MOD NOTE: merged with related topic. Orig title: Theory on H/H Foreshadowing in COS
- PK modsHi everyone
I have just finished re-reading CoS and noticed a few things I didn't put together before. It may have helped that I had my shipping glasses on too...
There are probably other clues that I mssed, but I noticed several very H//Hr things that, as a whole, made me rethink the whole singing Valentine situation.
First, I'm just gonna throw out the quotes, then I'm going to try and link it all together. All the bolding is mine.
QUOTE
But Harry was only half-listening. He didn't seem to be able to get rid of the picture of Hermione, lying on the hospital bed as though carved of stone.
CoS, p. 258
Well, I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. The other events may bother Harry, but the one thing he can't get out of his head is Hermione being petrified (or hurt all all, by inference).
QUOTE
Ernie took a deep breath and said, very formally, "I just want to say, Harry, that I'm sorry that I ever suspected you. I know you'd never attack Hermione Granger, and I apologize for all the stuff I said. We're all in the same boat now, and, well-"
CoS, p. 268
This is foreshadowing of some stuff that happens later in GoF and OOtP. Specifically, everyone else already sees Harry and Hermione as being a unit. Ernie didn't seem to have any problem visualizing Harry attacking Mrs. Norris or Colin Creevey or Justin or Nearly Headless Nick. So why is Ernie unable to see Harry attacking Hermione? Sure, they were friends. But that kind of wording is too strong for that, I think. That kind of wording implies that Ernie thinks Harry and Hermione are more than friends. If JKR hits you over the head with something enough times, maybe there is something to it...
QUOTE
"Right," said Harry, weakly. "Well, I'd bette go. There's a feast, and my friend Hermione should be awake by now...."
CoS, p. 339
Note, once again, Harry's first response is Hermione. Not Ron, or winning the House Cup or the food or anything. Hermione.
QUOTE
"I'm not going anywhere!" said Harry fiercely. "One of my best friends is Muggle-born; she'll be first in line if the Chamber really has been opened -"
CoS, p. 179
Possibly not more than you'd expect for a friend, but confirmation is nice

Also, Dobby had told Harry to go back home several times in this scene, but the only time he rejects it so fiercely is when Hermione is in danger.
QUOTE
Hary had been to several Hogwarts feast, but never one quite like this. Everybody was in their pajamas, and the celebration lasted all night. Harry didn't know whether the best bit was Hermione running toward him, screaming "You solved it! You solved it!"...
CoS, p. 339
Hmm, yes. The best feast he's been to at Hogwarts, after he is the conquering hero and could probably have had his pick of girls. And the best bit may be Hermione running towards him...
Ok, anyway. Taken separately, any one of these could be explained away or discarded. However, I think as a whole they are quite interesting. Especially since some of them contain very strong wording. I don't recall a single passage where Harry is worried about Ron, even though they are all running around doing dangerous things. It's always Hermione. He does seem to think a lot about Hermione, doesn't he?
So, now, this takes me to my grand conclusion. I have already posted elsewhere I dfeinitely do NOT think it was Ginny that sent Harry the singing Valentine in CoS. This is for several reason, not least of which include her being too shy to even talk to him, her being possessed all the time, her being constantly in fear and turmoil, and a telling entry into the Diary that Riddle repeats about "how she didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would
ever like her...". You get the picture.
So, if Ginny didn't send it, who did? I entertained thoughts of Fred or George sending it as a joke. They certainly seemed to get a kick out of it. Too much so, if you ask me, if they had sent it in the first place. Then I thought, maybe Malfoy did. Nah, he's not clever enough for that. Then maybe just some random awestruck girl sent it. He is the hero who defeated the Dark Lord, after all. But that seems out of character for JKR. She almost never has totally random bits like that. It's all for a purpose.
That pretty much leaves out everyone except... Hermione. She's already his friend, but she's probably too shy at this point to tell Harry that she likes him. She's already infatuated with Lockhart, so it would have been very easy to send a Valentine to Harry. Seeing as it was Lockhart's idea to have them at all and she always knows everything he is doing.
And finally, for my last trick... this leads us to the fact that Hermione had a crush on Harry in the first book and into the second book. Well, now, you say. How on earth can you justify a statement like that. Easy, I say. Examine the following facts and occurences:
1) Hermione knows all about Harry. She's read all about him before even getting to Hogwarts. She knows more about him than HE does. Since he sort of is a hero, and she sort of is a little girl, it's not to farfetched to postulate a crush forming.
2) Hermione is always hanging around Harry and Ron in the beginning of PS/SS, before they are friends. Seems odd, doesn't it? Especially since they make it fairly blatant that they don't like her. Now, maybe she quickly developed a crush on the red haired heart throb known as Ron Weasley, and overlooked the hero who defeated the Dark Lord. I don't think so, though.
3) Next, Harry saves her from the troll. Yes, I know, Ron helped too. But Harry was the one who actually leapt onto the dang thing's back and tried to strangle it into submission. If Hermione didn't have a crush on him yet, that would leave quite an impression, wouldn't you think?
4) Hermione throws her arms around him before he's about to walk into what must seem like certain death. She utters some fairly strong words:
QUOTE
"Well, I was lucky once, wasn't I?" said Harry, pointing at his scar? "I might get lucky again."
Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him.
"Hermione!"
"Harry - you're a great wizard, you know."
"I'm not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrased, as she let go of him.
"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things - friendship and bravery and - oh, Harry, be carful!"
So, it would seem to me that Hermione started out with a crush on Harry. Being the smart and mature girl that she is, I believe that crush took an unusual route for someone that age. Instead of fading away, I think it matures into something deeper as the books go on.
There, you have it. My grand theory. Now go ahead and tell me how crazy I am.
Mod Note: Fixed the quote tags. ~Jennifer/Hermione's Twin