SHIP: Harry/Hermione

[whimsyflower]

No: HPFGUIDX 92297

As I've read through the H/H SHIP posts, I noticed that the "clues" Hermione 
has given us haven't been posted yet.  

In SS (chapter 16, "Through the Trapdoor"), after Hermione solved Snape's 
puzzle, JKR tells us, "Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at 
Harry and threw her arms around him."  Her concern was that Harry be 
careful and survive whatever he met next.  

In COS Rowling tells us (chapter 18, "Dobby's Reward"), "Harry didn't know 
whether the best bit was Hermione's running towrds him, screaming, 'You 
solved it!  You solved it!'   She seems to give Harry all the credit here even 
though Ron helped solve it every bit as much as Harry did.

In POA  H & H have the intense adventure of using the Time-Turner to 
rescue Sirius.  I don't remember any spontaneous expressions of affection 
from Hermione, but they seemed to work well together, and IMHO they were 
very much "equal partners."

At the end of GOF she spontaneously kisses Harry on the cheek at King's 
Cross Station  (last page of the book).

In OOTP she greeted Harry effusively when he arrive at Grimauld Place, and 
at the end of the book, again at King's Cross Station,  (chapter 38, "The 
Second War Begins") "Hermione disengaged herself gently from her mother 
to join the group" that spoke with the Dursleys about how they treat Harry 
when he is in their home.  I confess: I was surprised Ron didn't join the group, 
too.  

When taken singlely all of these seem like very small "clues," but they are 
consistent, and they represent a small cresendo of emotional intensity.  I 
suppose one possibility could be that Hermione falls for Harry while Ron falls 
for Hermione -- uck!

These clues aside, I reluctantly admit that I think in the end it will be a H/R 
SHIP.  I find their rows quite persuasive; no one fights like that unless s/he 
care about each other.  And, on a different tack, there's the blood issue.  Ron 
is a pureblood, and Hermione is a Muggle.  In chapter 7 of COS Ron says, 
"Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway.  If we hadn't maried 
Muggles we'd've died out."   As much as I dislike the G/H SHIP, the blood 
issue is similar:  Ginny is a pureblood, and Harry is a half-blood.  H/H would 
be too much Muggle.  I know JKR often has characters say that blood doesn't 
mean anything (eg: Hagrid in COS), but I wonder if blood plays a role in 
partnerships.  

That's it.  G'night.            Whimsy