*Includes Spoilers*

Pre-HBP Version available here. Due to new canon and recent interviews, the essay has been rewritten so that it's purpose is more for reflection than for prediction.

The Seven Stages of Ron and Hermione's Relationship
It is true that J. K. Rowling is a master of surprise. However, many things that she writes are not surprising at all. After careful reading and logical analysis of her previous books, a lot of future events can be expected by the reader because she establishes patterns and sticks to them. Some patterns apply to just one book while other patterns apply to the entire series. The challenge for the reader is to find the patterns, determine if they are for one book or all of them, and make logical predictions that complete the pattern.

I've found a clearly established series pattern, and as J. K. Rowling continues this pattern into Book 7, Ron and Hermione will enter into a romantic relationship with each other. I call this pattern "The Seven Stages of Ron and Hermione's Relationship." I have seen the first six stages in the first six books, and it is logical to assume that the seventh stage will be seen in Book 7. The seven stages are the following:

Book 1, Stage 1: Development of a friendship
Book 2, Stage 2: Ron accepts the importance of Hermione's friendship
Book 3, Stage 3: Hermione accepts the importance of Ron's friendship
Book 4, Stage 4: Development of romantic feelings between them
Book 5, Stage 5: Ron accepts his romantic feelings for Hermione
Book 6, Stage 6: Hermione accepts her romantic feelings for Ron
Book 7, Stage 7: Development of a romantic relationship

The pattern that Rowling has established is:

Development–>Ron's acceptance–>Hermione's acceptance–>Development

Since the pattern is progressive, it is reasonable to assume that after Ron and Hermione both accept their romantic feelings for each other, a romantic relationship will result, and they will probably date. J.K. Rowling has hinted that in her most recent interview with Mugglenet and The Leaky Cauldron.

...We know. Yes, we do now know that it's Ron and Hermione.

Book 1, Stage 1: Development of a friendship

Obviously, this is the book when Ron and Hermione become friends. For the sake of the main plot both Ron and Hermione need to become friends with Harry, but Rowling also has made Ron and Hermione become friends with each other. In fact, Rowling emphasizes the Ron/Hermione friendship.

In Chapter 6, Ron and Harry meet Hermione for the first time, but the conversation is primarily between Ron and Hermione. Harry also participates in the conversation, but his role is very minimal and only serves the purpose of him being introduced to her. The focus is almost entirely on Ron and Hermione's interaction with each other.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.
"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.
"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."
She sat down. Ron looked taken aback."Er -- all right."
He cleared his throat.
"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."
He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.

When Hermione enters the compartment she is talking to both boys, but almost immediately, her attention turns directly to Ron (she was looking at the wand in his hand).

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard -- I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough -- I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"
She said all this very fast.
Harry looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.
"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.
"Harry Potter," said Harry.
"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course -- I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.
"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed.
"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad.... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

Her conversation with Harry is one sided and consists of her giving him information that she has read in a book. This sets up Hermione as the "fact giver" to Harry, a role that she continues to have through the first six books.

Later in this chapter she returns.

"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.
I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No -- I don't believe it -- he's gone back to sleep-"
And so he had....
(snip some dialogue about Draco Malfoy>) ...He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"
"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"
"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"
"All right -- I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"
Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

Hermione and Ron both seek approval from the other in this first meeting. They want the other person to like them, and neither one gets that approval. They instead get disapproval, which puts a hold on their friendship, and that disapproval and delay in progression for them becomes a motif as the books continue. Ron attempts to show her a spell (seeking approval) and fails, she says the spell isn't very good (not giving approval), and then brags about her spells working and memorizing all of her books (seeking approval). He doesn't respond to her bragging (not giving approval). In the second part of the scene she returns. Why does she return? We don't know her motivation, but it's worth noting that she immediately looks at Ron (looking at the sweets on the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers). Ron turns to her. Again note that Ron is the one who notices that she is still standing there. He scowls and tells her to go away (gives disapproval). She tells him he has dirt on his nose (gives disapproval). This completes the seeking approval, not getting the approval, receiving disapproval cycle. Harry's involvement in the sections with Hermione is very minimal. Rowling is emphasizing the first meeting of Ron and Hermione because that is what often happens in romantic storylines. A character meets their future love interest very early in the story. This scene also foreshadows the misunderstandings that will make Ron and Hermione's friendship and romance full of arguments and conflict. If Hermione was meant to be Harry's future love interest there would have been more emphasis placed on their very first interaction. There's actually more focus on Harry's very first contact with Ginny, Luna, Cho, Parvati, Fleur, and even Nymphadora, than with Hermione. Rowling made it clear very early that Hermione wasn't going to be a love interest for Harry.

