Harry and Hermione

[Francis Buck]

Yeah, I much prefer Ron and Hermione.

Harry and Ginny on the other hand was stupid as hell and always bothered me.

[svardineni]

Yeah, I much prefer Ron and Hermione.

Harry and Ginny on the other hand was stupid as hell and always bothered me.

I agree. I was really hoping for Harry and Luna. They seemed to have some good chemistry when together. Harry and Ginny felt really forced.

[Starkess]

I think Harry and Hermione could definitely have worked, but I don't think that Ron and Hermione are doomed to failure or anything. And since it was obviously her plan from the start, there is plenty of support for it in the books. Which isn't to say that, post-epilogue, they go through a mid-life crisis and...

Besides which, she isn't changing anything in canon. Just regretting that she wrote something the way she did, because it wasn't true to the characters. I totally get that. I doubt there is any writer out there that doesn't want to change a thing or two about their works. I mean, if GRRM could go back and make all the children a little bit older (now that the gap is gone), wouldn't he want to? Doesn't change the way the books are written.

Interesting that she said she put Ron and Hermione together out of wish fulfilment. I would've thought that Harry and Hermione would be more of a Mary Sue move. Or is Rowling the sad, unloved ginger here?

I believe Rowling has said before that she put a lot of herself in Hermione, actually.

[Eponine]

I loved that Harry and Hermione were close friends instead of falling into the Hero gets the girl cliche.

In the later books, it didn't feel like Ron and Hermione were all that well-matched, but I felt it was the case that they weren't written with much chemistry (although that's a choice I can understand, in order to keep focus on the adventure and in tune with the adolescence of the characters) and not that a relationship between two people with their characteristics shouldn't have worked out.

Ginny was a non-person to me. I mean, she had a few generic positive characteristics (I think?) but I can't remember anything differentiating about her personality or character at all.

[Darth Richard II]

I don't think she's taking it back, I think she's just saying she wished she had wirtten it differently. People need to chill.

[kephv]

Counselling indeed. I don't see how Ron's extreme insecurity and complaining would have let up any once they were officially together; I would have doubted they'd last month together. Harry and Ginny was also terrible -- felt forced, and she just such a bland character. I completely agree with J.K. here. Funny she still doesn't regret the epilogue.

[Roose Seal]

No.

Harry and Hermione would've made a really weird match. I never felt any kind sexual tension between the two, only strong friendship. Hermione felt more like a big sister to Harry.

Ron and Hermione had that playful bickering thing going since the very first book, their getting together felt (somewhat) natural.

I've always thought Harry was asexual. Every time I read about him being attracted to a girl, it felt really forced and really unnatural, whether it was Cho or Ginny. He never seemed to be interested in girls until the plot needed him to be.

In the end, I wish Harry had stayed single. His "romance" with Ginny was shoe-horned in as what felt like an afterthought and most of their relationship was cringe-worthy at best, a little creepy at worst.

Oh and Neville should've gotten with Luna. They were perfect for one another.

ETA: What is this epilogue you're all talking about?

[Broken Fox]

Hermione and Ron made sense to me. Reminds me a lot of my mother and her boyfriend/fiance.

[Mack Kilimaro]

J.K. Rowling seems to be going into George Lucas territory here. I can't wait for Harry Potter Special Edition.

[Gneisenau]

If Hermione was an intellectual know it all male, and Ron was a down to earth female, nobody would bat an eye at their relationship, but reverse the genders and you could probably mobilize half the internet into talking about it.

[Gertrude]

I wasn't bothered by the Harry/Ginny pairing in the books - was forced as hell in the movies. I liked the fact that Harry got to become a Weasley. Come on, what's wrong with them all being one big happy family? It's not like the books are edgy or deep, them all being family feels perfectly fine.

And my best friend is a guy and people are always mistaking us for a couple, or trying to push us at each other that way, so I appreciated the Hermione/Harry dynamic.

[SeanF]

If Hermione was an intellectual know it all male, and Ron was a down to earth female, nobody would bat an eye at their relationship, but reverse the genders and you could probably mobilize half the internet into talking about it.

Fair point. There's part of me that thinks Hermione would have found Ron pretty boring, as he's obviously not on the same intellectual level. Or that she'd have a high-flying political career, and he'd do something daft, like taking bribes for people to get access to her. But, they do seem to be genuinely fond of each other, and I think the relationship works.

And, Harry is just as much out of her intellectual league as Ron.

[Broken Fox]

If Hermione was an intellectual know it all male, and Ron was a down to earth female, nobody would bat an eye at their relationship, but reverse the genders and you could probably mobilize half the internet into talking about it.

That's got nothing to do with it. Don't try to turn this into some gender bashing bullshit.

[SeanF]

probably she should just write another sequel, post marriage, wherein ron walks in on harry taking hermione roughly from behind, and then annihilates them in cuckold's rage? it could be short and sweet, like one sentence, supra.

LOL! Perhaps they could engage Joe Abercrombie to write it.

[Newstar]

I've always thought Harry was asexual. Every time I read about him being attracted to a girl, it felt really forced and really unnatural, whether it was Cho or Ginny. He never seemed to be interested in girls until the plot needed him to be.

I assume a lot of that weirdness was the result of a straight female author trying to write sexuality/romance from a teenage straight boy POV. I'm not really surprised that it came off as forced.

Interesting that she said she put Ron and Hermione together out of wish fulfilment. I would've thought that Harry and Hermione would be more of a Mary Sue move. Or is Rowling the sad, unloved ginger here?

