Okay in some fanfictions I have been reading Luna's appearance is often changed, for the good. Do you think Luna's appearance will have to change in fanon for Ron to notice her? Or do you think Ron will put her appearance last?

--Jessie

This bothers me greatly because it makes me think some reasers think she is ugly or something, as if Harry, Ron, and Hermione are supermodels or something. I also think that some big name fan put Luna in glasses and mader her sort of a super-geek-nerd rather than individualistc, and that fanon idea just stuck because now I see Luna in glasses all the time.

I also have noticed from reading some general forums that they think Luna is unwashed and in shabby clothes because they think "dirty blonde hair" means lice ridden or something when it is an actual shade of hair coloring.

I don't want to generalize this, because I like Ron/Hermione equally as well, but I see quite a bit of "ugly Luna" mentioned when discussing R/Hr. Not all the time, but it happens, and that bothers me because I don't like it when a character is changed in Fanon because it could interfere with a ship. I see enough of that happen to Ron in order to make H/Hr work in fic sometimes, I don't want to start seeing it with Luna to make R/Hr work in fic . I also see "ugly Luna" in H/Hr fics where Ron is considered ugly and Harry and Hermione are like supermodels and Ron is shipped with Luna as a leftover to occupy him ie: put the ugly people together.

I like how Luna dresses silly and how her eyes are described. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are described with words like gangly and bushy and big teeth and skinny, and none of those words evoke images of great beauty to me. Why should Luna be singled out in this?

*steps off my Luna defense soapbox*

I agree with you when you say Harry, Hermione and Ron aren't supermodels or anything. I was just saying that this seems to keep coming up in fanon, it's pretty much becoming a cliche at this point. And as you pointed out some have started to make side couples go together to be the "ugly" couple, which I don't think would be what would happen in canon. I think all of the characters have their own look which contributes in some sense to their personality.

Luna's appearance comes out "Loony" or crazy when she really is just her own person. But do you think Ron needs something "pretty"(not to say Luna isn't pretty for being her own person) to look at; like former crush Fluer Declore.(spelling?) Or do you believe Ron can fall in love with Luna without having to have her having the perfect look?

I think Ron is going to be very judgemental about looks for a little bit longer I think, but then learning Luna's personallity will take over. He is starting to get past that "looks are everything stage" I think, (not counting Veela's which I find an entirely different situation--I think he is just very sensitive to their magic and other magic as well like the imperious curse) but he did get to go to the ball with a Patil twin, and they are concidered very pretty. If he was just worried about pretty, then he should have at least enjoyed himself instead of dwelling on Hermione. I think as he interacts with Luna more, he will learn her personality more, and will start having some unconcious draw towards her.

I fully believe that Ron wil not be mature enough to handle a relationship at least for another year because he seems to still be in that zone where a guy only really cares about sports and having fun. This will give him more time to learn about Luna's personality and it will intregue him. Also, he would grow more used to her oddness, where in OOTP it was so new and so in-your-face.
He is almost befuddled by her appearance so I think it has struck him in some way that he doesn't understand, but it is definately something that is sticking in his mind.

I'd like to say I am going predict by mid-Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince, Ron will start to mature. I think you noticed it a bit in the fifth book. It's not like he picked fights with Luna, he got overly agressive when she said something about Luna, which Luna though was honorable, and I think he'll realize she is very unique and beautiful in her own way.

Yes Ron is still way too immature for a relationship, as you said Ron is still in that sports and food phase. Although I don't believe either of those phases will ever go away completly. I think I could see Ron start to really notice girls in the seventh book if not late in the sixth book.... I also have a funny feeling Luna won't be the first to go out with him. I think Ron will have to go date a extrodinarly pretty girl, find out pretty isn't everything and see Luna and how she acts and perhaps, admire it.

