Fiona's Blog: An Ode to Harry Potter's Hermione, Nerd-Chic Heroine

True story: I have read every Harry Potter book enough times for it to be embarrassing to admit. The same goes for the movies, which I tend to pick apart in ridiculous detail, frequently whispering to the person next to me (whether or not I know them), “This isn’t how it happens in the book.”So you can imagine my excitement when I found out that the seventh and final Harry Potter movie was being split into two parts, and that the first part was coming out in November! As I snuggled into my seat at the theater, prepared to glue my eyes to the screen for the full 146 minutes, and heard that familiar theme song (which may or may not have been my cell phone ring tone at one point), I thought about all the wonderful times Harry, Ron, Hermione and I had shared together. But mostly, I thought about Hermione.I’ve never really given Hermione much thought. I came of age at the exact right time to be a Harry Potter fanatic and, as a friend recently pointed out to me, have grown up with the characters. In this way, I’ve never taken the time to actually examine their personalities as character traits. To me they were simply people I knew (wishful thinking?).

Now, as I look back on all those late nights I spent hunched over the encyclopedia sized books holding my breath in suspense, I realize that I took Hermione Granger for granted.

At the start of the series, Hermione was a know-it-all nerd, with big teeth, bushy brown hair and an unhealthy love for the library. At the start of the series, I was quite similar. Hermione and I both harbored a deep love of books and history, and I’m pretty sure we both suffered from the common my-arm-is-sore-from-raising-it-so-much ailment. As the series progressed, we learned to grow into our annoyingness, use frizz-calming conditioner and went to the dentist. Though we might have had our makeovers, we didn’t change.

Hermione was the first female character I discovered who underwent a subtle physical makeover, but retained almost all of her personality traits. She grew up, but she never lost her intelligence, book-wormy drive and incredible hand-raising reflexes. Personified in the movies, Emma Watson helped make Hermione surprisingly and convincingly nerd-chic.

But there’s more to Hermione than just her intelligence. After all, as we’re told several times, the smart get put in the house of Ravenclaw, the brave in Gryffindor. This always rung true to me, but it is only recently that brave has begun to translate as empowered, and that I’ve begun to see Hermione as the heroine she truly is.Although average in many ways, and definitely less than perfect in personality, Hermione is a superwoman. She gets stuff done. Before the seventh book came out, I’d heard people speculate about possible deaths. I heard Ron and even Harry, but never Hermione. It strikes me now that author J.K. Rowling could never have killed off Hermione. She was the backbone of the threesome. Without her, Ron and Harry would have failed.Rowling achieved an incredible feat with Hermione. She created a smart, bookish girl, while keeping her likable; a headstrong, bossy girl, without creating a bitch; and a no-nonsense, strong heroine while keeping her attractive. I’ve always said if I have a child I’ll have them read Harry Potter, and I know if I have a girl it will be even more important. Heroines are hard to come by…so here’s a hip hip hooray for Hermione Granger!Fiona Lowenstein is a high school junior, Girls Leadership Institute alumna and weekly guest blogger. Read more of her work here.