Hermione Granger

Hermione Granger is a political activist. She is the girl that has her homework done on Friday night, when it is really due in two weeks. Not one to be intimated by peer pressure, she is always first to eagerly raise her hand in class. Unlike many high school students, she isn’t overly concerned with her appearance. She is the daughter of two dentists and realizes the value of the private school education she is receiving. She was invited to enroll in an exclusive school that specializes in her major study of interest, magic.

In an ordinary school, she would be an exceptional student and possibly class president. But she is not an ordinary student in an ordinary school. Hermione is a witch and she is enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The first day of class she was the only one who had read the history book, allowing her to know how the passageways work and who the ghosts were. Much to the dismay of her professor, Snape, she performs perfect potions. She has organized SPEW, the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare after seeing the working conditions of the house elves that live at Hogwarts. The house elves don’t really want her help, but that doesn’t stop her. She has found a cause and is determined.

Her determination has helped one of her best friends, Harry Potter many times. She gets offended if Harry assumes she does not want to come along on his quests. The first time Harry has to fight He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Hermione proves instrumental. She makes the Polyjuice potion that allows Ron and Harry to pose as their enemies and gain information about the location of the Sorcerers’ Stone. Later, as the go through the labyrinth, Ron becomes entangled in a plant that Hermione correctly identifies and saves Ron’s life.

As the story progresses she becomes more and more instrumental to Harry. When the Ministry of Magic is trying to declare Harry Potter a liar and murderer, Hermione stands beside him. She never doubts him. She is one of the first students to say Voldemort’s name out loud. There is such fear of him that he has been referred to as ‘He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named’. Hermione dismisses this and states; ‘If Harry can fight him, I can at least be brave enough to say his name out loud.’

Realizing the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is a failure (again), Hermione decided to organize a group of students to practice spells outside of class. For a high school student this is not only organized, but very aware of social conditions within her world. Even after the school labels it illegal to have such an organization, she persists. Eventually that fact that her and her friends have practiced necessary defense spells saves their lives against the Death Eaters.

She is consistently an impressive heroine. She is the voice of reason, encouraging her friends to study and practice. And no Ron, Quidditch doesn’t count.

This is Karalea's first article on Pop Culture Heroines