"Hermione---you're a girl..."

[Eric Oppen]

No: HPFGUIDX 93866

I think that Ron's statement to Hermione about "you're a girl" was partly
based in the idea that she wouldn't be interested in the Yule Ball.

She doesn't seem to do "girly" things, and appears, from what text-evidence
we have, to regard her roomies who do (Parvati and Lavender) with a certain
amount of contempt.

To a boy Ron's age at this time, a Yule Ball _would_ be a "girly" thing, and
he might have thought Hermione wouldn't normally want to go---but would if
he asked, as a favor to her friend.  He was wrong, but from his POV it would
seem like a reasonable assumption.

Most teenage boys don't get interested in dances and such until they're a
year or two older than Ron is at this time, from what I can remember of how
it was when I was that age.  (This was when dinosaurs walked the earth.)
Before that, dancing, and dances, are considered "cissy" and "girly" things
to do.  Girls of that age, however, usually _are_ interested in dating,
balls and the like---girls do mature in this area faster than boys do.

I daresay that without Harry _having to go,_ Ron wouldn't have even
considered going to the Ball.