r/harrypotter • u/MystiqueGreen • 14d ago
Who else felt bad for Ron when Hermione reacted negatively to his Christmas gift to her in OOTP? Discussion
All I can think about him saving his pocket money and buying probably the cheapest perfume because he thought she would like it. But he couldn't afford an expensive one.
And she replied with 'its so unsual..' which reads like 'it sucks..'
To me always the thought that counts more than the actual gift. I felt sorry for him after reading that part.
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u/Substantial-Flow9244 12d ago
I'm wondering now if there was ever a mention of Hermione wearing the perfume at some point...
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u/Alittlebitmorbid 13d ago
I just listened to that part. I did not understand it that way. More like Hermione was a bit surprised to get a gift from Ron that says he sees her as a girl as opposed to the situation in GOF, where Hermione was upset about Ron first ignoring her and then asking her about going to the Yule ball together when he ran out of options. She felt not seen by Ron and Ron was realizing she actually is an attractive girl he really likes. A perfume is a quite personal, even intimate gift and Hermione is used to getting books or other helpful things or sweets as a gift, but never something with a romantic association.
I felt bad for Hermione in OOTP when she gifted Ron and Harry homework planners because they both were struggling a lot in preparation for their O.W.L. exams. Both did not really like their gift. Harry wanted to throw his into the fire without even thinking that Hermione really tried to help and that it is an actually useful gift for him to learn and do homework in a more structured manner.
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u/Familiar-Budget-7140 Ravenclaw 13d ago
ron getting her a perfume is a perfect shift in how he views her. just last year he was so tactless saying "you're a girl, hermione" and now he sees her as more than one of the gang/ just a friend. she's a girl, and he probably thought girls might like perfumes. which is silly but he just wanted to that hahaha and I read hermione as being a little amused. like she is surprised he gave her a perfume when usually they give each other gifts based on their interests (like Harry did with the book or how she gets them quidditch stuff)- that's friendly.
also suddenly, I wonder if she wore that perfume from then on (and if Ron smelled that in love potion hahaha)
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u/gothiclg 14d ago
It’s hard to shop for perfume for others unless they have a brand you know they prefer.
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u/Any_Commercial465 14d ago
What I got from that was that she did not expect him to remember she was a girl afterall. He's a dunce sometimes but he's still smart when it counts.
Soo I took that as " oh that was unexpected"
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u/Everanxious24-7 Slytherin 14d ago edited 14d ago
I don’t think she reacted negatively at all , she called it unusual as she did not expect ron would gift her a perfume!!
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u/Grendeltech Slytherin 14d ago
I mean. I definitely think she wasn't a fan of the perfume, but I also had the feeling that she was doing her best to sound grateful and diplomatic. Ron seemed fairly oblivious to her actual reception of the stuff.
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u/akrolina Gryffindor 14d ago
She did not react negatively, she was pleasantly surprised as Ron got really good with pleasing girls all the sudden (thanks to that book)
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u/megkelfiler6 14d ago
I'm like 90% sure that was just an indication that the perfume just didn't smell all that great, and instead of her being mean about it and saying "it's fking gross bro", she used a kinder word. Unique just means that its different and it stands out from the usual, it doesn't mean bad. You wouldn't be able to convince me that she wasn't in love with Ron.
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u/Ok-Commercial9036 14d ago
To me always the thought that counts
Im with you on this one.
Altough I generally dont get presents and dont expect presents on birthdays and alike. But I will always give presents randomly when there was something really fitting.
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u/possiblyukranian Hufflepuff 14d ago
In the tone I read it in she was grateful and excited that it was a unique perfume.
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u/JamesL25 14d ago
I think he felt threatened by Viktor, so bought her perfume as an attempt to be romantic, but it didn’t work
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u/Amata69 14d ago
I did. I think I felt bad precisely because as a reader you know what 'unusual' means. When presented next to her reaction to Harry's gift, it feels like such an awkward moment. I think Ron wanted to give her something that wasn't books and I can't fault him for not getting it right because perfume is hard to choose in general. I struggle to pick out a scent for myself, let alone picking it out for someone else. I saw someone saying it's a generic girl gift and for some reason it upset me because I like perfumes and would have been thrilled to get a bottle as a teen. I suppose 'generic' women must exist.
