about fifty times in OOP).   Hermione also has the idea to use
Rita Skeeter to get Harry's story out, which aids him mentally as
well.  You will answer that any friend might do that for him, but I
offer it up as an example of how in tune Hermione is to Harry.

Harry has noticed her, and the subtlety of the clues make them more
convincing. In OOP, when she suggests he tell Cho how ugly he thinks
Hermione is, he says 'but I don't think you're ugly!' which was a
spontaneous letting out of his feelings. In GoF, there were true
sparks when he noticed her at the Yule Ball. These seeds are not idly
planted. They will burst out someday. (BTW, when JKR repeats
something, remember it). I suspect Cho, and others, see how close
Harry and Hermione are better than the principals themselves.
 
Harry's 'saved' Hermione, too. I don't mean physically, although he
has, but Hermione knew early that she would be a different person and
a lesser one without being in the Trio. She started out with an
affinity to Percy, but look at how the two have diverged. Because of
her adventures, because she's discovered real purpose, she's a young
woman of character and moral courage and Percy's a disgusting
sycophant. She might have been a Ravenclaw at heart when she arrived,
but there never was a truer Gryffindor now. She's seen what bravery
can do. Hermione has gained immensely from knowing Harry.

WHAT DOES HARRY NEED?

If Harry ends up with Ginny, he's going to have a supportive, loving
woman and family, a healing balm for all the hurts he's got and will
get. If it's Hermione, she's going to care for him in a different way,
pushing him when he needs it, tough when she has to be, challenging
him back to health. Which will he need?  He's going to need something,
because he's going to pay a high price for defying Voldemort, as all
the Dark Lord's enemies have.

If anyone wants to argue an R/H viewpoint based on the idea that "JKR
says so," that's weak, IMO. JKR doesn't want us to do that. She wants
us to find it in her text. She keeps telling us everything is there,
and it is, but you won't find it in how the pillows fall or anything
like that. It's in the people.

Jim Ferer