A Collection of Posts Re: Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley

Compiled by prettyannamoon

Revision date: October 16, 2002

Table of Contents

Evidence or lack thereof

• Evidence based on canon and perception
  
• Why it works (WORX) in terms of the story
  
• Hero Worship or something else?
  
• Cho vs. Ginny

Happily Ever After

• Does Harry notice Ginny?
  
• How and when will H/G happen?
  
• Ron's reaction to H/G
  

***

Evidence (or lack thereof)

Clues from perception and canon

For the record, I am so firmly convinced that it will end up H/G (maybe not right away - actually I'd be surprised if it did happen before Book 6 or 7 - but definitely by the end of Book 7), that if it doesn't, it would be the biggest shock of my life.

First off, I've never seen an H/G shipper state that Harry already likes Ginny. So arguing that Harry has shown no interest in her is beside the point - we know. He's 14 - he's clueless. We're not arguing that there are signs that Harry likes her in Books 1 through 4; we just think it's the logical progression. In my mind, Ginny is the only person I can see Harry ending up with that makes any sense at all. I'll tell you why I see it this way.

1) Continuing on the "he's never even noticed her or shown a glimmer of interest" argument H/G non-shippers make, you must remember that he's shown no interest in anyone except Cho. So unless you believe he will end up with Cho, Ginny's got as much a shot as anyone.

2) We know he's not going to end up with Cho. Like Angelphish said, JKR's said he'd end up with someone that's been there from the beginning. Plus, she also commented that everyone likes the wrong people in Book 4 (which the most obvious interpretation would mean Fleur, Viktor, and Cho are the wrong people - any other interpretation is stretching it, IMO). As for Hermione, in addition to saying there is something between her and Ron (and notice she said between, not one way, and that Ron was the one who hasn't noticed, meaning Hermione has noticed it), JKR has outright stated Harry and Hermione will not date, are - in her words- 'very platonic', and questioned if they were even suited for each other when someone asked. After all that, and what's in canon, I honestly question the sanity of anyone who believes Harry will end up with Hermione. Repeating some of Angelphish's comments, Seamus and Lavender already showing signs of interest in each other. And adding to the Yule Ball fiasco with Parvati, it seems Dean may like her (he noted she and Padma were the best looking girls in the year). Even if you truly believe one of these girls has a chance (why you would, I can't guess), they have no more chance than Ginny.

3) In a chat a couple of months ago, JKR answered my question: Will Harry ever notice the long-suffering Ginny Weasley? (this was the highlight of my HP life). Her response: "You'll see... poor Ginny, eh?" Go ahead, laugh and argue she didn't answer it and was vague. That's just my point! If you're wrong (like with Harry/Hermione) she outright comes out and says so. It's when you hit on something that she refuses to answer or beats around the bush. Plus, the 'poor Ginny' was rather sympathetic sounding - as if she won't be poor Ginny any longer...which leads me to my next point.

4) If Harry will never notice Ginny, than why did JKR create this vast crush in the first place, and keep it going through all four books? We know JKR does nothing lightly. Some have argued that the crush was just to demonstrate Harry's fame. If so, we didn't need it beyond Book 1. This poor girl has suffered in silence (mostly) through 4 years, probably in total agony every time Harry comes over to the Burrow. Would JKR really create such an unrequited crush only to have Ginny spend all seven books miserable? I mean, she's his best friend's sister! Because of Ron, she likely will be in contact with Harry for the rest of her life. So, is JKR just enjoying writing about poor Ginny pining away? I doubt it. So either Ginny just gets over him (doubtful) or she will eventually be rewarded for her patience. Sorry, I just don't see JKR giving an unrequited crush to the one person who would suffer the worst from it. IMO, JKR gave Ginny those feelings because they will be returned on day. If you can think of another reason, please tell me cause I'm at a loss.

5) Ginny will play a larger role in Book 5. The books are from Harry's POV, so that means she will be noticed by him more. Whether this is in a romantic sense or not at first is irrelevant. He just has to notice she's there - the rest can come in the last chapter of the last book for all I care (well, I'd prefer it sooner).

6) Like Harry, Ginny has faced Voldemort and lived. JKR has not forgotten this - notice she pointed out that Ginny was very badly affected by the Dementors in PoA. I have a feeling that this will come up again in future books.

7) I do support the one big happy Weasley family theory (or whatever it's called), and I see no reason not to - it's perfectly logical. Harry with anyone else wouldn't fit. Imagine Ginny having to see Harry and Girlfriend 1 through 44 every time he visits Ron (OK, that really goes in point 4). But seriously, Harry wants a family. The closest thing he's got to it right now is the Weasleys (Bill and Mrs Weasley acting as his family in GoF is foreshadowing IMO). Hermione with Ron will bring Hermione into the loop, so the circle is complete. This just makes perfect sense to me. Any of the 3 with anyone else would totally ruin the chemistry of the trio. Ginny, being Ron's sister and Hermione's friend, and having been very much involved in CoS (even if they didn't know at first), would be the easiest person to bring into the fold without ruining everything.

Well, we discussed this months ago, but I'm glad the question was asked again. I've been seeing a lot of the newbies question H/G and it's been driving me nuts wanting to scream "Can't you see it! It's so obvious, so logical...just look at JKR's patterns! " Hopefully, maybe you can see it just a little bit now. Or maybe you'll think this is all a bunch of rubbish.... at least I tried

***

I thought this was interesting. It's from the Dec. 25th Time magazine article, "The Magic of Potter" (can't they think of any other title for an article? LOL)...

"Poor Ginny, languishing in love for Harry, and he's merrily asking out other girls right under her nose! But that's a boy thing!"

That's all the proof I will ever need. Dumb boys!

***

Today I was flipping through CoS doing research for a fic with H/G themes, and I noticed that JKR uses glowing adjectives to describe her, the sorts of words she's never applied to any other character, despite Ginny's few appearances- "bright brown eyes", "fiery hair". These are the kinds of descriptions you'd expect for a romantic lead, not for an incidental character. I wonder if this hints at the strong impression she makes on Harry (since the books are from his POV) even if he can't "see" her yet as a capital-G Girl. At the very least, it leaves me with the feeling that JKR was very fond of her, like a proud mother.

Considering the most vivid adjective JKR has used so far to describe Cho is "pretty"... wow, my pulse races :/ ...

Though I am of the H/G party, I'm still not sure it's a "sure thing". I do get the feeling JKR either lost interest in Ginny for a while, or cut scenes that included her because they were not relevant to the plot. She will definitely be important later, somehow. She's stuck around too long to be forgotten about.

***

I've also heard some H/G detractors say that Ginny is there to add 'realism' to the books, that she is an example of a 'first crush' which most times goes no where and dies. But like you said 1) her 'crush' is still there in GoF. Also, 2) JKR already has Harry going through his 'first crush', Cho, and most of us agree that after Cedric, it's going no where so she doesn't need to have two instances of 'first crush going no where' to add the 'realism'. ONE crush going nowhere will suffice (Harry's crush on Cho) since HP's main focus isn't teen romances. That fits in with JKR's statements that there will be 'more boy-girl stuff' in the remaining books but that it won't be too 'gritty' either. FITD and the whole 'love triangle' setup can lead to pretty angsty and GRITTY stuff and really doesn't fit into the tone of the HP books.

But there also have been cases where people marry their first crush.

Yup, I happen to be one of that small number. We've been married twelve years and going strong and we bicker as much as we did when we first met, so I have some H/G and some R/H in my real life relationship.

