I have also posted this in the Harry Potter forum but wanted to contribute it to this one as well.
Ok so first of all I want to address the argument of ‘the relationship was too forced or rushed’.
It was a coming of age adventure series where romance was a highlight every now and again to show Harry's development and capacity to love. The purpose of the romance was never to overshadow the journey and conflicts that Harry had to face. And for those who read the books the way Jo had intended, understood that. We accepted the limits of her romance segments. She showed plenty for those of us that didn't want romance to be the central focus anyway. We wouldn't be steadfast supporters if we weren't satisfied.
It's an action/adventure tale and while JKR has said it in the past that to not have included some romance in the story would have been unnatural because it's what every teenager goes through at some point, the romance isn't necessarily the focus of the story. With everything poor Harry to go through, I think I can excuse a lack of romance on his part when he had tons of life-threatening situations to deal with.
So lets get on with it why they are made for one another……
Simply put, Harry Potter was the love of Ginny's life. At the age of ten, she only briefly made his acquaintance when he boarded the Hogwarts Express with her brother Ron, but developed a crush on him nonetheless. JK had always planned on these two been together and thought it highly romantic that they met at the train station as her own mum and dad met at King's Cross Station in London.
But more than that, the events in the second book brought the two together. From then on, only Ginny could truly understand what it was like to be under Voldermort’s power the way Harry was. And while Ginny stays in the background for the next two books, we get hints of this throughout the series. For those who think that he doesn't pay attention to her, even if Harry doesn't notice her as a romantic partner (while Ginny pines for him) he always describes her in romantic and beautiful ways mentioning "the fire light reflected in her eyes" and how she was curled up like a cat. "fiery red hair...long mane of red hair...{her blush is the} colour of the setting sun," and if you look carefully, he notices details of her, such as him giving out the fact in the books that she has brown eyes and is the ONLY Weasley he gives out the eye colour of (Rowling stated that Ron has blue eyes, but Harry never mentions his eye colour).
By the 5th book, it's pretty obvious they're going to end up together. Ginny's the only one who brings him out of his bad mood about Sirius, Ginny has joined the Quidditch team replacing Harry as Seeker (showing that they're equals once again) and winning the Snitch out from under Cho's nose in one of the games. Ginny is perfect for him. She's stubborn--she can actually get Harry to listen to her unlike Hermione, knows what it's like to be possessed by Voldy, doesn't cry, can make him laugh, plays Quidditch, is a perfect mixture of Ron and Hermione {Harry's two best friends and the ones he needs the most} and basically understands him the most. Harry really needs someone with a similar sense of humour. Hermione, as much as I love her, does not share Harry's humour. Harry relies heavily on having a good time (he didn't miss Ron so much in Goblet of Fire for nothing!) - he even gave his winnings in the fourth book to Fred and George because he thought they could all do with more laughs.
It's clear in the books like Harry, she has a sense of humour; like Harry, she enjoys Quidditch; like Harry, she knows what it's like to be controlled by Voldemort; like Harry, she's a fighter. She is Harry's match in every way. J.K. Rowling spends a good deal of time in the Potter series demonstrating to readers that Ginny's spunky bravery is more than a match for Harry.
There are many instances in the books where they're both laughing together, before and after they are a couple. This is why I think Harry and Ginny work so well: they're able to comfort each other in dark times and lighten up and have some laughs during the good times.
Then after all this time of training with her, fighting beside her, playing Quidditch together, spending time in the same House and at her house - Harry finally notices Ginny. The closer Harry got to her the more he liked her until he could not deny his romantic feelings.
They have a few blissful days together before the Death Eaters attack the school. And again, of note, it's Ginny who manages to pull Harry away from Dumbledore's body. She's the only one who can bring him comfort at the time.
When he leaves, she understands. She knows having the Trace on her means she can't join Harry, Ron and Hermione on their journey. Instead of moping or pining away for him - Ginny becomes a resistance fighter along with Neville and Luna. She tries to steal the sword of Gryffindor for him, she helps recruit and train new members of Dumbledore's Army and against her family's wishes she fights in the final Battle just as Harry does.
Harry said Ginny was his greatest source of comfort, he said she made him "the happiest he could remember being", just looking at her dot on the marauder's map was enough to comfort him on the Horcrux hunt, Ginny was the last thought he had before he "died", when Bellatrix attacked Ginny, Harry was willing to turn his back on Voldermort and go after Bellatrix instead because he was so desperate to protect Ginny. Harry's actions all showed that he loved Ginny and she waited for him in the seventh book because she loved him. She tried to steal Gryffindor's sword for Harry (risking her neck in the process) because she loved him and knew he needed it.
Harry needs someone who is tough and that can handle him and everything that goes with being The Boy Who Lived.
