Harry Potter and…Love

by Carlen

What is love? Love is a powerful word that can mean different things to different people. Some people may say that love is when two people like each other. The World Book Encyclopedia Dictionary says love is “strong or passionate affection for a person of the opposite sex.” But is that all? The true meaning of love, I believe, is when someone cares deeply about another person, and he or she puts that person’s well being before his or her own. But what does it mean when it becomes a part the world of Harry Potter?

Love is always proved in Harry’s world. For example, his mother loved him so much; she gave her life for him. Harry shows great love for his friends by constantly protecting them, even if it means giving his life. Everyone who has heard Harry’s story knows this. It is a completely different story when thought about along the lines of romance. Everyone has the same question: Who will fall in love with whom in the continuance of Harry’s story?

Most people say Ron and Hermione will, and I agree 100%. There are plenty of clues in the books, and even JK Rowling said they will. Everyone knows about how, in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Ron was obsessed with Bulgarian seeker Viktor Krum; when he found out Krum was Hermione’s date to the Yule Ball, he immediately hated Krum’s guts. Hmmm…. I wonder why this could be. (Hint, hint) When asked whether or not there was something going on between them, J.K Rowling said, “Yes, there is something ‘going on’. Ron just doesn’t realize it yet. Typical boy.” It is practically a proven fact that they will eventually “get together.” But is it necessarily how it should be?

This kind of love between Ron and Hermione definitely fits with people’s usual idea of the word “love.” We can easily see that they like each other…but do they love each other? Opposites don’t always attract. As my friend told me, they will be at each other’s throats if they get together (or should I say, when they get together), despite the relationship. They fight when they are not dating, so why wouldn’t they fight if they were dating? Don’t couples still fight even though they are married? So, according to my theory, after the one or two days they are dating, they will realize it isn’t meant to be. But where will it go from there?

Then comes the true meaning of love: when someone cares deeply for someone else, and he or she puts that person’s well being before his or her own. Can you think of any two people who show this for each other? Like the Ron and Hermione theory, clues support this theory as well, and J.K Rowling has hinted about it. The possibility may not be as obvious, and many people like to support the Ron and Hermione theory; but, J.K Rowling likes to surprise us, so she wouldn’t make the clues that obvious. Yes, I am talking about Harry and Hermione. Even though they are just friends, if you pay close attention to the not-so-easy-to-recognize aspects of the books, you will see that they truly love each other, but, like getting petrified by a basilisk, they don’t see it directly. They only see it as a strong friendship. They are always sticking up for each other, even though it is hard for some of us to see.

There are many parts in the books that I feel stand out above all others, that truly mean something special. In Chapters 11 and 12 of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, if you pay close attention, you can see that Ron is more upset than Harry with Hermione for telling Professor McGonagall about the possibility of Harry’s new Firebolt being jinxed. Ron was the first to yell at her, and even though being angry with Hermione, Harry knew she meant well. And why did Hermione tell Professor McGonagall in the first place? Even though she knew Harry would be angry, she knew he would be safe.

When Ron was mad at Hermione because he thought Crookshanks was the cause for Scabbers’ disappearance, Harry didn’t support Ron. It says in Chapter 13,

“‘Come on Hermione, come and have some food.’ Harry said, looking over at Ron and wondering whether he was in a good enough mood to bury the hatchet.

“‘I can’t Harry. I’ve still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read!’ said Hermione, now sounding slightly hysterical.

“‘Anyway…’ She glanced over at Ron too. ‘He doesn’t want me to join.’ There was no arguing with this, as Ron chose that moment to say loudly, ‘If Scabbers hadn’t just been eaten, he could have had some of those Fudge Flies. He used to really like them.’

“Hermione burst into tears. Before Harry could say or do anything, she tucked the enormous book under her arm and, still sobbing, ran toward the staircase to the girls’ dormitories and out of sight.

“‘Can’t you give her a break?’ Harry asked Ron quietly.

In that excerpt, you can’t see Harry get angry with her one bit. When Ron is furiously mad at Hermione, who sticks up for her? In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, when Ron and Harry are no longer friends, who is there for Harry? Did you also know that some of the things added in the movie version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets that weren’t in the book were J.K Rowling’s ideas? She said some things in the movie that aren’t so obvious have great meaning. Maybe the hug at the end? It’s a mystery whether that meant that they are just really good friends and they feel comfortable doing that, or whether that meant they like each other as more than friends. Well, we’ll have to just wait and see. What about the stroking-of-the-hand when Hermione was petrified? Was that just coincidence? The producers of the movie wouldn’t have put it in if J.K Rowling hadn’t let them, and she wouldn’t have let them if it didn’t mean something, and that something is that Harry and Hermione are meant to be.

The idea of James and Lily also exists. Lily was a muggle-born, and so is Hermione. Do you see the relationship? This is why I think Harry and Hermione belong together. Yes, Ron and Hermione will get together, but it’s plain to see that Harry and Hermione belong together I hope J.K Rowling will eventually show this, for if she didn’t, there would be no reason for her to hint it in the first place. Couldn’t this friendship blossom into something more?