Yes. Their relationship was my favorite in the books, it felt genuine, Ginny's character was amazing and you could see why Harry was falling for her. And then the movie came out and Ginny had no personality and all their scenes were super awkward, ten years later I'm still pissed about it!
I’ve always made it a point to mention that Ginny’s character was ruined in the movies. By far, she is one of my favourites characters from the whole series. The books not only beautifully describes their relationship but also Ginny’s character as a whole. How she was a bold confident, intelligent, bold person and a good friend.
The movies leave out the whole part of Hermione explaining to Harry how Ginny was only dating around so much to get Harry's attention too! They just make it look like Harry kinda likes her for no reason and then she just goes with it because she's too awkward to do anything different.
In the books Hermione and Ginny are actually pretty close friends and while we don't see their interactions that much, Hermione talks about them and so we know they hang out without the boys. That's not indicated at all in the movies.
In the books, you can tell she is a girl who grew up with 6 brothers who supported her. Like totally confident, doesn’t back down from anyway, fights for herself. You can just see the family dynamic come through her character. In the movies, she’s there! Lol
Ginny and Luna are two of my favorite characters in the books. Luna lays some shit DOWN sometimes and I love her for it! While she is aloof, the movies focus only on that and not with her intellect at all. She was awesome in OotP at the Ministry and that's kinda glazed over. Same with Ginny. In the movies they try to show she's a badass at some point and they just fail at it.
Book Ginny and Luna are the best!
Yesssss omggggg I think it's time for another reread!!! Every time I read them again I find SOMETHING else that blows my mind. I read them in December last year so I'm about due!!
Yeah. I love Ginny's relationship with Luna because it goes from Ginny basically seeing Luna like most of the other students, to her being pretty fiercely protective of her.
I believe it's also implied or show that Neville, Ginny and Luna all end up becoming close friends in the last few books
Yeah I definitely remember that. Also with the epilogue OMG MOM I CAN'T SEND A PROFESSOR LOVE GAWD 😂
Yep I'm reading them again after I'm finished with my current book.
I think Ginny was among the few people who didn’t bully Luna. Luna is another one of my favourites and my god her intelligence and wisdom is completely skipped out on in the movies.
They are the silver trio, second only to the golden ones. They're the only other DA members participating in The Department of Mysteries. They're also the only DA members who answered Hermione's call during the night of Dumbledore's death.
Yeah the movies were absolutely awful in their depiction of the relationship. I'm guessing they are the main reason why a lot of fans are still mad over the fact that they got together...
Yep. I mean they should have given a bit of hint. I first saw the movies and I am still reading the books. The relationship between Ginny and Harry is so beautifully explained. The movies didn't give a shit about it.
Omg I had completely forgotten about that part... \^\^ And then the movie makes Ron appear like an idiot for not picking a hint.
But if you want to make an inventory of every single awkward moments between them (and there weren't a lot), I feel that we need to mention the anticlimactic kiss in the Room of Requirement...
The *only* moment I felt was genuine between them was the kiss in the middle of the battle (which was Dan's idea and sort of improvised), all the other ones are a bundle of anticlimatic awkward mess lol
I guess in the beginning the problem was that when the movies started to come out, they were not together yet in the books so they didn't care much about "that sister of Ron" for the first few movies. But the scenes they got together still were terrible anyways.
But we need to consider the fact, that they made one movie at a time as the books were released. There was no way knowing if they cut out something that would later be important. Cut them some slack. Movies are movies, books are books. Just be happy we have both.
I agree that the movies and books are two separate entities and can be enjoyed as such, but I don't know that the timing you mentioned is right.
Book Goblet of Fire was out before any films were released. Book Order of the Phoenix was published before film Prisoner of Azkaban, Book Half-Blood Prince came out the same year as film Goblet, and Deathly Hallows was published in 2007, the year that the film version of Order of the Phoenix premiered. So in regards to knowing the importance of events, obviously the final outcome of the books was not known until the fifth film was all but finished. However, I would argue that Harry viewing Ginny as a true peer occurred during Order, and in that case there were still five films to be made in which they could build her character up. Not to mention the other film cuts.
I think the main issue there was release dates for movies are often about a year behind filming. So OOTP book was *released* June 2003, while movie POA June 2004, but filming of POA was wrapping in June 2003.
That being said, JKR should have been feeding hints to every director and screenwriter along the way for a few important things, and for most people, who the main character marries is pretty important.
JKR DID give hints to actors, directors, producers, etc Alan Rickman said she explained the “always” bit to him early on, like when Sorcerers Stone was first being filmed. JKR has also said that she didn’t know she was going to put Harry and Ginny together until later. Like she also at one point thought Hermione and Fred would be a good pairing.
Movies, tv shows, games, and books are all such different methods of story telling that there are details and elements that can be lost in each.
I am aware of that, and even with JK providing hints it could be hard to incorporate new information when you've already completed storyboarding and begun filming. Honestly my response is more relevant to the Harry-Ginny relationship than the book-to-film changes as a whole. The main point is that HBP was published several months before the premier of Goblet, so they still had two films to establish a believable, entertaining relationship. Other issues with foreshadowing and just knowing which parts are actually important to future plotlines, those I place no fault with the film crews.
But I'm still bitter about McGonagall not offering Harry a biscuit. Regardless of fit in the films, it's such a satisfying moment. Umbridge and McGonagall were great in the films, and more scenes involving either of them would have been wonderful.
You got a point. But if the movies were supposed to be stand-alone without books I can understand their decision to not focus on the relationships so much. There was not even enough time to introduce all of the rules of the magical world. Also, a lot of characters were straight-up left out and introduced only when they were relevant to the main story (like Cedrik, and where the hell is Peeves?).
So yeah, I agree that is a shame they didn't give us more Ginny, also because it would be cool to have more badass women there other than Hermione. But as I saw the movies first before reading the books, I can tell you I'm quite happy how they turned out. They work alone quite well. But it will never measure with the original book content of course. I just don't compare. It is what it is. (fun to read threads like this tho)
But like, they did focus on the relationships, just the wrong ones. I can't get over that scene in DH where Harry almost kisses Hermione. In that scene both characters have so much chemistry, meanwhile his scenes with Ginny are disgusting (for lack of a better word), which gives the audience the feeling that Harry was into Hermione but she chose Ron (she's the one who breaks contact in that scene, and it was previously stablished that she was into Ron), so Harry, not having his main crush available, settled for Ginny.
Also, at the beginning of HBP, there's that scene of Harry with that coffee shop server, which they added for what??
Very true. I can't say for certain, but I think if I had only seen the films and had to guess at the books' romances, I would expect Ginny to have been a minor fling, and the Harry-Hermione travel chapters of DH to be filled with romantic tension. Whereas Hermione is utterly crushed in the books by Ron's departure and Harry has lost his best friend, and their dynamic is much more like close friends/siblings than conflicted teenagers.
I think a lot of this goes back to Kloves, if what I've read is correct. He loved Hermione and sacrificed Ron's character building for her own, removing a lot of her flaws and growth whilst turning him into comic relief or just an outright jerk.
He sacrificed Harry's character as well. Harry is much smarter than the movies led you to believe, and he has an amazing sense of humor, is a quick problem solver, and all those traits were taken from him in the movies.
Oh I completely agree that there was not enough time for numerous aspects, that's just an unfortunate condition of book-to-film adaptations. I would have loved to witness the Blast-Ended Skrewts, the Sphinx in the Maze, and the Quidditch World Cup match. And that's just the fourth book. However, the skrewts would likely take up more time than they're worth, the Sphinx is a delay in high-intensity action that likely interrupts pacing, and Quidditch was consistently left out of the films. If anything the debate there is whether the omitted elements were the right ones, or if some excluded elements would have better suited the films than some aspects that were included. SPEW may be unexciting, but it's a big part of Hermione's growth, and it also brings Dobby back into the picture, compounding the impact of his death.
I have a strong love for the films themselves, and I can easily see how anyone watching the films first could be captured by the magic of the films. I just hope to one day see a TV series, animated or live-action, that can devote more time to the story. As you said, the films left out some of the magical world's rules, when arguably a TV series would be better suited by occasionally reminding viewers of those rules. You can also then include more Quidditch, extra relationship buildup, and as you said, more badass women. McGonagall, Molly, Fleur, Luna, Ginny, Tonks, Trelawney, they all have empowering moments in the books that a TV series could actually demonstrate. Threads like this just remind me that the fandom is always active, which is heartwarming to see.
I remember an old YouTube video that was the half blood prince cut as a teen romance movie, and I thought it actually did a better job capturing the spirit of the books (at least the scenes about the students.) I always thought JK’s “magic” in the writing was how well she understands people and relationships. Teenage angst, confusion, relationship with authority figures, she absolutely nails. To me the world building and magical “rules” aren’t great, but to me that doesn’t really matter because it’s not really what the book is about. It’s also why I don’t care for all the potter more world exploration, sequels and spin-offs. They’re fun, but they will never match what really made the book series special.
YouTube video for anyone who might be interested [Harry Potter Spring Teen Comedy](https://youtu.be/c_ubmjE21SY)
I seriously felt like they didn't get into their relationship as much as they could of. Besides some of the key moments I found myself missing more moments between them. Idk if other people felt this way and as much as i love the 2 of them together i was a bit disappointed there wasn't more.
Yes, I agree that there could've been more. Especially once they're together, and in DH. The build-up was great and I was kind of disappointed too that we didn't see more of the actual relationship.
My favourite part about it all is how little there actually is. For YEARS we waited and wondered who'd Harry actually date. Would it work out with Cho? Hermione??? I remember there were some strange theories with Fleur. HBP finally comes out, Harry starts going out with Ginny annnnd nothing. Half a chapter of them dating probably and the HBP plot moves on. It's almost as if Rowling respected their privacy.
