Jk on Hermione's Loves

[Ali]

No: HPFGUIDX 98582

 
 Mandy wrote:
 
>>> To me the H/R ship is the obvious ship.  The two of them have a 
very love/hate relationship that is typical of young teens.  H/H is 
much more subtle, deeper connection that I personally see as the 
true love of two kids who would die for each other.  I'm not going 
to spend any more time arguing the differences as they've been 
discussed in many past posts.
  
So the question in my mind is, do I think JRK is showing us is 
obvious or more subtle relationship in her writing?  JKR does love 
to play with us, leading us along one path with red herrings and 
clues only to reveal a different result later in the story.  It's 
why where all here debating and loving it. ;-)  I think the R/H 
clues are too  obvious steering us away from the richer, truer H/H 
ship.>>>

Ali agreeing:

I'm not a shipper, so I'll be happy with an H/H ending, an H/R 
ending or no ship ending if it's written well. But, I do feel that 
Rons feelings for Hermione are obvious, but Hermione's feelings are 
not so apparent. 

Harry, if he has any romantic feelings for Hermione has yet to 
realise it. I think his two main female relationships so far are 
very similar to those experienced by David Copperfield. David falls 
in love with the rather silly Dora - despite Cho being a Ravenclaw, 
I am left with an impression of her as a bit of an airhead. All the 
while though, David loves and is loved by Agnes. It takes him a long 
time to realise and reciprocate the romantic feelings he has for 
Agnes. Harry could easily be in the same position with Hermione. 
Despite Hermione's argumentative tussles with Ron - which JKR does 
remind us are similar to Arthur and Molly - Hermione has yet to show 
obvious romantic feelings in any direction. Harry goes for the 
pretty and vacuuous whilst all along he is with his soulmate.

In short, JKR has made it obvious that Ron fancies Hermione. I think 
that is almost universally accepted (???). I don't believe that JKR 
has made the shipping as obvious as she asserts - that would be 
boring IMHO. Certainly, other people are jealous of the realtionship 
which Harry has with Hermione. Both Cho and Victor Krum think that 
there must be romantic involvement.

Arguably, as Harry ultimately has to make the hero's journey alone, 
Hermione cannot be with him. Ron and Hermione are joint deputies so 
they have a natural link to each other. Equally, Harry is the hero, 
and if he survives, he should get his girl*. Despite the existence 
of two worthy possibilities in Ginny and Luna, Hermione is *so far* 
the only girl with sufficient understanding of Harry to feel right. 
But, we've still got 2 books to go, and I'm willing to have my mind 
changed.

*Before you think me incredibly sexist, I only talk about Harry 
getting his girl as the books are Harry's hero's journey. Hermione 
is clearly not a trophy girl. If that was the kind of girl that 
Harry needed, I think Cho would be right for him.

Ali