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

[Jim Ferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 105799

Del: "Hermione wasn't issued to Ron, agreed, but neither was she
issued to Harry. What I meant was that Ron is always second-best to
Harry : Harry's got the money, the fame (even if he doesn't want it),
the talent, the better looks, and he was supposed to get the Prefect
badge. But Ron doesn't care most of the time, because he's such a
loyal friend. However, I think he would care very much if Harry
started dating Hermione. He would hurt a lot and I feel it wouldn't be
fair on JKR's part to put Ron through *that*. But that's her
characters, she can do with them as she wants. And it's not like those
things never happen in RL either."

We can agree on that, absolutely.  I've felt for Ron before, and he's
a good guy who deserves happiness. Deserving happiness means to me
Hermione is not for him. He's not into her intensity; they rub each
other wrong too much; she wants a life of challenge and peak
experience.  If it wasn't for Harry and their adventures as a Trio I
doubt there would be much between them. (no way to know that, obviously)

Del: "As for the "ordinary guy" bit, it makes me cringe badly. First
because I strongly believe that nobody is ordinary : everybody is the
hero of their own life, which by definition makes them extraordinary.
And also because there's no rule written anywhere that says that
ordinary people should pair up together and leave extraordinary people
to other extraordinary people, or that they should content themselves
with living ordinary lives, whatever that might be. And anyway Ron has
already shown that he does not want an "ordinary life" : he stayed
with Harry when things got rough, and he applied for the place of
Keeper on the Quidditch team."

How can I say I disagree with you, when what you say is wise and
right?  I don't mean anything in the least derogatory of Ron here. 
He's like the men who went off to fight in World War II or something
and then came home to lead regular lives.

There's nothing wrong with an "ordinary" life.  Ron wants to be the
hero to his wife and his kids.  He wants to come home and kiss them
all and talk about his day and his world.

Ron needed something for his own sense of self-worth, and he made a
lot of progress on that score.  He's had success as a student by being
appointed a Prefect, and success, at the end, as an athlete. It must
have felt great.

I don't think it hurts his self esteem to be second fiddle to Harry
now that he something for himself.  It didn't bother Dr. Watson. It's
when the "pecking order" seems arbitrary or unjust people resent it. 
If he sees Harry with the girl he fancies, though, it might be
different, I admit. I hope he doesn't have that pain.

Jim Ferer