--Jessie

I also have a funny feeling Luna won't be the first to go out with him. I think Ron will have to go date a extrodinarly pretty girl, find out pretty isn't everything and see Luna and how she acts and perhaps, admire it



You know Jessies flowers I had the same thought. I could see Ron going out witha pretty girl and then he realize that is not what he expected and see how luna is unique and feel attraction towards her.

That is another thing in fanfiction that annoys me is when authors change a character's appearance and give them a dramatic makeover. Though I can understand Luna wearing something different for the purpose of seducing Ronald though I doubt that it is going to happen. Honestly I don't know why people make Luna change appearance. I guess making her look like a super nerd is to make Ron seem more mature and deep.

Sadly, in the fic world, too often are the female characters turned into supermodels as part of why the boy in question notices her. I cannot even count the number of Harry/Hermione fics I've read that inevitably begin with Harry noticing Hermione's newly developed and ohsoperfect figure, etc, etc.

I think Ron's going to grow out of the appearance thing, just as Harry's going through the process of growing out of his. Because certainly, Harry had just as much of a looks bias as Ron did--he just wasn't nearly as vocal about it. But it's evident in his reasons for liking Cho, and even his reason for approaching Parvati as someone to take to the Yule Ball. And, well, you know, the veela thing, etc., etc. I say give Ron time, he'll work through it.

Though really, I see no indication that Luna is ugly or unattractive. Just that she has a rather unique sense of fashion.

I think the only thing Luna MIGHT have to do to get Ron's attention would be to pay a bit more attention to her hair. Remember old Fleur Delacour? Remember the kid who turned into a tomato every time he looked at her? Remember what colour her hair was?

I don't think physical attraction is going to be an issue with Ron and Luna...

Hey,

Like every one said before. I don't see Luna as ulgy or not pretty just different from every one else. Kinda like me. My friends say you would a person more like Luna. Ok I off the topic. I think Luna does not have to change her looks for Ron to like her. I just finish reading this fanfic and the only reason Ron liked Luna in it was because the author changed Luna's looks. Luna can just stay the way she is and if Ron can't see her for what a beautful girl she is, well to bad for him.

-Alex

In tons and tons and tons of fics, no matter the ship, authors are always changing the chick to match whatever their opinion of beauty is (and this applies to both male and female authors). People in general have a warped sense of what makes someone love a person, and always have. People are always coming up with ideas about what makes them more attractive to someone, as if it determines their chances at true happiness. I think one of the reasons people do it is because they're so blinded by the idea of 'beauty' or 'hottness' that they just can't understand how something like R/LL would work unless Luna fit the 'hott girl' format perfectly.

It's more of a widespread problem than in fanfiction, it's a social epidemic of vanity and placing too much importance on appearances.

Ron, we must remember, can be a bit judgmental and overly critical of physical appearance. Let's not forget his dismissing the idea of taking Eloise Midgeon to the Yule Ball because her 'nose is offcentre' even though her 'acne's loads better' according to Hermione. Hermione found this offensive, and I think one of the reasons she would get angry when he fawned over almost-perfect Fleur was another offshoot of her finding his superficiality irritating.

But Ron, like every one of us, is human and can often be stupid and place too much value on temporary qualities like physical aesthetics. Ron is also a teenage boy, so of course he's going to be focused on girls' looks.

I think, however, that in order for R/LL to happen, the opposite of Luna's looks changing must occur. She must stay exactly the same, which is unique and maybe a little silly at times, and Ron must learn to accept that and realize that personality and character are far more important than what sort of earrings she's got on, or if she reads the Quibbler upside down or not.

I think that this would be the beauty of the ship, were it to be written perfectly, is that Ron, who thought she was loony and dressed oddly, would accept her for that and love her despite it; and that Luna, who is spacy and mellow, would accept him for his hotheaded, tempermental and sometimes immature ('I wouldn't have minded not dancing') self and love him wholly also.

That's the real beauty of true love, isn't it? Finally finding someone who loves you for you.

- 'Nilla, who makes her posts too long