If I were a sorting hat... - Hermione

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 132425

Finwitch wrote: 
" (Hermione)'s studious, yes. Why? To satisfy her ambition but more
importantly, because she's afraid to fail. No - as much as she studies
and appreciates academical knowledge, she's not really, deep inside,
all *that* fit for Ravenclaw. A typical Ravenclaw, I believe, enjoys
studying for the sake of studying... not Hermione. (they say it's the
best...)"

Del replies:
I couldn't disagree more.

Before she even got to Hogwarts, Hermione had already read (all?) the
textbooks. On top of that, she'd also read "Great Wizarding Events of
the Twentieth Century", "Modern Magical History" and "The Rise and
Fall of the Dark Arts", if I'm not mistaken (don't have my books with
me). She also OWNS "Hogwarts, a History" that she had read at least
once before starting her second year. While in second year, she
started reading "Ancient Runes Made Easy". She wanted the "New Theory
of Numerology", that Harry got her as a Christmas present. I also
remember a mention that she had got some big book from the library as
"light reading".

It seems obvious to me that Hermione *loves learning*. Isn't it, after
all, the very reason she couldn't NOT take one of the new subjects in
her third year? Not even Muggle studies? It seems to me that the only
reason she would over-burden herself that way is because she cannot
stand the idea of letting an opportunity to learn pass by her.

As someone else pointed out, if she were only motivated by fear of
failure, then it would be extremely illogical of her to take so many
subjects in PoA. The more subjects, the higher the risk of failure
(you have to pass more exams to succeed perfectly), and the less time
to work on each subject, thus augmenting the risk of failure yet again.

Oh, and let's not forget what happens when she sets foot in the Room
of Requirement in OoP: she grabs a book, sits down, and starts reading.

It is pretty clear to me that Hermione loves learning for the sake of
learning, studying for the sake of studying. And THAT is the VERY
reason she is so afraid of being expelled: because she knows full well
(for having read it in a book IIRC) that Hogwarts is the only wizard
school in the UK. Get expelled from Hogwarts, and you lose all chances
of getting a wizarding education...

Del