OOP: Some shipping thoughts

[Neil Ward]

I'm probably going to look back on these initial comments and wonder what I
was thinking when it clearly states "xxxx" on page 581.  Anyway...

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I dont usually comment on shipping, but there were some rather heavy signs
and hints in this book, not to mention actually kissing.

Did JKR really need to cut away at the moment Harry and Cho were about to
kiss?  It's not as if the next scene had them in bed smoking post-coital
cigarettes [note to self: would probably be pipes in the wizarding world].
So, the H/C ship was explored, but appears to have been for the purposes of
noting the awakening of Harrys hormones and introducing Madam Puddifoot's
coffee den.  Harry fancies Cho, yeah, but is over her by the end of the
book.

Okay, Hermione really likes Harry and pushes him to chase Cho, because she
realises he likes Cho and thinks he needs something to take his mind off his
mind. This "why dont you go after Cho and by the way mention that you think
I'm ugly" behaviour could be interpreted as clear evidence of Ha/He from
Hermione, but Harry, being rather preoccupied, is almost oblivious.

I expect to be roasted alive for saying this, but imo, JKR is definitely
heading more towards a R/He ship now  the bickering, the comparison to Mr &
Mrs Weasley, Hermiones letter to Krum to make Ron jealous.  It seems rather
obvious, but she is tending to follow the obvious lines rather than
potentially inventive theories hidden between the lines.

It's clearly still a bit Farmer-In-The-Dell overall: Ron likes Hermione
likes Harry likes... ?

I felt there was a hint of Hermione/Draco in comparison to Lilys attitude
to James in Snape's memory and later marriage to same arrogant bully, but I
think the "mudblood" thing is a major barrier to any sort of romance, unless
Draco performs a spectacular U-turn.  I don't see any evidence that JKR is
going to convert Draco into a nice young man.

Ron obviously thinks Harry should be with Ginny and is surprised that she is
seeing other boys, indicating his own immaturity (i.e. harking back to an
old crush she had on Harry and thinking she is still 10 and a virgin).
There were hints that Luna Lovegood has her eye on Ron, so I speculate that
she may be used to wake Hermione up to her unrealised interest in Ron in
Book 6.

Back to the ? for Harry, I think Tonks is a possible match, which may be why
she was introduced.  The (slightly) older woman, who knows a few tricks...

Neil

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Flying Ford Anglia