[HPforGrownups] Re: A different and totally serious Harry 'ship

[Erika L.]

No: HPFGUIDX 98286

Marcus wrote:

>The germ of this idea comes from an >interview Rowling once gave.  She
>was asked about unusual pairings.  She >replied that there was one that
>nobody had guessed, but went to the very >heart of the series.


Perhaps you meant this interview?

BBC News June 19, 2003 Jeremy Paxman

JEREMY PAXMAN: Unlikely pairings? Not Hermione and Draco Malfoy or anything like that? 

JK ROWLING: I don't really want to say as it will ruin all the fan sites. They have such fun with their theories ... and it is fun, it is fun. And some of them even get quite close. No-one has ever - I have gone and looked at some of it and no-one's ever ... There is one thing that if anyone guessed I would be really annoyed as it is kind of the heart of it all. And it kind of explains everything and no-one's quite got there but a couple of people have skirted it. So you know, I would be pretty miffed after thirteen or fourteen years of writing the books if someone just came along and said I think this will happen in book seven. Because it is too late, I couldn't divert now, everything has been building up to it, and I've laid all my clues. 

http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2003/0619-bbcnews-paxman.htm

I really don't think the latter part of her statement is related to shipping. From what I can tell, all she does is refuse to deny that there will be unusual ships, but nothing she says seems to imply that there will be. I think the "heart of it all" is something quite unrealted to shipping.

>Let's see.  She is strong.  She seems to >be the leader of the
>Slytherin Girls.  She made Slytherin >prefect.  She could balance Harry
>nicely.  

>She has a good side.  She showed genuine >compassion and concern
>towards Draco when Buckbeak hurt his arm >in PoA.  True, it was
>directed towards a scumbag; but if you >hold that against her, then
>what does that say about you?  More on >this scene later.


As for Pansy... I have my doubts that Rowling could build her up enough as a character in the space of two books, especially with her being a Slytherin. It's possible I suppose, but highly unlikely IMO, and, to be frank, I think I'd be a little disappointed that a character who's been such a nonentity through most of the series would snag the lead man.

That issue aside, I always had the impression Pansy wasn't as nice as the abovementioned PoA quote might suggest. Doesn't she sneer a lot? I don't have a lot of time to comb through canon at the moment, but I did find this bit in GoF. After Skeeter's article when Hermione begins receiving hate mail and gets the bubotuber puss on her hands:

"Hermione was walking towards them across the lawn. Her hands were very heavily bandaged and she looked miserable. Pansy Parkinson was watching her beadily." (472 UK)

I don't see much of a good side in that passage. Pansy's gaze has little compassion in it. If she can only show compassion for Draco I don't see a whole lot of hope for getting closer to Harry in the space of two books. Seems to me there's a long way to go before we see a Harry/Pansy ship.

Best,

Erika (Wolfraven)

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