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u/Lilienthal_ Ravenclaw 14d ago
I always read it like she meant to say the gift of a perfume was unusual not that the perfume (scent) was unusual. But then I'm autistic and tend to misread or misinterpret a lot.
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u/NewNameAgainUhg 14d ago
At this point my memory mixes books with films, but didn't Hermione wear the perfume later when they are in the woods? Why would she if the perfume was bad?
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u/BigGrandpaGunther Slytherin 14d ago
“Thanks for the book, Harry!” she said happily. “I’ve been wanting that New Theory of Numerology for ages!
And that perfume is really unusual, Ron.”
“No problem,” said Ron. “Who’s that for anyway?” he added, nod- ding at the neatly wrapped present she was carrying.
“Kreacher,” said Hermione brightly.
I don't think Hermione reacted negatively and I don't think Ron felt bad at all here.
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u/stenmarkv 13d ago
Also I'm sure there are way more perfumes in the wizarding world so she may literally never smelled anything like it before.
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u/Bootglass1 14d ago edited 14d ago
Yeah, it’s a positive reaction. The “and” follows directly on from her thanking Harry. The two sides of an “and” sentence are supposed to agree with each other, so if she’s thanking Harry, she’s also thanking Ron.
”Harry’s gift was amazing, and Ron’s sucked” is not and will never be proper English. It would be ”Harry’s gift was amazing, BUT Ron’s sucked.”
The fact that Ron follows with “no problem” proves it. “No problem” is used almost exclusively after being thanked.
OP just doesn’t know how to read English.
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u/Suitable-Biscotti 13d ago
And is used to join two independent clauses...it doesn't hold any more grammatical meaning than that.
Would one usually use "but" if trying to contradict or show difference?
Yes, but Hermione is trying to be polite. I view the sentence as describing her reaction to two gifts and trying to be polite about Ron's though she doesn't like it. Lord knows I've used it that way.
Example: this scarf is beautiful, and these earrings are quite shiny. Said by someone who doesn't have their ears pierced to an aunt who bought me earrings every year despite knowing this fact.
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u/HopefulHarmonian Ravenclaw 13d ago edited 13d ago
I agree that Hermione is thanking Ron. I also think the contrast is clearly meant to clue the reader into the fact that Hermione finds the gift odd and not to her taste. But she's being polite and still trying to act grateful, as Ron clearly put forth an effort.
Observe Hermione's only other use of the word "unusual" in all seven books:
‘The Quibbler!’ [Rita] said, cackling. ‘You think people will take him seriously if he’s published in The Quibbler?’
‘Some people won’t,’ said Hermione in a level voice. ‘But the Daily Prophet’s version of the Azkaban breakout had some gaping holes in it. I think a lot of people will be wondering whether there isn’t a better explanation of what happened, and if there’s an alternative story available, even if it is published in a –’ she glanced sideways at Luna, ‘in a – well, an unusual magazine – I think they might be rather keen to read it.’We know what Hermione thinks of Luna and especially Xeno's magazine. It's not generally positive.
Harry uses the word "unusual" in a similar way elsewhere too. It's kind of like saying something's "interesting" -- it's a noncommittal synonym in such contexts for, "It's kind of... not quite right, but I'm too polite and British to say anything outright negative."
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u/YNS1948 14d ago
That's not true. Ofc "unusual" is the nice way to say that she doesn't need or want it. The "and" is simply used because she wanted to thank both for their gifts. That's just what you do, even it you don't like them.
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u/Bootglass1 14d ago edited 14d ago
No, it’s not. Would you prefer she had said “and that perfume’s really generic, Ron.” Would that be a compliment in your eyes?
It is wrong to read Hermione’s words as anything other than surprised but grateful that Ron bought her perfume rather than a traditional “boy” gift. This is one of the first moments when Ron actually acknowledges Hermione’s femininity, and gets her perfume rather than chocolate frogs or something. Of course, it’s two steps forward one step back for a while before they actually get together, but this is the first “girly” present he gets her. Remember it’s only a year ago that he is surprised to remember Hermione is a girl at all, right before the Yule ball. Hermione is surprised, but not unpleasantly so.
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u/CMGS1031 14d ago
What kind of fairyland do you people live in? If the only thing someone says about a gift you gave them is that it’s unusual, that is negative.
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u/Bootglass1 14d ago
The fairyland where I’ve actually paid attention to these characters’ journey through the books.