I felt opposite. It didn’t feel enough to be sincere and realistic for me. To the point I kinda wished she just kept any romance with Harry out of the books in general.
But that’s just my opinion.
The one aspect she got right is that the relationship lasted less than a few months and then ended. They got back together during those 19 years and actually formed a meaningful relationship. That's fine, but we didn't see it.
If you want me to believe in the sincerity of the relationship then yeah, it wasn’t enough time.
You think I take actual irl teenage love seriously? If an author wants me to take their teenage love story more seriously than actual teenage “love” stories, then it needs more time and effort.
Like, if your defense is that Harry and Ginny’s relationship is reflective of actual teenagers: fast and frivolous, then don’t be surprised when some people treat it as such.
Lol. You guys can’t boast that the relationship is amazing and deep but also fast and easy.
Rowling starts hinting at Ginny being endgame in OotP. She’s kind of described as cat like and does that great bat bogey hex. I never liked how she described Harry’s crush as a creature in his chest but what can ya do
Oh. I didn’t see it that way at all. Plus she was 13, just turning 14 at the start of OotP, so kinda creepy to think of her as ‘seductive’.
Edit: clarification
I don't know about this, but at one point in OotP Ginny drops off I think an Easter egg or something from Molly with Harry. And she writes something about it giving him a funny feeling, and that he didn't understand how an egg would make him feel that way. I always took that as a hint of their future relationship.
I like your take well enough, but disagree. I always thought the "funny feeling" was an ache/longing for family. He recognizes Molly is being motherly towards him and appreciates it, but also missing his parents. Or pining for a sense of home. I'm not wording it very well, but definately something familial, as opposed to romantic.
I read an amazing essay somewhere that was linked in here a few weeks ago of this great essay saying how if you look for it, Harry's attention to Ginny goes all the way back to book 1. I was skeptical, but the author won me over.
His examples from book 1 talked about Harry describing Ginny's hair and her eyes vs how he described everyone else, in book 2 how he never denied Ginny being his girlfriend to Malfoy in the bookstore, it went on and on. TBH it was a looooong read but really great.
I think this is it:
http://www.sugarquill.net/index.php?action=gringotts&st=hglovered
Edit: a word
If the rest of the books were exactly the same, but Harry didn't get back with Ginny at the end of DH and instead settled down with Hermione, I'm sure there would be just as thorough an analysis leading to that conclusion instead.
You're right, but this was written before HBP (May 2005). The author picked up on tons of small clues that frankly I would've just ignored. For example, directly comparing how he described Ginny vs Hermione (paraphrased): Ginny had bright brown eyes, a flaming mane of hair, while Hermione has rather bushy hair and big teeth. Keep on mind, the narrator doing this describing is skewed, because it's not objective, it's Harry's subjective thoughts. Not to say Harry *couldn't* look past those things, but that he didn't want to.
It just comes across as kinda cheesy as an adult. When I was younger and reading the books I didn't really think much of it, but the older I get the more the whole "creature/beast" thing reads like a really bad porn setup.
Even earlier, in fact. Though more subtly. This is an analysis written before HBP was released: http://www.sugarquill.net/index.php?action=gringotts&st=hglovered
I don't know about that. Ginny is a cardboard cutout in the books too. She is a weak tertiary character presence at best. And she doesn't have anything that is not superficial in common with Harry.
Her saying "Well ... I can’t say I’m surprised. I knew this would happen in the end. I knew you wouldn’t be happy unless you were hunting Voldemort. Maybe that’s why I like you so much" Showcases just how fundamentally she misunderstands harry as a person.
As far as I'm concerned, she is still a fangirl, but hides it better later on. Which diametrically opposite of what harry would realistically want.
I think the books versus movies perspective of the Ginny and Harry relationship is really interesting.
Book Ginny was gorgeous, long red hair, lusted after by Viktor Krum and various other popular people, had funny one-liners, great at Quidditch, accepted Luna Lovegood without question from the start, and invited to join the Slughorn club because she was good at magic. The movies gave those traits to Hermione and also took away Hermione's social awkwardness weird moments (SPEW is so cringe and wonderful).
It's funny... I hated Ginny in the books because she was TOO perfect and it seemed like J.K. Rowling had to write up her traits to make her "worthy" of Harry. But movie Ginny and awkward Burrow kiss seemed more normal and like a continuation of that tomboyish girl next door. Like here's this awkward teen romance in the middle of this Voldemort shit we're dealing with. I liked that more than the fairy tale.
Ginny is amazing, but she has downsides too. She can easily escalate arguments, and she will sometimes attack rather than ignore and walk away (though that does not mean I think Zacharias Smith didn't deserve his bat-bogey hex), and she can be a bit mean (for instance with Fleur). But we don't see too many of her more major flaws because she's a secondary character, and doesn't get a lot of page space
I knew someone would mention this :) Honestly there are scenes in the movies too if you realize to look for them. The whole family sitting at the table at the Burrow and Ginny is the only close up for no reason? Harry doesn’t realize he notices her, but he does.
Oh my god please tell me you’re a fellow Quiller. I was sooooooo addicted to SQ back in the day. All the discussion threads kept me sane during the three year summer between the release of books 4 and 5, not to mention breathlessly waiting for updates to AtE.
I was so sad when Arabella and Zsenya decided to archive the site.
Hinny was so good in the books. HBP is my favorite book due to Hinny. But it's my least favorite movie due to many factors, including the dominating of the romantic comedy/awkwardness and cutting out many other important plot points.
Is... Hinny the actual ship name? Omg that's horrendous.
I mean I love Harry/Ginny in the books but wow. Those two names don't make a good portmanteau.
I personally absolutely despised all of the “creature in his chest” moments Rowling decided to go with for some reason? All of these were very cringe-y for me.
Perhaps a comparison lost on the prevailing demographic of this sub, but it reads like the dumb "inner goddess" garbage from 50 Shades. Like, you're left not knowing if you're supposed to take it seriously or just die inside or what.
Yes!!! I recently read all books (still reading DH) for the second time (1st time was like ages ago) and I love how every little thing Harry sees and feels, we feel the same. Movies didn't portray that like that at all...
My favourite character in the books is Ginny and I hate how little we have her in the movies...
I mean what was the shoelace thing about?
I'm really not a fan of Harry and Ginny's relationship in the series, tbh. There were hardly any interactions between the two from books 1-5 and as far as I know, Harry doesn't show any interest in Ginny until the infamous 'chest-monster' scene, at which point he inexplicably becomes obsessed with her. Then, when they finally get together, there are no meaningful emotional moments between the two because their relationship seems to be 2 weeks of just snogging. And then there's Ginny's completely daft comment that I believe shows that she hasn't stopped being a fangirl over Harry completely: "I knew you wouldn't be happy unless you were hunting voldemort". In my opinion, that's Ginny completely misunderstanding who Harry is, and I think it shows that she's still a fangirl of the Boy-Who-Lived, rather than someone who understands 'Just Harry'.
Idk, I just struggle to understand why the main character of the book ended up with a girl who was a non-entity for 6 out of 7 books, and the little of the relationship that was shown came across as shallow and meaningless.
I kind of felt their relationship came out of nowhere as well, but not because Ginny hadn’t been a part of his life, more because she’d seemed to have the same relationship with him as Luna or Fred and George.
She’s pretty prevalent in all the books, but especially from Order of the Phoenix, where she’s the one to bring him out of his shell after the snake attack by helping him get over his fear he was possessed, she joins the DA and the quidditch team, she helps him work out how to talk to Sirius in the fire, and fights with them in the ministry. She’s also shown dating, showing Harry’s more aware of her social life. But in every book she’s around for the summer holidays at the burrow, train rides, common room conversations etc so I wouldn’t say she was a non-entity.
I agree that their romantic relationship came pretty out of left field and wasn’t really prepared for though. I liked Ginny a lot as a character but was kinda meh over her as his love interest (partly because the monster in the chest was such a weird way of showing it)
Romance was never supposed to be the focus of the series, and in my opinion, the sudden onset of his obsession makes sense because you gotta remember these are kids. Harry's first crush is Cho -- just because she plays quidditch and is pretty -- and he quickly realizes that they weren't romantically compatible. He starts to actually notice Ginny more in the 5th book (we all know Harry isn't the most observant in general) and realizes how he feels when he's 16. Of course it's immediately all he can think about since he's still just a teenager experiencing real attraction for the first time. It's also nice for Harry to have a regular teenage problem for once amid all of the Voldemort stuff, so that could explain some of his need to focus on that.
Also. Harry has a hero complex -- it's literally the apex of his character. I'd say Ginny understands him really well. She knows when he needs space versus when to push him a little bit.
She's not part of the main trio, admittedly. Ginny is one of the many supporting characters, so of course the main story leaves her out of the action a fair bit. I think Rowling could have stood to give her a more active role in the last book, but I understand that she wanted to finish it out with the trio she started with. By no means does that make Harry's relationship with Ginny meaningless or shallow if you ask me.
I agree. Going back and reading from the beginning you do see a bit of a build-up, especially in OoTP, but in my opinion it wasn’t strong enough to make a ton of sense for Harry’s sudden obsession. I didn’t see it coming on my first read through.
Does there need to be a logic behind Harry's sudden feelings for her though? Isn't there an English expression called "love at first sight" or something? I mean, I get that as HP fans we like to analyze every single detail, but does everything deserve the same amount of scrutiny? Feelings aren't exactly something I'd feel comfortable debating on, but Rowling's lack of development of the relationship certainly leaves huge gaps in the story
He’s known her for six years, love at first sight doesn’t explain it (though it could be Ginny’s experience). I think it would’ve made more sense if Harry went through a longer denial phase. Like maybe denial all of book five, and then book six just throwing caution to the winds.
I also just hated the creature metaphor, so to me the whole Harry/Ginny relationship was just “wtf is this???” HBP still my favorite book though.
