Hermione's Looks / School Bullies (was: Re: Sadistic!Snape?...)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 140310

> >>Lealess:
> I don't take the insult to Hermione's teeth too seriously.  This    
> is a school for witches and wizards, where a student can probably   
> get hexed at any minute, or have an accident.  It isn't something   
> one complains about; it's something one deals with.  The hex is     
> curable, not fatal.
> <snip>
> If her threshhold is physical looks, she is incredibly vulnerable to 
> emotional manipulation.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Ooh, Lealess, you're going to get letters! <g>  Actually, Hermione has 
always struck me as remarkably unconcerned about her looks.  She runs 
off with tears in her eyes right after the hex and the insult, but 
she's seems pretty much over it after that.   By HBP she's confident 
enough to feel she's got her pick of dates to take to Slughorn's 
Christmas party.

It's interesting because I think Hermione's confidence undermines 
Pansy's role as a villain.  I think Pansy is supposed to be 
the "popular girl" who makes the "bookish girl" miserable.  But right 
about the time Pansy starts picking on Hermione, Hermione is being 
courted by an international sports hero.  Which makes Pansy pretty 
toothless, IMO.

Actually, most of the "school bullies" are treated this way by JKR it 
seems.  Harry is richer, more connected, more popular, and more 
athletic than Draco.  Hermione is prettier and more popular than 
Pansy.  The twins are much better thugs than Crabbe and Goyle. (When 
the twins do the equivalent of stuffing someone in a locker, their 
victim nearly dies.  Crabbe and Goyle can't even handle Neville.  The 
twins help their guy beat down the enemy all the time.  I don't recall 
Harry ever being touched by Crabbe and Goyle, Draco takes Harry on 
alone.)

Strikes me as a bit strange really.  It's like JKR has turned 
the "schooldays" genre up side down.

Betsy Hp