Which one does Hermione love? Ron or Harry?

The Harry Potter Books Forum

JK Rowling says it is one of them, and she wonders why no one has gotten it. Lets solve it! I think it is Ron because how she acted when she found out Ron was prefect.

I think his gift of perfume for her at Christmas says a ton also. It has to be Ron. They argue all the time and look at the fight after the Yule Ball. They are the couple.

It's Ron... there is just no romantic happens with Harry and Hermione. They are great friends, but that's it.

AND she would never date someone who outscored her on a test.

Quite true.. Couldn't see that happening.

Look at how much Hermione is like Molly Weaslely too.

Oh gods, I hadn't thought of that comparison, but you're right!!!

Yes, years from now, he will come home late and Hermione will yell "where HAVE you beeeeen!".

Oh, I have a whole list of things that help me prove my theory that it is Ron. I don't have it near me though. I'll post it later.

I almost forgot to reply to this! I giggle when I think about howmuch debate there is about Hermione's love life. I really don't understand why there's a debate at all because it all just seems so obvious! I can honestly say with 100% certainty that unless something major happens between them in the next two books, Hermione will not end up with Harry! All the evidence you need is in Books 4 and 5. JKR had some messages for her readers in book 4. I think she used some of book 4 to clear up some things. One example is the pronunciation of Hermione's name. "HER-MY-OH-NEE!" Another example, which is more relevent to this topic, is when Harry actually says in Chapter 31, The Third Task, "Mrs. Weasley, you didn't believe that rubbish Rita Skeeter wrote in Witch Weekly, did you? Because Hermione's not my girlfriend." When Pansy showed Hermione the article Hermione said, "What a pile of rubbish." Even Ron, who's known to have a jealous streak, didn't take the article seriously. Well, if 3 major characters think that an idea is rubbish, chances are the author does too. If this isn't enough for you, then why wasn't she his hostage in the second task? I think that if he had feelings for her she would have been. And he had absolutely no problem with her going to the ball with Krum. Harry and Hermione have a sibling type relationship. Harry's never had any family. Ron and Hermione are like a brother and sister to him. And she encourages with crush on Cho all through book 5. There was absolutely no jealousy! There's just no romantic potential for Harry and Hermione!

Now the whole Ron/Hermione contraversy is a little more tricky. There's not enough evidence to be totally sure. However, I do feel a Ron/Hermione hook up is very likely, and something I am actually hoping for. Who doesn't like a little romance? I'm pretty sure that they will at least date sometime in the book 6 or 7. Will they stay together? Only JKR knows. She really has a good grasp on teenage social behavior! She'll make it good!

Ron will be 16 in book 6. And the closest thing he's had to a date, that we know of, is taking Padma Patil to the ball. And considering he wouldn't talk or dance with her the whole night, it doesn't really qualify as a real date, does it? It's time for poor Ron to get some love in his life. You would think with five older brothers that someone would have clued him in on how to handle girls. He is sooo clueless about the opposite sex. Now why do I think he will end up with Hermione? Because there is an overwhelming amount of evidence pointing that way, and besides, Luna is the only other main female character not related to Ron, and well, I think she may be just a bit to "different" for him. Unlike, Harry, Ron doesn't look at Hermione as a sister. She's his friend. As much as Ron loves and adores Ginny, one sister is enough for him. This makes Hermione fair game. Ron's friendship with Hermione is different than his friendship with Harry. It's more "tense". With Hermione he is always trying to prove he's as good as her. Always trying to prove himself. He truly feels inferior to her. That's probably why he teases her and picks on her all the time! I honestly feel that one of the main reasons he tried out for the Quidditch team is because he thought he had to be a little more like Krum. When he found out he could never be like Krum, he wanted to resign. Now, I know in book 1, when he looked in the Mirror of Erised he was Quidditch captain. But notice it took him 5 years to actually find the motivation to try out for the team. Coincidentally, right after Hermione shows some interest in an International Quidditch player. Love is a good motivator.

I know that they bicker constantly, but in the end they always stand by each other and accept each other unconditionally. Not to mention, like Sherry said, Hermione is just like Molly! Boys tend to be drawn to girls that are like their mothers.

Going back to what I was saying about him never being quite good enough for her, think about the very first time they met on the train. Ron tried to show off by doing a spell on Scabbers. It didn't work! This is a quote from right after she leaves.

