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Though author JK Rowling has introduced many multifaceted, wonderful characters in her popular series of books, the one who sticks out in my mind would be that of Hermione Granger.

She's brainy, courageous, and willing to fight for those who cannot (and will not, as in the case of most house elves). She's loyal to a fault and puts herself and her beloved education in danger in order to stick to her convictions.

She begins the series as a social outcast, ostracized by the other children in her class for knowing too much, trying too hard, and being totally willing to share it with all in a bossy voice. She refuses to show weakness, though she sticks up for those who are even worse off than herself, such as the bumbling Neville Longbottom who loses his pet toad almost as much as he melts cauldrons.

When the cruelty of her classmates finally gets to her, a series of events happen which put her into a friendship with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, something which will change her life forever.

While she retains the bossiness and know-it-all attitude which repelled her classmates, she's now part of a group, and everyone knows there's safety in numbers. With this safety, she's able to relax and concentrate on her greatest task: getting the boys through school without any of them being kicked out, maimed, or killed. When she's not helping the boys with their homework or saving them with research, she's championing the cause of house elves, creatures forced into household slavery by wizards.

She's the most responsible student character in the series, always questioning any rash action, though she does have a darker side. In the fifth book, she leads a megalomaniacal instructor into a dangerous forest knowing full-well that the teacher is unlikely to return.

By far, she's the most interesting, versatile, and tenacious character in the book series. Perhaps this is because Rowling has said in the past that there's a little bit of her in Hermione.

With any luck, my favorite character will live in the final book and continue to inspire me for a long time to come.

Learn more about this author, Julie Gawain.
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