Alas, most HP fans DO go for 'majority' rules meaning the whole 'in real life' crushes don't become lifelong loves or that people who date in high school don't tend to end up or even remain married if they do happen to tie the knot. They forget that HP is fiction and what may not be common in RL (such as unicorns and dragons) can occur. HP is great that it is grounded in real life, but why does JKR have to follow the RL 'majority rules' scenario in her book? She can just as well follow, the less likely route which btw, CAN occur in RL, even if it isn't the most common relationship scenario. That's the bone I have to pick when detractors say that 'first crushes usually go nowhere'.

- Firoza

***

Calisian, don't worry no one is going to flame you. That's not saying that I agree with what you and Jadwisz say (sorry, I don't at all), but if we all agreed then life would be boring.

Just two comments or questions really. Why do you focus on the 'Ginny and Lily have red hair' connection? I agree that if that is the only reason someone has for H/G, it's weak at best. I personally don't think there's any connection based on their looks. Maybe people elsewhere have pushed this point, but I don't think that's been a real argument here. If you read my rather long post on this thread (which I won't repeat here), I have a lot of other reasons that are based on canon and what JKR has said, (and yes, my own instincts that just told me they were meant to be) but no one that disagrees with H/G has chosen to comment on any of those reasons.

OK, the second comment. You and others have mentioned that JKR has said that Harry won't have time for girls. Where did you see this? I've read about every chat/interview I could find and never saw anything of that nature. Of course, I also can't find the interview that I do remember seeing in which JKR commented about Harry getting romantically involved with someone that has been there all along, so I can't really complain I guess. :P I do remember a chat where someone asked if Ron would get a girlfriend and JKR answered something to the effect of "Why wouldn't he?" I have a feeling it was the same interview and may have followed the question about Harry, but I can't find that either. Both of those comments were from things I read ages before GoF, so there a bit hard to track down now. If you can find either article, I'd love you forever.

Anyway, articles aside, Harry not having time to date seems a bit harsh to me. The books are not going to be romance-centered (no arguments from me there), but JKR has already shown she is going to have Harry notice girls. Maybe he'll just notice Ginny (or anyone else you prefer) at some point and not actual 'date' them, with the story ending on the implication that they will have a future together. Perhaps he'll notice no one, but since he's already noticed Cho, I find it hard to believe he'll spend the next three years with his hormones on hold. JKR has said that although Voldemort has returned, life for Harry will maintain some sense of normalcy, with classes and Quidditch matches and the like. Why wouldn't that include crushes? I don't see the remaining three books following Harry around finding the dark forces every second of his day while ignoring school work, Quidditch, and whichever girl replaces Cho in his heart. As much fun as 'Harry leaves school to go after Voldemort' fics may be, I don't see it happening in canon.

Anyway, I'm sure this hasn't changed your mind, but it's my point of view. I'll respect yours and I ask that you respect mine. We H/G shippers are not stupid and we're not making something out of nothing (at least not the way we see it). We do have reasons and feelings for seeing things the way that we do. I promise, when all is said and done, if we're wrong, I personally will let you give me as many "I told you so's" as you like, and I will take it like a woman (mind you, my heart will be broken, but a promise is a promise).

***

Did JKR really say that Harry would get together with a girl who has been there since book 1? I feel more confident now that it will be Ginny since I can't honestly see it happen between H/H nor H/C after GoF.

I just see H/H as friends, and I was a H/C shipper until the scene in GoF when Harry told Ron that he had asked Cho to the Yule Ball and Ginny's reaction to it. That was when I realised that Ginny's crush had deepened rather than faded and I wanted Harry to notice the little redhead who was sitting beside him!
-
Fez

***

Evidence? Ginny's in the books for one of two reasons, in my sight. One, to get together with Harry, or two, to be killed off to fuel our hatred of Voldemort. And I can't see JKR being so cruel as to do the latter. Besides, "his eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad..." Anyone who comes up with a poem as clever as that deserves the hero. And she has red hair. And she's the seventh child (very magical)... but yes, I suppose those are all just my opinions, huh? *sigh*

- prettyannamoon

***

I'm sure you people have noticed this, and you've probably talked about it already, but I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about JK setting up Harry and Ginny to look pretty much like Lilly and James, what with Harry's "striking similarities" to James and Ginny's long red hair. Is this just some kind of interesting visual device, a clue to a Harry/Ginny relationship, or more sinister foreshadowing?

***

I am sure the similarities between Harry and Ginny and James and Lily are not coincidences. I don't think that history will repeat itself though i.e. Harry and Ginny dying like James and Lily (I really hope not!) IMO JKR is giving a clue to a future Harry/Ginny relationship :-) Yeah H/G!

***

Okay, so I was having this conversation with my father (who is simply great for debating fanfic ideas with, as he is a real devil's advocate at times!), and no matter what I said, I could simply not convince him that R/H, H/G was the way it's going to happen. He even said H/H was more likely! Grr!

He asked for specific quotes and evidence, and for the life of me I couldn't find any. Help?

***

One of my pet theories is the idea of a bond being created when one wizard saves another's life. And we know Harry saved Ginny's life... Granted this is not hard evidence. At the moment there is no "hard evidence" evidence for H/G in canon. He's hardly noticed she exists... But I think there are signs in the books that point to future H/G, and this is one of them. I've also argued on GT that it's actually Ron who saved Hermione from the troll, since he did the actual knocking out, while Harry merely distracted it. This means Ron and Hermione have the same sort of bond! (Note: I'm not arguing ship here, just being helpful. So I'm not infringing on the Creed.)

***

JK--do a search for Lilith True on ff.net. That's PrettyAnnaMoon's penname there and she did a wonderful job at collecting all the comments, evidence, from chat as well as the books and compiled them into an "ready-reference" for us.

- Paula

***

Actually, it's all quotes from chats. I still haven't gotten around to putting together all the canon evidence, because it's mostly in the way you read into it (even when it's blatantly obvious, some people still refuse to see the light). Which is why I stuck with the chats. You can also read into them, but it's harder, as they don't really have a style of their own.

The only things I can think of for Harry's view on Ginny (though I really don't think he sees her as more than Ron's sister - yet) is when Hagrid comments on Ginny's crush.

'"Said she was jus' lookin' round the grounds, but I reckon she was hopin' she might run inter someone else at my house." He winked at Harry. "If yeh ask me she wouldn' say no ter a signed - "
"Oh, shut up," said Harry.'

- prettyannamoon

***

If all the Sugarquill people support romantic tension, why are they such fans of Harry/Ginny?

Harry gets in trouble with the teachers every five steps but he is not particularly hot-tempered or aggressive if you ignore all the scenes with Malfoy. He is a lot like Mr. Weasley (forget the scene in Flourish and Blotts for now)

Ginny is alot like Mr. Weasley, too. She didn't explode at Ron when he insulted Neville, only embarrassed him a bit and she didn't go nuts at Draco, though he was extremely rude to her at Valentine's Day and at Diagon Alley. She inherited some of Ron's sarcasm which shows on Hogwarts Express, but not his temper. Okay, the books are from Harry's point of view but he would have noticed similarities between Ron and his little sister after four years, right?

Both are peaceful types so 'romantic tension' and 'opposites attract' do not work here. If they will ever get together, it will be a romance based on respect and friendship, just like the one Harry/Hermione shippers envision.

***

I'm not Dr. C but I'll try to explain this anyway...