More emphasis is placed on Ron and Hermione when the sorting hat puts her in Gryffindor. Ron groans while Harry has no reaction. So far, Hermione has not had any effect, either positive or negative, on Harry. Like her role in his life, she represents detached logic. However, Ron takes an interest in everything about her, even if it is at first an annoyed interest.

On Halloween, during Charms, Ron and Hermione are partnered together for the very first time. (Harry is partnered with Seamus.) Though neither one of them like being put together, their partnership is what eventually enables Ron to properly use Wingardium Leviosa later that evening, which not only saves everyone's life, but is the pivotal moment for the trio's bond. After Charms class, Rowling again emphasizes the Ron and Hermione approval/disapproval cycle. It is Ron's comment about Hermione's lack of friends that puts her in tears and leads to her hiding in the bathroom. Despite all of the insults that Hermione's had to bear in the first six books from Draco, Rita, Snape, Umbridge, and the Slytherin girls, this is the only time she has ever reacted so strongly. She skipped classes and cried all afternoon. Clearly, Ron's opinion of her meant a lot. No one else has ever had that effect on her. And he, despite being annoyed with her, becomes very uncomfortable upon hearing how much she is upset. This is one of the few times Ron ever shows an apparent regret for insulting someone. Rowling wants us to see that these two have a soft spot for each other despite their initial dislike.

Let take a look at the troll battle in Chapter 10

Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.
"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.
The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.
"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it.
"Come on, run, run!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror.
The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.
Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped -- it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.
Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.
Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his own wand -- not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over -- and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

The troll scene is an important scene, not only for the trio, but for Ron and Hermione as a future pair. The hero, Harry, is reminded that Hermione is still in the girls' bathroom and doesn't know about the troll and needs to be saved. It's his quick thinking that gets the boys into the bathroom. Both boys fight bravely which is so important to the friendship they both eventually develop with Hermione. The reason why I say that it is also important for Ron and Hermione as a future pair is when Hermione is paralyzed with fear, Ron, without thinking, uses Wingardium Leviosa, the very spell that Hermione drilled into his head. Since the books are written in Harry's point of view, this is a masterful way of letting the reader know that Ron already has Hermione's voice in his head. He does the spell that she helped him learn, ‘without thinking'. It was Harry's role as the hero to get them into the bathroom to fight the troll which leads to the friendship of the three of them. It is Ron's role to take over when Hermione is too scared to function. Without her, he wouldn't have known that spell and without him, the spell wouldn't have been performed at all. They are a team even before they are friends. We see the same thing at the end of the book, when Hermione knows how to kill the Devil's Snare, but is having a hard time thinking under pressure. Of course, it was Harry who suggests starting the fire, but she dismisses the idea because there is no wood. It is Ron who reminds her that she is a witch that doesn't need wood. The three of them all need each other to survive, but it's Ron and Hermione who seem to be the natural team, making up for what the other lacks. We're also seeing how, when in a dangerous situation, Hermione's voice is in Ron's head, and Ron can help Hermione function more effectively. In book 1, Rowling has shown how two people can overcome their initial differences to work together toward a common goal and eventually bond because of it.

Book 2, Stage 2: Ron accepts the importance of Hermione's friendship


In Stage 1 the friendship formed. There is evidence from the letters that they send to each other during the summer that they have remained friends, but neither one yet accepts how important the other really is to them. In Stage 2 Ron comes to accept how important Hermione's friendship is to him and shows it in many ways. One of those ways is him noticing her interests, especially her little crush on Professor Lockhart.

