YOUR ICON. WHAT. (And I just saw the keywords and burst out laughing.)

Hermione's meant to be the best in the year, but she's all book-smarts and hardly any logic/lateral thinking, you know?

That's true! When Harry uses the Half-Blood Prince's instructions for the first time, Hermione asks him how he does it, and when he replies:

'Add a clockwise stir - '
'No, no, the book says counter-clockwise!' she snapped.

(Rowling says 'counter-clockwise'! I don't think I've ever heard a British person using that term before.)

So, yes, Hermione refuses to deviate from the instructions she's given. She's good at retaining information, but she's not innovative.