Analytical - Tom Riddle

Tom Riddle has both an adverse and positive efect on H/G. On one hand, he is a shared memory, a bond between the two that isn't easily destroyed. How many teenagers have survived death at the hands of Voldemort? Not many. Add to that the implication of a...

"Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt...When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a certain bond between them... and I'm much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter."

"I don't want a connection with Pettigrew!" said Harry. "He betrayed my parents!"

"This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry. But trust me... the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life." (PoA)

The wizard's debt between Harry and Ginny is only implied through the above quote, and there is no mention of it's existence in canon, but we can safely assume that JKR would never make such an obvious error. I believe we're going to hear more about this in books 6 and 7, or else it would just be a giant plot hole (doubtful). According to Dumbledore, a wizard's debt is also 'magic at its deepest', and therefore unbreakable and unavoidable. If he's right, and Harry will someday be glad that he saved Peter's life - then would the same not apply to Ginny's situation? What this could mean leads to a variety of possibilities: Ginny could save Harry's life later on, or help him in some crucial situation... she could even be a vital part of the final demise of Voldemort, we don't know.

These sexual undertones are largely symbollic, and I don't want to go into deep analysis of it, since I do believe that HP is aimed at younger audiences and as such, the existence of said sexual allusions were more fandom-induced than by merit of the author. However, taken at face value, they do contribute to the pool of evidence in H/G's favour. (Er... thanks, Tom?)

The issue that stands is whether or not Harry and Ginny can put their past experiences behind them. The trauma Tom caused them both is not easily cast away, his actions have deeply affected who they are, and how they view themselves. Harry, for instance, suffers a 'hero-complex' and Ginny, for all we know, could still be having nightmares about her first year. In terms of a romantic relationship, this could prove to be a blessing or a curse.

If Harry and Ginny can talk about the matter - for instance, in OoTP, when the infamous "lucky you" line is uttered - things could work out for the best. They can be supportive of each other, and provide comfort where no one else can (since no one else shares this bond). Harry refuses to talk to anyone after he dreams of Arthur Weasley's attack, because he fears that Voldemort is using him as a tool against everyone else - but when Ginny reminds him that she, too, went through that particular set of problems, his attitude towards her changes. She understands what it's like. He needs someone who does, in order to help him comprehend his own situation. The good aspect of it is that Ginny is able to draw Harry out of self-isolation, and lighten his worst moods.

What if they can't move on? What if the memory of Tom Riddle haunts them both for the rest of their lives, and no one can help them forget? This is a tricky one. I don't know the answer to that - all I can say is I hope that they will be able to move on. One of the themes in OoTP is the loss of innocence, and during the Library scene (aka the Chocolate egg scene) we witness Harry mourning the loss of his childhood. He has to come to terms with the fact that he has lost his parents, and even his ideals of James have come to a crashing end - for the James he saw in Snape's Pensieve is nothing like what Harry imagined. For Harry to truly achieve fulfillment, he'll have to put his past behind him, and face the future.

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