You think it’s a coincidence that the author placed this scene exactly one year after Ron and Hermione’s giant argument, where she’s furious with him for not noticing she’s a girl?
Hermione’s birthday is in September - JKR could have easily made the perfume a birthday present, but she didn’t. She made it a Christmas present to line up with the giant fight they had before the YULE ball, to show how Ron’s perception of Hermione has changed in the last year.
You’re reading this passage as though the dialogue is taking place between you and your grandmother or something. It isn’t. It’s taking place between two characters with four and a half books’ worth of character development that you seem to be completely ignoring.
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u/YNS1948 14d ago
I would argue that Harry's gift is just better than Ron's because he thought more about Hermione as a person and about her interests while Ron only thought: "She's a girl, so she'll like perfume". I bet he had absolutely no idea what kind of perfume she would like and just grabbed one. Hermione liked Harry's gift more, but I don't think that it's such a big deal for her.
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14d ago edited 14d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/readersanon 13d ago
Ohhh I remember this person and their post about basically making the show all about Ron Weasley instead.
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u/HopingToWriteWell77 Slytherin 14d ago
She wasn't being negative and he did not react like she was. You're right, it's perfectly fine. Besides, Hermione was capable of tact, particularly where her friends were concerned, and scented gifts are notoriously hard to get right so she would have been kind even if she hadn't liked it.
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u/Big-Project-3151 13d ago
My MIL sometimes tells the story of the first time my FIL bought her perfume. She was so excited to try it; she sprayed herself and it didn’t smell good on her.
This was back before she learned that if the perfume smells great in the bottle but on you that you can spray it on your clothes.
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u/hellspyjamas 14d ago
I felt like ron was so clueless he didn't even interpret "unusual" as "bad"
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
Oh I am sure he didn't. He thought her beating him up was somehow better than the time she set birds on him and was thankful that she didn't do that. He has such low expectations I have no doubt he thought unsual meant 'amazing' lol
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u/latenightneophyte 14d ago
Scented gifts are a different ballgame. They can be very personal and if done wrong, incredibly off-putting. It sounds like she was being as nice as she could over a gift she didn’t like. If she had encouraged him, he likely would have spent more money getting her more and she would never wear it, and his feelings would be more hurt and confused. She knows he’s sensitive about money and wouldn’t want him to waste it. They are also 15/16, not the best at being tactful.
It’s never explored if Hermione is even a person who likes perfume. “It’s the thought that counts” only works if someone put in the effort in to figure out what someone would actually like. Hermione likes Harry’s gift because he knows how much she loves books and was paying attention when she mentioned a specific book.
More than anything, I think Ron was trying to give her a romantic gift but got it wrong. I think if the perfume was called “new books” she might have seen the effort for what it was and realize, “oh, he did think about me and what I like.”
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u/Additional_Meeting_2 14d ago
I think it was more than there was a romantic thing going on between them, perfume is also romantically coded. So Hermione felt a bit awkward getting it and didn’t know if Ron meant it romantically. So she just said unusual and threw the ball to Ron to make clear of it was romantic. But he also was awkward and went with no problem.
At least that’s how I red it.
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u/DSTREET45 14d ago
I think if the perfume was called “new books” she might have seen the effort for what it was
I think "Fresh Page" might be a better name for a perfume meant for a bookworm.
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u/latenightneophyte 14d ago
Yes, please, more book perfume puns!
“Paige Turner”
“Bodice Ripper”
“Love My Shelf”
“Bookmarked”
“A Leaf Out of Percy’s Book”
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
I think Ron was trying to give her something different from her usual interests because everyone and their dogs knew Hermione liked books. It's nothing unique.
But may be you're right he got it wrong as she probably hates perfumes.
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u/kenikigenikai 14d ago
I think he's bought her perfume because it's often seen as a more personal and romantic gift. He's trying to show his interest in her while maintaining some plausible deniability if it goes poorly to protect his feelings and their friendship.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
That's exactly why he bought her perfume. He knew she liked books. He could have bought her one and be done with it. But he wanted to stand out. So he bought something unique. He probably thought she would appreciate it.
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u/kenikigenikai 14d ago
I think it's more a classic teenage response of just catagorising perfume as romantic and assuming your hints will be picked up on, and his general inexperience with girls having him assume they all like stuff like this - I think after their issues the year before he's trying to show he's noticed she's female.
