Those Damned Shippers

Thinking about HP some more as I rant about relationships (spoilers below for those who did not read the books and have to yet to see the finale):

There is apparently lots of folks frustrated that Harry ended up with Ginny and not Hermione. 

Still, it's tough to buy Harry's attraction: Ginny likes him and she's, uh, quiet and nice and.... Yeah, after seven books and eight movies, that's all I got. Ginny comes off like a dour Harry Potter fan more than a worthy contender for his romantic interest, let alone his ideal life partner. And Harry — as we'll see three times later in this film — never seems very excited by her. Our hero deserves someone lively, bright and, you know, fun.

Why is this so wrong? 

1. We need heaps of ginger kids, as the Weasleys are the superior family in the series (anybody else have good/surviving parents, heaps of supportive yet funny siblings?).  Best way to max the ginger is for both Harry and Hermione to marry into the Weasley clan.  
2. Which is more icky?  Marrying your virtual sister or your best friend's sister?  Hmmm.
3. I would have been wrong.  I predicted the Ginny/Harry relationship very early in the series, impressing even my uber-plot queen/editor wife.
4. Um, Oedipus, baby.  Lily -> Ginny.  How is Hermione like Lily? [I wrote this before I got the end of the EW piece---but it is pretty obvious, right?]
5. After all the drama, doesn't Harry need someone to loosen him up, rather than someone is quite Type A/uptight.  Yes, Hermione has a sense of humor and loosens up a bit as the books and movies proceed, but she is still a bit too tightly wound.  Think about to when she does not have a perfect set of OWLs.  She needs Ron to round her edges, and Ron needs her to keep him going in a semi-straight line.  

And that is the crux of the matter--in the books, Ginny is drawn more deeply, as JK gives her a fun sense of humor as well as an aggressive spirit that Harry needs, especially in the wake of so much death.  Perhaps Ginny could have been cast better, perhaps they could have given her more to do.  I do like how in the sixth movie she is constantly trying to get Harry alone and the scene where she is walking around half-dressed at the Burrow in HP7 is pretty amusing.  Ultimately, the movies did not really show much of Ginny's personality, but the books make it clear why she is the right choice for Harry.  Did this guy read the same books that I did? I don't think so.

On the rest of the snarky review: It is right that the time turners are a big problem since any strategic wizard would stock up on them, and the rest of the piece is mostly amusing and on target.  Best quote:

No matter how noble your intentions and how brave your heart, if you act like an asshat everybody is going to assume you're an asshat.

Oh, and this is right on target as well:

Malfoy is reluctantly coaxed forward and Voldemort gives him a hilariously awkward hug, like he's never given one before and is trying to imitate how people do it.

One Shipper Improvement: in interviews, JK seemed dead set against putting Neville and Luna together, but the movie brings them together.  I approve as these two outsiders (who both lost at least one parent) are very much in need of some love.  And isn't that what the series really about?




PS the EW piece ponders Wizardly poverty, in part because he does not understand Gamp's law of transfiguration--you cannot get food or gold out of nowhere.
PPS  I did not note in my previous post that they replaced one of Malfoy's buddies due to his real life crimes (drugs are bad).  Also, Dean Thomas, who is shorted in the movies, does show up in the Room of Requirement.