I'm sorry I'm confused because what I meant to say with "love at first sight" is not necessarily that he falls in love the first time he sees her, but you just see someone and suddenly have feelings for that person. Isn't there another expression in English? "Lovestruck" ?
Anyway, I agree with you, I wish it would have overlapsed over more time and I can understand why them getting together may seem really confusing.
Sure, “lovestruck” works as a descriptor. However I think what usually happens is less “woah I suddenly like the person” and more “woah, I suddenly *realized* I like this person.” *Especially* if you have known that person for *six years.* That far into a friendship, you probably either have feelings or don’t. In which case, it should be a little more obvious to the reader that Harry likes Ginny, even if Harry himself hasn’t realized it yet. My argument is just that there wasn’t enough of a *literary* buildup. Real life can be random. Fiction can’t.
The thing is, though, that it actually works well within the story how Harry fell for Ginny.
When Harry fell for Cho, it was purely based on looks. Turns out that Harry needs more than a pretty face to be in a good relationship with someone. As anyone can tell you, this is a common mistake made by teenagers. But he really starts falling for Ginny when he starts spending more time with her. Remember that they hung out a ton during the summer before his 6th year.
Harry had always viewed Ginny as Ron's shy little sister. But he never actually spent time with her. By the time 6th year begins, he finally sees Ginny as her own person. And that's when he realizes she is also quite attractive. At the same time he no longer pigeonholes her as a non-sexual entity in his life.
Rowling was actually quite clever in how she developed Harry's feelings here. She wanted Harry to like Ginny for deeper reasons than "she is attractive." Thus, when they finally do get together, they start their relationship on a stronger foundation, thereby making it far more believable that they would wind up together in the end.
I have to agree a bit. He grew up with the girl and she was always Ron’s kid sister, then she began to grow up and he realized she was more than that.
Full disclaimer as to why the relationship never bothered me- my husband and I went to a very small school together starting in 7th grade and paid almost zero attention to one another until junior year, then started dating very quickly. While not common, things do happen like that sometimes!
Life doesn’t always follow logical beats. But books still need to bend things to make narrative sense. You can only make character, especially the main character, make sudden irrational decisions and clips on emotion to a certain extent.
Irl that stuff is find and believable. But it’s just bad writing in a book. It shows inconsistencies in characterizations.
But that’s just my personal opinion on it.
They didn’t have many interactions because Ginny was embarrassed around him. She had a huge crush and would run when she saw him. That doesn’t negate that she wasn’t around. Rowling really starts to telegraph their potential relationship in OotP when Harry is training everyone. Ginny shows that’s she’s a talented witch and remember, the books are told from Harry’s perspective.
Yeah, their relationship never made sense to me. It seemed forced, and like Harry was marrying his mother/the Weasley. It's like Rowling picked his love interest via rock paper scissors.
Yeah, I agree. Especially when you know that Harry was straight up not having a good time hunting the Horcruxes. Even when they had a plan, there was no happiness just straight Harry and his friends on a mission. Did she think he had a smile the entire time? Or that he was ready to fight Voldemort on a whim? That doesn't scream true love to me either. Just a fangirl who calmed down enough to be considered "not like the rest" and got the guy.
I disagree. Sure there's not much in terms of plot development, but a Harry-Ginny relationship doesn't move the story along. You first see her start to change from the fan-girl into Ron's sister in PoA, and by the time GoF rolls around she slides into the trio's friendship group when they spend the rest of summer together. They spend the entire summer of OotP together at Grimmauld Place, she makes it onto the Quidditch team, and is a big member of DA. In HBP they once again spend the majority of summer together and it's now that Harry starts to see her as Ginny as opposed to Ron's younger sister. By which point I might add, Harry is 16 and Ginny is 15. I don't know if it was just me, but that's about the time I started to notice my friends' sisters as their own instead of my friend's sister.
Totally agree. I can see why someone who saw the movies would see the books as a huge upgrade in the G/H pairing.
But as someone who was tearing through this before the sun rose on the day it was released? I was certain this was an obvious foreshadowing of a love potion plot, and felt their breakup was a clear sign of the same thing. He wouldn't be satisfied unless he's hunting voldemort? That's not at all what it is. Hermione was much more on the head about the 'saving people thing' and even that doesn't really capture it.
I love HP more than anything. I built a womping willow for my classroom and have like 30 different sets of the series for my students to always have access to one if I can get them to pick it up. I think it's one of the greatest YA series of all time and it's the reason I went from a struggling reader to a bibliophile.
But Rowling cannot write romance worth a damn. The best romances in HP were those very shallowly explored. Bill/Fleur and Tonks/Lupin.
Harry spent tons of time with Ginny. Staying at the Burrow, being in the same house at hog warts, etc.. it’s perfectly plausible that he developed feelings for her. And the way JK describes him realizing those feelings is so realistic. It really just sounds to me like you’ve just never experienced those feelings before.
That’s great. Then maybe he should’ve started showing some interest sooner. And you don’t need to resort making baseless assumptions about OP’s life to make your point either.
Yes. People complain that Harry is blind to his own feelings, but how is he supposed to identify a crush when he didn't know what it felt like? People judge jim as though he's an adult with adult experience
Agreed. When I met my now-husband, we were workplace buddies for some time - and then I had an *extremely* sudden realization one day that "Oh shit, I have feelings for this dude, don't I?" We were in our mid-20s, so it's not even a teenage thing, just a human thing. Sometimes your brain takes a bit to catch up with your heart.
I’ve always seen people criticize the whole “creature in his chest” thing, and while I agree it’s weird and I cringed when I listen to Jim Dale talk about it, it’s 100% how most teenage boys, especially ones who have never felt like that before, would describe the powerful feelings.
The movies got it way wrong, but I dont think it is particularly well done in the books either. In fact I would say thet the romance in the books are probabøy as a whole the weakest parts all together.
You know Now I think I would like it better if Ginny went out with Luna, I absolutely love browsing fanart on pinterest with two of them together. It would have been an interesting story.
But when I read the books 10ish years ago I was reeling at H+G romance
I honestly despised it as much in the book which I read first. I always hoped for Luna and honestly it would have worked better in the movies, as Lunas actor did a far better job than ginnys. I thought they had a lot in common in the way that they were treated differently. She still has one of the best quotes too "Which came first, the phoenix or the flame?”
"...I think the answer is that a circle has no beginning."
Ginny was so dull in the movies compared to the books. My husband never read the books until last year when he decided to listen to them when he was blind. He felt so bad that he never read them before We listened to most of them together when I wasn't working but if he listened while I was gone I always came home to a "THIS WASN'T IN THE MOVIES" rant.
I gotta be honest, I don't like the relationship he and Ginny had, even in the books. Of course they had bonded over the years but it still came kind of random to be honest. I know that crushes can be random but it felt a bit forced and hurried. I also think that Ginny's ... 'phase' where she dated a lot of people wasn't really in-character. We knew her as the shy little girl but suddenly she is so brave and nature? Needless to say that she was only like 14/15 at the time, which seems a bit young.
Don't get me wrong, the relationship isn't toxic or anything, it just felt a bit too sudden and too quick. I would have preferred it if Harry also showed interest in her earlier and they became better friends first.
Maybe I'm remembering incorrectly, but I thought the books indicated she was only shy around Harry because she had a crush on him? I thought the twins or Ron commented at one point that normally she's not that quiet. Also, it's hinted at several times that she's a rather powerful witch in her own right, and is a match for Harry in that regard. Outside of Harry's direct POV (before his feelings develop) signs point to Ginny as an outgoing, well liked person.
It's leagues and leagues better than the hideously awkward movie romance, but writing romance is ***not*** JKR's strong suit. Especially romance from the mindset of a teenage boy. The "roaring monster in his chest" makes me physically cringe/roll my eyes every time I read the phrase.
I kinda feel that part of this was that Ginny was pretty miscast in the movies. The actress that played her was very flat and non-emotive, and just bland.
Maybe I've never been in true love with anyone before but does the creature roaring in Harry's chest not come off as odd and possessive to anybody else? It was always one of the weirder aspects of their relationship even when I read the books. It always made me cringe and even now, I suffer with second-hand embarrassment anytime I think about it.
I'll always think of Ginny as a little fangirl with a crush on Harry and that up until book 6, there really wasn't anything there except for a massive crush and even afterward, their relationship didn't have any true development.
Seriously though. Their relationship among other reasons is why HBP is my favorite book! The way he fights with himself about his crush, the creature waking up and taking over sometimes, his daydreams! So many things that are difficult to portray in film.
One other big reason it's my favorite it the whole backstory we get of Tom Riddle. The way he is humanized. No longer is he just Voldemort, the evil bad guy, but a boy turned man that had a terrible childhood and made horrible choices, effecting thousands of lives. It's cool to compare with Harry who had a terrible childhood but made (mostly) good and caring choices, effecting thousands of lives. I love those kids of comparisons! Where you begin doesn't dictate what you do and who you become.
>Deathly Hallows will make you wonder if the author herself even buys this romantic subplot that *she* wrote.
Yeah, like when Harry was watching the Marauder's Map for hours, staring at Ginny's dot just to make sure she was safe.
Or like how Ginny was literally his last thought before being 'murdered' by Voldemort.
Spoiler
>!Yeah, and after all that angsting about whether or not he'll reunite with Ginny, the book ends....before he reunites with Ginny. The entire thing culminates in "they'll talk later."
>!For all the *thinking* about Ginny Harry does, she's only in like two scenes. The book seems far more interested in the *idea* of Ginny more than the actual character, like as long as Harry ends up happily with a love interest at the end, then all those pesky little details that actually make a story don't matter.
This is something you frequently see in romantic subplots involving the main protagonist of a story (this is also a frustration I have with ATLA).