"Why, "demanded Ron, seizing her schedule, "have you outlined all Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?"
Hermione snatched the schedule back, blushing furiously. (Ch. 6)

"Moste Potente Potions?" she repeated suspiciously, trying to take the note from Hermione; but Hermione wouldn't let go.
"I was wondering if I could keep it," she said breathlessly.
"Oh, come on," said Ron, wrenching it from her grasp and thrusting it at Madam Pince. "We'll get you another autograph. Lockhart'll sign anything if it stands still long enough." (Ch. 10)

"What's that?" asked Harry, pointing to something gold sticking out from under Hermione's pillow.
"Just a get well card," said Hermione hastily, trying to poke it out of sight, but Ron was too quick for her. He pulled it out, flicked it open, and read aloud:
"To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most- Charming-Smile Award. "
Ron looked up at Hermione, disgusted.
"You sleep with this under your pillow?"
But Hermione was spared answering by Madam Pomfrey sweeping over with her evening dose of medicine.
"Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" Ron said to Harry as they left the infirmary and started up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower. (Ch. 13)

"Please, Hermione, tell me you weren't one of the forty-six," said Ron as they left the Great Hall for their first lesson. Hermione suddenly became very interested in searching her bag for her schedule and didn't answer. (Ch. 13)

Ron is very protective of Hermione in Book 2, as well. He gets defensive everytime Draco says something nasty about her.

"No one asked your opinion, you fiIthy little Mudblood," he spat.
Harry knew at once that Malfoy had said something really bad because there was an instant uproar at his words. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George jumping on him, Alicia shrieked, "How dare you!", and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously under Flint's arm at Malfoys face.
A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass.
"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" squealed Hermione. (Ch. 7)

"You know I haven't, Goyle, how many times do I have to tell you?" snapped Malfoy. "And Father won't tell me anything about the last time the Chamber was opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it. But I know one thing - last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them's killed this time .... I hope it's Granger," he said with relish.
Ron was clenching Crabbe's gigantic fists. Feeling that it would be a bit of a giveaway if Ron punched Malfoy, Harry shot him a warning look and said, "D'you know if the person who opened the Chamber last time was caught?" (Ch. 12)

"I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags by now," Malfoy went on. "Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger -"
The bell rang at that moment, which was lucky; at Malfoy's last words, Ron had leapt off his stool, and in the scramble to collect bags and books, his attempts to reach Malfoy went unnoticed.
"Let me at him," Ron growled as Harry and Dean hung onto his arms. "I don't care, I don't need my wand, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands -"
"Hurry up, I've got to take you all to Herbology," barked Snape over the class's heads, and off they marched, with Harry, Ron, and Dean bringing up the rear, Ron still trying to get loose. It was only safe to let go of him when Snape had seen them out of the castle and they were making their way across the vegetable patch toward the greenhouses. (Ch. 15)

J.K. Rowling chose Ron to defend Hermione. She is showing how important Hermione has become to him. They are more than just casual friends; they have bonded on a deeper level, and their friendship is very special. An important scene that shows Ron's acceptance is when he overcomes his biggest fear of spiders.

Instead he contented himself with scrawling a note to Ron: Let's do it tonight.
Ron read the message, swallowed hard, and looked sideways at the empty seat usually filled by Hermione. The sight seemed to stiffen his resolve, and he nodded. (Ch. 15)

We also know that Hermione is aware of Ron's biggest fear.

"I - don't - like - spiders," said Ron tensely."I never knew that," said Hermione, looking at Ron in surprise. "You've used spiders in Potions loads of times ......
"I don't mind them dead," said Ron, who was carefully looking anywhere but at the window. "I just don't like the way they move ....
Hermione giggled.
"It's not funny," said Ron, fiercely. "If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my - my teddy bear into a great big filthy spider because I broke his toy broomstick .... You wouldn't like them either if you'd been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many legs and. . . "
He broke off, shuddering. Hermione was obviously still trying not to laugh. Feeling they had better get off the subject, Harry said, "Remember all that water on the floor? Where did that come from? Someone's mopped it up." (Ch. 9)

Ron is very affected by Hermione's petrification. Although we don't know his thoughts, his words and reactions show how much he misses her.

When the hubbub had subsided, Professor McGonagall said, "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."
There was an explosion of cheering. Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and wasn't at all surprised to see that Draco Malfoy hadn't joined in. Ron, however, was looking happier than he'd looked in days. (Ch. 16)

"You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice -- I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."
"So Hermione's okay!" said Ron brightly. (Ch. 18)

Harry is obviously happy when Hermione is revived, but Rowling also puts an emphasis on Ron's reactions. This is because she wants the reader to know how important Hermione has become to Ron.

