J.K. Rowling, author of “Harry Potter” series, just opened a Hagrid-sized can of worms by admitting she wishes she’d paired Hermione with Harry rather than Ron.

I hesitate to call the canon pairing a mistake. The series is completed. Hermione and Ron as a couple have a solid fan base. Most authors are tormented by second thoughts and the what-ifs of their worlds. Once a road is committed to and books are already published, it’s hard to double back and say, “Whoops! Actually…” All the writer can do now is regret and carry on.

Or maybe not.

J.K. Rowling still thinks about and frets over her characters. In her mind, their stories are not done. If she thinks Ron and Hermione don’t belong together, she probably feels the same way about Harry and Ginny. She now realizes that the story’s OTP (one true pairing) should have been the two powerful, confident characters.

What to do?

Why not write that book? No, don’t rewrite history. Write these characters as adults, realizing they’ve made mistakes. Talk about drama. Harry and Ron are best friends. Ginny is Ron’s sister. This could cause a vast schism that would deeply affect their children, not to mention the wizarding world.

Hmm. Sounds like a new series to me.

Or Rowling can simply live with her regrets and imagine what she will. After all, they are her characters.

Lessons learned for writers? Choose your OTP wisely, yes, but also don’t think that the last period at the end of the book is really the end of the story.