Harry gets in trouble with the teachers every five steps but he is not particularly hot-tempered or aggressive if you ignore all the scenes with Malfoy. He is a lot like Mr. Weasley (forget the scene in Flourish and Blotts for now)

I don't really feel that Harry is like Arthur. Harry's got a temper on him to be sure, it's just not as evident as Ron's is.

Ginny is a lot like Mr. Weasley, too. She didn't explode at Ron when he insulted Neville, only embarrassed him a bit and she didn't go nuts at Draco, though he was extremely rude to her at Valentine's Day and at Diagon Alley. She inherited some of Ron's sarcasm which shows on Hogwarts Express, but not his temper. Okay, the books are from Harry's point of view but he would have noticed similarities between Ron and his little sister after four years, right?

When did Ron insult Neville? And as for Ginny, we still do not know that much about her to say whether she's got a temper like Ron or not. The fact is, seeing as how we are viewing Ginny as Harry sees her, and we know that Ginny has a crush on Harry, our perceptions of her are coloured by that. She's hardly going to throw a temper tantrum in front of her crush. Who's to say she's not exerting all the self-control in the world to keep her temper in check when around Harry? Especially when around her pesky brothers? And no, Harry hardly notices that much about Ginny; he doesn't hang around her long enough to notice any similarities between her and Ron, if they're are any.

The thing is, we do believe that Ginny does have a temper, it's pretty hard not to be the youngest and only girl out of seven kids to *not* have a temper. Combined with the Weasley hair...and you've got a potential firecracker there. I can only say this out of experience, I'm the youngest of three girls, and my temper is the worst.

Both are peaceful types so 'romantic tension' and 'opposites attract' do not work here. If they will ever get together, it will be a romance based on respect and friendship, just like the one Harry/Hermione shippers envision.

There's all sorts of tension to be had in the H/G relationship. There's a thread on W.A.I.L about Ron's possible (and I say pending) reaction to a relationship between his sister and best friend.

But like what was said earlier, us H/G shippers just rely on our own gut instinct. I was H/G from the moment Ginny squealed in the kitchen, and had been ever since. It was a bonus for me to find that JKR was working on a relationship between Ron and Hermione.

***

Jadwisz, in response to your question about how this fits in with a support of H/G: the key point there is that Harry doesn't have romantic feelings for Ginny... yet. To be an H/G shipper doesn't mean that one thinks Harry likes Ginny now, only that he probably will notice her before the series is out. If Ginny becomes a bigger part of Harry's life in Book 5 and he still doesn't have any kind of emotional reaction to her, then I will reconsider my views on the subject. Thus far, he's had only minimal interaction with her, and so I don't think H/G can really be proven yes or no; all we can say is that Ginny is the only girl in Harry's life with whom there's no real reason why it couldn't happen. I think it will; but that's only an educated guess based on how JKR has brought Ginny into the story so far. R/H, on the other hand, is much more certain.

***

Why it works (WORX) in terms of the story

I'm an H/G fan, absolutely convinced of their plausibility (and suitability) since CoS. And let me tell you it's been hard to be an H/G shipper. R/H fans have their share of problems, but at least they have GoF. They have JKR flat out saying that H/H are platonic and that GoF explains Hermione's feelings for Ron. They have four books of seeing Ron and Hermione in action, in the glory of all their personality quirks, and tons of places to refer back to in supporting their arguments and developing their relationship. And even if there are those who absolutely refuse to see R/H, the arguments focus has shifted from trying to "prove" that R/H exists to defending their legitimacy from detractors.

Not so with H/G. What do we have? An unrequited crush and a vaguely defined personality on the part of our "heroine." An oblivious hero with his own crush on someone else. They hardly interact, and when they do, it's usually to Ginny's disadvantage. We can't even really say "Ginny would be a good match for Harry because she's got such-and-such, etc." Oh brother. Basically, we don't have the normal forms of recourse to defend our position. We have to take a lot on faith. But even saying that I still think that we've been given enough encouragement to keep from being seen as completely out of our minds.

Much of my "textual" support for this couple comes from what I can derive of Ginny's character. Because Ginny is used so sparingly, a lot of her little moments have added significance. Her crush is very significant, in my opinion. It's funny in CoS, for starters, but then it lasts through PoA and GoF, which from a plot standpoint is unnecessary except to establish that Ginny 1) still has a thing for Harry and 2) her feelings are still very strong. So you know she's not shallow. The descriptions of her interactions with Harry also evolve, so you know that she's not still caught up in hero-worship but has a real regard for him. And even as early as CoS, Ginny was observant of Harry's character, as when she openly defended Harry in the bookstore against Draco. She has guts - that and the singing Valentine support it. But even as strong as her feelings are, she didn't dump Neville when the opportunity came up to go to the Yule Ball with Harry, nor betray Hermione's secret to Ron. So she's got tact, and honor, and enough self-respect not to hang all over Harry when the opportunity permitted (more so than I had at that age). And she's good natured and nice. I think by these examples JKR has been quietly developing Ginny's personality so that when she does pull her more into the spotlight, it will help explain Ginny's compatibility with Harry. Because if Ginny's feelings for Harry aren't ultimately important in the entire series - then why does JKR keep bringing them back? I don't agree that it's just for laughs. There are other things, too, but for me Ginny's crush definitely puts her in solid running as Harry's main love interest - even if *he* doesn't realize it - yet!

Of course, I really like Ginny. She's so easy to sympathize with. I find the embarrassing moments from her crush hilarious and believable. And Harry really does behave like a gentleman about it, too. He could be a real jerk about it, but he's not. I don't feel a burning need to smack him 'round the head for not noticing her just yet... well, not yet.

Anyway, JKR started this series already knowing the ending. She already had a plan as to whom Harry would end up with, and even if this isn't the main focus of the story, I can't imagine she would leave this to chance. And on that score I think she's been leaving enough hints in the stories to point us in the direction of a Harry/Ginny pairing, and I have faith in her ability as an author to show how H/G would work out believably. And really, I could eat my cleats if it doesn't work out this way.

- Sinistra M.

***

Ginny just seemed to stick out like a sore thumb from a narrative standpoint. It seemed to me that her character was created from day one to be with Harry eventually. I'm going by things like the fact that Ginny has been completely superfluous to the story up until now. That's not economical writing to have characters hang around for no good reason. I know, I know, there's Chamber of Secrets, but that just serves to bolster my ship. Tom Riddle's victim didn't have to be Ginny - it really could have been anyone, except that JKR wanted to set the stage for a kindred spirit for Harry. I also think her benign neglect of her is very deliberate. She’s letting her grow up slowly off camera so that when she does show up as a potential love interest, it won't be such a jolt for people that can only think of her as the squealing little girl with the big brown eyes.

- Sue

***

The story of Harry Potter is the story of a boy in search of family. We see in the Mirror in book 1 that Harry's greatest desire is to see his parents and other relatives, which of course he can't have. If Harry were to die, or if he were to go off into the world as a single guy at the end of the series, that would leave his chief desire in life unfulfilled, and, in my mind, would fail to properly complete the story. But the slow, steady direction of the books seems to be toward finding a different fulfillment of the desire for family, one that is oriented not toward the past-- of which JKR would disapprove-- but toward the future. It is at the Burrow that Harry first feels like he's found a home, and it is Molly who comes to replace the motherly affection that he wishes he could have gotten from Lily. In my view, Sirius is as much a "false hope of family" as Cho was a "false hope of romance." But for Harry to find romance with Ginny and (thereby) family with Arthur and Molly and the rest of them... I really think that's going to be the real thing. Call it OBHWF if you like, but I really think that's where JKR's going with it.

