[HPforGrownups] Why isn't Harry Friendlier with Hermione?

[Erika L.]

No: HPFGUIDX 92708

Robert Jones wrote:

>We see the story through Harry's eyes >and all he knows about 
>Hermione is that her parents are Muggle >dentists

<snip>

>Contrast that with all we know about >Harry's other 
>best friend, Ron.

I think this is more a function of JKR's storytelling than of Harry's inattention. Rowling, I think, wants to avoid introducing information that isn't relevant to the plot or which she deems simply uninteresting. And while _I_ would certainly like to know more about Hermione and her family, particularly about how the fact of her being a witch affects family dynamics, Rowling doesn't agree:

Royal Albert Hall Appearance --June 26 2003

SF: Now, just a personal question because you seem to know, are we ever
going meet Hermione's parents?

JKR: Well we've seen them briefly but they're dentists so they're not that
interesting

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/quickquotes/articles/2003/0603-AlbertHall-FryRowling.htm

Hermione's parents are "not that interesting" according to JKR. Ron's family, of course, as wizard a family, is seen as more interesting and can also play a far more significant role in the plot, so I think it's natural that we know more about Ron and where he comes from.

>He is concerned with her safety of >course -- like trying to save her in >the forest and being upset with what >happened to her in the Department of >Mysteries -- but wouldn't he have been >that way for any of his friends?

Yes I think Harry would do his utmost to protect any of his friends, but I think it's also clear that Hermione is more than just "any of his friends". I'm not trying to get shippy here, but Hermione is a special friend. A couple of examples to illustrate my point. At the DoM, when they break and run, Harry grabs Hermione's robes and drags her along (694 UK). I think this indicates that he does feel particularly protective of her. Also, during the second task in GoF, in addition to Ron, Harry wants to save Hermione, Cho, and Gabrielle, but note his precise words:

"'_She's_ my friend too!' Harry yelled, gesturing towards Hermione, an enormous silver bubble emerging soundlessly from his lips. 'And I don't want _them_ to die, either!" (433-4 UK)

Now notice how, in this passage, the girl he's been infatuated with since book three, i.e. Cho, gets reduced to being "them". Cho is his crush, yet Hermione is clearly more important to him than the girl he has a crush on. It's just like at the DoM; when it comes down to life and death, Hermione is more important than any friend except perhaps Ron.

>From Harry's point of view, apparently >it's all about Harry. Harry of course is >friendly to Hermione, but he basically >treats Hermione like "a library with >legs" for school stuff and LV.

A couple of things here. First, Harry is a teenage boy, and one not all that used to having friends. He made his first friend at age eleven, so if he's a little more caught up in his own problems (and come on, who isn't at fifteen?) and somewhat less appreciative of Hermione and her help than he should be, I don't think it's terribly surprising. However, I disagree that he treats her as only a walking library. First of all, he doesn't rely solely on her intellectual abilities; Harry also expects Hermione's emotional support. She is always the one to comfort and support him. In OoP he gets snipey very quickly if he feels she isn't supportive of him:

"Hermione, who Harry had expected to react angrily on his behalf, sighed.

[...]

'Been having a nice little chat with her about whether or not I'm a lying, attention-seeking prat, have you?" Harry said loudly." (201 UK ch 12)

Hermione's response is to explain that she told Lavender to shut her mouth and then to say that Harry should stop jumping down her and Ron's throats. Harry's response is rather extreme and mean-spirited, but it's prompted by what he feels is a loss of Hermione's support. He "expected" her support and when he didn't feel he had it, he blew up as he is prone to in OoP (it's worth noting, though, that Harry does in fact apologise for his behaviour just a few lines later- a rare occurrence in OoP). All this is to say that Harry doesn't just want Hermione around for her brains.

On the subject of Hermione's intellectual abilities, though, I really think it's Ron more than Harry who treats Hermione like "a library with legs". It's Ron, for example, who insists that he and Harry need her History of Magic notes (207 ch 12). And when Hermione corrects their Astronomy papers, Ron needs the help more than Harry. IIRC, the only error in Harry's paper is that he wrote "mice" instead of "ice", whereas Ron's paper requires a good bit more work. Harry clearly benefits from Hermione's homework help, but I hardly think one can say that he sees her only as a living library.

I'll grant you that I think Harry really does take Hermione for granted. She's a loyal and devoted friend and Harry doesn't often seem very appreciative of her help- he just always expects it. I would like to suggest, though, that maybe Harry pays a bit more attention than we know. Remember back in PoA during the fight over the Frebolt and then Scabbers? It's Harry who tries to make up with Hermione both times, and he shows concern over her huge workload and her near-frantic state (185, 195-6 PoA UK). I think there's also evidence that Harry pays attention to what Hermione tells him about herself. Again, in PoA, she reveals that Arithmancy is her favourite class, and in OoP Harry gets her a Numerology (which I assume is related to Arithmancy) book for Christmas, to Hermione's great delight (444). I think Harry's a little more attentive than we give him credit for.

Best,

Erika (Wolfraven)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]