Hermione Granger

"Books! And cleverness! There are more important things -- friendship and bravery."

- Hermione Granger

Hermione Jean Weasley  (née Granger), born September 19, 1979, is the only daughter of Mr and Mrs. Granger. A Muggle-born witch, she learned on her eleventh birthday that she had been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She began attending the school on 1st September 1991, when she was nearly 12, and was sorted into Gryffindor House.

An academically brilliant student, Hermione became close friends with fellow students Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Hermione became an advocate for the better treatment of House-elves, forming the association S.P.E.W.. In 1995, she was the driving force behind the creation of Dumbledore's Army, and fought in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries in 1996, the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the Battle over Little Whinging in 1997. Hermione accompanied Harry on his quest to retrieve and destroy Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes, and later fought in the Battle of Hogwarts. Following the Second War, she attained employment at the Ministry of Magic, furthering her cause for the better treatment of House-elves before gaining promotion to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She would go on to marry Ron, and they would have two children: Rose and Hugo Weasley.

Physical Description and Traits
Hermione Granger has brown eyes and bushy brown hair. As a youngster, she had rather large front teeth, though she had Nurse Poppy Pomfrey magically shrink them in 1994. She never gave much attention to her appearance, except in that same year when she used great care in fixing her hair for the Yule Ball.

Her wand, crafted by Ollivander, is made of vinewood and its core is Dragon Heartstring. Her Patronus is an otter.

Hermione Granger is Muggle-born. Her parents are both dentists, but they were very supportive and proud of her invitation to Hogwarts.

Unlike most wizards who depend on their magical ability, Hermione readily relies on logic, which carries her through nearly any challenge she encounters. Because of this natural ability, she first came to Hogwarts with a know-it-all, bossy personality.

Hermione has a developing social conscience. She works tirelessly for the underdog. For example, she adopted Crookshanks as a magical familiar after learning he had lived at the shop for years. She continuously helped Ron, Harry and Neville Longbottom with their school work. She was so adept at school work at that she often had time to do hobby work on the side, such as preparing a defense for Buckbeak to save him from execution, and creating S.P.E.W., an organization promoting the freedom of house-elves.

Education
Hermione enjoyed her years as a pupil at Hogwarts, and took assignments, classes and school rules very seriously. Her favorite subject was Arithmancy. The only areas of knowledge that gave her trouble were Broom Flying, Divination, and Wizard's Chess.

Despite Hermione's keen mind, she was sorted into Gryffindor House instead of Ravenclaw. Hermione admits that the Sorting Hat did consider putting her in Ravenclaw. She grew to become one of the bravest and most loyal allies of Albus Dumbledore and Hogwarts, which proves her rightful place in Gryffindor.

First Year - The Philosopher's Stone
"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good is it? I've tried a few simple spells myself and they've all worked for me."

- Hermione Granger



Hermione was a few days away from turning 12 when she boarded the Hogwarts Express. She was the best in all her classes and was very eager to please the professors. She had difficulty making friends because of her eagerness in classes. She attached herself to Harry and Ron, following them and trying her best to stop them from going against the rules. On one night she followed them as they were leaving Gryffindor Tower to duel Draco Malfoy. They were chased by Argus Filch into the third floor corridor - forbidden to students - where they came face to face with a three-headed dog. Later on, she argued her spying was to their benefit when she she pointed out the dog had been standing on a trap door, which Harry and Ron hadn't noticed.

The friendship between the three was solidified when, on Halloween in 1991, the three were forced to face a mountain troll. Unaware a troll was on the loose in the school, Hermione had spent all of that day crying in the girls' bathroom after overhearing Ron making fun of her intelligence. Harry and Ron came to her rescue, saving her from being killed. When Professors Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape and Quirinus Quirrell arrived at the scene, Hermione covered for Harry and Ron, claiming she was fighting the troll and the boys had merely come to help her escape. From that point on, the three students were friends.

During the events surrounding the attempted theft of the Philosopher's Stone, it was Hermione who got herself, Harry and Ron through a challenge involving a Potion Riddle. Hermione used her logic to figure out the riddle and let Harry go forward without her as there was only enough potion for one person. Later, at the Farewell Feast in the Great Hall, Hermione, Harry, Ron and Neville were all awarded extra House Points for bravery and heroism, which won Gryffindor the House Cup.