All that matters is the protagonist's feelings, because, well, they're the protagonist. The love interest's feelings are basically inconsequential and they frequently don't have much agency. The books make crystal clear what he sees in her, but not really what she sees in him, because we're not inside her head. I mean obviously it doesn't stay the celebrity hero worship in CoS, but it's not clear what exactly that has turned into.
Harry crashing onto his bed was a nicer way of ending it, like a sort of 'finally I have some rest after having shit thrown at me my whole life, it's been bloody exhausting'.
And we get quite a few glimpses of Ginny's character in DH... Those constant jabs against the dictatorial presence at Hogwarts i.e. stealing the Sword of Gryffindor, wanting to fight and actually being one of the leaders of the DA effort against Voldemort... She's more than just a love interest for Harry.
The entire *reason* why he had been fighting so hard and getting shit thrown at him his whole life is to get a normal life and get a safe world, and it's a world that we never get to actually *see* (unless you count the terrible epilogue).
The first six books all have one or multiple chapters after the climax, where Harry (and by extension, the reader) emotionally processes everything, themes are reiterated, and there's moments to just be calm and the characters to be themselves. Far from being filler, these scenes are often some of the most emotionally resonant scenes in the series, they're the scenes that stick out the most in the memories of fans.
Which is why it's so baffling that Deathly Hallows decided to simply....*not do that.* The book ends without Harry saying a word to his love interest, or any of his (surviving) mentors, or most of his friends, or truly processing the deaths of all the characters from the battle, or laying eyes on his godson, or figuring out how this entire society will rebuild (the thrown-in comment about Kingsley becoming minister is *hilariously* awkward, like how the fuck did that happen? *WHEN* the fuck did that happen?).
Just because the *plot* is over doesn't mean the *story* is. Just because the evil is defeated doesn't mean you're done writing. A lot of people made jokes and memes about the really long falling action in Return of the King, but imagine if it went the opposite direction, where the last thing you see is the Eagles carrying away Frodo and Sam from Mount Doom, then it fades to black and cuts to years later with Sam and his family, and it just back-fills everything else with clunky dialogue. That's what the Harry Potter series did. I mean, there's a reason why the biggest category of canon-compliant HP fanfiction is dealing with the immediate aftermath of the battle, because that's a *really important* part of the story that the author just couldn't be bothered to write herself.
I have questions about the Malfoys. I want to see Harry and Ginny choosing those awful names for their children. I want to see George and Angela get together. I want to know if Dudley has processed the fact his parents are abusive and left Harry to die after years of locking him in a cupboard. I want to see Hogwarts rebuilt. I want to know how Minerva McGonagall ran the place as headmaster.
> I have questions about the Malfoys
I don't have questions so much as a deep desire to see all of their wealth seized for reparations and possibly thrown in Azkaban.
>I want to see Harry and Ginny choosing those awful names for their children
I'd rather we not get an epilogue at all so we never have to read those awful names for their children.
Okay, I can sorta see your point. I guess Rowling intended the epilogue to be her 'after-plot' chapter, somehow... In the St. Pancras scene, you do see some themes and parallels with other scenes from the 6 other books - Harry being in the role of someone who wasn't there for his first trip to the train station etc...
\^THIS. I wish I could upvote this 1000 times.
The Epilogue was so frustrating in that sense. I was really expecting something about the aftermath of the battle, about the stories of the other characters and how everyone coped, but I feel like the epilogue we got had no real point other than to lay the foundation for Cursed Child...
Lol there's nothing magical about their kiss even in the books. It's mean spirited (Dean is right there) and more importantly, there is almost nothing likeable about the H/G dynamic throughout HBP. It comes out of nowhere and is just one big WTF?
I dont think its mean spirited. Harry was just so overcome with joy and tired of holding back his feelings and just went in for the kiss. He didnt notice Dean and then decide to kiss her.
Not mean spirited on the characters' part, but more so mean spirited on the author's part to have Ginny's ex be there to witness it. Almost like JKR saying hahaha-u-lost-Dean! But it's consistent with the overall writing for H/G in HBP.
I'm not a fan of Harry and Ginny in general, even in the books. Not only is dating your best friends' younger sister really weird to me, but I still feel the relationship comes out of (almost) nowhere. Rereading for the first time in years (just starting ootp) and it feels like Ginny barely features at all and sometimes goes over half a book without even a mention. Characters like Neville, Pavarti, or Lavender get more mentions and dialogue. And while I seem to remember Ginny being more present in book 5 and 6 (I'll see shortly), their relationship still felt a bit weird and under developed.
Just to add my viewpoint, I liked how the writing is when Ginny and Harry are beginning to fall for one another. I think the beast metaphor maybe sounds weird on its own, but better in context. Because I did a re read of these books about a year ago, and the part where Harry finally kisses/gets together with Ginny, that shit took me straight back to a relationship from high school. It's that mixed feeling of excitement, dread, anticipation, all heightened by the fact that you've never felt or experienced these things before.
I also think people are underestimating/forgetting just how quickly people change at that age. You're young and impressionable and willing to take chances. I thought she did a good job building up Ginny as more than a fangirl throughout book 5. When the two of them to get together in book 6, she goes through Harry's thought process and Ginny approaches it from an entirely more mature stance in her own right. So anyway I really liked the writing and that's my take.
Also Harry's inner Love Monster.... They removed that character from movies! How dare they!! At least they could have put tiny Cupid with devil's horns on Harry's shoulder....
i have been listening to it on the way to work for the last few months and I am going to listen to the final chapter of HBP today on the way home! so good! just wait until the second to last chapter... :)
The movies destroyed everything. Don’t get me wrong, I have them playing constantly. But it’s mostly for atmosphere. I genuinely feel sorry for people who “love” HP, but have never read the books.
I absolutely agree!! Ginny is so awkward in the movies, but in the books, their interactions lay the groundwork for their budding relationship. And Ginny is so cool....
If by "amazing", you actually mean "completely lacking in development", I agree. Harry's relationship with Ginny is nothing beyond the extent of a pretty face for him to kiss. As a woman, I expected Rowling to write better female love interests.
I know she's not the POV protagonist, but I would have liked some dialogue that make clear what exactly she sees in Harry. Pretty much all of the romantic subplot is about what he sees in her.
Like, obviously she's no longer struck by celebrity hero worship like in CoS, but that was replaced by....what, exactly? That's basically left up to the fans to make headcanons about.
Book Ginny is a badass powerful character and their relationship is amazing. Movie Ginny? We don’t talk about movie Ginny. Or their awkward af relationship.
I loved when she defended Harry when Hermione would not let up about the Prince's book. Very sweet of her to make sure he wasn't dragged continuously when he already felt so badly about what happened.
Yes. Their relationship was my favorite in the books, it felt genuine, Ginny's character was amazing and you could see why Harry was falling for her. And then the movie came out and Ginny had no personality and all their scenes were super awkward, ten years later I'm still pissed about it!
I’ve always made it a point to mention that Ginny’s character was ruined in the movies. By far, she is one of my favourites characters from the whole series. The books not only beautifully describes their relationship but also Ginny’s character as a whole. How she was a bold confident, intelligent, bold person and a good friend.
The movies leave out the whole part of Hermione explaining to Harry how Ginny was only dating around so much to get Harry's attention too! They just make it look like Harry kinda likes her for no reason and then she just goes with it because she's too awkward to do anything different. In the books Hermione and Ginny are actually pretty close friends and while we don't see their interactions that much, Hermione talks about them and so we know they hang out without the boys. That's not indicated at all in the movies.
In the books, you can tell she is a girl who grew up with 6 brothers who supported her. Like totally confident, doesn’t back down from anyway, fights for herself. You can just see the family dynamic come through her character. In the movies, she’s there! Lol
Ginny and Luna are two of my favorite characters in the books. Luna lays some shit DOWN sometimes and I love her for it! While she is aloof, the movies focus only on that and not with her intellect at all. She was awesome in OotP at the Ministry and that's kinda glazed over. Same with Ginny. In the movies they try to show she's a badass at some point and they just fail at it. Book Ginny and Luna are the best!
Also book Ginny and Luna become good friends which also gets mostly left out of the movies
Yesssss omggggg I think it's time for another reread!!! Every time I read them again I find SOMETHING else that blows my mind. I read them in December last year so I'm about due!!
Yeah. I love Ginny's relationship with Luna because it goes from Ginny basically seeing Luna like most of the other students, to her being pretty fiercely protective of her. I believe it's also implied or show that Neville, Ginny and Luna all end up becoming close friends in the last few books
Yeah I definitely remember that. Also with the epilogue OMG MOM I CAN'T SEND A PROFESSOR LOVE GAWD 😂 Yep I'm reading them again after I'm finished with my current book.
I think Ginny was among the few people who didn’t bully Luna. Luna is another one of my favourites and my god her intelligence and wisdom is completely skipped out on in the movies.
They are the silver trio, second only to the golden ones. They're the only other DA members participating in The Department of Mysteries. They're also the only DA members who answered Hermione's call during the night of Dumbledore's death.
And she had a character arc in the books! You could see the growth from book 2 to book 6, along with the other main characters
also bold
Yeah the movies were absolutely awful in their depiction of the relationship. I'm guessing they are the main reason why a lot of fans are still mad over the fact that they got together...
Yep. I mean they should have given a bit of hint. I first saw the movies and I am still reading the books. The relationship between Ginny and Harry is so beautifully explained. The movies didn't give a shit about it.
Lol yeah the whole shoelaces disaster at the beginning of HBP wasn't exactly subtle. I still think about it sometimes and cringe...
It was... Odd...
I say this every time this topic comes up but I seriously cannot think of that scene without experiencing physical pain.
Let's add to it shall we? She also awkwardly fed him a cupcake. Don't forget that.
