Like in any co-ed boarding school teeming with youngsters, Hogwarts (the magical school from the Harry Potter series of books and movies) is overflowing with raging . Our three main characters (Harry, Ron, and Hermione) go through not just the angst of trying to defeat He Who Must Not Be Named; they are also trying to reign in the power of their own to each other. While some movies show the dark side of early (see my post on Twilight), the adolescent characters of Harry Potter are perfect exemplars of one of psychology's most popular theories regarding styles of love: theory.

Attachment theory was first suggested by John Bowlby after World War II, and since then has been the subject of, literally, thousands of research studies. Bowlby noticed that if children are separated from their parents at an early age, their future romantic relationships were more likely to suffer. Bowlby, his students, and recent relationship scholars have now suggested three specific "attachment styles," which are like personalities we exhibit within a relationship context. These "styles" come from our early, parental relationships and define our basic patterns of action (or inaction) for the rest of our lives. Luckily for this blog post, the three main characters in Harry Potter exemplify these attachment styles in a very handy way. As a precursor to Valentine's Day, this post and my next two will describe how each main character exemplifies one of these famous "attachment styles." Let's start with Hermione.

All three attachment styles follow the same principle: the behaviors, , and trust of others established in someone as a young child will follow that person for the rest of his or her life. The first attachment style identified by researchers is called "Secure." This pattern or style is first established when a child has parents who provide reliable, steady, sensitive care—parents who are consistently responsible and loving. Securely attached children are typically more socially and more competent in social situations. Secure children have high self-esteem and they are likely to generally trust others.

Hermione is a great example of a secure individual. Admittedly, we know the least about her early and family life, compared with our other two main characters. We never see her at home, and she spends little time there after the age of 11. However, what we do see is a stable, normal, supportive relationship with both parents. We know they are dentists who are not part of the magical world. However, when Hermione receives her invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, they recognize the opportunity for their daughter, and trust that she will be all right entering this new and exciting world. They regularly accompany her to Diagon Alley for school supplies, and attempt to get to know her friends' parents there. They plan elaborate family trips during school breaks, such as to France and a skiing resort.

We also see Hermione's love for her parents. Even though she is often away, she sends regular letters home, and always thinks of her parents in times of joy and sadness. For example, one of her first thoughts after she is named Prefect of Gryffindor is to send a message to her parents telling them about it. She is considerate of their feelings and knows they will be proud. Hermione is understanding of their basic ignorance of the magical world, but confident in their support.

This is the parental pattern that results in a secure attachment style: loving and supportive, while encouraging exploration of one's own interests. As a result, Hermione displays classic secure behaviors. A nice comparison of Hermione, Ron, and Harry is seen at their first meeting: the Hogwarts Express. Harry attempts to find a compartment by himself. Ron sits with him, but complains about his family and is embarrassed about being poor. What is Hermione doing? She is helping Neville find his lost toad, confident and generous with someone who clearly needs help. Just hours later, Harry and Ron are both completely scared to try on the Sorting Hat that will decide their house assignment, but Hermione is eager and confident, practically running to the stool. Who can forget her secure in all of her classes, always the first person to raise her hand?

These patterns of behavior spill over into her romantic relationships. In Goblet of Fire, the entire school is excited about the Yule Ball. It is clear that Hermione would like Ron to ask her to the dance. However, secure people do not wait around forever, pining after people who show no interest. When Ron doesn't ask her, Hermione moves on to someone who does appreciate her: the famous and talented Viktor Krum. The entire year they kept seeing each other in the library; originally Hermione was annoyed by his presence, but eventually she learns that they have a lot in common and she strikes up a good relationship with him easily. She has a great time at the ball, until her fight with Ron.

This fight with Ron also shows us Hermione's character and attachment style. Ron has spent the entire evening being rude and obsessive (again, see my next post for a detailed analysis of Ron). At the end of the evening, Hermione calls him on his cowardice and true feelings. Hermione has feelings just like any healthy person would: She is hurt by Ron's lack of , but brave enough to call him on it, and she has enough self-worth to value a relationship partner who will value her equally. Hermione continues to have a relationship with Krum, mostly through letters, but it is clear that their relationship is based on mutual interests and respect for each other.

Over the next two years, Hermione's relationship with Ron is mostly characterized by petty fighting. However, it is clear that their fights are driven by feelings that Ron is not willing to admit, and that Hermione is not willing to push. She understands feelings much better than either of her male friends, and knows how to get to them. When Ron begins his sickening relationship with Lavender, Hermione goes on a date with McLaggen, Ron's on the Quidditch team for the position of Keeper. Predictably, Ron is driven crazy by this. However, Hermione ends the relationship with McLaggen after only a few hours of their date; she is not willing to use another person for her own selfish purposes, again showing her healthy relationship patterns and understanding of emotions and the bonds between people. At the end of Half-Blood Prince, she and Ron finally seem to have resolved their issues, realizing that time is short in the reflection Dumbledore's funeral. Of course, by the end of the last book and movie, they appear to be together for good.

However, their relationship was stalled much more because of Ron's stupidity than because of anything Hermione did. Ron's way of interacting with potential partners is much different from Hermione's, and is a perfect example of the second major attachment style. Over the course of the next week, I'll post additional entries focusing on Ron and Harry.

For a more detailed version of this article, see my book chapter "Attachment styles at Hogwarts: From infancy to adulthood" in The Psychology of Harry Potter, by BenBella Books.

Copyright Wind Goodfriend, Ph.D.