i think ron and hermione belong 2 gether and so do ginny and harry. i was SO mad when ron was going out with lavender but then i relized he was trying 2 make hermione jelous (and it worked). i was so glad when they broke up. It is SO obvious that ron and hermione were destined 2 b together.

Im glad Tonks and Remus got together they are perfect for each other.

-Helen

My sister's brainwave made me post this.

Did anyone else notice this is the book where everybody, I MEAN EVERYBODY, falls in love? So many ships! Soo many shiipps! At the end I was expecting Snape and Draco to waltz out and profess their undying love for one another! o0 It's a bit crazy - everyone seems to be hooked up at the end of this, from Bill and Fleur to Tonks and Remus to Hagrid and Mme. Maxime. Is the next book going to be "everybody gets married and then dies"?
Seriously though, do you think part of this was because JK wrote this while getting remarried/while she was pregnant with another child? The mush factor of this book is certainly amazing. LOL.

in response to those that feel that harry's feelings for ginny have just come out of the blue, my feelings are that j.k. rowling eased us into this romantic transition in the past few books. ginny has quickly developed magical abilities, is surprisingly fantastic at quidditch (a good link to harry) and has grown to be a confident, popular person. i think because j.k. eased us into this and because it is a good match then this coupling should be embraced by all.

It's actually quite surprising about the whole H/G thing. LOL I thought people would be absolutely thrilled. I wasn't a big H/G fan as I am an R/Hr fan. I liked them. Thought the idea was cute, but it wouldn't have upset me if they didn't get together. However, I loved it. And if everyone was paying attention, Ginny said it... paraphrasing here, but she said something along the lines... "Hermione told me if I just gave up on you. Talked to you. Went out with other people. You'd come around..." Harry went from seeing her as Ron's annoying little sister that has a crush on him, to seeing her as a capable, smart Witch whom he could enjoy being around. Realization happened much latter when the 'beast inside' of him awoke when he caught her and Dean. He needed that jolt to realize his feelings. It happens constantly. Sometimes people don't realize what they feel for someone until they see something that awakens the 'beast within'.

Isn't that sad? No. I know. I know that people will always refuse to see what's written right in front of them. Anyone who can deny the words from JKR herself were going to deny what's written in the book. And this includes book 7. No matter what she writes in that, they'll find a way around it. Especially if they refuse to see what HBP did for R/Hr. It settled that ship... that R/Hr are the ship, that even Harry knew it. And if they can deny that, they'll deny anything.

I had to cheer when Fleur stayed with Bill! If anyone noticed, she was great!. I don't always go by what the feeling of the character are AKA harry. or the whole family dissing her!
phleum!? whatever She was great! and Bill. to stay with him no matter what!
also Ginny and Harry I knew it was coming but I always had kinda hoped it would be someone else.
I loved Lupin and Tonks! I had to cheer at the part, I laughed gleefully. SHe can crack him!
And finally my fav character M. comes to power! yeah head mistress baby!

Well, this book debunked my hopeful wishes for Harry and Luna to become something more, but as Luna was woefully ignored, reduced to more of a caricature than a real person, this was not possible.

I don't have anything against Ginny being with Harry, I never particularly liked her, but I never disliked her either, but I was certain that after the end of OotP, we'd see Harry and Luna form a tentative friendship, then maybe a relationship...

Maybe I'm seeing what I want to see, and I'm just a petulant child.

Remus and Tonks will make an... interesting couple. Once she's got her self together and once again become the bubbly clutz who listens to the Weird Sisters. I did not see this pairing coming, though there are many online who did... Though, as we haven't seen much of these two characters at all, nevermind interacting, we can't really say this one was out of the blue.

Teehe, EVERY SINGLE SHIP I WANTED was in this book.

I am soooo pleased with my psychic abilities.

My brain is shut off at the moment and i must find the part in Order of the Phoenix where Harry and Cho....um.....kissed. I KNOW THIS IS OFF THE TOPIC (sort of, its still romance) BUT PLEASE HELP ME IM GOING MAD! can someone PLEASE give me a page number?

