Why did Hermione Lie

[antoshachekhonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 126882


> Bookworm:
> Hermione could have easily said that the boys had come to help her 
> without the story about having gone to look for it herself, but the 
> story seems to be more in keeping with her personality.  She tries 
> to be "Little Miss Perfect" so she wouldn't want to admit
> that she was crying in the bathroom.  Going after a troll by herself 
> is much more decisive – crying in the loo is wimpy.
> 
<snip>

Antosha:

So she should have told the truth?

"Well, Professor, I've been in here crying since this afternoon because Ron and Harry--well, 
really, to be precise, Ron--said some horrid, hurtful things about me after I tried to help 
him in Charms. But they came and helped me when the troll came in, so now I've decided 
to forgive them."

I can't see that getting anyone but Hermione off the hook for being where they weren't 
supposed to be--the students were told to stay with the prefects and go back to their 
dormitories, and I can't see McGonagall being terribly sympathetic to a couple of eleven-
year-olds who made a classmate weep through dinner. I don't see it painting Hermione 
herself in the best light, and we all must admit that she has a certain amount of pride. And 
I certainly don't see it leading to Hermione become Ron and Harry's best friend. Which 
was, after all, the main dramatic purpose of the scene.