Draco's Grades

[Darla]

No: HPFGUIDX 46747

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Irene Mikhlin" <irene_mikhlin at b...> wrote:
I'm not a fan of Draco, so I don't care either way, but it just does 
not
> feel
> right for Lucius. Did he memorise the whole list? What's the point 
of
> berating Draco about letting "muggle-born" to top the class if 
there were
> other people ahead of Draco? I think he only knows Hermione's name 
because
> she's taking the place he thought was Draco's birth-right.
> 
> Irene

 *********
   I think the reason Hermione's name was mentioned (Muggle issues 
aside) is quite simply because; 
  a) She is a character we all know.
  b) She *is* very bright and comparing Draco to another character of 
which we're unsure of their intellectual level would not be so 
effective. Hermione is really the only character, along with Neville, 
that we're given a clear picture of their grades. We know Harry and 
Ron etc. do well enough, and are clearly bright students, but their 
actual achievments are less emphasised then Hermione's.
  Also, I think the important point J.K.Rowling was trying to get 
across is nothing to do with Hermione, but instead the pressure put 
on Draco by his father.
  From this I don't perceive Draco to be second in his year.
  Darla.