Exactly! That sums it up perfectly that the jealousy bug finally bit Harry and only did then he realise how much he and Ginny are perfect for each other!

I think that JKR put so much romance into this book to prepare us for the final book, in which the greatest weapon needed to defeat Voldemort will be love, which everyone will possess.

Just one to say, romance in HBP was a fiasco to me. I mean, I AM a Hermione/Ron shipper, but this is ridiculous! I didn't like any of that silly drama, none of it. where to start? Like in my review: It was not only the sudden unneeded angst and need to show a bit "evil" side of the characters, there was a certain cruelty in love, as the teasing reached hurtful levels to the point you got quite fed up of Ron asking if Hermione was interested in him. I think I even started to consider those two were better off going different ways! I did enjoy when Ron corny-ly but cutely said that he didn't want Hermione to be with McLaggen. That and full top, from then on it acquired a rightfully childish tint and unnecessary anguish tone it didn't need and personally bored me.

And if you thought that was critic...

I wasn't expecting a love story - actually was expecting much less than we were shown, but, well, I'm about to guess Rowling has not a bone for romance. Again, I would have preferred a small hint or subtlety.

Oh, Arkee, I'm a petulant child, too. I do not think Ginny/Harry are meant to be. Yup. Even now. Even now I see Luna and Harry having much more chances.

I mean, if you think of it, it's over. As soon as it was started, it is over; Harry just ditched Ginny. Excuse of "can't put you in danger" or not. And I have a whole bunch of ideas why this short relationship was never serious and Harry's isn't in love with Ginny, just hormonal. I will enumerate them again:

- I will go back to it over again, that Harry had never felt anything for Ginny and the idea of suddenly being interested is, pardon master Rowling, lame. You can tell it yourself; Harry had not sought after Ginny until jealous of Dean. And maybe, of
the situation of kissing, not on Ginny specifically.
- Though the last scene may make me feel different, could've made me have my doubts by the "mature" tone it intended to have, you have to admit there's something weird in the fact Harry would trust Hermione and Ron to come with him and not having a problem with risking THEIR lives, when we know Harry to love them so much, and then refuse to have Ginny help. Conlusion; he does not trust Ginny and he doesn't feel Ginny to be his equal! And I'll be blasted for repeating it over again, but you don't fall for a person you don't consider an equal. It was a silly small crush; Harry just wanted to give himself that, a small love story, before having to go into a suicide mission.
- No thinking, just going after the suddenly-attractive Ginny. You can't call that falling in love, can you? (*coughhormonescough*) Besides, Ginny had so little importance to the plot. Just to create more animosity between Mrs Weasley and Fleur and to every now and then make remarks when at the Burrow.

I feel even Ginny/Harry shippers must be disappointed. And I think many of these G/H shippers are only so to make sure Harry won't get in between Hermione and Ron. But, please. G/H coupling is based on imagination of the fans more than real thing, and this is no different. Having those two snog on a sudden rush of hormones isn't definite. Though I do admit it leaves more space for debate and "proof" that they "end up together". Though that expression can be no longer accurate.

*cough# If anything, you have to admit all along about my main ship : they do obsess over each other. Full stop. Just look to what extremities did Harry go! *grins* I feel like a winner. #cough*

Ginny never lost feelings for Harry...As for Harry he never fully realized his feelings. Maybe it took going through this trying year to see how valuable a person she is to him. Seeing her bieng not a child anymore but a young woman. Noticing that she is a very smart witch. Having Quitdich in common not to mention Voldemort in common. People just fall in love everyday without reason! They just all of a sudden feel it. I think that is what happened between Harry and Ginny! I loved it!!!

I love the Tonks and Lupin thing. I think that is great!!!

As far as R/Hr. It has to be. Yes they fight all the time...but some relationship are all about the fighting. Has anyone noticed that they act just like Ron's perants do. Love it Love it Love it!!!

