Fantasy Book Club discussion

I'm not sure if this should go in this folder, but Harry Potter is a series and this is a discussion about it.

Anyway, if you're a big Potterhead like me you'll know that JKR said Hermione and Ron shouldn't have ended up together, and it should have been Harry. I love JKR and all, but this made me want to go to England and scream: "Look, lady, you can't make an internationally bestselling book that impacted the lives of readers everywhere, became movies, and then take the main couple and say, 'You know what, these two shouldn't have been together.' "
I respect her opinion and all Harmoine shippers. But I like Hermione and Ron together. Lavender made her move first and Hermione hooked up with Cormac, so the whole sixth-year thing isn't super important. And then everyone is mad at Ron for ditching them in the seventh book, but he was wearing the horcrux and Harry wasn't exactly helping.
I like Harry and Ginny together 'cuz Ginny is kind of a tomboy so she won't burst into tears, which, based off of his experiences with Cho, we all know Harry can't handle. And she also knows Harry's not going to be satisfied unless he's doing something important, and she stays strong while he's gone.
Hermione is always nagging Harry about Occlumency and stuff, but she's always been there for him, so I really think they have a brother/sister realationship. What do you guys think?

I also like Hermione with Ron and Harry with Ginny. Ron and Hermione balance each other, I think. And Harry and Ginny were both touched by Voldemort -- they get each other in a way that no one else can.

I honestly loved the Hermionie-Ron pairing because they balance each other out nicely, (Ron's reckless and Hermionie's a bit too responsible). Harry and Ginny on the other hand I liked because it was realistic. They're family friends, Ginny isn't too demanding, she's a strong enough character and she knows what Harry goes through.

I love the original pairings just fine. I know there are many Harry-Hermione shippers out there, but I just don't see it...they seem more like brother and sister to me.

Umm...nobody. I don't like her with Ron. I would prefer no romance at all, to be honest. Actually, I'd be more than happy to see all main characters dead.

I would have preferred if they had all ended up with different people. Harry with Luna perhaps, Ron with whoever, Hermoine with Viktor Krum or anyone else but Ron or Harry.

Harry ending up with Ginny was just too much wish fulfilment IMO.

I also didn't like the way most witches and wizards that are married seem to meet each at school already and then end up together.

Hmm. . . I might not have paired up of the trio on the grounds that since they are growing up together they seem too much like brothers and sister.

The problem with going outside the trio is that the characterization for the minor characters was a bit weak. I mean, even Draco and Ron, who were significant, were not drawn in detail; try to imagine what Ron would have been like if he hadn't become Harry's friend. (Hermione would have been the Brain, still, but Ron really had no such traits.)

Some of them had moments -- I liked Susan Bones's, for instance -- but what they would have looked like if fully fleshed out would be crucial.

Ah, well, only so much space even in a seven-book series.

One thing to remember Jingizu, in the Harry Potter universe every magical child in Great Britain went to Hogwarts. Unless a character married a muggle (like Cho) or a foreigner (like Bill) they would have to have met their future spouse in school.

I would have preferred Hermoine with Viktor Krum, Harry with Cho, Ron with Luna.

I think I would have preferred her to stay single. I'm fine with a bit of romance through the series - they are in middle school and high school after all. I just feel like it was all too neat and a little bit rushed right at the end. Also, like Jingizu said: too much wish fulfilment, but it is children's fiction, so I'm still alright with how she ended things. Hermione could have easily met another guy later in life while working for the Ministry.

Palash, I also liked the Harry and Cho couple.

In any case, I was never a huge HP fan. It was always fun, but I never got as into it as some people who make HP their life: calling humans muggles, cosplaying HP characters in daily life, etc. It's fine if you do that, but I wasn't angry or especially happy at any of the romantic pairings because I just didn't develop the same love for the series as other people.

I absolutely adore the series and I really loved Ron's character. A lot of people suggest he never had a really important role or did not contribute to the story in any significant way, but I always found his character endearing. I happen to like the Ron and Hermione pairing although it is a bit silly that they all end up marrying their highschool love interests. Harry and Hermione always seemed too much like a brother and sister. In fact I feel like Harry saw Ron and Hermione as his siblings in a way...
Anyway, I liked Ginny but didn't necessarily buy into her and Harry's relationship. If he were to end up with anyone from school I would have liked it to be Luna.

I found Ron weakly drawn. Imagine, for a moment, that Harry Potter had not attended Hogwarts, and so Ron had not become his best friend. Could you describe what he would be like?

Hermione would still be the brain, but Ron? except for his brief skill in chess, forgotten after the first book.

Poor Ron! I think Rowling definitely wrote him in as comic relief, but that's not to say he isn't a defined character. I think he's interesting - the youngest boy of 6, with a lot to prove seeing as each of his brothers all have unique talents. He is kind and loyal but prone to some selfish moments (which I think is part of his insecurities). Actually, I think what I like about Ron is that he isn't the brainiest person, he's not the hero, he's not a jock - he is "normal" in that he doesn't have any unique or spectacular talents but still manages to help his friends and be a valued companion.