Why did Ginny choose Dean?

[Mrs. Luca Black]

Over the last few days I've been entertaining the idea that there was a purpose (beyond annoying Ron) that Ginny chose to date Dean. I don't think it was because he's some fun, cool guy, because honestly, I get the impression that he's a bit lacking in personality and therefore way too bland for our vivacious Ginny.

Maybe she chose Dean because it would be right under Harry's nose where he would have to see it.

We know she liked Harry since before she started Hogwarts, the like most likely increasing with each year (him saving her, him saving her dad, being able to share an isolation of being personally affected by Voldemort). So maybe one day she figured out a way into his heart that was completely non-creepy, but genuine. She seems to be very intuitive, so she probably knew (maybe not at first but around her 3rd year or so) that they were truely meant for one another (just like I always knew).

So, she started talking around and to him, she acted more as a friend to him than his friend's goofy little sister that had a crush on him, convinced Ron it was okay by dating other guys, then finally had enough of Harry's attention to finally make him realize they were meant to be.

Maybe she even picked that specific hallway to snog Dean because she knew he'd want to hide from the rest of the school.

I know that she now realizes that they really are meant to be and that's why she let Harry go so easily. She knew he would be coming back.

Now, I need you all to tell me if I'm insane or if I have a point.

[crystallised_pineapple]

no you definately have a point, i'd always just assumed that she must have liked him and never thought any more of it, but now i've heard that theory i will have to reconsider

even more so as at the end when she tells harry she never gave up on him one of the things she mentioned is going out with a few guys.... now i'm thinking out loud

very good theory!!

[Snow_Crystal]

Didn't Hermione tell Ginny to lighten up basically and start dating other people? I thought Hermione gave her an insight into the way Harry's mind worked. The way I read it was that Hermione gave Ginny an incling into a possibly change of heart within Harry.

[Mrs. Luca Black]

Didn't Hermione tell Ginny to lighten up basically and start dating other people? I thought Hermione gave her an insight into the way Harry's mind worked. The way I read it was that Hermione gave Ginny an incling into a possibly change of heart within Harry.

You pose and interesting point and I believe you're right. Still doesn't mean that she didn't choose to date Dean solely to get to Harry. *winks*

[Snow_Crystal]

Oh yeah I totally agree!!

[Tanuki]

Maybe Dean just got there first. It seems like he was just a guy Ginny could be into that got there when she was trying to relax around Harry

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar

[Scarlet Lioness]

I agree with Luca, maybe it was just a plot to get under Harry's nose, I actually never thought of this concept, I just assumed she liked him but now I think I have something more to think about...

Good thinking Luca...

[Siruk]

Its clearly because he is a west ham united fan, there are no other reasons.

[Tanuki]

That's a horrible thing to think of Ginny. To think she would just use a guy to get close to Harry! For one thing, it's not like she has to work that hard to be around Harry, she spends her summers and christmas with him. And on top of that, the Gyphindor tower can't be that big and she's gotta be in the common room enough to make Harry jelous.

Hell, she could've been with Katie Bell and gotten the same reaction out of Harry... actually, not the same reaction, but you get the point

[Snow_Crystal]

But I think that's what Hermione encouraged Ginny to do. Date other people until Harry was ready in effect. How many times do people go out with someone else to make someone else jealous. The fact that it happens is a fact of life but if it has the desired effect, what would encourage someone not to?

[Tanuki]

It wasn't about making Harry jelous. It was about getting Ginny to relax around Harry, since she was a mess around him until she learned how to deal romantically with boys. And, using Dean to get Harry jelous is a horrible, mercenary, mean though. It would mean that Ginny was just using Dean's feelings. If she did this, then my respect for Ginny would be long gone, because that is a very selfish thing to do

[Snow_Crystal]

I never said it was a nice thing to do but you can't dismiss that people do this to other people.

I agree that it might have been a case that was just trying to relax around boys romantically but I don't think they ever matched up to her high opinion of Harry so she may have not been as emotionally attached etc. etc. as they might have been to her.

If you hold a torch for someone for so long, in this case 5-6 years, then no-one else is ever going to be able to take that person's place but you will make do with the next best thing.

[Nightcrawler]

As Tanuki has already said, dating someone with the intention of making another person jelous is a horrible, horrible thing to do. People who do this aren't mature enough to deserve a relationship in the first place.

I would consider that sort of behavior to be beneath Ginny. Yes, there are a lot of people who do it. But they are jerks.

I think people put too much weight on Ginny's initial feelings for Harry. He was, twelve, she was eleven it's not like either of them were in any position to be knowing who they want to be with for the long haul. It was a schoolgirl crush and that's about it. Over time she learned to be less nervous around him, got over her crush (for the most part anyhow) and dated other guys.

I think that Ginny has always felt something for Harry on a subconscious level. I don't think that she made any concious decisions on who she would date based on that though. I don't like the idea of her conciously nursing a crush on Harry whilst she's dating Dean.

but you will make do with the next best thing.

I like the idea that she was genuinly interested in Dean to begin with, but then things just didn't work out. I hope she wasn't treating him as "the next best thing". I've been "the next best thing" before, and believe me, it's not nice at all. I think that people should either make sure that their feelings for one person are gone before looking for the next person, or make it known to the other person from the beginning what's what.

[Dacre]

I think Dean was basically second choice, and she must have liked him somewot to stay with him longer than any other boy. I just don't think she'd be that sneaky really.
Interesting idea tho (I mean interesting in the way of actually interesting, not sarkily tho)

[Snow_Crystal]

Just another illustration of Ginny's character.

In GoF she went to the ball with Neville because she wouldn't have been able to go otherwise - she wasn't old enough - these are effectively her words.

I like Ginny but she sometimes goes through people to get what she wants...