Jealousy is an ugly thing. I think it was pretty obvious that by the end of the book, you could see that what was hurting them both wasn't anything in each other. Hermione needed Ron and Ron needed Hermione. We saw in the end that any doubt that they wouldn't be right for each other is gone. What JKR did wrong was wait so long for the love/jealous/etc. to come full bloom. It was subtle throughout the books, even in GoF, and especially in OotP, that it came out on such force that people are going to feel like they were slapped in the face with it. But why would you read the books for it? It was heavy, but it was still interwoven into the whole plot of the book.

JKR said it herself. Harry got battle-hardened. He grew up, really. He understood that he had to go to war. A great many stories are made this way. What he did was that he didn't want Ginny in danger. It was quite mature, really. His stuff with Cho however was, as you put it, hormonal. And I'm saying this as someone whois not that into H/G. The H/G relationship, however, took on a very adult tone. He needed to let her go, and she understood that he needed to.

Hermione said it herself, "You told us to turn back a long time ago, and we're still here." (A bit a paraphrasing there.) They've been with him since the beginning. They never turned away. With Ginny, he'd be worried about her. He'd be afraid that Voldemort would come after her (he said that himself).

As I said, I'm not this huge H/G fan, but I like the idea. What we saw was a very mature love story that is very often told. The H/G relationship has had a hint of fantasy for some time, ever since SS. The girl chasing the train to the girl getting saved by her 'prince'. And I'm sure each book you can pick out an instance to where it's very fantasy ideal.

I haven't seen any H/G shippers disappointed. I think it was beautiful, and I'm not this huge shipper. As I said before... Ginny went from Ron's annoying little sister who had a crush on him, to capable witch who seemingly grew apart from him. There is nothing wrong with someone not realizing their feelings right away. Two friends can fall in love. I mean, it took 4 years before Ron became jealous of who Hermione was with; before he realized she was a girl. How is this really any different?

I think the wrong thing was making so much addo-over it. All the book was about romance. Even after the death of Dumbledore, while it was still a shock, Molly and Fleur were hugging because Bill and Fleur were getting married! I thought it was completely out of place! And the angst shouldn't've been. Too long, too painful, too unnecessary. I'm not convinced, thought I love Hr/R pairing, I thought it was badly writen.

If you are saying Ginny was immature in the start, why are you saying Ginny has grown into an adult witch and Harry noticed? Why coudn't Harry fell for the girl, in love, and not on sheer work of rampant hormones. You are telling me Ginny had to mature into a woman's body before being noticed? Because that's kind of sad...

I barely would think you can compare the situations. Ginny was always a girl to Harry, but Harry startde looking at Cho first, why? Harry started talking to Ginny, when? 5thyear? The girl he had barely mattered in the begining, who now could sustain conversations, but nonetheless weren't that much of friends - I dare say Neville knows more of Ginny than Harry does. That's no compliment.

I'm of the belief you can fall in love with yout friend, but I'm saying this was not falling in love. As much movie-like it sounded, it can only be explained by hormones alone. I doubt Harry even knew enough of Ginny to want to do more than snog her. As Dean did.

Rowling also said Luna/Neville wasn't happening, may I point out. And for those who wanted to cross out possibilities, that means Neville and Luna both are still potential couple for each Ginny and Harry. *shrug*

Did he want Ron or Hermione in danger? Or wouldn't you say that it was more a matter that Harry thought less of Ginny, not even as "equal".

Isn't Harry worried for Hermione and Ron?
There you have it.
Again, Harry is not trusting Ginny, not feeling her an equal. And while Ginny isn't an equal in Harry's mind, she is just the "hero's girl" which is less than a friend. Just a title than whatever case means to affection: there can't be any affection if the other person isn't felt like an equal.