I think Rowling has mentioned that she identifies with Hermione, so the "wish fulfilment" aspect must be that she had a "Ron" of her own at some point.

I agree. I was really hoping for Harry and Luna. They seemed to have some good chemistry when together. Harry and Ginny felt really forced.

Yes, I think Harry/Ginny is way worse than Ron/Hermione, all things considered. I don't recall Harry/Luna grabbing my attention in the books--Harry never seemed attracted to her, for one--but in the films, it seemed like the actors had a lot of chemistry.

Funny she still doesn't regret the epilogue.

ManyFacedOne, I know, right? All the things she could possibly regret about the books, including that execrable epilogue, and it's Ron/Hermione that she regrets?

If Hermione was an intellectual know it all male, and Ron was a down to earth female, nobody would bat an eye at their relationship, but reverse the genders and you could probably mobilize half the internet into talking about it.

Hmmm, that's an interesting point, although I think many of the objections to Ron/Hermione arise from their dysfunctional relationship rather than from the apparent imbalance in ambition, talent, intellect, etc. between Ron and Hermione.

The funny thing about that dysfunction is that Rowling wrote Ron/Hermione as an iteration of the classic "bickering and sniping masks underlying attraction" trope beloved in romantic comedies and in fiction generally, but Rowling has now admitted that Ron and Hermione would need relationship counselling. It's funny that something we consider cute and romantic in fiction--constantly bickering with a love interest--would signal some deeper issues requiring professional attention in real life, and that Rowling has admitted that.

[lojzelote]

Ha, the deconstruction of my childhood!

Seems weird talking of my childhood obsession on the forum dedicated to my adult obsession.

I think Rowling has mentioned that she identifies with Hermione, so the "wish fulfilment" aspect must be that she had a "Ron" of her own at some point.

I seem to remember that once upon a time I read somewhere that JKR compared Ron to her first husband... which was sort of disqueting. But it's been years since I've left the fandom, so I don't know where to search for it or whether it was properly sourced. :dunno:

Personally I never cared much for Harry+Ginny nor Ron+Hermione.

H+G were just so forced and R+H... I was 8 years old when I read the first book, but even than I had an inkling that it will happen at some point. They had that "a boy pulling a girl's pigtail" dynamic going on.

[Roose Seal]

Hmmm, that's an interesting point, although I think many of the objections to Ron/Hermione arise from their dysfunctional relationship rather than from the apparent imbalance in ambition, talent, intellect, etc. between Ron and Hermione.

The funny thing about that dysfunction is that Rowling wrote Ron/Hermione as an iteration of the classic "bickering and sniping masks underlying attraction" trope beloved in romantic comedies and in fiction generally, but Rowling has now admitted that Ron and Hermione would need relationship counselling. It's funny that something we consider cute and romantic in fiction--constantly bickering with a love interest--would signal some deeper issues requiring professional attention in real life, and that Rowling has admitted that.

I don't know that Ron and Hermione would necessarily need counseling.

Ron/Hermione always looked a lot like Arthur/Molly to me, who are often seen bickering. Ron is pretty much exactly like his dad and Hermione seemed to have authority over him the same way Molly had authority over Arthur (but he still disobeyed in secret, just like Ron did). Molly and Arthur were doing just fine.

In the context of the books, the R+H relationship certainly didn't look like it had issues, other than normal spouse-teasing.

ETA: It's weird that she doesnt regret H+G, a relationship that appeared out of thin air.

[TrueMetis]

If Hermione was an intellectual know it all male, and Ron was a down to earth female, nobody would bat an eye at their relationship, but reverse the genders and you could probably mobilize half the internet into talking about it.

I don't think I'd summarize Ron as "down to earth".

[Buckwheat]

What the heck, I liked Ginny and do not mind that she ended up with Harry. Though now that I actually think of it, she might have deserved somebody better suited for her than Harry ... silly forum, destructing my childhood favourite books! :tantrum: :laugh:

Also add me to those who think the epilogue was completely unnecessary.

But yes I totally agree with everything you said. I know in the last film, Neville says he's going to tell Luna that he's mad about her, but I can't remember if that happened in the books. I believe he ends up as a professor. As much as I love Hermione, Luna is a fantastic character, and I like the Neville/Luna ship very much.

I agree on Neville/Luna, it is the only couple that looks like it has some chemistry in those books. (He does not say that in the books I think.)

*Puts fingers in his ears.*

Death of the Author

Death of the Author

Death of the Author

Death of the Author

Death of the Author

:agree: ^ This.

I don't know that Ron and Hermione would necessarily need counseling.
Ron/Hermione always looked a lot like Arthur/Molly to me, who are often seen bickering. Ron is pretty much exactly like his dad and Hermione seemed to have authority over him the same way Molly had authority over Arthur (but he still disobeyed in secret, just like Ron did). Molly and Arthur were doing just fine.

That is a very good comparison. Hermione would just have most of control over what happens in the house, and Ron woud just do it and may complain about it later. But I think their relationship is not doomed to fail.

[red snow]

J.K. Rowling seems to be going into George Lucas territory here. I can't wait for Harry Potter Special Edition.

Yeah "Ron didn't shoot first" seems to be it. She'll have to rewrite the book and do a special edition of the films.

Next she'll be saying she regrets not killing Ron.

I take this personally as a "ginger thing"

I wonder if this means Rowling is already considering sequels to Harry Potter and is finding it's proving a problem having Ron and Hermione together. Tricky to keep the three together as a team with a love triangle. She needs to talk to the Spider-man editors they have subtle and in character ways of dealing with such relationship problems...