Hermione Time

I just can't help it. I spent a good amount of time on the HP Lexicon tonight reading about the relationships between the characters and theories about plot endings and such from people all over the world. I love that. However, I do tend to get a little too wrapped up in it. Anyway, you know I love Hermione, and Lorien would tell you she's just like me anyway ... so here is a segment from an interview with screen writer Steven Kloves and JK Rowling about Hermione and her character. (If you are as easily addicted as I am, please, for the love of your time, do not delve into the links on any lexicon or otherwise Floo Networked page.)

Lizo: Steve, Hermione is a character that you have said is one of your favorites. Has that made her easier to write?

Steve: Yeah, I mean, I like writing all three, but I've always loved writing Hermione. Because, I just, one, she's a tremendous character for a lot of reasons for a writer, which also is she can carry exposition in a wonderful way because you just assume she read it in a book. If I need to tell the audience something...

JKR: Absolutely right, I find that all the time in the book, if you need to tell your readers something just put it in her. There are only two characters that you can put it convincingly into their dialogue. One is Hermione, the other is Dumbledore. In both cases you accept, it's plausible that they have, well Dumbledore knows pretty much everything anyway, but that Hermione has read it somewhere. So, she's handy.

Steve: Yeah, she's really handy. And she's also just, I think, just tremendously entertaining. There's something about her fierce intellect coupled with a complete lack of understanding of how she affects people sometimes that I just find charming and irresistible to write.

PS - Does anyone think it would be strange for me to name a daughter Hermione now? I feel like I should choose a less popular series of books. I have to continue the family tradition .. no child of mine will have a name from nowhere! (Unless I adopt, in which case it comes from their parents!)