On the contrary, and I have discussed this with Ginny/Harry fans for some time now, Harry/Ginny coupling is made up in speculation and the fanfic-writer's imagination. You choose if you want to see Ginny as the 'princess saved by a prince' or as the girl Harry decided to have his first serious-type of relationship. But as you know, falling in love is not planned; Harry did not fall for Ginny, fell for the idea of having what he would if he dated Ginny.

Hence, it's not romance.

No, they didn't. They hugged because they were on the same level for a change. Dumbledore was a great loss to the Wizarding world, but knowing your son is going to be alright and the woman who he chose to marry is by his side is a lot more important to Molly. And as it should be. Why should she be all like, "Pfft! Forget all of you! Dumbledore is dead."?

I thought it was greatly written. They went through a lot on a relationship level to being quite understanding of each other. They're 16/17. You can't expect them to be perfect.

That's not what I said. That's the words you put in my mouth, so to speak. What I said was that Ginny was a bit of an annoyance that while Harry noticed, she didn't register. But he spent time with her as a person rather than just an annoyance. Harry didn't fall for her based on looks unlike Cho. He fell for her based on her personality. Which shows that it had nothing to do with hormones.

Just because these kids can wave a wand doesn't mean they can't snog other. I have been reading reviews by critics of major papers. Some of them were waiting for a chance to knock JK off her pedastol as the writer of our times, fortunately after reading HBP-they lacked the evidence. They appreciated the work of JK and what the HBP means for our final instalment. ONe last voyage into a magical, joyful, sometimes innocent fun amongst a creeping, violent world that lies outside. HBP prepares us for the final battles Harry must face and the ultimate price that lays ahead.

When reading some of the post by fellow snitchseekers I sometimes wonder why do i bother coming on this site if it is going to be filled with whining prudes who cannot appreciate another great work of JK rowling. I for one was excited for all the romances that went on in the book. They were teenagers, and it showed. (PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES AND SEE IF YOU WONT GET TEMPTED) I don't know who else out there are teenagers or have been, but stuff happens when you are friendly and are given extra attention between boys and girls. I enjoyed the Hr-R-Lavender little love triangle. It was amusing and gives more depthe to Hr and Rons realtionship. H/G had a foundation to spring from within the book, eager readers may have overlooked that. DArk times are among everyone now, why can't they be happy snogging each other?

I agree with your post TAO. JK did a brilliant job in weaving in the love stories of our characters. IMO i think some have been definetley reaching when it comes to their conclusins and criticisms of HBP. Its like they only read the parts that suited them and not the whole.

thank you *alohamora* man i was waiting for someone to mention bout hermione kissing krum!! when i read that i was like "WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?!?!?!?!" and no offense to any of u but i really wanted harry w/ hermione-- i mean she is the leading lady in the book and ron (no offense) is only like the side kick so i was kinda surprised when jkr put hermione w/ ron. but i did like the way she did it -- it was nice the way she showed ron trying to make hermione jealous but i didnt like how ron didnt have the courage to break up w/ lavender. harry and ginny-- ummmm....... idk i kinda agree w/ most of u when u say out of the blue!! ya!! just a bit!! i mean we all knew that ginny probably still had feelings for harry but harry is madly in luv w/ ginny?? well watever cuz they broke up in the end!!!! yay!!! sry but i personally did not care for that ...relationship but it was cute how they broke up!! it was very sweet and thoughtful of harry. well that was my 2 cents and i really just needed to left that off my chest.

I edited my post because I was not finished, btw.

Yeah but they weren't understanding at all. Hermione send a flock of birds to harm Ron, Ron dated Lavender to hurt Hermione, because Hermione had snogged Krum, which in exchange made Hermione run over the place crying her eyes off as if it was all that much of a big deal! I mean, c'mon! It's infuriating! As you said, 16/17 years old, and they are acting like the world completely rounds around either having your little prince/ss! Like snogging had became number one thing in their existance. I mean, I get it, hormones, more romance, yada yada yada. But this was beyond that. It was sheer drama over absolutely nothing of importance.