{"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. He threw his wand back in his trunk. "Stupid spell-George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."}

Poor Ron, didn't make a very good impression, did he? Kind of like Cho finding Harry with gook all over him from Neville's plant. A little later, she tells Ron he has dirt on his nose. Low blow!!! Thirds time's a charm though! In Prof Flitwick's class Hermione embarrasses him once again with the whole Wingardium Leviosa thing. Poor kid can't get a break! Being an 11 year old, Ron acts like a brat and makes fun of her to make himself feel better. She's only trying to fit in. She's muggle born and probably feels a little out of place. She's jsut trying to prove herself. When he finds out how upset she is it is mentioned that he gets "an awkward look". I think part of him sympathizes with her. Coincidentally, that's the same day they fight the troll, bond, and become inseparable.

That's amazing, I had never made the whole Ron-Krum-Quidditch connection.

Yeah, when everyone is celebrating after Ron finds out he's made the team, he looks over and Hermione has dozed off. I don't have my book handy so I don't know the exact quote, but he looked put out and said something like, Well she looked pleased when I told her. I really feel like she was the main motivator for him trying out! He may have tried out anyway because he loves Quidditch, but I think Hermione was the main reason.

Heather, that is a very good connection you made from Ron to Krum. He would want to show up Hermione's very famous date.

As famous and interesting as Krum is, I still think Hermione would have rather have gone with plain old Ron.

I think so too. She did tell him that next time he should not wait so long to ask her.

This is from the Chapter called The Unexpected Task...



{"We should get a move on, you know...ask someone. He's right. We don't want to end up with a pair of trolls."
Hermione let out a sputter of indignation.
"A pair of...what, excuse me?"
"We--you know," said Ron, shrugging. "I' d rather go alone than with-with Eloise Midgen, say."
"Her acne's loads better lately--and she's really nice!"
"Her nose is off center." said Ron.
"Oh, I see," Hermione said, bristling. "So basically, you're going to take the best looking girl who'll have you, even if she's completely horrible?"
"Er-yeah, that sounds right." said Ron.
"I'm going to bed," Hermione sanpped, and seh swept off toward the girls staircase without another word.}


Well, Ron's dad did try to tell them at the Quidditch World Cup, when they saw the veela, that looks aren't everything. Ron really needs to listen to dear old dad.

And according to Dean Thomas, Harry and Ron did take the prettiest girls in their year to the ball, and neither of them really had a good time.

I love that chapter. It is so funny how Ron is so blatantly honest about not wanting to take an ugly girl. I do not think he really noticed Hermione as a potential love interest until this chapter.

I didn't either, Sherry. I think that it just hadn't truly entered into his mind that there was something there with Hermione.

Yes until someone else saw her as a female. Then it was frustrating for him to watch.

Correct... and now, I do find myself wondering if during book 5, Ron and Hermione were already a couple, but it's being left out of the picture, for the time being, because they feel like it might be too much for Harry, with everything else going on.

The people making the movies think that there's something with Ron and Hermione. And I don't like to bring the movies into a book discussion because I know JKR doesn't write the movies. However, she does have to approve the scripts so that nothing conflicts with what she will write in later books.

ron likes hermione, but i think hermione like harry, i donno what harry thinks..maybe she thought about ron in book 3-4, but not in book 5..i mean..do you all really think that ron is mature enough to hide his relationship with hermione?? and if for once ron got something harry didnt, dont you think ron would show off even if he didnt mean any harm? also if they are already a couple, why is hermione hanging out more with harry? and she didnt even stay with ron when he won the quiddtch thing? ron is a great guy, but he wears his emotion on his sleeves and its been proven since book 1, everyone could see that. In all ron and hermione arguement, does people really consider hermione's feelings? just because ron is showing some kind of romantic feeling, if you REALLY think about it, does hermione show any kind of romantic feeling toward ron? if ron and hermione is good together cause thats what people do with each other when they are 14,15, then i dont think they would be mature enough to hide their relationship, and i dont think hermione would ever leave harry out of anything, judging from her reaction in book 5 for not telling harry what is going on in the summer.

Excellent post asianperson. Welcome to the forum. I have to agree with the part about Ron besting Harry at something. I don't think he would be able to hide it. I do think they are on the verge of dating.

I agree with fuscia. I don't think Ron has Hermione quite yet. I'm pretty confident something will happen with them in book 6 though. I don't see Harry and Hermione hooking up. She's a sister figure to him. He'll either end up alone or with Ginny or Luna. If Hermione was ifalling for Harry, she wouldn't have encouraged him and given him advice about Cho.

thanx fuscia, yeah, i do think hermione likes harry, and if hermione and ron do get together, i hope he wont get jealous too much when hermione talks about harry all the time, and true, we dont know who harry likes yet, so i guess this triangle thing is going to last until JKR end it once and for all ^_^///

"Harry and Hermione are platonic friends."--JK Rowling

there is a posibility that they hooked up in book 2. I forgot where, i think it was when harry left the hospital wing after growing back his bones. He goes to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and Herminone and Ron are in the same stall together and when Harry walks in, it sounds like there is a big scramble to do something, and then Harry heard Hermione giggle. This all happened after Harry said "It's me". If they weren't doing anything together, then there would have been an immediate response, not a scramble to hide something.

