|
| |
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The sixth book[HP6] marks a notable change in Hermione's character. As has
become customary, Hermione stays at the Burrow for much of the summer holidays.
During her stay with the Weasleys, Hermione once again encounters Fleur Delacour,
who is now engaged to Bill Weasley. Her dislike for Fleur has deepened from
their encounter in book four, and she has been joined in this by both Mrs
Weasley and Ginny.
Hermione receives excellent OWL results from the previous school year, with ten
"Outstanding", and one "Exceeds Expectations" in Defence Against the Dark Arts,
which she finds disappointing. Hermione continues her passion for her schoolwork
in the sixth year, and is even invited by Professor Slughorn to join his Slug
Club due to her extraordinary talent at school. Even though Harry describes
Hermione to Slughorn in an earlier encounter as "the best in our year", she is
bested by Harry in Potions (for the first time in that subject) due to the fact
that he has access to the Half-Blood Prince's old textbook, in which the latter
wrote multiple helpful notes and spells. Hermione becomes increasingly bitter at
Harry's newfound success at Potions, especially since she comes to believe that
the Half-Blood Prince is a suspicious character, and she considers Harry
dishonest for using the book. Despite this, she still becomes a favourite of
Slughorn's, and remains academically the best in the year. When Harry hides the
Prince’s book to prevent its confiscation by Snape, Harry's performance in
Potions noticeably declines, demonstrating that Hermione is better at following
standard instructions than Harry.
For the third time in their lives, Ron and Hermione have a serious and lengthy
falling out. Just when it looked like they were on the brink of dating,
everything is wrecked when Ron learns of Hermione kissing Viktor Krum. Ron's new
anger upsets and confuses her, since she does not know that he knows of her
kissing Krum. Harry's attempt to mediate ultimately results in Ron's rejecting
Hermione in favour of Lavender Brown. Hermione is extremely angered and hurt by
this and attacks Ron, and even retaliates by inviting the egomaniacal Cormac
McLaggen to be her date to Slughorn's Christmas party, which backfires and
extends the feud until Ron's accidental poisoning on his birthday, an event
which frightens her enough to reconcile with him and ends the short-lived
Ron/Lavender coupling.
Near the end of the book, at Harry's request, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and
Luna (the only members of Dumbledore's Army who responded) are sent to patrol
Hogwarts – specifically, to monitor Snape and Malfoy. Their efforts half-succeed
in that they are able to alert the members of the Order (also on patrol) about
the Death Eaters lurking in the castle, but they still fail to prevent
Dumbledore's death. They themselves just barely survive fighting the Death
Eaters, thanks to the Felix Felicis that Harry had given them.
At the end of the book, during Professor Dumbledore's funeral, Ron is seen
comforting Hermione, stroking her hair as she cries into his shoulder.[HP6]
Hermione expresses concern about the possibility of Hogwarts closing.
Nevertheless, when Harry announces his intentions to seek and destroy
Voldemort's Horcruxes the following year, Hermione and Ron loyally vow to stay
by their best friend's side regardless of what happens.
| |
|