Ok so first of all I want to address the argument of ‘the relationship was too forced or rushed’.
It was a coming of age adventure series where romance was a highlight every now and again to show Harry's development and capacity to love. The purpose of the romance was never to overshadow the journey and conflicts that Harry had to face. And for those who read the books the way Jo had intended, understood that. We accepted the limits of her romance segments. She showed plenty for those of us that didn't want romance to be the central focus anyway. We wouldn't be steadfast supporters if we weren't satisfied.
It's an action/adventure tale and while JKR has said it in the past that to not have included some romance in the story would have been unnatural because it's what every teenager goes through at some point, the romance isn't necessarily the focus of the story. With everything poor Harry to go through, I think I can excuse a lack of romance on his part when he had tons of life-threatening situations to deal with.
So lets get on with it why they are made for one another……
Simply put, Harry Potter was the love of Ginny's life. At the age of ten, she only briefly made his acquaintance when he boarded the Hogwarts Express with her brother Ron, but developed a crush on him nonetheless. JK had always planned on these two been together and thought it highly romantic that they met at the train station as her own mum and dad met at King's Cross Station in London.
But more than that, the events in the second book brought the two together. From then on, only Ginny could truly understand what it was like to be under Voldermort’s power the way Harry was. And while Ginny stays in the background for the next two books, we get hints of this throughout the series. For those who think that he doesn't pay attention to her, even if Harry doesn't notice her as a romantic partner (while Ginny pines for him) he always describes her in romantic and beautiful ways mentioning "the fire light reflected in her eyes" and how she was curled up like a cat. "fiery red hair...long mane of red hair...{her blush is the} colour of the setting sun," and if you look carefully, he notices details of her, such as him giving out the fact in the books that she has brown eyes and is the ONLY Weasley he gives out the eye colour of (Rowling stated that Ron has blue eyes, but Harry never mentions his eye colour).
By the 5th book, it's pretty obvious they're going to end up together. Ginny's the only one who brings him out of his bad mood about Sirius, Ginny has joined the Quidditch team replacing Harry as Seeker (showing that they're equals once again) and winning the Snitch out from under Cho's nose in one of the games. Ginny is perfect for him. She's stubborn--she can actually get Harry to listen to her unlike Hermione, knows what it's like to be possessed by Voldy, doesn't cry, can make him laugh, plays Quidditch, is a perfect mixture of Ron and Hermione {Harry's two best friends and the ones he needs the most} and basically understands him the most. Harry really needs someone with a similar sense of humour. Hermione, as much as I love her, does not share Harry's humour. Harry relies heavily on having a good time (he didn't miss Ron so much in Goblet of Fire for nothing!) - he even gave his winnings in the fourth book to Fred and George because he thought they could all do with more laughs.
It's clear in the books like Harry, she has a sense of humour; like Harry, she enjoys Quidditch; like Harry, she knows what it's like to be controlled by Voldemort; like Harry, she's a fighter. She is Harry's match in every way. J.K. Rowling spends a good deal of time in the Potter series demonstrating to readers that Ginny's spunky bravery is more than a match for Harry.
There are many instances in the books where they're both laughing together, before and after they are a couple. This is why I think Harry and Ginny work so well: they're able to comfort each other in dark times and lighten up and have some laughs during the good times.
Then after all this time of training with her, fighting beside her, playing Quidditch together, spending time in the same House and at her house - Harry finally notices Ginny. The closer Harry got to her the more he liked her until he could not deny his romantic feelings.
They have a few blissful days together before the Death Eaters attack the school. And again, of note, it's Ginny who manages to pull Harry away from Dumbledore's body. She's the only one who can bring him comfort at the time.
When he leaves, she understands. She knows having the Trace on her means she can't join Harry, Ron and Hermione on their journey. Instead of moping or pining away for him - Ginny becomes a resistance fighter along with Neville and Luna. She tries to steal the sword of Gryffindor for him, she helps recruit and train new members of Dumbledore's Army and against her family's wishes she fights in the final Battle just as Harry does.
Harry said Ginny was his greatest source of comfort, he said she made him "the happiest he could remember being", just looking at her dot on the marauder's map was enough to comfort him on the Horcrux hunt, Ginny was the last thought he had before he "died", when Bellatrix attacked Ginny, Harry was willing to turn his back on Voldermort and go after Bellatrix instead because he was so desperate to protect Ginny. Harry's actions all showed that he loved Ginny and she waited for him in the seventh book because she loved him. She tried to steal Gryffindor's sword for Harry (risking her neck in the process) because she loved him and knew he needed it.
Harry needs someone who is tough and that can handle him and everything that goes with being The Boy Who Lived.
