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From the moment she made her first appearance on the Hogwarts Express, Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) has been one of the Harry Potter series' most beloved characters. One third of the Golden Trio, along with Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Hermione evolves from an overachieving young witch to an advocate for justice and equality over the course of the series' eight films. With unparalleled intellect, a quick wit, and an unwavering sense of right and wrong, Hermione stands out as one of Harry Potter's most nuanced characters, complete with her own set of strengths and weaknesses that compliment her friends'.
Though Hermione might not be the Chosen One, it's hard to argue that Harry Potter would have made it very far into his journey without (more than) a little help from his friends. Hermione has saved the day more than once, giving her a solid roster of stand-out moments from the films. Though a certain bigoted author's wildly transphobic views can put a damper (and that's putting it mildly) on future viewings, the Harry Potter films still hold a special place in people's hearts, and Hermione's most rewatchable scenes stand out as some of the series' best.
10 Hermione is Unpetrified
'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' (2002)
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Who didn't tear up the first time they saw Hermione enter the Great Hall after her petrification was reversed? Sidelined from the third act of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets after a near-fatal encounter with the Basilisk, Hermione is released from the hospital wing in the film's final moments to reunite with her best friends. Everything about this scene is liable to cause a swell of emotion– from the grins on Harry and Ron's faces upon seeing Hermione unpetrified to the way Hermione runs to embrace Harry and awkwardly exchanges a firm handshake with Ron instead of the hug they clearly both want.
The Golden Trio have their fair share of arguments over the course of eight films, but their enduring friendship is the beating heart of the Harry Potter series. This tender moment is so meaningful that it's even one of the happy memories Harry conjures up while attempting to fight off Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) possession in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Though it's not ranked higher on this list, Hermione's return in Chamber of Secrets is one of the character's finest moments.
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The second installment of boy wizard Harry Potter's adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A mysterious elf tells Harry to expect trouble during his second year at Hogwarts, but nothing can prepare him for trees that fight back, flying cars, spiders that talk and deadly warnings written in blood on the walls of the school.
Release Date November 15, 2002
Runtime 161 Minutes
Writers J.K. Rowling , Steve Kloves
Story By J.K. Rowling
Budget $100 Million
Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures , Heyday Films , 1492 Pictures
Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
Prequel(s) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
9 Harry and Hermione Dance in the Tent
'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1' (2010)
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Notably absent from the novel, this scene was added by screenwriter Steve Kloves to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, and to this day, it remains somewhat divisive among fans of the series. After Ron abandons the hunt for Horcruxes, Harry and Hermione find themselves at their lowest point, alone in the woods with no leads on where to find the next piece of Voldemort's soul. One night, in an attempt to lighten the mood, Harry turns up Ron's radio and pulls Hermione to her feet, leading her through an increasingly whimsical dance. Though initially reluctant, Hermione is smiling and laughing before long, bringing some much-needed levity to the series' darkest film so far.
Set to Nick Cave's haunting "O Children", the dance was initially choreographed but, while filming, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson chose to improvise in order to lend the emotional scene more authenticity. Mission accomplished, because this simple scene is one of Harry Potter films' best, showcasing the truly beautiful friendship Harry and Hermione have built over seven years. At once playful and heart-wrenching, the dance is a poignant and deeply vulnerable moment for Hermione.
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1
Release Date November 19, 2010
Runtime 2h 26m
Writers Steve Kloves , J.K. Rowling
Budget 250 million
Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
Prequel(s) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
8 Hermione Reacts to Ron's Return
'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1' (2010)
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
After saving Harry from drowning and destroying Slytherin's locket, Ron triumphantly returns to continue searching for Horcruxes with his friends, but Hermione's reaction is clearly not what Ron expected. Weeks after leaving, Ron greets Hermione with a "Hey" instead of the emphatic apology she deserves, and Hermione loses it. Shoving Ron, throwing forest debris at him, and calling him out for his behavior, Hermione refuses to forgive and forget.
Weeks after leaving, Ron greets Hermione with a "Hey" instead of the emphatic apology she deserves, and Hermione loses it.
It's a cathartic and well-deserved moment, watching Hermione rip in to her future husband instead of forgiving him instantly. One of Hermione's best qualities is her consistent refusal to put up with Ron's behavior. Though all three members of the Golden Trio were made to wear the Horcrux locket, its dark magic affected Ron most of all, which is what led to his abandoning Harry and Hermione. Still, Ron's outburst and ensuing departure were ultimately his own fault, a result of giving in to his own insecurities, and Hermione knows it.
