Hermione Granger: From Teacher's Pet to Team Player

Throughout the Harry Potter series, there is a constant theme of friendship, loyalty, and teamwork. The three characters at the forefront of this theme are none other than Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The character who I have found to be most developed from age 11 to age 17 is Hermione Granger: the once somewhat self-centered, know-it-all, safe-player has now transformed to be a brave risk-taker, willing to lay it all on the line—even if it means breaking a few rules.

As a reader, we get used to Hermione always being right; after all, Hermione is Gryiffindor’s top student. She learned the dangers of the sorcerer's stone, was weary of Tom Riddle's diary, had positively no faith in the Triwizard Tournament, and learned that it was better to be nicer to house elves to get what you want. In "Half Blood Prince," the day comes when Hermione is not always right. Her trusting personality in Snape and Malfoy (though very cautious) fell through, and finally Hermione was incorrect in her assumptions—Snape and Malfoy should not be trusted!

Hermione began as a young, wise girl who wanted to stay out of trouble and be the teacher’s pet. She scolded Ron and Harry for staying out after hours, warned Harry of the dangers of sneaking into Hogsmeade, understood the importance of occlumency—the list could go on. The readers feel her revolve towards more dangerous activity as she decided to join Harry and the others in the fight against Lord Voldemort in “Order of the Phoenix.” She breaks all her own rules, and rules of the Ministry and Hogwarts, in order to help Harry in the dissolution of Voldemort’s power.

The transformation of Hermione’s attitude from teacher’s pet to law-breaking heroine coincides with the plot development from “Sorcerer’s Stone” to “Deathly Hallows.” Her development of Dumbledore’s Army is a climatic role change in Hermione’s character. It is from then on that Hermione understands she must work together with Harry and Ron to save the wizarding world from the rise of Lord Voldemort. As Lord Voldemort comes back into power, tension builds and Hermione’s role must change. It is now Hermione who is interested in going against Hogwart’s and the Ministry rule in order to save the lives of herself, her friends, wizards, witches, and Muggles.