Ron and Hermione in Deathly Hallows

[Sandra Collins]

No: HPFGUIDX 172595

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Gina M. Gerwell" 
<percchick at ...> wrote:
>
> > kslmoran:
> > I have to say that the fate of Ron and Hermione was in the 
forefront
> > of my wanting to read this book. 
>   <snip  percchick:
>  I would have personally liked to see Harry "whisking Ginny in 
his arms" or something throughout the duration of the book, 
other than Ginny's stolen b-day kiss. 
> percchick
>

It's funny how people read things so differently! Ron and 
Hermione have never been believable to me, and for the most 
part they've always come across simply as two friends who are 
generally awkward with each other. I think JKR's distance from 
them showed up quite awfully in TDH because their kiss was so 
poorly presented and felt like it was thrown in because everyone 
was expecting them to kiss sooner or later. There was no 
dialogue showing a developing tenderness or understanding 
between them, there were no warm exchanges that I noticed, 
and I didn't for a moment feel they had much going on below the 
'bickering friends' relationship. I was disappointed by it, and far 
from convinced.
As for Harry and Ginny, I have no idea where their love came 
from or how it  grew. To start with, Ginny had an awe struck crush 
on Harry in book 2, then it drifted away for her new boyfriend and 
very little happens except for a few walks in the horrible book 5 or 
6,  and suddenly by book 7 all is well with their world? I'm sorry 
but there's no way I buy that , and in my view the portrayal of the 
love interest side of HP world wasn't an area JKR felt 
comfortable with at all otherwise it would have been far better 
portrayed. You have to look far and wide in all 7 books for those 
feel good moments when any of the characters were at ease or 
feeling comfortable with their apparent 'beloved.' 
I think the romantic side should have been an important and 
significant aspect in the last few books because it would have 
showed the emotional development of the characters beyond the 
combative "all wands blazing" fights and arguments. 
Instead of Hermione thumping Ron during the dullest and most 
uninspired part of DH (when Ron returns to the camp thanks to 
the embarrassingly convenient glowing light) they should have 
had a flare up followed by a heart to heart telling of their feelings, 
or at least a display of  genuine vulnerability rather than a burst of 
hotheaded anger. I don't regard JKR as a romantic writer, I think 
there's a hard streak in her that shys away from it. Had the 
heartfelt angle been picked up more, and given me more 
reasons to feel close to the characters, I'd have rated the whole 
series a lot higher.

But that's just my view!  

Sandra x.