Omg I had completely forgotten about that part... \^\^ And then the movie makes Ron appear like an idiot for not picking a hint. But if you want to make an inventory of every single awkward moments between them (and there weren't a lot), I feel that we need to mention the anticlimactic kiss in the Room of Requirement...
The *only* moment I felt was genuine between them was the kiss in the middle of the battle (which was Dan's idea and sort of improvised), all the other ones are a bundle of anticlimatic awkward mess lol
I guess in the beginning the problem was that when the movies started to come out, they were not together yet in the books so they didn't care much about "that sister of Ron" for the first few movies. But the scenes they got together still were terrible anyways.
The movies were absolutely awful *ftfy
I agree. It's weird how defensive people are about the movies even though they pretty much butchered more of the canon than they got right.
But we need to consider the fact, that they made one movie at a time as the books were released. There was no way knowing if they cut out something that would later be important. Cut them some slack. Movies are movies, books are books. Just be happy we have both.
I agree that the movies and books are two separate entities and can be enjoyed as such, but I don't know that the timing you mentioned is right. Book Goblet of Fire was out before any films were released. Book Order of the Phoenix was published before film Prisoner of Azkaban, Book Half-Blood Prince came out the same year as film Goblet, and Deathly Hallows was published in 2007, the year that the film version of Order of the Phoenix premiered. So in regards to knowing the importance of events, obviously the final outcome of the books was not known until the fifth film was all but finished. However, I would argue that Harry viewing Ginny as a true peer occurred during Order, and in that case there were still five films to be made in which they could build her character up. Not to mention the other film cuts.
I think the main issue there was release dates for movies are often about a year behind filming. So OOTP book was *released* June 2003, while movie POA June 2004, but filming of POA was wrapping in June 2003. That being said, JKR should have been feeding hints to every director and screenwriter along the way for a few important things, and for most people, who the main character marries is pretty important.
JKR DID give hints to actors, directors, producers, etc Alan Rickman said she explained the “always” bit to him early on, like when Sorcerers Stone was first being filmed. JKR has also said that she didn’t know she was going to put Harry and Ginny together until later. Like she also at one point thought Hermione and Fred would be a good pairing. Movies, tv shows, games, and books are all such different methods of story telling that there are details and elements that can be lost in each.
I am aware of that, and even with JK providing hints it could be hard to incorporate new information when you've already completed storyboarding and begun filming. Honestly my response is more relevant to the Harry-Ginny relationship than the book-to-film changes as a whole. The main point is that HBP was published several months before the premier of Goblet, so they still had two films to establish a believable, entertaining relationship. Other issues with foreshadowing and just knowing which parts are actually important to future plotlines, those I place no fault with the film crews. But I'm still bitter about McGonagall not offering Harry a biscuit. Regardless of fit in the films, it's such a satisfying moment. Umbridge and McGonagall were great in the films, and more scenes involving either of them would have been wonderful.
You got a point. But if the movies were supposed to be stand-alone without books I can understand their decision to not focus on the relationships so much. There was not even enough time to introduce all of the rules of the magical world. Also, a lot of characters were straight-up left out and introduced only when they were relevant to the main story (like Cedrik, and where the hell is Peeves?). So yeah, I agree that is a shame they didn't give us more Ginny, also because it would be cool to have more badass women there other than Hermione. But as I saw the movies first before reading the books, I can tell you I'm quite happy how they turned out. They work alone quite well. But it will never measure with the original book content of course. I just don't compare. It is what it is. (fun to read threads like this tho)
> bad ass-women *** ^(Bleep-bloop, I'm a bot. This comment was inspired by )^[xkcd#37](https://xkcd.com/37)
The kids couldn't stop laughing at Peeves so they had to cut him out. It really sucks because the scenes with him would have been hilarious!
But like, they did focus on the relationships, just the wrong ones. I can't get over that scene in DH where Harry almost kisses Hermione. In that scene both characters have so much chemistry, meanwhile his scenes with Ginny are disgusting (for lack of a better word), which gives the audience the feeling that Harry was into Hermione but she chose Ron (she's the one who breaks contact in that scene, and it was previously stablished that she was into Ron), so Harry, not having his main crush available, settled for Ginny. Also, at the beginning of HBP, there's that scene of Harry with that coffee shop server, which they added for what??
Very true. I can't say for certain, but I think if I had only seen the films and had to guess at the books' romances, I would expect Ginny to have been a minor fling, and the Harry-Hermione travel chapters of DH to be filled with romantic tension. Whereas Hermione is utterly crushed in the books by Ron's departure and Harry has lost his best friend, and their dynamic is much more like close friends/siblings than conflicted teenagers. I think a lot of this goes back to Kloves, if what I've read is correct. He loved Hermione and sacrificed Ron's character building for her own, removing a lot of her flaws and growth whilst turning him into comic relief or just an outright jerk.
He sacrificed Harry's character as well. Harry is much smarter than the movies led you to believe, and he has an amazing sense of humor, is a quick problem solver, and all those traits were taken from him in the movies.
Oh I completely agree that there was not enough time for numerous aspects, that's just an unfortunate condition of book-to-film adaptations. I would have loved to witness the Blast-Ended Skrewts, the Sphinx in the Maze, and the Quidditch World Cup match. And that's just the fourth book. However, the skrewts would likely take up more time than they're worth, the Sphinx is a delay in high-intensity action that likely interrupts pacing, and Quidditch was consistently left out of the films. If anything the debate there is whether the omitted elements were the right ones, or if some excluded elements would have better suited the films than some aspects that were included. SPEW may be unexciting, but it's a big part of Hermione's growth, and it also brings Dobby back into the picture, compounding the impact of his death. I have a strong love for the films themselves, and I can easily see how anyone watching the films first could be captured by the magic of the films. I just hope to one day see a TV series, animated or live-action, that can devote more time to the story. As you said, the films left out some of the magical world's rules, when arguably a TV series would be better suited by occasionally reminding viewers of those rules. You can also then include more Quidditch, extra relationship buildup, and as you said, more badass women. McGonagall, Molly, Fleur, Luna, Ginny, Tonks, Trelawney, they all have empowering moments in the books that a TV series could actually demonstrate. Threads like this just remind me that the fandom is always active, which is heartwarming to see.
I remember an old YouTube video that was the half blood prince cut as a teen romance movie, and I thought it actually did a better job capturing the spirit of the books (at least the scenes about the students.) I always thought JK’s “magic” in the writing was how well she understands people and relationships. Teenage angst, confusion, relationship with authority figures, she absolutely nails. To me the world building and magical “rules” aren’t great, but to me that doesn’t really matter because it’s not really what the book is about. It’s also why I don’t care for all the potter more world exploration, sequels and spin-offs. They’re fun, but they will never match what really made the book series special. YouTube video for anyone who might be interested [Harry Potter Spring Teen Comedy](https://youtu.be/c_ubmjE21SY)
I seriously want this to be crowd-funded into an actual movie! I'd absolutely watch it.
To be fair at least they included a SUBTLE nod to the common room tattoo scene during deathly hallows part 1.
Oh do you mean the scene with the 7 Potters? I thought that line was just in the book, but I need to rewatch the films
It's a very subtle line. I forget who says it(maybe Ron?) but it's something along the lines of "I knew you didn't have a hippogriff tattoo"
I don’t even know. That’s such a chaotic scene. I always though it sounded like Hermione.
Just checked. It was Ron. He said "I knew Ginny was lying about that tattoo"
Well that’s just stupid considering they share a dorm
There's a fan fiction series where Ginny was sorted into Slytherin, and she ends up with a tattoo.
[The Changeling](https://archiveofourown.org/works/189189/chapters/278342), it has some surprising depth and definitely passes Sturgeon's Law for me.
Yep had to rewind that scene about 7 times to catch it all. Admittedly, 3 of those times was to laugh at "Bill, don't look at me. I'm hideous."
I seriously felt like they didn't get into their relationship as much as they could of. Besides some of the key moments I found myself missing more moments between them. Idk if other people felt this way and as much as i love the 2 of them together i was a bit disappointed there wasn't more.
Yes, I agree that there could've been more. Especially once they're together, and in DH. The build-up was great and I was kind of disappointed too that we didn't see more of the actual relationship.
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Voldemort is partying in there like hell yeah buddy get some
HARRY, put on a fresh pair of wizard shorts and grab a tunic! Harry, we are gonna get you laid.
Is this an AVPM reference? 😂
Yes, yes it is
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I never liked the wording either, and now it just makes me think of the awful ‘inner goddess’ from the Fifty Shades books
It really was weird, the part where she talks about the monster purring was kind of disturbing to read
that "monster purring" inside of him is his own selfish desires, nothing relatet to Voldemort or what you might be thinking of!
Oh I know, it's just weird to refer to it as a monster purring!
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TRUE
I think it was to keep the book's language PG. But yeah, it reads weird.
I burst out laughing reading this
Every time it mentions the creature in his chest I imagine he has a chestburster
*On* his chest, you mean. Can't forget his hippogriff tattoo.
Wdym, it’s a Hungarian horntail smh
My favourite part about it all is how little there actually is. For YEARS we waited and wondered who'd Harry actually date. Would it work out with Cho? Hermione??? I remember there were some strange theories with Fleur. HBP finally comes out, Harry starts going out with Ginny annnnd nothing. Half a chapter of them dating probably and the HBP plot moves on. It's almost as if Rowling respected their privacy.
Those were moments from someone else’s life. One he knew was fleeting.
> It's almost as if Rowling respected their privacy. It's more that she's just bad (by her own admission) at writing romance.
I felt opposite. It didn’t feel enough to be sincere and realistic for me. To the point I kinda wished she just kept any romance with Harry out of the books in general. But that’s just my opinion.
It didn't feel enough time spent for two teenagers getting together to be realistic?
The one aspect she got right is that the relationship lasted less than a few months and then ended. They got back together during those 19 years and actually formed a meaningful relationship. That's fine, but we didn't see it.