7 Hermione Sets Professor Snape on Fire
'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' (2001)
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Hermione's first instance of willful rule-breaking is one of her very best. When Harry's broom is jinxed during his first Quidditch match, Hermione spots Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) muttering something while watching Harry and springs into action, putting her already-diverse knowledge of spells to use. In order to interrupt the jinx, Hermione sets Snape's cloak on fire, which causes enough of a distraction that Harry is able to regain control of his broomstick and not fall several hundred feet to his death.
It's a pretty out-of-character moment for Hermione (up until this point), who could have been expelled from Hogwarts had she been caught using magic on a teacher. However, it's also the first time Hermione stuck her neck out for her friend, the start of a character arc that culminates in her telling Harry that there are more important things in life than books and cleverness. Hermione is often seen as a bit of a square, but this scene shows that, when the chips are down, the young Gryffindor proves she was sorted into the right house.
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An orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world.
Release Date November 16, 2001
Runtime 152 Minutes
Writers J.K. Rowling , Steve Kloves
Story By J.K. Rowling
Budget $125 Million
Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures , Heyday Films , 1492 Pictures
Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
6 Hermione Tells Ron Off at the Yule Ball
'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' (2005)
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
The build-up to the Yule Ball is a source of comedic tension for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but it all comes to a particularly unpleasant head, especially for Hermione. Ron's feelings for Hermione have grown by the fourth film, so when Hermione shows up at the Yule Ball on the arm of Viktor Krum (Stanislav Yanevski), of whom Ron is a huge fan, the youngest Weasley brother is incensed. We don't see exactly what went down, but we do know that Ron's jealousy caused him to confront Krum in a pretty clumsy way, which leads to a blowout fight between Ron and Hermione.
Hermione leaves Ron speechless, giving him a well-deserved telling off for ruining her night and not having the courage to ask her to the Yule Ball in the first place. After four films' worth of pigheadedness from Ron, who mitigates his feelings for Hermione by pretending he doesn't have them, Hermione is finally given the chance to confront him about the way he treats her. The Yule Ball is already a pretty transformative scene for Hermione, and her unabashed anger toward Ron is actually the first step toward their eventual relationship.
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The fourth movie in the Harry Potter franchise sees Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) returning for his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, along with his friends, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson). There is an upcoming tournament between the three major schools of magic, with one participant selected from each school by the Goblet of Fire. When Harry's name is drawn, even though he is not eligible and is a fourth player, he must compete in the dangerous contest.
Release Date November 18, 2005
Runtime 157 Minutes
Writers Steve Kloves , J.K. Rowling
Story By J.K. Rowling
Budget $150 Million
Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures , Heyday Films
Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
5 Hermione Saves Harry from Professor Umbridge
'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' (2007)
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) is one of the Harry Potter series' most heinous villains, who finds a formidable opponent in Hermione Granger. It's Hermione who understands the deeper meaning of Umbridge's start of term speech; Hermione who first questions Umbridge about teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts without using magic; and Hermione who forms Dumbledore's Army in response to Umbridge. So, it should come as no surprise that Hermione was ultimately the High Inquisitor's undoing.
One of many things Hermione has proven by Order of the Phoenix is that she cannot abide any harm coming to her friends. When Umbridge threatens Harry with the Cruciatus Curse during a violent questioning, Hermione acts without thinking, telling Umbridge that she and Harry will bring her to Dumbledore's (Michael Gambon) "secret weapon". Hermione leads the group through the Forbidden Forest with no real plan, until they come across Hagrid's (Robbie Coltrane) giant half-brother Grawp and a herd of centaurs. Umbridge's bigotry digs her own grave from there, freeing Harry and Hermione from the clutches of a truly evil witch.
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With their warning about Lord Voldemort's return scoffed at, Harry and Dumbledore are targeted by the Wizard authorities as an authoritarian bureaucrat slowly seizes power at Hogwarts.
Release Date June 28, 2007
Runtime 138 Minutes
Writers Michael Goldenberg , J.K. Rowling
Story By J.K. Rowling
Budget $150 Million
Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures , Heyday Films
Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
4 Hermione Uses the Time Turner
'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' (2004)
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
The third act of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is one of Hermione's most impressive showings in the entire series. When Dumbledore instructs Harry and Hermione to use the Time Turner to save Buckbeak and Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), Harry is confused, but Hermione knows exactly what to do. Having used the Time Turner all year to attend more classes than a non-time-traveling student could, Hermione is aware of all its rules and knows exactly how to utilize the Time Turner to save innocent lives.