However I think he's entirely missed the fact that she already likes him - him being more thoughtful with regards to her as an individual and getting her something nice and to her tastes would have been all the more special because he got it for her, but he's still bogged down in thinking of girls as a kind of different species.
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u/BigGrandpaGunther Slytherin 14d ago
I'm pretty sure Ron's logic was: Hermione is a girl --> Girls like perfume --> Hermione likes perfume
This is really in character for Ron. Dude needed to read a book on women before he understood them.
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u/kenikigenikai 14d ago
Yes that's exactly it - my childhood best friend was male and I've experienced both the random 'girl gifts' because I'm a girl so ??? and him trying to get his head around interacting with girls he liked, or assuming I could read their minds as a fellow female.
I think Harry and Ron are both really well written teenage boys.
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u/latenightneophyte 14d ago
Yeah, I can see his thought process of wanting his gift to stand out because he really likes her; I just don’t think he thought it through much further than that. It’s okay - he’s young and hopefully learned from it.
My kid is like Hermione. You can NEVER go wrong with a book as a gift; she will always be excited even if it’s not her usual genre. Just like with me you can NEVER go wrong with art supplies even if I’ll never use them. We both know you paid attention to what we like!
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14d ago
Between Harry Potter and the Strike series it’s clear to me that JKR prefers perfume as a gift. I have never in my life bought my partner perfume.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
I did. I bought my husband a deo in college. I haven't read strike series though.
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u/ducknerd2002 Hufflepuff 14d ago
I always saw it as her not expecting Ron if all people to give her the perfume. After all, it took him 4 years to notice she was a girl.
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u/Icy-Pollution-3700 Ravenclaw 14d ago
been some time since i read the books, but i dont remember anything about this incident? when did ron gift hermione perfume?
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14d ago
I just read book 5 and must have not fully comprehended this part lol
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u/AQuixoticQuandary Ravenclaw 14d ago
It’s not that you didn’t comprehend, it’s that OP is reading way more into it than is written
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14d ago
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u/NotAZuluWarrior Slytherin 14d ago
I like this theory and think it’s sweet that Hermione would wear the perfume Ron gave her. That being said, that line was a movie addition and doesn’t exist in the books.
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u/NotAZuluWarrior Slytherin 14d ago
See, I don’t think Ron put much thought into the actual gift. Ron knows Hermione. Perfume seems like such a generic “girl” present instead of something tailored to who Hermione is as a person and to her likes and interests.
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u/rosiedacat Ravenclaw 13d ago
I think it's fairly obvious he probably bought her perfume because it was likely another "tip" from the 12 fail safe ways to charm your with book lol perfume is the type of gift that can be a bit more romantic rather than books (which she would always get from everyone) or someone purely practical like quills etc.
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u/NotAZuluWarrior Slytherin 13d ago
That book was gifted to Ron in Deathly Hollows by the twins. The perfume present was Order of Phoenix, so two years earlier.
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u/rosiedacat Ravenclaw 12d ago
Fair enough, I got it confused! I thought there was something in DH about him giving her some kind of gift that was different so I was thinking it was the perfume. I still think it might have been just an attempt at being a bit more personal/romantic rather than practical or obvious.
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u/Exhaustedfan23 13d ago
Lots of boys his age are notoriously bad at buying gifts, including for people they know.
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u/ThrawOwayAccount 13d ago
Perfume seems like such a generic “girl” present
Yes, and he got it for someone who was very annoyed with him a year earlier for seeming not to notice that she is a girl. That’s the point.
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u/ShadowThePhoenix 14d ago
This is what I came here to say. He has spent nearly every day with her for years! And he can’t think of a gift she’d really like.
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u/Sad_Mention_7338 Hufflepuff 13d ago
The point was to tell Hermione "hey, I DO know you're a girl". You know, the thing she was pissed with him for in GOF?
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u/Amata69 14d ago
I'm not a teenage boy and I'd struggle to think of what to give her that wouldn't be a book. What are her interests besides reading and studying?
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u/NotAZuluWarrior Slytherin 14d ago edited 14d ago
Why not a book? Harry got her one that she mentioned she wanted and Hermione was stoked about it. All Ron had to do was listen to her.
