Hermione & Flying, Quidditch (was Re: Quidditch for Harry HBP?)

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 126802


> Lindsay:
> 
> While I'm not advocating Hermione being on the House team, but I 
don't think this anti-flying Hermione thing is really accurate.  I 
think Hermione would probably do better on a broom than Neville.
> We see Hermione and brooms twice: The first class, where she was 
not able to get her broom up first like Harry was.  Harry speculated 
that the broom might be able to sense if the owner was nervous, like 
it obviously did with Neville.  Hermione as a Muggle-born who doesn't
 seem to take everything in stride like Harry does, being nervous 
about her first broom flight, is not at all unusual.  We don't know 
if she
> was nervous of the flying itself, or of doing badly, since Harry 
also says that Hermione found something that cannot be learned by 
books alone.  Hermione, if nothing else in PS/SS, was always trying 
to prove herself.  And like Harry having thoughts about being awful 
on a broom and falling off in front of Malfoy, I imagine Hermione 
did, also.  Perhaps also like Harry did in PS/SS, Hermione thought 
that if she screwed up too much, they'd send her back to the Muggle 
world.
> 
> The second time we see Hermione and a broom is also in PS/SS, when
> they're in the key chamber.  At that time, they all grab brooms and
> start chasing keys.  It could have been a moment of the thing, but
> Harry definitely does not notice Hermione being at all awkward on 
her broom.
<snip> 
> I do not think Hermione is afraid of flying. 
> As for Quidditch, Hermione was really getting into the games in 
PS/SS, when we got to go to her and Ron's PoV in the stands.  She 
was jumping up and down, dancing on the seats, screaming and 
hollering with the rest.
<snip>  
> So I could very well see Hermione filling a Chaser spot in HBP.  If
> Harry isn't Seeker, because I do give the Ron/Harry as Beaters 
theory merit, then that will probably be Ginny, and I just can't see 
Hermione being a Keeper.  She seems too short, whereas Wood and Ron 
are both
> tall.

Hannah:  A good argument in favour of Hermione being better at 
flying than we think.  I don't think she will end up playing 
Quidditch (though you say yourself that you don't advocate her 
joining the team).  Hermione can't be good at everything.  If she 
got into the Quidditch team as well as being prefect, senior DA 
member, and top of every class, it would be getting a bit much to 
believe.  Rather like kickass-rainbowbelt!Hermione of the Medium 
That Shall Not Be Named.  

Plus having the entire trio as Quidditch team players seems a bit 
contrived.  And having Hermione on the ground can be an advantage 
plotwise - she might well be needed to intervene in the event of an 
attack, for example.  

The Quidditch team also provides a chance for other minor characters 
to be given a boost into prominence, or for introducing new 
characters.  It seems a shame to give it to one of the major 
characters who's going to play a big part whatever happens.

Anyway, very good argument for Hermione being a better flier than 
she's given credit for, and the points about house rivalry were 
interesting too.  I agree she's probably a competent flier when she 
needs to be and that she likes Quiddtich, though I think that she's 
good enough or enthusiastic enough to actually make the team.  

Hannah