Hermione is—as usual— the brains of the operation here, and until Harry casts a Patronus to fend off the Dementors, The Boy Who Lived is really just along for the ride. Hermione successfully coaxes Buckbeak away from Hagrid's hut, saves the past-Harry's life by distracting Lupin (David Thewlis) in his werewolf form, and blasts open Sirius' cell in order to free him, all in the space of a few hours. This is Hermione Granger in peak form, taking control of a seemingly impossible situation and using her staggering intelligence to save the day (again).
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Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study, where they delve into the mystery surrounding an escaped prisoner, Sirius Black, who poses a dangerous threat to the young wizard.
Release Date May 31, 2004
Director Alfonso Cuarón
Runtime 144 Minutes
Writers J.K. Rowling , Steve Kloves
Story By J.K. Rowling
Budget $130 Million
Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures , Heyday Films , 1492 Pictures
Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
Prequel(s) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
3 Hermione Scolds Harry and Ron
'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' (2001)
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Few lines in the Harry Potter franchise's first film received more laughs than Hermione's admonishment of Harry and Ron after escaping a brush with death. When an ever-changing staircase mishap lands them in the forbidden third-floor corridor, a near-miss with Filch (David Bradley) has the trio hide in the nearest room, where they find themselves face-to-face with Fluffy, a massive three-headed dog. After returning to the Gryffindor common room, Hermione speculates on why Fluffy is even at Hogwarts to begin with, then hits Harry and Ron with a thorough dressing down: "Now, if you two don't mind, I'm going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed — or worse, expelled."
The one-two punch of Hermione's line followed by Ron quipping "she needs to sort out her priorities" is such an iconic moment for the film.
Brutal. The line is taken verbatim from the Sorcerer's Stone novel, but it's 10-year-old Emma Watson's adorably scathing delivery that drives this scene home. The one-two punch of Hermione's line followed by Ron quipping "she needs to sort out her priorities" is such an iconic moment for the film. More importantly, the line does actually lay out Hermione's initial priorities, which makes all of her future instances of rule-breaking that much more rebellious.
2 "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!"
'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' (2004)
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
As Dumbledore once said: "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." A series of brave choices and quick-thinking save Harry, Ron, and Hermione more than once in the Harry Potter films, but Prisoner of Azkaban throws the trio into a very different sort of danger. Harry and his friends spend most of the third movie believing that Sirius Black is trying to kill him, so when they find themselves ambushed by the titular prisoner of Azkaban in the Shrieking Shack, 13-year-old Hermione takes matters into her own hands and plants herself in front of Harry before delivering one of the series' most powerful lines.
However, this scene serves to effectively establish Hermione's bravery, not just her intelligence and encyclopedic knowledge, as one of her greatest qualities at a critical point in the series.
The only reason this scene comes in second is that it technically doesn't belong to Hermione; in the Harry Potter books, it's Ron who stands between Sirius and Harry, on an injured leg no less. Many of Ron's best moments from the books being given to Hermione in the films is controversial among fans. However, this scene serves to effectively establish Hermione's bravery, not just her intelligence and encyclopedic knowledge, as one of her greatest qualities at a critical point in the series. Just as Ron, standing on a broken leg to protect his best friend, takes guts, so too does Hermione stand up to a grown wizard without a wand in her hand.
1 Hermione Granger Punches Draco Malfoy
'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' (2004)
Prisoner of Azkaban was clearly a banner year for Hermione. You knew this was coming— it might be a cliché, but this scene defines "rewatchable". On the day of Buckbeak's scheduled execution, the Golden Trio come across Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) and his cronies spying on Hagrid's hut, hoping to catch a glimpse of the hippogriff's death. Hermione charges Malfoy and points her wand at the bully while the other boys look on helplessly, aware that the brightest witch of her age probably knows more spells than the five of them combined. Ron makes a half-hearted attempt to calm Hermione down, but he's not really in charge here.
Hermione only smacks Draco in the books, but the film version of this exchange sees Hermione wind up and unload a solid right hook— a real masterclass in Muggle dueling. What makes this moment all the more satisfying is that Draco truly had it coming, from never passing up a chance to throw a slur Hermione's way to orchestrating Buckbeak's trial and execution with his father, Lucius (Jason Isaacs). Seeing Hermione unleash a movie's worth of pent-up rage on the smarmy Draco Malfoy had theaters full of people cheering when Prisoner of Azkaban was released.
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