I posted an entry at the site on September 8th, 2003, asking a question about the following exerpt from "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix":
"...And it might have been a good idea to mention how ugly you think I am too," Hermione added as an afterthought. "But I don't think you're ugly," said Harry, bemused. Hermione laughed. "Harry, you're worse than Ron.... Well, no, you're not," she sighed, as Ron himself came stumping into the Hall splattered with mud and looking grumpy. The rest of the post read:
This has been bugging me ever since I first read this certain part. What exactly did Hermione mean by "Harry, you're worse than Ron.... Well, no, you're not," she sighed...? I've racked my brains trying to think of something it could mean but I can't think of a thing! Just thinking about it now, it could seem like she's refering to things we haven't seen, things that happened while Harry wasn't around. But I thought I'd pose the question to you smart people to see what we could all come up with. So please leave your thoughts in the comments section of this post. I'd love to hear what you think!
And below is comments left by visitors to the site!
Posted by Natalie Potter:
Hm... that bugged me too. I think it means that Hermione is acting like a typical teenage girl who is convinced that she's ugly. When Harry said that she wasn't, Hermione responded by saying that Harry was more oblivious to the facts than Ron was, but then she changed her mind. Because Ron obviously likes her.
I dunno... confusing isn't it??
Posted by Angela:
She is saying that Cho was trying to express her emotions to Harry and tell him that she likes him without just coming out and saying it. So I think what this means is that she is trying to show Ron that she likes him by giving him hints and stuff, but he's even worse than Harry in understanding girls.
Posted by Jill:
Maybe Ron insists that she's pretty too, but he's just more persistent than Harry? Not as good as your theories, but it could be.
Posted by Emily:
I agree with Angela. Hermione is realizing how absolutely hopeless guys are! She's in love with Ron and he doesn't realize it. (I think this is attractive to her. She finds it cute.) lol Natalie: I don't think that Hermione has such low self confidence that she was trying to convince Harry that she's ugly; she was just sudjesting that he should have told Cho that because Cho was getting jelous.
Posted by Jamie:
I don't know. I was confused on that part too. Maybe Hermione is having feelings for Ron and she was covering up, saying that Ron is worse than Harry, when she actually means, "Get away from me Harry! I am not a H/Hr shipper! I am devoted to Ron!" Hehe, just adding my 2 Knuts.
Posted by Verky!:
I think that it is metioning things that Harry has not seen, or that things that Hermoine is feeling. I want to twist this in to something that is screaming R/HR!!! but I can't find anything except that Hermoine is more saying that to herself rather then to Harry. Well, that is what I say.
Posted by Julia:
Yeah, this did kind of confuse me too, but then I thought about it some more and it seemed that Hermione was trying to say that "Ron is such an idoit for not realizing that I like him back" (ok a little less of that) but mostly saying that "It is SO obvious Ron likes me, especially in this book with all the evidence we've seen, but he's to scared just to come out and say it!" Anyway, that's what I think...I can't wait until book six comes out so we can see what happens to our two favorite lovebirds :)
Posted by Woody:
Angela's right, no question about it lol
Posted by Caitie:
I think that Ron siad that she wasnt ugly eather!Thats what ive been thinking ever since i read that part and now i have a chance to post it!!
Posted by Tifa:
I actually think that this is R/Hr evidence. Harry basically made a stupid statement (stating the obvious maybe?) which is very much like Rons 'Hermione...you're a girl!' Hermione laughs at his hopelessness when it comes to the girl he likes and where he just didn't get the point of what she was trying to tell him. (Which could help him with Cho) What you have to pay attention to is the fact that she instantly thinks of Ron. She doesn't say, 'Oh Harry you're such a prat' or 'you're so hopeless' but she quickly compares him to Ron as though she is suffering the same situation Cho is. Which is obviously Rons Obliviousness to his own feelings for her which leads him to saying very stupid things. The fact she 'sighs' after he walks in only solidifies my belief that this was the reason. It's like, 'oh Ron, won't you come to your senses already?'
Posted by Heather:
well i think that maybe ron and hermione have sumthing going on already or dating in the dark??? but i think when she sighed she sighed at the thought of ron a happy sigh ya kno!.
Posted by 'Mione Weasley:
I'm thinkin maybe hat others have said. Either that Ron said she wasn't ugly (if ur going with the "already going out in secret" bit) or if ur not, than it would be she is mad b/c he's oblivious! RON AND HERMIONE! She knows it's so obvious and wishes HE would figure it out! I vote for stalking J.K. Rowling and asking her all the questions we've been dying to know!! Mua-hahahaha!
Posted by Caitlin:
I think Hermione commenting on Harry's cluelessness when it comes to girls and then comparing him to someone even more clueless Ron.
Posted by Cheese Diva:
I think she meant something along the lines of that Ron hasn't yet figures it ou that she likes and she's getting VERY impatient that Ron doesn't look like he seems to be noticing anything going on between them that's more than ordinary. As J.K. said in the 4th book "Typical Boy"
Posted by Agathe:
True to be told... We are missing some R/Hr moments "as time goes by" for instants, we did saw how they made up, after Harry shout and leave, we just see Ron telling Harry that every thing is Ok between him and Hermione. So if anything is happening between them is normal that we don’t know... yet!!! (or so I hope!) But we must trust JK, she will show us all when the time comes... Men I’m sounding like the guy from Star Wars... Lol
Posted by Izzy:
My theory is that she's trying to help Harry out with his lovelife and he's behaving like a complete,well, boy (ie an idiot), and Hermione's getting frustrated with his stupidity when it comes to girls. This reminds her of Ron, who is possibly the dimmest person in the world when it comes to girls (hermione in particular), and she sighs because she longs for him to wake up and smell the butterbeer and ask her out. Of course, if I were a Pumpkin Pie-er, I'd see it as Hermione sighing because Ron's muddy and it means more laundry for someone. Honestly. They said that.