Book 3, Stage 3: Hermione accepts the importance of Ron's friendship


While Hermione tends to figure things out before Ron, she takes longer to accept them. (You'll see more of that trend in Stage 5 & 6.) This is because she is a very analytical person. She uses her brain; Ron uses his heart. He doesn't need to think it through, he goes with what he is feeling. We also see a continuation of Ron's interest and concern for her. He's the one that notices all through the third book how odd her schedule is and comes to her defense against Snape. It is now time for her to come to accept the importance he has to her. The break in their friendship serves this purpose.

It is over a month after Christmas of third year when Ron and Harry finally make up with her about the Firebolt. That's a long time to go without your two best friends. I'm going to assume she was relieved when Harry began talking to her again, but she didn't have a significant reaction. On the other hand, when just Ron is angry with her, her reaction is significant. Again, only Ron can make her cry in that way. Such strong emotion, in literature, indicates future romance.

"Yeah, it will," said Ron fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."
"Oh, Ron!"Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron, looking quite terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head. Finally, Hermione drew away.
"Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers..." she sobbed."Oh -- well -- he was old," said Ron, looking thoroughly relieved that she had let go of him. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now." (Ch. 15)

She breaks down, accepts blame, and is relieved that he even speaks to her. He is even more important than her pet or her being right. She actually accepted how important he was to her the night that Sirius broke into the boys' dormitory and for the first time she realized that Ron could've been killed.

We know from Hagrid that Hermione is upset about her fight with both boys, but when Harry and Ron visit Hagrid, Harry is no longer fighting with her. They had already made up with her about the Firebolt. At the time of the visit with Hagrid, only Ron was still fighting with her so it is reasonable to assume that her distress is from her estrangement from Ron. .

"Hermione," said Hagrid.
"What about her?" said Ron.
"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely. Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat --"
"-- ate Scabbers!" Ron interjected angrily.
"Because her cat acted like all cats do," Hagrid continued doggedly. "She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do. Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case, mind.... She's found some really good stuff fer me... reckon he'll stand a good chance now..."
"Hagrid, we should've helped as well -- sorry --" Harry began awkwardly.
"I'm not blamin' yeh!" said Hagrid, waving Harry's apology aside. "Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be gettin' on with. I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry hour o' the day an' night -- but I gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks or rats. Tha's all."
Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks.
"Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an' you two not talkin' to her --"
"If she'd just get rid of that cat, I'd speak to her again!" Ron said angrily. "But she's still sticking up for it! It's a maniac, and she won't hear a word against it!"
"Ah, well, people can be a bit stupid abou' their pets," said Hagrid wisely. Behind him, Buckbeak spat a few ferret bones onto Hagrid's pillow. (Ch. 14)

The fact that Harry has already made up with Hermione, makes me focus on what Hagrid is saying to Ron. Ron seems to be the person to whom Hagrid is trying to get through. He mentions how upset she was that Black tried to stab Ron. This is the actual moment when she accepted how important he was to her. She shows that acceptance when they make up.

She throws aside all pride and apologizes to him, not knowing who was right or who was wrong. He never even formally forgave her. Just him talking to her made her break down. This scene is what made me a R/Hr shipper. After they make up, she becomes stronger, knowing he is again on her side. She gains the confidence to stand up to Malfoy, drop Divination, and retrieve the Invisibility Cloak when it is left behind. Having Ron on her side makes her a stronger person. She has accepted that his friendship is important to her.

This acceptance is shown at the end of the book when Ron presents his new pet to her pet and Crookshanks accepts the owl. It is very symbolic of what happened between these two in the story. The book starts out with her pet not accepting his old pet, much like Hermione doesn't accepting Ron's importance in her life. But the book ends with her pet accepting her pet, much like Hermione accepting how special Ron is to her.

Book 4, Stage 4: Development of romantic feelings between them


Books 1-3 showed the evolution of their friendship. Books 4-6 are meant to show the evolution of their romantic feelings. In book 4, we see the first evidence of them having more than platonic feelings for each other.
Like a lot of love stories, jealousy is used as an indicator of attraction. Hermione is jealous of the interest Ron shows in Fleur, and Ron is jealous of the date Hermione has with Viktor. Ron expresses annoyance at her comments about Cedric and Lockhart. She expresses annoyance at his fascination with the veela at the Quidditch World Cup.
It is Ron who notices when she has shrunk her teeth. It is Hermione that bristles that he wants a pretty date. These two show many signs of being attracted to each other. Listing all of the examples of them showing romantic interest in each other would turn this essay into a book. I'll just list a few examples.

