Birthday Special: Why Emma Watson’s Hermione Granger stays in our hearts even after so long

Hollywood star Emma Watson is celebrating her 33rd birthday today. The actor, who rose to fame after portraying Hermione in the popular Harry Potter films, has established her talent as a performer over time. The series holds such a big place in peoples’ hearts that even years later after the movie and play franchises, a new TV series has been announced for the same. And one of the main reasons is surely Emma Watson’s character Hermione Granger. On her birthday we take a look at why Hermione Granger was truly the hero of the much loved series. 

Undoubtedly, the Harry Potter universe is filled with fascinating characters with amazing skills and, more importantly, enormous hearts. One of the most intriguing and nuanced characters in the entire Harry Potter series is Hermione Granger, without a question. She makes one of the series’ most impressive progressions. Hermione is introduced to readers as a bossy, know-it-all character, but by the end of the series, she has transformed into the actual heroine we have all been waiting for. Calling her a secondary character would be an insult given the wealth of intelligence, humour, ingenuity, compassion, and loyalty she possesses. She is the most powerful witch of her generation and has not only saved the group as a whole but also the entire wizarding community. She then went back to school to demonstrate her superiority to her peers.

Although Hermione was a hero in her own right, Harry Potter may be the de facto protagonist of the books. Certainly, if Hermione Granger, the Muggle-born daughter of dentists, had not been present, Harry (and Ron, and most likely Neville, too) would have passed away early on in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Hermione’s prominence, however, was not solely due to her deeds.

Hermione immediately established herself as the group’s nerd. She was a little annoying and only somewhat despised. Yes, she had a smug air about her, but what was wrong with that? This arrogant mindset was well-earned. She possessed superior intelligence to everyone else; this was frequently noted and well-documented throughout the series. All bookworms at home felt a connection to her because of her. 

Hermione didn’t have the finest first impression in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. After all, something Ron said caused her to start crying in the girls’ lavatory. Yet towards the end of the novel, she realised that her friends and her new place were what mattered most—more important even than the possibility of getting kicked out. You get the impression that Hermione was lonely before meeting Harry and Ron, and this portrayal was crucial throughout the novels. It was only then that she felt like she had found her true place in the universe.

Hermione proved her value in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by providing the solution to the mystery of what was tormenting Harry in the pipes. With just a few hints, she was able to deduce the answer, saving both her own life and countless others in the process. She was petrified by the Basilisk and was subsequently absent for the majority of the book, but Harry and Ron frequently used what they learned from her to their advantage. They learn how valuable Hermione is to them as a problem-solver and, more importantly, as a friend.

Everyone wanted as much time as Hermione did in her third year. Hermione and Harry were equipped to prevent the deaths of Buckbeak and Sirius Black thanks to the Time-Turner. Not only did her intelligence ensure their safety, but she also recognised Lupin’s werewolf nature long before anybody else, which enabled her to save Harry and herself when they realised he was about to enter the woods. In the Quidditch Final, Hermione also gave Draco Malfoy a slap, which was later reenacted as a punch to the nose in the 2004 movie adaptation. Her bravery is without limits.

For Hermione Granger, her fourth year was a crucial one. Particularly her appearance at the Yule Ball in her periwinkle-blue dress—pink in the movies—changed the impressions that many people had of her, both in and outside of the novels. Becoming Viktor Krum’s date came as a bit of a surprise to Harry and Ron because they didn’t even consider inviting Hermione. Apart from that, Hermione spent the majority of her year fighting for S.P.E.W., and even though not many people supported her and her goal, it made sense that this would make for a strong justification to win the house-elves over during the Battle of Hogwarts. 

Even though she occasionally came off as a nagging, stuffy know-it-all, without her, a lot of things wouldn’t have worked out as they did. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, there is a particularly large illustration of this. Dumbledore’s Army was started by Hermione, who persuaded Harry to teach their classmates how to defend themselves if their education proved insufficient. Their companions were able to get the talents they needed in their moment of greatest need because of Hermione’s preparation and foresight. As time went on, their routines using the Room of Requirement and earning communication badges became progressively more crucial, all thanks to Hermione. Even while she may not have been the finest fighter, she was unquestionably in charge of the operation.

She also made one of the greatest sacrifices in the books by choosing to send her parents away to safety while erasing their memory of her. She selflessly gave up the one thing Harry always wanted a family to assist him in saving the world. Indeed, it was to keep her parents safe, but at the time, she had no way of knowing if she would ever see them again. Although she may have been the most powerful witch of her day, we can relate to her because she was always the Muggle-born one. Hermione was a self-made hero, but Harry was the chosen one and extraordinary from the start.

Hermione Granger’s relatability to so many readers is what really made her the series’ most significant character. We can relate to her. Perhaps we even had thick, bushy hair and liked to hide out in the library when we were in school. We were grateful to Hermione for making learning fun because schoolchildren can often lead you to believe differently. Before Hermione showed us how to do it, we had no idea where we fit in. Though we may not have been aware of it, Hermione taught us valuable lessons as we grew older. The importance of being assertive and persistent was stressed in lessons; doing so can help you prevail in even the most trying circumstances. Her work ethic and unwavering commitment to doing what she thought was right are admirable. In essence, Hermione Granger was the series’ true hero.