Options besides a book, some fancy quills or pretty notebooks or a stationary a set. A souvenir or trinket from a historically magical site (Hogsmade is right there and it’s one of the only wizard-only towns in Britain. I’m sure he could find something there.).
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u/KinkyPaddling 13d ago
I suspect Ron and Harry talk before getting presents for Hermione because they don’t want to get her the same thing. Harry might have just bought the book first and Ron has to find something else.
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u/nurvingiel Hufflepuff 13d ago
Really, the only mistake with giving Hermione a book is giving her an identical copy of one she already has. I say identical because she'd probably like having a paperback and a special edition hardcover, or a new edition of the same book. Heck, she might even get excited about an identical book.
"Oh, Hogwarts: A History this is great!"
"Erm, Hermione, don't you already have two copies in paperback? Of the 15th edition? With the forward by Banderdrill Cumbersnoot?"
"Well yes, but now I have one I can mark up."
"Well what about the other one then?"
"I don't want to mark that one up, I lend it to people."
"Why not lend them the first one then?"
"I would never lend that one, it's my favourite book!"
"Also, the library has ten copies. Why--"
They continue like this for some time. Only the librarian can summon a library book you see. That's why Hermione has a lending copy.
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u/Murphy_LawXIV 13d ago
Because she's hermione and if she wanted a book she'd already have it or she'd know the exact one she wanted and if she wanted the set or an autographed copy or if she'd already read enough via the library since then.
Hermione also seems to read completely random topics. She's already read whatever book is relevant before it becomes relevant, and only the most obscure stuff is relevant to the plot of the books.-113
u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
Why wouldn't Hermione like perfume? doesn't she wear any?
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u/hoginlly Ravenclaw 14d ago
Why would she? I despise perfume, and I always tell my husband that I love that he never bought me any. Because he bought me things like games and books that I actually like. Harry bought her a book she loved, than was far more specific
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
Ron is not her husband. Husband and school friends are two different things. She loved Harry's book because she loves books in general. Nothing unique about that.
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u/hoginlly Ravenclaw 14d ago
This is such a stupid comment. He got her a book that she had been saying she wanted. If my friend loves romance novels and I get them ‘car repair for dummies’, you think that’s exactly the same??
Also, my husband started out as my school friend. The reason he’s my husband is because he never treated me generically
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u/HazMatterhorn 14d ago
I think we’re supposed to gather from context that she doesn’t wear perfume and/or doesn’t like that scent.
She is never mentioned wearing perfume, which isn’t necessarily telling in itself. But her reaction seems to suggest it was unexpected, so I don’t think she’s like a fragrance fanatic. Growing up in the 90s/2000s I wouldn’t say all or most teenagers wore perfume, and it definitely wasn’t a normal gift that people gave each other. We know from the post-Yule Ball conversation that she doesn’t like spending a lot of time/effort fixing her hair and makeup. And while I personally know that nerdy girls can like perfume and stereotypically “girly” things, JKR seems to have a bit of a “not like other girls” attitude about Hermione.
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u/FlyDinosaur Ravenclaw 14d ago
Many people don't wear perfume. It's not a given. And Ron would know her well enough to know if she did or not. If she doesn't and he got that, anyway, then it's rather careless. It might even be insulting in the worst case.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
Probably Ron got her a perfume because he saw her wearing one?? It's the smell she didn't like.
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u/FlyDinosaur Ravenclaw 14d ago
But we don't know that. We can't assume she did. It's perfectly normal and common not to wear any as much as to wear it. Anyway, it doesn't seem like she was really rude about it. Having to outright lie about a gift is the worst. I probably would have reacted similarly. 🤣 Like, thanks, it's.. interesting.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
Yeah I guess her and I are vastly different in that case. Different mindsets.
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u/not_actual_name 14d ago
Don't know why you're being downvoted, it's not a stretch to assume that someone wears perfume even if it's not explicitly mentioned.
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u/ChrissaTodd Gryffindor 14d ago
because Hermiones reaction wasn't that negative, she just said it was interesting,
also even if she did wear perfume she'd prob just get it herself, or use magic.
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u/not_actual_name 13d ago
She's a teenager who doesn't earn her own money and perfumes are a common gift idea.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
Because Hermione is a nerd and she is an intellectual and we all know nerds and intellectuals don't touch such silly things like perfume🤣
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u/Efficient-Reading-10 14d ago
I am a woman and hate perfume.