- Dr. Cornelius

***

Hero Worship, or something else?

Being a H/G'er, I don't believe in the "She likes him because he is The Boy Who Lived" reason, and I'm sure most people here agree with me that Ginny sees more to Harry than just his scar. But they don't interact with each other much from what we've seen, and that Ginny herself, must know Harry only sees her as "Ron's Little Sister". So what keeps Ginny going? Continuing liking Harry when she perfectly knows that she may never have a chance with him? (from the reaction she got when she knew Harry asked Cho to the Yule Ball, we can assume that she still has a thing our hero)

I've been thinking about this and I have some possible answers. But I want to hear someone else's first. Care to share???

- Suki

***

I understand where you're coming from with this question, though! My thought is, Ginny probably heard about The Boy Who Lived nonstop when she was growing up, and after she got to know him a little bit better and he became a good friend of the family, her childhood adoration for him gradually became a deeper and more serious crush. I also find it sweet that her affections for Harry are still strong after all this time.

Another thing I wanted to mention is that you can't always control who you like, or how long you have a crush on them. I'm not saying Ginny's attraction to Harry is purely physical, because she doesn't seem like the type to judge someone based on looks (and that explanation wouldn't make any sense!). But if you have feelings for someone, you can't just shut them off. I'm sure Ginny doesn't like making a fool out of herself around Harry, but she can't ignore the fact that she likes him, and I think that's what keeps her going. She's just got to hold out long enough for old Harry to open his eyes and notice she's there.

- Vespertine

***

Part of me agrees that it probably was a bit of hero worship at first, which slowly grew into admiration for 'just' Harry.

But then another part says there's more to it, that it's destiny. I love Zsenya's story, 'A Mother's Spell', for this very reason. And I really hope JKR has a similar reason. The thing I would love for Ginny to see in the mirror of Erised is herself, and Harry, and no scar.

- prettyannamoon

***

Ginny's crush on Harry is worth closer inspection. Does she like him for being "The Boy Who Lived" or for himself? There is her Valentine ... well, we don't know if it is from her but Ginny runs away when Malfoy tells her it didn't look like Harry appreciated it and of course she sends Harry a get-well card in PoA. The Valentine seems to be evidence for Ginny liking "The Boy Who Lived" but I see the get-well card more as a caring gesture, after all he gets it after falling of his broom in a Quidditch match. Not something you would see a girl with a crush on a hero do. Aah, she is liking Harry for himself ... based on a card that sings shrilly ... I can provide better evidence (IMHO) from CoS:

Quote:

' Famous Harry Potter,' said Malfoy. 'Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page.'
'Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!' said Ginny. It was the first time she had spoken in front of Harry.

She seems to know that Harry doesn't like his fame ... pretty insightful for an eleven year old, right? Enough about the crush or else I will start counting the reasons why I see H/G happening

- Hildigunnur

***

Second, Ginny would not look at Harry twice if it wasn't for his broom and his scar. She does not care about him at all and if she does it's not that way.

I've seen this "Ginny only likes Harry because of his scar" line one too many times recently not to say anything. Do you honestly think that JKR would make Ginny be that shallow? I don't.

Besides, she has not shown any interest in him at all since Book Two. As for the Yule Ball, she was just disappointed at being stuck with Neville.

Uh...well, we have her blushing furiously at the beginning of PoA when Harry meets up with the Weasleys, we have the "get well card" that Ginny sent Harry when he fell of the Nimbus 2000, which "sang so shrilly that Harry had to keep it under a bowl of fruit," (yes, for some reason I have that part memorised), and we have her once again blushing when she sees Harry in GoF. All of these still speak to me as having an interest in Harry.

As for her "being stuck with Neville", once again I *refuse* to believe that JKR would make Ginny that shallow. I've always interpreted that scene as one of the strong points of Ginny's character. Harry needed a date to the ball, Ginny had just made one with Neville. Someone who was just interested in Harry because of "his broomstick and scar" would have dumped Neville in a heartbeat and gone with Harry. That would have been the action I'd expect to see from someone who was just interested in Harry because of his "scar."

Ginny, however does not do that. She goes with Neville, despite the fact that she probably suffered from sore feet for a week.

Some people say 'He fought a huge vicious monster to save her so he must have some interest'
Well, he fought a huge vicious monster to save Hermione and Ron but no one makes any conclusions from that.

LOL, I believe the H/H-ers would disagree.

- Paula

***

I'm not a *huge* G/H shipper, but "she just likes him because of his scar" seriously bothers me. Ginny was brought up in the same family as Ron -- i.e., without much money and with parents who taught her acceptance. It doesn't sound like a place where fame is something that's really valued -- neither fame nor nice stuff. Yeah, Ginny's crush in Book 1 was more on Harry's scar then on Harry himself, but after that I think she saw him as a truly good person. I also think Ginny's crush on Harry is dying gradually off. I'm not sure if I buy in to the whole "Ginny Survived Voldemort" thing -- she survived his memory, not Avada Kedavra, but I do agree that Ginny and Harry have a special bond.

- Alanna Granger

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Ginny vs. Cho

Do you ever think that Harry will go out with Cho?? I think he might but what does everybody else think, do you think he has a chance with her? If not who? Reply.

- Mike

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Well, the popular consensus around here is that Harry and Ginny will be an item. Personally, I think that's wishful thinking, but the pairing does make for great fanfiction (especially the ones here at Sugarquill).

But who knows? Rowling said that Ginny will have a bigger part in the future. Maybe H/G shippers wishes might be fulfilled after all...

- Vapid

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I think that harry will get cho because now that cedric is gone there is no one to get in his way so now he can ask her to go with him to the library or something and we all know that cho likes harry as much as harry likes her.
But I think that in the 6th book he will get with ginny and stay withh her till the end.

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Do we? I've never seen it. I think that Cho has the same sort of admiration for Harry that everyone else does, you know "gee.. he saved the world from evil domination". She probably thinks that he's cute for having asked her to the Yule Ball... but I've never seen alot in the way of mutual feelings.

Ginny... I love Ginny, she's my favourite character... one of them, anyhow. I think Ginny and Harry is a very cute idea. But it doesn't seem extremely likely. I think t hat Harry may just end up single, but who knows.

There's always Parvati.

- Asia Elizabeth

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I'd be very surprised if Harry and Cho ended up dating, simply because she and Cedric were together and Harry feels responsible for his death. I think it would just be too much of a reminder for him. (I think Dr. Cornelius talks about this in Harry Potter, Prisoner of Azkaban.) Anyway, I'm rooting for Harry/Ginny, although I think that if it happens it will be very late in the series, most likely Book 7. I don't think that girls are going to be much of a priority to Harry, not when he's off fighting Voldemort.

- Emily

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I agree with Asia - Cho is just a very friendly person. I think it's kind of obvious that Harry has a crush on her and she's just being polite. You also have to remember she is 15 in GoF, whereas Harry is 14 and Cedric was 17. Remembering what it was like to be 15 (however long ago that may have been)I really don't think she was pining after Harry while going out with Cedric. Cedric's death makes it even less likely that Harry will ever end up with Cho, rather than having it be a way to clear the path for Harry. And to repeat a common fact, JKR has already said that they all like the wrong people in Book 4, implying Cho is the wrong person for Harry.