I hope you are joking. They were 12 in book two. Twelve year old boys still think girls are gross. No I think Hermione's romantic feelings towards Ron started in 3rd year and Ron's for Hermione in 4th year.

I think Ron did not really start to notice girls until the fourth book

I think that herminonie likes Harry.

i think if ron and hermione try to do anything intimate like a kiss, hermione will burst out laughing(def not trying to be mean to ron, just personal feeling from the book), and i agree with Stephanie13.

I think Hermione loves Harry too, but not in a romantic way.

I'm with you, Heather... they are more like brother and sister. She cares about him, deeply. Look at their friendship. The three of them are so close. But, Hermione isn't looking at Harry in a romantic sense. Her eyes are on Ron.

There are a lot of theories about who will end up with who. I guess anything is possible. There is a rumor that there will be a love triangle in book 6. Being that it is a book about teenagers, a love triangle wouldn't surprise me. However, it is suprising that everyone assumes that it's going to be a triangle involving Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

Hasn't anyone thought of other possibilities. I think Harry will fall for Luna, but Luna will like Ron, but Ron will be too busy with Hermione, who's had a crush on Ron for ages. Harry will get upset with Ron because Luna pays more attention to him, that will make him jealous of Ron, again, which will tick off Hermione, because she hates when they fight. Then Ginny will get involved because she will see Hermione and Ron together and realize that Hermione and Harry are just friends, but then just when she thinks she can have Harry, Ginny realizes that Harry likes Luna. And Neville will be mad at Harry because he likes Ginny. Oh what a soap opera it could be!


By the way, this isn't a real theory, it's just me ranting.

Anyway, as I digress, my point is that anything can happen. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville will be 16. Luna and Ginny will be 15. Gryffindor Tower will be swimming in hormones. (Notice, I've included Luna in Gryffindor, she'll probably switch houses, like agent mike said, her house doesn't treat her very well) I think all the "ship" arguements are fun, but we really should be focusing on other stuff. People get really defensive when you disagree with them about who will end up dating. I have even received a death threat on another site because I didn't agree with someone. It's all in how you interpret the words in the books and the things JKR says. We are all going to interpret things differenntly. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Romance will be in the book, but I don't think it's as important as everything else. And you NEVER KNOW when it comes to JKR. Everything she does is so unexpected. From what I've read so far, I do believe Hermione likes Ron. However, there are 2 more books to go, and we all know that a lot can happen in 2 books. (EX: Harry's relationship with Sirius)

You are so right, Heather... two more books to go, and anything can happen.
I mean, we are talking about JKR here... and she's known to throw a curve or two.

I like your spin on the relationships, and how it will be just one huge tangled mess.

What a funny idea that it could happen like that. After all, in saying that there will be a lot of hormones running around that place is right on. They are discovering themselves, who they are, who they want to be, and noticing others, and developing crushes, feelings, etc... So, it will be interesing to see with whom JKR places with each other.

Also, you're right about how we need to look at much more important things. While seeing people get in a relationship will be nice to see, there are so many things going on, and most important is the second wizarding war, and the match between Harry and Voldemort.

I think the question 'which one does Hermione love?' is a bit unfair as it implies that some form of romantic involvement between Hermione and either of the two guys is obligatory. A plutonic love already exists between the main trio, one that any romance would not unbalance, therefore if Harry or Ron do become more than friends with Hermione, none of them will love each other more or less, just in a different way. I just can't see JK Rowling delicately moulding their individual relationships over the course of 5 books, only to have her rip them to pieces under the excuse of 'hormones.'

Agent Mike has a very good point. I think that if there is any jealousy, it will be temporary and not friendship ending. We all know that Ron and Hermione are just as important to the final outcome of the story as Harry is. JKR herself has said that they are their strongest when they are together. I don't think the trio will be "ripped to pieces" because of some hormones. There may be an arguement, but so what. Friends argue all the time.

I think she likes both of them but I think Ron likes her back....I think they will hook up in the next book or so...

Harry will move onto Luna or Ginny.

I think Harry already sees the sparks between the two of them. If they date I think his response will be "it's about time". Harry will be fine with it as long as they can hang out as a trio still.

ginny really????

