The Romantic Relationships Between Characters in the Harry Potter Books

Throughout the Harry Potter series, there have been hints at relationships between some of the characters. Some have come true, and either led to an engagement, or fizzled out like New Coke. Fans who fervently believe in these "ships" call themselves "shippers". Some of these shippers stay at a normal healthy level of dedication, and some devote all their free time to finding evidence in the books that supports their ships, not that there's anything wrong with that. Some of these ships are well supported by hard evidence from the books, some just wishful thinking, and some are made up for laughs (Dobby/Giant Squid, may I say 'oh boy'). In this article I will give my opinions on some of the ships and give the evidence, or lack thereof, for these, and I definitely intend on using a little more humor in my analysis' of these ships than I did in this intro.

1. Harry Potter/Hermione Granger (Harmony): Ok, I'll start with one of the more, in my opinion, controversial ships. Controversial, not because it involves two characters who aren't even of the same species, but because it involves two main characters, one of whom is linked in another ship to another main character. The idea of a romantic relationship between Harry Potter and Hermione Granger seems like an excellent idea. Hermione, like Harry's late mom Lilly Potter, is a muggle born (witch or wizard born to non-magical parents), they've been best friends since they were eleven and twelve respectively. There's just one problem, there doesn't seem to be any evidence in any of the first six books to support a romance between them. H/Hr shippers will disagree with me and say that there is evidence to support their theory. I suppose if you search enough, there might be some little things that suggest this could be true, but there are also many huge pieces of evidence to suggest that they are ment to be with other characters, specifically the author of the books, J.K. Rowling if there's a person left who doesn't know who is the Queen to all the Harry Potter fans out there, pretty much saying that there's no chance. Though I won't go as far as to call Harry Potter/Hermione Granger shippers "delusional", like a certain Potter fansite webmaster with the initials ES did, I have to say, Harmony is sunk

2. Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger (Herons): Harry Potter's two best friends at Hogwarts and, in my opinion, the ship with the best chance of sailing, provided both characters survive the books, due in part to the overwhelming evidence from the books and J.K. Rowling, in an interview conducted after the release of Book 6, by Emerson Spartz and Melissa Anelli, webmaster and webmistress of www.mugglenet.com and www.the-leaky-cauldron.org respectively, said "I will say, that yes, I personally feel - well it's going to be clear once people have read Book 6. I mean, that's it. It's done, isn't it? We know. Yes, we do now know that it's Ron and Hermione." It's straight from J.K. Rowling, the Herons were right. For those of you who don't see the evidence, didn't you read in Goblet of Fire where after Hermione and Krum start getting serious, Harry finds the broken pieces of Ron's Viktor Krum figure, that's just one of many hints at a relationship between Ron and Hermione. For more of the interview with Jo, visit Mugglenet or TLC, both excellent sites for Harry Potter fanatics, and excellent practical jokers, regular visitors will remember what I'm talking about

3. Harry Potter/Cho Chang: Well, Harry Potter's first crush, the older woman (by a year, but to a teenager that's enough to make it an age difference). Harry first meets Cho at a Quidditch game is his third year and continued to think about her long after the match. Harry hesitates to ask her to the Yule Ball in year four and ends up being beaten to the punch by fellow Triwizard champion, Cedric Diggory, leading to an almost Ron/Viktor Krum like rivalry that ends when Cedric is killed by Wormtail at the end of book four. In Book Five, Cho takes more of an interest in Harry, but still can't get over Cedric's death. Harry and Cho do go out on at least one date and Cho does give Harry his first kiss, however, they fought so often within one year and a final fight over Cho's friend betraying their secret DADA society. Their relationship, both platonically and romantically, seems to be over. That sometimes happens with first love. It's a fact of life we must deal with, some first loves work, some don't.

4. Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley: Another first crush, another year between the characters, another complicated relationship for Harry, though what relationship isn't? Ginny Weasley is, of course, the younger sister of Harry Potter's best friend Ron. She's had a crush on Harry Potter, possibly since before they first met, but definitely since that first meeting. She wasn't even really able to talk around Harry, until her fourth and Harry's fifth years at Hogwarts, where she started dating a boy named Michael Corner. In the end of Book five, Ginny and Michael breakup and Ginny starts dating Harry's classmate, Dean Thomas. In Book Six, with his relationship with Cho over, Harry Potter starts to notice Ginny more and more and even starts to get jealous of Dean. When it seems that Dean and Ginny are over with, Harry considers a relationship with Ginny, but is torn between his feelings for her and his fear of Ron's reaction. Ultimately, in the excitement over Gryffindor's winning the inter-house Quidditch cup, Harry kisses Ginny, setting of many reactions from his fellow Gryffindor's, Dean breaks a glass, Romilda Vane, an annoying fourth year who had been after Harry Potter since the train ride to school, is just stunned, Hermione puts a great big smile on, which leaves the reader with no doubt that she had been expecting this to happen, and Ron has much the same reaction that Romilda has, stunned out of his head. Ron accepts their relationship, but doesn't like the idea of them being public about it. In the end Harry, realizing he must soon face Voldemort and that people close to him are at risk, breaks up with Ginny to protect her. I think that if Harry really loves Ginny enough to let her go, then, providing they both survive the last book, they will get back together, at least I hope.

5. Neville Longbottom/ Ginny Weasley: They went to the Yule Ball together, but that's about it. It looks like Ginny's gonna end up with Harry Potter so, unless Ginny and Harry never get back together, don't count on it.

6. Neville Longbottom/ Luna Lovegood: Seems nice, both have a loss in common, Neville's parents tortured into insanity, Luna's mother died when Luna was nine years old. There's still not much else, and Jo said on her website www.jkrowling.com that it won't happen.

7. Harry Potter/ Luna Lovegood: Some readers, myself included, read the scene in the end of OoTP where Jo hints at some chemistry between Potter and Lovegood and were almost convinced that a romance would develop between here, I say almost because no one, besides J.K. Rowling, can be certain about Harry Potter books. Anyway after the events of Book Six, I've changed my mind. I don't think there's a chance for these two anymore. Though, of course, I can't be certain.

8. Rubeus Hagrid/Olympe Mixime: They're both half giants and both have short tempers. Just going by the way they act around each other, I personally think they will end up together.

There are other ships, some serious some made up for fun, but if I were to address them all here this article would be longer than the books. I want to remind all of you, the fate of these ships rely's on the characters involved surviving the books and on J.K. Rowling's plans for them if they do, in other words Jo's word is final, she makes the decisions. It's easy to find info on your favorite ships, just read the books, and surf the Potter fansites most of them have forums where you can discuss anything Potter. Just don't use the word "delusional".