I've seen a lot of people post that Harry may just be single the whole time he's at Hogwarts, but I also don't think that's very likely. Someone asked JKR whether Ron would ever get a girlfriend and she responded "And why wouldn't he?" (or something of that nature). [Insert by Zsenya 5/25/2003: The actual quote is: Yahooligan_Brian asks: Will Ron ever get a girlfriend?
Jkrowling_bn: I'm laughing again... why wouldn't he?! Though he's not doing too well at the moment, is he? But then, Fleur Delacour was really aiming a bit high."] I know she was talking about Ron, but I don't see why the same thing wouldn't apply to Harry. Yes, he has a lot to keep him busy saving the world, but why would JKR even bring crushes and the like into the books if nothing ever comes out of it? It would have been perfectly easy and understandable to never bring the whole romance cloud into the books at all, but JKR has already chosen not to go that route. She's established that Harry is a normal teenage boy with hormones since at least book 3 (the beginnings of the Cho crush). I don't see the books revolving around Harry's dating life, or Harry even having a normal teenage dating life, but I'm confident that JKR will give Harry something to distract him occasionally. GoF proves she can do it without having it take over the storyline.

Having said all that, I still believe Ginny has the best shot (at least by the end of Book 7). Vapid, while I respect your opinion, I don't really think it's just wishful thinking. I actually agreed with you at first, but the more I think about (overanalyze is a better word), and the more I read what JKR says in her interviews, the more likely it seems. I'm sure whatever role Ginny has in Book 5 will go a long way in either supporting or totally destroying my theory. Now if it were only out sooner....

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I just couldn't keep my nose out of this conversation.

My opinion: No, I don't think Harry is going to end up with Cho. And I don't think she has ever liked in any romantic sense. As other people have said, she strikes me as a very nice and considerate person, which I think is most of the reason behind her behavior to Harry. Also, there's the fact that she probably noticed Harry's infatuation with her. Let's be honest, our dear Harry wasn't exactly being the most subtle, slopping water all over himself, smiling stupidly at her at every opportunity. Hey, that's part of having a crush at 14! And I think that any 15 year old girl would be flattered by the idea that someone with Harry's fame would have a crush on them. Add in the fact that Harry's younger than she is, and that just all sums up to: cute. She probably thinks he's very sweet, and that his entire infatuation with her is very cute, and so she goes out of her way to be nice to him.

As for something developing between them after Cedric's death; not likely, in my opinion. It seems pretty obvious that Cho really cared for Cedric, and you don't just bounce back from having someone you cared about murdered. She's not going to come back to school in three months' time and just be thinking, "Okee, three months is more than enough time to get over Cedric's death, and now I'm on the prowl for a new honey!" And while I don't think that Cho will be blaming Harry for what happened (as we've already seen how considerate she is), I doubt she'd be very interested in dating the guy who lived when her boyfriend died. And as for Harry - I don't think he's going to be getting over Cedric's death any more than Cho will. It would always be something between them.

As for the Harry/Ginny possiblity - I do think this is a possibility, but I can't justify this with "proof" from the canon. All I can say is that a Harry/Ginny pairing would fit with the logical process that goes into plotting a story. Ummm... let me explain myself a little bit clearer. Ginny, like Neville, is a character that we've seen since the beginning of the story. And, like Neville, she's acquiring depth in pieces, bit by bit in each book. It seems obvious that she has a larger role coming up in the story (and JK has confirmed this when talking about Book 5), so that means that she will, in one fashion or another, draw more of Harry's attention, considering the books are all told from Harry's POV. Ginny has a lot of potential for "greatness" in the story, as she has already been involved in big events; I'm sure that everything that happened in CoS will have ramifications later. She has already been introduced as a character *involved* in the action and drama of the overall "battle", which is not something we can say for Cho or Parvati or Padma or any other girl who may serve as a potential love interest for Harry. (Then, of course, you can consider that Cho won't even be at Hogwarts during Harry's last year, whereas Ginny will.) Ginny's character has been set up for larger things - it's all in the story structure. She's introduced from the very beginning as someone with affection for Harry, and that's a continuing fact throughout all the stories, and there have been no signs to indicate that it will change. Speaking from an author's standpoint, the use of such a character device almost always has specifically intended results. So either Ginny is going to be there giving Harry all of her affection and support until the very end, probably doing something heroic or admirable to help him, while her love goes completely unrequited..... or Harry's eventually going to reciprocate.

Agh, I'm probably getting really tedious, so I'll cut this short. Yes, I confess, I'm a Harry/Ginny romantic... but I also think it's the most logical pairing, as far as *both* story structure and character are concerned. And now, I think, I'll just be quiet.

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Y'know, I don't really see Harry with *anybody.* I suppose it'll have to happen sooner or later, but I've always kind of seen him as a loner where girls were concerned. I mean, he doesn't really talk to anyone else but Hermione. He liked Cho, but I think part of the draw was that, even before the Cho/Cedric thing, she was rather unaccesable. But I don't know.

If he has to be with anyone, I suppose I'll agree with nearly everyone else and say Harry/Ginny. I think Ginny comes closest to a good match because of that mess back in the Chamber of Secrets... she very intimatly understands Tom Riddle, or Voldemort, and what he can do. I think that's going to be an important element with anyone Harry forms a relationship with.

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I'm surprised how many people remain unconvinced that Harry and Ginny will end up together! Although I freely admit to a strong H/G bias, I think there is a wealth of evidence to support this theory, as others here have pointed out, and JKR's comment in the latest chat clinches it for me. Ginny has been there from the start and she's always had feelings for Harry--even if they began as a silly crush I'd wager they're serious now, although she may not believe they'll ever be returned. Plus, she's "faced" Voldemort, too, in CoS, and JKR has indicated that she'll play an even larger role in the future. Personally, I'd like to think Ginny has inherited her mother's ability to resemble a saber-toothed tiger, and I hope we get to see her version of the Weasley temper come out in Book 5 while helping Harry fight the forces of Dark. We know the other Weasleys are going to be right in there with him, and Ginny is no exception.

As for Cho, well, JKR has said that in Book 4 everyone goes for the wrong person. Since we R/H fans were spot on in our theory about the Krum angle ("The answer to that is in Book 4!", right, Zsenya? ), it seems likely we're right in picking up on the H/G clues, too. I don't think it can be much clearer that Ron's crush on Fleur and Harry's on Cho were nothing more than overactive hormones. After all, Harry admits he doesn't even know Cho very well, and the first time he notices her it's because of her looks. But what about Cho's feelings for Harry? She's always very friendly to him, yes, but that's as far as it goes. Like Cedric, Cho is simply a very considerate and decent person. She can tell Harry likes her (he's so painfully obvious about it, bless him) and is nice enough to be flattered and try not to hurt him, but nothing more.

