Harry Potter: 10 Characters Who Harry Should Have Married Instead Of Ginny
Romance in Harry Potter has always been controversial among fans. Harry ending up with Ginny makes sense in a lot of ways: she had a crush on him for years when they were younger, and she turns out to be funny, brave, and smart once she comes out of her shell. Harry is already friendly with the Weasleys, so there's no drama that comes with marrying into the family.
On the other hand, fans question whether Ginny's attraction to Harry is genuine since she was crushing on him even before they met or knew each other very well. She also doesn't have a very memorable personality in the movies as compared to the books. For these reasons, there are a number of characters that could have made for a more interesting match with Harry.
10 Luna
Luna Lovegood, introduced in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, ends up sharing a close friendship with Harry despite her late entrance in the series. The biggest thing she has going for her is that she's honest and non-judgmental in a way that few other characters are, being perceived as odd and "loony" herself.
In both the books and the movies, it's obvious that Harry admires her for this, even though he also tends to find it odd. As someone who spent much of his life being unfairly judged and trying to live up to the world's expectations, Harry would be able to loosen up and have more fun in life with Luna by his side.
9 Draco
They're enemies pretty much up until the end, so Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter aren't an obvious match. However, enemies-to-lovers is a popular trope for a reason, and The Half-Blood Prince gives a brief glimpse into Draco's personal conflicts and motivations. Perhaps if the series focused more on this inner conflict, the tension between Harry and his rival could have turned into something more.
It would be an intriguing and dynamic story for a Slytherin from a Death Eater family to undergo the change of heart he went through and end up with Harry Potter himself, moving past even the respect they show for each other by the end of the series.
8 Fleur
In The Goblet of Fire, Fleur is at least three years older than Harry and seems to look down on him, only to open up to him a little bit after he rescued her sister. Regardless, she's obviously fond of him, and Harry is consistently flustered and taken aback by her good looks (in part thanks to her Veela ancestry).
Who's to say that they couldn't reconnect as adults and strike up a meaningful connection if Fleur had never fallen for Bill Weasley? If Fleur were able to see Harry as an equal, he could make a great match with his former Triwizard Tournament rival.
7 Neville
Harry's friendship with Neville grows and changes throughout the series. In the beginning, he looks down on Neville as awkward and unintelligent. In the fourth movie, though, Neville helps Harry in the Triwizard Tournament by giving him gillyweed, and from then on it's clear that Harry has grown to like and respect Neville.
If Harry were to end up with Neville instead of Ginny, it would just be a natural progression of their already evolving relationship based on mutual trust and respect. There's also something poetic about Harry ending up with the only other person who could have been the "Chosen One."
6 Cho
They have a tumultuous relationship in the books and movies, starting with a mere schoolboy crush on Harry's end, jealousy as Cho dates Cedric, and a disastrous first and last date in which they are both still struggling with their grief.
While this sequence of events might indicate that they simply aren't a good match, much of it seems to come down to bad timing and messy emotions getting in the way. There's no denying their mutual attraction, and the two could have made a great match if they were able to grow up a little bit and reconnect in the right time and place.
5 Cedric
In the books, Harry describes Cedric as handsome a lot and Cedric is always nice to Harry. Harry admires his honor code and (as a Gryffindor) his bravery. If Cedric had survived the Triwizard Tournament, the way they bonded during the course of the competition could have lead to a strong new friendship, and maybe something more.
4 Tonks
During the course of the series, a relationship with Tonks would have been inappropriate since she is roughly seven years older than Harry. However, as the youngest of the Order of the Phoenix, she's relatable and likable even when Harry is a teenager, and he gets along great with her sarcastic, upbeat personality.
While a romance between the two couldn't have been shown during the timeline of the series, as Harry was a minor, it's totally believable that the two could reconnect and see each other in a different light several years down the line after Harry is an adult (assuming Tonks were to survive, of course).
3 Ron
There's no questioning Harry and Ron's bond. Throughout the series they are ride-or-die for each other, consistently making up after disagreements and sticking by each other's sides. They also have fun together, each with a sense of humor that plays off the other's, which would not only help them get through tough times but also make them great parents.
2 Hermione
Harry and Hermione arguably have a closer, more loyal relationship than either of them have with other characters. They understand each other and are able to communicate well even in times of trouble, like when Ron is holding a grudge in the fourth and seventh installments.
As his close friend since childhood and with more emotional stability and intelligence than Ron, Hermione understands Harry in a way not many other characters do and would surely make a great lifelong partner.
1 A Muggle
A common criticism of Harry's relationship with Ginny is that she was infatuated with him before even getting to know him. This might be a problem with anybody from the Wizarding World; even muggleborns like Hermione and Colin Creevey knew who Harry was before arriving at Hogwarts.
Harry's only associations with the non-magic world for most of the series are his terrible experiences with the Dursleys. In The Half-Blood Prince film, however, Harry shows interest in a waitress at a cafe, who reciprocates his interest, only to be immediately whisked off by Dumbledore before he can go on a date with her. If Harry had been able to pursue her, or someone like her, it might have given him a chance for happiness in both societies (not just the magical one).