# What does Hermione Granger see in Ron Weasley? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 4, 2006, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350 "2006-06-04T03:30:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/1 "2006-06-04T03:30:54Z")
Just got through re-reading Order of the Phoenix and The Half-Blood Prince. It’s easy to see what he sees in her. Hermione’s cute, has got brains, and loads of magical talent. Too much the goody-two-shoes know it all, true, but she’s basically a good catch. But all I see in Ron are three minorly admirable qualities: he’s tall, funny and loyal. But Hermione never laughs at his jokes and his loyalty is mostly to his mate Harry. Granted, the Weasley clan is a great plus: Ginny seems like she’d be a great sister-in-law, the twins are well on their way to riches with their magic shop, Charlie is dragon breeder and Bill is a banker, and even if Percy is a prat, having family in the Ministry of Magic is a dead useful contact. But she can still be Ron’s friend and get to hang out with his family. Basically, I don’t get it. What gives with the Hermione/Ron attraction? NO, I’m not jealous. I’m \*puzzled. \* ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/2 "2006-06-04T03:36:58Z")
She’s a perfectionist; maybe she sees him as a “project” – three months with her and he’ll be combing his hair and acing his OWLs. Or maybe it’s just that opposites attract – she likes being around him because she seems even _more_ intelligent and with it in comparison. Personally, I thought Krum was a better match for her. I didn’t get why she wasn’t in to him. He was serious, faithful, interesting, and, from what I remember, pretty intelligent. Seemed like a natural match. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/3 "2006-06-04T03:46:57Z")
Because it makes for a more interesting stortelling device than two people who are ideally suited. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/4 "2006-06-04T03:55:25Z")
Because the second generation is molded after the first. Ron needs to marry a bossy woman with flyaway hair, just like black-haired Harry needs to marry red-haired Ginny, so they can have a little black-haired son (named either James or Sirius). ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/5 "2006-06-04T03:58:14Z")
…like a centaur! ---
**Author:** ![Phantom\_Dennis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@Phantom\_Dennis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phantom_Dennis)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/6 "2006-06-04T04:14:55Z")
I’ve fallen for women with whom I had nothing in common, and I’ve met some who shared a surprising number of interests and personality traits, yet there was no spark. Ron and Hermione have chemistry – it’s as simple as that. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/7 "2006-06-04T04:18:54Z")
That question has already been [answered](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7268572&postcount=106) by our own **Arnold Winkelried** : > [@Arnold Winkelried](#): > > > [@eleanorigby](#): > > > > Hermione’s natural partner (in terms of archetypes) is Harry, not Ron. > > I have wondered myself why Hermione likes Ron and not Harry. I think the most logical explanation comes from the rational, practical side of Hermione’s character, and casting your mind back to the original description of Ron Weasley (from Philosopher’s Stone): > > > [@](#): > > > > He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, _big hands and feet, and a long nose._(italics mine) > > Need I say more? ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/8 "2006-06-04T04:21:42Z")
Well, he’s a pretty, fair-skinned, red-headed, luminescent, pure, almost androgynous teen, a few characterisitics young girls totally dig if in the right proportions. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/9 "2006-06-04T04:24:59Z")
Because Harry is Luke, Hermione is Leia and Ron, is Han. Harry and Hermione are more a brother/sister relationship. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/10 "2006-06-04T04:36:01Z")
Remember that Ron is also an excellent chess player, so he must have quite a bit going on upstairs, even if he doesn’t always know it. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/11 "2006-06-04T04:41:44Z")
Ron is a jock as well. He’s supposed to be a pretty good quidditch keeper, so maybe Hermione just likes a guy with a tall. lean, athletic body, a good sense of humor, and a solid ethical makeup. I also think that our views are tainted a little by the movies. My impression is that Rowling vision of Ron in the books is probably of a better looking lad than the actor who plays him in the the films. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/12 "2006-06-04T04:47:01Z")
