Harringrove

Harringrove is the slash ship between Billy Hargrove and Steve Harrington from the Stranger Things fandom.​​​​​

Canon
Billy Hargrove is introduced at the start of Season 2. His introduction to the series takes place with Steve Harrington watching him drive up to the school. Billy goes to Hawkins' High and is implied to be one year younger than Steve.

Billy is right away set up to be a human antagonist and the relationship between both characters is difficult from the start. Tommy H. introduces Billy to Steve at a Halloween party, where Billy learns that Steve has stepped down from his role as most popular boy in school (and initiates intense eye contact with him). Billy takes over, although Steve remains passive under the implications. Billy then plays roughly against Steve during basketball practice, pushing past him to shoot the ball and grinding against him in an attempt to get the rise out of him. Billy offers a hand to help Steve up, giving him basketball advice and then pushing him back down, "You were moving your feet. Plant them next time. Draw a charge." Later in the showers, Billy tells Steve (in response to Steve and Nancy breaking up), ''“Don’t take it too hard, man. Pretty boy like you has got nothing to worry about. Plenty of bitches in the sea. I'll be sure to leave you some.”''

After Neil Hargrove, Billy's father, finds that Max is not home and admonishes Billy, hurling a homophobic slur his way before shoving him up against a wall and slapping him across the face for disrespecting him, Billy goes looking for her. After visiting Mrs Wheeler he drives up to the Byers residence and finds Steve stepping out of the door. Billy asks, “Am I dreaming, or is that you, Harrington?” to which Steve replies, “Yeah it’s me, don’t cream your pants.” Steve repeatedly tells Billy that Max is not at the Byers residence, upon which Billy sees her peer through the window and rushes inside, but not before pushing Steve to the ground for lying to him.

Next follows the culminate fight between the characters, prompted by Billy attempting to assault Lucas Sinclair for hanging out with his sister, Maxine. Steve pulls him away and throws a few punches before Billy smashes a plate over his head, then continues to punch him until Steve is unconscious. At this point, Max steps in and injects Billy with a sedative before threatening him with Steve’s spiked baseball bat. While the kids take Steve with them in Billy's Camaro, it is unclear what happens to Billy.

In Season 3, Billy is possessed by the Mindflayer and he's away from Steve the most of the time, so there's little to zero Harringrove interections.

Fanon
Harringrove is the second most popular ship ship in the Stranger Things fandom according to AO3, only losing in popularity to Steddie. It placed as the first ship in the Stranger Things tag for years, until August 2022 when the Harringrove tag was surpassed. The shippers view their interactions as flirty in nature, especially the line where Billy calls Steve a pretty boy, used to say they have sexual tension or, at least, attraction to the other.

Even with the popularity, Harringrove is a polemic ship for involving Billy, considered as a racist character that should not be shipped with anyone according to fandom. The shippers usually defend themselves by saying they do not comndone Billy's actions, and are just exploring "what-ifs" of his character.

Common Tropes in Fanfiction
Hurt/comfort: Steve cares for Billy after abuse from his father, or Billy cares for Steve after nightmares about the Upside-Down.

Redemption: Steve tries to help Billy overcome his past, and current, abuse at the hands of his father and walks him down the path of redemption.

Future-fic: Where Billy and Steve are older and reunite, or are in an established relationship.

Fem!Harringrove: Genderbent Billy "Billie" and Steve "Steph/Stevie" meeting under various circumstances.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Steve/Billy tag on FanFiction.Net
 * Steve/Billy tag on FanFiction.Net

TUMBLR

Variations

 * Muningrove refers to the ship between Billy Hargrove, Steve Harrington and Eddie Munson
 * Stonagrove refers to the ship between Steve Harrington, Jonathan Byers and Billy Hargrove