Because, "pff", Dumbledore is dead! One would think even in her shock, Molly would at least silently cry for both Dumbledore and Bill but no, she acted as if Dumbledore's death hadn't happened and all of the scene switched into that. Which was most infuriating! TONKS talking to REMUS pointing and saying "see? they can't be happy, why not us?!" like a whinny girl, as if there weren't more important matters than that silly "date me or I will cry".

*suffers the corniness of it all taking over*

There's two main ideas here: 1)
and 2) These are contradictical. What does it matter if Ginny never lost feelings for Harry if she was a young and immature witch then? And what does it matters if Ginny still has the same feelings if she grew those feelings without meeting/knowing with Harry? And what does it matter if she matured! The Ginny who grew the feelings at her 12 was not the Ginny Harry knew since 5th year (if you say she matured). Ginny might not even be interested in Harry but for the illusion of the crush at her first year, when she substained a crush as superficial as Harry's for Cho.

And it was THEN only he did even matter trying to know her. See where I am going? Hormones. Other than bodily, I don't think Harry noticed any maduration he never had an interest for Ginny to try knowing her.

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It was not only the sudden unneeded angst and need to show a bit "evil" side of the characters, there was a certain cruelty in love, as the teasing reached hurtful levels to the point you got quite fed up of Ron asking if Hermione was interested in him. I think I even started to consider those two were better off going different ways!

Oh you people are looking way to much into this! JKR is just showing us the cliched yet true side to the love lives of teens. It's just showing us some of the things Harry encounters as he becomes a man. With all do repect, lighten up a little!

No, that was not what I meant. I had a whole essay out of my review of HBP, if you check the review thread. I was taking as much notice of every difference in teh book tothe others and why woud said changes happens. I think I discovered a kind of trap on this, because as Harry is looking each time meaner and selfish-er, Draco suddenly looks human and innocent - even Voldemort looks more human. So we are faced that the lines between dark and light blurrs a little, on purpose.

Within all of the "evilness" displayed by the "good" characters, there was cheating, hurtful actions, cheeking, etc. And hence why I feel all of the romantic-drama was part of this intention. BUT. That when it came to romance, the "evilness" or whatever went out of hand. There was no need for all that drama, and a whole character life does NOT revolve only on who they hook up with! Hence, that part of the book I found it... gross. Ridiculous. Unneeded. And so I didn't like it. There's much more in teenagers than hormones and romance, really.

I also thought that there was going to be MUCH less romance in HBP than there was.

I thought Ron was going to die too! And when Dumbledore said something like "Ron Weasley almost died tonight" I was freaking out becasue at first glance it looked so much like "Ron Weasley died tonight." I was soo scared! I will hunt JK down with you! I love Ron! Let's just say that if Ron was real, I would sooooo not be a Hermione/Ron shipper anymore!

Yeah! When Ron said "I can't stop thinking about her." I was SOOO excited becasue I thought he was talking about Hermione and then my heart dropped when he mentioned that Vane girl. I thought he was for real at the time and I was very angry!

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I thought it was greatly written. They went through a lot on a relationship level to being quite understanding of each other. They're 16/17. You can't expect them to be perfect.

I highly agree with you! It was written beautifully!

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When reading some of the post by fellow snitchseekers I sometimes wonder why do i bother coming on this site if it is going to be filled with whining prudes who cannot appreciate another great work of JK rowling. I for one was excited for all the romances that went on in the book. They were teenagers, and it showed. (PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES AND SEE IF YOU WONT GET TEMPTED) I don't know who else out there are teenagers or have been, but stuff happens when you are friendly and are given extra attention between boys and girls. I enjoyed the Hr-R-Lavender little love triangle. It was amusing and gives more depthe to Hr and Rons realtionship. H/G had a foundation to spring from within the book, eager readers may have overlooked that. DArk times are among everyone now, why can't they be happy snogging each other?