"You'll be wanting that," he said, "once Ireland have had their say."
"Huh?" said Ron, staring openmouthed at the veela, who had now lined up along one side of the field.
Hermione made a loud tutting noise. She reached up and pulled Harry back into his seat. "Honestly!" she said. (Ch. 8)

Harry snorted with laughter. He recognized the pimply wizard: His name was Stan Shunpike, and he was in fact a conductor on the triple-decker Knight Bus. He turned to tell Ron this, but Ron's face had gone oddly slack, and next second Ron was yelling, "Did I tell you I've invented a broomstick that'll reach Jupiter?"
"Honestly!" said Hermione, and she and Harry grabbed Ron firmly by the arms, wheeled him around, and marched him away. By the time the sounds of the veela and their admirers had faded completely, they were in the very heart of the wood. They seemed to be alone now; everything was much quieter. (Ch. 9)

The girl picked up the dish and carried it carefully off to the Ravenclaw table. Ron was still goggling at the girl as though he had never seen one before. Harry started to laugh. The sound seemed to jog Ron back to his senses.
"She's a veela!" he said hoarsely to Harry.
"Of course she isn't!" said Hermione tartly. "I don't see anyone else gaping at her like an idiot!"But she wasn't entirely right about that. As the girl crossed the Hall, many boys' heads turned, and some of them seemed to have become temporarily speechless, just like Ron. (Ch. 16)

They left. Ron stopped feeling his eyebrows and looked across the smoldering wreck of his card castle at Harry.
"We should get a move on, you know . . . ask someone. He's right. We don't want to end up with a pair of trolls."
Hermione let out a sputter of indignation.
"A pair of... what, excuse me?"
"Well - you know," said Ron, shrugging. "I'd rather go alone than with - with Eloise Midgen, say."
"Her acne's loads better lately - and she's really nice!"
"Her nose is off-center," said Ron.
"Oh I see," Hermione said, bristling. "So basically, you're going to take the best-looking girl who'll have you, even if she's completely horrible?"
"Er - yeah, that sounds about right," said Ron.
"I'm going to bed," Hermione snapped, and she swept off toward the girls' staircase without another word. (Ch. 22)

"It is too 'eavy, all zis 'Ogwarts food," they heard her saying grumpily as they left the Great Hall behind her one evening (Ron skulking behind Harry, keen not to be spotted by Fleur). "I will not fit into my dress robes!"
"Oooh there's a tragedy," Hermione snapped as Fleur went out into the entrance hall. "She really thinks a lot of herself, that one, doesn't she?"
"Hermione - who are you going to the ball with?" said Ron. (Ch. 23)

"It's very good already," said Ron in a strangled sort of voice. Fleur smiled at him; Hermione scowled.(Ch. 37)

"Oh . . . yes ... all right," said Hermione, looking slightly flustered, and following Krum through the crowd and out of sight.
"You'd better hurry up!" Ron called loudly after her. "The carriages'll be here in a minute!"
He let Harry keep a watch for the carriages, however, and spent the next few minutes craning his neck over the crowd to try and see what Krum and Hermione might be up to. They returned quite soon. Ron stared at Hermione, but her face was quite impassive. (Ch. 37)

Ron is jealous when Hermione notices other males, and Hermione is jealous when Ron notices other females. Ron shows an intense interest in finding out who Hermione's date is, and he is very curious about Hermione's relationship with Krum. Hermione avoids Ron's eyes when talking about Viktor's feelings for her. She is annoyed with Ron's preoccupation with pretty girls, and she puts a stop to Ron's storytelling when Padma, a girl described by Dean Thomas as being one of the best looking girls in their year, starts showing interest in him.This all indicates development of romantic feelings.

The clearest piece of evidence that they are attracted to each other is the fight that they had after the Yule Ball.

