Views of Hermione (was:Re: witches of the world (was: Lavender vs Hermione)

[steven1965aaa]

No: HPFGUIDX 160484

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "amiabledorsai" 
<amiabledorsai at ...> wrote:
>
> Is she perfect?  Hell no.  Could she occasionally use a heapin'
> helpin' o' humility?  You bet.
> 
> Is she evil?  Don't be silly.
> 
Steven1965aaa:

I think that the literary point of all of these so-called "evil" 
Hermione actions in the Books is to demonstrate that things are not 
100% black and white in terms of morality and actions.  Hermione 
does demonstrate some Slytherin / Machavellian - like qualities as 
has been pointed out by others.  The trio all participate in a 
scheme to steal from Snape's storeroom, impersonate other people in 
order to trick Draco into revealing information (both in COS), 
evesdrop (OOP, HBP) and regularly break school rules. Harry is not 
above manipulating Slughorn by utilizing his dead mother.  Even 
Dumbledore alludes to having "persuaded" Kreacher to give him 
information (OOP), which I took as being something less kind than 
giving him milk and cookies and asking nicely.  All of these things 
(or at least most of them, Hermione's confundus charm excluded for 
sure) were intended to promote the greater good.  There are many 
other examples.  I think one point which is being made in the books 
through these and other examples is that good people are not 
necessarily perfect people.  Conversly, perhaps we will see actions 
by a Slytherin in book 7 which aid Harry (perhaps we have already 
seen some?)