Harry Potter and the entire Wizarding World, created by JK Rowling, is one of the most popular fantasy book series ever. It was also adapted into one of the most popular fantasy movie franchises ever. However, some fans – and the author herself – were dissatisfied with how the series ended and who became a couple. So, who does Harry Potter marry in the end?
Harry Potter marries Ginny Weasley, the younger sister of Ron Weasley, Harry’s best friend. They work quite well together, but some fans – as well as JK Rowling herself – think that it should’ve been Hermione Granger – who ends up marrying Ron – instead of Ginny.
While you may agree or disagree with that, some points in favor of the Harry-Hermione relationship make a lot more sense than her relationship with Ron or Harry’s relationship with Ginny. Let’s take a deep dive into Harry Potter books and movies to see why it should’ve been Hermione all along.
Who Does Harry Potter Marry?
In both the books and the movies, Harry Potter ends up marrying Ginevra ‘Ginny’ Weasley, Ron Weasley’s younger sister. Right from the first book (and movie), the Philosopher’s Stone, Ginny had been infatuated with Harry due to his reputation as the Boy Who Lived.
Their relationship kind of sparked a bit in the Chamber of Secrets, after Harry saved Ginny’s life, but it didn’t blossom into a romance almost until the end of the series. They both dated other people until the Half-blood Prince, which was Harry’s sixth and Ginny’s fifth year at Hogwarts. They broke up for quite some time, but their romance rekindled after the final battle.
After the Battle of Hogwarts and the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the couple married – sometime in the 2000s. Not only that, but their marriage spawned three children, all named after important people in their lives: James Sirius, Albus Severus, and Lily Luna. Ginny took Harry’s last name, making her Ginny Potter.
All that is lovely, and I could see that romance work. They had good chemistry in the movies – and in the books. But, of course, we all wanted another couple to end up together all along – and that’s Harry and Hermione. Here’s why it should’ve been Hermione instead of Ginny in the first place.
Why Harry Should’ve Ended Up With Hermione
Fans are polarized by this question still: should Harry have ended up with Hermione instead of Ginny? Many fans think that the pairing with Ginny was the right choice because they were simply a better fit together personality-wise and that Harry ending up with Hermione would’ve been too predictable.
On the other hand, there are fans who wanted it to happen because their chemistry throughout the books and movies is off the charts, and Harry seemed like a much better fit with Hermione than Ron. Plus, him being with Ginny – his best friend’s baby sister – seems kind of odd to me.
I mean, the two are like brothers, and Ron’s parents were more “parents” to Harry than anyone else in the entire series. It’d be like he married his step-sister, but that’s just my opinion. Here’s why others believe Harry should’ve ended up with Hermione instead of Ginny, too.
Fan Service
Let’s get the elephant out of the room. The reason why Harry and Hermione should’ve ended up together is that most fans wanted it to happen. It was an obvious choice.
They were both smart and brave, shared an incredible friendship, understood each other in ways nobody understood them, and had such chemistry between the characters that we haven’t seen between any other two characters in the books or the movies.
I always remember that huge before Harry went into the pit with a dragon in the Goblet of Fire or the dance they shared in the tent in Deathly Hallows. They were awesome scenes that clearly showed their epic chemistry, so naturally, fans wanted to see that chemistry materialize into romance.
Now, was their relationship ever romantic? I mean, you can have strong feelings for somebody but never feel that “spark” that ignites a romance. That’s what Harry and Hermione felt like most of the time, but still. It’s not always smart to give the fans everything they want, but I think JK Rowling should’ve rolled with this one. Pun intended.
Similar Intellect
Another reason why Harry and Hermione should’ve been together is their similar intellect. Harry is extremely intelligent and brave but doesn’t really have that ‘motor’ to study and be book-smart like Hermione. Still, their sense of humor is practically the same, which usually indicates a common intellectual “wavelength,” so to speak.
When you compare that intellectual similarity with Hermione and Ron, you’ll notice there’s a much bigger discrepancy in their intellectual capabilities. That is not to say that Ron was ever stupid – just look at the chess match he played in Philosopher’s Stone. He was just lazy, unmotivated, and less inclined to use his brains.
That opens a question – could Ron ever really make Hermione happy? Could he challenge her, share interests, or lead deep conversations? Surely, he could, but would he, in the long run? Even the author admits it would probably be problematic in the long run, but I’m getting to that.
Chemistry
I’ve already mentioned the chemistry between Harry and Hermione. One might argue that it was never romantic, but still, it was unmatched. They were always genuinely happy for one another, regardless on what level – be it success at school or at romance.
Simply put, their relationship was so strong that their romantic partners were often jealous of their bond. In the Goblet of Fire, Viktor Krum was so irked at Hermione’s relationship with Harry that he literally took Harry aside to confront him about it. Then, in the Order of the Phoenix, Cho Chang showed signs of jealousy towards Hermione.
Sure, Harry and Ginny had that “spark,” but we haven’t really seen – or felt – that kind of chemistry between them. Well, at least I haven’t, not in the books or the movies. The same can be said about Ron and Hermione. Heck, even he had jealous tantrums because he felt that Hermione liked Harry more than him. This brings me to my next point.
A Better Fit
Ultimately, Hermione and Harry are a much better fit than Hermione and Ron. They share a more similar intellect and have stronger chemistry on so many levels, especially friendship-wise. They are never jealous of one another and have mad respect for each other in everything they do.
On the other hand, you see Hermione and Ron constantly bickering and being jealous of one another. Mostly, it’s Ron being jealous of Hermione – be it her relationship with Harry or her success in school.
It just seems that their marriage would be a constant back-and-forth because their personalities are just too different. One works hard, and likes everything to be tidy, planned out, and on time, while the other is the complete opposite of everything I’ve just said.
They’d probably kill each other after a few months of living together, but hey, don’t listen to me – listen to Rowling herself.
Words Of The Author
Finally, if you don’t believe me – believe JK Rowling herself. In an interview she did for Wonderland magazine (excerpts found in The Sunday Times) in 2014, Rowling talked to Emma Watson, the actress who portrayed Hermione Granger, and said:
“I wrote the Hermione/Ron relationship as a form of wish fulfillment. That’s how it was conceived, really. For reasons that have very little to do with literature and far more to do with me clinging to the plot as I first imagined it, Hermione ended up with Ron.
She then added that “there was too much fundamental incompatibility” between them and that they’d probably end up in marriage counseling, and then finished:
“I know, I’m sorry, I can hear the rage and fury it might cause some fans, but if I’m absolutely honest, distance has given me perspective on that. It was a choice I made for very personal reasons, not for reasons of credibility. Am I breaking people’s hearts by saying this? I hope not.”
Then Emma Watson agreed with the author and said:
“I think there are fans out there who know that too and who wonder whether Ron would have really been able to make her [Hermione] happy.”
There you have it – the relationship between Ron and Hermione is something that Rowling wanted to happen from the start, and she disregarded their characters’ arc a bit and made it happen anyways to fulfill her initial wish. However, I think it wasn’t a big mistake and that it still works.
Harry and Ginny are like soulmates. They are full of understanding, never fight, and are genuinely, romantically attracted to each other – something that Harry and Hermione never were.
On the other hand, Ron and Hermione are opposites but somehow complement each other perfectly. Hermione gets Ron motivated, and makes him more responsible, whereas Ron gets Hermione to laugh, loosen up, and have fun. Sure they fight every now and then, but they care for each other so much that you can feel it.
In the end, Harry could’ve/should’ve ended up with Hermione instead of Ginny, but I guess it all worked out the way it was supposed to work out.