"Well, if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you?"
yelled Hermione; her hair was coming down out of its elegant bun now, and
her face was screwed up in anger.
"Oh yeah?" Ron yelled back. "What's that?"
"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a
last resort!"
Ron mouthed soundlessly like a goldfish out of water as Hermione turned
on her heel and stormed up the girls' staircase to bed. Ron turned to look at
Harry.
"Well," he sputtered, looking thunderstruck, "well — that just proves —
completely missed the point —" Harry didn't say anything. He liked being
back on speaking terms with Ron too much to speak his mind right now —
but he somehow thought that Hermione had gotten the point much better
than Ron had. (Ch. 2)

While the feelings are there, neither Ron nor Hermione have accepted them. Ron instead claims that his jealousy is actually anger at Hermione "fraternizing with the enemy", and Hermione claims that her frustration at Ron is his shallowness instead of his failure to ask her out. Acceptance will occur in the next two stages.

Book 5, Stage 5: Ron accepts his romantic feelings for Hermione


In book 5, Ron is beginning to understand his romantic feelings. He is finally figuring out what he's feeling, and he begins to accept it. He shows acceptance by attempting to control his jealousy when Hermione talks about Viktor, asking Harry for advice about what she sees in Krum, giving her perfume at Christmas, and attempting to get along with her better by agreeing with her and starting less arguments. He even attempts to show that he can compete with Viktor by becoming a Quidditch player. Since Hermione has not yet accepted her feelings, she is still stuck in the bickering and jealousy. She tries to get a rise out of him, insulting him all the time, and she attempts to make him jealous by bringing up Krum.

"What does she see in Krum?" Ron demanded, as he and Harry climbed the boys' stairs.
"Well", said Harry, considering the matter, "I's'pose he's older, isn't he... and he's an international Quidditch player..."
"Yeah, but apart from that", said Ron, sounding aggravated. "I mean, he's a grouchy git, isn't he?"
"Bit grouchy, yeah", said Harry, whose thoughts were still on Cho. (Ch. 21)

Ron is actually thinking about what may be attracting Hermione to Krum. He has accepted his feelings, and is now attempting to do something about them.

They got up and dressed. They could hear the various inhabitants of the house calling "Merry Christmas" to one another. On their way downstairs they met Hermione.
"Thanks for the book, Harry" she said happily. "I've been wanting that New Theory of Numerology for ages! And that perfume's really unusual, Ron."
"No problem," said Ron. "Who's that for, anyway?" he added, nodding at the
neatly wrapped present she was carrying.
(Ch. 23)

Ron's inquiries about the nature of her relationship with Viktor Krum, his tendency to side with her instead of Harry, and a gift to her that has unmistakable romantic connotations all support his acceptance that he does have romantic feelings for her.

Ron's acceptance of their friendship in Stage 2 was emphasized by his desire to protect her and his realization that he could have lost her when she was petrified. His Stage 5 acceptance parallels his Stage 2 acceptance with his desire to defend her again, this time from an angry Harry and his realization that he may lose her, this time to Krum.

Book 6, Stage 6: Hermione accepts her romantic feelings for Ron


In Book 5, Hermione shows signs that she realizes that she too has romantic feelings, but her bitterness and nastiness indicate that she has not yet accepted it. As in stage 2 & 3, it will take her realizing that she could lose him that will help her come to accept her feelings. At the beginning of Book 6, she continues to be nasty about Ron.

Looking careworn, she left the room. Ron still seemed slightly punch-drunk; he as shaking his head experimentally like a dog trying to rid its ears of water.
"Don't you get used to her if she's staying in the same house?" Harry asked.
"Well, you do," said Ron, "but if she jumps out at you unexpectedly, like hen . ."
"It's pathetic," said Hermione furiously, striding away from Ron as far as she ould go and turning to face him with her arms folded once she had reached the wall. (Ch. 5)

"Good idea," whispered Hermione, clearly pleased that Harry was calming
down. "Ron, what are you staring at?"
"Nothing," said Ron, hastily looking away from the bar, but Harry knew he was
trying to catch the eye of the curvy and attractive barmaid, Madam Rosmerta, for whom he had long nursed a soft spot.
"I expect 'nothing's' in the back getting more firewhisky," said Hermione waspishly. (Ch. 12)

By the time Christmas comes around, Hermione has had ample opportunities to see Lavender's flirtation with Ron and Ron's eventual consideration of that flirtation. She is forced to realize that Ron may move on so she begins to start acting on her own feelings. Like Ron's romantic move of giving perfume the Christmas before, Hermione finally makes a move of her own and invites Ron to go to the Christmas party with her. She has not yet attained full acceptance, though. This is shown by her continued bitterness at Ron, even as she attempts to invite him to go to the party with her.

