SHIP: Hermione's Reaction to... Was: Re: Harry's first Kiss

[allison_m_otto]

No: HPFGUIDX 106434

My two cents on Harry/Hermione/Ron (please bear in mind, I am at 
work, and my books are not):

I think, throughout the first three books, that we get little sense 
that Hermione likes either boy more.  Then in GoF we have the common 
room scene, where Ron brilliantly exclaims that Neville is right, she 
is a girl.  Her response (which I'm pretty sure is a sarcastic "well 
spotted") is, I think, natural regardless of who made the comment.  
Obviously she's a girl, and she would think anyone who said this was 
an idiot.

I do think that the scene after the ball is telling, however.  IMO, 
when she says next time he should ask her first, and not as a last 
resort, she *is* revealing her feelings.

First of all, she's responding to Ron's anger over her going with 
Krum.  He didn't actually say that she should have gone with him 
(Ron) instead, but she (IMO) correctly realizes that's what he's 
really saying.  And what she's saying is that she would have gone 
with Ron if he'd asked her.

She's also revealing that she's quite upset to have been the "last 
resort."  From my own experience with dances, etc., if a guy you 
don't like asks you to something as a last resort, you're going to be 
mildly offended but probably won't care too much.  You *would* care 
if you had a crush on that guy, but he asked everyone else in the 
class first.  In other words, if it's about going to a dance as "just 
friends," I think Hermione would feel like "idiot, I'm right here and 
I clean up okay, really."  But if it's about more than friends, she 
would feel really upset because asking her as a last resort means he 
doesn't return her feelings.  (I think he does, but that he hasn't 
realized it yet).

Illustration - yes, she knows Harry likes Cho, but she also knows 
(hears) that she turned him down.  Does she get mad at Harry for not 
asking her next?  

Lastly, the conversation in OotP.  I read Hermione's attitude (in 
her "of course you're not") as just giving feminine advice with no 
ulterior motive.  First of all, she was half-listening - if she liked 
him and was hearing about his kissing another girl, she'd be more 
invested.  She was "brisk" when she asked if they kissed, but I read 
that as just trying to get to the point so they could go back to what 
they were doing.  

Then she tells Ron he's an insensitive wart and he has the emotional 
range of a teaspoon (which I also thought was hilarious).  I don't 
think she's saying, "this is why I don't like you."  I think she's 
saying "you're such a typical boy."  (remember, Harry also hasn't 
figured out why Cho cried).  IMO, this line shows her frustration 
with Ron for not "getting" emotional things.  Why is she frustrated?  
(again, IMO) Because she can tell he likes her, he's so jealous of 
Krum (and even of the possibility that she might have kissed Harry), 
but he Won't. Do. Anything. About. It.  I think she's mad at him for 
not waking up and realizing he likes her.  She's been waiting since 
the Yule Ball, but he's not showing much sign of self-awareness.

I think Hermione loves Harry dearly as a brother, which is why she's 
much more tolerant of his being a clueless boy and helps him instead 
of getting annoyed.  Personally I don't care whether my close male 
friends understand me as a female, but I rather expect it of my 
boyfriend (who sometimes reads this list - so - um - hi!).

Sorry for the length - believe it or not, I did cut a lot.
-Allison