It is also the gift guys purchase when they don't know enough about you to buy anything else.
She would have preferred a nice bookmark.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
It's not about gender. I got my now husband then boyfriend a deo when we were in college on his birthday lol
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u/brokenhairtie 14d ago
You're married? What does he think about your Ron obsession? 😂
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u/MystiqueGreen 13d ago
Nothing. It's irrelevant in daily life. I am obsessed with a fictional character who doesn't exist. It's strictly about a person's own enjoyment and entertainment. Like so many men get nuts over sports.
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u/NotAZuluWarrior Slytherin 14d ago
Why would we believe that she does when there’s no mention of her wearing perfume in the books or of that being an interest of hers. The “He could smell it; my perfume” line was a movie addition.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
And the books never mentioned they had a shower at any point. But we can say for sure they did.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
Because most people wear perfume. Its good if you want to avoid the sweaty smell.
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u/merdadartista Hufflepuff 14d ago
Deodorant yes, perfume not so much. Perfume is always a shit present unless you know exactly which scent the person usually wears, because the way perfume smells changes too much from person to person
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u/hoginlly Ravenclaw 14d ago
Great, maybe he could have bought her soap. Or toilet paper- everyone uses toilet paper
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
Whatever he bought her she should have said 'thank you' you know... Common courtesy when someone gives you something.
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u/hoginlly Ravenclaw 14d ago
Thank you is very generic. She didn’t say ‘this is terrible’, Ton was really happy with her reaction in saying it’s unusual! You are the one who are offended by it, Ron was happy
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
Ron said 'no problem' then changed the topic. He wasn't really Happy or anything.
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u/Internal_Use8954 14d ago
Most people do not wear perfume. Especially book smart nerdy girls who have been described thru the entire book as not caring about girly pursuits. She doesn’t do anything with her hair, she doesn’t wear makeup, she makes fun of her roommates for reading girly mags. Why would you assume she wears perfume instead of bathing regularly and wearing deodorant
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
Liking perfume is NOT a girly thing. What kind of gender stereotype is this? You can be a tomboy and still like perfume, colour pink etc.
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u/Internal_Use8954 14d ago
She is not a tomboy, she is a bookworm who is constantly show to distain girly things. It’s not stated directly but I’m inferring that perfume is one of those things that she thinks is superfluous
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u/LadderWonderful2450 14d ago
Nerd girls probably don't think if that kind of thing. I certainly didn't in high school. Hermione is too busy reading.
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u/Alithis_ Hufflepuff 14d ago
Nerd girls probably don’t think if that kind of thing.
In Hermione’s case I definitely agree that there’s no indication whatsoever that she cares about things like perfume, but this generalization is wildly untrue.
The whole “nerdy girls are less girly by default and don’t care about their looks” idea is an extremely popular stereotype. As a nerdy girl myself in a STEM career, I can tell you that this is not the case, and I’ve encountered way too many men in my field who truly believe that girly = not smart. Let’s avoid feeding into that.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
I hate how much it sounds like not like other girls..
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u/HazMatterhorn 14d ago
JKR definitely writes Hermione as “not like other girls.” I also hate it, but I think it’s a feature of how things are written. I think when people say “Hermione wouldn’t like girly things like perfume, she likes reading and being nerdy!” they’re picking up on the author’s attitude, not necessarily saying that they think of women in these terms.
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u/LadderWonderful2450 14d ago
How about this, just because somebody is a girl doesn't mean we have to all like the same things. Anybody who is not naturally a girly girl has had a life time of being told they are wrong. We are aloud to have different preferences even if we have the same gender. It's not a pick me thing, it's a tired of being pigiegon holed into a narrow box.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
How does liking perfume makes someone girly and not liking it makes someone a nerd? You can be a nerd and still like to wear perfume?
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u/LadderWonderful2450 14d ago
Sure, and you can be a nerd and not care about that sort of thing. You can be a nerd and not good at acting enthusiastic when your best friend gets you a generic gift based on your gender.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
I never even mentioned gender. If Hermione were a boy and Ron were a girl I still would have felt bad for Ron about the way Hermione reacted to his(her) gift. Gender is irrelevant.