Going on to the Cedric angle...We know he was in love with Cho. In the Second Task she was the thing he'd miss the most, and throughout the book there is evidence of his devotion to her (he asked her to the Yule Ball and held hands with her in the halls). Did Cho return his feelings? I think one only has to read the description of her reaction during Dumbledore's end of the year speech to figure that one out. For me, the fact that these two fundamentally good and innocent people were torn apart by Voldemort adds another whole level of pain to Cedric's death. But whether Cho truly loved Cedric or merely "liked" him is irrelevant in terms of any potential relationship with Harry. And not because Harry feels guilty about Cedric (though this may help end his crush more abruptly than it would have faded otherwise) or because Cho will blame him, either. We've seen enough of her to know she isn't that kind of person. But the truth is that Harry and Cho aren't right for each other. All they really have in common is Quidditch and Cedric, hardly a solid foundation for true love. Besides, at the risk of being overly simplistic about House characteristics, Harry needs an equally brave partner to support him in the upcoming battles, so as a fellow Gryffindor Ginny is the most likely choice. We may have to wait a while before this actually develops (as Harry and Ron are both "idiot boys" it will take them some time to see what's right under their noses), but never doubt that it will. JKR has left too many clues to ignore. Maybe Ginny will quietly support Harry as a friend like Ron and Hermione, all the while continuing to hide her feelings for him, until Book 7 (I hope not!), or maybe Harry will wake up and notice her a bit sooner, but I'm confident we'll be seeing a lot more of the youngest Weasley from here on in. Ginny and Harry WILL be in love before the books are over. My only fear is that this won't stop JKR from killing one or both of them off--horrors! She can't possibly be that cruel, can she? It wouldn't be on!

OK, I've ranted long enough and gotten myself into an anxiety tizzy. I'll stop now.

~Winky, who thinks Ginny is one of the best characters ever written

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I don't think [Harry’s crush on Cho] was gratuitous. Ginny's has been prolonged throughout four books, while Harry's crush has only been evident partway through PoA and in GoF (and I can't see him holding carrying a flame for Cho after Cedric's death. I think that crush is dead in the water). I have a feeling JKR is leading up to something with Ginny, and I don't think she would prolong her feelings for Harry 'just because.' That would be unfair to Ginny's evolving character, and ultimately, gratuitous.

Back to the question...Why show Harry's crush on Cho? Personally, I think JKR showed Harry's crush on Cho to 1) demonstrate that he is a normal boy with working hormones, 2) to add depth to the story and pack a more resounding punch with Cedric's death. If Harry had not had feelings for Cho and expressed jealousy towards Cedric, his death would not have resounded as powerfully as it did in the story; we simply would not have known much about Cedric at all.

- Gracie Kat

Happily Ever After

Does Harry notice Ginny?

I find it interesting that people claim Harry does not notice Ginny. Granted he doesn't think about her in a romantic sense so far, but is it fair to say he doesn't notice her at all? The books being for the most part from his point of view (except the first chapter of PS/SS, the Quidditch matches in the first book, a bit of the troll scene, and the first chapter of GoF) should make it clear that he actually does notice Ginny to an extent.

I especially like this passage from CoS: "[Ginny] nodded, blushing to the roots of her flaming hair, and put her elbow in the butter dish. Fortunately no one saw this except Harry, because just then Ron's elder brother Percy walked in."

It seems to me he's noticing her here, while no one else is. Percy seems to be enough to distract the rest of the family, but not Harry...

This is not the extent to which we would like him to notice her yet, but it's a start.

- Anne

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I read a bunch of H/G posts and I'm always amazed because I never, never see this brought up and I don't understand why. I'm not even a rabid H/G shipper, but I think that's what's being set up, and here's one of the reasons why.

People say that Harry doesn't notice Ginny yet. Well, in CoS, when trolls are delivering valentines...

Hot all over at the thought of being given a valentine in front of a line of first years, which happened to include Ginny Weasley, Harry tried to escape. (emphasis added)--CoS, American version, HC, pg. 237

Now, I'm not saying that Harry's been falling all over himself in Ginny-lust since second year, but he most definitely noticed her. Why? Maybe because he knows about her crush and doesn't want her to be hurt by someone else giving him a valentine. Maybe he suspects it's from her. Either way, he noticed her. Harry noticed Ginny back when he was 12.

On the valentine note, we all realize that we only have Draco's word for the fact that's it's from Ginny, don't we? He called out, "I don't think Potter liked your valentine much!" Now, how did Draco know Ginny wrote it? Did she tell him? Or was he lying about that, just to hurt Ginny's feelings and embarrass Harry?

Well, something to consider.

My last point (and my post was just going to be that first one. Guess I'm more a H/G fan than I thought!) is that at the very end, Harry asks Ginny what she saw Percy doing and Ginny doesn't stutter or drop anything or anything like that. She just giggles and answers that Percy has a girlfriend. Sounds like Ginny's matured some.

- alphabet

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How and when will H/G happen?

I've read lots and lots of fan-fics where one or both of the girls become incredibly beautiful over a summer, especially Hermione. The fics say things like "Hermione had become incredible beautiful over the summer. She straightened her hair and started wearing make-up. She was also incredible slender and had a curvy figure. Ron and Harry gaped as she stepped into Diagon Alley." Or, in Ginny's case, "Harry was amazed. Ginny had really grown-up over the summer. Her figure had filled out, and her huge green eyes were set into her creamy skin. Her long red hair was glossy. Everyone was in love with her. Harry was shocked to see how little Ginny had grown-up." These fics make me mad, simply because they base Ron/Harry's feelings for Hermione/Ginny on looks alone. Ron is ALREADY in love with Hermione, despite her bushy hair (which I myself am very partial to.)
And when Harry falls for Ginny, it will be because she's a wonderful, charming person, not because she's beautiful. At least that’s what I hope. I'll be very dismayed if Hermione and Ginny become beauty queens. Any thoughts?

- Emily

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Oh, Emily, I agree with you! One of the reasons I love R/H is just what you said--Ron is *already* attracted to Hermione for who she is, not for what she looks like. And why do all those H/H fics make Hermione straighten her hair? What, she can't be pretty with bushy hair?

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I don't think it's so much that they suddenly become pretty, I think it's just that the boys will suddenly notice them as girls (as Ron finally did about Hermione) and then they will realize how beautiful they are not just on the outside, but on the inside.

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One possibility is that many stories that over-emphasize such transformations may be the product of young (early-teen or pre-teen) writers who subconsciously hope that "growing up" may hold some miraculous surprise in store.

I can certainly remember being a scrawny junior-high boy and teasing myself with the irrational hope of suddenly growing up and becoming a great athlete. (It didn't happen, of course. I did eventually become captain of my high-school chess team, but that's not quite the same thing!) And so I can certainly understand how the idea of a "sudden transformation into a beauty queen" could appeal to a young girl just as easily.

In any case, if anyone 14 or younger out there is reading this (whether male or female): Trust me, growing up doesn't work like that! More or less nobody becomes the person they fantasize about being. But little by little, changes do occur: You get mistaken for your same-sex parent on the telephone, some kid calls you "sir" or "ma'am", and so forth. And slowly but surely you come to realize, "Well, I guess this is the sort of person that I'm going to be; might as well make the best of it."

And so-- getting back to the stories-- Ginny is not going to stun the Famous Harry Potter with her suddenly-mature beauty. Likewise, Ron is not (I don't think) going to be the Quidditch Captain and Head Boy that he's dreamed of being, any more than Harry is going to get his parents and grandparents back. But I do expect that all of them will have their desires slowly altered to conform to reality. And, as I've posted before, it remains my hope that the series will end with Harry and Ron (and hopefully Ginny and Hermione with them) looking into the Mirror of Erised... and seeing themselves exactly as they are.

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Well said Doctor C, and right on Emily, for creating this topic!

I too have a problem with those fics that make everyone out to be glamorous (and it's not just the kids doing this)and one of the reasons that I think I like Ron so much is because he does obviously like Hermione, no matter what she looks like - he doesn't even notice her teeth for a month!

With Ginny, I can certainly see Harry being a bit in awe because I think he does really think of her as a little girl, and one day (we hope) he's going to be like "wow! she's not a kid anymore" but I don't think it will be because of her dazzling gorgeousness.