Second Year - The Chamber of Secrets
"And they haven't invented a spell that our Hermione can't do."

- Hagrid



Hermione surprised Harry and Ron when she admitted she was smitten by Gilderoy Lockhart, who became that year's Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. In fact she goes as far as to doodle hearts on her D.A.D.A. assignments, despite the fact he is a self-obsessed fraud.

It was during this school year that Hermione first encountered prejudice and hatred surrounding her blood purity, when Draco Malfoy calls her a "filthy little Mudblood." Though she's never heard the word, others present did, and lashed out at Draco. Ron even went at him with his wand, but it backfired, as his wand had been damaged. To help Hermione feel better about the incident, Hagrid urged her not to think about it.

Hermione began spending all her free time in the Hogwarts Library after vandalism on the corridor walls indicated the Chamber of Secrets was set to be re-opened. Hermione shocked everyone when she actually interrupted Professor Cuthbert Binns during a History of Magic lecture and asked him for information about it. She went even further by daring to check Moste Potente Potions out of the Library using a note from Professor Lockhart, in the desire to research Polyjuice Potion. Hermione risked everything when she stole potion ingredients from Professor Snape's cupboards and began brewing the potion on the second floor girls' lavatory, where Moaning Myrtle haunts.



Unfortunately, Hermione was unable to join Harry and Ron in the ruse with Polyjuice Potion because the Extract of The-Transfigured-Being-To-Be she obtained from Millicent Bulstrode was actually cat hair. Hermione grew fur and a tail, and was in the Hospital Wing for weeks.

Just when she had been cured, Hermione suffered another accident. She had rushed to the Library to research Basilisks, for she reasoned that must be the beast attacking students. She warned the first person she saw, Penelope Clearwater, and advised her to look around corners with a mirror before going anywhere. It saved both their lives, because they were both petrified when they spotted the Basilisk's eyes through their mirror. Though she was petrified for the rest of the school year, she was still able to assist Harry and Ron, for she had torn out the page on Basilisks and scribbled on it, pipes. It was through this note that Harry and Ron were able to successfully put an end to Lord Voldemort's plans to resurrect his body through his Horcrux, Tom Riddle's diary. Hermione was later cured with Mandrake Restorative Draught. She was also disappointed to learn that, as a special treat for the school, Professor Dumbledore cancelled the students' end of year exams.

All these events further prove Hermione Granger's bravery and unflagging committment to Hogwarts.

Third Year - The Prisoner of Azkaban


In the beginning of the 1993 school year, Hermione meets and adopts Crookshanks from the Magical Menagerie. However, her new bond with her cat causes friction with Ron and his pet rat Scabbers, as Crookshanks was always trying to catch the rat. Also at the beginning of this school year, Hermione obtained a Time-Turner from Professor McGonagall so she could double up on classes.

"P-P-Professor McGonagall! Sh-she said I'd failed everything!"

- Hermione faces a Boggart

When Harry received a Firebolt for Christmas with no note, Hermione reported it to Professor McGonagall, thinking it was sent by Sirius Black. His broom was taken away to be inspected, which caused a rift between the two friends. There is further social strain for Hermione when Ron accuses Crookshanks of eating Scabbers. Hermione poured herself into defending Buckbeak, on trial for attacking Draco Malfoy during Care of Magical Creatures class. She worked furiously to save Buckbeak, but failed, and she, Harry and Ron all witness what they think is Buckbeak's execution.

Before they returned to their dormitory, they were attacked by a black dog, which pulled Ron into a cavity beneath the Whomping Willow. Hermione and Harry hurried after them, only to find a tunnel that led to the Shrieking Shack where Sirius Black, who's Animagus form was the black dog, confronted them. They were joined by Professor Remus Lupin, who Hermione had realized was a werewolf. Surprisingly enough, Hermione hadn't realized Scabbers was actually the criminal Peter Pettigrew undercover in Animagus form. Chaos ensued, ending when Hermione fainted in the presence of a Dementor, come to recapture Sirius. She awoke in the Hospital Wing after being rescued by a mysterious, unseen person. After realizing Sirius' soul was to be destroyed by the Dementor's Kiss, Hermione used her Time-Turner to return herself and Harry to a time earlier in the evening. She used this opportunity to rescue not only Sirius, but Buckbeak as well.