Well, I'd prefer to see him with Ginny, but I think it will probably be Luna. Definitely not Cho

I want him with Ginny too. She is very cool.

oh, I don't know I read the books more for Ron then for Harry....I just like him better.....

http://pages.prodigy.net/indianahawkeye/newpage06/1.gifOh great, then poor Ron would have to hear that he is kissing her wrong.

Well, Ron does need someone who will tell him...He's kind of stupid when it comes to things like that.

I hope they give Ron a girl fast because I am kinda bored with hearing all about Harry...I know the book is about Harry but it would be nice if they started to give Ron more of a life then just following Harry around

Yes, I agree, the story is about Harry, but it makes Ron and Hermione seem weak if they don't have their own personalities too.

Ron is now a prefect and he is the keeper on the Quiddich team. Ron is getting a bigger role.

Hermione has S.P.E.W and she is a prefect.

While the main plot line has always been about Harry, Hermione and Ron have had their own little sub plots through the whole series too.

They have started to give Ron more of a life, but they always have him right behind Harry through everything and it just drives me crazy sometimes....I want Ron to have more of his own storyline!!!!

Well, Harry is the main character. I think now that Ron doesn't have any older brothers around, he's a prefect, and a quidditch player, he may come out of his shell, but the books are about Harry Potter. Harry has shown no indication that he has any interest in Hermione other than as a friend. And Hermione's so grouchy all the time, I sometimes have a hard time reading her too. But I honestly think she still has a thing for Ron, but that book 5 she is hiding it, not only to make things less complicated for Harry, but also because Ron isn't handling the attraction in a very mature way and she might be waiting until he grows up a little to finally do anything about it.

yea, I guess Ron is starting to come into his own. I really don't like Hermione....she's just weird to read sometimes....she's to smart....I don't know but I do think that her and Ron have a thing for each other and I hope in the end they end up together...

Oh, I like Hermionie. But she is difficult to read. Perhaps we don't really understand her because the books are kind of written from Harry's point of view, and since she's a girl, things she does aren't always completely clear. Harry isn't exactly an expert on women.

And I don't think Hermione is too smart. Her cleverness is one of the reasons Harry and Ron are still around. I think she will be there during the final showdown between Harry and Voldemort and that her intelligence will be vital.

Hermione is a sweet girl, with no mean intentions. She loves her two best friends very much and is always looking out for their best interests. This is also why I think she still has a thing for Ron. It's pretty obvious with his jealousy and the perfume gift that he "likes" her, and she's smart enough to recognize it. If she didn't feel the same way about him, I think she would tell him, so that he wouldn't continue wasting his time.

I find it hard to read her too. I get kinda bored reading her because she is....I'm unsure....I just like Ron better. She talks to much...yea that's it...she talks to much and thinks she knows everything and I know in the end it ends up helping Ron and Harry....I get bored of always reading her knowing everything...u know????

I can't wait for the 6th book...I guess that means I have to finish the 5th one right...

You haven't finished book 5!!!!!! Get reading!

well see after I started reading it....I was on like chp. 20 and my friend, Shawn, thought I would of been done by then...it had only been 2 weeks so he called me and told me the ending and I just kinda stopped reading...

Ron! If Hermione ends up with Harry I'l be really annoyed. And often, when there's a thre, the two lesser characters end up together, and the main one is either by himself or someone else. Plus the fact that I love Ron and he is definately my favouite character. And hot4johnstevens, you have to finish the fifth book, one because it's really good, and two because Heather and Fusia and the rest will probabaly kill you if you don't.

With your posts on the love triangle...and the rest of them really....readingreally into things and understanding them..........


You sound like Hermione!

i'm going to finish it hopefully before the next one comes out...do you know when it does...

I love Ron too....and man Oliphaunt you do sound like Hermione

hot4js - there has been no release date given by JKR. She said that she's still working on it.

As far as finishing the 5th book... you really need to. Even though you've heard things about the ending, there are still little details that you need to read for yourself.

i'll have to get to it....it's just not fun anymore to read when I know what is going to happen

That I totally understand. I HATE having a good book, or movie, ruined for me.
But, still TRY to read it... because there are things that you will miss if you don't.

yea, I was mad when he ruined it for me...but I try to read it whenever I get a few min...because if the next book comes out...I can't start it till I finish this one...

Yeah, The ending is quite good, you really need to read it.

yea, well I'll have too...because I don't think he told me everything...just that his godfather dies...

There is WAY more than that!!

Yeah, there is that thing about the Umbugular slashkilter....

M.

M, where did you come up with that? That was too damn funny!

I completely forgot that... *slaps forehead*

*walks off mumbling* "some harry potter fan i am"

Maybe it is time for another reading Kris.

M.

I don't remember that at all.

