
Better take cover. ‘Cause J.K. Rowling just unleashed a potential s**tstorm among fans of her legendary creation.
In an interview with Wonderland magazine (whose upcoming issue was guest edited by none other than Emma Watson), Rowling confessed that her decision to couple up Hermione with Ron Weasley was based more on personal preference than literary credibility. While the issue isn’t out yet, Rowling’s comments were obtained and published first in today’s edition of The Sunday Times.
Said Rowling:
“I wrote the Hermione/Ron relationship as a form of wish fulfillment. That’s how it was conceived, really. For reasons that have very little to do with literature and far more to do with me clinging to the plot as I first imagined it, Hermione ended up with Ron.”
She further added:
“I know, I’m sorry, I can hear the rage and fury it might cause some fans, but if I’m absolutely honest, distance has given me perspective on that. It was a choice I made for very personal reasons, not for reasons of credibility. Am I breaking people’s hearts by saying this? I hope not.”
Personally—and maybe this is because I haven’t read all the books and have only seen all the films—I’m not so sure about the personal wish vs. literary credibility thing as I think arguments could be made either way. Besides, in the end it’s not really a big deal, at least not for me. But I’ll admit that I felt a minor tug of disappointment when Hermione and Ron got together and a slight thrill when, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Hermione put her head on Harry’s shoulders or when the two danced together.
What does Ms. Guest Editor Emma Watson have to say about it? She agrees with Rowling.
“I think there are fans out there who know that too and who wonder whether Ron would have really been able to make her happy,” she told The Sunday Times.
Ouch. Sorry, Ron.
What do you Potter fans out there think?
I think I agree with her
Even though it’s the more obvious pair-up it does seem like they would make a better match. Something about the Sam-Hermione pairing felt a bit forced to me.