"We're allowed to bring guests," said Hermione, who for some reason had
turned a bright, boiling scarlet, "and I was going to ask you to come, but if
you think it's that stupid then I won't bother!"
Harry suddenly wished the pod had flown a little farther, so that he need
not have been sitting here with the pair of them. Unnoticed by either, he
seized the bowl that contained the pod and began to try and open it by the
noisiest and most energetic means he could think of; unfortunately, he could
still hear every word of their conversation.
"You were going to ask me?" asked Ron, in a completely different voice.
"Yes," said Hermione angrily. "But obviously if you'd rather I hooked up
with McLaggen . . ."
There was a pause while Harry continued to pound the resilient pod with a
trowel.
"No, I wouldn't," said Ron, in a very quiet voice. (Ch. 14)

In Stage 3, she had to deal with the fact that while her friendship was important to Ron, he wasn't going to put up with her lack of acceptance for long. In Stage 3, her decision to put her pet and being right above her friendship with Ron made her lose him for a while. The same thing happened in Stage 6. She puts her own pride and desire to make Ron jealous of Krum above her romantic feelings for Ron, and she loses him to Lavender for a while. As in Stage 3, this leads to an estrangement.

He had no idea what to say to her. He was just wondering whether there
was any chance that she had not noticed Ron, that she had merely left the
room because the party was a little too rowdy, when she said, in an
unnaturally high-pitched voice, "Ron seems to be enjoying the celebrations."
"Er . . . does he?" said Harry.
"Don't pretend you didn't see him," said Hermione. "He wasn't exactly
hiding it, was—?" (Ch. 14)

She walked very slowly and erectly toward the door. Harry glanced at
Ron, who was looking relieved that nothing worse had happened.
"Oppugno!" came a shriek from the doorway.
Harry spun around to see Hermione pointing her wand at Ron, her
expression wild: The little flock of birds was speeding like a hail of fat
golden bullets toward Ron, who yelped and covered his face with his hands,
but the birds attacked, pecking and clawing at every bit of flesh they could
reach. (Ch. 14)

"He's at perfect liberty to kiss whomever he likes," said Hermione, while
the librarian, Madam Pince, prowled the shelves behind them. "I really
couldn't care less."
She raised her quill and dotted an i so ferociously that she punctured a
hole in her parchment. (Ch. 15)

But her face suddenly turned blank; she had just spotted Ron and
Lavender, who were intertwined in the same armchair.
"Well, good night, Harry" said Hermione, though it was only seven
o'clock in the evening, and she left for the girl's dormitory without another
word. (Ch. 15)

"Hi, Parvati!" said Hermione, ignoring Ron and Lavender completely.
"Are you going to Slughorn's party tonight?"
"No invite," said Parvati gloomily. "I'd love to go, though, it sounds like
it's going to be really good. . . . You're going, aren't you?"
"Yes, I'm meeting Cormac at eight, and we're—"
There was a noise like a plunger being withdrawn from a blocked sink,
and Ron surfaced. Hermione acted as though she had not seen or heard
anything.
"—we're going up to the party together."
"Cormac?" said Parvati. "Cormac McLaggen, you mean?"
"That's right," said Hermione sweetly. "The one who almost" —she put a
great deal of emphasis on the word— "became Gryffindor Keeper."
"Are you going out with him, then?" asked Parvati, wide-eyed.
"Oh—yes—didn't you know?" said Hermione, with a most un-Hermioneish
giggle.
"No!" said Parvati, looking positively agog at this piece of gossip. "Wow,
you like your Quidditch players, don't you? First Krum, then McLaggen . . ."
"I like really good Quidditch players," Hermione corrected her, still
smiling. "Well, see you. . . . Got to go and get ready for the party. . . ."(Ch. 15)


"Oh, I've just escaped—I mean, I've just left Cormac," she said. "Under
the mistletoe," she added in explanation, as Harry continued to look
questioningly at her.
"Serves you right for coming with him," he told her severely. "I thought
he'd annoy Ron most," said Hermione dispassionately. "I debated for a while
about Zacharias Smith, but I thought, on the whole—"
"You considered Smith?" said Harry, revoked. (Ch. 15)

He was not entirely sure that she had heard him, though; Ron and Lavender had been saying a thoroughly nonverbal good-bye just behind him at the time. (Ch. 16)

Ron's Stage 2 and Stage 5 acceptance parallel each other, and predictably, Hermione's acceptance in Stage 3 and Stage 6 parallel each other. Her own stubborness results in her temporarily losing him, but when an event happens that causes her to realize that she could really lose him forever, she changes.