[QUOTE=Operation Ripper] Well, he’s a pretty, fair-skinned, red-headed, luminescent, pure, almost androgynous teen, a few characterisitics young girls totally dig if in the right proportions. [/QUOTE] Ron? “Pretty”? “Fair-skinned”? “Androgynous”?! Pffftt. Not the Ron Weasley I know. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/13 "2006-06-04T04:52:29Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] Ron is a jock as well. He’s supposed to be a pretty good quidditch keeper, so maybe Hermione just likes a guy with a tall. lean, athletic body, a good sense of humor, and a solid ethical makeup. I also think that our views are tainted a little by the movies. My impression is that Rowling vision of Ron in the books is probably of a better looking lad than the actor who plays him in the the films. [/QUOTE] Good point, also Hermione in the first three books was supposed to be less cute than Miss Watson. Buck Teeth and very frizzy hair if I recall. Something about getting her teeth fixed after a spell went awry in the 4th book I think and she figure out something to do with her hair and finally got Ron to realize that she was cute. She had very few friends so probably likes Ron for being one of her first friends. She is also a muggle born and unlike Harry, Ron is steeped in the magical world and she possibly finds that an added attraction. Finally they have shared secrets, dangers and perils and is drawn close to her co-conspirator. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/14 "2006-06-04T05:01:44Z")
Ron is awesome. He has a more angry personality than some of the other characters. He also manages to be a bit on the rebellious side, while still being a good guy. Not the same kind of rebel as his older twin brothers who are always good natured, it’s more like a flirting with cynicism kind of rebellion. ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/15 "2006-06-04T05:06:13Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Good point, also Hermione in the first three books was supposed to be less cute than Miss Watson. Buck Teeth and very frizzy hair if I recall. Something about getting her teeth fixed after a spell went awry in the 4th book I think and she figure out something to do with her hair and finally got Ron to realize that she was cute. [/QUOTE] Some kind of accident caused her buck teeth to grow huge. She told Snape, and he (being Snape and everything) said he didn’t notice a difference. That upset Hermione, and when the doctor was shrinking Hermione’s teeth, she didn’t tell the doctor to stop shrinking them until they were down to a sub-bucktooth size. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/16 "2006-06-04T05:22:33Z")
Thank you Rysto, I won’t have to repeat myself. Hermione is presented as being bossy and a know-it-all; characteristics that not everyone likes. In addition, she is very intelligent, which will scare many men off - isn’t the cliché that most men are uncomfortable with someone smarter than they are? Why Hermione would like Ron: they have shared many dangers together (which is always a prelude to romance, no?); it is obvious that he has a crush on her (which, at least in my case, would make me notice a potential mate); he accepts her superiority and would be more “manageable” than someone like Harry Potter. I dislike the comic relief rôle that Ms. Rowling has Ron Weasly play. I think he deserves more credit. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/17 "2006-06-04T05:32:34Z")
Another thing which occurs to me is that in the books, we really only see Ron and Hermione as they are viewed through the eyes of Harry Potter. We see Ron only as Harry sees Ron and only _when_ Harry sees Ron. We don’t see the moments that Hermione and Ron share together without Harry present. Harry sees Ron as his friend and as a bit of a goof, but he doesn’t see him as a BOY the way an adolescent girl would see him. There must be aspects and sides of Ron which Harry never sees, conversations with Hermione which he never hears and attractive attributes which he never notices because he’s a boy who likes girls and never looks at Ron “that way.” ---
**Author:** ![Rachael\_Rage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@Rachael\_Rage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachael_Rage)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/18 "2006-06-04T05:33:56Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] She is also a muggle born and unlike Harry, Ron is steeped in the magical world and she possibly finds that an added attraction. [/QUOTE] Along with that, Ron is close with his family, as she is with hers, and their families get along well. Although they are pretty young to be thinking about a future together, family compatibility is a big plus if it gets serious. Would _you_ want the Dursleys as potential in-laws? I didn’t think so. Also, with Harry always in mortal danger, not to mention enmeshed in a murderous dance with the evilest evil that ever lived, Ron seems a better choice if she’s looking for a boyfriend to survive to graduation. Having said that, I would like to see more of Krum before she gives him the heave-ho. Especially if he looks anything like the movie Krum…yummy. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/19 "2006-06-04T06:47:53Z")
She’s bossy, he’s obedient. Case closed. Also, he has way cool hair. Plus, Hermione and Harry are both tops. Recipe for disaster. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350/20 "2006-06-04T07:42:04Z")
That would be like trying to explain Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn, or Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, or Siegfried and Roy…sometimes you just look at two people and go, “huh?” Another factor is that you might be confusing the on-screen attributes of the actors with the attributes of the characters in the books? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hermione-granger-see-in-ron-weasley/359350.md?page=2)