Hermione, a faithful friend (much better than Ron & Harry)

 

There is so much to say about Hermione ! Our upcoming podcast focusses on the young witch as a feminist figure in the Harry Potter series. As well as her intelligence and her pugnacity as an opponent to sexism, we can also talk about Hermione as a friend. A loyal, faithful friend. 

Indeed, one of the Hermione’s traits is that she is a loyal friend. Among all the characters in the saga, Hermione is indeed the one who cares the most about the others. She is an honest, faithful and devoted friend: her relationship with Harry shows that not only can women and men be friends without any ambiguity, but that they can even be best friends! She remains loyal to Harry and Ron during the saga as they take turns turning their backs on her. In book 3, the prisoner of Azkaban, when Harry mysteriously receives a flash of fire (the latest fashionable flying broom) while he is supposedly being chased by Sirius Black who wants to kill him, Hermione immediately suspects an attempted murder. She fears that the flying broom may be bewitched and kill Harry, so she tells the director of Gryffindor. Harry and Ron will consider this as a betrayal. The two boys were only thinking about the next Quidditch game, hoping that the new, faster and better flying broom would help their team to win the 4-Home Cup. At no time did they wonder who might have given this rare and expensive gift and whether that person was malicious. Later, it will be discovered that Hermione was half right: the flying broom was indeed sent by Sirius Black but without any intention of harming Harry. This episode will still mark an argument in the history of the trio and Harry and Ron will not speak to Hermione for a while, which, according to Hagrid, will make Hermione very unhappy.

Another significant episode occurs in Book 4, The Goblet of Fire, when Hermione accepts a boy's invitation to the Christmas Ball. Ron, jealous, will start an argument and the two characters will remain angry for a while. In the same novel, Ron also manages to argue with Harry because he is convinced that Harry put his name in the Goblet of Fire in order to participate in the tournament. He would have liked Harry to have told him about his plan so that he too could participate in the tournament. Ron's motivations are selfish, he is looking for glory and success. He will turn his back on Harry, refusing to believe him. Hermione, for her part, will take him at his word, as she always does. She will support him, help him by teaching him some spells and even call him to order when he takes too long to solve the riddle for the second trial.

Finally, in the last book of the saga, Ron, influenced by the power of the horcrux, simply abandons Harry and Hermione. Jealous of their relationship and in need of attention he argues with Harry again, asks Hermione to choose between him and Harry while accusing her of preferring the last-named and finally leaves them. Harry and Hermione will face Voldemort and Nagini alone for the first time when they go to Godric's Hollow.

Hermione thus remains at Harry's side throughout the saga even in the worst moments. She even makes the choice to stay with him when Ron abandons them in the last book while she is in love with him and his departure causes her great suffering. As such it seems unfair that she is treated as an equal to Ron who abandons Harry at the worst moments and is guided by selfish motivations.

Of course, Hermione is not only a terrific friend that we would all like to have by our side in good times and in bad.

She is also a powerful opponent with a formidable intelligence and if you want to learn more about this aspect of her personality we invite you to listen to the podcast about her! 

(The podcast: here)

By Marine Dupuis

Picture: created by Marine Dupuis