Hermione gave an almost inaudible sniff. She had been exceptionally quiet all day. Having hurtled, white-faced, up to Harry outside the hospital wing and demanded to know what had happened., she had taken almost no part in Harry and Ginny's obsessive discussion about how Ron had been poisoned, but merely stood beside them, clench-jawed and frightened-looking, until at last they had been allowed in to see him. (Ch. 19)


"Then the poisoner didn't know Slughorn very well," said Hermione,
speaking for the first time in hours and sounding as though she had a bad
head cold. "Anyone who knew Slughorn would have I known there was a
good chance he'd keep something that tasty for himself." I
"Er-my-nee," croaked Ron unexpectedly from between them. (Ch. 19)

After Ron is poisoned Hermione again realizes that he could've died and been lost to her forever, just like in Stage 3 when she was upset that he was almost stabbed. This is when full acceptance of her romantic feelings finally occurs, and it is parallel to her acceptance in Stage 3. The bitterness ends and she becomes more tolerant of Ron. As Ron's interest in Lavender continues to diminish, Hermione's mood improves, as well.

Ron looked both sulky and annoyed when he appeared at breakfast half an
hour later, and though he sat with Lavender, Harry did not see them
exchange a word all the time they were together. Hermione was acting as
though she was quite oblivious to all of this, but once or twice Harry saw an inexplicable smirk cross her face. All that
day she seemed to be in a particularly good mood, and that evening in the
common room she even consented to look over (in other words, finish
writing) Harry's Herbology essay, something she had been resolutely
refusing to do up to this point, because she had known that Harry would then
let Ron copy his work.
"Thanks a lot, Hermione," said Harry, giving her a hasty pat on the back
as he checked his watch and saw that it was nearly eight o'clock. "Listen,
I've got to hurry or I'll be late for Dumbledore. . . ." (Ch. 20)


"I love you, Hermione," said Ron, sinking back in his chair, rubbing his
eyes wearily. Hermione turned faintly pink, but merely said, "Don't let
Lavender hear you saying that." (Ch. 21)

"Ron, you're making it snow," said Hermione patiently, grabbing his wrist
and redirecting his wand away from the ceiling from which, sure enough,
large white flakes had started to fall. Lavender
Brown, Harry noticed, glared at Hermione from a neighboring table through
very red eyes, and Hermione immediately let go of Ron's arm.
"Oh yeah," said Ron, looking down at his shoulders in vague surprise.
"Sorry . . . looks like we've all got horrible dandruff now. . . ."
He brushed some of the fake snow off Hermione's shoulder. Lavender
burst into tears. Ron looked immensely guilty and turned his back on her.
"We split up," he told Harry out of the corner of his mouth, "Last night.
When she saw me coming out of the dormitory with Hermione. Obviously
she couldn't see you, so she thought it had just been the two of us."
"Ah," said Harry. "Well—you don't mind it's over, do you?"
"No," Ron admitted. "It was pretty bad while she was yelling, but at least
I didn't have to finish it."
"Coward," said Hermione, though she looked amused. "Well, it was a bad
night for romance all around. Ginny and Dean split up too, Harry." (Ch. 24)

In Chapter 30 we see evidence that both Ron and Hermione are now at the stage of full acceptance of their romantic feelings for each other.

Ron, he saw, was now holding Hermione and stroking her hair while she sobbed into his shoulder, tears dripping from the end of his own long nose.

Now that they have both accepted their feelings for each other, it is time for the progression of their relationship. If Rowling continues with her pattern, it will not be a smooth progression. Ron and Hermione's relationship is characterized by misunderstandings and a cycle of seeking approval and receiving disapproval. In Stage 1, Ron sent Hermione to the bathroom in tears after she insulted him. The events surrounding that fight led to the progression of their friendship. In Stage 4, Ron sent Hermione to her room angry after he saw her with a date that he feels he could never compete with. The events of that fight led to the progression of the realization that they romantic feelings for each other. It is logical to assume that a fight based on a misunderstanding and a perceived lack of approval will be what leads to the final progression of them becoming involved in a romantic relationship.



Interested in Stage theories? Check out avada_86's 5 Stage Theory