As evidence by her assertion that time-travelling is extremely treacherous, Hermione Granger took great personal risk to save Sirius Black and Buckbeak.

Fourth Year - The Goblet of Fire
Before her fourth year at Hogwarts, Hermione accompanied Harry and Ron to the Quidditch World Cup. After the game, the communal campsite is attacked by Death Eaters. The trio fled into the woods and witnessed the casting of Morsmordre.

Once at Hogwarts, Hermione began a crusade for the liberation of house-elves by beginning The Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare. This did not earn her any popularity. Her fellow students actually found it to be extremely obnoxious, and even the Hogwarts house-elves thought her talk of freedom "dangerous." She learned how to knit socks and hats for the house-elves, and hid them in Gryffindor Tower. The elves found this attempt at freeing them insulting, and they stopped cleaning the Tower at all. Dobby, already a free elf, was the only one who enjoyed the gifts, took everything Hermione had sewn, and cleaned the Tower by himself.

After the events surrounding Harry Potter's name coming out of the Goblet of Fire, Hermione was the only student who believed Harry's innocence. Hermione helped Harry Potter for the Tournament by teaching him useful spells, such as Stupefy, Impedimenta, and Accio.

Hermione unknowingly attracted the interest of Durmstrang Triwizard Champion and Bulgaria International Seeker, Viktor Krum, for her intelligence, unconventional beauty and the manner in which she declined to hound him for autographs, like other girls. Krum began following Hermione to the Library and other places around Hogwarts, and even asked Harry if it was alright for him to pursue Hermione.



Hermione accompanied Viktor Krum to the Yule Ball, much to the jealousy and fury of her fellow students. Hermione attended the Ball wearing robes of "floaty, periwinkle-blue material," and her hair in an "elegant knot at the back of her head." The attention to her appearance was unusual and she received positive remarks on it. Hermione commented she used Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, but that it was too much work to use it every day. Ron was very jealous of the attention Hermione received from Krum, and they argued bitterly over it.

Hermione was chosen as a "kidnap victim" for Krum during the Tournament's Second Task, something that she subsequently endured teasing over. She was taken to the bottom of the Black Lake to await rescue from Krum, who donned a half-shark transfiguration. Krum managed to rescue her and carried her to the surface, where he revealed to it later that he "never felt this way about any other girl" and asked her to visit him in Bulgaria over the summer. Rita Skeeter, a journalist for the Daily Prophet, and unregistered Animagus, was hiding in beetle form in Hermione's hair during this conversation. Skeeter later wrote a skathing article on the "the devious Miss Granger," a "scarlet woman" toying with both Harry and Krum's affections. Hermione found this irritating and vowed to get revenge on Skeeter for all the horrible lies she wrote for the Prophet.

On the ride home on the Hogwarts Express, Hermione happily revealed she uncovered Skeeter's status as an unregistered Animagus and trapped her in a jar. She kept Skeeter from writing libel for a year by threatening to expose her to the authorities. She single-handedly drove Skeeter into poverty, gaining revenge for the pain caused to Harry and her other friends.

Fifth Year - The Order of the Phoenix
Hermione Granger was made an underage member of the Order of the Phoenix in 1995. She did work for the Order first by helping exterminate the pests living at Number 12, Grimmauld Place. She continued her work for the Order, showing her worth as a true Gryffindor, by bolstering Harry Potter throughout his tribulations with High Inquisitor Dolores Umbridge. She pushed Harry to create Dumbledore's Army, or the D.A., after Harry was driven to frustrated hysterics over the useless lessons Umbridge was giving to his fellow students.

It was Hermione's brilliant spellwork that ensured the security of the D.A., for she cursed the club's attendance sheet to give any tattler a horrendous rash on the face, which would spell out "SNEAK" in painful boils. This is exactly what happened to Marietta Edgecombe later in the year. Hermione was not exposed at that time, but later she was brought to Umbridge's office by the Inquisitorial Squad. Hermione showed her affinity for acting when she successfully lured Umbridge into the Forbidden Forest, where the toad-like villian was driven off by a herd of centaurs.

Hermione later fought at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, where she bravely faced Death Eater Antonin Dolohov, and silenced him with Langlock. She was critically injured by one of his curses, but made a full recovery.

"Luna has told me all about you, young lady. You are, I gather, not unintelligent, but painfully limited."