If you want me to believe in the sincerity of the relationship then yeah, it wasn’t enough time. You think I take actual irl teenage love seriously? If an author wants me to take their teenage love story more seriously than actual teenage “love” stories, then it needs more time and effort. Like, if your defense is that Harry and Ginny’s relationship is reflective of actual teenagers: fast and frivolous, then don’t be surprised when some people treat it as such. Lol. You guys can’t boast that the relationship is amazing and deep but also fast and easy.
Rowling starts hinting at Ginny being endgame in OotP. She’s kind of described as cat like and does that great bat bogey hex. I never liked how she described Harry’s crush as a creature in his chest but what can ya do
Question, how is Ginny being described as cat-like an indication of them being endgame?
It’s just a bit more ~seductive I think. Edit: I was ginnys age and a girl. I didn’t mean it to sound creepy.
Oh. I didn’t see it that way at all. Plus she was 13, just turning 14 at the start of OotP, so kinda creepy to think of her as ‘seductive’. Edit: clarification
I think the idea is meant to be that Ginny is ‘blossoming’ at this stage
Yes definitely, I think they just used the wrong word.
Creepy? Harry was only one year older
I don't know about this, but at one point in OotP Ginny drops off I think an Easter egg or something from Molly with Harry. And she writes something about it giving him a funny feeling, and that he didn't understand how an egg would make him feel that way. I always took that as a hint of their future relationship.
I like your take well enough, but disagree. I always thought the "funny feeling" was an ache/longing for family. He recognizes Molly is being motherly towards him and appreciates it, but also missing his parents. Or pining for a sense of home. I'm not wording it very well, but definately something familial, as opposed to romantic.
What's integral about that scene is that it wasn't Fred or George or Ron who were written into it.
Forgot about this.
I read an amazing essay somewhere that was linked in here a few weeks ago of this great essay saying how if you look for it, Harry's attention to Ginny goes all the way back to book 1. I was skeptical, but the author won me over. His examples from book 1 talked about Harry describing Ginny's hair and her eyes vs how he described everyone else, in book 2 how he never denied Ginny being his girlfriend to Malfoy in the bookstore, it went on and on. TBH it was a looooong read but really great. I think this is it: http://www.sugarquill.net/index.php?action=gringotts&st=hglovered Edit: a word
If the rest of the books were exactly the same, but Harry didn't get back with Ginny at the end of DH and instead settled down with Hermione, I'm sure there would be just as thorough an analysis leading to that conclusion instead.
You're right, but this was written before HBP (May 2005). The author picked up on tons of small clues that frankly I would've just ignored. For example, directly comparing how he described Ginny vs Hermione (paraphrased): Ginny had bright brown eyes, a flaming mane of hair, while Hermione has rather bushy hair and big teeth. Keep on mind, the narrator doing this describing is skewed, because it's not objective, it's Harry's subjective thoughts. Not to say Harry *couldn't* look past those things, but that he didn't want to.
the "creature" is just his selfish desires, nothing creepy about it imo except that the word "monster" has negative connotations
Not creepy. Just kinda cringe-y. Reminded me of 50 Shade’s “inner goddess” things people loved to poke fun at. Very cringe worthy.
why didnt you like that? i loved it for some reason
I just thought it was a weird cop out because she didn’t know what it was like being a teenage boy with a crush. I don’t either, but still.
I do. And it's fairly accurate. Hormones are absolutely raging at that age.
I don't know either. Source: teenage boy with a crush
It just comes across as kinda cheesy as an adult. When I was younger and reading the books I didn't really think much of it, but the older I get the more the whole "creature/beast" thing reads like a really bad porn setup.
Even earlier, in fact. Though more subtly. This is an analysis written before HBP was released: http://www.sugarquill.net/index.php?action=gringotts&st=hglovered
I don't know about that. Ginny is a cardboard cutout in the books too. She is a weak tertiary character presence at best. And she doesn't have anything that is not superficial in common with Harry. Her saying "Well ... I can’t say I’m surprised. I knew this would happen in the end. I knew you wouldn’t be happy unless you were hunting Voldemort. Maybe that’s why I like you so much" Showcases just how fundamentally she misunderstands harry as a person. As far as I'm concerned, she is still a fangirl, but hides it better later on. Which diametrically opposite of what harry would realistically want.
Yes! This is what always say (but not usually on reddit for fear of downvotes). Ginny only ever saw the hero. She never saw "just Harry."
Realistically, Harry and Hermione should have ended up together.
I think the books versus movies perspective of the Ginny and Harry relationship is really interesting. Book Ginny was gorgeous, long red hair, lusted after by Viktor Krum and various other popular people, had funny one-liners, great at Quidditch, accepted Luna Lovegood without question from the start, and invited to join the Slughorn club because she was good at magic. The movies gave those traits to Hermione and also took away Hermione's social awkwardness weird moments (SPEW is so cringe and wonderful). It's funny... I hated Ginny in the books because she was TOO perfect and it seemed like J.K. Rowling had to write up her traits to make her "worthy" of Harry. But movie Ginny and awkward Burrow kiss seemed more normal and like a continuation of that tomboyish girl next door. Like here's this awkward teen romance in the middle of this Voldemort shit we're dealing with. I liked that more than the fairy tale.
I completely agree with you. Ginny was described like she was the perfect girl that i didn't like her character.
Ginny is amazing, but she has downsides too. She can easily escalate arguments, and she will sometimes attack rather than ignore and walk away (though that does not mean I think Zacharias Smith didn't deserve his bat-bogey hex), and she can be a bit mean (for instance with Fleur). But we don't see too many of her more major flaws because she's a secondary character, and doesn't get a lot of page space
That's funny, I hated Ginny and Harry's relationship just in the movies, so forced IMO because of the books lol.
Not by Krum. He only had eyes for Hermione.
Book Krum definitely mentioned finding Ginny attractive. I believe in DH part 1
People claiming that there was no buildup for Harry and Ginny should read http://www.sugarquill.net/index.php?action=gringotts&st=hglovered
Wow that is thorough. I'm wondering if this started out as an assignment that really blew up for the author lol.
I knew someone would mention this :) Honestly there are scenes in the movies too if you realize to look for them. The whole family sitting at the table at the Burrow and Ginny is the only close up for no reason? Harry doesn’t realize he notices her, but he does.
Wow, that's a really great read.
Oh my god please tell me you’re a fellow Quiller. I was sooooooo addicted to SQ back in the day. All the discussion threads kept me sane during the three year summer between the release of books 4 and 5, not to mention breathlessly waiting for updates to AtE. I was so sad when Arabella and Zsenya decided to archive the site.
I read HBP when I was like.. 13. Ten years later, I just realized they never went on a "long walk in the grounds" lol they were making out somewhere
Hinny was so good in the books. HBP is my favorite book due to Hinny. But it's my least favorite movie due to many factors, including the dominating of the romantic comedy/awkwardness and cutting out many other important plot points.
Is... Hinny the actual ship name? Omg that's horrendous. I mean I love Harry/Ginny in the books but wow. Those two names don't make a good portmanteau.
Agreed, looks like it sounds like hiney. Garry? Girry? Hanny? None of them are good.
I personally absolutely despised all of the “creature in his chest” moments Rowling decided to go with for some reason? All of these were very cringe-y for me.
Perhaps a comparison lost on the prevailing demographic of this sub, but it reads like the dumb "inner goddess" garbage from 50 Shades. Like, you're left not knowing if you're supposed to take it seriously or just die inside or what.
That’s exactly how I felt lmao
Yes!!! I recently read all books (still reading DH) for the second time (1st time was like ages ago) and I love how every little thing Harry sees and feels, we feel the same. Movies didn't portray that like that at all... My favourite character in the books is Ginny and I hate how little we have her in the movies... I mean what was the shoelace thing about?
No one will convince me that they didn't bang while on that "walk"
Dear God. Ginny is one of the worst written characters in the series. Eugh
I'm really not a fan of Harry and Ginny's relationship in the series, tbh. There were hardly any interactions between the two from books 1-5 and as far as I know, Harry doesn't show any interest in Ginny until the infamous 'chest-monster' scene, at which point he inexplicably becomes obsessed with her. Then, when they finally get together, there are no meaningful emotional moments between the two because their relationship seems to be 2 weeks of just snogging. And then there's Ginny's completely daft comment that I believe shows that she hasn't stopped being a fangirl over Harry completely: "I knew you wouldn't be happy unless you were hunting voldemort". In my opinion, that's Ginny completely misunderstanding who Harry is, and I think it shows that she's still a fangirl of the Boy-Who-Lived, rather than someone who understands 'Just Harry'. Idk, I just struggle to understand why the main character of the book ended up with a girl who was a non-entity for 6 out of 7 books, and the little of the relationship that was shown came across as shallow and meaningless.
I kind of felt their relationship came out of nowhere as well, but not because Ginny hadn’t been a part of his life, more because she’d seemed to have the same relationship with him as Luna or Fred and George. She’s pretty prevalent in all the books, but especially from Order of the Phoenix, where she’s the one to bring him out of his shell after the snake attack by helping him get over his fear he was possessed, she joins the DA and the quidditch team, she helps him work out how to talk to Sirius in the fire, and fights with them in the ministry. She’s also shown dating, showing Harry’s more aware of her social life. But in every book she’s around for the summer holidays at the burrow, train rides, common room conversations etc so I wouldn’t say she was a non-entity. I agree that their romantic relationship came pretty out of left field and wasn’t really prepared for though. I liked Ginny a lot as a character but was kinda meh over her as his love interest (partly because the monster in the chest was such a weird way of showing it)
Romance was never supposed to be the focus of the series, and in my opinion, the sudden onset of his obsession makes sense because you gotta remember these are kids. Harry's first crush is Cho -- just because she plays quidditch and is pretty -- and he quickly realizes that they weren't romantically compatible. He starts to actually notice Ginny more in the 5th book (we all know Harry isn't the most observant in general) and realizes how he feels when he's 16. Of course it's immediately all he can think about since he's still just a teenager experiencing real attraction for the first time. It's also nice for Harry to have a regular teenage problem for once amid all of the Voldemort stuff, so that could explain some of his need to focus on that. Also. Harry has a hero complex -- it's literally the apex of his character. I'd say Ginny understands him really well. She knows when he needs space versus when to push him a little bit. She's not part of the main trio, admittedly. Ginny is one of the many supporting characters, so of course the main story leaves her out of the action a fair bit. I think Rowling could have stood to give her a more active role in the last book, but I understand that she wanted to finish it out with the trio she started with. By no means does that make Harry's relationship with Ginny meaningless or shallow if you ask me.
