SHIP Ron/ Hermione /Re:Prefect Ron

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 151450

> >>Susan:
> Uh, Hermione provides the cold calculation?

Betsy Hp:
Oh, yes.  Definitely.  Hermione isn't a machine by any means, but 
she does have a hard time putting herself in someone elses shoes 
(something Ron does without thinking) and she has a hard time seeing 
people as people and not neat little numbers that should react just 
so within her neat little plans.

> >>Susan:
> The girl who is grieved by the plight of the House Elves?

Betsy Hp:
An excellent example.  Hermione didn't have a single conversation 
with a single house elf.  Because *they* weren't important except in 
what they stood for, in *her* opinion.

> >>Susan:
> The girl who sits besides Ron's bedside white faced and jaw       
> clenched? 

Betsy Hp:
Yes, that same girl.  As I said, she's not a machine.  But she's not 
the empathetic member of the trio either.
  
> >>Susan:
> Ron is SO immature.

Betsy Hp:
Oh, I think Ron has behaved well within his age bracket.  Both he 
and Harry were bad dates at the Yule Ball.  But then, neither of 
them had mothers telling them the proper way to treat a date.  
(Harry because his is dead, Ron because his is Molly.)

> >>Susan:
> He totally misjudges his best friend (Harry)and makes him         
> miserable while Harry is struggling to survive in the Tri Wizard   
> tournament.

Betsy Hp:
Not the entire tournament.  Just the beginning.  And I wouldn't say 
Ron made this mistake because he's selfish or immature.  He thought 
Harry had betrayed him.  (I'd also point out that Ron went to Harry 
to make apologies first, but Harry refused to listen.  Not that I 
blame Harry either, he was under a bit of pressure himself, poor 
lamb.)  

But, speaking of GoF, as we are: I think it becomes strongly 
apparent that Ron is a rock for Harry.  His loyalty and support (and 
sense of humor!) is something Harry needs, and misses, and is 
relieved to get back.

It's that sort of stuff that draws Hermione to Ron, I think.  
(Though being a tall red-head with great shoulders has to help 
<g>.)  But, unfortunately, it's that sort of stuff that is hard to 
measure.  You don't take a test in it and there aren't any 
certificates or medals given out.  And Hermione, for some reason, 
spent most of HBP dismissing Ron's strengths or taking them for 
granted.  

> >>Susan:
> <snip>
> He has NO interest in Lavender as a person -- actually he just    
> uses her to get sexual experience -- and uses her to inflate his   
> own ego.

> >>Joe: 
> Surely you mean in your opinion? Because I don't think we ever get 
> a look inside Ron's head regarding the entire issue.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I'm going to agree with Joe here.  How can we assume that Ron is 
just after Lavender for the sex?  He's attacked, rather ruthlessly, 
on just about every level by Hermione.  And meanwhile, there's 
Lavender making it very plain that she sees something fairly smoking 
in Ron.  Why would he not decide to take what's being offered?

Yes, he does figure out that he and Lavender have little in common.  
But at that point he starts pulling away from her.  Which leads me 
to believe (especially since Lavender still seemed very much on 
board) that sex had little to do with it.

On the other hand, Hermione goes out with a boy *specifically* to 
hurt Ron's feelings.  She even takes a few moments to hem and haw 
over which date would sting the most.  (Did it even work?  I can't 
recall Ron reacting to it at all.)

> >>Susan:
> I have NO clue what Hermione sees in him.

Betsy Hp:
I quite like Ron.  Honestly, I think he'd make a great boyfriend, 
especially in the high school years.  Very loyal and with a nice old-
fashioned streak that would keep him from pushing a girl for too 
much.  I do have a hard time seeing what *Hermione* sees in him, 
because she certainly doesn't express any sort of admiration or 
respect for Ron throughout HBP.  IOW, I see Ron's good points, but I 
don't see Hermione seeing them.

I get that Ron quite likes Hermione's intelligence and he's fondly 
amused (rather than annoyed) at her tendency to over-react to 
things.  (No one is better at talking Hermione down from a 
hysterical fit than Ron.)  But I don't get how he was able to put up 
with such bad treatment over this last year.  He must have 
recognized a vulnerability or something that I missed.

Betsy Hp