"A Little Romance" -- Parvati??

[Richard Jones]

No: HPFGUIDX 128488

In HBP, I don't think Harry will have a serious girlfriend but may 
have a "little romance," to quote JKR — maybe a crush like with Cho 
in OOTP.  He might get distracted by a pretty face again.  And I'm 
hope I'm wrong, but unfortunately it may be someone superficial like 
Parvati.  JKR probably is not going to introduce a new possible 
girlfriend this late in the series, so it will probably be someone we 
already know.  And I don't think she is going to make it any of the 
usual suspects — Hermione, Ginny, Susan Bones, or Luna — unless it is 
somehow tied into the main plot line since I don't think Harry will 
be getting into any "serious romance" but just a "little romance."

Parvati has been in the background so far and dismissed by most of us 
as just a giggling girl who loves divination and pretty unicorns and 
whom Harry could not possibly be interested in.  But think about it.  
She has been around since Book 1, so Harry knows her although we 
don't know much about her.  She has been significant enough to him 
that JKR keeps mentioning her (apparently, there are two more 
Gryffindor girls in Harry's class that aren't significant for JKR 
even to mention their names).  And we already know that Harry likes 
exotic beauties.  And Dean said that Parvati and her twin Padma 
are "the best-looking girls in the year" (GOF, p. 411 US ed.).  She 
seemed to want to go with Harry to the Yule Ball — when they all 
first hear of the Ball, she nudges Lavender and they both turn to 
look at Harry.  And she was happy and excited when Harry finally did 
ask her to go.  Granted, their first date at the Ball was a disaster, 
and she wasn't speaking to Harry for some time after that.  But it 
does introduce Parvati as a possible romantic interest.  And she was 
upset which might indicate that she was actually interested in Harry 
and not just going to the Ball with one of the Tournament champions 
(although it be just the latter).

It may also be significant in POA that she was worried about Harry 
when Trelawney predicted his death.  Of course, it could just mean 
that she takes Trelawney's silly predictions seriously.

In OOTP, when Harry yelled at Hermione, she says that she was just 
telling Lavender to stop criticizing him — not the usual pairing of 
Lavender and Parvati.  So Parvati may have been more supportive of 
Harry there, as she usually is against Snape and Umbridge.  In 
particular, she joined the DA when many students were questioning 
Harry's sanity.

In OOTP, during the OWLS exam, Harry was having a hard time 
concentrating and he was distracted by her long dark hair that fell 
below the back of her chair.  "Once or twice he found himself staring 
at the tiny golden lights that glistened in its when she moved her 
head very slightly and had to give his own head a little shake to 
clear it" (OOTP, p. 725 US ed.).  Of course, Harry was just being 
distracted, but it is interesting that JKR made Parvati the 
distraction.

But still, I hope it doesn't happen.  Parvati seems so superficial 
(e.g., oohing over the pretty unicorns)compared to the main girls in 
the books, and I like to think that Harry would go for someone more 
substantive.  But Harry has been distracted by a pretty face once 
already.

Richard Jones