Maybe it is time for you too Sherry.

Everyone, get to reading.

M.

Oh please... do you have ANY idea how many new books I'm trying to get through? I have a palm pilot, and I can put over 50 books on there at a time. Plus, I have all my new paperbacks, and some hardbacks. So, before I hit the HP books again, I've got some serious tracks to drop first.

I didn't know that Kris.

M.

I know that you didn't, M.... I was just telling you!

Ron and Hermione will end up together. If Hermione ended up with Harry, it would be the end of Ron's and Harry's friendship.

Ron so has the hots for Hermione and I think that if she ended up with Harry...that would be the end of Harry and Ron's friendship....

oh and one day soon, I am just going to sit down and read the 5th book....I only have 11 chp. to go...I'm almost there....

alrighty......she is clever because even though the way she talks drives me nuts sometimes...she always gets harry and Ron out of trouble

From Mugglenet.com

Clues to Ron and Hermionie getting together:

Miscellaneous Quotes

Couric: "Any snogging with Hermione?"
Rowling: [surprised] "Harry and Hermione! Do you think so?" -- From Katie Couric's June 2003 interview with JK Rowling

"Harry and Hermione are very platonic [platonic means nonsexual] friends. But I won't answer for anyone else. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink." -- From a National Press Club Luncheon chat with JK Rowling, October 1999)


Q: Is it just me, or was something going on between Ron and Hermione during the last half of Goblet of Fire?
A: "Yes, something's "going on," but Ron doesn't realize it yet. Typical boy." -- From a BarnesandNoble.com chat with JK Rowling


Q: Does Hermione like Ron as more than a friend?
A: The answer to that is in Goblet of Fire! -- From a BBC chat with JK Rowling, March 12, 2001)


The Leaky Cauldron: Can you predict one thing you think will happen to each of your characters in the books?
Daniel Radcliffe: I think these two [points at Emma and Rupert, i.e. Hermione and Ron] are going to get together. That's my prediction.
WB Rep: Well Rupert, what do you say to that?
Rupert Grint: Yeah, that's what I was going to say as well. I was going to say hope they don't fall for each other. [said in very 'teenager, grossed out by love' way.]
TLC: But do you think they will?
RG: Yes. -- From an Q&A session with Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe at the CoS press junket


(On being asked whether the handshake at the end of the CoS movie was foreshadowing events to come with Ron and Hermione)
"It is foreshadowing, yeah. I just love the idea that the two of them, that there's an impending crush. And it's such a real thing for kids at that age. For instance, I asked Emma to hug Dan, and she said, 'No way,' and that was the day she was the most nervous being on the set. She was like, 'I am not going to hug him, no I'm not.' And I said, 'You've been petrified, this is one of your best friends, if not your best friend, you have to hug him,' I said, 'but you won't hug Ron, because that's where the tension is." -- From Q&A session with Chris Columbus at the CoS press junket

Order of the Phoenix Excerpts


"...And it might have been a good idea to mention how ugly you think I am too," Hermione added as an afterthought.
"But I don't think you're ugly," said Harry, bemused.
Hermione laughed.
"Harry, you're worse than Ron.... Well, no, you're not," she sighed, as Ron himself came stumping into the Hall splattered with mud and looking grumpy.

"You should write a book," Ron told Hermione as he cut up his potatoes, "translating mad things girls do so boys can understand them."


"Oh," said Ron, his smile fading slightly. "Are you that bad at kissing?"
"Dunno," said Harry, who hadn't considered this, and immediately felt rather worried. "Maybe I am."
"Of course you're not," said Hermione absently, still scribbling away at her letter.
"How do you know?" said Ron in a sharp voice.


On their way downstairs they met Hermione. "Thanks for the book, Harry!" she said happily. "I've been wanting that New Theory of Numerology for ages! And that perfume is really unusual, Ron." [Perfume? Isn't that the kind of thing a boyfriend would give to his girlfriend?]


"Who're you writing the novel to anyway?" Ron asked Hermione, trying to read the bit of parchment now trailing on the floor. Hermione hitched it up out of sight.
"Viktor."
"Krum?"
"How many other Viktors do we know?"
Ron said nothing, but looked disgruntled. They sat in silence for another twenty minutes, Ron finishing his Transfiguration essay with many snorts of impatience, rolling in up carefully and sealing it, and Harry staring into the fire, wishing more than anything that Sirusus's head would appear there and give him some advice about girls. But the fire merely crackled lower and lower, until the red-hot embers crumbled into ash and, looking around, Harry saw that they were, yet again, the last in the common room.
"Well, 'night," said Hermione, yawning widely, and she set off up the girls' staircase.
"What does she see in Krum?" Ron demanded as he and Harry climed the boys' stairs.
"Well," said Harry, considering the matter, "I s'pose he's older, isn't he...and he's an international Quidditch player...."
"Yeah, but apart from that," said Ron, sounding aggravated. "I mean he's a grouchy git, isn't he?"