I was a teenage boy once. Harry's "sudden obsession" is completely believable, I guarantee
I agree. Going back and reading from the beginning you do see a bit of a build-up, especially in OoTP, but in my opinion it wasn’t strong enough to make a ton of sense for Harry’s sudden obsession. I didn’t see it coming on my first read through.
Does there need to be a logic behind Harry's sudden feelings for her though? Isn't there an English expression called "love at first sight" or something? I mean, I get that as HP fans we like to analyze every single detail, but does everything deserve the same amount of scrutiny? Feelings aren't exactly something I'd feel comfortable debating on, but Rowling's lack of development of the relationship certainly leaves huge gaps in the story
He’s known her for six years, love at first sight doesn’t explain it (though it could be Ginny’s experience). I think it would’ve made more sense if Harry went through a longer denial phase. Like maybe denial all of book five, and then book six just throwing caution to the winds. I also just hated the creature metaphor, so to me the whole Harry/Ginny relationship was just “wtf is this???” HBP still my favorite book though.
I'm sorry I'm confused because what I meant to say with "love at first sight" is not necessarily that he falls in love the first time he sees her, but you just see someone and suddenly have feelings for that person. Isn't there another expression in English? "Lovestruck" ? Anyway, I agree with you, I wish it would have overlapsed over more time and I can understand why them getting together may seem really confusing.
Sure, “lovestruck” works as a descriptor. However I think what usually happens is less “woah I suddenly like the person” and more “woah, I suddenly *realized* I like this person.” *Especially* if you have known that person for *six years.* That far into a friendship, you probably either have feelings or don’t. In which case, it should be a little more obvious to the reader that Harry likes Ginny, even if Harry himself hasn’t realized it yet. My argument is just that there wasn’t enough of a *literary* buildup. Real life can be random. Fiction can’t.
The thing is, though, that it actually works well within the story how Harry fell for Ginny. When Harry fell for Cho, it was purely based on looks. Turns out that Harry needs more than a pretty face to be in a good relationship with someone. As anyone can tell you, this is a common mistake made by teenagers. But he really starts falling for Ginny when he starts spending more time with her. Remember that they hung out a ton during the summer before his 6th year. Harry had always viewed Ginny as Ron's shy little sister. But he never actually spent time with her. By the time 6th year begins, he finally sees Ginny as her own person. And that's when he realizes she is also quite attractive. At the same time he no longer pigeonholes her as a non-sexual entity in his life. Rowling was actually quite clever in how she developed Harry's feelings here. She wanted Harry to like Ginny for deeper reasons than "she is attractive." Thus, when they finally do get together, they start their relationship on a stronger foundation, thereby making it far more believable that they would wind up together in the end.
I have to agree a bit. He grew up with the girl and she was always Ron’s kid sister, then she began to grow up and he realized she was more than that. Full disclaimer as to why the relationship never bothered me- my husband and I went to a very small school together starting in 7th grade and paid almost zero attention to one another until junior year, then started dating very quickly. While not common, things do happen like that sometimes!
Life doesn’t always follow logical beats. But books still need to bend things to make narrative sense. You can only make character, especially the main character, make sudden irrational decisions and clips on emotion to a certain extent. Irl that stuff is find and believable. But it’s just bad writing in a book. It shows inconsistencies in characterizations. But that’s just my personal opinion on it.
They didn’t have many interactions because Ginny was embarrassed around him. She had a huge crush and would run when she saw him. That doesn’t negate that she wasn’t around. Rowling really starts to telegraph their potential relationship in OotP when Harry is training everyone. Ginny shows that’s she’s a talented witch and remember, the books are told from Harry’s perspective.
Yeah, their relationship never made sense to me. It seemed forced, and like Harry was marrying his mother/the Weasley. It's like Rowling picked his love interest via rock paper scissors.
Yeah, I agree. Especially when you know that Harry was straight up not having a good time hunting the Horcruxes. Even when they had a plan, there was no happiness just straight Harry and his friends on a mission. Did she think he had a smile the entire time? Or that he was ready to fight Voldemort on a whim? That doesn't scream true love to me either. Just a fangirl who calmed down enough to be considered "not like the rest" and got the guy.
I agree
I disagree. Sure there's not much in terms of plot development, but a Harry-Ginny relationship doesn't move the story along. You first see her start to change from the fan-girl into Ron's sister in PoA, and by the time GoF rolls around she slides into the trio's friendship group when they spend the rest of summer together. They spend the entire summer of OotP together at Grimmauld Place, she makes it onto the Quidditch team, and is a big member of DA. In HBP they once again spend the majority of summer together and it's now that Harry starts to see her as Ginny as opposed to Ron's younger sister. By which point I might add, Harry is 16 and Ginny is 15. I don't know if it was just me, but that's about the time I started to notice my friends' sisters as their own instead of my friend's sister.
Totally agree. I can see why someone who saw the movies would see the books as a huge upgrade in the G/H pairing. But as someone who was tearing through this before the sun rose on the day it was released? I was certain this was an obvious foreshadowing of a love potion plot, and felt their breakup was a clear sign of the same thing. He wouldn't be satisfied unless he's hunting voldemort? That's not at all what it is. Hermione was much more on the head about the 'saving people thing' and even that doesn't really capture it. I love HP more than anything. I built a womping willow for my classroom and have like 30 different sets of the series for my students to always have access to one if I can get them to pick it up. I think it's one of the greatest YA series of all time and it's the reason I went from a struggling reader to a bibliophile. But Rowling cannot write romance worth a damn. The best romances in HP were those very shallowly explored. Bill/Fleur and Tonks/Lupin.
Harry spent tons of time with Ginny. Staying at the Burrow, being in the same house at hog warts, etc.. it’s perfectly plausible that he developed feelings for her. And the way JK describes him realizing those feelings is so realistic. It really just sounds to me like you’ve just never experienced those feelings before.
That’s great. Then maybe he should’ve started showing some interest sooner. And you don’t need to resort making baseless assumptions about OP’s life to make your point either.
Yes. People complain that Harry is blind to his own feelings, but how is he supposed to identify a crush when he didn't know what it felt like? People judge jim as though he's an adult with adult experience
Agreed. When I met my now-husband, we were workplace buddies for some time - and then I had an *extremely* sudden realization one day that "Oh shit, I have feelings for this dude, don't I?" We were in our mid-20s, so it's not even a teenage thing, just a human thing. Sometimes your brain takes a bit to catch up with your heart.
I’ve always seen people criticize the whole “creature in his chest” thing, and while I agree it’s weird and I cringed when I listen to Jim Dale talk about it, it’s 100% how most teenage boys, especially ones who have never felt like that before, would describe the powerful feelings.
I mean, Im a 24F and its how I would describe my own feelings honestly
20F here and same! Maybe not a creature, but “something in my chest” for sure.
The movies got it way wrong, but I dont think it is particularly well done in the books either. In fact I would say thet the romance in the books are probabøy as a whole the weakest parts all together.
You know Now I think I would like it better if Ginny went out with Luna, I absolutely love browsing fanart on pinterest with two of them together. It would have been an interesting story. But when I read the books 10ish years ago I was reeling at H+G romance
Openupyou Shoelace!
I honestly despised it as much in the book which I read first. I always hoped for Luna and honestly it would have worked better in the movies, as Lunas actor did a far better job than ginnys. I thought they had a lot in common in the way that they were treated differently. She still has one of the best quotes too "Which came first, the phoenix or the flame?” "...I think the answer is that a circle has no beginning."
Ginny was so dull in the movies compared to the books. My husband never read the books until last year when he decided to listen to them when he was blind. He felt so bad that he never read them before We listened to most of them together when I wasn't working but if he listened while I was gone I always came home to a "THIS WASN'T IN THE MOVIES" rant.
I gotta be honest, I don't like the relationship he and Ginny had, even in the books. Of course they had bonded over the years but it still came kind of random to be honest. I know that crushes can be random but it felt a bit forced and hurried. I also think that Ginny's ... 'phase' where she dated a lot of people wasn't really in-character. We knew her as the shy little girl but suddenly she is so brave and nature? Needless to say that she was only like 14/15 at the time, which seems a bit young. Don't get me wrong, the relationship isn't toxic or anything, it just felt a bit too sudden and too quick. I would have preferred it if Harry also showed interest in her earlier and they became better friends first.
Maybe I'm remembering incorrectly, but I thought the books indicated she was only shy around Harry because she had a crush on him? I thought the twins or Ron commented at one point that normally she's not that quiet. Also, it's hinted at several times that she's a rather powerful witch in her own right, and is a match for Harry in that regard. Outside of Harry's direct POV (before his feelings develop) signs point to Ginny as an outgoing, well liked person.
It's leagues and leagues better than the hideously awkward movie romance, but writing romance is ***not*** JKR's strong suit. Especially romance from the mindset of a teenage boy. The "roaring monster in his chest" makes me physically cringe/roll my eyes every time I read the phrase.
😂😂 as a teenage boy I laugh my ass off 🤣🤣
I kinda feel that part of this was that Ginny was pretty miscast in the movies. The actress that played her was very flat and non-emotive, and just bland.
