Shipping in GoF, Important or Not?

[BrwNeil at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 99721

Let's first look at our three main characters, taking Harry first, who seems 
the easiest.

I doubt anyone will argue that Harry likes Cho is GoF.  Even though he 
realizes Hermione is a girl, a very attractive girl, and has his own date at the 
ball, Harry can't take his eyes off Cho.

Ron, although attracted to Fleur in a physical sense and in order to give us 
a few laughs seems quite upset that Hermione is with Krum at the ball.  Most 
people on both sides of the H/Hr vs R/Hr debate seem to agree that Ron 
definitely likes Hermione in GoF.

Hermione is the most complicated of the three.  Although she was asked and 
went to the Ball with Victor, I personally don't see that she is suddenly in 
love with him.  Each time I read the book, I become more and more convinced that 
Hermione likes Ron and is upset that he didn't ask her to the Ball. 

Now comes the big question.  Rowling stated that everyone liked or was with 
the wrong person in GoF.  Harry again is easy and OotP has proven that he and 
Cho do not belong together.  Just the fact that she would have been out of 
Hogwarts by book seven should have told us that wouldn't last.

But what about Ron and Hermione?  Do we concentrate only on Fleur and Victor 
and say that they were the wrong matches.  Rowlings says that the characters 
like the wrong people in GoF.  I contend that Ron and Hermione both like each 
other in the book and that Victor and Fleur only bring this feeling to the 
surface.  

If we believe that Ron and Hermione like each other in GoF and if we believe 
what Rowling said about people liking the wrong person, then R/Hr can't happen.


Neil 
The Nefarious Court Jester of the Royal Family of Cliffies


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