"Ooooh, Dijon?" said Hermione excitedly. "I've been there on holiday, did you see --?"
She fell silent at the look on Ron's face.


"Don't let Ron see what's on those Slytherin's badges," she whispered urgently.
Harry looked questioningly at her, but she shook her head warningly; Ron had just ambled over to them, looking lost and desparate.
"Good luck, Ron," said Hermione, standing on tiptoe and kissing him on the cheek. "And you, Harry --"
Ron seemed to come to himself slightly as they walked back across the Great Hall. He touched the spot on his face where Hermione had kissed him, looking puzzled, as though he was not quite sure what had just happened.


"...you can do all sorts of stuff that full-grown wizards can't, Viktor always said --"
Ron looked around at her so fast he appeared to crick his neck; rubbing it, he said, "Yeah? What did Vicky say?"
"Ho ho," said Hermione in a bored voice. "He said Harry knew how to do stuff even he didn't, and he was in the final year at Durmstrang."
Ron was looking at Hermione suspiciously.
"You're not still in contact with him are you?"
"So what if I am?" said Hermione coolly, though her face was a little pink. "I can have a pen pal if I --"
"He didn't only want to be your pen pal," said Ron accusingly.
Hermione shook her head exasperatedly and ignored Ron, who was continuing to watch her.






Goblet of Fire Excerpts


"We should get a move on, you know...ask someone. He's right. We don't want to end up with a pair of trolls.
Hermione let out a sputter of indignation.
"A pair of...what, excuse me?"
"Well -- you know," said Ron, shrugging. "I'd rather go alone than with -- with Eloise Midgen, say."
"Her acne's loads better lately -- and she's really nice!"
"Her nose is off-center," said Ron.
"Oh I see," Hermione said, bristling. "So basically, you're going to take the best-looking girl who'll have you, even if she's completely horrible?"
"Er -- yeah, that sounds about right," said Ron.
"I'm going to bed," Hermione snapped, and she swept off towards the girls' staircase without another word.

"All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?" said Hermione loftily. "Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you."
But Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing her in a whole new light.
"Hermione, Neville's right -- you are a girl...."
"Oh well spotted," she said acidly.
"Well -- you can come with one of us!"
"No, I can't," snapped Hermione.
"Oh come on," he said impatiently, "we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has..."
"I can't come with you," said Hermione, now blushing, "because I'm already going with someone."
"No, you're not!" said Ron. "You just said that to get rid of Neville!"
"Oh did I?" said Hermione, and her eyes flashed dangerously. "Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!"


"Hermione," said Ron, looking sideways at her, suddenly frowning, "your teeth..."
"What about them?" she said.
"Well, they're different...I've just noticed...."
"Of course they are -- did you expect me to keep those fangs Malfoy gave me?"
"No, I mean, they're different to how they were before he put that hex on you....They're all...straight and -- and normal sized."
Hermione suddenly smiled very mischievously, and Harry noticed it too; It was a very different smile from the one he remembered.


"Hermione -- who are you going to the ball with?" said Ron.
He kept springing this question on her, hoping to startle her into a response by asking it when she least expected it.


Parvati seemed to be enjoying herself; she was beaming around at everybody, steering Harry so forcefully that he felt as though he were a show dog she was putting through its paces. He caught sight of Ron and Padma as he neared the top table. Ron was watching Hermione pass with narrowed eyes.


"How's it going?" Harry asked Ron, sitting down and opening a bottle of butterbeer.
Ron didn't answer. He was glaring at Hermione and Krum, who were dancing nearby.