- Xenophilius Lovegood

Hermione is challenged in other ways when she meets Luna Lovegood, who baffles her. Hermione could not come to terms with how anyone could be so blissfully ignorant of reason and logic. Though the connection might be moot, it would be interesting to note that while her intellectual "nemesis" is from Ottery St Catchpole, Hermione's Patronus is an otter.

Sixth Year - The Half-Blood Prince
Hermione acheived high academic prestige when she obtained 10 O.W.L.s, in Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy, History of Magic, Herbology, Astronomy, Potions, and Ancient Runes. She received 'Outstanding' marks on each of them, except Defense Against the Dark Arts in which she received an 'Exceeds Expectations', which she dwells upon; Ron finds it amusing that she actually seems disappointed.

Hermione and Ron Weasley's relationship worsens when Ron begins dating fellow student Lavender Brown. Hermione is actually jealous, and fights back by attending Horace Slughorn's Christmas party with Cormac McLaggen. It backfires when McLaggen annoys Hermione more than she can stand.

Hermione reconciles with Ron after he gets hospitalized due to a poisonous mead.After seeing Hermione and Ron together, Lavender fought with Ron and broke up with him. Afterwards, Hermione and Ron were more comfortable together, and their relationship improved considerably.

Hermione also fought in the First Battle of Hogwarts near the end of that school year. She remained unscathed thanks to some Felix Felicis, which Harry forced her, Ron, Ginny Weasley, Neville and Luna to drink beforehand.

Searching for Horcruxes - The Deathly Hallows
In July of 1997, Hermione joined the Order of the Phoenix as part of the operation to transfer Harry Potter from Number 4, Privet Drive to the protection of Nymphadora Tonks' home. She was one of the "seven Potters."

Later on, at The Burrow, Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour arrived to give certain personal items of Albus Dumbledore to the three friends. Hermione received The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which was written in runes. Even before Hermione understood the priceless quality of the gift, she was moved to tears by Dumbledore's great act of friendship.

Hermione and Ron reveal their preparations for the quest to find Voldemort's Horcruxes to Harry. Hermione had placed a Memory Charm on her parents and sent them to hide in Australia, while Ron had transformed the ghoul that lived in his attic to take on his appearance and feign a highly contagious and severe illness. By doing so, neither Hermione or Ron would be missed when they did not return to Hogwarts that school year.

At Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding, Hermione shares a friendly exchange with Victor Krum which infuriates Ron and he asks her to dance with him. When Krum asks Harry whether they were together, Harry replies 'Er..sort off' When the wedding is interrupted by Kingsley Shacklebolt's warning of imminant attack by Death Eaters, Hermione Disapparated with Harry and Ron, but were tracked down by Death Eaters at Tottenham Court Road. After a brief but violent skirmish, the three of them made their way safely to Number 12, Grimmauld Place. Hermione showed supreme foresight and wizarding talent when she revealed a small beaded purse on which she had placed an Undetectable Extension Charm. Within it she had packed clothing, a tent, the Invisibility Cloak, and a great number of useful books, among other things.

After learning from Mundungus Fletcher that Dolores Umbridge had Salazar Slytherin's locket, one of seven Horcruxes in her posession, the three formed a plan to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic and reclaim the locket. Hermione imbibed Polyjuice Potion and transformed to look like Mafalda Hopkirk, a prominent Ministry official. Hermione was brave enough to sit through the trial of an innocent Muggle-born witch, right alongside Dolores Umbridge, and even tricked her into lying that the locket was a Selwyn family heirloom. When Harry attacked Umbridge in rage, their cover was blown, but the three friends fled the Ministry with the Horcrux in hand.

The locket caused great pain among the three friends, and due to the negative energy with in it, Ron Weasley temporarily abandoned them. Hermione cried for more than a week after Ron's departure, although she tried to hide it from Harry. They were all reunited in the Forest of Dean after Ron heard them talking through the Deluminator. Upon his return, Hermione screamed at and punched Ron until Harry cast a Shield Charm between them with Hermione's wand. She was angry with him for days for abandoning them.

During Hermione and Harry's trip to investigate Godric's Hollow, they venture to the home of historian Bathilda Bagshot. There they are attacked by Nagini, who had been waiting for them in the guise of the old woman, whose body had been animated like an Inferius by Voldemort. Hermione rushed to Harry's aid, and the two of them barely escaped before Voldemort himself arrived. In the forray, Hermione cast a Blasting Curse which damaged Harry's wand. He was heartbroken.