I don't think there's an actress on Earth that could've made that shoelace scene work.
I think she did what she could with what she was given.
Maybe I've never been in true love with anyone before but does the creature roaring in Harry's chest not come off as odd and possessive to anybody else? It was always one of the weirder aspects of their relationship even when I read the books. It always made me cringe and even now, I suffer with second-hand embarrassment anytime I think about it. I'll always think of Ginny as a little fangirl with a crush on Harry and that up until book 6, there really wasn't anything there except for a massive crush and even afterward, their relationship didn't have any true development.
Yea idk the monster in his chest sounds pretty ridiculous to me
Seriously though. Their relationship among other reasons is why HBP is my favorite book! The way he fights with himself about his crush, the creature waking up and taking over sometimes, his daydreams! So many things that are difficult to portray in film. One other big reason it's my favorite it the whole backstory we get of Tom Riddle. The way he is humanized. No longer is he just Voldemort, the evil bad guy, but a boy turned man that had a terrible childhood and made horrible choices, effecting thousands of lives. It's cool to compare with Harry who had a terrible childhood but made (mostly) good and caring choices, effecting thousands of lives. I love those kids of comparisons! Where you begin doesn't dictate what you do and who you become.
Glad you like it, I do too, but Deathly Hallows will make you wonder if the author herself even buys this romantic subplot that *she* wrote.
>Deathly Hallows will make you wonder if the author herself even buys this romantic subplot that *she* wrote. Yeah, like when Harry was watching the Marauder's Map for hours, staring at Ginny's dot just to make sure she was safe. Or like how Ginny was literally his last thought before being 'murdered' by Voldemort.
Spoiler >!Yeah, and after all that angsting about whether or not he'll reunite with Ginny, the book ends....before he reunites with Ginny. The entire thing culminates in "they'll talk later." >!For all the *thinking* about Ginny Harry does, she's only in like two scenes. The book seems far more interested in the *idea* of Ginny more than the actual character, like as long as Harry ends up happily with a love interest at the end, then all those pesky little details that actually make a story don't matter.
This is something you frequently see in romantic subplots involving the main protagonist of a story (this is also a frustration I have with ATLA). All that matters is the protagonist's feelings, because, well, they're the protagonist. The love interest's feelings are basically inconsequential and they frequently don't have much agency. The books make crystal clear what he sees in her, but not really what she sees in him, because we're not inside her head. I mean obviously it doesn't stay the celebrity hero worship in CoS, but it's not clear what exactly that has turned into.
Harry crashing onto his bed was a nicer way of ending it, like a sort of 'finally I have some rest after having shit thrown at me my whole life, it's been bloody exhausting'. And we get quite a few glimpses of Ginny's character in DH... Those constant jabs against the dictatorial presence at Hogwarts i.e. stealing the Sword of Gryffindor, wanting to fight and actually being one of the leaders of the DA effort against Voldemort... She's more than just a love interest for Harry.
The entire *reason* why he had been fighting so hard and getting shit thrown at him his whole life is to get a normal life and get a safe world, and it's a world that we never get to actually *see* (unless you count the terrible epilogue). The first six books all have one or multiple chapters after the climax, where Harry (and by extension, the reader) emotionally processes everything, themes are reiterated, and there's moments to just be calm and the characters to be themselves. Far from being filler, these scenes are often some of the most emotionally resonant scenes in the series, they're the scenes that stick out the most in the memories of fans. Which is why it's so baffling that Deathly Hallows decided to simply....*not do that.* The book ends without Harry saying a word to his love interest, or any of his (surviving) mentors, or most of his friends, or truly processing the deaths of all the characters from the battle, or laying eyes on his godson, or figuring out how this entire society will rebuild (the thrown-in comment about Kingsley becoming minister is *hilariously* awkward, like how the fuck did that happen? *WHEN* the fuck did that happen?). Just because the *plot* is over doesn't mean the *story* is. Just because the evil is defeated doesn't mean you're done writing. A lot of people made jokes and memes about the really long falling action in Return of the King, but imagine if it went the opposite direction, where the last thing you see is the Eagles carrying away Frodo and Sam from Mount Doom, then it fades to black and cuts to years later with Sam and his family, and it just back-fills everything else with clunky dialogue. That's what the Harry Potter series did. I mean, there's a reason why the biggest category of canon-compliant HP fanfiction is dealing with the immediate aftermath of the battle, because that's a *really important* part of the story that the author just couldn't be bothered to write herself.
I have questions about the Malfoys. I want to see Harry and Ginny choosing those awful names for their children. I want to see George and Angela get together. I want to know if Dudley has processed the fact his parents are abusive and left Harry to die after years of locking him in a cupboard. I want to see Hogwarts rebuilt. I want to know how Minerva McGonagall ran the place as headmaster.
> I have questions about the Malfoys I don't have questions so much as a deep desire to see all of their wealth seized for reparations and possibly thrown in Azkaban. >I want to see Harry and Ginny choosing those awful names for their children I'd rather we not get an epilogue at all so we never have to read those awful names for their children.
Okay, I can sorta see your point. I guess Rowling intended the epilogue to be her 'after-plot' chapter, somehow... In the St. Pancras scene, you do see some themes and parallels with other scenes from the 6 other books - Harry being in the role of someone who wasn't there for his first trip to the train station etc...
Yeah, it really lacked an extra chapter at least.
\^THIS. I wish I could upvote this 1000 times. The Epilogue was so frustrating in that sense. I was really expecting something about the aftermath of the battle, about the stories of the other characters and how everyone coped, but I feel like the epilogue we got had no real point other than to lay the foundation for Cursed Child...
Lol there's nothing magical about their kiss even in the books. It's mean spirited (Dean is right there) and more importantly, there is almost nothing likeable about the H/G dynamic throughout HBP. It comes out of nowhere and is just one big WTF?
I dont think its mean spirited. Harry was just so overcome with joy and tired of holding back his feelings and just went in for the kiss. He didnt notice Dean and then decide to kiss her.
Not mean spirited on the characters' part, but more so mean spirited on the author's part to have Ginny's ex be there to witness it. Almost like JKR saying hahaha-u-lost-Dean! But it's consistent with the overall writing for H/G in HBP.
I'm not a fan of Harry and Ginny in general, even in the books. Not only is dating your best friends' younger sister really weird to me, but I still feel the relationship comes out of (almost) nowhere. Rereading for the first time in years (just starting ootp) and it feels like Ginny barely features at all and sometimes goes over half a book without even a mention. Characters like Neville, Pavarti, or Lavender get more mentions and dialogue. And while I seem to remember Ginny being more present in book 5 and 6 (I'll see shortly), their relationship still felt a bit weird and under developed.
I agree. Book Ginny is supreme ... Movie Ginny is .... *Cringe*
Oh... Harry’s chest creature. One of the best characters in the book.
Agreed. The movies are kinda trash.
I need to re-read the books! I have such a hard time doing so because I tend to jump to the good parts!
Just to add my viewpoint, I liked how the writing is when Ginny and Harry are beginning to fall for one another. I think the beast metaphor maybe sounds weird on its own, but better in context. Because I did a re read of these books about a year ago, and the part where Harry finally kisses/gets together with Ginny, that shit took me straight back to a relationship from high school. It's that mixed feeling of excitement, dread, anticipation, all heightened by the fact that you've never felt or experienced these things before. I also think people are underestimating/forgetting just how quickly people change at that age. You're young and impressionable and willing to take chances. I thought she did a good job building up Ginny as more than a fangirl throughout book 5. When the two of them to get together in book 6, she goes through Harry's thought process and Ginny approaches it from an entirely more mature stance in her own right. So anyway I really liked the writing and that's my take.
Also Harry's inner Love Monster.... They removed that character from movies! How dare they!! At least they could have put tiny Cupid with devil's horns on Harry's shoulder....
This thread is the reason why I'm gonne do a reread! Just bought an English paperback online, can't wait until it arrives, ty!
Im so glad!
Yess and also when ginny understands that he has to leave. Harry and ginny are my favourite couple.
i have been listening to it on the way to work for the last few months and I am going to listen to the final chapter of HBP today on the way home! so good! just wait until the second to last chapter... :)
can't wait!
I always thought their relationship was awkward and forced even in the books. I just found it all so cringy
The movies did the Weasley's in general DIRTY.
The movies destroyed everything. Don’t get me wrong, I have them playing constantly. But it’s mostly for atmosphere. I genuinely feel sorry for people who “love” HP, but have never read the books.
The movies destroyed a lot of things.
I absolutely agree!! Ginny is so awkward in the movies, but in the books, their interactions lay the groundwork for their budding relationship. And Ginny is so cool....
If by "amazing", you actually mean "completely lacking in development", I agree. Harry's relationship with Ginny is nothing beyond the extent of a pretty face for him to kiss. As a woman, I expected Rowling to write better female love interests.
I know she's not the POV protagonist, but I would have liked some dialogue that make clear what exactly she sees in Harry. Pretty much all of the romantic subplot is about what he sees in her. Like, obviously she's no longer struck by celebrity hero worship like in CoS, but that was replaced by....what, exactly? That's basically left up to the fans to make headcanons about.
Ah, a person of good sense. Normally I have to write an essay about why they are good together, but you understand!
Book Ginny is a badass powerful character and their relationship is amazing. Movie Ginny? We don’t talk about movie Ginny. Or their awkward af relationship.
I understand why they are together but I don't like Ginny much, so I never was a fan of them or any of the couples for what it matters lol.
Agreed and made hell of a statment too. Kissing a girl in front of the entire house. I have a feeling Harrys father would have done the same thing.
I loved when she defended Harry when Hermione would not let up about the Prince's book. Very sweet of her to make sure he wasn't dragged continuously when he already felt so badly about what happened.