Hermione Granger is one of the main characters in the Harry Potter series. She is portrayed as an intelligent and studious young witch who becomes best friends with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. A recurring storyline throughout the books involves her friendship and brief romantic relationship with the Bulgarian Quidditch star Viktor Krum. However, Hermione ultimately does not end up marrying Krum, leaving many fans wondering why.
Hermione’s Character
Hermione is first introduced in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as an 11-year-old Muggle-born witch about to begin her magical education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Throughout the books, certain key traits emerge that define Hermione’s character:
- She is extremely intelligent and gifted magically.
- She has a strong moral compass and sense of justice.
- She is rule-abiding and responsible.
- She values intelligence and learning above all else.
- She can be rigid in her thinking and judgmental at times.
- She is loyal and willing to take great risks for her friends.
These traits remain fairly consistent as Hermione grows up over the course of the seven books. They impact her friendships, her approach to school, and her reactions to events happening around her. Her character serves both to move the plot forward and provide contrast to more impulsive characters like Harry and Ron. Her quick thinking and magical knowledge often get the trio out of dangerous situations. However, her logical mindset sometimes clashes with Harry and Ron’s more intuitive approaches. Her steadfast commitment to fairness and justice aligns with larger themes in the books about good vs. evil.
Hermione and Krum’s Relationship
Viktor Krum is a world-famous Quidditch player and Triwizard champion from Bulgaria who attends Hogwarts during the 1994-1995 school year. He takes an interest in Hermione and invites her to the Yule Ball. Though Ron had hoped Hermione would be his date, she chooses to go with Krum which causes tension between Hermione and Ron. Throughout the next year, Hermione and Krum are portrayed as having a budding romantic relationship:
- They attend the Yule Ball together and dance.
- Krum watches Hermione study in the library and says he has never felt this way about a girl before.
- The couple spends time together in Hogsmeade village.
- Krum tells Hermione he has “never felt this way about any other girl” and has been summoning the courage to invite her to visit him in Bulgaria over the summer.
However, after the tragic events at the end Triwizard Tournament, Krum returns to Bulgaria and is not mentioned much in the subsequent books. It seems their schoolyard romance faded after Krum left Hogwarts. They maintained enough of a friendship for Krum to attend Hermione and Ron’s wedding years later, but did not end up a lasting couple.
Why Didn’t Hermione Marry Krum?
There are several plausible explanations for why Hermione did not end up with Krum in the long run:
Age Difference
When Hermione and Krum meet, she is only 14 years old and he is 18, about to turn 19. While the age gap is not inappropriate, it may have contributed to them growing apart as Hermione matured. Their romance was more of a schoolyard fling than a committed relationship leading towards marriage at that point in their lives.
Long Distance
Once Krum returned to Bulgaria and his Quidditch career, maintaining a close relationship would have been difficult. While wizarding travel is easier than Muggle travel, the long distance still would have challenged building a deep connection, especially with Hermione still in school.
Different Values
While both intelligent, Hermione’s studiousness and Krum’s athleticism represented different cultures and values. Once the initial spark of attraction faded, their differences may have become more pronounced. Hermione likely craved deeper intellectual and philosophical discussions.
Lack of Communication
After Krum left Hogwarts, communication seems limited. With no cell phones or internet, continued owl post over such distances may not have been frequent or intimate enough to sustain a romance. Out of sight can lead to out of mind.
War Changed Priorities
Hermione’s focus shifted dramatically in the later books to supporting Harry and fighting in the war against Voldemort. Schoolgirl crushes faded in importance as she dedicated herself to the resistance effort and staying alive.
Hermione’s Feelings for Ron
While subtle at first, the books hint at a growing chemistry between Hermione and Ron. Their famous bickering and contrasting personalities sometimes masked an underlying romantic tension. By the end, a deep and complex love clearly exists between them.
J.K. Rowling’s Vision
As talented as she was, Hermione represented a normal teenager navigating relationships. J.K. Rowling remained consistent in her vision that Hermione would end up with her dear friend Ron, not Krum. Sometimes love stories simply do not align with what seems logical on the surface.
Hermione’s Eventual Marriage to Ron
Although they argue and clash frequently, Ron and Hermione’s friendship deepens into love over the course of the dangerous quest to defeat Voldemort. Key moments include:
- Ron being upset over Hermione attending the Yule Ball with Krum
- Their jealousy over the other’s romantic partners in books 6 and 7
- Ron worrying about rescuing Hermione from danger many times
- Their first kiss during the Battle of Hogwarts
- Marriage and having two children later in life
This slow burn romance highlights how shared experiences and loyalty can sometimes trump apparent incompatibility. While Hermione and Ron are very different people, they complement each other in ways needed to form a tight bond. Their friends Harry and Ginny see the growing attraction well before Ron and Hermione consciously recognize it.
Table: Key Moments in Ron and Hermione’s Romantic Arc
| Book | Key Moment |
|---|---|
| Goblet of Fire | Ron jealous of Hermione attending Yule Ball with Krum |
| Half-Blood Prince | Ron dates Lavender Brown making Hermione jealous |
| Deathly Hallows | Ron destroys locket Horcrux showing care for Hermione over Harry |
| Deathly Hallows | First kiss during Battle of Hogwarts |
| Deathly Hallows Epilogue | Married with two children |
This table summarizes some of the major milestones in the evolution of Ron and Hermione’s romance over the course of the books. Their relationship formed slowly over many years until they finally realized they were perfect together.
Conclusion
Hermione Granger’s brief teenage romance with Viktor Krum did not result in marriage for several understandable reasons. Distance, differing personalities, and simple immaturity as a young student meant the relationship likely ran its course naturally. However, through years of shared danger and bonding, Hermione developed an irreplaceable love with her old friend Ron Weasley. Their compatibility grew out of trust, sacrifice, and seeing each other’s true character. Just as Harry Potter needed both of them to complete the trio, Hermione and Ron realized they needed each other. While Hermione and Krum will always share a fondness from their time at the Yule Ball, her destiny lay with Ron. After all they endured together, Ron and Hermione’s lifetime commitment makes perfect sense.