To add to what Doctor C said - I could still list all the things I hated about myself when I was 14. The list is much smaller now and I didn't do a whole lot except grow up. You don't magically, physically change overnight, but you do become more confident and self-assured, and that makes a difference.

And, as someone with extremely bushy hair, I hope Hermione never straightens hers. I hated mine until I was 18 - but now I quite enjoy it!

- Zsenya

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OK guys- I'm getting a little bit tired of all of these Harry-turns-around-and-has-a-sudden-epiphany-that-Ginny-is-the-woman-of-his-dreams fics. I'm not pointing any fingers, I've had loads of trouble with this too.
So my question is: How can JKR have Harry gracefully notice Ginny? We're all so set on the idea of this- but is it truly realistic? (*ducks from flying objects)
There is the issue of Harry being Ron's best friend, and Ginny being Ron's little sister- bit of an uncomfortable situation. Plus, Harry has seen Ginny as the star struck little sister for four years now- can he get past that?
Hermione and Ron is going to happen- no questions, I just have more trouble seeing this one. Don't worry- I'm still hoping for it through and through, and seeing as how JKR is a genius I'm sure she'll figure something out. I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas about this.

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Ummmm. If things turn darker in coming books, and I'm pretty sure they are going to, then maybe everyone will be forced to grow up at a faster rate then normal. Maybe Ginny will do something heroic? That way, even little Ginny will be regarded as an adult in other people's eyes. Though probably not so much in her own family's. A baby seems to stay the baby of the family forever, (even in their 30's). However, I still think that despite the "yuck" factor, Ron and Co. should be happy that a nice boy like Harry likes their sister.

If a war breaks out, normality will be a luxury most people can't afford. Anything could happen to bring Harry and Ginny together. I hope it isn't a great tragedy, though.

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I would love, love, love it if Ginny came to the fore via heroism, instead of victim-hood. She seems like a spunky (if you'll forgive the word) forceful kid, except when she's around Harry. Her valentine was hilarious. As someone who has her unfortunate knack for being a normally confident person who falls to pieces when faced with someone they're attracted to ... well, lets just say it would fullfill a lot of fantasies of mine if she could kick some ass in the presence of her beloved.

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Right on, SydPad!

I definitely agree with everything you guys have said. It would be SO much more exciting if she did something herioc. Like you all said, the family/Harry view Ginny as a little girl, and I believe only Hermione thinks otherwise. Even though, when you think about it, we can see that Ginny must be pretty strong even in CoS, when she was at her "lowest" or "weakest" points.

Why? Well, remember when she was approaching Harry and Ron in CoS and was trying to tell them about Slytherin's heir, and Percy interrupted her? Well, let's think about it. It took her a long time to suspect that she might be the heir - say, the end of the book? And at that time, Tom Riddle had pretty much taken over her entire mind and was almost into the shimmery self Harry meets in the chamber. That would mean she would be fighting against Voldemort in what was probably an imperius spell and almost succeeded. This is an untried, eleven year old girl, fighting and succeeding for a short while to get out of an imperius curse by Voldemort. I'm sorry if I keep repeating myself, I just think it's amazing that she actually survived, even if she did end up like the victim.

I think that's what so great about Ginny's character and Harry's together...Harry has so many remarkable abilities and so much strength, buried inside of him, that's been shoved into the spotlight despite his wishes; Ginny, on the other hand, hides her abilities so deep, that they would contrast each other and eventually being together would perhaps even it out.

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Well, first of all, if JKR lets Harry visit the Burrow in the summers, then he will have more exposure to Ginny there. I can see Hermione, anxious for female companionship, try to draw Ginny into their trio. And if there is a full-fledged war, I can also see life at Hogwarts becoming disrupted in some way (maybe students are removed, etc. etc.) . I hope that he and Ginny have a strong relationshop based on friendship before anything romantic happens. I have no doubt that Ginny can fight with the best of them - she's a Weasley and look how strong she was at age 11. I actually can't see Harry noticing anyone romantically while Voldemort is around. He's seen Cho's reaction to Cedric's death and I feel sure that he won't want to risk that happening to anyone that he loves. So, unless Harry dies at the end of Book 7, I can't really even see a romantic G/H relationship until after the defeat of Voldemort. I can see him walking around in denial. That's not to say that I don't love the fanfiction where they fall in love before that - I think it would be wonderful for Harry to have that kind of support and understanding throughout a war.

I guess we have to see what happens in Book 5. If Ginny is written to be sort of spunky and brave, I could maybe see her NOT letting Harry ignore her.

And, of course, there's always injury - pain and suffering seem to bring people closer together...

- Zsenya

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Still don't like H/G though, because if she and Harry get together, it would seem too... perfect. I mean, Harry has shown NO interest in her at all, for 4 years. If he suddenly turns around and notices her, after FOUR years of ignoring her, and Ginny just accepts the whole thing because of her crush, well, to put it mildly, I wouldn't like it.

Have you no faith in JKR? Come now, would she really just have Harry suddenly turn around and notice her? Very unlikely. She'll no doubt have a brilliant plot line to bring Harry and Ginny together. And as I've said before, of course Harry has never noticed Ginny. (You're not in the Cho camp, are you?) But to say that Ginny should hold that against him is a bit much. Should he have liked her at age 11? Now, that I wouldn't have liked. And why would their relationship be too perfect? They'd have problems like any couple.

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Dumbledore tells us that a wizard cannot ignore a life debt. We're always using this to come up with theories about Pettigrew. But what about Ginny? Harry did save her life. According to this, she owes him. I can't wait to see where JKR goes with this.

As for H/G being too perfect? Do you mean perfect as in OBHWF (One Big Happy Weasley Family) perfect or as in the perfect couple with the perfect relationship. If you mean the latter, I have to disagree. Of course they wouldn't have the same tempestuous relationship as R/H, but I don't think everything would be wine and roses. Especially since Harry has major issues to deal with. If you were referring to the OBHWF, well yeah it fits nicely but I like it - and who am I to disagree with JKR?

My personal hope is that Ginny goes to a dance or ball (you know they are going to have more!) with some stud we haven't really heard about yet. When she's not staring at him anymore, then he'll notice. IMO, Harry needs something (in the form of a large, handsome boy that is paying attention to Ginny) to jolt him out of his little self-involved world.

- Moey

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I definatly agree that there will be some plot line that will bring Harry and Ginny together, but I'm not sure how big it'll be.

If he startes to notice her in, say, the begining of book five, I think JKR will have him notice her in little bits. For instance, before if Ginny was in the room it was written just like that: "Ginny was in the room." But now it may be something like, "Ginny was sitting in the chair opposite Harry in the room." But she won't make it sound like Harry suddenly turns around and there is this beautiful goddess, like "Ginny was sitting in the chair across from him like a queen in her throne and Harry couldn't believe he had never noticed her before." And then later in the book he might notice more like, "Ginny was pulling her hair up in a pony tail." Again, JKR will word it so it won't be "Ginny was pulling her fire-red hair, which glimmered and shone in the light like gold, into a delicate ponytail with her gracefull fingers." See the difference?

That's my theory anyway.

- Becky

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Does anyone else like the idea of having implicit H/G only in the actual "story" part of the books, but having H/G firmed up in the epilogue? Somehow, that's the way I see it happening. I see them becoming closer friends in books five and six, and perhaps Harry starts to become aware of his feelings in book 7, but I just CAN NOT imagine him doing the teen "dating" thing until after Voldemort is destroyed.

