The Gift That Harry Potter Fans Think Changed Ron And Hermione's Relationship
Throughout their adolescence at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) dedicate much of their time to thwarting Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and his gang of Death Eaters. But they are teenagers, after all, which means their ongoing battle with evil is intermingled with the struggles of young love.
One of the main romances that forms is between Ron and Hermione, whose friendship slowly but surely transforms into a loving relationship. In the inaugural book and film, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," Hermione overhears Ron calling her "a nightmare," causing her to spend the rest of the day crying in the girls' bathroom. Yet by the final installment, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," they share a kiss in the now-empty Chamber of Secrets.
When exactly did their feelings for each other evolve into something more? There are a few possibilities, such as Ron's jealousy over Hermione taking Triwizard Tournament champion Viktor Krum (Stanislav Yanevski) to the Yule Ball in "Harry Potter and Goblet of Fire" or Hermione's strong emotions about Ron kissing Lavender Brown (Jessie Cave) in the Gryffindor common room. However, there's one particular, less obvious moment that many fans feel was the turning point.
Ron's gift of perfume may have been a symbol of his attraction
In "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," the trio spends Christmas morning with Harry's godfather, Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), at Grimmauld Place. When exchanging gifts, Hermione expresses excitement over the book New Theory of Numerology from Harry, but Ron's present of perfume slightly confuses her: "That perfume is really unusual, Ron."
Following Ron's poor behavior toward Hermione the previous year, some fans think the perfume is more than a casual Christmas gift. In "Goblet of Fire," she's insulted by his sudden realization that she is, in fact, a girl, and a perfectly acceptable date for the Yule Ball. Hermione also takes offense when Ron refuses to believe she was asked by somebody other than Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis).
On Reddit, u/The_Clockwork_Monk said, "I like to think he still felt bad about what he said the previous year and wanted to say 'Sorry, and by the way I am completely, unambiguously aware that you are a girl.'" Others were in agreement that the perfume is a symbol of Ron's growing attraction to Hermione. "A book is the obvious gift," said u/figleaf22. "I feel like Ron wanted to give her something different, thinking it would make her notice that he saw her as a sensual being, as more than a bookworm."
Some speculated that, when Hermione takes a whiff of the Amortentia in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which has a unique scent for everybody based on what they're attracted to, she smells the perfume.