J.K. Rowling Claims She Made a Mistake Pairing Ron and Hermione

Poor Ron Weasley! The "Harry Potter" character (played by Rupert Grint in the films) can't seem to catch a break when it comes to his creator, author J.K. Rowling.

First, in 2011, Rowling admitted she very seriously considered killing Ron off entirely.

"I planned from the start that none of them would die," she told star Daniel Radcliffe in a special "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" featurette.

"Then midway through, which I think is a reflection of the fact that I wasn't in a very happy place, I started thinking I might polish one of them off. Out of sheer spite. 'There, now you definitely can't have him anymore.' But I think in my absolute heart of hearts of hearts, although I did seriously consider killing Ron, [I wouldn't have done it]."

Ouch.

Luckily for our favorite redhead, Ron survived Rowling's moment of darkness, and even went on to win the heart of our heroine Hermione Granger.

A major mistake, Rowling now says. In an interview conducted by Emma Watson for Wonderland Magazine, Rowling tells her leading lady that she regrets giving the underdog the girl.

"I wrote the Hermione/Ron relationship as a form of wish fulfillment," she says. "That's how it was conceived, really. For reasons that have very little to do with literature and far more to do with me clinging to the plot as I first imagined it, Hermione ended up with Ron."

Rowling adds, "I can hear the rage and fury it might cause some fans, but if I'm absolutely honest, distance has given me perspective on that. It was a choice I made for very personal reasons, not for reasons of credibility. Am I breaking people's hearts by saying this? I hope not."

Watson, for one, was not surprised by the change of heart.

"I think there are fans out there who know that too and who wonder whether Ron would really have been able to make her happy," she agrees.

The article prints Thursday.

What do you think, "Harry Potter" fans? With the books out and the movies wrapped, does Rowling's true choice still matter to you?