Clues for SHIPS and for the plot

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 99039

Del wrote about how Hermione should have expected Fluer to kiss Ron 
and Harry after the first task as Hermione has spent time in France 
and knows that it is done that way.

>       Gina responds:
>         I think the irritation was with Ron BUT because he was 
obviously
> lying about helping so he WOULD get a kiss. If you remember Ron 
went on for
> days retelling the events in different versions. I think Hermione 
is annoyed
> at Ron's need for approval and eagerness for attention - another 
reason I do
> not think she will go for him.
> (snip the rest)

Ginger butts in:
Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but these seem to be two different 
spots.  First Ron got out of the lake and got the kiss.  Hermione 
looked furious.  Later he aggrandized the story and it was Padma who 
paid more attention to him.  Hermione was just catty then.

So he lied for Padma's attention (and, no doubt, the rest of the 
school's to some extent), but he told the truth for the kiss.  
Starting on p. 503, US Paperback, Harry drags Ron and Gabrielle to 
the surface where the awaken.  Harry asks Ron to help him with 
Gabrielle as she can't swim well.  Fleur kisses Harry and then turns 
to Ron saying "and you too-you 'elped"  to which Ron replies, "yeah, 
a bit".  He got his kiss.  So he did help a bit, by helping her swim 
back.

After all that, I'm sure she found him to be a bit of an idiot for 
expanding the story, but he did tell the truth for the kiss!

Ginger, gotta stick up for my boy Ron, mindless little goober that he 
is sometimes.