Hermione came over and sat down in Parvati's empty chair. She was a bit pink in the face from dancing.
"Hi," said Harry. Ron didn't say anything.
"It's hot, isn't it?" said Hermione, fanning herself with her hand.
"Viktor's just gone to get some drinks."
Ron gave her a withering look. "Viktor?" he said. "Hasn't he asked you to call him Vicky yet?"
"If you don't know," said Ron scathingly, "I'm not going to tell you."
Hermione stared at him, then at Harry, who shrugged.
"Ron, what --?"
"He's from Durmstrang!" spat Ron. "He's competing against Harry! Against Hogwarts! You -- you're --" Ron was obviously casting around for words strong enough to describe Hermione's crime, "fraternizing with the enemy, that's what you're doing!"
Hermione's mouth fell open.
"Don't be so stupid!" she said after a moment. "The enemy! Honestly -- who was the one who was all excited when they saw him arrive? Who was the one who wanted his autograph? Who's got a model of him up in their dormitory?"
Ron chose to ignore this. "I s'pose he asked you to come with him while you were both in the library?"
"Yes, he did," said Hermione, the pink patches on her cheeks glowing more brightly. "So what?"
"What happened -- trying to get him to join spew were you?"
"No, I wasn't! If you really want to know, he -- he said he'd been coming up to the library every day to try and talk to me, but he hadn't been able to pluck up the courage!"
"Yeah, well -- that's his story," said Ron nastily.
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Obvious, isn't it? He's Karkaroff's student, isn't he? He knows who you hang around with....He's just trying to get closer to Harry -- get inside information on him -- or get near enough to jinx him --"
Hermione looked as though Ron had slapped her. When she spoke, her voice quivered.
"For your information, he hasn't asked me one single thing about Harry, not one -"
Ron changed tack at the speed of light.
"Then he's hoping you'll help him find out what his egg means! I suppose you've been been putting your heads together during those cozy little library sessions --"
"I'd never help him work out that egg!" said Hermione, looking outraged. "Never. How could you say something like that -- I want Harry to win the tournament, Harry knows that, don't you Harry?"
"You've got a funny way of showing it," sneered Ron.
"This whole tournament's supposed to be about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!" said Hermione hotly.
"No it isn't," shouted Ron. "It's about winning!"
People were starting to stare at them.
"Ron," said Harry quietly, "I haven't got a problem with Hermione coming with Krum --"
But Ron ignored Harry too.
"Why don't you go and find Vicky, he'll be wondering where you are," said Ron.
"Don't call him Vicky!"
Hermione jumped to her feet and stormed off across the dance floor, disappearing into the crowd. Ron watched her go with a mixture of anger and satisfaction on his face.


He climed into the common room and found Ron and Hermione having a blazing row. Standing ten feet apart, they were bellowing at each other, each scarlet in the face.
"Well, if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you?" yelled Hermione; her hair was coming down out of it's elegant bun now, and her face was screwed up in anger.
"Oh yeah?" Ron yelled back. "What's that?"
"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!"
Ron mouthed soundlessly like a goldfish out of water as Hermione turned on her heel and stormed up the girls' staircase to bed. Ron turned to look at Harry.
"Well," he sputtered, looking thunderstruck, "well -- that just proves -- completely missed the point --"


"He's really nice, you know," she said. "He's not at all like you'd think, coming from Durmstrang. He likes it much better here, he told me."
Ron said nothing. He hadn't mentioned Viktor Krum since the ball, but Harry had found a miniature arm under his bed on Boxing Day, which looked very much as though it had been snapped off a small model figure wearing Bulgaria Quidditch robes.


Fleur bent down, kissed Harry twice on each cheek, then said to Ron, "And you, too -- you 'elped --"
"Yeah," said Ron, looking extremely hopeful, "Yeah, a bit --" Fleur swooped down on him too and kissed him. Hermione looked simply furious.


Ron was still goggling at the girl as though he had never seen one before. Harry started to laugh. The sound seemed to jog Ron back to his senses.
"She's a Veela!" he said hoarsly to Harry.
"Of course she isn't!" said Hermione tartely. "I don't see anyone else gaping at her like an idiot!"


"No, it's just...how did she know Viktor asked me to visit him over the summer?"
Hermione blushed scarlet as she said this, and determinedly avoided Ron's eyes.
"What?" said Ron, dropping his pestle with a loud clunk.
"He asked me right after he'd pulled me out of the lake," Hermione muttered. "After he'd got rid of his shark's head. Madam Pomfrey gave us both blankets and then he sort of pulled me away from the judges so they wouldn't hear, and he said, if I wasn't doing anything over the summer, would I like to --"
"And what did you say?" said Ron, who had picked up his pestle and was grinding it on the desk, a good six inches from his bowl, because he was looking at Hermione.
"And he did say he'd never felt the same way about anyone else," Hermione went on, going so red now that Harry could almost feel the heat coming from her, "but how could Rita Skeeter have heard him? She wasn't there...or was she? Maybe she has got an Invisibility Cloak; maybe she sneaked into the grounds to watch the second task...."
"And what did you say?" Ron repeated, pounding his pestle down so hard that it dented the desk.


"We will see each uzzer again, I 'ope" said Fleur, as she reached him, holding our her hand. "I am 'oping to get a job 'ere , to improve my Eenglish."
"It's very good already," said Ron in a strangled sort of voice.
Fleur smiled at him; Hermione scowled.

