source: ronandhermione.net
Book 3, Stage 3: Hermione accepts the importance of Ron's friendship
While Hermione tends to figure things out before Ron, she takes longer to accept them. (You'll see more of that trend in Stage 5 & 6.) This is because she is a very analytical person. She uses her brain; Ron uses his heart. He doesn't need to think it through, he goes with what he is feeling. We also see a continuation of Ron's interest and concern for her. He's the one that notices all through the third book how odd her schedule is and comes to her defense against Snape. It is now time for her to come to accept the importance he has to her. The break in their friendship serves this purpose.
It is over a month after Christmas of third year when Ron and Harry finally make up with her about the Firebolt. That's a long time to go without your two best friends. I'm going to assume she was relieved when Harry began talking to her again, but she didn't have a significant reaction. On the other hand, when just Ron is angry with her, her reaction is significant. Again, only Ron can make her cry in that way. Such strong emotion, in literature, indicates future romance.
"Yeah, it will," said Ron fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."
"Oh, Ron!"Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron, looking quite terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head. Finally, Hermione drew away.
"Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers..." she sobbed."Oh -- well -- he was old," said Ron, looking thoroughly relieved that she had let go of him. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now." (Ch. 15)
She breaks down, accepts blame, and is relieved that he even speaks to her. He is even more important than her pet or her being right. She actually accepted how important he was to her the night that Sirius broke into the boys' dormitory and for the first time she realized that Ron could've been killed.
We know from Hagrid that Hermione is upset about her fight with both boys, but when Harry and Ron visit Hagrid, Harry is no longer fighting with her. They had already made up with her about the Firebolt. At the time of the visit with Hagrid, only Ron was still fighting with her so it is reasonable to assume that her distress is from her estrangement from Ron. .
"Hermione," said Hagrid.
"What about her?" said Ron.
"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely. Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat --"
"-- ate Scabbers!" Ron interjected angrily.
"Because her cat acted like all cats do," Hagrid continued doggedly. "She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do. Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case, mind.... She's found some really good stuff fer me... reckon he'll stand a good chance now..."
"Hagrid, we should've helped as well -- sorry --" Harry began awkwardly.
"I'm not blamin' yeh!" said Hagrid, waving Harry's apology aside. "Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be gettin' on with. I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry hour o' the day an' night -- but I gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks or rats. Tha's all."
Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks.
"Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an' you two not talkin' to her --"
"If she'd just get rid of that cat, I'd speak to her again!" Ron said angrily. "But she's still sticking up for it! It's a maniac, and she won't hear a word against it!"
"Ah, well, people can be a bit stupid abou' their pets," said Hagrid wisely. Behind him, Buckbeak spat a few ferret bones onto Hagrid's pillow. (Ch. 14)
The fact that Harry has already made up with Hermione, makes me focus on what Hagrid is saying to Ron. Ron seems to be the person to whom Hagrid is trying to get through. He mentions how upset she was that Black tried to stab Ron. This is the actual moment when she accepted how important he was to her. She shows that acceptance when they make up.
She throws aside all pride and apologizes to him, not knowing who was right or who was wrong. He never even formally forgave her. Just him talking to her made her break down. This scene is what made me a R/Hr shipper. After they make up, she becomes stronger, knowing he is again on her side. She gains the confidence to stand up to Malfoy, drop Divination, and retrieve the Invisibility Cloak when it is left behind. Having Ron on her side makes her a stronger person. She has accepted that his friendship is important to her.
This acceptance is shown at the end of the book when Ron presents his new pet to her pet and Crookshanks accepts the owl. It is very symbolic of what happened between these two in the story. The book starts out with her pet not accepting his old pet, much like Hermione doesn't accepting Ron's importance in her life. But the book ends with her pet accepting her pet, much like Hermione accepting how special Ron is to her.
Book 3, Stage 3: Hermione accepts the importance of Ron's friendship
While Hermione tends to figure things out before Ron, she takes longer to accept them. (You'll see more of that trend in Stage 5 & 6.) This is because she is a very analytical person. She uses her brain; Ron uses his heart. He doesn't need to think it through, he goes with what he is feeling. We also see a continuation of Ron's interest and concern for her. He's the one that notices all through the third book how odd her schedule is and comes to her defense against Snape. It is now time for her to come to accept the importance he has to her. The break in their friendship serves this purpose.
It is over a month after Christmas of third year when Ron and Harry finally make up with her about the Firebolt. That's a long time to go without your two best friends. I'm going to assume she was relieved when Harry began talking to her again, but she didn't have a significant reaction. On the other hand, when just Ron is angry with her, her reaction is significant. Again, only Ron can make her cry in that way. Such strong emotion, in literature, indicates future romance.
"Yeah, it will," said Ron fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."
"Oh, Ron!"Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron, looking quite terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head. Finally, Hermione drew away.
"Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers..." she sobbed."Oh -- well -- he was old," said Ron, looking thoroughly relieved that she had let go of him. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now." (Ch. 15)
She breaks down, accepts blame, and is relieved that he even speaks to her. He is even more important than her pet or her being right. She actually accepted how important he was to her the night that Sirius broke into the boys' dormitory and for the first time she realized that Ron could've been killed.
We know from Hagrid that Hermione is upset about her fight with both boys, but when Harry and Ron visit Hagrid, Harry is no longer fighting with her. They had already made up with her about the Firebolt. At the time of the visit with Hagrid, only Ron was still fighting with her so it is reasonable to assume that her distress is from her estrangement from Ron. .
"Hermione," said Hagrid.
"What about her?" said Ron.
"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely. Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat --"
"-- ate Scabbers!" Ron interjected angrily.
"Because her cat acted like all cats do," Hagrid continued doggedly. "She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do. Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case, mind.... She's found some really good stuff fer me... reckon he'll stand a good chance now..."
"Hagrid, we should've helped as well -- sorry --" Harry began awkwardly.
"I'm not blamin' yeh!" said Hagrid, waving Harry's apology aside. "Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be gettin' on with. I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry hour o' the day an' night -- but I gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks or rats. Tha's all."
Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks.
"Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an' you two not talkin' to her --"
"If she'd just get rid of that cat, I'd speak to her again!" Ron said angrily. "But she's still sticking up for it! It's a maniac, and she won't hear a word against it!"
"Ah, well, people can be a bit stupid abou' their pets," said Hagrid wisely. Behind him, Buckbeak spat a few ferret bones onto Hagrid's pillow. (Ch. 14)
The fact that Harry has already made up with Hermione, makes me focus on what Hagrid is saying to Ron. Ron seems to be the person to whom Hagrid is trying to get through. He mentions how upset she was that Black tried to stab Ron. This is the actual moment when she accepted how important he was to her. She shows that acceptance when they make up.
She throws aside all pride and apologizes to him, not knowing who was right or who was wrong. He never even formally forgave her. Just him talking to her made her break down. This scene is what made me a R/Hr shipper. After they make up, she becomes stronger, knowing he is again on her side. She gains the confidence to stand up to Malfoy, drop Divination, and retrieve the Invisibility Cloak when it is left behind. Having Ron on her side makes her a stronger person. She has accepted that his friendship is important to her.
This acceptance is shown at the end of the book when Ron presents his new pet to her pet and Crookshanks accepts the owl. It is very symbolic of what happened between these two in the story. The book starts out with her pet not accepting his old pet, much like Hermione doesn't accepting Ron's importance in her life. But the book ends with her pet accepting her pet, much like Hermione accepting how special Ron is to her.