Hermione's Reaction to... Was: Re: Harry's first Kiss (is it a smoke screen?)

[mayeaux45]

No: HPFGUIDX 105612

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Susanne <siskiou at v...> wrote:
> 
> 
> IMO, Hermione "goes through the trouble" of trying to
> change/improve the people around her all the time!
> 
> I think, it's her favorite hobby. ;)
> 
> She constantly tries to get others to work like she does,
> tell them what they should be doing (take a nap, instead of
> playing Quidditch; preparing for the second task, instead of
> enjoying surviving the first for a short while; saying
> "Voldemort", instead of avoiding the name, and much more)
> and giving "helpful" gifts
> 
> I also don't quite agree that she accepts people as they
> are, since she *is* putting a lot of energy into trying to
> improve them.
> And she is having a hard time accepting Luna and Fleur, and
> Lavender and Parvati, for example, and several non-human people.
> 
> And I am curious how you see her as accepting of Malfoy?
> Could you explain a little more?

Mayeaux45: Not accepting of Malfoy in the sense that she agrees, 
understands, or sympathizes with him...but accepting as in 'he's a 
jerk and will probably always be one so there's no point in 
expecting any better from him'  IMO she's just a really good judge 
of character.  And at the end of OotP she starts to accept Luna for 
what she is as well...a 'loon'(LOL!) with off the wall ideas and the 
like.  She has tolerance!  She didn't take well to Luna because she 
didn't like the fact that Luna's info. wasn't based off actual 
evidence ( like something she would find in the library most 
likely), and she didn't like Fleur because of her haughtiness and 
from what she heard her say in the Great Hall the first night they 
arrived. In both instances she got over it. And she's not trying to 
change people.  Change happens from the inside/out.  With Ron and 
Harry it's just as simple as her just wanting them to make good 
grades...that's all.  A majority of the time when she's scolding Ron 
or Harry and giving them advice (being bossy) it's almost always for 
*academic purposes*.  That's not "change", it's "concern".  As far 
as non-humans go, I'm guessing you're referring to the house elves 
who work in the castle.  She doesn't have a hard time at all 
accepting them.  She's trying to give them the tools to think for 
themselves.  In the end I think her efforts with the house elves 
will work out in their favor.  House elves are very powerful 
creatures and it just might be Harry (with having a friend in Dobby)
and Hermione (with her concern, assertiveness, and kindness) that 
finally sways them to fight.  They won't be any better off if 
Voldemort wins either.  They'll soon realize that too.  Back to Ron 
and Harry...as long as she's not telling them to "sit up 
straight" "change your clothes" and "do what I say when I say it", 
then it just looks like a friend that's concerned with their 
academic progress.  Hermione's big fears have always been getting 
bad grades and getting in trouble (as far as school is concerned), 
so whatever she has said in books 1-5 that may have been interpreted 
as 'a need for change in others' has really only been a deep rooted 
concern for her, Ron and Harry's safety and scholarly achievements. 
Besides, I think she's finally starting to realize there's more 
important things than academics...like STAYING ALIVE and helping to 
keep Harry alive as well.