Wow! Thanks. There are a lot of Harry/Hermione shippers out there that would like to chew your head off for having all that evidence, but I think it's great. Ron and Hermione will get together in one of the next two books. I know it! They'll make a good couple.

Excellent post Z. I still do not understand how anyone can think Harry and Hermione will be together.

Yes, Ron and Hermione have a thing for each other... but do you honestly think that they will actually have a relationship? I don't think JKR would ever literally write about that. It's just not her style - remember how she censored Harry's first kiss??

Maja, we don't need the details for it to happen.

oh... but we want them??

Good for you, because there *won't* be any details. Ah well "de gustibus non disputatum est"

I don't want details... If I wanted details I would read a trashy romance novel, not Harry Potter. We know Hagrid and Madame Maxine has something going on, without knowing the details. We know that Bill and Fleur are seeing each other, but we dont know any details about that either. Just because we won't know the details of their relationship doesn't mean that their relationship wont somehow enrich the story. It will add some interest to their characters.

and we should be glad about that. I do not want to think about Hagrid and Maxime! BLECK!

that's right - and i *don't* want to read about ron and hermione snogging in the broom closet. but they're spending all of their time together, so it would be weird if their relationship was so poorly described as the relationship of, say, bill and fleur.

PS-I agree, fuscia-that would be...yuck.

I would love to see Ron and Hermione together but come on...I don't know if I could see her writing that in her book....

The books are written from a predominately Harry point of view. When Ron and Hermione get together, (notice I say when, not if), we will only know what Ron or Hermione tells Harry, or what Harry actually sees. We don't need the details.

that's the thing that I am not going to like...we're never going to really hear about the whole Ron/Hermione but for what Ron tells Harry but I kinda wanna know more about it....

I think Ron is pretty obvious about how he feels about Hermione. Although I'm not sure if he realises it though. I think Hermione gets it but she's never going to ask ask. In the Order in cahpter "Seen and Unforseen" Harry tells her about his fight with Cho and he asks "Well, wouldn't it have been easier if she's just asked me whether I liked her better than you?" And Hermione says "Girls don't often ask questions like that". Even though most of us get that Ron likes her, for Hermione there will always be the risk of getting shot down. And that's kinda scary for any girl. But it will be her and Ron. And Harry and Luna. And I think Bill will get togheter with Fleur which will cause some problems with Ron and Hermione...

I don't think Ron is fully open to the idea of dating her...I mean we can all see it but for somereason I don't think he does and I don't think she is fully open to the idea of dating Ron...I don't know...I just hope they hook-up in the end....

you're probably right in saying he isn't ready yet. I think with Ron, Hermione and Harry it's very clear that girls mature a lot quicker. hermione definitly seems superior to the boys in a lot of ways. But in book 6 Ron will be a year older so who knows!!!

yea, they are getting to the age that girls/boys are going to be on the mind more and more....but I think that Hermione thinks that she is better then Harry and Ron in some ways like you said....so I don't know if maybe that will scare Ron off

I think Ron's comment about not wanting an ugly girl in book 4 is probably still in the back of her mind. It's after this comment that she finally shrinks her teeth. And she spends 3 hours getting ready for the ball. She knows that Ron has seen her at her worst, and that may bother her a little, if she likes him. She didn't get any kind of positive response from him at the dance either. Even people who hate her at least gaped at her. Harry told her she looked nice. She got nothing from Ron, despite her going over to his table twice. His date was Padma Patil, and according to Dean Thomas, the Patil twins are the best looking girls in their year.

I'm trying to see it from a 14 year old girl's perspective. She's obviously not gorgeous. Now, according to Harry, she's not ugly, but she gets teased by Draco and his cronies about her looks, and even Prof. Snape made a comment. Her little off hand remark to Harry about him thinking she was ugly may have been her fishing for information. Is she ugly? Of course she would ask Harry, her best friend. And as soon as he told her she wasn't ugly, she mentioned Ron. Was she trying to find out from Harry what Ron thinks?

Poor girl. I think deep down, looks aren't important to Ron. I think the fact that he didn't even notice how beautiful she was at the ball, means that it's not really that important.

I don't know if Ron, sometimes it does seem like they are beating around the bush with each other....I don't know....this is just me thinking....

Ron and Hermione are both very proud people. Neither one is going to make the first move. Ginny needs to step in and give a little assistance.

I'm with you on that...someone needs to step in and take over and make the first move for them

Hermione and Ginny are gal pals. And Ginny is a very perceptive person. Surely she sees something going on.

I hope she steps in, in the next book....it's about time someone hooks-up with someone....in the story

I'm thinking one of them might blurt it out in an argument or someth