I agree with you. People are talking about how bad the romances are or whatever when they should be realizing that this is another fantastic book by JKR! And they are teenagers and that's what teenagers do. Especially at this age. JK said herself that they will go through basically what normal teenagers go through and that is what is happening. Like I said earlier, some people are just saying that HBP is just like a huge fanfic just becasue they don't like all of the romance that happened.

Ok well I read somewhere that someone said that they loved the whole Lavendar-Ron-Hermione triangle. Well I do too! Even though I hated it because Ron is MINE and only Hermione can have him! But I also loved it because of course it made Hermione realize that she does love Ron and it also made Ron grow individually because as JK said, he was the "immature" one and he definatly grew in this book.

As for the whole thing with Hermione sending the birds at Ron to hurt him thing.... Well I am thinking that Hermione might have thought that Ron knew that she liked him. Even though he didn't at the moment. So Hermione was obviously angry at
Ron but she might of have been angry at him because she might of have thought that he was hurting her emotionally on purpose. Although he wasn't but he was making her jealous. So she was showing him how angry she was with him by sending the evil birds at him. So Ron was confused because he didn't know why Hermione shot the birds at him although he was hoping that she was jealous but she was much more than jealous, she was furious. Does anyone of this make any sense to anyone?? Since I just had this theory I was wondering if it made any sense.

I agree that it came out of no where, however Rowling is just telling it like it is here. Clearly she understands men and is being realistic in her writing.

My comment may be a little like shooting myself in the foot here, however lets face it, we men are a little clueless sometimes when it comes to love and relationships, specially at a young age. Three forths of the time we have no idea how we really feel. This doesn't apply to all men, however in most cases we don't have as clear an understanding of our feelings as women do. All the clues may be there, but it never occurred to us to be watching for them in the first place, let alone recognize them and put it all together. Usually it is rather abrupt when we finally recognize something that makes us stop and think, "hmm, I had never thought about her that way before, I'd never considered a relationship with her, or thought about asking her out." And yes, even we ourselves are thinking, "Why have I never seen the signs? Why haven't I ever thought of this before?"

So this isn't bad or unrealistic writing, it's just how we really are, and how we really think. Sometimes when we discover what our feelings are and finally pursue them, it really is just out of the blue.

I really enjoyed the Harry/Ginny romance, I only wish that their developing relationship had started a little sooner in the book and had progressed a little further. I'm dissapointed that Harry put a stop to their relationship at the end, but it is typical for a hero in a story. However much the characters might not want to end it, it makes sense to put a potential relationship on hold until after the villain is defeated or destroyed. That way the villain can't use the object of your love against you, can't put the object of your love in danger, and the object of your love can't become a distraction or an obstacle in the way of defeating or destroying the enemy.

I hope that it won't happen this way, but my only fear is that Harry himself might possibly die in the process of destroying Voldemort. Sometimes stories really end that way, where the hero may succeed in defeating his enemy, but something may happen in the process of accomplishing it that may cause him to die.

I'm hoping against it because I would love to think that Harry and Ginny would have a 'happily ever after' together, but I'm bracing myself for the possiblity that the last book may end with the end of Voldemort and Harry, and that the rest of the Wizarding and Muggle world may have to go on living 'happily ever after' without them.

Actually they're not, you just made them that way. Yes, Ginny still felt for Harry, but she moved on from it. It's the same as a first love. You never forget it. And it matters greatly because, as Ginny put it, Harry came around. But we certainly don't know what Ginny's feelings are, but for her to willingly let Harry go and do what he has to do shows a maturity in her feelings for Harry.

Those are not hormones. Well, hormones obviously because anything to do with the opposite (or the same) sex is hormones. But Harry was attracted to Ginny souly based on her unlike with Cho whom he liked based on looks.

What I find funny is that it's okay for Ron to suddenly realize Hermione's a girl and be jealous of Krum after 4 years (and at 13, he can have these feelings, sometimes earlier) and it's perfectly cute and acceptable. Harry realizes that he has feelings for Ginny and it's out of the blue and hormonal? If you ask me, that's a contradiction.