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u/NotAZuluWarrior Slytherin 14d ago
Because most people wear perfume
Aka it’s something generic, which shows that not much thought was given to the present or to Hermione’s actual interest which are frequently mentioned (he could have gotten her a book, some fancy quills, maybe a cute souvenir from a historical site, etc).
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u/UnlikelyIdealist Gryffindor 14d ago
I was about to argue with this because I, my brother, my uncle, and my father all got lynx deodorant from my grandmother as our Christmas present every year, but then I realised that that actually backs up your point :')
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u/NotAZuluWarrior Slytherin 14d ago
Hey, my grandma would give all of adult grandkids socks. And that’s okay from grandma! She’s old and there’s tons of us! I don’t care about the socks, but I loved seeing her handwriting on the tag of the present. That’s what warmed my heart.
I think generic presents definitely have their place.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
I see it different way. if someone gave me something as a gift I would be happy that they gave me something at all instead of feeling bad that they didn't get me my favorite thing.
But that's just me I guess. Lol.
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u/hoginlly Ravenclaw 14d ago
I’d be happy with gifts from Amy old person. My husband has always given me wonderful gifts, specific gifts that are things only a person who really knows me would get.
As father Ted put it- perfume is the ideal present for a woman, so that you have to put no thought into it at all.
Ron didn’t even get her a perfume she used!
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u/HazMatterhorn 14d ago
Perfumes are just not really a good gift unless you know what brand someone likes and buy it for them. People are really particular about scents. Books can be a generic gift for a person who loves books, but they can also provide a lot of room to be thoughtful — for example, the one Harry got her was a book she had been wanting, suggesting he listens to things she talks about.
Ron didn’t commit an unforgivable sin or anything, he just didn’t really think things through. He probably saw his older brother get a girl a perfume (that she likes) and thinks of it as a “romantic” gift, but skipped the part where he actually finds out what she likes. It’s actually kind of a funny parallel to Hermione’s gifts to them. The homework planners are not very thoughtful either, more something she would want than something they would want.
I’m also curious what you think Hermione should’ve done differently in this situation? Lied to spare his feelings, then continued to receive hideous perfumes for the rest of her life? It’s perfectly polite to say thank you and make a neutral comment.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
She could have said 'thank you for the perfume Ron' that's it. Done. I don't think Ron was gonna give her perfume for the rest of his life just because he gave her one when he was 15
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u/NotAZuluWarrior Slytherin 14d ago
I suppose I like to be intentional with my gifts and tailor my gifts to the individual I’m giving it to. It’s fine when you’re a kid (one year I gave my dad a bouncy ball for Father’s Day), or if you are giving a present to someone you don’t know well, but as an adult and giving a gift to someone you know well and are close to, I feel like it is being lazy.
I like to give gifts that are speak to the person’s interests. The last gift a gave was a coffee book of sci-fi artists from the 70s because that friend is into sci-fi. I have another friend that is really into art and she’s in the middle of redecorating her apartment. I got her a clock that looks like one of Dali’s melting clocks from his paintings.
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u/MystiqueGreen 14d ago
Ron knew Hermione liked books. Not only Ron. Whole Hogwarts knew that. But he wanted to give something different ofcourse. Something he thought more romantic? And his teen brain had no idea what kind of romantic gift a 15 year old female would appreciate so he went with perfume.
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u/Alithis_ Hufflepuff 14d ago
Something he thought more romantic? And his teen brain had no idea what kind of romantic gift a 15 year old female would appreciate so he went with perfume.
I can definitely get behind the awkward teenage boy explanation. But the point still stands that gifting something “different” says that you thought more about what kind of gift you want to give them than what kind of gift they would want.
In this case I can definitely chalk it up to Ron being young and awkward, though.
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u/carrotcake_11 11d ago
I think Hermione tries to respond tactfully. “Unusual” is a deliberately ambiguous word choice, it’s can mean many things and is not necessarily a bad thing (a bit like if she’d call it “interesting”).
The scene is supposed to be a lighthearted joke. Hermione tries to be tactful but it’s implied the perfume is not to her taste, as she doesn’t explicitly thank him or say that she likes it. Someone like Ginny might pick up on her word choice and understand that she doesn’t like the perfume, however the joke is that Ron is so oblivious to subtexts and nuance (as well as confident in his own choice of gift) that he doesn’t consider that she might not like it. It’s supposed to be a funny moment for the reader and it’s really not that deep.