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Yes! That's what I see happening too! Despite any 'raging' hormones running amock at Hogwarts, I don't see Harry doing any actual, real, honest-to-goodness dating. If JKR does manage giving Harry a date and it's with Ginny, I'll be really, really surprised. If JKR does manage to make Harry go on a date and it's NOT with Ginny, I'll be somewhat surprised.

She said the romance in the later books will be 'humorous' and I see an R/H romance fitting that pattern, and if Harry is just beginning to 'notice' Ginny, Harry coming to terms with it could be quite humourous as well.

Besides, she DID say that Ron will get a 'girlfriend' but never actually mentions Harry by name as getting one, as far as I know.

I also agree with whoever said that they can't see Harry with anyone else but Ginny, or alone if he's not going to be with her. But I don't want Harry to end up alone, if he survives, so Ginny is my choice and hopefully JKR's.

- Firoza

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Ron’s Reaction to H/G

In H/G fanfics, it generally seems to be taken as a given that Ron will be uncomfortable if (excuse me, make that "when") Harry starts to take an interest in Ginny. However, this seems to be based not on anything we've actually seen from Ron in the books, but only on the general principle that "no teenage boy wants his best friend to date his little sister".

Certainly we know that Ginny's interest in Harry doesn't bother Ron at all. In CoS, he seemed to think it was kind of funny ("Harry! I think Myrtle's grown fond of you! You've got competition, Ginny!"). And in GoF, he even (although under emergency circumstances) tried to arrange for Harry to take Ginny to the Ball. If he has any feelings of "I hope Harry doesn't start to fancy my sister", we've seen no evidence of them so far.

So I'd be interested in all your opinions here. Will H/G really not bother Ron? Or is it just that he hasn't seen Harry starting to like Ginny and therefore hasn't realized how that will make him feel?

(I should clarify that this question refers only to the possibility of Harry and Ginny starting to get together while they're still students. If they only do so as adults, that would be a different situation. For a teenage boy to date his best friend's sister is admittedly risky, but for a grown man to be best friends with his brother-in-law is not a bad thing at all.)

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Dr. Cornelius, that is what I think as well!

Although it does make it more interesting if Ron has initial objections to Harry going out with Ginny, the impression from the canon I received was that Ron knows Ginny has had a crush on Harry and it doesn't really bother him. The examples you have cited are what have given me this impression as well.

At this point in time Harry hasn't returned Ginny's regard, so maybe it doesn't bother Ron yet because of this. Like you said though, it may be a different matter when Harry finally likes Ginny back. Ron's reaction to H/G is one of the things that I most look forward to when H/G finally occurs (as we all know it will. LOL, if he does protest against Harry liking his sister, it will make for some very interesting reading!

Admittedly, as teenagers it might be 'weird' for Ron to have Harry fall in love with his sister, but as adults I don't think that there is anything better than your best friend being your brother-in-law. Talk about family harmony! Being fond of your in-laws sure makes married life easier IMO. Great topic, Dr. C.

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I generally like to read the stories where Ron is feeling apprehensive about Harry dating his sister because I think it makes for more interesting fiction. I don't see any real evidence for this in the books, although I could be wrong.

I think that a teenage Ron might object to Harry dating his sister on several levels : 1) he might be afraid that dating Harry will put Ginny in danger; 2) he might be just young enough to have problems thinking of other people in sexual terms - if he knows he's having certain feelings for Hermione, he may feel very strange thinking that Harry is thinking similar things for his sister; 3) he might actually be jealous that Ginny is stealing his best friend, and 4) he's Ron, and he tends to have knee jerk reactions to things. He might just feel it's his duty to "protect" his little sister.

That is all my own speculation - at this point, anything could happen. I still enjoy reading the stories where Ron is upset about it just because I like the way it works as a plot device to get Harry to realize his feelings.

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Another great topic. I agree Ron probably won't have too much of a problem with Harry and Ginny being together eventutally. BUt he may be upset at first - my favorite reason is the one about him being jealous of Ginny stealing his best friend. Can you imagine Harry going to the Burrow and spending his time with someone other than Ron? But, it's nothing Ron can't get over. I also agree with those who noted that Ron probably thinks it inconceivable that Harry could like Ginny at this point. I mean, he did just notice girls for the first time very recently. It could be very different when it finally occurs to him that they could actually be a "couple", and what exactly that would entail

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How much different would Ron's reactions be if he and Hermione acknowledge the "obvious" first?

What I'm thinking is that if Ron and Hermione become a couple, Harry will likely be at least slightly excluded from them, feeling like a third wheel anytime they're together (although not by anyone's conscious choice). It seems realistically possible that both of them would then naturally think, "Harry needs a girlfriend". I can quite easily imagine Ron trying to set Harry up with someone, and Hermione "helping" also. (Indeed, if they're not careful they could come across as trying to manipulate him into something he doesn't really want, and leaving him more withdrawn than before.)

(I'm speculating here, of course. The above is probably based more on real-life observations of people who, in the first thrill of a new relationship, start wanting to help everyone else get matched up too. But I don't know if JKR's "real" Ron and Hermione would really do that to Harry.)

But, supposing that Ron does now have a certain bushy-haired girlfriend, and that he wants to help Harry find somebody to fulfill a similar role in his life... What approach would he take? I can actually imagine him going to either extreme regarding Ginny (either Don't touch my sister!!! or What, you're saying there's something wrong with my sister?!?).

Thoughts, anyone?

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I agree that Ron probably isn't too bothered about the H/G situation (should it arise). It's actually really bizarre because one of my best friends dated her elder brothers best friend for ages. On a related note, it's amazing how perceptive brother's are. I have three sisters and one brother, but only my brother picked up on the fact that I have a crush on a boy at Church. Which I vehemently denied of course. In point of fact, I'm not sure that going out with him would be a good thing, as I like being friends, and it could be awkward. There's also the fact that he's a total flirt, and thinks that people like Tamsin Outhwaite are pretty. Which counts me out. Damn. And I seem to have gone off on a tangent. Nevermind, while I'm here, does anyone know if they have the internet in convents, only I'm contemplating becoming a nun (I'd have no male problems then). Hmmm, perhaps not. I'd have to be good!

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I feel that Ron's reaction would be more of, "Hey, quit infringing on my territory, Ginny!" than "Oh, no! Harry's love for my sister will put her in great jeopardy!" His friendship with Harry is something that's uniquely *his*, despite Harry's relationship with the rest of his family, and as siblings tend to do, he might be very loathe to share it. No criticism of Ron intended -- I love the boy -- but based on what we know of him, I think that would be his honest reaction.

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I think he'll overreact, but that's because I think that given Harry's tendency to keep things to himself, he won't tell Ron that he has feelings for Ginny. I mean i don't think there will be a prolonged period of sneaking around, but I think there will be a long time that Harry has feelings for Ginny and doesn't act on them or make them known, and then once he does let her know things will move quickly, and since I anticipate this happening late in the series there will also be all kinds of nasty scary voldemort related things going on. The quickness and the hectic times, coupled with harry's natural reluctance to open up to people, might prevent him from telling ron right away. That means Ron will either find out about the relationship from someone else, or he'll walk in on them making out. In either case he'll be upset both that harry's involved with his baby sister and that Harry hasn't told him anything about it. If anything the keeping it a secret will set ron off more than the actual relationship. Plus if harry''s been silent about the whole thing or denied linking her then Ron's likely to be suspicious that harry's just using ginny and taking advantage of her crush on him.

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