Posted by Tonks:
Okay, this is the theory that I have on this subject: I think that Hermione is referring to the fact of Harry and Ron aren't that smart when it comes to thier love lives (Example: Harry having so much trouble in Book 5 w/dating Cho. He didn't realize what should have been the obvious course.) Hermione is most likely saying that Harry isn't using common sense in easy situations, but he's not as horrible with it as Ron is. She probably realizes that something is going on between her and Ron, and is frustrated that Ron is worse at dealing with it than Harry is. See, Hermione probably realizes that Ron likes her too, but is getting ansy that nothing is being done about it. When she says that Harry isn't worse than Ron, it's basically saying that Ron is worse at the uptake than Harry. Or something similar to that. I didn't really freak or anything when I read that part, because it was all R/Hr, no matter how it is translated. It all will have the same meaning.
Posted by Sly Girl:
I'm with the group that says Hermione knows Ron is clueless about some things- specifically girl type things and that that moment is very telling in where H and R are in their relationship. They've sort of reached an understanding, for Harry's sake- no bickering- and yet between themselves there are still questions. Although Ron being jealous about her writing Krum and the perfume gift are very telling that RON is coming around. Problem is, will Hermione be there when the lights finally do come on?
Posted by Shirley:
I was confused at first too but after reading everyone's comments I also think that it means Hermione was comparing Harry's cluelessness to Ron's. Hermione is probably really frustrated at Ron's cluelessness. I just like the fact that Ron is always on her mind. ;)
Posted by Jessi:
Well, I think that she started off saying that Harry was worse than Ron, because she wished that Ron would say that, But then corrected herself and sighed because Ron never really has said that.
Posted by Linds:
this would be the perfect question to ask JK! if anyone here ever gets a chance to ask her a question, that would be a good one
Posted by Raechel-Lee:
well i've been at this site for a while now so i guess it's time to make my presence known buy finally saying something....neways...what i think is going on is that Hermione tells Harry that Cho was jealous and that he should have told Cho that he didn't want to meet up with Hermione and that he thought Hermione is ugly and by saying this Cho would no longer be jealous...but Harry didn't understand how this would help and doesn't know why he would tell Cho he thinks Hermione is ugly...Hermione laughs because Harry has missed the point completly (which was to make Cho not jealsous even if saying Hermione's ugly is a lie)she tells Harry that he's worse than Ron at understanding girls but then Ron walks in and when she see's him she sighs and realizes that Ron is actually much worse (since he doesn't see that she likes him) well...thats my opinion anyway...
Posted by MaryQOM:
Hey guys! BTW, this is a wonderful website, so keep up the great work girls! You rock! :) Now, for my opinion. First of all, in the fifth book, Ron and Hermione surely spent more time with each other then in any other books. That we're certain of. And, think about it: they did/said things they hadn't done before concerning each other (Ex.: When Ron says Hermione is the most wonderful person he's ever met, or when he gives her PERFUME for Christmas! Also, the FAMOUS, OH-SO WONDERFUL kiss on the cheek from Hermione before Ron's first Quidditch match! ) So my guess is: that quote from Hermione was based on something we haven't seen (like you guys said) and it means: R/H are ALREADY together! Like Dan at mugglenet.com said, they can be together, but never have REALLY kissed or made any big physical contacs (beside hug and what I said in the exemples ;-)). But, they may have sort of ackowledged it, because they're definitely closer now than ever! I hope I sort of made sense, if I didn't then SORRY! :) Big hugs to you all, Mary :)
Posted by Katrina:
I agree with Raechel Lee: but Harry didn't understand how this would help and doesn't know why he would tell Cho he thinks Hermione is ugly...Hermione laughs because Harry has missed the point completly (which was to make Cho not jealsous even if saying Hermione's ugly is a lie)she tells Harry that he's worse than Ron at understanding girls but then Ron walks in and when she see's him she sighs and realizes that Ron is actually much worse (since he doesn't see that she likes him)
Posted by Clara:
I agree with people saying that this comment meant that Hermione thinks that Ron is even more oblivious to girls than Harry. I mean, she didn't need to mention Ron, he wasn't there and he wasn't even mentioned before. When Harry said that he didn't think she's ugly, he completely missed the point of what she was trying to say, because he still didn't get that Cho was jealous. But at least he invited Cho to go to Hogsmead with him, and didn't ignore that there was something between them. Unlike Ron, who does nothing about their situation. So that makes him even more clueless than Harry. At least that's how I see it.
Posted by Maanit:
Well looking back on that particular scene Hermione's telling Harry how he could have avoided the fate with Cho. To put it bluntly, apparently Cho was trying to gives signs to Harry to let him know she liked him and testing him to see if he liked her back. Maybe Hermione has been testing Ron during the year, and then she says 'You're worse than Ron...' meaning Ron hasn't got the hint, just like JK said he hasn't yet. I will be extrememly excited when it comes to the day when he finally does.
Posted by Hermione Weasley:
I think Hermione is going through the insecurities of a typical girl. And shes insecure about her looks. SO when Harry made a comment about how shes not ugly and she said "Your worse than ron....well your not" Its like Rons tries to reasure her about herself too.
Posted by Lissa:
I just can't buy the "going out in secret" thing. I love them both to pieces but I don't think Ron and Hermione could hide something like that that well and have NO ONE know or figure it out. They defintely couldn't go the whole year. That's not to say absolutely nothing has happened. I defintely don't think any feelings have been admitted between them or there has been any kissing but... they were together for a whole summer without Harry.
I have to say I agree with Hermione was stating that Harry was just as clueless as Ron is about girls because Ron has yet to get a clue .Poor guy! :o)
