Is Draco evil?

[nera at rconnect.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 15175

After having read the "Is Draco evil?" posts, I was re-reading the 
scene in GoF, chapter 9, the Death Mark. The thing I love the most 
about this group is, that it makes me think about the things I read 
from so many different points of view. I might have read that chapter 
five times, but with only my own thoughts & ideas, it probably would 
have read pretty much the same each time. Draco was being nasty and 
was taunting Hermione.

This time I read it with the idea that Draco might not be a bad guy, 
but he has to "appear bad" to live up to his dad's expectations. 

For instance, Draco had been watching the Muggle tossing from a 
clearing in the woods. If he were truly his evil father's "chip off 
the old block," he would have been out in the midst of the action, 
laughing his head off and making sport of them. 


He tells Ron Weasley, "Hadn't you better be running along now? You 
wouldn't want HER spotted, would you?" (Why warn them? If he truly 
hated Hermione & company, he would have called the jeering crowd over 
with something like, "Hey! Here is another Muggle!!Come and get her!! 
But be careful! This one THINKS she is a witch!!")

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione said defiantly.
"Granger, they're after MUGGLES," said Malfoy. D'you want to be 
showing off your knickers in midair? Because if you do, hang 
around... they're moving this way and it would give us all a laugh."
(I think this whole conversation is more of a warning to Hermione 
than just taunting her)

Even his row with Harry was still a warning ... He was letting Harry 
know that if he wanted to stand there and defend whether or not 
Hermione was a witch or a muggle ... and take a chance that this was 
what the frenzied crowd would think ... then go ahead ... be stupid 
and just stand there.

Even his last words to them were directed almost as another warning 
to Hermione, in that "boys can't admit liking girls fashion", 
"Keep that big bushy head down, Granger," sneered Malfoy.

When asked if his dad were down there among the men in robes, Malfoy 
replied, "Well if they were, I wouldn't be likely to tell you, would 
I, Potter?" ... which suggests that maybe Malfoy is not totally aware 
of his father's dark side.

I will keep a more open mind when re-reading the rest of GoF again.

Doreen, the Corn_Patch_Witch