GOF: Ron's a real twit (git)

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 110142

I'm rereading GOF, and I've come to the conclusion that Ron is a real
twit (read: git) in this book. I've also come to the conclusion that Harry
doesn't recognize his *real* best friend for who that is: Hermoine. And,
thirdly, so far in GOF, Ron isn't good enough (or at least, not mature
enough) for Hermoine. He's so self-involved and thoughtless--which I do 
know is the definition of your average fourteen year old! Still, I'd like to
smack him upside the head (gently). (In GOF, I'm just getting to the
third task)

So why is Ron considered Harry's best friend, including by Harry 
himself? Because Ron's family has taken Harry in several times, or
because Ron is a boy? I think it's probably the latter, since best friends
are usually of the same sex--despite the fact that Hermoine's two best
friends are Harry and Ron. Though it's understandable that Harry sees
Ron as his best friend, I'd love to see him acknowledge at some point
that the one person who has stood next to him through *everything,* and
has proven to be his truest friend of all, isn't Ron, it's Hermoine. 

In the meantime, I have a hard time seeing what Hermoine sees in Ron, 
especially after Molly sent Hermoine that tiny Easter egg. Hermoine 
asks if Ron's mother reads the Daily Prophet, and Ron says "Yep" while  
stuffing his mouth full of his toffee egg. It's Harry who actually notices 
Hermoine's sad expression and quickly brings up another subject to
take her mind off it. 

These two reactions have been repetitive throughout the books. Ron 
usually ignores or dismisses Hermoine's feelings, while Harry is the
one who often notices and sometimes tries to alleviate her fears or 
sadness. I don't have strong 'ship preferences for either R/H or H/H, but
I have yet to see any reason Hermoine should go for Ron. (Take Harry, 
you fool, take Harry!). 

Maybe when I finish my second read-through of OoTP, the book where
it's Harry who acts like a twit, my perception will change!

Julie 
(who does like Ron, but thinks Hermoine deserves more recognition
than she's gotten so far)


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