The three travelled together to Xenophilius Lovegood's home to ask him about the strange symbol in The Tales of Beedle the Bard. They had thought it to be the sign of the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, but Xenophilius informed them it was the symbol of the Deathly Hallows.

Shortly after making this discovery, the three friends realized that Luna wasn't at home, and had been away for a long time. Xenophilius revealed to them that Luna had been taken prisoner by Death Eaters and he had planned to betray them. However, Xenophilius failed to capture the trio, even when placed under duress by two Death Eaters who answered his summons and threatened to kill Luna if they found he had lied about Harry Potter's presence. In a remarkable show of mental and magical dexterity, Hermione concocted the trio's escape while safe-guarding Ron's feigned illness and allowing the Death Eaters to see Harry, so that they would not carry about their threat to kill Luna.

After weeks of pondering about the mystery of the Deathly Hallows, Harry accidentally utters Voldemort's name. They were immediately tracked and captured by a group of Snatchers, or "Mudblood catchers," which included the werewolf Fenrir Greyback. They were brought to Malfoy Manor and turned over to Bellatrix Lestrange, who panicked at the sight of Godric Gryffindor's sword. She gave away that the sword and another Horcrux were hidden in her Gringotts vault.

Lestrange isolated Hermione, interrogated and tortured her with the Cruciatus Curse. Hermione would not be crushed, and came up with a story that the sword was merely a copy of the real thing. She and the other prisoners escaped when they were rescued by Dobby, the house-elf. Dobby is killed during this escape and buried by Harry at their next safe house: the Shell Cottage where Bill and Fleur took up residence after their marriage.

Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Gringotts employee Griphook formed a plan to break into the Lestrange vault to retreive the Horcrux, Helga Hufflepuff's Cup. Once more, Hermione used Polyjuice Potion combined with Bellatrix's hair. It was determined that Hermione was not "nasty enough" to really impersonate Bellatrix. After many harrowing challenges at Gringotts, they all escape on the back of the dragon that was guarding the vault.

They attempt to infiltrate Hogwarts, but narrowly escape capture from Death Eaters stationed at Hogsmeade. After being confronted by Aberforth Dumbledore, they make their way into Hogwarts via a secret entrance, and join the student resistance movement within Hogwarts.

Hermione fought bravely at the Second Battle of Hogwarts. Ron's concern for the house-elves in the Hogwarts Kitchens caused Hermione to abandon all pretext of indifference and kiss him. Together, she and Ron retrieved Basilisk fangs from the Chamber of Secrets in order to use them to destroy Horcruxes. Hermione also fought Bellatrix Lestrange alongside Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood, until they were relieved by Molly Weasley. Hermione survived the battle.

Legacy
In 1998, Hermione went back to Hogwarts, to attain her N.E.W.Ts. She is the only one of the trio to return to Hogwarts. By 2017, Hermione and Ron were married with two children, Rose and Hugo. She is also the godmother of Harry and Ginny's son, James.

Hermione had attained a high position in the Ministry of Magic through the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She continued her work with S.P.E.W. She went on to attain a high position in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.



Etymology
Hermione was a charater from A Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare, and it originates in Greek mythology. However, the name was chosen because Rowling thought it unusual enough that the few people who shared the name would endure teasing over it. In order ensure correct pronounciation among fans, a scene was created between Hermione and Viktor Krum in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in which they discuss the correct pronounciation; the closest Krum got was "Herm-own-ninny."

In the will of Albus Dumbledore, Hermione's middle name was listed as Jean, however, in previous interviews, Rowling had stated that her middle name was Jane. Rowling cleared this up in a later interview stating that she had decided that she did not want Hermione to share a middle name with Professor Umbridge, and changed it to Jean.

Granger is another word for farmer. It recalls Hermione's Muggle roots. Hermione's original last name was "Puckle", but Rowling later decided this didn't suit her character.

Trivia

 * J.K. Rowling based Hermione on who she herself was as a child.


 * In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, she tells Rufus Scrimgeour that she is not planning to go into Magical Law Enforcement. Ironically, that's where she ends up after leaving Hogwarts.


 * The otter is a part of the weasel family and Hermione's patronus is an otter, maybe showing she is to marry a Weasley.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows