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In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, it is understandable why Hermione has a crush on Gilderoy Lockhart: he was handsome, she was a little girl, so she had a fan-girl crush on him, like normal girls to music/movie stars of her age.

At the end of Chamber of Secrets Harry and Ron realized that all his achievements were fake (after Lockhart told them so). I would assume that by the time when trio visits St. Mungo's for the first time, Hermione would be aware of why Lockhart was dismissed, or realized Lockhart's deceptions.

However, when visiting St. Mungo in 5th book, she was breathless, when she saw Lockhart again.

‘Oh, my goodness,’ said Hermione suddenly, sounding breathless. ‘Professor Lockhart!’

My interpretation back when I've read it for the first time long ago was that Hermione still had a crush on him. Is that really the case, or is it my wrong interpretation of her reaction?

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    Does she, really? Jul 28, 2017 at 15:47
  • @Gallifreyan Yes, in book 5 she was visibly agitated when she realized it was Lockhart, I just re-read that part of the story yesterday. Jul 28, 2017 at 15:51
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    Teenage crushes are often based on illogical things. Even if he was a proven fraud, he was still a charming, good looking man. She may not have deep feelings for him, but an attraction/schoolgirl crush isn't out of the question.
    – phantom42
    Jul 28, 2017 at 15:52
  • @phantom42 So she was one of those girls that was not disappointed with her girl-crush to be fake, but one of those Back-fire effects, described in the discussion in similar question Jul 28, 2017 at 15:56
  • @VadzimSavenok I know it might take some effort, but the relevant quotes from book 5 might help the understanding of this question.
    – Skooba
    Jul 28, 2017 at 16:03

2 Answers 2

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I believe you are referencing the following passage from chapter 23, "Christmas on the Closed Ward" (emphasis mine):

But as he stepped on to the landing he came to an abrupt halt, staring at the small window set into the double doors that marked the start of a corridor signposted SPELL DAMAGE. A man was peering out at them all with his nose pressed against the glass. He had wavy blond hair, bright blue eyes and a broad vacant smile that revealed dazzlingly white teeth.

‘Blimey!’ said Ron, also staring at the man.

‘Oh, my goodness,’ said Hermione suddenly, sounding breathless. ‘Professor Lockhart!’

Their ex-Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher pushed open the doors and moved towards them, wearing a long lilac dressing gown.

I imagine people may run out of breath when they see their crush. But of course it's also entirely possible that she was simply startled, same as Ron and Harry, by seeing her old teacher with whom they may not have parted on the best terms, in a mental facility.

It's also possible that she was surprised to see her old "crush", who was previously a very elegant and charming man, displaying a very child-like attitude, which is contrary to what she remembers him to be.

A few explanations are possible, but nothing suggests she still has a crush on him.

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    Hm, maybe so, maybe it was more of a translation, it was more implied to the side that was a crush, thus breathtaking moment. Maybe it was just one of those cases, where that was how translators interpreted her reaction, and I was just misguided with their interpretation. Jul 28, 2017 at 16:33
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    Possible. What language did you read it in? Jul 28, 2017 at 16:37
  • It was a Russian language. Darn it translators, my record of positive questions is broken because of you =D Jul 28, 2017 at 16:38
  • In Russian the line is "— Не может быть! — задохнулась Гермиона. — Профессор Локонс!", which isn't indicative of a crush, either. Jul 28, 2017 at 16:48
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    There's no way that Hermione still had a crush at this point. She's older and wiser. Her reaction was just surprise when she saw someone she knew in a place she wasn't expecting. Jul 28, 2017 at 18:34
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It's unlikely that Hermione still had a crush on Lockhart at this point, because earlier in Order of the Phoenix she already demonstrated that she was aware that he was a fraud (something which she had been denying throughout Chamber of Secrets), when she stated that Lupin was their only Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who actually knew the subject:

"Harry, you're the best in the year at Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Hermione.

"Me?" said Harry, now grinning more broadly than ever. "No I'm not, you've beaten me in every test —"

"Actually, I haven't," said Hermione coolly. "You beat me in our third year — the only year we both sat the test and had a teacher who actually knew the subject. But I'm not talking about test results, Harry. Look what you've done!"

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  • Wait a minute- both of them didn't sit the exam that year. The exams were cancelled as a school treat.
    – Righter
    Apr 8, 2021 at 9:47
  • @Righter Good point.
    – Alex
    Apr 9, 2021 at 11:17

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