Why Harry Picked Ginny, Rather Than Hermione, As A Romantic Partner

[gowdie]

Greetings! I originally posted this essay on a Harry/Ginny community and someone recommended that it would receive an interested audience here as well. It is a study of the mix of sexual attraction and humour in regards to Harry and Ginny

Comments

[ook]

Or perhaps Harry is just shallow and only likes "pretty" girls. ;)

[mickawber]

Well, there are people think the Weasleys must be insanely incestuous--though where they get that from I have no idea. But that would line Harry and Ginny even better, yes? ;-)

The only Oedipal thing Harry's ever done was solve a Sphinx's riddle. ;)

:snort:

[gowdie]

Ohhhhh - I like this: "Unfortunately, between the Slug Club and GInny's blast about Ron's lack of love-life, Ron feels so jealous of Hermione and so ego-challenged in general that he turns to the girl who's been pursuing him instead of following through with the girl he's been quietly pursuing. It's painful, but it's typical teen stupidity, and they all survive."

I think it's perfectly on point. He was taking baby steps towards Hermione - but gets so hurt and insecure he loses his nerve and goes for the girl he KNOWS wants him.

And thank you! I saw this debate starting - but wanted time to think about it while I addressed all the easier comments. Now I'm lost playing catch up.

[mickawber]

Well, seeing that I talked you into posting here, it seemed only fair that I step in. ;-)

And ook's taking a fairly civilized tone here. When I grumbled about attacks on Ginny's supposedly sluttish and/or bitchy behavior in HBP, THEN the mud flew. XD

[peachespig]

First of all, obviously if you think all we've ever seen Ron and Hermione do is fight then you've been reading the books very selectively. They are both (unlike Harry) argumentative people, and they are extremely focused on each other, and are (whether they admit it or not) very concerned with what the other thinks, so they get caught up and lost in each other when they're arguing. This doesn't mean they're not close, it means they are close. Second, the idea that only Harry unites them is silly - Hermione visits Ron over the summer without Harry, they had "the time of their lives" together at Hogsmeade, Harry feels bored and awkward around Hermione when Ron is not there. If anything I would say for a long time it was Ron who united the other two, until Harry is finally a good friend to Hermione without Ron during the Lavender period in HBP. Third, all three trust each other, but I don't see any particular bond of trust between Harry and Hermione - witness his lying to her and hiding from her in OotP to escape her nagging. I'm

[ook]

I got the impression that Hermione was visiting Ginny over the summer.

Anyway, I am of the opinion that all three of the Trio would do better without hooking up with anyone. At least until they are much older. ;)

[peachespig]

No, I'm pretty sure it's Ron. ;)

In real life they probably would be better off waiting until they're older, but since the book series is about to end, I suspect the author wants to give them their happy ending before the pages run out.

[ook]

OMG! OBHWF! Lots of weddings and babies! Disappointing, but it's probably what will happen.

[gowdie]

I've always thought she was visiting Ron - her friendship with Ginny grows from being thrown in her presence so much. She shares a room with Ginny - they become close - but she started out coming to visit Ron. And I get that from the details like Hermione was in Ron's room when Harry shows up in OotP - Ginny was off on her own. Hermione and Ron are eating ice-cream together when Harry finds them in PoA - Ginny is no where to be seen. Little details like that just set up the framework for how the various friendships function. We often see Hermione and Ron alone together. We know Hermione and Ginny spend time together - since they clearly know each others business, but it isn't a focus

[ook]

I don't feel the need to "hook up" the main characters with other known characters. Nor do I really need to know if everyone ended up "happy."

Hmmmm...I wonder what the divorce rate might be for the newer generations of wizards and witches? ;)

[tunxeh]

Rather than having a footnote: So ten years later Harry meets a very nice girl and lives happily ever after.

Not to mention: where is he going to find this supposed nice girl? Hogwarts is the only wizarding school in England, so if he doesn't meet her at school she's either a very different age, not English, or not a wizard. Any of which would leave her ill-equipped to understand what Harry's been through...

[gowdie]

I hadn't thought of this - but you're right. Harry HAS met everyone age appropriate within his vicinity.

[souvenance]

This reminds me of an early scene in HBP. It was just after Fleur had breezed out of the room and Molly expressed that she thought Bill and Fleur might be rushing into things:

"I do not hate her!" said Mrs. Weasley in a cross whisper. "I just think they've hurried into this engagement, that's all!"

"They've known each other a year," said Ron, who looked oddly groggy and was staring at the closed door.

"Well, that's not very long! I know why it's happened, of course. It's all this uncertainty with You-Know-Who coming back, people think they might be dead tomorrow, so they're rushing all sorts of decisions they'd normally take time over. It was the same last time he was powerful, people eloping left, right, and center --"

"Including you and Dad," said Ginny slyly.

"Yes, well, your father and I were made for each other, what was the point of waiting?" said Mrs. Weasley.
I believe James and Lily married quite young as well and they were said to be very in love. I don't think Harry and Ginny or Ron and Hermione have anything to worry

[gowdie]

I totally agree - Rowling has set up the fact that people in the Wizarding World tend to marry much younger than Muggles. James and Lily had Harry when they were but twenty. In HBP the explanation is given of scary times and war - but still, there is precedence. I mean Harry's two families - his own parents and the Weasley's BOTH fell in love while at school. And how often does that actually happen in real life?

And that's part of why I say, she's set up the structure and what is the norm for her world - so I fully expect we will see the couples pair up for keeps by the end.

[gowdie]

Man - I'm sorry it took me so long to get back here. Originally I thought I wanted to think about this while I answered all the easier comments - now I'm getting lost in sub-threads. LOST! Help me

[lunadeath02]

Let's not forget this example in book six:

"Ron, you're making it snow," said Hermione patiently, grabbing his wrist and redirecting his wand away from the ceiling from which, sure enough, large white flakes had started to fall. Lavender Brown, Harry noticed, glared at Hermione from a neighboring table through very red eyes, and Hermione immediately let go of Ron's arm.
"Oh, yeah," said Ron, lokoing down at his shoudlers in vague surprise. "Sorry... looks like we've all got horrible dandruff now..."
He brushed some of the fake snow off Hermione's shoulder. Lavender burst into tears. Ron looked immensely guilty and turned his back on her.

"We split up," he told Harry out of the corner of his mouth. "Last night. When she saw me coming out of the dormitory with Hermione. Obviously she couldn't see you, so she thought it had just been the two of us