Molly's touch (was: Lupin's touch)

[macfotuk at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 112531

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" 
<susiequsie23 at s...> wrote:
> Finwitch:
> > And it's quite right that there's little touching between them. I
> > suppose it's a cultural thing - I see nothing wrong with it, 
myself,
> > nothing odd certainly... Customs here are that handshake is 
somewhat
> > formal greeting, there's also hugging between close 
> > friends/relatives who see each other after a long time - all 
other 
> > forms of greeting don't involve touching.
> > 
> > Sirius comforts Harry by holding his shoulder so tight it hurts 
(to
> > make sure Harry knows he's there) in GoF when Harry's reliving 
the
> > graveyard scene. Molly hugs Harry just a bit later (and Harry 
feels
> > more embarassed and surprised than comforted, but is too polite 
to 
> > say anything about it).
> 
> 
> SSSusan:
> While I don't disagree at all with your point that there isn't a 
lot 
> of touching going on in the HPs, I *really* do take exception with 
> your characterization of the Molly-Harry hug at the end of GoF.  
> 
> Here's the scene:
> 
> The thing against which he had been fighting on and off ever since 
he 
> had come out of the maze was threatening to overpower him.@He 
could 
> feel a burning, prickling feeling in the inner corners of his 
eyes.@
> He blinked and stared up at the ceiling.
> 
> "It wasn't your fault. Harry," Mrs. Weasley whispered.
> 
> "I told him to take the cup with me," said Harry.
> 
> Now the burning feeling was in his throat too.  He wished Ron 
would 
> look away.  Mrs. Weasley set the potion down on the bedside 
cabinet, 
> bent down, and put her arms around Harry.@He had no memory of 
ever 
> being hugged like this, as though by a mother.@The full weight of 
> everything he had seen that night seemed to fall in upon him as 
Mrs. 
> Weasley held him to her.@His mother's face, his father's voice, 
the 
> sight of Cedric, dead on the ground, all started spinning in his 
head 
> until he could hardly bear it, until he was screwing up his face 
> against the howl of misery fighting to get out of him.
> There was a loud slamming noise, and Mrs. Weasley and Harry broke 
> apart.
> 
> 
> Note that Harry was embarrassed [wishing Ron would look away] 
> *before* Mrs. Weasley hugged him.  Note also that Harry didn't 
break 
> away from her until there was a loud, slamming noise.  We do NOT 
see 
> him resisting her hug.  In my opinion, this hug was JUST what 
Harry 
> wanted & needed; and even if all don't agree with me about that, I 
> still do not see how you can come to the conclusion that he 
was "more 
> embarrassed and surprised than comforted."  *Where* does it show 
this?
> 
> There may be another scene--in OotP, likely--where Harry is 
somewhat 
> embarrassed by Molly's fussing over him.  But in *this* scene in 
GoF, 
> I just don't see how one can come to the conclusion from the text
> that Harry was just too polite to complain about Molly's hug!
> 
> Siriusly Snapey Susan, who counts this scene as among her very 
> favorite.

Mac now: I absolutely agree. This scene was SO poignant that it 
bought a tear to MY eye too. This is why I was so shocked by an 
earlier thread that suggests Molly is horrible as a mother.

In my last post in which I responded to the Lupin's touch thread it 
occurred to me (dur - sorry for being so absolutely dense - I'm a 
bloke after all) that Harry NEVER in his life since GH received such 
a hug - certainly nothing from Petunia nor at Hogwarts. Hermione 
would have come closest (hence the SHIp theories) but always 
absolutely platonically as a deeply caring friend.

Imagine...15 months of absolute unquestioning love, cuddles, joy, 
being spoken to lovingly, played with, smiled at etc and them bam! 
green flash, painful scar, possible even possession and no more 
hugs, ever, only dutiful begrudging servicing of an absolute minimal 
nature (Dursley regime). Then Hogwarts - treated as an untouchable 
celebrity or freak show. So, by the time Molly's hug was offered, 
when Harry's heart was in any case fit to burst in sorrow, it wasn't 
unwelcome, it didn't mean nothing and it certainly wasn't 
embarrassing. Why he wanted Ron to look away was because he didn't 
want his mate to see him cry/vulnerable and/or to be jealous.